1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,080 Speaker 1: During the moments when that imposter syndrome kicks in that 2 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:05,160 Speaker 1: am I good enough for this? Is this for me? 3 00:00:06,040 --> 00:00:10,160 Speaker 1: I stop and I ask myself, why not me? 4 00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 2: What's going on? 5 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:28,640 Speaker 1: Hurdler's Emily a body Here. You are listening to episode 6 00:00:28,680 --> 00:00:32,560 Speaker 1: two hundred and seventy seven of Hurdle, a wellness focused 7 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:35,199 Speaker 1: podcast where I connect with everyone from your favorite athletes 8 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:38,440 Speaker 1: to top experts in industry CEOs about their highest hies, 9 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:42,840 Speaker 1: toughest moments, and everything in between. We all go through 10 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:45,720 Speaker 1: hurdles in life, and my goal through these discussions is 11 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:48,879 Speaker 1: to empower you to better navigate yours and move with 12 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:51,839 Speaker 1: intention so that you can stride towards your own big 13 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:56,440 Speaker 1: potential and of course have some fun along the way. 14 00:00:57,280 --> 00:01:01,360 Speaker 1: Something that you have all let me know listeners is 15 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:05,000 Speaker 1: that you love a solo episode. And I know that 16 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:08,399 Speaker 1: five minute fridays are just me behind the mic. But 17 00:01:08,600 --> 00:01:11,120 Speaker 1: there are different topics, different things that I want to 18 00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:14,920 Speaker 1: take the time to dive into, especially when there are 19 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:20,200 Speaker 1: a lot of messages coming in. So today's episode is 20 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:24,919 Speaker 1: all about working for yourself. I'm giving you the seven 21 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:30,559 Speaker 1: lessons that I've learned over seven years of self employment, 22 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:34,280 Speaker 1: and I'll get into all the particulars today, So what 23 00:01:34,319 --> 00:01:36,319 Speaker 1: I've been doing over the last seven years, what i 24 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:40,600 Speaker 1: was doing before I started working for myself, and answering 25 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:44,600 Speaker 1: a lot of questions that came in, ranging from what 26 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:47,560 Speaker 1: do I do about health insurance spoiler alert, it is 27 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:51,520 Speaker 1: not inexpensive, how do you manage your finances and plan 28 00:01:51,680 --> 00:01:54,680 Speaker 1: how do you structure your days? And how do you 29 00:01:54,800 --> 00:01:58,040 Speaker 1: balance your work and personal life? When the lines are 30 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:03,640 Speaker 1: easily blurred, blurred is an understatement, I can totally totally 31 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:06,279 Speaker 1: relate to this one. I actually had a moment before 32 00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:09,360 Speaker 1: sitting down to record this that I'm in disbelief. I 33 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:15,240 Speaker 1: haven't really dedicated an entire episode on this before, so 34 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:18,200 Speaker 1: I'm happy that this will live in the feed now 35 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:21,880 Speaker 1: that y'all can come back to this as a reference point, 36 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:26,680 Speaker 1: and I feel it necessary before we really dive in, 37 00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:31,720 Speaker 1: to reiterate that your work, what you do to have 38 00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:36,400 Speaker 1: a livelihood, that is a huge component to your life. 39 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:41,520 Speaker 1: We spend a third of our lives sleeping and likely 40 00:02:41,560 --> 00:02:46,359 Speaker 1: a third of our lives working, So knowing that, knowing 41 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:50,960 Speaker 1: how much time you invest in this regularly, I truly 42 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:54,040 Speaker 1: believe that we owe it to ourselves to do something 43 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 1: for work that we enjoy, and I feel really fortunate 44 00:02:57,720 --> 00:02:59,960 Speaker 1: that I've been able to figure out how to do 45 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:03,880 Speaker 1: that for myself. Make sure if you're not yet following 46 00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:07,240 Speaker 1: over on social specifically my account over at emily a Body. 47 00:03:07,440 --> 00:03:10,720 Speaker 1: Lots of insight into what my days look like over 48 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:13,560 Speaker 1: there if you are curious. Also follow the show over 49 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:17,600 Speaker 1: at Hurdle podcast. I'm really excited. There's a huge rebrand 50 00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:20,880 Speaker 1: coming up for Hurdle at the top of the new year, 51 00:03:21,520 --> 00:03:24,880 Speaker 1: and it's just time to liven things up over here. 52 00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:28,120 Speaker 1: I look at the cover art for this photo and 53 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:31,240 Speaker 1: I see a young version of myself that had no 54 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:34,400 Speaker 1: idea what was ahead of her. And as I'm approaching 55 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:41,440 Speaker 1: the six year anniversary of Hurdle, I couldn't be more 56 00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:45,720 Speaker 1: blessed and more happy, more thankful for the crazy path 57 00:03:45,800 --> 00:03:49,880 Speaker 1: that this has taken me down. With that, let's get 58 00:03:49,880 --> 00:04:07,400 Speaker 1: into it, let's get to hurdling. Growing up, I never 59 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:13,680 Speaker 1: had an aspiration to be an entrepreneur. Absolutely never did 60 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:16,880 Speaker 1: I think that I'd be working for myself. I had 61 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:22,120 Speaker 1: dreams of working for glossy magazines, and don't get me wrong, 62 00:04:22,440 --> 00:04:26,000 Speaker 1: I followed those dreams and I did that before I 63 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:31,039 Speaker 1: went out on my own and started freelance writing, which 64 00:04:31,120 --> 00:04:33,839 Speaker 1: led me to Hurdle, which I'll get to in Justice. Second, 65 00:04:34,680 --> 00:04:39,559 Speaker 1: I had a career working in editorial at first For 66 00:04:39,720 --> 00:04:42,400 Speaker 1: three and a half years. After I graduated from the 67 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:47,760 Speaker 1: University of Connecticut Go Huskies with a degree in journalism 68 00:04:47,839 --> 00:04:52,560 Speaker 1: and political science, I was at The Stir, which was 69 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:56,920 Speaker 1: a woman's lifestyle blog owned by Cafe Mom. There, I 70 00:04:57,080 --> 00:05:00,880 Speaker 1: was an editorial assistant, then an associate editor, and really 71 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:04,960 Speaker 1: worked my way up the ranks until I decided that 72 00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:08,680 Speaker 1: it was time for a pivot. That pivot was prompted 73 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:13,400 Speaker 1: by an unexpected email that came in from someone at Rodale, 74 00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:17,280 Speaker 1: which used to be a publishing company that owned titles 75 00:05:17,279 --> 00:05:21,760 Speaker 1: like Women's Health, Men's Health, Runners, World Prevention, Bicycling, etc. 76 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:26,720 Speaker 1: They were purchased by Hurst after my time there, and 77 00:05:26,839 --> 00:05:29,159 Speaker 1: so I got an email from a woman at Rodale 78 00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:32,560 Speaker 1: who asked me if I was interested in becoming a 79 00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:36,720 Speaker 1: fitness editor over there. And I at this time had 80 00:05:36,720 --> 00:05:39,920 Speaker 1: a vested interest in health and fitness. My first ever 81 00:05:40,040 --> 00:05:43,919 Speaker 1: internship was actually at Fitness Magazine, which is no longer 82 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:48,440 Speaker 1: and I had been on this journey to embracing what 83 00:05:48,480 --> 00:05:51,239 Speaker 1: wellness looked like for me for years. At this point, 84 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:54,799 Speaker 1: I already went through that big weight loss in college. 85 00:05:54,839 --> 00:05:58,080 Speaker 1: I had picked up running, and so movement and whatnot 86 00:05:58,360 --> 00:06:00,279 Speaker 1: was a huge part of my day to day, but 87 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:03,960 Speaker 1: not always a big part of my work. Although I 88 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:07,960 Speaker 1: did write in Our Health Vertical over at the STIR, 89 00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:11,000 Speaker 1: it was once a day a two hundred and fifty 90 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:14,320 Speaker 1: word post. And this was going to be a really 91 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:17,720 Speaker 1: big pivot for me. I had my hesitations because I 92 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:21,680 Speaker 1: was worried about getting monotonous and mundane writing about fitness 93 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:25,400 Speaker 1: all the time. But I decided to make the jump, 94 00:06:25,640 --> 00:06:29,080 Speaker 1: and when I made the jump, I was met with 95 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:34,400 Speaker 1: so much growth and excitement. I learned rather quickly that 96 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:37,359 Speaker 1: it wasn't monotonous at all. In fact, it was completely 97 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:41,160 Speaker 1: the opposite. I really enjoyed my work. Not to say 98 00:06:41,200 --> 00:06:43,880 Speaker 1: that I didn't like my first job, but this just 99 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:48,400 Speaker 1: felt like I was really aligning my passions and my purpose. 100 00:06:48,839 --> 00:06:51,320 Speaker 1: When I was at Rodale, I studied to become a 101 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:55,719 Speaker 1: certified personal trainer through ACE, and I did that because 102 00:06:55,760 --> 00:06:58,240 Speaker 1: I wanted to be able to work with experts in 103 00:06:58,279 --> 00:07:02,359 Speaker 1: a way that made the content reliable and fact checked 104 00:07:02,520 --> 00:07:06,039 Speaker 1: and safe for my consumer. I was at Roadale for 105 00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:09,800 Speaker 1: about two years and then I. 106 00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:09,640 Speaker 2: Got let go. 107 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:15,720 Speaker 1: Definitely wasn't down my BINGO card, ever, I was frightened. 108 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:19,440 Speaker 1: I remember I had recently moved into my first ever 109 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:22,160 Speaker 1: studio apartment on the Upper East Side, and I was 110 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:24,640 Speaker 1: so scared thinking about how I was going to be 111 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:27,480 Speaker 1: able to afford it. I didn't know the first thing 112 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:31,400 Speaker 1: about freelancing, and so the moment that I got let go, 113 00:07:31,960 --> 00:07:36,119 Speaker 1: I exported all of my emails onto a USB drive. 114 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:39,920 Speaker 1: This is like life before the cloud. I exported everything 115 00:07:39,920 --> 00:07:42,000 Speaker 1: onto a USB and I went home and I sent 116 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:44,679 Speaker 1: so many emails, so many emails to everyone I knew 117 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:50,360 Speaker 1: in the wellness journalism industry, saying, hey, I am looking, 118 00:07:50,520 --> 00:07:51,640 Speaker 1: I just lost my job. 119 00:07:51,840 --> 00:07:54,440 Speaker 2: Let me write for you, let me edit for you. Whatnot. 120 00:07:55,400 --> 00:07:59,120 Speaker 1: Turned out one of the people that I emailed was 121 00:07:59,200 --> 00:08:02,000 Speaker 1: Liz Plosser. Liz is now the editor in chief of 122 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:04,720 Speaker 1: Woman's Health, but at the time she was the deputy 123 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:08,120 Speaker 1: editor over at Self Magazine. I took on a couple 124 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:11,280 Speaker 1: of freelance assignments for her, and within five days of 125 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:13,880 Speaker 1: handing those in, I got an email from her that 126 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:16,200 Speaker 1: just said fitness editor. And then the body of the 127 00:08:16,240 --> 00:08:20,200 Speaker 1: email was when can you come in? And so I 128 00:08:20,240 --> 00:08:22,880 Speaker 1: did that, and I went in and I got offered 129 00:08:22,880 --> 00:08:28,400 Speaker 1: a job the next day. And it's a job that I, arguably, 130 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:32,280 Speaker 1: if I hadn't been let go, don't know if I 131 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:35,880 Speaker 1: would have applied for because on paper, I wasn't qualified. 132 00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:41,160 Speaker 1: Despite having a plethora of years of experience working in digital, 133 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:44,040 Speaker 1: I had no print experience and this was a print 134 00:08:44,120 --> 00:08:48,160 Speaker 1: fitness editor job. What I did have was my certification, 135 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:53,439 Speaker 1: which was extremely valuable to this role, and the dedication, passion, 136 00:08:53,480 --> 00:08:56,960 Speaker 1: determination to do whatever I needed to do because it 137 00:08:57,160 --> 00:09:00,080 Speaker 1: was at the time my dream job. I remember sitting 138 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:03,280 Speaker 1: in the editor in chief's office the day before I 139 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:05,200 Speaker 1: got hired, and I looked at her and we had 140 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:08,520 Speaker 1: just met, and I said, I might not know this 141 00:09:08,559 --> 00:09:11,679 Speaker 1: one program that you use to lay all this out, 142 00:09:11,840 --> 00:09:13,680 Speaker 1: but what I do know is that I'm going to 143 00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:16,080 Speaker 1: do this job better than anybody else that walks into 144 00:09:16,120 --> 00:09:21,880 Speaker 1: your office, period. And so I did it. I did 145 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:26,439 Speaker 1: it for about a year until Self Magazine folded, and unexpectedly, 146 00:09:26,840 --> 00:09:28,960 Speaker 1: again not on my Bengo card, I got let go 147 00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:32,839 Speaker 1: for the second time. But this time I felt more ready, 148 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:37,319 Speaker 1: I felt more prepared for the unknown, and although I 149 00:09:37,480 --> 00:09:41,520 Speaker 1: was unsure if I'd stick with freelancing or just start 150 00:09:41,520 --> 00:09:45,440 Speaker 1: applying to jobs like crazy, I knew that whatever would 151 00:09:45,480 --> 00:09:48,360 Speaker 1: happen next, it was all going to be okay because 152 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:51,240 Speaker 1: I had the power to make it all okay. Little 153 00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:54,320 Speaker 1: did I know at this point that this would be 154 00:09:54,400 --> 00:09:58,000 Speaker 1: the beginning of what has now been a seven year 155 00:09:58,080 --> 00:10:04,280 Speaker 1: stretch of working for myself. And I cannot imagine ever 156 00:10:05,120 --> 00:10:10,520 Speaker 1: going into someone else's office and working for someone else 157 00:10:10,559 --> 00:10:14,800 Speaker 1: and being on payroll ever again. Which if I played 158 00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:18,880 Speaker 1: this clip for myself seven years ago, there's no way 159 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:21,960 Speaker 1: those words I would have anticipated coming out of my mouth. 160 00:10:22,679 --> 00:10:27,400 Speaker 1: I'd say my entrepreneurial journey has really been divided up 161 00:10:27,559 --> 00:10:32,360 Speaker 1: into three parts. The first part was a year of 162 00:10:32,480 --> 00:10:36,199 Speaker 1: a lot of yes and a ton of writing. When 163 00:10:36,240 --> 00:10:38,760 Speaker 1: I started freelance writing, I was very fortunate in that 164 00:10:38,960 --> 00:10:42,400 Speaker 1: I had a ton of contacts in the industry, and 165 00:10:42,440 --> 00:10:47,800 Speaker 1: so pitching ideas was relatively easier for me because I 166 00:10:47,840 --> 00:10:51,840 Speaker 1: had an existing network. My biggest piece of advice to 167 00:10:51,880 --> 00:10:56,600 Speaker 1: anyone who is interested in freelance writing would be make 168 00:10:56,679 --> 00:11:01,920 Speaker 1: sure that you are differentiating your based on the outlets 169 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:07,439 Speaker 1: that you're after. So fitness journalist, wellness journalist, tons of 170 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:13,920 Speaker 1: women focused wellness publications, PopSugar, Self dot Com, Woman's Health, 171 00:11:14,280 --> 00:11:20,080 Speaker 1: Shape Health. All of these publications speak to a similar woman, 172 00:11:20,640 --> 00:11:24,600 Speaker 1: but they do it differently, and being able to recognize 173 00:11:24,640 --> 00:11:27,640 Speaker 1: the style the voice of a specific outlet that is 174 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:31,760 Speaker 1: absolutely critical when it comes to formulating your pitch. So, 175 00:11:31,880 --> 00:11:35,880 Speaker 1: for an example, if I want to write an article 176 00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:40,040 Speaker 1: on what it felt like to run my first marathon, 177 00:11:40,720 --> 00:11:44,120 Speaker 1: I might see that self dot Com would want that 178 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:47,920 Speaker 1: article to be paired with a lot of expert insights 179 00:11:47,960 --> 00:11:51,360 Speaker 1: outside of my own account, getting people to weigh in 180 00:11:51,640 --> 00:11:54,839 Speaker 1: on how to train safely, what nutrition you might need, 181 00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:59,320 Speaker 1: how to recover well. Versus over at Woman's Health. They 182 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:02,560 Speaker 1: may be more friendly to a format like a first 183 00:12:02,600 --> 00:12:05,920 Speaker 1: person account, and I might not need an expert So 184 00:12:06,080 --> 00:12:09,880 Speaker 1: knowing your audience and knowing who you're writing for and 185 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:14,000 Speaker 1: not just sending the same pitch with no specificity while 186 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:18,960 Speaker 1: that word is a word, Yeah, that's my big tip 187 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:20,120 Speaker 1: to beginner freelancers. 188 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:21,040 Speaker 2: But I digress. 189 00:12:21,559 --> 00:12:25,160 Speaker 1: So the first chapter in this entrepreneurial journey freelance writing, 190 00:12:25,240 --> 00:12:28,600 Speaker 1: I was writing up to like thirty articles some months 191 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:31,080 Speaker 1: for a ton of different brands I named a bunch 192 00:12:31,160 --> 00:12:35,360 Speaker 1: of them self, dot Com, Pop Sugar, GQ, Women's Health, 193 00:12:35,720 --> 00:12:39,760 Speaker 1: Men's Health, Runners World, you name it. I had and 194 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:43,480 Speaker 1: still have candidly a bylines bucket list of different outlets 195 00:12:43,480 --> 00:12:45,120 Speaker 1: that I wanted to be able to contribute to and 196 00:12:45,160 --> 00:12:49,240 Speaker 1: see my byline there. And that first year of being 197 00:12:49,240 --> 00:12:53,360 Speaker 1: my own boss was hectic. It was a lot of 198 00:12:53,520 --> 00:12:58,120 Speaker 1: grunt work. And I've talked about my column ABC method 199 00:12:58,160 --> 00:13:02,160 Speaker 1: here on the show before, I'll reiterate what it is briefly. 200 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:04,600 Speaker 1: If you take out a piece of paper and you 201 00:13:04,600 --> 00:13:07,400 Speaker 1: have columns A, B, and C and you're thinking about 202 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:10,600 Speaker 1: the work that you do. In column A is the 203 00:13:10,600 --> 00:13:13,080 Speaker 1: stuff you're doing every day that you absolutely love and 204 00:13:13,120 --> 00:13:15,280 Speaker 1: you want to do more of. In column B is 205 00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:17,760 Speaker 1: the stuff you're doing regularly and it's fine and you 206 00:13:17,760 --> 00:13:20,400 Speaker 1: don't mind it. And column C is the stuff that 207 00:13:20,520 --> 00:13:22,880 Speaker 1: you wish you didn't have to do at all. I 208 00:13:22,920 --> 00:13:26,480 Speaker 1: would say, in the first year of this entrepreneurial journey, 209 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:29,760 Speaker 1: I was doing a lot of B and C and 210 00:13:29,880 --> 00:13:33,840 Speaker 1: not a ton of A. And as I got to 211 00:13:33,920 --> 00:13:37,640 Speaker 1: the end of that first year, I started to be 212 00:13:37,720 --> 00:13:41,880 Speaker 1: honest with myself about how I could do more things 213 00:13:41,960 --> 00:13:44,920 Speaker 1: in A and what my life would look like if 214 00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:48,800 Speaker 1: I followed that path in column A. At the time, 215 00:13:49,320 --> 00:13:53,640 Speaker 1: I wanted more autonomy. Working for myself is a term 216 00:13:53,800 --> 00:13:56,720 Speaker 1: for sure, but I was actually working at the time 217 00:13:56,840 --> 00:13:59,760 Speaker 1: for like a dozen different editors right I was working 218 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:03,120 Speaker 1: on deadlines, I was getting people what they needed, and 219 00:14:03,559 --> 00:14:06,920 Speaker 1: I was navigating edits. And it just got to a 220 00:14:06,960 --> 00:14:10,320 Speaker 1: point where I was tired and I wanted to own 221 00:14:10,400 --> 00:14:13,080 Speaker 1: something that was mine that I didn't have to run 222 00:14:13,120 --> 00:14:16,440 Speaker 1: by someone else to get permission to do. And so, 223 00:14:16,800 --> 00:14:19,840 Speaker 1: and I talk about this in episode one of Hurdle. 224 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:23,680 Speaker 1: But I was going through a difficult time after a 225 00:14:23,680 --> 00:14:26,600 Speaker 1: big breakup. I was in a really low place, and 226 00:14:26,640 --> 00:14:30,400 Speaker 1: I believe that from our lowest moments we have the 227 00:14:30,440 --> 00:14:36,920 Speaker 1: biggest opportunities. And so in this Hurdle moment, I came 228 00:14:37,040 --> 00:14:39,280 Speaker 1: up with the idea for the show. I was talking 229 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:43,840 Speaker 1: to a friend about something entirely unrelated to podcasting, and 230 00:14:43,880 --> 00:14:46,600 Speaker 1: I said to her, I so badly just want to 231 00:14:46,600 --> 00:14:49,360 Speaker 1: get over this hurdle. And when the words came out 232 00:14:49,400 --> 00:14:51,720 Speaker 1: of my mouth, I knew that this was it. I 233 00:14:51,800 --> 00:14:55,480 Speaker 1: knew that Hurdle was the name of this podcast that 234 00:14:55,560 --> 00:14:58,240 Speaker 1: I was going to start. And I had no aspiration 235 00:14:58,520 --> 00:15:01,880 Speaker 1: for how much of my life it would become or 236 00:15:02,280 --> 00:15:04,560 Speaker 1: how much of my life would be impacted by that 237 00:15:04,680 --> 00:15:08,040 Speaker 1: decision on that day. But I was up for the challenge, 238 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:11,960 Speaker 1: and so that's that first year of entrepreneurship was a 239 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:17,040 Speaker 1: ton of writing, and then the transition to concepting Hurdle. 240 00:15:17,600 --> 00:15:20,080 Speaker 2: The next phase of my entrepreneurial journey. 241 00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:26,040 Speaker 1: I would call the grinding years of a lot of podcasting, 242 00:15:26,960 --> 00:15:31,480 Speaker 1: a lot of writing. I was very much it felt 243 00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:35,680 Speaker 1: like all over the place. This was so fun for 244 00:15:35,760 --> 00:15:39,560 Speaker 1: me because in the second chapter of my work story, 245 00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:46,160 Speaker 1: I had the opportunity to meet so many phenomenal, phenomenal people. 246 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:52,040 Speaker 1: Until the pandemic, I recorded Hurdle almost exclusively in person. 247 00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:54,880 Speaker 1: So I mean, I can't put a number on how 248 00:15:54,880 --> 00:15:57,600 Speaker 1: many episodes were done like that, but like the first 249 00:15:57,800 --> 00:16:03,160 Speaker 1: hundred something episodes, I only recorded three of them remotely, 250 00:16:03,840 --> 00:16:08,480 Speaker 1: and it was really doing the best I could with 251 00:16:08,520 --> 00:16:11,520 Speaker 1: what I had and asking a ton of questions which 252 00:16:11,560 --> 00:16:14,440 Speaker 1: we will certainly talk about in a little bit. And 253 00:16:14,880 --> 00:16:16,680 Speaker 1: in doing the best I could with what I had, 254 00:16:17,320 --> 00:16:21,200 Speaker 1: I was recording in a studio space inside of a 255 00:16:21,240 --> 00:16:23,520 Speaker 1: we work that I could rent with credits for my 256 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:28,200 Speaker 1: membership and then I networked and found another studio space 257 00:16:28,240 --> 00:16:31,240 Speaker 1: that I was recording at inside of the Smile, which 258 00:16:31,280 --> 00:16:35,480 Speaker 1: is inside of the Freehand Hotel in Grammercy. And then 259 00:16:36,080 --> 00:16:40,840 Speaker 1: during my time working at we Work, I befriended a 260 00:16:41,160 --> 00:16:46,520 Speaker 1: team that owned a music licensing business and they were 261 00:16:46,560 --> 00:16:49,280 Speaker 1: building out a studio space a block from our we work, 262 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:52,680 Speaker 1: and I started recording there. And so I felt as 263 00:16:52,760 --> 00:16:56,120 Speaker 1: though this was like a very serendipitous point in my 264 00:16:56,200 --> 00:16:59,960 Speaker 1: life where I was networking and really hustling and made 265 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:03,960 Speaker 1: making all these connections and really building a foundation. 266 00:17:03,760 --> 00:17:05,399 Speaker 2: For where I am now. 267 00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:09,639 Speaker 1: During this time as well, I also started hosting panels 268 00:17:09,920 --> 00:17:13,000 Speaker 1: and doing live podcasts, and this was the beginning of 269 00:17:13,040 --> 00:17:17,160 Speaker 1: my foray into getting in front of really big groups 270 00:17:17,320 --> 00:17:21,800 Speaker 1: of people. It was through my experience hosting lives that 271 00:17:21,840 --> 00:17:26,359 Speaker 1: I became even more comfortable speaking, and I began to 272 00:17:26,600 --> 00:17:31,120 Speaker 1: then in turn do speaking engagements. So to this day, 273 00:17:31,600 --> 00:17:35,359 Speaker 1: not only do I offer keynotes for companies about a 274 00:17:35,440 --> 00:17:38,760 Speaker 1: range of things from how to own your mourning to 275 00:17:39,400 --> 00:17:43,280 Speaker 1: how to navigate life's hurdle moments surprise, surprise, but I've 276 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:46,640 Speaker 1: also had the opportunity to go and share my story 277 00:17:46,920 --> 00:17:51,000 Speaker 1: in front of really large groups, and that is something 278 00:17:51,080 --> 00:17:54,480 Speaker 1: that makes me feel really fulfilled to have that in 279 00:17:54,520 --> 00:17:58,679 Speaker 1: person connection. This is also the era where travel became 280 00:17:58,960 --> 00:18:04,280 Speaker 1: a big part of my regular routine. And this travel 281 00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:08,280 Speaker 1: is for a multitude of reasons. And these days I 282 00:18:08,400 --> 00:18:12,880 Speaker 1: rarely travel if I'm not getting paid to do so. 283 00:18:12,880 --> 00:18:16,639 Speaker 1: So when i started traveling a lot, it was to 284 00:18:16,760 --> 00:18:21,360 Speaker 1: do what they call brand trips. So, for instance, I'm 285 00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:23,800 Speaker 1: looking at a pair of Apple headphones on my desk. 286 00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:28,080 Speaker 1: If Apple is launching a new headphone, they may do 287 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:33,000 Speaker 1: a brand trip to Hawaii or something. I'm just making 288 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:36,960 Speaker 1: this up, where editors and writers for different publications and 289 00:18:37,040 --> 00:18:41,840 Speaker 1: media go there and try the headphones and have an experience, an. 290 00:18:41,680 --> 00:18:43,120 Speaker 2: Immersion with the product. 291 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:47,080 Speaker 1: I've been on brand trips with I mean countless brands now, 292 00:18:47,920 --> 00:18:51,880 Speaker 1: probably almost every wellness brand you can think of, Nike, Adidas, 293 00:18:52,160 --> 00:18:55,760 Speaker 1: New Balance, Puma. All of these companies have brought me 294 00:18:55,840 --> 00:18:58,400 Speaker 1: to different places in the world. I went to Hong 295 00:18:58,520 --> 00:19:01,960 Speaker 1: Kong with Rebok once and Inner reviewed Ariana Grande. I 296 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:06,679 Speaker 1: went to Paris for a huge moment for women in 297 00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:10,480 Speaker 1: sports with Nike. I mean, I've had such amazing opportunities, 298 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:13,320 Speaker 1: and those opportunities, what would happen is that I would 299 00:19:13,359 --> 00:19:16,320 Speaker 1: write a story based on that experience for one of 300 00:19:16,359 --> 00:19:19,760 Speaker 1: the outlets that I contributed to. And I was doing 301 00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:23,560 Speaker 1: all of these brand trips while starting to build Hurdle. 302 00:19:23,880 --> 00:19:28,480 Speaker 1: I distinctly remember about a year into building out the show, 303 00:19:28,640 --> 00:19:33,280 Speaker 1: when I went from one episode bi weekly to then 304 00:19:33,560 --> 00:19:38,919 Speaker 1: an episode every Monday. I went to go run Seawee's. 305 00:19:39,240 --> 00:19:41,800 Speaker 1: Lululemon took care of me and brought me up to 306 00:19:41,920 --> 00:19:46,000 Speaker 1: Vancouver and there was a workshop that we did before 307 00:19:46,480 --> 00:19:50,119 Speaker 1: the half marathon. And in that workshop, I got on 308 00:19:50,160 --> 00:19:52,960 Speaker 1: stage in front of five hundred people and I said 309 00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:54,919 Speaker 1: my big scary goal at the time, which is that 310 00:19:55,160 --> 00:19:58,159 Speaker 1: I hope that within the next three years Hurdle is 311 00:19:58,160 --> 00:20:00,040 Speaker 1: going to be the main thing, meaning that I I 312 00:20:00,040 --> 00:20:01,919 Speaker 1: won't have to write as much. I can get rid 313 00:20:01,960 --> 00:20:04,440 Speaker 1: of some other things in column see and figure out 314 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:08,399 Speaker 1: how to make a livelihood just podcasting. And little did 315 00:20:08,440 --> 00:20:11,240 Speaker 1: I know that, I guess I'm kind of doing that now, 316 00:20:12,240 --> 00:20:15,960 Speaker 1: which brings me to the third chapter here, and that 317 00:20:16,160 --> 00:20:20,200 Speaker 1: is really building out the brand that is Hurdle and 318 00:20:20,880 --> 00:20:27,920 Speaker 1: candidly myself for my mainstreams of income. Now, I'm using 319 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:33,840 Speaker 1: the certified professional coach certification that I have to facilitate 320 00:20:34,119 --> 00:20:40,040 Speaker 1: workshops around the country, both on Hurdle's name and then 321 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:41,640 Speaker 1: also on behalf. 322 00:20:41,240 --> 00:20:43,200 Speaker 2: Of big brands during their big moments. 323 00:20:43,720 --> 00:20:47,879 Speaker 1: And I'll talk about this shortly, but it has filled 324 00:20:47,920 --> 00:20:50,960 Speaker 1: me up in so many ways, being able to help 325 00:20:51,040 --> 00:20:53,920 Speaker 1: people get out of their own way in a way 326 00:20:53,920 --> 00:20:56,840 Speaker 1: that I know I've had the opportunity to do through 327 00:20:56,920 --> 00:20:59,480 Speaker 1: the podcast for so long, but to be able to 328 00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:04,160 Speaker 1: see people in person and watch this work happen, it 329 00:21:04,240 --> 00:21:09,840 Speaker 1: is the most fulfilling and exciting and just inspiring thing 330 00:21:09,960 --> 00:21:12,040 Speaker 1: that I'm doing at this moment. And that's a really 331 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:15,679 Speaker 1: big reason why you'll see more of this from me 332 00:21:16,240 --> 00:21:20,320 Speaker 1: in the next year or so. So while yes, the 333 00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:25,480 Speaker 1: show is definitely doing well and I make revenue from 334 00:21:25,520 --> 00:21:29,720 Speaker 1: the show from the sponsors that support Hurdle, I would 335 00:21:29,760 --> 00:21:34,920 Speaker 1: say the biggest part of my income now really stem 336 00:21:35,359 --> 00:21:40,720 Speaker 1: from hosting events. So this could be something like when 337 00:21:40,760 --> 00:21:43,439 Speaker 1: I went to San Francisco to host a panel for 338 00:21:43,560 --> 00:21:47,720 Speaker 1: Puma at the San Francisco Marathon, or if I am 339 00:21:47,800 --> 00:21:51,479 Speaker 1: working with under Armour and They're having a run summit 340 00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:55,240 Speaker 1: for ambassadors in Media and I'm a speaker at that 341 00:21:55,359 --> 00:22:00,360 Speaker 1: and facilitating discussions or another brand collaboration. For instance, last year, 342 00:22:00,480 --> 00:22:04,840 Speaker 1: when I joined with Nike for Global Running Day, I 343 00:22:04,880 --> 00:22:08,320 Speaker 1: recorded a live podcast with one of their coaches some 344 00:22:08,359 --> 00:22:11,960 Speaker 1: of you may know her, Jess Woods, and we did 345 00:22:11,960 --> 00:22:13,720 Speaker 1: it in front of a big audience, and that was 346 00:22:13,760 --> 00:22:16,560 Speaker 1: a really fun brand partnership that I was then able 347 00:22:16,680 --> 00:22:19,800 Speaker 1: to bring here to the podcast. So that stuff's really 348 00:22:19,800 --> 00:22:21,760 Speaker 1: fun for me because not only do I get that 349 00:22:21,800 --> 00:22:24,520 Speaker 1: in person component, but then I get to bring that 350 00:22:24,640 --> 00:22:26,879 Speaker 1: knowledge and that content to all of you here on 351 00:22:26,960 --> 00:22:30,600 Speaker 1: the feed. And then, like I said, the workshops that 352 00:22:30,680 --> 00:22:33,720 Speaker 1: I am creating. So last year I was able to 353 00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:39,840 Speaker 1: do two really amazing, amazing workshops, one alongside A six 354 00:22:39,880 --> 00:22:43,640 Speaker 1: and one alongside Hokah. With A six, I went out 355 00:22:43,680 --> 00:22:48,160 Speaker 1: to host a personal development workshop for about forty five 356 00:22:48,200 --> 00:22:50,800 Speaker 1: women that they brought over to run the Paris Marathon, 357 00:22:51,520 --> 00:22:56,960 Speaker 1: and then with Hoka during UTMB Ultra Trail de mont Blanc. 358 00:22:57,760 --> 00:22:59,879 Speaker 1: It is you can liken it to the World Series 359 00:23:00,119 --> 00:23:04,600 Speaker 1: of Trail Running. I went out there because I saw 360 00:23:04,680 --> 00:23:07,560 Speaker 1: an opportunity to make women feel seen in a place 361 00:23:07,560 --> 00:23:11,680 Speaker 1: that they don't often see themselves. That race specifically is 362 00:23:11,720 --> 00:23:14,639 Speaker 1: about ten percent women and ninety percent men. And we 363 00:23:14,760 --> 00:23:18,560 Speaker 1: wanted to create a safe space for her to communicate 364 00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:22,520 Speaker 1: and get open and honest in no more scenic of 365 00:23:22,600 --> 00:23:26,280 Speaker 1: a location than Shamani, and so I was able to 366 00:23:26,320 --> 00:23:28,960 Speaker 1: go there and run a two hour workshop and had 367 00:23:29,440 --> 00:23:33,199 Speaker 1: an absolute blast. The thing about solo episodes is I 368 00:23:33,240 --> 00:23:36,440 Speaker 1: feel like it's a lot of rambling, but this easily 369 00:23:36,480 --> 00:23:42,440 Speaker 1: segues me into what I've learned over the past seven 370 00:23:42,520 --> 00:23:47,160 Speaker 1: years of entrepreneurship. My first lesson is that it starts 371 00:23:47,440 --> 00:23:50,639 Speaker 1: with you. You have to be your own biggest advocate. 372 00:23:50,720 --> 00:23:53,840 Speaker 1: Those concepts I just told you about those epic trips 373 00:23:53,880 --> 00:23:58,200 Speaker 1: to Paris and Shamani. Those were ideas that I had 374 00:23:58,320 --> 00:24:02,840 Speaker 1: that I pitched to my contacts at those brands with 375 00:24:03,200 --> 00:24:07,840 Speaker 1: a deck, and I brought them to life with their help. 376 00:24:08,240 --> 00:24:11,320 Speaker 1: And that wouldn't have happened if I was just waiting 377 00:24:11,320 --> 00:24:15,560 Speaker 1: for someone to come to me with an opportunity. Just 378 00:24:15,760 --> 00:24:18,719 Speaker 1: like when I started the podcast, I didn't know the 379 00:24:18,760 --> 00:24:22,360 Speaker 1: first thing about podcasting, but I made it my mission 380 00:24:22,760 --> 00:24:25,440 Speaker 1: to do the best I could with what I had learn, 381 00:24:25,480 --> 00:24:27,600 Speaker 1: as much as possible from people that were already in 382 00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:30,960 Speaker 1: the industry, and then stand on my own two feet 383 00:24:31,400 --> 00:24:33,639 Speaker 1: and be proud of what I was putting into the world. 384 00:24:34,080 --> 00:24:37,880 Speaker 1: We owe it to ourselves to be our own biggest 385 00:24:38,080 --> 00:24:42,760 Speaker 1: hype humans, period full stop. If you don't show up 386 00:24:42,880 --> 00:24:45,800 Speaker 1: with confidence and certainty, then how are you going to 387 00:24:45,840 --> 00:24:49,439 Speaker 1: expect that the people that you are pitching, collaborating with, 388 00:24:49,680 --> 00:24:53,639 Speaker 1: working with are going to have that same unwavering faith 389 00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:57,879 Speaker 1: in you. You have to be your own biggest hype human. 390 00:24:58,240 --> 00:25:00,399 Speaker 1: And I recognize that at times it I might not 391 00:25:00,440 --> 00:25:02,480 Speaker 1: feel that way right. You might go through moments where 392 00:25:02,520 --> 00:25:05,800 Speaker 1: you're doubting yourself or experiencing imposter syndrome. I still experience 393 00:25:05,880 --> 00:25:11,080 Speaker 1: imposter syndrome constantly, but I know this to be true 394 00:25:11,400 --> 00:25:14,560 Speaker 1: that when I've advocated for myself in the past, amazing 395 00:25:14,640 --> 00:25:18,040 Speaker 1: things have come from it. And so during the moments 396 00:25:18,080 --> 00:25:20,800 Speaker 1: when that imposter syndrome kicks in that am I good 397 00:25:20,920 --> 00:25:24,320 Speaker 1: enough for this? Is this for me? I stop and 398 00:25:24,359 --> 00:25:27,359 Speaker 1: I ask myself, why not me? 399 00:25:28,440 --> 00:25:30,000 Speaker 2: Why not me? Why not you? 400 00:25:30,520 --> 00:25:34,439 Speaker 1: What's stopping you from going after the things that you want? 401 00:25:34,760 --> 00:25:39,040 Speaker 1: And if the answer to that question is only you, 402 00:25:39,040 --> 00:25:42,320 Speaker 1: You're the thing stopping yourself, then it's time to do 403 00:25:42,359 --> 00:25:44,280 Speaker 1: an audit. It's time to get out of your own 404 00:25:44,320 --> 00:25:48,919 Speaker 1: way and advocate for yourself. The second thing that I've 405 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:52,479 Speaker 1: learned over the past seven years of entrepreneurship is that 406 00:25:52,520 --> 00:25:56,360 Speaker 1: you can be firm and kind. So hand in hand 407 00:25:56,400 --> 00:25:59,800 Speaker 1: with advocating for yourself is also knowing what you want. 408 00:26:00,480 --> 00:26:04,119 Speaker 1: And there have been so many times in an email 409 00:26:04,200 --> 00:26:07,359 Speaker 1: exchange or on a call or something where I have 410 00:26:07,480 --> 00:26:10,360 Speaker 1: to say something like it is, and I know that 411 00:26:10,440 --> 00:26:13,119 Speaker 1: what I'm saying might not be the popular opinion, or 412 00:26:13,160 --> 00:26:15,320 Speaker 1: it might not be what this other person wants to hear. 413 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:20,000 Speaker 1: With that said, there's something about your delivery. There's something 414 00:26:20,040 --> 00:26:23,000 Speaker 1: about how we treat people. There's something about the fact 415 00:26:23,000 --> 00:26:25,439 Speaker 1: that you don't know what that person is dealing with 416 00:26:25,480 --> 00:26:28,720 Speaker 1: outside of the capacity of your working relationship. And so 417 00:26:28,920 --> 00:26:33,040 Speaker 1: I have prided myself. I've prided myself. I pride myself 418 00:26:33,520 --> 00:26:38,600 Speaker 1: in how I have treated people over the last seven years. 419 00:26:39,359 --> 00:26:43,080 Speaker 1: I know that my relationships empower me to do really 420 00:26:43,200 --> 00:26:46,520 Speaker 1: awesome things, both within my work and beyond, and so 421 00:26:47,119 --> 00:26:50,200 Speaker 1: it is always a priority for me to be kind 422 00:26:50,400 --> 00:26:52,600 Speaker 1: to the people that I'm working with, even if there 423 00:26:52,640 --> 00:26:54,440 Speaker 1: are going to be moments of disagreement. 424 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:57,280 Speaker 2: I often use the. 425 00:26:57,480 --> 00:27:01,920 Speaker 1: Compass seek first to understand and then to be understood. 426 00:27:02,240 --> 00:27:06,920 Speaker 1: I'll say that again, seek first to understand and then 427 00:27:07,320 --> 00:27:12,320 Speaker 1: to be understood. My third lesson, don't do things because 428 00:27:12,320 --> 00:27:14,920 Speaker 1: they look cool, do them because you have a why 429 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:18,560 Speaker 1: attached to them. So in the age of social media, 430 00:27:18,760 --> 00:27:23,440 Speaker 1: it is so enthralling to see individuals chasing their exciting 431 00:27:23,480 --> 00:27:27,680 Speaker 1: career aspirations and it inspires you to do something similar. Right, 432 00:27:28,200 --> 00:27:30,840 Speaker 1: I was there, I'm still there, I'll always be there. 433 00:27:30,880 --> 00:27:33,640 Speaker 1: We have an opportunity every day to be inspired by 434 00:27:33,640 --> 00:27:36,360 Speaker 1: the people that we keep up with on the internet. 435 00:27:36,440 --> 00:27:36,600 Speaker 2: Right. 436 00:27:37,359 --> 00:27:40,160 Speaker 1: But with that said, there are going to be cool 437 00:27:40,240 --> 00:27:43,120 Speaker 1: things that I see that I have actually no passion 438 00:27:43,200 --> 00:27:47,040 Speaker 1: or excitement about personally, but I might say, oh, it 439 00:27:47,040 --> 00:27:47,880 Speaker 1: would be really. 440 00:27:47,640 --> 00:27:48,399 Speaker 2: Cool to do that. 441 00:27:49,280 --> 00:27:53,359 Speaker 1: If I don't have that passion, that why behind doing 442 00:27:53,400 --> 00:27:56,399 Speaker 1: a certain thing, creating a certain tool, talking to a 443 00:27:56,440 --> 00:27:59,760 Speaker 1: certain group, then it's not really going to serve me. 444 00:28:00,200 --> 00:28:04,000 Speaker 1: So in practice, if you see someone is writing a 445 00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:09,200 Speaker 1: book on Instagram, they're working on their memoir and you think, man, 446 00:28:09,320 --> 00:28:12,920 Speaker 1: I really want a memoir, but you have no desire 447 00:28:13,080 --> 00:28:15,560 Speaker 1: to actually put in that work or a strong why 448 00:28:15,600 --> 00:28:18,080 Speaker 1: as to why you would want to write a memoir, 449 00:28:18,560 --> 00:28:20,679 Speaker 1: then that's not going to be for you. And let 450 00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:25,480 Speaker 1: me tell you something that's oh okay, do yourself a favor. 451 00:28:25,600 --> 00:28:29,520 Speaker 1: Just like that three column list the ABC, write down 452 00:28:29,520 --> 00:28:32,560 Speaker 1: the things that excite you. Do a little journaling exercise 453 00:28:32,640 --> 00:28:35,399 Speaker 1: so you can be cognizant of what it is that 454 00:28:35,440 --> 00:28:38,400 Speaker 1: you do want to achieve and break it down even 455 00:28:38,440 --> 00:28:41,760 Speaker 1: further than that. Think about long term first and foremost. 456 00:28:42,240 --> 00:28:44,320 Speaker 1: If you were to ask yourself today, what are the 457 00:28:44,400 --> 00:28:46,920 Speaker 1: things that I want to accomplish during my time here 458 00:28:47,280 --> 00:28:51,880 Speaker 1: on this planet? Start there, write down your biggest, your loftiest, 459 00:28:51,920 --> 00:28:56,400 Speaker 1: your most brilliant goals, and then work backward. Be honest 460 00:28:56,440 --> 00:28:59,680 Speaker 1: with yourself about your timeline. Think about the different phases 461 00:28:59,720 --> 00:29:03,520 Speaker 1: of your life and how these goals can interplay with 462 00:29:03,560 --> 00:29:07,680 Speaker 1: one another. Maybe in the next five years you're focused 463 00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:11,520 Speaker 1: on family planning, but in ten years you could see 464 00:29:11,560 --> 00:29:14,520 Speaker 1: yourself going back to school to get your masters in 465 00:29:14,640 --> 00:29:19,760 Speaker 1: higher education. Whatever it is we have to be go 466 00:29:19,880 --> 00:29:22,600 Speaker 1: back to this idea of our own biggest advocate, and 467 00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:24,960 Speaker 1: that starts with being honest with yourself about the things 468 00:29:25,000 --> 00:29:27,200 Speaker 1: that you really want so that you can show up 469 00:29:27,200 --> 00:29:32,719 Speaker 1: holistically in your day to day. My fourth lesson of 470 00:29:32,920 --> 00:29:38,479 Speaker 1: entrepreneurship it's not for everyone, and that's o k It 471 00:29:38,600 --> 00:29:42,720 Speaker 1: takes a certain type of person to like a life 472 00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:46,760 Speaker 1: like this. There is a lot of unpredictability in being 473 00:29:46,800 --> 00:29:52,520 Speaker 1: your own boss. I have absolutely no retainers, which means 474 00:29:52,680 --> 00:29:56,440 Speaker 1: that I don't have a consistent check coming from anyone 475 00:29:56,960 --> 00:30:01,520 Speaker 1: at any time. What I do have are relationships and 476 00:30:01,640 --> 00:30:06,120 Speaker 1: motivation to make my rent, pay my bills, save up 477 00:30:06,160 --> 00:30:10,840 Speaker 1: for a Brownstone one day, and that is what guides me. 478 00:30:11,080 --> 00:30:13,640 Speaker 1: And I'll talk about the logistics of that and just 479 00:30:13,680 --> 00:30:14,120 Speaker 1: a little bit. 480 00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:14,680 Speaker 2: Don't worry. 481 00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:18,560 Speaker 1: But what I'm saying is that some people really like 482 00:30:18,640 --> 00:30:20,800 Speaker 1: the stability that comes with a nine to five job, 483 00:30:21,200 --> 00:30:23,720 Speaker 1: and in fact would feel really anxious if they had 484 00:30:23,760 --> 00:30:28,160 Speaker 1: to do things like handle their own calendar and quote 485 00:30:28,200 --> 00:30:30,600 Speaker 1: unquote find money, which is what I say. Sometimes I'm 486 00:30:30,600 --> 00:30:33,400 Speaker 1: like today, I'm going to find some money. AKA, I'm 487 00:30:33,400 --> 00:30:35,600 Speaker 1: going to come up with big ideas. And if you're 488 00:30:35,600 --> 00:30:37,920 Speaker 1: the kind of person that doesn't want to do those things, 489 00:30:38,240 --> 00:30:41,320 Speaker 1: it's okay. There's nothing wrong with that. This goes back 490 00:30:41,320 --> 00:30:43,600 Speaker 1: to what I was just talking about when it comes 491 00:30:43,800 --> 00:30:47,440 Speaker 1: to being honest with yourself about what you want to 492 00:30:47,480 --> 00:30:50,720 Speaker 1: do and what your why is behind it. I'll also 493 00:30:50,760 --> 00:30:54,880 Speaker 1: say this, there's absolutely nothing wrong with trying it right. Like, 494 00:30:55,000 --> 00:30:58,440 Speaker 1: maybe you are at a crossroads in your work and 495 00:30:58,480 --> 00:31:01,560 Speaker 1: you feel as though you need to leave your current job, 496 00:31:01,920 --> 00:31:04,720 Speaker 1: and you have an opportunity to start your own business 497 00:31:05,000 --> 00:31:07,640 Speaker 1: in any field, and you go out on your own 498 00:31:07,960 --> 00:31:11,080 Speaker 1: for two three months and you're realizing that it's not 499 00:31:11,200 --> 00:31:14,320 Speaker 1: for you. The worst thing that happens in this situation 500 00:31:14,440 --> 00:31:18,280 Speaker 1: is that you're exactly where you started. That's actually what 501 00:31:18,400 --> 00:31:21,400 Speaker 1: happens more often than not. And we're so scared of 502 00:31:21,440 --> 00:31:25,040 Speaker 1: trying something new because of the concept of quote unquote failing. 503 00:31:25,640 --> 00:31:28,080 Speaker 1: But if the worst thing that happens is that you're 504 00:31:28,120 --> 00:31:32,120 Speaker 1: exactly where you started, then realistically where you started probably 505 00:31:32,120 --> 00:31:35,120 Speaker 1: wasn't that bad in the first place. So that fourth 506 00:31:35,520 --> 00:31:39,640 Speaker 1: takeaway entrepreneurship being your own boss might not be for everyone, 507 00:31:39,880 --> 00:31:43,000 Speaker 1: and that is okay. I personally think that I thrive 508 00:31:43,520 --> 00:31:48,600 Speaker 1: in this kind of ideating and uncertainty. It makes me 509 00:31:48,680 --> 00:31:54,520 Speaker 1: feel excited, but it definitely has its fair share of difficulties. 510 00:31:55,200 --> 00:31:59,480 Speaker 1: My fifth lesson there is always something that can be done, 511 00:31:59,720 --> 00:32:01,479 Speaker 1: but it doesn't mean that you've got to do it. 512 00:32:02,320 --> 00:32:07,080 Speaker 1: I was so guilty of doing everything all the time 513 00:32:07,480 --> 00:32:10,719 Speaker 1: in the first I would say five years of this chapter, 514 00:32:11,600 --> 00:32:15,000 Speaker 1: I was very bad at exercising boundaries. I didn't really 515 00:32:15,080 --> 00:32:17,560 Speaker 1: feel like outside of my wellness practices, I was taking 516 00:32:17,560 --> 00:32:20,320 Speaker 1: a lot of time for myself, and more often than not, 517 00:32:20,640 --> 00:32:24,320 Speaker 1: I was working at all different sorts of hours. I 518 00:32:24,360 --> 00:32:27,320 Speaker 1: was a yes person, and what I realized is that 519 00:32:27,400 --> 00:32:30,680 Speaker 1: I needed to be more realistic about what my bandwidth 520 00:32:30,760 --> 00:32:34,080 Speaker 1: is so that I can better show up when I 521 00:32:34,160 --> 00:32:38,240 Speaker 1: want to be on. Instead of giving fifty percent all 522 00:32:38,320 --> 00:32:41,640 Speaker 1: the time, I can give one hundred percent during less 523 00:32:41,840 --> 00:32:44,800 Speaker 1: time and make the most of all of my time. 524 00:32:44,960 --> 00:32:47,120 Speaker 1: So in practice, Emily, what does this look like? While 525 00:32:47,120 --> 00:32:50,520 Speaker 1: I'm so happy you asked, just because I have free 526 00:32:50,560 --> 00:32:55,160 Speaker 1: time on a Sunday afternoon doesn't mean that I need 527 00:32:55,160 --> 00:32:57,880 Speaker 1: to spend it at my desk doing work. And I 528 00:32:57,960 --> 00:33:02,040 Speaker 1: don't need to feel guilty out having a lazy afternoon 529 00:33:02,320 --> 00:33:05,160 Speaker 1: knowing how much that I have on deck for the 530 00:33:05,160 --> 00:33:08,440 Speaker 1: week and accomplished the week prior. An old version of 531 00:33:08,480 --> 00:33:14,040 Speaker 1: myself would should myself into constantly doing something, constantly coming 532 00:33:14,080 --> 00:33:17,320 Speaker 1: up with an idea, constantly pitching things, doing whatever you know, 533 00:33:17,400 --> 00:33:21,560 Speaker 1: and it was just too much. So make sure that 534 00:33:21,680 --> 00:33:27,040 Speaker 1: you have those boundaries on when you are working and 535 00:33:27,120 --> 00:33:31,160 Speaker 1: when you need time for yourself and be honest about it. Again, 536 00:33:31,200 --> 00:33:33,480 Speaker 1: I'll say this lesson, there's always something to be done, 537 00:33:33,560 --> 00:33:36,840 Speaker 1: but that doesn't mean you have to do it. It's hard, 538 00:33:37,040 --> 00:33:41,320 Speaker 1: that's really hard, especially when you are responsible for your livelihood. 539 00:33:41,560 --> 00:33:46,480 Speaker 1: But I have come to realize that very rarely anything 540 00:33:46,800 --> 00:33:53,200 Speaker 1: is obscenely urgent. And also, someone else's sense of urgency doesn't. 541 00:33:52,920 --> 00:33:54,760 Speaker 2: Need to be your problem all the time. 542 00:33:55,360 --> 00:33:59,520 Speaker 1: I'll say that again, someone else's sense of urgency doesn't 543 00:33:59,600 --> 00:34:04,160 Speaker 1: need to be your problem all of the time. The 544 00:34:04,320 --> 00:34:10,280 Speaker 1: sixth lesson I've learned in seven years of entrepreneurship, things 545 00:34:10,320 --> 00:34:13,720 Speaker 1: show up for you when you're ready for them. I 546 00:34:13,760 --> 00:34:18,040 Speaker 1: know that sounds kind of woo wooie, but this year 547 00:34:18,719 --> 00:34:22,760 Speaker 1: I walked into it with the idea of good degree, 548 00:34:22,960 --> 00:34:24,920 Speaker 1: that I wanted to get out of my own way 549 00:34:25,239 --> 00:34:28,560 Speaker 1: and step into this next chapter, that I was done 550 00:34:28,600 --> 00:34:30,759 Speaker 1: settling for good, that I wanted to level up, that 551 00:34:30,840 --> 00:34:34,080 Speaker 1: I wanted to try even new things. And don't get 552 00:34:34,120 --> 00:34:37,000 Speaker 1: me wrong, I know that we all can be our 553 00:34:37,040 --> 00:34:41,920 Speaker 1: own biggest critics. But for me, it looked different in 554 00:34:42,040 --> 00:34:45,520 Speaker 1: my head than what happened. But what happened has been 555 00:34:45,920 --> 00:34:50,680 Speaker 1: astronomical and absolutely amazing. I didn't give a TED talk 556 00:34:50,920 --> 00:34:54,359 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty three, and you know what, candidly, that's 557 00:34:54,400 --> 00:34:57,920 Speaker 1: because I wasn't ready for it yet. I so wholeheartedly 558 00:34:58,280 --> 00:35:01,600 Speaker 1: trust in the timing of my life, and I know 559 00:35:02,120 --> 00:35:05,439 Speaker 1: that there are things that I've had to do over 560 00:35:05,440 --> 00:35:08,240 Speaker 1: the last three hundred and sixty five days to step 561 00:35:08,360 --> 00:35:11,560 Speaker 1: into my power and feel better in my body and 562 00:35:11,640 --> 00:35:15,160 Speaker 1: show up authentically as I am, not only for myself 563 00:35:15,239 --> 00:35:19,080 Speaker 1: but also for my community. And knowing all of that 564 00:35:19,880 --> 00:35:24,480 Speaker 1: makes me confident in the concept that things show up 565 00:35:24,480 --> 00:35:27,439 Speaker 1: for you when you're energetically ready. I have so many 566 00:35:27,480 --> 00:35:29,120 Speaker 1: things simmering on the stove right now. 567 00:35:29,160 --> 00:35:29,680 Speaker 2: What a term. 568 00:35:29,719 --> 00:35:31,920 Speaker 1: I don't think I have ever used that before, but 569 00:35:32,120 --> 00:35:34,759 Speaker 1: there are so many things simmering on the stove right 570 00:35:34,800 --> 00:35:38,640 Speaker 1: now that have me absolutely one hundred percent geeked out. 571 00:35:38,960 --> 00:35:41,719 Speaker 1: And I can tell you with one hundred percent certainty 572 00:35:42,080 --> 00:35:44,360 Speaker 1: that if these things were in the pipeline at the 573 00:35:44,400 --> 00:35:46,560 Speaker 1: top of this year, I don't know if I would 574 00:35:46,560 --> 00:35:48,319 Speaker 1: have been ready to handle them. 575 00:35:48,680 --> 00:35:49,319 Speaker 2: Now I am. 576 00:35:49,880 --> 00:35:52,080 Speaker 1: Now, I have the confidence I need to step forward 577 00:35:52,120 --> 00:35:55,319 Speaker 1: and step into my power and do things that excite me. 578 00:35:55,480 --> 00:35:58,640 Speaker 1: On a whole other level, I feel more in alignment 579 00:35:58,719 --> 00:36:02,600 Speaker 1: than maybe I ever have before, and that is why 580 00:36:02,680 --> 00:36:06,720 Speaker 1: these opportunities are coming to fruition right now, they're presenting themselves. 581 00:36:06,719 --> 00:36:10,880 Speaker 1: It's because I am ready for them. Again that sixth lesson, 582 00:36:11,000 --> 00:36:14,200 Speaker 1: things show up for you when you are energetically ready, 583 00:36:14,719 --> 00:36:17,880 Speaker 1: which means that I'm continuing my good to great motto 584 00:36:18,200 --> 00:36:23,000 Speaker 1: into twenty twenty four. And the last lesson I've learned 585 00:36:23,239 --> 00:36:26,200 Speaker 1: in seven years of entrepreneurship. And also, let me just 586 00:36:26,239 --> 00:36:29,000 Speaker 1: say that there's so many lessons I've just chosen these seven. 587 00:36:30,120 --> 00:36:33,840 Speaker 2: The last lesson is it's okay to ask for help. 588 00:36:34,600 --> 00:36:38,799 Speaker 1: There are so many things that I do on a 589 00:36:38,880 --> 00:36:42,960 Speaker 1: day to day, and most of them are done completely alone. 590 00:36:43,719 --> 00:36:48,040 Speaker 1: With the exception of recording or meetings or whatnot that 591 00:36:48,120 --> 00:36:52,680 Speaker 1: I have on the calendar, my work is done solo. 592 00:36:52,920 --> 00:36:56,279 Speaker 1: I'm a solopreneur. I will coveat this by saying that 593 00:36:56,320 --> 00:36:59,560 Speaker 1: I have an assistant, Chelsea. Hey Chelse that helps me 594 00:37:00,120 --> 00:37:05,000 Speaker 1: with the show, but outside of our bi weekly calls 595 00:37:05,120 --> 00:37:09,759 Speaker 1: every other week, that's a completely virtual relationship. And so 596 00:37:10,440 --> 00:37:14,640 Speaker 1: this experience can be very lonely for me, and I 597 00:37:14,680 --> 00:37:20,759 Speaker 1: recognize that I am not alone, actually, and that there 598 00:37:20,760 --> 00:37:23,720 Speaker 1: are so many other people who are doing something similar 599 00:37:23,800 --> 00:37:27,319 Speaker 1: that feel how I feel, and we have the opportunity 600 00:37:27,360 --> 00:37:30,560 Speaker 1: to help one another. So if I am feeling lonely 601 00:37:30,600 --> 00:37:32,600 Speaker 1: in my business, I know I have the opportunity to 602 00:37:32,840 --> 00:37:34,839 Speaker 1: reach out to a good friend and talk to her 603 00:37:34,880 --> 00:37:38,240 Speaker 1: about what's going on. Or if I have an idea, 604 00:37:38,600 --> 00:37:40,960 Speaker 1: or I get a contract from a brand and I 605 00:37:41,000 --> 00:37:43,920 Speaker 1: need feedback on it. I have working relationships now that 606 00:37:44,000 --> 00:37:46,040 Speaker 1: I can reach out and say, hey, I would love 607 00:37:46,080 --> 00:37:47,880 Speaker 1: to run this by you if you don't mind, and 608 00:37:47,920 --> 00:37:52,160 Speaker 1: you have a second I through that second lesson of 609 00:37:52,200 --> 00:37:57,160 Speaker 1: being firm and kind, have developed such strong working relationships 610 00:37:57,400 --> 00:37:59,719 Speaker 1: that I feel like I have an army in my 611 00:37:59,719 --> 00:38:02,720 Speaker 1: core despite the fact that I am the only person 612 00:38:03,120 --> 00:38:06,560 Speaker 1: in my LLC. I definitely went through a time period 613 00:38:06,600 --> 00:38:10,520 Speaker 1: where I felt really alone, and that's because I wasn't 614 00:38:10,560 --> 00:38:13,120 Speaker 1: asking for help from anyone. I wasn't talking about what 615 00:38:13,200 --> 00:38:15,719 Speaker 1: was going on in my business, and so asking for 616 00:38:15,800 --> 00:38:22,160 Speaker 1: help has been a major major game changer. Segueing into 617 00:38:22,320 --> 00:38:25,600 Speaker 1: answering a few of the questions that came in about 618 00:38:25,719 --> 00:38:30,840 Speaker 1: this era very very frequent question, what do you do 619 00:38:30,840 --> 00:38:33,839 Speaker 1: about health insurance? So this is probably one of the 620 00:38:33,840 --> 00:38:38,080 Speaker 1: biggest downsides of being self employed, and especially choosing to 621 00:38:38,120 --> 00:38:43,920 Speaker 1: be self employed in Brooklyn, New York. Health insurance is obscenely, 622 00:38:44,360 --> 00:38:50,000 Speaker 1: obscenely expensive, Like I think I'm paying something like seven 623 00:38:50,120 --> 00:38:53,439 Speaker 1: hundred dollars a month right now for it. There used 624 00:38:53,480 --> 00:38:56,960 Speaker 1: to be a penalty that you'd have to pay annually 625 00:38:57,480 --> 00:38:59,800 Speaker 1: when you did your taxes if you don't have health insurance. 626 00:38:59,800 --> 00:39:03,960 Speaker 1: That expired in twenty eighteen. So it's frightening to say this. 627 00:39:04,040 --> 00:39:06,479 Speaker 1: I know a lot of individuals who don't have health 628 00:39:06,480 --> 00:39:10,600 Speaker 1: insurance just because the cost is exorbitant. I don't really 629 00:39:10,600 --> 00:39:13,520 Speaker 1: feel comfortable doing that, so it's just something that I 630 00:39:13,600 --> 00:39:16,560 Speaker 1: account for when I think about my budgeting when doing 631 00:39:16,600 --> 00:39:21,080 Speaker 1: my research every year when the marketplace is open. 632 00:39:21,120 --> 00:39:22,560 Speaker 2: This just sounds so jazzy. 633 00:39:23,239 --> 00:39:26,880 Speaker 1: I will say that my crazy expensive health insurance is 634 00:39:26,960 --> 00:39:31,160 Speaker 1: literally the cheapest option I could find and really doesn't 635 00:39:31,200 --> 00:39:35,560 Speaker 1: cover much. I don't even currently have dental, but I 636 00:39:35,600 --> 00:39:39,080 Speaker 1: do get an annual visit to a general physician as 637 00:39:39,080 --> 00:39:42,799 Speaker 1: well as an OBGI in every year, and my prescriptions 638 00:39:42,840 --> 00:39:47,960 Speaker 1: have coverage, and this is what we pay for. The 639 00:39:48,040 --> 00:39:51,200 Speaker 1: next question, how do you create and keep with routine 640 00:39:51,360 --> 00:39:52,600 Speaker 1: when you're your own boss? 641 00:39:52,960 --> 00:39:54,440 Speaker 2: Every day? For me, looks different. 642 00:39:54,719 --> 00:39:56,759 Speaker 1: I just sat down and did the calendar planning for 643 00:39:56,800 --> 00:39:59,880 Speaker 1: the week, and Tomorrow I have a recording that's a 644 00:40:00,040 --> 00:40:03,120 Speaker 1: seven am and on Tuesday, I have a seven thirty 645 00:40:03,160 --> 00:40:07,480 Speaker 1: am shoot to rebrand the show, and then after an 646 00:40:07,520 --> 00:40:10,760 Speaker 1: insane few days of work, I'm planning to take Friday 647 00:40:10,800 --> 00:40:12,400 Speaker 1: off because I'm working on Sunday. 648 00:40:12,840 --> 00:40:14,239 Speaker 2: This is the opportunity that. 649 00:40:14,239 --> 00:40:17,000 Speaker 1: I have in making my own schedule, but it also 650 00:40:17,160 --> 00:40:20,080 Speaker 1: can be very hectic. I do try when I am 651 00:40:20,120 --> 00:40:23,840 Speaker 1: in New York working to keep mostly the same schedule, 652 00:40:23,920 --> 00:40:27,239 Speaker 1: which is that I'm up, I'm working out before I 653 00:40:27,280 --> 00:40:30,000 Speaker 1: get my work day started, and I'm at my desk 654 00:40:30,000 --> 00:40:32,760 Speaker 1: by around nine thirty and I'm done by around five thirty. 655 00:40:33,640 --> 00:40:36,200 Speaker 2: But there are very rarely days. 656 00:40:35,960 --> 00:40:38,680 Speaker 1: That my day is exclusively in the studio at my 657 00:40:38,760 --> 00:40:41,399 Speaker 1: desk from nine thirty to five thirty. I will also 658 00:40:41,480 --> 00:40:44,799 Speaker 1: note that routines make the unpredictability of a schedule like 659 00:40:44,840 --> 00:40:47,520 Speaker 1: this really helpful, especially when I'm on the road, So 660 00:40:47,560 --> 00:40:50,359 Speaker 1: that means that I know what helps me feel good 661 00:40:50,440 --> 00:40:53,320 Speaker 1: day to day, things like journaling, things like moving my body, 662 00:40:53,880 --> 00:40:57,160 Speaker 1: getting regular bodywork done, hitting up in infrareds ONA, things 663 00:40:57,200 --> 00:40:59,799 Speaker 1: like that. Even when i'm not home, I make them 664 00:40:59,880 --> 00:41:02,919 Speaker 1: up top priority. I will go out of my way 665 00:41:02,960 --> 00:41:05,600 Speaker 1: to schedule in time, even though it might feel a 666 00:41:05,600 --> 00:41:09,840 Speaker 1: little inconvenient, to get these things into my schedule regardless 667 00:41:09,840 --> 00:41:11,680 Speaker 1: of where I am, so that I can feel better 668 00:41:11,760 --> 00:41:15,120 Speaker 1: in my body and then be more capable of showing 669 00:41:15,200 --> 00:41:18,799 Speaker 1: up for others. Another question that came in, how do 670 00:41:18,880 --> 00:41:22,160 Speaker 1: you start when your new idea isn't something that makes 671 00:41:22,200 --> 00:41:25,240 Speaker 1: you money yet. Yeah, so I talked about how Hurdle 672 00:41:25,320 --> 00:41:27,960 Speaker 1: started as a bi weekly podcast while I was making 673 00:41:28,040 --> 00:41:32,600 Speaker 1: money doing a lot of the writing. As I made 674 00:41:32,760 --> 00:41:36,960 Speaker 1: the cadence of the show more regular and continued on 675 00:41:37,000 --> 00:41:39,520 Speaker 1: that journey, I got to a point where I was 676 00:41:39,600 --> 00:41:44,080 Speaker 1: monetizing the podcast more and was able to offset some 677 00:41:44,239 --> 00:41:46,600 Speaker 1: of the other work that I had been previously doing. 678 00:41:46,680 --> 00:41:50,839 Speaker 1: So it was a slow transition from point A two 679 00:41:50,880 --> 00:41:53,640 Speaker 1: point B to what is now point C, in which 680 00:41:53,640 --> 00:41:56,360 Speaker 1: I outlined before making money in a completely different way. 681 00:41:56,640 --> 00:41:59,560 Speaker 1: This time period is really the definition, and I don't 682 00:41:59,600 --> 00:42:03,800 Speaker 1: love this word, but of hustling, because you're often doing 683 00:42:03,880 --> 00:42:07,560 Speaker 1: one job while thinking about your passion, which could be 684 00:42:07,640 --> 00:42:11,120 Speaker 1: your second job, and doing that in your extra time, 685 00:42:11,160 --> 00:42:14,520 Speaker 1: while also trying to balance any sort of a social 686 00:42:14,560 --> 00:42:17,520 Speaker 1: life or a personal life, And so I would just 687 00:42:17,640 --> 00:42:20,560 Speaker 1: say that this goes back to knowing your why right, 688 00:42:20,760 --> 00:42:23,200 Speaker 1: knowing that if this is what you want to do, 689 00:42:23,280 --> 00:42:26,080 Speaker 1: whatever it is that is your side hustle, so to speak, 690 00:42:26,360 --> 00:42:29,319 Speaker 1: then make sure you are really about it, that you 691 00:42:29,400 --> 00:42:34,280 Speaker 1: have a super strong foundation so that you won't be 692 00:42:34,880 --> 00:42:37,319 Speaker 1: angry at the fact that you're giving up some of 693 00:42:37,360 --> 00:42:41,440 Speaker 1: your other free time. Another question, what is your advice 694 00:42:41,520 --> 00:42:44,319 Speaker 1: on overcoming scarcity around not being able to. 695 00:42:44,320 --> 00:42:45,240 Speaker 2: Make enough money. 696 00:42:45,640 --> 00:42:48,239 Speaker 1: I'll be completely candid, like December is a low month 697 00:42:48,280 --> 00:42:50,839 Speaker 1: for me, and then the beginning of the year is bonkers, 698 00:42:51,160 --> 00:42:54,720 Speaker 1: and I have moments now where I am like super 699 00:42:54,760 --> 00:42:58,680 Speaker 1: anxious about my finances. I know to be true though, 700 00:42:58,800 --> 00:43:01,640 Speaker 1: that there are going to be high months and low months, 701 00:43:01,960 --> 00:43:03,719 Speaker 1: and I just have to do the best I can 702 00:43:03,760 --> 00:43:07,120 Speaker 1: with what I have. When I started out, my goal 703 00:43:07,280 --> 00:43:10,600 Speaker 1: before the top of every month was to secure and 704 00:43:10,719 --> 00:43:13,120 Speaker 1: know where seventy five percent of the money that I 705 00:43:13,160 --> 00:43:16,600 Speaker 1: wanted to make would be coming from in the next 706 00:43:16,600 --> 00:43:19,840 Speaker 1: thirty days, and then as other opportunities came in or 707 00:43:19,880 --> 00:43:22,600 Speaker 1: I had other ideas throughout the month, I would then 708 00:43:22,719 --> 00:43:25,720 Speaker 1: pitch new ideas and secure the remaining twenty five percent, 709 00:43:25,800 --> 00:43:28,359 Speaker 1: so that I was fully committed to the amount that 710 00:43:28,440 --> 00:43:29,120 Speaker 1: I was after. 711 00:43:29,800 --> 00:43:30,920 Speaker 2: I know this to be true. 712 00:43:31,280 --> 00:43:34,520 Speaker 1: Living in this fear of not having enough money isn't 713 00:43:34,560 --> 00:43:37,600 Speaker 1: the thing that's going to find you enough money. So 714 00:43:38,040 --> 00:43:41,200 Speaker 1: rather than letting it's kind of like with imposter syndrome, right, 715 00:43:41,400 --> 00:43:44,040 Speaker 1: rather than letting the gremlin in your head, this little 716 00:43:44,120 --> 00:43:45,840 Speaker 1: voice that's telling you you're not good enough, You're not 717 00:43:45,840 --> 00:43:48,479 Speaker 1: gonna have enough money, everything's going wrong, whatever it's saying 718 00:43:48,520 --> 00:43:48,719 Speaker 1: to you. 719 00:43:49,320 --> 00:43:50,960 Speaker 2: Rather than letting that voice win. 720 00:43:51,440 --> 00:43:55,040 Speaker 1: Get to a place where you're saying things that make 721 00:43:55,120 --> 00:43:59,480 Speaker 1: you feel good. I have the potential to earn X amount. 722 00:43:59,640 --> 00:44:02,239 Speaker 1: I have all the tools I need to be successful. 723 00:44:02,600 --> 00:44:05,960 Speaker 1: Using this positive language is what's going to help you 724 00:44:06,520 --> 00:44:09,239 Speaker 1: come out on top. Remember you are the person that 725 00:44:09,280 --> 00:44:12,560 Speaker 1: talks to yourself the most in any given day. You 726 00:44:12,760 --> 00:44:16,760 Speaker 1: are the person that talks to yourself the most during 727 00:44:17,080 --> 00:44:21,160 Speaker 1: any given day, So you owe it to yourself to 728 00:44:21,320 --> 00:44:26,240 Speaker 1: have that conversation be positive. Remember you are your own 729 00:44:26,440 --> 00:44:30,280 Speaker 1: biggest hype human, so act like it. The last question 730 00:44:30,360 --> 00:44:32,440 Speaker 1: I'm going to answer for now, and if you have 731 00:44:32,560 --> 00:44:34,440 Speaker 1: more of them, I'd love to answer them in an 732 00:44:34,480 --> 00:44:36,840 Speaker 1: upcoming five minute Friday, So click on over to the 733 00:44:36,840 --> 00:44:39,640 Speaker 1: show notes and leave me a voice message and ask 734 00:44:39,719 --> 00:44:42,680 Speaker 1: it the last question, how did you know you were 735 00:44:42,719 --> 00:44:45,719 Speaker 1: ready to move to self employment? And if you listen 736 00:44:45,760 --> 00:44:47,440 Speaker 1: to the story at the top of this kind of 737 00:44:47,440 --> 00:44:50,759 Speaker 1: outlining my timeline, I didn't. I didn't know I was 738 00:44:50,800 --> 00:44:53,960 Speaker 1: forced into it, but I knew that I was capable 739 00:44:54,480 --> 00:44:57,520 Speaker 1: of figuring it out. I knew, like I said, that 740 00:44:57,719 --> 00:45:01,520 Speaker 1: I could jive with this type of work style, that 741 00:45:01,719 --> 00:45:06,480 Speaker 1: I had the grit to live this way. There's nothing 742 00:45:06,560 --> 00:45:10,279 Speaker 1: wrong if self employment isn't for you, genuinely, I mean 743 00:45:10,280 --> 00:45:12,600 Speaker 1: that from the bottom of my heart. You have to 744 00:45:12,640 --> 00:45:15,440 Speaker 1: do what feels right for you and don't should yourself 745 00:45:15,480 --> 00:45:20,840 Speaker 1: into any one way. Now, if you are contemplating leaving 746 00:45:20,880 --> 00:45:23,520 Speaker 1: a nine to five and going to self employment, before 747 00:45:23,520 --> 00:45:26,640 Speaker 1: you make that leap, I would encourage two things. The 748 00:45:26,719 --> 00:45:28,920 Speaker 1: first thing is make sure you have some sort of 749 00:45:28,920 --> 00:45:31,120 Speaker 1: a savings that you can fall back on. So you 750 00:45:31,200 --> 00:45:33,920 Speaker 1: may have projections on how much you can make every month, 751 00:45:34,280 --> 00:45:36,960 Speaker 1: but if something were to go awry, you never want 752 00:45:36,960 --> 00:45:39,440 Speaker 1: to be in a position where you cannot handle yourself. 753 00:45:40,000 --> 00:45:44,840 Speaker 1: I literally have six months of finances set aside should 754 00:45:45,880 --> 00:45:50,840 Speaker 1: everything go awry, should everything get messed up, should I 755 00:45:50,920 --> 00:45:54,000 Speaker 1: become ill, should I whatever the case may be. I 756 00:45:54,040 --> 00:45:56,960 Speaker 1: have certain responsibilities like paying my rent and my bills 757 00:45:57,040 --> 00:46:00,160 Speaker 1: and taking care of myself, and those all require money. 758 00:46:00,280 --> 00:46:02,480 Speaker 1: And if something happens where I cannot make money because 759 00:46:02,480 --> 00:46:04,600 Speaker 1: I am self employed, then I need to make sure 760 00:46:04,600 --> 00:46:06,680 Speaker 1: that I have this safety net so that I can 761 00:46:06,680 --> 00:46:09,040 Speaker 1: take care of myself. And so that's the first thing 762 00:46:09,080 --> 00:46:11,160 Speaker 1: I would tell you if you're thinking about leaving a 763 00:46:11,239 --> 00:46:13,440 Speaker 1: nine to five to go out on your own. The 764 00:46:13,480 --> 00:46:15,919 Speaker 1: second thing I will tell you is that you want 765 00:46:15,960 --> 00:46:19,840 Speaker 1: to make sure that you have clients in place for 766 00:46:19,960 --> 00:46:23,360 Speaker 1: when you make this jump. So, regardless of what fueled 767 00:46:23,400 --> 00:46:25,920 Speaker 1: you're in, have an idea of where your money is 768 00:46:26,000 --> 00:46:28,840 Speaker 1: going to come from, and be honest about what you 769 00:46:28,880 --> 00:46:33,680 Speaker 1: can expect, because lying to yourself in self employment is 770 00:46:33,719 --> 00:46:36,439 Speaker 1: going to do you absolutely no favors. I mean, lying 771 00:46:36,440 --> 00:46:38,920 Speaker 1: to yourself doesn't really ever do you any favors. But 772 00:46:39,480 --> 00:46:41,520 Speaker 1: what I'm saying here is if you're not honest with 773 00:46:41,560 --> 00:46:44,640 Speaker 1: yourself about what is, then you can't do something about it. 774 00:46:45,120 --> 00:46:49,759 Speaker 1: So recognize what is realistic, what is within your bandwidth? 775 00:46:50,040 --> 00:46:51,120 Speaker 2: How does this make you feel? 776 00:46:51,120 --> 00:46:53,560 Speaker 1: Does it make you feel secure and know all of 777 00:46:53,560 --> 00:46:56,759 Speaker 1: these things, really do a full evaluation before you take 778 00:46:56,800 --> 00:47:01,319 Speaker 1: the leap. I will say also this, you probably won't 779 00:47:01,360 --> 00:47:04,080 Speaker 1: ever feel truly ready to do something like that. It's 780 00:47:04,080 --> 00:47:06,960 Speaker 1: a big pivot from going to showing up in an 781 00:47:06,960 --> 00:47:09,399 Speaker 1: office every day. Someone else is giving you a check 782 00:47:09,440 --> 00:47:12,680 Speaker 1: every other Friday. There's a lot of security in that. 783 00:47:13,440 --> 00:47:17,200 Speaker 1: So it's up to you to create your own security 784 00:47:17,760 --> 00:47:20,560 Speaker 1: and understand that you might never feel really ready, and 785 00:47:20,600 --> 00:47:24,880 Speaker 1: that's okay. Sometimes we have to take the leap. We 786 00:47:25,000 --> 00:47:29,600 Speaker 1: have to greet an uncomfortable situation with optimism and excitement 787 00:47:30,040 --> 00:47:31,600 Speaker 1: and do the best we can with what we have. 788 00:47:32,560 --> 00:47:35,439 Speaker 1: You are worthy of your own investment. I will say 789 00:47:35,440 --> 00:47:38,160 Speaker 1: that a thousand times over and over until you truly 790 00:47:38,440 --> 00:47:43,040 Speaker 1: can repeat it back to me every single day. You 791 00:47:43,160 --> 00:47:47,640 Speaker 1: are worthy of your own investment. And like I said 792 00:47:47,680 --> 00:47:49,919 Speaker 1: at the top of this, a third of your life 793 00:47:49,960 --> 00:47:52,719 Speaker 1: is sleeping, a third of your life is working, so 794 00:47:52,800 --> 00:47:54,719 Speaker 1: you might as well figure out how to enjoy what 795 00:47:54,760 --> 00:47:56,640 Speaker 1: you do for your livelihood. 796 00:47:56,080 --> 00:47:58,040 Speaker 2: Day in and day out. Again. 797 00:47:58,320 --> 00:48:00,720 Speaker 1: If there are any other questions on this all ears, 798 00:48:00,760 --> 00:48:03,880 Speaker 1: I would love to answer them. Hit the show notes, 799 00:48:04,200 --> 00:48:06,839 Speaker 1: hit me up over at Emily A. Body and at 800 00:48:06,880 --> 00:48:11,520 Speaker 1: Hurdle podcast, Another hurdle conquered. Catch you all next time.