February 24, 2025 • 25 mins
🎧 Episode Overview
Think rejection’s the end? Think again. On this Grace in the Grind, Jim Burgoon dives deep with Michael Ashie, the fire behind Leadership with Mike (55K+ subs), who turned career smackdowns into a YouTube empire. No fluffy pep talks here—just raw truths about crushing fear, owning your grind, and building something epic. From nearly losing it on his first video to leading newbies with no-nonsense hacks, Michael’s story is a wake-up call for anyone stuck waiting for permission. Grab your coffee—this one’s a gut punch of grit and grace!
💡 Key Takeaways from This Episode
✅ From Rejection to Ruler
- How workplace “no’s” lit Michael’s fire to dominate YouTube
- Why waiting for validation is a trap—and how to break free
- Turning fury into 55K subs with relentless hustle
✅ Fear? Crush It.
- The sweaty panic of hitting “record”—and why it’s worth it
- How 500+ videos turned terror into total confidence
- Ugly starts beat perfect plans every time
✅ No-Nonsense Leadership
- Why corporate ladders are broken—and how to climb your own
- Real leadership isn’t handed out; it’s seized
- Helping new leaders thrive with grit, not gimmicks
✅ Grit Over Quit
- Facing doubters who mocked his hustle—and proving them wrong
- The stubborn streak that kept him going through dry spells
- One view can change a life—numbers don’t define impact
💬 Wisdom from Michael Ashie
“Forget permission—claim it. Waiting for approval? You’re already losing.” – Michael Ashie
📚 Resources Mentioned
📖 Leadership & Creator Gold by Michael:
- Leadership with Mike YouTube Channel: Mike on YouTube
- Leadership Bootcamp at https://www.mikeashie.com/bootcamp
🔍 Further Learning:
- Ed Lawrence’s Creator Booth for YouTube hacks
- Using AI to sharpen your leadership edge
🎧 Connect with Michael Ashie
🌍 Website: leadershipwithmike.com
📸 YouTube: @LeadershipWithMike
📲 Socials: @LeadershipWithMike
💥 Action Igniter Wisdom
✨ Rejection’s your fuel—burn it to build something fierce.
✨ Fear’s loud but weak—crush it with action.
✨ Leadership isn’t a title; it’s a takeover.
✨ Grit trumps doubt—keep swinging, win big.
✨ One life changed is worth more than a million views.
🎯 Take the Next Step!
💡 Ready to lead or create without apology? Hit up Michael Ashie’s Leadership with Mike for no-nonsense tips and training that deliver.
💡 Connect with Jim! Grab a free resource from the show and ignite your grind at www.leadwithjim.com—don’t just listen, act!
🎧 Enjoyed this? Subscribe, drop a review, and share it with someone who needs a shove!
🔔 Never Miss an Episode!
Grace in the Grind drops weekly—real, raw, faith-fueled talks to ignite your life, leadership, and purpose.
▶️ Watch on YouTube & Subscribe! 🔔
📲 Follow @LeadWithJim on social media!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Welcome to Grace and theGrind, the podcast where we dive
deep into the journeys ofheart centered and purpose driven
leaders and entrepreneurs.
We're here to equip andencourage you on your journey.
So let's get started and findthe grace within the grind.
This is Grace in the Grind.
And now your host, Jim Burgoon.
(00:23):
Welcome to Grace in the Grindwhere we're here to tell the inspiring
stories behind some of themost successful entrepreneurs out
there.
And today, a really goodfriend of mine, we've been friend
actually for a few years now,Michael Ashy.
Welcome to the show, Michael.
Thank you, Jim, appreciate it.
So why don't you tell thelistener, take about 30 to not 30,
like 60 to 90 seconds and justtell us what you do and who you are.
(00:45):
Yeah, for sure.
So I've created or I'm thecreator of the YouTube channel Leadership
with Mike.
The idea there is to help whatI would call everyday green team
leaders, new managers, peoplethat have just recently been promoted,
trying to help them find theirway in this world of leadership.
There is a lot of leadershipadvice out there and I'm not sure
(01:11):
that all of it is practical.
So that's where I really tryto drill down and give practical
advice.
Recently I've taken on a roleas the head of strategy for an AI
company called One Click.
And those two have been quite complementary.
So they keep me quite busy, I bet.
Thank you for that.
So let's dive into some of this.
The process of you gettingjust for the viewer to know.
(01:32):
I do want to, you know, tellthe viewer go check his channel out.
Very powerful stuff on there.
You have, you're north of50,000 subscribers.
So it's by all YouTubestandards that's successful.
So let's talk about thatbecause as a creator and a lot of
my listeners are creators,what was some of the process it took
to even get to half of that?
(01:53):
Like the struggles, like the frustrations.
Talk us through some of that.
Yeah.
So the here's the biggesthurdle is just turning on the camera
and recording.
That's the first one.
And the second one is actually publishing.
It took me, I would sayprobably took me a few years to make
the decision that I was goingto start on YouTube, start a YouTube
channel.
The push for me was that Iwasn't getting recognized for my
(02:17):
leadership ability and I wasgetting denied what I believe were
promotions that I should havereceived or been considered more
for.
So I realized or I decidedthat I wasn't waiting for permission.
I, I have stuff, leadershipskills, knowledge, I have a way of
delivering things where it'svery direct but comes from a good
(02:39):
place and can be sarcastic andcan be funny.
And I thought, screw it, we'regoing on YouTube and I pooped my
pants a little bit trying toget that first video out there and
multiple after that.
But the thing is that whetherit's your first hundred subscribers.
Thousand, fifty thousand.
To me, it hasn't changed any.
(03:00):
I'm still trying to develop more.
I'm still bothered by videosthat aren't performing the way I
think that they should perform.
You can't really let that getin the way because the numbers, if
you're consistent and you'vefound your core audience, the numbers
come.
So it doesn't feel like, oh,you're winning the race.
That's at least in my experience.
(03:22):
We're north of 55, 000 subscribers.
I still feel like I'm tryingto catch up.
I still feel like it's a grind.
I still feel that I'm missing something.
So that just hasn't gone away.
But my videos are getting waymore views than when I first started.
So thank you for that.
So here's a.
You've unpacked a few things.
Like number one, you poo.
You almost pooped yourself.
No.
100% love that.
(03:43):
Love that.
Not waiting for permission.
You weren't getting recognized.
So there's a lot offrustration there.
And here you are on the otherside of some decisions.
So let's really dive into thatbecause first and foremost, not being
recognized and taking actionbased on not being recognized as
opposed to giving into thesystem or as opposed to just doing
(04:04):
your job.
Speak to that a little bitbecause I know there's a lot of people
that are listening that mayfeel those frustrations may have
a 9 to 5 and they're notgetting recognition.
They don't know what to do next.
What were some of the thingsthat made that decision to say?
Since I didn't get X, I'mgoing to do Y.
So here's the thing.
And, and I.
I hope your audience doesn'ttake this the wrong way.
(04:25):
I'm better than everybody.
That's my default.
I think I can do everythingwell and I think that I deserve the.
The opportunities that I want.
That may not be true, butthat's how I feel.
So it was really upsetting tome where I applied literally seven
times for a promotion at thecompany I was working for.
(04:46):
And I hospitality managementwas where I went to college.
I've had multiple leadershiproles in hospitality.
I'm a Very strong spoken person.
I believe I carry myself wellfor the most part.
So it was very frustrating forme to be in a position where I'm
asking you, and this is not tobe rude, but I don't respect their
(05:08):
leadership.
I didn't respect.
I didn't believe.
Oh, they're very wise.
They really know what they're doing.
The operation itself didn't.
I didn't have that respect for that.
And maybe that was part of my downfall.
But I'm like, I'm, look, I'mlistening to you who you bleed like
me, you have problems like me,you have wins like me.
Why am I letting you decidewhether or not I'm worthy of leadership,
(05:32):
whether or not I'm worthy ofadvancing my career?
It really, for a lack ofbetter words, it pissed me off.
Who are you to tell me I amnot good enough?
Because that's the message Iwas receiving, whether that was right
or wrong.
Maybe I wasn't in the propermindset or the.
What the company was lookingfor, but I used it really to.
It really.
It fired me up.
(05:52):
It ticked me off.
And it was a.
I'll show you.
But that came with a lot ofdoubt because if you're starting
a YouTube channel and youstart trying to share leadership
advice, who are you?
You're starting at zero.
Everybody starts at zero.
So that's very.
It's a very daunting task tosit there and say, I'm going to create
(06:13):
a video for nobody.
Nobody's going to see this.
Nobody's going to see my first50 videos.
And you have the question ofyour colleagues, your co workers,
people around you starting aYouTube channel.
You're not a manager.
I was in the past, but rightnow you're not.
Why would anybody listen toyou about leadership?
So I really had to lean on thefact that I know what I know and
(06:33):
I also know what I don't know.
And I believe I have a way ofpresenting that people will get,
people will understand.
So it was very much saying, Idon't accept the position you are
allowing me to have and I'mgoing to make my own.
So this brings up twoquestions for me.
Number one, you mentioned Ididn't respect them.
(06:53):
How did you navigate that ifyou were expecting a promotion based
on your merit and how good you are?
And yet you didn't respect them.
Yeah, let me respect them as people.
I didn't respect them as leaders.
They were making a.
They were.
They were really, in myopinion, they were making a lot of
silly errors.
They were making a lot of.
I would call it.
They were mismanaging morethan they were managing.
(07:16):
And we.
It was at the.
The Toronto's international airport.
It's people driven.
And they had people.
They had supervisors andmanagers in positions that didn't
know how to work with people.
A lot of them were promotedbecause they were programmers.
They were able to run thecomputer system of the airport, but
(07:37):
they weren't able to connectwith the people who actually had
to do the work.
So I didn't respect theirprocess of how they were mismanaging.
That makes a lot of sense.
Yeah.
But the people themselves,great people.
They weren't great leaders.
And I felt in my soul I coulddo so much better for.
For everybody, including them.
And that's where that kind ofcame from.
(07:59):
Thank you for the clarity,because that's a great way to look
at it, because there's a lotof people out there who will say,
I just don't respect this, orI don't respect them and not really
make the demarcation between Idon't respect the job they're doing
versus I don't respect them.
And I really appreciate youpacking that.
Yeah, absolutely.
Yeah, I, I.
Thanks for catching that,because I feel like a real.
What I worked with so manypeople and great people.
(08:21):
Yeah.
Not everybody is great at thejob that they have.
And that was the fire behindleadership with Mike is I'm going
to teach you one way oranother, I'm gonna share what I know.
And the blessing that kind ofcame to me after, once I hit that
10,000, 15,000 subscriber mark.
I have colleagues, I have mymanagers saying how they're watching
(08:42):
my content and saying howthey're learning and how they're
grateful because they didn'tget that training when they got that
job.
Wow.
So then this brings up theother question.
So at what point did it changefrom I'll show you to the love of
creation?
So I've always been a creator.
I've always dabbled in entrepreneurship.
I'm.
I always have ideas.
(09:03):
So it was a natural step to.
Once I stopped being scared,like, I have videos out there.
No, no harm came to me.
No threats.
Like, it was just, okay, I'mdoing this.
Some people are listening.
Most people aren't.
But now I'm comfortable.
And so it was just a naturalprogression where I just started
to get more comfortable in mymessage that I'm sharing.
(09:26):
There's nothing new to me.
There's nothing new inleadership that's being shared.
It's just do.
Does somebody like the way Isay it?
Does somebody prefer the wayJim says it?
So it's just once I learnedthat I just have to find my people,
it became more easy.
It became easier to just beme, turn on the camera, practice
(09:47):
and be like, this is what you get.
So the next comes into thenext question really is how did you
get from.
I poop my pants.
But you didn't poop it.
Literally.
But you know what it is?
So two being a rock star on camera.
Because I do know like I, Ispeak to a multi passionate creator
base that a lot of these guysare struggle getting on camera.
(10:10):
So speak to that for a minute.
Here's the thing.
It's actually, it's not difficult.
It's reps.
I have, I want to say I'mclose to, if not over 500 videos
on my YouTube channel.
I can talk to a camera likeit's my best friend now because it's
just practice.
My earlier career, I was awaiter, a bartender, bar manager.
(10:33):
Those are the same thing.
I remember pooping my pants.
I don't have bowel problems.
I remember when I firststarted in the restaurant industry
being terrified to open abottle of wine because I'd never
done it right.
So I'm like, oh my goodness.
There's a table of four adultsand I'm 19.
I'm an adult, but I feel likeI'm a kid and I have to present a
(10:54):
bottle of wine and does it toyour liking.
It was terrifying.
You do a few reps and yourealize nobody's.
At least at the level I wasserving, nobody really cared about
the bottle service.
It wasn't like a.
A big deal.
So it really is just the repsget the horrible videos out.
There is no way to make agreat video without making crap videos.
(11:18):
I don't care what anybody says.
You are not going to be anatural from day one, maybe day two,
maybe you're quick, but justget the videos out there.
And I have one of my videos,which is to me, it's cringy.
It's got 300,000 views.
Oh, wow.
I don't like it.
But then here's my questionthat I put to myself.
(11:38):
If I create, if I have an ideathat brings value, who am I to say
that I didn't say it right?
If the audience is watchingit, if the platform is serving it
to people, it's getting like.
Because it's getting comments.
Clearly my judgment on myselfand my performance is not right.
There's value there becausethis keeps Getting served.
(12:00):
I like how you put that thoughas I'm taking notes and for you guys
who are listening, you willfind all of this in the show notes.
So make sure you look belowwhatever episode you're watching.
There will be show notes or alink to it.
Make sure you grab thembecause you all have all the links
as well.
But here's the thing.
So like I feel versus whatthey feel like.
I wrote that down becausesomething you're saying is really
connecting with me.
I felt it was cringy but theyfelt it had value.
(12:23):
Yeah.
And that was, that's apowerful statement.
If you think about is andcoming to terms with that.
Still I put out videos whenI'm ah, this isn't going to be a
banger.
I'll get one comment that saysthis was the video I needed today.
So now I ask myself who am Ito not provide that to somebody?
That's my gift.
I was able to share a point ofview, right or wrong, but it was
(12:45):
something that I believe Ishared and it connected with, with
one person.
That's.
That's to me that's thebiggest thing on being a creator.
I have the opportunity to helpone person, maybe more, but one person
that gives me chills.
One person.
That's a pretty.
That's a good day, I think.
Yeah, no doubt.
So let's dive into Mike the creator.
(13:07):
Not just Mike the leader, butMike the creator.
So first question that reallycomes up in in my curiosity is, is
why YouTube?
Because there's so manymediums out there.
You could have been a blogger,you could have been all sorts of
stuff.
But why YouTube?
So I can't write to save my life.
And when I started AI was notwhere it is now.
But YouTube made sense to mebecause it's a search engine.
(13:27):
I'm not going to create a.
A whole lot of written postson different social platforms for
them to be buried and neverseen again.
So again one of my cringyvideo, it's probably five maybe six
years old, it's still getting served.
It's still able to provide value.
So that is, that's why YouTubeto me is.
(13:48):
YouTube is number one becauseI can put it out today and it will
still be served 10 years fromnow should.
Assuming it provides value.
Nice, nice.
So, so then now walk usthrough the.
Because we're going to lookinto the feelings part of it.
Not so much from the createfrom the viewer side who is like
finding immense value in yourchannel which I watch it regularly
so I can and I'LL link yourchannel down in the show notes as
(14:11):
well.
And so what about as a creator?
Because we go through so muchemotion and so many roller coasters
of, hey, today I'm creatinglike 16 things.
Tomorrow I'm quitting life.
What's this compute.
Huge roller coaster.
So walk us through some ofthat because as a smaller creator
versus a larger creator likeyou, there's different feelings.
So take us on a journey andlet's hear some stories behind that.
(14:33):
I.
So the feeling was when Istarted, it's I, I think I can do
this.
And then.
But you get overwhelmed.
At least I did.
Where do you start?
What equipment do I need?
What.
How do I edit these videos?
We, Jim, you and I are in agroup, and there's one gentleman
who consistently laughed at mein a.
(14:56):
A heartfelt way, laughed at mefor using Imovie, for editing my
videos.
As I got comfortable withImovie, which is not a difficult
program to be using, it's notgreat, but it's not bad either.
Right.
So I started to buildconfidence in myself and just.
It's very much.
I don't know who said this,but it's like driving a car and you
see where your headlights are,but you don't see what's around the
(15:19):
corner.
You have to drive there.
You don't build a.
Used to.
At least in my experience, youdon't build a YouTube channel by
knowing exactly how to do everything.
Okay, I'm going to make thisvideo and I'm going to add this.
I put videos where on thebottom it says, this teleprompter
is free because I didn't payfor the app.
I just used the free versionto see if it's going to work.
(15:41):
Does that provide less valueto my audience?
No.
Did those who were looking tocritique and help point that out?
Yes, but it didn't affect thevideo's value.
So it's really just learningas you go.
I have this right here, Jim.
This is this framed iPhone.
(16:01):
This is the iPhone SE.
This got me to over 10,000 subscribers.
The front, the.
The other side camera, so Icould see myself.
So it's not an equipmentthing, which I thought it could be.
It's not.
Sometimes it's even easier forme to use my phone.
It's really for me now I'm continuing.
I have.
(16:21):
I want the vanity of thevanity play button.
So that's my goal, to get ahundred thousand subscribers on my
channel.
I want to be able to show my kids.
Dad started a YouTube channeland he Made it to this number because
that's what he said he wasgoing to do with the hopes.
That's inspiring because Ihave no business being on YouTube.
I have no business in having55 plus thousand subscribers.
(16:45):
But I'm stubborn enough tocontinue to do it.
I've had breaks in between.
I've taken summers off anddecided, you know what, I'm going
to focus on family and notworry about content.
None of that killed my channel.
I just keep plugging away.
That's awesome.
So for you guys who arelistening so far, whatever platform,
whether Apple, Iradio orSpotify, Amazon, we're on most of
(17:08):
them.
Here's the thing.
I also do have a YouTubechannel, www.leadwithjim.live.
it'll be in the show notes ifyou want to take a see the video
version of this and see theframe iPhone that he was showing.
For the rest of you guys, justimagine an iPhone in a frame SE version.
But other than that, you cancheck it out on the YouTube station.
So with that all being said,this brings up a great question like
(17:32):
how did you not quit?
Because you're talking about alot of different feelings.
Even in the corporate you hadthese negative voices saying you're
not going to do it.
This is this moving over as a creative.
There's some voices even inyour own head who I movie and all
this stuff.
It's all this like negativity.
How did you not internalizethat and then ultimately quit your
channel?
Because I am more stubbornthan the journey is difficult.
(17:56):
I have more pride in myself bysaying I'm doing this and I'm visualizing
people who once they found outI had a YouTube channel, were mocking
it in a fun manner.
But there's truth.
I believe they had truthbehind what they were saying and
how they were making fun of it.
I get miserable like that.
(18:17):
So watch me.
I'm very much a when I decidethere's something that I can do,
listen, I can't go play NBA.
I don't.
There's a lot of stuff I'm missing.
But if it's in the realm ofyeah, I can make this happen.
And I've decided I'm going tomake this happen.
Who's going to stop me?
Who can tell me?
I can't.
Literally anybody can do this.
(18:37):
You just have to say, I'mgoing to do it.
It's not a quick journey.
Again, like I said, a hundredthousand subscribers.
That's the, the milestone formyself to say, you did it.
Nobody can say, mike, you'renot going to do it.
Prove that I can't becausewatch me as every day I get an extra
subscriber.
Dude.
So then how.
So tell me like something thatyou are like really frustrated over
(18:58):
a lot through all thisprocess, I am always.
Frustrated by the lack ofviews I believe I should have.
And here's the thing.
Leadership for as a creator,leadership is.
It's not an easy niche from myown experience, but also as I've
worked with and reached out topeople that I look up to saying,
listen, it's not one of thoseniches that you can really blow up.
(19:22):
Obviously you can succeed.
I know many creators that areway ahead of where I'm at, but it's
just, I think that my videosshould get more views.
But I accept one they're not.
So a lot of that comes back tome and how I'm packaging them.
The other side is I believethat when I put out a video, I believe
(19:43):
I put it out, there's value in it.
So it goes back to, okay, Ididn't get a thousand views in the
first five days.
But you know what?
I got one and they said thisis the video I needed.
So who am I again?
Who am I to say that's not awin, it's a win?
Yeah, it's a refocus as I'mfocusing on the one who was really
impacted versus the thousand Imay not know or the 999.
(20:06):
Exactly.
And.
And I can strive for moreviews, but that doesn't mean that
equals more value.
So now this comes to anotherquestion as we start landing this
plane today is how do you stayon the cutting edge?
Or how do you stay sharp?
Always learning, always.
I'm.
I don't watch YouTube for thesake of usually just to zone out
(20:29):
and waste time.
I usually have a reason.
I'm watching and I'm learning.
How do I do this better?
What's the better way tocreate hooks?
Is there.
Are there resources that canhelp me write better titles?
How can I use chat GPT?
How can I use AI to helpmyself get better, to provide more
value?
(20:49):
So it really is always juststaying curious and honing your craft.
So what, where are youlearning the most right now?
If I was going to say, ifyou're trying to learn to be a better
speaker, a better writer, abetter whatever, where is the personal
growth?
Like, what is the directionyou're going currently?
And what's that, what creatorsI'm watching.
So you could talk about whatcreators you're watching because
(21:09):
it's every one of us connectwith people that will help us grow.
So who's helping you grow?
Ed Lawrence, creator, Booth.
He's.
That's the channel that I'm watching.
Every time there's a videothat comes out, I'm watching it and.
And I'm absorbing.
I am Rafiti.
The Rafiti is one of his channels.
Now.
What I believe down to Earthsays things that, to me, make sense.
(21:34):
And I think that's the biggestthing about, you know, learning on
your journey.
Don't follow somebody becauseeverybody else is following them.
Who's the creator or who's theperson in your life where you're
like, I get what they're saying.
It makes sense because, again,there are so many people that you
can learn from.
You might as well learn fromthe ones that you connect with.
(21:55):
Don't waste time, effort,money on somebody where you don't
really vibe with them.
Before we, before I ask youpart of the show where we go, this
is our wisdom bomb.
Yep.
Where do we find you ifsomebody wants to connect with you
on whatever platforms?
Obviously YouTube.
But where do we find you?
Mike.
Yep.
Leadership with Mike.
If you Google Leadership withMike, you will find mikeashi.com
(22:15):
you will find the MyLeadership boot camp that I've recently
released.
You will find me on allsocials as Leadership With Mike.
And for you guys who arelistening, we will add all of those
links down in the comments,including the boot camp.
You're gonna.
If you want to learn how to bea better leader, a better manager,
you're going to want toconnect with Mike, whether it be
(22:36):
through his free content onYouTube or.
Or his paid content behind onhis website?
Either one.
They'll both be in the links.
So with that being said, myfriend, what is a wisdom bomb or
a portable truth that youwould say to the listener that they
can put in their life todaythat would create impact here?
This is the biggest one.
This is the one that I sharewith my kids.
(22:56):
Don't ask permission.
Do what you feel you need to do.
I would say I bullied myselfinto getting into YouTube to share
what I know.
I bullied myself into putting,get going out and reaching an opportunity
to become the head of strategyfor an AI startup.
(23:18):
I willed myself into theircompany because I said, I can do
this, and here's why.
So you need to include me.
And they said, you know what?
We need to include you.
So don't sit there waitingbecause if that's the case, I would
still be.
I would be rotting at theToronto Airport.
Feeling unfulfilled andworking the.
(23:40):
The grind.
You don't need permission toget out.
Now, I will say I absolutelylove how you put that.
Bully yourself into it.
That's awesome.
Eminem has a.
It's a rap verse, but itreally connects because if I didn't
bully like, I get angry with myself.
Do this.
Why are you not doing.
You have this, that, and theother thing.
Do it.
And I think that it's all tooeasy to get caught up on just absorbing
(24:03):
and soaking in social media bullies.
Push yourself.
Get off of that yourself.
Yeah, I love it.
Because sometimes you're justnot gonna have the will.
Sometimes you've gotta fightyourself to get the will.
I love it.
Yes.
Love it myself so muchsometimes for doing it.
But you know what?
It's working.
So.
Yeah.
What is it?
Do it.
Take the.
Take the results and thepositive consequences.
Then go get ice cream.
(24:23):
Make yourself feel better.
That's all for that.
Michael, thank you for beingon the show today.
I been a lifelong friend.
I appreciate you and the valuethat you dropped today.
So thank you for being herewith on the Grace and the Grind,
man.
Oh, I appreciate you having me.
This is a great podcast and Ihope everybody enjoys.
Yeah, man.
And for you guys who are thelistener and you've made it this
far in the episode, justremember, wherever you're watching,
(24:45):
whether if it's on YouTube,drop a comment, let's have a conversation,
hit a subscribe.
If it's on any of the otherplatforms, whether it be Apple, Iradio
or whatever your favoriteplatform is.
Listening.
Share this episode with afriend who you think is going to
need it and then come back anddrop a review.
But with that being said, youhave been on Grace and the Grind.
We appreciate you and we'llsee you on a future episode.
(25:07):
This has been Grace and the Grind.
We hope you've enjoyed the show.
If you did, make sure to like,rate and review and we'll be back
soon.
But in the meantime, find.
Find us on social media.
Lead with Jim.
Take care of yourself andwe'll see you next time on Grace
in the Grind.
Welcome to Grace and theGrind, the podcast where we dive
deep into the journeys ofheart centered and purpose driven
leaders and entrepreneurs.
We're here to equip andencourage you on your journey.
So let's get started and findthe grace within the grind.
This is Grace in the Grind.
And now your host, Jim Burgoon.
(00:23):
Welcome to Grace in the Grindwhere we're here to tell the inspiring
stories behind some of themost successful entrepreneurs out
there.
And today, a really goodfriend of mine, we've been friend
actually for a few years now,Michael Ashy.
Welcome to the show, Michael.
Thank you, Jim, appreciate it.
So why don't you tell thelistener, take about 30 to not 30,
like 60 to 90 seconds and justtell us what you do and who you are.
(00:45):
Yeah, for sure.
So I've created or I'm thecreator of the YouTube channel Leadership
with Mike.
The idea there is to help whatI would call everyday green team
leaders, new managers, peoplethat have just recently been promoted,
trying to help them find theirway in this world of leadership.
There is a lot of leadershipadvice out there and I'm not sure
(01:11):
that all of it is practical.
So that's where I really tryto drill down and give practical
advice.
Recently I've taken on a roleas the head of strategy for an AI
company called One Click.
And those two have been quite complementary.
So they keep me quite busy, I bet.
Thank you for that.
So let's dive into some of this.
The process of you gettingjust for the viewer to know.
(01:32):
I do want to, you know, tellthe viewer go check his channel out.
Very powerful stuff on there.
You have, you're north of50,000 subscribers.
So it's by all YouTubestandards that's successful.
So let's talk about thatbecause as a creator and a lot of
my listeners are creators,what was some of the process it took
to even get to half of that?
(01:53):
Like the struggles, like the frustrations.
Talk us through some of that.
Yeah.
So the here's the biggesthurdle is just turning on the camera
and recording.
That's the first one.
And the second one is actually publishing.
It took me, I would sayprobably took me a few years to make
the decision that I was goingto start on YouTube, start a YouTube
channel.
The push for me was that Iwasn't getting recognized for my
(02:17):
leadership ability and I wasgetting denied what I believe were
promotions that I should havereceived or been considered more
for.
So I realized or I decidedthat I wasn't waiting for permission.
I, I have stuff, leadershipskills, knowledge, I have a way of
delivering things where it'svery direct but comes from a good
(02:39):
place and can be sarcastic andcan be funny.
And I thought, screw it, we'regoing on YouTube and I pooped my
pants a little bit trying toget that first video out there and
multiple after that.
But the thing is that whetherit's your first hundred subscribers.
Thousand, fifty thousand.
To me, it hasn't changed any.
(03:00):
I'm still trying to develop more.
I'm still bothered by videosthat aren't performing the way I
think that they should perform.
You can't really let that getin the way because the numbers, if
you're consistent and you'vefound your core audience, the numbers
come.
So it doesn't feel like, oh,you're winning the race.
That's at least in my experience.
(03:22):
We're north of 55, 000 subscribers.
I still feel like I'm tryingto catch up.
I still feel like it's a grind.
I still feel that I'm missing something.
So that just hasn't gone away.
But my videos are getting waymore views than when I first started.
So thank you for that.
So here's a.
You've unpacked a few things.
Like number one, you poo.
You almost pooped yourself.
No.
100% love that.
(03:43):
Love that.
Not waiting for permission.
You weren't getting recognized.
So there's a lot offrustration there.
And here you are on the otherside of some decisions.
So let's really dive into thatbecause first and foremost, not being
recognized and taking actionbased on not being recognized as
opposed to giving into thesystem or as opposed to just doing
(04:04):
your job.
Speak to that a little bitbecause I know there's a lot of people
that are listening that mayfeel those frustrations may have
a 9 to 5 and they're notgetting recognition.
They don't know what to do next.
What were some of the thingsthat made that decision to say?
Since I didn't get X, I'mgoing to do Y.
So here's the thing.
And, and I.
I hope your audience doesn'ttake this the wrong way.
(04:25):
I'm better than everybody.
That's my default.
I think I can do everythingwell and I think that I deserve the.
The opportunities that I want.
That may not be true, butthat's how I feel.
So it was really upsetting tome where I applied literally seven
times for a promotion at thecompany I was working for.
(04:46):
And I hospitality managementwas where I went to college.
I've had multiple leadershiproles in hospitality.
I'm a Very strong spoken person.
I believe I carry myself wellfor the most part.
So it was very frustrating forme to be in a position where I'm
asking you, and this is not tobe rude, but I don't respect their
(05:08):
leadership.
I didn't respect.
I didn't believe.
Oh, they're very wise.
They really know what they're doing.
The operation itself didn't.
I didn't have that respect for that.
And maybe that was part of my downfall.
But I'm like, I'm, look, I'mlistening to you who you bleed like
me, you have problems like me,you have wins like me.
Why am I letting you decidewhether or not I'm worthy of leadership,
(05:32):
whether or not I'm worthy ofadvancing my career?
It really, for a lack ofbetter words, it pissed me off.
Who are you to tell me I amnot good enough?
Because that's the message Iwas receiving, whether that was right
or wrong.
Maybe I wasn't in the propermindset or the.
What the company was lookingfor, but I used it really to.
It really.
It fired me up.
(05:52):
It ticked me off.
And it was a.
I'll show you.
But that came with a lot ofdoubt because if you're starting
a YouTube channel and youstart trying to share leadership
advice, who are you?
You're starting at zero.
Everybody starts at zero.
So that's very.
It's a very daunting task tosit there and say, I'm going to create
(06:13):
a video for nobody.
Nobody's going to see this.
Nobody's going to see my first50 videos.
And you have the question ofyour colleagues, your co workers,
people around you starting aYouTube channel.
You're not a manager.
I was in the past, but rightnow you're not.
Why would anybody listen toyou about leadership?
So I really had to lean on thefact that I know what I know and
(06:33):
I also know what I don't know.
And I believe I have a way ofpresenting that people will get,
people will understand.
So it was very much saying, Idon't accept the position you are
allowing me to have and I'mgoing to make my own.
So this brings up twoquestions for me.
Number one, you mentioned Ididn't respect them.
(06:53):
How did you navigate that ifyou were expecting a promotion based
on your merit and how good you are?
And yet you didn't respect them.
Yeah, let me respect them as people.
I didn't respect them as leaders.
They were making a.
They were.
They were really, in myopinion, they were making a lot of
silly errors.
They were making a lot of.
I would call it.
They were mismanaging morethan they were managing.
(07:16):
And we.
It was at the.
The Toronto's international airport.
It's people driven.
And they had people.
They had supervisors andmanagers in positions that didn't
know how to work with people.
A lot of them were promotedbecause they were programmers.
They were able to run thecomputer system of the airport, but
(07:37):
they weren't able to connectwith the people who actually had
to do the work.
So I didn't respect theirprocess of how they were mismanaging.
That makes a lot of sense.
Yeah.
But the people themselves,great people.
They weren't great leaders.
And I felt in my soul I coulddo so much better for.
For everybody, including them.
And that's where that kind ofcame from.
(07:59):
Thank you for the clarity,because that's a great way to look
at it, because there's a lotof people out there who will say,
I just don't respect this, orI don't respect them and not really
make the demarcation between Idon't respect the job they're doing
versus I don't respect them.
And I really appreciate youpacking that.
Yeah, absolutely.
Yeah, I, I.
Thanks for catching that,because I feel like a real.
What I worked with so manypeople and great people.
(08:21):
Yeah.
Not everybody is great at thejob that they have.
And that was the fire behindleadership with Mike is I'm going
to teach you one way oranother, I'm gonna share what I know.
And the blessing that kind ofcame to me after, once I hit that
10,000, 15,000 subscriber mark.
I have colleagues, I have mymanagers saying how they're watching
(08:42):
my content and saying howthey're learning and how they're
grateful because they didn'tget that training when they got that
job.
Wow.
So then this brings up theother question.
So at what point did it changefrom I'll show you to the love of
creation?
So I've always been a creator.
I've always dabbled in entrepreneurship.
I'm.
I always have ideas.
(09:03):
So it was a natural step to.
Once I stopped being scared,like, I have videos out there.
No, no harm came to me.
No threats.
Like, it was just, okay, I'mdoing this.
Some people are listening.
Most people aren't.
But now I'm comfortable.
And so it was just a naturalprogression where I just started
to get more comfortable in mymessage that I'm sharing.
(09:26):
There's nothing new to me.
There's nothing new inleadership that's being shared.
It's just do.
Does somebody like the way Isay it?
Does somebody prefer the wayJim says it?
So it's just once I learnedthat I just have to find my people,
it became more easy.
It became easier to just beme, turn on the camera, practice
(09:47):
and be like, this is what you get.
So the next comes into thenext question really is how did you
get from.
I poop my pants.
But you didn't poop it.
Literally.
But you know what it is?
So two being a rock star on camera.
Because I do know like I, Ispeak to a multi passionate creator
base that a lot of these guysare struggle getting on camera.
(10:10):
So speak to that for a minute.
Here's the thing.
It's actually, it's not difficult.
It's reps.
I have, I want to say I'mclose to, if not over 500 videos
on my YouTube channel.
I can talk to a camera likeit's my best friend now because it's
just practice.
My earlier career, I was awaiter, a bartender, bar manager.
(10:33):
Those are the same thing.
I remember pooping my pants.
I don't have bowel problems.
I remember when I firststarted in the restaurant industry
being terrified to open abottle of wine because I'd never
done it right.
So I'm like, oh my goodness.
There's a table of four adultsand I'm 19.
I'm an adult, but I feel likeI'm a kid and I have to present a
(10:54):
bottle of wine and does it toyour liking.
It was terrifying.
You do a few reps and yourealize nobody's.
At least at the level I wasserving, nobody really cared about
the bottle service.
It wasn't like a.
A big deal.
So it really is just the repsget the horrible videos out.
There is no way to make agreat video without making crap videos.
(11:18):
I don't care what anybody says.
You are not going to be anatural from day one, maybe day two,
maybe you're quick, but justget the videos out there.
And I have one of my videos,which is to me, it's cringy.
It's got 300,000 views.
Oh, wow.
I don't like it.
But then here's my questionthat I put to myself.
(11:38):
If I create, if I have an ideathat brings value, who am I to say
that I didn't say it right?
If the audience is watchingit, if the platform is serving it
to people, it's getting like.
Because it's getting comments.
Clearly my judgment on myselfand my performance is not right.
There's value there becausethis keeps Getting served.
(12:00):
I like how you put that thoughas I'm taking notes and for you guys
who are listening, you willfind all of this in the show notes.
So make sure you look belowwhatever episode you're watching.
There will be show notes or alink to it.
Make sure you grab thembecause you all have all the links
as well.
But here's the thing.
So like I feel versus whatthey feel like.
I wrote that down becausesomething you're saying is really
connecting with me.
I felt it was cringy but theyfelt it had value.
(12:23):
Yeah.
And that was, that's apowerful statement.
If you think about is andcoming to terms with that.
Still I put out videos whenI'm ah, this isn't going to be a
banger.
I'll get one comment that saysthis was the video I needed today.
So now I ask myself who am Ito not provide that to somebody?
That's my gift.
I was able to share a point ofview, right or wrong, but it was
(12:45):
something that I believe Ishared and it connected with, with
one person.
That's.
That's to me that's thebiggest thing on being a creator.
I have the opportunity to helpone person, maybe more, but one person
that gives me chills.
One person.
That's a pretty.
That's a good day, I think.
Yeah, no doubt.
So let's dive into Mike the creator.
(13:07):
Not just Mike the leader, butMike the creator.
So first question that reallycomes up in in my curiosity is, is
why YouTube?
Because there's so manymediums out there.
You could have been a blogger,you could have been all sorts of
stuff.
But why YouTube?
So I can't write to save my life.
And when I started AI was notwhere it is now.
But YouTube made sense to mebecause it's a search engine.
(13:27):
I'm not going to create a.
A whole lot of written postson different social platforms for
them to be buried and neverseen again.
So again one of my cringyvideo, it's probably five maybe six
years old, it's still getting served.
It's still able to provide value.
So that is, that's why YouTubeto me is.
(13:48):
YouTube is number one becauseI can put it out today and it will
still be served 10 years fromnow should.
Assuming it provides value.
Nice, nice.
So, so then now walk usthrough the.
Because we're going to lookinto the feelings part of it.
Not so much from the createfrom the viewer side who is like
finding immense value in yourchannel which I watch it regularly
so I can and I'LL link yourchannel down in the show notes as
(14:11):
well.
And so what about as a creator?
Because we go through so muchemotion and so many roller coasters
of, hey, today I'm creatinglike 16 things.
Tomorrow I'm quitting life.
What's this compute.
Huge roller coaster.
So walk us through some ofthat because as a smaller creator
versus a larger creator likeyou, there's different feelings.
So take us on a journey andlet's hear some stories behind that.
(14:33):
I.
So the feeling was when Istarted, it's I, I think I can do
this.
And then.
But you get overwhelmed.
At least I did.
Where do you start?
What equipment do I need?
What.
How do I edit these videos?
We, Jim, you and I are in agroup, and there's one gentleman
who consistently laughed at mein a.
(14:56):
A heartfelt way, laughed at mefor using Imovie, for editing my
videos.
As I got comfortable withImovie, which is not a difficult
program to be using, it's notgreat, but it's not bad either.
Right.
So I started to buildconfidence in myself and just.
It's very much.
I don't know who said this,but it's like driving a car and you
see where your headlights are,but you don't see what's around the
(15:19):
corner.
You have to drive there.
You don't build a.
Used to.
At least in my experience, youdon't build a YouTube channel by
knowing exactly how to do everything.
Okay, I'm going to make thisvideo and I'm going to add this.
I put videos where on thebottom it says, this teleprompter
is free because I didn't payfor the app.
I just used the free versionto see if it's going to work.
(15:41):
Does that provide less valueto my audience?
No.
Did those who were looking tocritique and help point that out?
Yes, but it didn't affect thevideo's value.
So it's really just learningas you go.
I have this right here, Jim.
This is this framed iPhone.
(16:01):
This is the iPhone SE.
This got me to over 10,000 subscribers.
The front, the.
The other side camera, so Icould see myself.
So it's not an equipmentthing, which I thought it could be.
It's not.
Sometimes it's even easier forme to use my phone.
It's really for me now I'm continuing.
I have.
(16:21):
I want the vanity of thevanity play button.
So that's my goal, to get ahundred thousand subscribers on my
channel.
I want to be able to show my kids.
Dad started a YouTube channeland he Made it to this number because
that's what he said he wasgoing to do with the hopes.
That's inspiring because Ihave no business being on YouTube.
I have no business in having55 plus thousand subscribers.
(16:45):
But I'm stubborn enough tocontinue to do it.
I've had breaks in between.
I've taken summers off anddecided, you know what, I'm going
to focus on family and notworry about content.
None of that killed my channel.
I just keep plugging away.
That's awesome.
So for you guys who arelistening so far, whatever platform,
whether Apple, Iradio orSpotify, Amazon, we're on most of
(17:08):
them.
Here's the thing.
I also do have a YouTubechannel, www.leadwithjim.live.
it'll be in the show notes ifyou want to take a see the video
version of this and see theframe iPhone that he was showing.
For the rest of you guys, justimagine an iPhone in a frame SE version.
But other than that, you cancheck it out on the YouTube station.
So with that all being said,this brings up a great question like
(17:32):
how did you not quit?
Because you're talking about alot of different feelings.
Even in the corporate you hadthese negative voices saying you're
not going to do it.
This is this moving over as a creative.
There's some voices even inyour own head who I movie and all
this stuff.
It's all this like negativity.
How did you not internalizethat and then ultimately quit your
channel?
Because I am more stubbornthan the journey is difficult.
(17:56):
I have more pride in myself bysaying I'm doing this and I'm visualizing
people who once they found outI had a YouTube channel, were mocking
it in a fun manner.
But there's truth.
I believe they had truthbehind what they were saying and
how they were making fun of it.
I get miserable like that.
(18:17):
So watch me.
I'm very much a when I decidethere's something that I can do,
listen, I can't go play NBA.
I don't.
There's a lot of stuff I'm missing.
But if it's in the realm ofyeah, I can make this happen.
And I've decided I'm going tomake this happen.
Who's going to stop me?
Who can tell me?
I can't.
Literally anybody can do this.
(18:37):
You just have to say, I'mgoing to do it.
It's not a quick journey.
Again, like I said, a hundredthousand subscribers.
That's the, the milestone formyself to say, you did it.
Nobody can say, mike, you'renot going to do it.
Prove that I can't becausewatch me as every day I get an extra
subscriber.
Dude.
So then how.
So tell me like something thatyou are like really frustrated over
(18:58):
a lot through all thisprocess, I am always.
Frustrated by the lack ofviews I believe I should have.
And here's the thing.
Leadership for as a creator,leadership is.
It's not an easy niche from myown experience, but also as I've
worked with and reached out topeople that I look up to saying,
listen, it's not one of thoseniches that you can really blow up.
(19:22):
Obviously you can succeed.
I know many creators that areway ahead of where I'm at, but it's
just, I think that my videosshould get more views.
But I accept one they're not.
So a lot of that comes back tome and how I'm packaging them.
The other side is I believethat when I put out a video, I believe
(19:43):
I put it out, there's value in it.
So it goes back to, okay, Ididn't get a thousand views in the
first five days.
But you know what?
I got one and they said thisis the video I needed.
So who am I again?
Who am I to say that's not awin, it's a win?
Yeah, it's a refocus as I'mfocusing on the one who was really
impacted versus the thousand Imay not know or the 999.
(20:06):
Exactly.
And.
And I can strive for moreviews, but that doesn't mean that
equals more value.
So now this comes to anotherquestion as we start landing this
plane today is how do you stayon the cutting edge?
Or how do you stay sharp?
Always learning, always.
I'm.
I don't watch YouTube for thesake of usually just to zone out
(20:29):
and waste time.
I usually have a reason.
I'm watching and I'm learning.
How do I do this better?
What's the better way tocreate hooks?
Is there.
Are there resources that canhelp me write better titles?
How can I use chat GPT?
How can I use AI to helpmyself get better, to provide more
value?
(20:49):
So it really is always juststaying curious and honing your craft.
So what, where are youlearning the most right now?
If I was going to say, ifyou're trying to learn to be a better
speaker, a better writer, abetter whatever, where is the personal
growth?
Like, what is the directionyou're going currently?
And what's that, what creatorsI'm watching.
So you could talk about whatcreators you're watching because
(21:09):
it's every one of us connectwith people that will help us grow.
So who's helping you grow?
Ed Lawrence, creator, Booth.
He's.
That's the channel that I'm watching.
Every time there's a videothat comes out, I'm watching it and.
And I'm absorbing.
I am Rafiti.
The Rafiti is one of his channels.
Now.
What I believe down to Earthsays things that, to me, make sense.
(21:34):
And I think that's the biggestthing about, you know, learning on
your journey.
Don't follow somebody becauseeverybody else is following them.
Who's the creator or who's theperson in your life where you're
like, I get what they're saying.
It makes sense because, again,there are so many people that you
can learn from.
You might as well learn fromthe ones that you connect with.
(21:55):
Don't waste time, effort,money on somebody where you don't
really vibe with them.
Before we, before I ask youpart of the show where we go, this
is our wisdom bomb.
Yep.
Where do we find you ifsomebody wants to connect with you
on whatever platforms?
Obviously YouTube.
But where do we find you?
Mike.
Yep.
Leadership with Mike.
If you Google Leadership withMike, you will find mikeashi.com
(22:15):
you will find the MyLeadership boot camp that I've recently
released.
You will find me on allsocials as Leadership With Mike.
And for you guys who arelistening, we will add all of those
links down in the comments,including the boot camp.
You're gonna.
If you want to learn how to bea better leader, a better manager,
you're going to want toconnect with Mike, whether it be
(22:36):
through his free content onYouTube or.
Or his paid content behind onhis website?
Either one.
They'll both be in the links.
So with that being said, myfriend, what is a wisdom bomb or
a portable truth that youwould say to the listener that they
can put in their life todaythat would create impact here?
This is the biggest one.
This is the one that I sharewith my kids.
(22:56):
Don't ask permission.
Do what you feel you need to do.
I would say I bullied myselfinto getting into YouTube to share
what I know.
I bullied myself into putting,get going out and reaching an opportunity
to become the head of strategyfor an AI startup.
(23:18):
I willed myself into theircompany because I said, I can do
this, and here's why.
So you need to include me.
And they said, you know what?
We need to include you.
So don't sit there waitingbecause if that's the case, I would
still be.
I would be rotting at theToronto Airport.
Feeling unfulfilled andworking the.
(23:40):
The grind.
You don't need permission toget out.
Now, I will say I absolutelylove how you put that.
Bully yourself into it.
That's awesome.
Eminem has a.
It's a rap verse, but itreally connects because if I didn't
bully like, I get angry with myself.
Do this.
Why are you not doing.
You have this, that, and theother thing.
Do it.
And I think that it's all tooeasy to get caught up on just absorbing
(24:03):
and soaking in social media bullies.
Push yourself.
Get off of that yourself.
Yeah, I love it.
Because sometimes you're justnot gonna have the will.
Sometimes you've gotta fightyourself to get the will.
I love it.
Yes.
Love it myself so muchsometimes for doing it.
But you know what?
It's working.
So.
Yeah.
What is it?
Do it.
Take the.
Take the results and thepositive consequences.
Then go get ice cream.
(24:23):
Make yourself feel better.
That's all for that.
Michael, thank you for beingon the show today.
I been a lifelong friend.
I appreciate you and the valuethat you dropped today.
So thank you for being herewith on the Grace and the Grind,
man.
Oh, I appreciate you having me.
This is a great podcast and Ihope everybody enjoys.
Yeah, man.
And for you guys who are thelistener and you've made it this
far in the episode, justremember, wherever you're watching,
(24:45):
whether if it's on YouTube,drop a comment, let's have a conversation,
hit a subscribe.
If it's on any of the otherplatforms, whether it be Apple, Iradio
or whatever your favoriteplatform is.
Listening.
Share this episode with afriend who you think is going to
need it and then come back anddrop a review.
But with that being said, youhave been on Grace and the Grind.
We appreciate you and we'llsee you on a future episode.
(25:07):
This has been Grace and the Grind.
We hope you've enjoyed the show.
If you did, make sure to like,rate and review and we'll be back
soon.
But in the meantime, find.
Find us on social media.
Lead with Jim.
Take care of yourself andwe'll see you next time on Grace
in the Grind.
Host
Jim Burgoon
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