1 00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:08,479 Speaker 1: Ruby. The views, information, and opinions expressed during this podcast 2 00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:10,760 Speaker 1: are solely those of the individuals involved and do not 3 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:13,320 Speaker 1: represent those of Intuit, QuickBooks or any of its cornerstone 4 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:16,640 Speaker 1: brands or employees. This podcast does not constitute financial, legal, 5 00:00:16,720 --> 00:00:19,479 Speaker 1: or other professional advice or services. No assurance is given 6 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:22,480 Speaker 1: that the information is comprehensive, accurate, or free of errors, 7 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:25,280 Speaker 1: and the information presented is for information purposes only. 8 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:25,640 Speaker 2: Into it. 9 00:00:25,720 --> 00:00:28,640 Speaker 1: QuickBooks does not have any responsibility for updating or revising 10 00:00:28,680 --> 00:00:35,800 Speaker 1: any information presented. Listeners should verify statements before relying on them. 11 00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:39,160 Speaker 3: Hi, everyone, let's kick off another fun episode of Mind 12 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:42,280 Speaker 3: the Business Small business success stories of podcasts, brought to 13 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:46,080 Speaker 3: you by Intuit, QuickBooks and Ruby Studio from iHeartMedia. Just 14 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:49,239 Speaker 3: in case you don't recognize my voice from last episode 15 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:53,159 Speaker 3: or the previous three seasons, I'm Austin Hankwitz and I'm 16 00:00:53,159 --> 00:00:55,920 Speaker 3: the host of another podcast called Rich Habits. I'm also 17 00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:58,120 Speaker 3: the co founder of wits Ventures, but you may know 18 00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 3: me from my TikTok videos about personal finance and investing. 19 00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:05,119 Speaker 3: Here today, co hosting with one of my favorite entrepreneurs. 20 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:08,520 Speaker 1: That's me. Hi, everybody, I'm Jennise Torres and I'm the 21 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:11,560 Speaker 1: creator and host of the award winning personal finance podcast 22 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:15,840 Speaker 1: jokierro Dinetto and author of financially Lit, The Modern Latino's 23 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:18,960 Speaker 1: guide to level up your netto and become financially for Rosa. 24 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:22,479 Speaker 1: I'm so excited to be here for another awesome episode, Austin, I. 25 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:26,400 Speaker 3: Am too, Janie especially excited to talk today since we're 26 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:29,959 Speaker 3: bringing up one of the trickiest things in running a business, 27 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:33,880 Speaker 3: time management. It seems like it should be such an 28 00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:36,880 Speaker 3: easy thing, but I know so many people, including myself, 29 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:37,880 Speaker 3: get tripped up by it. 30 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:42,120 Speaker 1: Absolutely, it is deceptively difficult. You get your day scheduled 31 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:44,919 Speaker 1: and then you scroll on your phone, maybe answer an email, 32 00:01:44,959 --> 00:01:47,240 Speaker 1: and then you've been sucked into a rabbit hole and 33 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:49,480 Speaker 1: you're suddenly an hour or more. 34 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:52,160 Speaker 3: Behind, emphasis on the or more. I feel like sometimes 35 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:54,600 Speaker 3: I blink and it's just five pm. But it happens 36 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:56,760 Speaker 3: to everybody. So denis how do we stop it? 37 00:01:56,880 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 1: Well, there are a few ways to maximize time management, 38 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:02,960 Speaker 1: and the Pomado technique is actually a pretty popular one. 39 00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:05,720 Speaker 1: So it comes down to five key steps. First, you 40 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:08,640 Speaker 1: identify your tasks that you need to complete for your 41 00:02:08,639 --> 00:02:12,120 Speaker 1: work session, set a timer, to twenty five minutes, work 42 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:14,679 Speaker 1: on that task until the timer is up, take a 43 00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:17,880 Speaker 1: quick five minute break to stretch and just refresh your mind, 44 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:20,480 Speaker 1: and then after about four cycles of doing that, you 45 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:23,200 Speaker 1: take a fifteenth to thirty minute break, and it really 46 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:26,280 Speaker 1: helps you keep your focus on a specific task without 47 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:29,160 Speaker 1: just having like an open ended scheduled for your day. Yeah. 48 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:29,840 Speaker 2: I'm right there with you. 49 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:32,240 Speaker 3: I've used this technique in the past, and instead of 50 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:34,320 Speaker 3: twenty five minutes, I try and stretch it to thirty 51 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:36,359 Speaker 3: or thirty five because I feel like sometimes I don't 52 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:38,720 Speaker 3: get enough done in that twenty five minute period of time. 53 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:41,680 Speaker 3: But the technique is full proof, and my humble opinion, 54 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:43,600 Speaker 3: something I always need to do is make sure my 55 00:02:43,639 --> 00:02:46,640 Speaker 3: phone is on do not disturb during this, you know, 56 00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:49,040 Speaker 3: twenty five to thirty five minute period of time here. 57 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:50,320 Speaker 3: You know, I think this works for a lot of 58 00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:51,440 Speaker 3: people for a couple of reasons. 59 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:51,680 Speaker 4: Right. 60 00:02:51,919 --> 00:02:54,400 Speaker 3: First one, low barrier to entry. We've all got that 61 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:56,519 Speaker 3: timer on our phone and just click it off to 62 00:02:56,560 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 3: the races. The second one is you don't need to 63 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:02,800 Speaker 3: have to ignore so much of these text messages and 64 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:05,679 Speaker 3: emails and phone calls. You can just kind of put 65 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:08,400 Speaker 3: them to the side for call it twenty five, thirty five, 66 00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:10,880 Speaker 3: forty five minutes. Right, if something's urgent, you're going to 67 00:03:10,919 --> 00:03:11,880 Speaker 3: be able to get back to it. 68 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:15,520 Speaker 1: And that's not the only way to maximize your time either. 69 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:19,080 Speaker 1: Knowing which tasks to delegate is an important skill, and 70 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:21,640 Speaker 1: I think it's one that's often easier said than done, 71 00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:25,720 Speaker 1: especially for those control freak small business owners out there. Yeah, 72 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:28,960 Speaker 1: I'm talking to you. And of course, digitizing tools are 73 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:32,000 Speaker 1: an important part of streamlining your business to better manage 74 00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:32,400 Speaker 1: your time. 75 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 3: It absolutely is genius. I am one of those small 76 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:40,680 Speaker 3: business owners that's always trying to automate, find the wasted 77 00:03:40,720 --> 00:03:43,360 Speaker 3: time in my day to day schedule, carve it out, 78 00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:46,000 Speaker 3: and really you know, focus on what needs to get done. 79 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:46,280 Speaker 4: Hey. 80 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:48,880 Speaker 1: You know, one of my biggest time management struggles this 81 00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:51,680 Speaker 1: year specifically has been I am a new mom, and 82 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:54,760 Speaker 1: so when I was child free and running my business, 83 00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:57,120 Speaker 1: I mean I could be working from you know, sunrise 84 00:03:57,160 --> 00:04:00,360 Speaker 1: to midnight and my schedules completely open. So now that 85 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:03,560 Speaker 1: I'm balancing my calendar with a tiny human, it has 86 00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:07,040 Speaker 1: forced me to really focus and be way more intentional 87 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:09,600 Speaker 1: as an entrepreneur. And like where I'm using my time 88 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:13,000 Speaker 1: and also asking for that much needed support so that 89 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:16,480 Speaker 1: I don't drown in all the responsibilities. So for all 90 00:04:16,520 --> 00:04:20,000 Speaker 1: the morepreneurs out there, just know that I feel your pain. 91 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:23,120 Speaker 1: Your business might have to evolve right so that you 92 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:25,680 Speaker 1: can manage your time differently. But I like to see 93 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:28,040 Speaker 1: it as an evolution versus a slowing down. 94 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:33,240 Speaker 3: I love that evolution never slow down. Well, speaking of time, Janie, 95 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:35,920 Speaker 3: it is now time to talk about our guest today. 96 00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:40,200 Speaker 3: This entrepreneur's story is incredible. She turned a near death 97 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:44,520 Speaker 3: experience into a story of survival and success. Anna Cobb 98 00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:47,599 Speaker 3: was a twenty year old college student when something happened 99 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:50,840 Speaker 3: that would change the trajectory of her life forever will. 100 00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:53,400 Speaker 3: Searching for a good energy supplement to help with the 101 00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:56,480 Speaker 3: exhaustion that comes up being a student, she ended up 102 00:04:56,640 --> 00:05:01,600 Speaker 3: unwittingly ingesting a synthetic ingredient in a women's vitamin that 103 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:05,800 Speaker 3: caused an allergic reaction. This reaction was so severe she 104 00:05:05,839 --> 00:05:07,840 Speaker 3: had to be put on life support and was in 105 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 3: a coma for a week. When she finally revived, she 106 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:14,320 Speaker 3: didn't just have a long road of recovery ahead of her, 107 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:15,839 Speaker 3: she had a mission. 108 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:18,799 Speaker 1: Anna was determined to save as many people as possible 109 00:05:18,839 --> 00:05:21,520 Speaker 1: from going through the same ordeal Shee did. She found 110 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:25,080 Speaker 1: That a plant based catering company while still at Tuskegee University, 111 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:30,080 Speaker 1: and then eventually created Rejuvenation, a beverage company that provides clean, 112 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:33,520 Speaker 1: natural energy solutions. Her company is getting more and more 113 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:37,040 Speaker 1: attention every day and recently won the Pharrell Williams Black 114 00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:41,000 Speaker 1: Ambition Prize. She also started Okra, a line of all 115 00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:45,360 Speaker 1: natural Okra sparkling water to revitalize the skin and the soul. 116 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:48,760 Speaker 3: From a near fatal allergic reaction to crafting a solution 117 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:52,119 Speaker 3: that's all about vitality and wellness. Let's give a big 118 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:54,040 Speaker 3: welcome to anacob. 119 00:05:56,760 --> 00:05:57,000 Speaker 2: Anna. 120 00:05:57,160 --> 00:05:59,560 Speaker 3: We're so excited to have you. Welcome to the show, 121 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:02,520 Speaker 3: all right, Anna, So let's just dive right in. You 122 00:06:02,560 --> 00:06:06,040 Speaker 3: took a very scary experience and turned it into something 123 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:09,960 Speaker 3: incredibly positive. Walk us through what this experience was, kind 124 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:12,640 Speaker 3: of play by play. I don't understand at all what 125 00:06:12,800 --> 00:06:14,720 Speaker 3: happened there. That's insane to think about it. 126 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:15,040 Speaker 2: Yeah. 127 00:06:15,200 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 4: So, in twenty seventeen, I had a severe allergic reaction 128 00:06:19,320 --> 00:06:22,040 Speaker 4: to a synthetic energy supplement. I was on life support 129 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:25,239 Speaker 4: and in acoma and I was blessed with a second 130 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:28,039 Speaker 4: chance at life. So I used to play volleyball and 131 00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:30,920 Speaker 4: at the time was just like really in the gym 132 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:34,280 Speaker 4: and just training. And so I went into store one 133 00:06:34,360 --> 00:06:37,320 Speaker 4: night and the lady was like, Oh, there's this new 134 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:41,479 Speaker 4: women's gummy. It's supposed to help you retain energy, and 135 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:44,200 Speaker 4: it's supposed to help you, you know, be more functional 136 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:47,799 Speaker 4: through your workouts and have like better workouts when you're 137 00:06:48,120 --> 00:06:51,240 Speaker 4: doing different things. And so I took the gummy and 138 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:54,480 Speaker 4: I was like, oh, it tastes great, you know, fantastic. 139 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:57,440 Speaker 4: Probably like twenty to thirty minutes later, I got home 140 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:01,080 Speaker 4: and my face was extremely so swollen. I called my 141 00:07:01,160 --> 00:07:04,919 Speaker 4: mom at work and she was just like freaking out, like, no, 142 00:07:05,040 --> 00:07:08,320 Speaker 4: your face is really swollen, and you need to probably 143 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:11,120 Speaker 4: call nine one one. By the time I got downstairs 144 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:13,200 Speaker 4: to tell my grandmother to call nine one one, my 145 00:07:13,280 --> 00:07:16,080 Speaker 4: tongue had swollen up to the entire width of my 146 00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:20,240 Speaker 4: mouth and I was not actually able to form any 147 00:07:20,280 --> 00:07:24,720 Speaker 4: real words. I just remember like I was telling my grandmother, 148 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:27,080 Speaker 4: like I was trying to tell her I couldn't breathe. 149 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:28,480 Speaker 2: Nine one one. They came. 150 00:07:28,880 --> 00:07:32,080 Speaker 4: They immediately stuck me with EPI and then it was 151 00:07:32,160 --> 00:07:34,520 Speaker 4: just like I was out from that point forward. And 152 00:07:34,880 --> 00:07:39,120 Speaker 4: it wasn't until probably three months after I had been 153 00:07:39,160 --> 00:07:42,320 Speaker 4: going through like rehabbing everything, that we finally were able 154 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:45,040 Speaker 4: to correlate it was a gummy I had taken, because 155 00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:47,800 Speaker 4: there were other claims coming out on the market of 156 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:51,760 Speaker 4: people that had unfortunately passed away, and then also people 157 00:07:51,800 --> 00:07:54,800 Speaker 4: who had had the same adverse reaction. We ended up 158 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:56,960 Speaker 4: finding out that there were one hundred and forty four 159 00:07:57,080 --> 00:08:00,440 Speaker 4: ingredients in those gummies and only eighty six than were 160 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:05,160 Speaker 4: listed on the actual bottle. So from that point forward, 161 00:08:05,440 --> 00:08:08,800 Speaker 4: after I had made a full recovery, which took a 162 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:12,600 Speaker 4: long time, I suffered from extreme memory loss. I had 163 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:16,040 Speaker 4: all types of just different you know problems like nightmares 164 00:08:16,080 --> 00:08:19,000 Speaker 4: and just you know things that happened once you've been 165 00:08:19,040 --> 00:08:23,000 Speaker 4: in a coma. But it was like I just remember 166 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:26,200 Speaker 4: thinking like, Okay, I have to do something different, Like 167 00:08:26,280 --> 00:08:28,760 Speaker 4: there has to be something that can give me energy 168 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:31,360 Speaker 4: without you know, one day thinking I'm going to have 169 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:33,040 Speaker 4: a heart attack at twenty one years old. 170 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:34,640 Speaker 3: Now walk me through a little bit more of that 171 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:39,280 Speaker 3: recovery process, and sort of when throughout that recovery process 172 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:42,199 Speaker 3: where you inspired to create your company of Rejuvenation. 173 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:45,720 Speaker 4: So my mom and I we went back and forth 174 00:08:45,720 --> 00:08:48,840 Speaker 4: about me going back to school that semester, and I 175 00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:50,680 Speaker 4: was like, no, I have to go back, like I 176 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:53,200 Speaker 4: want to finish on time. And I was just like, 177 00:08:53,240 --> 00:08:54,760 Speaker 4: I was like, no, I can't let this stop me. 178 00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:57,319 Speaker 4: And she was like, I am afraid to let you 179 00:08:57,360 --> 00:08:58,959 Speaker 4: out of my sight ever again. 180 00:09:00,240 --> 00:09:00,640 Speaker 2: Reasons. 181 00:09:00,679 --> 00:09:03,560 Speaker 4: But I got back to school and I remember I 182 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:07,760 Speaker 4: told my professor, he was my plant science professor. I 183 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:11,000 Speaker 4: told him what happened, and he was like, oh, my goodness, 184 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:14,680 Speaker 4: like that is crazy, but would you be interested in 185 00:09:14,800 --> 00:09:18,720 Speaker 4: potentially working on a project that finds healthy energy sources. 186 00:09:19,280 --> 00:09:25,440 Speaker 4: So that semester is when I really dove into what 187 00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:29,000 Speaker 4: food and beverage formulation looks like. And he kind of 188 00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:32,040 Speaker 4: inspired me to just like start finding all of these 189 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:35,640 Speaker 4: different fruits and vegetables that could provide energy for your 190 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:39,280 Speaker 4: plants and herbs. And so I went and did a 191 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:43,640 Speaker 4: study abroad in Costa Rica. While in Costa Rica is 192 00:09:43,679 --> 00:09:49,920 Speaker 4: where I found wyasa and Wayasa is a herb that 193 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:52,920 Speaker 4: they used mostly in Ecuador, but also in Costa Rica 194 00:09:53,160 --> 00:09:53,920 Speaker 4: for energy. 195 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:55,040 Speaker 2: When I got. 196 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:56,760 Speaker 4: A hold of it, I was like Wow, like this 197 00:09:56,840 --> 00:09:59,680 Speaker 4: gives you a lot of energy. But I didn't feel 198 00:09:59,760 --> 00:10:03,360 Speaker 4: the jittery and then I crashed and I didn't feel 199 00:10:03,360 --> 00:10:05,440 Speaker 4: like I'm shaking out of my body or anything. It 200 00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:08,080 Speaker 4: was just like, wow, like I am still up for 201 00:10:08,120 --> 00:10:09,880 Speaker 4: the rest of the day. I feel great. And so 202 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:13,040 Speaker 4: that is when I was like, hey, like what if 203 00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:16,080 Speaker 4: I could create something from this. And at first we 204 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:19,120 Speaker 4: were doing our vegan and vegetarian plates. So my first 205 00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:21,600 Speaker 4: company was called Vegan Queen Cuisine and that started in 206 00:10:21,640 --> 00:10:23,880 Speaker 4: my dorm room at Tuski, and I was giving out 207 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:27,600 Speaker 4: vegan and vegetarian plates. But then we started making juices 208 00:10:27,640 --> 00:10:30,360 Speaker 4: with it, like just fresh press juice, and I was like, hey, like, 209 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:33,480 Speaker 4: do you mind if you try out our energy juice? 210 00:10:33,679 --> 00:10:37,120 Speaker 4: And so many people were like yeah, sure. And it 211 00:10:37,240 --> 00:10:41,679 Speaker 4: wasn't until COVID hit everyone got sent home from school. 212 00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:45,439 Speaker 4: So I went home and my mom was like, oh, 213 00:10:45,480 --> 00:10:48,080 Speaker 4: my goodness, like I used to drink almost a pot 214 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:49,960 Speaker 4: of coffee a day, and I can drink one of 215 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:52,960 Speaker 4: these juices and feel great. And the other thing was 216 00:10:53,080 --> 00:10:55,520 Speaker 4: a lot of people were saying they didn't have withdraws either, 217 00:10:55,920 --> 00:10:58,079 Speaker 4: so if they were drinking a lot of coffee, and 218 00:10:58,120 --> 00:11:01,200 Speaker 4: like caffeine, they didn't get that caffeine ache from drinking 219 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:05,400 Speaker 4: our products. So immediately I was like, let me set 220 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:08,040 Speaker 4: up a little website and try to see what I 221 00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:08,680 Speaker 4: can do here. 222 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:10,640 Speaker 3: I want to actually double click on some of that 223 00:11:10,679 --> 00:11:14,520 Speaker 3: inspiration right around wanting to start this company. Obviously it 224 00:11:14,600 --> 00:11:17,360 Speaker 3: happened as you were going the sort of recovery process, 225 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:20,240 Speaker 3: and your professor was really kind of your biggest cheerleader. 226 00:11:20,480 --> 00:11:24,439 Speaker 3: But I'd also imagine maybe you had this underlying excitement 227 00:11:24,559 --> 00:11:28,080 Speaker 3: of really getting people to understand that there's such a 228 00:11:28,080 --> 00:11:31,680 Speaker 3: thing as clean energy versus you know, these crazy gummies 229 00:11:31,720 --> 00:11:34,200 Speaker 3: that you might get from these other companies. 230 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:38,160 Speaker 4: One of my biggest goals is trying to take the 231 00:11:38,280 --> 00:11:43,120 Speaker 4: negative connotation from energy supplements and energy drinks. It still 232 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:46,000 Speaker 4: happens today that when I tell people like, hey, yeah, 233 00:11:46,040 --> 00:11:49,840 Speaker 4: we sell clean energy drinks, They're like, nothing that says 234 00:11:49,960 --> 00:11:52,320 Speaker 4: energy is clean, And I'm like, yes, there is, Like 235 00:11:52,440 --> 00:11:55,560 Speaker 4: there is a way that you can get energy without 236 00:11:55,640 --> 00:11:58,120 Speaker 4: all of the jitters and crashes and all the different things. 237 00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:00,520 Speaker 4: The one thing I will say, we did take a 238 00:12:00,640 --> 00:12:02,480 Speaker 4: huge and this was a huge leap of faith, but 239 00:12:02,559 --> 00:12:05,720 Speaker 4: I reached out to the American Asthma and Allergy Association. 240 00:12:06,320 --> 00:12:07,160 Speaker 2: That was like. 241 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:10,760 Speaker 4: Probably the first group that I had ever even come 242 00:12:10,800 --> 00:12:13,000 Speaker 4: in contact with with our product, and I was like, Hey, 243 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:18,040 Speaker 4: we're doing this for this awareness. We would love to 244 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:20,280 Speaker 4: be able to partner with you all in some type 245 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:22,160 Speaker 4: of way, And they gave us a lot of support 246 00:12:22,640 --> 00:12:26,760 Speaker 4: with reaching out to other people that have had adverse 247 00:12:26,800 --> 00:12:32,200 Speaker 4: reactions to commercialized products, as well as just being able 248 00:12:32,280 --> 00:12:34,560 Speaker 4: to kind of get the awareness out there more and 249 00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:37,720 Speaker 4: get the buzz around that there are clean energy products. 250 00:12:37,880 --> 00:12:40,720 Speaker 1: So obviously there's a number of things that you could 251 00:12:40,760 --> 00:12:45,199 Speaker 1: have done to raise awareness right of these harmful chemicals 252 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:47,720 Speaker 1: that are in a lot of these energy products. I mean, 253 00:12:47,800 --> 00:12:50,520 Speaker 1: you couldn't just started like an Instagram and start sharing things, right, 254 00:12:50,679 --> 00:12:53,760 Speaker 1: but you took it to another level by actually starting 255 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:56,280 Speaker 1: a business. Would you say that you have like a 256 00:12:56,440 --> 00:13:00,440 Speaker 1: natural entrepreneurial spirit or do you think that you were 257 00:13:00,480 --> 00:13:02,600 Speaker 1: kind of like in the right environment to foster that. 258 00:13:03,440 --> 00:13:06,720 Speaker 2: I so I have an entrepreneurial spirit. 259 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:08,719 Speaker 4: I tell people all the time that I am the 260 00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:11,560 Speaker 4: princess to the King and queen of side jobs and 261 00:13:11,640 --> 00:13:12,400 Speaker 4: side hustles. 262 00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:14,880 Speaker 2: My mother and father. 263 00:13:15,200 --> 00:13:18,880 Speaker 4: I feel like I've literally never seen either one of 264 00:13:18,920 --> 00:13:21,840 Speaker 4: them have less than four jobs at a time, not 265 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:24,440 Speaker 4: because it was like they needed to, but I mean, 266 00:13:24,679 --> 00:13:27,040 Speaker 4: my dad used to do everything. He was a mechanic, 267 00:13:27,320 --> 00:13:29,400 Speaker 4: he was a driver, he was restaurant cooked. Like he 268 00:13:29,440 --> 00:13:32,640 Speaker 4: could do every and anything possible. And so I think 269 00:13:32,800 --> 00:13:35,240 Speaker 4: just looking at them, I was like, oh, my goodness, 270 00:13:35,280 --> 00:13:38,920 Speaker 4: like I have to have a job, have a business. 271 00:13:38,559 --> 00:13:41,079 Speaker 2: Have this, have that as well. I love that. 272 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:44,360 Speaker 1: I do think that there is a genetic component to 273 00:13:44,520 --> 00:13:47,880 Speaker 1: entrepreneurship because I think about my own grandmother. She had 274 00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:51,199 Speaker 1: a third grade education and built her own little like 275 00:13:51,360 --> 00:13:54,600 Speaker 1: bodega the bottom floor of her home, and like put 276 00:13:54,760 --> 00:13:57,000 Speaker 1: three kids through college with that, you know. And so 277 00:13:57,040 --> 00:14:01,000 Speaker 1: it's just like that hustler spirit I think you're kind 278 00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:02,840 Speaker 1: of born with and then you you know, get into 279 00:14:02,880 --> 00:14:04,679 Speaker 1: the right environments where you can nurture that. 280 00:14:04,800 --> 00:14:07,120 Speaker 3: Yes, well, let's talk a little bit more about time 281 00:14:07,160 --> 00:14:11,199 Speaker 3: management and sort of your experience building this company. When 282 00:14:11,240 --> 00:14:14,160 Speaker 3: I first started building sort of my company, it was 283 00:14:14,160 --> 00:14:16,280 Speaker 3: a lot of time blocking. Right, I'd sit down and 284 00:14:16,280 --> 00:14:18,040 Speaker 3: figure out, Okay, I'm going to do this for this 285 00:14:18,080 --> 00:14:19,520 Speaker 3: period of time. I'll try and do some of this, 286 00:14:19,640 --> 00:14:21,800 Speaker 3: do some of that. But it can get really overwhelming. 287 00:14:22,040 --> 00:14:24,320 Speaker 3: What were some of the biggest lessons that you've learned 288 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:27,640 Speaker 3: over the last couple of years here now of building 289 00:14:27,720 --> 00:14:30,000 Speaker 3: your company around time management. 290 00:14:29,640 --> 00:14:33,320 Speaker 4: I will say you have to kind of prioritize things 291 00:14:33,560 --> 00:14:37,120 Speaker 4: and figure out what will make the most sense and 292 00:14:37,160 --> 00:14:40,080 Speaker 4: what can kind of manage itself. Like I know that 293 00:14:40,200 --> 00:14:42,720 Speaker 4: if I schedule out all of my emails on Sunday 294 00:14:42,760 --> 00:14:44,880 Speaker 4: to go out Monday, at least Monday they go out, 295 00:14:44,880 --> 00:14:47,800 Speaker 4: but I can be doing something else. So really using 296 00:14:47,840 --> 00:14:51,400 Speaker 4: those scheduling tools and just you know, trying to be 297 00:14:51,480 --> 00:14:54,480 Speaker 4: as proactive as possible. Like now we're at a point 298 00:14:54,520 --> 00:14:57,320 Speaker 4: where all of our content is basically done for the 299 00:14:57,400 --> 00:15:01,360 Speaker 4: month the month before. Of course, if we didn't do that, 300 00:15:01,520 --> 00:15:04,560 Speaker 4: I would be scrambling the night before or twenty minutes 301 00:15:04,600 --> 00:15:07,400 Speaker 4: before I'm supposed to be posting and trying to create 302 00:15:07,400 --> 00:15:10,440 Speaker 4: a post. So I would just say that I really, 303 00:15:10,520 --> 00:15:13,800 Speaker 4: I heavily rely on scheduling tools, and I heavily rely 304 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:18,200 Speaker 4: on just trying to knock out the little things as 305 00:15:18,240 --> 00:15:20,360 Speaker 4: early as possible, because every day is going to have 306 00:15:20,400 --> 00:15:22,000 Speaker 4: some type of fire that you're going to have to 307 00:15:22,040 --> 00:15:24,640 Speaker 4: take time away from and focus on just that. 308 00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:26,240 Speaker 2: And then you look up, it's five o'clock. 309 00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:29,200 Speaker 3: So no kidding. I feel like that's me every single day. 310 00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:31,240 Speaker 3: I get into it, and then I send a couple 311 00:15:31,280 --> 00:15:33,600 Speaker 3: of emails. I blink, and now it's finically pblit. 312 00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:40,280 Speaker 1: Tell us about the various ventures that you have built 313 00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:41,520 Speaker 1: beyond Rejuvenation. 314 00:15:41,680 --> 00:15:45,480 Speaker 4: First off, yes, so Rejuvenation Beverage Company is the holding group, 315 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:48,640 Speaker 4: and then we have Rejuvenation the energy drink, and then 316 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:52,360 Speaker 4: we have Okra, which is the world's first sparkling Okra water. 317 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:53,480 Speaker 2: It is fantastic. 318 00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:56,239 Speaker 1: What inspired you to look at Okra specifically? 319 00:15:56,240 --> 00:16:01,520 Speaker 4: Man? So, My grandmother is a huge like wellness lady. 320 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:05,600 Speaker 4: We always had Okra growing up, and I just remember 321 00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:08,920 Speaker 4: like she would scarf it down my throat and she 322 00:16:09,280 --> 00:16:12,360 Speaker 4: was like, it's great for you. And I started doing 323 00:16:12,400 --> 00:16:15,920 Speaker 4: more research on Okra and the benefits of Okra water. 324 00:16:16,680 --> 00:16:21,880 Speaker 4: I started drinking. I would drink probably like sixteen to 325 00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:25,000 Speaker 4: maybe like twenty ounces of it a day. If you 326 00:16:25,160 --> 00:16:27,800 Speaker 4: know Okra, it is super slimy. 327 00:16:28,040 --> 00:16:30,800 Speaker 1: It's very infamous for a specific texture. 328 00:16:30,840 --> 00:16:36,240 Speaker 4: It is very slimy. But that mucilage that is the slime, 329 00:16:37,040 --> 00:16:39,560 Speaker 4: the mucilage is what holds all the benefits. 330 00:16:39,880 --> 00:16:40,800 Speaker 2: So of course when. 331 00:16:40,640 --> 00:16:42,760 Speaker 4: We're frying it and we're dying it and we're making 332 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:45,040 Speaker 4: it in chips and all these other things, we're losing 333 00:16:45,120 --> 00:16:48,280 Speaker 4: all that mucilage. But that's where the benefit comes from. 334 00:16:48,520 --> 00:16:51,480 Speaker 4: And it wasn't until I started really extracting the benefit. 335 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:53,240 Speaker 4: I was putting on my skin, I was putting on 336 00:16:53,280 --> 00:16:55,600 Speaker 4: my hair, I was drinking it, and I was like, 337 00:16:56,080 --> 00:16:59,120 Speaker 4: oh my gosh, like my skin has completely changed, Like 338 00:16:59,480 --> 00:17:03,840 Speaker 4: I lost eighty pounds. I was just feeling fantastic. And 339 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:08,400 Speaker 4: I was like, oh, right, light bulb idea, here we go. 340 00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:11,679 Speaker 4: I told my mom and I told my grandmother, like, 341 00:17:11,720 --> 00:17:15,480 Speaker 4: oh my goodness, there's not another commercialized Okra product other 342 00:17:15,560 --> 00:17:18,239 Speaker 4: than pickled Okra on the market. And we did a 343 00:17:18,440 --> 00:17:22,439 Speaker 4: super deep research in every country, in every state, in 344 00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:25,440 Speaker 4: every like everywhere to make sure, like, okay, would this 345 00:17:25,520 --> 00:17:28,959 Speaker 4: really be the first I went through every beverage broker 346 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:31,440 Speaker 4: I've talked to and like, was pitching this idea and 347 00:17:31,480 --> 00:17:36,439 Speaker 4: they're like, this sounds crazy, but sure. Luckily, at the 348 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:39,479 Speaker 4: same time, Okra Water had made this huge, you know, 349 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:44,560 Speaker 4: boom on social media, and in six months time formulated, 350 00:17:44,760 --> 00:17:47,760 Speaker 4: did the packaging design and produced the product and then 351 00:17:47,840 --> 00:17:49,680 Speaker 4: launched it. Literally all this year. 352 00:17:50,400 --> 00:17:50,720 Speaker 2: Wow. 353 00:17:51,119 --> 00:17:54,040 Speaker 1: Oh okay, First off, I feel like we are literally 354 00:17:54,080 --> 00:17:57,280 Speaker 1: talking to the queen of time management, because when I 355 00:17:57,359 --> 00:18:00,480 Speaker 1: think about just the logistics of launching a new product, 356 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:04,080 Speaker 1: I mean, you have figured out how to really optimize 357 00:18:04,119 --> 00:18:06,560 Speaker 1: your time in a way that I need to extract 358 00:18:06,560 --> 00:18:10,000 Speaker 1: the gums. So let's talk about your specific techniques. Like 359 00:18:10,080 --> 00:18:13,840 Speaker 1: one that I am aware of that's pretty popular, especially 360 00:18:13,840 --> 00:18:18,800 Speaker 1: for folks who are neurodivergent. Is this Pomoduro technique, right, 361 00:18:18,880 --> 00:18:22,080 Speaker 1: So for you, do you have any specific time management 362 00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:24,040 Speaker 1: techniques that you found that worked for you. 363 00:18:24,280 --> 00:18:28,840 Speaker 4: I wish I was that organized that I could say, like, 364 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:31,600 Speaker 4: I have these techniques I use every day. I will say, 365 00:18:31,800 --> 00:18:35,320 Speaker 4: I am blessed that I have been doing this for 366 00:18:35,359 --> 00:18:40,920 Speaker 4: five years now, and we made so many mistakes in rejuvenation, 367 00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:44,280 Speaker 4: like the energy juices. We made so many, like millions 368 00:18:44,280 --> 00:18:48,040 Speaker 4: of mistakes, five hundred thousand dollars worth of mistakes. And 369 00:18:48,720 --> 00:18:51,680 Speaker 4: if it weren't for those mistakes and learning from them, 370 00:18:51,840 --> 00:18:55,639 Speaker 4: that was the only reason why OKRA was so seamless, 371 00:18:56,119 --> 00:18:59,240 Speaker 4: because of the fact that I took every single mistake 372 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:03,199 Speaker 4: and like literally learned from it and then I just 373 00:19:03,320 --> 00:19:06,480 Speaker 4: implemented it. Into the next product we created. I had 374 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:09,560 Speaker 4: to start making a pivot with my time management skills 375 00:19:09,560 --> 00:19:14,200 Speaker 4: because I was realizing, Okay, yes, I feel comfortable because 376 00:19:14,200 --> 00:19:18,200 Speaker 4: I have all these jobs, but realistically, am I really 377 00:19:18,240 --> 00:19:21,520 Speaker 4: putting in my one hundred and ten percent into this 378 00:19:21,640 --> 00:19:24,919 Speaker 4: and making it happen. That is when I had to 379 00:19:25,480 --> 00:19:30,720 Speaker 4: make make the decision to rely on my mother. 380 00:19:30,680 --> 00:19:32,280 Speaker 2: Which I absolutely hate doing. 381 00:19:32,400 --> 00:19:36,399 Speaker 4: But I had to come home and I was like miserable, 382 00:19:36,520 --> 00:19:39,119 Speaker 4: But at the same time I was focused. I was 383 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:41,400 Speaker 4: locked in love my mom to death, love her to death, 384 00:19:41,480 --> 00:19:44,400 Speaker 4: love her house is great, but I will. 385 00:19:44,200 --> 00:19:45,280 Speaker 2: Say that, you know. 386 00:19:45,359 --> 00:19:47,679 Speaker 4: I was like, I'm twenty six, Like I want to 387 00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:49,159 Speaker 4: live on my own. I want to you know, my 388 00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:52,080 Speaker 4: friends are out here having all this fun, but I couldn't. 389 00:19:52,119 --> 00:19:54,800 Speaker 4: At the time I had to make those sacrifices. I 390 00:19:54,920 --> 00:19:58,440 Speaker 4: was like, I'll have fun when I'm rich. Like that's 391 00:19:58,520 --> 00:19:58,840 Speaker 4: just it. 392 00:20:00,960 --> 00:20:03,959 Speaker 1: I love that question. And you know, it sounds like 393 00:20:04,160 --> 00:20:07,520 Speaker 1: your strategy is just really focusing in on those highest 394 00:20:07,560 --> 00:20:09,399 Speaker 1: return on investment activities right. 395 00:20:09,480 --> 00:20:11,200 Speaker 2: Yes, definitely, because. 396 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:13,120 Speaker 1: I know some of y'all that are listening right now 397 00:20:13,560 --> 00:20:17,160 Speaker 1: think that you know, creating graphics and logos and doing 398 00:20:17,240 --> 00:20:19,440 Speaker 1: cute little social media posts is actually what's going to 399 00:20:19,480 --> 00:20:20,520 Speaker 1: move your business forward. 400 00:20:20,840 --> 00:20:21,320 Speaker 2: But it's not. 401 00:20:21,600 --> 00:20:25,400 Speaker 1: It's the action that actually comes down to making money, right, 402 00:20:25,400 --> 00:20:28,000 Speaker 1: those revenue generating activities. And so I think you've gotten 403 00:20:28,000 --> 00:20:31,720 Speaker 1: really good at being able to pinpoint where exactly your 404 00:20:31,760 --> 00:20:34,720 Speaker 1: time needs to be focused. I'm curious with quick books, 405 00:20:34,760 --> 00:20:37,520 Speaker 1: how are you utilizing that to streamline your workload? 406 00:20:37,600 --> 00:20:45,920 Speaker 2: Quick books has been an angel looks so. 407 00:20:47,760 --> 00:20:50,240 Speaker 4: So we first when we first got on quick books, 408 00:20:50,280 --> 00:20:54,399 Speaker 4: it was mostly just for our bookkeeper to understand like 409 00:20:54,440 --> 00:20:57,040 Speaker 4: where the money was going. And my books were crazy because, 410 00:20:57,040 --> 00:20:59,040 Speaker 4: like I said, we were doing pop up shops. We 411 00:20:59,080 --> 00:21:02,080 Speaker 4: had random cash from selling on the side of the street. 412 00:21:02,160 --> 00:21:05,080 Speaker 4: We had just you know, all these random sources of 413 00:21:05,320 --> 00:21:08,520 Speaker 4: income in the company that didn't make any sense. But luckily, 414 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:11,840 Speaker 4: there were so many great tools on quick books that 415 00:21:11,920 --> 00:21:15,280 Speaker 4: I was able to use all the different integrations as 416 00:21:15,280 --> 00:21:16,919 Speaker 4: well as be able to do payroll. 417 00:21:17,520 --> 00:21:19,000 Speaker 2: So yeah, the. 418 00:21:18,960 --> 00:21:21,320 Speaker 4: One thing I will say with QuickBooks, though, they had 419 00:21:21,359 --> 00:21:25,120 Speaker 4: this tool that allowed us to make up fake invoices 420 00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:29,320 Speaker 4: and pos and my mom is very much like just 421 00:21:29,440 --> 00:21:31,520 Speaker 4: dream it until you see it, like dreaming until you 422 00:21:31,560 --> 00:21:35,600 Speaker 4: see it. And so I made a fake purchase order 423 00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:37,200 Speaker 4: up and I was like, this is gonna be my 424 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:39,320 Speaker 4: dream purchase order, Like it's gonna happen one day. 425 00:21:39,560 --> 00:21:41,320 Speaker 2: And she printed it out and she hung it up 426 00:21:41,359 --> 00:21:41,960 Speaker 2: in my room. 427 00:21:42,640 --> 00:21:48,480 Speaker 4: Literally just last year we had like that ExHAM amount 428 00:21:48,520 --> 00:21:51,560 Speaker 4: of purchase order and I was like, oh my gosh, 429 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:54,240 Speaker 4: now here's the thing. Right at the time, that was 430 00:21:54,280 --> 00:21:57,399 Speaker 4: my dream. Now that's like not gonna pay anything. But 431 00:21:57,600 --> 00:21:59,919 Speaker 4: that's at the time. 432 00:21:59,800 --> 00:22:01,359 Speaker 2: That was like huge money. 433 00:22:01,640 --> 00:22:04,159 Speaker 4: But now I'm like, okay, now I'm just gonna I 434 00:22:04,240 --> 00:22:06,040 Speaker 4: go in there and I'm like I just put in 435 00:22:06,320 --> 00:22:08,639 Speaker 4: what I believe and I'm like, go straight to my 436 00:22:08,720 --> 00:22:09,320 Speaker 4: vision board. 437 00:22:09,400 --> 00:22:12,720 Speaker 2: So quick Books also is a manifestation tool. 438 00:22:12,720 --> 00:22:16,520 Speaker 1: If you all didn't know, Okay, all right, I love 439 00:22:16,560 --> 00:22:16,919 Speaker 1: to hear it. 440 00:22:16,960 --> 00:22:17,640 Speaker 2: That's incredible. 441 00:22:17,760 --> 00:22:20,399 Speaker 3: Listen, I'm all about QuickBooks. They've got this team of 442 00:22:20,480 --> 00:22:24,200 Speaker 3: AI agents and trusted experts that are available that help 443 00:22:24,280 --> 00:22:28,360 Speaker 3: me track and complete my tasks, keep my books accurate 444 00:22:28,440 --> 00:22:31,200 Speaker 3: and compliant. So I've got more time, just like you anna, 445 00:22:31,320 --> 00:22:34,080 Speaker 3: to focus on the business that matters, the business of 446 00:22:34,440 --> 00:22:37,720 Speaker 3: creating new beverage lines. Well, listen, let's talk a little 447 00:22:37,760 --> 00:22:40,919 Speaker 3: bit about AI. You know, AI, I feel like is 448 00:22:40,960 --> 00:22:43,320 Speaker 3: more on the software side, right, but on you know, 449 00:22:43,359 --> 00:22:46,159 Speaker 3: you've got this CpG business going on, so I'm sure 450 00:22:46,200 --> 00:22:49,840 Speaker 3: you're utilizing AI here and there while also not forgetting 451 00:22:49,880 --> 00:22:52,240 Speaker 3: about the human intelligence. Right, you're the one that comes 452 00:22:52,280 --> 00:22:55,040 Speaker 3: up with the ideas. You're the one having the Okra 453 00:22:55,160 --> 00:22:58,439 Speaker 3: epiphany as you will. So what sort of automation have 454 00:22:58,480 --> 00:23:01,159 Speaker 3: you created in your business using artificial intelligence? 455 00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:01,480 Speaker 2: Yes? 456 00:23:01,680 --> 00:23:05,879 Speaker 4: So literally Oaker would not be here without AI. 457 00:23:07,400 --> 00:23:08,560 Speaker 2: So a lot of. 458 00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:12,119 Speaker 4: Image generation that we do, and so now we're able 459 00:23:12,200 --> 00:23:16,199 Speaker 4: to upload our cans and create these beautiful backgrounds and 460 00:23:16,560 --> 00:23:18,960 Speaker 4: you know, have like the hands holding them and create 461 00:23:19,040 --> 00:23:22,639 Speaker 4: these commercials and things like that that are ways to 462 00:23:22,840 --> 00:23:27,120 Speaker 4: market the product. So having like those AI models and 463 00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:30,200 Speaker 4: using some of those images really does help us out 464 00:23:30,240 --> 00:23:33,959 Speaker 4: a lot. My director of operations, he's the one that 465 00:23:34,160 --> 00:23:36,480 Speaker 4: really is like deep in the weeds with the AI 466 00:23:36,560 --> 00:23:39,399 Speaker 4: tools that we use. But it has helped us out 467 00:23:39,520 --> 00:23:41,880 Speaker 4: a ton, a ton And of course, you know, chat 468 00:23:41,920 --> 00:23:44,000 Speaker 4: GBT is everyone's therapist now, so. 469 00:23:45,680 --> 00:23:49,320 Speaker 3: No, I will say, you know, AI and AI automation 470 00:23:49,440 --> 00:23:51,200 Speaker 3: has certainly freed up a lot of my own time 471 00:23:51,240 --> 00:23:54,480 Speaker 3: and it's helped me, to your point, prioritize different parts 472 00:23:54,520 --> 00:23:56,840 Speaker 3: of the business. That are what Genie was talking about, 473 00:23:56,840 --> 00:23:59,639 Speaker 3: a better return on time spent there. I'm curious, have 474 00:23:59,680 --> 00:24:04,800 Speaker 3: you ever audited your own sort of AI automations and say, Okay, 475 00:24:04,800 --> 00:24:06,960 Speaker 3: because I'm using this, I'm able to save this much time. 476 00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:08,760 Speaker 3: And then now that I have this time, I'm now 477 00:24:08,880 --> 00:24:10,800 Speaker 3: you know, are you designing or you're coming up with 478 00:24:10,880 --> 00:24:13,520 Speaker 3: Okra stuff? What are you spending this new free time doing? 479 00:24:13,640 --> 00:24:14,000 Speaker 2: Yeah? 480 00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:18,040 Speaker 4: Really now like building out the product set? So h 481 00:24:18,440 --> 00:24:22,520 Speaker 4: we're working on Well, our newest flavor is already pretty 482 00:24:22,560 --> 00:24:25,640 Speaker 4: much done. It's going into production the end of this month. 483 00:24:25,720 --> 00:24:28,920 Speaker 4: It will be pomegranate. So y'all are the first to hear. 484 00:24:29,040 --> 00:24:30,440 Speaker 2: Yay, Oh so. 485 00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:34,040 Speaker 4: Pomegranate Okra water will be available hopefully by the end 486 00:24:34,080 --> 00:24:38,920 Speaker 4: of January. But because of using these AI tools, I 487 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:41,679 Speaker 4: was able to kind of surf the internet with like 488 00:24:41,760 --> 00:24:44,960 Speaker 4: my AI agents and figure out what are gonna be 489 00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:48,000 Speaker 4: the newest flavors of the year, and like what other 490 00:24:48,080 --> 00:24:51,639 Speaker 4: brands are doing, what the market looks like, trying to 491 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:54,879 Speaker 4: see what the beverage trends are for flavors and for 492 00:24:55,080 --> 00:24:58,240 Speaker 4: what people are interested in terms of functionality, and so 493 00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:01,359 Speaker 4: because you know beverages, they change like every day, like 494 00:25:01,640 --> 00:25:04,040 Speaker 4: it could be hot today and then gone tomorrow, or 495 00:25:04,640 --> 00:25:07,280 Speaker 4: you know, vice versa. And so it has really helped 496 00:25:07,320 --> 00:25:09,440 Speaker 4: me be able to take out some of that research 497 00:25:09,480 --> 00:25:12,560 Speaker 4: step that I usually have to go through whenever I'm 498 00:25:12,600 --> 00:25:16,280 Speaker 4: formulating new products, or you know, when we're just trying 499 00:25:16,280 --> 00:25:19,879 Speaker 4: to figure out what market trends look like. Now my 500 00:25:20,000 --> 00:25:23,199 Speaker 4: AI tools can just give me all of that in 501 00:25:23,240 --> 00:25:25,840 Speaker 4: a spreadsheet and I can go through that, or it 502 00:25:25,880 --> 00:25:27,439 Speaker 4: can give it to me in like a quick blurb 503 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:30,240 Speaker 4: and I can understand and digest it better. 504 00:25:30,520 --> 00:25:33,080 Speaker 3: Right there with you. I feel like I'm absolutely abusing 505 00:25:33,200 --> 00:25:36,320 Speaker 3: AI sometimes when it comes to my own business and 506 00:25:36,480 --> 00:25:39,080 Speaker 3: all these crazy new tools and products. It's just it's 507 00:25:39,080 --> 00:25:40,560 Speaker 3: so fun to be able to use this stuff now 508 00:25:40,600 --> 00:25:41,600 Speaker 3: as a small business owner. 509 00:25:41,720 --> 00:25:42,600 Speaker 2: Yes, I love it. 510 00:25:42,560 --> 00:25:45,639 Speaker 1: So along that same vein obviously, there are things that 511 00:25:45,680 --> 00:25:48,520 Speaker 1: you can decide to outsource and automate, and then there's 512 00:25:48,560 --> 00:25:50,400 Speaker 1: things that you might want to keep kind of close 513 00:25:50,440 --> 00:25:52,840 Speaker 1: to the chest. So how do you decide what things 514 00:25:52,960 --> 00:25:55,160 Speaker 1: you want to do within the business versus what things 515 00:25:55,200 --> 00:25:57,040 Speaker 1: you want to outsource just to get back more of 516 00:25:57,080 --> 00:25:57,480 Speaker 1: your time. 517 00:25:58,240 --> 00:26:04,159 Speaker 4: So formulation and manufacturing that will always stay family owned only, 518 00:26:04,400 --> 00:26:07,800 Speaker 4: like I'm sorry, they've read all the books that I 519 00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:11,200 Speaker 4: feel like are credit worthy, so I'm like it has 520 00:26:11,240 --> 00:26:14,280 Speaker 4: to stay with us. I have like talked to a 521 00:26:14,400 --> 00:26:18,720 Speaker 4: ton of formulators, and obviously we still send out everything 522 00:26:18,760 --> 00:26:22,080 Speaker 4: for bench testing and for you know, FDA approvals and 523 00:26:22,119 --> 00:26:22,919 Speaker 4: all those things. 524 00:26:23,359 --> 00:26:26,040 Speaker 2: But I refuse. 525 00:26:25,680 --> 00:26:30,040 Speaker 4: To budge on formula like that is what, like it 526 00:26:30,080 --> 00:26:32,040 Speaker 4: came from us, Like it's staying here. 527 00:26:32,200 --> 00:26:32,600 Speaker 2: That's it. 528 00:26:33,119 --> 00:26:36,000 Speaker 3: So Anna, as we wrap up this episode, I want 529 00:26:36,040 --> 00:26:39,160 Speaker 3: you to really think about this, and you know, maybe 530 00:26:39,200 --> 00:26:42,960 Speaker 3: it is personal, maybe it's something you know, some outside validation, 531 00:26:43,040 --> 00:26:46,840 Speaker 3: but like what excites you the most about the sustainable 532 00:26:46,880 --> 00:26:49,080 Speaker 3: and healthy businesses that you've created. 533 00:26:49,440 --> 00:26:54,640 Speaker 4: I think seeing how many people are just super excited 534 00:26:54,680 --> 00:26:58,560 Speaker 4: about the product, And for me, it's really it comes 535 00:26:58,720 --> 00:27:01,720 Speaker 4: down to like my grandma and my mom, Like just 536 00:27:01,760 --> 00:27:06,399 Speaker 4: seeing them so excited and super duper supportive, Like hearing 537 00:27:06,440 --> 00:27:09,879 Speaker 4: my grandmother call all her friends and she's ninety four 538 00:27:10,040 --> 00:27:12,400 Speaker 4: now and so literally like she'll be on the phone 539 00:27:12,400 --> 00:27:15,240 Speaker 4: with her friends like Anna's got this business and she's 540 00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:17,800 Speaker 4: doing this and I'm like, that's what warms my heart 541 00:27:17,840 --> 00:27:20,840 Speaker 4: every day. But also just seeing like the amount of 542 00:27:21,119 --> 00:27:24,199 Speaker 4: comments and the great responses on Oh my goodness, like 543 00:27:24,240 --> 00:27:27,560 Speaker 4: I've already feel like my gut feeling better, I feel, 544 00:27:27,800 --> 00:27:29,760 Speaker 4: you know, the glow of my skin, like, oh, I'm 545 00:27:29,840 --> 00:27:33,040 Speaker 4: ordering another one. It was just amazing to see, especially 546 00:27:33,040 --> 00:27:37,000 Speaker 4: with just black Black Friday, just like passing. It was 547 00:27:37,800 --> 00:27:40,720 Speaker 4: amazing to see the response of people that had just 548 00:27:40,760 --> 00:27:42,760 Speaker 4: got their orders delivered and were. 549 00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:43,720 Speaker 2: Willing to make videos. 550 00:27:44,160 --> 00:27:47,639 Speaker 4: This Black Friday was the cheapest ad spend I have 551 00:27:47,760 --> 00:27:51,200 Speaker 4: ever had because of the simple fact that we changed 552 00:27:51,240 --> 00:27:54,320 Speaker 4: the cards that we put in our orders. We said, hey, 553 00:27:54,440 --> 00:27:56,480 Speaker 4: if you record a video for us and post it 554 00:27:56,520 --> 00:28:00,560 Speaker 4: on social media, we'll give you a coupon. And so 555 00:28:00,800 --> 00:28:03,959 Speaker 4: many people have been recording videos and posting them for 556 00:28:04,040 --> 00:28:06,280 Speaker 4: us for their coupon. That that has been our own 557 00:28:06,800 --> 00:28:10,000 Speaker 4: organic marketing that we didn't have to spend so much 558 00:28:10,200 --> 00:28:12,919 Speaker 4: on marketing this year for Black Friday because of the 559 00:28:12,920 --> 00:28:15,840 Speaker 4: fact that we kind of have our own little UGC 560 00:28:15,920 --> 00:28:16,800 Speaker 4: content creators. 561 00:28:16,800 --> 00:28:18,159 Speaker 2: Now I love it. 562 00:28:18,200 --> 00:28:20,800 Speaker 1: I have one question, where can we find rejuvenation? 563 00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:25,840 Speaker 4: Yes, so Rejuvenation is on ww dot drink rejew dot com. 564 00:28:26,119 --> 00:28:28,879 Speaker 4: And then if you want to purchase okra, Okra is 565 00:28:28,920 --> 00:28:31,000 Speaker 4: on ww dot drinkokra dot com. 566 00:28:31,080 --> 00:28:31,840 Speaker 2: We keep it real. 567 00:28:31,800 --> 00:28:37,840 Speaker 1: Simple, amazing, and the packaging is giving Instagram feed day. 568 00:28:38,040 --> 00:28:41,200 Speaker 2: It's so good, so much. I appreciate it. 569 00:28:42,280 --> 00:28:43,600 Speaker 3: Got to get in the groove. 570 00:28:43,320 --> 00:28:46,880 Speaker 4: With the juve here, groove with rejuvenation, no slim, just 571 00:28:46,920 --> 00:28:47,760 Speaker 4: shine with OKRA. 572 00:28:48,720 --> 00:28:56,760 Speaker 3: I love it. I do love about Eugenius, but I 573 00:28:56,920 --> 00:29:01,520 Speaker 3: love a wonderful inspirational story by kind an even better business. 574 00:29:01,800 --> 00:29:04,800 Speaker 3: I think my big takeaway from that conversation was how 575 00:29:04,840 --> 00:29:07,280 Speaker 3: important it is as a small business owner to give 576 00:29:07,320 --> 00:29:11,000 Speaker 3: yourself grace. Right, you can only control the controllables. I 577 00:29:11,040 --> 00:29:13,200 Speaker 3: think that's something that my dad taught me growing up, 578 00:29:13,320 --> 00:29:16,520 Speaker 3: was not to worry about things outside of your sort 579 00:29:16,520 --> 00:29:19,080 Speaker 3: of domain, outside of your control. And it seems like 580 00:29:19,120 --> 00:29:21,760 Speaker 3: that's exactly what Anna did. There's a lot of things that, 581 00:29:21,960 --> 00:29:24,600 Speaker 3: you know, some setbacks, things that impacted her in her 582 00:29:24,600 --> 00:29:26,800 Speaker 3: business over the last couple of years here, but that 583 00:29:26,880 --> 00:29:29,920 Speaker 3: didn't stop her. She's over here doing the Okrah, she's 584 00:29:29,920 --> 00:29:33,280 Speaker 3: got rejuvenation, she's doing the packaging. I mean, she's absolutely 585 00:29:33,360 --> 00:29:36,000 Speaker 3: crushing it. So giving yourself grace as a small business 586 00:29:36,000 --> 00:29:37,360 Speaker 3: owner is incredibly important. 587 00:29:37,960 --> 00:29:40,840 Speaker 1: Absolutely, her story was such an important reminder that those 588 00:29:40,880 --> 00:29:43,240 Speaker 1: setbacks do not have to be the thing that define you, 589 00:29:43,680 --> 00:29:46,000 Speaker 1: they can actually be the thing that propels you and 590 00:29:46,120 --> 00:29:49,360 Speaker 1: like really forces you to become who you're meant to be. 591 00:29:49,440 --> 00:29:53,280 Speaker 1: So super super inspiring guest, and I think it was. 592 00:29:53,320 --> 00:29:57,240 Speaker 1: It's also a good reminder of how common like the 593 00:29:57,320 --> 00:30:00,360 Speaker 1: origin story is for entrepreneurs. But it usually just does 594 00:30:00,440 --> 00:30:03,320 Speaker 1: come down to identifying that thing that you want to 595 00:30:03,360 --> 00:30:05,880 Speaker 1: help people with, you know, that impact that you want 596 00:30:05,880 --> 00:30:07,280 Speaker 1: to have in the world. And I would say she's 597 00:30:07,320 --> 00:30:09,360 Speaker 1: having a major impact with her work. 598 00:30:09,520 --> 00:30:12,800 Speaker 3: She absolutely is. All right, Denise, should we now challenge 599 00:30:12,840 --> 00:30:13,520 Speaker 3: these listeners? 600 00:30:13,960 --> 00:30:17,480 Speaker 1: Absolutely? All right, friends and fellow business owners. If you 601 00:30:17,560 --> 00:30:20,880 Speaker 1: have listened this far, it's time for some homework. Over 602 00:30:20,920 --> 00:30:23,920 Speaker 1: the next two weeks, challenge yourself to try to take 603 00:30:23,960 --> 00:30:27,400 Speaker 1: a typical workday and track where most of your time 604 00:30:27,520 --> 00:30:31,280 Speaker 1: is wasted. So thinking about those waiting periods, downtime and 605 00:30:31,400 --> 00:30:35,240 Speaker 1: other areas where maybe you just aren't optimizing where you can. 606 00:30:35,680 --> 00:30:38,160 Speaker 3: During that same typical work day, I want you to 607 00:30:38,320 --> 00:30:42,480 Speaker 3: also identify tasks that can be automated either fully or 608 00:30:42,520 --> 00:30:46,760 Speaker 3: even partially, and utilize the time save for another task. 609 00:30:47,120 --> 00:30:50,200 Speaker 1: After identifying that lost time, try to rework your schedule 610 00:30:50,240 --> 00:30:52,280 Speaker 1: to reclaim areas that you can focus on. 611 00:30:52,560 --> 00:30:56,400 Speaker 3: For business growth, and finally, try implementing the Pomoduro technique 612 00:30:56,560 --> 00:30:59,200 Speaker 3: or something similar for a week or more see how 613 00:30:59,240 --> 00:31:01,840 Speaker 3: it affects your work and maybe even get some feedback 614 00:31:01,840 --> 00:31:04,320 Speaker 3: from other employees about their experience as well. 615 00:31:05,200 --> 00:31:07,840 Speaker 1: Well, that's it for today's episode. You can find me 616 00:31:07,920 --> 00:31:10,880 Speaker 1: on social media at Jocciero Dinetto podcast and. 617 00:31:10,800 --> 00:31:13,680 Speaker 3: You can find me at Austin Hankwitz. You can follow 618 00:31:13,720 --> 00:31:17,200 Speaker 3: Into It QuickBooks on all social media at QuickBooks. To 619 00:31:17,240 --> 00:31:20,080 Speaker 3: get the tools you need to start, run and grow 620 00:31:20,120 --> 00:31:25,280 Speaker 3: your business, head to QuickBooks dot com slash mtb today. 621 00:31:26,480 --> 00:31:29,360 Speaker 1: Thank you, don't forget to follow this show wherever you 622 00:31:29,440 --> 00:31:31,560 Speaker 1: listen to podcasts so you can stay up to date 623 00:31:31,600 --> 00:31:32,640 Speaker 1: on future episodes. 624 00:31:33,080 --> 00:31:35,160 Speaker 3: We also want to hear from you, so be sure 625 00:31:35,160 --> 00:31:38,160 Speaker 3: to leave a rating and a review. See you next time, 626 00:31:38,720 --> 00:31:47,520 Speaker 3: See you next time. This podcast is a production of 627 00:31:47,600 --> 00:31:52,000 Speaker 3: iHeartRadio's Ruby Studio and Into It QuickBooks. Our executive producers 628 00:31:52,080 --> 00:31:55,760 Speaker 3: are James Foster and Ryan Martz. Our supervising producer is 629 00:31:55,800 --> 00:31:56,600 Speaker 3: Meredith Barnes 630 00:31:56,840 --> 00:32:00,200 Speaker 1: Our writer is Eric Leja, and our mixing engineer is 631 00:32:00,440 --> 00:32:01,040 Speaker 1: Eric Zyler