December 6, 2024 • 20 mins
Click Here to Chat with Us! We're all ears (& probably wine).
Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or a seasoned pro, tune in for an engaging, sometimes humorous, exploration of juggling multiple ventures and building successful partnerships.
Brittany shares her insights on balancing quality and quantity to steer clear of burnout & how transitioning from corporate environments has brought about more meaningful interactions. Meanwhile, Meghan talks about her passion projects, the unique hurdles she faces, particularly in securing funding & obstacles introverts encounter with traditional networking. Join us as we uncover this chaotic yet thrilling world & our secret sauce of how to manage mixing business with friends!
🎙️fearlesslyfemaleuncensored@gmail.com
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Meghan (00:05):
Welcome to Fearlessly Female, where two blondes make a
right.
We are Megan and Brittany, thehosts of Fearlessly Female.
This podcast was born out ofambition, drive and a lot of
wine.
We're two powerhouse comedicwomen having uncensored
conversations about topics thataffect women.
We're airing all the dirtylaundry, so grab your favorite
drink and give us a listen,because we're diving into the
(00:26):
wild world of serialentrepreneurship.
Today We've got hustlers,jugglers and, yes, even some
flame outs.
Join us on this roller coaster.
Brittany (00:36):
And remember we're keeping it uncensored.
So get ready for the real dealon juggling businesses,
navigating partnerships andbuilding a network that won't
crumble under pressure like yourNature valley bar.
Warning calm your tits.
Offense will not be taken here.
So grab your favorite drink,burn your bra and let's have a
good time.
Meghan (00:53):
First things first, let's talk about the allure of
serial entrepreneurship life,the freedom, the impact, the
chance to build empires.
It's intoxicating, right.
Brittany (01:04):
Absolutely.
But before you start namingyour yacht queen of hustle,
let's talk about the elephant inthe room.
Is being a serial entrepreneura recipe for success or a
one-way ticket to burnout city?
Meghan (01:17):
Let's dissect both sides .
The pro side super long you'rediversifying your income,
spreading your risk andconstantly learning new things,
and the independence, freedom,the high of building something
from scratch that comes with it.
Basically, you're a businessninja, leaving a trail of
success in your wake, right.
Brittany (01:39):
Oh, if only if it was that easy being a ninja master.
We can't forget our cons.
They're just as spicy.
Okay, diversification can beawesome, but you're also looking
at stretched resources,potential for neglecting one
venture for another and theever-present risk of
entrepreneurial whiplash.
Meghan (01:58):
Don't forget the mental marathon.
Juggling businesses can feellike juggling chainsaws while
blindfolded.
Burnout is real and it ain'tpretty.
Brittany (02:09):
Oh, my goodness, tell me about it.
I guess my biggestrecommendation here is quality
over quantity.
But okay, what does that meanFor me?
I want to do everything andanything under the sun, so I'll
sit there and leave projectshalf finished, chasing the next
high.
While managing a corporate job,I got extremely burnt out, and
quick.
But what I learned, what worksfor me is one, maybe two
(02:32):
businesses that I focus on.
So, for example, I own a poolcleaning company and I work on
this podcast, but the level ofeffort for each of them varies,
but they also complement eachother, so I don't feel burnt out
24-7.
And then in parallel I havequote like passion projects,
right?
So if adventures I want tostart, or I'm slowly building,
(02:53):
designing a vision, you know,coming up with a budget content
ad hoc when I have free time,and then, when I'm ready, I can
assess where I want to focus mytime and energy.
So if I want to put people inplaces where I've already built
up those systems, I can executeon those passion projects more
quickly.
What about you?
Or am I like just crazy?
Meghan (03:14):
Incredibly accurate, or we're both crazy.
So I have my corporate job andthis podcast.
Of course, this podcast for meis almost therapeutic.
The writing of episodes andcoming up with topics allows me
to really play in a creativespace.
But I also need to make sure Idon't force it.
I don't always have ideas onthe podcast or the energy or
(03:35):
mindset to be working on it, butwhen I do, I try to take
advantage of it and harness it.
The other passion project ofmine is called Hands on History.
I know a few of my friends whoare listening are probably
groaning because they have heardme talk about this for well
decades now and they have seenmy super intense passion around
it and then also seen it slideaway.
Brittany (03:58):
Oh my gosh, I'm really excited.
Okay, so this sounds prettycool.
What is it?
Give us like a high-levelsummary of what this is.
Meghan (04:11):
So think about like an escape room and and like a
murder mystery.
But all history themed.
So travelers, as I would callthem, when they come to my old
fashioned brick and mortar place, they get a new identity and
costumes and currencies of thetime and then they go get
immersed in something like EllisIsland or a Japanese internment
camp.
Much better than watching asilly video and not really
grasping what American historyis all about.
Brittany (04:30):
Oh my gosh, that sounds so much fun.
I love a good murder mysteryand this just like, sounds like
way better, especially with theescape room things.
I can never figure out theescape room and just get
frustrated and want to leave,but this sounds like a lot of
fun, so what's?
What's stopping you from?
Meghan (04:44):
launching this Money cashola investors maybe.
So I've done so much work onthis concept.
Really, all that's stopping meis the money to do it.
I've started other projects,like an Airbnb, so I can start
replacing my corporate income inhopes that one day I can start
this business.
But to all the listeners outthere, if you have connections
or ideas on hands-on history,send them my way.
Brittany (05:08):
I love that.
I love that.
Okay, so would you say that thepros outweigh the cons, at
least for serialentrepreneurship, like specific
to certain personalities, likeif you thrive on variety and
have a fire in your soul forbuilding empires and I don't
know, maybe the chaos is worthit.
Meghan (05:24):
Totally so.
For me, it's all aboutself-awareness.
You have to know your strengthsand weaknesses before you
become a juggling entrepreneurextraordinaire.
I'm really proud of myself forsaying that Strength.
My strengths are being creative, like I work so well in a
startup environment.
But once a project gets likequote unquote to maintenance, I
(05:46):
totally lose passion andinterest.
Right, and then my all my otherweakness is sales.
I cannot go out and like sellan idea or get the money.
Hence the like paws on hands onhistory, right, like I'm stuck
there.
But, brittany, I think you'rean incredible example for others
managing what this balancelooks like.
Brittany (06:07):
Yeah, I think definitely.
The self-awareness is good,like you know, kind of decide
what things you're good at, whatthings maybe not that you're
not good at, but don't reallyhave a passion for learning and
just figuring out, like you know.
Ok, what can I outsource, whatcan I keep in house?
So, speaking of empires, let'sget personal.
We're both investors, but I'dsay our styles are a little bit
(06:27):
different.
What kind of ventures are youcurrently juggling?
Any juicy details or advicemaybe you can share?
Meghan (06:33):
Oh girl, you know I cannot resist a good tease.
So before I mentioned I have anAirbnb.
That's my primary businessoutside working, my corporate
job, and it has been such ajourney.
So I closed on the house onFebruary 28th and I had my first
booking on March 20 or March10th and so like it's probably
(06:55):
illegal.
Hopefully I don't get introuble.
And so like it's probablyillegal, hopefully I don't get
in trouble, but I had posted thehouse on Airbnb for booking
before I had closed on it, so Ireally truly had like 10 days to
like get this house up to aworking Airbnb.
My house was filled withfurniture Like I had rearranged
(07:15):
my own living room.
There was two couches in there,four chairs, like I don't even
know how many ceiling?
fans.
That's a whole other story.
The garage was a completelyfull I.
I have a picture, I'll post iton our social media.
It was just wild Right, um.
But you really have to havethick skin when you do this
(07:36):
Right.
So to me it was an incredibleaccomplishment to buy a second
home.
If you go back to one of ourfirst podcasts of why I left
California, it was because Iknew I would never be a
homeowner there, right.
So now you fast forward and Ihave two homes.
So this was a very personalaccomplishment to me in running
this business.
(07:56):
And those first reviews raked meover the coals and it was like
completely unnecessary to like.
One of them was like you don'thave enough pots and pans, girl.
I counted there's like six.
I don't know what you need fora weekend, but that's way too
many, right.
And then there was people thattalked about the value of the
(08:16):
house.
It wasn't a good value.
I promise you is cheaper than ahotel.
I got holes left in the wall.
Someone complained that therewasn't a light bulb in the floor
lamp.
I got this amazing guest bookfrom Brittany beautiful, like
you know wood case, front, blackpaper, beautiful markers, right
.
And then people would likewrite horrible things in there.
(08:40):
It was just rough.
Brittany (08:43):
You know, I definitely saw that guest book going a
whole lot differently in my mindand I looked at a lot of them
and I'm glad I ended up pickingthe one where you can like add
pages to it or, in this case Iguess, take them out.
But yeah, it just played out alot differently.
But I mean I guess you know itgives us a lot more content now
to talk about.
Meghan (09:01):
Absolutely so.
Teaser on the content I amwriting a book about the Airbnb
stories that I have, but really,in the end, other people are
paying for my house.
I haven't had to pay for amortgage personally.
It's all being paid for by thebookings, and so you know that
thick skin has mattered.
(09:21):
It's reminding myself that youknow what.
It doesn't matter, I'm gettinga house out of it.
Have some thick skin and moveon.
Brittany (09:27):
Yeah, and I think definitely keeping things in
perspective, you know, helps tolike.
I don't have an Airbnb example.
I have more or less like along-term rental property and I
have a property manager there.
So my relationship with her andthat property is a lot
different than yours with theAirbnb.
But I also own a pool cleaningcompany and I'm working on a
couple of passion projects onthe side, but my main focus
(09:49):
right now is just growing thepool cleaning company.
Meghan (09:52):
Wait a minute.
You need to preach it, girl.
You are not touting yoursuccess like you should.
Brittany (09:57):
You need to preach it, girl, you are not touting your
success like you should, Okay,okay.
So I was just really fed upwith my corporate job and I was
just like a rabid animal, likecornered in.
You know, when you see thosecats or like mice, like cornered
, I'm like I need to get out.
I need to get out.
I'm like struggling to find away and I like researched
everything and then I cameacross like this couple of posts
(10:18):
on Instagram about buying smallbusinesses.
So I'm like, all right, let meyou know, I'm up for anything at
this point.
I hate my job that much.
And so I started looking intoit more and more and I was like,
ok, this pool cleaning company,you know, is relatively
profitable.
I have enough money to go andbuy one, I can take a loan out,
you know whatever.
I have enough money to go andbuy one, I can take a loan out,
(10:54):
you know whatever.
Meghan (10:54):
And the first year that I ran it, I mean I have like a
ton of stories about like thesepeople, but the first year I
made more in sales than what Iever made in corporate, like
either in California or like inTennessee, and it was just wild.
That's awesome.
I am so incredibly proud of youand sometimes, like the word
proud, like can soundcondescending, but we need to
change that.
Like, I'm incredibly proud ofyou, but I also know it hasn't
been all glamour.
So talk to us about some poolstories.
Brittany (11:11):
Thank you, thank you, yeah, I mean, I'm pretty sure my
parents were just like you know, they didn't come out and say
it, but they were probably justwhat the hell is this girl doing
?
Like I've paid for all theschooling and now she's a pool
route.
And even when I told my friendsthey're just like why?
But that's the why?
So I have all these like funnypool stories.
(11:32):
So I work with, you know, hotels, homeowners associations,
residentials, and it's veryinteresting to see the different
dynamic between the threedifferent, you know, target
clients.
I guess the residentials aresuper easy, like they want to
maintain their home, right,because that's their pool, they
use it, they have their familythere, all that jazz.
(11:52):
So super great.
But when you start getting intothe hotels and the homeowners
associations, it's just likeabsolutely wild because you know
, I'm not, you know, in thebusiness of screwing people over
.
I want to bring them.
You know, hey, this ishappening.
Here's some proactive measuresyou can take to maintain your
pool and all that stuff.
You might want to think aboutit.
(12:12):
We live in Florida, right?
So it is hot, it is humid, itrains.
There's a lot of weather goingon in, you know, south Florida,
so that breeds like algae, mold.
There's a lot of maintenancethat goes into, you know,
maintaining pools and otherparts of your home, and you know
, trying to communicate that tosomebody in a homeowners
(12:34):
association is a lot different,and you know.
So I'll bring it up as beingproactive, thinking that people
want to take care of you, knowtheir community, and then just
let it go, let it go, and thenthe pool turns green or, you
know, something happens.
This is my favorite.
The Department of Health comesin and you've already told them
about the things and they shutthem down, saying like you
cannot operate this pool becauseit's disgusting, and I'm like,
(12:55):
ok, well, I hate to say I toldyou so, but I can't come out and
say I told you so.
Meghan (12:59):
So that's some awesome validation.
I would absolutely love ifsomeone came in and told my
guests how ridiculous they were.
Again, you're going to have tobuy the book or listen to the
podcast to hear those storiesbut I assure you they are
classic, classically horrible.
Brittany (13:16):
Oh, I can't wait to read it.
All right, enough about us.
Let's talk about navigatingsome treacherous waters, of
doing business with people andnavigating those tricky
situations.
So what's your take on thesituation?
Meghan (13:28):
Honestly.
I mean, my dad has said this tome more than a million times at
this point.
Know, your customers want tohave a voice and an opinion and
have thick skin and I know Isaid thick skin, right, but like
they've complained about likeroosters next door that I really
have no control about.
You know, just it's.
They just have to say somethingso they feel that they have
(13:51):
power and control and you justhave to remind yourself.
You know what they're payingthe mortgage.
So either I'm going to fix itor ignore it.
Brittany (14:02):
I agree, I think having thick skin is super
important and not takinganything personally and, you
know, just going in with goodintentions, Right.
Because at the end of the day Ithink people really just want
to feel seen and heard.
I mean, you know you're goingto get people that are just
upset, unhappy.
I think going in, trying tounderstand maybe where that
person's coming from, offer asolution, that's a win win.
Sometimes it doesn't alwayswork out that way.
(14:26):
You also get people that arejust angry and whatever happens
in their personal life, theyjust take it out on everybody
else.
So maybe they're just not worththe headache, right.
But for what I do at the end ofthe year, you know, regardless
of whatever the dynamic is, is Isend everybody Christmas gifts.
It's nothing crazy, nothing,you know, super expensive, but
(14:46):
just a little something toremind you.
Hey, I'm thinking about you, Iappreciate you, I'm trying to
grow like a longer long-termrelationship with you and I
think you know we get so wrappedup in KPIs and sales and making
money the day-to-day that weforget how far like little
simple gestures go.
Meghan (15:04):
The KPI reference is key performance indicators.
I'm very happy that Brittanyhasn't lost all of her corporate
lingo.
I will tell you, my Airbnbguests are not getting Christmas
gifts yet, though I do givethem a little welcome gift,
which is a surprise when theyshow up.
I love that Just a littlesomething, something Okay.
Brittany (15:25):
so here's a great topic building a fearless
network.
I think we all heard, you know,network, network, network, and
this is something still to thisday I struggle with.
Just so, how do you go aboutbuilding a network without
feeling like a used car salesman?
Meghan (15:39):
Oh my gosh.
So honestly, this is not mystrength.
Many people scoff when I tellthem this, but I'm the many
people that scoff too.
No, like everybody is.
I mean, I was talking to mysister-in-law and she's like
this is new information.
I am so surprised.
So I'm an introvert at heartand people never tag me as an
(16:00):
introvert, so traditionalnetworking does not work for me.
I definitely built one in gradschool that's how I met Brittany
, so I obviously was able to dothat.
But in the corporate world Ireally just rely on my work.
People come to me for answersbecause they know I'm going to
get back to them and it may havenothing to do with my job and
(16:20):
what I do, but it gets to apoint where they just rely on me
and trust me, and that's reallyhow I get a trust, a reputation
and build my network.
Brittany (16:29):
Yes, I love that.
Authenticity is key, beingyourself connecting with people
on a genuine level, withoutulterior motives or expecting
something in return.
I'm not trying to get all likespiritual here, but for me I can
really read people's energiesand vibes like very well, so I
really can't explain it, butprobably within like a couple of
minutes meeting someone I know,this is like a relationship I
(16:50):
want to pursue if you're just,you know, a sleazy car salesman
or whatever.
But for me what I reallystruggled with was in the
corporate setting and networking, because I just felt I always
had to censor myself to fit somesort of mold and on top of that
I was always being superficialwith the interactions, the
people that I met, and it wasalways more like how can this
(17:12):
person benefit me?
Rather than making a genuineconnection.
And it wasn't just me meetingthem.
I also felt it likereciprocated on both ends.
But once I moved out ofcorporate and own my own
business, I started to, you know, network a little bit more,
just with random people right,like neighbors, bartenders,
random people at the gym, and itwas just completely 180.
(17:33):
I didn't feel the pressure ofconstantly having to edit myself
and I can inquire with otherpeople about what they were
doing, ventures they were in,and it was more of a genuine
connection.
Meghan (17:44):
Authenticity and genuinity is key, Also major
points for me saying that wordcorrectly, but because it's just
honestly so rare nowadays,people are drawn to it.
The corporate setting is whereI've had some really big success
.
In a previous role I had nodirect reports, but I had over
200 indirect reports and myinfluence over them was helping
(18:07):
them build a better culture atthe company.
When I was leaving, people weresaying things like you know,
I've created a legacy.
The massive impact.
No one can fill your shoes.
But I say that to say I wassuccessful because I genuinely
cared about people's success,whatever that might look like,
and did my best to help themreach that success and then
(18:28):
provided answers.
If they needed something, I wasgoing to find it and they knew
they could rely on me.
Building a strong network takestime and effort, but the
rewards are worth it.
It can open doors to newopportunities, provide valuable
advice and even lead tounexpected collaborations.
Brittany (18:45):
I love this.
Meghan (18:47):
Well, before we wrap up, let's give our listeners some
golden nuggets on finding theright business partner
trustworthy, reliable andsomeone who complements your
skill sets or a given Gosh.
That sounds a little likedating right, but what else
should they look for?
Brittany (19:03):
For relationships.
Personally, in my experience,what it really boils down to is
being open and having honestcommunication, especially in
business, sharing the samevalues, and that you're both
aiming in the same direction.
Meghan (19:16):
So I don't want to ruin the Uncorked and Unwidened
podcast for you guys.
But Brittany and I have apassword for our business
relationship.
Ultimately, our friendship ismore important than business.
So if we're going to have adifficult conversation or
disagreements, we use thepassword Hint.
It's my least favorite wine,though I would say it's not even
wine in my book.
Brittany (19:36):
Definitely not wine.
Above all else, having theright contracts in place to
outline you know what you agreedto, right, because you know
it's all great when you talkabout it, but but really boils
down to what's in writingBecause you know, you kind of
know when to hold them, when tofold them when to walk or run
away.
Meghan (19:54):
Exactly exactly, that's the first and last time you're
going to hear us sing, butreally that's the golden rule.
So Fearlessly, fam.
Remember, being a serialentrepreneur is a wild ride.
Am Remember, being serialentrepreneur is a wild ride, but
with the right mindset, networkand definitely a good therapist
on speed dial, you can conquerthe business world like a boss.
Brittany (20:15):
If you yourself have ambition, drive and booze in
your system, we'd love to hearfrom you or have you on a guest
on our podcast, so feel free toemail us at.
Welcome to Fearlessly Female, where two blondes make a
right.
We are Megan and Brittany, thehosts of Fearlessly Female.
This podcast was born out ofambition, drive and a lot of
wine.
We're two powerhouse comedicwomen having uncensored
conversations about topics thataffect women.
We're airing all the dirtylaundry, so grab your favorite
drink and give us a listen,because we're diving into the
(00:26):
wild world of serialentrepreneurship.
Today We've got hustlers,jugglers and, yes, even some
flame outs.
Join us on this roller coaster.
Brittany (00:36):
And remember we're keeping it uncensored.
So get ready for the real dealon juggling businesses,
navigating partnerships andbuilding a network that won't
crumble under pressure like yourNature valley bar.
Warning calm your tits.
Offense will not be taken here.
So grab your favorite drink,burn your bra and let's have a
good time.
Meghan (00:53):
First things first, let's talk about the allure of
serial entrepreneurship life,the freedom, the impact, the
chance to build empires.
It's intoxicating, right.
Brittany (01:04):
Absolutely.
But before you start namingyour yacht queen of hustle,
let's talk about the elephant inthe room.
Is being a serial entrepreneura recipe for success or a
one-way ticket to burnout city?
Meghan (01:17):
Let's dissect both sides .
The pro side super long you'rediversifying your income,
spreading your risk andconstantly learning new things,
and the independence, freedom,the high of building something
from scratch that comes with it.
Basically, you're a businessninja, leaving a trail of
success in your wake, right.
Brittany (01:39):
Oh, if only if it was that easy being a ninja master.
We can't forget our cons.
They're just as spicy.
Okay, diversification can beawesome, but you're also looking
at stretched resources,potential for neglecting one
venture for another and theever-present risk of
entrepreneurial whiplash.
Meghan (01:58):
Don't forget the mental marathon.
Juggling businesses can feellike juggling chainsaws while
blindfolded.
Burnout is real and it ain'tpretty.
Brittany (02:09):
Oh, my goodness, tell me about it.
I guess my biggestrecommendation here is quality
over quantity.
But okay, what does that meanFor me?
I want to do everything andanything under the sun, so I'll
sit there and leave projectshalf finished, chasing the next
high.
While managing a corporate job,I got extremely burnt out, and
quick.
But what I learned, what worksfor me is one, maybe two
(02:32):
businesses that I focus on.
So, for example, I own a poolcleaning company and I work on
this podcast, but the level ofeffort for each of them varies,
but they also complement eachother, so I don't feel burnt out
24-7.
And then in parallel I havequote like passion projects,
right?
So if adventures I want tostart, or I'm slowly building,
(02:53):
designing a vision, you know,coming up with a budget content
ad hoc when I have free time,and then, when I'm ready, I can
assess where I want to focus mytime and energy.
So if I want to put people inplaces where I've already built
up those systems, I can executeon those passion projects more
quickly.
What about you?
Or am I like just crazy?
Meghan (03:14):
Incredibly accurate, or we're both crazy.
So I have my corporate job andthis podcast.
Of course, this podcast for meis almost therapeutic.
The writing of episodes andcoming up with topics allows me
to really play in a creativespace.
But I also need to make sure Idon't force it.
I don't always have ideas onthe podcast or the energy or
(03:35):
mindset to be working on it, butwhen I do, I try to take
advantage of it and harness it.
The other passion project ofmine is called Hands on History.
I know a few of my friends whoare listening are probably
groaning because they have heardme talk about this for well
decades now and they have seenmy super intense passion around
it and then also seen it slideaway.
Brittany (03:58):
Oh my gosh, I'm really excited.
Okay, so this sounds prettycool.
What is it?
Give us like a high-levelsummary of what this is.
Meghan (04:11):
So think about like an escape room and and like a
murder mystery.
But all history themed.
So travelers, as I would callthem, when they come to my old
fashioned brick and mortar place, they get a new identity and
costumes and currencies of thetime and then they go get
immersed in something like EllisIsland or a Japanese internment
camp.
Much better than watching asilly video and not really
grasping what American historyis all about.
Brittany (04:30):
Oh my gosh, that sounds so much fun.
I love a good murder mysteryand this just like, sounds like
way better, especially with theescape room things.
I can never figure out theescape room and just get
frustrated and want to leave,but this sounds like a lot of
fun, so what's?
What's stopping you from?
Meghan (04:44):
launching this Money cashola investors maybe.
So I've done so much work onthis concept.
Really, all that's stopping meis the money to do it.
I've started other projects,like an Airbnb, so I can start
replacing my corporate income inhopes that one day I can start
this business.
But to all the listeners outthere, if you have connections
or ideas on hands-on history,send them my way.
Brittany (05:08):
I love that.
I love that.
Okay, so would you say that thepros outweigh the cons, at
least for serialentrepreneurship, like specific
to certain personalities, likeif you thrive on variety and
have a fire in your soul forbuilding empires and I don't
know, maybe the chaos is worthit.
Meghan (05:24):
Totally so.
For me, it's all aboutself-awareness.
You have to know your strengthsand weaknesses before you
become a juggling entrepreneurextraordinaire.
I'm really proud of myself forsaying that Strength.
My strengths are being creative, like I work so well in a
startup environment.
But once a project gets likequote unquote to maintenance, I
(05:46):
totally lose passion andinterest.
Right, and then my all my otherweakness is sales.
I cannot go out and like sellan idea or get the money.
Hence the like paws on hands onhistory, right, like I'm stuck
there.
But, brittany, I think you'rean incredible example for others
managing what this balancelooks like.
Brittany (06:07):
Yeah, I think definitely.
The self-awareness is good,like you know, kind of decide
what things you're good at, whatthings maybe not that you're
not good at, but don't reallyhave a passion for learning and
just figuring out, like you know.
Ok, what can I outsource, whatcan I keep in house?
So, speaking of empires, let'sget personal.
We're both investors, but I'dsay our styles are a little bit
(06:27):
different.
What kind of ventures are youcurrently juggling?
Any juicy details or advicemaybe you can share?
Meghan (06:33):
Oh girl, you know I cannot resist a good tease.
So before I mentioned I have anAirbnb.
That's my primary businessoutside working, my corporate
job, and it has been such ajourney.
So I closed on the house onFebruary 28th and I had my first
booking on March 20 or March10th and so like it's probably
(06:55):
illegal.
Hopefully I don't get introuble.
And so like it's probablyillegal, hopefully I don't get
in trouble, but I had posted thehouse on Airbnb for booking
before I had closed on it, so Ireally truly had like 10 days to
like get this house up to aworking Airbnb.
My house was filled withfurniture Like I had rearranged
(07:15):
my own living room.
There was two couches in there,four chairs, like I don't even
know how many ceiling?
fans.
That's a whole other story.
The garage was a completelyfull I.
I have a picture, I'll post iton our social media.
It was just wild Right, um.
But you really have to havethick skin when you do this
(07:36):
Right.
So to me it was an incredibleaccomplishment to buy a second
home.
If you go back to one of ourfirst podcasts of why I left
California, it was because Iknew I would never be a
homeowner there, right.
So now you fast forward and Ihave two homes.
So this was a very personalaccomplishment to me in running
this business.
(07:56):
And those first reviews raked meover the coals and it was like
completely unnecessary to like.
One of them was like you don'thave enough pots and pans, girl.
I counted there's like six.
I don't know what you need fora weekend, but that's way too
many, right.
And then there was people thattalked about the value of the
(08:16):
house.
It wasn't a good value.
I promise you is cheaper than ahotel.
I got holes left in the wall.
Someone complained that therewasn't a light bulb in the floor
lamp.
I got this amazing guest bookfrom Brittany beautiful, like
you know wood case, front, blackpaper, beautiful markers, right
.
And then people would likewrite horrible things in there.
(08:40):
It was just rough.
Brittany (08:43):
You know, I definitely saw that guest book going a
whole lot differently in my mindand I looked at a lot of them
and I'm glad I ended up pickingthe one where you can like add
pages to it or, in this case Iguess, take them out.
But yeah, it just played out alot differently.
But I mean I guess you know itgives us a lot more content now
to talk about.
Meghan (09:01):
Absolutely so.
Teaser on the content I amwriting a book about the Airbnb
stories that I have, but really,in the end, other people are
paying for my house.
I haven't had to pay for amortgage personally.
It's all being paid for by thebookings, and so you know that
thick skin has mattered.
(09:21):
It's reminding myself that youknow what.
It doesn't matter, I'm gettinga house out of it.
Have some thick skin and moveon.
Brittany (09:27):
Yeah, and I think definitely keeping things in
perspective, you know, helps tolike.
I don't have an Airbnb example.
I have more or less like along-term rental property and I
have a property manager there.
So my relationship with her andthat property is a lot
different than yours with theAirbnb.
But I also own a pool cleaningcompany and I'm working on a
couple of passion projects onthe side, but my main focus
(09:49):
right now is just growing thepool cleaning company.
Meghan (09:52):
Wait a minute.
You need to preach it, girl.
You are not touting yoursuccess like you should.
Brittany (09:57):
You need to preach it, girl, you are not touting your
success like you should, Okay,okay.
So I was just really fed upwith my corporate job and I was
just like a rabid animal, likecornered in.
You know, when you see thosecats or like mice, like cornered
, I'm like I need to get out.
I need to get out.
I'm like struggling to find away and I like researched
everything and then I cameacross like this couple of posts
(10:18):
on Instagram about buying smallbusinesses.
So I'm like, all right, let meyou know, I'm up for anything at
this point.
I hate my job that much.
And so I started looking intoit more and more and I was like,
ok, this pool cleaning company,you know, is relatively
profitable.
I have enough money to go andbuy one, I can take a loan out,
you know whatever.
I have enough money to go andbuy one, I can take a loan out,
(10:54):
you know whatever.
Meghan (10:54):
And the first year that I ran it, I mean I have like a
ton of stories about like thesepeople, but the first year I
made more in sales than what Iever made in corporate, like
either in California or like inTennessee, and it was just wild.
That's awesome.
I am so incredibly proud of youand sometimes, like the word
proud, like can soundcondescending, but we need to
change that.
Like, I'm incredibly proud ofyou, but I also know it hasn't
been all glamour.
So talk to us about some poolstories.
Brittany (11:11):
Thank you, thank you, yeah, I mean, I'm pretty sure my
parents were just like you know, they didn't come out and say
it, but they were probably justwhat the hell is this girl doing
?
Like I've paid for all theschooling and now she's a pool
route.
And even when I told my friendsthey're just like why?
But that's the why?
So I have all these like funnypool stories.
(11:32):
So I work with, you know, hotels, homeowners associations,
residentials, and it's veryinteresting to see the different
dynamic between the threedifferent, you know, target
clients.
I guess the residentials aresuper easy, like they want to
maintain their home, right,because that's their pool, they
use it, they have their familythere, all that jazz.
(11:52):
So super great.
But when you start getting intothe hotels and the homeowners
associations, it's just likeabsolutely wild because you know
, I'm not, you know, in thebusiness of screwing people over
.
I want to bring them.
You know, hey, this ishappening.
Here's some proactive measuresyou can take to maintain your
pool and all that stuff.
You might want to think aboutit.
(12:12):
We live in Florida, right?
So it is hot, it is humid, itrains.
There's a lot of weather goingon in, you know, south Florida,
so that breeds like algae, mold.
There's a lot of maintenancethat goes into, you know,
maintaining pools and otherparts of your home, and you know
, trying to communicate that tosomebody in a homeowners
(12:34):
association is a lot different,and you know.
So I'll bring it up as beingproactive, thinking that people
want to take care of you, knowtheir community, and then just
let it go, let it go, and thenthe pool turns green or, you
know, something happens.
This is my favorite.
The Department of Health comesin and you've already told them
about the things and they shutthem down, saying like you
cannot operate this pool becauseit's disgusting, and I'm like,
(12:55):
ok, well, I hate to say I toldyou so, but I can't come out and
say I told you so.
Meghan (12:59):
So that's some awesome validation.
I would absolutely love ifsomeone came in and told my
guests how ridiculous they were.
Again, you're going to have tobuy the book or listen to the
podcast to hear those storiesbut I assure you they are
classic, classically horrible.
Brittany (13:16):
Oh, I can't wait to read it.
All right, enough about us.
Let's talk about navigatingsome treacherous waters, of
doing business with people andnavigating those tricky
situations.
So what's your take on thesituation?
Meghan (13:28):
Honestly.
I mean, my dad has said this tome more than a million times at
this point.
Know, your customers want tohave a voice and an opinion and
have thick skin and I know Isaid thick skin, right, but like
they've complained about likeroosters next door that I really
have no control about.
You know, just it's.
They just have to say somethingso they feel that they have
(13:51):
power and control and you justhave to remind yourself.
You know what they're payingthe mortgage.
So either I'm going to fix itor ignore it.
Brittany (14:02):
I agree, I think having thick skin is super
important and not takinganything personally and, you
know, just going in with goodintentions, Right.
Because at the end of the day Ithink people really just want
to feel seen and heard.
I mean, you know you're goingto get people that are just
upset, unhappy.
I think going in, trying tounderstand maybe where that
person's coming from, offer asolution, that's a win win.
Sometimes it doesn't alwayswork out that way.
(14:26):
You also get people that arejust angry and whatever happens
in their personal life, theyjust take it out on everybody
else.
So maybe they're just not worththe headache, right.
But for what I do at the end ofthe year, you know, regardless
of whatever the dynamic is, is Isend everybody Christmas gifts.
It's nothing crazy, nothing,you know, super expensive, but
(14:46):
just a little something toremind you.
Hey, I'm thinking about you, Iappreciate you, I'm trying to
grow like a longer long-termrelationship with you and I
think you know we get so wrappedup in KPIs and sales and making
money the day-to-day that weforget how far like little
simple gestures go.
Meghan (15:04):
The KPI reference is key performance indicators.
I'm very happy that Brittanyhasn't lost all of her corporate
lingo.
I will tell you, my Airbnbguests are not getting Christmas
gifts yet, though I do givethem a little welcome gift,
which is a surprise when theyshow up.
I love that Just a littlesomething, something Okay.
Brittany (15:25):
so here's a great topic building a fearless
network.
I think we all heard, you know,network, network, network, and
this is something still to thisday I struggle with.
Just so, how do you go aboutbuilding a network without
feeling like a used car salesman?
Meghan (15:39):
Oh my gosh.
So honestly, this is not mystrength.
Many people scoff when I tellthem this, but I'm the many
people that scoff too.
No, like everybody is.
I mean, I was talking to mysister-in-law and she's like
this is new information.
I am so surprised.
So I'm an introvert at heartand people never tag me as an
(16:00):
introvert, so traditionalnetworking does not work for me.
I definitely built one in gradschool that's how I met Brittany
, so I obviously was able to dothat.
But in the corporate world Ireally just rely on my work.
People come to me for answersbecause they know I'm going to
get back to them and it may havenothing to do with my job and
(16:20):
what I do, but it gets to apoint where they just rely on me
and trust me, and that's reallyhow I get a trust, a reputation
and build my network.
Brittany (16:29):
Yes, I love that.
Authenticity is key, beingyourself connecting with people
on a genuine level, withoutulterior motives or expecting
something in return.
I'm not trying to get all likespiritual here, but for me I can
really read people's energiesand vibes like very well, so I
really can't explain it, butprobably within like a couple of
minutes meeting someone I know,this is like a relationship I
(16:50):
want to pursue if you're just,you know, a sleazy car salesman
or whatever.
But for me what I reallystruggled with was in the
corporate setting and networking, because I just felt I always
had to censor myself to fit somesort of mold and on top of that
I was always being superficialwith the interactions, the
people that I met, and it wasalways more like how can this
(17:12):
person benefit me?
Rather than making a genuineconnection.
And it wasn't just me meetingthem.
I also felt it likereciprocated on both ends.
But once I moved out ofcorporate and own my own
business, I started to, you know, network a little bit more,
just with random people right,like neighbors, bartenders,
random people at the gym, and itwas just completely 180.
(17:33):
I didn't feel the pressure ofconstantly having to edit myself
and I can inquire with otherpeople about what they were
doing, ventures they were in,and it was more of a genuine
connection.
Meghan (17:44):
Authenticity and genuinity is key, Also major
points for me saying that wordcorrectly, but because it's just
honestly so rare nowadays,people are drawn to it.
The corporate setting is whereI've had some really big success
.
In a previous role I had nodirect reports, but I had over
200 indirect reports and myinfluence over them was helping
(18:07):
them build a better culture atthe company.
When I was leaving, people weresaying things like you know,
I've created a legacy.
The massive impact.
No one can fill your shoes.
But I say that to say I wassuccessful because I genuinely
cared about people's success,whatever that might look like,
and did my best to help themreach that success and then
(18:28):
provided answers.
If they needed something, I wasgoing to find it and they knew
they could rely on me.
Building a strong network takestime and effort, but the
rewards are worth it.
It can open doors to newopportunities, provide valuable
advice and even lead tounexpected collaborations.
Brittany (18:45):
I love this.
Meghan (18:47):
Well, before we wrap up, let's give our listeners some
golden nuggets on finding theright business partner
trustworthy, reliable andsomeone who complements your
skill sets or a given Gosh.
That sounds a little likedating right, but what else
should they look for?
Brittany (19:03):
For relationships.
Personally, in my experience,what it really boils down to is
being open and having honestcommunication, especially in
business, sharing the samevalues, and that you're both
aiming in the same direction.
Meghan (19:16):
So I don't want to ruin the Uncorked and Unwidened
podcast for you guys.
But Brittany and I have apassword for our business
relationship.
Ultimately, our friendship ismore important than business.
So if we're going to have adifficult conversation or
disagreements, we use thepassword Hint.
It's my least favorite wine,though I would say it's not even
wine in my book.
Brittany (19:36):
Definitely not wine.
Above all else, having theright contracts in place to
outline you know what you agreedto, right, because you know
it's all great when you talkabout it, but but really boils
down to what's in writingBecause you know, you kind of
know when to hold them, when tofold them when to walk or run
away.
Meghan (19:54):
Exactly exactly, that's the first and last time you're
going to hear us sing, butreally that's the golden rule.
So Fearlessly, fam.
Remember, being a serialentrepreneur is a wild ride.
Am Remember, being serialentrepreneur is a wild ride, but
with the right mindset, networkand definitely a good therapist
on speed dial, you can conquerthe business world like a boss.
Brittany (20:15):
If you yourself have ambition, drive and booze in
your system, we'd love to hearfrom you or have you on a guest
on our podcast, so feel free toemail us at.
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