Fuld transskription af S2. Ep.1: Stop Asking The Internet To Pick Your Logo w/ Amanda Shilling

know a lot about my clients that probably most whatever call it competitors or people that are in the same space don't. 00:04:53.120 --> 00:05:00.319 I worked in agency life for years before I went internal within organizations and then worked with agency partners. 00:05:00.399 --> 00:05:04.560 So I really have had the opportunity to sit in a wide variety of seats. 00:05:04.720 --> 00:05:08.720 So I come at it from a completely different angle too. 00:05:08.959 --> 00:05:14.399 It's never been just marketing or advertising or branding to me. 00:05:14.560 --> 00:05:33.199 It's been about helping, you know, whether it's a marketing manager reach the company, you know, that they're working for their goals or working directly with a business owner, CEO, making sure that we're having those deeper conversations so we can uncover, you know, how we're gonna market them. 00:05:33.600 --> 00:05:34.319 What do you stand for? 00:05:34.480 --> 00:05:35.439 What do you stand against? 00:05:35.600 --> 00:05:37.519 You know, who do you want to be to the world? 00:05:37.680 --> 00:05:38.639 Why is that important? 00:05:38.800 --> 00:05:40.399 Why should anyone care? 00:05:40.879 --> 00:05:44.160 And so I can't do that if the trust isn't built. 00:05:44.319 --> 00:05:44.560 Yeah. 00:05:44.800 --> 00:05:50.800 And so, you know, I just had a branding kickoff call with a new client and we we go deep. 00:05:50.879 --> 00:05:56.000 And it was interesting because he's a mental health therapist that is looking at building out his practice. 00:05:56.079 --> 00:05:56.240 Yeah. 00:05:56.560 --> 00:06:00.160 And healthcare and private practices are nice sweet spot for me. 00:06:00.319 --> 00:06:05.920 My last 24 years of my career have had healthcare marketing operations development in it. 00:06:06.000 --> 00:06:09.439 And so that's a natural just kind of fit for us at mint. 00:06:09.920 --> 00:06:15.839 But again, sitting in those seats, you know, from an operational standpoint, I'm like, okay, cool. 00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:19.120 You can give me a$250,000 marketing budget. 00:06:19.360 --> 00:06:27.199 But if the person answering the phone when a client or patient calls does not have it together, we are wasting our money. 00:06:27.439 --> 00:06:30.639 So that's where we're talking about customer patient, client experience. 00:06:30.800 --> 00:06:32.000 What does that look like? 00:06:32.240 --> 00:06:35.120 The customer journey, you know, what is the parking lot? 00:06:35.279 --> 00:06:37.920 I mean, I just had another, you know, kind of session with the client. 00:06:38.000 --> 00:06:42.240 I'm like, what is what is your dream journey for your patient? 00:06:42.720 --> 00:06:48.959 The second that they hit your parking lot, walking into the space, sitting in the lobby, checking in, what are the bathrooms like? 00:06:49.120 --> 00:06:50.480 You know, those types of things. 00:06:50.639 --> 00:07:02.720 I really look at, you know, branding is yes, it's your logo, and all those things, you know, that the visuals that are out there, but it's like the five senses, yeah, organizations, and you're like, oh my gosh, like this is their signature scent. 00:07:02.800 --> 00:07:03.680 I love scent marketing. 00:07:03.759 --> 00:07:05.839 It's like go to the West in Kieran and Arizona. 00:07:05.920 --> 00:07:06.079 Yeah. 00:07:06.240 --> 00:07:07.360 I am home, baby. 00:07:07.759 --> 00:07:10.160 It's like such a great place. 00:07:10.560 --> 00:07:11.439 It's funny you say that. 00:07:11.519 --> 00:07:17.199 You know, they say, what do they say that you know, scent is the number one sense that's tied to memory, and I'm and I'm sure it is. 00:07:17.360 --> 00:07:20.800 But you know, one thing that's top of mind for me is music. 00:07:20.959 --> 00:07:26.000 You know, if I if I hear a song from like 1998, I'm like immediately back in senior year high school. 00:07:26.079 --> 00:07:26.560 You know what I mean? 00:07:27.920 --> 00:07:28.319 Yes, yeah. 00:07:28.399 --> 00:07:32.240 It's like I can, it's like, oh yeah, yep, I know exactly where I was, what I was doing. 00:07:32.319 --> 00:07:34.959 And then there's some songs you hear, it's like, I don't really want to listen to that song. 00:07:35.120 --> 00:07:35.360 Correct. 00:07:36.240 --> 00:07:43.360 And facts How far can marketing go? 00:07:43.759 --> 00:07:57.120 Meaning, if you have a leader, a CEO that they believe to be true, maybe Well, let me uh let me ask it this way Can marketing fix a bad product, a bad team, or a or a bad experience? 00:07:57.439 --> 00:07:58.720 No, yeah, it cannot. 00:07:58.879 --> 00:08:00.319 And I believe that wholeheartedly. 00:08:00.480 --> 00:08:03.279 It's why we have very different conversations. 00:08:03.439 --> 00:08:04.319 It's how I lead my team. 00:08:04.800 --> 00:08:05.839 A little closer, maybe if you don't mind. 00:08:05.920 --> 00:08:06.319 Yep, sorry. 00:08:06.560 --> 00:08:10.639 No, marketing cannot fix bad product team members, all of that. 00:08:10.959 --> 00:08:15.839 It's how we coach and really guide, you know, our clients too. 00:08:16.079 --> 00:08:21.920 I remember, you know, back when I was at Catalyst Medical Center as the marketing and operations director there. 00:08:22.240 --> 00:08:34.480 We had conversations, you know, about apparel and what the team looked like and getting all the nursing staff in black logoed scrubs and name tags and just, you know, a really put-together, well-oiled machine. 00:08:34.799 --> 00:08:35.200 Intentional. 00:08:35.519 --> 00:08:38.639 Yes, have the spa team wearing our brand colors. 00:08:38.720 --> 00:08:49.519 If they weren't wearing logoed apparel, you know, just I mean, those details that matter, you know, I mean, posture when you're sitting at the front desk, not eating, you know. 00:08:49.679 --> 00:08:49.840 Yeah. 00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:54.480 When you're at the front desk, it's like, okay, if you're having a shopping on guns, yeah, at the front desk. 00:08:54.639 -->

00:09:00.240 We gotta we gotta figure out something else where a team member can, you know, pop in, even if we're short staffed, whatever that looks like. 00:09:00.399 --> 00:09:17.200 And so, you know, you talk about, you know, before we got on here, it's like that but not limited to for your job description, you know, there were times that I was cleaning up the bathroom in the patient waiting area because, you know, a little kid was brought in and an explosion happened and life happens. 00:09:17.279 --> 00:09:20.159 And so we're like, okay, well, we need to take care of that for you. 00:09:20.240 --> 00:09:23.679 So the next patient that goes in there doesn't have to experience that. 00:09:23.840 --> 00:09:32.320 And so when we talk about leading, you know, too, I didn't put that on anyone else to do it because that patient experience is part of our brand reputation. 00:09:32.639 --> 00:09:36.320 And so you just do it and move on to the next thing. 00:09:37.360 --> 00:09:38.960 That has to be rare. 00:09:40.080 --> 00:09:57.519 As far as well, I I just maybe I'm just speaking from my personal experience, but I don't believe to be true, unfortunately, that that would be the rote response that a employee would have in that scenario would be more probably gonna complain about it, gonna talk to a leader about it, figure out whose job it is to do that. 00:09:57.600 --> 00:09:59.039 Oh, that's not my job, right? 00:09:59.120 --> 00:10:00.000 I'm not supposed to do that. 00:10:00.159 --> 00:10:15.440 And the reality is if you're on a team, as far as I can tell, at least if you're on a team that is has a well-established North Star, has a well-established, you know, one plus one equals three type environment or desire, you don't even really need to have that detailed of a conversation. 00:10:15.519 --> 00:10:16.799 If it needs to get done, you just do it. 00:10:17.039 --> 00:10:17.120 Right. 00:10:17.200 --> 00:10:17.279 Yeah. 00:10:17.440 --> 00:10:19.840 It doesn't need to be an SOP to like the shutter. 00:10:20.159 --> 00:10:20.240 Right. 00:10:20.320 --> 00:10:21.200 Yeah, yeah, exactly. 00:10:21.440 --> 00:10:22.399 No, exactly right. 00:10:22.639 --> 00:10:28.559 Even though I I believe to be true, some organizations, it's like just because it's happened one time, you're right. 00:10:28.639 --> 00:10:32.720 You don't need a standard operating procedure because of like what are the odds of it happening again? 00:10:32.799 --> 00:10:34.399 Well, we should probably dive in and fix it. 00:10:34.480 --> 00:10:35.440 It's like, yeah, anyway. 00:10:35.679 --> 00:10:37.440 Yeah, just I mean, show up. 00:10:37.679 --> 00:10:44.799 That's one of the you know, biggest things too that we talk about as a team member, you know, a team is how are we showing up for each other? 00:10:44.960 --> 00:10:46.480 How are we showing up for our clients? 00:10:46.559 --> 00:10:48.799 How are we showing up, you know, in the community? 00:10:49.200 --> 00:10:54.399 I mean,

the last thing I want is team members at a happy hour talking shit about mint. 00:10:54.720 --> 00:10:56.559 So it's like, let's make sure that that's not happening. 00:10:56.799 --> 00:10:56.879 Right. 00:10:57.200 --> 00:10:59.759 Because, you know, like have the conversations. 00:10:59.840 --> 00:11:01.600 That's one of the biggest things. 00:11:01.759 --> 00:11:09.039 You know, I have learned so 14 years in business here this July, eight and a half of those are rolled solo. 00:11:09.440 --> 00:11:11.360 So you talk about trust. 00:11:11.519 --> 00:11:11.759 Yeah. 00:11:11.919 --> 00:11:14.639 Um, adding those, you know, first team members. 00:11:14.720 --> 00:11:18.480 I actually let go of my first hire 10 days after I hired her. 00:11:18.720 --> 00:11:18.960 Okay. 00:11:19.039 --> 00:11:21.039 I want to hear about that story if you don't mind sharing. 00:11:21.279 --> 00:11:21.519 Yeah. 00:11:22.159 --> 00:11:23.919 No NDAs involved or any sort of. 00:11:24.240 --> 00:11:25.039 No, no, it's no. 00:11:25.279 --> 00:11:26.159 We're we're good now. 00:11:26.320 --> 00:11:28.320 I see you're kind of out in the community. 00:11:28.480 --> 00:11:41.679 But you know, I I've learned a lot about even just interviewing, you know, true as a business owner and again refining and defining who I am, what I stand for, how I show up, yeah, set out in the community. 00:11:41.840 --> 00:11:45.600 I I vulnerability was never a space that I really like to play in. 00:11:45.759 --> 00:11:56.639 I I, you know, I wanted to be the badass and I can take care of this, and I'm hyper-independent, and I blame and love my father for that side of things too. 00:11:56.799 --> 00:12:01.679 I mean, you know, he always had a full-time job where he always had side gigs. 00:12:01.919 --> 00:12:06.720 Like he, you know, was the one of the original owners of Prime Cut Meets on University here in town. 00:12:06.960 --> 00:12:10.320 And he, you know, owned the bar in Glendon for a while and we worked at it. 00:12:10.399 --> 00:12:11.919 Like we worked doing those things. 00:12:12.080 --> 00:12:13.440 I grew up flipping homes with him. 00:12:13.519 --> 00:12:19.039 And so I've always had that entrepreneurial spirit, but also kind of like that intrapreneurial spirit. 00:12:19.120 --> 00:12:24.879 So when I was working internally, I never approached things as they were just a job. 00:12:25.440 --> 00:12:37.360 I wanted to show up as my best self and you know, it's like show my value so there's some of that space of prove it, you know, to we're just sitting there one day and I'm like, are you enjoying what you're doing right now? 00:12:37.440 --> 00:12:39.200 And she's like, Well, what do you you know, what do you mean? 00:12:39.360 --> 00:12:41.600 Like, you just don't seem like you are. 00:12:41.840 --> 00:12:43.759 She goes, Well, I don't, you know, I don't really know. 00:12:43.840 --> 00:12:44.960 I'm like, I I do. 00:12:45.200 --> 00:12:45.919 I can feel it. 00:12:46.159 --> 00:12:48.159 So I'm like, it's it's not gonna work. 00:12:48.320 --> 00:12:48.799 I know that. 00:12:48.960 --> 00:12:57.440 So let's just rip off the band-aid now and figure it out and like I'll help you find a gig if that's what we need to do, you know, whatever that looks like. 00:12:57.600 --> 00:13:00.559 And so then open up interviews again. 00:13:00.639 --> 00:13:11.120 Yeah, okay, what what kind of questions do I need to ask that are different, you know, to get the next right fit for me, especially having it be my first hire. 00:13:11.279 --> 00:13:13.759 It's like uh it's yeah. 00:13:13.840 --> 00:13:22.559 I mean, I would imagine there's a a a small fear-based mindset where it's like I have to get this right, and and then of course, you know, you you flex that muscle over and over and over over time. 00:13:22.720 --> 00:13:32.320 It's just like, okay, well, now we start establishing various tenants and and qualities and you know, ways in which we want to grow the team and you have a pretty good idea of who's gonna fit and who isn't. 00:13:32.639 --> 00:13:33.440 Absolutely, yeah. 00:13:34.080 --> 00:13:36.080 Was it a good experience for both of you? 00:13:36.240 --> 00:13:49.039 I mean, it I and I say that because in in my experience as a leader, almost every single time someone's either been managed out, coached out, or left on their own volition, both sides end up in a better spot. 00:13:49.279 --> 00:13:50.320 Yes, a hundred percent. 00:13:50.480 --> 00:13:53.200 I mean, yes, I see her pretty frequently. 00:13:53.279 --> 00:13:54.559 Um she works at a business. 00:13:54.799 --> 00:13:55.360 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:13:55.519 --> 00:13:59.679 You know, I frequent and it's always, I mean, it's just met with respect. 00:13:59.919 --> 00:14:03.840 And I think that was the thing, even me seeing her. 00:14:04.080 --> 00:14:04.480 Yeah. 00:14:04.799 --> 00:14:05.200 Too. 00:14:05.519 --> 00:14:08.799 I don't I don't think that that happens a lot the time. 00:14:09.200 --> 00:14:09.840 You know, too. 00:14:10.080 --> 00:14:16.000 You know, I even I tell my team, I'm like, I I'm highly empathetic and I can be flexible like until you make me not be. 00:14:16.240 --> 00:14:16.399 Right. 00:14:16.559 --> 00:14:19.840 You know, so it's like then then that then I'm gonna show up differently, you know. 00:14:20.399 --> 00:14:21.360 Not unlike being a mom. 00:14:21.440 --> 00:14:21.600 Right. 00:14:21.840 --> 00:14:22.320 In some cases. 00:14:24.080 --> 00:14:24.799 I know, yeah. 00:14:25.039 --> 00:14:26.639 And we'll certainly touch on that too. 00:14:26.720 --> 00:14:32.799 But I, you know, there's so many tangential things to leadership and parenting and all of that stuff that I wanna wanna dive into. 00:14:32.960 --> 00:14:36.879 But you you mentioned your mom early in the conversation. 00:14:37.039 --> 00:14:37.919 Tell me about your mom. 00:14:38.240 --> 00:14:41.919 Yeah, so she is an incredible human. 00:14:42.080 --> 00:14:45.360 She had me

the summer before her senior year of high school. 00:14:45.600 --> 00:14:47.200 Oh, so teen mom. 00:14:47.759 --> 00:14:50.080 She graduated valedictorian. 00:14:50.639 --> 00:14:51.200 Where from? 00:14:51.360 --> 00:14:52.559 From Candu, North. 00:14:53.360 --> 00:14:54.559 Yeah, yeah, yeah, cool. 00:14:54.879 --> 00:14:59.279 And then went off to, well, now it's Minnesota State Moorhead. 00:14:59.360 --> 00:15:02.480 It's, you know, they've rebranded in some fashion several times over the years. 00:15:02.639 --> 00:15:03.120 Yeah, yeah. 00:15:03.279 --> 00:15:06.159 And went to college, had me with her. 00:15:06.320 --> 00:15:08.720 She was working, going to school. 00:15:08.960 --> 00:15:10.960 She just really never had any excuses. 00:15:11.120 --> 00:15:18.480 And so, like, there's that space too, where you know, my freshman year of college, I was on academic probation. 00:15:18.720 --> 00:15:19.279 I didn't party. 00:15:19.600 --> 00:15:20.080 You too, huh? 00:15:20.559 --> 00:15:22.799 I mean, I didn't party that much in high school. 00:15:22.879 --> 00:15:23.919 I'm not gonna say drink party. 00:15:24.080 --> 00:15:25.039 I thought classes were optional. 00:15:25.440 --> 00:15:26.000 Yeah, yeah, anyway. 00:15:26.320 --> 00:15:29.519 I was like, okay, this is a whole different world. 00:15:29.759 --> 00:15:31.279 She's like, What are you what are you doing? 00:15:31.440 --> 00:15:32.960 Yeah, like, what do you mean? 00:15:33.039 --> 00:15:35.360 Yeah, you know, so like you don't actually have any excuses. 00:15:36.080 --> 00:15:37.519 She's like, So let's go. 00:15:37.919 --> 00:15:39.919 And then my dad's like, Mandy, no, for real, get your shit together. 00:15:40.000 --> 00:15:40.240 Yeah, yeah. 00:15:40.399 --> 00:15:41.679 Like, okay, yeah, I get it, guys. 00:15:41.759 --> 00:15:41.919 Yeah. 00:15:42.080 --> 00:15:44.559 Um, because I I mean I paid for all my own college too. 00:15:44.879 --> 00:15:46.960 My dad's like, what are we doing here? 00:15:47.039 --> 00:15:47.120 Yeah. 00:15:47.440 --> 00:15:49.279 Wasting money, yeah, you know, all of that. 00:15:49.440 --> 00:15:51.200 And so I did get my shit together. 00:15:51.360 --> 00:15:52.559 Dad, I said that to him. 00:15:52.720 --> 00:15:58.559 So I went from academic probation to by the time I graduated, I think I had like a 366 Q and GPA. 00:15:58.879 --> 00:16:02.559 So GPAs are really easy to get down, they're super hard to get down. 00:16:02.799 --> 00:16:07.759 If any of this knowing if there's any college students listening to this, heed my advice. 00:16:08.320 --> 00:16:10.639 That's uh really that's really well said. 00:16:10.799 --> 00:16:11.679 Yeah, that's a good point. 00:16:11.840 --> 00:16:12.159 That's good. 00:16:12.480 --> 00:16:15.440 Do you do you look at that as a hiring leader? 00:16:15.759 --> 00:16:18.960 No, because probably because of my own experience. 00:16:19.200 --> 00:16:20.159 Yeah, maybe that's why I don't remember. 00:16:21.200 --> 00:16:27.360 Um, you know, I I mean, yeah, it's great if you have a 4.0, you know, also did you live at all? 00:16:27.519 --> 00:16:34.559 Yeah, you know, so kind of that experiential things, you know, we're talking about those kinds of things right now with our senior in high school. 00:16:35.200 --> 00:16:37.200 Yeah, you know, he's like, oh, do I go to NDSU? 00:16:37.440 --> 00:16:37.919 Do I do this? 00:16:38.240 --> 00:16:45.679 You know, and we John and I loved the college experience, you know, and so there's a lot to love about it. 00:16:46.240 --> 00:16:50.879 Yeah, I mean, some of my best lifetime friendships came out of college. 00:16:50.960 --> 00:16:51.279 Yeah. 00:16:51.519 --> 00:16:53.120 And I'm so grateful for that. 00:16:53.200 --> 00:16:57.759 And we all come, I mean, we really come from all walks of life too, but just well, that's what makes them great. 00:16:58.000 --> 00:16:58.799 That common bond. 00:16:59.039 --> 00:16:59.200 Yeah. 00:16:59.360 --> 00:17:00.080 That's what makes them great. 00:17:00.159 --> 00:17:02.159 I mean, everyone's still learning about themselves, right? 00:17:02.240 --> 00:17:06.720 And try to figure out who you are, what they have to offer, what what we need from the world, right? 00:17:06.799 --> 00:17:12.160 And then you run into people that you can actually start having some deep conversations about some of that same stuff. 00:17:12.319 --> 00:17:21.519 And and and next thing you know, you know, you're forging some really, really healthy and strong relationships that you threw many different things that happen throughout your life, right? 00:17:22.079 --> 00:17:32.319 And that's and and if if if you guys are anything like me, of course, I know I know John real well, but and so happens to be the fact that I I mean, I think John and I went to preschool together. 00:17:32.640 --> 00:17:33.759 For sure, kindergarten. 00:17:34.079 --> 00:17:34.480 Yeah, yeah. 00:17:35.119 --> 00:17:36.480 All the way through high school, of course. 00:17:36.640 --> 00:17:46.480 But you know, the circle gets smaller every year, for me, at least it did, you know, and and they say that you are most like the five people that you spend your time with. 00:17:46.640 --> 00:17:48.400 And I think that is very relevant. 00:17:48.559 --> 00:17:54.720 I remember hearing that, you know, 10, 15 years ago and not necessarily poo-pooing it, but being somewhat skeptical of that. 00:17:54.960 --> 00:17:57.680 And now it's like, yeah, yeah, that makes a lot of sense. 00:17:58.000 --> 00:18:03.279 I found that too, you know, with myself, maybe not so much from my college friends. 00:18:03.359 --> 00:18:05.200 I mean, they're they're not in the area. 00:18:05.359 --> 00:18:05.599 Yeah. 00:18:05.839 --> 00:18:27.519 Most of them are in the cities or in Grand Forks, but my, you know, friends right here in this community, it it's, you know, it kind of happened by chance, but then also I think didn't that intentionality of having people in your circle

that are our business owners, our high achievers, our parents, you know, so it's like we all understand where we're coming from. 00:18:27.680 --> 00:18:30.640 If something needs to be canceled, it's not a big deal. 00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:30.960 Yeah. 00:18:31.119 --> 00:18:36.400 If a text goes unanswered for weeks on end, it's fine, not a big deal. 00:18:36.640 --> 00:18:41.680 You know, we we're all just like really trying to get through it on most given days. 00:18:41.839 --> 00:18:47.759 And so, but it's like being able to be like, holy crap, this team member thing came up or whatever it is. 00:18:48.000 --> 00:18:57.279 We're all able to talk about it and help each other through it because there's a good chance that in some fashion it has happened to one of us in some capacity. 00:18:57.440 --> 00:19:06.880 So, like, here's what I did take or leave what you wish, you know, or maybe just even a quick bitch session and like work through it a little mini therapy and and move on. 00:19:07.039 --> 00:19:09.759 But that's so healthy, and the trust piece again. 00:19:09.920 --> 00:19:23.920 So it's like the you know, what you're going through with with your family, whatever it is, like those, those are people that you need to be able to trust and know that I mean, yeah, it's just it's a lot that we're all kind of through on any given day. 00:19:24.079 --> 00:19:24.960 So it's super important. 00:19:25.359 --> 00:19:25.759 100%. 00:19:26.079 --> 00:19:33.599 And just I was having a coffee with a former colleague this morning, and and we had that very same conversation just around the idea that everyone's got their own stuff. 00:19:33.759 --> 00:19:39.119 And you know, you can either be open and honest about that to the level of depth that you feel comfortable, right? 00:19:39.200 --> 00:19:48.000 Of course, you know, I've always been more comfortable going perhaps a bit deeper than maybe some others, and not as deep as some, and certainly a lot deeper than many. 00:19:48.160 --> 00:19:52.559 But the reality is that that my perspective on it doesn't matter. 00:19:52.799 --> 00:19:59.359 It's the environment that I try to facilitate for others that you can tell me whatever you want, and I'm not gonna tell anyone else. 00:19:59.440 --> 00:19:59.920 Yes, right? 00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:01.039 You can trust me with that information. 00:20:02.400 --> 00:20:02.640 Exactly. 00:20:02.720 --> 00:20:05.119 Yeah, it's like, okay, we're you know, we're the vault. 00:20:06.319 --> 00:20:13.759 So, with that though, that creates an environment where you are now sometimes wearing other people's stuff. 00:20:14.000 --> 00:20:14.240 Yes. 00:20:14.480 --> 00:20:15.359 How do you work through that? 00:20:15.680 --> 00:20:22.240 Absolutely, you know, like you said, it's like we're all we're all going through our own stuff. 00:20:22.480 --> 00:20:24.079 You know, you do what you can to help. 00:20:24.240 --> 00:20:32.079 I have two really good friends going through cancer

treatment, you know, both of them incurable. 00:20:32.160 --> 00:20:54.480 And I'm gonna air quote that because the one has gone years beyond what they ever had anticipated, and then the other is pretty new, you know, into her treatment, but young, you know, and so one of the things that was said to the one was said, Hey, be careful or don't expect too much of your friends because you know they'll probably all leave you. 00:20:54.720 --> 00:20:58.559 And that just was like a gut punch to me as her friend. 00:20:58.880 --> 00:21:07.519 Any reason behind that statement or like what the I think because it's you know, when the you know, when things get tough, like you do you do see people show their own colors, you know. 00:21:07.680 --> 00:21:10.319 And so that really hit me. 00:21:10.480 --> 00:21:10.960 Yeah. 00:21:11.200 --> 00:21:14.559 And I was like, wow, that is just just crazy to me. 00:21:14.640 --> 00:21:16.559 But it's like worse than the cancer itself. 00:21:16.720 --> 00:21:17.039 Yes. 00:21:17.200 --> 00:21:17.759 That's yeah. 00:21:18.079 --> 00:21:21.920 I mean, I'm not speaking for these people, but I as I'm processing that, yeah. 00:21:22.160 --> 00:21:23.359 Yeah, I was like, what the hell? 00:21:23.519 --> 00:21:29.599 Actually, I probably actually said a little bit more excellent than a paper because thanks for the bedside manager, right? 00:21:29.759 --> 00:21:30.160 Yeah, yeah. 00:21:30.640 --> 00:21:37.200 But yeah, so it's I just really focus on showing up and filling in kind of the gaps. 00:21:37.279 --> 00:21:43.279 It's like, hey, I'm going through a rough week, and then, you know, I'm hopefully going through a great week. 00:21:43.440 --> 00:21:48.160 And so hopefully it's not happening simultaneously because that's when it can get tough. 00:21:48.400 --> 00:21:51.599 But from that perspective, it's like, you know, there is we talk about music. 00:21:51.759 --> 00:21:59.759 Music is one of my biggest like therapy cathartic things, whether it's like dancing with my daughter, you know, in the living room. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:02.720 Jamming out in my car, whatever that looks like. 00:22:02.880 --> 00:22:08.799 I do lean a lot on kind of music, arts, that type of thing to get me through those times too. 00:22:08.880 --> 00:22:17.200 And even when I'm, you know, kind of in a creative block, if I ever am, I will turn on music and it immediately just kind of recharges me. 00:22:17.359 --> 00:22:20.559 So there are certain playlists that I need to like make things happen. 00:22:21.759 --> 00:22:23.279 But I've got ready to rock. 00:22:23.359 --> 00:22:24.000 So yeah. 00:22:24.319 --> 00:22:24.960 I love that. 00:22:25.039 --> 00:22:32.160 I've always found that I'm I'm best when I'm doing three things reading, listening to music, and then exercising, you know, in some way, shape, or form. 00:22:32.240 --> 00:22:38.880 It doesn't have to be a you know two-hour lift session, but at least getting outside, getting some, you know,

walking, some fresh air, that type of stuff. 00:22:40.240 --> 00:22:53.680 And I I wish I would have had that nailed down earlier in my life, you know, those things that I could go back to and then reflect on and be like, okay, well, what was I doing in these periods of my life where I felt like I really had a pretty decent, and you never have it all figured out, right? 00:22:53.759 --> 00:22:55.519 But a pretty decent pulse on what's going on. 00:22:55.599 --> 00:22:57.279 And then, okay, what were my behaviors? 00:22:57.359 --> 00:22:58.240 What were my activities? 00:22:58.400 --> 00:23:07.519 What were the things I was focusing my time on when maybe I didn't realize that I was, you know, struggling or maybe not putting on that I was in a bit of a tough spot. 00:23:07.680 --> 00:23:10.000 And then you can start comparing and contrasting over time. 00:23:10.319 --> 00:23:19.200 If I could go back to, you know, being 21, 22, or inspire any wisdom on younger kids, it's just like, you know, journal. 00:23:19.440 --> 00:23:19.759 Yes. 00:23:20.160 --> 00:23:20.799 Write stuff down. 00:23:21.599 --> 00:23:22.160 Yeah, get it out. 00:23:22.400 --> 00:23:23.039 So you can look back. 00:23:23.359 --> 00:23:23.599 Yes. 00:23:23.920 --> 00:23:34.400 I remember there were a couple of times even in high school, I don't even know what I was going through, but I would just go out in my car and drive out in the country, blast my music, and just like scream. 00:23:35.200 --> 00:23:40.559 And I'm not loud, but like now I've read a lot of things about that, like the release. 00:23:40.720 --> 00:23:45.759 So I'm like, gosh, I don't I haven't done that in adulthood, but I'm like, I must have been on to something. 00:23:46.079 --> 00:23:46.480 No doubt. 00:23:46.640 --> 00:23:47.759 You know, at a younger age. 00:23:48.079 --> 00:23:49.599 Have you ever done one of those smash rooms? 00:23:49.839 --> 00:23:51.359 No, but I feel like I would love it. 00:23:51.519 --> 00:23:52.880 We did a one a couple of years ago. 00:23:52.960 --> 00:23:54.000 It was right down on Broadway. 00:23:54.079 --> 00:23:55.039 I think it closed. 00:23:55.279 --> 00:23:55.920 Oh, you're right. 00:23:56.000 --> 00:23:56.240 Yes. 00:23:56.640 --> 00:24:02.720 It was, I didn't realize how therapeutic it was going to be going into it. 00:24:02.880 --> 00:24:07.599 And then you smash that sounds weird to say, but you like smash that first TV and you're like, oh, okay. 00:24:07.680 --> 00:24:07.839 Yeah. 00:24:08.079 --> 00:24:10.160 It's like you can feel the cortisol dripping off your body. 00:24:10.720 --> 00:24:10.880 Yeah. 00:24:11.119 --> 00:24:11.200 Yeah. 00:24:13.759 --> 00:24:13.839 Yeah. 00:24:14.799 --> 00:24:16.160 Which was also kind of scary at the same time. 00:24:16.319 --> 00:24:16.400 Yeah. 00:24:16.559 --> 00:24:18.160 You know, it's just like, man, I got this in me. 00:24:18.240 --> 00:24:18.400 Okay. 00:24:18.640 --> 00:24:20.079 We need to we got that moment. 00:24:20.240

--> 00:24:20.319 Yeah. 00:24:20.559 --> 00:24:21.680 We had it and you work through it. 00:24:21.839 --> 00:24:22.079 Yeah. 00:24:22.160 --> 00:24:22.400 Yeah. 00:24:22.480 --> 00:24:22.720 Yeah. 00:24:22.960 --> 00:24:23.519 Absolutely. 00:24:23.920 --> 00:24:25.599 So going back to mom. 00:24:25.839 --> 00:24:26.160 Yes. 00:24:26.400 --> 00:24:34.400 So what you're seeing as you're growing up is a strong woman who's, you know, supporting, caring for, providing for in many, many ways. 00:24:34.480 --> 00:24:37.039 And your dad sounds like doing doing the same for sure. 00:24:37.200 --> 00:24:37.359 Yeah. 00:24:37.680 --> 00:24:42.720 How did that play out as you got into kind of your more formative teenage years, you know, and into your college years? 00:24:42.799 --> 00:24:45.200 And like how when did it hit you? 00:24:45.279 --> 00:24:47.759 Is maybe the best question that I'm trying to think of right now. 00:24:47.920 --> 00:24:54.559 When did it hit you that this is going to be something that I'm going to be taking with me forever? 00:24:54.640 --> 00:24:56.799 This sort of way of being, as it were. 00:24:57.039 --> 00:24:57.359 Yeah. 00:24:57.599 --> 00:25:10.400 I would definitely say my first well, catalyst gig that, you know, when you have a title like that, I mean, I was started there when I was 27, you know, marketing and operations director. 00:25:10.880 --> 00:25:14.480 Now looking back, I'm like, did I have any business? 00:25:16.160 --> 00:25:16.720 But I did. 00:25:17.039 --> 00:25:24.160 I showed up, you know, I worked really, really hard, worked a lot of hours, cared a lot about the success of that business, still do. 00:25:24.240 --> 00:25:29.200 She's a client now, you know, coming into your world coming full circle from that perspective. 00:25:29.599 --> 00:25:33.039 But my dad, he was like, This is a big deal, Mandy. 00:25:33.200 --> 00:25:40.160 Like this is a big, a big job, you know, and not that like the other ones before that kind of an agency world weren't. 00:25:40.480 --> 00:25:43.200 But you know, I had a team of 30 at that time. 00:25:43.359 --> 00:25:43.599 Oh wow. 00:25:43.920 --> 00:25:47.680 I was also, you know, helping lead clinical admin staff. 00:25:47.759 --> 00:25:48.799 Um, obviously with Dr. 00:25:48.880 --> 00:25:53.920 Matheson being the owner and you know, her leading, you know, the team in her own right too. 00:25:54.079 --> 00:25:56.720 And so did I have my amateur moments? 00:25:56.960 --> 00:25:57.680 Absolutely. 00:25:58.000 --> 00:25:59.920 Did I screw up? 00:26:00.160 --> 00:26:00.799 Absolutely. 00:26:01.119 --> 00:26:05.359 Did I have my super successful like ultimate high moments? 00:26:05.519 --> 00:26:06.720 Yeah, for sure. 00:26:06.880 --> 00:26:08.960 You know, all of it kind of mixed into one. 00:26:09.680 --> 00:26:19.119 But when it comes to listening to, I mean, of the 30 people, 28 of them were women, you know, aged 18 to 55. 00:26:19.440 --> 00:26:20.880 So we had a big range. 00:26:20.960 --> 00:26:24.720 Um a lot of different personalities, you know, to work with too. 00:26:24.880 --> 00:26:39.200 So it's flexing that emotional intelligence muscle, yeah, what's really going on, you know, asking questions instead of assuming, you know, again, kind of having that pulse on your people, I think is super important. 00:26:39.519 --> 00:26:47.279 It's something that we practice at Mint all the time, especially, you know, it's like Kelsey, my director of operations, she's my wingwoman. 00:26:47.359 --> 00:26:50.559 I'll be like, hey, this happened, or I'm going through this. 00:26:50.640 --> 00:26:53.920 If I seem off today or whatever it is this week, this is why. 00:26:54.000 --> 00:26:54.880 I want you to know that. 00:26:54.960 --> 00:26:59.359 If the team members ask you about it for whatever reason, feel free to tell them. 00:26:59.440 --> 00:27:04.559 I, you know, I don't need to go basically like kind of air my dirty laundry, you know, kind of one by one through everybody. 00:27:04.799 --> 00:27:05.759 Here's what I have going on today. 00:27:06.480 --> 00:27:08.640 You know, if it's uh hey, what's up? 00:27:08.720 --> 00:27:11.440 And I've had team members come and do that to me. 00:27:11.599 --> 00:27:16.640 It's like this happened this weekend, or you know, they have a sick parent or whatever it is. 00:27:17.119 --> 00:27:23.759 That way we can all just like level set and be there, you know, for that person too, whether it's health problems or what I mean, whatever. 00:27:24.160 --> 00:27:24.400 Absolutely. 00:27:24.640 --> 00:27:35.839 Yeah, again, it's that building that trust, you know, that help, I mean, at the business level, it helps with retention, you know, so we're not in a constant state of turnover, kindness and consideration, you know, too. 00:27:35.920 --> 00:27:42.000 That I think we all deeply crave, you know, as humans, to be seen and heard. 00:27:42.160 --> 00:27:48.799 And when we're spending more time at the office than we are with most people in our life. 00:27:48.960 --> 00:27:59.359 And so if we are showing up when we're not feeling our best and really then not performing at our best, like that's a conversation that we need to have too. 00:27:59.519 --> 00:28:07.759 And I might say, Hey, like I can tell enough where you need to go home and whether it's work from home or whatever that is, and we're good. 00:28:08.000 --> 00:28:12.079 Like, I don't want you to go home and ruminate on it and be like, oh my God, I'm gonna get fired. 00:28:12.160 --> 00:28:17.920 Like, no, no, that's not not the culture that we have, not how I want to lead in any fashion. 00:28:18.240 --> 00:28:27.440 I mean, throughout my career, I there's jobs where I was working 50, 60, 70 hours a week, kind of depending on what was going on at any given time. 00:28:27.599 --> 00:28:29.119 I also don't want that for my team. 00:28:29.279 --> 00:28:36.319 I'm not a big believer in that everybody needs to do their time in like

the shitty time of our careers. 00:28:36.720 --> 00:28:36.960 Why? 00:28:37.119 --> 00:28:37.599 Yeah, yeah. 00:28:37.839 --> 00:28:41.200 You know, I mean, it it tends to make a lot of people bitter. 00:28:41.359 --> 00:28:41.759 It's true. 00:28:42.000 --> 00:28:48.160 Actually, and so if I can have people on my team and we're not doing that, why wouldn't we? 00:28:48.480 --> 00:28:49.200 Well, exactly. 00:28:49.359 --> 00:28:56.799 And and if if that's the environment that you're creating or have created, then you're just not gonna be able to number one retain people, right? 00:28:57.119 --> 00:29:01.200 Uh, but but certainly you're not gonna have anybody that's lining up at the door to to want to work with you. 00:29:01.519 --> 00:29:02.079 Yes, 100%. 00:29:02.880 --> 00:29:06.960 People are people everybody wants to be part of something bigger than themselves. 00:29:07.279 --> 00:29:07.440 Right. 00:29:07.599 --> 00:29:13.839 And when people can identify a strong leader or a strong person that that is available, i.e. 00:29:14.000 --> 00:29:14.960 hiring, right? 00:29:15.519 --> 00:29:26.400 The the advice that I've always given to people is, you know, chase strong leaders, chase people you respect and and chase people that you trust as you're learning and you're growing in whatever field that you you know want to be want to be working in. 00:29:26.640 --> 00:29:30.079 It's not always easy to know who those people are, but I mean that's where your network comes in, right? 00:29:30.240 --> 00:29:30.480 Right. 00:29:30.720 --> 00:29:37.039 And figuring out how to best navigate some of those what can be very scary waters as a as a young person. 00:29:37.359 --> 00:29:41.039 Well, and I, you know, was luck and hard work. 00:29:41.279 --> 00:29:50.319 It's kind of you know, I quit my first job, went to the next one, and then ended up getting recruited, you know, over to Catalyst from that one. 00:29:50.480 --> 00:29:54.079 And then I was looking at getting my master's in healthcare administration. 00:29:54.240 --> 00:30:00.799 I left Catalyst to go experience a larger system, learned real quick that I was not wired for corporate America. 00:30:00.880 --> 00:30:01.279 Yeah, yeah. 00:30:01.440 --> 00:30:06.000 Um, kind of as we had talked about, lasted seven months in that arena. 00:30:06.160 --> 00:30:08.319 But you know, seven months isn't too bad. 00:30:08.480 --> 00:30:09.279 I I don't think so. 00:30:09.519 --> 00:30:10.799 I mean over half a year. 00:30:11.119 --> 00:30:18.160 Like, and it's so funny because two, uh, my parents both were people that stayed at their jobs for late life. 00:30:18.480 --> 00:30:18.960 That's how it was. 00:30:19.279 --> 00:30:23.519 Just, you know, so my mom's like, oh my gosh, you're gonna be a job hopper on your resumes. 00:30:23.680 --> 00:30:29.200 Okay, three years here, one year here, you know, then four years here, and then you know, and so I'm like, mom, I'm good. 00:30:29.279 --> 00:30:30.240 Yeah, fine.

00:30:30.319 --> 00:30:33.200 Yeah, I'm not I'm not good for that organization. 00:30:33.279 --> 00:30:41.519 If I do not enjoy working there, I work at a much faster pace than corporate America allowed me. 00:30:41.759 --> 00:30:50.559 And so I remember when I went to go put in my resignation, I sat down with my, you know, one of my 17 bosses, basically is kind of what I always say. 00:30:50.799 --> 00:30:52.880 And I'm like, okay, it's not you, it's me. 00:30:52.960 --> 00:30:53.599 Yeah actually. 00:30:53.839 --> 00:30:56.319 I'm like, I just this is not my jam. 00:30:56.640 --> 00:30:57.440 Good for you, you know. 00:30:57.519 --> 00:30:59.440 So, and it was just a great conversation. 00:30:59.680 --> 00:31:03.119 It's like I get it, but you know, I could kind of tell that about you. 00:31:03.359 --> 00:31:05.119 So that was all well and good. 00:31:05.279 --> 00:31:13.839 And then I went over to Dale Carnegie and did so, like, which that's interesting because you know, they're a worldwide organization. 00:31:14.079 --> 00:31:20.400 So when you talk about corporate America, but it was the local franchise, so that feels you know a lot different. 00:31:20.559 --> 00:31:33.119 So at that point, I was doing leadership training and business development, did a lot of cold calling, which I loathed and respect so much, the people that grind it out that way. 00:31:33.440 --> 00:31:36.000 But I don't do well being scripted. 00:31:36.240 --> 00:31:36.720 Oh, sure. 00:31:36.880 --> 00:31:42.559 And so there was a very definitive script for follow-up calls and things like that. 00:31:42.880 --> 00:31:53.920 And I got to a point when I was leaving my seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth message that I would be like, hey, could you just call me back so I can like take you off my list or not? 00:31:54.079 --> 00:31:54.960 Like, that'd be great. 00:31:55.039 --> 00:31:55.599 You know, dude. 00:31:55.920 --> 00:31:56.480 Super helpful. 00:31:56.640 --> 00:31:59.359 Yeah, you know, and then I'd get calls back because they thought it was funny. 00:31:59.519 --> 00:32:09.359 I was like, okay, you know, there's something to this, but at that point I wasn't actually doing a ton of the like marketing or branding work that I really love. 00:32:09.680 --> 00:32:15.359 And so then went to talk to my boss at that point, and she's like, hey, it's time. 00:32:15.519 --> 00:32:16.960 Yeah, like do your own thing. 00:32:17.279 --> 00:32:23.200 And so I put my resignation in that conversation, and that's when I started my business. 00:32:23.279 --> 00:32:25.279 So I had no name, I'd know nothing. 00:32:25.440 --> 00:32:28.880 I mean, it just was where there's a will, there's a way. 00:32:29.039 --> 00:32:35.599 And again, my mom, you know, she's very logical, and she's the oldest of seven, I'm the oldest of four. 00:32:35.680 --> 00:32:41.119 And so that caretaker, yeah, nurturer, you know, you don't have health insurance now. 00:32:41.279 --> 00:32:42.799 How are you gonna pay your bills? 00:32:43.039 --> 00:32:52.400 My dad's like, whatever, you can go get another shitty job if this doesn't work out, you know, like just those two different perspectives, you know, kind of playing in my head. 00:32:52.640 --> 00:32:58.559 And I had done a great job of being involved in the community, serving on boards, networking in that way. 00:32:58.640 --> 00:33:04.960 And so when I did it, I just reached out to every single human I could think of and said, I'm starting this thing. 00:33:05.200 --> 00:33:09.359 If you have an opportunity for me to work on a project, give me a shot, whatever that looks like. 00:33:09.519 --> 00:33:12.319 And that's ultimately how I started building my business. 00:33:12.720 --> 00:33:13.359 Wow. 00:33:13.680 --> 00:33:16.160 And that was what'd you say, eight and a half years ago, nine years ago? 00:33:16.240 --> 00:33:16.960 No, so that's 14. 00:33:17.279 --> 00:33:17.759 14 years ago. 00:33:18.319 --> 00:33:18.400 Yeah. 00:33:18.480 --> 00:33:19.920 So I rolled solo for eight and a half. 00:33:20.160 --> 00:33:20.640 Oh, gotcha. 00:33:20.720 --> 00:33:20.799 Okay. 00:33:21.440 --> 00:33:25.519 So I was alone, basically a solopreneur. 00:33:25.680 --> 00:33:27.279 I was doing everything from clients. 00:33:27.359 --> 00:33:31.839 So graphic design, writing, event planning, PR, media buying, you name it. 00:33:32.000 --> 00:33:33.200 I had my hands in it. 00:33:33.440 --> 00:33:38.720 So working a ton, you know, of hours then, uh, which served me well. 00:33:39.039 --> 00:33:39.680 Yeah, for sure. 00:33:40.079 --> 00:33:43.759 Now, but then I had Evelyn at year seven. 00:33:44.000 --> 00:33:44.240 Okay. 00:33:44.640 --> 00:33:47.359 Which totally changed the game for me. 00:33:47.519 --> 00:33:49.839 I had her four days shy of my 39th birthday. 00:33:49.920 --> 00:33:56.400 So, you know, kind of an older than average parent waited a really long time to have her. 00:33:56.720 --> 00:34:00.799 You know, I had a 3% chance of getting pregnant without I IUI and IVF. 00:34:01.039 --> 00:34:01.279 Oh, really? 00:34:01.359 --> 00:34:03.440 I had no interest in doing any of that. 00:34:03.519 --> 00:34:07.599 Um, because I just been through a lot of kind of health issues as far as fertility. 00:34:07.680 --> 00:34:11.519 And I'm like, I don't want another freaking medication put in my body. 00:34:11.599 --> 00:34:12.719 I don't want any of that. 00:34:12.880 --> 00:34:15.920 And so I just they say let go and let God. 00:34:16.320 --> 00:34:19.440 And, you know, after a year of trying, then here we are. 00:34:19.679 --> 00:34:20.239 There she was. 00:34:20.320 --> 00:34:21.280 So it's so awesome. 00:34:21.519 --> 00:34:25.519 I'm like, okay, so uh, you know, she came a month early. 00:34:25.679 --> 00:34:28.320 So as kids do, throw wrenches in your plant. 00:34:28.400 --> 00:34:28.639 Yeah, yeah. 00:34:28.800 --> 00:34:33.760 I'm like, oh my gosh, I don't have like the people off board it or, you know, kind of

taken care of. 00:34:33.920 --> 00:34:39.760 And so I literally just strapped her on and I brought her to meetings and just did the thing. 00:34:39.840 --> 00:34:43.679 And so she's basically been an entrepreneur since utero. 00:34:43.840 --> 00:34:44.559 Oh, that's awesome. 00:34:44.719 --> 00:34:54.880 Um, you know, and and I did dial back a lot, you know, had the conversations with my clients where I'm like, I'm not gonna be grinding it out at the level, you know, that I was before. 00:34:55.039 --> 00:34:57.199 And, you know, many of them stayed with me. 00:34:57.280 --> 00:35:01.280 And then if it wasn't gonna work, then you know, referring them off to other people. 00:35:01.440 --> 00:35:07.760 But then, you know, really after a year after having her, I'm like, all right, I can't, I can't do this alone. 00:35:08.000 --> 00:35:09.920 I don't want to do this alone. 00:35:10.159 --> 00:35:18.480 And John was really like, okay, you know, he's he's he's in numbers and spreadsheets and like the logic, yeah, logical, you know, all of that. 00:35:18.559 --> 00:35:25.760 And I'm you know, I'm a deep, deep feeler and like I'm a I'm a gut girl and we're gonna go with the vibe and you know, kind of all of that. 00:35:25.920 --> 00:35:26.800 I like that gut girl. 00:35:27.199 --> 00:35:35.920 Yeah, it's just you know, so he's he's like, I just think there's a lot of opportunity, you know, for you absolutely to do this your own way, you know. 00:35:36.000 --> 00:35:36.559 That was the other thing. 00:35:36.639 --> 00:35:45.920 I was like, oh my god, I don't want to manage people anymore, you know, and so but when you're doing it as your own company, like that looks different too. 00:35:46.000 --> 00:35:50.960 Yeah, and so that's where then the whole hiring a team came about. 00:35:51.119 --> 00:35:57.519 And so, you know, obviously let some people go, some people have left, just as you know, business does. 00:35:57.679 --> 00:36:13.039 We're working on hiring team member number 10 right now, and so you know, we've grown a lot over the last couple of years, especially, you know, even nationally, you know, getting clients outside of the area, which I'm you know super proud of. 00:36:13.119 --> 00:36:14.559 And that's been intentional too. 00:36:14.719 --> 00:36:19.119 And you know, just showing up very I'm very active on LinkedIn, which you know, yeah, yeah. 00:36:20.000 --> 00:36:24.239 Those conversations, but and then you talk about journaling and writing, that's so cathartic for me. 00:36:24.400 --> 00:36:26.400 I don't have any content strategy. 00:36:26.719 --> 00:36:28.079 You know, you practice what you preach. 00:36:28.159 --> 00:36:30.320 I do not have a content strategy for LinkedIn for myself. 00:36:30.400 --> 00:36:31.199 My company does. 00:36:31.280 --> 00:36:31.679 Yeah, yeah. 00:36:32.079 --> 00:36:40.320 But for me, I'm a very organic, free-flowing any situation that happens in my life, I can somehow tie it to business. 00:36:40.480 --> 00:36:42.400 It's just like ingrained in me. 00:36:42.880 --> 00:36:56.159 And so that's where like the storytelling piece comes from it and where people learn about me, you know, as the leader of Mint, start trusting me, and then it's a hell of a lot easier to move them over as a client for our whole team. 00:36:56.320 --> 00:36:56.480 Yeah. 00:36:56.639 --> 00:37:09.519 And so, even with that, when we talk about team members, we we had an interview with someone today, and one of the things that Kelsey said is, you know, we are all about having our clients trust every team member that we have, not just one person. 00:37:09.679 --> 00:37:18.159 Because when it was me for so long, rolling solo, it was really hard to have the pass off for me because it was my baby before I had a baby. 00:37:18.400 --> 00:37:18.800 Absolutely, yeah. 00:37:19.039 --> 00:37:21.119 I built it up, you know, for eight and a half years. 00:37:21.599 --> 00:37:27.760 But if it's all stuck with one person, then we're gonna constantly have bottlenecks and we're not gonna be efficient. 00:37:28.000 --> 00:37:42.800 And I would say, like, I want to set boundaries with clients on expectations for timelines, but we continue to hear over and over again about how fast we move on things and how good we do it. 00:37:42.960 --> 00:37:47.360 And we have a 97% retention rate, and I'm super proud of that because that is not Congratulations. 00:37:47.679 --> 00:37:48.000 Thank you. 00:37:48.159 --> 00:37:50.639 Not common in our industry at all. 00:37:51.039 --> 00:38:05.360 Well, uh, again, correct me if I'm wrong, but I would imagine by the time organizations are in the market for branding support, it's probably six to twelve months after they should have been in the market for branding support, right? 00:38:05.519 --> 00:38:05.679 Okay. 00:38:06.480 --> 00:38:07.920 And then it becomes ASAP. 00:38:08.239 --> 00:38:09.599 How quickly can you get this done again? 00:38:09.760 --> 00:38:14.639 Like, oh my gosh, now if I every whatever, a dime every time I heard that, I would be a millionaire by now. 00:38:14.880 --> 00:38:27.440 But it would be so easy for you as the solopreneur to just say, Oh, I'll I'll just run on this because I've done this before, I know what to do, and it's you know, it's the teach Amanda Fish concept, right? 00:38:27.519 --> 00:38:32.000 It's like it's gonna take you an extra hour to explain it to somebody and coach them through it and support them through it. 00:38:32.159 --> 00:38:36.559 But a few weeks, a few months down the road, now all of a sudden everyone's clicking. 00:38:36.719 --> 00:38:37.039 Right. 00:38:37.280 --> 00:38:40.000 And you've got more time back in your day that you can spend with your family. 00:38:40.079 --> 00:38:46.239 You've got more, and you know, obviously we could you could go on and on about the the value of that, but that that is rare also. 00:38:46.320 --> 00:38:54.960 I think there's just number one, it's either an imposter

syndrome where people feel like uh, you know, maybe I don't belong here, I shouldn't be doing this, so I need to prove my worth every day. 00:38:55.199 --> 00:38:56.800 Right, even to myself. 00:38:57.039 --> 00:38:57.360 Yes. 00:38:57.679 --> 00:39:04.079 Did you ever have any any of those moments, maybe not to that level of depth, where you kind of that imposter syndrome sort of you know snuck in a little bit? 00:39:04.159 --> 00:39:05.840 And if so, how did you how'd you work through that? 00:39:06.079 --> 00:39:07.119 Yeah, a little bit. 00:39:07.360 --> 00:39:10.559 I don't know, you know, I I'm a pretty gritty person. 00:39:10.960 --> 00:39:18.079 Again, it's like I thank my dad for that, like the personality piece of that, kind of no matter what, we'll figure it out. 00:39:18.239 --> 00:39:22.320 So growing up flipping homes with him, you're always trying to figure out solutions. 00:39:22.559 --> 00:39:26.880 Um, and he would always say, if you don't do it right the first time, you're gonna do it again and again and again and again. 00:39:27.039 --> 00:39:29.920 So it's like from that perspective, you know, too. 00:39:30.079 --> 00:39:32.320 It's like in literally every part of life, actually. 00:39:32.400 --> 00:39:35.199 That's very yeah, I want to make second year. 00:39:36.320 --> 00:39:38.559 It's it's exactly the whole thing. 00:39:38.800 --> 00:39:39.280 Yeah, yeah. 00:39:39.519 --> 00:39:39.760 Yeah. 00:39:40.000 --> 00:39:40.719 Oh my gosh. 00:39:40.800 --> 00:39:40.960 Yeah. 00:39:41.119 --> 00:39:50.400 So so yeah, they're you know, it's like, oh my gosh, you know, I remember kind of getting that first like really big client, and it's like, okay, guys. 00:39:50.960 --> 00:39:51.360 Yeah, yeah. 00:39:51.519 --> 00:39:52.480 Everyone button up. 00:39:52.639 --> 00:39:55.280 Yes, let's do this thing and kick ass. 00:39:55.440 --> 00:40:02.639 And but they have like they've continued to show up, and I'm super proud, you know, of the team that we have now. 00:40:02.880 --> 00:40:06.320 I'm a different leader now than I was two years ago, you know, too. 00:40:08.480 --> 00:40:10.320 Definitely transparency. 00:40:10.480 --> 00:40:10.639 Okay. 00:40:10.800 --> 00:40:15.199 So, like transparency in our numbers too, like where we're sitting as a company. 00:40:15.440 --> 00:40:19.119 We have our quarterly retreats where we dive into that. 00:40:19.199 --> 00:40:24.800 So it's like, you know, them having an understanding what role, you know, that they play in it too. 00:40:24.960 --> 00:40:26.880 You know, kind of the monetization piece. 00:40:26.960 --> 00:40:30.239 So if you're not directly a billable person, what does that look like? 00:40:30.400 --> 00:40:33.760 Like, how can you bring monetization to the company? 00:40:34.000 --> 00:40:36.960 Because ultimately, I've had many people ask me, like, what's your mission? 00:40:37.039 --> 00:40:37.599 What's your vision? 00:40:37.679 --> 00:40:48.559 And although I do that for a lot of companies and people and figure out their core values, I really want us to do phenomenal work, have a fun time while we're doing it, making a shit ton of money. 00:40:48.800 --> 00:40:52.719 Because if we are, our clients are, like everybody's happy, we're golden. 00:40:52.800 --> 00:40:55.679 Like, I don't know if I can put that on a wall or something. 00:40:56.880 --> 00:40:57.599 I think you should. 00:40:57.760 --> 00:40:59.119 Or on our website, I think you should. 00:40:59.280 --> 00:41:01.119 Um, that that's what I want, you know. 00:41:01.280 --> 00:41:04.079 And the the guy that we interviewed today, he said that. 00:41:04.239 --> 00:41:18.559 He's like, I, you know, if I'm hopping on a client call, if they don't look like they're excited or we're we might have a little bit of fun, he goes, I need to ask some different questions and redirect the conversation, levels, do a gut check, whatever that looks like. 00:41:18.719 --> 00:41:18.880 Yeah. 00:41:19.039 --> 00:41:22.239 And so I'm like, okay, that's emotional intelligence right there. 00:41:22.400 --> 00:41:22.639 Yeah. 00:41:22.719 --> 00:41:23.760 And you can't train that. 00:41:23.920 --> 00:41:26.719 I've learned that a lot in business, too. 00:41:27.039 --> 00:41:32.000 It's like, you know, again, that consideration for the other human or people. 00:41:32.400 --> 00:41:32.639 Absolutely. 00:41:32.800 --> 00:41:35.199 You know, empathy empathy in general, right? 00:41:35.440 --> 00:41:43.039 The idea that it's not about us more often than not, even though, you know, our brains would suggest that it's always about us all the time. 00:41:43.360 --> 00:41:43.920 Absolutely. 00:41:44.320 --> 00:41:44.559 Right. 00:41:44.719 --> 00:41:45.280 Yeah. 00:41:45.599 --> 00:41:45.840 Yeah. 00:41:45.920 --> 00:41:48.079 That's I I love, can you put that on a wall? 00:41:48.239 --> 00:41:51.039 I would love to see the wall that you put that on because that would be fantastic. 00:41:51.199 --> 00:41:52.639 It's eloquent in its brevity, right? 00:41:52.719 --> 00:41:55.840 It's just almost sounds so simple that you're right. 00:41:55.920 --> 00:42:03.679 You get into a a spot where you almost feel like you have to over engineer something to make it worthwhile. 00:42:03.760 --> 00:42:05.360 And it's just like, nah, dude. 00:42:05.760 --> 00:42:07.599 Especially with the work that we do. 00:42:07.760 --> 00:42:18.639 I mean, we are in the space of words and you know, telling your story in the most succinct fashion, and then also having it long form and everything, you know, in the middle. 00:42:18.880 --> 00:42:29.920 And so that's also the space for me, you know, and like talking about AI and all of that, where how I write is how I talk, you know, too. 00:42:30.079 --> 00:42:39.280 And so that doesn't always translate to business, necessarily, depending on what the industry is, you know, what the business is, uh, you know, from that perspective. 00:42:39.599 --> 00:42:45.599 But I mean, people

people want to read as if they were having a conversation with someone. 00:42:45.679 --> 00:42:49.920 I do believe that, unless you're trying to, you know, read some technical instructions or whatever that looks like. 00:42:50.559 --> 00:42:52.719 If you're an engineering company, that looks different. 00:42:52.800 --> 00:43:00.639 That's probably not the mission that they want on their wall because they're working with a different kind of clientele from that perspective. 00:43:00.800 --> 00:43:15.920 So and what you've just described is is so near and dear to my heart when I think about the time and energy philosophy and the ability to be able to first and foremost have awareness into the areas that fill our bucket and awareness into the areas that deplete our bucket, right? 00:43:16.239 --> 00:43:24.880 Absolutely where there's friction between our core values and there's friction between what we're actually doing, either choosing to do or being asked to do. 00:43:25.679 --> 00:43:32.719 And you know, the departure between those two things can create a very poor atmosphere, right? 00:43:32.800 --> 00:43:35.679 For not just ourselves, but those around us that are most important to us. 00:43:35.760 --> 00:43:46.400 And so being able to describe it the way you did is so beautiful because it's it's like, well, this is just kind of who I am, this is how we do business, and it might not be for everybody, whether it's employees, whether it's clients, right? 00:43:46.639 --> 00:43:46.880 Correct. 00:43:47.119 --> 00:43:55.920 But those that it does mesh with, ninety seven percent of the time they're sticking around, and that's generally part part well, almost entirely why. 00:43:56.159 --> 00:43:57.599 Yes, yeah, as far as I can tell. 00:43:58.000 --> 00:43:59.760 I've really loved it recently. 00:44:00.239 --> 00:44:04.159 We've had some clients that have wanted to come work for us, yeah, too. 00:44:04.320 --> 00:44:06.880 And we haven't, you know, had the right fit. 00:44:06.960 --> 00:44:12.800 And then I'm also that space of, okay, so if you're coming over here, what's gonna happen over there? 00:44:13.119 --> 00:44:13.760 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:44:13.920 --> 00:44:15.039 Who's gonna write me checks? 00:44:15.360 --> 00:44:16.639 I'm just gonna just kick it. 00:44:17.119 --> 00:44:18.000 But also kind of, yeah. 00:44:19.760 --> 00:44:27.679 You know, but that makes me proud, you know, too, is that it's like you have a client who wants to come work with our team that says a lot. 00:44:27.840 --> 00:44:33.599 And we had a previous client that had a year-long contract at a casino. 00:44:33.920 --> 00:44:38.239 And after he got done with that, he's like, hey, I'm not ready to retire yet. 00:44:38.400 --> 00:44:42.719 He had run his agency for 25 years, sold it off two and a half years ago. 00:44:42.960 --> 00:44:49.199 He's like, What do you think about like hanging out together and I can attend 99 this for a while until I, you know, figure out I'm done.

00:44:49.280 --> 00:44:49.920 I'm like, let's do it. 00:44:50.400 --> 00:44:53.840 So just even that, you know, worked in agency life before. 00:44:54.000 --> 00:45:05.199 So had his whole take on it, you know, running it, running a whole team, and then, you know, being the GM, you know, large casino that we were supporting, that said a lot to me too. 00:45:05.519 --> 00:45:05.840 Absolutely. 00:45:06.239 --> 00:45:08.880 You know, okay, no, well now you want to actually work with us. 00:45:09.119 --> 00:45:11.199 Yeah, well, just we'll just want to be in that environment. 00:45:11.360 --> 00:45:13.199 I just want to be around you people, right? 00:45:13.440 --> 00:45:14.239 Feel that energy. 00:45:14.400 --> 00:45:16.159 I mean, that's that says a lot. 00:45:16.320 --> 00:45:16.400 Yeah. 00:45:16.880 --> 00:45:19.199 Well, it says everything, really, as far as I can tell. 00:45:20.320 --> 00:45:26.880 So when people think about branding, what do they get wrong most often? 00:45:28.000 --> 00:45:31.039 They get wrong, but it's very surface level. 00:45:31.519 --> 00:45:32.960 They don't go deep. 00:45:33.119 --> 00:45:39.039 They do just look at the logo, the colors, what are my fonts, you know, all of that. 00:45:39.199 --> 00:45:46.480 And so that's where every conversation that we have really is about depth. 00:45:46.800 --> 00:45:48.480 Like I said, what who are who are you? 00:45:48.639 --> 00:45:49.360 What do you stand for? 00:45:49.519 --> 00:45:50.400 What do you stand against? 00:45:50.559 --> 00:45:52.880 Because I think that's as equally as important. 00:45:53.039 --> 00:45:58.559 Um, you know, it helps like vetting happen without having to waste, you know, people's time. 00:45:58.719 --> 00:46:03.599 So we work with a lot of like service industry, you know, kinds of clients too. 00:46:03.840 --> 00:46:17.440 And so, you know, having that brand infused into their team and them having an understanding, like, yes, mission, vision, and core values, but what does that actually look like from an experiential standpoint? 00:46:17.679 --> 00:46:19.519 You know, branding is everything. 00:46:19.840 --> 00:46:22.559 I spoke at Disrupt HR a few years ago. 00:46:23.360 --> 00:46:26.960 You know, you think like, well, branding and marketing, what does that have to do with HR? 00:46:27.039 --> 00:46:33.360 Everything because branding touches every single thing in your business and it's tied to your reputation. 00:46:33.599 --> 00:46:35.840 And so that's where I think they get it wrong. 00:46:36.000 --> 00:46:40.320 It's it's the surface level conversations that are happening, what what looks good. 00:46:40.559 --> 00:46:47.280 And then even with clients, you know, I'm like, you might prefer that because so much of the work that we do is subjective and it's art. 00:46:47.599 --> 00:46:52.639 So if you put that on the wall, you have 10 people looking at it, you're gonna have 10 different opinions. 00:46:52.800 --> 00:47:03.039 So it's like we need to look at it as objectively as we can and communicate and educate why we do what we do from a branding perspective. 00:47:03.280 --> 00:47:18.719 Because you know, you have a client that wants this just crazy logo, and it's got all these different layers to it and these fine lines, and just the the readability when you look at all the applications that a brand can live, they're not thinking about that. 00:47:18.880 --> 00:47:22.079 They're like, I like this here on this sheet of paper. 00:47:22.159 --> 00:47:22.559 Yeah, yeah. 00:47:22.719 --> 00:47:23.440 Well, cool. 00:47:23.679 --> 00:47:30.079 It's not only ever going to be on this sheet of paper, nor is it going to be these 12 colors. 00:47:30.159 --> 00:47:31.199 Like, thank you, AI. 00:47:31.519 --> 00:47:32.000 Amazing. 00:47:32.159 --> 00:47:37.760 We can work from that, but that can't be reality because of where your brand lives. 00:47:39.679 --> 00:47:45.519 That's that's really, really interesting when you when you talk about how the layer of depth is so important. 00:47:45.599 --> 00:47:50.159 And I I think about let's just say 15, 20 years ago, right? 00:47:50.239 --> 00:48:00.480 I feel like branding was was certainly something that happened, but it was mostly, and and again, I'm I'm coming from a very minimal level of experience in this specifically. 00:48:00.719 --> 00:48:09.360 My perspective of it was you think of a marketing team or an ad agency or whatever it might be, those are for big clients, those are for big organizations. 00:48:09.519 --> 00:48:15.760 And now, seems like with the advent of certainly social media, you hear a lot about people's personal brand. 00:48:16.000 --> 00:48:16.239 Yes. 00:48:16.400 --> 00:48:17.599 Their individual brand. 00:48:17.760 --> 00:48:22.880 And that, well, there's so many examples now of individuals who are just them, right? 00:48:22.960 --> 00:48:32.159 And whatever they're putting out to Instagram or that individual branding is something that I'd never really considered until you know, probably the last five plus years, where it's like, oh yeah. 00:48:32.320 --> 00:48:33.440 And you sort of touched on it. 00:48:33.519 --> 00:48:45.840 I mean, when you walk out of the front door every day as not only just the leader of, you know, of mint, but you know, the the model mother of your daughter, and just I mean, all of that, right? 00:48:46.239 --> 00:48:46.480 Yes. 00:48:46.719 --> 00:48:48.480 Tell me, so a two-part question, I guess. 00:48:48.559 --> 00:48:54.159 Tell me a little bit about how that sort of injected itself, the personal branding aspect of it. 00:48:54.400 --> 00:48:58.880 When did that become really front-facing to just the world in general? 00:48:59.280 --> 00:49:05.280 I feel like it's probably been the last, you know, 10-ish years, but really in the last five. 00:49:05.519 --> 00:49:09.840 You know, you I mean, I even did it when I was, you know, kind of rolling solo. 00:49:10.480 --> 00:49:12.960 My brand before was

MSpire. 00:49:13.199 --> 00:49:17.679 So I did a complete rebrand about four and a half years ago. 00:49:17.760 --> 00:49:23.039 So changed the company name, like flipped everything on its head, you know, when I was like looking at starting a team. 00:49:23.119 --> 00:49:26.559 I'm like, this was all Amanda as a solo person. 00:49:26.639 --> 00:49:28.960 But I even had MSpire by Amanda Schilling. 00:49:29.039 --> 00:49:32.400 Like it was like, woo, yeah, like this sign on a wall. 00:49:32.480 --> 00:49:34.000 Like you didn't even give a shit at that moment. 00:49:34.159 --> 00:49:34.719 You know, whatever. 00:49:35.599 --> 00:49:37.119 But yeah, you definitely see it. 00:49:37.199 --> 00:49:41.599 And one of the things that I've done too with my team is what we do for clients. 00:49:41.679 --> 00:49:49.760 So I've done brand voice sessions with them to help them kind of flesh out their content pillars because I do want to practice what we preach. 00:49:49.840 --> 00:49:56.000 I do want my team, you know, to be active on social media and then some of their roles make more sense. 00:49:56.159 --> 00:49:58.480 You know, obviously, like our social media manager. 00:49:58.800 --> 00:50:07.599 If you're not on social media, that that's gonna look weird to our clients and you know the masses that are out there. 00:50:07.920 --> 00:50:11.440 And so, but again, like you talk about kind of imposter syndrome. 00:50:11.519 --> 00:50:13.599 So, I don't know, you know, I don't know where to start for me. 00:50:13.760 --> 00:50:14.320 That's different. 00:50:14.400 --> 00:50:15.360 And it totally is. 00:50:15.519 --> 00:50:16.960 I that's how I was too. 00:50:17.039 --> 00:50:18.880 I'm like, oh my gosh, now this is my own thing. 00:50:19.119 --> 00:50:20.719 Then you overthink it and you overthink it. 00:50:20.800 --> 00:50:22.480 I'm like, nope, we're not gonna play in that space. 00:50:22.639 --> 00:50:25.599 So that's where I'm like, we need to do this for the entire team. 00:50:25.760 --> 00:50:29.760 So it helps them even define kind of their content pillars. 00:50:29.840 --> 00:50:31.119 And again, who are you? 00:50:31.280 --> 00:50:32.159 What do you stand for? 00:50:32.239 --> 00:50:33.199 What do you stand against? 00:50:33.360 --> 00:50:37.840 How much are you willing to talk about what you stand for and what you stand against? 00:50:38.000 --> 00:50:42.559 Like, I'm gonna support you, you know, in that while also being mindful of my brand. 00:50:42.639 --> 00:50:46.800 Yeah, because on LinkedIn, my brand's literally attached to you. 00:50:46.960 --> 00:50:50.960 Yeah, you know, so it's like just being mindful of those things too. 00:50:51.119 --> 00:50:59.280 And what I found is that the team members like learned a lot about themselves that they didn't even know throughout that process. 00:50:59.840 --> 00:51:01.280 I would imagine so, yeah. 00:51:01.599 --> 00:51:05.199 You know, so it's like just taking the time to do that for them. 00:51:05.519

--> 00:51:09.920 And I loved getting to know more about them too, you know, in that way. 00:51:10.000 --> 00:51:18.000 That wasn't a one-on-one, you know, where you're kind of going through those types of things, but again, the deeper space of it. 00:51:18.480 --> 00:51:25.679 Well, and and that provides an opportunity, at least from my perspective, because I've always looked at it like a Venn diagram, you get your personal professional, right? 00:51:25.920 --> 00:51:26.159 Yes. 00:51:26.320 --> 00:51:37.920 I've always had more comfort with that the circles of that Venn diagram overlapping because it gave me an opportunity when you needed to have the more crucial conversations, it's built on love and trust and support. 00:51:38.320 --> 00:51:44.480 And so if if you know, in fact, I I've been known to say a few different times, it's like, do you believe that I have your best interest at heart? 00:51:45.360 --> 00:51:49.599 Because if you're not answering yes to that, the the rest of this conversation becomes irrelevant. 00:51:49.920 --> 00:51:50.880 It's a whole different conversation. 00:51:51.199 --> 00:51:51.679 Yeah, exactly. 00:51:51.760 --> 00:51:57.039 In fact, it's a completely different conversation that we have to have our partnership working together, right? 00:51:57.199 --> 00:52:01.280 But okay, yes, I believe that that you that you have my best interest at heart. 00:52:01.440 --> 00:52:02.079 Okay, great. 00:52:02.880 --> 00:52:12.320 Now you can actually get into the meat of that conversation, all the while they're understanding, okay, this is coming from a place of love, not unlike what you try to do as a parent or what you try to do as a sibling or a friend. 00:52:12.559 --> 00:52:12.719 Yes. 00:52:12.960 --> 00:52:18.559 You know, the friends the friends that tell and you tell you you're being an idiot, those are your good friends. 00:52:19.760 --> 00:52:19.840 Right? 00:52:20.079 --> 00:52:28.239 The ones that that don't call when they don't hear from you, the ones that don't tell you you're being an idiot, you know, that's more surface level, in my opinion. 00:52:28.559 --> 00:52:29.920 Certainly my experience, you know. 00:52:30.079 --> 00:52:45.039 So anyway, what so personal branding is it is it similar in the sense because it is just one individual versus an entire organization where you know it can take years or decades to build it, it can take seconds to ruin it. 00:52:45.119 --> 00:52:47.199 I mean, most recently, I mean I'm a huge Tiger Woods fan. 00:52:47.440 --> 00:52:47.519 Right? 00:52:49.360 --> 00:53:00.639 But like, you know, he you know, maybe he's a bad example because he's just I'm not saying he's bigger than well, I mean, he's he it's a personal brand, but it's become a mega brand. 00:53:00.800 --> 00:53:04.960 I mean, you know, it's apparel lines, golf clubs, I mean all of that. 00:53:05.119 --> 00:53:22.480 I mean, it's a complete monetization machine, yeah, you know, and so but you know, from a personal perspective that also is like attaching to my family, like who I show up as, but then also, you know, my business. 00:53:22.639 --> 00:53:25.360 And so I've always thought business is personal. 00:53:26.079 --> 00:53:32.880 It's just again, the maybe the relationship, you know, side of me, am I sharing everything, you know, with clients? 00:53:33.119 --> 00:53:34.880 No, no, that's not what I'm talking about. 00:53:34.960 --> 00:53:38.000 Like where you're like, okay, well, that shit got off here a little quicker. 00:53:38.159 --> 00:53:39.679 Um, you know, from that perspective. 00:53:42.320 --> 00:53:42.559 I know. 00:53:42.719 --> 00:53:44.079 What's going on from there? 00:53:44.880 --> 00:54:00.719 But I think, you know, too, when I look at my team members, I'm like, you know, the reality of all of you being here at the end of the day, whenever I decide to retire or whatever that looks like, I mean, it is potentially pretty small. 00:54:00.880 --> 00:54:01.280 Yeah. 00:54:01.599 --> 00:54:12.639 And I don't ever want to be in that space where I feel like I'm holding my employees hostage or I'm not putting them out there because I'm afraid that someone is gonna poach them. 00:54:12.800 --> 00:54:14.079 Like that's not good for anybody. 00:54:14.239 --> 00:54:16.719 That's definitely a scarcity mindset. 00:54:16.880 --> 00:54:24.000 And so that's one thing where I'm really been intentional because I do want to shine a light on them. 00:54:24.079 --> 00:54:34.320 I do want to feel confident in what they are doing and knowing that there could be a better opportunity than we can offer them. 00:54:35.440 --> 00:54:37.840 There you are, like you're building your personal brand. 00:54:38.000 --> 00:54:45.920 So it's it's good for you in us while you're at Mint, but then it's also good for you as you go on. 00:54:46.079 --> 00:54:51.599 It also shows them the process that I go through with clients too, from that brand voice perspective. 00:54:51.840 --> 00:54:52.079 Okay. 00:54:52.239 --> 00:55:02.320 And building it out and the kind of questions that I ask too, because a lot of times I am one-on-one with a CEO, a COO, a marketing director, whatever. 00:55:02.400 --> 00:55:05.119 Sometimes I'm with, you know, an entire leadership team. 00:55:05.280 --> 00:55:08.320 Yeah, but typically it's you know only me in the room. 00:55:08.480 --> 00:55:08.960 That makes sense. 00:55:09.119 --> 00:55:09.760 Um, doing that. 00:55:10.159 --> 00:55:14.880 So because the team members are working on, you know, kind of their zones of genius, and that's mine. 00:55:15.280 --> 00:55:16.239 Zones of genius? 00:55:16.480 --> 00:55:16.800 Yes. 00:55:17.039 --> 00:55:17.280 Okay. 00:55:17.519 --> 00:55:18.480 Is that personal? 00:55:18.559 --> 00:55:19.199 Did you come up with that? 00:55:19.360 --> 00:55:19.760 No, hell no. 00:55:19.840 --> 00:55:20.960 No, I'm sure you heard it somewhere. 00:55:22.639 --> 00:55:24.480 I love that what's like when you're in the zone.

00:55:24.800 --> 00:55:28.960 It's like, okay, like this is what I am really, really good at, what I enjoy. 00:55:29.119 --> 00:55:32.800 And that's the space that I want to be playing in 80% of the time, if I can. 00:55:32.960 --> 00:55:37.440 And so that's when I look at building out our team, you know, right people, right seats. 00:55:37.519 --> 00:55:39.360 Um, so we do work off of traction. 00:55:39.679 --> 00:55:42.000 Um, you know, and it's it's worked really well for us. 00:55:42.159 --> 00:55:47.679 Our our meetings are a lot more efficient, you know, probably than they were back in the day. 00:55:47.840 --> 00:55:50.639 Um, I definitely am the visionary. 00:55:50.800 --> 00:55:53.519 So I can be like squirrel, squirrel, you know, all this. 00:55:53.679 --> 00:55:55.760 And I'll be like, Kelsey, here's my idea. 00:55:55.920 --> 00:55:56.559 Okay, good. 00:55:56.639 --> 00:55:57.679 Can you take it and run with it? 00:55:57.840 --> 00:55:58.639 Can you implement it? 00:55:58.719 --> 00:56:01.519 You know, she's my integrator, you know, from that perspective. 00:56:01.679 --> 00:56:04.400 And so, you know, yeah, I just think that's a good idea. 00:56:04.559 --> 00:56:04.800 Yeah. 00:56:04.880 --> 00:56:09.840 Well, it just it made me, it reminded me of the six types of working genius by and I just I just finished that book. 00:56:09.920 --> 00:56:11.679 And I was like, Oh, yeah, that's that's cool. 00:56:11.760 --> 00:56:14.559 So you mentioned zones of genius, and I'm like, that's I like that. 00:56:14.639 --> 00:56:16.239 Yeah, yeah, that's really good. 00:56:16.800 --> 00:56:18.559 So your daughter's how old? 00:56:18.880 --> 00:56:20.960 She is six, she'll be seven in July. 00:56:21.280 --> 00:56:22.480 Seven going on, sixteen. 00:56:22.800 --> 00:56:26.239 Seventeen, only moly, actually, probably 37 now. 00:56:26.800 --> 00:56:29.840 With the types of conversations and questions that she asks. 00:56:30.079 --> 00:56:31.039 It's unbelievable. 00:56:31.360 --> 00:56:37.840 Well, I've only had the luxury of meeting her a couple times, but I I remember when she was over, was it New Year's Eve when you guys stopped by? 00:56:38.159 --> 00:56:38.320 Okay. 00:56:38.400 --> 00:56:45.599 And and she played so nicely with Will, our four-year-old son, and and of course, our our daughter, although I think she probably hit the sack a little bit earlier than most. 00:56:45.920 --> 00:56:47.519 But what a wonderful young lady. 00:56:47.599 --> 00:56:48.400 And thank you. 00:56:48.719 --> 00:56:57.760 And so talk to me a little bit about her, talk to us a little bit about how, because you mentioned it previously, you know, things sort of change obviously when you become a mom and priorities. 00:56:58.320 --> 00:57:01.039 Well, I don't know how they don't change a little bit, right? 00:57:01.280 --> 00:57:02.159 Values a little bit. 00:57:02.320 --> 00:57:07.119 So talk about how you were able to do it all and kind of squeeze all that together, maybe

reprioritize that. 00:57:07.440 --> 00:57:07.599 Yes. 00:57:07.760 --> 00:57:14.960 Yeah, you know, it's interesting because I talked a little bit about my mom, obviously, before, and she didn't have the option of flexibility. 00:57:15.039 --> 00:57:22.480 I mean, you know, it's like she was going to college, working a full-time job, and so, you know, we would, you know, would stay at daycare later, you know. 00:57:22.559 --> 00:57:25.119 It's like I think our daycare lady could be picked up by six. 00:57:25.519 --> 00:57:25.840 Okay. 00:57:26.239 --> 00:57:28.079 And that was all well and good. 00:57:28.239 --> 00:57:29.760 Like it was all I knew. 00:57:29.920 --> 00:57:36.320 And I think with having, you know, Evelyn so much later in life, I knew that that was not what I wanted. 00:57:36.480 --> 00:57:38.960 I wanted to be bringing her to school. 00:57:39.119 --> 00:57:44.960 And, you know, if I wasn't picking her up right away, because we do have an after school gal that picks her up, it's 245. 00:57:45.039 --> 00:57:46.800 I'm like, I feel like I was in school till four. 00:57:46.960 --> 00:57:52.960 I don't know like what this 245 business is, but you know, my office is all the way across town. 00:57:53.119 --> 00:57:59.920 So then I'm like, I need to leave by two to really like make the hunger games of the school pick up and drop off, like things from that perspective. 00:58:00.480 --> 00:58:01.599 May the odds be ever degree. 00:58:02.000 --> 00:58:02.239 Right. 00:58:02.639 --> 00:58:09.280 And so I just like I knew that I wanted to be there, you know, for those moments and I cherish that time. 00:58:09.440 --> 00:58:22.480 And so that's where it was, you know, even when she was a baby, I I did, you know, dial it back, you know, from client load perspective, all of that for probably a good year or so. 00:58:22.800 --> 00:58:27.599 Um, but I know also knew I wasn't wired to be like a stay-at-home mom. 00:58:27.760 --> 00:58:37.039 That was one of the things where I'm like, oh my gosh, I miss, you know, using my brain and all the ways that I do and being a part of, you know, conversations and all of that. 00:58:37.280 --> 00:58:44.239 And so, you know, even when so COVID obviously happened, and then I was working in my home office then. 00:58:44.320 --> 00:58:48.960 And so then I completely went the opposite direction of pretty much the entire world. 00:58:49.039 --> 00:58:53.760 That is when I leased an office space and started hiring people in office. 00:58:54.000 --> 00:58:55.519 So you're the one that did that. 00:58:55.679 --> 00:58:57.039 I know I know. 00:58:57.119 --> 00:58:59.360 I would like my soul. 00:58:59.599 --> 00:59:00.880 So people are like, geez, you're crazy. 00:59:01.039 --> 00:59:02.239 Everyone's zigging and you're zagging. 00:59:02.480 --> 00:59:03.280 Yes, 100%. 00:59:04.079 --> 00:59:11.440 So yeah, so I just, you know, I knew I needed that space outside of the home, you know, to really do what I wanted to do. 00:59:11.599 --> 00:59:17.039 And I had a couple of college gals that would help me out for a couple hours, you know, kind of here and there. 00:59:17.119 --> 00:59:18.639 So I could go into the office. 00:59:18.800 --> 00:59:29.519 And then, you know, eventually she'd go into like preschool and so, you know, full day stuff, but still, you know, doing the the drop-off and the picking up for sure when she was in preschool. 00:59:29.760 --> 00:59:32.800 But I just don't, you know, I don't want to miss those moments. 00:59:33.039 --> 00:59:36.719 And, you know, next Friday she's got the her VIP morning. 00:59:36.800 --> 00:59:40.559 So both John and I are gonna go have you know muffins with her before school starts. 00:59:40.719 --> 00:59:46.880 And those are just moments I know she cherish cherishes because she asks about them. 00:59:46.960 --> 00:59:47.199 Yeah. 00:59:47.360 --> 00:59:51.679 And then even in previous years, it was like you could only have one parent, and then she's like, Well, what do we do? 00:59:51.760 --> 00:59:52.960 Like, we have to do a pattern. 00:59:53.039 --> 00:59:54.079 Why can't you both be there? 00:59:54.239 --> 00:59:55.360 You know, those types of things. 00:59:55.519 --> 01:00:01.199 And then there's been situations where it's like John might be out of town, you know, for work, and so then he can't be there. 01:00:01.280 --> 01:00:04.239 But it's like one of us is typically always there. 01:00:04.719 --> 01:00:09.760 Um, we did we were at Con Expo and neither of us were there for her music program. 01:00:09.840 --> 01:00:11.679 And let me tell you, we did hear about it. 01:00:12.000 --> 01:00:18.880 But grandma and her at the school, Danny, or yeah, they were there sending videos, taking pictures, you know, all of that. 01:00:19.199 --> 01:00:28.239 But I have never like been the person to hide that I have a kid, or if she's homesick, I've been like, hey, are you cool? 01:00:28.400 --> 01:00:30.000 Like, I'll message a client, whatever. 01:00:30.159 --> 01:00:31.760 She's homesick with me. 01:00:32.079 --> 01:00:32.800 Are you good? 01:00:32.960 --> 01:00:35.920 Like, I might need to, you know, hop off, whatever. 01:00:36.239 --> 01:00:39.679 I'm not, I'm not gonna like play hooky on my end, right? 01:00:39.760 --> 01:00:40.960 Right, you know, or make an excuse. 01:00:41.280 --> 01:00:42.320 I'll show up if you're cool with that. 01:00:42.400 --> 01:00:42.639 Yeah, yeah. 01:00:42.880 --> 01:00:44.400 I have a parent or I'm a parent. 01:00:44.639 --> 01:00:46.559 This is what my kid needs, you know, from me. 01:00:46.719 --> 01:00:49.360 And so again, I think it's just what do you stand for? 01:00:49.519 --> 01:00:50.480 What do you stand against? 01:00:50.639 --> 01:00:51.920 So, same thing with my team. 01:00:52.000 --> 01:00:54.320 Like, I want to have that flexibility. 01:00:54.719 --> 01:00:57.519 Daycare will randomly get closed, you know, those types of things. 01:00:57.599 --> 01:01:04.079 So it's like

people are, you know, working from home, then whatever that looks like, it's super important to me. 01:01:04.239 --> 01:01:12.559 And as much as, you know, we talked a little bit earlier too about like when team members are gone for a long period of time, I feel it in my bones. 01:01:12.639 --> 01:01:15.360 Yeah, feeling it this week with Aaron being gone. 01:01:15.440 --> 01:01:27.119 But like Alexa is on maternity leave right now, and she's been like main client point of contact for you know two and a half years, but she's taking a three-month maternity leave. 01:01:28.320 --> 01:01:31.599 One of our rules is the computer then stays at the office. 01:01:31.920 --> 01:01:34.639 So you are not checking it, you know, any of that. 01:01:34.880 --> 01:01:40.159 So we've set up the team to like take care of the things, and I really miss her. 01:01:40.320 --> 01:01:45.760 Like, you know, from that standpoint, because it's like, okay, like the goals aren't changing, you know. 01:01:46.079 --> 01:01:47.360 Let me bring you my computer. 01:01:48.719 --> 01:01:51.760 Even if the people, you know, are oh the goals aren't changing. 01:01:51.920 --> 01:01:52.239 Yeah, yeah. 01:01:52.320 --> 01:01:53.679 Um that works, isn't it? 01:01:54.079 --> 01:01:55.119 Yeah, it's like, what the heck? 01:01:55.280 --> 01:01:57.599 But you know, it's like her clients don't ask less of you. 01:01:57.760 --> 01:01:58.239 No, yeah. 01:01:58.400 --> 01:02:04.960 Um, you know, her second kiddo, and you know, it's like just even that space of a lot of times people are like, How's the baby? 01:02:05.119 --> 01:02:05.760 Blah, blah, blah. 01:02:06.000 --> 01:02:07.519 And I'm like, Yes, how's the baby? 01:02:07.599 --> 01:02:08.159 But how are you? 01:02:08.320 --> 01:02:08.559 Yeah. 01:02:08.800 --> 01:02:14.960 Because, you know, after I had Evie, my health just completely flipped. 01:02:15.119 --> 01:02:22.880 You know, I had a phenomenal pregnancy, no issues whatsoever outside of her coming a month early, but and she was only in the NICU for four days. 01:02:23.119 --> 01:02:35.360 But so that too, it was like dealing with that and understanding that, you know, our bodies really as women take at least two years to get back to maybe somewhat normal. 01:02:35.599 --> 01:02:42.960 And so me understanding that as a business owner with a mainly female team, we only have one token male right now. 01:02:43.360 --> 01:02:44.159 Good for you, you know. 01:02:44.960 --> 01:02:45.440 Good for you. 01:02:47.280 --> 01:02:48.320 I don't know what's up with that. 01:02:48.400 --> 01:02:54.079 I don't know if I've like seen like a ball buster or what, but it's only been a few. 01:02:54.239 --> 01:02:55.840 And then it's, you know, whatever. 01:02:56.000 --> 01:02:58.639 But it's just kind of how it shook out and the one that we have. 01:02:58.719 --> 01:02:59.199 He's great. 01:02:59.599 --> 01:03:01.519 You know, he's like a dad. 01:03:01.599 --> 01:03:04.559 Yeah, you know, he's got a daughter and it's him and his wife. 01:03:04.639 --> 01:03:06.239 So he's like, I've always been outnumbered. 01:03:06.400 --> 01:03:06.880 We're good. 01:03:07.039 --> 01:03:07.199 Yep. 01:03:07.360 --> 01:03:12.239 So it's again too, like finding to that the people like that where I'm family first. 01:03:12.639 --> 01:03:22.639 I want my team members to feel like they can be too and not have that be a like a culture thing that we're saying outwardly and not having that happen internally. 01:03:22.800 --> 01:03:23.440 It's happening. 01:03:23.599 --> 01:03:30.880 I mean, kids have been in the office, you know, playing whatever it is, like in-between eye appointments, all of that's happening. 01:03:30.960 --> 01:03:38.000 And I welcome it because I also want to get to know their kiddos and like, you know, what we're all doing together. 01:03:38.079 --> 01:03:40.079 And we've, I mean, we've had people over at our house before. 01:03:40.159 --> 01:03:41.920 I mean, it's just part of the team, part of the family. 01:03:42.079 --> 01:03:43.440 Yes, you know, free flowing. 01:03:43.519 --> 01:03:44.880 So and it's not lip service. 01:03:44.960 --> 01:03:52.559 I mean, if you're if you're modeling it yourself as the leader, right, then then you are consciously and subconsciously giving permission to others to do that. 01:03:52.719 --> 01:03:52.960 Yes. 01:03:53.199 --> 01:03:53.360 Right. 01:03:53.599 --> 01:04:02.159 And and so it's if if you were to say that, because every I feel like most organizations and leaders would say, oh, you know, family first or this or that. 01:04:02.800 --> 01:04:07.199 And then they don't either model it themselves or they don't actually lead that way, right? 01:04:07.280 --> 01:04:09.679 They say it because they think it sounds good and that's what they're supposed to say. 01:04:09.760 --> 01:04:10.880 But then when I'm successful. 01:04:12.719 --> 01:04:16.639 And that that to me is just a huge difference for obvious reasons. 01:04:16.800 --> 01:04:24.159 That when you find yourself in a in a situation as a leader where it's like, you know, what what are we missing here? 01:04:24.320 --> 01:04:24.480 Right. 01:04:24.559 --> 01:04:26.320 It's like, are we modeling the behavior? 01:04:26.480 --> 01:04:33.599 And and if we're not modeling the behavior that we're talking about, we need to do a complete revamp of what we're talking about. 01:04:33.840 --> 01:04:36.320 Yes, yes, can we even you know actually be who we are? 01:04:36.559 --> 01:04:36.960 Exactly. 01:04:37.039 --> 01:04:37.199 Yeah. 01:04:37.280 --> 01:04:44.719 And if and if we can't, and if and if we can't deliver on that because X, Y, Z has changed for whatever reason, that's okay. 01:04:44.960 --> 01:04:45.199 Right. 01:04:45.440 --> 01:04:45.679 Right? 01:04:45.760 --> 01:04:51.039 It but the awareness of that is is primary because you don't want to find yourself in a situation. 01:04:51.199 --> 01:04:53.360 It's like a marriage, it's like a relationship,

it's like anything else. 01:04:53.519 --> 01:05:01.440 I mean, if you can't deliver on what you've said that you can previously deliver on, go back to the right, go back to the drawing board and start and start working. 01:05:02.480 --> 01:05:03.039 Yeah, exactly. 01:05:03.199 --> 01:05:03.440 Exactly. 01:05:03.519 --> 01:05:04.800 Well, can't deliver on this. 01:05:05.039 --> 01:05:05.840 Well, what can you deliver on? 01:05:05.920 --> 01:05:06.079 Yeah. 01:05:06.639 --> 01:05:07.119 Super fair. 01:05:07.199 --> 01:05:07.360 Yeah. 01:05:07.519 --> 01:05:07.920 Super fair. 01:05:08.079 --> 01:05:08.239 Yeah. 01:05:08.400 --> 01:05:20.320 Well, yeah, and I think one of the cool things too, just you know, uh she does seem like an adult a lot of days with the conversations that we've been having, but we never talk to her like she was a baby, yeah, either. 01:05:20.719 --> 01:05:24.239 You know, and I'm a big like question asker. 01:05:24.400 --> 01:05:26.719 Don't get me wrong, there's those moments where I'm like, what are you doing? 01:05:26.880 --> 01:05:30.400 Like, you know, you like lack patience, but I typically am like, what's up? 01:05:30.559 --> 01:05:31.440 What's going on? 01:05:31.679 --> 01:05:32.960 Why are we talking like that? 01:05:33.119 --> 01:05:34.000 Why are we doing this? 01:05:34.079 --> 01:05:39.519 You know, to like get that intel so then I can figure her out, you know, better. 01:05:39.840 --> 01:05:50.719 And one of the things when we talk about like the school drop off, that one we jam to music a lot of the times, but I came across this tails.com like card deck thing where it's do you have it? 01:05:50.800 --> 01:05:51.119 Yeah. 01:05:51.679 --> 01:05:53.199 It's the best thing. 01:05:53.519 --> 01:05:57.280 I do not she's like, Mom, yeah, you want to learn more about me? 01:05:57.440 --> 01:05:59.119 I'm like, every day, let's do this. 01:05:59.360 --> 01:05:59.679 There's nothing 01:06:00.000 --> 01:06:01.519 I'd rather do, in fact, to learn more about you. 01:06:02.000 --> 01:06:10.159 So, you know, like three to five questions kind of on the way to school to learn more about each other and uh just some of those answers. 01:06:10.320 --> 01:06:19.599 I'm like, okay, we're doing some things right here, you know, from like the family perspective and showing up, you know, to for her in that way. 01:06:19.679 --> 01:06:23.039 And then obviously the boys too, with having two stepsons. 01:06:23.360 --> 01:06:24.960 How's that dynamic been for you? 01:06:25.199 --> 01:06:26.159 It's been great. 01:06:26.320 --> 01:06:31.039 I mean, I like I said, my mom being the oldest of seven, me being the oldest of four. 01:06:31.199 --> 01:06:34.079 I have always had kids in my life. 01:06:34.239 --> 01:06:41.920 I mean, you know, it's like I think most girls probably my age can say, oh, I started babysitting when I was 10 or 11, and I was dealing with infants, which I'm like, that's wild. 01:06:42.000 --> 01:06:47.280 I would never have probably a 10 or 11-year-old girl handling my infant and watching her. 01:06:47.679 --> 01:06:49.199 But it's been amazing. 01:06:49.360 --> 01:06:55.519 And I think again, we talk a lot about trusts and relationships and fostering those, you know, intentionally. 01:06:55.679 --> 01:06:57.920 And it's the same thing in that space. 01:06:58.079 --> 01:07:17.039 Like I have great relationships with both of the boys because of the kinds of conversations that we have, the questions, you know, that I ask of them, being genuinely interested, you know, in them and loving them at every phase, you know, kind of that I've been in their life because it's been just a little around 10 years, you know, now at this point. 01:07:17.119 --> 01:07:18.480 Um has it really been that long? 01:07:18.639 --> 01:07:19.039 Yeah, I know. 01:07:19.119 --> 01:07:19.920 Isn't that crazy? 01:07:20.239 --> 01:07:21.519 Anyway, so yeah. 01:07:21.920 --> 01:07:28.960 Um, and then two, you know, I was talking to Gal the other day, you know, a lot of times, like, oh, it takes a village, it takes a village. 01:07:29.039 --> 01:07:29.920 Well, it really does. 01:07:30.079 --> 01:07:32.239 So we talk about school pickup, drop off. 01:07:32.480 --> 01:07:35.519 I mean, there are times where, you know, our after school gal is sick. 01:07:35.679 --> 01:07:41.119 John and I both meetings because we're running our own businesses, whatever we have going on at any given time. 01:07:41.199 --> 01:07:50.079 And so John's ex-wife's mom will often pick up our daughter and take them over to Tara's house, which is John's ex-wife. 01:07:50.320 --> 01:08:11.119 And so, you know, the kids, the little ones, because she has two kiddos from her current marriage, too, they like pretty much think they're brothers and sisters, and like they aren't, but are, you know, so it's what a wonderful big happy family kind of but to be able to, you know, do that and have that. 01:08:11.280 --> 01:08:42.720 And you know, there's been times where she's needed us and and we're in on it, you know, and her and I are having our own conversations and you know, kind of taking care of the boys as mothers do, and then, you know, it's like the dad figures have their role in it, and so you know, her and I are on the same page 99.9% of the time, and so the boys can't get away with shit, really, with us, because we are all like we are in a group text, it's just that's not gonna happen. 01:09:10.239 --> 01:09:15.840 That's such an example of what is possible in that type of environment, and you just never hear about it, do you? 01:09:16.079 --> 01:09:31.600 I mean, you just never hear is usually somebody's well, you can actually put the kids at the center of the universe and and say, okay, we are committed to facilitating again an environment where their growth is is primary, our feelings are somewhat secondary, and we're gonna figure it out. 01:09:31.920 --> 01:09:35.680 Man, scream that to the mountaintops because that is

just fantastic. 01:09:36.000 --> 01:09:36.399 That's so cool. 01:09:36.640 --> 01:09:38.560 Yeah, we have people that are just like, you guys are so weird. 01:09:38.640 --> 01:09:50.640 And I'm like, I'll take our weir any day of the week because I also you know have friends that have experienced you know divorce and co-parenting, and it looks very different and it's very unfortunate. 01:09:50.880 --> 01:09:53.199 It is, you know, really from that perspective. 01:09:53.439 --> 01:09:55.520 And, you know, we really want the kids to know. 01:09:55.600 --> 01:09:58.720 I mean, they just have more people to love them, more family members, you know. 01:09:58.880 --> 01:10:01.680 I mean, our holidays are crazy. 01:10:02.000 --> 01:10:03.840 John is, as you know, an only child. 01:10:04.079 --> 01:10:12.640 So him coming into to my world was a shock to the nervous system, no doubt, because he's also, you know, more of like an introvert. 01:10:12.720 --> 01:10:17.039 Yeah, and my family is a bunch of not introverts. 01:10:18.479 --> 01:10:20.479 Um so he's done great though. 01:10:20.560 --> 01:10:22.079 It's like he's he's come around. 01:10:22.239 --> 01:10:25.039 Um, and they and they know him obviously better too. 01:10:25.119 --> 01:10:30.399 And it's like they're the it's like, oh, how how far can we push his buttons to make him love me? 01:10:30.640 --> 01:10:32.960 It's like my aunt's like, you are gonna dance with me. 01:10:33.119 --> 01:10:34.159 We are gonna do this other way. 01:10:34.640 --> 01:10:35.439 He's like, No, I'm not. 01:10:35.520 --> 01:10:35.920 No, I'm not. 01:10:36.159 --> 01:10:36.640 That's awesome. 01:10:36.880 --> 01:10:37.119 Yeah. 01:10:37.359 --> 01:10:48.479 Well, and you referenced it too, you know, you having your own business and then John now running general equipment and supplies, you know, any unique dinner conversation that you guys and and you you actually work with them, right? 01:10:48.560 --> 01:10:49.760 From a marketing perspective too. 01:10:50.000 --> 01:10:54.960 So that's a so you're uh you guys are partners, and then you're yeah, talk to me about that. 01:10:55.119 --> 01:10:55.439 Yeah. 01:10:55.600 --> 01:10:57.920 So we talk a lot about business at home. 01:10:58.079 --> 01:11:07.279 I mean, it's just kind of the reality of it with us both being immersed in it every single day, helping each other, you know, through problems. 01:11:07.439 --> 01:11:14.239 Like I said, he's a total numbers guy and so knows profit and loss, like the back of his hand, you know, all of that. 01:11:14.399 --> 01:11:24.079 And so me like leaning on him to teach me, you know, that's I'm like, I know the you know the basics, but it's like, and yes, you know, I have a CPA and like a tax person and all of that. 01:11:24.319 --> 01:11:29.680 But you know, when when you're presenting things to a team that can look different, and so like they function off attraction too. 01:11:29.760 --> 01:11:31.920 I'm like, okay, like how transparent are you? 01:11:32.079 --> 01:11:34.239 What are the types of things that you're sharing with them? 01:11:34.800 --> 01:11:42.560 You know, when you start talking about big numbers, then it's like, well, then you know, team members can be like, well, why am I not making X, Y, Z then? 01:11:42.720 --> 01:11:46.720 Well, it's because this much is actually going out to you all. 01:11:46.960 --> 01:11:58.880 And then there is our tech stack and our lease and our insurance and and and and and and and you know, into oblivion is like as a business owner, there's constantly stuff popping up that you need, you know, to pay for. 01:11:59.039 --> 01:12:01.359 And so, and then working with them. 01:12:01.439 --> 01:12:06.159 So I started working with general equipment before like John and I were ever even together. 01:12:06.640 --> 01:12:13.359 So funny, I don't know that I built that trust with their current executive team, which I think really helped. 01:12:13.439 --> 01:12:14.800 And, you know, for sure. 01:12:15.039 --> 01:12:17.760 I mean, have I ever been more all in? 01:12:17.920 --> 01:12:24.000 No, because I mean it's a direct impact to you know my family's life too. 01:12:24.079 --> 01:12:31.279 And so I mean, I care about all of our clients and I genuinely want all of their success, but that's obviously you know a different dynamic. 01:12:31.520 --> 01:12:41.520 And, you know, it's been an interesting transition because before I was heavily involved in it, you know, helping lead a lot of strategic pieces of it. 01:12:41.680 --> 01:12:44.960 And, you know, I'll I'll be pulled in when that needs to happen now. 01:12:45.119 --> 01:12:48.000 But really, Mint is kind of what I call their tactical team. 01:12:48.159 --> 01:12:48.560 Oh, sure. 01:12:48.720 --> 01:13:14.640 Uh, because they have a great, you know, marketing director now, and she's you know, filling that space that I was kind of playing in before, which I love because then it allows me to be the wife and necessarily like the yeah, whatever, you know, because I'm like sometimes they're I don't actually want to talk about this at home right now, or I'll be like, you know, a Texas marketing director, I'll be like, oh gosh, sorry, he brought this up, you know, whatever. 01:13:14.800 --> 01:13:17.119 Yeah, totally not going behind your back. 01:13:17.199 --> 01:13:18.560 It just came up in conversation. 01:13:18.720 --> 01:13:23.279 So those types of things the transparency, trust stuff, it's like, you know, whatever. 01:13:23.439 --> 01:13:29.199 And then if they have, you know, their whatever gripes about him, I'm like, I can guide you on that because I live with them. 01:13:29.279 --> 01:13:29.520 Yeah. 01:13:29.760 --> 01:13:31.600 So whatever that looks like too. 01:13:31.760 --> 01:13:36.079 So I think to the number of times Alyssa said to me, Nick, I need a husband right now, not a coach. 01:13:36.239 --> 01:13:36.560 Correct. 01:13:36.720 --> 01:13:39.279 You know, I I I just

I just need you to listen. 01:13:39.439 --> 01:13:40.720 It's like, okay, thank you for saying that. 01:13:40.800 --> 01:13:40.880 Yeah. 01:13:42.079 --> 01:13:50.239 Well, that's great communication to be half because I probably am like, could like play initial expressions or sheer annoyance. 01:13:50.319 --> 01:13:52.399 So I'll take a lesson from Alyssa. 01:13:52.800 --> 01:14:05.840 Well, it took a while for us to get there because I mean I was doing it subconsciously, you know, just coming home from coaching all day and making decisions, and all of a sudden, you know, she starts talking about her day, and then I'm off to solving all her problems, and it's just like this is not nobody's happy here in that environment. 01:14:05.920 --> 01:14:07.199 Yeah, like CEO mode. 01:14:07.279 --> 01:14:07.520 Yeah. 01:14:07.760 --> 01:14:11.039 CEO mode in a business is not the same as it is in a family. 01:14:11.680 --> 01:14:14.319 So, you know, how are you leading your family? 01:14:14.720 --> 01:14:28.319 We're not, I mean, yeah, you can talk profit and loss, I guess, you know, kind of as uh your personal financial structure or whatever that looks like, but there's where I'm like, okay, can we just can we chill out and just actually Netflix and chill as they start? 01:14:28.640 --> 01:14:28.960 Exactly. 01:14:29.199 --> 01:14:30.560 Um, from that perspective, yeah. 01:14:30.720 --> 01:14:33.920 Kind of have that mindless space, you know, too. 01:14:34.000 --> 01:14:46.880 Because I'm like you, I love reading, but I don't like really have a lot of time necessarily to do that because I swear once my feet hit the ground, my child's like are also immediately behind me. 01:14:47.039 --> 01:14:49.359 And then even, you know, it's kind of like the nighttime routine. 01:14:49.439 --> 01:14:52.640 By the time she's down, I'm often spent, you know, too. 01:14:52.800 --> 01:14:57.359 And so I listen to podcasts almost every single morning when I'm getting ready. 01:14:57.439 --> 01:15:02.720 Like that's my any ones off the top of your head that are more uh more common than others. 01:15:02.960 --> 01:15:05.199 Gosh, so I kind of weave back and forth. 01:15:05.279 --> 01:15:06.640 One is the Kelly Roach show. 01:15:06.880 --> 01:15:11.279 She's got like eight different companies, um, just wicked smart. 01:15:11.520 --> 01:15:19.840 And then Andrea Johnston, she actually leads my I'm part of an agency mastermind group with a lot of agencies kind of across the United States. 01:15:19.920 --> 01:15:23.359 And she has a podcast called Women You I Want You To Know. 01:15:23.520 --> 01:15:23.680 Okay. 01:15:23.840 --> 01:15:27.199 Um, so I've been listening to that one more recently too. 01:15:27.600 --> 01:15:29.600 And then Jason, Jason Schwank. 01:15:29.840 --> 01:15:39.840 Um, he has an agency cool like podcast where he talks about kind of how he runs his agency, he had one, sold it off, and then he brings in other agency owners. 01:15:40.000 --> 01:15:48.560 So me just really trying to look at kind of the best practices because you know, when I was in working in agency world, that was a really long time ago. 01:15:48.800 --> 01:15:51.680 And so a lot has changed since then. 01:15:52.159 --> 01:16:08.239 Um, and I, you know, I have a pretty good pulse on you know, some other kind of agencies just based on conversations, you know, that we've had, but that agency mastermind has been super powerful in just what we've learned and you know, kind of pricing structure, all of that team members, 1099. 01:16:08.399 --> 01:16:09.359 What does that look like? 01:16:09.680 --> 01:16:14.960 National growth, because the gal that leads our mastermind, she sold her agency for 110 million dollars. 01:16:15.279 --> 01:16:15.840 Well, you should do that. 01:16:16.000 --> 01:16:16.960 So I'm like, cool, yeah. 01:16:17.920 --> 01:16:18.479 Yeah, you should do that. 01:16:18.640 --> 01:16:18.720 Yes. 01:16:18.960 --> 01:16:26.000 Well, it's like you know, you want people mentoring you that are way far, like beyond where you want to be. 01:16:26.079 --> 01:16:28.079 Like they've already done it, lived it, all of that. 01:16:28.159 --> 01:16:31.920 And so what do they say if you're the smartest if you're the smartest person in the room, find a different room? 01:16:32.159 --> 01:16:32.479 Correct. 01:16:32.560 --> 01:16:32.960 Yes. 01:16:33.199 --> 01:16:35.840 I am I'm a yeah, foracious learner. 01:16:35.920 --> 01:16:36.079 Yeah. 01:16:36.239 --> 01:16:38.079 So I want to make sure that's well, that's evident. 01:16:38.159 --> 01:16:43.920 It just in, you know, the little that I shouldn't say little up in the as much as I've known you uh above and beyond our conversation here today. 01:16:44.000 --> 01:16:56.479 It's like you you kind of know when you sit down with somebody to have a conversation, and it just sort of clicks, and you're just like you share some of the same interests, but you're trying to genuinely learn about somebody else and like a genuine curiosity. 01:16:56.640 --> 01:16:58.640 You clearly have a genuine curiosity. 01:16:58.800 --> 01:17:05.359 You touched on it right when we first started talking about who people are, why they do what they do, what makes them tick, which is right in my wheelhouse too. 01:17:06.720 --> 01:17:07.119 Why? 01:17:07.520 --> 01:17:10.399 Do you think that's just a just an inherence innate thing that you were born with? 01:17:10.479 --> 01:17:11.279 That's just the way you are. 01:17:11.439 --> 01:17:18.880 Do you think there was anything seminal that happened in your life in your in your upbringing that that puts you in that situation to be genuinely interested in others? 01:17:19.199 --> 01:17:29.199 I think I've been a genuine or like naturally like kind of caregiver or caring person, and maybe that does have to be with the oldest of four. 01:17:29.840 --> 01:17:34.960 You know, because it's kind of that natural hierarchical, you know, space of protection. 01:17:35.359 -->

01:17:45.840 So between my sister and I, it's four years, and then my brother Robert and I are 10, and then my youngest brother is 15 years between us, so it's a big um spread too. 01:17:46.560 --> 01:17:46.880 Cool. 01:17:47.359 --> 01:18:06.560 But yeah, so I think that um you know, growing up, you know, I was bullied from kindergarten through sixth grade for being fat and poor, like we did not have a lot of money growing up, and so like I think that too, like the empathy space, like I never wanted to be fat to anyone. 01:18:06.640 --> 01:18:11.520 Yeah, and so just understanding like it's not about you, it's about them. 01:18:11.680 --> 01:18:23.760 Yeah, you know, and I say that to my to the kids too, because there's been situations where you know things have been said to them or done to them or whatever that is, and I'm like, you know what, you don't know what their home life is like. 01:18:24.000 --> 01:18:28.640 It's one thing, obviously, if someone's like gonna be physical to you, no, that that's a different conversation. 01:18:28.720 --> 01:18:30.800 Then Moorhead Mandy does come out. 01:18:31.680 --> 01:18:34.640 I grew up in the old sketchy part of Moorhead. 01:18:34.720 --> 01:18:34.960 I don't know. 01:18:37.359 --> 01:18:38.159 It made me angry. 01:18:38.479 --> 01:18:41.039 John laughs, he's like, You are not, and I was like, No, I am. 01:18:41.119 --> 01:18:42.560 I was like, It's in there if we need it. 01:18:42.720 --> 01:18:44.479 Yeah, yeah, especially mom mode kicks in. 01:18:44.800 --> 01:18:46.000 Yes, all of it, you know. 01:18:46.479 --> 01:18:51.520 But no, I think that that curiosity piece has really always been there for me. 01:18:51.600 --> 01:18:59.119 And like I said, with my mom being such a good listen listener, I mean, just to the unconditional love. 01:18:59.279 --> 01:19:05.039 I mean, if there it was ever a person to find it, it's her, you know, for all of us kids. 01:19:05.199 --> 01:19:09.199 And so, you know, what does that look like in business? 01:19:09.359 --> 01:19:13.359 You know, because I I do love my team members, I do genuinely care about them. 01:19:13.520 --> 01:19:16.479 That's not weird for me to say, you know, either. 01:19:16.640 --> 01:19:17.279 I'm good with it. 01:19:17.439 --> 01:19:19.119 Like if anyone else thinks it's weird, cool. 01:19:19.680 --> 01:19:21.119 And it's not for everybody, right? 01:19:21.359 --> 01:19:21.600 Right. 01:19:21.680 --> 01:19:26.159 And that's what I'm gathering from you too, because we said a lot of the same stuff on my team. 01:19:26.239 --> 01:19:27.600 Like, hey, you know, we lead with love. 01:19:27.680 --> 01:19:30.640 We too we we we say that to each other from time to time, right? 01:19:30.800 --> 01:19:33.760 And I don't expect everybody to do that. 01:19:33.840 --> 01:19:42.800 That's certainly not just because I prefer that, you know, and I I I open myself up in that regard, doesn't mean that you have to, but it's there for you if you want it. 01:19:42.880 --> 01:19:43.119 Yes. 01:19:43.279 --> 01:19:43.760 Or need it. 01:19:43.840 --> 01:19:44.319 Yeah, right? 01:19:44.560 --> 01:19:44.880 Absolutely. 01:19:45.119 --> 01:19:47.760 I don't want you to feel like you have to be part of that environment. 01:19:47.920 --> 01:19:49.119 Or well, you're part of the environment. 01:19:49.199 --> 01:19:52.079 I don't feel like you have to engage in that way, but you can. 01:19:52.239 --> 01:19:52.479 Yes. 01:19:52.720 --> 01:19:53.520 It's here for if you want it. 01:19:53.760 --> 01:19:53.840 Yeah. 01:19:54.079 --> 01:19:59.600 Well, even one of our most recent team members, so she works remote in Bismarck and came for our team retreat. 01:19:59.680 --> 01:20:06.720 So I had, you know, I had lunch with her when I interviewed her in Bismarck, but then, you know, we were whatever, hanging out at a lunch place. 01:20:06.880 --> 01:20:08.000 So then she came to the office. 01:20:08.079 --> 01:20:10.319 I'm like, okay, so are you a hugger or not a hugger now? 01:20:10.399 --> 01:20:12.079 Like, let's let's level set on that. 01:20:12.159 --> 01:20:13.199 And she's like, no, I'll hug. 01:20:13.359 --> 01:20:16.800 I was like, no, not I'll hug. 01:20:17.039 --> 01:20:18.880 Do you want to hug? 01:20:19.119 --> 01:20:20.159 She's like, well, yeah. 01:20:20.239 --> 01:20:20.960 I was like, okay. 01:20:21.119 --> 01:20:22.479 So it's funny, there's a difference. 01:20:22.640 --> 01:20:24.079 I was like, ah, you know, the listening. 01:20:24.239 --> 01:20:25.039 I'm like, words matter. 01:20:26.399 --> 01:20:28.479 I'll do it, and then I'll cringe and like get all weird about it. 01:20:28.560 --> 01:20:30.079 It's like, no, that's not what I'm forcing you. 01:20:30.720 --> 01:20:32.000 Not forcing a hug on you. 01:20:32.239 --> 01:20:33.840 Yeah, I don't want to hug you if you're uncomfortable. 01:20:34.000 --> 01:20:35.279 Like the goal, yeah, yeah. 01:20:35.439 --> 01:20:36.239 That's funny. 01:20:36.399 --> 01:20:38.560 But but most leaders wouldn't even ask that question. 01:20:38.720 --> 01:20:38.960 Right. 01:20:39.039 --> 01:20:39.760 You know, yeah. 01:20:40.319 --> 01:20:43.039 And and now that I look back on it, I should, I'm a hugger. 01:20:43.119 --> 01:20:45.760 I so my I have two older sisters, 10 and 12 years older, right? 01:20:45.840 --> 01:20:48.399 So I had three moms, basically, is what I grew up with. 01:20:50.079 --> 01:20:51.279 So I was doted on. 01:20:51.359 --> 01:20:59.439 I was, you know, but it was like it was a very wonderful environment in that regard where there was a lot of, you know, f just physical, you know, connection. 01:21:00.079 --> 01:21:00.319 Connection. 01:21:00.960 --> 01:21:01.920 You know, like hugs instead. 01:21:02.079 --> 01:21:02.640 That's I don't know. 01:21:02.720 --> 01:21:03.840 It sounds a little weird to say out loud. 01:21:03.920 --> 01:21:06.880 It's not, but that's how my whole family was growing up too. 01:21:07.119 --> 01:21:09.520 And so I

always just immediately go in for the hug. 01:21:09.600 --> 01:21:14.159 And you can certainly tell some people that are just like, whoa, you know, it's like, sorry, my bad. 01:21:14.399 --> 01:21:17.279 Yeah, so I really don't mean to invade your personal space. 01:21:17.359 --> 01:21:19.920 I just yeah, yeah, absolutely. 01:21:20.479 --> 01:21:21.520 So, okay. 01:21:22.079 --> 01:21:26.319 You and John are sitting at a dinner table, you're having conversations about your businesses, right? 01:21:26.479 --> 01:21:34.239 You're you're you're working towards not only raising, you know, the the daughter that you guys have together, but you know, I know David Marcus. 01:21:34.319 --> 01:21:36.239 David's what 20, 21 now, right in there. 01:21:36.479 --> 01:21:36.640 20. 01:21:37.199 --> 01:21:40.800 Yeah, we're actually taking him to Vegas for his 21st birthday this July. 01:21:43.439 --> 01:21:44.479 Yeah, on weekend's eight. 01:21:44.640 --> 01:21:45.840 It's gonna be the best time ever. 01:21:46.079 --> 01:21:47.199 It's gonna be incredible. 01:21:47.439 --> 01:21:49.680 So he's 20, Mark is what, 17, 18? 01:21:50.159 --> 01:21:51.439 Yeah, so he'll be 18 this month. 01:21:51.760 --> 01:21:53.840 Okay, wow, wow, wow, awesome. 01:21:54.079 --> 01:21:56.880 So and then your daughter is six, yes, right. 01:21:57.039 --> 01:22:03.600 So you have a large gap in what the kids are, for lack of a better way to say it, bringing home with them every day. 01:22:05.680 --> 01:22:18.560 If you had to provide any sort of advice or any thoughts or lessons learned to individuals that might not be in the exact same scenario that you're in as a business owner, as you know, somebody that's growing people professionally, but also growing people personally. 01:22:18.800 --> 01:22:20.159 Any one or two things come to mind? 01:22:20.479 --> 01:22:26.239 I would say definitely take the time to connect without phones. 01:22:26.479 --> 01:22:29.920 I mean, we were at, you know, we took the boys to the Timberwolves game on Sunday. 01:22:30.159 --> 01:22:30.560 Oh fun. 01:22:30.880 --> 01:22:33.520 And they were like all into the stats and whatever. 01:22:33.600 --> 01:22:36.960 And I was like, all right, figure it out, and then your phones are done. 01:22:37.119 --> 01:22:38.479 Like we're gonna talk and hang out. 01:22:38.640 --> 01:22:41.520 Like, yeah, I will force you actually to do that. 01:22:41.760 --> 01:22:42.880 But it wasn't really, you know. 01:22:42.960 --> 01:22:46.239 But then once we were at the game, I mean it is, you know, that connection piece. 01:22:46.399 --> 01:22:51.680 But again, we're actually asking conversations, it's not or asking questions, excuse me. 01:22:51.760 --> 01:22:54.479 It's not super official, you know, type of stuff. 01:22:54.640 --> 01:23:00.239 Like we know them deeply as humans, like what makes them tick, what sets them off, you know, kind of all of that. 01:23:00.319 --> 01:23:02.239 And I think that's one of the biggest things

too. 01:23:02.319 --> 01:23:08.800 And then it was really important for us to spend time with just them and not with Evi. 01:23:09.199 --> 01:23:18.880 Sure, you know, we took her to New York City, you know, did all that, and then we went on a Disney cruise because the boys were on their spring break, you know, with their mom this year. 01:23:19.039 --> 01:23:27.039 And, you know, when you have a six-year-old around talking with her there is hard, you know, there's constant interjections and all of that. 01:23:27.119 --> 01:23:31.680 And so I think just really understanding too that the boys need that. 01:23:31.840 --> 01:23:34.079 She needs her alone time, you know, too. 01:23:34.159 --> 01:23:37.600 She'll be like, Mom, can you know, can we have a girls' morning or a girls' day or whatever that looks like? 01:23:37.920 --> 01:23:39.199 Which would be every day if we talked to her. 01:23:39.520 --> 01:23:39.840 I don't care. 01:23:40.720 --> 01:23:41.680 And maybe you too, right? 01:23:41.760 --> 01:23:42.399 But yeah, yeah, yeah. 01:23:43.119 --> 01:23:56.720 Um, but just yeah, so that connection piece and because yeah, we are in the era of freaking phones and iPads and iPad, like, oh, just I, I, I, everything, you know, and I never thought of it that way. 01:23:56.880 --> 01:23:57.199 Yeah. 01:23:57.439 --> 01:23:59.920 It's just how much can I consume today? 01:24:00.479 --> 01:24:03.680 You know, so and not how much can I give to others, how much can I consume? 01:24:04.079 --> 01:24:14.319 Yeah, that's yeah, and the what's super I mean, the boys are so great, and I think this just is naturally how they are, but they're so good with their younger siblings. 01:24:14.800 --> 01:24:19.359 Evi, the other day when we were talking in the car on the way to school, she's like, You want to know what? 01:24:19.840 --> 01:24:22.720 She's she's deeply feeling that Marcus is not gonna be in the house. 01:24:22.960 --> 01:24:29.279 Like she's already sad that Dave is gone in Bismarck, but she goes, You know, mom, when Marcus is happy, like I'm really happy. 01:24:29.840 --> 01:24:35.680 And so I'm like, Okay, you look at that age spread, but she's deeply connected to them. 01:24:35.840 --> 01:24:38.319 Yeah, she's not a sociopath, obviously. 01:24:38.479 --> 01:24:39.199 So that's what it's like. 01:24:39.920 --> 01:24:41.039 She has empathy. 01:24:41.840 --> 01:24:42.319 I'm sorry. 01:24:42.640 --> 01:24:44.319 Oh, yeah, she's a deep, oh my gosh, yeah. 01:24:44.399 --> 01:24:46.720 No, she's like the opposite of that. 01:24:46.880 --> 01:24:48.560 Um I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. 01:24:48.640 --> 01:24:49.279 I don't know. 01:24:49.439 --> 01:24:50.399 Just levity, you know. 01:24:50.479 --> 01:25:00.079 But there's those times as a parent where you're just, you know, you hear all the I shouldn't even say horror stories, but just the realities that that can present themselves as a parent, and you're like, okay, that's good. 01:25:00.159 --> 01:25:00.800 That's a good sign. 01:25:01.600 --> 01:25:02.399 It's in there somewhere. 01:25:02.640 --> 01:25:03.680 Oh, no, no apology. 01:25:04.239 --> 01:25:06.960 I'm probably one of the most unoffendable people. 01:25:07.279 --> 01:25:08.800 Okay, well, next time you're on, we'll test that. 01:25:08.880 --> 01:25:09.439 Yeah, we'll test it. 01:25:09.680 --> 01:25:09.920 I love it. 01:25:10.000 --> 01:25:13.600 Yeah, but so that would be the connection piece, would be my biggest thing of advice. 01:25:13.760 --> 01:25:22.720 And I think even too, you know, we have a big spread in my own family, like I said, my youngest brother being 15 years younger than me and you know, living in the same town. 01:25:22.800 --> 01:25:31.279 I don't see him a ton, you know, just because we're it's like everybody's doing life, but just checking in, you know, on him, and he's like, you know, that really means a lot to me. 01:25:31.439 --> 01:25:38.880 That you're even like sending me the text message, like, I know you're busy, I know you're doing all the things, but you know, I know you care, and that's ultimately what matters. 01:25:40.079 --> 01:25:40.720 Why mint? 01:25:41.600 --> 01:25:42.000 The name? 01:25:42.159 --> 01:25:42.319 Yeah. 01:25:42.560 --> 01:25:44.960 Oh my gosh, we just had this conversation the other night at home. 01:25:45.119 --> 01:25:48.479 Um, so when you mint something, you create it or produce it. 01:25:48.720 --> 01:25:50.479 Like you think like you're minting your coin. 01:25:50.560 --> 01:25:50.720 Yeah. 01:25:50.960 --> 01:26:00.399 And then two, when I was talking about it when well, gosh, yeah, four and a half, five years ago, when we did the full rebrand, the boys were like, Oh yeah, that's mint. 01:26:00.640 --> 01:26:01.199 Like, that's cool. 01:26:01.439 --> 01:26:01.920 Oh, yeah, yeah. 01:26:02.239 --> 01:26:04.000 It's like, oh yeah, like I'm on to something. 01:26:04.159 --> 01:26:05.680 So this, this is it. 01:26:05.840 --> 01:26:13.039 So, but it really foundationally came from when you mint something, you create it or produce it, which is ultimately what we're doing every single day. 01:26:13.199 --> 01:26:18.239 And then also the take of like minty fresh, so like fresh ideas, kind of that spark, those types of things. 01:26:18.319 --> 01:26:21.840 So it's got a lot of little meanings with yeah, no, that's really cool. 01:26:21.920 --> 01:26:23.920 I was, I was, I was curious about that. 01:26:24.159 --> 01:26:30.960 When when you're going through that process with a client, is that is what you just described there, is that part of the process, right? 01:26:31.119 --> 01:26:34.960 Where you're just kind of like if you don't mind just kind of describing that a little bit, because that's interesting. 01:26:35.359 --> 01:26:40.960 Like naming is one of my favorite things to do with clients and like companies and things like that. 01:26:41.039 --> 01:26:50.000 And so it obviously depends if it's you know a big company

or kind of solopreneur or whatever you know the business is, you know, from that perspective. 01:26:50.239 --> 01:26:55.920 But again, just the deeper, you know, conversations, like what kinds of words resonate with you? 01:26:56.000 --> 01:26:57.680 What are an absolute hell no? 01:26:57.760 --> 01:27:01.520 I'm not touching that, it sounds corny, you know, whatever that looks like. 01:27:01.840 --> 01:27:05.039 I love like the meanings, you know, of words. 01:27:05.199 --> 01:27:12.319 So, as an example, my one client, we named her business moon glade, and so it's a Nordic thermocycling. 01:27:12.640 --> 01:27:16.399 So sauna, cold plunge, mineral bath, all of that. 01:27:16.800 --> 01:27:34.399 And so throughout the process, we were going through a ton of different words that resonated with her, and then things kind of happened too in our world where she sent me this picture that I loved of her, and it was the moon shining off of the water, and then she was like her profile was in it. 01:27:34.720 --> 01:27:37.680 And I'm like, what is that called when it does that? 01:27:37.920 --> 01:27:58.880 Well, it's a moon glade, and so that's kind of how it all came about, and there's just a ton of meaning around like, yes, what physically a moon glade is is the reflection of the moon off the water, but she's like, That is it, and so now she is one of the ones that's going through a cancer treatment and in the process of selling the business, but she will not sell the brand. 01:28:00.239 --> 01:29:32.640 like that is me it is it like that that cannot be like taken or replicated and that for me was like oh that is such a gift like that I can give to her yeah that she had something like that that's like no one's touching that that's the work that I want to do that's incredible I love doing that's incredible well thanks for sharing that yeah yeah that that cuts deep I mean that's something that you know is core right what I'm what I'm hearing anyway I mean it's it's personal yes but it's it's it's more than that if that makes any sense right and you know going back a little bit to lessons learned or think about branding whether it's an organization or an individual what not to do what not to do don't have decision by committee oh okay there you go or depending upon how big that committee is because my lord we have gotten into you know round 17 18 19 whatever of logos because that core group just could not get their shit together you know on their end and so those are also questions that we ask when we are going to start working with clients or vetting clients it's like hey how many decision makers are in the mix you know are you gonna be asking your entire family even though they're not in the business I mean just because we've been through it. 01:29:32.880 --> 01:29:54.399 So that's one of the biggest things and I've also seen it where I had a client it just the second I saw it I got an anxiety and I don't even have anxiety but she put the logos like up

on Facebook for just the masses to decide and I'm like they don't have any context what are we doing so I immediately text her I was like take that down right now. 01:29:54.560 --> 01:30:34.720 Yeah yeah yeah you're not playing that game so yeah that's looking for that external validation right which which is not it yeah yeah because they're not they're not even your audience right right you know I'm like it's one thing if you're focus grouping things like that's a whole nother different deal though that's a different exercise the randos on the internet no we do not care because there's such a um uh never mind I was just gonna say I I gave up Facebook about five six years ago and the the only thing the only reason I haven't completely deleted my account is because I like the birthday emails oh yeah so so it's birthday it's like there we go then I'll I'll put my calendar and I'll shoot him a text or whatever. 01:30:35.439 --> 01:30:37.199 Yeah anyway it's just tangent there. 01:30:37.439 --> 01:30:38.399 Yeah love it. 01:30:38.640 --> 01:30:43.039 Anything we haven't talked about today that you want to to discuss that we might have missed? 01:30:43.359 --> 01:30:45.680 Not that I can think of no I feel good. 01:30:45.760 --> 01:30:50.960 I mean it was like business family kind of culture space growing the business. 01:30:51.439 --> 01:31:19.760 If you had any words of wisdom well let me uh usually do a couple quick hit questions with with most of the guests what's the best advice you've ever been given when I worked for a healthcare organization someone told me it's just marketing which I think can minimize marketing and we're not like saving people's lives you know because there were some times where people were so stressed like what are what are we doing? 01:31:20.159 --> 01:31:23.680 This is not healthy and we work for like a healthcare organization. 01:31:24.000 --> 01:31:50.079 So hello yeah yeah um but it's like the that perspective piece it's like we're doing really important work we're helping build businesses intentionally that's super important to me I don't take that lightly and you know if a client comes back and they're like I don't like that like we cannot internalize that let it fester it's like take it you know for what it's worth ask more clarifying questions and move. 01:31:50.560 --> 01:31:56.560 You know it's again if I sit and ruminate on everything like we're not gonna accomplish anything. 01:31:56.720 --> 01:31:57.760 So that's interesting. 01:31:57.920 --> 01:32:09.439 So just touching on that real quick one of the things I've talked a lot about with my team over the years and and individuals that I've worked with is you know what we'd say things like you are not your number you know from a sales perspective. 01:32:09.600 --> 01:32:14.239 Meaning you know your identity is not what you sell in a year. 01:32:14.399 --> 01:32:14.640 Right. 01:32:14.880 --> 01:32:27.600 How do you juxtapose that I mean truly being a brand builder for yourself and others right yes like it sort of is your identity but it's not like how like it's a very fine line from what I gather. 01:32:27.760 --> 01:32:28.319 How do you do that? 01:32:28.560 --> 01:32:36.720 Yeah well and I think you know from like I said when I think of mint yeah and then I think of me there's pieces of mint in me. 01:32:36.880 --> 01:32:42.960 I foundationally started it and it shows up a little bit differently than me. 01:32:43.439 --> 01:33:11.279 Makes sense like when I think of the content that we're putting out there you know it's like it's intentional like we're you know education we're we're learning our audience too like what they crave what type of engagement you know is happening whereas on the personal side of things yes I'm looking at some of that analytics piece and you know seeing what resonated longer form content, shorter form content, you know, kind of all of that you know and I handled them differently from that perspective. 01:33:11.439 --> 01:33:14.159 Again it's me and then over here it's a team. 01:33:14.319 --> 01:33:16.239 I don't want to be about me. 01:33:16.479 --> 01:33:25.439 I want it to be about our team and our clients and that's ultimately too why I I rebranded because I wanted that fresh kind of start you know for the business. 01:33:25.520 --> 01:33:39.359 And so like John's even talked about that he's I'm like oh my gosh you know like I want to be here blah blah blah he's like you have you do realize you're kind of like a startup again in a way because you didn't have the team before. 01:33:39.520 --> 01:33:46.239 So that looks completely different than you rolling solo but kind of doing whatever you need to do to get it done. 01:33:46.640 --> 01:33:47.520 Which is very accurate. 01:33:47.840 --> 01:33:54.000 So it's a completely different yeah yeah that's really interesting to me. 01:33:57.439 --> 01:34:09.920 When when people experience you or your leadership or your organization what do you want them to feel I want them to genuinely feel cared for. 01:34:10.479 --> 01:34:15.680 That's I mean they're investing a lot of money into the work that we're doing. 01:34:15.760 --> 01:34:22.239 So that's where when I was like ooh that piece of advice of is just marketing I could totally be shooting myself in the ass right now with that. 01:34:22.479 --> 01:34:24.399 Yeah but with the appropriate context it makes a lot of sense. 01:34:24.720 --> 01:34:49.279 Yes you know and so but that like the that space where again like we're asking those questions we had a client recently come over to us about four months ago and had our first kind of like big strategy onboarding meeting with them and they said you know we learned more in the first five minutes of this meeting than we did with who we were with for the last like year and a half and I'm like okay more about what? 01:34:49.920 --> 01:35:12.319 About marketing oh just in general yeah how it should be like educating them on everything,

you know, kind of like analytics what what actually matters you know what doesn't and then two I said you know we're not we're not here to just be the yes people like I'm gonna plenty of those you know if you are saying we should do this and I'm like whoa nope and here's why but then I'm gonna ask some more clarifying questions. 01:35:12.479 --> 01:35:19.680 Like I I push back a lot of times with clients when they're like let's do this or let's do that you know whatever that looks like why why what are we doing? 01:35:19.920 --> 01:35:21.279 Well and that's actually what they're paying for. 01:35:21.439 --> 01:35:30.000 Correct they're not paying for I mean they can find yes women yes men everywhere they go if you want to especially you know you get big large organizations or big egos or whatever it might be. 01:35:30.079 --> 01:35:32.399 I mean you everyone can find a yes person. 01:35:32.560 --> 01:35:35.279 Yes you're actually paying for somebody to tell you nope. 01:35:35.359 --> 01:35:36.239 Yeah that ain't right. 01:35:36.640 --> 01:35:36.720 Yeah. 01:35:36.960 --> 01:36:00.640 So and I think too which I did a post on this on LinkedIn a couple of weeks ago but I think when you talked about kind of branding it's like oh it was cool and like this thing that everybody should be doing and it's like kitschy and like how edgy can you get and you know that's I think to a lot of like what people think agencies are like we're just trying to pump out the coolest create you know craziest creative thing. 01:36:00.960 --> 01:36:12.479 And like yes there are those moments and you know at least for us there's a lot more happening behind the scenes than oh yeah just that you know kick ass logo that we created. 01:36:12.560 --> 01:36:36.239 Yeah we have those moments absolutely but we're having a lot like I said deeper conversations around that and understanding teams too it's like sales and marketing you know you being in the sales arena oftentimes those two departments or areas are clashing and so that's another you know area where it's like how can we make sure that that's not happening and get sales you know to trust us. 01:36:36.319 --> 01:36:39.760 I mean even like General Equipment was a prime example you know of that. 01:36:39.920 --> 01:36:43.840 It's like a male you know kind of dominating industry. 01:36:43.920 --> 01:36:45.760 And it's like what do you know about this? 01:36:45.920 --> 01:36:49.119 Well I only know as much as you tell me and what I can find in research. 01:36:49.199 --> 01:36:56.079 So it's like back to communication yes I can't help you more than your customers at the most optimal level. 01:36:56.319 --> 01:37:00.319 So let's get our freaking egos out of the room and do the thing. 01:37:00.560 --> 01:37:21.119 Yeah yeah I mean help me help you right good well thanks for sharing that I think that's that's fascinating just the the the entire I one thing I'm gonna process after our conversation here today is just the the way in which you described eloquently the difference between a personal identity and like a brand identity you know there is overlap but it's not in an entirety. 01:37:21.359 --> 01:37:29.920 Right and man it gets it gets me thinking of of you know some of the individuals that you'll see on TV you know you think like Kardashians. 01:37:30.159 --> 01:37:40.319 It's like is do they even know the difference between who they are as a person and what they are as a brand do they even know the differences you know what I mean my estimation would be that's somewhat unhealthy, right? 01:37:40.399 --> 01:37:43.439 But I also don't have a billion dollars in the bank because of it. 01:37:43.520 --> 01:37:46.399 So you know I I have not worn those shoes. 01:37:46.720 --> 01:37:51.279 Me either as high as my heels are for any given day. 01:37:51.600 --> 01:38:09.359 Well I don't mean to pass judgment on people's shoes I've never worn but you get my point right you know there's and then and then you have those other I shouldn't say other individuals but there are individuals then that are just they are so closed off for whatever reason to injecting any of themselves into their work. 01:38:09.520 --> 01:38:09.840 Yes. 01:38:10.000 --> 01:38:17.920 And that's fascinating to me too right because it's something there's a reason for that right and and what are you giving up because of that? 01:38:18.159 --> 01:38:33.680 What are you not allowing you or your team to be able to see feel smell touch taste about what's possible how much are you holding yourself back and you know there's no real answers to that everyone's an individual but those are the types of things that I I process at night for whatever reason. 01:38:34.319 --> 01:39:13.600 Well yeah it's like you talk about just the whether it's imposter syndrome or things that have happened you know in your past I mean there's been some really crappy things that have happened you know to me over my career and I'm like hey how can I take that learn from it make sure I never do that for my team I'm never I'm never that for my team or I'm never that for a client and I'm super grateful for every role that I've had throughout my career, every interaction that I've ever had because it it truly has brought me to now and I have a way different lens or lenses that I look through things with because of all of that. 01:39:13.840 --> 01:39:14.159 Yeah. 01:39:14.319 --> 01:39:19.279 Yeah and and you've touched on it too somewhat in closing you know what do you stand for? 01:39:19.439 --> 01:39:20.800 What do you stand against right? 01:39:20.880 --> 01:39:31.680 And the only I from what I can tell the only way an individual can really truly arrive at those things are experience right and their willingness to look back called look down the mountain, right? 01:39:31.760 --> 01:39:50.079 It's like you, you know, there's not an easy way to climb a mountain but sometimes you just got to stop look down and be like, oh this is what we

accomplished this is this is where we are today right this is our current state this is our desired state is there an easier way to get there right you're looking around you're seeing people climbing that same mountain it's like well how'd that girl get all the way up there so fast? 01:39:50.319 --> 01:39:52.159 Like maybe I should have a conversation with her. 01:39:52.239 --> 01:40:18.960 You know she's got something figured out yes yeah yeah so you know all that stuff is really interesting because there isn't for lack of a better way to put it you know there's not one way to skin the cat but those shared experiences and the the willingness to learn what other people have done successfully and not to be so prideful right to be able to take that into a next next experience and be like okay I know what I want to be I know what I don't want to do which is equally as important. 01:40:19.199 --> 01:40:54.159 I think of it too from a parenting perspective for example, you know with with my with my father it's just like I know the dad that I I want to try to be but there are also very small parts parts like I know the dad I don't want to be right and it's like okay how do we figure that out I know the leader that I want because I've had various different leaders I I know the leader that I don't want to be because I've had those types of leaders too well then what do we do with that information right yes take it turn it and live it out I think is you know the biggest thing and to sharing sharing those experiences. 01:41:13.439 --> 01:41:17.359 But then also you know from that personal perspective too. 01:41:17.520 --> 01:41:40.560 It's like okay what like I I always say I'm not Evy's gonna make her own mistakes the boys are going to make their own mistakes I'm gonna share mine with them though I don't ever want to have them put me on a pedestal that isn't like deserved or earned or whatever you know from that perspective because I just hopefully don't want them to make my mistakes because I've made enough you know over the years. 01:41:40.640 --> 01:41:48.800 And so I think that that too helps raise just better kids more well-rounded like emotionally and self-aware. 01:41:48.960 --> 01:42:01.840 Yeah you know self-aware too so it's like when I kind of when I think they're ready because there's always there's been those moments where I've shared things with the boys and they're like oh my gosh like I never would have thought that or I didn't know that about you. 01:42:01.920 --> 01:42:03.920 And like you wouldn't unless I shared it. 01:42:04.000 --> 01:42:05.439 And so like that's why I'm doing it now. 01:42:05.600 --> 01:42:06.079 Yeah. 01:42:06.720 --> 01:42:07.520 That's fascinating. 01:42:07.680 --> 01:42:12.800 Well Amanda Schilling thank you so much for taking the time with us here on the Time and Energy podcast. 01:42:12.880 --> 01:42:13.840 I really really appreciate it. 01:42:13.920 --> 01:42:25.439 You're crushing it personally and professionally a lot of really wise words and comments that I know I'll take with me and I and hopefully our listeners do too and I'm sure they will but thank you let's do it again. 01:42:25.600 --> 01:42:26.960 Yes love it I really appreciate it. 01:42:27.039 --> 01:42:28.319 All right thanks you too