1 00:00:01,040 --> 00:00:03,720 Speaker 1: The views, information, or opinions express during this podcast are 2 00:00:03,760 --> 00:00:06,120 Speaker 1: solely those of the individuals involved and do not represent 3 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:08,440 Speaker 1: those of Intout, QuickBooks or any of its cornerstone brands 4 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:11,559 Speaker 1: or employees. This podcast does not constitute financial, legal, or 5 00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:14,360 Speaker 1: other professional advice or services. No assurance is given that 6 00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:17,159 Speaker 1: the info is comprehensive, accurate, or free of errors, and 7 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:20,279 Speaker 1: the information presented is for general information purposes only. Into 8 00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:22,880 Speaker 1: It QuickBooks does not have any responsibility for updating or 9 00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:26,480 Speaker 1: advising any information presented. Listeners should verify statements before relying 10 00:00:26,520 --> 00:00:29,000 Speaker 1: on them. QuickBooks Money is a standalone into It offering 11 00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:37,519 Speaker 1: banking services provided by Green Dot Bank member FDIC. Hey everyone, 12 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:39,280 Speaker 1: I'm Jennie Torres. 13 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:43,080 Speaker 2: And I'm Austin Hankwitz. Welcome to Mine the Business. Small 14 00:00:43,200 --> 00:00:46,479 Speaker 2: Business Success Stories, a podcast brought to you by Intuit, 15 00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:50,880 Speaker 2: QuickBooks and iHeartRadio's Ruby Studio. In every episode so far, 16 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:53,639 Speaker 2: we talked with small business owners as they shared their 17 00:00:53,640 --> 00:00:57,040 Speaker 2: stories about the ups and downs of owning a small business. 18 00:00:57,080 --> 00:00:59,960 Speaker 2: But today we're going to do something a little. 19 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:03,720 Speaker 1: Our incredible guests have dropped so many gems over the 20 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:07,200 Speaker 1: last seven episodes, so for our final episode, Austin and 21 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:10,119 Speaker 1: I are going to reflect back on all of those conversations, 22 00:01:10,520 --> 00:01:12,840 Speaker 1: and we're going to tell you our own stories as 23 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:15,320 Speaker 1: well as share with you some never before heard clips 24 00:01:15,319 --> 00:01:18,600 Speaker 1: from our previous interviews about what keeps entrepreneurs going. 25 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:22,560 Speaker 2: That's right, Janie. For this last episode, we're talking about 26 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:25,360 Speaker 2: finding your why, the thing that inspired you to start 27 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:27,440 Speaker 2: your own business in the first place and keeps you 28 00:01:27,520 --> 00:01:30,960 Speaker 2: getting up every day and continuing the dream of self 29 00:01:30,959 --> 00:01:34,480 Speaker 2: employment through the successes, the setbacks, and everything in between. 30 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:38,160 Speaker 1: I'm really excited for this episode, Austin, because we've heard 31 00:01:38,200 --> 00:01:41,399 Speaker 1: some great stories so far, and I have a lot 32 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:43,679 Speaker 1: to share from going on this amazing journey, and I 33 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:44,640 Speaker 1: know you do too. 34 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:50,680 Speaker 2: Oh one hundred percent. It's kind of funny, Janie's I've 35 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:54,080 Speaker 2: always thought of myself actually as an entrepreneur, even since 36 00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:58,200 Speaker 2: I was in middle school. I remember living in Denver, Colorado, 37 00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:00,560 Speaker 2: school got canceled one day because we had this like 38 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:05,000 Speaker 2: crazy blizzard, and instead of like sledding and building snowmen 39 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:09,200 Speaker 2: with my friends, I decided to borrow my neighbor's snowblower, 40 00:02:09,320 --> 00:02:11,520 Speaker 2: teamed up with a few kids around the block, and 41 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:13,919 Speaker 2: we made one hundred and twenty dollars that day, snow 42 00:02:13,960 --> 00:02:18,280 Speaker 2: blowing driveways. Like I've always had this weird knack for entrepreneurship, 43 00:02:18,480 --> 00:02:20,720 Speaker 2: getting hands dirty to make some cash, as well as 44 00:02:20,720 --> 00:02:24,840 Speaker 2: collaborating with other like minded individuals to achieve our general 45 00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:28,040 Speaker 2: goals together. So I'm eager to jump into the episode. 46 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:30,240 Speaker 1: I love that it takes me back to the days 47 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:33,600 Speaker 1: where I had a lemonade stand, and I also saw 48 00:02:33,639 --> 00:02:37,360 Speaker 1: the value of having ways of making money that don't 49 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:39,360 Speaker 1: rely on a nine to five. Even with my own parents, 50 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:41,840 Speaker 1: we used to host yard sales. My dad would like 51 00:02:41,919 --> 00:02:44,720 Speaker 1: find random things in the neighborhood that folks throughout on 52 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:47,959 Speaker 1: trash day we were a little refinishing and sell them for 53 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:50,799 Speaker 1: a couple dollars. And now apparently that's a thing called flipping. 54 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:53,160 Speaker 1: So I think I had a little bit of a 55 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:55,760 Speaker 1: knack for making money on the side ever since I 56 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:56,119 Speaker 1: was young. 57 00:02:56,760 --> 00:02:58,880 Speaker 2: I'm so excited to dive in. So let's do it. 58 00:02:58,919 --> 00:03:01,760 Speaker 2: Denise kick us off. Why did you take the initial 59 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:03,519 Speaker 2: leap into entrepreneurship. 60 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:07,560 Speaker 1: So for me, I had kind of a practical reason 61 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:12,440 Speaker 1: and more of a philosophical one. So I was laid 62 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:16,200 Speaker 1: off actually in twenty fourteen, first and only time, and 63 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 1: it was a really big wake up call for me 64 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:22,520 Speaker 1: because I had been sold this dream, right, this corporate 65 00:03:22,880 --> 00:03:25,840 Speaker 1: dream where you get a job, you work there for 66 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:29,880 Speaker 1: forty years and you're good. And as a first generation kid, 67 00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:32,320 Speaker 1: I definitely got the message that that was the key 68 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:35,800 Speaker 1: to success. So when I followed that path and it 69 00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:37,840 Speaker 1: led me to a position where now all of a sudden, 70 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:39,960 Speaker 1: this career that I've built has been pulled out from 71 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:42,400 Speaker 1: under me, it made me question a lot of that 72 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:44,160 Speaker 1: narrative and it made me never want to be in 73 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 1: a position again to have someone be able to disrupt 74 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:51,720 Speaker 1: my financial stability. So that was the practical reason, but 75 00:03:51,840 --> 00:03:55,600 Speaker 1: also I think I was definitely born with a little 76 00:03:55,600 --> 00:03:58,880 Speaker 1: bit of a rebel streak. As the eldest daughter. My 77 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:01,800 Speaker 1: parents were very strict, and so I would find little 78 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:05,360 Speaker 1: opportunities to kind of question the status quo. Usually got 79 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:08,120 Speaker 1: me in trouble. But I do feel like I'm just 80 00:04:08,160 --> 00:04:10,640 Speaker 1: not really good with having somebody else tell me what 81 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:13,320 Speaker 1: to do. And part of my desire to be an 82 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:15,960 Speaker 1: entrepreneur was the ability to be my own boss. 83 00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:18,200 Speaker 2: I love that genis and you know, I think a 84 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:21,159 Speaker 2: lot of people listening right now would also relate to 85 00:04:21,279 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 2: this sort of like, wait a second. I was told 86 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:25,960 Speaker 2: if I do this, if I go to college, if 87 00:04:25,960 --> 00:04:27,920 Speaker 2: I get the degree, if I work for thirty years 88 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:31,440 Speaker 2: or whatever, that this thing might be. I will be happy, 89 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:34,000 Speaker 2: I'll be rich, I'll be retired, I'll be ABC XYZ, 90 00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:36,760 Speaker 2: whatever that means to them. And I had the same 91 00:04:36,839 --> 00:04:39,239 Speaker 2: sort of wake up call, right. I had realized quickly 92 00:04:39,279 --> 00:04:42,279 Speaker 2: after graduating college something I felt that I spent a 93 00:04:42,320 --> 00:04:44,640 Speaker 2: lot of dang money on that I didn't have the 94 00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:47,840 Speaker 2: answers I was looking for. Sure. I knew calculus and 95 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:51,839 Speaker 2: geography and how many moons were on Jupiter, but I 96 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:54,600 Speaker 2: didn't know how to invest in real estate, build my 97 00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:58,200 Speaker 2: credit score, or start a business. And so I realized 98 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:02,040 Speaker 2: really quickly too, that I wasn't alone in this realization, right, 99 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:05,000 Speaker 2: and that a lot of Americans, countless Americans, really had 100 00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:08,159 Speaker 2: no idea what the stock market was, how to invest, 101 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:10,919 Speaker 2: how to grow their wealth. So since graduating college in 102 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:13,880 Speaker 2: twenty eighteen, I believe the wealth gap in America has 103 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:17,240 Speaker 2: only grown wider, something that I think we all want 104 00:05:17,320 --> 00:05:20,960 Speaker 2: to help shrink. So I want to introduce as many 105 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:23,839 Speaker 2: people to the investor class as possible to help do 106 00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:27,839 Speaker 2: that right to not just be these consumers from the walmarts, 107 00:05:27,880 --> 00:05:31,160 Speaker 2: the targets, the costcos, but also own the companies they 108 00:05:31,240 --> 00:05:34,360 Speaker 2: consume from. And that's why I started publishing my own 109 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:37,640 Speaker 2: personal finance and investing content on the internet. You don't 110 00:05:37,640 --> 00:05:40,440 Speaker 2: have to always trade your time for money anymore. You 111 00:05:40,480 --> 00:05:44,680 Speaker 2: can passively make money through capital appreciation and dividends, two 112 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:46,840 Speaker 2: things that you'll need to know for sure if you 113 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:48,240 Speaker 2: ever want to retire one day. 114 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:52,560 Speaker 1: Yes, absolutely, having ownership of your time is one of 115 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:56,240 Speaker 1: the best things about entrepreneurship. Our first guest on this season, 116 00:05:56,400 --> 00:05:59,440 Speaker 1: Grace Wells, was adamant about the immediate benefits of being 117 00:05:59,480 --> 00:05:59,920 Speaker 1: your own ball. 118 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:00,240 Speaker 2: Yes. 119 00:06:01,960 --> 00:06:05,560 Speaker 3: For me, the most rewarding part about being a solopreneur 120 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:09,360 Speaker 3: and owning my own business is the freedom and the independence. 121 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:12,480 Speaker 3: And I think that now that I've learned how to 122 00:06:12,520 --> 00:06:16,240 Speaker 3: operate in a world where I don't have to report 123 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:18,880 Speaker 3: to a boss in a linear way like I did before, 124 00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:20,880 Speaker 3: it would be so hard for me to go back. 125 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:23,400 Speaker 3: Of course, I have clients and there's lots of people 126 00:06:23,400 --> 00:06:25,960 Speaker 3: that I answer to, but it feels so different when 127 00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:29,760 Speaker 3: every day you wake up and you're creating something for yourself. 128 00:06:30,040 --> 00:06:33,080 Speaker 3: And you're creating a business that's yours. So yeah, I 129 00:06:33,080 --> 00:06:35,080 Speaker 3: think that the biggest thing that sort of drives me 130 00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:37,359 Speaker 3: and pushes me forward is that sense of freedom and 131 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:39,760 Speaker 3: independence that owning a business brings me. 132 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:44,640 Speaker 2: Being an entrepreneur and having to rely on yourself and 133 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:47,520 Speaker 2: your own instruction is really really important and can be 134 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:49,839 Speaker 2: eye opening for a lot of us. So, speaking of 135 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:52,800 Speaker 2: eye opening the genie, when were your eyes first opened 136 00:06:52,960 --> 00:06:55,440 Speaker 2: to see, Wait a second, I can be an entrepreneur, right? 137 00:06:55,440 --> 00:06:58,440 Speaker 2: What were maybe some specific things you did that were like, wait, 138 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:01,240 Speaker 2: I can do this, I have what it's Yeah. 139 00:07:01,279 --> 00:07:05,800 Speaker 1: I love this question because that transition period is something 140 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:10,160 Speaker 1: very scary. I never imagined myself being a full time entrepreneur. 141 00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:13,960 Speaker 1: So when I decided that I was interested in taking 142 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 1: the leap, I chose not to jump out of the 143 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:19,840 Speaker 1: plane without a parachute. I took a very strategic approach, 144 00:07:19,880 --> 00:07:22,480 Speaker 1: and I really wanted to prove to myself that I 145 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:25,560 Speaker 1: could actually do this. So part of what I started 146 00:07:25,560 --> 00:07:28,600 Speaker 1: doing was funneling my paycheck to my four oh one 147 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:32,120 Speaker 1: K and paying myself through the business. So I got 148 00:07:32,160 --> 00:07:35,720 Speaker 1: on payroll. I was issuing myself a paycheck equivalent to 149 00:07:35,760 --> 00:07:38,120 Speaker 1: what I was earning as an engineer, and I wanted 150 00:07:38,120 --> 00:07:40,800 Speaker 1: to do that for at least four to five months 151 00:07:41,040 --> 00:07:44,040 Speaker 1: in order to really prove to myself that I could 152 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:46,440 Speaker 1: walk away and still be able to keep my standard 153 00:07:46,440 --> 00:07:50,120 Speaker 1: of living. That might be very conservative for some people. 154 00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:52,640 Speaker 1: You know, there's a lot of folks who start businesses 155 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 1: during a job layoff or a transition. But if you 156 00:07:56,200 --> 00:08:00,200 Speaker 1: have the opportunity to do this while you're working full time, 157 00:08:00,280 --> 00:08:03,200 Speaker 1: I think it's a really smart thing to do because 158 00:08:03,240 --> 00:08:06,760 Speaker 1: you can bulk up your emergency savings, you can invest 159 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:09,360 Speaker 1: some money from your paycheck into growing your business, and 160 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:13,080 Speaker 1: you don't have this immediate need to make this payoff 161 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:15,920 Speaker 1: right away. And I want to remind folks how important 162 00:08:15,920 --> 00:08:19,560 Speaker 1: it is to understand this is a process. Anybody who 163 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:22,400 Speaker 1: has run a business, who has built a business, will 164 00:08:22,440 --> 00:08:24,480 Speaker 1: tell you it does take time. And so I think 165 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:27,800 Speaker 1: having the patience and really putting the systems in place 166 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:30,600 Speaker 1: to make you be able to make that transition safely 167 00:08:30,960 --> 00:08:33,560 Speaker 1: and hopefully for the final time, I think it's a 168 00:08:33,559 --> 00:08:37,480 Speaker 1: good strategic move. I'm curious for you, Austin, when you 169 00:08:37,559 --> 00:08:41,280 Speaker 1: were deciding to take your content creation career to the 170 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:44,240 Speaker 1: next level. What was your process. 171 00:08:44,880 --> 00:08:47,520 Speaker 2: I did a very similar thing that you did, Genie. 172 00:08:47,920 --> 00:08:53,480 Speaker 2: I did not want to jump into solopreneurship entrepreneurship without 173 00:08:53,600 --> 00:08:57,840 Speaker 2: knowing that there was longevity to it, right, And so 174 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:02,280 Speaker 2: for me, I was building my business on the side 175 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:04,240 Speaker 2: while also working full time. And I did that for 176 00:09:04,240 --> 00:09:07,720 Speaker 2: an entire year. So I was working forty fifty sixty 177 00:09:07,720 --> 00:09:10,240 Speaker 2: hours a week and then from call it nine pm 178 00:09:10,360 --> 00:09:13,280 Speaker 2: to one am, I was building my business and I 179 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:16,280 Speaker 2: did that for it really was about a year. So 180 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:18,440 Speaker 2: I did the same thing. I wanted to make sure 181 00:09:18,440 --> 00:09:21,360 Speaker 2: that I had what it took to completely say I 182 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 2: can hang up my W two. I kind of come 183 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:25,800 Speaker 2: from this other side of the spectrum where I really 184 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:29,160 Speaker 2: liked my job. I really enjoyed working my W two job. 185 00:09:29,240 --> 00:09:31,640 Speaker 2: Sure I worked pretty hard and I was probably underpaid 186 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:34,000 Speaker 2: a little bit, but generally speaking, I really enjoyed the 187 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:35,800 Speaker 2: people I worked with. And it was kind of hard 188 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:38,240 Speaker 2: to take a step back from that and say, no, 189 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:40,240 Speaker 2: I should start my own business and I should double 190 00:09:40,280 --> 00:09:43,240 Speaker 2: down on entrepreneurship. And you know, so when I talked 191 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:46,000 Speaker 2: to in that process was my dad. And I think 192 00:09:46,040 --> 00:09:48,800 Speaker 2: this is a really big lesson that I learned as 193 00:09:48,800 --> 00:09:51,600 Speaker 2: an entrepreneur was you know. I said, hey, Dad, I've 194 00:09:51,600 --> 00:09:55,000 Speaker 2: got this thing called TikTok and podcasting and newsletters, and 195 00:09:55,160 --> 00:09:57,520 Speaker 2: I'm doing the stuff on the internet. I'm making way 196 00:09:57,559 --> 00:09:59,280 Speaker 2: more money doing this than I am with my W 197 00:09:59,360 --> 00:10:02,240 Speaker 2: two job. I'm ready to make the transition. And he goes, 198 00:10:02,559 --> 00:10:04,360 Speaker 2: I have no idea what you just talked about. Why 199 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:07,360 Speaker 2: would you give up your job to do things on 200 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:09,480 Speaker 2: the internet. What are you talking about, Austin? And so 201 00:10:09,640 --> 00:10:11,400 Speaker 2: you know that definitely weighed on me, right. I really 202 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:14,240 Speaker 2: appreciate my dad's perspective and advice, but I ended up, 203 00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:16,400 Speaker 2: of course, against his advice quitting my job, which was 204 00:10:16,400 --> 00:10:19,160 Speaker 2: the best decision ever. But I think a lot of people, 205 00:10:19,200 --> 00:10:21,559 Speaker 2: again take the advice from people that aren't qualified to 206 00:10:21,559 --> 00:10:25,160 Speaker 2: give that advice, and sometimes to the detriment of their futures. 207 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:28,959 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think it's a good reminder that you have 208 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:32,520 Speaker 1: to believe in the idea more than anybody else, because 209 00:10:32,600 --> 00:10:37,000 Speaker 1: usually what happens is everyone calls you crazy until you're successful, 210 00:10:37,160 --> 00:10:38,839 Speaker 1: and then they ask you how you did it. 211 00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:42,800 Speaker 2: One hundred percent. It's all about taking what you know, 212 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:46,120 Speaker 2: researching what you don't, and making it happen. I mean, 213 00:10:46,120 --> 00:10:48,440 Speaker 2: look at our guest Michael Bain. He was working insane 214 00:10:48,520 --> 00:10:51,320 Speaker 2: hours sweating in the kitchens, but he saw a need 215 00:10:51,480 --> 00:10:54,200 Speaker 2: adjacent to that world that he could fill and be 216 00:10:54,320 --> 00:10:57,720 Speaker 2: much happier doing so he started Moshi Moshi Knives and 217 00:10:57,760 --> 00:10:58,679 Speaker 2: never looked back. 218 00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:02,480 Speaker 1: Absolutely. Michael is a great example of why we get 219 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:05,680 Speaker 1: into business for ourselves, especially after seeing what it's like 220 00:11:05,760 --> 00:11:08,240 Speaker 1: working for someone else. Let's roll that clip. 221 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:12,000 Speaker 4: I think right now, it's been the thing that I 222 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:15,400 Speaker 4: can make the most money with with my skills right like, 223 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:19,280 Speaker 4: and I haven't even reached close to the ceiling, so 224 00:11:19,320 --> 00:11:21,800 Speaker 4: it's like, there's still so much more I can do. 225 00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:25,360 Speaker 4: I just think it's the best money making opportunity for 226 00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:28,520 Speaker 4: me right now. And it's like I kind of forwarded 227 00:11:28,559 --> 00:11:31,280 Speaker 4: my ambition in the past four years because I just 228 00:11:31,320 --> 00:11:33,679 Speaker 4: worked in a kitchen in the past decade and I'm tired. 229 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:36,800 Speaker 4: So it's nice having a easier life. But as I'm 230 00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:39,840 Speaker 4: getting older too, like the desire to push more and like, 231 00:11:40,360 --> 00:11:42,640 Speaker 4: you know, the desire to be more successful is there. 232 00:11:44,559 --> 00:11:49,080 Speaker 1: I love the various reasons why we started this business, 233 00:11:49,440 --> 00:11:53,920 Speaker 1: why we pursued entrepreneurship. I'm curious for you, Austin, what's 234 00:11:53,960 --> 00:11:57,959 Speaker 1: your why when those hard times show up, Because they will, 235 00:11:58,559 --> 00:12:01,200 Speaker 1: there will be setbacks, and how do you continue going 236 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:02,920 Speaker 1: forward when things do get challenging. 237 00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:06,199 Speaker 2: That's a really good question, you know. I think I 238 00:12:06,240 --> 00:12:08,000 Speaker 2: have two answers to this, the first being if you 239 00:12:08,080 --> 00:12:12,880 Speaker 2: lay the foundation right, you work with integrity, compassion, honesty, 240 00:12:13,559 --> 00:12:18,599 Speaker 2: everything that gives us our uniqueness. Setbacks are going to 241 00:12:18,640 --> 00:12:22,880 Speaker 2: be far in view between understanding your business and your financials. 242 00:12:22,920 --> 00:12:25,120 Speaker 2: Like the back of your hand is also a really, 243 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:28,680 Speaker 2: really great way to identify these red flags and setbacks 244 00:12:28,760 --> 00:12:32,439 Speaker 2: before they happen, which is something I take very seriously, 245 00:12:32,559 --> 00:12:34,680 Speaker 2: and quick books is the easiest way for me to 246 00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:37,520 Speaker 2: do that. But with that being said, the way I'm 247 00:12:37,559 --> 00:12:40,960 Speaker 2: able to get over setbacks, especially if they are very 248 00:12:41,080 --> 00:12:44,440 Speaker 2: very big setbacks, is to surround myself with people who 249 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:48,000 Speaker 2: continue to motivate me, educate me, and inspire me to 250 00:12:48,080 --> 00:12:51,000 Speaker 2: keep going. I mean, that's the simple answer a setback. 251 00:12:51,040 --> 00:12:54,760 Speaker 2: I think every content creator, maybe even yourself included, is 252 00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:57,440 Speaker 2: worried about right now. Is this like potential ban for 253 00:12:57,559 --> 00:13:00,960 Speaker 2: TikTok And for me that would be pretty I'm certainly 254 00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:03,720 Speaker 2: a TikToker, but I'm doing what I can at the moment. 255 00:13:03,800 --> 00:13:07,040 Speaker 2: To own my audience by collecting their email addresses, maybe 256 00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:09,720 Speaker 2: migrating them to another platform, and back to what we 257 00:13:09,760 --> 00:13:13,600 Speaker 2: talked about before, diversifying my revenue streams away from one 258 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:17,520 Speaker 2: specific funnel. So I think that by having sort of 259 00:13:17,520 --> 00:13:20,680 Speaker 2: a bird's eye view, a calm, cool, collected perspective on 260 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:24,080 Speaker 2: what this setback might be, and to only remember that 261 00:13:24,160 --> 00:13:27,439 Speaker 2: you can control the controllables. That's all you can control, right, 262 00:13:27,520 --> 00:13:31,120 Speaker 2: things that are absolutely in your hands, And I can't 263 00:13:31,160 --> 00:13:34,080 Speaker 2: control a potential TikTok ban or something else that's completely 264 00:13:34,120 --> 00:13:35,520 Speaker 2: out of my hands. So I'm doing the best I 265 00:13:35,559 --> 00:13:36,720 Speaker 2: can with the cards I'm dealt. 266 00:13:37,240 --> 00:13:39,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, that's all we can do. We kind 267 00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:41,840 Speaker 1: of just have to roll with the punches. I always 268 00:13:41,880 --> 00:13:46,560 Speaker 1: tell people that entrepreneurship is the greatest lesson in resilience, 269 00:13:47,160 --> 00:13:50,640 Speaker 1: and I had a personal story with my own business 270 00:13:50,679 --> 00:13:54,160 Speaker 1: that really made me grateful for the fact that I 271 00:13:54,200 --> 00:13:56,920 Speaker 1: am very conservative when it comes to how I set 272 00:13:56,960 --> 00:13:59,120 Speaker 1: aside money, because you just never know when there's going 273 00:13:59,160 --> 00:14:02,559 Speaker 1: to be those times where there's an unexpected expense or 274 00:14:02,640 --> 00:14:05,480 Speaker 1: things are over budget. I had my first live event 275 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:10,520 Speaker 1: last year and I ended up going six figures over 276 00:14:10,600 --> 00:14:13,520 Speaker 1: the budget. When it was all said and done, and 277 00:14:13,679 --> 00:14:16,440 Speaker 1: that type of situation could make or break a business. 278 00:14:16,720 --> 00:14:19,480 Speaker 1: But what I have been really good at, and I 279 00:14:19,480 --> 00:14:21,400 Speaker 1: think this is why I like to call myself a 280 00:14:21,440 --> 00:14:23,640 Speaker 1: little bit of a money nerd is I have so 281 00:14:23,720 --> 00:14:26,520 Speaker 1: many different pools of money that I was able to 282 00:14:26,760 --> 00:14:30,760 Speaker 1: kind of reallocate where I had saved some investments and 283 00:14:30,920 --> 00:14:33,080 Speaker 1: cash out that stuff so that I could actually foot 284 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:35,640 Speaker 1: the bill and not get into even more debt in 285 00:14:35,720 --> 00:14:38,280 Speaker 1: order to cover the expenses of this live event. It 286 00:14:38,360 --> 00:14:40,280 Speaker 1: was a really big teaching moment for me because it 287 00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:42,240 Speaker 1: was the first time that I had taken on such 288 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:45,080 Speaker 1: a big project. Made me question if I want to 289 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:47,240 Speaker 1: do it again. But I'm just glad that I had 290 00:14:47,280 --> 00:14:51,320 Speaker 1: the financial stability and the resiliency in my own business 291 00:14:51,360 --> 00:14:55,400 Speaker 1: to be able to weather that really unexpected expense. 292 00:14:55,760 --> 00:14:58,600 Speaker 2: Oh my gosh, I could not imagine having to deal 293 00:14:58,640 --> 00:15:01,680 Speaker 2: with that. Jendi's I more power to you. You know 294 00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:04,680 Speaker 2: that really reminds me, though, of our conversation with Taylor. 295 00:15:04,760 --> 00:15:07,480 Speaker 2: You know, she had this crazy tax bill that came 296 00:15:07,520 --> 00:15:10,000 Speaker 2: out of blue for her. She had to move, she 297 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:13,240 Speaker 2: had to do all these crazy big things to overcome 298 00:15:13,440 --> 00:15:16,040 Speaker 2: that setback, and that challenge, and it really just reminds 299 00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:18,080 Speaker 2: me of how resilient entrepreneurs can be. 300 00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:22,880 Speaker 5: I get into this creative flow that fills me up 301 00:15:22,920 --> 00:15:25,000 Speaker 5: more than anything, and I think that's when you know 302 00:15:25,280 --> 00:15:28,920 Speaker 5: you're doing the right thing, is when your job doesn't 303 00:15:28,960 --> 00:15:32,160 Speaker 5: really feel like a job. And so I think, if anything, 304 00:15:32,200 --> 00:15:36,760 Speaker 5: that's just like, what keeps me inspired is just the 305 00:15:36,880 --> 00:15:39,040 Speaker 5: love of what I do. And I think if you 306 00:15:39,120 --> 00:15:43,280 Speaker 5: can find that, like, I feel so lucky to be 307 00:15:43,400 --> 00:15:45,400 Speaker 5: able to be doing this for a living and to 308 00:15:45,560 --> 00:15:46,840 Speaker 5: enjoy it as much as I do. 309 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:51,240 Speaker 2: You know, I think a lot of us forget, though, 310 00:15:51,320 --> 00:15:55,400 Speaker 2: that we dream and fantasize about being an entrepreneur, about 311 00:15:55,400 --> 00:15:58,200 Speaker 2: being a solopreneur and owning our time, owning our business, 312 00:15:58,720 --> 00:16:01,160 Speaker 2: and then we get to that point and we're like, 313 00:16:01,200 --> 00:16:03,360 Speaker 2: oh gosh, wait, this is a little scary. I'm just gonna, 314 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:05,480 Speaker 2: you know, be a victim to my circumstance and kind 315 00:16:05,520 --> 00:16:08,400 Speaker 2: of bow out. Heck, no, I mean, you work so 316 00:16:08,480 --> 00:16:11,400 Speaker 2: hard to get here, keep working hard to remain here. 317 00:16:11,440 --> 00:16:14,280 Speaker 2: You mentioned resiliency. That is so so important for people 318 00:16:14,280 --> 00:16:17,960 Speaker 2: listening right now to realize is entrepreneurship isn't always flowers 319 00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:21,680 Speaker 2: and unicorns and rainbows. It sometimes is a lot of resiliency. 320 00:16:22,400 --> 00:16:27,880 Speaker 1: Absolutely, as they say, anything worth doing is worth working for, 321 00:16:28,160 --> 00:16:31,000 Speaker 1: and even through the ups and downs, it's so important 322 00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:34,000 Speaker 1: for us to celebrate our victories wherever we can. And 323 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:37,920 Speaker 1: I'm curious for you, Austin, why do you celebrate victories 324 00:16:37,960 --> 00:16:38,760 Speaker 1: and how do you do it? 325 00:16:39,240 --> 00:16:42,120 Speaker 2: How I celebrate victories is you know, certainly I like 326 00:16:42,160 --> 00:16:44,080 Speaker 2: to go on vacations. I like to spend time with 327 00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:46,360 Speaker 2: my family. I like to go out with my friends. 328 00:16:46,360 --> 00:16:47,720 Speaker 2: You know, I live here in Nashville. It's a lot 329 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:49,840 Speaker 2: of fun. But something else I like to do, and 330 00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:52,720 Speaker 2: I try and do this every single quarter throughout the year, 331 00:16:53,200 --> 00:16:55,360 Speaker 2: is I reflect upon the last three months and I 332 00:16:55,480 --> 00:16:57,960 Speaker 2: write down to my journal what I had achieved right, 333 00:16:58,080 --> 00:16:59,840 Speaker 2: And sometimes when I look back to what I have 334 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:03,000 Speaker 2: written in this journal back in twenty twenty, twenty twenty one, 335 00:17:03,080 --> 00:17:05,560 Speaker 2: twenty twenty two, I'm just like, oh my gosh, if 336 00:17:05,600 --> 00:17:07,560 Speaker 2: I come so far. And I think a lot of 337 00:17:07,560 --> 00:17:10,159 Speaker 2: that self reflection is really important for other people listening 338 00:17:10,240 --> 00:17:12,840 Speaker 2: right now to do because you don't know what you 339 00:17:12,920 --> 00:17:17,080 Speaker 2: don't know. And I guarantee you in two, five, ten years, 340 00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:19,160 Speaker 2: you're going to be doing stuff that you right now 341 00:17:19,200 --> 00:17:21,520 Speaker 2: would have never imagined. 342 00:17:22,400 --> 00:17:25,360 Speaker 1: It's so true. You know, when I think about why 343 00:17:25,359 --> 00:17:29,960 Speaker 1: it's important for me to celebrate victories, it's because entrepreneurship 344 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:33,000 Speaker 1: has given me a real gift, which is the ability 345 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:37,000 Speaker 1: to own my time, and to celebrate my one year 346 00:17:37,040 --> 00:17:41,120 Speaker 1: anniversary of becoming a full time entrepreneur. I actually ended 347 00:17:41,200 --> 00:17:43,919 Speaker 1: up taking my mom to Paris. Oh wow, yeah, I 348 00:17:43,960 --> 00:17:46,360 Speaker 1: mean it was an incredible mother daughter trip. We've never 349 00:17:46,400 --> 00:17:49,240 Speaker 1: traveled together before that, so it was an opportunity to 350 00:17:49,320 --> 00:17:52,440 Speaker 1: make a lot of memories, but especially because she was 351 00:17:52,520 --> 00:17:56,159 Speaker 1: declared cancer free a little bit before that, and so 352 00:17:56,400 --> 00:18:00,479 Speaker 1: for me it was just a really important mile stone 353 00:18:00,600 --> 00:18:04,160 Speaker 1: for both of us in entrepreneurship was at the center 354 00:18:04,200 --> 00:18:06,439 Speaker 1: of why I was even able to take this trip. 355 00:18:06,480 --> 00:18:08,720 Speaker 1: You know, I didn't have to request PTO and you 356 00:18:08,760 --> 00:18:11,000 Speaker 1: have to worry about the budget. I was really able 357 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:15,280 Speaker 1: to just be present and make these really really memorable 358 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:18,960 Speaker 1: moments matter. And I think that's the reason why we 359 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:22,000 Speaker 1: have to get really good at enjoying those benefits that 360 00:18:22,040 --> 00:18:25,200 Speaker 1: do come from entrepreneurship, because it is so worth it. 361 00:18:25,600 --> 00:18:30,160 Speaker 2: Oh my gosh, Paris, that sounds incredible. I am so jealous. 362 00:18:30,440 --> 00:18:32,560 Speaker 2: I've never been, and I'm thrilled for your mom to 363 00:18:32,560 --> 00:18:35,359 Speaker 2: be cancer free. Being able to be there for family 364 00:18:35,359 --> 00:18:37,800 Speaker 2: members when things get challenging is one of the benefits 365 00:18:37,840 --> 00:18:40,840 Speaker 2: of entrepreneurship that you really just can't put a price on. 366 00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:44,600 Speaker 2: You can measure profits and overhead and output all day long, 367 00:18:44,680 --> 00:18:47,240 Speaker 2: but the ability to take care of your family, not 368 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:50,680 Speaker 2: just financially, but with your time and your physical presence 369 00:18:50,800 --> 00:18:52,800 Speaker 2: is just an immeasurable benefit. 370 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:53,639 Speaker 1: You know. 371 00:18:53,840 --> 00:18:56,600 Speaker 2: That really reminds me though, of our conversations with Michael 372 00:18:56,680 --> 00:18:59,280 Speaker 2: and Daniel j. They're a father and son team who 373 00:18:59,359 --> 00:19:02,000 Speaker 2: co founded the t shirt business that Lazy Butt Club, 374 00:19:02,240 --> 00:19:04,240 Speaker 2: and not only did they find a way to work together, 375 00:19:04,320 --> 00:19:07,080 Speaker 2: but they also made sure that as entrepreneurs, they make 376 00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:10,399 Speaker 2: time for each other outside of work and prioritize their family. 377 00:19:10,920 --> 00:19:12,879 Speaker 1: And let's throw to that clip real quick. 378 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:17,320 Speaker 6: What keeps me going is the fact that we have 379 00:19:17,480 --> 00:19:20,680 Speaker 6: had success and I've seen that it's possible, and then 380 00:19:20,800 --> 00:19:23,240 Speaker 6: that it's happened a few times actually, where we've had 381 00:19:23,440 --> 00:19:26,760 Speaker 6: different viral videos over the span of the last coming 382 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:29,320 Speaker 6: up on three years. So when the views are low 383 00:19:29,359 --> 00:19:32,880 Speaker 6: and the sales are low, I just keep going because 384 00:19:33,280 --> 00:19:34,400 Speaker 6: I know it's possible now. 385 00:19:35,080 --> 00:19:37,199 Speaker 7: Yeah, I was just going to say, what keeps me 386 00:19:37,280 --> 00:19:40,680 Speaker 7: going over the years and everything is knowing that you're 387 00:19:40,680 --> 00:19:44,200 Speaker 7: an entrepreneur and you can actually have your own destiny 388 00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:48,280 Speaker 7: by working more hours, working harder, and not really trying 389 00:19:48,320 --> 00:19:51,960 Speaker 7: to be successful, but just trying to keep working. And 390 00:19:52,560 --> 00:19:56,679 Speaker 7: the thing that keeps us going really well is knowing 391 00:19:56,720 --> 00:19:59,959 Speaker 7: that we do get to be lazy when we're not 392 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:03,159 Speaker 7: doing well. And it used to be that you were 393 00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:05,720 Speaker 7: just always trying to make money, but now since we're 394 00:20:05,720 --> 00:20:08,080 Speaker 7: so busy, we're always trying to take time off and 395 00:20:08,080 --> 00:20:10,880 Speaker 7: go golfing, and that's a easier way to do it. 396 00:20:12,680 --> 00:20:15,119 Speaker 2: And the same thing for Jordan Rose, right, she's an 397 00:20:15,160 --> 00:20:18,080 Speaker 2: Etsy seller and the owner of Fresh Prince of SF. 398 00:20:18,560 --> 00:20:21,320 Speaker 2: She was very clear about how important owning her time 399 00:20:21,400 --> 00:20:24,040 Speaker 2: is and how as entrepreneurs we don't have to ask 400 00:20:24,119 --> 00:20:26,720 Speaker 2: for PTO. We don't have to go ask for someone's 401 00:20:26,720 --> 00:20:30,240 Speaker 2: permission to go take a family trip or celebrate someone's achievements. 402 00:20:30,280 --> 00:20:31,720 Speaker 2: It's just so powerful. 403 00:20:32,320 --> 00:20:35,639 Speaker 1: Yeah, she gave us some really great insights into what 404 00:20:35,840 --> 00:20:37,160 Speaker 1: keeps solopreneurs going. 405 00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:42,920 Speaker 8: I wrote a letter to myself when I left the library, 406 00:20:43,440 --> 00:20:47,200 Speaker 8: and my sister told me to do that, it says 407 00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:51,679 Speaker 8: to me, like you left the library. You left your 408 00:20:51,760 --> 00:20:55,400 Speaker 8: nine to five for a reason. I always love libraries 409 00:20:55,400 --> 00:20:58,040 Speaker 8: and I'm happy to sub there, but I know, like 410 00:20:58,119 --> 00:21:00,400 Speaker 8: as a lifestyle, it doesn't work for me anymore. And 411 00:21:00,480 --> 00:21:04,400 Speaker 8: when I get exhausted doing what I'm doing now, I'm 412 00:21:04,520 --> 00:21:08,200 Speaker 8: still happier than I've ever been in my whole life. 413 00:21:08,600 --> 00:21:11,879 Speaker 8: And in the beginning, when I was really questioning, like 414 00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:18,040 Speaker 8: struggling to have anyone see my work or whatever it 415 00:21:18,080 --> 00:21:21,760 Speaker 8: may be, you know, I was struggling to get money 416 00:21:21,800 --> 00:21:25,280 Speaker 8: in my pocket after having very comfortable nine to five 417 00:21:25,520 --> 00:21:28,320 Speaker 8: that gave me a consistent amount of money each week. 418 00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:30,679 Speaker 8: I would open that letter and say, like, don't panic, 419 00:21:31,400 --> 00:21:34,600 Speaker 8: everything's fine. 420 00:21:34,440 --> 00:21:35,760 Speaker 1: Coming up after the break. 421 00:21:36,160 --> 00:21:38,359 Speaker 9: When I went freelance, the reason I did it was 422 00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:41,520 Speaker 9: so that I could live a fuller life, whether that 423 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:44,480 Speaker 9: was travel, whether that was pursuing comedy. 424 00:21:45,240 --> 00:21:57,920 Speaker 1: We'll be right back with mine the business. Welcome back 425 00:21:57,920 --> 00:22:02,040 Speaker 1: to Mind the Business. Small business stories from iHeartMedia's Ruby 426 00:22:02,119 --> 00:22:06,040 Speaker 1: Studio and into It QuickBooks. You know, one of the 427 00:22:06,040 --> 00:22:11,240 Speaker 1: things that despite entrepreneurship being so fabulous, it does get 428 00:22:11,280 --> 00:22:13,440 Speaker 1: lonely at times. And so I think that's one of 429 00:22:13,480 --> 00:22:15,919 Speaker 1: the reasons why it's been really important for me to 430 00:22:15,960 --> 00:22:19,960 Speaker 1: build community. I know, for somebody who is like a 431 00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:23,280 Speaker 1: first generation business owner like me, my family still doesn't 432 00:22:23,359 --> 00:22:26,000 Speaker 1: understand what the heck I do, and so it's been 433 00:22:26,080 --> 00:22:29,960 Speaker 1: really important for me to create community, find folks who 434 00:22:30,160 --> 00:22:33,679 Speaker 1: actually get the struggles that we're going through, and it 435 00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:36,720 Speaker 1: can be very lonely as well. From somebody that works 436 00:22:36,720 --> 00:22:40,080 Speaker 1: from home, I've had to become very intentional about creating 437 00:22:40,080 --> 00:22:42,399 Speaker 1: this space where I can ask for help and know 438 00:22:42,440 --> 00:22:45,680 Speaker 1: who to contact for resources, and community can do more 439 00:22:45,720 --> 00:22:47,720 Speaker 1: than just give you a hand when you need it. 440 00:22:47,720 --> 00:22:49,879 Speaker 1: It's also a place where we can help out others 441 00:22:49,920 --> 00:22:54,280 Speaker 1: and even thrive ourselves. Our guests Sierramani Mae looked around 442 00:22:54,560 --> 00:22:57,960 Speaker 1: and didn't see any environmentally sustainable options for faux hair care, 443 00:22:58,320 --> 00:23:02,440 Speaker 1: so she said about creating one herself, founding her own company, Rebundle. 444 00:23:02,880 --> 00:23:05,399 Speaker 1: Now she's a community leader at the forefront of that 445 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:06,639 Speaker 1: entire industry. 446 00:23:07,960 --> 00:23:11,679 Speaker 10: I'm excited by how much more work there is to 447 00:23:11,720 --> 00:23:14,399 Speaker 10: be done in this space. I think that we've done 448 00:23:14,720 --> 00:23:19,800 Speaker 10: a great job bringing awareness to this industry and the 449 00:23:19,840 --> 00:23:23,119 Speaker 10: way that the product has been made and distributed For 450 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:26,280 Speaker 10: the last several decades. So that was really motivating in 451 00:23:26,320 --> 00:23:28,480 Speaker 10: the beginning to like sort of spill the beans and 452 00:23:28,560 --> 00:23:30,960 Speaker 10: like shine a light on the space that I didn't 453 00:23:31,200 --> 00:23:34,280 Speaker 10: think was getting the attention it deserved. But now a 454 00:23:34,280 --> 00:23:38,800 Speaker 10: couple of years in, I'm motivated by the real possibility 455 00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:44,399 Speaker 10: of making this segment of the beauty industry more aligned 456 00:23:44,600 --> 00:23:47,399 Speaker 10: with the way the rest of the beauty industry operates. 457 00:23:48,880 --> 00:23:51,760 Speaker 1: I'm curious for you, Austin, how's community played a role 458 00:23:51,840 --> 00:23:52,800 Speaker 1: in your own journey. 459 00:23:53,320 --> 00:23:57,520 Speaker 2: Oh my gosh, community was major. I mean, to your point, 460 00:23:57,720 --> 00:24:01,080 Speaker 2: working from home, not being around people, but making all 461 00:24:01,080 --> 00:24:05,400 Speaker 2: these random friends on the internet, Like it feels wow, 462 00:24:05,400 --> 00:24:07,640 Speaker 2: I've got all these followers and potential friends and people 463 00:24:07,680 --> 00:24:09,119 Speaker 2: that care about what I have to say, but it 464 00:24:09,160 --> 00:24:12,080 Speaker 2: gets really lonely. So you know, for me, I would 465 00:24:12,119 --> 00:24:15,320 Speaker 2: say that having that community not just to look toward 466 00:24:15,359 --> 00:24:19,359 Speaker 2: as it relates to specific problems or challenges that I'm facing, 467 00:24:19,400 --> 00:24:23,399 Speaker 2: but also I love connecting with new content creators or 468 00:24:23,480 --> 00:24:26,960 Speaker 2: new small business owners who are really excited to begin 469 00:24:27,040 --> 00:24:30,479 Speaker 2: their entrepreneurial journey and sharing with them. Oh my gosh, 470 00:24:30,560 --> 00:24:32,800 Speaker 2: I tried this, it worked great. You need to do 471 00:24:32,840 --> 00:24:35,280 Speaker 2: it too, or oh my gosh, I made this mistake. 472 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:37,720 Speaker 2: Avoid it at all costs. This is not what you 473 00:24:37,760 --> 00:24:39,960 Speaker 2: want to be doing or spending your time doing. I 474 00:24:40,119 --> 00:24:42,440 Speaker 2: just that to me is what really fires me up. 475 00:24:42,680 --> 00:24:45,720 Speaker 2: You know, in building community outside of entrepreneurship can be 476 00:24:45,880 --> 00:24:49,200 Speaker 2: just as important. I think a lot of entrepreneurs fall 477 00:24:49,320 --> 00:24:52,720 Speaker 2: victim to like hustle culture and always on, always working. 478 00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:55,400 Speaker 2: Got to be working my twelve fifteen, twenty four hour 479 00:24:55,520 --> 00:24:58,480 Speaker 2: days like these just crazy things. You know, It's okay 480 00:24:58,560 --> 00:25:00,600 Speaker 2: to take a break and go hang out your friends, 481 00:25:00,680 --> 00:25:02,520 Speaker 2: or go take your dog for a walk, or go 482 00:25:02,640 --> 00:25:05,440 Speaker 2: you know, just get outside, touch grass, right, all these 483 00:25:05,480 --> 00:25:08,800 Speaker 2: things that are so important that the headlines and the 484 00:25:08,800 --> 00:25:11,000 Speaker 2: Internet might make you think is like, wait, no, that's 485 00:25:11,160 --> 00:25:14,400 Speaker 2: that's not what entrepreneurship is about. Well, they're wrong. Entrepreneurship 486 00:25:14,440 --> 00:25:16,359 Speaker 2: is about owning your time and spending your time the 487 00:25:16,400 --> 00:25:18,800 Speaker 2: way you want to. If that is connecting with other 488 00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:21,800 Speaker 2: entrepreneurs and building that side of your community, or connecting 489 00:25:21,880 --> 00:25:24,919 Speaker 2: with your friends and your existing community outside of work. 490 00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:28,159 Speaker 1: Absolutely, a big part of how community has helped me 491 00:25:28,400 --> 00:25:32,120 Speaker 1: is having a kind of pool of people who can 492 00:25:32,240 --> 00:25:35,840 Speaker 1: give me access to connections and resources that I didn't 493 00:25:35,840 --> 00:25:38,840 Speaker 1: even know existed. For example, I am coming out with 494 00:25:38,880 --> 00:25:42,640 Speaker 1: a new book and my book proposal coach, my agent. 495 00:25:43,280 --> 00:25:46,280 Speaker 1: So many people that have put this together were because 496 00:25:46,320 --> 00:25:49,040 Speaker 1: of community. I have a mentor who introduced me to 497 00:25:49,080 --> 00:25:51,080 Speaker 1: a lot of folks who have now been able to 498 00:25:51,080 --> 00:25:53,119 Speaker 1: be a part of this awesome project. And so I 499 00:25:53,160 --> 00:25:57,399 Speaker 1: think it's important to foster community because that is how 500 00:25:57,440 --> 00:26:00,239 Speaker 1: you can potentially find out that next tool that going 501 00:26:00,280 --> 00:26:02,440 Speaker 1: to help make success easier for you and your business, 502 00:26:02,880 --> 00:26:03,960 Speaker 1: like QuickBooks money. 503 00:26:04,400 --> 00:26:07,080 Speaker 2: I couldn't agree more. Janis Now we've talked a lot 504 00:26:07,160 --> 00:26:10,159 Speaker 2: about ourselves here, but I really want to dive deeper 505 00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:13,280 Speaker 2: into your why Why do you keep going? Why do 506 00:26:13,320 --> 00:26:16,280 Speaker 2: you keep doing it? Give me the number one reason? 507 00:26:16,960 --> 00:26:19,359 Speaker 1: So I love the fact that now I get to 508 00:26:19,400 --> 00:26:22,800 Speaker 1: write my own rules. I am someone who really enjoys 509 00:26:22,840 --> 00:26:25,879 Speaker 1: the fact that no day looks the same and I 510 00:26:25,920 --> 00:26:29,199 Speaker 1: get to live and work in a way more creative 511 00:26:29,280 --> 00:26:33,240 Speaker 1: zone than I could before. This is the freedom that 512 00:26:33,480 --> 00:26:36,720 Speaker 1: entrepreneurship gives you. It's really the ability to create a 513 00:26:36,800 --> 00:26:41,760 Speaker 1: career and really dictate how you spend your time your energy. 514 00:26:42,600 --> 00:26:47,040 Speaker 1: For me, most importantly, it's been that I am my 515 00:26:47,160 --> 00:26:49,960 Speaker 1: own safety net as an entrepreneur. I don't have to 516 00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:52,359 Speaker 1: worry about somebody laying me off. I don't have to 517 00:26:52,400 --> 00:26:55,560 Speaker 1: worry about you know, it's not in the budget. There's 518 00:26:55,760 --> 00:26:58,080 Speaker 1: a real power that comes from being able to be 519 00:26:58,119 --> 00:27:01,080 Speaker 1: your own money printer as a business owner, and I 520 00:27:01,119 --> 00:27:03,240 Speaker 1: feel like it helps me walk around in the world 521 00:27:03,280 --> 00:27:06,919 Speaker 1: with a little bit of more confidence, you know, just 522 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:08,879 Speaker 1: that I have the ability to create the life that 523 00:27:08,920 --> 00:27:11,560 Speaker 1: I want, I have the skills to do it. And 524 00:27:12,640 --> 00:27:16,640 Speaker 1: most importantly, it's like I don't have to decide if 525 00:27:16,640 --> 00:27:19,520 Speaker 1: I have time for family, if I have time for friends, 526 00:27:19,560 --> 00:27:22,919 Speaker 1: if I have time to invest in my own health 527 00:27:23,200 --> 00:27:26,560 Speaker 1: and self care. There is a real power that comes 528 00:27:27,119 --> 00:27:31,120 Speaker 1: from entrepreneurship, and that really is my why. It's kind 529 00:27:31,160 --> 00:27:34,400 Speaker 1: of like, yeah, I get to run things. I am 530 00:27:34,800 --> 00:27:36,360 Speaker 1: the writer of my script. 531 00:27:36,680 --> 00:27:39,959 Speaker 2: Ooh, I love it. I'm right there with you. I 532 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:43,200 Speaker 2: remember commuting an hour each way to work every day. 533 00:27:43,320 --> 00:27:46,080 Speaker 2: I remember sitting in the kitchen and eating my boxed 534 00:27:46,160 --> 00:27:50,080 Speaker 2: lunch in silence with my little headphones in listening to music. 535 00:27:50,480 --> 00:27:53,119 Speaker 2: I was always on call if my boss needed me, 536 00:27:53,560 --> 00:27:55,399 Speaker 2: and it was like ten forty five at night my 537 00:27:55,480 --> 00:27:58,000 Speaker 2: phone was ringing, and that was the same for the weekends. 538 00:27:58,080 --> 00:28:01,600 Speaker 2: Right today, I have the freedom to spend my days, 539 00:28:01,920 --> 00:28:05,080 Speaker 2: my evenings, and my weekends any way i'd like. I 540 00:28:05,119 --> 00:28:07,040 Speaker 2: also work from home, which means I save a lot 541 00:28:07,080 --> 00:28:09,639 Speaker 2: on gas now, But you know, to that point, the 542 00:28:09,680 --> 00:28:12,919 Speaker 2: flexibility also gives me an extended amount of time with 543 00:28:12,960 --> 00:28:16,000 Speaker 2: my dad, who's in his late seventies. I'm his primary caretaker, 544 00:28:16,280 --> 00:28:18,680 Speaker 2: and there's nothing more special to me than being able 545 00:28:18,680 --> 00:28:20,960 Speaker 2: to run over to my dad's house, make him some lunch, 546 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:22,520 Speaker 2: and just make sure he's good for the rest of 547 00:28:22,560 --> 00:28:24,680 Speaker 2: the day. I also love having him over for dinner, 548 00:28:24,800 --> 00:28:27,359 Speaker 2: something I was never home to do because I wouldn't 549 00:28:27,400 --> 00:28:29,720 Speaker 2: get home till seven, eight, nine o'clock at night sometimes. 550 00:28:29,800 --> 00:28:34,080 Speaker 2: So to your point, having the flexibility, having that confidence, 551 00:28:34,560 --> 00:28:37,080 Speaker 2: knowing that you are your own boss, you can write 552 00:28:37,080 --> 00:28:40,440 Speaker 2: your own script, but also taking that extra time to 553 00:28:40,560 --> 00:28:44,880 Speaker 2: do something other than just leisure, but also something really 554 00:28:44,920 --> 00:28:46,760 Speaker 2: meaningful to you, I think is my why and what 555 00:28:46,880 --> 00:28:49,080 Speaker 2: keeps me going. I love being able to spend time 556 00:28:49,120 --> 00:28:52,200 Speaker 2: with my family, my friends, and having that you know, 557 00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:55,840 Speaker 2: extra couple hours a day or several hours a week, 558 00:28:55,880 --> 00:28:58,960 Speaker 2: even of just saying I want to do this because 559 00:28:59,000 --> 00:29:02,440 Speaker 2: this makes me happy. Be and I totally agree with 560 00:29:02,600 --> 00:29:05,520 Speaker 2: the confidence side, of the equation talking about how you 561 00:29:05,840 --> 00:29:09,480 Speaker 2: feel like you can control your own destiny because your skills. 562 00:29:09,520 --> 00:29:11,080 Speaker 2: I think that's what's so important too about being an 563 00:29:11,160 --> 00:29:14,880 Speaker 2: entrepreneur gene Is is people's skills never go away. Your 564 00:29:15,000 --> 00:29:17,920 Speaker 2: tools can go away, your computer can break your you know, 565 00:29:18,080 --> 00:29:21,600 Speaker 2: whatever you use equipment wise to make and produce your 566 00:29:21,600 --> 00:29:24,800 Speaker 2: products or services. Those can go away the deterior over time. 567 00:29:24,840 --> 00:29:27,680 Speaker 2: But your knowledge as to how you can do that 568 00:29:27,840 --> 00:29:32,640 Speaker 2: and monetize your unique and specific information and perspective will 569 00:29:32,680 --> 00:29:36,040 Speaker 2: never go away. And I think once people unlock and 570 00:29:36,080 --> 00:29:38,440 Speaker 2: have that light bulb moment of what that knowledge is 571 00:29:38,440 --> 00:29:42,000 Speaker 2: to them, because everyone has their own you know, specific 572 00:29:42,080 --> 00:29:46,480 Speaker 2: unique perspective, experience, know how as it relates to a product, 573 00:29:46,480 --> 00:29:50,960 Speaker 2: to service, a just general idea that they can monetize 574 00:29:50,960 --> 00:29:53,160 Speaker 2: and build upon. I mean, heck, I have no idea 575 00:29:53,200 --> 00:29:55,520 Speaker 2: how to sharpen a knife, but Michael does and he's 576 00:29:55,600 --> 00:29:58,840 Speaker 2: using that to generate revenue and just spend his time 577 00:29:58,920 --> 00:30:01,440 Speaker 2: as wisely as possible to make the most amount of money. 578 00:30:01,600 --> 00:30:05,000 Speaker 2: Sydney Holmes same thing with her company. No ifspr like, 579 00:30:05,120 --> 00:30:06,960 Speaker 2: I don't know how to do any of that stuff, 580 00:30:07,080 --> 00:30:09,920 Speaker 2: but these people know how to do those things and 581 00:30:09,960 --> 00:30:12,920 Speaker 2: then also kind of have that perfect work life balance 582 00:30:13,000 --> 00:30:14,960 Speaker 2: flexibility that we've been talking about. 583 00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:18,280 Speaker 1: One hundred percent. Sydney really spelled it out when it 584 00:30:18,320 --> 00:30:20,760 Speaker 1: comes to why she keeps ongoing as an entrepreneur. 585 00:30:22,240 --> 00:30:28,120 Speaker 9: I think the thing for me is the freedom of 586 00:30:28,520 --> 00:30:32,520 Speaker 9: being able to be a solopreneur. I think it's a 587 00:30:32,520 --> 00:30:34,600 Speaker 9: double edged sword, right, Like, if I'm not working, I'm 588 00:30:34,640 --> 00:30:38,760 Speaker 9: not making money. But at the same time, like when 589 00:30:38,800 --> 00:30:40,960 Speaker 9: I went freelance, the reason I did it was so 590 00:30:41,000 --> 00:30:44,720 Speaker 9: that I could live a fuller life, whether that was travel, 591 00:30:44,880 --> 00:30:48,200 Speaker 9: whether that was pursuing comedy, whatever it was. Like when 592 00:30:48,240 --> 00:30:50,400 Speaker 9: I got married a couple of years ago, I took 593 00:30:50,400 --> 00:30:52,840 Speaker 9: a full month off. So I think it's definitely the 594 00:30:52,840 --> 00:30:55,680 Speaker 9: freedom of being able to kind of choose the people 595 00:30:55,680 --> 00:30:57,920 Speaker 9: I work with, do what I want to do, take 596 00:30:57,960 --> 00:30:59,960 Speaker 9: time off if I need to take time off, and like, yes, 597 00:31:00,120 --> 00:31:02,240 Speaker 9: you are working a lot more, but the trade off 598 00:31:02,400 --> 00:31:05,200 Speaker 9: is not only do you keep all the money, but 599 00:31:05,240 --> 00:31:09,520 Speaker 9: you also have the ability to set those boundaries. It 600 00:31:09,600 --> 00:31:11,280 Speaker 9: is a tough balance, but anyway, Yeah, I think the 601 00:31:11,320 --> 00:31:13,120 Speaker 9: freedom is the thing that keeps me going. It's very 602 00:31:13,160 --> 00:31:13,760 Speaker 9: hard to give. 603 00:31:13,680 --> 00:31:16,600 Speaker 1: Up, and I think at the end of the day, 604 00:31:16,800 --> 00:31:19,520 Speaker 1: that's why we all do what we do. From Grace 605 00:31:19,560 --> 00:31:22,960 Speaker 1: Wells discovering the flexibility of working for herself, to Michael 606 00:31:23,000 --> 00:31:25,320 Speaker 1: Bain going from washing knives at all hours in a 607 00:31:25,400 --> 00:31:28,800 Speaker 1: kitchen to sharpening them on his own time, or from 608 00:31:28,840 --> 00:31:31,760 Speaker 1: Taylor Randall having the option to generate income with something 609 00:31:31,800 --> 00:31:35,160 Speaker 1: she's passionate about, to Michael and Daniel Jay being able 610 00:31:35,160 --> 00:31:37,920 Speaker 1: to work and enjoy life as a family, to Jordan 611 00:31:38,040 --> 00:31:40,920 Speaker 1: Rose catering to an audience she loves and making money 612 00:31:40,920 --> 00:31:43,800 Speaker 1: doing it all the way to Sierra Amani May being 613 00:31:43,840 --> 00:31:46,200 Speaker 1: able to make an impact and help the people within 614 00:31:46,280 --> 00:31:49,479 Speaker 1: her community, and Sydney Holmes improving the quality of her 615 00:31:49,480 --> 00:31:52,800 Speaker 1: personal life by taking control of her working one. I 616 00:31:52,840 --> 00:31:55,480 Speaker 1: think we can all see a through line here. It's 617 00:31:55,520 --> 00:31:58,960 Speaker 1: about the options, It's about the freedom. This is what 618 00:31:59,200 --> 00:32:00,600 Speaker 1: entrepreneurship is all about. 619 00:32:01,000 --> 00:32:07,640 Speaker 2: I couldn't have said it better myself, Janie, what an 620 00:32:07,680 --> 00:32:11,160 Speaker 2: incredible season. Oh my gosh, all of these guests we've 621 00:32:11,200 --> 00:32:14,720 Speaker 2: had across the last several episodes. I've had so much fun. 622 00:32:14,760 --> 00:32:17,920 Speaker 2: I've learned so much from these people, and thanks again 623 00:32:17,920 --> 00:32:19,120 Speaker 2: for breaking down your why. 624 00:32:19,760 --> 00:32:22,320 Speaker 1: Absolutely at the end of the day, I think most 625 00:32:22,360 --> 00:32:25,360 Speaker 1: of us do this for more than just money. We 626 00:32:25,400 --> 00:32:27,960 Speaker 1: want the ability to be our own boss. We want 627 00:32:28,080 --> 00:32:30,840 Speaker 1: the ability to control our own businesses. We want to 628 00:32:30,880 --> 00:32:34,440 Speaker 1: give back to the community and to other entrepreneurs, and 629 00:32:34,800 --> 00:32:36,360 Speaker 1: we want to make money. 630 00:32:38,280 --> 00:32:41,440 Speaker 2: We definitely do. I love, love, love seeing my own 631 00:32:41,520 --> 00:32:45,800 Speaker 2: community of solopreneurs and entrepreneurial friends building over time. I'm 632 00:32:45,840 --> 00:32:48,400 Speaker 2: glad you are now part of that community as well, Janie, 633 00:32:48,440 --> 00:32:52,120 Speaker 2: and I'm super super excited to hear that your business 634 00:32:52,280 --> 00:32:56,280 Speaker 2: is growing exponentially over time. I'm sure well. 635 00:32:56,320 --> 00:32:59,000 Speaker 1: And now we have an amazing community of listeners here 636 00:32:59,120 --> 00:33:02,720 Speaker 1: on Mind the Business, Small Business Success Stories. Austin, thank 637 00:33:02,760 --> 00:33:05,480 Speaker 1: you for another great episode. 638 00:33:04,960 --> 00:33:06,680 Speaker 2: Thank you for a great season. 639 00:33:07,200 --> 00:33:10,440 Speaker 1: You're very welcome, and thank you all so much for listening. 640 00:33:10,760 --> 00:33:13,160 Speaker 1: You can find me on social media at jocierro Di 641 00:33:13,240 --> 00:33:14,480 Speaker 1: netto podcast. 642 00:33:14,400 --> 00:33:16,959 Speaker 2: And you can find me at Austin Hankwitz. You can 643 00:33:17,000 --> 00:33:20,520 Speaker 2: follow into It QuickBooks on all social media at QuickBooks. 644 00:33:20,640 --> 00:33:23,080 Speaker 2: To get the tools you need to start, run and 645 00:33:23,120 --> 00:33:25,920 Speaker 2: grow your business, head to QuickBooks dot com today. 646 00:33:26,280 --> 00:33:28,520 Speaker 1: Don't forget to follow this show wherever you listen to 647 00:33:28,560 --> 00:33:31,400 Speaker 1: podcasts so you can stay up to date on future seasons. 648 00:33:31,880 --> 00:33:33,880 Speaker 2: And we also want to hear from you, so be 649 00:33:33,960 --> 00:33:35,680 Speaker 2: sure to leave a rating and a review. 650 00:33:36,320 --> 00:33:37,120 Speaker 1: See you next time. 651 00:33:41,440 --> 00:33:44,880 Speaker 2: This podcast is a production of iHeartRadio and Into It QuickBooks. 652 00:33:44,960 --> 00:33:48,560 Speaker 2: Our executive producer is Malay Sosha, Our supervising producer is 653 00:33:48,640 --> 00:33:51,640 Speaker 2: Nikia Swinton, and our writer is Eric Lijah. 654 00:33:52,040 --> 00:33:56,280 Speaker 1: Our Head of post production is James Foster. 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