What if the only thing standing between you and your breakthrough… is you?
In this vulnerable and energizing episode, restaurant owner La Nihya Odom-Frank shares how breaking through self-doubt, burnout, and past “failures” led her to build one of the most talked-about loaded baked potato restaurants in Georgia. But this is not just a business story—it’s about reclaiming your energy, trusting your intuition, and setting boundaries that protect your peace.
La Nihya opens up about how her past businesses—photography, lip gloss, clothing—were practice, not failure. She reminds us that everything you’ve done is preparing you for your next level. From learning when to pivot, to embracing the soft life without guilt, this episode is packed with gems for anyone navigating their growth era.
✨ Whether you’re feeling stuck, burnt out, or ready to stop shrinking, La Nihya‘s story will help you:
- Turn your "failed" ideas into fuel
- Stop over-explaining your boundaries
- Honor when you need to pause, reset, and protect your energy
- Choose faith and alignment over pressure and burnout
🧠 Topics We Cover:
- How to turn practice into purpose
- Creating boundaries without guilt
- Intuition over opinions: knowing when to block the noise
- Entrepreneurship without burnout
- Soft life, self-trust, and redefining success on your terms
💡 Quote to remember:
"You’re allowed to step away and come back to yourself. That’s not quitting—it’s self-leadership."
🔗 Follow La Nihya:
Instagram: @niha.ya
TikTok: @lanihyaodom
👉 Subscribe now on YouTube for more transparent stories and growth conversations that help you heal, build, and glow.
https://youtube.com/@redefiningthefutureyou
Fit, Healthy & Happy PodcastWelcome to the Fit, Healthy and Happy Podcast hosted by Josh and Kyle from Colossus...
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
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Listen, Rate & Review, Share & Subscribe (Follow)!
Check me out online! I want to hear from you!!!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Sometimes we don't want to hear certain things from
certain people, so my bestfriend may not want to hear that
from me, or my sister orbrothers may not want to hear
that from me, and I just have torespect that and understand
that.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Welcome to.
It's the Human ExperiencePodcast Hosted by Hazel Brown, a
health care leader, wife, momand career coach.
If you're big on authenticity,personal development,
perseverance and transparency,you're in the right place.
Get ready to be uplifted,inspired and empowered as you
(00:34):
become fearless in pursuit ofthe life you desire and deserve.
Go ahead and subscribe.
You don't want to miss out onthese transparent stories and
discussions that reveal highs,lows, aha moments and nuggets
that'll help you to grow andglow.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Hey, hey, hey, you are now tuned into the it's the
Human Experience podcast.
I'm your host, hazel Brown.
Today I have Lanai on thepodcast.
We are going to dive into allthe things to help you get
unstuck, to help you realizethat you too can go after your
goals and make it happen.
The only thing that ever holdsyou back is you, and we're going
to prove that to you here onthis episode.
Hey, linaya, thanks for joiningus.
(01:14):
Hey, thanks for having meAbsolutely Listen.
We jump right into the episode,okay.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
I'm ready.
So the first thing I want toknow is who is Linaya?
Linaya is a child of God first,first and foremost.
I'm a wife to an amazinghusband for three years and, of
course, I'm a business owner, arestaurant owner here in
McDonough.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Awesome, listen, tell us about your business.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
So I own a loaded baked potato restaurant in
McDonough, georgia, in the heartof near where the square is,
and we do a whole bunch ofdifferent combinations of loaded
baked potatoes.
We have chicken, shrimp steak,we have over 15 toppings, we
have five cheeses and it's justreally fun just watching people
what they create out of a potato.
But we also have some that weput together for you just to
make things easier.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
Yeah, I've actually tried your baked potato, not
only by coming to your openhouse, but sometimes I go on
Instacart.
It's like Uber Eats thingy.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Yes, and I'll order it that way.
It's definitely good, I triedthe sweet potato one.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
That was good.
I love the sweet potato.
Your desserts are really good.
I'm like run me that sweetpotato pie.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
It's good.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
The pound cake is really good, all the things that
I secretly shouldn't be getting.
I'm like, let's run it throughUber Eats real quick.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
This is good.
I always say it's the perfectcomfort food, from our food to
the desserts, because it's justso comforting it just makes you
want to curl up in the bed,watch your favorite show and
just dive into the food.
So that's my favorite partabout it.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
Absolutely Listen.
All right, so let's talk aboutyour journey, your journey to
becoming an entrepreneur.
You said you were faithcentered.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
Yes, Like, what has the journey been like?
What were the moments where yourecognized that the only person
that was stopping you was you,I think.
For me, I kind of always hadthe entrepreneur spirit.
Since a young girl, I knew Iwas going to have some type of
business or be some type of highranking in some type of company
(03:09):
.
I just didn't know what.
So I was never attached to likea particular thing.
I was just kind of attached tothe idea of business, the idea
of sales, the idea of marketing.
I just love that aspect ofbusiness.
As far as my journey, it juststarted off like always
searching for my next business.
So I've had all of them aphotographer, lip gloss,
everything that you can think of.
(03:30):
It was like, crossed my mind, Ihad pajamas at one point, um.
So I just was always searchingfor that next thing and then it
landed me here.
My husband and I started in2022 that's when we first
started the restaurant umJanuary 1st and we've just kind
of been going there.
He's definitely been a backboneas far as that journey and
pushing me Like I've always hadthat confidence, but he's like
no, we're execution, point now.
(03:52):
Like you had the confidence, butnow we're going to execute
together.
It's go time.
So I think at that point,that's when I was like, okay,
this is my turning point as faras full-time entrepreneurship
and this is what it's going toprovide for us for the rest of
our lives.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
I love it.
I love it.
I think that when you talkabout, like, the different
things you've done, I want to goback there because I think
sometimes people look at peopleand they're like man, like I
wish I just knew what I wantedto do when I grew up.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
I wish I just had it all figured out.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
And I think that within the trying of things, you
start to learn what you're goodat, what you enjoy, what you
don't Like.
How was that part of thejourney for?
Speaker 1 (04:27):
you.
Now, when I look back, I alwayssay it was practice.
So it was practice.
You know, building thosewebsites helped me build my
website today.
Just figuring out what sells,what people like, what people
need to sell something becauseit's all the same, yeah, whether
it's in food, whether it'sonline, like marketing is
marketing.
You can market a little bitdifferently depending on your
(04:50):
industry, but for the main part,you're just trying to sell
something.
So I think for me it was justlike practice and I knew that it
was practice.
I knew that this lip glossbrand that I named off of my
amazing niece and we joke aboutit today was practice.
Like labeling, building a brandwas all practice for my brand
(05:10):
today.
Just maneuvering orders that'ssomething that people get caught
up a lot and even with therestaurant industry, a lot of
people.
You can make something good.
You can make a good dish athome, but can you make it 100
times a day?
Can you bulk make it?
Can you teach someone else tomake it 100 times a day?
Can you bulk make it?
Can you teach someone else tomake it?
And sometimes people don'tthink of those steps.
So those small businesses thatyou start in the beginning helps
(05:31):
you practice and helps youunderstand the steps that you
don't think of when you'restarting out.
So know, nine times out of 10,a lot of business owners will
tell you your first thing's notgoing to work or it's not going
to work within the X amount oftime period.
It takes a long, a long time torealize what works, what works
for you and where you're going.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
Yeah, I love that.
I love that speaking reallyabout building that muscle and
realizing that that muscle needsto be strong no matter where
you go, and if you learn toperfect it where you're at, then
your next day and where hetakes you, you'll be prepared
for it.
I think it's funny because Ijust had a conversation recently
with one of my family membersaround school and the importance
(06:10):
of school, or lack thereof, andso the conversation was about,
like, a lot of the things welearn in school and as far as
high school, elementary school,middle school are not
necessarily things that we takewith us today, and I'm an
advocate for school, so I'm like.
actually, I feel like you learna lot in school, and what you
learn in school is that, even ifit's boring, you keep going.
(06:32):
Even if it's hard, you figureout how to master it so that you
could actually become afinisher.
You realize that, even if youfeel like it's not applicable to
anything you're going to do ineveryday world, you try to
figure out what you can takefrom it, learn from it and apply
it to what you need to.
And I think it's just themuscle of believing in yourself,
not giving up on yourself andlearning how to master things
(06:54):
even when it seems difficult atthe beginning.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Right.
I feel like school for me wasto exercise my brain, not
necessarily that particulartopic or that particular course,
but it was just kind of likehow far are you going to push
your brain to figure it out?
Or to kind of listen and fightthrough the pain sometimes,
especially in college and allthose hard courses.
And I just remember taking arock classes.
I'm like what am I going toneed rocks in life when?
(07:18):
But it was just kind of stayingstill in something that you're
uncomfortable in and stillpushing through and finishing.
And I even took that classtwice and my whole family used
to laugh.
I had like a rock, like case oflike a whole bunch of rocks and
they're like Naya, come getyour rocks.
So but looking back, it wasjust like being uncomfortable
and doing something that youdon't want to do.
You know you may not need, butit exercised my brain to be in a
(07:40):
place where I don't want to bein and I have to sit in and stay
in.
And I think for me, even in highschool, one of my favorite
courses was like debate andstuff like that and I had to
fight against something that Ididn't believe in, but I had to
fight as if I believed in it,and that changed my brain like
for the rest of my life.
It made me be like always thatdevil's advocate, like you know,
to see where other people arecoming from, because you never
(08:01):
know, or you never know why theybelieve, or you know what
they've been through.
So it just changed my whole wayof thinking ever since that
class in junior year and I'msure that teacher, mr Martinez,
don't even know, don't even knowthe impact it had on my life.
But it's like I can fight forpeople even if I don't believe
in them, and that's somethingvery hard for some people to do.
So it just definitelystructures your brain a little
(08:24):
bit differently in school,especially when you don't think
you need it.
Like you said, school advocateyou know I am one, even though I
didn't finish, but itdefinitely made me think about
things or put me in places andspaces that I didn't know I
needed today.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
Yeah, and I think what you did was take from it
what you need and then you'reable to use that to build.
I think, in terms of pivoting,people don't recognize that
sometimes you start somethingand you're supposed to take a
certain set of skill set from it.
Sometimes you need to finish itand sometimes you need a pivot
because you got what you needand it sounds like everything
that you needed to become arestaurant owner, to become a
(08:58):
business owner or whatever elseis in your future right.
You have those skills in termsof being able to understand how
to look at differentperspectives.
Being a business owner, youmeet all sorts of energies and
people and you really have to beable to put yourself in their
shoes, have empathy, and withoutthose skills that you develop,
it'd be like what is wrong with?
this person Like I cannot.
(09:19):
And in those situations you'relike OK, I got this.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Right.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
That's how you feel Maybe they're going through
something, situations you'relike, okay, I got this right,
figure this out that's how youfeel.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Maybe they're going through something.
It's beyond me, it's biggerthan me, but, yes, it definitely
shapes you becauseentrepreneurship or any type of
business, I think on behalf ofall of us, it's more than just
that idea of what you're sellinglike.
It's way beyond that, like thebehind the scenes you sign up
for jobs.
This is not what I sign up for.
Like I did not sign up for thispart.
This is not what I signed upfor.
Like I did not sign up for thispart.
Even with my restaurant I didnot know how to cook and I
(09:49):
always tell that story Like Iwas not in the kitchen shuffling
it up.
I did not think I would own arestaurant growing up but of
course that was in God's planfor me.
But it pushed me, it forced me.
But I knew all the other sideof business and that's the part
that I fell in love with.
So luckily, my husband lovesthe kitchen part, so we were
able to combine and conquer onthat end.
(10:10):
But as far as outside, lookingin the restaurant, that was not
in my plan at all.
Speaker 3 (10:18):
Yeah, I love that, like trusting God to help him
guide you and use the skillsthat you're strong in, yes, and
then making sure that the areasthat other people that you trust
when they're strong in thoseareas, y'all combine and make it
happen.
I think that that's a wordbecause I think many times we
are taught to be independent,especially as women and
everything we have to do.
(10:39):
But the reality is, if you trustpeople and they have strong
skills, yeah, let them do thatEmphasis on trust people and
they have strong skills yeah,let them do emphasis on trust
people and you and they havestrong skills, you know, use
their skills, they use yourskills and y'all collaborate and
y'all can make magic happen,right?
Speaker 1 (10:53):
so I love that you're like uh-uh, like that's not my
area but I got you in theseother areas and he's the same
way.
He's like yeah, I don't need toknow any of that, she got, got
it.
I trust her.
You know she's speaking Spanishand in the kitchen I'm like,
babe, you're speaking Spanish.
So we just let each other kindof thrive in our areas and I
(11:14):
think that's what works for us.
But of course everybody.
You have to find what works foryou.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
Absolutely Like what were some of your aha moments on
the journey as it relates tonot as it realized, but what
were some of your aha moments onthe journey?
As it relates to thinking thatbusiness and life is supposed to
be people in a business and thedifferent personalities and
just how hard it is to find goodpeople and to keep good people.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
Yeah, I think that's been my biggest like OK, I'm
(12:00):
going to try this with the nextperson.
Ok, or I'm going to do thisbetter for my employees or my
staff or this is what I need todo.
So I think my biggest ahamoments have been like with
staff and hiring and employeesand just that side of things as
far as even my personal growth.
Like you know, pulling back onmaybe what I feel is best or
what I feel is best for thebusiness, what I feel is best
(12:22):
for the business.
If my employees speak up andthey want something, then I have
to let them have it, Becausewithout them, you know, I can't
take the vacations and, you know, go to bed and sleep in and do
all the things.
So it's just like I need themjust as much as they may need me
.
If not, I need them more.
So I think that's my biggestaha in the journey and just kind
(12:43):
of like new findings and newrealizations along the way.
It's just the biggest kind ofsearch in my journey I've come
across.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
Yeah, that makes sense and I'm sure that's
something that even in yourpersonal journey, as it relates
to boundaries is what it soundslike you're talking about is
learning that you know you havecertain boundaries in terms of
the values and the skill setthat you need in your business.
You know you have certainboundaries in terms of the
values and the skill set thatyou need in your business, while
at the same time, you have tobe a little bit flexible in
terms of meeting them wherethey're.
At Once you realize that youcan trust them and they have the
(13:12):
skills and the values that arealigned, it's like okay, these
are my people.
Let me try to back up and seewhat I can do to keep these
people and I feel like that'ssuch a parallel, like in
friendships and in relationshipsand in life, because everyone's
different, right, yes, and ifthey meet your value system as
it relates to trust, skill setand just the way that they love
and you love them, it's like youhave to meet them in the middle
(13:33):
sometimes.
What kind of boundaries haveyou had to create in your life
really to focus on peace whileyou're building boundaries um
not being so accessible.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
I think for me I'm definitely that person that's,
while you're building Boundaries, not being so accessible.
I think for me I'm definitelythat person that's like I'm just
one phone call away Whateveryou need, no questions asked, no
judgment.
I think I serve that place in alot of people in my life's life
and I love it.
But it's just, sometimes it'slike, especially getting married
, I had to learn to not be soaccessible.
(14:04):
I had to learn to not be soaccessible.
I had to learn to listen more.
You know, that's been a bigboundary for me Just kind of
listen, not offering my feedbackso much.
You know not really alwayshaving a response, because it's
not always needed and necessary.
So I think, and then doing whatmakes me happy and what fills
(14:26):
my cup up may not look the samefor the next person, so you may
not understand it.
So you know, if I say, for anexample, I need a massage every
month, you know you might feellike that's not needed to fill a
cup.
You need to go to church or youneed to go you know everybody
has their different things oryou need to go get your hair
done, whatever it is.
(14:46):
But I had to focus on like, ok,now, what serves you, what
fills your cup?
You know everybody hassomething different and it
doesn't have to be justifiableto other people.
And I think that leads into myother.
One is like explaining myselfand justifying things I don't
partake in any more.
I always say now, like the onlyperson I owe an explanation to
is my husband.
(15:07):
So other than that, you cantell me the sky is red and I'm
just going to be like yeah, Ilove that.
Speaker 3 (15:13):
I love that people don't have access to your
opinion.
I don't know if that is likehow, like that's how I took it,
because I feel like that is soimportant.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
Yes, it's undeserving .
Speaker 3 (15:25):
Yes, yeah, because I feel like when you're becoming
and you're on your personaljourney and you're naturally the
kind of person that just wantsto pour.
Someone comes to you andthey're just venting and you're
like, oh, I think you should dothis.
And then they don't do it.
And now you're like, why didn'tthey do that?
They should have listened.
It's upside down.
It's like wait, hold up, wejust going to draw the boundary
(15:45):
here.
You don't even have access to myopinion, because with that, I'm
able to just let you dowhatever you want to do and I'm
able to hold onto my peace.
I love that.
I love that.
That's like a different levelof access and I think it's
really important.
And I feel like it's a trend,like we've had a lot of
conversations on the podcastreally about that learning how,
when people are coming to youreally saying, are you coming to
(16:08):
me to vent or do you want myfeedback?
Because people are receptive toit better when they actually
want your feedback Exactly, andthen recognizing we all want
different things in our lives.
So our opinion is not somethingthat needs to be projected half
the time, because the realityis it's our opinion and we
deserve to live the life we wantto live.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
Yeah, I love that and I think for me, a lot of my
opinions are justified byexperience.
So I'm not one of those peopleto tell you something that is
like I haven't been through orlike secondhandly been through,
like I'm not going to.
Just, yeah, one time I heardthat's not really how I, you
know, offer my opinion, but I ama great ear, I'm always a
shoulder to cry on.
(16:47):
But I think I've come into thisspace where some people aren't
ready to hear this level ofadvice or level of experience.
You know you have to get there.
Like you said, sometimes wedon't want to hear certain
things from certain people, somy best friend may not want to
hear that from me, or my sisteror brothers may not want to hear
that from me, and I just haveto respect that and understand
(17:08):
that.
But to better my peace, it'slike I knew you shouldn't have
did that.
I told you you needed to gothis way.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
Like we're just going to X all this out.
Yeah, exactly, Because nowyou're wrapped up in it.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
You're like I'm just going to let it happen, yeah,
and you'll get there one day orthat.
You know, when you want thatadvice, how to ask it from me,
so I'm just going to wait forthat for you.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
Something I want to dive in that's kind of along the
lines of what we're talkingabout is when you're face
centered and your heart centered.
What you just talked about islike learning not to intercede
in God's work.
Right, Because that's somethingthat I had to develop a muscle
in, Like I want to jump in andbe saving grace.
And it's like girl, you are notGod Like.
(17:51):
How dare you let that personlearn that lesson?
I've been doing that for years.
Like how dare you let that?
Speaker 1 (17:53):
person learn that lesson.
I've been doing that for years,like I think for me, like I was
just always that angel, like inlife, growing up, or I was just
always that younger, wise girland all the things, and I just
like I was just so.
Like you know, god put thisperson in my life for me to save
.
Speaker 3 (18:08):
Or.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
God wants me to help this person.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
Like I was just so quick to help save, want to be
that person that's differentfrom everybody in your life.
Like I was always wanting to bethat person, so I had to learn
that, like guys, like you know,sometimes you just need to plant
a seed, naya, put a littlewater on it, naya, and that's it
, walk away.
Like I didn't put you there togo with the mile-long journey.
(18:32):
Like I literally just put youthere to just say okay, or just
water it or just, and that's it.
Speaker 3 (18:37):
A lot of weed and keep it moving.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
Keep it moving.
So I had to kind of learndiscernment a little bit and
kind of learn, just, you know,when it's necessary, when it's
not, and I think I'm slowlystepping into that mastering of
it, because I just find myselfjust pulling back so much and
I'm just kind of like huh.
Speaker 3 (18:55):
Yeah, and it feels good, yeah.
I think that one thing thatI've recognized on the journey
is sometimes we tell ourselveswe're needed, right, right.
We feel like, oh my goodness,like it's not going to happen if
we're not the ones to make ithappen Exactly.
And then, when you pullyourself back, you recognize
like I didn't need to put allthat pressure on myself, like it
(19:15):
wasn't even something that Ihad to do.
And to your point of when youcreate those boundaries, people
will come to you when you needthem, as opposed to you being so
accessible for whatever anyoneneeds.
And then you're not able to doyou.
You're not able to pour into you, you're not able to create the
life that makes sense to you.
So I love that awareness.
From that, what would you sayyour superpower is?
Speaker 1 (19:37):
now I think it's allowing my, it allowed me to
grow and for others to see mygrowth, and I think my
superpower is just kind of justalso being aware.
I think for the most part it'sjust definitely the power of
awareness of what's going on,the power of my heart, you know
(20:00):
kind of.
You know, when you let yourheart out so much, you just lose
it.
Like you know it's kind of hardto keep it secure, keep it
locked up in that box, becauseyou know I'm so invested to
where, if you break my heart now, I'm all over the place.
Like my whole life is just inshambles.
So I had to learn that I haveto protect it, especially with
the type of person and characterI am.
(20:21):
So I think my superpowerdefinitely came from those
boundaries, because it's needed.
Speaker 3 (20:26):
Yeah, yeah, I love that.
I love that.
I'm going to go into one of thequestions.
Can you share a time where youfelt completely stuck?
What changed for you to moveforward, and how did that moment
shape the way you approachchallenges?
Speaker 1 (20:41):
A particular example just pops up in my brain so I
guess I have to share it.
I think for my business I thinkany business you are going to
fall in and out of love with it.
So I think for me, I just wentthrough a period of falling out
of love with with my businessand I was just stuck, confused,
didn't know what to do.
So I had to pivot and I had tomake some hard changes and I
(21:04):
didn't know what the outcome wasgoing to be at the end.
But I went through it and theoutcome made me fall back in
love with it like the first dayand even probably more.
So I was able to fall back inlove with the business first day
and even probably more.
So I was able to fall back inlove with the business.
But I think for me, like thatparticular experience that I
can't really dive into today,definitely changed how I am as a
(21:26):
businesswoman, how I viewbusiness, how I handle business
and all the things.
So I think that I I love thatexample.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
I love that example so much because it applies to
everything yeah it's yourrelationship with your business,
with your career your mate,your friendships, all of it.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
Like you are going to fall out of love.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
Yeah, you're gonna fall in and out of love with
most things, especially extendedperiod of things.
So like you said a job for 10years.
You know a relationship for 10years.
You know a relationship for 10years, many long marriage people
.
You know advices you're going tofall in and out of love and
just make sure you remember whyyou started and that's what gets
you through it.
And I think that's one of myfavorite things and I never
(22:07):
thought I would go through itwith my business, because it's
kind of like it's a relationship, it gets kind of dry.
Speaker 3 (22:12):
Sometimes you got to reinvent the wheel.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
Yeah, I didn't think I was going to do it, but now
I'm just like so happy I wentthrough that because I think
that experience is just going tocarry me for the next five
years in my business.
It's like I know what to do now.
This has happened before.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
I love it and I think that for me, the reason why I
mentioned how it applies toeverything because in career,
that's happened in myrelationship, that's happened in
friendships, that happened Evenwith my husband recently, like
earlier this year, I was like,yeah, I don't know.
We've been together for 22years and I was like, yeah, I
don't know, I just don't thinkhe gets me anymore.
And then my first reaction wasjust like, yeah, it's very clear
(22:48):
, he doesn't get me anymore.
I don't think I could do this.
And then I started saying,hazel, look, you actually like
him.
You want to get old with him?
Yeah, you don't like manypeople.
Yeah, so why is that yourresponse to it?
Huh, girl, like, build a muscle, learn how to communicate, you
can do hard things.
And like we started talking andyeah, and I'm like I love this
(23:10):
man and I think I'm, like you, afool like you are not as
personally developed as youthought you were, because why
was your answer to out?
So I love the answer you gaveBecause it's like just going
back, seeing what you love, whatyou don't love, pulling the
things you love through, thethings that are necessary,
taking that too, but justchanging it up a little bit,
because maybe you don't have tothrow the whole thing out, maybe
(23:32):
you can just change it up alittle bit.
Speaker 1 (23:33):
Because we change.
We change so fast as people inyour marriage and friendships
and business, like I've changedjust so much from that first day
I've started and it's just socrazy for me Like I think I
surprised myself and I thinkeven sometimes I'm just even
overwhelmed with myself.
Like so how can I not expectother people to you know, to
(23:56):
experience that or to see that?
You know we have childhood, Ihave childhood friendships and
I'm just like, well, you know wewas just playing at the park
together.
How can you see me as this?
You know big business woman,you know type of environment or
cousins or just aunts that'sbeen around?
And it's just like hard to watchthat change from some people,
(24:17):
especially if you're a rapidchanger.
And I'm like that's who I am.
Like my life changes complete360 in a matter of a year, most
of the time every year sinceI've been out the house.
So I think it's hard for peopleto swallow that change.
And even in a relationship youchanging.
So it's like do you understandme as this business woman versus
(24:37):
this girl who's at a nine tofive?
like that's two different peoplelike the, and even for my
husband he's grown so much as abusinessman.
He he like.
When we first started, he wouldalways say I'm not an
entrepreneur.
And I'm like, yes, you are.
He's like, no, I'm not anentrepreneur, I'm like that's
what this role is.
Yeah, we own our own businessand that's how we live.
(24:57):
He's like no, I just so happento own it.
But now he'll say it Like youknow, I'm a restaurant owner,
I'm an entrepreneur, I'm abusiness owner and he carries
that so well and I'm just likelove that for you.
Speaker 3 (25:09):
I love that for you, but it's like I had to watch him
change and it's like I had towatch him change and it's like
accepting that change.
Speaker 1 (25:14):
You know, sometimes, even with business, a lot of
people I hear talk about theirpartners not being super
invested in the entrepreneurlife and it is something
different and just uncomfortablesometimes because it's just a
different lifestyle.
Speaker 3 (25:27):
Completely different lifestyle.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
I'm happy that we do it together, but I just couldn't
imagine, like as far as likebeing on different pages and
watching someone change in anentrepreneur spirit and you have
one person working a job likehow those lives mesh.
Yeah, and it's just like.
That's the part that I'm likeOK.
Speaker 3 (25:43):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
And it's funny you share thatbecause that's the muscle I had
to build in my relationship,because my husband's a nine to
fiver and at one point I was anine to fiver and an
entrepreneur.
And then I was a 9 to 5 and anentrepreneur, and then I made a
shift to where, like, no, I'mjust an entrepreneur and it's
like wait, but you got all themdegrees, you got all that
experience, what do you mean?
And then trying to help himunderstand this entrepreneurial
(26:04):
world, like it's different, it'slike embracing your visionary,
it's really embracing the giftsGod gave you and, seeing it,
it's all faith right andeverything comes to fruition
once you trust it.
You work the muscle, you do whathe tells you to do and it's
like are you over there afantasy lamb?
Because, like, what's going on?
But to your point of likevalues and trust that we talked
(26:27):
about through the conversation,like he knows his wife, he knows
that I wouldn't be doinganything that I didn't believe
in and he believes in me.
So once I started opening upand kind of telling him some of
the things, that were in mybrain.
He can see it Right.
Speaker 1 (26:42):
But before, I was kind of like you're not going to
understand, Like I'm notexplaining it to you Like we
just don't get each other.
Speaker 3 (26:46):
It's like well, help him get you.
And once I did like should goto this podcast event Like bae,
you should go to this and I'mlike girl, like what in the
world.
So I love that you mentionedthat, because it really takes
conversation.
Even in the feeling stuck inwhatever situation it is, just
(27:07):
open your mouth and talk,whether it's your employer,
within your business, yourrelationship, your friendship.
Communication really is the keyto many things.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
Yeah, and you sometimes have to change your
surroundings.
Yeah for sure, Become anentrepreneur.
Speaker 3 (27:18):
You might have to get those entrepreneur friends yes,
absolutely, they get you sothat you don't feel stuck and
alone.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
You might have to change.
You know, just like I'm not amommy yet, but you have the moms
saying they need mom, friendsand all those things.
So it's definitely people don'tunderstand.
A lot of your experiences arerelatable, all those things.
So it's definitely people don'tunderstand a lot of your
experiences are relatable.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
It's just different, yeah yeah, and I love that you
talk about like creating acircle right, Getting those mom
friends, getting thoseentrepreneur friends, and then
back to values and trust gettingthe ones that you know have the
same values as you, that youcan trust, because that
definitely changes things.
I know for me, not only justcreating events myself, but also
recognizing that when you'recreating circles, as it relates
(27:59):
to the personal people aroundyou, the values have to exist
and you have to make sure thatpeople don't love you because
everybody else loves you.
And that's a whole new thingbeing an entrepreneur that you
didn't realize you had tonavigate.
It's like wait, do they like me?
Because of me.
Or do they like me because of me, or do they like because, yeah,
what I'm doing and I think it'sjust so important that, like
(28:20):
people like recognize that thatbecomes a thing.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
Yeah, it's just a lot of confusion.
Yeah, you just don't know whatto believe anymore.
Yeah, you don't know what totake, you don't know what to
leave.
You don't know yeah, it is.
Speaker 3 (28:32):
It is that it's funny .
We talked about.
It's like, what am I supposedto do with this?
Like, why did you put thisperson in my circle?
Like am I supposed to?
Is this a divine connection?
Or, to your point, do I justneed to throw a little bit of
water on it and keep moving andthat part does become confusing.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
It's just like God what do you want me to do with?
Speaker 3 (28:48):
this Because.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
I want to do it, I really do, but I just don't know
.
Yeah, like this can't be thatLike.
Speaker 3 (28:56):
I completely get that sentiment and that feeling.
I'm going to go into anotherquestion.
When you felt overwhelmed byyour goals and the weight of the
expectation, for kind ofknowing that God chose you for
what it is that you're doing,how have you recalibrated your
approach so that you could stayaligned and true to your purpose
, that you can?
Speaker 1 (29:13):
stay aligned and true to your purpose.
I always say for me, I have torecenter Because it's like I
know what I'm here to do, I knowmy calling, I'm very aware of
who I am as a person, who I loveto be.
So when I find myself not beingthat, I recenter, I do all the
(29:34):
things that makes me recenter, Istep away, I pull back, I go in
my dungeons.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
You look like a hideout.
Speaker 1 (29:45):
And just make a regrant entrance.
But it's just so instant when Irealize go on vacation or
something I love tropicalvacations to where it's just
like me, in the skies and thewater, and it just helps me
recenter with God.
Like I want to read, I want tolike pray, I want to sing gospel
songs for hours, like those arethe things that recenter me.
(30:07):
So when I feel overwhelmed, Iknow that that's what I need to
do to get it back right.
So I don't run from it.
So you know, the moment I feelthat that next week or then two
weeks, because it affectseverybody around me and I've
watched it, so now I don't evenplay with it.
I'm like if I'm not feeling thatperson, they know, yeah, I'll
(30:28):
be right back and you'll gethurt, but it can't be gone for
too long, because then peoplethink you're changing or they
think that's not who you areanymore.
So I also learned the value inthat to you know, protect other
people's image of me.
I'm still a human, but I haveto know that it's my job to step
away to recenter and to refillmy cup, and not theirs, you know
, to baby me or pull me through.
(30:49):
It's not their responsibility.
Speaker 3 (30:51):
It's no one's but yourselves.
Speaker 1 (30:56):
So I think now my husband supports that as well
too, because, again, it affectseverybody.
It affects the business, forsure.
It affects the staff, itaffects everything the customers
, it affects everything aroundme, and it's too much for me to
not be whole.
So if that's what it takes forme to be whole and be under
control, then it's worth everypenny.
Speaker 3 (31:15):
Oh my God, I love that so much.
It's like BRB yeah, literally,and it's so needed.
And I think that that's like amuscle that a lot of people
don't realize.
We play a little bit of triviaat the end you'll see but one of
the things is people don'trealize that emotional
intelligence is a big indicatorin someone's success.
(31:36):
So if you feel within you thatyou're not yourself, that shows
your emotional intelligence andself-awareness, that hey, I'm
not showing up as Linaya.
I need to do somethingdifferent recenter, recalibrate,
get with God and make sure thatthe person that I'm showing up
as is 100% me, so that I canmake the right decisions and so
(31:56):
that BRB is needed, where somepeople will look at that as like
well why are you?
Speaker 1 (32:01):
separating yourself, and it's usually a quick couple
of days, nothing, ever more thana week, because, again, I don't
let it get that far.
You know, and it looksdifferent for everybody, so I
also don't want to make it seemlike you know you need some type
of, but I'm also blessed tohave the funds and the resources
that I have, to know thatthat's what works for me, like
God provided that part too,because obviously he knows what
(32:23):
works.
You know he put that in me, sohe knows, like you know, what it
is that I need and I know thatI have the resources to do that,
so I'm not running from it.
Yeah is to do that, so I'm notrunning from it so it looks
different for everybody.
Like I've seen, you know, onTikTok, people taking walks, you
know, in a park, in a randompark, or just kind of being with
(32:45):
yourself and changing yourscenery is usually all it takes.
So it can be very small or verybig, but everybody is different
.
And that's the part that youhave to learn yourself.
So these are my experiences andwhat works for me today, and it
could change.
It wasn't always like that, butyou know in this season that I
am.
That's what it is, yeah.
Speaker 3 (33:01):
I love that.
I feel like when I was a nineto fiver, I used to
intentionally put in.
Pto on a regular basis, like Iknew when I was going to need to
tap out A burnout.
Speaker 1 (33:11):
Yeah, it's burnout, that's what it is.
Speaker 3 (33:12):
It's like a, a burnout, like I feel like we all
get burnout yeah exactly soit'd be like 10 weeks and I'm
like, okay, let's go ahead andplug in a little friday and
monday here.
And then it's like, okay, let'ssee, like okay, april, that
really gets real hectic.
So let me go ahead and justlike plug in a couple, three
days.
Speaker 1 (33:29):
Here you're looking out for your future.
Speaker 3 (33:31):
so, for real, you because you there.
Yeah, we all go through thingswhere we know like, yeah, this
time it typically gets a littletoo much.
Speaker 1 (33:39):
I'm going to need a break.
If I know I have a lot of workcoming up or a big busy schedule
that following weekend, Ialready know we're doing
something.
Let me pencil in myself.
Speaker 3 (33:48):
Exactly, I need time with me and and I feel like same
thing, like midweek you knowyou have a.
Ceo day where you're like, okay, wednesday afternoons is
nothing, because I need to beable to reset for Thursday and
Friday.
Speaker 1 (34:04):
I don't want to go into Thursday and Friday like,
oh, I can't do it.
And that's why I think peoplelook at me and they're like, oh,
you know, how do you do it?
Like, how do you do it all?
Like you're always working,you're always doing this and I,
like you don't see that part.
So just also understand thatthose parts are definitely there
and I know that it's needed tokeep me going.
Speaker 3 (34:23):
yeah, and I think that really leads into when
you're working in your purpose.
I think to other people itlooks like, oh my god, you're
always working, but when you'reworking within your purpose, it
does not feel like you'reworking.
It feels like, yes, guy, youtrust me with this ball.
This is my thing're going tomake it.
We're going to the Super Bowlwith this and it's like other
people are like how you do itand it's like it's not hard.
(34:45):
These are my gifts I'm usingand I feel for me.
Speaker 1 (34:47):
I think I look at a lot of my life as honored, like
I am so honored to be in theposition that I am Like.
I am so like humble andgrateful like that.
It's me like I was chosen forthis, versus it's a job or that.
You know, it's just so dreading.
So I'm just like, I'm just sohumbly honored that and I still,
(35:07):
to this day, just be like I dothis, I did this or I built this
.
Speaker 3 (35:12):
Yeah, he trusts me with this.
Speaker 1 (35:13):
This is what's going on.
Like.
Am I crazy?
Like?
Speaker 3 (35:17):
I love that, that level of gratitude and I think
we talk about that in thepodcast a lot too like how
important gratitude is, becauseif you're not happy where you
are now, when you get to thatgoal or that next thing, you're
not going to be happy either,because you got to learn how to
love the life you already havein order for you to love
whatever it is that you think isnext, because next is not the
(35:38):
answer At all.
Yeah, I love that.
What is one thing that youwould share with your younger
self, maybe your 17-year-oldself, if you could tell her
anything You're like, what arewe going to tell her?
Speaker 1 (35:53):
Right, you know it's best for you.
And it's like a lot of times Ithink I second guess myself, but
I still went with my gut and itworked out.
So I think I would tell myself,like just building on that
confidence, like you know what'sbest for you, like you know
what is needed, especially evenat that age, like I know it
(36:14):
sounds young, but it's like,yeah, you know what's best for
you.
Speaker 3 (36:16):
Yeah, we all.
Speaker 1 (36:17):
Our compass is inside , yeah, so I think that's what I
would tell my doubtly self.
Speaker 3 (36:23):
Yeah, I love that.
I love that Allowing yourselfto recognize that what you are
thinking needs to happen isreally what should happen from
like a young age.
Speaker 1 (36:32):
That's beautiful.
Speaker 3 (36:34):
Yeah, so before we end the episode, I definitely
want to make sure we spend sometime allowing the listeners to
follow you online and all things.
So where can the listeners findyou?
Speaker 1 (36:43):
On Instagram it is Naya N-I-H, period Y-A.
On TikTok it's my full name, soL-A-N-I-H-Y-A-O-D-O-M.
It's mainly where Instagram andTikTok.
Speaker 3 (36:58):
Listen, y'all go follow Linaya.
Make sure that you arefollowing her, plugged into
what's next, because we knowthat you're forever evolving and
Linaya next year is going to bean elevated version of Linaya
this year, and it's importantthat you go on the journey
together, like that's what thepodcast is all about Big things
coming.
Speaker 1 (37:17):
I'm so excited.
So, yes, definitely a lot tocome.
Speaker 3 (37:20):
I'm so here for, and you haven't come to a workplace
therapy events, but you came tomy power table event that I did,
and so, shameless plug, I wouldlove for you to tell the people
like what that, even that smallexperience, is like it was my
first stepping out experience.
Speaker 1 (37:35):
It was great.
I loved it.
I love every part of it.
I love um.
I even went to to one of thegirls I met, pilates class, and
that was a first experience.
So it's just a lot of firsts.
I'm in a season of just tryingnew things, so I was able to
meet people and try new thingsover there as well too.
Speaker 3 (37:50):
Nice, awesome.
I think that's what I loveabout my events, though, when I
kind of look at other people interms of like case studies and
kind of thinking.
The other day, I was thinkingto myself like what do people
get like after they come to yourevents, and I'm like, big or
small, I always connect peopleto who they need, yeah.
And then I recognize, like whenI see like what people are
doing with other people, yeah,it's like everybody gets
(38:11):
introduced to somebody thatplays a role in their life and
I'm like, oh, like, maybe I'mthe connector that's just I look
her next one.
Speaker 1 (38:20):
I've been traveling for the last couple of weeks, so
I'm definitely going to make itto her next one next weekend.
Speaker 3 (38:24):
Yeah, absolutely.
I'm so excited so we're goingto go ahead and go into trivia.
Listen, if this is your firsttime listening to the podcast,
make sure that you're subscribed, make sure you're following us,
make sure that you don't missout on future episodes.
Sometimes we don't want to hear certain things from
certain people, so my bestfriend may not want to hear that
from me, or my sister orbrothers may not want to hear
that from me, and I just have torespect that and understand
that.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Welcome to.
It's the Human ExperiencePodcast Hosted by Hazel Brown, a
health care leader, wife, momand career coach.
If you're big on authenticity,personal development,
perseverance and transparency,you're in the right place.
Get ready to be uplifted,inspired and empowered as you
(00:34):
become fearless in pursuit ofthe life you desire and deserve.
Go ahead and subscribe.
You don't want to miss out onthese transparent stories and
discussions that reveal highs,lows, aha moments and nuggets
that'll help you to grow andglow.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Hey, hey, hey, you are now tuned into the it's the
Human Experience podcast.
I'm your host, hazel Brown.
Today I have Lanai on thepodcast.
We are going to dive into allthe things to help you get
unstuck, to help you realizethat you too can go after your
goals and make it happen.
The only thing that ever holdsyou back is you, and we're going
to prove that to you here onthis episode.
Hey, linaya, thanks for joiningus.
(01:14):
Hey, thanks for having meAbsolutely Listen.
We jump right into the episode,okay.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
I'm ready.
So the first thing I want toknow is who is Linaya?
Linaya is a child of God first,first and foremost.
I'm a wife to an amazinghusband for three years and, of
course, I'm a business owner, arestaurant owner here in
McDonough.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Awesome, listen, tell us about your business.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
So I own a loaded baked potato restaurant in
McDonough, georgia, in the heartof near where the square is,
and we do a whole bunch ofdifferent combinations of loaded
baked potatoes.
We have chicken, shrimp steak,we have over 15 toppings, we
have five cheeses and it's justreally fun just watching people
what they create out of a potato.
But we also have some that weput together for you just to
make things easier.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
Yeah, I've actually tried your baked potato, not
only by coming to your openhouse, but sometimes I go on
Instacart.
It's like Uber Eats thingy.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Yes, and I'll order it that way.
It's definitely good, I triedthe sweet potato one.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
That was good.
I love the sweet potato.
Your desserts are really good.
I'm like run me that sweetpotato pie.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
It's good.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
The pound cake is really good, all the things that
I secretly shouldn't be getting.
I'm like, let's run it throughUber Eats real quick.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
This is good.
I always say it's the perfectcomfort food, from our food to
the desserts, because it's justso comforting it just makes you
want to curl up in the bed,watch your favorite show and
just dive into the food.
So that's my favorite partabout it.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
Absolutely Listen.
All right, so let's talk aboutyour journey, your journey to
becoming an entrepreneur.
You said you were faithcentered.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
Yes, Like, what has the journey been like?
What were the moments where yourecognized that the only person
that was stopping you was you,I think.
For me, I kind of always hadthe entrepreneur spirit.
Since a young girl, I knew Iwas going to have some type of
business or be some type of highranking in some type of company
(03:09):
.
I just didn't know what.
So I was never attached to likea particular thing.
I was just kind of attached tothe idea of business, the idea
of sales, the idea of marketing.
I just love that aspect ofbusiness.
As far as my journey, it juststarted off like always
searching for my next business.
So I've had all of them aphotographer, lip gloss,
everything that you can think of.
(03:30):
It was like, crossed my mind, Ihad pajamas at one point, um.
So I just was always searchingfor that next thing and then it
landed me here.
My husband and I started in2022 that's when we first
started the restaurant umJanuary 1st and we've just kind
of been going there.
He's definitely been a backboneas far as that journey and
pushing me Like I've always hadthat confidence, but he's like
no, we're execution, point now.
(03:52):
Like you had the confidence, butnow we're going to execute
together.
It's go time.
So I think at that point,that's when I was like, okay,
this is my turning point as faras full-time entrepreneurship
and this is what it's going toprovide for us for the rest of
our lives.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
I love it.
I love it.
I think that when you talkabout, like, the different
things you've done, I want to goback there because I think
sometimes people look at peopleand they're like man, like I
wish I just knew what I wantedto do when I grew up.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
I wish I just had it all figured out.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
And I think that within the trying of things, you
start to learn what you're goodat, what you enjoy, what you
don't Like.
How was that part of thejourney for?
Speaker 1 (04:27):
you.
Now, when I look back, I alwayssay it was practice.
So it was practice.
You know, building thosewebsites helped me build my
website today.
Just figuring out what sells,what people like, what people
need to sell something becauseit's all the same, yeah, whether
it's in food, whether it'sonline, like marketing is
marketing.
You can market a little bitdifferently depending on your
(04:50):
industry, but for the main part,you're just trying to sell
something.
So I think for me it was justlike practice and I knew that it
was practice.
I knew that this lip glossbrand that I named off of my
amazing niece and we joke aboutit today was practice.
Like labeling, building a brandwas all practice for my brand
(05:10):
today.
Just maneuvering orders that'ssomething that people get caught
up a lot and even with therestaurant industry, a lot of
people.
You can make something good.
You can make a good dish athome, but can you make it 100
times a day?
Can you bulk make it?
Can you teach someone else tomake it 100 times a day?
Can you bulk make it?
Can you teach someone else tomake it?
And sometimes people don'tthink of those steps.
So those small businesses thatyou start in the beginning helps
(05:31):
you practice and helps youunderstand the steps that you
don't think of when you'restarting out.
So know, nine times out of 10,a lot of business owners will
tell you your first thing's notgoing to work or it's not going
to work within the X amount oftime period.
It takes a long, a long time torealize what works, what works
for you and where you're going.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
Yeah, I love that.
I love that speaking reallyabout building that muscle and
realizing that that muscle needsto be strong no matter where
you go, and if you learn toperfect it where you're at, then
your next day and where hetakes you, you'll be prepared
for it.
I think it's funny because Ijust had a conversation recently
with one of my family membersaround school and the importance
(06:10):
of school, or lack thereof, andso the conversation was about,
like, a lot of the things welearn in school and as far as
high school, elementary school,middle school are not
necessarily things that we takewith us today, and I'm an
advocate for school, so I'm like.
actually, I feel like you learna lot in school, and what you
learn in school is that, even ifit's boring, you keep going.
(06:32):
Even if it's hard, you figureout how to master it so that you
could actually become afinisher.
You realize that, even if youfeel like it's not applicable to
anything you're going to do ineveryday world, you try to
figure out what you can takefrom it, learn from it and apply
it to what you need to.
And I think it's just themuscle of believing in yourself,
not giving up on yourself andlearning how to master things
(06:54):
even when it seems difficult atthe beginning.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Right.
I feel like school for me wasto exercise my brain, not
necessarily that particulartopic or that particular course,
but it was just kind of likehow far are you going to push
your brain to figure it out?
Or to kind of listen and fightthrough the pain sometimes,
especially in college and allthose hard courses.
And I just remember taking arock classes.
I'm like what am I going toneed rocks in life when?
(07:18):
But it was just kind of stayingstill in something that you're
uncomfortable in and stillpushing through and finishing.
And I even took that classtwice and my whole family used
to laugh.
I had like a rock, like case oflike a whole bunch of rocks and
they're like Naya, come getyour rocks.
So but looking back, it wasjust like being uncomfortable
and doing something that youdon't want to do.
You know you may not need, butit exercised my brain to be in a
(07:40):
place where I don't want to bein and I have to sit in and stay
in.
And I think for me, even in highschool, one of my favorite
courses was like debate andstuff like that and I had to
fight against something that Ididn't believe in, but I had to
fight as if I believed in it,and that changed my brain like
for the rest of my life.
It made me be like always thatdevil's advocate, like you know,
to see where other people arecoming from, because you never
(08:01):
know, or you never know why theybelieve, or you know what
they've been through.
So it just changed my whole wayof thinking ever since that
class in junior year and I'msure that teacher, mr Martinez,
don't even know, don't even knowthe impact it had on my life.
But it's like I can fight forpeople even if I don't believe
in them, and that's somethingvery hard for some people to do.
So it just definitelystructures your brain a little
(08:24):
bit differently in school,especially when you don't think
you need it.
Like you said, school advocateyou know I am one, even though I
didn't finish, but itdefinitely made me think about
things or put me in places andspaces that I didn't know I
needed today.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
Yeah, and I think what you did was take from it
what you need and then you'reable to use that to build.
I think, in terms of pivoting,people don't recognize that
sometimes you start somethingand you're supposed to take a
certain set of skill set from it.
Sometimes you need to finish itand sometimes you need a pivot
because you got what you needand it sounds like everything
that you needed to become arestaurant owner, to become a
(08:58):
business owner or whatever elseis in your future right.
You have those skills in termsof being able to understand how
to look at differentperspectives.
Being a business owner, youmeet all sorts of energies and
people and you really have to beable to put yourself in their
shoes, have empathy, and withoutthose skills that you develop,
it'd be like what is wrong with?
this person Like I cannot.
(09:19):
And in those situations you'relike OK, I got this.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Right.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
That's how you feel Maybe they're going through
something, situations you'relike, okay, I got this right,
figure this out that's how youfeel.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Maybe they're going through something.
It's beyond me, it's biggerthan me, but, yes, it definitely
shapes you becauseentrepreneurship or any type of
business, I think on behalf ofall of us, it's more than just
that idea of what you're sellinglike.
It's way beyond that, like thebehind the scenes you sign up
for jobs.
This is not what I sign up for.
Like I did not sign up for thispart.
This is not what I signed upfor.
Like I did not sign up for thispart.
Even with my restaurant I didnot know how to cook and I
(09:49):
always tell that story Like Iwas not in the kitchen shuffling
it up.
I did not think I would own arestaurant growing up but of
course that was in God's planfor me.
But it pushed me, it forced me.
But I knew all the other sideof business and that's the part
that I fell in love with.
So luckily, my husband lovesthe kitchen part, so we were
able to combine and conquer onthat end.
(10:10):
But as far as outside, lookingin the restaurant, that was not
in my plan at all.
Speaker 3 (10:18):
Yeah, I love that, like trusting God to help him
guide you and use the skillsthat you're strong in, yes, and
then making sure that the areasthat other people that you trust
when they're strong in thoseareas, y'all combine and make it
happen.
I think that that's a wordbecause I think many times we
are taught to be independent,especially as women and
everything we have to do.
(10:39):
But the reality is, if you trustpeople and they have strong
skills, yeah, let them do thatEmphasis on trust people and
they have strong skills yeah,let them do emphasis on trust
people and you and they havestrong skills, you know, use
their skills, they use yourskills and y'all collaborate and
y'all can make magic happen,right?
Speaker 1 (10:53):
so I love that you're like uh-uh, like that's not my
area but I got you in theseother areas and he's the same
way.
He's like yeah, I don't need toknow any of that, she got, got
it.
I trust her.
You know she's speaking Spanishand in the kitchen I'm like,
babe, you're speaking Spanish.
So we just let each other kindof thrive in our areas and I
(11:14):
think that's what works for us.
But of course everybody.
You have to find what works foryou.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
Absolutely Like what were some of your aha moments on
the journey as it relates tonot as it realized, but what
were some of your aha moments onthe journey?
As it relates to thinking thatbusiness and life is supposed to
be people in a business and thedifferent personalities and
just how hard it is to find goodpeople and to keep good people.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
Yeah, I think that's been my biggest like OK, I'm
(12:00):
going to try this with the nextperson.
Ok, or I'm going to do thisbetter for my employees or my
staff or this is what I need todo.
So I think my biggest ahamoments have been like with
staff and hiring and employeesand just that side of things as
far as even my personal growth.
Like you know, pulling back onmaybe what I feel is best or
what I feel is best for thebusiness, what I feel is best
(12:22):
for the business.
If my employees speak up andthey want something, then I have
to let them have it, Becausewithout them, you know, I can't
take the vacations and, you know, go to bed and sleep in and do
all the things.
So it's just like I need themjust as much as they may need me
.
If not, I need them more.
So I think that's my biggestaha in the journey and just kind
(12:43):
of like new findings and newrealizations along the way.
It's just the biggest kind ofsearch in my journey I've come
across.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
Yeah, that makes sense and I'm sure that's
something that even in yourpersonal journey, as it relates
to boundaries is what it soundslike you're talking about is
learning that you know you havecertain boundaries in terms of
the values and the skill setthat you need in your business.
You know you have certainboundaries in terms of the
values and the skill set thatyou need in your business, while
at the same time, you have tobe a little bit flexible in
terms of meeting them wherethey're.
At Once you realize that youcan trust them and they have the
(13:12):
skills and the values that arealigned, it's like okay, these
are my people.
Let me try to back up and seewhat I can do to keep these
people and I feel like that'ssuch a parallel, like in
friendships and in relationshipsand in life, because everyone's
different, right, yes, and ifthey meet your value system as
it relates to trust, skill setand just the way that they love
and you love them, it's like youhave to meet them in the middle
(13:33):
sometimes.
What kind of boundaries haveyou had to create in your life
really to focus on peace whileyou're building boundaries um
not being so accessible.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
I think for me I'm definitely that person that's,
while you're building Boundaries, not being so accessible.
I think for me I'm definitelythat person that's like I'm just
one phone call away Whateveryou need, no questions asked, no
judgment.
I think I serve that place in alot of people in my life's life
and I love it.
But it's just, sometimes it'slike, especially getting married
, I had to learn to not be soaccessible.
(14:04):
I had to learn to not be soaccessible.
I had to learn to listen more.
You know, that's been a bigboundary for me Just kind of
listen, not offering my feedbackso much.
You know not really alwayshaving a response, because it's
not always needed and necessary.
So I think, and then doing whatmakes me happy and what fills
(14:26):
my cup up may not look the samefor the next person, so you may
not understand it.
So you know, if I say, for anexample, I need a massage every
month, you know you might feellike that's not needed to fill a
cup.
You need to go to church or youneed to go you know everybody
has their different things oryou need to go get your hair
done, whatever it is.
(14:46):
But I had to focus on like, ok,now, what serves you, what
fills your cup?
You know everybody hassomething different and it
doesn't have to be justifiableto other people.
And I think that leads into myother.
One is like explaining myselfand justifying things I don't
partake in any more.
I always say now, like the onlyperson I owe an explanation to
is my husband.
(15:07):
So other than that, you cantell me the sky is red and I'm
just going to be like yeah, Ilove that.
Speaker 3 (15:13):
I love that people don't have access to your
opinion.
I don't know if that is likehow, like that's how I took it,
because I feel like that is soimportant.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
Yes, it's undeserving .
Speaker 3 (15:25):
Yes, yeah, because I feel like when you're becoming
and you're on your personaljourney and you're naturally the
kind of person that just wantsto pour.
Someone comes to you andthey're just venting and you're
like, oh, I think you should dothis.
And then they don't do it.
And now you're like, why didn'tthey do that?
They should have listened.
It's upside down.
It's like wait, hold up, wejust going to draw the boundary
(15:45):
here.
You don't even have access to myopinion, because with that, I'm
able to just let you dowhatever you want to do and I'm
able to hold onto my peace.
I love that.
I love that.
That's like a different levelof access and I think it's
really important.
And I feel like it's a trend,like we've had a lot of
conversations on the podcastreally about that learning how,
when people are coming to youreally saying, are you coming to
(16:08):
me to vent or do you want myfeedback?
Because people are receptive toit better when they actually
want your feedback Exactly, andthen recognizing we all want
different things in our lives.
So our opinion is not somethingthat needs to be projected half
the time, because the realityis it's our opinion and we
deserve to live the life we wantto live.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
Yeah, I love that and I think for me, a lot of my
opinions are justified byexperience.
So I'm not one of those peopleto tell you something that is
like I haven't been through orlike secondhandly been through,
like I'm not going to.
Just, yeah, one time I heardthat's not really how I, you
know, offer my opinion, but I ama great ear, I'm always a
shoulder to cry on.
(16:47):
But I think I've come into thisspace where some people aren't
ready to hear this level ofadvice or level of experience.
You know you have to get there.
Like you said, sometimes wedon't want to hear certain
things from certain people, somy best friend may not want to
hear that from me, or my sisteror brothers may not want to hear
that from me, and I just haveto respect that and understand
(17:08):
that.
But to better my peace, it'slike I knew you shouldn't have
did that.
I told you you needed to gothis way.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
Like we're just going to X all this out.
Yeah, exactly, Because nowyou're wrapped up in it.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
You're like I'm just going to let it happen, yeah,
and you'll get there one day orthat.
You know, when you want thatadvice, how to ask it from me,
so I'm just going to wait forthat for you.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
Something I want to dive in that's kind of along the
lines of what we're talkingabout is when you're face
centered and your heart centered.
What you just talked about islike learning not to intercede
in God's work.
Right, Because that's somethingthat I had to develop a muscle
in, Like I want to jump in andbe saving grace.
And it's like girl, you are notGod Like.
(17:51):
How dare you let that personlearn that lesson?
I've been doing that for years.
Like how dare you let that?
Speaker 1 (17:53):
person learn that lesson.
I've been doing that for years,like I think for me, like I was
just always that angel, like inlife, growing up, or I was just
always that younger, wise girland all the things, and I just
like I was just so.
Like you know, god put thisperson in my life for me to save
.
Speaker 3 (18:08):
Or.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
God wants me to help this person.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
Like I was just so quick to help save, want to be
that person that's differentfrom everybody in your life.
Like I was always wanting to bethat person, so I had to learn
that, like guys, like you know,sometimes you just need to plant
a seed, naya, put a littlewater on it, naya, and that's it
, walk away.
Like I didn't put you there togo with the mile-long journey.
(18:32):
Like I literally just put youthere to just say okay, or just
water it or just, and that's it.
Speaker 3 (18:37):
A lot of weed and keep it moving.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
Keep it moving.
So I had to kind of learndiscernment a little bit and
kind of learn, just, you know,when it's necessary, when it's
not, and I think I'm slowlystepping into that mastering of
it, because I just find myselfjust pulling back so much and
I'm just kind of like huh.
Speaker 3 (18:55):
Yeah, and it feels good, yeah.
I think that one thing thatI've recognized on the journey
is sometimes we tell ourselveswe're needed, right, right.
We feel like, oh my goodness,like it's not going to happen if
we're not the ones to make ithappen Exactly.
And then, when you pullyourself back, you recognize
like I didn't need to put allthat pressure on myself, like it
(19:15):
wasn't even something that Ihad to do.
And to your point of when youcreate those boundaries, people
will come to you when you needthem, as opposed to you being so
accessible for whatever anyoneneeds.
And then you're not able to doyou.
You're not able to pour into you, you're not able to create the
life that makes sense to you.
So I love that awareness.
From that, what would you sayyour superpower is?
Speaker 1 (19:37):
now I think it's allowing my, it allowed me to
grow and for others to see mygrowth, and I think my
superpower is just kind of justalso being aware.
I think for the most part it'sjust definitely the power of
awareness of what's going on,the power of my heart, you know
(20:00):
kind of.
You know, when you let yourheart out so much, you just lose
it.
Like you know it's kind of hardto keep it secure, keep it
locked up in that box, becauseyou know I'm so invested to
where, if you break my heart now, I'm all over the place.
Like my whole life is just inshambles.
So I had to learn that I haveto protect it, especially with
the type of person and characterI am.
(20:21):
So I think my superpowerdefinitely came from those
boundaries, because it's needed.
Speaker 3 (20:26):
Yeah, yeah, I love that.
I love that.
I'm going to go into one of thequestions.
Can you share a time where youfelt completely stuck?
What changed for you to moveforward, and how did that moment
shape the way you approachchallenges?
Speaker 1 (20:41):
A particular example just pops up in my brain so I
guess I have to share it.
I think for my business I thinkany business you are going to
fall in and out of love with it.
So I think for me, I just wentthrough a period of falling out
of love with with my businessand I was just stuck, confused,
didn't know what to do.
So I had to pivot and I had tomake some hard changes and I
(21:04):
didn't know what the outcome wasgoing to be at the end.
But I went through it and theoutcome made me fall back in
love with it like the first dayand even probably more.
So I was able to fall back inlove with the business first day
and even probably more.
So I was able to fall back inlove with the business.
But I think for me, like thatparticular experience that I
can't really dive into today,definitely changed how I am as a
(21:26):
businesswoman, how I viewbusiness, how I handle business
and all the things.
So I think that I I love thatexample.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
I love that example so much because it applies to
everything yeah it's yourrelationship with your business,
with your career your mate,your friendships, all of it.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
Like you are going to fall out of love.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
Yeah, you're gonna fall in and out of love with
most things, especially extendedperiod of things.
So like you said a job for 10years.
You know a relationship for 10years.
You know a relationship for 10years, many long marriage people
.
You know advices you're going tofall in and out of love and
just make sure you remember whyyou started and that's what gets
you through it.
And I think that's one of myfavorite things and I never
(22:07):
thought I would go through itwith my business, because it's
kind of like it's a relationship, it gets kind of dry.
Speaker 3 (22:12):
Sometimes you got to reinvent the wheel.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
Yeah, I didn't think I was going to do it, but now
I'm just like so happy I wentthrough that because I think
that experience is just going tocarry me for the next five
years in my business.
It's like I know what to do now.
This has happened before.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
I love it and I think that for me, the reason why I
mentioned how it applies toeverything because in career,
that's happened in myrelationship, that's happened in
friendships, that happened Evenwith my husband recently, like
earlier this year, I was like,yeah, I don't know.
We've been together for 22years and I was like, yeah, I
don't know, I just don't thinkhe gets me anymore.
And then my first reaction wasjust like, yeah, it's very clear
(22:48):
, he doesn't get me anymore.
I don't think I could do this.
And then I started saying,hazel, look, you actually like
him.
You want to get old with him?
Yeah, you don't like manypeople.
Yeah, so why is that yourresponse to it?
Huh, girl, like, build a muscle, learn how to communicate, you
can do hard things.
And like we started talking andyeah, and I'm like I love this
(23:10):
man and I think I'm, like you, afool like you are not as
personally developed as youthought you were, because why
was your answer to out?
So I love the answer you gaveBecause it's like just going
back, seeing what you love, whatyou don't love, pulling the
things you love through, thethings that are necessary,
taking that too, but justchanging it up a little bit,
because maybe you don't have tothrow the whole thing out, maybe
(23:32):
you can just change it up alittle bit.
Speaker 1 (23:33):
Because we change.
We change so fast as people inyour marriage and friendships
and business, like I've changedjust so much from that first day
I've started and it's just socrazy for me Like I think I
surprised myself and I thinkeven sometimes I'm just even
overwhelmed with myself.
Like so how can I not expectother people to you know, to
(23:56):
experience that or to see that?
You know we have childhood, Ihave childhood friendships and
I'm just like, well, you know wewas just playing at the park
together.
How can you see me as this?
You know big business woman,you know type of environment or
cousins or just aunts that'sbeen around?
And it's just like hard to watchthat change from some people,
(24:17):
especially if you're a rapidchanger.
And I'm like that's who I am.
Like my life changes complete360 in a matter of a year, most
of the time every year sinceI've been out the house.
So I think it's hard for peopleto swallow that change.
And even in a relationship youchanging.
So it's like do you understandme as this business woman versus
(24:37):
this girl who's at a nine tofive?
like that's two different peoplelike the, and even for my
husband he's grown so much as abusinessman.
He he like.
When we first started, he wouldalways say I'm not an
entrepreneur.
And I'm like, yes, you are.
He's like, no, I'm not anentrepreneur, I'm like that's
what this role is.
Yeah, we own our own businessand that's how we live.
(24:57):
He's like no, I just so happento own it.
But now he'll say it Like youknow, I'm a restaurant owner,
I'm an entrepreneur, I'm abusiness owner and he carries
that so well and I'm just likelove that for you.
Speaker 3 (25:09):
I love that for you, but it's like I had to watch him
change and it's like I had towatch him change and it's like
accepting that change.
Speaker 1 (25:14):
You know, sometimes, even with business, a lot of
people I hear talk about theirpartners not being super
invested in the entrepreneurlife and it is something
different and just uncomfortablesometimes because it's just a
different lifestyle.
Speaker 3 (25:27):
Completely different lifestyle.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
I'm happy that we do it together, but I just couldn't
imagine, like as far as likebeing on different pages and
watching someone change in anentrepreneur spirit and you have
one person working a job likehow those lives mesh.
Yeah, and it's just like.
That's the part that I'm likeOK.
Speaker 3 (25:43):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
And it's funny you share thatbecause that's the muscle I had
to build in my relationship,because my husband's a nine to
fiver and at one point I was anine to fiver and an
entrepreneur.
And then I was a 9 to 5 and anentrepreneur, and then I made a
shift to where, like, no, I'mjust an entrepreneur and it's
like wait, but you got all themdegrees, you got all that
experience, what do you mean?
And then trying to help himunderstand this entrepreneurial
(26:04):
world, like it's different, it'slike embracing your visionary,
it's really embracing the giftsGod gave you and, seeing it,
it's all faith right andeverything comes to fruition
once you trust it.
You work the muscle, you do whathe tells you to do and it's
like are you over there afantasy lamb?
Because, like, what's going on?
But to your point of likevalues and trust that we talked
(26:27):
about through the conversation,like he knows his wife, he knows
that I wouldn't be doinganything that I didn't believe
in and he believes in me.
So once I started opening upand kind of telling him some of
the things, that were in mybrain.
He can see it Right.
Speaker 1 (26:42):
But before, I was kind of like you're not going to
understand, Like I'm notexplaining it to you Like we
just don't get each other.
Speaker 3 (26:46):
It's like well, help him get you.
And once I did like should goto this podcast event Like bae,
you should go to this and I'mlike girl, like what in the
world.
So I love that you mentionedthat, because it really takes
conversation.
Even in the feeling stuck inwhatever situation it is, just
(27:07):
open your mouth and talk,whether it's your employer,
within your business, yourrelationship, your friendship.
Communication really is the keyto many things.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
Yeah, and you sometimes have to change your
surroundings.
Yeah for sure, Become anentrepreneur.
Speaker 3 (27:18):
You might have to get those entrepreneur friends yes,
absolutely, they get you sothat you don't feel stuck and
alone.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
You might have to change.
You know, just like I'm not amommy yet, but you have the moms
saying they need mom, friendsand all those things.
So it's definitely people don'tunderstand.
A lot of your experiences arerelatable, all those things.
So it's definitely people don'tunderstand a lot of your
experiences are relatable.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
It's just different, yeah yeah, and I love that you
talk about like creating acircle right, Getting those mom
friends, getting thoseentrepreneur friends, and then
back to values and trust gettingthe ones that you know have the
same values as you, that youcan trust, because that
definitely changes things.
I know for me, not only justcreating events myself, but also
recognizing that when you'recreating circles, as it relates
(27:59):
to the personal people aroundyou, the values have to exist
and you have to make sure thatpeople don't love you because
everybody else loves you.
And that's a whole new thingbeing an entrepreneur that you
didn't realize you had tonavigate.
It's like wait, do they like me?
Because of me.
Or do they like me because of me, or do they like because, yeah,
what I'm doing and I think it'sjust so important that, like
(28:20):
people like recognize that thatbecomes a thing.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
Yeah, it's just a lot of confusion.
Yeah, you just don't know whatto believe anymore.
Yeah, you don't know what totake, you don't know what to
leave.
You don't know yeah, it is.
Speaker 3 (28:32):
It is that it's funny .
We talked about.
It's like, what am I supposedto do with this?
Like, why did you put thisperson in my circle?
Like am I supposed to?
Is this a divine connection?
Or, to your point, do I justneed to throw a little bit of
water on it and keep moving andthat part does become confusing.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
It's just like God what do you want me to do with?
Speaker 3 (28:48):
this Because.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
I want to do it, I really do, but I just don't know
.
Yeah, like this can't be thatLike.
Speaker 3 (28:56):
I completely get that sentiment and that feeling.
I'm going to go into anotherquestion.
When you felt overwhelmed byyour goals and the weight of the
expectation, for kind ofknowing that God chose you for
what it is that you're doing,how have you recalibrated your
approach so that you could stayaligned and true to your purpose
, that you can?
Speaker 1 (29:13):
stay aligned and true to your purpose.
I always say for me, I have torecenter Because it's like I
know what I'm here to do, I knowmy calling, I'm very aware of
who I am as a person, who I loveto be.
So when I find myself not beingthat, I recenter, I do all the
(29:34):
things that makes me recenter, Istep away, I pull back, I go in
my dungeons.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
You look like a hideout.
Speaker 1 (29:45):
And just make a regrant entrance.
But it's just so instant when Irealize go on vacation or
something I love tropicalvacations to where it's just
like me, in the skies and thewater, and it just helps me
recenter with God.
Like I want to read, I want tolike pray, I want to sing gospel
songs for hours, like those arethe things that recenter me.
(30:07):
So when I feel overwhelmed, Iknow that that's what I need to
do to get it back right.
So I don't run from it.
So you know, the moment I feelthat that next week or then two
weeks, because it affectseverybody around me and I've
watched it, so now I don't evenplay with it.
I'm like if I'm not feeling thatperson, they know, yeah, I'll
(30:28):
be right back and you'll gethurt, but it can't be gone for
too long, because then peoplethink you're changing or they
think that's not who you areanymore.
So I also learned the value inthat to you know, protect other
people's image of me.
I'm still a human, but I haveto know that it's my job to step
away to recenter and to refillmy cup, and not theirs, you know
, to baby me or pull me through.
(30:49):
It's not their responsibility.
Speaker 3 (30:51):
It's no one's but yourselves.
Speaker 1 (30:56):
So I think now my husband supports that as well
too, because, again, it affectseverybody.
It affects the business, forsure.
It affects the staff, itaffects everything the customers
, it affects everything aroundme, and it's too much for me to
not be whole.
So if that's what it takes forme to be whole and be under
control, then it's worth everypenny.
Speaker 3 (31:15):
Oh my God, I love that so much.
It's like BRB yeah, literally,and it's so needed.
And I think that that's like amuscle that a lot of people
don't realize.
We play a little bit of triviaat the end you'll see but one of
the things is people don'trealize that emotional
intelligence is a big indicatorin someone's success.
(31:36):
So if you feel within you thatyou're not yourself, that shows
your emotional intelligence andself-awareness, that hey, I'm
not showing up as Linaya.
I need to do somethingdifferent recenter, recalibrate,
get with God and make sure thatthe person that I'm showing up
as is 100% me, so that I canmake the right decisions and so
(31:56):
that BRB is needed, where somepeople will look at that as like
well why are you?
Speaker 1 (32:01):
separating yourself, and it's usually a quick couple
of days, nothing, ever more thana week, because, again, I don't
let it get that far.
You know, and it looksdifferent for everybody, so I
also don't want to make it seemlike you know you need some type
of, but I'm also blessed tohave the funds and the resources
that I have, to know thatthat's what works for me, like
God provided that part too,because obviously he knows what
(32:23):
works.
You know he put that in me, sohe knows, like you know, what it
is that I need and I know thatI have the resources to do that,
so I'm not running from it.
Yeah is to do that, so I'm notrunning from it so it looks
different for everybody.
Like I've seen, you know, onTikTok, people taking walks, you
know, in a park, in a randompark, or just kind of being with
(32:45):
yourself and changing yourscenery is usually all it takes.
So it can be very small or verybig, but everybody is different
.
And that's the part that youhave to learn yourself.
So these are my experiences andwhat works for me today, and it
could change.
It wasn't always like that, butyou know in this season that I
am.
That's what it is, yeah.
Speaker 3 (33:01):
I love that.
I feel like when I was a nineto fiver, I used to
intentionally put in.
Pto on a regular basis, like Iknew when I was going to need to
tap out A burnout.
Speaker 1 (33:11):
Yeah, it's burnout, that's what it is.
Speaker 3 (33:12):
It's like a, a burnout, like I feel like we all
get burnout yeah exactly soit'd be like 10 weeks and I'm
like, okay, let's go ahead andplug in a little friday and
monday here.
And then it's like, okay, let'ssee, like okay, april, that
really gets real hectic.
So let me go ahead and justlike plug in a couple, three
days.
Speaker 1 (33:29):
Here you're looking out for your future.
Speaker 3 (33:31):
so, for real, you because you there.
Yeah, we all go through thingswhere we know like, yeah, this
time it typically gets a littletoo much.
Speaker 1 (33:39):
I'm going to need a break.
If I know I have a lot of workcoming up or a big busy schedule
that following weekend, Ialready know we're doing
something.
Let me pencil in myself.
Speaker 3 (33:48):
Exactly, I need time with me and and I feel like same
thing, like midweek you knowyou have a.
Ceo day where you're like, okay, wednesday afternoons is
nothing, because I need to beable to reset for Thursday and
Friday.
Speaker 1 (34:04):
I don't want to go into Thursday and Friday like,
oh, I can't do it.
And that's why I think peoplelook at me and they're like, oh,
you know, how do you do it?
Like, how do you do it all?
Like you're always working,you're always doing this and I,
like you don't see that part.
So just also understand thatthose parts are definitely there
and I know that it's needed tokeep me going.
Speaker 3 (34:23):
yeah, and I think that really leads into when
you're working in your purpose.
I think to other people itlooks like, oh my god, you're
always working, but when you'reworking within your purpose, it
does not feel like you'reworking.
It feels like, yes, guy, youtrust me with this ball.
This is my thing're going tomake it.
We're going to the Super Bowlwith this and it's like other
people are like how you do itand it's like it's not hard.
(34:45):
These are my gifts I'm usingand I feel for me.
Speaker 1 (34:47):
I think I look at a lot of my life as honored, like
I am so honored to be in theposition that I am Like.
I am so like humble andgrateful like that.
It's me like I was chosen forthis, versus it's a job or that.
You know, it's just so dreading.
So I'm just like, I'm just sohumbly honored that and I still,
(35:07):
to this day, just be like I dothis, I did this or I built this
.
Speaker 3 (35:12):
Yeah, he trusts me with this.
Speaker 1 (35:13):
This is what's going on.
Like.
Am I crazy?
Like?
Speaker 3 (35:17):
I love that, that level of gratitude and I think
we talk about that in thepodcast a lot too like how
important gratitude is, becauseif you're not happy where you
are now, when you get to thatgoal or that next thing, you're
not going to be happy either,because you got to learn how to
love the life you already havein order for you to love
whatever it is that you think isnext, because next is not the
(35:38):
answer At all.
Yeah, I love that.
What is one thing that youwould share with your younger
self, maybe your 17-year-oldself, if you could tell her
anything You're like, what arewe going to tell her?
Speaker 1 (35:53):
Right, you know it's best for you.
And it's like a lot of times Ithink I second guess myself, but
I still went with my gut and itworked out.
So I think I would tell myself,like just building on that
confidence, like you know what'sbest for you, like you know
what is needed, especially evenat that age, like I know it
(36:14):
sounds young, but it's like,yeah, you know what's best for
you.
Speaker 3 (36:16):
Yeah, we all.
Speaker 1 (36:17):
Our compass is inside , yeah, so I think that's what I
would tell my doubtly self.
Speaker 3 (36:23):
Yeah, I love that.
I love that Allowing yourselfto recognize that what you are
thinking needs to happen isreally what should happen from
like a young age.
Speaker 1 (36:32):
That's beautiful.
Speaker 3 (36:34):
Yeah, so before we end the episode, I definitely
want to make sure we spend sometime allowing the listeners to
follow you online and all things.
So where can the listeners findyou?
Speaker 1 (36:43):
On Instagram it is Naya N-I-H, period Y-A.
On TikTok it's my full name, soL-A-N-I-H-Y-A-O-D-O-M.
It's mainly where Instagram andTikTok.
Speaker 3 (36:58):
Listen, y'all go follow Linaya.
Make sure that you arefollowing her, plugged into
what's next, because we knowthat you're forever evolving and
Linaya next year is going to bean elevated version of Linaya
this year, and it's importantthat you go on the journey
together, like that's what thepodcast is all about Big things
coming.
Speaker 1 (37:17):
I'm so excited.
So, yes, definitely a lot tocome.
Speaker 3 (37:20):
I'm so here for, and you haven't come to a workplace
therapy events, but you came tomy power table event that I did,
and so, shameless plug, I wouldlove for you to tell the people
like what that, even that smallexperience, is like it was my
first stepping out experience.
Speaker 1 (37:35):
It was great.
I loved it.
I love every part of it.
I love um.
I even went to to one of thegirls I met, pilates class, and
that was a first experience.
So it's just a lot of firsts.
I'm in a season of just tryingnew things, so I was able to
meet people and try new thingsover there as well too.
Speaker 3 (37:50):
Nice, awesome.
I think that's what I loveabout my events, though, when I
kind of look at other people interms of like case studies and
kind of thinking.
The other day, I was thinkingto myself like what do people
get like after they come to yourevents, and I'm like, big or
small, I always connect peopleto who they need, yeah.
And then I recognize, like whenI see like what people are
doing with other people, yeah,it's like everybody gets
(38:11):
introduced to somebody thatplays a role in their life and
I'm like, oh, like, maybe I'mthe connector that's just I look
her next one.
Speaker 1 (38:20):
I've been traveling for the last couple of weeks, so
I'm definitely going to make itto her next one next weekend.
Speaker 3 (38:24):
Yeah, absolutely.
I'm so excited so we're goingto go ahead and go into trivia.
Listen, if this is your firsttime listening to the podcast,
make sure that you're subscribed, make sure you're following us,
make sure that you don't missout on future episodes.
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