How to be an Entrepreneur LIVE

It's our first live episode! Join hosts Kai and Wendy for an honest discussion on what it means to be an entrepreneur today.

Got an idea for the show? Email [e-mail]

Episode Transcript

(00:19):
Alright. Hello, everybody. Welcome to balancing life's issues
the podcast,
Wendy.
We do a class on techno no stress.
And we were just experiencing that for the
last 30 seconds, so something happened with our
stream, but there's a link
that gray is gonna help get into the
event which is say isn't started, But here

(00:39):
we are live and we're working out the
kinks.
And...
At Mountain.
I'm good. I think it's funny.
We had some people be able to get
in, so thank you to those.
We were gonna subtitle this, how to be
an entrepreneur by doing everything wrong. Right.
It's sort of my mantra. Right. Do we

(01:00):
mess up? And this is a learning experience?
Yeah. So it's a way way for before
before you jump into it,
we gotta throw it a couple seconds. You
know who I'm psyche to jump that. Okay.
Shout. So anybody... Anybody in the chat who
is,
gonna be asking questions.
Your name into a raf will enter a
raffle for the book called Say it well,

(01:21):
Find your voice speaker mind inspire any audience
by Terry Sup plot. Wendy, can you tell
us about who Terry Soup pot is?
I can.
And it ties everything in, so kai knows
you wellness and snow know. I'm I'm so
excited that you you're your part of this
journey with us. So thank you.
And

(01:42):
if you follow along with our Linkedin,
journey, you'll know I was really an early
doctor, and I've met some amazing people along
the way, and 1 of them is Terry.
He graciously...
At a Zoom call, which was incredibly
important and interesting,
and his bio is amazing. I'm gonna leave
the teaser are out there, There's a teaser

(02:02):
for everybody to go on his Linkedin and
look at his background, which will absolutely just
just
so impressive,
and we're giving a ways book, which I
pre ordered.
And
we're gonna we're gonna get the new link
up on social media. We've got a team
of people here. So it's like every theme.
It's, like chicken soup. Yeah. Yeah. It's like

(02:23):
chicken soup. And wendy do you social It
takes a team to make things Right. And
I have had so many conversations ranging from
work life balance to resilience to gratitude to
being a new dad.
And I'm really excited about this conversation because
you have been a female business over for
over 25 years,
seemingly against all odds, at times. I'm sure

(02:43):
you would
agree. So I guess I wanted to kick
this off asking you.
Why did you decide to start your own
company 25 years ago.
Yeah. I think Brian is 1 of the
most important questions for anybody here. Right? If
if we're on, and and I'm gonna, you
know, this is a an opportunity for me
to share some some real deep belief. So

(03:05):
the first 1 is, Perfect I don't believe
it's a good idea
to say you wanna be an oxygen
because you wanna make money.
And so for those of you who are
listening or they're there and they're thinking that
this is an easy way, and it's gonna
solve your life problem and you're gonna be
able to pay more bills.
We know a lot about money as a
motivator or and there are a lot easier

(03:25):
ways to make money than to start your
own company, you start your own world. So
the first thing I'll tell you is that
I do, I'll borrow from all the
best short tanks that you've ever seen, and
it's... Are you solving a problem. And for
me, the problem was a single mom of
3,
who really didn't wanna spend every penny on
day care. Right? That it wasn't just going

(03:46):
to work to pay a day care a
bill, So the problem was I really saw
there were mistakes, and there were real things
in Corporate America. Yeah. That needed to be
fixed. Got it. Like what. And
well, I think the first 1 is owning
the fact that
you know, they're... We're parent. And it highs

(04:07):
little 1 walked in on a very important
call like this happens so race We're going
live now. Like, that's well happen.
It's gonna happen.
And for me, as an empty nest on
the other way, maybe my puppies or my
soon to be grandchild or... And and so
I saw problems in that, we really need

(04:28):
to live in a much more authentic world.
That's of the buzz world today in social
media. Right? Everybody's talking about all Authenticity. Well,
for me, it was 30 years ago was
it was really messy, and there were 3
kids. I I happen to have 3 kids
in 3 years.
And I love it because some of you
are chatting, it happened to you,
and

(04:48):
I just think it's so interesting because we
we had these big problems, like, employee retention.
And for the first year Kai worked here.
What was the big question I asked you...
If not every day, almost every day. What
did I saving?
When... And what do we need to do?
To be here. What to make sure you
never leave. Right? And some people call that

(05:10):
the stay interview?
And it became down to a values
conversation. So what inspired me to start the
business was
I see, and I I have to say
with a heavy heart, I I don't think
we fixed the problem. I think people are
still
feeling not comfortable sharing their messing this.
Not sharing, oh, At the eye doctor was
my mother who needs cataract surgery.

(05:32):
Like, no baloney excuses, but the reality,
or I'm scared that I might have cancer.
I mean I'll just go through a week
in my light with the 800 trainers.
I'm waiting for cancer results.
I'm doing my first colonoscopy,
can I scheduled something around that?
My phone got dropped and shoot.
You know, I could go on and on.

(05:53):
Right? But the reality is it's messy, and
I wanted to create a company that would
teach companies how to embrace that mess. Yeah.
Yeah. And that that feels like gets against
the grain though. Right? Because there is a
culture
in,
say the working...
In in this country.
That,
you know, maybe long hours little pay. Right?

(06:13):
So how do you... As a business owner,
entrepreneur
who
if things go according to plan, you're gonna
have a staff. Right?
So how do you... Well, you know, it's
funny. Right? Because we talk about this with
with the computer. So we're a staff 12
now? And sometimes Apple store will say to
me. Well, why don't you buy all 12
of say same computers? I'm, like, what planet

(06:34):
are you living on? Do you think I
ever thought I would need 12:12
computers. Like, you know, so I I think
that idea of, and III
do Angel investing now, and I certainly do
a ton of mentorship and so Let me
start with the next takeaway? 1 be mission
base. What are you doing this for? What
are you looking for? What's the goal? And
the second 1 is, and and some of
you may throw things at me through the

(06:55):
through the. Just...
I do not believe in the idea, you're
gonna throw, like, things like kai,
I don't believe in the idea that you
have to spend money to make money. You
have to have money to spend money to
make money. And so a a lot of
it came,
at it it really came from,
barter,

(07:16):
my first
was by an Ibm executive who needed help
in her home.
So she designed my brochure for free if
I helped during in her home.
And, I love the question about what my
day looks like.
Because
It's
it's always a challenge to practice what I've
preach.
So I do live in a generation world

(07:38):
that some of you follow, you know my
mom.
Is a big part of my life. And
so yesterday, I had to plan everything around
a 2 hour eye doctor appointment. That was
the most important thing. I'm not sending my
mom for me personally outsourcing her.
I am creating my day.
Also know I'm 1 year at,
after being sick and exercises become a top.

(07:59):
Right?
So I would do a shout out to
Peloton. I know they're having a lot of
trouble now
But I'm I'm I'm loving I I Alley
Love. Can we do, like, a tag for
Ali and and Emma and Emma,
who I watch or media is listening like
they can throw the tag in there for
us.
Yeah. Well, my idea for peloton privatization have

(08:20):
more 62 hours. Like to be work out
with the person who looks like. Me right?
Yeah. Right.
Exactly.
And then I will also tell you, you
know, I I think me So clearly, I
I did mean to do my hair better.
I could definitely do my hair better. That's...
When you have as much hair and a
thick it's a huge time Yeah. Time effort.

(08:40):
I don't think you do you have that
product? Kai. You're I'm having, great hair day.
Usually, you see me with a hat. You
are having a great hair jack. I yeah.
So somebody here up my curly hair. I
never loved my hair, But then I married
somebody who has curly hair. So I have
access to products.
It's like, what? Oh what thing. Right? And
how interesting thing more meant but,

(09:01):
money on hair products last year Yeah. What
my age is on 36. Yeah. Turning the
corner on 37. I'm just grateful I have
here.
Yeah. That's... Yeah. Well, that's interesting That whole
idea great for us. So when you're asking
what my be looks like. I never hit
a snooze button. I'm up every morning, by
05:30, every morning, 7 days a week. I

(09:22):
walk my dog super early.
I
I'm very organized in terms of my house,
my clutter.
I I, you know, go along, but I
also have to tell you. I am perfectly
imperfect.
So just like this had some bumps and
bruises,
and I I... For anyone who was fighting
that perfectionism or working in a perfection.

(09:44):
I think it is 1 of the best
easiest way to work like vowels.
And that's something you've had to push me
out of
right is... When I first started yeah needed
to be perfect. And I really had... You
had to break that model a little bit.
So talk to me about as an entrepreneur,
and you have staff that's really exciting that
you wanna retain
how do you,
as a leader,

(10:06):
break that mold or encourage them to go
in certain directions because you you've pushed me
into so many uncomfortable positions, but I have
benefited coming out of all that.
Yeah. And, you know, I love it because,
you know, part of my job.
You know, maybe as your boss, but, you
know, hopefully also a friend and a a
mentor is to be the best parent. And

(10:26):
to bring my... To bring your child up
with the best type of environment, which means
take it down a notch. And
you know, I do think it's interesting because
type we're starting companies to get away from
that. And III don't think we wanna use
the word toxic culture. Although Linkedin, there's been
a huge movement about this idea of, you

(10:48):
know, toxic cultures and in Corporate America. And
I I think it's still very much true.
We have to embrace the ability of, what's
the best part of your day, how are
we gonna enjoy? And what part of the
job we will have to do things we
have to do?
But what part of the job do we
still absolutely love that no matter what Yeah.
So you feel like there's, like a ratio,

(11:09):
like, 80 inspiring 20.
I gotta do that thing that I don't
really like. Like, what's a good ratio in
your mind. I mean, that would be a
bit.
A bad day. A good place should be
close to a hundred percent.
You know, what's great about technology and we're
going into zinc incredibly exciting artificial intelligence and
Apple intelligence

(11:30):
I know. And it's just
really fun,
And this is really fun. And and I
I like it because you're shouting out the
Peloton and Ally and Am amazon, and that's
the way we connect and and Terry,
who, you know, everyone should get a his
book to read about how to be the
most impactful inspirational.
And I'll quote 1 thing that he taught

(11:51):
me was, to end everything with hope.
And I just think I have to let
that per because that's a real work life
balance. At the end of the day, did
you really just do your best? And what
does your best look like? So just let's
just take a second and say, like, are
you exhausted? I mean, does your head in
the pillow and you're out?
Because then you're not doing anything.

(12:11):
Almost 12 month old is helping.
No. No. No. You you get you don't
get it... You don't get... That out anymore.
That's only 12 wind. Yeah. No excuse. Fair
enough. I I would agree that, yes. At
the end of the day, I'm I'm pretty
worn out. I feel like... But I'm also
a a box checker. Right? I have to
do these many things in a day to
feel satisfied. Right? And I think for a

(12:33):
lot of people,
this that's not re not really the case.
Right? Like, like self starting,
motivation, like, are those things that keep you
getting out of bed. Right? Because you just...
You're were just posting on social media why
maybe you'd wanna quit. Right?
Yeah.
You know what... Yeah. I I think absolutely.
There's so many days that are hard, really

(12:55):
hard. If you saw it right now a
pack of papers. Let's be real for a
minute. I mean, you know, we were talking
about starting a podcast,
and I'd love to hear from you about
no 1 told my life would do this
hard.
You know, I I never thought I would
end up divorce and a single mom and
and and certainly running a a global
organization and a global company that if I

(13:15):
tried to say in top of every law
that's sitting here in front of me, it's
it's overwhelming.
So I think the... 1 of the most
important things is we...
Own your feelings. And I guess that's a
little bit of the therapist hat coming out
of me. But, you know, if you ask
me how I am. I wanna be able
to tell you too, like, at today If
you like quitting. It gets... It... I don't

(13:35):
know what words were allowed to say I'm
live, but I'll I'll leave it. It blank
today. In blank that. You can fill in
the blanks. Absolutely. And, you know, I mean,
I think as you're saying that, it's just
kinda making me think about...
You know, what motivates a Ceo that's not
money. Right? So if you're having a tough
day.
And, you know, the reason you started B

(13:56):
was for, that idea of of control. Right?
You wanna be able to control
how your day to day goes. Right? Because
I started in Llc, and I was like,
alright. I'm gonna get out there I'm gonna
start, and then you you hired me full
time.
But I guess what I'm asking is
I need that security of of, You know,

(14:17):
job benefit and, you know, salary and all
that stuff. Entrepreneur,
when does that money... When does that money
start coming in? Like, what's the realistic expectation
there?
Very, very, very, very very slim,
and
let's... And
Also,
I have to say,

(14:40):
I think 1 thing that's interesting is, we
really do have this deep conversation for a
minute about,
you know, the money needs.
Certainly the home, and certainly a car food
necessities.
But for me now, what drives me is
giving making were access to health care for
employees is the best that could possibly do.

(15:02):
Access to,
days off, access to a quality of life
for the world that I'm trying to create.
It's 1 of the things about becoming a
b corp. And again, I I wanna say
how many things I've learned
you know, I... I... It's always story time,
but it's time for a very quick story
For it. Wait. Hold on. Let me ask

(15:23):
and
drum roll. Oh, my I got lost the
shock effects. Set a plus with the sound
effects there.
Well, 13 years ago, I had heard about
a program,
Goldman Sachs
sponsoring 10000 small business. And we'll go ahead
and link to it. It's been... It was
an incredible experience. But about a week after

(15:45):
I got accepted, it was a very long
application process. I found out that my father
was... Of being put in hospice. And I
had this idea that I would defer my
application
and spend the time, and I think 1
of the most important things I learned at
that moment. It never works like that.
Life is never a box, kai never.

(16:05):
You don't finish 1 thing and then another
thing happens.
Unfortunately, the hardest day is when your kid
wakes up sick, and then you have to
figure something out with work. And that's where
creativity comes in.
And I was lucky that my Goldman Sachs
cohorts, my my teacher, so I'm still friends
with,
said, no. If you quit now you're done.

(16:26):
Figure it out. Yeah. And I realized something
incredibly important 13 years ago.
All of us have the potential to do
so much more than we ever thought we
could.
And as cliche and I hate Cliches. We
are our worst enemies. I know there's someone
listening here that their kids last day of
school is today. You never get that day
over.
That is more important than any oil. Than

(16:48):
any email that is more important than any
phone call that is more important than any
client because you never ever ever get that
again. Yeah. And there's a way to prioritize
my dad in hospice who ended up helping
me through the entire with my homework,
and it was a real bonding
experience with sent so odd. Right? While he's

(17:08):
dying, we're doing my homework.
And he didn't live to see me graduate.
But when he did teach me with 10
and resilience. And
if you've a reader, which I am, that
would be Angela Duck book called Grit. Mh.
So if you haven't watched that ted talk
or you haven't read that book, can't be
an entrepreneur
without a lot of grit. Got it. Got
it. So, you know, speaking of grit, Right?

(17:32):
Making tough decisions. Right?
What do you think is, like, 1 of
the biggest mistakes you see entrepreneurs make.
I think 1 of the biggest mistakes they
make is that deer that that that, fear
paralysis.
And and I know that and and honestly,
it's a culture that can be a very

(17:53):
dishonest culture.
You know, so I I remember following the
woman I became
obsessed with She owned hair hair dressing all
over the country.
Grossing, like, 10000000 dollars. I was like I
just wanna be her. I wanna be her.
And when she went out of business that's
7 months later. I was devastated to find
out, it makes me no difference how much

(18:14):
money you're making, It's what you do with
the money. So right running out of money.
So... And that's true. Look, Right. Seems... And
so she had all these amazing things, but
at the end of the day, you can't
afford it? I mean...
Yeah.
So Are there any, like,
how do you maintain that sense of I'm
not running out of money then. Is that
like a daily?

(18:35):
Yeah. Daily routine? Well, you hear it all
the time? I'm pretty well. I'm trying to
cheap. Play more of a listener. Like, I'm
aware of something. I have no no. Okay.
I'm I'm pretty cheap. Like, is it worth
it? You know? We... Is it is it,
you know, louis the vuitton is a great
client. So we're doing a lot of shout
outs here. I have 1 very expensive bag.

(18:56):
And it's... Been... About my go to bag
for 9 years.
I have 1 bag that I spent a
lot of money on. And we say that,
do we invest in it? It is it
worth.
You know, all of us have... I think
entrepreneurs
all have a little bit what we call
the shiny penny.
And it can be very tempting to buy
something new technology to the best and more.

(19:17):
So what I'm really focused on is
is it gonna keep me profitable? Mh.
Am I gonna be able to withstand very
tough time. Look, I'll tell you,
September eleventh came, and
I consider myself a very smart person. I'm
very well educated.
And a week after September eleventh came, I

(19:37):
wrote all these beautiful letters to my clients,
and I addressed it all to the the
the
towers.
I couldn't comprehend anymore there anymore.
And
I realized coming home that day that the
right thing to do would be to offer
as many seminars as we could as many
trainings as we could.

(19:57):
For as long as we could for freight.
And that really drove me to why am
I doing this? Why is this important? Right.
Who do we need to support?
And I do believe in that, the idea
of being grateful at that time. I was
part of Donna Karen,
board, which worked with Widows on September eleventh.

(20:18):
I met some amazing people that I'm still
in touch with today,
I know I'm dating myself now, but if
you don't have a ro acts of a
hundred people
that know your soul.
That you can call for a favor
and say, I messed up. I really messed
up. Can you help me?
Yeah.

(20:38):
I don't know how you're gonna succeed in
your business because I call in favors all
the time. Yeah. Networking.
So
As someone who has,
sometimes,
I wouldn't say crippling, but pretty bad social
anxiety, I'll find myself at networking events.
On behalf of B, you know, something I
enjoy doing or if I Have to learn
how to enjoy doing.

(20:58):
Is there like, a tip you have for
an entrepreneur whose needs to make those net
working connections or or is going to that
happy hour or that dinner reception? Like,
like, how how do you just start the
conversation without feeling the working dread. Oh, let's
talk a little bit about You uk? How
do you feel about that? I...
Oh, man. I it's it's pretty tough for

(21:19):
me. I am
Yeah. Okay. Oh no. So a year ago,
I came to and said, I'd like you
to apply from 40 under Fort.
And you said... I said No.
And I said fine, then you'll do it
the following year.
So gave me a whole year to think
about it. So I think the
Well, more than you think about it, to

(21:40):
kinda be like, yeah. I kinda think she's
probably gonna want me to do it. Right.
Like, I can't say no twice. So Again,
I wanna be clear about something with entrepreneurs
entrepreneur.
It's not easy.
It's
card, and I don't think anybody if they're
honest feels not. Good at that. And if
they're telling you that,
I think they're right. Okay. That's some cool
number 1. And no, I... That's that. It's

(22:01):
everybody's feeling this way.
Everybody feeling this. Right? You know,
1 of my mentors or coaches many years
ago,
taught me that idea that nobody walks in
a room and feels totally comfortable. So Catherine
Cri,
who was the youngest supreme court judge in
Texas.
Told me it it wasn't until she put

(22:21):
the robe robot and she's like, I got
the robe.
So you fake it. Right? But I think
for you and many of us Yes. Okay.
Fine. You need a little bit of time
to adjust to the accolades and the networking,
and and you're yet to come up on
the 40 under 40. Awards. Which is a
really big deal. We're here in West County,
so it's super competitive.

(22:42):
Unbelievably grateful to see my name amongst. The
the people who who are on that list
is
feels good. And it's in a testament to
kind of what we've done here at B
building the podcast and multimedia. Well, you're missing
a little piece in that. So we phrase
that. It's a testament to.
Me.
Yes. Right. Is that is that called. An

(23:03):
entrepreneur
definition humble? It's called being honest.
You know, I I think they they they
say, you know, this idea of I can
own when I'm good at, and I applied
for something and, you know, I I worked
really hard on it, and I created a
whole new department and a whole new I'm
doing this, and we're trying to do a
million things.
And and there's a lot of conflict. I
mean Kai, we're gonna share how to be

(23:24):
an entrepreneur.
You know, this morning I called you, and
I like, we're gonna do this, and you're
like, nah. I don't like that idea.
Yeah. And entrepreneurs better not think they know
it all.
Because people know a lot more than I
do. And if you're right or wrong, it
doesn't matter it means you have a different
perspective. So I think it's really important to
say how many times do you ask gain
for opinion.

(23:45):
And who is who's giving you the opinion?
You know,
it should be all ages? It should look
like, all different kinds of people. What is
your experience as a, you know, as a
young woman as a trans as a black
person as a hispanic person as a refugee
as an immigrant? I mean, you know, how
do we get involved And how do I

(24:05):
see the world to your lens?
Yeah. So it's like, and that's
when you really grow. Yeah. It's that that's
like inclusive practice. Right?
So maybe that's, you know, we're we're we're
coming up on 02:30
And, I guess, why don't you talk about,
you know, kind of the times we're in
as an entrepreneur as a Ceo as a
leader, and the importance of an inclusive work

(24:27):
place. 1 that
you know, celebrates all walks of life. How
do you approach making sure
that happens.
Place
So let's go back to your 1 year
old
When you're working with a 1 year old,
1 of the most important things is to
teach them to be messy. Some kids get
it very easily. They they like it. They
like being nasty. They don't mind being dirty.

(24:48):
They really embrace it and other kids, and
I mike kids are all over the board
on this. Really have to be taught how
to be messy.
And I see this as the parent job.
I really see this. Now I see it
if my job as a Ceo,
and if if there were certain people on
my team that they were here, I can
tell you that there was periods of time
where they didn't like me very much because

(25:08):
I pushed them way out of their comfort
zone.
To try something, and everybody wants happy endings.
Yeah.
There isn't always happy endings. Right.
What there are is the ability to say
I tried something. And so you're seeing,
a shout out to end everything with hope.
It's I get a do over,

(25:28):
I get a do over. I get... We're
gonna do this again, and we'll do the
link a little bit better, and we'll get
things more lined up, and then we'll do
it again, and they'll get a little better,
and then we'll do it again. You know,
there was a point in time at be
like, we were doing 5 sessions at once.
We glove, but it was amazing. How many
Now? Are going on at a time Now?
We can do 5 or 600
at least at a time, and we're like,

(25:49):
we don't... Right. But if you would talk
to us during the dialogue up days,
we're loading a picture. So if you're not
embracing everything in all the mess I think
it's gonna be really difficult for you to
start your world
and
be successful. And then ultimately, of course, that
financial freedom because obviously, that's part of why

(26:10):
we're doing. Yeah. Absolutely.
Okay. Well, we're we're heading to the end
here. And so I guess Wendy, we love
to end with a call to action. So
let's put your put yourself in the place
of
wendy 01:25
years ago.
What would you tell yourself now? Yeah.
Yeah. I was ready for this.
Okay. Number 1, because Kite always got number

(26:32):
1 is read read read read reread. Sorry
to to go back and reiterate, but Linkedin
is a huge part of how we connect.
Take advantage of some of the people that
are connected on My Linkedin.
If you haven't done a shout out to
people like Terry Sup who have so many
things we can learn from. Use Linkedin,

(26:52):
read, Look at what's trending on they are,
super important. Number 2,
absolutely
think about what you love. What you're passionate
about, What means something to you. We're coming
up doing a really hot,
really important time in our history.
Where we'd vote and we get involved in
what politics means to you.

(27:14):
And the last thing I wanted say is
1 of the most important impacts that I've
ever done is written my eu.
I really want to know what is it
that I want said when I'm gone.
And the amazing thing is I'm actually still
here today.
So no. Baloney needs excuses.

(27:35):
If I wanna travel more, then I'm gonna
do that. If I want to fill in
the blank, be more athletic.
I'm gonna exercise more or or better or
smarter.
You get to change and make the ability
to change
and the ad agile, and then use your
own inspiration. You know, my stories work for
some and not for everyone. So

(27:58):
absolutely look at what turns you on, and
don't lose sight of it. Well said. Don't
lose sight.
So everybody just keep in mind, podcast
dot show slash b I is where you
can keep up with. Our publicly streaming podcast,
and it was wonderful to have everybody.
And, yeah, I... This felt good. Should we
should we do it again?

(28:20):
I think we should do it again and
get more impact and send us questions,
follow us and send us off, comments and
questions and people. So
Until next time everybody,
take care.

(28:40):
This has been a production of balancing life's
issues with your host, Kai Sore, and Wendy
Warner
Produced by me. Kai. Rate, leave review and
subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen. So
you can get brand new episodes as they
drop. Got an idea for the show,
Email me KAI at balancing life's issues dot
com. Anything to add miles?