Imagine transforming your business by flipping the performance model and stepping into a new identity. Sound intriguing? That's exactly what we're exploring in this conversation. April, candidly shares her personal journey to entrepreneurial growth with a 'be do have' mindset. Hear how she hired an operations director for her business without the necessary funds, by becoming the person she needed to be first. We establish how critical personal growth is in entrepreneurial success and explore how your business is a reflection of who you are inside.
In the second part, we delve deeper into being the boss of your entrepreneurial journey and the commitment it requires. April reveals her strategy for creating the right internal and external environment to catapult her business to the next level. We discuss the significance of being organized and adjusting your goals to the model you are working from. April shares how she operates her business as if it's six steps ahead, embodying a new identity and learning to cope with the discomfort that comes with growth.
This powerful episode is a roadmap for entrepreneurs ready to take their business to new heights. Join us for this transformative discussion.
Get DEEPER with April, Lisa & The ParadigmU Team. Connect with Us HERE.
Love the Episode? Please Leave us a Review on iTunes:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/skis-saloon-virtual-bar-podcast/id1535050128
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the Paradigm you podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
You're listening to the Paradigm you podcast.
This episode is for allentrepreneurs.
In fact, this episode is foreveryone.
What we're about to tell you isgoing to change how you show up
every single day and willaccelerate the outcomes that you
are desperately wanting tocreate.
Listen in.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
You're listening to the Paradigm you podcast.
You're about to starttransforming your life by
growing your mind and expandingyour paradigms.
Here we'll cover real lifetopics, just like the stuff
you'd share with a good friend.
This podcast will serve uptopics that weigh on our hearts
and keep us up at night, whetherit's navigating parenthood and
becoming an adult, or wayfinding, personal development, marriage
and money.
You, my friend, are in theright place.
(00:45):
I'm glad you're here.
Speaker 4 (00:46):
Hello, this is Lisa Sarnowski, co-host of the
Paradigm you podcast.
I am here with AprilMarlowski-Hudzinski Today we
wanted to talk about ourentrepreneurial journey.
We've been talking a lot aboutlife and parenting lately here
on the podcast Overwhelm,exhaustion, stress, even
(01:07):
achievement, and the stress thatcomes with that but sometimes
our business really needs totake center stage.
What I want to talk about onepisode number 152 today is all
about how we have theperformance model of
entrepreneurship backwards.
So today, april, what do youthink?
(01:29):
Do you think it's cool if wetalk about how we've actually
been able to grow our businessesand really from the lens of
personal development, and whatthat means?
Yes, please, awesome.
So can I tell you a littlestory where this all came from?
For me, go for it.
(01:50):
Okay, I have been coaching for awhile and when I was working
with a local nonprofit businesscoaching, it was back in 2018
and I saw this huge patternemerge.
The pattern was pretty simple.
It was everyone knew exactlywhat to do in order to grow
their business.
(02:10):
I'm talking this was acrossindustries.
This was new startups, aspiringentrepreneurs.
It was service-based coaches,consultants, freelancers to
retail and food trucks and evenconstruction workers.
They all knew what to do?
They simply weren't doing it,and it made me think even back
(02:32):
to my health coaching and lifecoaching days, how people knew
what they needed in their lifeto get healthier, have a better
relationship or a morefulfilling career, but they
simply weren't doing it.
I'm guessing April, and I knowthis answer, but I know you felt
that way, right.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Yes, Still, even today.
It's shocking, even knowingthis information, how it can
just sneak up on you and you'rejust not doing it.
Yes, know what you have to do.
Speaker 4 (03:01):
Yes, and sometimes you find yourself in that fight
or flight or freeze even of do Ineed to fight through right now
or do I need to power down torelax?
And ultimately it becomesconfusing and you can feel
really stuck.
So what I started to coach onand learn more about was
actually a performance modelthat I learned back in college,
(03:24):
and I think we both had the sameminor in college as well as
major, because were you aleadership studies minor as well
?
Speaker 2 (03:30):
I was.
Oh, you were too.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
I was so ahead of the curve.
I don't want to age us rightnow, but that was leadership.
Studies was not what it istoday in higher ed at all, but
one of the first book we readwas Seven Habits of Highly
Effective People by StephenCovey, and in there he
introduces that concept of be dohave.
(03:57):
So what I recognize veryquickly, especially when talking
with a business consultant orin certain sectors of the
industry, is we just we have itall backwards.
We come to the table and wethink as an, as a business owner
I'll speak for myself here Iknow I used to think I need to
(04:19):
have the money in order to hirethe whomever graphic designer,
website designer, some designeror tech person, because that's
tends to not be my full strongsuit in order to be successful
in business.
So I had to have the moneyfirst, then I could do the thing
, then I could finally besuccessful.
(04:39):
But that is all backwards.
And so we're April and I havestarted to work from personally
as well as professionally, andthen also with our clients is.
We flip that equation.
So we flip it from have do beto be the person you need to be
in order to do the things youneed to do in order to have
(05:01):
whatever it is you desire.
So, when you work from thatlens, you are now being the
person you need to be in orderto have what you want.
Boom right, boom April.
Where have you seen this playout in your business journey?
Because you have such great,great successes and multiple
(05:23):
businesses.
But do you have an example?
Speaker 2 (05:27):
Yes, actually I have a recent example.
I'm so glad you asked because,as you were explaining this, I'm
like, oh, I just lived thisexact model and actually I
didn't even realize it, becauseB do have has become so habitual
to me that sometimes I'm noteven realizing that I'm applying
that model.
But recently so and I thinkI've shared this with listeners
(05:50):
maybe oh gosh, six months or soago I had decided that I needed
to hire a person that was goingto be the director of operations
for one of my businesses, andit scared me, it made me sweat,
it kept me up at night because Iknew that my business couldn't
(06:11):
afford to hire, bring on thisperson.
But I knew in my gut and in mysoul that this person needed to
bring beyond my team, and so Iwas like, okay, how do I do this
?
Because I don't have the funds,I didn't have the margin to
bring on this person, and I waslike, okay, who do I have to be
(06:32):
to actually do this?
And it really came down toshowing up for my business in
the way of having a criticallens on my finances and looking
at the business model and reallykind of going through it with a
fine tooth comb of what are thethings that I need to do so
that I can have this person onmy team.
(06:54):
It was fascinating it took Imean, you've witnessed me
walking that journey.
It really did make me justsweat, even sending out that job
offer knowing that, oh my gosh,if I don't continue to show up
the way, if I'm not going to bethe person and the boss that I
need to be to grow this businessso that I can keep this person
(07:16):
on my team and afford them, thenI'm going to be out of
integrity.
And so it was definitelyintimidating, but I needed to
show up in the ways that a truebusiness owner is going to show
up, make some hard decisions,you know, look with a critical
eye, be really committed to thedecision.
(07:36):
And then, of course, I had tomanifest that person.
Speaker 4 (07:40):
Ooh, yes, and manifest.
You did, I did, and I hope thelisteners are really hearing it.
It might sound like subtlenuance in how April is speaking,
but I'm here to tell you thatthe words she's sharing are very
powerful and we can all learn alot from what she just shared.
So, being committed, being theboss, you know, and what does
(08:05):
that mean?
It's it's we want you to startthinking of, of the
entrepreneurial journey reallyas your own internal growth.
So we always say your businessis only a reflection of you,
right?
Your business can only grow andbe as successful as you
personally are in the inside.
The business is simply areflection on the outside, right
(08:28):
?
Your business externalreflection is a business is a
reflection of who you are on theinside, and so being that
person, those personality traitsof commitment, dedication,
being willing to beuncomfortable equally is what I
was hearing you not say, oh mygosh, I've been so uncomfortable
(08:48):
for months.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
Yes, because I'm showing up in a different way
for my business.
You know a lot of entrepreneursyou can probably relate to this
, lisa.
A lot of entrepreneurs.
They come into it and they'relike I kind of secretively want
some sort of boss to report toin some way.
I want the kudos, I want thehigh fives when I do a good job
and I want somebody to nudge mewhen I'm not showing up in the
(09:13):
best version of myself, becausewe don't have those days, but if
you're going to commit to itand actually be that person, you
have to be the person who wearsthe hat of giving yourself the
kudos, reflecting on what needsto happen and then nudging
yourself and showing up fully,even on the days that you don't
feel like it Absolutely,absolutely.
Speaker 4 (09:35):
I saw a meme last week and it showed a kid and the
kid was yelling back at theteacher don't tell me what to do
.
And then it was that same kid,like fast forward 20 years, just
laying on a bench saying willsomeone please tell me what to
do?
And so I think of that often.
In this model where we get tonow decide who do we want to be,
(09:55):
and saying that I'm dedicated,saying I'm focused, saying I'm
organized, these aren't justsmall words, it's.
Look around your environmentcurrently how is your desk, how
is your online files and how isyour inbox?
Is that reflecting theentrepreneur that you need to be
(10:16):
in order to get to the nextlevel?
Speaker 2 (10:19):
Wait, can I pause you right there, I'm giggling.
Okay, so full transparency forall listeners.
I feel like, yes, I have been avery successful business
builder.
However, I have the messiestdesk in office in the world.
It cracks me up, but I knowwhere everything is.
I know I have piles that arevery clearly like this pile
(10:42):
stays.
This is my bookkeeping.
This stuff, all the financials,go in this spot always.
I've tried all the systems Leis,I've tried the scanning things
in and having it all technology.
I have a bajillion binders and Ihave filing cabinets, but that
system seems to work the best,which kind of cracks me up.
(11:02):
I'm like, okay, once I know whatsystem, you know I have things
organized in my world, yeah, butI will say that I struggled
when we decided to hire thisperson and bring them on.
You may have heard me, andmaybe I've even shared this on
the podcast, but for the lastsix months, I've really had to
show up in a different way asfar as my organizational style,
(11:24):
because the way I organizethings doesn't work for my team
sometimes, and we're goingthrough a lot of growth right
now where we had to bring onsome tech people to actually
come in and help us to organizesome of our files and how people
are able to access themremotely, because I really
encourage people to have thatbalance and so a lot of people
(11:44):
on my team.
They work from home and so theyneed to be able to access
things.
Well, if my brain is workingone way but the rest of my team
is thinking of it in a differentway or looking for something in
a different way, how does thatwork?
Speaker 3 (11:56):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
And so I think that's the growth that I've been
having, because I needed to showup and say okay, april, as the
unorganized person, is not atrue leader for her team if they
all can't access the same thing.
So I need to show up and be theorganized person, regardless of
how uncomfortable that makes me, because that will serve the
rest of my team and accelerateour growth collectively.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
The acceleration of growth is profound, and what you
shared there was just so soinstrumental for people to
really for listeners tounderstand.
So what I want to talk about alittle bit now is how do you
know that you're workingbackwards and right?
How would you know, as anentrepreneur, if you're
listening right now, that thegoals you want in your business
(12:45):
you're actually perhaps need totweak them a little bit with
inside this model that you'reworking from have do be as
opposed to be do have?
Do you have any, any insightsthere?
Speaker 2 (13:00):
I mean, that's a perfect question, because that's
where I was at the beginning ofthis year.
I had this moment of okay, Ineed to hire, to take these
pieces off of my, my and myteam's plate, because we're
feeling the strain.
We have the vision of where wewant to go.
But I, if I would have embracedthe story, lisa, that I didn't
(13:23):
have enough money to do this, ornope, we aren't organized, or
gosh, you know, hiring somebodywho's going to work full time,
remote, for the type of job thatI was looking to hire for, that
pushed me out of my comfortzone.
I had to do a lot of hoopjumping to make sure that that
happens.
But it was the stories that Itold myself and if I believed
(13:46):
them.
So if I would have said, nope,we don't have the technology and
the capacity to hire thisperson, regardless of their
skill set, or Nope, I don't havethe financials to actually
support that long term, gosh,that would have been.
It would have been a well,let's wait one more year, let's
wait, let's wait a little bitlonger.
We don't have the funds, wedon't have the infrastructure.
(14:09):
But instead, it was Okay.
How am I going to call in andattract and bring in this
perfect person that I reallyfelt I needed for my team, and
how am I going to show up andlook at the finances to support
them?
And then what is theorganization?
So that was the flip, yeah.
Speaker 4 (14:32):
I.
You know what I wanted to bringup to for any solopreneurs out
there if you're if it's not ateam issue you could be you
could be faced with someproblems like you want to get a
newsletter out every week, oryou want to go to a networking
event every week, or you know,for some reason you need to
learn a new trait in order toupdate things for your clients
(14:56):
and you're just not doing it.
Or you want to reply to yourclient within 24 hours and for
some reason, it's taken you 72.
And and it's just firming upthose, those processes that you
know we can sometimes, asentrepreneurs, go I need another
time management course, or Ineed to get stronger habits, and
(15:18):
all of those things are greatand all of those things are
necessary.
However, they're all embeddedin this model of who do you need
to be, and I believe it wasAlbert Einstein who said we
cannot solve our problems fromthe same level of thinking that
we were when we created them,and I love that so much because
(15:41):
it's a great visual to think of.
If I have a problem in mybusiness or something I'm trying
to grow, then I need to solveit from April, and I like to
call it point B.
So who do I need to be?
We need to solve it from thatfuture person, that future
version of ourselves.
And you're not fully there yetbecause you're where you are
(16:03):
today, but you're aware enoughto know I need to be committed,
I need to be the person who'sresourceful and figures it out.
I need to be a healthyentrepreneur and maintain some
work-life balance.
And there's a little bit oftransition there.
That happens, but we guaranteeif you continue to fight for the
person that you want to be, itwill radically accelerate your
(16:26):
growth in business.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
You know, lisa, you said being a healthy
entrepreneur.
I just want to pause there fora second, because that's where
I'm at in my world right now,personally is realizing that
there are some health tweaksthat I needed to do to make sure
that I'm maintaining the energylevel that I want.
And so that's interesting.
You said that because I'mactually using and applying that
(16:51):
in a.
How do I get more healthy andhow do I have more energy for my
business, for my family?
Just for showing up?
And that is the same lens.
How does a healthy person showup differently?
Speaker 4 (17:04):
Yeah, and so asking yourself that Absolutely and
what a great, what a great pointthat we can literally use this
for any sort of behaviormodification you want.
Anything you want in life comesdown to who do you need to be?
And so, april, when you askyourself that question early on
and you share that here forlisteners that is, the critical
(17:26):
question is who do I need to be?
And so, right now, april, doyou have your, your personality
traits that you're focusing onregarding who you need to be,
based on your business goals Forbusiness goals or for health.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Okay, let's do business.
I can do business.
So I, yes.
So I am somebody who is showingup differently because we are
living and operating ourbusiness as a business,
operating our business as ifwe're six steps farther than we
actually are right now.
When we do our team meetingsand when I come together, I keep
(18:05):
thinking, okay, I need to showup as if I'm six, my, my
business is six steps fartherthan it actually is.
And this business is propertymanagement, our property
management portfolio, but so forthat one, we're actually
operating as if we have X amountmore properties, doors to
manage under that belt.
(18:26):
So we're looking at things,we're asking ourselves the
critical questions, we'relooking at different platforms
for technology, not with theyeah, this is where we're at.
But we're saying, okay, if Ilook at these, I need to look at
it as if my business is alreadyat that bigger level that I
aspire to be at.
And it's interesting becausenow it's almost like I've put on
(18:49):
a new layer of skin or I'mstepping into that identity
completely differently.
So I show up differently forthat business because I'm
thinking of it as it's alreadyin that future state.
Speaker 4 (19:02):
Yeah, what a powerful message.
You're right Once you, once youstart training your brain and
really start walking into thatidentity of who you need to be,
you start to be.
You really do show updifferently.
It might not always becomfortable, right, but if you
want to be comfortable, staywhere you are right now in your
(19:22):
business and just call it a day.
If you want to grow, thenwelcome in some possible
discomfort on the journey.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
Well, let's camp out there.
Leis, Hold on.
Yeah, if you are happy withwhere you're at, just keep doing
what you're doing.
Speaker 4 (19:46):
I don't know these people.
We tend to attract people thatlike to grow.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
Right, but isn't that funny when you think about that
, because I can't imagineanybody listening to this
podcast and listeners.
If I'm wrong, go ahead and like, blast me on social media, but
here's the thing If you'relistening to this podcast, I
agree with you, leisa, to yourpoint.
The listeners of this podcastare people who aspire to grow.
(20:11):
They want that information onhow they can elevate their life
to that next level, and sohere's the secret.
You guys, leisa's giving it toyou right now.
Leisa, do you want to say itone more time?
Speaker 4 (20:27):
Be do have.
Yeah, is that what I'm saying?
Okay, I passed the test.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
You guys, seriously, it's all nested right within
that, and if it feelsuncomfortable, as Leisa
mentioned, there's a reason forthat.
Perhaps there's a story or alesson nested within that.
So I want to invite you, if youstart to feel that discomfort,
(20:55):
asking yourself what does thismean?
Yeah, yeah.
Who do I need to be and what doI need to do so that I can have
what I want?
Speaker 4 (21:10):
Absolutely, and I think this model gets really
lost in the simplicity of it allit really does come down to.
It is that simple?
And yet there is a reason weare who we are today.
Right, we grew up in certainsocial conditions and
environments, and perhaps youknow there was church in your
(21:33):
life and that taught a differentphilosophy than perhaps the
person you are today.
Or socioeconomics and justfamily dynamics, and there's a
lot of what has happened aroundus that has created our reality
today and our subconsciousthinking.
And so giving yourself grace tosay, hey, that's all great, it
(21:56):
got me here, right, and who do Ineed to be in order to now be
the next version of myself?
You know?
So I.
It really is that simple, butit's.
It's a journey, and that's okay.
To equally recognize that wewere conditioned a certain way,
like, for example, for me Ican't tell you how many times I
(22:18):
heard my dad say money doesn'tgrow in trees.
I literally would go around asa kid looking for trees would
grow, just to prove him wrong.
And so that has been a socialconditioning that I've had to
undo to say, well, money canflow to me easily.
Money can flow to me easily andyou know, I think we can all
(22:43):
sit down for a second and justtake five minutes to reflect and
say, okay, what?
What are some of these oldstories that April's been
talking about that have come upin my life?
What are some of these oldstories of health and balance
with work life?
Because perhaps it wasn't rolemodel to me in my youth, perhaps
I want to change that for myown kids.
(23:06):
So, giving yourself some grace,but equally sitting down and say
, okay, what do I want to have,what do I need to do to get that
done?
Your, your wonderful task list,which I know our listeners are
phenomenal task doers.
But most importantly, who do Ineed to be?
And really flip that, thatdialogue, so you can do and have
(23:26):
in a lot easier way.
Because, because, ultimately,who you need to be is going to
speak a lot to your values.
You know, and we've talked alot about values here on the
podcast and I think the next onewe should do, april should
should maybe dive into that somemore so we can honor how that
integrates with this performancemodel.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
Yeah, it's very tight , very closely, and I think,
equally, some people may notnecessarily know what their
values are and that, my friends,if you are somebody who you're
like, you guys are talking aboutvalues and I think I know what
mine are, but I actually don'tknow.
I would invite you to listen tothe next episode because I
(24:11):
think that is a really good,important topic, but it's
something that gets kind ofglossed over.
Yeah, a lot, especially forentrepreneurs.
They say, yeah, when you'remaking your business plan quote
unquote you have to have yourmission, vision and values.
And I can't tell you how manytimes I'm coaching somebody and
(24:32):
they're like they just glossover that section of the values.
Or they're like, oh, yeah, I'llfigure that out.
Or yeah, no, I'm, my values areI just want to help people.
Yeah, that's great, but if youdon't have the money to keep
your business afloat, you aren'tgoing to be helping very many
people.
Yeah, very long.
Speaker 4 (24:51):
So true, so true.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
So, if you are an entrepreneur and you are
listening to this, I would liketo invite you to take a few
moments to just ask yourself howare you showing up?
What do you actually want tohave or to create?
What are the things that youneed to do, differently from how
you're currently showing up, tochange that experience or that
(25:18):
environment or just how you'reoperating, and what is the
belief system that you need toshow up with?
You know, lisa, actually reallyquick, maybe I shared this with
listeners, but about a monthago, I gave up caffeine.
Have I told you about this?
Yes, yes, you have.
Yeah, so that's a perfectexample.
I looked around my environmentand I was like, okay, this is
(25:41):
not working for me.
Living off of energy drinks isjust like draining me.
Yeah, I want to be somebodywho's more healthy and equally
has energy.
So I asked myself who do I needto be and what do I have to do?
Well, I need to be somebody andtruly believe that I am
somebody who does not needcaffeine.
And what do I need to do?
(26:03):
I need to stop buying thosedrinks from the grocery store or
putting them on our grocerylist.
I need to stop hanging out atcoffee shops.
For, you know, when I have awork day and I'm like I'll just
go work at a coffee shop, that'snot helpful.
So what are those little tweaksthat I needed to do so that I
could have the experience of?
(26:23):
I am not somebody who drinkscaffeine.
Yeah, now I'm a month in and Ihave not consumed any caffeine.
That is amazing.
Speaker 4 (26:32):
Boom, it's a thing of the past.
Right, you're the person who'sdoing it now, and I think that
should really be a good thing.
That should really be.
The takeaway here for ourlisteners is be, do, have, and
so, as you move forward,continue to ask yourself who do
I need to be in order to, youknow, get whatever your goal is
accomplished?
What do I need to do?
(26:54):
What do I need to have?
So, but the first question isthe most important one and the
one that will actually createthe change sustainably within
your business.
It's who do I need to be?
And I will share for thelisteners my three are healthy,
wealthy and disciplined, anddisciplined has been a word that
(27:18):
has been a challenge for me andI have walked into that this
year, and it's definitely beenchanging things around my house
and around our business as well.
So, but who do I need to be?
Speaker 2 (27:33):
I love it.
All right.
Anything else?
Any last words?
Cool?
All right.
Well, on that note, we want toencourage you to go out and, you
know, ask yourself who you needto be, what do you need to do
so that you can have theenvironment, the experience, the
(27:54):
life that you are desiring?
All right, on that note, it isclosing time.
Cheers to good karma.
Speaker 1 (28:02):
Thank you for listening to this entire podcast
.
I hope this episode has leftyou feeling curious and inspired
.
This podcast is intended tocreate expansion in your life
through unique stories andshared experiences, and if you
enjoy today's episode, I have arequest.
I'd like to ask you to sharethis podcast with your friends
and family.
I bet they'd enjoy it just asmuch as you have.
(28:26):
And, if you found value, pleaseshare this on your social media
outlets.
That is good karma in action,my friends.
All right, it is now closingtime.
Cheers to good karma and thepower to choose joy.
Speaker 5 (28:41):
If you like this, tell your friends.
Speaker 1 (28:47):
Stay tuned for the end because we have outtakes.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
And now for the outtakes.
And now for the outtakes.
Speaker 2 (28:56):
Hold on, I'm totally using this as outtake.
Go for it.
Speaker 5 (29:02):
Oh that was fun, I got tongue-tied.
Hey, are you even listening?
Test one, test one, two, three,four.
Speaker 2 (29:11):
Okay, Now say hey, welcome to the podcast.
Speaker 5 (29:15):
Hey, welcome to the podcast.
You're really great.
Everyone, Everyone that'slistening to this podcast, even
if they don't even hear the rest, even if they only can listen
to a part of it because of ascreaming baby You're all really
awesome.
Speaker 1 (29:31):
Yeah, thanks for listening.
Speaker 5 (29:33):
Bye-bye, bye, over and out.
Thanks for listening.
Welcome to the Paradigm you podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
You're listening to the Paradigm you podcast.
This episode is for allentrepreneurs.
In fact, this episode is foreveryone.
What we're about to tell you isgoing to change how you show up
every single day and willaccelerate the outcomes that you
are desperately wanting tocreate.
Listen in.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
You're listening to the Paradigm you podcast.
You're about to starttransforming your life by
growing your mind and expandingyour paradigms.
Here we'll cover real lifetopics, just like the stuff
you'd share with a good friend.
This podcast will serve uptopics that weigh on our hearts
and keep us up at night, whetherit's navigating parenthood and
becoming an adult, or wayfinding, personal development, marriage
and money.
You, my friend, are in theright place.
(00:45):
I'm glad you're here.
Speaker 4 (00:46):
Hello, this is Lisa Sarnowski, co-host of the
Paradigm you podcast.
I am here with AprilMarlowski-Hudzinski Today we
wanted to talk about ourentrepreneurial journey.
We've been talking a lot aboutlife and parenting lately here
on the podcast Overwhelm,exhaustion, stress, even
(01:07):
achievement, and the stress thatcomes with that but sometimes
our business really needs totake center stage.
What I want to talk about onepisode number 152 today is all
about how we have theperformance model of
entrepreneurship backwards.
So today, april, what do youthink?
(01:29):
Do you think it's cool if wetalk about how we've actually
been able to grow our businessesand really from the lens of
personal development, and whatthat means?
Yes, please, awesome.
So can I tell you a littlestory where this all came from?
For me, go for it.
(01:50):
Okay, I have been coaching for awhile and when I was working
with a local nonprofit businesscoaching, it was back in 2018
and I saw this huge patternemerge.
The pattern was pretty simple.
It was everyone knew exactlywhat to do in order to grow
their business.
(02:10):
I'm talking this was acrossindustries.
This was new startups, aspiringentrepreneurs.
It was service-based coaches,consultants, freelancers to
retail and food trucks and evenconstruction workers.
They all knew what to do?
They simply weren't doing it,and it made me think even back
(02:32):
to my health coaching and lifecoaching days, how people knew
what they needed in their lifeto get healthier, have a better
relationship or a morefulfilling career, but they
simply weren't doing it.
I'm guessing April, and I knowthis answer, but I know you felt
that way, right.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Yes, Still, even today.
It's shocking, even knowingthis information, how it can
just sneak up on you and you'rejust not doing it.
Yes, know what you have to do.
Speaker 4 (03:01):
Yes, and sometimes you find yourself in that fight
or flight or freeze even of do Ineed to fight through right now
or do I need to power down torelax?
And ultimately it becomesconfusing and you can feel
really stuck.
So what I started to coach onand learn more about was
actually a performance modelthat I learned back in college,
(03:24):
and I think we both had the sameminor in college as well as
major, because were you aleadership studies minor as well
?
Speaker 2 (03:30):
I was.
Oh, you were too.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
I was so ahead of the curve.
I don't want to age us rightnow, but that was leadership.
Studies was not what it istoday in higher ed at all, but
one of the first book we readwas Seven Habits of Highly
Effective People by StephenCovey, and in there he
introduces that concept of be dohave.
(03:57):
So what I recognize veryquickly, especially when talking
with a business consultant orin certain sectors of the
industry, is we just we have itall backwards.
We come to the table and wethink as an, as a business owner
I'll speak for myself here Iknow I used to think I need to
(04:19):
have the money in order to hirethe whomever graphic designer,
website designer, some designeror tech person, because that's
tends to not be my full strongsuit in order to be successful
in business.
So I had to have the moneyfirst, then I could do the thing
, then I could finally besuccessful.
(04:39):
But that is all backwards.
And so we're April and I havestarted to work from personally
as well as professionally, andthen also with our clients is.
We flip that equation.
So we flip it from have do beto be the person you need to be
in order to do the things youneed to do in order to have
(05:01):
whatever it is you desire.
So, when you work from thatlens, you are now being the
person you need to be in orderto have what you want.
Boom right, boom April.
Where have you seen this playout in your business journey?
Because you have such great,great successes and multiple
(05:23):
businesses.
But do you have an example?
Speaker 2 (05:27):
Yes, actually I have a recent example.
I'm so glad you asked because,as you were explaining this, I'm
like, oh, I just lived thisexact model and actually I
didn't even realize it, becauseB do have has become so habitual
to me that sometimes I'm noteven realizing that I'm applying
that model.
But recently so and I thinkI've shared this with listeners
(05:50):
maybe oh gosh, six months or soago I had decided that I needed
to hire a person that was goingto be the director of operations
for one of my businesses, andit scared me, it made me sweat,
it kept me up at night because Iknew that my business couldn't
(06:11):
afford to hire, bring on thisperson.
But I knew in my gut and in mysoul that this person needed to
bring beyond my team, and so Iwas like, okay, how do I do this
?
Because I don't have the funds,I didn't have the margin to
bring on this person, and I waslike, okay, who do I have to be
(06:32):
to actually do this?
And it really came down toshowing up for my business in
the way of having a criticallens on my finances and looking
at the business model and reallykind of going through it with a
fine tooth comb of what are thethings that I need to do so
that I can have this person onmy team.
(06:54):
It was fascinating it took Imean, you've witnessed me
walking that journey.
It really did make me justsweat, even sending out that job
offer knowing that, oh my gosh,if I don't continue to show up
the way, if I'm not going to bethe person and the boss that I
need to be to grow this businessso that I can keep this person
(07:16):
on my team and afford them, thenI'm going to be out of
integrity.
And so it was definitelyintimidating, but I needed to
show up in the ways that a truebusiness owner is going to show
up, make some hard decisions,you know, look with a critical
eye, be really committed to thedecision.
(07:36):
And then, of course, I had tomanifest that person.
Speaker 4 (07:40):
Ooh, yes, and manifest.
You did, I did, and I hope thelisteners are really hearing it.
It might sound like subtlenuance in how April is speaking,
but I'm here to tell you thatthe words she's sharing are very
powerful and we can all learn alot from what she just shared.
So, being committed, being theboss, you know, and what does
(08:05):
that mean?
It's it's we want you to startthinking of, of the
entrepreneurial journey reallyas your own internal growth.
So we always say your businessis only a reflection of you,
right?
Your business can only grow andbe as successful as you
personally are in the inside.
The business is simply areflection on the outside, right
(08:28):
?
Your business externalreflection is a business is a
reflection of who you are on theinside, and so being that
person, those personality traitsof commitment, dedication,
being willing to beuncomfortable equally is what I
was hearing you not say, oh mygosh, I've been so uncomfortable
(08:48):
for months.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
Yes, because I'm showing up in a different way
for my business.
You know a lot of entrepreneursyou can probably relate to this
, lisa.
A lot of entrepreneurs.
They come into it and they'relike I kind of secretively want
some sort of boss to report toin some way.
I want the kudos, I want thehigh fives when I do a good job
and I want somebody to nudge mewhen I'm not showing up in the
(09:13):
best version of myself, becausewe don't have those days, but if
you're going to commit to itand actually be that person, you
have to be the person who wearsthe hat of giving yourself the
kudos, reflecting on what needsto happen and then nudging
yourself and showing up fully,even on the days that you don't
feel like it Absolutely,absolutely.
Speaker 4 (09:35):
I saw a meme last week and it showed a kid and the
kid was yelling back at theteacher don't tell me what to do
.
And then it was that same kid,like fast forward 20 years, just
laying on a bench saying willsomeone please tell me what to
do?
And so I think of that often.
In this model where we get tonow decide who do we want to be,
(09:55):
and saying that I'm dedicated,saying I'm focused, saying I'm
organized, these aren't justsmall words, it's.
Look around your environmentcurrently how is your desk, how
is your online files and how isyour inbox?
Is that reflecting theentrepreneur that you need to be
(10:16):
in order to get to the nextlevel?
Speaker 2 (10:19):
Wait, can I pause you right there, I'm giggling.
Okay, so full transparency forall listeners.
I feel like, yes, I have been avery successful business
builder.
However, I have the messiestdesk in office in the world.
It cracks me up, but I knowwhere everything is.
I know I have piles that arevery clearly like this pile
(10:42):
stays.
This is my bookkeeping.
This stuff, all the financials,go in this spot always.
I've tried all the systems Leis,I've tried the scanning things
in and having it all technology.
I have a bajillion binders and Ihave filing cabinets, but that
system seems to work the best,which kind of cracks me up.
(11:02):
I'm like, okay, once I know whatsystem, you know I have things
organized in my world, yeah, butI will say that I struggled
when we decided to hire thisperson and bring them on.
You may have heard me, andmaybe I've even shared this on
the podcast, but for the lastsix months, I've really had to
show up in a different way asfar as my organizational style,
(11:24):
because the way I organizethings doesn't work for my team
sometimes, and we're goingthrough a lot of growth right
now where we had to bring onsome tech people to actually
come in and help us to organizesome of our files and how people
are able to access themremotely, because I really
encourage people to have thatbalance and so a lot of people
(11:44):
on my team.
They work from home and so theyneed to be able to access
things.
Well, if my brain is workingone way but the rest of my team
is thinking of it in a differentway or looking for something in
a different way, how does thatwork?
Speaker 3 (11:56):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
And so I think that's the growth that I've been
having, because I needed to showup and say okay, april, as the
unorganized person, is not atrue leader for her team if they
all can't access the same thing.
So I need to show up and be theorganized person, regardless of
how uncomfortable that makes me, because that will serve the
rest of my team and accelerateour growth collectively.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
The acceleration of growth is profound, and what you
shared there was just so soinstrumental for people to
really for listeners tounderstand.
So what I want to talk about alittle bit now is how do you
know that you're workingbackwards and right?
How would you know, as anentrepreneur, if you're
listening right now, that thegoals you want in your business
(12:45):
you're actually perhaps need totweak them a little bit with
inside this model that you'reworking from have do be as
opposed to be do have?
Do you have any, any insightsthere?
Speaker 2 (13:00):
I mean, that's a perfect question, because that's
where I was at the beginning ofthis year.
I had this moment of okay, Ineed to hire, to take these
pieces off of my, my and myteam's plate, because we're
feeling the strain.
We have the vision of where wewant to go.
But I, if I would have embracedthe story, lisa, that I didn't
(13:23):
have enough money to do this, ornope, we aren't organized, or
gosh, you know, hiring somebodywho's going to work full time,
remote, for the type of job thatI was looking to hire for, that
pushed me out of my comfortzone.
I had to do a lot of hoopjumping to make sure that that
happens.
But it was the stories that Itold myself and if I believed
(13:46):
them.
So if I would have said, nope,we don't have the technology and
the capacity to hire thisperson, regardless of their
skill set, or Nope, I don't havethe financials to actually
support that long term, gosh,that would have been.
It would have been a well,let's wait one more year, let's
wait, let's wait a little bitlonger.
We don't have the funds, wedon't have the infrastructure.
(14:09):
But instead, it was Okay.
How am I going to call in andattract and bring in this
perfect person that I reallyfelt I needed for my team, and
how am I going to show up andlook at the finances to support
them?
And then what is theorganization?
So that was the flip, yeah.
Speaker 4 (14:32):
I.
You know what I wanted to bringup to for any solopreneurs out
there if you're if it's not ateam issue you could be you
could be faced with someproblems like you want to get a
newsletter out every week, oryou want to go to a networking
event every week, or you know,for some reason you need to
learn a new trait in order toupdate things for your clients
(14:56):
and you're just not doing it.
Or you want to reply to yourclient within 24 hours and for
some reason, it's taken you 72.
And and it's just firming upthose, those processes that you
know we can sometimes, asentrepreneurs, go I need another
time management course, or Ineed to get stronger habits, and
(15:18):
all of those things are greatand all of those things are
necessary.
However, they're all embeddedin this model of who do you need
to be, and I believe it wasAlbert Einstein who said we
cannot solve our problems fromthe same level of thinking that
we were when we created them,and I love that so much because
(15:41):
it's a great visual to think of.
If I have a problem in mybusiness or something I'm trying
to grow, then I need to solveit from April, and I like to
call it point B.
So who do I need to be?
We need to solve it from thatfuture person, that future
version of ourselves.
And you're not fully there yetbecause you're where you are
(16:03):
today, but you're aware enoughto know I need to be committed,
I need to be the person who'sresourceful and figures it out.
I need to be a healthyentrepreneur and maintain some
work-life balance.
And there's a little bit oftransition there.
That happens, but we guaranteeif you continue to fight for the
person that you want to be, itwill radically accelerate your
(16:26):
growth in business.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
You know, lisa, you said being a healthy
entrepreneur.
I just want to pause there fora second, because that's where
I'm at in my world right now,personally is realizing that
there are some health tweaksthat I needed to do to make sure
that I'm maintaining the energylevel that I want.
And so that's interesting.
You said that because I'mactually using and applying that
(16:51):
in a.
How do I get more healthy andhow do I have more energy for my
business, for my family?
Just for showing up?
And that is the same lens.
How does a healthy person showup differently?
Speaker 4 (17:04):
Yeah, and so asking yourself that Absolutely and
what a great, what a great pointthat we can literally use this
for any sort of behaviormodification you want.
Anything you want in life comesdown to who do you need to be?
And so, april, when you askyourself that question early on
and you share that here forlisteners that is, the critical
(17:26):
question is who do I need to be?
And so, right now, april, doyou have your, your personality
traits that you're focusing onregarding who you need to be,
based on your business goals Forbusiness goals or for health.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Okay, let's do business.
I can do business.
So I, yes.
So I am somebody who is showingup differently because we are
living and operating ourbusiness as a business,
operating our business as ifwe're six steps farther than we
actually are right now.
When we do our team meetingsand when I come together, I keep
(18:05):
thinking, okay, I need to showup as if I'm six, my, my
business is six steps fartherthan it actually is.
And this business is propertymanagement, our property
management portfolio, but so forthat one, we're actually
operating as if we have X amountmore properties, doors to
manage under that belt.
(18:26):
So we're looking at things,we're asking ourselves the
critical questions, we'relooking at different platforms
for technology, not with theyeah, this is where we're at.
But we're saying, okay, if Ilook at these, I need to look at
it as if my business is alreadyat that bigger level that I
aspire to be at.
And it's interesting becausenow it's almost like I've put on
(18:49):
a new layer of skin or I'mstepping into that identity
completely differently.
So I show up differently forthat business because I'm
thinking of it as it's alreadyin that future state.
Speaker 4 (19:02):
Yeah, what a powerful message.
You're right Once you, once youstart training your brain and
really start walking into thatidentity of who you need to be,
you start to be.
You really do show updifferently.
It might not always becomfortable, right, but if you
want to be comfortable, staywhere you are right now in your
(19:22):
business and just call it a day.
If you want to grow, thenwelcome in some possible
discomfort on the journey.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
Well, let's camp out there.
Leis, Hold on.
Yeah, if you are happy withwhere you're at, just keep doing
what you're doing.
Speaker 4 (19:46):
I don't know these people.
We tend to attract people thatlike to grow.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
Right, but isn't that funny when you think about that
, because I can't imagineanybody listening to this
podcast and listeners.
If I'm wrong, go ahead and like, blast me on social media, but
here's the thing If you'relistening to this podcast, I
agree with you, leisa, to yourpoint.
The listeners of this podcastare people who aspire to grow.
(20:11):
They want that information onhow they can elevate their life
to that next level, and sohere's the secret.
You guys, leisa's giving it toyou right now.
Leisa, do you want to say itone more time?
Speaker 4 (20:27):
Be do have.
Yeah, is that what I'm saying?
Okay, I passed the test.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
You guys, seriously, it's all nested right within
that, and if it feelsuncomfortable, as Leisa
mentioned, there's a reason forthat.
Perhaps there's a story or alesson nested within that.
So I want to invite you, if youstart to feel that discomfort,
(20:55):
asking yourself what does thismean?
Yeah, yeah.
Who do I need to be and what doI need to do so that I can have
what I want?
Speaker 4 (21:10):
Absolutely, and I think this model gets really
lost in the simplicity of it allit really does come down to.
It is that simple?
And yet there is a reason weare who we are today.
Right, we grew up in certainsocial conditions and
environments, and perhaps youknow there was church in your
(21:33):
life and that taught a differentphilosophy than perhaps the
person you are today.
Or socioeconomics and justfamily dynamics, and there's a
lot of what has happened aroundus that has created our reality
today and our subconsciousthinking.
And so giving yourself grace tosay, hey, that's all great, it
(21:56):
got me here, right, and who do Ineed to be in order to now be
the next version of myself?
You know?
So I.
It really is that simple, butit's.
It's a journey, and that's okay.
To equally recognize that wewere conditioned a certain way,
like, for example, for me Ican't tell you how many times I
(22:18):
heard my dad say money doesn'tgrow in trees.
I literally would go around asa kid looking for trees would
grow, just to prove him wrong.
And so that has been a socialconditioning that I've had to
undo to say, well, money canflow to me easily.
Money can flow to me easily andyou know, I think we can all
(22:43):
sit down for a second and justtake five minutes to reflect and
say, okay, what?
What are some of these oldstories that April's been
talking about that have come upin my life?
What are some of these oldstories of health and balance
with work life?
Because perhaps it wasn't rolemodel to me in my youth, perhaps
I want to change that for myown kids.
(23:06):
So, giving yourself some grace,but equally sitting down and say
, okay, what do I want to have,what do I need to do to get that
done?
Your, your wonderful task list,which I know our listeners are
phenomenal task doers.
But most importantly, who do Ineed to be?
And really flip that, thatdialogue, so you can do and have
(23:26):
in a lot easier way.
Because, because, ultimately,who you need to be is going to
speak a lot to your values.
You know, and we've talked alot about values here on the
podcast and I think the next onewe should do, april should
should maybe dive into that somemore so we can honor how that
integrates with this performancemodel.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
Yeah, it's very tight , very closely, and I think,
equally, some people may notnecessarily know what their
values are and that, my friends,if you are somebody who you're
like, you guys are talking aboutvalues and I think I know what
mine are, but I actually don'tknow.
I would invite you to listen tothe next episode because I
(24:11):
think that is a really good,important topic, but it's
something that gets kind ofglossed over.
Yeah, a lot, especially forentrepreneurs.
They say, yeah, when you'remaking your business plan quote
unquote you have to have yourmission, vision and values.
And I can't tell you how manytimes I'm coaching somebody and
(24:32):
they're like they just glossover that section of the values.
Or they're like, oh, yeah, I'llfigure that out.
Or yeah, no, I'm, my values areI just want to help people.
Yeah, that's great, but if youdon't have the money to keep
your business afloat, you aren'tgoing to be helping very many
people.
Yeah, very long.
Speaker 4 (24:51):
So true, so true.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
So, if you are an entrepreneur and you are
listening to this, I would liketo invite you to take a few
moments to just ask yourself howare you showing up?
What do you actually want tohave or to create?
What are the things that youneed to do, differently from how
you're currently showing up, tochange that experience or that
(25:18):
environment or just how you'reoperating, and what is the
belief system that you need toshow up with?
You know, lisa, actually reallyquick, maybe I shared this with
listeners, but about a monthago, I gave up caffeine.
Have I told you about this?
Yes, yes, you have.
Yeah, so that's a perfectexample.
I looked around my environmentand I was like, okay, this is
(25:41):
not working for me.
Living off of energy drinks isjust like draining me.
Yeah, I want to be somebodywho's more healthy and equally
has energy.
So I asked myself who do I needto be and what do I have to do?
Well, I need to be somebody andtruly believe that I am
somebody who does not needcaffeine.
And what do I need to do?
(26:03):
I need to stop buying thosedrinks from the grocery store or
putting them on our grocerylist.
I need to stop hanging out atcoffee shops.
For, you know, when I have awork day and I'm like I'll just
go work at a coffee shop, that'snot helpful.
So what are those little tweaksthat I needed to do so that I
could have the experience of?
(26:23):
I am not somebody who drinkscaffeine.
Yeah, now I'm a month in and Ihave not consumed any caffeine.
That is amazing.
Speaker 4 (26:32):
Boom, it's a thing of the past.
Right, you're the person who'sdoing it now, and I think that
should really be a good thing.
That should really be.
The takeaway here for ourlisteners is be, do, have, and
so, as you move forward,continue to ask yourself who do
I need to be in order to, youknow, get whatever your goal is
accomplished?
What do I need to do?
(26:54):
What do I need to have?
So, but the first question isthe most important one and the
one that will actually createthe change sustainably within
your business.
It's who do I need to be?
And I will share for thelisteners my three are healthy,
wealthy and disciplined, anddisciplined has been a word that
(27:18):
has been a challenge for me andI have walked into that this
year, and it's definitely beenchanging things around my house
and around our business as well.
So, but who do I need to be?
Speaker 2 (27:33):
I love it.
All right.
Anything else?
Any last words?
Cool?
All right.
Well, on that note, we want toencourage you to go out and, you
know, ask yourself who you needto be, what do you need to do
so that you can have theenvironment, the experience, the
(27:54):
life that you are desiring?
All right, on that note, it isclosing time.
Cheers to good karma.
Speaker 1 (28:02):
Thank you for listening to this entire podcast
.
I hope this episode has leftyou feeling curious and inspired
.
This podcast is intended tocreate expansion in your life
through unique stories andshared experiences, and if you
enjoy today's episode, I have arequest.
I'd like to ask you to sharethis podcast with your friends
and family.
I bet they'd enjoy it just asmuch as you have.
(28:26):
And, if you found value, pleaseshare this on your social media
outlets.
That is good karma in action,my friends.
All right, it is now closingtime.
Cheers to good karma and thepower to choose joy.
Speaker 5 (28:41):
If you like this, tell your friends.
Speaker 1 (28:47):
Stay tuned for the end because we have outtakes.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
And now for the outtakes.
And now for the outtakes.
Speaker 2 (28:56):
Hold on, I'm totally using this as outtake.
Go for it.
Speaker 5 (29:02):
Oh that was fun, I got tongue-tied.
Hey, are you even listening?
Test one, test one, two, three,four.
Speaker 2 (29:11):
Okay, Now say hey, welcome to the podcast.
Speaker 5 (29:15):
Hey, welcome to the podcast.
You're really great.
Everyone, Everyone that'slistening to this podcast, even
if they don't even hear the rest, even if they only can listen
to a part of it because of ascreaming baby You're all really
awesome.
Speaker 1 (29:31):
Yeah, thanks for listening.
Speaker 5 (29:33):
Bye-bye, bye, over and out.
Thanks for listening.
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Are You A Charlotte?
In 1997, actress Kristin Davis’ life was forever changed when she took on the role of Charlotte York in Sex and the City. As we watched Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte navigate relationships in NYC, the show helped push once unacceptable conversation topics out of the shadows and altered the narrative around women and sex. We all saw ourselves in them as they searched for fulfillment in life, sex and friendships. Now, Kristin Davis wants to connect with you, the fans, and share untold stories and all the behind the scenes. Together, with Kristin and special guests, what will begin with Sex and the City will evolve into talks about themes that are still so relevant today. "Are you a Charlotte?" is much more than just rewatching this beloved show, it brings the past and the present together as we talk with heart, humor and of course some optimism.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com