Full Transcript for "Do it Scared, Do it Anyway" with Rhonda Brown

Um, but because you were so down and so confident, and obviously, like, hopefully, you see something in me and you're like, let's just do this interview. 00:02:14.080 --> 00:02:15.439 Absolutely. 00:02:16.400 --> 00:02:23.360 So, this next segment, which you don't know about, see, this will be a test episode of like, oh, like, how does the guest really feel about Britney? 00:02:23.680 --> 00:02:32.000 Because um, this next segment is actually an opportunity for I find our audience to really understand, okay, how do Rhonda and Brittany know each other? 00:02:32.080 --> 00:02:33.039 Like, what is that? 00:02:33.120 --> 00:02:39.759 So I pass it to you to share either a story of us or how we met as a way to lay the foundation for the audience. 00:02:39.919 --> 00:02:40.879 Okay, awesome. 00:02:41.120 --> 00:02:46.800 So, so we met at the Virginia Blake Black Chamber of Commerce event. 00:02:46.879 --> 00:02:56.400 And matter of fact, I just happened to be going to that event because I met one of the board members at a networking event a few days before, and I didn't know anyone else there. 00:02:56.479 --> 00:03:02.960 So I said, okay, well, let's just go see who you meet, get a chance to get an opportunity to see what the events are like. 00:03:03.199 --> 00:03:08.240 And I'm here and Britney walks up and she's just a chatting away. 00:03:08.479 --> 00:03:10.000 And I just love the energy. 00:03:10.159 --> 00:03:11.280 I love the energy. 00:03:11.439 --> 00:03:13.840 She had all sorts of things that had me laugh. 00:03:13.919 --> 00:03:20.080 And for I think we probably sat there and we chatted for a good bit of the event that day. 00:03:20.240 --> 00:03:22.159 So I just loved your energy. 00:03:22.479 --> 00:03:25.919 And you were telling me about how you are the follow-up queen. 00:03:26.319 --> 00:03:29.439 Like, I don't have business cards, but hey, you give me one and I will follow up. 00:03:29.520 --> 00:03:30.000 I promise you. 00:03:30.080 --> 00:03:31.120 I said, okay, all right. 00:03:31.199 --> 00:03:32.719 And you did not disappoint. 00:03:32.879 --> 00:03:34.240 So you did not disappoint. 00:03:34.400 --> 00:03:38.319 So that's how we got connected. 00:03:38.560 --> 00:03:40.800 Thank you very much, hair flip, hair flip. 00:03:41.039 --> 00:03:51.280 Um, it's funny enough that at that same event, the other woman that was standing near us, glow, um, I in the email header, which I think I did the same too, I was like, follow-up queen. 00:03:51.360 --> 00:03:53.280 Like that's just literally what I put her subject line. 00:03:53.439 --> 00:04:00.159 Indeed, because I was like, I was like, there's nothing else, you know exactly who this is sliding into your inbox is me. 00:04:02.159 --> 00:04:02.960 And I love it. 00:04:03.120 --> 00:04:04.319 I absolutely love it. 00:04:04.560 --> 00:04:05.759 Yeah, and it was so cool. 00:04:05.919 --> 00:04:30.639 And honestly, like I loved our opportunity of getting to connect even more deeper, more deeply, um, with a one-on-one conversation and getting to hear, you know, your story um a little bit, which I'm actually genuinely excited about where this conversation will go because of just my intrigue to understand a little bit more of your history and a little bit more of how you got to where you are, because I think there's so much of that that makes up your story. 00:04:30.800 --> 00:04:33.600 Uh, but one more thing before we get into that. 00:04:33.920 --> 00:04:37.920 I would love, because you did you were able to do this, thank goodness. 00:04:38.079 --> 00:04:44.399 But this next segment, guys, I literally asked her two seconds ago, uh, do you have your favorite mug? 00:04:44.560 --> 00:04:45.199 And she was like, Yeah. 00:04:45.279 --> 00:04:45.680 Can you? 00:04:45.759 --> 00:04:46.720 I was like, Can you go get it? 00:04:46.800 --> 00:04:51.360 Like, this is me out here asking the guest to like level up after I fall short. 00:04:51.600 --> 00:04:53.040 It's Grace, my friends. 00:04:53.120 --> 00:04:53.839 This is Grace. 00:04:54.000 --> 00:05:00.160 But um, so I would love for you to share why this mug is your favorite, maybe a story about it. 00:05:00.240 --> 00:05:02.160 Um, or um, yeah, I'll pass it to you. 00:05:02.480 --> 00:05:04.000 Yes, absolutely. 00:05:04.240 --> 00:05:09.839 So one of my favorite places to go is TJ Maxx and Home Dids, right? 00:05:12.560 --> 00:05:17.759 I was like, she's gonna say the beach, she's gonna say her her family's lake cabin. 00:05:17.920 --> 00:05:19.759 Like, no, TJ Maxx. 00:05:20.240 --> 00:05:28.480 No, we're here to touch soft blankets, to sniff the candles, and to see all of the new things that they have in store. 00:05:28.800 --> 00:05:31.519 So I'm so dead. 00:05:31.600 --> 00:05:32.079 This is so good. 00:05:32.160 --> 00:05:32.879 Keep going, keep going. 00:05:33.199 --> 00:05:36.480 And sometimes, sometimes what those fun things are are mugs. 00:05:36.639 --> 00:05:41.360 And this one just says, I really need a day between Saturday and Sunday, which is so true. 00:05:42.160 --> 00:05:45.439 Because you have your weekends, you have your two days. 00:05:45.680 --> 00:05:49.120 I always feel like you get into it, and it's like, you know what? 00:05:49.199 --> 00:05:52.319 I really could use some more time in between. 00:05:52.480 --> 00:05:55.199 Yeah, that I just don't have anything committed to. 00:05:55.519 --> 00:05:58.800 And I said this mug is very appropriate. 00:05:59.120 --> 00:06:01.279 So this was one of my finds. 00:06:03.439 --> 00:06:10.959 No, TJ Maxx is not sponsoring this show, even though they should, because you just literally said their slogan. 00:06:11.199 --> 00:06:18.800 So any TJ Maxx Corp reps out there that want to get behind the Bernie Wheeler show, we're happy to have a conversation. 00:06:19.279 --> 00:06:27.839 Um, first off, I literally love that you said TJ Maxx because that's you're just a very thoughtful, like just intentional person. 00:06:27.920 -->

00:06:30.079 And I was like, she's gonna say something really profound right now. 00:06:30.240 --> 00:06:32.879 And you said, I'm just still, I'm just still sitting at that. 00:06:33.040 --> 00:06:35.199 Like, nope soft blankets and and candles. 00:06:35.519 --> 00:06:36.879 You're so right, though. 00:06:36.959 --> 00:06:37.600 You're so right. 00:06:37.680 --> 00:06:46.160 Not only about the soft blankets and candles, but also about first off, you want to find a good coffee mug, TJ Maxx, Home Goods, Ross? 00:06:46.319 --> 00:06:51.199 They always have like the mugs you didn't know you need until you see them. 00:06:51.600 --> 00:06:51.920 Right. 00:06:52.160 --> 00:06:53.360 Absolutely. 00:06:53.680 --> 00:06:56.000 And that Saturday to Sunday statement is so true. 00:06:56.079 --> 00:07:05.519 And we wonder why Americans thrive on three-day weekends and yet we only do them for like once a quarter, as like to celebrate or like strive for this three-day. 00:07:05.600 --> 00:07:13.279 And I'm like, how is it that more productivity probably comes beginning and after a three-day weekend than a five-day week? 00:07:13.600 --> 00:07:14.399 Absolutely. 00:07:14.639 --> 00:07:16.000 Absolutely. 00:07:16.639 --> 00:07:20.240 Well, clearly we've just solved all the world's problems. 00:07:22.319 --> 00:07:23.360 Great episode. 00:07:23.600 --> 00:07:24.399 Thank you so much. 00:07:24.720 --> 00:07:26.079 Thanks for joining us. 00:07:26.399 --> 00:07:28.160 Um well, thank you for that. 00:07:28.319 --> 00:07:32.160 Um, yeah, and I thank you for sharing that mug on the fly, too. 00:07:33.839 --> 00:07:35.040 Incredible work. 00:07:35.279 --> 00:07:49.439 So I want to dive in, and again, I think what I'm excited to really to really understand and to seek more knowledge around is some of the inner workings of Rhonda, because again, you and I got to talk about your story and and where you are now. 00:07:49.680 --> 00:07:52.720 But take us back, take us back to little Rhonda. 00:07:53.040 --> 00:07:57.040 You know, where did you grow up and what was it like growing up as a child? 00:07:57.759 --> 00:08:03.120 Oh, so yeah, I grew up in, I grew up in Alabama, North Alabama, and Huntsville. 00:08:03.279 --> 00:08:09.600 And I wasn't born there, but we moved there when, oh, let me see, I think I was five years old, just about to turn six. 00:08:09.680 --> 00:08:11.920 So like a few weeks before my birthday. 00:08:12.160 --> 00:08:20.639 So that was where I spent time from elementary school all the way up until college and actually into early adulthood. 00:08:20.800 --> 00:08:25.680 I stayed there all the way up until I think I left at 29. 00:08:26.079 --> 00:08:36.240 So that is when I think about home and where all of my coming of age has happened, it's it's it's in Huntsville, Huntsville, Alabama. 00:08:36.799 --> 00:08:44.000 And as a kid, people have asked me this story about how I got into my profession. 00:08:44.159 --> 00:08:53.759 And one of the things that I always tell them about is as a kid, I used to go to the office supply stores with my dad when he needed to go and run errands, he needed to go pick up a few things. 00:08:54.080 --> 00:08:58.000 And one of the things I always enjoyed doing was playing with calculators. 00:08:58.320 --> 00:09:00.399 We're like, what kind of weird kid is this? 00:09:01.279 --> 00:09:03.519 She's over here playing with the calculators. 00:09:03.679 --> 00:09:07.759 And it had to have the ones that had the buttons where you can actually hear it, hear it. 00:09:09.519 --> 00:09:11.600 Yes, see the panicles coming out. 00:09:12.879 --> 00:09:26.399 Yes, all of it, all of it, between that and old school ledger books, which I've never actually used one for real purposes in my life, but just the fact that I was like, oh, this is some interesting paper that has a little blocks on it. 00:09:28.399 --> 00:09:30.320 So it was a it was a thing, right? 00:09:30.720 --> 00:09:40.720 It was a thing that I didn't realize it was a big piece at the time, but it was just always something that I had interest in, and was just said, okay, well, let's just kind of play around with some of this stuff. 00:09:40.799 --> 00:09:42.399 My dad never thought anything twice about it. 00:09:42.480 --> 00:09:43.519 It was just a thing that we did. 00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:54.080 So our together time was we're gonna go to the office supply store if he needs to go grab some stuff, and I'm gonna play with uh what I call toys, calculators. 00:09:54.320 --> 00:09:57.279 It's just like toddlers playing with boxes, I guess. 00:09:58.879 --> 00:10:00.720 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:10:00.799 --> 00:10:02.000 And you were moving numbers. 00:10:02.080 --> 00:10:03.120 You were moving numbers. 00:10:03.279 --> 00:10:10.480 Yeah, it's now did you know then like that you would be where you are now? 00:10:11.039 --> 00:10:12.159 Absolutely not. 00:10:12.399 --> 00:10:13.279 Absolutely not. 00:10:13.360 --> 00:10:17.039 If you had asked me then, I mean, we're talking elementary school age. 00:10:17.120 --> 00:10:18.799 If you would ask me then, who knows? 00:10:18.879 --> 00:10:27.840 I probably said uh who knows what I would have answered at that point in time, like what who I thought that I was gonna be when I grew up, right? 00:10:28.080 --> 00:10:31.600 Um, but no, I had no idea at that point in time. 00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:32.559 Gosh. 00:10:32.799 --> 00:10:34.399 I mean, I don't think most of us do. 00:10:34.559 --> 00:10:40.559 But it's interesting, I've been having a lot of conversations with people about like going back to the little version of themselves, right? 00:10:40.720 --> 00:10:42.559 And what would the little version of you say? 00:10:42.639 --> 00:10:44.000 You know, what the little version of you think? 00:10:44.080 --> 00:10:45.840 What was the little version of you doing, right? 00:10:45.919 --> 00:11:08.000 And I think particularly as women, sometimes as men, yes, but particularly as women,

like we find ourselves having a lot of wisdom to say uh to the little version of ourselves for all the things that we have to navigate, for all the things and the different things that we have to overcome, um, especially if we are seeking um a professional career of some sort, right? 00:11:08.080 --> 00:11:18.799 Of what it looks like to um, you know, stay true to yourself, not let your light dim, you know, be who you were designed to be, but also to push through, right? 00:11:18.879 --> 00:11:25.759 And to get to a place where you know you can be proud of what you've done. 00:11:25.919 --> 00:11:31.600 So it's interesting because I've I've definitely had those conversations of of knowing people's stories. 00:11:31.759 --> 00:11:40.320 And I think for me, I kind of wonder too, like, what led from Alabama, right? 00:11:40.399 --> 00:11:44.639 And obviously calculators, what was that trajectory like for you? 00:11:45.279 --> 00:11:47.440 Was it straight into government right away? 00:11:47.600 --> 00:11:48.399 What was it like? 00:11:48.480 --> 00:11:59.360 Because now you're now you're an entrepreneur full-time and you get to bring what you do and learned in a way to help business owners, right, and organizations in a really profound way. 00:11:59.519 --> 00:12:01.440 So what was that trajectory like? 00:12:02.399 --> 00:12:09.840 So it's interesting when you really think about it from that young age of just playing around with calculators. 00:12:10.000 --> 00:12:15.679 It turned into, as I got a little bit older as a high school student, I took my first accounting class. 00:12:16.000 --> 00:12:20.000 And there, it was just because it was something a little bit different. 00:12:20.080 --> 00:12:24.159 You know, you had to select some certain electives, and I had some general interest. 00:12:24.240 --> 00:12:27.039 I didn't have a lot of knowledge about what was there. 00:12:27.120 --> 00:12:29.440 So I just said, okay, well, let's let's give it a try. 00:12:29.519 --> 00:12:32.639 Let's see, let's see what this what this can turn into. 00:12:32.879 --> 00:12:37.440 And I took, I won't say that I took two years worth of it in high school and loved it. 00:12:37.679 --> 00:12:46.799 And while I was there, I remember having some of the other, some other friends that were in the class always not not necessarily liking it. 00:12:46.879 --> 00:12:49.519 And I that was not the point in time where I realized it. 00:12:49.600 --> 00:12:53.200 But later on, it's one of those things where either you love it or you don't. 00:12:53.360 --> 00:12:55.759 There's not a, oh, I don't know, I can kind of take it or leave it. 00:12:55.840 --> 00:12:57.279 It's either you love it or you don't. 00:12:57.440 --> 00:13:08.480 And that was kind of like the original start of me starting to explore more beyond just the oh, I'm an elementary school student playing around with calculators in the office supply store. 00:13:08.639 --> 00:13:12.000 So now I'm I'm actually thinking about what does this look like as a career? 00:13:12.159 --> 00:13:14.080 And this is like the early stages of it. 00:13:14.240 --> 00:13:14.559 Yeah. 00:13:14.720 --> 00:13:20.480 But from that high school time frame, then I said, okay, well, when I go to college, I'm gonna study accounting. 00:13:20.639 --> 00:13:24.240 And I did that, got my undergraduate degree in accounting, and then said, you know what? 00:13:24.399 --> 00:13:36.320 All right, while I'm in school, I want to try to at least get some sort of experience because I'm hearing, you know, I graduated at the time where it was very difficult to get jobs. 00:13:36.639 --> 00:13:40.480 So I said, all right, well, let me start at least trying to get some experience. 00:13:40.720 --> 00:13:46.000 And that way when I finish, I'm not starting out with just, hey, I've got a I've got a degree, I've got a degree in accounting. 00:13:46.080 --> 00:13:47.759 Oh, what work have you done? 00:13:48.000 --> 00:13:49.200 Uh, nothing. 00:13:49.840 --> 00:13:53.519 So I was like, well, let's, let's, let's take some time, let's get some experience. 00:13:53.679 --> 00:13:57.120 I started working for an electrical contracting firm at the time. 00:13:57.360 --> 00:13:58.720 And I was an office assistant. 00:13:58.799 --> 00:14:04.320 So I was answering phones, checking the mail, doing all the things until they learned, hey, oh, you're studying accounting. 00:14:04.480 --> 00:14:05.279 You want to learn some things? 00:14:05.360 --> 00:14:07.200 I was like, absolutely I do. 00:14:07.919 --> 00:14:08.960 Absolutely I do. 00:14:09.120 --> 00:14:11.360 Whatever opportunities you got, sign me up. 00:14:11.440 --> 00:14:12.720 I'm here for it, right? 00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:19.120 So, you know, doing that for a few years gave me some great experience. 00:14:19.440 --> 00:14:25.759 And from there, there was an internship or co-op opportunity while I was still in school. 00:14:25.919 --> 00:14:30.480 And that is what actually took me into govern the government space to begin with. 00:14:30.639 --> 00:14:42.480 Um, and I remember when I took that interview, the manager at the time was telling me, well, hey, this type of accounting is not gonna be the typical debits and credits that you've been studying in school. 00:14:42.720 --> 00:14:44.399 This is going to be a little bit different. 00:14:44.559 --> 00:14:48.720 And this particular job was doing accounting system design and development. 00:14:48.960 --> 00:14:53.600 And at the time I had no idea what that what that meant, what I was even getting into. 00:14:53.679 --> 00:14:55.360 I just knew, hey, it's a job. 00:14:55.519 --> 00:14:57.600 It says it's an accountant job, all right? 00:14:57.919 --> 00:14:59.200 That's all I needed at the time. 00:14:59.279 --> 00:15:00.159 That's all I needed to know. 00:15:00.320 --> 00:15:01.919 I just know I need to get my foot in the door. 00:15:02.080 --> 00:15:03.759 We'll figure out what that looks like later.

00:15:03.919 --> 00:15:04.399 Yeah. 00:15:04.720 --> 00:15:09.120 And it was a very interesting opportunity, as a matter of fact. 00:15:09.279 --> 00:15:15.200 It was, it always kept my mind moving because this was not what we were studying in school. 00:15:15.360 --> 00:15:28.320 Yes, we looked at debits and credits, we looked at financial statements, we looked at how all those things work together, but this was more of okay, I need you to understand we are in a system where all of this is automated. 00:15:28.639 --> 00:15:33.360 Your end users, they're not concerned about the inner workings of it. 00:15:33.519 --> 00:15:37.919 But here you've got to be concerned about the inner workings and making sure it does what it's supposed to do. 00:15:38.000 --> 00:15:38.240 Yeah. 00:15:38.399 --> 00:15:41.279 So it was like a it was like a full puzzle for me. 00:15:41.600 --> 00:15:48.799 Just get in here, figure out what that looks like, and like really get behind the nuts and bolts of it, which was pretty cool. 00:15:49.039 --> 00:15:55.679 Um but as I as I can move forward, there were other opportunities to progress and to build the career. 00:15:55.840 --> 00:16:03.440 And eventually I ended up working for the IRS, which don't tell them I said it, but it was one of the worst jobs ever for me. 00:16:04.879 --> 00:16:05.919 It was the worst. 00:16:06.080 --> 00:16:09.200 There's no way they're gonna do that in this global podcast. 00:16:09.360 --> 00:16:11.679 But um don't tell them, y'all. 00:16:11.759 --> 00:16:12.559 Don't tell them. 00:16:12.879 --> 00:16:14.159 Don't tell them. 00:16:14.399 --> 00:16:21.440 I had a good friend at the time who teased me, and he used to say, he's like, What are you over here doing? 00:16:21.600 --> 00:16:22.879 Stealing people's Christmases? 00:16:23.120 --> 00:16:25.200 I was like, What does that even mean? 00:16:25.919 --> 00:16:27.200 That's awful. 00:16:28.799 --> 00:16:30.720 But I was I was an auditor. 00:16:30.960 --> 00:16:32.080 I was an auditor. 00:16:32.240 --> 00:16:40.399 So when people were getting notices in the mail saying, hey, your return has been selected for audit, they were coming from me. 00:16:40.639 --> 00:16:45.200 They were coming from me, and they were coming in to see me. 00:16:45.759 --> 00:17:00.000 And while it seemed like a great opportunity at the time, and even looking back on it now, it was an excellent opportunity to learn and really get the foundations of how the tax law worked and how you actually applied it. 00:17:00.159 --> 00:17:02.960 I just did not like being on the enforcement side. 00:17:03.039 --> 00:17:03.279 Yeah. 00:17:03.440 --> 00:17:15.119 Because there were so many times where I ran across folks who were here and they really just needed someone to help them on the original time of preparing the return. 00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:25.599 They needed someone just to give them some guidance to explain how the tax law worked and to share, hey, here are some things that you can do legally to make this make sense. 00:17:25.920 --> 00:17:41.440 And that was what I, at that point in time, I decided, all right, when I get the opportunity to be able to be on the other side of this, instead of being the enforcement, the one that's actually helping and guiding and advising, and that's what I'm gonna do. 00:17:41.680 --> 00:17:51.279 And it took me, it took me probably another 10, 12 years after I left that role for me to actually move to the other side of things. 00:17:51.440 --> 00:17:52.960 So it was a very long journey. 00:17:53.039 --> 00:17:55.599 It did not happen right all at one time. 00:17:55.680 --> 00:17:56.880 It didn't happen overnight. 00:17:56.960 --> 00:18:05.680 There were several different detours that I took along the way to get there, but um finally got to the point in 2021 where I said, okay, you know what? 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:11.440 I am going to finally realize this dream of saying I want to help people on the other side. 00:18:11.680 --> 00:18:13.839 And I started, I started the business. 00:18:14.000 --> 00:18:23.279 I started an accounting firm and said, this is now my opportunity to be able to work with the folks that I said over a decade ago that I wanted to be able to support. 00:18:23.440 --> 00:18:28.799 And we're gonna figure out how we actually make that a real thing at this stage in the game. 00:18:29.200 --> 00:18:30.480 Gosh, so cool. 00:18:30.640 --> 00:18:37.359 You know, it's coming to me as you were talking was like when we talked about that story about the calculators, right? 00:18:37.920 --> 00:18:47.599 Um, and going to the office supply store with your dad, at the surface level, right, uh, it's very easy to see a specialist, right? 00:18:47.759 --> 00:18:51.920 To be like, oh, okay, well, she does, she works with math and all the things, right? 00:18:52.160 --> 00:18:59.359 But what I think most people aren't seeing, and I want to bring to their attention, is that it wasn't about the specialist. 00:18:59.599 --> 00:19:02.319 It's not about the fact that you like the calculator, right? 00:19:02.640 --> 00:19:09.599 It was that you were drawn and leaned into the creative side of that, right? 00:19:09.839 --> 00:19:12.640 That it was you weren't told to do it, right? 00:19:12.880 --> 00:19:18.880 That there was this self-motivating desire to go to the calculator. 00:19:19.039 --> 00:19:24.319 And$20 says that when you were at the calculator, it was never two plus two equals five. 00:19:24.400 --> 00:19:26.400 It was the possibilities that you could create. 00:19:26.480 --> 00:19:31.359 It was the per the people that you acted and pretended to be at that calculator, right? 00:19:31.519 --> 00:19:38.240 And so when when you look back at it, to me, I'm like, okay, I could see why people see like, oh, math. 00:19:38.319 --> 00:19:45.119 But in my mind, I'm like, no, no, I see a generalist that is creative, that is also a visionary, right? 00:19:45.279 --> 00:19:50.000 Being able

to like, because being an entrepreneur isn't easy and it's not made for everybody. 00:19:50.240 --> 00:19:56.559 And you were an entrepreneur then, it just, it was just easy for people to be like, oh, it makes sense. 00:19:56.640 --> 00:19:58.160 She likes math, being an accountant. 00:19:58.400 --> 00:19:58.720 Cool. 00:19:58.799 --> 00:20:00.319 That is, that is true, right? 00:20:01.200 --> 00:20:11.279 But if somebody was really looking at you back then and really looking at like, well, gosh, why is it that every single time we go to the store, you gotta go to the can you do pens or something? 00:20:12.160 --> 00:20:15.920 But it was this, it was this calling to that was motivation, right? 00:20:16.000 --> 00:20:21.279 It was the motivation, it was the consistency, it was the outside the box thinking, right? 00:20:21.359 --> 00:20:24.000 Like I know that people listening are like, oh yeah, okay, Brittany, I see that. 00:20:24.079 --> 00:20:26.000 And even like watching your response, right? 00:20:26.079 --> 00:20:28.079 Like that that is true as well. 00:20:28.319 --> 00:20:31.119 Um, and that was just what's coming to mind. 00:20:31.359 --> 00:20:35.279 And to be honest, you could have just stayed, right? 00:20:35.519 --> 00:20:38.400 Like you, you could have just stayed stealing people's Christmases. 00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:58.400 Um but right, but that same calling, that same nudge, that same childlike wonder that had you running in a staples or an office max or a mom and pop joint is the same motivation fast forward years later that called you to walk away, right? 00:20:58.720 --> 00:21:02.079 Absolutely energy. 00:21:02.240 --> 00:21:02.880 Yeah. 00:21:03.200 --> 00:21:08.400 Ryan, it's just like it looks different at every phase of life, or at least so far that I've seen. 00:21:08.480 --> 00:21:15.039 It just it just looks a little different, but you realize that there's something that's calling you to say, hey, you need to be doing something different. 00:21:15.440 --> 00:21:19.119 You are here in this box right now, but you need to get out of it. 00:21:19.279 --> 00:21:21.599 There's more for you to keep running after it. 00:21:22.160 --> 00:21:25.359 I think that's a message for any that I think it's a message for somebody listening, right? 00:21:25.440 --> 00:21:32.240 I think what you just said is gonna bless somebody right now because that box doesn't have to be a job, it could be a relationship. 00:21:33.200 --> 00:21:36.799 You know, it could be a school choice, right? 00:21:37.039 --> 00:21:39.839 It could be um a parenting decision. 00:21:40.000 --> 00:21:50.079 Like that box is truly wherever you are right now, and there is a tug, there is a nudge, there is this like feeling that you can't shake. 00:21:50.400 --> 00:21:59.359 Um and it's interesting because I mean, in my experience, the more you're in tune and alignment with yourself, for me, it's with God. 00:22:00.559 --> 00:22:03.519 The least loud he gets. 00:22:04.240 -->

00:22:17.119 So I would encourage somebody that, like, if the nudge is loud and you're at the point where the gut is like, it's like you can't sleep, you you are, you know, just thinking about it all the time. 00:22:17.680 --> 00:22:21.519 That's because it's loud enough to to move you and to wake you up. 00:22:21.599 --> 00:22:21.680 Right. 00:22:21.839 --> 00:22:22.000 Right. 00:22:22.240 --> 00:22:26.400 Because for this nudge has probably been happening for a while. 00:22:26.559 --> 00:22:35.039 And the volume has to get louder and louder and louder and louder for you to actually be moved to make the decision, whatever your box is. 00:22:35.359 --> 00:22:35.839 Right. 00:22:36.079 --> 00:22:36.720 Absolutely. 00:22:36.880 --> 00:22:38.640 I'm in 100% agreement with that. 00:22:38.880 --> 00:22:40.960 And the box of your own making, right? 00:22:43.039 --> 00:22:50.720 And realizing, like, okay, I'm I'm I'm in this, but I've created my own boundaries and I need to let go of them. 00:22:51.279 --> 00:22:51.839 Gosh. 00:22:52.160 --> 00:22:52.799 So good. 00:22:53.279 --> 00:23:04.079 What would you say, you know, obviously covering, you know, whatever you, you know, feel led to share, but what are you most grateful for overcoming? 00:23:04.240 --> 00:23:10.880 Um and and if you're willing to share, you know, something you have overcome that's really led you to be the woman you are today. 00:23:14.079 --> 00:23:19.440 I feel like that is a story that continues to evolve. 00:23:19.680 --> 00:23:24.160 Um because at different phases in my life, there have been different things. 00:23:24.240 --> 00:23:29.359 If I generally think about it, it's preceding afraid. 00:23:30.079 --> 00:23:44.960 And what I mean by that is recognizing that there is something that has been nudging you that you really want to do, but there are all the outside influences that tell you about how, oh, well, what about this and what about that and what about the other? 00:23:45.119 --> 00:23:54.640 And one of the things that really sticks out in my mind is when I first moved to the DC area, which I've been here for about 11 years now, and this is considered my home at this point. 00:23:54.799 --> 00:24:04.720 But I remember how long I thought about how much I wanted to leave uh Huntsville and explore something different. 00:24:04.880 --> 00:24:07.920 I I thought, okay, I'm I've been here for several years. 00:24:08.000 --> 00:24:11.440 I've been here, I've grown up here, I was here as a kid, I went to school here. 00:24:11.680 --> 00:24:13.599 I want to experience something different. 00:24:13.759 --> 00:24:22.480 And thinking about the conversations that I had with people around me who would say, hey, well, but what about there's a lot of, I would express my interest and move into the DC area. 00:24:22.640 --> 00:24:24.079 Oh, well, there, what about the crime? 00:24:24.160 --> 00:24:26.880 And oh, it's cold there, and oh, there's a lot of traffic. 00:24:26.960 --> 00:24:32.000 You know, there was there was a lot of negativity that was always brought forward to me. 00:24:32.079 --> 00:24:36.160 And I know everyone met well, but it was a lot of, oh, well, had you thought about this? 00:24:36.240 --> 00:24:37.119 Have you thought about that? 00:24:37.279 --> 00:24:47.519 And it for so long, I did think about those things and wondered, okay, well, what if I I'm not used to a lot of snow being on the ground? 00:24:47.599 --> 00:24:49.200 What am I what am I supposed to do about that? 00:24:49.440 --> 00:24:51.440 You buy some boots and put on a coat. 00:24:51.519 --> 00:24:52.559 That's what you do, right? 00:24:53.359 --> 00:24:54.079 Yeah, right. 00:24:54.400 --> 00:24:55.200 You get a shovel. 00:24:56.720 --> 00:24:58.400 You know, I'm like, oh, there's a lot of traffic. 00:24:58.559 --> 00:25:00.799 Oh, don't travel during a fresh hour, or hey, guess what? 00:25:00.880 --> 00:25:02.079 Hop on the train, right? 00:25:02.640 --> 00:25:10.160 There's always something that you can do, and there are pros and cons of every decision that you ever make. 00:25:10.559 --> 00:25:19.039 But I thought about the journey of what it looked like to relocate from an area that I was very comfortable in. 00:25:19.279 --> 00:25:27.920 I had my community, I had my friends, I had a church I was going to, I had a good job, I had all of the things, I had my house. 00:25:28.079 --> 00:25:32.000 Like everything was all pretty well laid out for comfort. 00:25:32.319 --> 00:25:38.640 And I realized I still feel like I'm missing something major. 00:25:38.960 --> 00:25:52.720 And making that decision to finally, now I went back and forth many a times, and I even came up here on a temporary assignment and said, okay, let's just kind of try it out for a little while, you know, dip my toe in and see what it's like. 00:25:53.039 --> 00:25:55.200 But after a while, you got to just make a decision. 00:25:55.359 --> 00:25:56.240 You have to go. 00:25:56.400 --> 00:25:58.319 You gotta go sink or swim. 00:25:58.480 --> 00:26:00.960 And I said, All right, I'm gonna do it. 00:26:01.200 --> 00:26:03.279 And I have zero regrets. 00:26:03.359 --> 00:26:29.359 It's one of the best decisions that I've made in probably my adult lifetime because I've seen how much I've been able to grow since moving here, just because of the people that I've met and the opportunities you're exposed to, and just just the opportunity just to be out here and experience the cultural impacts that you have and just fun. 00:26:29.599 --> 00:26:32.160 And yes, when I first moved here, there was a blizzard. 00:26:32.960 --> 00:26:33.759 And you know what? 00:26:33.839 --> 00:26:35.119 I bought some snow boots. 00:26:35.359 --> 00:26:36.400 Yeah, it was a bad one. 00:26:36.480 --> 00:26:37.440 It was 2016, right? 00:26:37.519 --> 00:26:38.240 It was a bad one. 00:26:38.480 --> 00:26:41.039 Yes, yeah, that was a bad snowstorm. 00:26:41.519 --> 00:26:45.599 I wasn't here, but my best

friend was at the time, and she was like, You won't even believe the whole city shots. 00:26:45.920 --> 00:26:47.599 I was feet, it was like two feet of snow. 00:26:47.920 --> 00:26:49.359 Yeah, it was about two feet of snow. 00:26:49.519 --> 00:26:50.720 It certainly was. 00:26:51.839 --> 00:26:52.960 Gosh, gosh. 00:26:53.839 --> 00:26:56.480 So uh it was interesting. 00:26:56.720 --> 00:27:07.119 Um, when you're talking, there was something you said, it like it reminds me of something I say on the show a lot is that our family and friends, their advice is filled with love and coated with fear. 00:27:07.680 --> 00:27:09.039 Uh absolutely. 00:27:09.279 --> 00:27:14.400 At the end of the day, where you were from and where you lived got you to exactly where you needed to go. 00:27:14.559 --> 00:27:14.720 Yeah. 00:27:14.960 --> 00:27:15.440 Yeah. 00:27:15.680 --> 00:27:16.160 Yeah. 00:27:16.319 --> 00:27:16.960 And you're right. 00:27:17.119 --> 00:27:25.519 Like when I think back on it now, knowing what I know now, and exactly the way you said, if I had stayed, I still would have been fine. 00:27:25.759 --> 00:27:27.039 I still would have been fine. 00:27:27.200 --> 00:27:30.640 Life would have looked a lot different, but it would have been fine. 00:27:30.960 --> 00:27:38.000 But when you have the desire to do something different, it's like you have to, you have to jump on it at some point in time. 00:27:38.079 --> 00:27:40.720 Otherwise, you're always feeling like a, well, what if? 00:27:40.880 --> 00:27:43.279 What if I had done this or what if I had done that? 00:27:43.359 --> 00:27:44.559 And what would life have looked like? 00:27:44.799 --> 00:27:47.119 I'm like, I don't have to worry about the what if because I did it. 00:27:47.759 --> 00:27:51.200 I did it, and now I see the what if in real life. 00:27:51.599 --> 00:27:52.000 Thank you. 00:27:52.160 --> 00:27:59.039 It's already happened in the show, but there's like this, it's a wonderful life effect where a bell dings and someone gets their wings. 00:27:59.200 --> 00:28:05.920 Every there's every episode, there's a moment where the bell dings, and I know that God has this episode assigned for somebody. 00:28:06.240 --> 00:28:17.599 How powerful is that to sit in something, to know that just by stewarding someone's story and giving you a space to share, that you're going to be able to bless so many lives, right? 00:28:17.759 --> 00:28:24.640 And so um, that has helped me of just just remembering like it really isn't about me. 00:28:24.880 --> 00:28:29.599 Um everything I do is is yes, I'm involved. 00:28:29.680 --> 00:28:32.960 And and yes, it is about me, but it's about the legacy, right? 00:28:33.039 --> 00:28:35.359 It's about the women that come after me. 00:28:35.440 --> 00:28:40.960 It's about my children, it's about my future husband, it's about who I need to become, right? 00:28:41.200 --> 00:28:44.079 And I just think your story is literally so much of that. 00:28:44.160 --> 00:28:55.440 And we didn't even get to a ton of your like personal life or family life, but I think that clearly, right, there was that motivation to be something for your future self, right? 00:28:55.599 --> 00:28:58.160 To be something for who others would need to see. 00:28:58.319 --> 00:29:04.400 And that doesn't happen from someone getting everything they've ever wanted in childhood or being spoon-fed. 00:29:04.480 --> 00:29:08.559 That comes from the fact that there were things missing, there were dynamics that happened, there was loss. 00:29:08.799 --> 00:29:12.000 And you had to learn how to pull that from your bootstraps. 00:29:12.079 --> 00:29:12.960 And y'all, I don't even know. 00:29:13.039 --> 00:29:15.920 Like, I'm just this is me just coming out of the woodwork. 00:29:16.079 --> 00:29:18.400 This is just my wisdom and connecting the dots. 00:29:18.559 --> 00:29:28.720 Yeah, I feel like there's so much to be said for thinking about when we experience various hard times in life. 00:29:28.960 --> 00:29:37.599 And all right, yes, it's a struggle for me right now, but what is this going to be doing in the future? 00:29:37.839 --> 00:29:44.960 And I think about, we didn't talk about this before, but so my mom passed away when I was 23. 00:29:45.839 --> 00:30:02.799 And here we are several years later, and I think about all of the things that have changed in my life and in the lives of people that I've connected with over the last several years. 00:30:02.960 --> 00:30:07.839 And some of that because I experienced that kind of loss in my life. 00:30:08.000 --> 00:30:10.400 So my mom and I were really good friends, right? 00:30:10.640 --> 00:30:16.799 And when I graduated from college, she passed away about five months after I graduated from college. 00:30:16.960 --> 00:30:29.680 And it was such a pivotal point in my life because you're you're finishing school, you're starting a new career, you're becoming a first-time real adult, so to speak, right? 00:30:30.000 --> 00:30:46.559 You're thinking about, all right, what does life look like just for me personally, without having all of the comforts of parents being there to tell you, okay, hey, you need to check about this, you need to think about this, you need to think about this in your life. 00:30:46.720 --> 00:30:51.440 And now it's like, okay, this is the first time I'm really stepping out and being my own adult. 00:30:51.759 --> 00:31:00.720 And now, as soon as I'm going into that transition, I have this major impact that one of my very best friends is no longer here. 00:31:00.960 --> 00:31:09.759 And it sh suddenly just kind of forced me into this place of, okay, you've you've got to step into your level of maturity faster. 00:31:10.079 --> 00:31:15.599 You've got to be your own person a lot faster than you originally expected. 00:31:16.000 --> 00:31:25.920 But since that time frame, I think about, and this is coming back to what you were talking about, how your story then turns around

and impacts other people. 00:31:26.079 --> 00:31:40.640 I think about all the people that I've met in the years after my mom passed who've lost their parents at a young age or who've experienced dealing with a terminal illness with a parent or a loved one. 00:31:40.960 --> 00:31:45.839 And how before I experienced that in my own life, I don't know what I would have said. 00:31:46.000 --> 00:31:48.880 I didn't have the words to say because I didn't know what that was like. 00:31:48.960 --> 00:31:53.920 You know, you can empathize with someone and you can really try to, you know, share some kind words. 00:31:54.079 --> 00:31:58.240 But sometimes until you experience something personally, you have no idea. 00:31:58.480 --> 00:32:01.039 You have no idea what people are going through. 00:32:01.359 --> 00:32:11.359 And thinking about all of the folks that I've been able to connect with in my life over these several years. 00:32:11.519 --> 00:32:18.400 And so many times I feel like if if I hadn't experienced this in my own life, would I even met these, would I have even met these folks? 00:32:18.640 --> 00:32:27.599 And like the doors that it's opened up and opportunities that it's had for me to build friendships with people that I never thought I would have had any type of connection with. 00:32:27.839 --> 00:32:39.279 So that is interesting that you bring that up because there are so many things that we experience in life, you know, whether it be loss or whether it be some other type of struggle or something else that you experienced, it was just very hard for you. 00:32:39.599 --> 00:32:44.960 And at the time, yes, it's something that's like, okay, I'm not sure how this looks on the other side. 00:32:45.119 --> 00:32:47.359 I'm not even sure what it looks like right now. 00:32:47.759 --> 00:32:56.319 But looking back on it from you know, retrospectively, it's like, okay, this was designed to help someone else. 00:32:56.880 --> 00:33:03.440 And because I was able to grow through it, this is the impact that it turned around and had on the world. 00:33:03.920 --> 00:33:04.559 Hmm. 00:33:05.519 --> 00:33:28.799 So it's interesting, like as you were talking, um just the clarity of my own story and what the Holy Spirit was downloading to me was like I mean, always ready to use these words of like, okay, dummy, but basically of being like, I've experienced a lot of life, you know, in 33 years, a lot of variety of different things. 00:33:29.039 --> 00:33:46.400 And when you were speaking and just talking about being able to help that person, but being equipped because of the pain, I thought, gosh, the show wouldn't be as good as it is if I hadn't been able to experience what I experienced so that I can understand my guests. 00:33:46.559 --> 00:33:50.400 And again, there are still things like I cannot relate to losing my mother. 00:33:50.480 --> 00:33:52.640 And I'm again, I'm sorry, and I I have a question about her. 00:33:52.720 --> 00:34:01.279 I'm excited

to hear, but but I know what it's like when a when you're when a parent walks out of your life and chooses to not have a child in their life anymore. 00:34:01.440 --> 00:34:05.519 And so that pain, their stem from a similar place, right? 00:34:05.680 --> 00:34:06.400 Uh different. 00:34:06.480 --> 00:34:06.559 Yeah. 00:34:06.720 --> 00:34:12.800 And then I'm not gonna say they're the same, but but there's a sense of like, okay, I can understand that kind of grief, right? 00:34:13.039 --> 00:34:16.480 I understand a grief of just complete loss and identity, right? 00:34:16.639 --> 00:34:16.800 Right. 00:34:17.039 --> 00:34:21.679 So yeah, just as you were talking, I was like, wow, like not saying that I would love to keep going through all these things. 00:34:21.760 --> 00:34:35.920 Like, I'm ready for some, I'm ready for the up and up, I'm ready for the up and up, I'm ready for the more zeros in the bank account, you know, I'm ready for never having to talk to people stealing Christmases at the IRS, uh none of that. 00:34:36.480 --> 00:34:55.760 But uh I am grateful because yeah, I think that's why guests feel so comfortable being on the show is because I don't pretend to understand, but I do have such a variety of uh pain and things that I've experienced at 36 that like at least I can come to the table with an understanding, right? 00:34:56.000 --> 00:34:56.320 Right. 00:34:56.639 --> 00:34:57.280 Right. 00:34:57.519 --> 00:34:58.639 Which is huge, right? 00:34:58.719 --> 00:35:01.519 Because you want someone to sit across from you and tell them your story. 00:35:01.760 --> 00:35:06.559 And if they don't even feel like you can steward it, you can hold it, right? 00:35:06.639 --> 00:35:08.079 Why are you gonna tell them your story? 00:35:08.320 --> 00:35:08.559 Right. 00:35:08.719 --> 00:35:08.880 Right. 00:35:09.039 --> 00:35:16.719 Like and even we'll just use an example, like even in this moment, you feeling comfortable enough to talk about your mom clearly, right? 00:35:16.880 --> 00:35:21.760 Shares that you feel comfortable enough to be able to say that in in my presence, right? 00:35:21.920 --> 00:35:23.599 That there's there's this trust understanding. 00:35:23.679 --> 00:35:28.079 And so thank you for that because yeah, I don't take that lightly and that responsibility. 00:35:28.239 --> 00:35:46.000 Um something that popped in to ask was what is was there a was there any wisdom or isms or something that you just held tightly to your mom and you've continued and brought forth with you, whether it's your career or whether it's you know something lifestyle-wise that honors her? 00:35:46.960 --> 00:36:00.480 You know, there there are a lot of things that that I can think back fondly on my mom and a lot of conversations that we had, because I feel like we talked about a lot of different things. 00:36:00.559 --> 00:36:18.079 And I would love, there's so many times now where I I use my journal as a way to track the things that are on my mind and the things that that I would like to share or maybe not so comfortable with share, but just to be able to document, okay, this is what was happening at this stage in my life. 00:36:18.239 --> 00:36:23.920 And so many days I think about, you know, I'm gonna write this down because I wish I would call my mom and tell her this right now. 00:36:24.559 --> 00:36:26.559 Like different things that are happening. 00:36:26.880 --> 00:36:34.159 But I remember her always being supportive of whatever it was that I had interest in doing. 00:36:34.320 --> 00:36:36.639 It didn't matter what it was. 00:36:36.800 --> 00:36:38.000 She was like, you know what? 00:36:38.239 --> 00:36:46.000 You you gotta do whatever your heart dreams, whatever it is that you feel is important to you, you gotta go after it. 00:36:46.159 --> 00:36:47.760 And she was always there to support. 00:36:47.920 --> 00:36:49.599 Like she may not have fully understood it. 00:36:49.760 --> 00:36:55.360 She may not have, you know, been a full supporter from the standpoint of, oh, that I wouldn't make that decision that way. 00:36:55.519 --> 00:37:00.000 But but she was always there to say, I am gonna be behind you no matter what. 00:37:00.159 --> 00:37:03.119 No matter what, you make mistakes, I'm still here for you. 00:37:03.360 --> 00:37:08.639 If you, if you have questions, you have concerns, you have things that you just want to talk about, I'm always here. 00:37:08.880 --> 00:37:13.840 Feel free to always come forward to me and say whatever it is that's on your mind. 00:37:14.000 --> 00:37:20.480 And that's why I feel like now as I as I write down different things and I feel like, okay, I want to pick up the phone and call mom and tell her about, hey, you know what? 00:37:20.719 --> 00:37:29.280 If you would imagine if you were still living here and I was here in this area that, oh, you know what, I would just say, hey, mom, I'm gonna get you a plane ticket to come and visit. 00:37:29.360 --> 00:37:32.400 We're gonna go shopping because we're gonna check out this thrift store that I love. 00:37:32.559 --> 00:37:38.559 I know you would love it too, and all these other things that are part of my life now that she would have never, she's not around to know about it. 00:37:38.639 --> 00:37:41.280 So it's like, okay, let's document this so I don't forget it. 00:37:42.400 --> 00:37:45.280 That's such a I think half people listening are crying. 00:37:45.360 --> 00:37:49.119 Uh, because that's so sweet and so beautiful. 00:37:49.360 --> 00:37:57.679 And um also like your mom just really seemed well, she'd probably be like, girl, I did not have it together. 00:37:57.840 --> 00:38:11.679 But from from your perspective, she was doing all the right things that you would want a parent to do of like Absolutely, I can't control Rhonda, but I'm gonna keep the door open so she knows that I'm a safe place, that she knows that she can come to her, right? 00:38:12.159 --> 00:38:28.639 And there's a level of

like, I think it's really hard because I struggled with this a little bit with my own family, was like, because they haven't been to the places I'm going, it's really taken my own mother a while to just be there and support, right? 00:38:28.719 --> 00:38:32.800 Because she can't understand it and because she hasn't seen it. 00:38:33.039 --> 00:38:35.039 And so I'm just such a fan. 00:38:35.119 --> 00:38:40.880 And like I'm the biggest cheerleaders for the parents that are like, I am not begin to put my head around this. 00:38:41.039 --> 00:38:43.119 I can't even see what you're talking about, but I love you. 00:38:43.199 --> 00:38:43.840 I'm here for you. 00:38:43.920 --> 00:38:44.400 What do you need? 00:38:44.480 --> 00:38:45.599 You mean like, share, right? 00:38:47.519 --> 00:39:08.800 You need me to like go pass out some flyers, like because I think when you're in a precipice like you have been of doing things that are potentially breaking generational curses and reframing, you know, the future generations and just the family legacy, that requires a sense of faith and trust from your own family because they wouldn't know what that looks like, right? 00:39:09.280 --> 00:39:12.800 Because it it just it wouldn't be something that they've seen yet. 00:39:12.880 --> 00:39:16.880 And so I just love that your mom was like, Nope, don't understand. 00:39:17.039 --> 00:39:17.760 What do you need? 00:39:17.920 --> 00:39:19.039 Okay, cool. 00:39:19.519 --> 00:39:23.440 It's like, and I'm here regardless, regardless of whatever that is, I'm always here. 00:39:24.000 --> 00:39:26.320 Gosh, I love that you journal too. 00:39:26.480 --> 00:39:27.440 That's so sweet. 00:39:27.599 --> 00:39:37.440 I I love journaling and I I actually really started to take journaling seriously, obviously for mental health and like just getting stuff out of my head because there's so much that lives here that I got, I gotta get it out, right? 00:39:37.760 --> 00:39:38.320 Like, get it out. 00:39:38.480 --> 00:39:39.360 Addiction notice. 00:39:39.440 --> 00:39:40.880 I need you to go somewhere else. 00:39:42.079 --> 00:40:00.960 And I watched this movie once and I was like, how cool would it be that when I'm in heaven, that my grandkids and my great grandkids can look through the nonsense and the craziness that was my brain and be like, oh gosh, grandma Brittany, oh, Nana was on one, right? 00:40:01.360 --> 00:40:10.559 But also hopefully it'll be lessons that they'll be like, oh my gosh, I ran, I I was looking at Nana's journals and and man, does she have some stories to tell? 00:40:10.719 --> 00:40:11.599 Look what God did. 00:40:11.760 --> 00:40:16.639 Like it, like that to me, that legacy, that tangible legacy is just really cool. 00:40:16.719 --> 00:40:27.039 And so that's that's really like the last question I want to leave the audience with is what is the legacy that you hope to leave um in business, personal, relational? 00:40:27.119 --> 00:40:28.559 Yeah, what is that

legacy? 00:40:30.079 --> 00:40:39.119 I think that legacy for me right now is is stepping out, stepping out on faith and saying, yes. 00:40:39.599 --> 00:40:41.440 I don't have all the answers. 00:40:41.679 --> 00:40:43.760 I don't know what it's gonna look like. 00:40:44.000 --> 00:40:48.960 I don't even know what tomorrow is gonna bring, but I'm still gonna go forward. 00:40:49.119 --> 00:40:54.400 I'm gonna say yes, and even though I'm scared, I'm gonna go out here and I'm gonna figure it out. 00:40:54.639 --> 00:40:55.840 One day at a time. 00:40:56.000 --> 00:41:06.079 And if nothing else, if a journal of mine is found by my great-great-grandchildren sometime, I want them to be able to see that. 00:41:06.239 --> 00:41:06.800 You know what? 00:41:06.880 --> 00:41:10.000 She was scared, but she still went forward. 00:41:10.239 --> 00:41:12.159 She still found a way. 00:41:12.320 --> 00:41:18.000 And even if she found the way and made several mistakes along the way, she kept going. 00:41:18.239 --> 00:41:20.400 She kept going and figured out how to get back on track. 00:41:20.480 --> 00:41:23.920 Even if that track was a little bit different than what she originally planned, she kept on going. 00:41:24.239 --> 00:41:29.519 Because if you stop because of the fear, you never get to experience the journey. 00:41:29.679 --> 00:41:34.239 You never get to experience all of the various fun things that happen. 00:41:34.559 --> 00:41:36.239 Fun, exciting, scary. 00:41:37.519 --> 00:41:40.880 You don't get to experience all that if you say no, you know. 00:41:41.039 --> 00:41:57.039 So I feel like that's what I want it to look like for others, to encourage other people to say, you know what, if you have that drive, if you have that calling in you, something that's saying, you know what, I wanna, I wanna try, I want to see what this looks like, that you go. 00:41:57.280 --> 00:42:05.440 Go even though you're scared, even though you don't know what the end game looks like, even though one plus one doesn't equal five, right? 00:42:05.679 --> 00:42:06.880 You do it anyway. 00:42:07.119 --> 00:42:09.039 You do it anyway, you keep on rolling. 00:42:09.280 --> 00:42:14.800 I'm telling you what, my interns probably like Brittany, there's so many titles for this episode right now. 00:42:14.960 --> 00:42:18.159 There's so many like mic drop moments that we're on to have. 00:42:18.239 --> 00:42:19.679 How am I gonna pick one? 00:42:20.000 --> 00:42:21.679 Because yes, thank you. 00:42:21.840 --> 00:42:24.800 Like, thank I mean obviously thank you for sharing that. 00:42:24.960 --> 00:42:34.320 But also, like, yeah, I think there's there's just so much to the doing it anyways, right? 00:42:34.960 --> 00:42:37.519 You got one life, no dress rehearsal. 00:42:37.599 --> 00:42:39.840 There's no you haul at the end of a hearse. 00:42:40.079 --> 00:42:48.800 So like all we have is the time that we have, and and again, you know, you and I are not saying don't assess the risk, right? 00:42:48.960 --> 00:42:53.519 Like, obviously, assess the risk and don't put yourself in physical harm, right? 00:42:53.840 --> 00:42:54.719 Absolutely, absolutely. 00:42:54.960 --> 00:42:58.239 But I think most people don't actually face those decisions every day. 00:42:58.480 --> 00:43:02.320 They face the oh, what is she gonna say about this? 00:43:02.719 --> 00:43:04.800 Ooh, how are they gonna look at me? 00:43:04.960 --> 00:43:06.000 Are they gonna still be able to do that? 00:43:06.320 --> 00:43:08.719 People gonna be my friends, yeah. 00:43:09.360 --> 00:43:11.840 What if what if I make the wrong move? 00:43:12.079 --> 00:43:13.920 What if what if I fail? 00:43:14.639 --> 00:43:16.079 There's so much of that. 00:43:16.239 --> 00:43:18.239 It's like what if you don't? 00:43:18.639 --> 00:43:22.639 What what if you succeed beyond your wildest expectations? 00:43:23.199 --> 00:43:24.079 What if that? 00:43:24.320 --> 00:43:24.880 Yes. 00:43:25.119 --> 00:43:30.320 And then when you live in that place, you're like, when you live in that place for so long of like, what if I succeed? 00:43:30.400 --> 00:43:33.760 Then you're like, well, gee, dang it, I can't stop trying, right? 00:43:33.840 --> 00:43:37.920 Because then it just changes your whole framework of mind to be like, I'm not gonna think about failing. 00:43:38.000 --> 00:43:40.480 I'm thinking about think about being free, right? 00:43:40.639 --> 00:43:42.559 Think about, you know, what if it does work? 00:43:42.639 --> 00:44:07.519 And you know, I think to go along with that, which I'll leave the audience, is like what has helped me and I've shared in previous episodes is that in order to make sustainable change in your life, in order to break generational curses, in order to change the trajectory of your family, in order to To really reach your dreams, you have to be willing to do something over and over and over again, right? 00:44:07.760 --> 00:44:11.599 In such a way to create a muscle, to create discipline, right? 00:44:11.920 --> 00:44:31.280 And so when I think about all of the things that I had to do, if I got caught up and I spent all the time in the growing that I've done in the last five solid five years, I dabbled in growth the first from 2016, 2020. 00:44:31.440 --> 00:44:37.039 And I'd say I really like revved up the engine because I was like 2020, I'm coming out of this better than you found it. 00:44:37.119 --> 00:44:40.159 So I improved that first year because I was like, I'm not staying who I was. 00:44:40.400 --> 00:44:41.679 Because I thought we had a choice. 00:44:41.840 --> 00:44:56.400 We can either allow this to to you know, uh basically tear us down and allow this pandemic to define me, or I can be defined by the choices and the decision to do something different. 00:44:56.880 --> 00:45:00.000 And then from there, crazy amounts of growth. 00:45:00.079 --> 00:45:06.239 But I I I sat in, okay, well, what does it look like in a year? 00:45:07.039 -->

00:45:10.320 What would what would a year from now, Brittany, say? 00:45:10.639 --> 00:45:13.119 What is what does wife Britney say? 00:45:13.280 --> 00:45:15.039 What does mother Brittany say? 00:45:15.199 --> 00:45:28.000 You know, uh when I when you do a lot of visual work or you're just like in, you know, different mindfulness things and you do an activity, and I've done this before where it's like you go to your favorite place and you close your eyes and you you you actually like map out what you look like. 00:45:28.239 --> 00:45:34.880 And I'll tell you what, I did that activity, and this is live because I'm just processing this right now. 00:45:35.119 --> 00:45:37.840 I did this activity, I think, two years ago. 00:45:38.159 --> 00:45:52.079 And today I journaled about the fact that I was going to a breakfast in DC for a networking event, wearing an outfit I only ever envisioned I could be in. 00:45:52.559 --> 00:46:10.320 An outfit that represented the style and the confidence and the wholeness that I saw myself being and the power, though, Rhonda, the way that I walked around that that event space, you would have been like, this girl's got a million dollars. 00:46:10.480 --> 00:46:13.119 I would say that it's not true right now. 00:46:13.519 --> 00:46:26.159 But the way that I walked around, because I was walking in the version of myself that I thought about in the moments where I was trying to just create sustainable habits and I was trying to just do the next right thing. 00:46:26.320 --> 00:46:32.719 And so for anybody listening, because I can imagine you've been there, it's like, okay, what is the future career you want? 00:46:32.880 --> 00:46:34.800 What is the future mother you want? 00:46:35.039 --> 00:46:46.320 Do you want to be the mom that like is able to do the things around the house or communicate with her spouse to be a team to get things done and kind of navigate those challenging conversations now? 00:46:46.559 --> 00:46:59.039 So that way when your kids are five, six, seven, they're having play dates, people are coming over and they're seeing the teamwork that's your spouse and how they're like, oh my gosh, did you guys see the way they work together? 00:46:59.199 --> 00:47:01.840 Like couple goals, right? 00:47:02.159 --> 00:47:05.840 Like, do you want to like be the person physically, right? 00:47:06.079 --> 00:47:07.760 And have the mental health, right? 00:47:07.920 --> 00:47:09.679 Okay, well, what do you look like in that? 00:47:09.920 --> 00:47:12.960 All right, strong, powerful, right? 00:47:13.119 --> 00:47:19.280 Like you can walk up seven flights of stairs, like get to that future version of you, right? 00:47:19.760 --> 00:47:27.119 Because when you're in it, and I can imagine there were moments where you were in it yourself and you were like, gosh, I don't know. 00:47:27.360 --> 00:47:28.079 I don't know. 00:47:28.320 --> 00:47:32.239 But it's because you put that future version of you, that business, right?

00:47:32.320 --> 00:47:38.239 The lives you were going to change, even from a career perspective, in your mind, and you're like, well, I can't go backwards. 00:47:38.320 --> 00:47:43.920 I have to continue to go because I can see the future version of Rhonda helping these people. 00:47:44.079 --> 00:47:48.639 And if I don't do what's necessary, then I can't actually step into her. 00:47:50.079 --> 00:47:50.719 Yes. 00:47:50.960 --> 00:47:51.440 Yes. 00:47:51.599 --> 00:48:02.800 That's such a powerful thought to think about of really envisioning what your future self looks like and keeping that top of mind, like what you want your same idea of what you want your legacy to look like. 00:48:03.039 --> 00:48:04.960 And I think I feel like it's one and the same. 00:48:05.039 --> 00:48:10.079 If you want your legacy to look like a certain thing, then what are you doing now to actually get it to that point? 00:48:10.559 --> 00:48:20.480 You know, if if you're not actively working toward the journey of what you want your legacy to look like, then you're not actively building it. 00:48:21.760 --> 00:48:25.599 No, no, because it doesn't show up tomorrow, that's for sure. 00:48:25.840 --> 00:48:26.079 Right. 00:48:26.320 --> 00:48:27.760 That is for sure. 00:48:28.320 --> 00:48:29.039 Oh my gosh. 00:48:29.199 --> 00:48:32.719 Okay, so thank you first and foremost. 00:48:33.039 --> 00:48:34.719 This was incredible. 00:48:34.960 --> 00:48:39.760 Um, and we're not done yet because I because you don't know this, but I got two lifestyle questions to ask you. 00:48:40.320 --> 00:48:41.679 All right, all right. 00:48:43.519 --> 00:48:44.480 Going with it, Brittany. 00:48:44.639 --> 00:48:45.280 We're going with it. 00:48:45.360 --> 00:48:49.760 And for anybody that, you know, needs a reminder, uh, Rhonda did not get a run of show. 00:48:49.840 --> 00:48:53.360 She did not get questions, and we are truly just running by the seat of our pants. 00:48:53.440 --> 00:48:58.800 And I hope that you all are blessed by this episode so far and you're really seeing, won't God do it? 00:48:58.880 --> 00:49:01.119 You know, like won't he just really make it happen? 00:49:01.360 --> 00:49:01.920 Absolutely. 00:49:02.159 --> 00:49:03.119 Won't he do it? 00:49:03.280 --> 00:49:16.800 Okay, so first lifestyle question is is there a well, what is a local spot in the area that you uh business could be restaurant, coffee, doesn't matter, local business that you want to shout out that you frequent often. 00:49:17.280 --> 00:49:20.400 A local business that I frequent often. 00:49:20.800 --> 00:49:25.199 Oh, if you had if you had told me this before, I would have had time to think about it. 00:49:26.559 --> 00:49:31.920 I just want to make a note while she's thinking about this that like this is this is the question she's getting stuck on. 00:49:32.079 --> 00:49:36.880 Uh the questions about her life, her legacy, overcoming her mother. 00:49:37.199 --> 00:49:41.760 But what local business do I frequent? 00:49:41.920 --> 00:49:42.079 Okay. 00:49:42.480 --> 00:49:44.320 That's that's my guess right here, y'all. 00:49:44.400 --> 00:49:45.280 That's that's my guess. 00:49:45.519 --> 00:49:45.920 Powerful. 00:49:46.079 --> 00:49:47.840 Oh, oh, oh, of all of all the things, right? 00:49:47.920 --> 00:49:51.840 This is the one we're like, oh, what do I want to the one that's really popping to the top of my head? 00:49:52.000 --> 00:49:52.320 Okay. 00:49:52.480 --> 00:49:55.199 Um, I love to go to Ruthie's all day. 00:49:55.360 --> 00:49:55.440 Okay. 00:49:56.719 --> 00:50:07.679 And I love it because one, whenever we have family that comes to visit, we have friends that come to visit, there's always something on the menu that everybody can enjoy. 00:50:08.719 --> 00:50:15.199 We can go there for a good breakfast, we can go there for a good dinner, and they have some of the best brisket. 00:50:15.280 --> 00:50:17.360 And I'm not really it, I'm not a beef eater. 00:50:17.599 --> 00:50:17.760 Okay. 00:50:18.079 --> 00:50:19.360 But they have great brisket. 00:50:19.679 --> 00:50:20.079 Yes. 00:50:20.639 --> 00:50:23.039 So that's the first thing that popped on the top of my head. 00:50:23.280 --> 00:50:24.159 I think I need to go there. 00:50:24.239 --> 00:50:25.519 I I've taught, I've heard about it. 00:50:25.599 --> 00:50:26.000 Like, obviously. 00:50:26.239 --> 00:50:26.800 Oh, you haven't been. 00:50:26.880 --> 00:50:28.320 You gotta add it to your list, Brittany. 00:50:28.400 --> 00:50:28.960 Add it to your list. 00:50:29.199 --> 00:50:30.239 I can add it to my list. 00:50:30.480 --> 00:50:31.199 Okay, well, thank you. 00:50:31.360 --> 00:50:32.639 They've got great cornbread too. 00:50:33.280 --> 00:50:35.360 Uh soccer for cornbread. 00:50:35.519 --> 00:50:36.000 Yes. 00:50:36.400 --> 00:50:37.360 Soccer for cornbread. 00:50:37.440 --> 00:50:37.519 Yeah. 00:50:37.760 --> 00:50:40.239 You know I'm from the South, so I'm very particular. 00:50:40.480 --> 00:50:40.719 Right. 00:50:42.000 --> 00:50:43.360 You have taste, okay? 00:50:46.000 --> 00:50:47.599 No box cornbread over here. 00:50:47.679 --> 00:50:48.480 That's not cutting it. 00:50:48.719 --> 00:50:49.840 That's not cutting it. 00:50:50.320 --> 00:50:54.159 Um, okay, and then the last, this is the last, last question, including lifestyle. 00:50:54.239 --> 00:50:58.159 But what is a book you've read multiple times that somebody listening should read? 00:50:58.559 --> 00:51:01.440 A book that I've read multiple times. 00:51:02.480 --> 00:51:09.360 So I'll talk about the one that I'm reading right now, which is actually a kid's book. 00:51:09.920 --> 00:51:16.719 And that's why I have to say that it's been multiple times, because this is not the first time as a full-grown adult. 00:51:17.039 --> 00:51:17.679 I love it. 00:51:17.920 --> 00:51:32.079 But I've been reading The Phantom Tollbooth, and it's such a great book that talks about a little boy Milo, who he's bored and

he's just looking for something to do. 00:51:32.239 --> 00:51:36.480 And he gets this, he has a package in his room that's a toll booth. 00:51:36.639 --> 00:51:38.159 That was like such a random thing, right? 00:51:38.400 --> 00:51:43.519 It's a toll booth that has instructions in it, and it has a little coin for his fare. 00:51:43.920 --> 00:51:53.119 And so he follows the instructions, he puts it together, he has his little miniature car, he drives through it, pays his fare, and it takes him into this other world. 00:51:53.440 --> 00:52:05.360 And the first place that he shows up to his expectations and runs into the weatherman, and not weather like our precipitation, but W-H-E-T-A-G-R. 00:52:06.000 --> 00:52:06.719 And Mr. 00:52:06.960 --> 00:52:12.719 Weather is here to tell him, hey, everybody has to start at expectations, but my job is to keep you moving. 00:52:12.880 --> 00:52:14.880 And there are just so many different things that happen. 00:52:15.199 --> 00:52:16.800 Are you sure it's the children's book? 00:52:17.039 --> 00:52:17.599 I know. 00:52:18.800 --> 00:52:20.400 I'm like, I would read that, right? 00:52:20.480 --> 00:52:22.559 I could use that myself right now. 00:52:23.119 --> 00:52:27.280 Like, I love it because there are so many instances of real life. 00:52:27.360 --> 00:52:28.559 And I'm reading it now. 00:52:28.719 --> 00:52:34.320 I've read it as a kid, but I don't remember all, and maybe it's just because I'm seeing it from a different perspective now. 00:52:34.480 --> 00:52:35.039 Yeah, yeah, for sure. 00:52:35.199 --> 00:52:42.639 And you think about there's so many different adult themes that you read and recognize, oh yeah, everyone has to. 00:52:42.719 --> 00:52:47.519 You start at what your expectations are for things, but you can't stay there, you have to keep moving, right? 00:52:47.679 --> 00:52:52.239 And so he's driving his little car and he's confused, like, I'm here in expectations, like what? 00:52:52.559 --> 00:52:59.199 And this guy, he this guy he keeps repeating himself, he's stuttering all the things, and he's like, I gotta keep you going, you gotta keep on moving, you gotta keep on moving. 00:52:59.440 --> 00:53:04.400 And then he's on his way, he's trying to find instructions or directions how to get to Dictionopolis. 00:53:04.639 --> 00:53:06.079 He finally gets there. 00:53:06.400 --> 00:53:12.800 He needs an excuse or he needs a reason to be able to enter the gates when he runs into the guard. 00:53:12.960 --> 00:53:15.840 And he's like, I don't know, I don't have a reason. 00:53:16.000 --> 00:53:19.119 The guard looks at hold on, I think I have one that's been eaten as many times before. 00:53:19.280 --> 00:53:20.000 Ah, here's one. 00:53:20.159 --> 00:53:20.960 Why not? 00:53:21.199 --> 00:53:25.840 And I mean, I just love the concept of all the things that he's running into. 00:53:26.559 --> 00:53:28.719 So perfect for our conversation today. 00:53:29.280 --> 00:53:31.920 It's a great, it's it's a very it's a great book, right? 00:53:32.159 --> 00:53:37.280 Okay, who's and I have a little this, oh my goodness, oh I wish I wish I had bought it's okay. 00:53:37.360 --> 00:53:40.000 I can't remember to look it up. 00:53:40.159 --> 00:53:41.440 It's an excellent book. 00:53:41.599 --> 00:53:51.599 And I I found it because I was just in the bookstore a few weeks ago and I was doing a little scavenger hunt with a friend, and I was exploring the kids section, and I was like, oh, look at this. 00:53:51.760 --> 00:53:58.400 I remember the Phantom Tollbooth, and I bought it because I have a little eight-year-old friend that I said, you know what? 00:53:58.480 --> 00:54:00.880 She's a great reader, she will love this book. 00:54:00.960 --> 00:54:08.320 Now she'll have to, you know, kind of read it along because some of it is a little bit more difficult for somebody at her age, but she'll love that. 00:54:08.559 --> 00:54:10.639 She will love the adventure. 00:54:10.800 --> 00:54:15.440 Now she will see it from a completely different perspective at eight years old than I do at 40. 00:54:15.760 --> 00:54:20.480 But I just love the way that there are just so many different concepts in there. 00:54:20.639 --> 00:54:26.880 Like, oh, this is applicable to anyone at any age, just to think about how you approach life. 00:54:27.199 --> 00:54:27.840 Gosh. 00:54:28.079 --> 00:54:29.840 Okay, I'm gonna get that book. 00:54:30.000 --> 00:54:35.519 I feel like every time my guest gives me, I'm like, oh my gosh, I have so many books to read because there's so many add to your list. 00:54:36.159 --> 00:54:36.639 So good. 00:54:36.800 --> 00:54:39.440 Yeah, no, and I think we have a lot of parents that listen. 00:54:39.599 --> 00:54:47.519 So it's like this is that's a great recommendation, too, for middle school, you know, older elementary, like even high school, right? 00:54:47.760 --> 00:54:48.320 Yep. 00:54:48.639 --> 00:54:50.320 Gosh, uh, wow. 00:54:50.480 --> 00:54:56.000 Uh way to way to hit a grand slam with all these questions that you didn't know about. 00:54:56.239 --> 00:54:57.360 Incredible. 00:54:57.599 --> 00:54:58.239 Incredible. 00:54:58.480 --> 00:55:00.000 On the fly, Brittany, on the fly. 00:55:00.159 --> 00:55:01.679 On the fly, on the fly. 00:55:01.920 --> 00:55:07.039 Okay, so if the last thing that I will ask is just more a plug for your business. 00:55:07.199 --> 00:55:09.280 So, where can people find you? 00:55:09.519 --> 00:55:13.199 Um, how would they know that they need your help? 00:55:13.519 --> 00:55:14.880 Oh, absolutely. 00:55:15.119 --> 00:55:18.960 So we can be found on all the socials at Empowered for Finance. 00:55:19.039 --> 00:55:21.840 That's empowered the number four, and then finance. 00:55:22.079 --> 00:55:24.000 And how would they know that they need us? 00:55:24.079 --> 00:55:28.000 So we work with a lot of service-based small business owners. 00:55:28.079 --> 00:55:34.800 And we're here in the Alexandria,

Virginia area, but we have clients that are all across the eastern side of the U.S. 00:55:35.119 --> 00:55:46.880 We work with folks who are getting to this place where they have built a business off of their own skills and talents, and they need a little bit of support on the accounting and finance side. 00:55:47.039 --> 00:55:50.719 And we help them working with this whole idea of, hey, you know what? 00:55:50.880 --> 00:55:52.480 I need to make sure I'm in compliance. 00:55:52.639 --> 00:55:56.400 I need to make sure that my tax returns are filed and that they are accurate. 00:55:56.559 --> 00:55:59.119 I need to make sure that I understand what my books are saying. 00:55:59.280 --> 00:56:04.400 I need to understand if there are things that need to be changed, what those things are that need to be changed and why. 00:56:04.559 --> 00:56:10.320 And then as they are expanding and growing, having a partner along that journey when it's time. 00:56:10.480 --> 00:56:13.440 We've had so many folks that come along and say, hey, you know what? 00:56:13.519 --> 00:56:17.280 I'm finally at this place where I am filing my tax return. 00:56:17.440 --> 00:56:21.840 I have thousands and thousands that I owe, and I have no idea how I got to that place. 00:56:22.079 --> 00:56:23.679 Now is the time that we need to talk. 00:56:23.840 --> 00:56:24.800 We need to talk about it. 00:56:24.880 --> 00:56:28.880 We need to start looking at toward the middle of the year. 00:56:29.119 --> 00:56:31.920 What has happened on my books? 00:56:32.159 --> 00:56:35.679 What has happened in my business for this first half of the year? 00:56:35.840 --> 00:56:39.199 And what does that mean as far as what my tax liability looks like? 00:56:39.360 --> 00:56:43.039 What does that mean in terms of what decisions I might need to make for my business? 00:56:43.199 --> 00:56:47.840 What does that mean as to whether or not I can expand the way I thought that I can expand? 00:56:48.000 --> 00:56:55.360 What does that mean in terms of if I need some additional funding, what do I need to have in order to be able to get that funding and grow? 00:56:55.599 --> 00:57:02.719 So basically, we look at it just as your financial partner as your business grows and changes. 00:57:03.920 --> 00:57:04.559 So good. 00:57:04.719 --> 00:57:23.840 And one of the things that I'll say, like, I haven't had any of your services yet, but one of the things that I love about Rhonda and what stood out to me from a business perspective, especially for those of you that know that I did a lot of business advising, was that she doesn't just like say, oh, this is accounting and it's numbers and bookkeeping and my blinders are on. 00:57:24.079 --> 00:57:40.800 No, she really takes a holistic approach to to recognize and to start to bridge the gap into operations, into revenue in a way that doesn't take on the role of the business owner, but opens the eyes of the business owner to then take the steps for themselves. 00:57:40.960 --> 00:57:49.039 And I think that is beautiful because I do think there's a lot of amazing people doing work in small business, business accounting for sure, bookkeeping. 00:57:49.360 --> 00:57:59.679 But not all of them have the skill set because they worked in the space that you worked at to be able to operationally also say, okay, well, I'm here and I see this. 00:57:59.760 --> 00:58:09.679 But did you guys know foreshadow, if we adjusted this and took away this budget line item, you'd actually decrease you know spending and increase profit. 00:58:09.920 --> 00:58:11.519 And that's where you leave it, right? 00:58:11.599 --> 00:58:13.519 Like it's not your job to go and execute the change. 00:58:13.599 --> 00:58:19.199 It's not your job to go and do the work, but it but just bringing forth some ideas, things maybe you didn't think about it. 00:58:19.360 --> 00:58:19.679 Exactly. 00:58:19.920 --> 00:58:21.519 Whether you decide to go with it, that's cool. 00:58:21.599 --> 00:58:23.679 If you decide you don't want to go with it, that's okay as well. 00:58:23.920 --> 00:58:24.239 Exactly. 00:58:24.400 --> 00:58:33.440 And you have clients that receive that and do what's necessary and come back to you, not only with gratitude, but with a sense of trust to be like, all right, let me know what else you see. 00:58:33.679 --> 00:58:33.920 Right. 00:58:34.239 --> 00:58:37.920 And that is a really beautiful thing because it takes so many different layers. 00:58:38.000 --> 00:58:42.639 And I think, you know, and I'll I'll end it here because I'm very passionate about a lot of things. 00:58:42.800 --> 00:58:50.159 Um, and that is that small business owners, there is a level of like, you don't need to wait to get started because you'll never know enough. 00:58:50.320 --> 00:58:51.440 You'll never know enough, right? 00:58:51.519 --> 00:58:52.639 I say that very first. 00:58:52.880 --> 00:58:53.599 Right, right. 00:58:53.920 --> 00:59:03.840 And I will say there's a point that you do have to get where you have to look and say, okay, of where I'm at, and it could be year one, you have to say, All right, what am I good at? 00:59:04.000 --> 00:59:05.119 What gives me joy? 00:59:05.280 --> 00:59:08.880 And what do I definitely need to know that I'm not good at? 00:59:09.199 --> 00:59:12.320 And a lot of people will be like, Well, I can't afford it. 00:59:12.400 --> 00:59:14.880 I'm like, yeah, no S Sherlock, you can't afford it. 00:59:14.960 --> 00:59:16.880 I'm not saying go out and spend the money. 00:59:17.199 --> 00:59:25.519 But now that you know that this is not yours to carry, you can go and be intentional with where the money needs to go to support that. 00:59:25.679 --> 00:59:25.840 Right. 00:59:26.000 --> 00:59:29.679 So you can create revenue streams, you can redirect the spending to say, you know what? 00:59:29.840 --> 00:59:31.440 Absolutely, I need somebody with the books. 00:59:31.519 --> 00:59:32.480 I need some accounting.

00:59:32.559 --> 00:59:33.519 What is that going to look like? 00:59:33.679 --> 00:59:34.480 Have the conversation. 00:59:34.559 --> 00:59:43.039 I think I think people are so afraid to have conversations with support for small business owners, not just accounting and bookkeeping, but also social media marketing. 00:59:43.199 --> 00:59:48.639 Across the board across the board because they're afraid by having the conversation, it means that they aren't that good. 00:59:48.880 --> 00:59:51.760 And it means that they actually have to go and make the decision to do it. 00:59:51.840 --> 00:59:55.679 It's like, no, you knowing and genuine and just be transparent. 00:59:55.760 --> 01:00:02.960 Like, hey, yeah, I'm feeling that I'm gonna need to pass this off and I'm gonna need to eventually, probably in the next six months to a year, really seek out your services. 01:00:03.199 --> 01:00:04.320 Can I have more information? 01:00:04.480 --> 01:00:06.079 That's all that people need to know. 01:00:06.239 --> 01:00:11.679 But if you get weird and you go into conversations being like, so how much does it cost? 01:00:13.119 --> 01:00:18.639 And you're not transparent, it makes it weird for the person that has the services and it makes you look weird. 01:00:18.800 --> 01:00:19.599 So just don't be weird. 01:00:20.400 --> 01:00:20.719 What are we doing? 01:00:20.800 --> 01:00:22.000 Oh, what are we doing here? 01:00:22.159 --> 01:00:29.280 Like it's like we have some of the best conversations when we talk to business owners who come forward and just say, you know what? 01:00:29.440 --> 01:00:31.599 I don't even know where to start with this. 01:00:31.840 --> 01:00:33.920 Here's what my problems are. 01:00:34.480 --> 01:00:36.320 Is there something that you can do to fix it? 01:00:36.400 --> 01:00:36.800 Yeah. 01:00:36.960 --> 01:00:39.119 I'm like, okay, let's talk about it. 01:00:39.280 --> 01:00:39.679 Let's talk. 01:00:40.000 --> 01:00:40.719 Let's talk about it. 01:00:40.880 --> 01:00:46.719 And sometimes all they needed was that one conversation to just say, hey, maybe here are some things that you can do yourself. 01:00:46.800 --> 01:00:51.599 Maybe you're not at the place where this is not in your budget yet, but here's some things that you can do yourself. 01:00:51.760 --> 01:00:54.000 And here's some things that you need to be on the lookout for. 01:00:54.320 --> 01:01:03.039 And in the future, if it does come to be a part where you still just decide, hey, now this I can leverage this in my budget, come back and let's have the conversation again. 01:01:03.360 --> 01:01:16.480 And that that perspective and that way of doing business is how you know that Rhonda's good at what she does, is that she's willing to give away a few nuggets for free, knowing that it is worth every penny to invest in her. 01:01:16.559 --> 01:01:18.079 And that's all I'm gonna say on that. 01:01:18.639 --> 01:01:20.480 That's all I'm gonna say on that. 01:01:20.639 --> 01:01:21.199 That's it. 01:01:21.440 --> 01:01:23.440 Because you and I are woken from the same cloth. 01:01:23.599 --> 01:01:25.760 I sit here and give away nuggets and people are in change. 01:01:25.920 --> 01:01:30.320 And I'm like, well, I know they're gonna stick around or they're gonna be better off, right? 01:01:30.400 --> 01:01:33.679 Either, either they took advantage of it, they're gonna take it, and you're welcome. 01:01:33.840 --> 01:01:40.239 Or they're gonna be like, okay, this girl is nothing to joke about, and I'll come back, or I'll send someone to her, or whatever, you know. 01:01:40.400 --> 01:01:40.960 Either way. 01:01:41.119 --> 01:01:44.480 It's like I met someone new, you learned something that you can use. 01:01:44.639 --> 01:01:46.079 It's a win-win situation. 01:01:46.800 --> 01:01:47.440 Win-win. 01:01:47.599 --> 01:01:48.400 Win-win. 01:01:48.639 --> 01:01:49.039 Thank you. 01:01:49.360 --> 01:01:50.880 Thank you so much for doing this. 01:01:51.119 --> 01:01:52.639 Thank you for having me. 01:01:53.039 --> 01:01:54.000 Of course. 01:01:54.320 --> 01:02:08.960 I am embarrassed and not literally have to pivot myself because I was telling Chris offline, I was like, yeah, I have to actually make sure I put some Britney Wheeler show office time on my calendar because I've been doing this for so long, it's easy. 01:02:09.039 --> 01:02:13.039 But clearly, your girl dropped the ball, and I don't like dropping the ball. 01:02:13.199 --> 01:02:16.719 I don't mind what other people do, but I don't like doing it myself. 01:02:17.039 --> 01:02:17.679 It's okay. 01:02:17.760 --> 01:02:18.719 You still made it. 01:02:18.800 --> 01:02:20.320 We adventured through. 01:02:20.639 --> 01:02:21.920 We had a great conversation. 01:02:22.000 --> 01:02:22.639 I'm so grateful. 01:02:22.880 --> 01:02:23.440 And we did. 01:02:23.599 --> 01:02:24.239 It's great. 01:02:24.800 --> 01:02:25.519 Gosh. 01:02:25.840 --> 01:02:27.679 You guys, thank you so much for listening. 01:02:27.840 --> 01:02:38.400 I will put everything, the referrals and the book, and all the ways that you can connect with Rhonda in the show notes so you know you can seek her services or connect with her, share more of her story. 01:02:38.559 --> 01:02:40.480 Uh, but truly grateful for you all. 01:02:40.639 --> 01:02:45.519 Uh, you know, follow, subscribe on YouTube, follow us on all the podcasts, share this episode. 01:02:45.679 --> 01:02:48.000 I know somebody is meant to be blessed by this episode. 01:02:48.239 --> 01:02:57.760 Many people buy Rhonda's story of what she was willing to do and what she wasn't willing to do, and not willing to settle for less than what her hopes and dreams are. 01:02:57.840 --> 01:02:58.880 I know a lot of you out there. 01:02:59.679 --> 01:03:03.920 So, as always, do good things, make me proud, and we'll see you next time. 01:03:04.159 --> 01:03:05.360 Bye everybody. 01:03:12.960 --> 01:03:15.199 Free audio post production. 01:03:16.239 --> 01:03:18.079 Biophonic.com