1 00:00:02,160 --> 00:00:05,080 Speaker 1: Hey, everybody, it's Bill Courtney with an army of normal folks, 2 00:00:05,080 --> 00:00:08,440 Speaker 1: and we continue now with part two of our conversation 3 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:12,480 Speaker 1: with Michelle Penzac, right after these brief messages from our 4 00:00:13,200 --> 00:00:27,080 Speaker 1: general sponsors. So tell me what that first year looks like. 5 00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:28,560 Speaker 2: Insanity? 6 00:00:31,600 --> 00:00:32,960 Speaker 1: Well, well, I was going to get to that in 7 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:36,520 Speaker 1: a second, but I mean, that's funny you say insanity 8 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:39,480 Speaker 1: because pretty much the last six years of her life 9 00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:43,600 Speaker 1: feel like it was just evolving insanity at all times. 10 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:46,400 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, pretty much. I think that is the theme 11 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:50,160 Speaker 2: of my life this point is just chaos. 12 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:52,720 Speaker 1: First year, he says, you got to get a name, right. 13 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:57,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, right, like you gotta name this thing. Robert Stevens, 14 00:00:57,280 --> 00:01:00,480 Speaker 2: who was actually his co founder, Shane's co founder with 15 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:05,120 Speaker 2: his company, and he was just an absolutely branding genius. 16 00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:07,960 Speaker 2: He said, you got to talk to Robert. So get 17 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:12,039 Speaker 2: on a call with Robert, and Robert's like, do you 18 00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:16,560 Speaker 2: like one? I said, I love wine, and he goes, well, 19 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:20,480 Speaker 2: you need to take the pressure off, sit down with 20 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:23,200 Speaker 2: a good glass of wine and just start running the 21 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:26,640 Speaker 2: ideas through your head and thinking of different phrasing. So 22 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:29,240 Speaker 2: I was like, Okay, I'm going to do it. And 23 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:32,520 Speaker 2: I sat down with a glass of Miomi shout out 24 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:37,800 Speaker 2: to that company. And I started thinking, okay, military phrases, 25 00:01:37,880 --> 00:01:41,600 Speaker 2: military phrases. And Sean had actually come in the house 26 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:44,320 Speaker 2: and was on the phone and he goes, you gotta 27 00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:46,440 Speaker 2: get this squared away, and you gotta get this squared away, 28 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:52,120 Speaker 2: and you gotta get this squared away. And I was like, amazing, amazing, 29 00:01:52,480 --> 00:01:55,880 Speaker 2: and so yeah, he likes to take the credit for 30 00:01:55,920 --> 00:02:00,560 Speaker 2: that one. But it clicked instantly, like this is it 31 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:02,920 Speaker 2: getting things squared away? 32 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:06,160 Speaker 1: So you named it squared away, which makes sense, a 33 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:10,799 Speaker 1: virtual assistant getting everything squared away. What's first your life? 34 00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:16,440 Speaker 2: Shane kept telling me, you can't do everything yourself. So 35 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:19,640 Speaker 2: you've always been delegated too. Now you have to become 36 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:25,959 Speaker 2: the delegateur. So brought on my first teammate in July, 37 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:31,560 Speaker 2: so three months after July of twenty seventeen, seventeen, and 38 00:02:31,639 --> 00:02:37,160 Speaker 2: then gradually started adding a few more people. And it 39 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:40,400 Speaker 2: was a different mindset, like I'm used to being the doer, 40 00:02:40,639 --> 00:02:45,120 Speaker 2: not the delegator, So reframing how I was operating was huge, 41 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:48,520 Speaker 2: but then also documenting all of our processes from day 42 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:51,640 Speaker 2: one and just saying we're going to do this again, 43 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:54,120 Speaker 2: we have to make sure it's documented. How are we 44 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:55,880 Speaker 2: going to train people, how are we going to bring 45 00:02:55,919 --> 00:02:59,480 Speaker 2: people on, how are we going to get clients? We 46 00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:00,240 Speaker 2: were kind of. 47 00:03:00,639 --> 00:03:04,520 Speaker 1: Michelle, that's exactly how a business owner asks. 48 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:06,960 Speaker 2: But I never want to be a CEO and I 49 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:09,600 Speaker 2: never I'm the person who got a c an econ 50 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:14,960 Speaker 2: in college like this was not on my Bengo card 51 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:18,920 Speaker 2: for my life was being a CEO ever. So it 52 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:22,400 Speaker 2: was just figuring it out and thinking what's going to 53 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:25,160 Speaker 2: break next, what do we fix next, what do we 54 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:29,240 Speaker 2: get ahead of now before it becomes an issue? 55 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 1: And how many clients did you have after the first year? 56 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:35,680 Speaker 1: I went from the original seven. 57 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:38,640 Speaker 2: We went from seven. I don't remember how many we 58 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:45,960 Speaker 2: had after the first year, but we hit sixty seven 59 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:51,400 Speaker 2: employees in twenty nineteen sixty seven. I will never it 60 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 2: was right before COVID. It was also right before Halloween. 61 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:56,840 Speaker 2: And with his sixty seven employees. 62 00:03:56,440 --> 00:03:58,720 Speaker 1: How many of those sixty seven military spouses? 63 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:00,680 Speaker 2: All of them at that point in time, they were 64 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:01,680 Speaker 2: all military. 65 00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:05,160 Speaker 1: Spouses from bases and just why you are everywhere everywhere? 66 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 2: We had people in South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Texas, 67 00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:15,200 Speaker 2: Washington State, California, Like, how are. 68 00:04:15,040 --> 00:04:17,520 Speaker 1: You finding them or were they finding you? 69 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:21,800 Speaker 2: They were finding us. I think we've only actually put 70 00:04:21,839 --> 00:04:26,000 Speaker 2: out a handful of times that we needed assistance, but 71 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:28,640 Speaker 2: it was all word of mouth through the military spouse 72 00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:33,120 Speaker 2: community and Facebook pages because those are beehives in and 73 00:04:33,200 --> 00:04:37,040 Speaker 2: of themselves, So I got it completely organically. 74 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:40,080 Speaker 1: I got to believe you were talking to countless spouses 75 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:46,200 Speaker 1: who repeated to you the very feelings that you felt 76 00:04:46,200 --> 00:04:48,240 Speaker 1: when you were first in jackson Oh. 77 00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:53,159 Speaker 2: Yeah, Bill Jackson, Jacksonville. Yeah. Are Everybody's stories are so 78 00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:59,280 Speaker 2: similar with different variations. We've we've all struggled with becoming 79 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:05,080 Speaker 2: a mom and losing ourselves, which being a military spouse, 80 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:09,280 Speaker 2: which is depressed, which is super depressing. And I have 81 00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:14,200 Speaker 2: countless emails and messages from people who worked with Sweared 82 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:18,360 Speaker 2: Away over the past eight years and just said thank 83 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:20,159 Speaker 2: you for being a part of my journey because you 84 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:24,920 Speaker 2: gave me myself back. That theme has been everything that 85 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:25,719 Speaker 2: we've wanted. 86 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:28,320 Speaker 1: So even if your company was breaking, even it wasn't 87 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:29,560 Speaker 1: even making money. 88 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:35,560 Speaker 2: So worth it, so so worth it. But we're still 89 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:40,440 Speaker 2: completely bootstrapped eight years later, and it's amazing to be 90 00:05:40,480 --> 00:05:43,760 Speaker 2: able to say you know we've paid out over thirty 91 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:47,400 Speaker 2: million dollars to military spouses and military families over the 92 00:05:47,440 --> 00:05:51,640 Speaker 2: last eight years. How much over over thirty million at 93 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:53,040 Speaker 2: this point, and. 94 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:58,640 Speaker 1: Salaries in salaries and income to military spouses, Yes, and I. 95 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:00,280 Speaker 2: Wish I had an exact number, but I know it's 96 00:06:00,279 --> 00:06:01,080 Speaker 2: over thirty million. 97 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:02,559 Speaker 1: How many clients stay up today? 98 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:05,040 Speaker 2: We have about a thousand. 99 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:09,800 Speaker 1: A thousand clients. How many people do you employ? 100 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:11,760 Speaker 2: About four hundred right now? 101 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:14,720 Speaker 1: Yes, how many of those are military spouses? 102 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 2: I would say about ninety five percent of our team 103 00:06:17,560 --> 00:06:23,240 Speaker 2: is military spouses and we are almost one female at 104 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:24,040 Speaker 2: this point. 105 00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:33,039 Speaker 1: Holy crap, you're a nanny. 106 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:34,359 Speaker 2: I question. 107 00:06:37,279 --> 00:06:40,599 Speaker 1: Do you pinch yourself? 108 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:44,920 Speaker 2: It's hard to believe almost every single day, Like I 109 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:47,159 Speaker 2: look back on my swar and I'm like, I'm crazy. 110 00:06:47,200 --> 00:06:50,960 Speaker 2: I gotta screw loose somewhere, Like nobody just pointed it 111 00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:55,880 Speaker 2: out to me exactly. But the impact that we've had, 112 00:06:56,000 --> 00:06:59,320 Speaker 2: the people that we've been able to interact with. I 113 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:03,200 Speaker 2: I just started a podcast about a month ago, Oh good, 114 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:07,640 Speaker 2: And it's telling the stories of our military spouses that 115 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:10,720 Speaker 2: have worked with Squared Away. What's it called Beyond Orders? 116 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:15,680 Speaker 1: Of course? Beyond Orders that's awesome. So everybody needs to 117 00:07:15,680 --> 00:07:18,560 Speaker 1: tune into Beyond Orders and so each one of your 118 00:07:18,600 --> 00:07:21,720 Speaker 1: episodes are the stories of military spouses that are in 119 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:23,000 Speaker 1: your organization. 120 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:25,760 Speaker 2: Or they've worked with us previously. We just we did 121 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:28,840 Speaker 2: one last week with Tiffany McCauley and her story is 122 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:33,440 Speaker 2: just absolutely powerful. She started in a very similar situation, 123 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:37,520 Speaker 2: but she came to Squared Away with desperation because she 124 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:41,000 Speaker 2: was trying to find herself after losing two of her 125 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:44,480 Speaker 2: five children in a tragic accident in twenty fifteen. 126 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:47,520 Speaker 1: So what's her husband deployed when that happened. 127 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:50,240 Speaker 2: They were in the middle of a PCs that happen, 128 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:52,960 Speaker 2: They were getting ready to move from North Carolina to 129 00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:57,760 Speaker 2: South Carolina and she lost two child lost two children. 130 00:07:57,960 --> 00:08:01,960 Speaker 1: Yes, wow, And now she's an employee squared Away. 131 00:08:02,120 --> 00:08:05,040 Speaker 2: And now I believe her title is business manager. But 132 00:08:05,280 --> 00:08:08,440 Speaker 2: her client actually bought out her contract with Squared Away 133 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:11,000 Speaker 2: and brought her own full time with their company. 134 00:08:12,440 --> 00:08:18,360 Speaker 1: Okay, it's just unbelievable that we went from where we 135 00:08:18,440 --> 00:08:21,120 Speaker 1: went to in warp speed to where you are now. 136 00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:22,280 Speaker 1: But let me get this right, you. 137 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:24,520 Speaker 2: Employee, how many about four hundred. 138 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:28,920 Speaker 1: Four hundred military spouses you're the CEO of a company 139 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:38,960 Speaker 1: with a thousand clients, all from the bathroom, from the 140 00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:44,319 Speaker 1: bathroom toilet, all from this. How does that have it? 141 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:46,800 Speaker 1: Assuming from a toilet? 142 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:51,120 Speaker 2: I need that on a T shirt. All from the toilet. 143 00:08:51,480 --> 00:08:55,800 Speaker 1: That is hilarious. So where are you guys? Now? 144 00:08:56,160 --> 00:08:56,959 Speaker 2: We are. 145 00:08:58,720 --> 00:09:03,319 Speaker 1: No, where are you? I mean he's still Yeah. 146 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:06,320 Speaker 2: He's still he's still active duty. He's actually back in 147 00:09:06,440 --> 00:09:10,480 Speaker 2: North Carolina and he's deploying in a few months. So 148 00:09:10,840 --> 00:09:13,600 Speaker 2: where are you North Carolina or Wilmington? 149 00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:17,200 Speaker 1: Wilmington and where's he going? Ah? 150 00:09:17,280 --> 00:09:17,880 Speaker 2: Good question. 151 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:19,079 Speaker 1: You don't even know. 152 00:09:19,400 --> 00:09:21,920 Speaker 2: I'm not exactly sure, but he's going to deploy that 153 00:09:21,960 --> 00:09:25,239 Speaker 2: he's deploying this fall. Yeah, so it'll be number six. 154 00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:29,560 Speaker 1: For US sixth deployment. Do you still have the same 155 00:09:29,640 --> 00:09:32,080 Speaker 1: drug or are you getting more used to it? 156 00:09:32,720 --> 00:09:36,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's it's the same. I have a rule and 157 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:41,199 Speaker 2: my the very first CEO's wife and our very first 158 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:45,160 Speaker 2: squadron with our very first deployment told me that in 159 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:48,880 Speaker 2: order to function, you need to give yourself one day 160 00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:52,280 Speaker 2: to be sad after he leaves, and then you pull 161 00:09:52,280 --> 00:09:55,520 Speaker 2: your pants up and you go on with life, because 162 00:09:56,280 --> 00:09:57,640 Speaker 2: you have to do that for you, and you have 163 00:09:57,679 --> 00:10:00,320 Speaker 2: to do that for your kids in the future. So 164 00:10:01,320 --> 00:10:04,280 Speaker 2: me and the boys know that the day after he leaves, 165 00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:07,560 Speaker 2: that's our day to be sad. Eat ice cream, watch TV, 166 00:10:07,880 --> 00:10:09,880 Speaker 2: plany on tablets whatever, that's our sad. 167 00:10:09,679 --> 00:10:12,720 Speaker 1: Way, we allow ourselves twenty four hours of pout. 168 00:10:12,440 --> 00:10:17,120 Speaker 2: And then exactly and then we put on our big 169 00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:19,800 Speaker 2: kid pants and we do what we do every single day. 170 00:10:20,080 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 2: And our world is going to keep spending regardless of 171 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:26,480 Speaker 2: whether or not he's here. So that's what we've done 172 00:10:26,640 --> 00:10:29,480 Speaker 2: for the last four all of three deployments. 173 00:10:29,559 --> 00:10:32,840 Speaker 1: Once again, that's a hell of a piece of dedication, commitment, 174 00:10:32,880 --> 00:10:38,839 Speaker 1: not only to your husband but to your country. I 175 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:43,920 Speaker 1: find that rought with courage, to be. 176 00:10:43,880 --> 00:10:47,320 Speaker 2: Honest with you, it doesn't feel very courageous sometimes. It 177 00:10:47,400 --> 00:10:55,000 Speaker 2: feels very much like survival mode and putting on a 178 00:10:55,040 --> 00:11:02,000 Speaker 2: strong face for my kids and you know is carrying on. 179 00:11:05,800 --> 00:11:19,520 Speaker 1: We'll be right back. But I got to believe these 180 00:11:19,559 --> 00:11:23,280 Speaker 1: four hundred employees of yours are all experiencing the same 181 00:11:23,320 --> 00:11:25,880 Speaker 1: thing at some point or another. Oh yeah, And so 182 00:11:27,280 --> 00:11:30,960 Speaker 1: not only have you created a business to make money 183 00:11:31,200 --> 00:11:33,679 Speaker 1: on a living and all of these wonderful things, but 184 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:40,760 Speaker 1: you're also helping each of these military spouses find themselves 185 00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:42,560 Speaker 1: after that day of power. 186 00:11:42,840 --> 00:11:46,640 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, they have something to look forward to. They 187 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:49,960 Speaker 2: have clients that they enjoy working with and depend on them, 188 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:53,280 Speaker 2: that depend on them for growing their businesses and keeping 189 00:11:53,360 --> 00:11:57,520 Speaker 2: their lives straight. And I always tell people, you don't 190 00:11:57,520 --> 00:11:59,720 Speaker 2: have to be a square away forever. We can just 191 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:02,400 Speaker 2: be a chapter in your book. We can help you 192 00:12:02,440 --> 00:12:05,560 Speaker 2: get to where you want to be. And a lot 193 00:12:05,559 --> 00:12:09,079 Speaker 2: of people or a lot of companies, don't necessarily celebrate 194 00:12:09,280 --> 00:12:13,600 Speaker 2: when someone leaves, but we do because we know that 195 00:12:13,679 --> 00:12:16,760 Speaker 2: they're moving on from us for a better opportunity, one 196 00:12:16,760 --> 00:12:20,600 Speaker 2: that we can't necessarily provide to them, but we're happy 197 00:12:21,120 --> 00:12:24,120 Speaker 2: to have introduce them to something new. 198 00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:27,000 Speaker 1: So at the top of the show, I said, we 199 00:12:27,080 --> 00:12:29,199 Speaker 1: talk about a lot of ways to be a part 200 00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:31,560 Speaker 1: of the army of normal folks. And on some occasions 201 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:36,760 Speaker 1: we find for profit organizations that also have a specific 202 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:42,640 Speaker 1: social mission that gets accomplished just in the mechanics of 203 00:12:42,679 --> 00:12:47,520 Speaker 1: the business. And I can't decide whether or not I'm 204 00:12:47,559 --> 00:12:51,720 Speaker 1: more inspired by the fact that you have a thousand 205 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:58,560 Speaker 1: customers and four hundred employees from your meager beginnings in 206 00:12:58,760 --> 00:13:04,080 Speaker 1: only six years from a purely business perspective, or if 207 00:13:04,160 --> 00:13:08,959 Speaker 1: I'm more inspired by the fact that you can feel 208 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:13,240 Speaker 1: in a very real, empathetic personal way what each of 209 00:13:13,280 --> 00:13:16,240 Speaker 1: your employees have gone through in their life and how 210 00:13:16,280 --> 00:13:18,560 Speaker 1: important this job is to them, not just from a 211 00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:22,160 Speaker 1: financial perspective so they can make a living, but for 212 00:13:22,320 --> 00:13:28,199 Speaker 1: their psyche yeah, and the service you're providing to them. 213 00:13:28,679 --> 00:13:33,439 Speaker 1: And so my question is to you what inspires you 214 00:13:33,520 --> 00:13:34,840 Speaker 1: both about your own story. 215 00:13:38,679 --> 00:13:44,040 Speaker 2: I don't know if there's one particular piece, but I 216 00:13:44,120 --> 00:13:48,920 Speaker 2: feel like my just drive to take care of people 217 00:13:49,720 --> 00:13:55,600 Speaker 2: has kind of been what's guided me through the entire journey. 218 00:13:56,080 --> 00:14:01,640 Speaker 2: It's insane as it is. I like taking care of clients, 219 00:14:01,640 --> 00:14:06,920 Speaker 2: I like taking care of friends and eildren, my husband, 220 00:14:07,280 --> 00:14:10,920 Speaker 2: my kids are my absolute number one, and I want 221 00:14:10,960 --> 00:14:13,960 Speaker 2: to be able to instill values in them that are 222 00:14:14,840 --> 00:14:17,920 Speaker 2: taking care of people. My husband has said from the 223 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:20,520 Speaker 2: very beginning his job as a marine is to take 224 00:14:20,560 --> 00:14:24,000 Speaker 2: care of his marines. My job is to take care 225 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:27,120 Speaker 2: of my family, take care of my teammates, take care 226 00:14:27,160 --> 00:14:30,640 Speaker 2: of my clients, and I think my boys being able 227 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:35,000 Speaker 2: to see it hasn't been easy. It has been a struggle, 228 00:14:35,080 --> 00:14:36,920 Speaker 2: but at the end of the day, it's your job 229 00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:40,680 Speaker 2: to take care of people. Always. I think that's been 230 00:14:40,960 --> 00:14:45,240 Speaker 2: the biggest pieces, that's been our motto as a family. 231 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:48,920 Speaker 1: I say, I speak, I do a lot of speeches, 232 00:14:49,800 --> 00:14:53,480 Speaker 1: and one of the points I make in almost every 233 00:14:53,520 --> 00:14:55,680 Speaker 1: speech that I think the greatest leaders of our time 234 00:14:55,720 --> 00:15:00,160 Speaker 1: we're servants. Think of Martin Luther King, think of God. 235 00:15:00,520 --> 00:15:03,720 Speaker 1: If you're a Christian, think of Christ. Yes, the greatest 236 00:15:03,800 --> 00:15:07,480 Speaker 1: leaders of our time served in order to lead. Christ 237 00:15:07,520 --> 00:15:11,600 Speaker 1: surrounded himself with stinky fishermen and hookers and wash their feet. 238 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:17,760 Speaker 1: King could have sat in Atlanta and told the freedom 239 00:15:17,800 --> 00:15:19,880 Speaker 1: marcher's good luck, but he got in front of him 240 00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:22,760 Speaker 1: and paid with his life. In my very city right here, 241 00:15:23,360 --> 00:15:28,440 Speaker 1: think of Mendela and Gandhi and all of the greatest 242 00:15:28,920 --> 00:15:31,880 Speaker 1: I mean, Mother Teresa, you think of the greatest leaders 243 00:15:31,920 --> 00:15:36,479 Speaker 1: that we celebrate in herald across the vastness of humanity. 244 00:15:37,400 --> 00:15:43,280 Speaker 1: The one common denominator all of this service is the 245 00:15:43,280 --> 00:15:45,760 Speaker 1: greatest leader of our time served. And I think it's 246 00:15:45,920 --> 00:15:50,000 Speaker 1: very interesting to hear you say in my business, in 247 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:52,440 Speaker 1: my family, in my culture, the things that I just 248 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:54,360 Speaker 1: want to take care of people, which is served. 249 00:15:54,560 --> 00:15:58,600 Speaker 2: Yes, that's always been our north star for everything. 250 00:15:58,800 --> 00:16:03,000 Speaker 1: Which ultimately is what an army of normal folks is about. 251 00:16:03,200 --> 00:16:05,720 Speaker 1: It's just seeing an area of need and filling it 252 00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:11,760 Speaker 1: with your willingness to serve. And that our entire society 253 00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:16,280 Speaker 1: culture could improve exponentially if we just had an army 254 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:19,160 Speaker 1: of normal folks seeing areas of need and. 255 00:16:19,080 --> 00:16:20,280 Speaker 2: Filling them exactly. 256 00:16:21,480 --> 00:16:25,520 Speaker 1: And that's what your company does for its clients. But 257 00:16:25,560 --> 00:16:29,800 Speaker 1: that's also what your company does for its employees, which 258 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:36,040 Speaker 1: is phenomenally squared away. So tell me what squared Away does. 259 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:40,080 Speaker 2: Everything but taxes, everything but taxes. 260 00:16:40,360 --> 00:16:42,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, something to expand to possibly. 261 00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:45,960 Speaker 2: I'm not trying to get anybody al caponed or be 262 00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:50,000 Speaker 2: al caponed myself, so we stay away from taxes. 263 00:16:50,280 --> 00:16:53,240 Speaker 1: You don't want anybody showing up with a RICO warrant. 264 00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:56,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, No, I'm not trying to get arrested by the 265 00:16:56,200 --> 00:17:01,320 Speaker 2: IRS or something like that. But anything that our clients need, 266 00:17:01,480 --> 00:17:05,720 Speaker 2: anything that they can pull out of thin air, social media, 267 00:17:05,840 --> 00:17:12,080 Speaker 2: social media, absolutely, website, devine, website design, virtual assistant, virtual assistant, 268 00:17:12,160 --> 00:17:15,440 Speaker 2: wedding planning, wedding plan I'm not even kidding. We had it. 269 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:20,360 Speaker 2: We've done client wedding planning, finding a name I wish 270 00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:25,800 Speaker 2: I wish. Okay, that'd be fun. The most random task, 271 00:17:25,920 --> 00:17:31,600 Speaker 2: coordinating a move, coordinating off sites for clients, doing due 272 00:17:31,640 --> 00:17:35,679 Speaker 2: diligence for venture capitalists, helping with a fundraising. 273 00:17:35,760 --> 00:17:38,920 Speaker 1: We have due diligence for wow. 274 00:17:39,440 --> 00:17:42,000 Speaker 2: So yeah, helping with that and oh. 275 00:17:41,880 --> 00:17:46,199 Speaker 1: No no, no, that's that's that would that's beyond what 276 00:17:46,320 --> 00:17:52,719 Speaker 1: I would have fathomed. So ru venture capitalists who are 277 00:17:52,760 --> 00:17:56,280 Speaker 1: looking to invest money and buy businesses, you will do 278 00:17:56,359 --> 00:18:00,600 Speaker 1: the due diligence for them. Yeah, we have the perspective purchasing. Yes, 279 00:18:01,160 --> 00:18:01,919 Speaker 1: who does that? 280 00:18:02,320 --> 00:18:04,800 Speaker 2: Oh, we have quite a few assistants that I actually 281 00:18:04,840 --> 00:18:07,760 Speaker 2: started doing that when I was working on with venture capitalists. 282 00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:09,800 Speaker 1: Is I mean, that's not an answer in the phone. 283 00:18:10,280 --> 00:18:10,760 Speaker 1: That's real. 284 00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:14,919 Speaker 2: No, that's real, getting in the weeds and trying to understand, 285 00:18:15,240 --> 00:18:18,680 Speaker 2: you know, if this company is worth an investment, and 286 00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:20,280 Speaker 2: on the flip side of that. 287 00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:23,920 Speaker 1: You can do that for them. Yeah, and they trust 288 00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:24,480 Speaker 1: you to do that. 289 00:18:24,760 --> 00:18:25,400 Speaker 2: Absolutely. 290 00:18:26,000 --> 00:18:28,199 Speaker 1: What kind of people are you hiring? Then you're not 291 00:18:28,359 --> 00:18:31,080 Speaker 1: just hiring folks that don't have anything to do. You've 292 00:18:31,080 --> 00:18:32,399 Speaker 1: got some talented folks. 293 00:18:32,440 --> 00:18:37,080 Speaker 2: We have some immensely talented assistance. People who have master's 294 00:18:37,160 --> 00:18:41,439 Speaker 2: degrees can't get jobs. They can't get hired, but they 295 00:18:41,440 --> 00:18:46,840 Speaker 2: can do due diligence for v season PE companies. Make 296 00:18:46,920 --> 00:18:47,800 Speaker 2: it make sense? Right? 297 00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:51,240 Speaker 1: Well, I think you did make sense, and I also 298 00:18:51,400 --> 00:18:55,520 Speaker 1: think you're sticking your thumb and na of a lot 299 00:18:55,520 --> 00:18:57,879 Speaker 1: of people have probably passed on a lot of really 300 00:18:57,920 --> 00:19:01,080 Speaker 1: talented health of folks that could have been to their businesses. 301 00:19:02,359 --> 00:19:06,359 Speaker 2: And that's kind of my mission is to reframe the 302 00:19:06,400 --> 00:19:10,840 Speaker 2: mindsets of businesses and show them, don't tell them, let's 303 00:19:10,840 --> 00:19:13,800 Speaker 2: squared away. These are the talents that are out there. 304 00:19:14,200 --> 00:19:17,480 Speaker 2: You just need to jump off the cliff and trust 305 00:19:17,880 --> 00:19:20,760 Speaker 2: that we're gonna set you up for success. 306 00:19:20,960 --> 00:19:23,439 Speaker 3: And we've talked about a lot anecdotally, but can you 307 00:19:23,480 --> 00:19:26,040 Speaker 3: share some of the stats Michelle of like the unemployment 308 00:19:26,119 --> 00:19:29,000 Speaker 3: rate for military spouses, how many are unemployed to day? 309 00:19:29,520 --> 00:19:33,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, military spouse unemployment is twenty one percent, which. 310 00:19:33,720 --> 00:19:37,040 Speaker 1: Is national unemployments what four or five five, So it's 311 00:19:37,240 --> 00:19:41,119 Speaker 1: four or five times worse among military spouses than the 312 00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:46,760 Speaker 1: general public. Absolutely that that is sinful, that our society 313 00:19:46,800 --> 00:19:51,440 Speaker 1: is not supporting the very people we should Supportevable. 314 00:19:51,480 --> 00:19:57,000 Speaker 2: Oh, it gets better because it dropped from twenty eight percent, 315 00:19:57,200 --> 00:20:01,080 Speaker 2: which is what it was pre COVID. During COVID it 316 00:20:01,160 --> 00:20:06,720 Speaker 2: was thirty four unemployment, which a third, which is higher 317 00:20:06,760 --> 00:20:09,840 Speaker 2: than what the national unemployment rate was during the Great Depression. 318 00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:12,280 Speaker 2: Just to put it in perspective. 319 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:16,960 Speaker 1: Let's also for everybody. Sorry, we're going back to my econdoy. 320 00:20:17,080 --> 00:20:22,320 Speaker 1: What I'm doing is the definition of unemployment are the 321 00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:25,239 Speaker 1: numbers of people who do not have a job who 322 00:20:25,320 --> 00:20:28,760 Speaker 1: are actively seeking a job. A lot of people think 323 00:20:28,840 --> 00:20:31,639 Speaker 1: unemployment is just the number of people who don't have jobs. 324 00:20:31,880 --> 00:20:37,000 Speaker 1: That is not true. The true unemployment rate in our 325 00:20:37,040 --> 00:20:40,960 Speaker 1: country is much higher than four or five percent because 326 00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:43,840 Speaker 1: there's a lot of people that aren't seeking a job. 327 00:20:44,920 --> 00:20:48,879 Speaker 1: The unemployment rate is the number of people who are 328 00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:51,920 Speaker 1: unemployed that are seeking a job, and that number hovers 329 00:20:51,960 --> 00:20:54,600 Speaker 1: between two and a half and five percent historically in 330 00:20:54,640 --> 00:20:58,200 Speaker 1: our country, but right now it's round four. So when 331 00:20:58,240 --> 00:21:02,480 Speaker 1: you're saying that it's thirty percent among military spouses, these 332 00:21:02,480 --> 00:21:04,959 Speaker 1: are not military spouses that don't have jobs, because there 333 00:21:04,960 --> 00:21:07,280 Speaker 1: are military spouses that have three kids that are perfectly 334 00:21:07,280 --> 00:21:11,840 Speaker 1: happy and don't want to work. Right we're talking about military. 335 00:21:11,359 --> 00:21:14,600 Speaker 2: Spouses actively seeking employment. 336 00:21:14,200 --> 00:21:18,720 Speaker 1: Who want a job. Only only two thirds of them 337 00:21:18,800 --> 00:21:21,400 Speaker 1: can get a job, and these are the same people 338 00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:24,200 Speaker 1: who you have hired that can now go to work 339 00:21:24,240 --> 00:21:26,680 Speaker 1: for venture capitalists and do due diligence on whether or 340 00:21:26,720 --> 00:21:29,200 Speaker 1: not they're going to spend millions of dollars on a company. Yep, 341 00:21:30,800 --> 00:21:33,919 Speaker 1: Let that sink in for a minute. How much talent 342 00:21:34,080 --> 00:21:35,760 Speaker 1: is out there that is. 343 00:21:35,720 --> 00:21:40,800 Speaker 2: Just there's I mean, there's over three hundred thousand military spouses. 344 00:21:41,880 --> 00:21:46,400 Speaker 1: Do the math like, and you pully four hundred as 345 00:21:46,640 --> 00:21:48,520 Speaker 1: big of a deal as your deal is, it's. 346 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:52,040 Speaker 2: Still scratching the surface exactly because and we work with 347 00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:56,240 Speaker 2: some global companies that are clients right now. But I 348 00:21:56,240 --> 00:22:01,000 Speaker 2: think it's reframing the business mindset of larger companies out 349 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:04,199 Speaker 2: there and saying, hey, if you do it, others will follow. 350 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:07,880 Speaker 2: Try this. If it doesn't work, pivot a little bit. 351 00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:10,680 Speaker 2: We can help you tweak it. But I would love 352 00:22:10,720 --> 00:22:16,800 Speaker 2: to see companies adopt different processes for employing military spouses 353 00:22:16,840 --> 00:22:19,919 Speaker 2: so that we can get out of the nineteen fifties mindset. 354 00:22:25,520 --> 00:22:39,280 Speaker 1: We'll be right back. I love this metaphor picture of 355 00:22:39,359 --> 00:22:43,560 Speaker 1: squared away. Every square has a point, so your four points. 356 00:22:43,240 --> 00:22:49,639 Speaker 2: Are extreme attention to detail goes without saying the ability 357 00:22:49,880 --> 00:22:53,879 Speaker 2: to think outside the box over communication and being a 358 00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:54,520 Speaker 2: team player. 359 00:22:54,960 --> 00:22:56,840 Speaker 1: You need to watch out. You're starting to talk like 360 00:22:56,880 --> 00:23:03,919 Speaker 1: a CEO. Don't watch yourself, girl, you don't sound like 361 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:07,080 Speaker 1: an osprey palette spouse with two kids at a house. 362 00:23:07,160 --> 00:23:09,879 Speaker 1: You're starting to sound like a CEO. Maybe you have 363 00:23:10,040 --> 00:23:13,000 Speaker 1: found yourself, Michelle, what do you think? 364 00:23:13,480 --> 00:23:17,760 Speaker 2: I mean, this accent ain't going nowhere. So I mean, 365 00:23:17,880 --> 00:23:21,119 Speaker 2: I think talking about our people and talking about how 366 00:23:21,320 --> 00:23:25,040 Speaker 2: big of an impact it has, I mean, I guess 367 00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:26,200 Speaker 2: I have found my sea legs. 368 00:23:26,680 --> 00:23:29,520 Speaker 1: So I looked up your website. You've been featured on 369 00:23:29,840 --> 00:23:34,840 Speaker 1: CNBC Wall Street Journal, seeing in a bunch of other 370 00:23:35,280 --> 00:23:39,760 Speaker 1: people have told your story, and the headlines always read 371 00:23:40,680 --> 00:23:43,960 Speaker 1: military spouse can't find jobs, so she starts start her 372 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:47,960 Speaker 1: own company, and she's now the ship or whatever. It's 373 00:23:47,960 --> 00:23:53,879 Speaker 1: not what the headline says, but it's basically, can you 374 00:23:54,040 --> 00:23:57,240 Speaker 1: believe that your story is being told by MSNBC and 375 00:23:57,320 --> 00:23:59,840 Speaker 1: Wall Street Journal? I mean, can you sit there and 376 00:24:00,160 --> 00:24:04,720 Speaker 1: leave that the girl, the young lady who was a 377 00:24:04,880 --> 00:24:08,280 Speaker 1: nanny twelve years ago is now. 378 00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:14,200 Speaker 2: This I think it. It really hit home when we 379 00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:20,360 Speaker 2: did feature in CBS Evening News and a cameraman came 380 00:24:20,400 --> 00:24:24,080 Speaker 2: to my house and my oldest son was there and 381 00:24:24,119 --> 00:24:28,160 Speaker 2: he's asking him like why are you here and what's 382 00:24:28,200 --> 00:24:31,120 Speaker 2: that camera do? And he goes, I'm here to feel 383 00:24:31,119 --> 00:24:34,159 Speaker 2: in your mommy and sorry goes, oh well, she just 384 00:24:34,160 --> 00:24:44,040 Speaker 2: works on the computer. And I was like interesting. And 385 00:24:44,080 --> 00:24:49,359 Speaker 2: then it came out on CBS and it just really 386 00:24:49,440 --> 00:24:52,680 Speaker 2: hit because I was getting people coming to me after 387 00:24:52,720 --> 00:24:56,720 Speaker 2: that saying, oh my gosh, we needed this. We needed 388 00:24:56,720 --> 00:25:00,760 Speaker 2: this as a community. We needed this with the military 389 00:25:00,840 --> 00:25:05,160 Speaker 2: and having something to look forward to and thank you 390 00:25:05,520 --> 00:25:08,639 Speaker 2: for not quitting on me or not quitting on us 391 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:13,280 Speaker 2: as a community. And those stories are so impactful and 392 00:25:13,320 --> 00:25:15,480 Speaker 2: I take them with me every single day every time 393 00:25:15,920 --> 00:25:17,879 Speaker 2: I have a hard day. As CEO could, trust me, 394 00:25:17,920 --> 00:25:23,119 Speaker 2: it's not easy. And when I get in my feelings, 395 00:25:23,160 --> 00:25:27,879 Speaker 2: I'll read through the folder of emails and then I'm like, 396 00:25:27,960 --> 00:25:31,359 Speaker 2: this is my why, this is my why, and go 397 00:25:31,480 --> 00:25:33,200 Speaker 2: back to the drawing. 398 00:25:33,080 --> 00:25:37,439 Speaker 1: Old Sawyer, he's nine. Will he listen to this? Oh yeah, 399 00:25:37,680 --> 00:25:41,240 Speaker 1: oh yeah, Sawyer. My name is Bill Courtney and I'm 400 00:25:41,240 --> 00:25:44,560 Speaker 1: the host of this show. And I've been a football 401 00:25:44,600 --> 00:25:48,760 Speaker 1: coach and my dad left home when I was four. 402 00:25:48,880 --> 00:25:51,960 Speaker 1: My mom was married and divorced five times. And you 403 00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:53,920 Speaker 1: can look up my story one day if you want to. 404 00:25:54,600 --> 00:25:59,320 Speaker 1: But I will tell you Revere your mom. She has 405 00:25:59,400 --> 00:26:02,040 Speaker 1: a bad app and does far more than we'll get. 406 00:26:05,280 --> 00:26:08,480 Speaker 2: I'm gonna have that one like repeat. So then when 407 00:26:08,480 --> 00:26:11,040 Speaker 2: he's being sassy, I can just be like, and what 408 00:26:11,480 --> 00:26:14,359 Speaker 2: did he tell you? 409 00:26:14,359 --> 00:26:14,439 Speaker 1: No? 410 00:26:14,680 --> 00:26:20,000 Speaker 2: I think him seeing a lot of the challenges over 411 00:26:20,080 --> 00:26:23,920 Speaker 2: the years. I hope he has a good appreciation for Oh, 412 00:26:23,960 --> 00:26:24,800 Speaker 2: he will taking. 413 00:26:24,560 --> 00:26:28,520 Speaker 1: Care of down the road. Okay, so what's next? I mean, 414 00:26:29,359 --> 00:26:31,840 Speaker 1: you're now employee four hundred people. You got a two 415 00:26:31,920 --> 00:26:36,479 Speaker 1: hundred that's a twenty million dollar business? Uh in twenty 416 00:26:36,520 --> 00:26:39,639 Speaker 1: twenty three. I mean, I can't believe I'm saying this 417 00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:41,719 Speaker 1: about it. Twenty twenty three, you were a number two 418 00:26:41,840 --> 00:26:45,320 Speaker 1: hundred and ninety seven on this year's ink, five thousand lost. 419 00:26:47,359 --> 00:26:50,200 Speaker 1: Come on, dude, I'm blowing and you're only seven years old. 420 00:26:50,359 --> 00:26:51,879 Speaker 1: You're still a baby business. 421 00:26:52,080 --> 00:26:53,720 Speaker 2: I wish these wrinkles the other wise. 422 00:26:53,800 --> 00:26:58,080 Speaker 1: I understand, But you are. I mean, you're crazy, You're 423 00:26:58,080 --> 00:27:00,520 Speaker 1: not even you hadn't even hit your apex my opinion, 424 00:27:02,359 --> 00:27:03,280 Speaker 1: I don't know if you've heard of Bill. 425 00:27:03,400 --> 00:27:04,640 Speaker 3: She's only thirty eight years old. 426 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:06,560 Speaker 2: I'm older than Alex. 427 00:27:06,880 --> 00:27:07,879 Speaker 1: Oh well, that's it. 428 00:27:07,920 --> 00:27:08,600 Speaker 2: How tall are you? 429 00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:11,120 Speaker 1: She's a lot more accomplished. How tall are you? 430 00:27:11,160 --> 00:27:12,560 Speaker 2: Five? Two in a quarter? 431 00:27:12,920 --> 00:27:19,000 Speaker 1: Yeah? In a quarter? Yeah, yeah, just I could. I 432 00:27:19,200 --> 00:27:21,240 Speaker 1: haven't stood next to you, but I can tell you're 433 00:27:21,400 --> 00:27:25,119 Speaker 1: not tall, and I just you know, fitting fitting into 434 00:27:25,240 --> 00:27:29,119 Speaker 1: the the thing that are amazing things oftentimes come in 435 00:27:29,160 --> 00:27:32,879 Speaker 1: small packages. So yeah you can kind So really, what 436 00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:36,440 Speaker 1: is next? I mean, what what's next? What what's next? 437 00:27:36,440 --> 00:27:38,199 Speaker 1: For the How many do you do you have a 438 00:27:38,280 --> 00:27:41,520 Speaker 1: goal of how many spouses you an employer? Or what's 439 00:27:41,720 --> 00:27:44,240 Speaker 1: I mean, what what's you've got to have? Two? Three? 440 00:27:44,320 --> 00:27:46,960 Speaker 1: You're way too organized not to have a one, three 441 00:27:46,960 --> 00:27:49,639 Speaker 1: and five year plan? Tell me what's next? 442 00:27:50,080 --> 00:27:53,920 Speaker 2: Keep going? Honestly, there's so many spouses out there. There's 443 00:27:53,960 --> 00:27:55,440 Speaker 2: people that have never heard of us. 444 00:27:55,680 --> 00:27:59,560 Speaker 1: There's I I've never heard of you before this, and. 445 00:28:00,119 --> 00:28:03,399 Speaker 2: We got to get better with our storytelling. But just 446 00:28:03,480 --> 00:28:07,160 Speaker 2: letting people know that we exist is our biggest struggle 447 00:28:07,200 --> 00:28:10,199 Speaker 2: and has been our biggest struggle. So getting better with 448 00:28:10,240 --> 00:28:15,720 Speaker 2: our storytelling, teaching people and teaching client potential clients and 449 00:28:15,800 --> 00:28:20,120 Speaker 2: companies that hey, we're a good resource, please look into us. 450 00:28:20,760 --> 00:28:23,639 Speaker 1: Have you thought about other stuff you can do? Like 451 00:28:24,840 --> 00:28:26,640 Speaker 1: other things you can offer other clients. 452 00:28:27,280 --> 00:28:31,680 Speaker 2: Yeah. One of my passion projects that I haven't I'm 453 00:28:31,680 --> 00:28:34,959 Speaker 2: still in the weeds of figuring out, is teaching clients 454 00:28:34,960 --> 00:28:36,679 Speaker 2: how to delegate. There's a lot of people out there 455 00:28:36,720 --> 00:28:38,880 Speaker 2: who don't know how to delegate and delegate. 456 00:28:38,520 --> 00:28:43,680 Speaker 1: Effective virtual consulting. Really, yes, Now that's interesting. 457 00:28:43,760 --> 00:28:47,040 Speaker 2: I've done it for a handful of clients and they're like, oh, 458 00:28:47,120 --> 00:28:52,200 Speaker 2: you should probably start consulting, And I'm like, I just 459 00:28:52,240 --> 00:28:54,120 Speaker 2: told you and taught you what to do. I mean, 460 00:28:54,160 --> 00:28:57,640 Speaker 2: it makes sense, and I really enjoy helping people in 461 00:28:57,680 --> 00:29:01,200 Speaker 2: that capacity. And just so the first thing I got 462 00:29:01,200 --> 00:29:01,719 Speaker 2: to figure it out. 463 00:29:01,880 --> 00:29:04,760 Speaker 1: First three things you need are a cell phone, a laptop, 464 00:29:04,920 --> 00:29:06,200 Speaker 1: and a bathroom. 465 00:29:06,800 --> 00:29:08,840 Speaker 2: You know what, I'm off it. I got it. 466 00:29:09,200 --> 00:29:12,160 Speaker 1: You get that, Been there, done that, y'all. Here's the 467 00:29:12,200 --> 00:29:15,680 Speaker 1: other thing that's very cool. You can email Michelle at 468 00:29:15,720 --> 00:29:22,040 Speaker 1: Michelle at gosquaredaway dot com and she'll respond to you, 469 00:29:22,680 --> 00:29:28,040 Speaker 1: which is so cool because she has not lost the 470 00:29:28,120 --> 00:29:30,160 Speaker 1: sense of the facts that she's just a normal person 471 00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:33,120 Speaker 1: who extraordinary things have happened for And I think go 472 00:29:33,240 --> 00:29:36,959 Speaker 1: squared away dot com is the website, yes, and you 473 00:29:36,960 --> 00:29:42,239 Speaker 1: can find all about all of the different things she 474 00:29:42,240 --> 00:29:44,920 Speaker 1: could do for your business if you need it, or 475 00:29:45,080 --> 00:29:47,800 Speaker 1: I assume if your military spouse happened to be listening, 476 00:29:47,880 --> 00:29:49,720 Speaker 1: that would be a good place to find out how 477 00:29:49,760 --> 00:29:50,880 Speaker 1: maybe to find employment. 478 00:29:51,120 --> 00:29:55,040 Speaker 2: Absolutely our applications on our website. You can deep dive 479 00:29:55,200 --> 00:30:01,640 Speaker 2: and you need more people always always what. 480 00:30:00,560 --> 00:30:08,280 Speaker 1: What kind of military spouse expect to make? How does 481 00:30:08,360 --> 00:30:10,520 Speaker 1: the pay work? And how do the hours work? Because 482 00:30:11,440 --> 00:30:14,760 Speaker 1: you know, I can't help my find myself wondering can 483 00:30:14,840 --> 00:30:17,480 Speaker 1: this be part time employment? Is this full time employment? 484 00:30:18,160 --> 00:30:21,520 Speaker 1: Do you work towards military spouses with children's schedules so 485 00:30:21,560 --> 00:30:23,760 Speaker 1: they can take on what they can take on and 486 00:30:23,800 --> 00:30:26,040 Speaker 1: can't take on? As it hourly is a salary? You 487 00:30:26,080 --> 00:30:27,280 Speaker 1: know what I'm saying? How's it work? 488 00:30:27,520 --> 00:30:31,160 Speaker 2: So you can work as little or as much as 489 00:30:31,160 --> 00:30:34,720 Speaker 2: you want. So we have a hybrid model. Our managers 490 00:30:34,840 --> 00:30:40,520 Speaker 2: and our internal directors and c suite is they're all employees, 491 00:30:41,080 --> 00:30:44,640 Speaker 2: but most of our assistants are independent contractors, so they 492 00:30:44,800 --> 00:30:47,240 Speaker 2: kind of pick and choose what works best for them. 493 00:30:47,520 --> 00:30:48,760 Speaker 1: Are they paid hourly. 494 00:30:49,760 --> 00:30:53,560 Speaker 2: Based on a block of hours? So for instance, if 495 00:30:53,600 --> 00:30:57,120 Speaker 2: a client comes in for a fifteen hour plan and 496 00:30:57,160 --> 00:30:59,800 Speaker 2: an assistant says, I only want one fifteen hour client 497 00:31:00,560 --> 00:31:01,280 Speaker 2: that client. 498 00:31:01,160 --> 00:31:03,760 Speaker 1: Does that mean fifteen hour weekly a month a month? 499 00:31:03,840 --> 00:31:07,640 Speaker 2: Okay, so they'll get a percentage of what the client 500 00:31:07,680 --> 00:31:09,120 Speaker 2: pays on a fifteen hour plan. 501 00:31:09,440 --> 00:31:13,680 Speaker 1: Oh really, so they're paid. There's a fly, there's a fly, 502 00:31:13,840 --> 00:31:20,000 Speaker 1: So they're basically they eat what they kill. Yeah, that's 503 00:31:20,160 --> 00:31:22,360 Speaker 1: really a neat way to do it. And so it's 504 00:31:22,400 --> 00:31:25,160 Speaker 1: not an hourly thing. It's a percentage of the contract. 505 00:31:24,840 --> 00:31:29,280 Speaker 2: Right, and it averages out to around twenty two and 506 00:31:29,320 --> 00:31:31,920 Speaker 2: twenty five dollars an hour roughly. 507 00:31:32,280 --> 00:31:35,520 Speaker 1: So if somebody works full time for you, they can 508 00:31:35,600 --> 00:31:37,520 Speaker 1: make thirty five forty thousand dollars a year. 509 00:31:37,640 --> 00:31:40,120 Speaker 2: Oh easy, if not more, we have assistance who are 510 00:31:40,160 --> 00:31:44,120 Speaker 2: making sixty seventy eighty thousand based on client contracts. 511 00:31:44,440 --> 00:31:48,600 Speaker 1: Do you have insurance? No kidding, and. 512 00:31:48,600 --> 00:31:49,640 Speaker 2: We are fully legal. 513 00:31:52,400 --> 00:31:55,360 Speaker 1: And so here's another Do you have But you don't 514 00:31:55,360 --> 00:31:57,920 Speaker 1: have an office? Everybody's home is their office, so you 515 00:31:57,960 --> 00:32:02,120 Speaker 1: don't have the overhead of the fixed capital stuff sitting there, right, 516 00:32:03,160 --> 00:32:05,960 Speaker 1: so you are able to invest in your clients and 517 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:07,600 Speaker 1: your people. That's where all the money goes. 518 00:32:07,720 --> 00:32:09,120 Speaker 2: Absolutely yep. 519 00:32:09,520 --> 00:32:11,480 Speaker 1: That is in our guess systems. 520 00:32:12,800 --> 00:32:15,800 Speaker 2: We incentivize our team to do their best work. A 521 00:32:15,840 --> 00:32:18,360 Speaker 2: lot of companies out there who work on a similar 522 00:32:18,440 --> 00:32:21,080 Speaker 2: model are like, Okay, well we're going to pay you 523 00:32:21,440 --> 00:32:24,720 Speaker 2: a percentage of the contract, but if the client doesn't 524 00:32:24,800 --> 00:32:30,800 Speaker 2: use you, you still get it anyway, which sounds shady 525 00:32:31,040 --> 00:32:35,200 Speaker 2: as a shady business practice, But we are the pains 526 00:32:35,200 --> 00:32:37,760 Speaker 2: in the butt to our clients because we're like, you're 527 00:32:37,800 --> 00:32:40,640 Speaker 2: paying for fifteen hours. I'm going to poke you in 528 00:32:40,680 --> 00:32:43,600 Speaker 2: the butt until you use all of those fifteen hours, 529 00:32:43,760 --> 00:32:46,840 Speaker 2: or I'm going to make suggestions for you to delegate 530 00:32:46,880 --> 00:32:49,400 Speaker 2: to me, and I'm going to pull things out of 531 00:32:49,400 --> 00:32:53,840 Speaker 2: you slowly over time. So we want them to use us. 532 00:32:54,480 --> 00:32:59,959 Speaker 1: That is so cool, That is amazing. So anybody need 533 00:33:00,200 --> 00:33:03,520 Speaker 1: virtual work, It's go squared Away is not only going 534 00:33:03,560 --> 00:33:06,200 Speaker 1: to do good work, but by using them, you can 535 00:33:06,200 --> 00:33:10,160 Speaker 1: support some folks that need support, that deserve our sport. 536 00:33:10,360 --> 00:33:13,120 Speaker 1: And if you're a military spouse or I guess anyone 537 00:33:13,120 --> 00:33:14,760 Speaker 1: else that has these stalins. 538 00:33:14,520 --> 00:33:17,320 Speaker 2: Yes, we have to be legal and say that we 539 00:33:17,920 --> 00:33:20,720 Speaker 2: support everyone, and we do. We have about five percent 540 00:33:20,760 --> 00:33:22,520 Speaker 2: of our team who are not military spouses. 541 00:33:23,160 --> 00:33:29,160 Speaker 1: That is phenomenal. Your story is awesome and your business 542 00:33:29,240 --> 00:33:33,280 Speaker 1: is awesome, and I can't wait I mean you're thirty eight. 543 00:33:33,560 --> 00:33:36,280 Speaker 1: Is that that what you said? Ali, he's putting your 544 00:33:36,320 --> 00:33:38,480 Speaker 1: business on the street, by the way, telling your age. 545 00:33:38,720 --> 00:33:43,160 Speaker 2: You know what, It's fine, it's fine, I fully admit 546 00:33:44,120 --> 00:33:44,560 Speaker 2: to be sure. 547 00:33:45,280 --> 00:33:47,640 Speaker 1: Can you see yourself doing this even after he comes 548 00:33:47,720 --> 00:33:51,520 Speaker 1: home and yeah, this is your thing, this is this. 549 00:33:51,440 --> 00:33:52,760 Speaker 2: Is my jam, these are my people. 550 00:33:53,520 --> 00:33:54,120 Speaker 1: I love it. 551 00:33:54,880 --> 00:33:56,160 Speaker 2: I would do it forever. 552 00:33:56,600 --> 00:33:59,760 Speaker 3: One of other thought, Bill is, now it's either the 553 00:33:59,800 --> 00:34:01,959 Speaker 3: way to people get activated you mentioned right if you're 554 00:34:02,000 --> 00:34:05,640 Speaker 3: a company, or the unemployment side. But also too, it 555 00:34:05,720 --> 00:34:07,600 Speaker 3: kind of reminds me of the Cornbread Hustle story. 556 00:34:08,080 --> 00:34:09,759 Speaker 1: It reminds me a lot of share Garc. 557 00:34:09,840 --> 00:34:11,560 Speaker 3: I don't know if you've heard of Sherry Michelle, but 558 00:34:12,040 --> 00:34:15,280 Speaker 3: she started a second chance staffing agency so those returning 559 00:34:15,280 --> 00:34:18,000 Speaker 3: from prison, oh wow, you know, the same kind of 560 00:34:18,000 --> 00:34:19,840 Speaker 3: problems that people are not wanting to hire them. And 561 00:34:19,880 --> 00:34:21,719 Speaker 3: she employs over a thousand people. 562 00:34:21,560 --> 00:34:23,040 Speaker 1: And her name is Cornbread Hustle. 563 00:34:23,239 --> 00:34:27,360 Speaker 2: Cornbread Hustle, Yeah, actually has a very similar kind of 564 00:34:27,360 --> 00:34:29,720 Speaker 2: second chance staffing you know thing here in Memphis. 565 00:34:29,719 --> 00:34:31,680 Speaker 3: So just for people to think about, right, there's other 566 00:34:31,920 --> 00:34:34,600 Speaker 3: employment challenges out there in the universe. You've created one 567 00:34:34,680 --> 00:34:37,439 Speaker 3: to solve this problem, but people also might see other 568 00:34:37,680 --> 00:34:39,400 Speaker 3: employment challenges in their community. 569 00:34:39,960 --> 00:34:44,920 Speaker 1: Both are for profit businesses, but have have managed to 570 00:34:45,120 --> 00:34:49,919 Speaker 1: blend a for profit business with a societal mission fit 571 00:34:50,080 --> 00:34:54,200 Speaker 1: need like you have. And it's important that we tell 572 00:34:54,239 --> 00:34:57,960 Speaker 1: these stories because we talk about a lot of nonprofits 573 00:34:58,000 --> 00:35:00,040 Speaker 1: and a lot of people who do amazing things in 574 00:35:00,120 --> 00:35:02,480 Speaker 1: a nonprofit world. But we can be part of an 575 00:35:02,560 --> 00:35:05,400 Speaker 1: army and normal folks. We can be servant leaders. We 576 00:35:05,520 --> 00:35:09,239 Speaker 1: can exact positive measure of change in our communities in 577 00:35:09,280 --> 00:35:11,840 Speaker 1: all aspects of our life, and both the nonprofit and 578 00:35:11,920 --> 00:35:16,879 Speaker 1: poor prophet and our families inside everywhere, and you're a beautiful, 579 00:35:17,040 --> 00:35:18,279 Speaker 1: glowing example of that. 580 00:35:18,640 --> 00:35:22,640 Speaker 2: Thank you very much. It's hard to believe some days, 581 00:35:22,760 --> 00:35:26,120 Speaker 2: but I've been a labor of love that I will 582 00:35:26,560 --> 00:35:27,360 Speaker 2: enjoy forever. 583 00:35:27,760 --> 00:35:30,000 Speaker 1: I love it. Thank you so much for coming to 584 00:35:30,040 --> 00:35:34,480 Speaker 1: Mophas and tell us your story anytime. Thanks good, that's 585 00:35:34,480 --> 00:35:40,880 Speaker 1: a rout, And thank you for joining us this week. 586 00:35:41,160 --> 00:35:45,480 Speaker 1: If Michelle Pensac has inspired you in general, or better yet, 587 00:35:45,560 --> 00:35:49,239 Speaker 1: to take action by checking out squared Away, sharing it 588 00:35:49,280 --> 00:35:53,600 Speaker 1: with a friend who's a military spouse, becoming a social 589 00:35:53,800 --> 00:35:58,640 Speaker 1: entrepreneur like Michelle, or something else, entirely. Please let me 590 00:35:58,719 --> 00:36:01,279 Speaker 1: know I'd love to hear about it. You can write 591 00:36:01,320 --> 00:36:04,560 Speaker 1: me anytime at Bill at normal folks dot us and 592 00:36:04,640 --> 00:36:08,400 Speaker 1: I will respond. If you enjoyed this episode, share it 593 00:36:08,400 --> 00:36:12,200 Speaker 1: with friends and on social Subscribe to the podcast, take 594 00:36:12,280 --> 00:36:16,320 Speaker 1: the time to rate and review it. Join the army 595 00:36:16,480 --> 00:36:20,120 Speaker 1: at normalfolks dot us. Consider becoming a premium member. There 596 00:36:20,440 --> 00:36:22,839 Speaker 1: any and all of these things that will help us 597 00:36:22,880 --> 00:36:27,120 Speaker 1: grow an army of normal folks. I'm Bill Courtney. Until 598 00:36:27,160 --> 00:36:29,080 Speaker 1: next time, do what you can