WEBVTT
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When I showed up at my first entrepreneurial event last year, I felt like I didn't belong, like I was nervous, like I had a little anxiety of like what what what am I doing here?
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And I wanna I wish I could rewind the clock on that, because if you have the if you have the courage to walk into that room, then you absolutely belong there.
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And I I belonged there, but I I wasn't believing in myself.
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That was the only person that didn't think that I bel didn't belong there.
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Everybody else, when you're an entrepreneur, is typically everybody that I've run into open arms because they've all are going through the same things.
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And I felt intimidated.
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And I'm telling this is you know, and I don't get intimidated, but I felt like like almost shy to ask a question because I didn't want it to sound silly or like, and so my advice is to not do that.
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My advice is if you have are passionate and you are starting out as an entrepreneur and you love what you've built, whatever it is, then whoever it is that you talk to in whatever room it is, whether it's virtual or it's to your neighbor, or you speak with the same passion about it every single time because that is what resonates.
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Salutations, Scooba Levers, and we are here again with another amazing entrepreneur.
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Today we're here with Kenny.
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Hey Kenny, how's it going?
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It's going great.
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Thanks for having me.
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Absolutely.
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Thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to be on the Undiscovered Entrepreneur.
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Get across the start line.
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Super, super appreciate you.
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Oh, well, I'm I super appreciate it back.
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All right.
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So what I'd like to do here is kind of give you a kind of semi-serious question right up front here.
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Okay, you ready?
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I'm ready.
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Okay, here we go.
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Are you a school believer?
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You're I am a school believer.
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Here's why.
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Because how could I not be?
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With your energy and passion, I'm a school believer.
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Woohoo! All right, yeah, Kenny's a school believer.
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Thanks, Kenny.
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I super appreciate you.
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All right.
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So, what I'd like to do up here up front is get a kind of an idea of who you are, what your entrepreneur adventure is, and how you actually got across the start line in your entrepreneur adventure.
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Great.
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That's a great place to start.
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We could probably spend an hour on it, but I'll do the best job I can of kindly introducing myself.
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My name is Kenny Stoddart, as you mentioned.
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I live in Jacksonville Beach, Florida.
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I was born and raised in what uh Hamburg, New York, just outside of Buffalo, and ventured down south when I left to go to college back in the late 90s.
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And upon graduating from the Citadel back in 1997, I joined the dot com boom in the internet security space and went on to have a fascinating career in the internet security world for 27 years as an executive sales leader, traveling the world, living the dream job that everybody uh got to see on the outside.
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But it actually almost killed me on the inside.
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So um, after 27 years, I retired from that industry and joined the entrepreneurial life as a uh second career, and I'm enjoying every bit of it.
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My passion is for helping others avoid burnout, like I did, like I suffered from during my executive days, and really trying to be a uh superhero with chasing the quotas and the finish lines and the you know high achievers clubs and making money and all those things that are, you know, goals that we set out to do well.
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And I let it get the best of me.
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I let it control my identity to a point where I kind of didn't even know who I was anymore.
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And um a couple years ago I had to stick my uh I had to raise my hand and say I needed help.
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And that's what I did.
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And uh that transitioned into me becoming a helper of people.
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So my entrepreneurial life began just about a year ago.
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I went back to college to get my second master's degree, this time in clinical mental health counseling, so I can um be do just that.
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So I'm a I'm an executive coach, I'm a I'm an entrepreneurial coach, quite frankly.
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Uh, and what I say that very loosely because I'm I'm learning this as we go uh also.
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But I've I've got the benefit of you know, the past year of working with some of the greatest coaches, learning from entrepreneurs, digging in to be like I I literally did, I I registered a domain name, set up my email servers, built a website.
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I did every single thing that needed to be done to start my business to where it is today.
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And we can talk more about that, but it's been a thrilling ride, and I'm grateful for every moment along the way, which is why I love joining conversations like this, because I love to pass along the knowledge and help others where they need it.
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Perhaps they can learn from my mistakes or they can learn from my successes either way.
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I would I would love to share what I have to offer.
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No, that's fantastic.
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I love that.
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Well, you and me really come from the same tree here, because I'm kind of doing the same thing as you.
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I'm also just getting started.
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Now, I know I've been doing this for five years, but still kind of like in the crux of the very beginnings of things, but still having the the the want to be able to help others go, you know, get to where they're trying to get to and point them in the directions.
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There's always somebody 10% behind you, and those are the people that you want to bring along with you to show that we I we can actually do this.
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I agree.
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Uh, part of being an entrepreneur in the especially as a second career, you know, I I I I was coming off of a career to write about, quite frankly.
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I mean, I made millions of dollars.
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I was tart, you know, the timing was right.
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I was part of the dot-com boom.
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I was a millionaire by the time I was 24 years old.
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I I'm so grateful for that.
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But as I mentioned, it that comes with the price tag as well, that imposter syndrome, trying to keep up with that level of performance over the years.
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And I had to do it for 27 years.
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And um, you know, it is as grateful as I am for all of the lovely experiences and the dollars made and the deals closed, you know, there was one huge piece of me that was missing.
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And I wasn't helping others.
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I wasn't I was not in the right lane, if you will.
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And when I discovered that, when I started working with others and coaching and mental health therapy and things like that, I realized that, you know, there's so many similarities in what I used to do and what I do now, but you know, now I do it to help others.
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So now I used to protect, I used to focus on identity loss.
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That was my career.
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I was in, uh I worked for Symantec and Verisign.
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I encryption and data security was my livelihood.
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I I made sure that you didn't get hacked.
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I protected identities, I create, I prevented identity loss.
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And um, like I said, it was amazing.
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But now I focus on identity gain, and that's helping people regain the version that they once wanted to be, or they still want to be, or thought they might not be able to, because that's really what I struggled with.
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I was not, I was not really living up to the expectations that I've had for myself because I was operating through someone else's lens.
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And the entrepreneurial lifestyle, or and all the things that come along with it, the challenges, the triumphs, the tribulations, the wins, those are for me now, right?
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As an entrepreneur.
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Those are my hard work, my blood, sweat, and tears, my, and hopefully one day my reward, right?
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That's what we all work do this for to, you know, we want it to be lucrative and successful.
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Whatever definition of lucrative is for you might be different than mine or any else, uh anyone else's, but the reality of it is, is like I'm helping people, I'm doing this for myself, I'm all in.
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And that's what it takes when you're an entrepreneur.
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I know that for a fact, even after one year, like that's why I wear my brand everywhere.
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I love my the name of my company, I love my color scheme, I love my logo, I wear it on my shirts, my hats, because that's the the the passion that you need to be successful as an entrepreneur.
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Otherwise, you'll just be one of many, right?
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And that's the the the brutal reality of entrepreneurial life is you have to have that drive, that strength, that vision, otherwise, one of many, and many go out of business and few stay, right?
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Oh, yeah, absolutely.
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Having that passion for what you're doing and working in your zone of genius is really what's gonna drive you forward, even during those hard times where you know you're having a rough time.
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Many's maybe not coming as good as you were hoping for, anything like that.
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But you still got to keep pushing forward.
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You still gotta keep moving because something will happen, whether it's a pivot to something else that's even better or greater or different, or you know, you make that one sale that makes all the difference, or you meet that one coach that tells you the one thing that you need to do, but you never would accomplish any of that if you stop what you're doing and just stop moving forward.
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So always keep that in mind as you're going.
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Got to keep driving forward, gotta handle the rough days, gotta handle that adversity as a learning experience.
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In the last year, I went from wanting to change the world to really honing in on who my target market is.
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And that's what we as entrepreneurs you have to know who to sell to and how to sell to it properly.
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And um, I I entered this universe saying, like, well, I can help anybody, I'm better now.
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And and perhaps that's true, but that's also unrealistic.
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And you know, so I've I've changed my offer, my pricings, my target market.
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And without doing that, without going through those cycles, how do you know where you actually belong?
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Right.
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So I figured out that one arena was really not my target, but the other was just a natural fit for me.
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And so put my energy towards that and learn, like, okay, well, you didn't exhaust too many resources or money or whatever you want to call it on something, but it's okay to try.
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And you know, I've done that, and I'll probably do it again as I progress through my, you know, my offer continues to change, right?
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Every time I get a new client, the demand, the supply goes down, right?
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Because there's only so many Kenny's.
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So I have to, that's an entrepreneurial problem for me being in my industry, where I want to I want to continue to provide the highest level of service that I expect out of my brand, but I can't do that for a thousand people or even a hundred people, quite frankly.
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Now, there's ways to do that with the formations of communities and different types of groups and whatnot.
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And of course, that's a great way for me to expand.
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And I that's what I'm going to do, but I can't do that at the same level as I do with like my one-on-one business clients where I'm immersed in their business because that's not fair.
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And I didn't know that a year ago.
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I learned, I learned by being in over my ski tips a little bit, meaning, you know, I probably bit off a little bit more than I can chew, and then I had to take a step backwards.
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And those are things that you have to go through to kind of find out where, and I don't think I found it quite yet, but I'm getting closer every day, and that's the beautiful thing about this life of entrepreneurial.
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Like, if I if I need to make another pivot tomorrow, I have to talk to myself about it.
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I don't need to explain it to the stick, my staff or my marketing team, or justify it to the CEO.
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Like, I'm all those things, and I need to make sure that I'm comfortable with what it means to do it and then do it.
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Never look back.
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That's my whole we don't look back and dwell on what we should have, could have.
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We look forward, especially in entrepreneurial.
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Well, especially in I'm in recovery, like we always are focusing on the the best outcome.
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But even for business, like my my whole livelihood is is dependent on this business being successful.
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And I treat it that way.
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Like I want it to be that, so I I put those wheels in motion to make it happen.
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And yeah, the grind is tough.
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We know every entrepreneur listening, like the tough days are like no one can relate to it unless you just know that you have you have are all in on your business, and today's not going well, and I just need to uh and then you got to get back to it, right?
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You got to get back to it.
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You have to.
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Well, it's it's the entry level, it's the entry, it's the entry like uh price that we have to pay uh uh to get started.
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I mean, it it's it's the hard work and the grinding and everything else we do, that's kind of the sacrifices we need to make to make something succeed.
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But when it does finally succeed, it succeeds it in droves because you work so hard at it.
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And uh I want to step back just a second here.
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I mean, first of all, you need to change your world, right?
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Because you're not if you don't change your world and what you're doing and your mindset on things, nothing around you is going to change.
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It's gonna stay the same way the whole time.
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So let's work on changing our world first.
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Then once we know we're kind of in that zone, now we find one person that has one problem that you could solve and change one person's world.
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If you could do that, then maybe you could do it for another person, maybe you could do it for another person, and it just grows more one at a time.
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I've wanted to grow so fast because you know I've got a lot invested, and I look back and I'm so grateful that I didn't, you know.
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I'm so grateful that I I kind of took like each step along the way during this entrepreneurial process to like I'm grateful that I wasn't successful out of the gates because I I wouldn't have had to go through some of these bumps.
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And I don't know if I would have had what I have now after learning through the challenges, and you know, there's so many different ways.
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We're also embracing new technology every day with AI.
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I mean, that's no secret, but that's taking a whole new master's class and being an entrepreneur at the same time to try to keep up, right?
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And um you just gotta, there's so much going on, and we have to learn.
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We have to, you know, there's so many, you know, people say, well, it's God's timing, and I I'm a true believer in that, but whatever it is, your belief timing is such a critical thing.
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You can't rush entrepreneurial, you can't read a book and expect it to be fully experienced, even go to and I mean I have an MBA, like entrepreneurials being an entrepreneur is a class of its own, I'm telling you.
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And just a wild journey and something that's so incredibly warning or rewarding when it works out.
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And I never say if or when or hope or anything like that.
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When it works out is so rewarding because of that type of energy that you put into you have to devote to it to get to get to that level.
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Well, it's very important that we experience the failures and the bumps and that kind of thing, because that teaches us what to do and what not to do.
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I mean, if we just went straight to the end, then that's kind of like why did we even take this ride?
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I mean, it's nice to be here at the end, but at the same time, what experiences we did we miss out on?
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What what pitfalls that we could have taken lessons away from that we missed that could have benefited us later.
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So much learning.
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So much learning to do.
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I mean, I I mentioned to you before we I'm in Las Vegas today and I did some some content filming with some people that I work with out here.
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And a year ago, I wasn't I shouldn't have even been involved in these types, or I wasn't involved and I didn't deserve to be, but now here I am, and what a learning experience to work with some people that have even that are like maybe one or two months ahead of you in the entrepreneurial cycle, or one or two months behind you, like, oh yeah, that was me two months ago.
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I remember that when you might have made a bad investment on a social media or whatever it is that you, you know, like, damn it, I wish I would have known that.
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And that's just part of the curve.
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And you know, there's there's people, there's people telling me stories that you know are six months ahead of me in the process that are telling me, don't do this, don't do that, don't do this.
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But I'm probably gonna do all those things because I have to learn, like, you know, it's otherwise I wouldn't know why you shouldn't.
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And it's you just try to do it with the a more structured way of like this is I like to dabble a little bit because there's so many different things we can do to try to grow our business, especially with all the tools that are and I was like, there's if I wanted to try a new project every day, I could to you know, to whether it's to do lead generation or graphic generation or content generation.
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But there's also the business side of things, right?
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We have to we have to sell, we have to, we have to deliver the product, which I that's my day job, and I love to because I like to work with clients when it's convenient for them, and then I love to do podcasting and stuff.
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So, but I have to pick and choose, right?
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When's the right time to do those things and how not to be overbooked and how not to get burnt out again?
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Because that was something that I've already uh been there, done that on.
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And with this lifestyle, when you're so passionate about it, it's very easy to work all night, right?
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That's a that's a common theme with entrepreneurs, like just drink and drink coffee and work away, and you know, we're building something fun, and I can't stop.
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Well, stopping is a good thing, and getting a good getting rest and getting some sleep and then getting recharged and doing it again.
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So I I like to do that a lot.
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I'm like, I go to sleep at night, and that way the next morning it's like, oh wow, I get to do this all over again and I'm fresh and it's awesome.
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So yeah, you gotta you gotta give yourself the time to rest because if you don't, your brain gets really mushy and you can't really make a thing.
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So then suddenly you get you make a bad decision, or you know, I I've been known to fall asleep in the middle of an editing job and it just messes up when I wake up, everything's a mess.
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But yeah, but it's really important to set those boundaries for yourself.
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Set the boundaries so like, okay, 11 o'clock, I'm in bed.
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That's a boundary.
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Um, this day is when I'm doing my podcast, this day I'm doing my editing, this day I'm doing my my interviews.
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That's a boundary, you know.
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So setting those strict boundaries for yourself to make sure that you can accomplish everything that you're gonna be able to work on is really super important.
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Yeah, and there's there's so many tremendous efficiencies that are available to us now that can make our days more manageable.
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And you know, I'm a big fan of those because I I technically come from the old school.
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Like I've been doing this, I've been in, you know, I've been out of school for 30 years now.
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So when I started, the technology that we're using is like obsolete by many, you know, you know that, right?
00:19:23.149 --> 00:19:42.349
And uh so and I was a typical, like, you know, I worked when I worked on the East Coast, uh, it was I was in sales, like I had to be on the like it was nine to five, and then the other stuff outside of that, you know, with with entrepreneurial life, no one's telling us when to be there or when to go to stop.
00:19:42.589 --> 00:19:44.750
You know, I like to set some boundaries on that too.
00:19:44.829 --> 00:19:56.189
Like, I I love my mornings now, so I don't like to work in the mornings from before like 10 o'clock in the morning because I end up working until 10 o'clock at night, so it's it's just in getting that time in for myself.
00:19:56.349 --> 00:20:04.509
I never even considered that when I was 30, you know, and then time for yourself or meditation or breathing exercises.
00:20:04.669 --> 00:20:06.750
I was like, whatever, that's stupid.
00:20:06.990 --> 00:20:12.509
Then here we are 20 years later, and I'm like preaching it because I almost died, you know, and I had all this stuff go on.
00:20:12.669 --> 00:20:19.710
And these are little things that can create major longevity and they're easy to do, like getting out for a morning walk, like that's stupid.
00:20:19.869 --> 00:20:21.789
No, it's not, it's the best thing ever to do.
00:20:21.869 --> 00:20:24.109
Yeah, we learn so much as we get older, right?
00:20:24.349 --> 00:20:25.309
Oh, yeah, definitely.
00:20:25.389 --> 00:20:28.189
I'm I'm uh we're probably pretty close in age, it sounds like so.
00:20:28.269 --> 00:20:28.909
I understand completely.
00:20:29.230 --> 00:20:30.029
Yeah, I'm 52.
00:20:30.349 --> 00:20:31.389
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:20:31.549 --> 00:20:38.429
Um, I didn't start meditation until probably about two years ago, and now it's I it's a practice I do every time before I go to bed.
00:20:38.509 --> 00:20:43.230
I I sit down and have a meditation, and it helps clear my mind for when I do sleep.
00:20:43.309 --> 00:20:45.549
And it's it's been a big help for me.
00:20:46.109 --> 00:20:50.829
It's you know, it again, not for everybody.
00:20:51.149 --> 00:20:52.349
Meditation is amazing.
00:20:52.509 --> 00:20:53.389
I love it too.
00:20:53.549 --> 00:20:59.069
It I never thought of doing it when I was younger or when I was like when I was running hard.
00:20:59.389 --> 00:21:17.549
Like, you know, I had no time to stop and meditate that, but now I really any type of wellness or well-being activity that you can engage in in your busy lifestyle, whether it be, like I said, the walk, or you know, I live in Florida, so I like I like to go out and get some sunshine in the day right in the middle of the day.
00:21:17.629 --> 00:21:22.269
I know it's super hot, but I only take 30 minutes and it's it's so recharging.
00:21:22.429 --> 00:21:23.309
And I don't know.
00:21:23.389 --> 00:21:25.230
We're going down the wellness path because I love it.
00:21:25.309 --> 00:21:30.589
I mean, I literally almost died, I had cancer, I'm healthy now, so I can talk about the wellness side all day.
00:21:30.829 --> 00:21:51.789
What I really like to preach is just people, even leaders who are in my stage or our stage later, like if we have a responsibility to pass that knowledge on to the younger generations of entrepreneurs, founders, people that are in corporate America that and you know it's it's it's very important to maintain your health at a young age so it doesn't catch up with you when you're when you're older.
00:21:52.109 --> 00:22:01.869
Yeah, because they don't tell you about that in school, they just tell you about math and that kind of thing, but they don't really tell you a a smart way to really live and be yourself.
00:22:01.950 --> 00:22:07.710
And and I don't know any kind of school that talks about meditation or or well-being or anything like that.
00:22:07.950 --> 00:22:10.029
That's it, and then and it's really unfortunate.
00:22:10.189 --> 00:22:19.710
So if that's the case, then it's up to us, who's over and experienced these things, to teach to the younger generation that this is really something that we need to pay attention to.
00:22:20.349 --> 00:22:22.269
I truly believe that.
00:22:22.429 --> 00:22:23.789
I mean, it's one of the things that I do.
00:22:23.869 --> 00:22:28.909
I work with uh student athletes as part of my something that I'm very, very passionate about.
00:22:28.990 --> 00:22:41.230
It's not necessarily a financial endeavor, it's more of a way of me giving back to the like I like to make sure that's not only from the wellness side, but the mental health side too.
00:22:41.309 --> 00:22:43.230
And that's a big like I'm a therapist.
00:22:43.389 --> 00:22:54.829
So you know, when these younger boys and girls or men and women take their helmet off for the last time and lacrosse or soccer's over, and it's now that's no longer part of their life, it literally comes to an end.
00:22:55.389 --> 00:23:05.710
And there's a lot of people that parents and student athletes that are well aware of that identity loss that you know who am I after soccer or lacrosse or hockey or whatever sport that it is you play?
00:23:05.950 --> 00:23:08.029
And the answer is a lot.
00:23:08.189 --> 00:23:08.829
You're a lot.
00:23:08.909 --> 00:23:15.549
You've been coached by great coaches, you've had great teammates, team captains, you've traveled to different.
00:23:15.950 --> 00:23:19.149
So there's so much, and there's so much to build upon.
00:23:19.389 --> 00:23:25.710
And I, you know, I struggled with some mental health situations when I was younger and a student athlete.
00:23:26.349 --> 00:23:30.269
And that was one of the areas that I never properly dealt with, quite frankly.
00:23:30.349 --> 00:23:34.589
I I let I was I swept it under the rug and just pretended it didn't exist.
00:23:34.909 --> 00:23:41.389
And then it came back to, you know, to to revisit myself and many years later, and it didn't have to.
00:23:41.549 --> 00:23:43.069
And that's what I love to educate.
00:23:43.149 --> 00:23:44.750
Like I don't get into deep mental health.
00:23:44.829 --> 00:23:54.269
I just want to make sure that student athletes are aware that these types of things come up and it's okay to say I need help or ask for help or whatever it is.
00:23:54.509 --> 00:23:55.149
Call me.
00:23:55.230 --> 00:23:58.429
Like I say it's the biggest sign of strength because I had to do that too.
00:23:58.509 --> 00:24:07.470
And you know, I was the um, you know, I was the big strong Iron Man, triathlete, CEO, sales executive.
00:24:07.869 --> 00:24:10.029
Everything had it going on the outside.
00:24:10.109 --> 00:24:13.629
I never ever would ever think of asking anybody for help.
00:24:13.789 --> 00:24:14.189
Who am I?
00:24:14.349 --> 00:24:16.349
Like, I don't need help, I know it all.
00:24:16.669 --> 00:24:20.669
And then I asked for help, and my life changed dramatically for the better.
00:24:20.909 --> 00:24:26.349
And um now my my issues were, you know, I struggled with alcoholism.
00:24:26.509 --> 00:24:31.069
I I'm not shy about that because I'm I'm now free of that demon.
00:24:31.230 --> 00:24:38.589
But at the same time, there are so many people that are afraid to raise their hand or don't know, maybe they don't know where to go.
00:24:38.750 --> 00:24:42.990
I didn't know where to go either until I finally knew where to go, and it was amazing.
00:24:43.149 --> 00:24:48.750
So I know that I'm unpacking a lot there, but these are these are some of the best lessons that I could possibly say.
00:24:48.909 --> 00:24:55.549
Like I was the guy that never thought I needed help or wanted like even career, like coaching.
00:24:55.710 --> 00:25:04.349
Now, like I co I get coached on pretty much every I still have a career coach, I still work with my own therapist because I'm trying to get better always, too.
00:25:04.509 --> 00:25:07.789
But there's there's a we do not know it all.
00:25:07.869 --> 00:25:10.909
There's a lot of people that they think they know it all, and no one does.
00:25:11.149 --> 00:25:15.549
We come be an entrepreneur for a couple days and see how much you think you know, right?
00:25:16.509 --> 00:25:18.269
You'll learn that someone knows it better.
00:25:18.509 --> 00:25:19.230
Yeah, yeah.
00:25:19.470 --> 00:25:24.349
And we come across that a lot too, because we compare ourselves to other people that are out there.
00:25:24.509 --> 00:25:30.429
So we think that, hey, we can be these people too that don't ask for help, but we don't know what's going on inside and going on inside their heads.
00:25:30.669 --> 00:25:31.789
What are they going through?
00:25:31.950 --> 00:25:34.909
We just see the finished product, we see what's out here.
00:25:35.149 --> 00:25:37.069
So that's our perception about these people.
00:25:37.149 --> 00:25:41.389
But what do we really know about them up here and what they're going through up there?
00:25:41.629 --> 00:25:44.829
So help is definitely not a weakness.
00:25:44.990 --> 00:25:50.509
That's that's something that we really need to ingrain into our brains, especially as entrepreneurs.
00:25:50.669 --> 00:25:55.149
We're gonna need help because we don't know what we don't know, right?
00:25:55.629 --> 00:25:58.109
So there's there's only gonna be one way to figure it out.
00:25:59.549 --> 00:26:03.230
There's yes, so much help.
00:26:03.950 --> 00:26:12.509
Especially, like you said, in the entrepreneurial circle, networking with other entrepreneurs, like who's gonna teach you better than the other entrepreneurs, right?
00:26:12.589 --> 00:26:15.789
That are, and I just did that last night and a little bit today.
00:26:15.950 --> 00:26:23.149
These people have all gone through some of the same or many of the same struggles, the same trials, the same challenges.
00:26:23.389 --> 00:26:28.029
And when you network and talk about it, it's the same kind of thing as asking for help, it's just having a conversation.
00:26:28.109 --> 00:26:29.389
That's what I always say.
00:26:29.470 --> 00:26:33.710
If you're so afraid of just say hello to someone or say, you know, and start.
00:26:34.109 --> 00:26:36.990
Entrepreneurs, like, we love to talk about our business, right?
00:26:37.069 --> 00:26:38.349
We're that's especially me.
00:26:38.429 --> 00:26:41.549
Like, if you if you ask me a word question, be prepared.
00:26:41.950 --> 00:26:46.589
I hope you have a few minutes because I'm passionate about it and I want to talk about it.
00:26:46.750 --> 00:26:55.789
Now, I I almost have to be careful not to talk too much about it because I don't want to overwhelm people, but if if if it's brought up, I love to talk about it.
00:26:55.950 --> 00:26:59.470
And then what happens with those conversations every time?
00:26:59.710 --> 00:27:03.549
It's it's every time now I'm in it in my field.
00:27:03.710 --> 00:27:18.029
This is not the same for every field, but in my field, because I I am in the mental health side, every entrepreneurial conversation ends up in, oh, you should talk to my I have to have my friend Jimmy call you, or I need Timmy to call you, or you need to talk to Billy.
00:27:18.429 --> 00:27:26.909
I know because everybody has something going on, and I I I I I love people when they come to me to share with their and I can help them.
00:27:27.069 --> 00:27:40.829
But the reality of it is is that's that everybody has something going on, and networking with others, like-minded individuals is a really, really good way to get yourself feeling good about what you're doing and learn about things that you know.
00:27:40.909 --> 00:27:41.789
I learn every day.
00:27:41.950 --> 00:27:44.990
I think I'm good at this, and then I meet someone that's way better at it than me.
00:27:45.069 --> 00:27:46.189
And I'm just like, can we talk?
00:27:46.349 --> 00:27:47.069
Can you tell me more?
00:27:47.230 --> 00:27:53.230
And I'm like, there's no competition because there's a million and trillion entrepreneurs, right?
00:27:53.389 --> 00:27:55.230
Especially healthcare professionals.
00:27:55.389 --> 00:27:57.149
Like, there's a million of me.
00:27:57.230 --> 00:28:03.389
Um, I think I'm different in my own unique way, but maybe other that's for me to decide or for others to decide.
00:28:03.549 --> 00:28:07.230
But when I'm around like-minded individuals, it's so engaging and learning.
00:28:07.309 --> 00:28:12.750
And you know, it doesn't matter what you look like or how you dress or what color, it's just like, let's talk business, let's talk shop, man.
00:28:12.829 --> 00:28:13.950
It's so cool to learn.
00:28:14.029 --> 00:28:15.869
I mean, I met some fascinating people today.
00:28:15.950 --> 00:28:17.069
It was amazing.
00:28:17.389 --> 00:28:24.829
Yeah, that that's the one thing we need to think about too as we're going along here, with especially if you're going to be networking things like that, you got to understand that we're not competition.
00:28:24.990 --> 00:28:30.589
You're gonna find more people that will actually want to help you and help you succeed than not.
00:28:30.909 --> 00:28:35.149
If they don't want to help you succeed, then you don't need to be around them.
00:28:35.230 --> 00:28:36.429
Those are not your people.
00:28:36.669 --> 00:28:37.629
That's exactly right.
00:28:37.789 --> 00:28:38.909
That's exactly right.
00:28:39.069 --> 00:28:46.589
And I'm talking, I meet people that like when they ask me what I do, and I would say, like, well, I'm a blah blah blah blah blah, and they say, Well, I'm a I'm a blah blah blah blah blah.
00:28:46.750 --> 00:28:47.950
We do the exact same.
00:28:48.029 --> 00:28:50.429
Like, and how can I help?
00:28:50.589 --> 00:28:52.589
Tell me about where you're where's your focus?
00:28:52.750 --> 00:28:53.869
What's your target market?
00:28:53.950 --> 00:28:54.669
Do you have a terror?
00:28:55.389 --> 00:28:57.230
It's not like can I steal your customers?
00:28:57.309 --> 00:28:58.029
There's none of that.
00:28:58.109 --> 00:29:00.029
It's how can we help each other?
00:29:00.269 --> 00:29:01.470
Because there's enough, right?
00:29:01.549 --> 00:29:05.470
And that again, I I can't speak for every market where they're much more competitive.
00:29:05.549 --> 00:29:13.629
My market's extremely competitive, but you the only thing that differentiates me from everybody else is me and them from them is them.
00:29:13.789 --> 00:29:17.149
You know, it's I have no time for for competition.
00:29:17.230 --> 00:29:21.069
And if you're an entrepreneur, I mean, I got your back.
00:29:21.149 --> 00:29:23.309
Like, I buy from you, I check out your website.
00:29:23.389 --> 00:29:25.470
I like people say, Hey, can you look at this for me?
00:29:25.629 --> 00:29:30.029
Yes, I can, because I know what it's like when I want someone to look at that for me, right?
00:29:30.109 --> 00:29:30.909
Can you check this out?
00:29:30.990 --> 00:29:32.189
Can you give me feedback?
00:29:32.429 --> 00:29:34.589
And someone's like, Well, uh, yeah, I'll get to it.
00:29:34.669 --> 00:29:35.389
And they never get to it.
00:29:35.470 --> 00:29:38.349
I'm like, Bam! Yeah, I'm your buddy, man.
00:29:38.589 --> 00:29:40.189
You're supposed to do that for me.
00:29:40.429 --> 00:29:42.029
But people have their own lives.
00:29:42.109 --> 00:29:43.309
And so I I take that.
00:29:43.389 --> 00:29:45.549
Like when people say, Hey, Kenny, can you check this out for me?
00:29:45.710 --> 00:29:47.230
The answer is yes, I can.
00:29:47.389 --> 00:29:50.589
And I'll always say, like, put it in my inbox.
00:29:50.669 --> 00:29:55.789
And I, because I like to look at things like and give a response, and I don't want to do it on the fly.
00:29:56.189 --> 00:30:07.230
Again, that's just me being me, but that's me being an entrepreneur and loving to learn and loving to teach and spread, spread the knowledge and gather more along the way.
00:30:07.389 --> 00:30:17.629
I mean, I'm sure your audience is full of people that know so many tricks to the trade that I don't know, and I just hope to learn like one or two of them along the way, you know.
00:30:18.189 --> 00:30:22.829
Take the best ones that you find and incorporate it into yourself, and that's what makes you who you are.
00:30:23.149 --> 00:30:23.629
Yeah.
00:30:24.349 --> 00:30:35.149
The best one that I can find, and the best one that any entrepreneur can find, is to be your true self and be authentic and be relatable and have good moral and ethical standards with your business.
00:30:35.309 --> 00:30:49.950
And with those things, all great things will come, you know, if you lump on the passion and the drive, because really not everybody is that way, not everybody has those traits, those characteristics.
00:30:50.189 --> 00:30:52.189
And they don't walk in my circles.
00:30:52.349 --> 00:30:56.349
I know that because I I've put that wall up and I know how to recognize them now.
00:30:56.589 --> 00:31:11.309
But doing business and doing it the right way, and having, you know, being proud of yourself and being proud of your product or your color or your brand or your tone or your music, whatever it is that you do, that is a beautiful thing.
00:31:11.389 --> 00:31:13.069
I like I said, I love my brand.
00:31:13.149 --> 00:31:17.309
I love it more so than I make I give away hats because I'm like, just wear it.
00:31:17.389 --> 00:31:17.789
I love it.
00:31:17.950 --> 00:31:20.589
Whether you don't like it or not, it looks great on you.
00:31:20.909 --> 00:31:22.029
So that's great.
00:31:22.109 --> 00:31:22.909
That's awesome.
00:31:23.149 --> 00:31:28.509
So, you know, my uh pretty much my entire audience are brand new entrepreneurs that are just getting started.
00:31:28.589 --> 00:31:36.349
So if you came across an entrepreneur that's just getting started in their entrepreneur adventure, what one good solid piece would of advice would you give them?
00:31:36.509 --> 00:31:38.750
What good first step would you have them take?
00:31:39.149 --> 00:31:46.109
I think back, and again, I've only my one-year anniversary of Iron Mind Advisors is on July 6th.
00:31:46.269 --> 00:31:50.349
So I'm about two weeks away from being in this business for one year.
00:31:50.429 --> 00:31:51.230
I made the decision.
00:31:51.309 --> 00:31:58.669
I was touched, I uh there was a hand that came out of the sky, and it was God's hand, and he touched me and he said, Kenny, you're not going back to corporate America.
00:31:58.909 --> 00:32:00.589
Go follow your passion and help people.
00:32:00.669 --> 00:32:02.189
So I started that on July 6th.
00:32:02.349 --> 00:32:33.309
But here's here's the the thing that I would recommend to everybody, because this is the mistake that I did, because even after 27 years in cybersecurity, even after a Citadel MBA and an undergrad and all these accolades and everything that I've accomplished in all my career, when I showed up at my first entrepreneurial event last year, I felt like I didn't belong, like I was nervous, like I had a little anxiety of like what what what am I doing here?
00:32:33.549 --> 00:32:43.149
And I want to I wish I could rewind the clock on that because if you have the if you have the courage to walk into that room, then you absolutely belong there.
00:32:43.309 --> 00:32:46.829
And I I belonged there, but I I wasn't believing in myself.
00:32:46.990 --> 00:32:49.869
That was the only person that didn't think that I bel didn't belong there.
00:32:50.029 --> 00:32:57.869
Everybody else, when you're an entrepreneur, is typically everybody that I've run into open arms because they've all are going through the same things.
00:32:58.029 --> 00:33:00.109
And I felt intimidated.
00:33:00.269 --> 00:33:11.789
And I'm telling this, is you know, and I don't get intimidated, but I felt like like almost shy to ask a question because I didn't want it to sound silly or like, and so my advice is to not do that.
00:33:11.950 --> 00:33:31.069
My advice is if you have are passionate and you are starting out as an entrepreneur and you love what you've built, whatever it is, then whoever it is that you talk to, in whatever room it is, whether it's virtual or it's to your neighbor, or you speak with the same passion about it every single time because that is what resonates.
00:33:31.230 --> 00:33:33.629
That's what becomes the authentic version of you.
00:33:33.789 --> 00:33:45.230
And you don't feel intimidated when you go into a room with other entrepreneurs, just because they look different from you, or they might have been in the game a little bit longer, they have more money than you, they've all had nothing before, right?
00:33:45.789 --> 00:33:55.629
And they've all made it through hard work and they respect the person that comes into those rooms and wants to learn and ask questions, even if it's a silly question.
00:33:55.869 --> 00:33:59.950
And if they ever say that it's silly, like then you're not with the right people.
00:34:00.109 --> 00:34:06.029
But that doesn't happen in this universe in the in the entrepreneurial world because everybody's at different stages.
00:34:06.189 --> 00:34:12.030
You know, I was asking like how to hold the Twitter button a year ago, and now you know it's just so funny.
00:34:12.269 --> 00:34:13.309
You learn, right?
00:34:13.389 --> 00:34:16.429
Now I do content all day, every day if I needed to.
00:34:16.670 --> 00:34:20.750
But yeah, just believe in yourself and be proud of what you've built.
00:34:20.829 --> 00:34:41.309
And then think of the um, I I don't know what, like whatever it is that person that is listening has built or their product that their venture or whatever it is, I guarantee that they've put a lot of thought into it, a lot of behind the scenes thinking, a lot of nights laying there, like, this is what I want to do, and I'm gonna do it.
00:34:41.950 --> 00:34:46.909
And that's what you carry into the the first day, the business goes live, or whatever.
00:34:46.990 --> 00:34:48.349
Like, those are the memories.
00:34:48.510 --> 00:34:53.550
Like, I dreamed about being this in this, but I never thought it was possible.
00:34:53.710 --> 00:34:57.230
I thought I missed the boat, I was too old, I was too late in the game.
00:34:57.389 --> 00:35:00.110
You can't switch careers at 51 years old.
00:35:00.269 --> 00:35:04.670
And now I'm like, the point is just be be so proud and be passionate.
00:35:04.750 --> 00:35:17.630
And then you start, it it just resonates to other people, and then they they pick up the phone one day and call you and say, Hey Kenny, remember that athlete, student athlete thing you were talking about?
00:35:17.789 --> 00:35:20.269
My nephew needs to learn about that.
00:35:20.430 --> 00:35:21.390
Can you help me with that?
00:35:21.789 --> 00:35:22.750
Of course I can.
00:35:22.990 --> 00:35:31.789
Out of the blue, organic, such a beautiful thing because just I don't know, maybe that will happen with me doing here because I love telling my story.
00:35:32.110 --> 00:35:40.830
And I love being, you know, you know, I love helping the people that I I was there on July 7th of last year.
00:35:41.230 --> 00:35:50.430
What the I but I had a I knew exactly what I wanted to do, but it was time to go do it, and it's scary, and you just gotta let's go.
00:35:50.510 --> 00:35:52.670
You gotta be so confident in what you build.
00:35:52.990 --> 00:35:54.990
Well, if it's scary for you, it's a good thing.
00:35:55.150 --> 00:35:56.830
That means you're in the right place.
00:35:57.150 --> 00:35:59.309
I mean, that's that's one thing I always preach about.
00:35:59.470 --> 00:36:03.070
If you're not scared, then you're you're probably somewhere you need to be somewhere else.
00:36:03.150 --> 00:36:09.710
Because if you're not at least a little bit nervous about where you're going, that means it's not big enough for you, and you need to find something bigger.
00:36:09.950 --> 00:36:12.510
And you always gotta have a little bit of fear.
00:36:12.990 --> 00:36:16.670
Gotta have the I mean that it's healthy anxiety.
00:36:16.750 --> 00:36:19.789
It's it's not it's not like the bad anxiety.
00:36:19.870 --> 00:36:25.870
It's the stuff that keeps in the back of your mind that we have to we have to do the right thing, we have to work hard to do this.
00:36:25.950 --> 00:36:29.230
This isn't gonna, this is not going to grow on a tree.
00:36:29.390 --> 00:36:38.510
Our we have to spread our word and whatever it is, whether it be social media, whatever, whatever it is, you have to get up and do it, right?
00:36:38.670 --> 00:36:49.550
And you have to believe in it, and you know, you have to believe in it with a passion that is just it almost is too good to be true that there's not a chance in hell that this is gonna fail.
00:36:49.789 --> 00:36:52.590
And it's amazing what you can do when you have that mindset.
00:36:52.830 --> 00:36:53.789
Yeah, absolutely.
00:36:53.870 --> 00:36:54.510
I love it.
00:36:54.670 --> 00:36:58.269
All right, I have a tradition with all my guests in the next six months.
00:36:58.350 --> 00:36:59.950
Where do you see yourself and your company?
00:37:00.030 --> 00:37:07.150
Now, you're you're kind of on the newer side, so I I really, really am excited about hearing what you want to do in the next six months.
00:37:07.630 --> 00:37:14.350
Yeah, so the next six months, I'll be graduating from Liberty University with my with my master's in clinical mental health.
00:37:14.430 --> 00:37:15.870
So that's super exciting.
00:37:16.030 --> 00:37:18.830
That'll be in the November, December time frame.
00:37:19.150 --> 00:37:23.789
Personally, everything's personal because my work is I want to be on some big stages.
00:37:23.870 --> 00:37:25.150
I have a beautiful story to tell.
00:37:25.230 --> 00:37:26.590
It's called Grace in the Mirror.
00:37:26.670 --> 00:37:34.350
I'm not promoting it, that's not my intention, but I do like I love being on stages telling my story about my redemption story, quite frankly.
00:37:34.430 --> 00:37:35.390
And there's a lot of them.
00:37:35.950 --> 00:37:39.870
Mine is fascinating and I love sharing it with others.
00:37:40.110 --> 00:37:49.630
You know, my coaching/slash therapeutic sports excellence business is continuing to grow every day, and I continue to pinch myself and be so grateful.
00:37:49.870 --> 00:38:12.670
In six months, I would love to have a more defined view of exactly what the future looks like because I I I've been able to spread into different arenas here, but I also never got into this with the intention of growing to beyond a point where I can't enjoy the lifestyle and give the the product and the level of service that I always wanted.
00:38:12.750 --> 00:38:14.430
And I'm I'm here to help people, and I mean that.
00:38:14.510 --> 00:38:46.750
Like I know that is cliche to a lot of people, but I the whole reason that that hand came out of the sky one day is because you know, when I went to rehab to get a hold of my drinking problems, I was greeted by people that by complete strangers that that showed a tremendous amount of love and care for me that I never thought existed outside of my own home, but like complete strangers that wanted me to get better and were walked beside me during those storms and those valleys, if you will.
00:38:46.990 --> 00:38:54.510
And when I got better, and it just my life became so much better and it made me want to help others.
00:38:54.670 --> 00:39:20.750
And so I'm still going to be doing that in six months, and I'm going to try to continue to do that at a big capacity, but without spreading myself too thin, with you know, so I'm really wanting to enjoy the process and then continuing to work with others, specifically um the high-functioning struggler, which is me, which is your typical executive that looks great on the outside, but he's really, really not doing well on the inside because relatability, I was there.
00:39:20.910 --> 00:39:27.630
And then on the reverse end of that is the student athlete getting out of those things ahead of the curve, like I wish I did.
00:39:27.710 --> 00:39:33.630
And I I can honestly like I have gobs of advice that I put into my program with student athletes.
00:39:33.710 --> 00:39:39.710
There's both an online and a um, you know, there's like a crash course because I don't want I want this to be available to everybody.
00:39:39.950 --> 00:39:41.950
So that's where I'll be in six months.
00:39:42.030 --> 00:39:50.350
I think it's gonna probably have a nice little bow on top of it, meaning like I'm I'm slowly but surely like my website looks professional now.
00:39:50.510 --> 00:39:57.390
My, you know, I'm just because when you're doing it all yourself as an entrepreneur, it's time to button it up and put the bow on it.
00:39:57.470 --> 00:39:59.309
So that's what's gonna be in six months.
00:39:59.550 --> 00:40:00.350
Nice, awesome.
00:40:00.510 --> 00:40:12.030
So, Kenny, what I'd like to do with you if it's okay, is I'd actually like to follow up with you in six months, have another interview like this one, and I just want to see, you know, where you're at and see if you've accomplished goals, those goals.
00:40:12.110 --> 00:40:12.830
Is that okay?
00:40:13.150 --> 00:40:14.110
Oh my goodness.
00:40:14.269 --> 00:40:25.630
I love accountability, especially the friendly accountability like this, because that truly is like six months from now, I could see myself, if I don't manage it accordingly, like being pulled in too many directions.
00:40:25.710 --> 00:40:27.070
And that was never my intention.
00:40:27.230 --> 00:40:31.630
So I'm gonna go on record with saying that as well, because I'll be very honest with you.
00:40:31.789 --> 00:40:41.070
Come uh late November, early December as we get towards the holidays and my graduation that that I haven't been pulling my spreading myself too thin.
00:40:41.230 --> 00:40:42.190
I still feel great.
00:40:42.350 --> 00:40:48.590
My mental health is strong, my wellness is strong because those are things that are incredibly important to me.
00:40:48.910 --> 00:40:50.030
All right, fantastic.
00:40:50.190 --> 00:40:54.990
And you're not just accountable to me, you're accountable to all my school believers out there, so no pressure.
00:40:55.230 --> 00:40:55.950
School believers.
00:40:56.269 --> 00:40:57.870
I hope they school believe in me.
00:40:58.269 --> 00:40:59.230
That's right.
00:40:59.870 --> 00:41:02.110
All right, Kenny, this is your time to shine.
00:41:02.190 --> 00:41:04.190
This is the time where I want you to advertise yourself.
00:41:04.269 --> 00:41:06.430
How do we get a hold of you and all that good stuff?
00:41:06.590 --> 00:41:09.470
Okay, ready, set, go.
00:41:10.269 --> 00:41:12.030
Thank you so much for the opportunity.
00:41:12.269 --> 00:41:14.350
Again, my name can my name is Kenny Stodder.
00:41:14.430 --> 00:41:40.910
You can f follow me on Instagram at uh Iron Minds Kenny, and you can go to my website, which is Iron MindAdvisors, which I ironmindadvisors.com, which I highly encourage people to do, not because my website's amazing, but if you look on the top of my website at IronMindAdvisors.com, there's a cool button that says take assessment or assessment, and it's a free tool.
00:41:40.990 --> 00:41:43.470
And I I love when people take their identity assessment.
00:41:43.550 --> 00:41:44.750
This is a tool that I built.
00:41:44.910 --> 00:41:50.510
It's 40 random fire questions that you finish, you get the results right on your PC or your phone.
00:41:50.670 --> 00:42:00.110
And it kind of gives you an identity-based assessment, not like your wellness, not it's it's a combination of the things that I think are very important in life.
00:42:00.430 --> 00:42:04.750
Ironmindadvisors.com, forward slash assessment.
00:42:04.910 --> 00:42:23.550
And then if you are a student athlete and want to take the same type of assessment, but that's designed for you, please check out forward slash assessment for your student athlete assessment that is guaranteed to make you better than any one of your graduating peers when it's time to graduate and move on to the next level.
00:42:23.630 --> 00:42:27.630
I promise you that because there's stuff in there that is foolproof.
00:42:27.710 --> 00:42:29.070
I tell you that right now.
00:42:29.390 --> 00:42:29.789
Awesome.
00:42:29.950 --> 00:42:32.510
If you want to get any of that information, look into the show notes.
00:42:32.590 --> 00:42:34.030
I'll have links in there for you.
00:42:34.190 --> 00:42:39.950
In case you're driving or you just can't get to a pen or something like that, you didn't want to forget, look into the show notes.
00:42:40.030 --> 00:42:41.070
I will have links there.
00:42:41.309 --> 00:42:44.110
Kenny, thank you so much for being on the Undiscovered Entrepreneur.
00:42:44.269 --> 00:42:45.390
Get across the storyline.
00:42:45.630 --> 00:42:46.910
Fantastic conversation.
00:42:47.070 --> 00:42:48.750
I had an absolute blast.
00:42:49.390 --> 00:42:50.510
Me too.
00:42:50.750 --> 00:42:53.950
I school believe in this thing, and it's gonna be great.
00:42:54.110 --> 00:42:55.789
And uh I appreciate your time.
00:42:55.870 --> 00:42:57.870
I'm really looking forward to following up.
00:42:58.030 --> 00:43:03.470
I'm a man of my word, so six months from now, we'll see how much of a man of a word I am.
00:43:03.789 --> 00:43:04.910
We'll see how it goes.
00:43:04.990 --> 00:43:05.630
That's awesome.
00:43:05.789 --> 00:43:06.670
All right, come on now.
00:43:07.230 --> 00:43:09.230
All right, Kenny, thank you so much for being here.
00:43:09.390 --> 00:43:11.870
All right, school believers, make sure you stay tuned for the wrap-up.
00:43:12.110 --> 00:43:12.830
Okay, everybody.
00:43:12.910 --> 00:43:13.630
Bye-bye.
00:43:14.990 --> 00:43:17.070
All right, school believers, that was Kenny.
00:43:17.150 --> 00:43:19.390
What a fantastic episode we had with Kenny.
00:43:19.550 --> 00:43:21.150
I loved everything he said.
00:43:21.309 --> 00:43:28.590
He had so many insights about imposter syndrome and the experiences that he had going through everything.
00:43:28.830 --> 00:43:33.950
But I wanted to make sure that you heard the two major takeaways, and here they are right here.
00:43:34.910 --> 00:43:49.950
The person that you're comparing yourself to, the one who looks like they have it all figured out, looks like they got everything polished and looks fantastic, really doesn't know what's going on inside of their head any more than you do inside of your head.
00:43:50.350 --> 00:43:55.710
You two can be and more than likely are exactly the same in your thinking.
00:43:55.950 --> 00:43:57.309
What do I need to do next?
00:43:57.470 --> 00:43:59.630
What's the next step that I need to take?
00:43:59.870 --> 00:44:00.990
Things like that.
00:44:01.230 --> 00:44:13.070
But the moment that you ask for help, the moment that you raise your hand and say, I need help with this, it's the moment that your real life begins because now people are helping you.
00:44:13.390 --> 00:44:15.309
People are showing you the way.
00:44:15.870 --> 00:44:24.830
People are already showing you what they've been through, and you can use that as a shortcut so you can get past the barriers that they have already crossed.
00:44:25.870 --> 00:44:28.510
Never be afraid to ask for help.
00:44:28.750 --> 00:44:30.990
Never compare yourself to somebody else.
00:44:31.230 --> 00:44:33.150
Compare yourself to yourself.
00:44:33.390 --> 00:44:36.830
Compare yourself to yourself a week ago, a month ago, a year ago.
00:44:37.070 --> 00:44:42.269
Look at the progress that you made in your entrepreneur adventure.
00:44:42.510 --> 00:44:47.550
From beginning to where it is right now, and then where it's gonna go in the future.
00:44:48.110 --> 00:44:53.150
Execute your ideas because your ideas are yours, and yours alone to do.
00:44:53.230 --> 00:44:54.430
And this is one of my favorites.
00:44:54.590 --> 00:44:58.750
If you walk inside the room, you belong in that room.
00:44:58.910 --> 00:45:03.630
You're supposed to be there because fate has put you there in that room.
00:45:03.789 --> 00:45:12.830
The only thing, the only person that thinks otherwise is you being in your own way, thinking you don't belong in this room.
00:45:13.470 --> 00:45:16.510
Where the universe has put you there for a reason.
00:45:18.510 --> 00:45:23.309
And then when you go in that room, people aren't judging you.
00:45:23.550 --> 00:45:33.230
Even though it feels like you're judged being judged, even though it feels like I'm gonna I mean, you could talking to yourself saying I'm gonna ask stupid questions, so I'm not gonna say anything at all.
00:45:33.550 --> 00:45:33.870
No.
00:45:35.150 --> 00:45:38.830
People are actually wanting to help you.
00:45:39.390 --> 00:45:47.470
People with the same mindsets, people with the same thinking, they're all working together.
00:45:47.630 --> 00:45:51.710
And you need to become a part of that if you want to thrive in your entrepreneur adventure.
00:45:51.870 --> 00:45:55.230
More than anything, I think they're just grateful that somebody else showed up.
00:45:55.710 --> 00:45:58.990
A new mind to ask questions about.
00:45:59.150 --> 00:46:01.070
Because they will also ask you questions.
00:46:01.150 --> 00:46:05.630
They want to know what's going on in your head too, and what they can learn from you.
00:46:05.870 --> 00:46:12.910
Understand what that actually feels like, and you will go ahead and succeed.
00:46:13.390 --> 00:46:17.309
And with that, I'm gonna say thank you, Scooby Levers, for another fantastic episode.
00:46:17.870 --> 00:46:20.750
Thank you so much for being here, and I will see you next week.
00:46:20.990 --> 00:46:22.830
Okay, everybody, thank you, bye bye.
00:46:25.710 --> 00:46:31.710
This is an undiscovered legacy production and prod member of Pod Nation Media Network.
00:00:55.070 --> 00:01:06.750
When I showed up at my first entrepreneurial event last year, I felt like I didn't belong, like I was nervous, like I had a little anxiety of like what what what am I doing here?
00:01:06.989 --> 00:01:16.590
And I wanna I wish I could rewind the clock on that, because if you have the if you have the courage to walk into that room, then you absolutely belong there.
00:01:16.750 --> 00:01:20.269
And I I belonged there, but I I wasn't believing in myself.
00:01:20.430 --> 00:01:23.310
That was the only person that didn't think that I bel didn't belong there.
00:01:23.390 --> 00:01:31.310
Everybody else, when you're an entrepreneur, is typically everybody that I've run into open arms because they've all are going through the same things.
00:01:31.469 --> 00:01:33.549
And I felt intimidated.
00:01:33.710 --> 00:01:45.229
And I'm telling this is you know, and I don't get intimidated, but I felt like like almost shy to ask a question because I didn't want it to sound silly or like, and so my advice is to not do that.
00:01:45.390 --> 00:02:04.349
My advice is if you have are passionate and you are starting out as an entrepreneur and you love what you've built, whatever it is, then whoever it is that you talk to in whatever room it is, whether it's virtual or it's to your neighbor, or you speak with the same passion about it every single time because that is what resonates.
00:02:04.590 --> 00:02:09.870
Salutations, Scooba Levers, and we are here again with another amazing entrepreneur.
00:02:09.949 --> 00:02:10.990
Today we're here with Kenny.
00:02:11.069 --> 00:02:12.509
Hey Kenny, how's it going?
00:02:13.150 --> 00:02:14.509
It's going great.
00:02:14.590 --> 00:02:15.629
Thanks for having me.
00:02:15.870 --> 00:02:16.349
Absolutely.
00:02:16.509 --> 00:02:19.789
Thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to be on the Undiscovered Entrepreneur.
00:02:19.870 --> 00:02:21.150
Get across the start line.
00:02:21.310 --> 00:02:23.310
Super, super appreciate you.
00:02:23.789 --> 00:02:26.909
Oh, well, I'm I super appreciate it back.
00:02:27.550 --> 00:02:28.110
All right.
00:02:28.270 --> 00:02:32.909
So what I'd like to do here is kind of give you a kind of semi-serious question right up front here.
00:02:32.990 --> 00:02:33.870
Okay, you ready?
00:02:34.590 --> 00:02:35.229
I'm ready.
00:02:35.469 --> 00:02:36.349
Okay, here we go.
00:02:37.710 --> 00:02:39.069
Are you a school believer?
00:02:40.030 --> 00:02:41.870
You're I am a school believer.
00:02:43.150 --> 00:02:43.870
Here's why.
00:02:44.030 --> 00:02:45.629
Because how could I not be?
00:02:46.030 --> 00:02:48.750
With your energy and passion, I'm a school believer.
00:02:49.229 --> 00:02:51.789
Woohoo! All right, yeah, Kenny's a school believer.
00:02:51.870 --> 00:02:52.430
Thanks, Kenny.
00:02:52.509 --> 00:02:53.949
I super appreciate you.
00:02:54.270 --> 00:02:54.669
All right.
00:02:54.750 --> 00:03:05.389
So, what I'd like to do up here up front is get a kind of an idea of who you are, what your entrepreneur adventure is, and how you actually got across the start line in your entrepreneur adventure.
00:03:05.949 --> 00:03:06.349
Great.
00:03:06.509 --> 00:03:07.709
That's a great place to start.
00:03:07.789 --> 00:03:13.870
We could probably spend an hour on it, but I'll do the best job I can of kindly introducing myself.
00:03:13.949 --> 00:03:16.109
My name is Kenny Stoddart, as you mentioned.
00:03:16.189 --> 00:03:18.030
I live in Jacksonville Beach, Florida.
00:03:18.189 --> 00:03:27.549
I was born and raised in what uh Hamburg, New York, just outside of Buffalo, and ventured down south when I left to go to college back in the late 90s.
00:03:27.870 --> 00:03:50.189
And upon graduating from the Citadel back in 1997, I joined the dot com boom in the internet security space and went on to have a fascinating career in the internet security world for 27 years as an executive sales leader, traveling the world, living the dream job that everybody uh got to see on the outside.
00:03:50.430 --> 00:03:52.669
But it actually almost killed me on the inside.
00:03:52.829 --> 00:04:04.030
So um, after 27 years, I retired from that industry and joined the entrepreneurial life as a uh second career, and I'm enjoying every bit of it.
00:04:04.349 --> 00:04:25.470
My passion is for helping others avoid burnout, like I did, like I suffered from during my executive days, and really trying to be a uh superhero with chasing the quotas and the finish lines and the you know high achievers clubs and making money and all those things that are, you know, goals that we set out to do well.
00:04:25.790 --> 00:04:27.230
And I let it get the best of me.
00:04:27.310 --> 00:04:32.750
I let it control my identity to a point where I kind of didn't even know who I was anymore.
00:04:32.910 --> 00:04:38.750
And um a couple years ago I had to stick my uh I had to raise my hand and say I needed help.
00:04:38.910 --> 00:04:40.189
And that's what I did.
00:04:40.350 --> 00:04:44.430
And uh that transitioned into me becoming a helper of people.
00:04:44.590 --> 00:04:49.069
So my entrepreneurial life began just about a year ago.
00:04:49.230 --> 00:04:58.350
I went back to college to get my second master's degree, this time in clinical mental health counseling, so I can um be do just that.
00:04:58.430 --> 00:05:04.350
So I'm a I'm an executive coach, I'm a I'm an entrepreneurial coach, quite frankly.
00:05:04.430 --> 00:05:10.030
Uh, and what I say that very loosely because I'm I'm learning this as we go uh also.
00:05:10.350 --> 00:05:25.230
But I've I've got the benefit of you know, the past year of working with some of the greatest coaches, learning from entrepreneurs, digging in to be like I I literally did, I I registered a domain name, set up my email servers, built a website.
00:05:25.469 --> 00:05:30.430
I did every single thing that needed to be done to start my business to where it is today.
00:05:30.589 --> 00:05:44.029
And we can talk more about that, but it's been a thrilling ride, and I'm grateful for every moment along the way, which is why I love joining conversations like this, because I love to pass along the knowledge and help others where they need it.
00:05:44.189 --> 00:05:48.110
Perhaps they can learn from my mistakes or they can learn from my successes either way.
00:05:48.269 --> 00:05:50.990
I would I would love to share what I have to offer.
00:05:51.310 --> 00:05:52.509
No, that's fantastic.
00:05:52.670 --> 00:05:53.230
I love that.
00:05:53.389 --> 00:05:57.629
Well, you and me really come from the same tree here, because I'm kind of doing the same thing as you.
00:05:58.509 --> 00:05:59.870
I'm also just getting started.
00:05:59.949 --> 00:06:15.149
Now, I know I've been doing this for five years, but still kind of like in the crux of the very beginnings of things, but still having the the the want to be able to help others go, you know, get to where they're trying to get to and point them in the directions.
00:06:15.310 --> 00:06:22.909
There's always somebody 10% behind you, and those are the people that you want to bring along with you to show that we I we can actually do this.
00:06:23.469 --> 00:06:24.189
I agree.
00:06:24.269 --> 00:06:33.389
Uh, part of being an entrepreneur in the especially as a second career, you know, I I I I was coming off of a career to write about, quite frankly.
00:06:33.469 --> 00:06:34.750
I mean, I made millions of dollars.
00:06:34.829 --> 00:06:36.670
I was tart, you know, the timing was right.
00:06:36.750 --> 00:06:38.269
I was part of the dot-com boom.
00:06:38.430 --> 00:06:40.829
I was a millionaire by the time I was 24 years old.
00:06:40.909 --> 00:06:42.509
I I'm so grateful for that.
00:06:42.670 --> 00:06:50.829
But as I mentioned, it that comes with the price tag as well, that imposter syndrome, trying to keep up with that level of performance over the years.
00:06:50.990 --> 00:06:53.230
And I had to do it for 27 years.
00:06:53.469 --> 00:07:06.029
And um, you know, it is as grateful as I am for all of the lovely experiences and the dollars made and the deals closed, you know, there was one huge piece of me that was missing.
00:07:06.189 --> 00:07:08.110
And I wasn't helping others.
00:07:08.269 --> 00:07:10.990
I wasn't I was not in the right lane, if you will.
00:07:11.149 --> 00:07:24.430
And when I discovered that, when I started working with others and coaching and mental health therapy and things like that, I realized that, you know, there's so many similarities in what I used to do and what I do now, but you know, now I do it to help others.
00:07:24.589 --> 00:07:28.349
So now I used to protect, I used to focus on identity loss.
00:07:28.509 --> 00:07:29.310
That was my career.
00:07:29.469 --> 00:07:32.029
I was in, uh I worked for Symantec and Verisign.
00:07:32.189 --> 00:07:36.110
I encryption and data security was my livelihood.
00:07:36.269 --> 00:07:38.430
I I made sure that you didn't get hacked.
00:07:38.589 --> 00:07:42.990
I protected identities, I create, I prevented identity loss.
00:07:43.149 --> 00:07:46.029
And um, like I said, it was amazing.
00:07:46.189 --> 00:07:58.990
But now I focus on identity gain, and that's helping people regain the version that they once wanted to be, or they still want to be, or thought they might not be able to, because that's really what I struggled with.
00:07:59.069 --> 00:08:07.469
I was not, I was not really living up to the expectations that I've had for myself because I was operating through someone else's lens.
00:08:07.709 --> 00:08:17.550
And the entrepreneurial lifestyle, or and all the things that come along with it, the challenges, the triumphs, the tribulations, the wins, those are for me now, right?
00:08:17.629 --> 00:08:18.509
As an entrepreneur.
00:08:18.589 --> 00:08:23.870
Those are my hard work, my blood, sweat, and tears, my, and hopefully one day my reward, right?
00:08:24.029 --> 00:08:28.670
That's what we all work do this for to, you know, we want it to be lucrative and successful.
00:08:28.829 --> 00:08:39.550
Whatever definition of lucrative is for you might be different than mine or any else, uh anyone else's, but the reality of it is, is like I'm helping people, I'm doing this for myself, I'm all in.
00:08:39.710 --> 00:08:41.629
And that's what it takes when you're an entrepreneur.
00:08:41.710 --> 00:08:46.590
I know that for a fact, even after one year, like that's why I wear my brand everywhere.
00:08:46.830 --> 00:08:57.950
I love my the name of my company, I love my color scheme, I love my logo, I wear it on my shirts, my hats, because that's the the the passion that you need to be successful as an entrepreneur.
00:08:58.110 --> 00:09:00.509
Otherwise, you'll just be one of many, right?
00:09:00.909 --> 00:09:14.350
And that's the the the brutal reality of entrepreneurial life is you have to have that drive, that strength, that vision, otherwise, one of many, and many go out of business and few stay, right?
00:09:14.909 --> 00:09:16.350
Oh, yeah, absolutely.
00:09:16.750 --> 00:09:27.070
Having that passion for what you're doing and working in your zone of genius is really what's gonna drive you forward, even during those hard times where you know you're having a rough time.
00:09:27.310 --> 00:09:30.830
Many's maybe not coming as good as you were hoping for, anything like that.
00:09:30.990 --> 00:09:32.990
But you still got to keep pushing forward.
00:09:33.070 --> 00:09:52.910
You still gotta keep moving because something will happen, whether it's a pivot to something else that's even better or greater or different, or you know, you make that one sale that makes all the difference, or you meet that one coach that tells you the one thing that you need to do, but you never would accomplish any of that if you stop what you're doing and just stop moving forward.
00:09:53.070 --> 00:09:55.070
So always keep that in mind as you're going.
00:09:56.030 --> 00:10:02.030
Got to keep driving forward, gotta handle the rough days, gotta handle that adversity as a learning experience.
00:10:02.430 --> 00:10:08.270
In the last year, I went from wanting to change the world to really honing in on who my target market is.
00:10:08.350 --> 00:10:12.510
And that's what we as entrepreneurs you have to know who to sell to and how to sell to it properly.
00:10:12.670 --> 00:10:17.390
And um, I I entered this universe saying, like, well, I can help anybody, I'm better now.
00:10:17.470 --> 00:10:20.590
And and perhaps that's true, but that's also unrealistic.
00:10:20.750 --> 00:10:25.310
And you know, so I've I've changed my offer, my pricings, my target market.
00:10:25.390 --> 00:10:30.750
And without doing that, without going through those cycles, how do you know where you actually belong?
00:10:30.910 --> 00:10:31.070
Right.
00:10:31.230 --> 00:10:37.629
So I figured out that one arena was really not my target, but the other was just a natural fit for me.
00:10:37.870 --> 00:10:50.110
And so put my energy towards that and learn, like, okay, well, you didn't exhaust too many resources or money or whatever you want to call it on something, but it's okay to try.
00:10:50.350 --> 00:10:56.510
And you know, I've done that, and I'll probably do it again as I progress through my, you know, my offer continues to change, right?
00:10:56.590 --> 00:10:59.790
Every time I get a new client, the demand, the supply goes down, right?
00:10:59.870 --> 00:11:01.390
Because there's only so many Kenny's.
00:11:01.550 --> 00:11:17.790
So I have to, that's an entrepreneurial problem for me being in my industry, where I want to I want to continue to provide the highest level of service that I expect out of my brand, but I can't do that for a thousand people or even a hundred people, quite frankly.
00:11:18.030 --> 00:11:24.110
Now, there's ways to do that with the formations of communities and different types of groups and whatnot.
00:11:24.270 --> 00:11:26.750
And of course, that's a great way for me to expand.
00:11:26.830 --> 00:11:36.830
And I that's what I'm going to do, but I can't do that at the same level as I do with like my one-on-one business clients where I'm immersed in their business because that's not fair.
00:11:36.990 --> 00:11:39.070
And I didn't know that a year ago.
00:11:39.310 --> 00:11:48.910
I learned, I learned by being in over my ski tips a little bit, meaning, you know, I probably bit off a little bit more than I can chew, and then I had to take a step backwards.
00:11:49.070 --> 00:12:00.990
And those are things that you have to go through to kind of find out where, and I don't think I found it quite yet, but I'm getting closer every day, and that's the beautiful thing about this life of entrepreneurial.
00:12:01.070 --> 00:12:05.870
Like, if I if I need to make another pivot tomorrow, I have to talk to myself about it.
00:12:05.950 --> 00:12:11.550
I don't need to explain it to the stick, my staff or my marketing team, or justify it to the CEO.
00:12:11.629 --> 00:12:18.030
Like, I'm all those things, and I need to make sure that I'm comfortable with what it means to do it and then do it.
00:12:18.190 --> 00:12:18.990
Never look back.
00:12:19.150 --> 00:12:22.990
That's my whole we don't look back and dwell on what we should have, could have.
00:12:23.150 --> 00:12:25.150
We look forward, especially in entrepreneurial.
00:12:25.550 --> 00:12:31.390
Well, especially in I'm in recovery, like we always are focusing on the the best outcome.
00:12:31.629 --> 00:12:38.830
But even for business, like my my whole livelihood is is dependent on this business being successful.
00:12:39.070 --> 00:12:40.270
And I treat it that way.
00:12:40.350 --> 00:12:44.670
Like I want it to be that, so I I put those wheels in motion to make it happen.
00:12:44.910 --> 00:12:46.750
And yeah, the grind is tough.
00:12:46.910 --> 00:13:01.310
We know every entrepreneur listening, like the tough days are like no one can relate to it unless you just know that you have you have are all in on your business, and today's not going well, and I just need to uh and then you got to get back to it, right?
00:13:01.390 --> 00:13:02.350
You got to get back to it.
00:13:02.590 --> 00:13:03.230
You have to.
00:13:04.030 --> 00:13:13.550
Well, it's it's the entry level, it's the entry, it's the entry like uh price that we have to pay uh uh to get started.
00:13:13.710 --> 00:13:21.150
I mean, it it's it's the hard work and the grinding and everything else we do, that's kind of the sacrifices we need to make to make something succeed.
00:13:21.310 --> 00:13:27.629
But when it does finally succeed, it succeeds it in droves because you work so hard at it.
00:13:28.270 --> 00:13:31.950
And uh I want to step back just a second here.
00:13:32.190 --> 00:13:35.390
I mean, first of all, you need to change your world, right?
00:13:35.550 --> 00:13:42.670
Because you're not if you don't change your world and what you're doing and your mindset on things, nothing around you is going to change.
00:13:42.910 --> 00:13:45.550
It's gonna stay the same way the whole time.
00:13:45.790 --> 00:13:48.190
So let's work on changing our world first.
00:13:48.430 --> 00:13:58.750
Then once we know we're kind of in that zone, now we find one person that has one problem that you could solve and change one person's world.
00:13:58.990 --> 00:14:06.830
If you could do that, then maybe you could do it for another person, maybe you could do it for another person, and it just grows more one at a time.
00:14:07.390 --> 00:14:16.350
I've wanted to grow so fast because you know I've got a lot invested, and I look back and I'm so grateful that I didn't, you know.
00:14:16.430 --> 00:14:29.150
I'm so grateful that I I kind of took like each step along the way during this entrepreneurial process to like I'm grateful that I wasn't successful out of the gates because I I wouldn't have had to go through some of these bumps.
00:14:29.310 --> 00:14:38.270
And I don't know if I would have had what I have now after learning through the challenges, and you know, there's so many different ways.
00:14:38.350 --> 00:14:40.910
We're also embracing new technology every day with AI.
00:14:40.990 --> 00:14:47.629
I mean, that's no secret, but that's taking a whole new master's class and being an entrepreneur at the same time to try to keep up, right?
00:14:47.790 --> 00:14:51.550
And um you just gotta, there's so much going on, and we have to learn.
00:14:51.710 --> 00:15:00.430
We have to, you know, there's so many, you know, people say, well, it's God's timing, and I I'm a true believer in that, but whatever it is, your belief timing is such a critical thing.
00:15:00.590 --> 00:15:14.270
You can't rush entrepreneurial, you can't read a book and expect it to be fully experienced, even go to and I mean I have an MBA, like entrepreneurials being an entrepreneur is a class of its own, I'm telling you.
00:15:14.350 --> 00:15:20.830
And just a wild journey and something that's so incredibly warning or rewarding when it works out.
00:15:20.910 --> 00:15:24.350
And I never say if or when or hope or anything like that.
00:15:24.590 --> 00:15:34.190
When it works out is so rewarding because of that type of energy that you put into you have to devote to it to get to get to that level.
00:15:34.590 --> 00:15:41.390
Well, it's very important that we experience the failures and the bumps and that kind of thing, because that teaches us what to do and what not to do.
00:15:41.550 --> 00:15:46.110
I mean, if we just went straight to the end, then that's kind of like why did we even take this ride?
00:15:46.190 --> 00:15:51.950
I mean, it's nice to be here at the end, but at the same time, what experiences we did we miss out on?
00:15:52.110 --> 00:15:58.430
What what pitfalls that we could have taken lessons away from that we missed that could have benefited us later.
00:15:58.830 --> 00:15:59.950
So much learning.
00:16:00.350 --> 00:16:01.629
So much learning to do.
00:16:01.790 --> 00:16:09.629
I mean, I I mentioned to you before we I'm in Las Vegas today and I did some some content filming with some people that I work with out here.
00:16:09.790 --> 00:16:28.830
And a year ago, I wasn't I shouldn't have even been involved in these types, or I wasn't involved and I didn't deserve to be, but now here I am, and what a learning experience to work with some people that have even that are like maybe one or two months ahead of you in the entrepreneurial cycle, or one or two months behind you, like, oh yeah, that was me two months ago.
00:16:28.910 --> 00:16:36.350
I remember that when you might have made a bad investment on a social media or whatever it is that you, you know, like, damn it, I wish I would have known that.
00:16:36.430 --> 00:16:38.510
And that's just part of the curve.
00:16:38.830 --> 00:16:47.470
And you know, there's there's people, there's people telling me stories that you know are six months ahead of me in the process that are telling me, don't do this, don't do that, don't do this.
00:16:47.710 --> 00:16:53.950
But I'm probably gonna do all those things because I have to learn, like, you know, it's otherwise I wouldn't know why you shouldn't.
00:16:54.030 --> 00:17:17.150
And it's you just try to do it with the a more structured way of like this is I like to dabble a little bit because there's so many different things we can do to try to grow our business, especially with all the tools that are and I was like, there's if I wanted to try a new project every day, I could to you know, to whether it's to do lead generation or graphic generation or content generation.
00:17:17.710 --> 00:17:20.349
But there's also the business side of things, right?
00:17:20.430 --> 00:17:33.549
We have to we have to sell, we have to, we have to deliver the product, which I that's my day job, and I love to because I like to work with clients when it's convenient for them, and then I love to do podcasting and stuff.
00:17:33.629 --> 00:17:35.470
So, but I have to pick and choose, right?
00:17:35.549 --> 00:17:41.470
When's the right time to do those things and how not to be overbooked and how not to get burnt out again?
00:17:41.629 --> 00:17:44.750
Because that was something that I've already uh been there, done that on.
00:17:44.990 --> 00:17:49.789
And with this lifestyle, when you're so passionate about it, it's very easy to work all night, right?
00:17:49.869 --> 00:17:58.029
That's a that's a common theme with entrepreneurs, like just drink and drink coffee and work away, and you know, we're building something fun, and I can't stop.
00:17:58.190 --> 00:18:04.669
Well, stopping is a good thing, and getting a good getting rest and getting some sleep and then getting recharged and doing it again.
00:18:04.829 --> 00:18:06.750
So I I like to do that a lot.
00:18:06.909 --> 00:18:16.029
I'm like, I go to sleep at night, and that way the next morning it's like, oh wow, I get to do this all over again and I'm fresh and it's awesome.
00:18:16.269 --> 00:18:24.990
So yeah, you gotta you gotta give yourself the time to rest because if you don't, your brain gets really mushy and you can't really make a thing.
00:18:25.069 --> 00:18:33.549
So then suddenly you get you make a bad decision, or you know, I I've been known to fall asleep in the middle of an editing job and it just messes up when I wake up, everything's a mess.
00:18:33.869 --> 00:18:38.750
But yeah, but it's really important to set those boundaries for yourself.
00:18:38.990 --> 00:18:42.349
Set the boundaries so like, okay, 11 o'clock, I'm in bed.
00:18:42.509 --> 00:18:43.549
That's a boundary.
00:18:43.710 --> 00:18:49.710
Um, this day is when I'm doing my podcast, this day I'm doing my editing, this day I'm doing my my interviews.
00:18:49.869 --> 00:18:51.309
That's a boundary, you know.
00:18:51.549 --> 00:18:59.149
So setting those strict boundaries for yourself to make sure that you can accomplish everything that you're gonna be able to work on is really super important.
00:18:59.869 --> 00:19:07.389
Yeah, and there's there's so many tremendous efficiencies that are available to us now that can make our days more manageable.
00:19:07.549 --> 00:19:12.269
And you know, I'm a big fan of those because I I technically come from the old school.
00:19:12.349 --> 00:19:16.509
Like I've been doing this, I've been in, you know, I've been out of school for 30 years now.
00:19:16.669 --> 00:19:22.990
So when I started, the technology that we're using is like obsolete by many, you know, you know that, right?
00:19:23.149 --> 00:19:42.349
And uh so and I was a typical, like, you know, I worked when I worked on the East Coast, uh, it was I was in sales, like I had to be on the like it was nine to five, and then the other stuff outside of that, you know, with with entrepreneurial life, no one's telling us when to be there or when to go to stop.
00:19:42.589 --> 00:19:44.750
You know, I like to set some boundaries on that too.
00:19:44.829 --> 00:19:56.189
Like, I I love my mornings now, so I don't like to work in the mornings from before like 10 o'clock in the morning because I end up working until 10 o'clock at night, so it's it's just in getting that time in for myself.
00:19:56.349 --> 00:20:04.509
I never even considered that when I was 30, you know, and then time for yourself or meditation or breathing exercises.
00:20:04.669 --> 00:20:06.750
I was like, whatever, that's stupid.
00:20:06.990 --> 00:20:12.509
Then here we are 20 years later, and I'm like preaching it because I almost died, you know, and I had all this stuff go on.
00:20:12.669 --> 00:20:19.710
And these are little things that can create major longevity and they're easy to do, like getting out for a morning walk, like that's stupid.
00:20:19.869 --> 00:20:21.789
No, it's not, it's the best thing ever to do.
00:20:21.869 --> 00:20:24.109
Yeah, we learn so much as we get older, right?
00:20:24.349 --> 00:20:25.309
Oh, yeah, definitely.
00:20:25.389 --> 00:20:28.189
I'm I'm uh we're probably pretty close in age, it sounds like so.
00:20:28.269 --> 00:20:28.909
I understand completely.
00:20:29.230 --> 00:20:30.029
Yeah, I'm 52.
00:20:30.349 --> 00:20:31.389
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:20:31.549 --> 00:20:38.429
Um, I didn't start meditation until probably about two years ago, and now it's I it's a practice I do every time before I go to bed.
00:20:38.509 --> 00:20:43.230
I I sit down and have a meditation, and it helps clear my mind for when I do sleep.
00:20:43.309 --> 00:20:45.549
And it's it's been a big help for me.
00:20:46.109 --> 00:20:50.829
It's you know, it again, not for everybody.
00:20:51.149 --> 00:20:52.349
Meditation is amazing.
00:20:52.509 --> 00:20:53.389
I love it too.
00:20:53.549 --> 00:20:59.069
It I never thought of doing it when I was younger or when I was like when I was running hard.
00:20:59.389 --> 00:21:17.549
Like, you know, I had no time to stop and meditate that, but now I really any type of wellness or well-being activity that you can engage in in your busy lifestyle, whether it be, like I said, the walk, or you know, I live in Florida, so I like I like to go out and get some sunshine in the day right in the middle of the day.
00:21:17.629 --> 00:21:22.269
I know it's super hot, but I only take 30 minutes and it's it's so recharging.
00:21:22.429 --> 00:21:23.309
And I don't know.
00:21:23.389 --> 00:21:25.230
We're going down the wellness path because I love it.
00:21:25.309 --> 00:21:30.589
I mean, I literally almost died, I had cancer, I'm healthy now, so I can talk about the wellness side all day.
00:21:30.829 --> 00:21:51.789
What I really like to preach is just people, even leaders who are in my stage or our stage later, like if we have a responsibility to pass that knowledge on to the younger generations of entrepreneurs, founders, people that are in corporate America that and you know it's it's it's very important to maintain your health at a young age so it doesn't catch up with you when you're when you're older.
00:21:52.109 --> 00:22:01.869
Yeah, because they don't tell you about that in school, they just tell you about math and that kind of thing, but they don't really tell you a a smart way to really live and be yourself.
00:22:01.950 --> 00:22:07.710
And and I don't know any kind of school that talks about meditation or or well-being or anything like that.
00:22:07.950 --> 00:22:10.029
That's it, and then and it's really unfortunate.
00:22:10.189 --> 00:22:19.710
So if that's the case, then it's up to us, who's over and experienced these things, to teach to the younger generation that this is really something that we need to pay attention to.
00:22:20.349 --> 00:22:22.269
I truly believe that.
00:22:22.429 --> 00:22:23.789
I mean, it's one of the things that I do.
00:22:23.869 --> 00:22:28.909
I work with uh student athletes as part of my something that I'm very, very passionate about.
00:22:28.990 --> 00:22:41.230
It's not necessarily a financial endeavor, it's more of a way of me giving back to the like I like to make sure that's not only from the wellness side, but the mental health side too.
00:22:41.309 --> 00:22:43.230
And that's a big like I'm a therapist.
00:22:43.389 --> 00:22:54.829
So you know, when these younger boys and girls or men and women take their helmet off for the last time and lacrosse or soccer's over, and it's now that's no longer part of their life, it literally comes to an end.
00:22:55.389 --> 00:23:05.710
And there's a lot of people that parents and student athletes that are well aware of that identity loss that you know who am I after soccer or lacrosse or hockey or whatever sport that it is you play?
00:23:05.950 --> 00:23:08.029
And the answer is a lot.
00:23:08.189 --> 00:23:08.829
You're a lot.
00:23:08.909 --> 00:23:15.549
You've been coached by great coaches, you've had great teammates, team captains, you've traveled to different.
00:23:15.950 --> 00:23:19.149
So there's so much, and there's so much to build upon.
00:23:19.389 --> 00:23:25.710
And I, you know, I struggled with some mental health situations when I was younger and a student athlete.
00:23:26.349 --> 00:23:30.269
And that was one of the areas that I never properly dealt with, quite frankly.
00:23:30.349 --> 00:23:34.589
I I let I was I swept it under the rug and just pretended it didn't exist.
00:23:34.909 --> 00:23:41.389
And then it came back to, you know, to to revisit myself and many years later, and it didn't have to.
00:23:41.549 --> 00:23:43.069
And that's what I love to educate.
00:23:43.149 --> 00:23:44.750
Like I don't get into deep mental health.
00:23:44.829 --> 00:23:54.269
I just want to make sure that student athletes are aware that these types of things come up and it's okay to say I need help or ask for help or whatever it is.
00:23:54.509 --> 00:23:55.149
Call me.
00:23:55.230 --> 00:23:58.429
Like I say it's the biggest sign of strength because I had to do that too.
00:23:58.509 --> 00:24:07.470
And you know, I was the um, you know, I was the big strong Iron Man, triathlete, CEO, sales executive.
00:24:07.869 --> 00:24:10.029
Everything had it going on the outside.
00:24:10.109 --> 00:24:13.629
I never ever would ever think of asking anybody for help.
00:24:13.789 --> 00:24:14.189
Who am I?
00:24:14.349 --> 00:24:16.349
Like, I don't need help, I know it all.
00:24:16.669 --> 00:24:20.669
And then I asked for help, and my life changed dramatically for the better.
00:24:20.909 --> 00:24:26.349
And um now my my issues were, you know, I struggled with alcoholism.
00:24:26.509 --> 00:24:31.069
I I'm not shy about that because I'm I'm now free of that demon.
00:24:31.230 --> 00:24:38.589
But at the same time, there are so many people that are afraid to raise their hand or don't know, maybe they don't know where to go.
00:24:38.750 --> 00:24:42.990
I didn't know where to go either until I finally knew where to go, and it was amazing.
00:24:43.149 --> 00:24:48.750
So I know that I'm unpacking a lot there, but these are these are some of the best lessons that I could possibly say.
00:24:48.909 --> 00:24:55.549
Like I was the guy that never thought I needed help or wanted like even career, like coaching.
00:24:55.710 --> 00:25:04.349
Now, like I co I get coached on pretty much every I still have a career coach, I still work with my own therapist because I'm trying to get better always, too.
00:25:04.509 --> 00:25:07.789
But there's there's a we do not know it all.
00:25:07.869 --> 00:25:10.909
There's a lot of people that they think they know it all, and no one does.
00:25:11.149 --> 00:25:15.549
We come be an entrepreneur for a couple days and see how much you think you know, right?
00:25:16.509 --> 00:25:18.269
You'll learn that someone knows it better.
00:25:18.509 --> 00:25:19.230
Yeah, yeah.
00:25:19.470 --> 00:25:24.349
And we come across that a lot too, because we compare ourselves to other people that are out there.
00:25:24.509 --> 00:25:30.429
So we think that, hey, we can be these people too that don't ask for help, but we don't know what's going on inside and going on inside their heads.
00:25:30.669 --> 00:25:31.789
What are they going through?
00:25:31.950 --> 00:25:34.909
We just see the finished product, we see what's out here.
00:25:35.149 --> 00:25:37.069
So that's our perception about these people.
00:25:37.149 --> 00:25:41.389
But what do we really know about them up here and what they're going through up there?
00:25:41.629 --> 00:25:44.829
So help is definitely not a weakness.
00:25:44.990 --> 00:25:50.509
That's that's something that we really need to ingrain into our brains, especially as entrepreneurs.
00:25:50.669 --> 00:25:55.149
We're gonna need help because we don't know what we don't know, right?
00:25:55.629 --> 00:25:58.109
So there's there's only gonna be one way to figure it out.
00:25:59.549 --> 00:26:03.230
There's yes, so much help.
00:26:03.950 --> 00:26:12.509
Especially, like you said, in the entrepreneurial circle, networking with other entrepreneurs, like who's gonna teach you better than the other entrepreneurs, right?
00:26:12.589 --> 00:26:15.789
That are, and I just did that last night and a little bit today.
00:26:15.950 --> 00:26:23.149
These people have all gone through some of the same or many of the same struggles, the same trials, the same challenges.
00:26:23.389 --> 00:26:28.029
And when you network and talk about it, it's the same kind of thing as asking for help, it's just having a conversation.
00:26:28.109 --> 00:26:29.389
That's what I always say.
00:26:29.470 --> 00:26:33.710
If you're so afraid of just say hello to someone or say, you know, and start.
00:26:34.109 --> 00:26:36.990
Entrepreneurs, like, we love to talk about our business, right?
00:26:37.069 --> 00:26:38.349
We're that's especially me.
00:26:38.429 --> 00:26:41.549
Like, if you if you ask me a word question, be prepared.
00:26:41.950 --> 00:26:46.589
I hope you have a few minutes because I'm passionate about it and I want to talk about it.
00:26:46.750 --> 00:26:55.789
Now, I I almost have to be careful not to talk too much about it because I don't want to overwhelm people, but if if if it's brought up, I love to talk about it.
00:26:55.950 --> 00:26:59.470
And then what happens with those conversations every time?
00:26:59.710 --> 00:27:03.549
It's it's every time now I'm in it in my field.
00:27:03.710 --> 00:27:18.029
This is not the same for every field, but in my field, because I I am in the mental health side, every entrepreneurial conversation ends up in, oh, you should talk to my I have to have my friend Jimmy call you, or I need Timmy to call you, or you need to talk to Billy.
00:27:18.429 --> 00:27:26.909
I know because everybody has something going on, and I I I I I love people when they come to me to share with their and I can help them.
00:27:27.069 --> 00:27:40.829
But the reality of it is is that's that everybody has something going on, and networking with others, like-minded individuals is a really, really good way to get yourself feeling good about what you're doing and learn about things that you know.
00:27:40.909 --> 00:27:41.789
I learn every day.
00:27:41.950 --> 00:27:44.990
I think I'm good at this, and then I meet someone that's way better at it than me.
00:27:45.069 --> 00:27:46.189
And I'm just like, can we talk?
00:27:46.349 --> 00:27:47.069
Can you tell me more?
00:27:47.230 --> 00:27:53.230
And I'm like, there's no competition because there's a million and trillion entrepreneurs, right?
00:27:53.389 --> 00:27:55.230
Especially healthcare professionals.
00:27:55.389 --> 00:27:57.149
Like, there's a million of me.
00:27:57.230 --> 00:28:03.389
Um, I think I'm different in my own unique way, but maybe other that's for me to decide or for others to decide.
00:28:03.549 --> 00:28:07.230
But when I'm around like-minded individuals, it's so engaging and learning.
00:28:07.309 --> 00:28:12.750
And you know, it doesn't matter what you look like or how you dress or what color, it's just like, let's talk business, let's talk shop, man.
00:28:12.829 --> 00:28:13.950
It's so cool to learn.
00:28:14.029 --> 00:28:15.869
I mean, I met some fascinating people today.
00:28:15.950 --> 00:28:17.069
It was amazing.
00:28:17.389 --> 00:28:24.829
Yeah, that that's the one thing we need to think about too as we're going along here, with especially if you're going to be networking things like that, you got to understand that we're not competition.
00:28:24.990 --> 00:28:30.589
You're gonna find more people that will actually want to help you and help you succeed than not.
00:28:30.909 --> 00:28:35.149
If they don't want to help you succeed, then you don't need to be around them.
00:28:35.230 --> 00:28:36.429
Those are not your people.
00:28:36.669 --> 00:28:37.629
That's exactly right.
00:28:37.789 --> 00:28:38.909
That's exactly right.
00:28:39.069 --> 00:28:46.589
And I'm talking, I meet people that like when they ask me what I do, and I would say, like, well, I'm a blah blah blah blah blah, and they say, Well, I'm a I'm a blah blah blah blah blah.
00:28:46.750 --> 00:28:47.950
We do the exact same.
00:28:48.029 --> 00:28:50.429
Like, and how can I help?
00:28:50.589 --> 00:28:52.589
Tell me about where you're where's your focus?
00:28:52.750 --> 00:28:53.869
What's your target market?
00:28:53.950 --> 00:28:54.669
Do you have a terror?
00:28:55.389 --> 00:28:57.230
It's not like can I steal your customers?
00:28:57.309 --> 00:28:58.029
There's none of that.
00:28:58.109 --> 00:29:00.029
It's how can we help each other?
00:29:00.269 --> 00:29:01.470
Because there's enough, right?
00:29:01.549 --> 00:29:05.470
And that again, I I can't speak for every market where they're much more competitive.
00:29:05.549 --> 00:29:13.629
My market's extremely competitive, but you the only thing that differentiates me from everybody else is me and them from them is them.
00:29:13.789 --> 00:29:17.149
You know, it's I have no time for for competition.
00:29:17.230 --> 00:29:21.069
And if you're an entrepreneur, I mean, I got your back.
00:29:21.149 --> 00:29:23.309
Like, I buy from you, I check out your website.
00:29:23.389 --> 00:29:25.470
I like people say, Hey, can you look at this for me?
00:29:25.629 --> 00:29:30.029
Yes, I can, because I know what it's like when I want someone to look at that for me, right?
00:29:30.109 --> 00:29:30.909
Can you check this out?
00:29:30.990 --> 00:29:32.189
Can you give me feedback?
00:29:32.429 --> 00:29:34.589
And someone's like, Well, uh, yeah, I'll get to it.
00:29:34.669 --> 00:29:35.389
And they never get to it.
00:29:35.470 --> 00:29:38.349
I'm like, Bam! Yeah, I'm your buddy, man.
00:29:38.589 --> 00:29:40.189
You're supposed to do that for me.
00:29:40.429 --> 00:29:42.029
But people have their own lives.
00:29:42.109 --> 00:29:43.309
And so I I take that.
00:29:43.389 --> 00:29:45.549
Like when people say, Hey, Kenny, can you check this out for me?
00:29:45.710 --> 00:29:47.230
The answer is yes, I can.
00:29:47.389 --> 00:29:50.589
And I'll always say, like, put it in my inbox.
00:29:50.669 --> 00:29:55.789
And I, because I like to look at things like and give a response, and I don't want to do it on the fly.
00:29:56.189 --> 00:30:07.230
Again, that's just me being me, but that's me being an entrepreneur and loving to learn and loving to teach and spread, spread the knowledge and gather more along the way.
00:30:07.389 --> 00:30:17.629
I mean, I'm sure your audience is full of people that know so many tricks to the trade that I don't know, and I just hope to learn like one or two of them along the way, you know.
00:30:18.189 --> 00:30:22.829
Take the best ones that you find and incorporate it into yourself, and that's what makes you who you are.
00:30:23.149 --> 00:30:23.629
Yeah.
00:30:24.349 --> 00:30:35.149
The best one that I can find, and the best one that any entrepreneur can find, is to be your true self and be authentic and be relatable and have good moral and ethical standards with your business.
00:30:35.309 --> 00:30:49.950
And with those things, all great things will come, you know, if you lump on the passion and the drive, because really not everybody is that way, not everybody has those traits, those characteristics.
00:30:50.189 --> 00:30:52.189
And they don't walk in my circles.
00:30:52.349 --> 00:30:56.349
I know that because I I've put that wall up and I know how to recognize them now.
00:30:56.589 --> 00:31:11.309
But doing business and doing it the right way, and having, you know, being proud of yourself and being proud of your product or your color or your brand or your tone or your music, whatever it is that you do, that is a beautiful thing.
00:31:11.389 --> 00:31:13.069
I like I said, I love my brand.
00:31:13.149 --> 00:31:17.309
I love it more so than I make I give away hats because I'm like, just wear it.
00:31:17.389 --> 00:31:17.789
I love it.
00:31:17.950 --> 00:31:20.589
Whether you don't like it or not, it looks great on you.
00:31:20.909 --> 00:31:22.029
So that's great.
00:31:22.109 --> 00:31:22.909
That's awesome.
00:31:23.149 --> 00:31:28.509
So, you know, my uh pretty much my entire audience are brand new entrepreneurs that are just getting started.
00:31:28.589 --> 00:31:36.349
So if you came across an entrepreneur that's just getting started in their entrepreneur adventure, what one good solid piece would of advice would you give them?
00:31:36.509 --> 00:31:38.750
What good first step would you have them take?
00:31:39.149 --> 00:31:46.109
I think back, and again, I've only my one-year anniversary of Iron Mind Advisors is on July 6th.
00:31:46.269 --> 00:31:50.349
So I'm about two weeks away from being in this business for one year.
00:31:50.429 --> 00:31:51.230
I made the decision.
00:31:51.309 --> 00:31:58.669
I was touched, I uh there was a hand that came out of the sky, and it was God's hand, and he touched me and he said, Kenny, you're not going back to corporate America.
00:31:58.909 --> 00:32:00.589
Go follow your passion and help people.
00:32:00.669 --> 00:32:02.189
So I started that on July 6th.
00:32:02.349 --> 00:32:33.309
But here's here's the the thing that I would recommend to everybody, because this is the mistake that I did, because even after 27 years in cybersecurity, even after a Citadel MBA and an undergrad and all these accolades and everything that I've accomplished in all my career, when I showed up at my first entrepreneurial event last year, I felt like I didn't belong, like I was nervous, like I had a little anxiety of like what what what am I doing here?
00:32:33.549 --> 00:32:43.149
And I want to I wish I could rewind the clock on that because if you have the if you have the courage to walk into that room, then you absolutely belong there.
00:32:43.309 --> 00:32:46.829
And I I belonged there, but I I wasn't believing in myself.
00:32:46.990 --> 00:32:49.869
That was the only person that didn't think that I bel didn't belong there.
00:32:50.029 --> 00:32:57.869
Everybody else, when you're an entrepreneur, is typically everybody that I've run into open arms because they've all are going through the same things.
00:32:58.029 --> 00:33:00.109
And I felt intimidated.
00:33:00.269 --> 00:33:11.789
And I'm telling this, is you know, and I don't get intimidated, but I felt like like almost shy to ask a question because I didn't want it to sound silly or like, and so my advice is to not do that.
00:33:11.950 --> 00:33:31.069
My advice is if you have are passionate and you are starting out as an entrepreneur and you love what you've built, whatever it is, then whoever it is that you talk to, in whatever room it is, whether it's virtual or it's to your neighbor, or you speak with the same passion about it every single time because that is what resonates.
00:33:31.230 --> 00:33:33.629
That's what becomes the authentic version of you.
00:33:33.789 --> 00:33:45.230
And you don't feel intimidated when you go into a room with other entrepreneurs, just because they look different from you, or they might have been in the game a little bit longer, they have more money than you, they've all had nothing before, right?
00:33:45.789 --> 00:33:55.629
And they've all made it through hard work and they respect the person that comes into those rooms and wants to learn and ask questions, even if it's a silly question.
00:33:55.869 --> 00:33:59.950
And if they ever say that it's silly, like then you're not with the right people.
00:34:00.109 --> 00:34:06.029
But that doesn't happen in this universe in the in the entrepreneurial world because everybody's at different stages.
00:34:06.189 --> 00:34:12.030
You know, I was asking like how to hold the Twitter button a year ago, and now you know it's just so funny.
00:34:12.269 --> 00:34:13.309
You learn, right?
00:34:13.389 --> 00:34:16.429
Now I do content all day, every day if I needed to.
00:34:16.670 --> 00:34:20.750
But yeah, just believe in yourself and be proud of what you've built.
00:34:20.829 --> 00:34:41.309
And then think of the um, I I don't know what, like whatever it is that person that is listening has built or their product that their venture or whatever it is, I guarantee that they've put a lot of thought into it, a lot of behind the scenes thinking, a lot of nights laying there, like, this is what I want to do, and I'm gonna do it.
00:34:41.950 --> 00:34:46.909
And that's what you carry into the the first day, the business goes live, or whatever.
00:34:46.990 --> 00:34:48.349
Like, those are the memories.
00:34:48.510 --> 00:34:53.550
Like, I dreamed about being this in this, but I never thought it was possible.
00:34:53.710 --> 00:34:57.230
I thought I missed the boat, I was too old, I was too late in the game.
00:34:57.389 --> 00:35:00.110
You can't switch careers at 51 years old.
00:35:00.269 --> 00:35:04.670
And now I'm like, the point is just be be so proud and be passionate.
00:35:04.750 --> 00:35:17.630
And then you start, it it just resonates to other people, and then they they pick up the phone one day and call you and say, Hey Kenny, remember that athlete, student athlete thing you were talking about?
00:35:17.789 --> 00:35:20.269
My nephew needs to learn about that.
00:35:20.430 --> 00:35:21.390
Can you help me with that?
00:35:21.789 --> 00:35:22.750
Of course I can.
00:35:22.990 --> 00:35:31.789
Out of the blue, organic, such a beautiful thing because just I don't know, maybe that will happen with me doing here because I love telling my story.
00:35:32.110 --> 00:35:40.830
And I love being, you know, you know, I love helping the people that I I was there on July 7th of last year.
00:35:41.230 --> 00:35:50.430
What the I but I had a I knew exactly what I wanted to do, but it was time to go do it, and it's scary, and you just gotta let's go.
00:35:50.510 --> 00:35:52.670
You gotta be so confident in what you build.
00:35:52.990 --> 00:35:54.990
Well, if it's scary for you, it's a good thing.
00:35:55.150 --> 00:35:56.830
That means you're in the right place.
00:35:57.150 --> 00:35:59.309
I mean, that's that's one thing I always preach about.
00:35:59.470 --> 00:36:03.070
If you're not scared, then you're you're probably somewhere you need to be somewhere else.
00:36:03.150 --> 00:36:09.710
Because if you're not at least a little bit nervous about where you're going, that means it's not big enough for you, and you need to find something bigger.
00:36:09.950 --> 00:36:12.510
And you always gotta have a little bit of fear.
00:36:12.990 --> 00:36:16.670
Gotta have the I mean that it's healthy anxiety.
00:36:16.750 --> 00:36:19.789
It's it's not it's not like the bad anxiety.
00:36:19.870 --> 00:36:25.870
It's the stuff that keeps in the back of your mind that we have to we have to do the right thing, we have to work hard to do this.
00:36:25.950 --> 00:36:29.230
This isn't gonna, this is not going to grow on a tree.
00:36:29.390 --> 00:36:38.510
Our we have to spread our word and whatever it is, whether it be social media, whatever, whatever it is, you have to get up and do it, right?
00:36:38.670 --> 00:36:49.550
And you have to believe in it, and you know, you have to believe in it with a passion that is just it almost is too good to be true that there's not a chance in hell that this is gonna fail.
00:36:49.789 --> 00:36:52.590
And it's amazing what you can do when you have that mindset.
00:36:52.830 --> 00:36:53.789
Yeah, absolutely.
00:36:53.870 --> 00:36:54.510
I love it.
00:36:54.670 --> 00:36:58.269
All right, I have a tradition with all my guests in the next six months.
00:36:58.350 --> 00:36:59.950
Where do you see yourself and your company?
00:37:00.030 --> 00:37:07.150
Now, you're you're kind of on the newer side, so I I really, really am excited about hearing what you want to do in the next six months.
00:37:07.630 --> 00:37:14.350
Yeah, so the next six months, I'll be graduating from Liberty University with my with my master's in clinical mental health.
00:37:14.430 --> 00:37:15.870
So that's super exciting.
00:37:16.030 --> 00:37:18.830
That'll be in the November, December time frame.
00:37:19.150 --> 00:37:23.789
Personally, everything's personal because my work is I want to be on some big stages.
00:37:23.870 --> 00:37:25.150
I have a beautiful story to tell.
00:37:25.230 --> 00:37:26.590
It's called Grace in the Mirror.
00:37:26.670 --> 00:37:34.350
I'm not promoting it, that's not my intention, but I do like I love being on stages telling my story about my redemption story, quite frankly.
00:37:34.430 --> 00:37:35.390
And there's a lot of them.
00:37:35.950 --> 00:37:39.870
Mine is fascinating and I love sharing it with others.
00:37:40.110 --> 00:37:49.630
You know, my coaching/slash therapeutic sports excellence business is continuing to grow every day, and I continue to pinch myself and be so grateful.
00:37:49.870 --> 00:38:12.670
In six months, I would love to have a more defined view of exactly what the future looks like because I I I've been able to spread into different arenas here, but I also never got into this with the intention of growing to beyond a point where I can't enjoy the lifestyle and give the the product and the level of service that I always wanted.
00:38:12.750 --> 00:38:14.430
And I'm I'm here to help people, and I mean that.
00:38:14.510 --> 00:38:46.750
Like I know that is cliche to a lot of people, but I the whole reason that that hand came out of the sky one day is because you know, when I went to rehab to get a hold of my drinking problems, I was greeted by people that by complete strangers that that showed a tremendous amount of love and care for me that I never thought existed outside of my own home, but like complete strangers that wanted me to get better and were walked beside me during those storms and those valleys, if you will.
00:38:46.990 --> 00:38:54.510
And when I got better, and it just my life became so much better and it made me want to help others.
00:38:54.670 --> 00:39:20.750
And so I'm still going to be doing that in six months, and I'm going to try to continue to do that at a big capacity, but without spreading myself too thin, with you know, so I'm really wanting to enjoy the process and then continuing to work with others, specifically um the high-functioning struggler, which is me, which is your typical executive that looks great on the outside, but he's really, really not doing well on the inside because relatability, I was there.
00:39:20.910 --> 00:39:27.630
And then on the reverse end of that is the student athlete getting out of those things ahead of the curve, like I wish I did.
00:39:27.710 --> 00:39:33.630
And I I can honestly like I have gobs of advice that I put into my program with student athletes.
00:39:33.710 --> 00:39:39.710
There's both an online and a um, you know, there's like a crash course because I don't want I want this to be available to everybody.
00:39:39.950 --> 00:39:41.950
So that's where I'll be in six months.
00:39:42.030 --> 00:39:50.350
I think it's gonna probably have a nice little bow on top of it, meaning like I'm I'm slowly but surely like my website looks professional now.
00:39:50.510 --> 00:39:57.390
My, you know, I'm just because when you're doing it all yourself as an entrepreneur, it's time to button it up and put the bow on it.
00:39:57.470 --> 00:39:59.309
So that's what's gonna be in six months.
00:39:59.550 --> 00:40:00.350
Nice, awesome.
00:40:00.510 --> 00:40:12.030
So, Kenny, what I'd like to do with you if it's okay, is I'd actually like to follow up with you in six months, have another interview like this one, and I just want to see, you know, where you're at and see if you've accomplished goals, those goals.
00:40:12.110 --> 00:40:12.830
Is that okay?
00:40:13.150 --> 00:40:14.110
Oh my goodness.
00:40:14.269 --> 00:40:25.630
I love accountability, especially the friendly accountability like this, because that truly is like six months from now, I could see myself, if I don't manage it accordingly, like being pulled in too many directions.
00:40:25.710 --> 00:40:27.070
And that was never my intention.
00:40:27.230 --> 00:40:31.630
So I'm gonna go on record with saying that as well, because I'll be very honest with you.
00:40:31.789 --> 00:40:41.070
Come uh late November, early December as we get towards the holidays and my graduation that that I haven't been pulling my spreading myself too thin.
00:40:41.230 --> 00:40:42.190
I still feel great.
00:40:42.350 --> 00:40:48.590
My mental health is strong, my wellness is strong because those are things that are incredibly important to me.
00:40:48.910 --> 00:40:50.030
All right, fantastic.
00:40:50.190 --> 00:40:54.990
And you're not just accountable to me, you're accountable to all my school believers out there, so no pressure.
00:40:55.230 --> 00:40:55.950
School believers.
00:40:56.269 --> 00:40:57.870
I hope they school believe in me.
00:40:58.269 --> 00:40:59.230
That's right.
00:40:59.870 --> 00:41:02.110
All right, Kenny, this is your time to shine.
00:41:02.190 --> 00:41:04.190
This is the time where I want you to advertise yourself.
00:41:04.269 --> 00:41:06.430
How do we get a hold of you and all that good stuff?
00:41:06.590 --> 00:41:09.470
Okay, ready, set, go.
00:41:10.269 --> 00:41:12.030
Thank you so much for the opportunity.
00:41:12.269 --> 00:41:14.350
Again, my name can my name is Kenny Stodder.
00:41:14.430 --> 00:41:40.910
You can f follow me on Instagram at uh Iron Minds Kenny, and you can go to my website, which is Iron MindAdvisors, which I ironmindadvisors.com, which I highly encourage people to do, not because my website's amazing, but if you look on the top of my website at IronMindAdvisors.com, there's a cool button that says take assessment or assessment, and it's a free tool.
00:41:40.990 --> 00:41:43.470
And I I love when people take their identity assessment.
00:41:43.550 --> 00:41:44.750
This is a tool that I built.
00:41:44.910 --> 00:41:50.510
It's 40 random fire questions that you finish, you get the results right on your PC or your phone.
00:41:50.670 --> 00:42:00.110
And it kind of gives you an identity-based assessment, not like your wellness, not it's it's a combination of the things that I think are very important in life.
00:42:00.430 --> 00:42:04.750
Ironmindadvisors.com, forward slash assessment.
00:42:04.910 --> 00:42:23.550
And then if you are a student athlete and want to take the same type of assessment, but that's designed for you, please check out forward slash assessment for your student athlete assessment that is guaranteed to make you better than any one of your graduating peers when it's time to graduate and move on to the next level.
00:42:23.630 --> 00:42:27.630
I promise you that because there's stuff in there that is foolproof.
00:42:27.710 --> 00:42:29.070
I tell you that right now.
00:42:29.390 --> 00:42:29.789
Awesome.
00:42:29.950 --> 00:42:32.510
If you want to get any of that information, look into the show notes.
00:42:32.590 --> 00:42:34.030
I'll have links in there for you.
00:42:34.190 --> 00:42:39.950
In case you're driving or you just can't get to a pen or something like that, you didn't want to forget, look into the show notes.
00:42:40.030 --> 00:42:41.070
I will have links there.
00:42:41.309 --> 00:42:44.110
Kenny, thank you so much for being on the Undiscovered Entrepreneur.
00:42:44.269 --> 00:42:45.390
Get across the storyline.
00:42:45.630 --> 00:42:46.910
Fantastic conversation.
00:42:47.070 --> 00:42:48.750
I had an absolute blast.
00:42:49.390 --> 00:42:50.510
Me too.
00:42:50.750 --> 00:42:53.950
I school believe in this thing, and it's gonna be great.
00:42:54.110 --> 00:42:55.789
And uh I appreciate your time.
00:42:55.870 --> 00:42:57.870
I'm really looking forward to following up.
00:42:58.030 --> 00:43:03.470
I'm a man of my word, so six months from now, we'll see how much of a man of a word I am.
00:43:03.789 --> 00:43:04.910
We'll see how it goes.
00:43:04.990 --> 00:43:05.630
That's awesome.
00:43:05.789 --> 00:43:06.670
All right, come on now.
00:43:07.230 --> 00:43:09.230
All right, Kenny, thank you so much for being here.
00:43:09.390 --> 00:43:11.870
All right, school believers, make sure you stay tuned for the wrap-up.
00:43:12.110 --> 00:43:12.830
Okay, everybody.
00:43:12.910 --> 00:43:13.630
Bye-bye.
00:43:14.990 --> 00:43:17.070
All right, school believers, that was Kenny.
00:43:17.150 --> 00:43:19.390
What a fantastic episode we had with Kenny.
00:43:19.550 --> 00:43:21.150
I loved everything he said.
00:43:21.309 --> 00:43:28.590
He had so many insights about imposter syndrome and the experiences that he had going through everything.
00:43:28.830 --> 00:43:33.950
But I wanted to make sure that you heard the two major takeaways, and here they are right here.
00:43:34.910 --> 00:43:49.950
The person that you're comparing yourself to, the one who looks like they have it all figured out, looks like they got everything polished and looks fantastic, really doesn't know what's going on inside of their head any more than you do inside of your head.
00:43:50.350 --> 00:43:55.710
You two can be and more than likely are exactly the same in your thinking.
00:43:55.950 --> 00:43:57.309
What do I need to do next?
00:43:57.470 --> 00:43:59.630
What's the next step that I need to take?
00:43:59.870 --> 00:44:00.990
Things like that.
00:44:01.230 --> 00:44:13.070
But the moment that you ask for help, the moment that you raise your hand and say, I need help with this, it's the moment that your real life begins because now people are helping you.
00:44:13.390 --> 00:44:15.309
People are showing you the way.
00:44:15.870 --> 00:44:24.830
People are already showing you what they've been through, and you can use that as a shortcut so you can get past the barriers that they have already crossed.
00:44:25.870 --> 00:44:28.510
Never be afraid to ask for help.
00:44:28.750 --> 00:44:30.990
Never compare yourself to somebody else.
00:44:31.230 --> 00:44:33.150
Compare yourself to yourself.
00:44:33.390 --> 00:44:36.830
Compare yourself to yourself a week ago, a month ago, a year ago.
00:44:37.070 --> 00:44:42.269
Look at the progress that you made in your entrepreneur adventure.
00:44:42.510 --> 00:44:47.550
From beginning to where it is right now, and then where it's gonna go in the future.
00:44:48.110 --> 00:44:53.150
Execute your ideas because your ideas are yours, and yours alone to do.
00:44:53.230 --> 00:44:54.430
And this is one of my favorites.
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If you walk inside the room, you belong in that room.
00:44:58.910 --> 00:45:03.630
You're supposed to be there because fate has put you there in that room.
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The only thing, the only person that thinks otherwise is you being in your own way, thinking you don't belong in this room.
00:45:13.470 --> 00:45:16.510
Where the universe has put you there for a reason.
00:45:18.510 --> 00:45:23.309
And then when you go in that room, people aren't judging you.
00:45:23.550 --> 00:45:33.230
Even though it feels like you're judged being judged, even though it feels like I'm gonna I mean, you could talking to yourself saying I'm gonna ask stupid questions, so I'm not gonna say anything at all.
00:45:33.550 --> 00:45:33.870
No.
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People are actually wanting to help you.
00:45:39.390 --> 00:45:47.470
People with the same mindsets, people with the same thinking, they're all working together.
00:45:47.630 --> 00:45:51.710
And you need to become a part of that if you want to thrive in your entrepreneur adventure.
00:45:51.870 --> 00:45:55.230
More than anything, I think they're just grateful that somebody else showed up.
00:45:55.710 --> 00:45:58.990
A new mind to ask questions about.
00:45:59.150 --> 00:46:01.070
Because they will also ask you questions.
00:46:01.150 --> 00:46:05.630
They want to know what's going on in your head too, and what they can learn from you.
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Understand what that actually feels like, and you will go ahead and succeed.
00:46:13.390 --> 00:46:17.309
And with that, I'm gonna say thank you, Scooby Levers, for another fantastic episode.
00:46:17.870 --> 00:46:20.750
Thank you so much for being here, and I will see you next week.
00:46:20.990 --> 00:46:22.830
Okay, everybody, thank you, bye bye.
00:46:25.710 --> 00:46:31.710
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