1 00:00:01,040 --> 00:00:03,720 Speaker 1: The views, information, or opinions express during this podcast are 2 00:00:03,760 --> 00:00:06,120 Speaker 1: solely those of the individuals involved and do not represent 3 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:08,440 Speaker 1: those of intut, QuickBooks or any of its cornerstone brands 4 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:11,600 Speaker 1: or employees. This podcast does not constitute financial, legal, or 5 00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:14,360 Speaker 1: other professional advice or services. No assurance is given that 6 00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:17,159 Speaker 1: the info is comprehensive, accurate, or free of errors, and 7 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:20,239 Speaker 1: the information presented is for general information purposes only. Into 8 00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:22,880 Speaker 1: It QuickBooks does not have any responsibility for updating or 9 00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:26,520 Speaker 1: revising any information presented. Listeners should verify statements before relying 10 00:00:26,520 --> 00:00:29,000 Speaker 1: on them. QuickBooks Money is a standalone into It offering 11 00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:31,600 Speaker 1: banking services provided by Green Dot Bank member FDIC. 12 00:00:36,880 --> 00:00:38,959 Speaker 2: Hey everyone, I'm Ustin Henkwitz and. 13 00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:42,160 Speaker 1: I'm Denise Torres. Welcome to Mind the Business Small Business 14 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:45,480 Speaker 1: Success Stories, a podcast brought to you by Intwit, QuickBooks 15 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:49,239 Speaker 1: and iHeartRadio's Ruby Studio. In each episode, Austin and I 16 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:52,040 Speaker 1: chat with small business owners as they share their stories 17 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:56,440 Speaker 1: about the ups and downs of owning a small business. So, Austin, 18 00:00:56,600 --> 00:00:58,120 Speaker 1: where are a couple weeks into the spring? 19 00:00:58,200 --> 00:00:58,480 Speaker 3: Now? 20 00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:01,000 Speaker 1: How has the season been treating you so far? 21 00:01:01,680 --> 00:01:01,880 Speaker 3: Oh? 22 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:04,840 Speaker 2: My gosh, I'm feeling great. Jenise, I love being able 23 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:07,400 Speaker 2: to get outside again. And I actually now have a 24 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:10,560 Speaker 2: Marshall's gift card that I'm itching to spend to transform 25 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:15,280 Speaker 2: my house into a springtime oasis. Birthday should be good. 26 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:18,080 Speaker 2: May ten. That that's my Birthday'll be turning twenty eight 27 00:01:18,440 --> 00:01:21,160 Speaker 2: and to celebrate, my girlfriend and I are going back 28 00:01:21,240 --> 00:01:24,960 Speaker 2: to Cancun, Mexico. We went to can Kun last year 29 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:29,240 Speaker 2: for this insane all inclusive resort to celebrate again my 30 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 2: birthday last year, but going back again this year. Can't 31 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:35,200 Speaker 2: wait to run it back. I'm so so excited. What 32 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:38,199 Speaker 2: about you, Janiese, is there anything you are especially excited about? 33 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 3: I didn't know you were a fellow tourist too. 34 00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:45,039 Speaker 1: I am May second. Oh yeah, and I'm actually going 35 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:47,280 Speaker 1: to be kicking off my book tour. 36 00:01:47,240 --> 00:01:49,960 Speaker 3: On my birthday. Oh my gosh. I know. 37 00:01:50,040 --> 00:01:52,920 Speaker 1: It's like what a way to celebrate turning thirty nine 38 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:58,440 Speaker 1: and celebrating like eleven years of entrepreneurship. And yeah, so 39 00:01:58,480 --> 00:02:00,280 Speaker 1: I'm going to be kicking off my book tour. Super 40 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:03,560 Speaker 1: excited about that. And then I'm also in the process 41 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:07,760 Speaker 1: of buying a house, so that's a monster in itself, 42 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:09,119 Speaker 1: but very exciting. 43 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:11,320 Speaker 2: That is awesome. Yeah, we'll have to figure out a 44 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:15,400 Speaker 2: way to like co celebrate our birthdayscon May ten. It's 45 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:18,400 Speaker 2: going to be in Saint Pete, Florida, and everyone's invited. 46 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:22,040 Speaker 3: I love it now. 47 00:02:22,120 --> 00:02:25,400 Speaker 1: We love talking to different solopreneurs and small business owners 48 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:28,239 Speaker 1: about their journeys and strategies and the fun way that 49 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:31,120 Speaker 1: they can market themselves. But there's another thing we have 50 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:34,480 Speaker 1: to talk about, and it's something every entrepreneur has to 51 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:37,400 Speaker 1: deal with. Payments and invoices. 52 00:02:37,919 --> 00:02:41,079 Speaker 2: Oh, my gosh, payments and invoices. You said it, Jenise. 53 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:44,120 Speaker 2: It is so crucial to keep track of your expenses 54 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:47,960 Speaker 2: and payments and keep your books balanced. That's why QuickBooks 55 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:51,440 Speaker 2: is such an essential tool and why it's called quick books. 56 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:54,760 Speaker 2: It keeps track of all of your expenditures, open and 57 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:58,080 Speaker 2: closed invoices, tracks every penny moving in and out of 58 00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 2: your accounts, and allows for customers and vendors to send 59 00:03:01,720 --> 00:03:04,919 Speaker 2: payment in whichever way is easiest for them and most 60 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:08,000 Speaker 2: convenient for you. So I know for me Janie's payments 61 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:11,720 Speaker 2: invoices it was a disaster in my solopreneurship journey. In 62 00:03:11,720 --> 00:03:14,200 Speaker 2: the first twelve or eighteen months, I used some random 63 00:03:14,240 --> 00:03:17,880 Speaker 2: website that would create these like invoice PDFs, and then 64 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:21,080 Speaker 2: I'd send the PDF to the clients, and then I 65 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:24,840 Speaker 2: would have a separate Excel spreadsheet get that right, Oh 66 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 2: my gosh, and manually typing in when I sent the invoice, 67 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:30,440 Speaker 2: when it was due, and when I should manually email 68 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 2: them again as a reminder. It was a nightmare. Thank 69 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:35,040 Speaker 2: God for quick books. But talk to me a little 70 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:38,320 Speaker 2: bit about your experience watching and keeping track of the 71 00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:41,240 Speaker 2: payments the invoices as a solopreneur. To your point, who's 72 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:43,080 Speaker 2: been doing this for eleven years. 73 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:47,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's really the difference between me not qualifying for 74 00:03:47,120 --> 00:03:49,600 Speaker 1: a mortgage or actually being able to prove to the 75 00:03:49,640 --> 00:03:52,960 Speaker 1: bank that I can afford this right. When I'm looking 76 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:56,000 Speaker 1: at my business finances, this is a reflection of my 77 00:03:56,160 --> 00:04:00,240 Speaker 1: overall financial situation. So when I'm applying for a more good, 78 00:04:00,440 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 1: I have to provide the bank with statements that show 79 00:04:03,160 --> 00:04:05,480 Speaker 1: what are my profits, what is my revenue, what are 80 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:08,760 Speaker 1: my expenditures. I pay myself, so I have to demonstrate 81 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:11,360 Speaker 1: that as well. And there's just so many moving parts 82 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:15,160 Speaker 1: when it comes to running a business efficiently, that having 83 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:19,080 Speaker 1: your books organized and really being able to tell your 84 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:22,839 Speaker 1: financial story to a lender to a bank. It's critical 85 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:25,280 Speaker 1: if you want to make these really big purchases and 86 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:26,920 Speaker 1: achieve these financial milestones. 87 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:30,200 Speaker 2: I couldn't agree more. I remember when I purchased my 88 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 2: first house here in Nashville. I think it was summer 89 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:36,919 Speaker 2: of twenty twenty two, so a couple of years ago now. 90 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:39,760 Speaker 2: But to your point, I was a full time solopreneur. 91 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:42,440 Speaker 2: I was figuring it out and it is a nightmare 92 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:46,799 Speaker 2: trying to find and prove and I mean they meticulously 93 00:04:46,880 --> 00:04:50,000 Speaker 2: come through every transaction. You have to have the receipts, 94 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:52,360 Speaker 2: you got to have the invoices, you got to have everything. 95 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:54,440 Speaker 2: And thank god Quick Books was able to do that 96 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:56,359 Speaker 2: for me. They had it all right there for me. 97 00:04:56,400 --> 00:04:59,719 Speaker 2: I was able to find and show everything the lender needed. 98 00:04:59,760 --> 00:05:02,119 Speaker 2: But whoof I feel for you, girl. I'll be praying 99 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:05,800 Speaker 2: for you now, thanks so much. So On that note, 100 00:05:05,839 --> 00:05:14,400 Speaker 2: let's meet our guest. Michael Bain is an edgemith who 101 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 2: uses traditional Japanese techniques to perfectly sharpen blades everything from 102 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:23,479 Speaker 2: cooking knives to ceremonial kurpins to simple pocket knives. After 103 00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:26,520 Speaker 2: working for nearly ten years in the restaurant industry, he 104 00:05:26,600 --> 00:05:30,200 Speaker 2: founded Moshi Moshi, which provides high quality knife sharpening to 105 00:05:30,320 --> 00:05:33,839 Speaker 2: over twenty five hundred clients. In addition to starting and 106 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:36,839 Speaker 2: running his own company, he franchises out his business to 107 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:39,880 Speaker 2: other former kitchen workers who he trains in the art 108 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:44,120 Speaker 2: of knife sharpening. Michael is passionate about providing impeccable service 109 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:46,680 Speaker 2: to his customers, as well as having a healthy work 110 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:50,039 Speaker 2: life balance. Michael, welcome to the show. 111 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:52,719 Speaker 3: Thank you so much for having me. Very excited for 112 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:56,679 Speaker 3: this and it's just generally super cool. Michael. 113 00:05:56,720 --> 00:05:59,200 Speaker 1: Let's start with the name of your business, Moshi Moshi. 114 00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:00,840 Speaker 1: What is the story behind it? 115 00:06:01,440 --> 00:06:05,040 Speaker 3: Moshi Mooshi is an informal way and very friendly way 116 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:07,840 Speaker 3: that Japanese people greet each other on the telephone. So 117 00:06:07,880 --> 00:06:10,400 Speaker 3: they'll just pick up the phone and go hi, Mushi Moshi. 118 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:12,760 Speaker 3: And I just thought it would be like a cute 119 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:14,320 Speaker 3: thing to do, you know, when I was sort of 120 00:06:14,400 --> 00:06:17,200 Speaker 3: dreaming of the business as a lion cook, just imagining 121 00:06:17,240 --> 00:06:20,839 Speaker 3: me being super enthusiastic picking up the phone. She's just 122 00:06:20,839 --> 00:06:23,080 Speaker 3: like yelling at people through the phone, and I always 123 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:23,800 Speaker 3: thought that would. 124 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:27,120 Speaker 1: Be fun, amazing. Okay, so you started working in restaurants 125 00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:29,200 Speaker 1: when you were a teenager, but then you found yourself 126 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:31,440 Speaker 1: at the age of twenty four working in a chaotic, 127 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:34,640 Speaker 1: fast paced kitchen in charge of fifteen people. What was 128 00:06:34,680 --> 00:06:36,600 Speaker 1: the moment that made you realize you wanted to make 129 00:06:36,640 --> 00:06:38,840 Speaker 1: a change from working in a fast paced kitchen and 130 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:40,520 Speaker 1: branching out into your own business. 131 00:06:40,760 --> 00:06:43,599 Speaker 3: Okay, the moment was the pandemic, Like it started when 132 00:06:43,640 --> 00:06:45,800 Speaker 3: I was twenty four as a sous chef. That started 133 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:48,960 Speaker 3: the ball rolling of doubt for the kitchen game. But 134 00:06:49,080 --> 00:06:51,480 Speaker 3: like during the pandemic, when my hours kept going up, 135 00:06:51,560 --> 00:06:54,760 Speaker 3: my pay kept going down, the treatment of myself as 136 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:58,400 Speaker 3: a human being was just not very nice. So, yeah, 137 00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:01,320 Speaker 3: it was the pandemic and it started very quickly the 138 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:02,680 Speaker 3: knife sharpening business from there. 139 00:07:03,240 --> 00:07:05,240 Speaker 1: Yeah. I think a lot of people had sort of 140 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:08,400 Speaker 1: that reckoning moment during the pandemic where they started to question, like, 141 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:10,720 Speaker 1: is this something I still want to keep doing? And 142 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:13,920 Speaker 1: I think the restaurant industry definitely has a reputation for 143 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 1: being a place where you need to have very thick skin, definitely, 144 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:20,520 Speaker 1: so I understand why you'd want to make that transition. Now, 145 00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:21,920 Speaker 1: you did say that one of the ways that you 146 00:07:22,040 --> 00:07:24,760 Speaker 1: learned how to sharpen knives was through trial and error, 147 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:28,160 Speaker 1: which I think most people can relate to, especially in entrepreneurship. 148 00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:30,680 Speaker 1: Would you say that's true about how you started your 149 00:07:30,680 --> 00:07:31,280 Speaker 1: own company. 150 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:35,240 Speaker 3: I would absolutely say trial and error has been like 151 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:38,640 Speaker 3: the main teacher through this and everything. Because there's no 152 00:07:38,680 --> 00:07:41,080 Speaker 3: other knife sharpener who can just like take you under 153 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:43,000 Speaker 3: their wing and show you all the mistakes they made. 154 00:07:43,040 --> 00:07:46,080 Speaker 3: You kind of have to make the mistakes first and 155 00:07:46,120 --> 00:07:48,120 Speaker 3: then hope it's not so bad and then just go 156 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:48,640 Speaker 3: on from there. 157 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:51,400 Speaker 1: Can you take us behind the scenes of your learning 158 00:07:51,440 --> 00:07:53,760 Speaker 1: process as well, like how do you actually learn how 159 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:54,560 Speaker 1: to do this stuff? 160 00:07:55,360 --> 00:07:57,240 Speaker 3: Well, that's good that you just asked that. I just 161 00:07:57,280 --> 00:07:59,760 Speaker 3: got back from a big trip in San Francisco where 162 00:07:59,760 --> 00:08:02,680 Speaker 3: I want to a established kniveshop. Worked with them for 163 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:05,160 Speaker 3: a few hours just to learn a couple of techniques. 164 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:08,120 Speaker 3: I was really trying to refine the last three to 165 00:08:08,200 --> 00:08:11,720 Speaker 3: five percent of my technique. It's just learning what's the 166 00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:14,320 Speaker 3: tiny thing they do different compared to me, and then 167 00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:17,800 Speaker 3: working that into the routine. Yeah, that's fantastic. 168 00:08:17,840 --> 00:08:20,320 Speaker 1: I think that's a big part of kind of this 169 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:23,720 Speaker 1: whole journey as a solopreneurs, just understanding that there's always 170 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:26,680 Speaker 1: going to be opportunities to improve and to learn, and 171 00:08:26,720 --> 00:08:28,720 Speaker 1: to not be afraid of putting yourself out there and 172 00:08:28,720 --> 00:08:31,760 Speaker 1: looking for those opportunities wherever you can get them exactly. 173 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:34,280 Speaker 3: And that's the biggest thing for me, because, of course 174 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:37,600 Speaker 3: doubt rolls in at times when I'm just by myself 175 00:08:37,679 --> 00:08:40,560 Speaker 3: sharpening two hundred knives a day and I'm just cutting 176 00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:43,760 Speaker 3: paper on Instagram and I'm like, is this working? What 177 00:08:43,800 --> 00:08:46,280 Speaker 3: am I doing with my life? Of course doubt comes up, 178 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:48,920 Speaker 3: but like, I just got to trust the process. If 179 00:08:48,960 --> 00:08:50,320 Speaker 3: you will, I love it. 180 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:53,720 Speaker 2: I remember I was talking with Candice Nelson, the founder 181 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:56,960 Speaker 2: of Sprinkle Cupcakes, recently, and she told me the story 182 00:08:57,000 --> 00:09:00,120 Speaker 2: which I think might resonate with you, Michael, where back 183 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:03,040 Speaker 2: in the early days of Sprinkle Cupcakes, she wanted to 184 00:09:03,040 --> 00:09:06,079 Speaker 2: go out and hire the big consultants and the industry 185 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:09,240 Speaker 2: veterans and the people who were supposed to have the answers. 186 00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:12,760 Speaker 2: But once she hired those people, she realized that, wait 187 00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:15,960 Speaker 2: a second, we're doing things so differently here at Sprinkle's 188 00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:19,320 Speaker 2: Cupcakes that their answers don't even resonate. So I feel like, 189 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:22,040 Speaker 2: as a solopreneur, Michael, who's trying to figure this out, 190 00:09:22,400 --> 00:09:26,480 Speaker 2: and carve your own path in solopreneurship with your knife 191 00:09:26,480 --> 00:09:30,280 Speaker 2: sharpening business, that maybe it's even a better idea not 192 00:09:30,440 --> 00:09:33,920 Speaker 2: to take too much inspiration from the industry veterans and 193 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:36,640 Speaker 2: look at yourself kind of have that self reflection and say, 194 00:09:36,840 --> 00:09:39,280 Speaker 2: how could I best serve my customers? How can I 195 00:09:39,280 --> 00:09:43,840 Speaker 2: best create processes in my business for efficiency and you know, 196 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:46,720 Speaker 2: just awesome customer experiences, which seems like something you've done 197 00:09:46,760 --> 00:09:47,560 Speaker 2: a very good job of. 198 00:09:47,960 --> 00:09:48,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, thank you for that. 199 00:09:49,360 --> 00:09:51,760 Speaker 2: So staying on top of money coming in and going 200 00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:54,880 Speaker 2: out and tracking all the paperwork with it can be 201 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:57,880 Speaker 2: so challenging for small business owners who are also having 202 00:09:57,920 --> 00:10:00,880 Speaker 2: to wear all the other hats to keep the company going. 203 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:04,439 Speaker 2: That's what's so great about QuickBooks money, right. It allows 204 00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:06,280 Speaker 2: you to keep an eye on all the money that's 205 00:10:06,320 --> 00:10:09,960 Speaker 2: coming in, that's going out. It helps organizes invoices so 206 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:13,040 Speaker 2: you never miss a payment. So how early into your 207 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:15,480 Speaker 2: business journey did you start using QuickBooks? 208 00:10:16,400 --> 00:10:20,240 Speaker 3: Well, my wife has been an accountant her entire professional career, 209 00:10:20,280 --> 00:10:22,080 Speaker 3: so she was like, let's get cookbooks and I was like, 210 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:26,800 Speaker 3: what's that. She's like the financial brain besides the entire operation, 211 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:29,680 Speaker 3: which is so nice and amazing for me because it's 212 00:10:29,679 --> 00:10:32,240 Speaker 3: tough for me, and it's just really nice having somebody 213 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:35,280 Speaker 3: who specializes in the numbers aspect. 214 00:10:35,559 --> 00:10:37,600 Speaker 2: I think we hear that a lot from solopreneurs, right, 215 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:39,880 Speaker 2: you want to bode to your strengths and hire to 216 00:10:39,920 --> 00:10:42,080 Speaker 2: your weaknesses. And lucky for all of us, we can 217 00:10:42,160 --> 00:10:45,520 Speaker 2: all hire QuickBooks if you're not that great at keeping 218 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:49,040 Speaker 2: tabs on the finances. So how has QuickBooks money helped 219 00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:50,240 Speaker 2: you stay on top of your game? 220 00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:53,480 Speaker 3: I just think having everything out in front of me 221 00:10:53,800 --> 00:10:56,680 Speaker 3: and being able to see it is is pretty nice. 222 00:10:56,920 --> 00:10:59,400 Speaker 3: The thing with knife sharpening is that the expenses are 223 00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:02,200 Speaker 3: pretty low to keep it running. Like I bought one 224 00:11:02,360 --> 00:11:05,600 Speaker 3: expensive big grinding wheel and it's lasted me like almost 225 00:11:05,800 --> 00:11:08,400 Speaker 3: two years now, you know. So it's like I'm not 226 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:11,160 Speaker 3: spending money actively every day to keep the business rolling. 227 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:13,760 Speaker 3: It's almost like one big expense every couple of months. 228 00:11:14,400 --> 00:11:17,280 Speaker 3: So it's really nice seeing everything just in one place, 229 00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:21,040 Speaker 3: and it really kind of helps me with the unknown anxiety. 230 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:22,640 Speaker 3: It's just like, Okay, I can just look at this 231 00:11:22,679 --> 00:11:25,080 Speaker 3: and it kind of it'll either make me a little 232 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:27,640 Speaker 3: bit more anxious or it'll settle my nerves. So that's good. 233 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:31,559 Speaker 1: So, Michael, you mentioned that a big part of your 234 00:11:31,559 --> 00:11:34,679 Speaker 1: business is folks actually coming and dropping off their knives 235 00:11:34,720 --> 00:11:37,800 Speaker 1: to your home in order to get them sharpened. So 236 00:11:38,040 --> 00:11:40,440 Speaker 1: does that mean you're taking payments at the time of 237 00:11:40,520 --> 00:11:43,200 Speaker 1: service and then how are you actually tracking those? 238 00:11:44,080 --> 00:11:46,439 Speaker 3: So yeah, it's very simple right now, and that people 239 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:48,440 Speaker 3: drop the knives off and then when they pick them 240 00:11:48,480 --> 00:11:50,960 Speaker 3: up after the service has been rendered and they've been quoted, 241 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:53,600 Speaker 3: then they pay me either through cash or card. Right now, 242 00:11:53,600 --> 00:11:56,400 Speaker 3: I'm taking payments through Square, so it's pretty nice that 243 00:11:56,440 --> 00:11:59,200 Speaker 3: I get a big weekly report from Square, and I 244 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:01,560 Speaker 3: can get the month, the yearly report, and then it's 245 00:12:01,559 --> 00:12:04,920 Speaker 3: all there. It's easily imported into quick books and all 246 00:12:04,960 --> 00:12:06,600 Speaker 3: that stuff. And then you know, I think it's important 247 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:08,640 Speaker 3: to just report all your cash too, because, like I 248 00:12:08,640 --> 00:12:12,440 Speaker 3: think the benefits of having reportable income outweighs you know, 249 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:14,880 Speaker 3: not paying the tax man absolutely. 250 00:12:14,880 --> 00:12:17,719 Speaker 1: I mean, if your business is way more profitable then 251 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:19,400 Speaker 1: you're showing on paper, it's going to be a lot 252 00:12:19,440 --> 00:12:21,720 Speaker 1: harder for you to get loans and be able to 253 00:12:21,760 --> 00:12:24,360 Speaker 1: expand get that brick and mortar. So I'm glad that 254 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:26,360 Speaker 1: you mentioned how important it is to even track those 255 00:12:26,400 --> 00:12:30,559 Speaker 1: cash payments. Let's talk about how you actually organize your finances, 256 00:12:30,600 --> 00:12:33,160 Speaker 1: because obviously it's great for us entrepreneurs to see that 257 00:12:33,280 --> 00:12:35,680 Speaker 1: money coming in, but what are some strategies for where 258 00:12:35,720 --> 00:12:38,520 Speaker 1: you actually put your money. Do you have different bank accounts, 259 00:12:38,760 --> 00:12:41,000 Speaker 1: do use it to reinvest in the business. Are you 260 00:12:41,040 --> 00:12:43,560 Speaker 1: planning for your own retirement? Take us behind the scenes. 261 00:12:44,160 --> 00:12:48,240 Speaker 3: Definitely. So I started retirement savings at twenty nine. That's 262 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:50,760 Speaker 3: been really nice having like a net worth. It's like 263 00:12:50,800 --> 00:12:53,600 Speaker 3: my new hobby right now is like the compounding money 264 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:55,360 Speaker 3: is just like there's going to be some commas in 265 00:12:55,400 --> 00:12:57,720 Speaker 3: here someday, and it's really nice doing that. And it's 266 00:12:57,760 --> 00:13:00,200 Speaker 3: like I felt like at the beginning, I was like 267 00:13:00,240 --> 00:13:02,400 Speaker 3: wasting my money, but now I'm just like I only 268 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:04,199 Speaker 3: want to put it in there. So I've been really 269 00:13:04,240 --> 00:13:06,760 Speaker 3: going crazy on theroth, like loving the wroth. 270 00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:09,760 Speaker 1: That's something that only a true money nerd can say. 271 00:13:09,880 --> 00:13:12,720 Speaker 3: And I'm trying to do other stuff because like again, 272 00:13:12,760 --> 00:13:16,080 Speaker 3: my wife Jenna, who is a absolute superstar, she's all 273 00:13:16,160 --> 00:13:19,280 Speaker 3: up in it in the finances, and I kind of 274 00:13:19,280 --> 00:13:21,720 Speaker 3: feel like she's in a whole nother world when she's 275 00:13:21,720 --> 00:13:24,320 Speaker 3: doing her stuff. She's like investing in art and stuff, 276 00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:26,240 Speaker 3: so you know, trying to do that the most, trying 277 00:13:26,240 --> 00:13:28,360 Speaker 3: to max it out every year, because why not, that's 278 00:13:28,400 --> 00:13:30,520 Speaker 3: the best thing I could do, I think for wealth 279 00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:31,720 Speaker 3: building for myself right now. 280 00:13:32,280 --> 00:13:34,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, Well, and I love to hear the fact that 281 00:13:34,520 --> 00:13:36,959 Speaker 1: you're investing in retirement, right because I think it's very 282 00:13:36,960 --> 00:13:39,520 Speaker 1: easy for folks who are used to, you know, regular 283 00:13:39,559 --> 00:13:42,760 Speaker 1: paycheck to understand why that's important. But I would argue 284 00:13:42,800 --> 00:13:45,320 Speaker 1: that as an entrepreneur, it's even more important that you 285 00:13:45,360 --> 00:13:47,640 Speaker 1: think about what that exit strategy is going to be 286 00:13:47,679 --> 00:13:50,280 Speaker 1: for you, whether that's you know, retiring from your business 287 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:52,600 Speaker 1: to go and start another one, or just wanting to 288 00:13:52,679 --> 00:13:55,080 Speaker 1: kind of write off into the sunset. So it's really 289 00:13:55,080 --> 00:13:57,400 Speaker 1: good to hear that you're thinking about what that future 290 00:13:57,600 --> 00:13:59,760 Speaker 1: long term plan is and not just getting kind of 291 00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:03,160 Speaker 1: down with the daily numbers of the business exactly. 292 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:05,280 Speaker 3: And just recently, I just like, you know, first time 293 00:14:05,320 --> 00:14:07,640 Speaker 3: of my life, I've got an emergency fund just chilling 294 00:14:07,640 --> 00:14:10,080 Speaker 3: in a high HEELD saving account. So it's like the 295 00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:12,680 Speaker 3: amount of stress I'm not feeling has been so nice. 296 00:14:12,760 --> 00:14:15,400 Speaker 3: But I don't want to be actively sharpening knives for 297 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:17,280 Speaker 3: the next thirty years. I do feel like It's a 298 00:14:17,600 --> 00:14:20,720 Speaker 3: not easy activity on the body and the brain and 299 00:14:20,760 --> 00:14:23,200 Speaker 3: all that stuff. You know, you're grinding steel. It's not 300 00:14:23,560 --> 00:14:26,000 Speaker 3: an easy job. But like I met a guy with 301 00:14:26,080 --> 00:14:29,240 Speaker 3: a very, very very established knife company nationwide and he 302 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:31,600 Speaker 3: sold his company knife sharpening for one hundred and fifty 303 00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:35,400 Speaker 3: six million dollars. Hey, yo, And I was like, that's 304 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:37,560 Speaker 3: what I want to do. Let's do that. So like, 305 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:39,640 Speaker 3: if someone's trying to buy motion emotion in twenty years, 306 00:14:39,920 --> 00:14:41,960 Speaker 3: let's do it, and I'll and I shall ride off 307 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:42,680 Speaker 3: into the sunset. 308 00:14:43,360 --> 00:14:45,880 Speaker 1: Who knew there was so much money in knife sharpening. 309 00:14:45,960 --> 00:14:49,040 Speaker 3: This is all new to me. I know, my job dropped, 310 00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:51,440 Speaker 3: and I like my priority shifted very quickly. Once he 311 00:14:51,480 --> 00:14:53,560 Speaker 3: told me that, I was like, Okay, this person in 312 00:14:53,600 --> 00:14:56,920 Speaker 3: the flesh has done it. It took generations to get there, 313 00:14:56,960 --> 00:14:58,000 Speaker 3: but like, wow. 314 00:14:58,240 --> 00:15:02,120 Speaker 2: You mentioned that you've really enjoy a healthy work life balance. 315 00:15:02,160 --> 00:15:04,760 Speaker 2: It's really important to you, so, especially now after spending 316 00:15:04,800 --> 00:15:07,960 Speaker 2: nearly ten years working non stop in these kitchens, talk 317 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:11,320 Speaker 2: to me about how you finally found that line between 318 00:15:11,400 --> 00:15:16,400 Speaker 2: working hard to deliver something incredible but not really overdoing it. 319 00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:19,760 Speaker 3: You know, it's a lot easier to really work super 320 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:22,800 Speaker 3: super hard when like all the money's coming to me, right, 321 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:25,520 Speaker 3: it's not just like four percent of the owner's paycheck 322 00:15:25,640 --> 00:15:27,920 Speaker 3: going to like one employee. Right. It's like when I'm 323 00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:30,520 Speaker 3: tired when I'm working, and it's like, okay, there's actual 324 00:15:30,520 --> 00:15:33,320 Speaker 3: fiscal motivation there. But like really establishing the work life 325 00:15:33,320 --> 00:15:35,360 Speaker 3: balance is like I have a hard stop at six, 326 00:15:35,920 --> 00:15:38,120 Speaker 3: and I you know, sometimes I'll start at one, sometimes 327 00:15:38,160 --> 00:15:40,280 Speaker 3: I'll start at two, you know, so it's like I 328 00:15:40,360 --> 00:15:43,880 Speaker 3: really cannot work that hard. There's an actual limit of 329 00:15:43,920 --> 00:15:46,400 Speaker 3: knives I can do a week that's healthy for my body. 330 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:48,840 Speaker 3: And it's like, once the risk starts feeling a little 331 00:15:48,840 --> 00:15:50,600 Speaker 3: bit sore, I'm like, okay, I need to start thinking 332 00:15:50,640 --> 00:15:51,560 Speaker 3: about taking a break. 333 00:15:51,800 --> 00:15:54,720 Speaker 2: Good for you, that's incredible, thank you. So talk to 334 00:15:54,760 --> 00:15:58,040 Speaker 2: me though about maybe some precautions you take. How are 335 00:15:58,080 --> 00:16:02,800 Speaker 2: you sort of keeping your boy in shape sharpening steel? 336 00:16:03,520 --> 00:16:07,000 Speaker 3: Definitely, safety is number one priority. But luckily with my 337 00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:09,840 Speaker 3: methods it's all slow grinding, it's all water cooled. There's 338 00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:13,040 Speaker 3: no risk of getting hurt that way. The biggest thing 339 00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:16,080 Speaker 3: for me is I have those like giant pads that 340 00:16:16,120 --> 00:16:19,400 Speaker 3: you stand on for your back. I got nice birken stocks. 341 00:16:19,520 --> 00:16:21,560 Speaker 3: I've had this pair for like eight years now in 342 00:16:21,560 --> 00:16:24,200 Speaker 3: the kitchen. Too awesome for your back. And then of 343 00:16:24,200 --> 00:16:26,040 Speaker 3: course I have my little wrist routine that I do 344 00:16:26,080 --> 00:16:28,400 Speaker 3: every day before I start. I might do a couple 345 00:16:28,480 --> 00:16:30,920 Speaker 3: like squats here and there just to activate the legs 346 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:33,360 Speaker 3: because it is physical, so it's just good to just 347 00:16:33,720 --> 00:16:36,640 Speaker 3: activate the body a tiny bit before you start. But 348 00:16:36,800 --> 00:16:38,960 Speaker 3: the risk routine is essential. 349 00:16:40,720 --> 00:16:42,400 Speaker 1: Coming up after the break. 350 00:16:42,560 --> 00:16:45,320 Speaker 3: Usher walks up and just takes like ten or so 351 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:47,200 Speaker 3: pictures of me on his phone and then just sits 352 00:16:47,240 --> 00:16:51,960 Speaker 3: back down at his table. I'm like, okay, thank you, Usher, We'll. 353 00:16:51,760 --> 00:17:04,320 Speaker 1: Be right back with mine the business. Welcome back to 354 00:17:04,400 --> 00:17:08,359 Speaker 1: Mind the Business. Small business success stories from iHeartMedia's Ruby 355 00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:10,000 Speaker 1: Studio and Into It QuickBooks. 356 00:17:11,640 --> 00:17:15,320 Speaker 2: So you mentioned that you maybe didn't enjoy working in 357 00:17:15,359 --> 00:17:17,280 Speaker 2: a kitchen, you weren't really in love with it, But 358 00:17:17,440 --> 00:17:19,880 Speaker 2: was there anything you miss about working in a restaurant 359 00:17:19,920 --> 00:17:22,200 Speaker 2: every day? Perhaps seeing all the people come in and out, 360 00:17:22,200 --> 00:17:23,360 Speaker 2: and maybe the conversations. 361 00:17:23,800 --> 00:17:26,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, So the thing with a cooking professionally and like 362 00:17:26,880 --> 00:17:30,520 Speaker 3: in restaurants, I think the job of cooking is amazing. 363 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:33,720 Speaker 3: You can find people who are so young and so 364 00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:37,800 Speaker 3: driven and pushing so hard for something. You know, it's 365 00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:41,000 Speaker 3: not monetary, they're not making money for something. That's just 366 00:17:41,040 --> 00:17:43,000 Speaker 3: like to a higher degree of what they are. Right, 367 00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:46,400 Speaker 3: that type of personality type is so rare. You don't 368 00:17:46,400 --> 00:17:50,679 Speaker 3: see it in other places, right, that type of selflessness, 369 00:17:50,760 --> 00:17:54,600 Speaker 3: the drive, the commitment, it's really astonishing, and like, I 370 00:17:54,680 --> 00:17:57,360 Speaker 3: really do miss that. I miss being in an environment 371 00:17:57,480 --> 00:18:00,960 Speaker 3: of collaboration and creativity where everybody is just like so 372 00:18:01,320 --> 00:18:03,960 Speaker 3: into it. I mean, the damn the last restaurant I 373 00:18:03,960 --> 00:18:06,439 Speaker 3: worked at, we'd get there eight thirty nine am and 374 00:18:06,520 --> 00:18:08,679 Speaker 3: it's like two am, and we all still got smiles 375 00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:11,800 Speaker 3: on our face. They're tired, but like we're smiling, we're 376 00:18:11,840 --> 00:18:13,920 Speaker 3: joking around, and we're just getting ready for the next 377 00:18:13,920 --> 00:18:15,280 Speaker 3: shift in six hours. 378 00:18:15,560 --> 00:18:17,399 Speaker 2: I mean, Mike w we talked a little bit about 379 00:18:17,480 --> 00:18:21,439 Speaker 2: perhaps your celebrity experiences before the show, but I'd love 380 00:18:21,520 --> 00:18:24,520 Speaker 2: to hear any other additional stories. I think you mentioned 381 00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:27,600 Speaker 2: Ludacris and Usher. Do you have any cool celebrity stories. 382 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:30,000 Speaker 2: We're like, yep, I got to serve this person a 383 00:18:30,119 --> 00:18:30,680 Speaker 2: pork chop. 384 00:18:31,119 --> 00:18:33,200 Speaker 3: So yeah. Back in twenty fifteen, when Gunsho was pushing 385 00:18:33,240 --> 00:18:36,200 Speaker 3: super hard for James Beard Award and stuff, This is 386 00:18:36,320 --> 00:18:39,160 Speaker 3: right when all the Atlanta film scene was going off, 387 00:18:39,480 --> 00:18:41,800 Speaker 3: crazy amount of people coming in. I remember John Hamm 388 00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:45,119 Speaker 3: came in, Andre three thousand came in. I teared up 389 00:18:45,160 --> 00:18:47,600 Speaker 3: when I served him. I was only cooking vegetarian and 390 00:18:47,680 --> 00:18:50,119 Speaker 3: veganditions there, and yeah, he only ate my food, so 391 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:54,320 Speaker 3: that was cool. Ludacris on multiple restaurants throughout. You know, 392 00:18:54,400 --> 00:18:57,240 Speaker 3: I try not to touch the table often and be like, hello, 393 00:18:57,280 --> 00:18:59,000 Speaker 3: how was your dinner? It was the shift maybe me, 394 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:02,920 Speaker 3: but but when Luda Chris comes in, I'm like, uh, 395 00:19:03,000 --> 00:19:06,280 Speaker 3: what's up, Luda. At the last one, the last one, 396 00:19:06,320 --> 00:19:08,360 Speaker 3: like interaction number four, I hit him with the what's 397 00:19:08,440 --> 00:19:10,639 Speaker 3: up Luda? And then he was just like yo, of course, 398 00:19:10,640 --> 00:19:14,840 Speaker 3: playing it super cool as mister Chris does. But yeah, 399 00:19:15,040 --> 00:19:17,640 Speaker 3: I remember making a really big beef Wellington at gun 400 00:19:17,680 --> 00:19:19,800 Speaker 3: Show for Christmas, and I was cutting it to order 401 00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:22,640 Speaker 3: and stuff and then Usher walks up and just takes 402 00:19:22,640 --> 00:19:24,879 Speaker 3: it like ten or so pictures of me on his 403 00:19:24,960 --> 00:19:26,840 Speaker 3: phone and then just sits back down at his table. 404 00:19:26,880 --> 00:19:30,040 Speaker 3: I'm like, okay, thank you, Usher, and then just went 405 00:19:30,080 --> 00:19:32,880 Speaker 3: back towards do you also want my phone number? Too? Usher? 406 00:19:33,280 --> 00:19:34,240 Speaker 3: Hower am the Usher. 407 00:19:34,960 --> 00:19:37,560 Speaker 2: That's awesome. So, Michael, you're working in the kitchen, you're 408 00:19:37,560 --> 00:19:39,600 Speaker 2: hanging out with Usher and Luda Chris. Were you also 409 00:19:39,800 --> 00:19:42,719 Speaker 2: sharpening knives while you were you know, doing all your 410 00:19:42,720 --> 00:19:44,520 Speaker 2: work in the kitchen was just like a side hustle 411 00:19:44,600 --> 00:19:47,080 Speaker 2: for you in the beginning, which turned into a full 412 00:19:47,119 --> 00:19:50,080 Speaker 2: time career. Or is this something that after you kind 413 00:19:50,080 --> 00:19:52,680 Speaker 2: of pivoted away from your career working in the kitchen, 414 00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:54,560 Speaker 2: you're like, I'm so good at this, I'm ready to 415 00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:56,399 Speaker 2: do it full time and start doing it for the 416 00:19:56,400 --> 00:19:56,880 Speaker 2: first time. 417 00:19:57,320 --> 00:20:00,359 Speaker 3: Ah. So, I definitely always thought about it, and I 418 00:20:00,359 --> 00:20:02,600 Speaker 3: always talked to my people in the kitchen about doing 419 00:20:02,640 --> 00:20:04,440 Speaker 3: a knife sharpening business. I already was like, oh yeah, 420 00:20:04,440 --> 00:20:06,560 Speaker 3: I do it, do it, do it. But like twenty 421 00:20:06,600 --> 00:20:10,680 Speaker 3: twelve in Athens, Georgia, just started cooking. I just cut 422 00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:12,840 Speaker 3: my thumb off at the Mexican restaurant I was working at. 423 00:20:12,880 --> 00:20:13,399 Speaker 3: It was gross. 424 00:20:13,440 --> 00:20:15,240 Speaker 2: Oh my goodness, it was a bad one. 425 00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:18,080 Speaker 3: But what I remember everybody saying, my chef was like, 426 00:20:18,080 --> 00:20:19,760 Speaker 3: you shouldn't have been able to do that. Your knives 427 00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:23,080 Speaker 3: are very sharp at least. But I got into the 428 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:26,960 Speaker 3: kitchen through the knives. Like I remember watching very specific 429 00:20:27,000 --> 00:20:29,800 Speaker 3: YouTube video chef Hero tarad a Miami Nvie kitchen and 430 00:20:29,840 --> 00:20:34,159 Speaker 3: bar just him with his extreme knife skills, like they 431 00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:35,959 Speaker 3: don't get better than what he was doing. And I 432 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:38,920 Speaker 3: just remember watching that and being mesmerized. I was in college, 433 00:20:39,000 --> 00:20:41,040 Speaker 3: not loving it, but just watching this dude in a 434 00:20:41,160 --> 00:20:43,080 Speaker 3: kitchen cutting stuff, and I was like, Okay, I'm just 435 00:20:43,119 --> 00:20:45,000 Speaker 3: going to do that. From the start, I was always 436 00:20:45,000 --> 00:20:47,479 Speaker 3: into knife sharpening, always had the sharpest knife in the kitchen. 437 00:20:48,080 --> 00:20:50,679 Speaker 3: It was never really something that I made money of 438 00:20:50,720 --> 00:20:52,320 Speaker 3: when I was working in kitchens one. I didn't have 439 00:20:52,320 --> 00:20:54,760 Speaker 3: any time to do that as a side, but it 440 00:20:54,800 --> 00:20:57,120 Speaker 3: was always something that was in my head since day one, 441 00:20:57,200 --> 00:21:01,120 Speaker 3: starting in kitchens and gosh, ten years afterwards and once 442 00:21:01,160 --> 00:21:03,959 Speaker 3: in a lifetime pandemic got me there, you know, Denise. 443 00:21:03,960 --> 00:21:05,520 Speaker 2: So I think that's how it starts for a lot 444 00:21:05,560 --> 00:21:08,280 Speaker 2: of solopreneurs, including ourselves, right. I know, you were doing 445 00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:10,040 Speaker 2: your thing, I was doing mine, and we kind of 446 00:21:10,040 --> 00:21:12,800 Speaker 2: had this little like person in the back of our head, 447 00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:15,120 Speaker 2: kind of standing here on our shoulder saying, hey, go 448 00:21:15,160 --> 00:21:17,640 Speaker 2: try it. You like this, you should really really try this, 449 00:21:17,800 --> 00:21:19,879 Speaker 2: And you know a lot of us, the pandemic, to 450 00:21:19,880 --> 00:21:22,120 Speaker 2: your point, Michael, was our opportunity it certainly was mine, 451 00:21:22,119 --> 00:21:23,840 Speaker 2: and I know Janise was there a little bit earlier 452 00:21:23,880 --> 00:21:26,080 Speaker 2: than us. But it's really cool to kind of, you know, 453 00:21:26,160 --> 00:21:28,880 Speaker 2: have an idea that you've really been marinating on for 454 00:21:28,920 --> 00:21:31,040 Speaker 2: a couple of years and finally being able to bring 455 00:21:31,040 --> 00:21:31,560 Speaker 2: that to life. 456 00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:32,679 Speaker 3: H I love that. 457 00:21:33,359 --> 00:21:38,240 Speaker 1: So as a foodie and a lover of all good things, 458 00:21:38,320 --> 00:21:41,520 Speaker 1: especially good high quality equipment in the kitchen, I'm curious 459 00:21:41,720 --> 00:21:44,720 Speaker 1: for you, what is your favorite knife or type of 460 00:21:44,760 --> 00:21:45,640 Speaker 1: metal to work with? 461 00:21:46,080 --> 00:21:50,320 Speaker 3: Ooh okay, So me personally, it's so weird how I'm 462 00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:52,320 Speaker 3: like this with my knives, but I'm not like this 463 00:21:52,359 --> 00:21:54,960 Speaker 3: with anything else in my knife Like I have and 464 00:21:55,080 --> 00:21:58,120 Speaker 3: have had two knives my entire cooking career, and I've 465 00:21:58,200 --> 00:22:00,880 Speaker 3: just sharpened the absolute love out of them. But I've 466 00:22:00,880 --> 00:22:03,360 Speaker 3: been using these two blades for ten years and I'm 467 00:22:03,400 --> 00:22:06,560 Speaker 3: just like, I have no need to upgrade. People expect me. 468 00:22:06,600 --> 00:22:08,000 Speaker 3: I'm like, well, let me see your knife collection, and 469 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:10,960 Speaker 3: it's just two stainless steel Japanese knives, that's it. But 470 00:22:11,040 --> 00:22:13,040 Speaker 3: they're sharpened in, they look cool. They have like a 471 00:22:13,119 --> 00:22:16,000 Speaker 3: unique profile that only a knife that's been used for 472 00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:19,440 Speaker 3: a decade could have. The brain is massa hero we 473 00:22:19,520 --> 00:22:22,919 Speaker 3: Lovednum Vanadium. Really nice steel, holds a nice edge retension 474 00:22:22,920 --> 00:22:25,399 Speaker 3: and gets very sharp. My favorite steel to work with 475 00:22:25,720 --> 00:22:29,600 Speaker 3: is Murray Carter's white Number two paper steel. Oh my gosh, 476 00:22:29,640 --> 00:22:32,399 Speaker 3: all the videos that upload of me, like shaving hair 477 00:22:32,560 --> 00:22:35,879 Speaker 3: and doing all the parlor tricks, essentially it's done with 478 00:22:36,160 --> 00:22:39,399 Speaker 3: his steel. His heat treatment is fantastic. The way it 479 00:22:39,440 --> 00:22:42,119 Speaker 3: takes an edge. It can become razor sharp in thirty 480 00:22:42,119 --> 00:22:44,959 Speaker 3: seconds off of a knife, like on wet stones, like 481 00:22:45,240 --> 00:22:47,359 Speaker 3: just working it very lightly. I love it. 482 00:22:47,680 --> 00:22:49,480 Speaker 1: I definitely have a favorite knife in the kitchen, so 483 00:22:49,520 --> 00:22:51,320 Speaker 1: I totally get it. It's just one of those things 484 00:22:51,320 --> 00:22:52,800 Speaker 1: that if you love being in the kitchen, you're just 485 00:22:52,840 --> 00:22:54,480 Speaker 1: definitely gonna have that favorite knife. 486 00:22:54,520 --> 00:22:55,199 Speaker 3: What's your favorite? 487 00:22:55,280 --> 00:22:57,320 Speaker 1: I have a woosed off that's like just a regular 488 00:22:57,520 --> 00:23:00,239 Speaker 1: chef knife that my dad bought for me, and I'm like, 489 00:23:00,760 --> 00:23:03,120 Speaker 1: that needs to be the knife that's always readily available 490 00:23:03,119 --> 00:23:04,600 Speaker 1: because it's just perfect. 491 00:23:04,680 --> 00:23:07,119 Speaker 3: Heck yeah, oo, stuff is awesome when they're nice and sharp. 492 00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:10,199 Speaker 3: I dare say, I dare you to try out a 493 00:23:10,440 --> 00:23:13,439 Speaker 3: thin Japanese knife because the Wustaf is a little bit thicker. 494 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:16,720 Speaker 3: A thinner Japanese knife. The way that it moves to 495 00:23:16,800 --> 00:23:21,360 Speaker 3: the food. The resistance is so less and there's less wedging. Ooh, 496 00:23:21,720 --> 00:23:22,840 Speaker 3: I mean, I think you should shry it out. 497 00:23:23,280 --> 00:23:25,560 Speaker 1: I'm gonna go down a rabbit hole now after this conversation. 498 00:23:25,800 --> 00:23:27,960 Speaker 2: I know I don't have any cool knives in my kitchen, 499 00:23:28,359 --> 00:23:31,399 Speaker 2: but I need to now go down the knife rabbit 500 00:23:31,440 --> 00:23:33,560 Speaker 2: hole and find out the best ones. This is gonna 501 00:23:33,560 --> 00:23:34,720 Speaker 2: be a great resource for me. 502 00:23:35,080 --> 00:23:37,439 Speaker 3: Let me plug my favorite guys. I'm wearing their shirt now, 503 00:23:37,480 --> 00:23:40,560 Speaker 3: some of my favorite guys Kikuwichi Okay. As far as 504 00:23:40,680 --> 00:23:45,399 Speaker 3: relatively available stainless steel mass produced Japanese knives, which is 505 00:23:45,440 --> 00:23:48,240 Speaker 3: a category. As far as in that category goes, I 506 00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:49,600 Speaker 3: do think they're some of the best. They've been making 507 00:23:49,640 --> 00:23:51,960 Speaker 3: knives for over seven hundred and fifty years. It sounds 508 00:23:51,960 --> 00:23:54,840 Speaker 3: like they know what they're doing. It's a very long history. Yeah, 509 00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:57,560 Speaker 3: they used to make the samurai swords for the Emperor 510 00:23:57,560 --> 00:24:00,439 Speaker 3: of Japan. They used the Emperor's santhemum as they're so 511 00:24:00,440 --> 00:24:01,800 Speaker 3: it's kind of cool. You can nerd out on that 512 00:24:01,840 --> 00:24:03,679 Speaker 3: a little bit. That's awesome. 513 00:24:03,720 --> 00:24:07,480 Speaker 1: Michael, tell us what's next for Moshimoshi and for you? 514 00:24:08,080 --> 00:24:12,520 Speaker 3: Well, I think what's next for me and Moshimoshi is. Honestly, 515 00:24:12,520 --> 00:24:15,639 Speaker 3: I'm pushing towards trying to get a small brick and 516 00:24:15,720 --> 00:24:18,000 Speaker 3: mortar It doesn't have to be at retail shop yet. 517 00:24:18,080 --> 00:24:21,080 Speaker 3: It just needs to be two hundred to three hundred 518 00:24:21,320 --> 00:24:24,400 Speaker 3: to four hundred square feet of me in a room 519 00:24:24,640 --> 00:24:27,439 Speaker 3: that's not my house, with professional, great equipment so that 520 00:24:27,480 --> 00:24:30,840 Speaker 3: I can really push and get more knives done to 521 00:24:30,840 --> 00:24:33,760 Speaker 3: a higher quality. I think I've done enough research to 522 00:24:33,880 --> 00:24:37,480 Speaker 3: qualm the imposter syndrome, which is big. The next step 523 00:24:37,560 --> 00:24:41,040 Speaker 3: is just coming around trying to ask investors to potentially 524 00:24:42,119 --> 00:24:43,520 Speaker 3: pay for this little life shop thing. 525 00:24:44,240 --> 00:24:46,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's awesome. And this is again why it's so 526 00:24:46,880 --> 00:24:49,760 Speaker 1: important for you to know your numbers as a solopreneur, 527 00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:52,480 Speaker 1: because when you know how much money you're making, you 528 00:24:52,520 --> 00:24:54,479 Speaker 1: know how much profits you have, that then you can 529 00:24:54,600 --> 00:24:56,399 Speaker 1: use to reinvest in the business to take it to 530 00:24:56,440 --> 00:24:58,400 Speaker 1: the next level exactly exactly. 531 00:24:58,760 --> 00:25:01,080 Speaker 3: And you know, I'm just I'm super grateful that I 532 00:25:01,119 --> 00:25:04,240 Speaker 3: have somebody who is so financially their brain just works 533 00:25:04,280 --> 00:25:07,080 Speaker 3: perfectly for it. Thank you to my lovely wife. 534 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:10,960 Speaker 1: Amazing shout out to the unseen business partners that are 535 00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:16,000 Speaker 1: helping solopreneurs conquer the world seriously. All right, So, if 536 00:25:16,040 --> 00:25:18,960 Speaker 1: somebody wants to hire Moshi Moshi to sharpen their knives 537 00:25:19,040 --> 00:25:21,199 Speaker 1: or inquire about a franchise, or even check out your 538 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:23,600 Speaker 1: social media, where should they go for. 539 00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:27,000 Speaker 3: Hiring Moshi Mooshi for sharpening? Really? Reaching out to me 540 00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:32,359 Speaker 3: through Instagram at Moshi Knives Atl Mshi knives Atl is 541 00:25:32,440 --> 00:25:33,760 Speaker 3: the best way to do it. And it's like, if 542 00:25:33,800 --> 00:25:35,240 Speaker 3: you don't have an Instagram, you could just send me 543 00:25:35,240 --> 00:25:38,480 Speaker 3: an email mohiknivesgmail dot com to get it all done. 544 00:25:38,480 --> 00:25:41,439 Speaker 3: But most people, they'll book online through my booking system. 545 00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:44,159 Speaker 3: They'll reserve a time slot. They'll show up with their 546 00:25:44,200 --> 00:25:46,520 Speaker 3: knives all wrapped in a towel or something, and then 547 00:25:46,560 --> 00:25:48,520 Speaker 3: I will text them the following day with the price, 548 00:25:48,640 --> 00:25:51,000 Speaker 3: and then like it could be a day, it could 549 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:52,600 Speaker 3: be a week later, their knives are done. 550 00:25:53,400 --> 00:25:55,880 Speaker 2: Cool. I think that's it. Deniesk, this is so cool. 551 00:25:55,880 --> 00:25:57,880 Speaker 2: I appreciate the time Michael crushed it, dude. 552 00:25:57,960 --> 00:25:58,320 Speaker 3: Awesome. 553 00:25:58,359 --> 00:26:00,720 Speaker 1: Hell yeah, thank you so much, mich Go for your time. 554 00:26:00,800 --> 00:26:01,159 Speaker 3: Thank you. 555 00:26:05,560 --> 00:26:08,399 Speaker 2: Oh my gosh, that was so much fun. Genise, I 556 00:26:08,440 --> 00:26:10,520 Speaker 2: am super jealous by the way that you have a 557 00:26:10,720 --> 00:26:13,720 Speaker 2: cool knife set at your house. I need to invest 558 00:26:13,760 --> 00:26:14,480 Speaker 2: in a knife set. 559 00:26:14,800 --> 00:26:16,440 Speaker 1: You must, you know, especially if you like being in 560 00:26:16,480 --> 00:26:18,160 Speaker 1: the kitchen, which I know you do, Austin, because you're 561 00:26:18,160 --> 00:26:21,280 Speaker 1: always sharing your latest TikTok recipe with us. I think 562 00:26:21,280 --> 00:26:23,320 Speaker 1: it's important for you to invest in a good knife. 563 00:26:23,320 --> 00:26:25,760 Speaker 1: You know, the skill of a cook is only as 564 00:26:25,800 --> 00:26:26,840 Speaker 1: good as their knives. 565 00:26:27,560 --> 00:26:29,640 Speaker 2: I love it all right, Denise, what was your biggest 566 00:26:29,680 --> 00:26:31,359 Speaker 2: takeaway from our discussion with Michael? 567 00:26:31,920 --> 00:26:34,680 Speaker 1: You know, it was pretty much the importance of really 568 00:26:34,720 --> 00:26:37,000 Speaker 1: just understanding your numbers, and in order to do that, 569 00:26:37,040 --> 00:26:39,119 Speaker 1: you need to actually know what's going on. I remember 570 00:26:39,160 --> 00:26:43,359 Speaker 1: having a conversation with my CPA after getting quick books 571 00:26:43,400 --> 00:26:46,240 Speaker 1: and understanding more about like all these numbers that we 572 00:26:46,280 --> 00:26:48,680 Speaker 1: need to track, and she explained to me this concept 573 00:26:48,720 --> 00:26:51,600 Speaker 1: of cost of goods sold, which is essentially how much 574 00:26:51,680 --> 00:26:54,080 Speaker 1: is costing you to actually provide the service or the 575 00:26:54,119 --> 00:26:57,280 Speaker 1: product that you're selling. And once I actually understood that 576 00:26:57,320 --> 00:27:00,159 Speaker 1: it's an important number to know because that ultimately he 577 00:27:00,160 --> 00:27:02,560 Speaker 1: determines your profitability as a business and kind of where 578 00:27:02,560 --> 00:27:05,439 Speaker 1: those margins are, I was like, you know what, this 579 00:27:05,600 --> 00:27:08,399 Speaker 1: is why it's so important to track your money, be 580 00:27:08,480 --> 00:27:10,480 Speaker 1: on top of your payments so you can understand the 581 00:27:10,480 --> 00:27:11,640 Speaker 1: full picture of your business. 582 00:27:12,000 --> 00:27:14,480 Speaker 2: How about you, Austin, Oh my gosh, I'm right there 583 00:27:14,480 --> 00:27:16,800 Speaker 2: with you as it relates to understanding the full picture 584 00:27:16,840 --> 00:27:20,199 Speaker 2: of your business. I cannot explain to solopreneurs listening right 585 00:27:20,240 --> 00:27:23,080 Speaker 2: now how important it is to know your numbers. I 586 00:27:23,080 --> 00:27:26,960 Speaker 2: think for me, the biggest takeaway was how Michael was 587 00:27:27,040 --> 00:27:30,240 Speaker 2: so honest about what he's good at and what he's 588 00:27:30,320 --> 00:27:32,080 Speaker 2: not good at. And you know, he's very good at 589 00:27:32,080 --> 00:27:35,080 Speaker 2: working with his hands, He's hospitable, he really enjoys the 590 00:27:35,160 --> 00:27:39,080 Speaker 2: human interaction where his weakness is sort of that financial 591 00:27:39,080 --> 00:27:42,000 Speaker 2: side of the equation. And so that's what he's done. 592 00:27:42,080 --> 00:27:44,480 Speaker 2: He's hired to his weaknesses. I know he mentioned he 593 00:27:44,480 --> 00:27:46,679 Speaker 2: works closely with his wife in the business, who's a 594 00:27:46,680 --> 00:27:50,480 Speaker 2: professional accountant, so she's leading the charge on that, of course, 595 00:27:50,560 --> 00:27:53,520 Speaker 2: with quick books in mind. And I think every solopreneur 596 00:27:53,560 --> 00:27:56,320 Speaker 2: listening right now needs to have some self reflection, some 597 00:27:56,359 --> 00:27:58,800 Speaker 2: self awareness about what you're really good at and what 598 00:27:58,880 --> 00:28:01,120 Speaker 2: you might not be the at. I know I've done 599 00:28:01,119 --> 00:28:04,679 Speaker 2: that exercise myself. I am not the best at scheduling 600 00:28:04,720 --> 00:28:07,120 Speaker 2: and keeping my emails perfect, and I'm just not very 601 00:28:07,240 --> 00:28:10,159 Speaker 2: organized as a human being so my first sort of 602 00:28:10,440 --> 00:28:12,720 Speaker 2: help I got in the business was hiring out to 603 00:28:12,760 --> 00:28:15,120 Speaker 2: some of those weaknesses that I know I struggle with. 604 00:28:15,320 --> 00:28:16,919 Speaker 2: And I think that's really important again for a lot 605 00:28:16,960 --> 00:28:19,159 Speaker 2: of solopreneurs listening right now to have sort of that 606 00:28:19,240 --> 00:28:22,040 Speaker 2: time of self reflection with yourself and figuring out what 607 00:28:22,080 --> 00:28:24,520 Speaker 2: you love to do, what you're great at, and what 608 00:28:24,680 --> 00:28:27,639 Speaker 2: you might not be the best at, and really hiring 609 00:28:27,680 --> 00:28:29,680 Speaker 2: to those weaknesses absolutely. 610 00:28:29,720 --> 00:28:32,040 Speaker 1: And if you're not great at tracking payments like I am, 611 00:28:32,119 --> 00:28:34,800 Speaker 1: then that's why you need to be using QuickBooks. 612 00:28:35,280 --> 00:28:36,280 Speaker 3: Right there with you, girl. 613 00:28:36,680 --> 00:28:39,240 Speaker 1: Well, that's it for today's episode. You can find me 614 00:28:39,360 --> 00:28:42,480 Speaker 1: on social media at jocierro Dineto podcast and you. 615 00:28:42,440 --> 00:28:45,480 Speaker 2: Can find me at Austin Hankwitz. You can follow Into 616 00:28:45,520 --> 00:28:48,480 Speaker 2: It QuickBooks on all social media at QuickBooks. To get 617 00:28:48,480 --> 00:28:51,480 Speaker 2: the tools you need to start, run and grow your business, 618 00:28:51,520 --> 00:28:53,160 Speaker 2: head to QuickBooks dot com today. 619 00:28:53,680 --> 00:28:55,960 Speaker 1: Don't forget to follow this show wherever you listen to 620 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:58,720 Speaker 1: podcasts so you can stay up to date on future episodes. 621 00:28:59,200 --> 00:29:01,680 Speaker 2: We also want to hear from you, so be sure 622 00:29:01,720 --> 00:29:03,959 Speaker 2: to leave us a rating and a review. 623 00:29:04,720 --> 00:29:05,520 Speaker 3: See you next time. 624 00:29:09,680 --> 00:29:13,080 Speaker 2: This podcast is a production of iHeartRadio and Into It QuickBooks. 625 00:29:13,200 --> 00:29:16,800 Speaker 2: Our executive producer is Malay Sosha, Our supervising producer is 626 00:29:16,840 --> 00:29:19,880 Speaker 2: Nikiya Swinton, and our writer is Eric li Jah. 627 00:29:20,240 --> 00:29:24,520 Speaker 1: Our head of post production is James Foster. 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