June 21, 2025 • 23 mins
Entrepreneurship is a non-linear journey filled with unexpected challenges and moments of doubt, but those who persevere develop resilience and expertise that can't be gained any other way.
• Entrepreneurship is never straightforward—it involves cycles of feeling ready to give up before finding the strength to continue
• Having mentors who can talk you "off the edge" during difficult times is crucial for entrepreneurial success
• The Rocky Balboa philosophy applies to business: "It's not about how hard you can hit, it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward"
• Balancing family responsibilities with the financial uncertainty of entrepreneurship requires careful communication and planning
• Self-discipline distinguishes successful entrepreneurs—doing what needs to be done even when motivation is lacking
• Business ownership requires wearing multiple hats beyond your core expertise—from marketing to client relations to financial management
• The Invite-A-Vet Foundation supports veterans dealing with mental health challenges and deserves community support
Clay Hicks
- Tel: +1 937-671-6238
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claytonrhicks/
- Website: https://www.h7network.com/
- Email: claytonrhicks@gmail.com
Please support the Invite-A-Vet Foundation at invitavetfoundation.org as this month's featured non-profit organization, or find a veteran-supporting charity in your local area.
Join us as we support the Invite A Vet Foundation this month!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Voiceover (00:03):
Tales from the wild, stories from the heart.
A journey into the mind andsoul of fired up business
professionals, where they sharetheir vision for the future and
hear from a different non-profitorganization every month as
they create awareness of theirgoals and their needs.
Dive into a world of untamedpassion as we join our host,
(00:27):
Shireen Botha, for this month'sepisode of Friends from Wild
Places.
Shireen Botha (00:35):
You know it's amazing.
We go through some hard.
You know, being a businessowner and entrepreneur is never
linear.
I think anybody can actuallysay that it doesn't matter where
you are.
But since we're talking aboutentrepreneurs and business
owners, it's not straightforward, linear.
It's all over the place.
And I've got to be honest.
I mean, there's many timeswhere I've come to my edge and
(00:58):
going oh, I'm done, I'm givingup, I'm not going to be able to
do this, I'm going to fall flaton my face, I'm going to lose
everything.
I'm just going to give up now,before it gets any worse.
And thankful for those mentors.
You've got to have one or twovery special mentors that are
older and wiser than you, thatwill be able to talk you off
(01:23):
that edge and encourage you tokeep on going.
And so, if I can be thatencouraging voice to you, it's
not linear.
There's gonna be ups and downs.
You're going to feel like youwant to give up.
You are going to feel like youcan't do it.
The imposter syndrome isanother one of those.
But you can.
(01:45):
You can.
You just gotta keep on pushingforward.
And it might not.
I mean, you don't know yournext step, but you just gotta
keep on pushing forward, knowingthat you can't actually see
what's gonna happen.
Um, but yeah, it's hard timesonly make us better and stronger
and more experiencedentrepreneurs and business
(02:07):
owners.
So, yeah, I think it's the bestthing.
Clay Hicks (02:12):
Can I give you a quote?
Can I just share this one quotewith you real quick, and I'm
sorry, tanya.
So Rocky, okay, I'm a hugeRocky fan, huge Rocky fan.
I got to see a statue when Iwas in Philly two months ago,
anyway.
So Rocky says it's not abouthow hard you can hit, it's about
(02:37):
how hard you can get hit andkeep moving forward.
And there are going to be timeswhen you are on your knees and
you better get up.
You better get up somehow someway.
You better find that will toget up.
Go ahead, tanya, sorry.
Tanya Scotece (02:53):
Well, on that note, Clay.
So it's interesting, I have I'ma dog lover four leggeds.
Okay, Like are my vibe, and myfirst dog was Rocky, a little
Shih Tzu, and we had a littlepartner for him and it was
Adriana.
So Rocky and Adrian, so, yeah,Benny Bate back in the day.
So just had to share that thatyou mentioned that.
(03:14):
I just wanted just to you know,how you mentioned in the
beginning that you know familyis very important to you, right?
Your wife, your children.
So how, as an entrepreneur, doyou I don't want to use the word
handle, but that's the one I'mcoming up with right now Like,
how does a family that's maybelike, depending on you looking
(03:34):
to you, vibe with you with theuncertainties of business?
You know what I mean, Causeit's like, it's not like, for
example, you know, let's say,your wife, I don't know your
wife, but let's just use yourwife as an example.
So you know you are married andyou know she, she looks to you.
Or you know, like, whateveryou're bringing to the table
monetarily, abundance, wise.
(03:55):
But an entrepreneur is notguaranteed.
It fluctuates, right, there'stimes it's up, it's down, it's
left, it right.
So how does one ride ornavigate?
Let me use that word navigatewith you.
I mean because you mentionedit's very important to have your
five people right initially.
So how do you like manage, howdo you work, life balance in
(04:15):
your work?
Clay Hicks (04:17):
well, yeah, that is a loaded question.
Uh, you know, like, when Istarted, it was one way.
How I do it now is a differentway.
So you have to find what worksfor you.
But I want to stress that youhave to find what works for you.
And, and so I know that soundslogical, it sounds like, oh,
(04:37):
okay, sure, of course.
No, you have to really thinkthrough, like you, what, what is
it going to take to make surethat you take care of your
family, take care of whatever's,whatever you're responsible for
first, and so, as long as youcan live out that attitude, I
(04:58):
believe it will obviously takecare of itself.
But if you are becoming anentrepreneur, there's this thing
going on like, some peoplebecome entrepreneurs because
they just want to be rich.
That's great, good for you,good for you, you know, but I'm
already rich, like so, so, like,come up with something.
(05:19):
Why else are you doing it?
You know, because oftentimes,if you know you've heard be the
change you want to see orwhatever.
Right, that's an old quote.
It makes sense still today,lives in all of us today.
But the reality is, is theyhave to decide how they're going
to do it.
As well, come up with, like,with integrity around ways in
(05:44):
which you will be able to takeyour fit, take care of your
responsibilities with yourpartner.
If you have one like, that hasto be handled before you make
that move, you know, and, and soyou just can't make the move.
Like when I made my move, Iworked in a steel mill at the
time, so I worked around that,so I worked at the steel mill
(06:07):
work swing shift, I cut grassand stuff on my days off, time
off, whatever, and I still work60 hours a week.
Did I see my family?
No, but that was a time, itwasn't forever, and so that's
really up to the person.
Like, how bad do you reallywant it?
Life is, you only live once.
And I'm not saying like yo lo,go start your own business.
(06:30):
I'm not saying that.
So you know.
Think about why you're startingthe business first.
Are you just doing it becauseyou think all of us
entrepreneurs are rich and allthis stuff?
Well, think about the risk thatwe've constantly taken every
day, every week, to make surethat our staff are taken care of
, and all that stuff.
Are you ready for that?
(06:50):
Right, right, that's what hasto be thought through yeah, and
you know what I?
Tanya Scotece (06:56):
I can only envision that.
You know somebody let's justuse the word like single, right,
so, like you know, a singleentrepreneur is different than a
family.
You know because, because it'salso, and then you know
sometimes the people closest toyou.
You know it's.
It's harder right to see that.
You know from afar.
It's like you know people like,okay, well, clay's, harder
right To see that.
You know from afar.
(07:17):
It's like you know people like,okay, well, clay's opening this
business, that business.
But when you're living it likethat day to day it's.
I only can envision again howit must be to kind of wide ride
the waves, so to speak.
Right, what ride the waves?
And some of the waves are bigand some are small, but it's,
it's not it.
You're not talking about aregular job in a regular family
of X amount of dollars comingyour way.
(07:39):
You know eight to five.
You know it's.
It's gotta be just a wholedifferent vibe.
Clay Hicks (07:45):
Yeah, Oftentimes people say, well, I want the
financial freedom.
Then when they go, they don'teven know what to do every day.
They don't know how to like dothe business.
Yet you know, and I prefer likediscipline.
You know, they say, you knowany real successful person.
They always share this onetrait, which is discipline.
(08:06):
It's super difficult to haveself-discipline around something
you're doing that you had tomake, Not that you had a job
that said, hey, Serene, you haveto be here at 8 AM, not nine 30
.
No, you're the person that'ssetting the tone for all of it.
And so I book into my days veryspecifically with meditation
(08:32):
and mind, body, spirit thingsevery single day.
Tanya Scotece (08:35):
I don't half-ass it, you do it even when you
don't want to half-ass it.
You do it even when you don'twant to.
So, yeah, no, it is, I think.
And that discipline, you knowthat kind of I think, sets the
stage or sets the tone.
And you know, and it doesn'tmatter, you know, from my
viewpoint, you know whatevermarketing group or you know
peoples, that people choose,that people choose to be around
(08:56):
like whatever that looks likechamber groups, civic groups,
fraternal organizations,business mindset groups, power
groups, power teams, referralparties, whatever word you want
to use.
In those capacities, my feelingis that we cannot be all of the
above.
So as business owners owners, Ican envision to say you have an
(09:18):
expertise, right?
Let's say, for example, let me,shereen, I know fairly well as
a virtual bookkeeper, so sheknows the bookkeeping, she knows
it.
But then as a business owner,now you're responsible for
managing your income, managingyour marketing, managing
advertising.
All of a sudden, now you'resupposed to be the expert in how
(09:39):
to handle the business side,how to promote it, how to
deliver it and how to respond toyour clients.
Right, so that not only thattakes one area of a specific
niche and that explodes.
And I can only envision on yourside for all the businesses
that you have.
Clay, how I don't want to usethe word challenging.
(10:00):
I don't think it's challenging,I think it's just, you know,
it's a lot of balls in the air,right, it's a lot of like
juggling, that's, you know.
Yeah, I think it's, but it'sfascinating.
I just admire both of you forall these business, business,
entrepreneurial spirits.
So if anybody, I I still wantto do something with the
four-legged.
So if anybody has any goals orthey want to incorporate with
(10:20):
mine, I'd love to collaboratemore.
Uh, at another time love that,love that.
Shireen Botha (10:25):
Yeah, thank you.
I think this has been great,guys.
Um, you know listeners, youknow that we love supporting a
non-profit every month.
So this month we're going to besupporting invite a vet
foundation, llcorg.
That's invite a vet foundationLLCorg.
(10:46):
And if you're already askingwhat on earth is that, well,
clay's going to tell us a littlebit about the organization and
how we can help out.
Clay Hicks (10:55):
Invite a vet.
That's right, so exciting.
So so Marion is a close friendof mine, longtime member of the
community, and her father was inthe war and so she started.
Now I don't want to take herstory away at all, but just
Marion is just an awesome humanbeing and she's always donating
(11:16):
back to veterans.
It's extremely important to herto live that out, and so Marion
and I, being close friends andobviously professionally work
together, what she does is theyactually do events all the time,
and so they're always lookingfor raising funds around veteran
support, and so I'm not.
(11:38):
H7 as a whole is really gettingbehind veterans right now.
So Invite-A-Vet is one of theother, one of the main
nonprofits that we're workingwith to help raise funds.
Many of our members areveterans, so it just makes sense
(11:59):
and so backing the veteranslots.
I mean another one.
You know the mental health andfor veterans is really, really
awful, and you know they'vegiven their lives for us to be
able to, even for me to be anentrepreneur.
I mean there had to be somethinghappened long before I became
(12:21):
that entrepreneur that our uh,our veterans and uh enlisted are
constantly making happen ensurefreedom for us.
So beautiful.
Shireen Botha (12:32):
Yeah, true, I think that's very important.
Listeners, I think you know,wherever you are in the world
you have.
You know, especially thosecountries that are at war.
You've got veterans that aredefending you.
You've got veterans out therethat are fighting for your
country.
I think it's so important toacknowledge what they're doing.
(12:53):
They're putting their lives onthe line for the country,
whereas here we are carrying onwith our life building
businesses, building, you know,companies, working corporate
world.
I'm not saying that's a badthing.
We all have to pull our weightin society and be be good
members of society.
But let's take our minds offourselves and realize, you know,
(13:16):
that there are definitelypeople that are putting
themselves 100% at risk, wherewithin a blink of an eye they
could be gone.
And who's supporting them andwho's helping them?
Because we all know that mentalhealth we've just had.
I mean, you guys know, knowwe've just had an amazing guy on
(13:37):
our show last month, uh, whichyou guys are going to please if
you haven't gone to listen to umdamian o'brien from the coffee
foundation.
He talks about how important itis, about mental health.
We know that in today's world,mental health is so important.
(13:57):
Now can you imagine theveterans on the front line,
having to see some of the thingsthat we don't see every day,
but traumatizing what they haveto deal with.
Um, so please take some time outto really go and support this
organization.
We're going to go ahead andsupport InvitaVet Foundation,
(14:20):
but wherever you are in theglobe, if you want to find a
foundation that is supportingyour own veterans, we invite you
to do so.
But if you want to help us out,join friends from all places.
We are definitely supportingInvita vet foundation llcorg
this month.
So that brings us to the end ofthe podcast, sadly, but true,
(14:44):
um, and we like to always endthe podcast with a little bit of
a light-hearted game.
So we're gonna play theassociation game.
I don't word association I'mnot sure if any of you played
this game before, but basicallymy favorite games.
Clay Hicks (15:01):
So my favorite games I love.
Tanya Scotece (15:03):
Yeah, I love that I don't think I've ever played
it before.
Clay Hicks (15:08):
No, I'm just.
I love playing by association.
It's how my brain works.
Tanya Scotece (15:12):
Okay, got it, got it.
I've never played this game.
Shireen Botha (15:17):
Well, in a nutshell.
So an example of a wordassociation game is the first
person, I'm happy to start theball rolling, so the first
person can say the word rain,and the next person will be clay
.
And clay has to think of a wordthat relates or associates with
(15:39):
the name the word rain and sohe might say umbrella.
And then Tanya then has tothink of a word that associates
with the word umbrella and shemight say beach.
And we cannot repeat any words.
So we have to continue thiswithout repeating a word, and
you obviously lose the game ifyou repeat a word or if we run
(16:03):
out of words and we can't thinkof a word.
So are you ready, guys?
Yeah, okay.
So since we're talking aboutentrepreneurs and business
owners, I'm going to start withthe word innovation.
Clay, you're next uhEngineering.
Tanya Scotece (16:26):
Good one Tanya Okay, technology.
Shireen Botha (16:38):
Cell phone.
Clay Hicks (16:42):
Email.
Tanya Scotece (16:44):
Communication.
Clay Hicks (16:50):
Email communication email.
I already said email.
Oh Jesus, I for sure thoughtyou wouldn't be the one that
messed up.
I thought that would be me likecontinually convinced itself.
Shireen Botha (17:06):
No one has said email convinced itself oh my
gosh, that's insane, that wenttoo quickly, can't stand it well
, we have time for another one.
I think that would only tooktwo or three minutes okay, let's
do like a quick one, uh, aneasier one, a more light-hearted
(17:27):
one.
What about?
Since some of us are going intowinter, let's start with the
word winter Go Clay, snow Sled,christmas, santa, coffee,
(17:49):
fireplace, wood Presents,birthday, birthday.
Clay Hicks (18:02):
Balloons.
Tanya Scotece (18:04):
Hats.
Shireen Botha (18:10):
Dress, hats.
Clay Hicks (18:13):
Dress.
Tanya Scotece (18:16):
Prom.
Shireen Botha (18:20):
Limousine Driver's license.
Tanya Scotece (18:27):
Fly.
Shireen Botha (18:30):
Plane Plane Customs.
Tanya Scotece (18:39):
Computer.
Shireen Botha (18:46):
Password Email Email.
Clay Hicks (18:51):
Second game right.
Second game email.
Second game right.
Tanya Scotece (18:54):
Second game password I have never played
that game in my life.
That's a fun game, fun game I'mgonna play it more.
That's a good game yeah, thatis a good game.
That is a good game, it's fun,yeah yeah, I love it.
Shireen Botha (19:16):
I mean, um, but I am likely the person that
always messes it up.
So, thank you, clay, I was likedead serious scared that I was
gonna mess this one up again.
Um, it's like that other game.
What's that other game?
Two, two truths and a lie.
Was it two lies and a truth?
(19:37):
I can't play it yeah, yeah, Ican't play it.
I always mess it up.
I don't know how, but I alwaysmess it up and it's just yeah
anyway.
But yeah, we've come to thepart of the podcast where we
just get to share with thelisteners where they can reach
out.
So sometimes our listenersmaybe relate to one of us and
(19:59):
they just want to ask us somequestions or whatever the case
may be.
So, clay, if you don't mindsharing with the listeners where
they can find you?
Clay Hicks (20:10):
I would recommend that you find me on LinkedIn.
It is under Clay Hicks.
I am in Ohio, dayton, ohio, andthen, of course, I am on
Facebook.
For those of you who might belistening there on Facebook,
same thing, clay Hicks, and youcan also reach us through our
website, h7 Network.
For those of you who might beuh listening there on facebook
uh, same thing, clay hicks, andyou can also uh reach us through
(20:31):
our website, h7networkcom.
Shireen Botha (20:35):
So thank you, tanya what about yourself?
Tanya Scotece (20:40):
okay so you could find me on linkedin.
I think it's a home away fromhome.
I live there.
So under Tanya Scotece and umwear three distinct hats, kind
of like a tri-legged stool.
So I am the program coordinatorof the mortuary department at
Miami Dade College.
So if anybody has an interestin becoming a funeral director,
(21:01):
embalmer, changing career, newcareer, feel free to reach out.
I also hold space for oursenior community.
I am a senior placementspecialist, matching people with
communities who can no longerlive alone, perhaps due to one
of the dementias, perhapsParkinson's, anything that
presents challenges forday-to-day living.
So I place for assisted living,memory care, and in Florida we
(21:25):
actually have the little casitas, so we are a free placement
agency.
I also serve as an expertwitness for litigation cases
involving funeral and cemeterycases.
So those are my three areas ofexpertise and definitely
linkedin is my hub.
And how about you shireen?
Shireen Botha (21:43):
thank you, Tanya.
I appreciate that.
Yeah, you can also find me onLinkedIn Shireen Botha, my
business, Shireen's bookkeepingservices also on LinkedIn,
amongst other platforms.
But yeah, I think, listeners,if you appreciate us, we are
looking for sponsors.
So if you have any ideas for uswhere we can find some sponsors
(22:04):
to sponsor friends from longplaces, we want to try a
different journey for ourpodcast.
But, more importantly, if youlike us, if you want to comment,
uh, subscribe, tell us what youthink.
Please go ahead.
Find us either on youtube ifyou want to see our funny faces
and hear us, or if you just wantto hear us.
We're on all the platforms,streaming platforms.
(22:26):
You just have to search forbrains from from Wild Places.
Otherwise, you can go to ourwebsite, friendsfromwildplaces.
buzzsprout.
com.
That's friendsfromwildplaces.
buzzsprout.
com.
Please go ahead and subscribeif you can.
But other than that, thank youso much for listening.
We'll see you next time, guys,and remember you got this and
(22:48):
stay wild.
Bye, guys.
Voiceover (22:50):
You've been listening to Friends from Wild Places
with Shireen Botha.
Be sure to subscribe to thepodcast from the links to catch
every episode and unleash yourpassion.
Tales from the wild, stories from the heart.
A journey into the mind andsoul of fired up business
professionals, where they sharetheir vision for the future and
hear from a different non-profitorganization every month as
they create awareness of theirgoals and their needs.
Dive into a world of untamedpassion as we join our host,
(00:27):
Shireen Botha, for this month'sepisode of Friends from Wild
Places.
Shireen Botha (00:35):
You know it's amazing.
We go through some hard.
You know, being a businessowner and entrepreneur is never
linear.
I think anybody can actuallysay that it doesn't matter where
you are.
But since we're talking aboutentrepreneurs and business
owners, it's not straightforward, linear.
It's all over the place.
And I've got to be honest.
I mean, there's many timeswhere I've come to my edge and
(00:58):
going oh, I'm done, I'm givingup, I'm not going to be able to
do this, I'm going to fall flaton my face, I'm going to lose
everything.
I'm just going to give up now,before it gets any worse.
And thankful for those mentors.
You've got to have one or twovery special mentors that are
older and wiser than you, thatwill be able to talk you off
(01:23):
that edge and encourage you tokeep on going.
And so, if I can be thatencouraging voice to you, it's
not linear.
There's gonna be ups and downs.
You're going to feel like youwant to give up.
You are going to feel like youcan't do it.
The imposter syndrome isanother one of those.
But you can.
(01:45):
You can.
You just gotta keep on pushingforward.
And it might not.
I mean, you don't know yournext step, but you just gotta
keep on pushing forward, knowingthat you can't actually see
what's gonna happen.
Um, but yeah, it's hard timesonly make us better and stronger
and more experiencedentrepreneurs and business
(02:07):
owners.
So, yeah, I think it's the bestthing.
Clay Hicks (02:12):
Can I give you a quote?
Can I just share this one quotewith you real quick, and I'm
sorry, tanya.
So Rocky, okay, I'm a hugeRocky fan, huge Rocky fan.
I got to see a statue when Iwas in Philly two months ago,
anyway.
So Rocky says it's not abouthow hard you can hit, it's about
(02:37):
how hard you can get hit andkeep moving forward.
And there are going to be timeswhen you are on your knees and
you better get up.
You better get up somehow someway.
You better find that will toget up.
Go ahead, tanya, sorry.
Tanya Scotece (02:53):
Well, on that note, Clay.
So it's interesting, I have I'ma dog lover four leggeds.
Okay, Like are my vibe, and myfirst dog was Rocky, a little
Shih Tzu, and we had a littlepartner for him and it was
Adriana.
So Rocky and Adrian, so, yeah,Benny Bate back in the day.
So just had to share that thatyou mentioned that.
(03:14):
I just wanted just to you know,how you mentioned in the
beginning that you know familyis very important to you, right?
Your wife, your children.
So how, as an entrepreneur, doyou I don't want to use the word
handle, but that's the one I'mcoming up with right now Like,
how does a family that's maybelike, depending on you looking
(03:34):
to you, vibe with you with theuncertainties of business?
You know what I mean, Causeit's like, it's not like, for
example, you know, let's say,your wife, I don't know your
wife, but let's just use yourwife as an example.
So you know you are married andyou know she, she looks to you.
Or you know, like, whateveryou're bringing to the table
monetarily, abundance, wise.
(03:55):
But an entrepreneur is notguaranteed.
It fluctuates, right, there'stimes it's up, it's down, it's
left, it right.
So how does one ride ornavigate?
Let me use that word navigatewith you.
I mean because you mentionedit's very important to have your
five people right initially.
So how do you like manage, howdo you work, life balance in
(04:15):
your work?
Clay Hicks (04:17):
well, yeah, that is a loaded question.
Uh, you know, like, when Istarted, it was one way.
How I do it now is a differentway.
So you have to find what worksfor you.
But I want to stress that youhave to find what works for you.
And, and so I know that soundslogical, it sounds like, oh,
(04:37):
okay, sure, of course.
No, you have to really thinkthrough, like you, what, what is
it going to take to make surethat you take care of your
family, take care of whatever's,whatever you're responsible for
first, and so, as long as youcan live out that attitude, I
(04:58):
believe it will obviously takecare of itself.
But if you are becoming anentrepreneur, there's this thing
going on like, some peoplebecome entrepreneurs because
they just want to be rich.
That's great, good for you,good for you, you know, but I'm
already rich, like so, so, like,come up with something.
(05:19):
Why else are you doing it?
You know, because oftentimes,if you know you've heard be the
change you want to see orwhatever.
Right, that's an old quote.
It makes sense still today,lives in all of us today.
But the reality is, is theyhave to decide how they're going
to do it.
As well, come up with, like,with integrity around ways in
(05:44):
which you will be able to takeyour fit, take care of your
responsibilities with yourpartner.
If you have one like, that hasto be handled before you make
that move, you know, and, and soyou just can't make the move.
Like when I made my move, Iworked in a steel mill at the
time, so I worked around that,so I worked at the steel mill
(06:07):
work swing shift, I cut grassand stuff on my days off, time
off, whatever, and I still work60 hours a week.
Did I see my family?
No, but that was a time, itwasn't forever, and so that's
really up to the person.
Like, how bad do you reallywant it?
Life is, you only live once.
And I'm not saying like yo lo,go start your own business.
(06:30):
I'm not saying that.
So you know.
Think about why you're startingthe business first.
Are you just doing it becauseyou think all of us
entrepreneurs are rich and allthis stuff?
Well, think about the risk thatwe've constantly taken every
day, every week, to make surethat our staff are taken care of
, and all that stuff.
Are you ready for that?
(06:50):
Right, right, that's what hasto be thought through yeah, and
you know what I?
Tanya Scotece (06:56):
I can only envision that.
You know somebody let's justuse the word like single, right,
so, like you know, a singleentrepreneur is different than a
family.
You know because, because it'salso, and then you know
sometimes the people closest toyou.
You know it's.
It's harder right to see that.
You know from afar.
It's like you know people like,okay, well, clay's, harder
right To see that.
You know from afar.
(07:17):
It's like you know people like,okay, well, clay's opening this
business, that business.
But when you're living it likethat day to day it's.
I only can envision again howit must be to kind of wide ride
the waves, so to speak.
Right, what ride the waves?
And some of the waves are bigand some are small, but it's,
it's not it.
You're not talking about aregular job in a regular family
of X amount of dollars comingyour way.
(07:39):
You know eight to five.
You know it's.
It's gotta be just a wholedifferent vibe.
Clay Hicks (07:45):
Yeah, Oftentimes people say, well, I want the
financial freedom.
Then when they go, they don'teven know what to do every day.
They don't know how to like dothe business.
Yet you know, and I prefer likediscipline.
You know, they say, you knowany real successful person.
They always share this onetrait, which is discipline.
(08:06):
It's super difficult to haveself-discipline around something
you're doing that you had tomake, Not that you had a job
that said, hey, Serene, you haveto be here at 8 AM, not nine 30
.
No, you're the person that'ssetting the tone for all of it.
And so I book into my days veryspecifically with meditation
(08:32):
and mind, body, spirit thingsevery single day.
Tanya Scotece (08:35):
I don't half-ass it, you do it even when you
don't want to half-ass it.
You do it even when you don'twant to.
So, yeah, no, it is, I think.
And that discipline, you knowthat kind of I think, sets the
stage or sets the tone.
And you know, and it doesn'tmatter, you know, from my
viewpoint, you know whatevermarketing group or you know
peoples, that people choose,that people choose to be around
(08:56):
like whatever that looks likechamber groups, civic groups,
fraternal organizations,business mindset groups, power
groups, power teams, referralparties, whatever word you want
to use.
In those capacities, my feelingis that we cannot be all of the
above.
So as business owners owners, Ican envision to say you have an
(09:18):
expertise, right?
Let's say, for example, let me,shereen, I know fairly well as
a virtual bookkeeper, so sheknows the bookkeeping, she knows
it.
But then as a business owner,now you're responsible for
managing your income, managingyour marketing, managing
advertising.
All of a sudden, now you'resupposed to be the expert in how
(09:39):
to handle the business side,how to promote it, how to
deliver it and how to respond toyour clients.
Right, so that not only thattakes one area of a specific
niche and that explodes.
And I can only envision on yourside for all the businesses
that you have.
Clay, how I don't want to usethe word challenging.
(10:00):
I don't think it's challenging,I think it's just, you know,
it's a lot of balls in the air,right, it's a lot of like
juggling, that's, you know.
Yeah, I think it's, but it'sfascinating.
I just admire both of you forall these business, business,
entrepreneurial spirits.
So if anybody, I I still wantto do something with the
four-legged.
So if anybody has any goals orthey want to incorporate with
(10:20):
mine, I'd love to collaboratemore.
Uh, at another time love that,love that.
Shireen Botha (10:25):
Yeah, thank you.
I think this has been great,guys.
Um, you know listeners, youknow that we love supporting a
non-profit every month.
So this month we're going to besupporting invite a vet
foundation, llcorg.
That's invite a vet foundationLLCorg.
(10:46):
And if you're already askingwhat on earth is that, well,
clay's going to tell us a littlebit about the organization and
how we can help out.
Clay Hicks (10:55):
Invite a vet.
That's right, so exciting.
So so Marion is a close friendof mine, longtime member of the
community, and her father was inthe war and so she started.
Now I don't want to take herstory away at all, but just
Marion is just an awesome humanbeing and she's always donating
(11:16):
back to veterans.
It's extremely important to herto live that out, and so Marion
and I, being close friends andobviously professionally work
together, what she does is theyactually do events all the time,
and so they're always lookingfor raising funds around veteran
support, and so I'm not.
(11:38):
H7 as a whole is really gettingbehind veterans right now.
So Invite-A-Vet is one of theother, one of the main
nonprofits that we're workingwith to help raise funds.
Many of our members areveterans, so it just makes sense
(11:59):
and so backing the veteranslots.
I mean another one.
You know the mental health andfor veterans is really, really
awful, and you know they'vegiven their lives for us to be
able to, even for me to be anentrepreneur.
I mean there had to be somethinghappened long before I became
(12:21):
that entrepreneur that our uh,our veterans and uh enlisted are
constantly making happen ensurefreedom for us.
So beautiful.
Shireen Botha (12:32):
Yeah, true, I think that's very important.
Listeners, I think you know,wherever you are in the world
you have.
You know, especially thosecountries that are at war.
You've got veterans that aredefending you.
You've got veterans out therethat are fighting for your
country.
I think it's so important toacknowledge what they're doing.
(12:53):
They're putting their lives onthe line for the country,
whereas here we are carrying onwith our life building
businesses, building, you know,companies, working corporate
world.
I'm not saying that's a badthing.
We all have to pull our weightin society and be be good
members of society.
But let's take our minds offourselves and realize, you know,
(13:16):
that there are definitelypeople that are putting
themselves 100% at risk, wherewithin a blink of an eye they
could be gone.
And who's supporting them andwho's helping them?
Because we all know that mentalhealth we've just had.
I mean, you guys know, knowwe've just had an amazing guy on
(13:37):
our show last month, uh, whichyou guys are going to please if
you haven't gone to listen to umdamian o'brien from the coffee
foundation.
He talks about how important itis, about mental health.
We know that in today's world,mental health is so important.
(13:57):
Now can you imagine theveterans on the front line,
having to see some of the thingsthat we don't see every day,
but traumatizing what they haveto deal with.
Um, so please take some time outto really go and support this
organization.
We're going to go ahead andsupport InvitaVet Foundation,
(14:20):
but wherever you are in theglobe, if you want to find a
foundation that is supportingyour own veterans, we invite you
to do so.
But if you want to help us out,join friends from all places.
We are definitely supportingInvita vet foundation llcorg
this month.
So that brings us to the end ofthe podcast, sadly, but true,
(14:44):
um, and we like to always endthe podcast with a little bit of
a light-hearted game.
So we're gonna play theassociation game.
I don't word association I'mnot sure if any of you played
this game before, but basicallymy favorite games.
Clay Hicks (15:01):
So my favorite games I love.
Tanya Scotece (15:03):
Yeah, I love that I don't think I've ever played
it before.
Clay Hicks (15:08):
No, I'm just.
I love playing by association.
It's how my brain works.
Tanya Scotece (15:12):
Okay, got it, got it.
I've never played this game.
Shireen Botha (15:17):
Well, in a nutshell.
So an example of a wordassociation game is the first
person, I'm happy to start theball rolling, so the first
person can say the word rain,and the next person will be clay
.
And clay has to think of a wordthat relates or associates with
(15:39):
the name the word rain and sohe might say umbrella.
And then Tanya then has tothink of a word that associates
with the word umbrella and shemight say beach.
And we cannot repeat any words.
So we have to continue thiswithout repeating a word, and
you obviously lose the game ifyou repeat a word or if we run
(16:03):
out of words and we can't thinkof a word.
So are you ready, guys?
Yeah, okay.
So since we're talking aboutentrepreneurs and business
owners, I'm going to start withthe word innovation.
Clay, you're next uhEngineering.
Tanya Scotece (16:26):
Good one Tanya Okay, technology.
Shireen Botha (16:38):
Cell phone.
Clay Hicks (16:42):
Email.
Tanya Scotece (16:44):
Communication.
Clay Hicks (16:50):
Email communication email.
I already said email.
Oh Jesus, I for sure thoughtyou wouldn't be the one that
messed up.
I thought that would be me likecontinually convinced itself.
Shireen Botha (17:06):
No one has said email convinced itself oh my
gosh, that's insane, that wenttoo quickly, can't stand it well
, we have time for another one.
I think that would only tooktwo or three minutes okay, let's
do like a quick one, uh, aneasier one, a more light-hearted
(17:27):
one.
What about?
Since some of us are going intowinter, let's start with the
word winter Go Clay, snow Sled,christmas, santa, coffee,
(17:49):
fireplace, wood Presents,birthday, birthday.
Clay Hicks (18:02):
Balloons.
Tanya Scotece (18:04):
Hats.
Shireen Botha (18:10):
Dress, hats.
Clay Hicks (18:13):
Dress.
Tanya Scotece (18:16):
Prom.
Shireen Botha (18:20):
Limousine Driver's license.
Tanya Scotece (18:27):
Fly.
Shireen Botha (18:30):
Plane Plane Customs.
Tanya Scotece (18:39):
Computer.
Shireen Botha (18:46):
Password Email Email.
Clay Hicks (18:51):
Second game right.
Second game email.
Second game right.
Tanya Scotece (18:54):
Second game password I have never played
that game in my life.
That's a fun game, fun game I'mgonna play it more.
That's a good game yeah, thatis a good game.
That is a good game, it's fun,yeah yeah, I love it.
Shireen Botha (19:16):
I mean, um, but I am likely the person that
always messes it up.
So, thank you, clay, I was likedead serious scared that I was
gonna mess this one up again.
Um, it's like that other game.
What's that other game?
Two, two truths and a lie.
Was it two lies and a truth?
(19:37):
I can't play it yeah, yeah, Ican't play it.
I always mess it up.
I don't know how, but I alwaysmess it up and it's just yeah
anyway.
But yeah, we've come to thepart of the podcast where we
just get to share with thelisteners where they can reach
out.
So sometimes our listenersmaybe relate to one of us and
(19:59):
they just want to ask us somequestions or whatever the case
may be.
So, clay, if you don't mindsharing with the listeners where
they can find you?
Clay Hicks (20:10):
I would recommend that you find me on LinkedIn.
It is under Clay Hicks.
I am in Ohio, dayton, ohio, andthen, of course, I am on
Facebook.
For those of you who might belistening there on Facebook,
same thing, clay Hicks, and youcan also reach us through our
website, h7 Network.
For those of you who might beuh listening there on facebook
uh, same thing, clay hicks, andyou can also uh reach us through
(20:31):
our website, h7networkcom.
Shireen Botha (20:35):
So thank you, tanya what about yourself?
Tanya Scotece (20:40):
okay so you could find me on linkedin.
I think it's a home away fromhome.
I live there.
So under Tanya Scotece and umwear three distinct hats, kind
of like a tri-legged stool.
So I am the program coordinatorof the mortuary department at
Miami Dade College.
So if anybody has an interestin becoming a funeral director,
(21:01):
embalmer, changing career, newcareer, feel free to reach out.
I also hold space for oursenior community.
I am a senior placementspecialist, matching people with
communities who can no longerlive alone, perhaps due to one
of the dementias, perhapsParkinson's, anything that
presents challenges forday-to-day living.
So I place for assisted living,memory care, and in Florida we
(21:25):
actually have the little casitas, so we are a free placement
agency.
I also serve as an expertwitness for litigation cases
involving funeral and cemeterycases.
So those are my three areas ofexpertise and definitely
linkedin is my hub.
And how about you shireen?
Shireen Botha (21:43):
thank you, Tanya.
I appreciate that.
Yeah, you can also find me onLinkedIn Shireen Botha, my
business, Shireen's bookkeepingservices also on LinkedIn,
amongst other platforms.
But yeah, I think, listeners,if you appreciate us, we are
looking for sponsors.
So if you have any ideas for uswhere we can find some sponsors
(22:04):
to sponsor friends from longplaces, we want to try a
different journey for ourpodcast.
But, more importantly, if youlike us, if you want to comment,
uh, subscribe, tell us what youthink.
Please go ahead.
Find us either on youtube ifyou want to see our funny faces
and hear us, or if you just wantto hear us.
We're on all the platforms,streaming platforms.
(22:26):
You just have to search forbrains from from Wild Places.
Otherwise, you can go to ourwebsite, friendsfromwildplaces.
buzzsprout.
com.
That's friendsfromwildplaces.
buzzsprout.
com.
Please go ahead and subscribeif you can.
But other than that, thank youso much for listening.
We'll see you next time, guys,and remember you got this and
(22:48):
stay wild.
Bye, guys.
Voiceover (22:50):
You've been listening to Friends from Wild Places
with Shireen Botha.
Be sure to subscribe to thepodcast from the links to catch
every episode and unleash yourpassion.
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