Aww Shift

In this episode, our guest is Susie Carder. There are always those cool stories you hear about people who like to call rags to riches, and we love those stories and what they write about these things. It's all about how successful people make shift happen. This person has had multiple shift moments that have created something cool for the world, not only for themselves but also for other entrepreneurs. Susie is an entrepreneur, profit coach, speaker, and author. One of her books is Power of Profit, which we will talk about today. Susie's going to share the beginnings of her career with us, how he rosed to the top, and how you can make your business work for you instead of working for your business.

 

[5:27] Why should we listen to you?

I worked my self up to the big time. I came from nothing, and my Dad said, "when you're 18, you move out, go get a job, and you go get a husband". Knowing how to do both, I turned my life around.

I knew that I wanted something different for my life. I wanted something different for myself. There was nothing wrong with where I was brought up. I just knew that there was something more inside. 

I wanted to do a legacy for my children.  My children became my Why because I didn't want my children to experience the output I experienced where there were trauma and abuse. I found myself in a similar situation where I repeated my past in which I don't want my children to grow up.

I didn't want my kids to grow up poor, so I had to figure out how to make money because I had no child support and alimony. My picker was off, and I got that hustle muscle. From an early age, my Dad said, "You want money. Go get it". He gave me my work ethic.

 

[8:37] What is the lesson you've learned?

Knowing that anything's possible if you believe. I didn't have academia or resources, but I did have the ability to be a hustler. I just never gave up because I didn't have an option to give up. And I didn't have a backdoor.

[11:44] What are some of the brightest moments you've had?

I got rejected by our publisher. It was the only publisher in that industry, and they passed on my book. So I started my own publishing company, and not knowing what to do, I just knew that nobody's going to tell me no. So I created my own publishing company and turned that company into a $10 million company and then sold it to the original publisher who rejected me.

[14:45] Ego

I think our ego in business gets in our way of accomplishing the result because we have to be right, but we're not going to be right all the time

[15:57] What do you hope to take away from your book?

It's always been entrepreneurs or small business owners who want to build a seven or eight-figure business. It's for entrepreneurs that really want to create a legacy play. You can make money to create a legacy play. I can't just be creating a legacy if I'm not creating results inside of the world.

It's great to get and build the foundation. From all my years of working with other experts, I'm not the original content of it all. I've put it into simplified language that helped me build multimillion-dollar businesses to go about the best practices that I've gathered over 35 years of being in business by doing it wrong and doing it right.

 

[18:42] Which chapter did you enjoy writing the most?

Chapter eight, which is Math is money. Money is fun because I sucked at it. I sucked at it. I was so bad at business math and math n general. I was so bad that I would have to close my checking account and open a new one because I couldn't balance it

So Math is money. Money is fun. It's just a way to we all love what money can do for us, the freedom that it provides.  We need to harness it and understanding the specific things we need to do, like pricing your services.

 

[20:43] What is the difference between being in business and being a business?

15% of our financial success is your technical ability. It's who you are as your vocation and what you do as a service. That's working in my business versus on my business. The other 85% is managing a business. If you can't go away on vacation, if you can't have a day off or if you do take a day off, and you're working five times harder after,  then you don't own a business. You own a job.

I think the lessons that come to you wrapped in sandpaper are some of the best lessons. They're not pretty nor glamorous, but those are the times where we learn and that define us. I made some horrible mistakes and stupid decisions, but I didn't know. So let me use those lessons to help you or another entrepreneur. I think those are the character-defining moments and the things that build us as business people.

We have to charge because we start invalidating the value that we bring if we don't charge.  We start asking questions like, "Am I worth it? Is it worth it? Who's gonna pay me?" Well, that's your own limiting belief in your upper limit conversation so let's break that.

 

[25:59] Which was your least favorite chapter to write?

I would say the end because there was so much more. There's so much more like we're just scratching the surface because how can you put 35 years in just one book?

 

[28:00] What promise did God make to the world when He created you?

I would say that my gift from God is my life. My gift back to God is what I do with my life. I'm truly here to help people see their greatness and monetize what they're up to in the world.

Key Quotes:

[13:12-13:17] "Don't let your lack of resources stop you from the opportunity."

[24:09-24:16] "We have to be paid the value that we're worth to live a life so that we can continue doing the work we're put here to do."

Learn more about Susie and her work at https://www.susiecarder.com/

Follow Susie Carder on Social Media

https://www.facebook.com/SusieCarder/

https://twitter.com/susiecarder

https://www.instagram.com/susiecarder/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjt5Fqo9S-1ZQN4_eDHpn6A

 

In this episode, our host Anthony Trucks talks with Ryan D. Lee. He is one of the Co-Founders of CashFlow Tactics, whose mission is to help others obtain the personal brand and the financial independence they need. He teaches a clearly defined and actionable system that gives you complete control over your finances and cash flow because we all want cash flows, and we want ways for money to come in that allows us to think past trying to get money. Today, Ryan unpacks the application of cash flows to our life.

[1:58] Business is about People

Business is about people. Revenue and products are secondary—people who make that shift and focus on the people rather than the bottom line. You've got a thriving business that you do not frequently have to rebuild because you're cycling people in and out.

[5:15] Why should we listen to you?

We teach how you can be empowered by money and have a clear path to financial free in 10 years or less, regardless of your background. Traditional finance is all about crossing your fingers, hoping for one day and this elusive dream, this mystical idea of one day, you're going to have enough money, and then you can retire.

Our goal is to have a tactical playbook to financial freedom and then reverse engineer action steps that have to be taken between where you're at today to where you want to be in 10 years or less.

[6:26] How did you get the idea?

My parents were terrific, and they gave me everything I could have ever hoped. The education that they gave me is you work for everything you get, and for me, it was all about never going into debt and investing for the long run.

I never wanted to be traditional. I didn't want to fall into the traditional route just because everyone else was doing it. That's where I started to fall. I went to college, got a job, and put my money in a 401k. And just like most people, I didn't feel like I had any control.

I went on a mission to figure out how the wealthy do it because there has to be something out there. Some people make money that keeps money and turns it into cash flow. And then the vast majority walk around with their fingers crossed, hoping that their 401k is going to perform. I started gravitating towards discovering principles, applying those principles and learning what worked and what didn't, and building a formula system out of that.

[8:35] Achieving Financial Freedom

A lot of it is unlearning what we think we know about money. The biggest challenge is most people believe that money is just something that you give to someone else. Money is something that you put in some account, and one day, it's all going to work out. How does someone achieve financial freedom in 10 years or less? If you don't control what you're investing in, can you ever predict the outcome? The answer is no. If you can't control what you're investing in, can you ever impact the outcome? I think that's where most people find themselves is this idea that they're just going to wait because they can't affect and predict it. No one will ever care more about the success of your life or your financial plan overview. It's going to require you to see the sign and rise. That doesn't mean you have to do everything on your own, but you need to be empowered.

 

[10:25] How can someone unlearn and entertain an idea without accepting that it has to be theirs but do something different?

We put out very divisive messages. When we say financial freedom in 10 years or less, the people looking for something more hear that message might not know what to do with it, but they listen to it. If you're comfortable with where you're at, then our message probably doesn't apply to you. We tell people that 97% of traditional financial advice is dangerous, misleading, or outright wrong regarding financial freedom in 10 years or less.

We teach people how to do the exact opposite of what they've been trained, taught, and educated to do. When you can eliminate all the distractions and stay focused on a few principles that actually work and systematically repeat them, that's where the shift starts to happen.

[12:27] The Principles

When people come into our world, there are three things that they need to be long-term successful: they need a goal. You have to understand that it's not how much money you have. It's how much time that money converts into. When we can appreciate the money that way, it gives us a scoreboard to measure them. That's the goal.

Then you need a system. It's not just how much money you make, but how much money do you keep how you can turn that money into cash flow. If you have a goal and a system, you've got the success principles that most people think that's all they need. But what separates most people inside of our community from having the principles to be successful is they need a new identity. They need to see themselves being empowered with money. They need to see themselves being a producer. Your best investment is in yourself, in your mindset, your skillsets, and in your network because if you can learn the art and the science of making money, not just earning money, trading time for dollars, but making money, then that's when the game starts to shift.

 [16:13] The Goal 

Our mission inside of what we do in CashFlow Tactics is to empower people with a game plan based on principles that universally work and have worked for hundreds of years. Those principles are tactically applied to you, your goals, and your resources. Now you have a game plan meant to focus your efforts, where you're going, where you're starting from, and then break everything down into 90-day targets.

The goal is to reduce your active income taxes as low as possible. Once you've done that, take the money you've already paid taxes on and then eliminate taxes forever. Not defer taxes, not wait for one day, but eradicate them permanently. And that's what our program is really about doing. It's using assets that eliminate taxes forever.

 [18:55] Valuing Time and Money

You have to understand how to make and keep the money because that represents your most valuable resource, which is your time. If you're trading your time and don't know what you're trading it for, then what's the point?

97% of what you think you know about money is wrong, and if you can get your arms around that, then learning that 3% is easy.

 [20:49] Controlling your stability in life

Build a foundation because that foundation is going to stabilize abundance in your life. You can then go out and start to make some moves, and you're going to take a little bit of risk, but it's calculated risk when you understand how the principles work. If you can take that calculated risk, build a system.

Financial freedom is about how much time you own. So much of what we do helps people build a system that produces consistent outcomes and delivers their time. That's what it's all about, and our goal isn't to help people retire. Our goal is to help people be free.

Most people find fulfillment when they're doing things that maximize their unique gifts, talents, skills, and abilities in the service of other people. A lot of the people in our community may be in more of a retirement mindset. Still, they're living a Purpose Driven Life. That's really what our mission is, which is to empower people with money and own their time to live a Purpose Driven Life.

Don't ever invest outside of yourself. Build that certainty inside yourself and learn how to create and exchange value because dollars follow the value. If you're stuck and living on a tight budget, you don't know how to make enough value so invest in your mindset, skill sets, and network.

[25:59] What promise did God make to the world when He created you?

To have the courage to seek out that God-given purpose and live according to that purpose and faith. It's going to push me beyond my limits, and force me to have a God-sized dream.

Key Quotes:

[1:07-1:13] "When you can put a team around you and stay focused on your unique ability, that's when the business starts to explode."

[11:09-11:11] "Money is a tool, that's all it is. It's just a tool."

[18:17-18:21] "If you're not willing to rise and do a little bit of work, then you'll never really be free."

[23:10-23:12] "It's not what you make, it's what you keep."

Learn more about Ryan and CashFlow Tactics at:

http://ryandlee.com/

https://www.facebook.com/cashflowtactics/

https://cashflowtactics.com/

 

Follow Ryan on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/ryan.d.lee.50

In this episode, our guest, Kayvon Kay, is a Master of Sales and Closing, Keynote Speaker, and Creator of One-Call Closer Methodology. As someone who has experienced a rebirth and brings himself back from the ashes, Kayvon experienced the deepest abyss of his life and clawed himself back up. Equipped with knowledge and experience in sales, he creates his masterclass for influencers and is the cream of the industry's crop. In this second episode, Kayvon shares his most profound life lessons and how betrayals and failures are not your endgames.

 

Betrayal

[08:05]

I partnered with my mentor where we built a $10 million company, trained 5000 students in 100 different countries, only to be betrayed. He took full advantage of his “mentor” status, telling me that I should trust him.

[9:50] 

One thing that I learned from him is that I need to earn everything. It will be hard and takes a lot longer than someone giving it to you, but no one will take it away from you. It’s all yours.

 

The Real Building Process

[11:45]

It’s not easy. It’s overwhelming. You feel like a failure and everyone's judging you. But in reality, nobody cares.

[12:13]

Business is hard. There are days where it's just hard, and there are days where you want to quit. But you can’t never give up and lose sight of your goal.  People want to experience lavish and richness in life, but they sit only at the edge. They tend to put people on the pedestal, give permission to themselves to not do anything and make excuses of not achieving the same success because of not having traits associated to that person.

[13:39]

When you take that leap, it is okay when you fall and hit the ground. You've done it before; you know how to get back up. And so, you try again. The problem is, when you fall deep in the abyss, people lose their vision, and that is when most people quit. Believe in yourself. To sit in the top is to have courage and not live-in fear. Fear is an illusion; it is only a result of something.

 

Faith

[15:36]

Everything you want in your life is a direct reflection of what's going on the inside. People make decisions out of fear. Have courage and make decisions out of faith, not necessarily through religion but faith in one’s capability. That you can make it there and it will be a tumultuous path.

 

Identity Shift and Decisions

[17:16]

One of the biggest keys that I had to realize is that I am a sales professional, and that is my cape. I'm not a sales professional Monday to Friday; it's not what I do, It's who I am. I am not taking my cape off and spend my day being someone else because that is not how the world works.

[21:21]

If you start a business, don’t get into it for too much that would end up neglecting your health. You need to be able to turn yourself on when your backs are against the wall.

 

What promise did God make to the world when He created you?

[24:13]

Develop the true leader within me to inspire the world.

 

Key Quotes:

[12:18 – 12:24] “There will be days when it is hard and you wanted to quit, but you can never give up and lose sight.”

[15:33 – 15:36] “When we believe fear exist, we start operating from that standpoint.”

[17:51 – 18:00] “My life changed and see myself in a new light, when I realized that I have to keep my cape for the rest of my life.”

 

Follow Kayvon on his socials:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheOneCallCloser

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kayvonkay/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kayvonhighticketsales/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CoachKayvon

Website: https://kayvon.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJbD2Rn5Xz9JCtNY7LChYZA

In this episode, our guest is Kayvon Kay. He is a master of Sales and Closing, an Expert Keynote Speaker, and creator of the One-Call Closer™ Methodology. From being Canada’s #1 pharmaceutical sales representative to creating a multimillion-dollar coaching program, Kayvon has a vast range of skills centered within the art of sales. His ambition, drive, and confidence have led to his domination of the industry and his world-renowned abilities. Today, he tells his story from his humble beginnings, hitting the lowest point in his life, to coming back stronger and more successful. 

 

Why should anyone listen to you?

7:46

It just comes down to the experience and the triumphs that I probably have gone through. I wasn't given the golden shoe. Everything was by the law. My family and I were living paycheck to paycheck. My mom and dad's income combine to 50 K a year. Right. We had some humble beginnings. My parents did the best they could with the circumstances they had, but I saw the shortcomings of that. I saw what it was to work hard.

 

Meant for more

9:51

I knew there was a burning desire within me that was much bigger than I was. It wasn't till I was in my 30s when I kind of woke up and thought I had the dream job. I thought I had everything together, and I kind of looked around, and on the outside, I looked all great. But on the inside, I was just kind of miserable.

 

Challenge in School

11:52

It was an uphill climb. It was a constant battle. Every week, I was getting sent home from school. It wasn't because I was bad but because I was active. The school didn't know what to do with ADD Children.

12:25

It was painful. It was not an easy upbringing when I look back on that. I always respected my parents, and they came to this country with nothing. They have always dreamed of their baby boy going through the school system, so I always just stayed in it for them all the way through elementary school, high school, college, then University.

12:51

I graduated when I was 25. At that point, I thought about my mindset of what I thought was real, and what I thought was actually its capabilities. The possibilities out there were so minimal.

 

Highlights of Kayvon's Life

13:54

When I was in grade one, I cracked my skull wide open, and I was in intensive care and blind, and it was like I was on my deathbed. When I was 12 years old, I was in a high-speed accident. I flew out the front windshield, landed on the highway, and not a mark on me. As I rose, I watched my car roll two more times. By the time I was 19, I was in a third-world country, and I was blindfolded with my hands on my head to my knees with a gun on m head.

15:01

By the time I was 25, I had a heart attack. It was just a cumulation of just me being fast. I was always defending and deflecting and just working very fast and not taking the tie to breathe.

 

Getting into Pharmaceuticals

15:37

When I graduated from University, I was done, and I was so excited. Like most people, I thought I would be rich and make six figures because of my degree. I got my first job was 30 K a year, which didn't make sense to me. I had this dream where I was gonna make my first six by 26. 

16:36

Being quick, fast, and not being smart. I went out and got five jobs. People thought I was nuts. Still, I made my first six, but I couldn't do it for another year after that. I already had a heart, and I'm gonna burn out. Everything I was doing was fear-based.

17:25

I had to figure out how to make this kind of money in one job and get my life back. Luckily for me, I made some connection calls, and I went and got the first interview for the pharma job, which I had no business of getting. I went through eight interviews. I did what I did. In my first year, I didn't try to sell. I built relationships and went to understand my character and what was going on in my marketplace.

 

Hitting Rock bottom

18:21

I was 31 years old, and it was a Sunday night. I'm looking over this beautiful view of downtown Vancouver looking over the northern mountains. My hands out literally my hands out to the sky going, "I Made It". I was in the best financial shape of my life. I had everything I ever wanted, and I couldn't ask for more.

19:09

Monday morning comes around, and I get a call from my manager, telling me the company will be acquired. All the sales reps are going to be fired, and our Commissions are getting dropped.

19:21

4 hours later, I get an email from the landlord saying that they want me to move out because they're selling the place. At that point, I still wasn't in full harmony. I'm thinking the world's coming to an end. Everything's just raised and heightened, then the next day, I found out that my dad has to go through another round of chemo.

19:54

My sister calls me, and she's crying. She says that her husband left her. The only thing my saving grace at that time was my girl. But on Sunday night, she comes to me, and she can't look at me in the eyes the way I look at her and she walks out. It was at that moment I hit the ground.

20:30

Through this journey, I went on. I had it separate myself from my family, my friends as I was going through my journey, and I knew that I was on a pursuit of something bigger and greater. I spent 30 years doing it their way. I had to go do it my way and go at the risk of everyone's disapproval.

 

Saving himself

21:12

As I'm going through this turmoil, I hit this dark day where I was on the ground, looking at the door and waiting for someone to come through it. After two or three days, no one was coming, and I realized at that moment that if anybody was going to save me, it was going to be myself, and I had to be my savior.

22:55

I thought I would be this million multi-millionaire because I have it figured out. From being in a corporate job paying 300 K a year working one day a week to $150,000 in debt.

 

The Breaking Point

23:27

I'm on the way to the bank to file bankruptcy because I was done and didn't have $1 in my name. When I was walking to the bank, I realized that there's going to come to a point in your entrepreneurial journey where you'll have a breaking point. Most people never get to where they want to go because they quit before they even have a chance to give themself the fighting chance of getting there. 

 

Coaching

26:10

A lot of these coaches are exalted, and I love them all and what they go through. Usually, when they're starting out, they're trying to teach what they're going through, not what we're going through. They think that if they teach it, we can get ourselves out of it. You have to go through the hurdles. You got to go through the tribulations, all the tough times the experiences so that you can learn and teach from them.

Key Quote:

[15:27-15:30] "You make mistakes, and you make decisions, and it just doesn't serve you."

[17:14-17:17] "Fears is just the illusion of scarcity."

[21:58-22:01] "When it's just you in the world, you got to do something about it."

Follow Kayvon Kay on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheOneCallCloser

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kayvonkay/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJbD2Rn5Xz9JCtNY7LChYZA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kayvonhighticketsales/

 

Learn how to close 7-figure in sales at Kayvon's Website at https://kayvon.com/

a

In this episode of the Aww Shift Podcast, our guest is Marshall McFadden. He is a former American Football Linebacker and has played for the Los Angeles Rams, Las Vegas Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Toronto Argonauts. Today he is into the world of NASCAR, and he will share his journey on how he came from the Football field and got to the Race Tracks.

 

Why should we listen to you?

[5:11]

I'm a man of wisdom. My Dad always told me that I don't always need to take heed of everything, but I should always listen. That's something that I will take for the rest of my life, and if I feel like I need to pass knowledge down to somebody else and help somebody in some way, I think that they should hear what I got to say.

 

Upbringing

[6:38]

I'm from a small place called Lamar, South Carolina. Some people don't have a clue where that place is so I would just say Columbia.

[7:06]

Lamar is a small town, and poverty was at its highest. It was just some things that I had to go through and some things that I had to overcome. Given my family background, I wasn't given a head start like other people did where they had people come into their lives.

 

Moving in with his Foster Parents

[8:03]

I was dealing with some issues with my mouth where I needed surgery. I  never had anybody to answer when it comes to that area, and it was getting a bad deal. Miss Cathy was the principal at the school, and she saw what I was going through, so she and her husband decided to help me.

[8:51]

When I got the surgery, I had an option. I needed to take care of myself, and Miss Cathy told me that I can go home where my family can handle the issue I have or stay with them to give me the attention that I needed. 

[9:45]

I ended up staying with Miss Cathy and her husband, and then we just grew as a family. I became an excellent ballplayer in school and went to college and became an NFL player and all of that stuff. That's the backbone of the story where I came about and moving in with them.

 

College

[12:14]

For me, it was s a grind, not because of the football deal, but just the injuries and overcoming a lot of obstacles in college. The atmosphere was great, and I met some good people, and I made some good friends. The Football was good too, but it was a grind for me because I just had to keep fighting to come back to be better than I was.

[13:50]

Getting into college was a win for me. I had no indication or thought of playing at the next level. Even in college, I just remember making it to the North-South All-Star Game, where I got the MVP. Then I started getting letters from everywhere which I wasn't expecting. I guess my coach saw a talent in me. 

 

Joining the Pittsburgh Steelers

[16:08]

When I got hurt my senior year, Dan Rooney, head scout of the Pittsburgh Steelers cam to our practice. I was watching my teammates play and had a conversation with him. After that, I knew I had an opportunity at the NFL because of the things I do on the field.

[17:04]

Two years later, the Steelers picked me up and signed me in a future contract. During that lockout season, I didn't go anywhere. I was just at home training.

 

Leaving Football and discovering a new Passion

[26:05]

I was always battling. After going into my fourth season, I realized that it wasn't for me because of all the red flags and injuries. It was not an easy pill to swallow, but it happens and you just got to know how to deal with that.

[27:30]

I decided to walk away from Football. I didn't know what I would do at the time, but I knew I'd figure it out. A lot of people love people with grit. Companies love people that have been through things. So I knew that there would be opportunities for me out there, depending on the scenarios. 

[28:20]

Some friends called me up and invited me to a NASCAR practice. I went out there and the atmosphere was full and alive. The races were coming in at 60 miles per hour, and everybody was in sync. People made a career out of that. People were getting paid for that, and that surprised me.

[29:25]

I just kept going down there.  I went to practice, and the coach told me to get in the tracks. From that point on and into that following year, I signed a contract in February and now just completed my third season of going on to my fourth. It's been a blessing ever since.

 

Follow Marshall McFadden at:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mmcfadden5

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mmcfadden5/

 

In today’s episode, our guest is John Stankiewicz. He has recently started his clothing line and a motivational apparel brand, The Hustle Prevails. He is a Business Strategy and Mindset Coach with a passion to help people do and be in business. He has been a Network Marketer for 8 years, and he is the author of the book “Beyond the Classroom: The Unconventional Education of an Entrepreneur.” And today, he is going to share with us all about his book and successful network marketing.

 

[7:14] Why should we listen to you?

I teach not from theory experience. I feel like I’ve been through a lot of major life events that have molded me into who I am today. I’m the type of person that takes action. I’m not just a talker, I’m a doer. All these crazy journeys add together and got me a deep sense of drive. Ultimately, I feel like I’ve been there and done it. When I teach people, I’m confident because I’ve experienced it before.

 

[9:01] Why do you have so much success in the network marketing world? 

The only way you can fail in network marketing is if you quit. One of the many blessings of network marketing is there’s such a low barrier to entry. With network marketing, you can get involved for as low as $150 to $1000. You hardly need that much skin in the game. The barrier’s entry is really low. It’s really easy for people to quit. It’s the people who don’t give up; they go into it. They commit to learning the skills. They see it as a long term game. They work on themselves, build on themselves, keep taking the action consistently. The timeline is going to be different for people. If you don’t quit, then you can’t fail.

 

[10:51] Why do most people quit and how can they mitigate that?

Network Marketing, like any other type of business, is a mental game. Like any type of entrepreneurship, you’re diving in, the odds are against you. You have to navigate through the failure, through the rejection, through the people thinking you’re crazy. So the people, who succeed, work on their mindset and build those foundations within themselves to show up every single day. The major things you are dealing with network marketing that people struggle to get through is that they see an opportunity and they’re all about it. Getting over the fear of other people’s opinions, the fear of rejection, the fear of failure, getting yourself out of the imposter syndrome, and stop comparing yourself to people. Once you get over those things, it’s really simple to do.

[12:41] Did you ever have to navigate past that fear?

I found a company that I thought I can partner with. I was convicted on the vision. In the beginning, none of it phased me, but I ended up failing with that first company. It took me a while to get back to the full swing of things because after that I did let it get to me but a lot of work later and I feel like a brick wall now.

 

[13:51] What were the lessons you took from that first experience?

I kept building on the side. I wasn’t as out there loud and building with the same intensity as I was with the first company. You don’t need everyone to say yes to be successful. Rejection isn’t as painful as we make it up to be in our minds. I kept pushing forward with this entrepreneurial journey. I invested a lot of money into myself, into mindset work. It shifted things I was able to step into the fullest version of myself. All of it happened for a reason. It allowed me to build the identity of the person I needed to become to maintain that level of success.

 

[17:49] How did your podcast become to be and where does it tie to your life mission?

I thought a podcast would be a great exemption to the book. It will be a cool way to promote the book and get the word out there. It started as a pivot and a need to adapt to what’s happening in the world right now, and it’s just growing. In terms of the bigger picture, not only are you going to elevate your network, you are going to have more content, more value to bring out there and to bring to people. As long as what you’re doing is in alignment with why you’re doing it, it can expand in anything. I have different businesses I have invested in, and it’s all in alignment with my purpose and why I’m doing everything. It’s hard to say exactly where everything is going to go, but I know why I’m doing it and the impact I want to make.

 

 [19:41] Why are you doing all this?

I wanted to prove to people I had what it took to be successful. After what I went through and the scrutiny, I wanted to prove to people I can become successful. I wanted to make sure that finances would never dictate the decisions I’d make for the rest of my life. And that was enough to get me through the initial wave of putting myself out there. But once I hit a certain point, it shifted to a purpose bigger than me. I’d say the why around my businesses is that I want to take people, inspire, teach, and help them create freedom in their life via entrepreneurship. 

 

[21:05] What is the book about?

It’s called Beyond the Classroom: The Unconventional Education of an Entrepreneur. I realized all these lessons I’ve learned, all the experiences I had, all the businesses I started, these were experiences that formed into who I was. I finally decided that I needed to share it through my story. I just started writing my story from the beginning to the end. And I wrote it with the goals to inspire people, to go take action on what their gut tells them to do instead of feeling the need to blindly go down the traditional route. I wanted to shift their perspective to what was possible in life. And to entertain them with the book with my story. I wanted to take them along on my journey with me and show them the raw stuff, funny stuff, the sad stuff, the ups, the downs, all of it.

 

[23:42] What is your version of a great life?

I've realized the most important thing is the lifestyle. What I desire is that freedom lifestyle. The ability to wake up every single day knowing that I’m in control. That’s the ultimate thing I’m after personally. Anything I want to do in terms of living my life, I just want to be able to do. I just want to have freedom.

[25:24] You have to have the discipline and the work ethic to earn that control, to earn that freedom. With the opportunities and options we have today, do something you love.

 

[26:12] What promise did God make to the world when He created you?

I think that it would never be the same after I left. I feel that we’re all put here for a purpose. We all have unlimited potential and during our time here, we have to do our best to realize that unlimited potential.

 

Key Quotes

[14:38-14:44] “You don’t need everyone to say yes to be successful. Rejection isn’t as painful as we make it up to be in our minds.”

[19:08-19:11] “As long as what you’re doing is in alignment with why you’re doing it, it can expand in anything.”

 

Learn more about John Stankiewicz on:

Website: https://www.johnstankiewicz.com/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/johnstankiewicz

In today’s episode, our guest is Blake Brewer who has a  goal to help millions of dads write at least one very well-written, meaningful, lasting legacy level for their children to remind their years after they're gone. He'll share with us his experience and why it is such a heavy part of his heart. We are here today to listen to his story, let's listen to this episode! 

[10:07] Why should we listen to you?

I'm the type of guy who starts asking the questions. I just love people and I love hearing their stories, and so you start asking questions, and you start learning so many different things about people, which is also because of that, I've learned a lot of different things about people. And that's the reason you might want to listen to me is that I've taken the things that I've learned from different people and I try to share with others.

[10:52] How did  Legacy Letter Concept start? 

My mission was born out of a personal tragedy. I've had the opportunity to share this story all over the country, in a lot of different stages.  I think about my five-year-old, my three-year-old, my six-month-old, and I'm doing the best that I can to be a good dad. And I recognize how hard it is in this world that we are in to be a good dad. I ended up not even being someone who connected with their children at the level that I wanted to. I didn't guide them the way that I wanted to wasn't the voice in their life that they needed. And I look at around the world. And I see the world is coming at my children, is coming for your children. 

[23:35]  God was calling me to help other dads. My dad had written this letter to me that I've got to help other dads write this letter. And so that's how we get started on the mission.

 [24:52]  I tell people what is the best time to write your letter? Well, the best time to write your letter was the day that you're trying was born. The second best time is today. And absolutely the day that you die, your letter will take on will be that much more powerful. I help dads utilize the memories that they have for their children to really, almost alter the stories that that their child tells themselves as a dad. You have the power to come in and completely change that story and change that narrative that they're negative can develop into a positive. And then we also worked through apologies, and regrets, which is really powerful when a dad does that. And so you do all these sections, then you put it together as a letter at the end.

[30:24] What's God’s promise to the world when he created you? 

I think with my life, I'm just trying to serve people and ultimately say with my life this is not about me. I'm not here because of anything I did. It's ultimately all his glory. So when we win a million dads write this letter, it's not because of anything I did. There's only things that God did open the doors to make this happen.

 

Key Quotes

[13:50-14:00] “Having a good father is like having that perfect wind behind the sailboat who can just make the sailboat go.”

[27:12-27:16] “It's not about keeping them from failures. It's about learning from those and getting past it.”

 Learn more about Blake Brewer on:

Website: https://www.legacyletterchallenge.com/ 

Bryce Wilson – Success on the Road

In this episode, we have Bryce Wilson with us who is a CEO, Dog Dad, and a world traveler to share his journey with us on success with his company and transitioning amidst the Pandemic that changed how we all think. 

[3:21] Why should anybody listen to you? 

 I Like getting into a little real flow as far as who I am still trying to figure that out. I would say I'm an entrepreneur. I'm a CEO. I'm a partner. I'm a dog dad. I'm a world traveler. I think you should listen to everybody and formulate your own opinions.

[4:28] The Aww Shift Moments

The grinds of working out and my job was to be fit, healthy, and to be prepared for sports. I did not really ever rationalize or think in my head that there was a life after sports. I was, at that time, in the middle of creating ticket rescue, and had a smooth transition into the next grind. The next thing that I could just wake up and hack away and do.   

[7:06] Ticket Rescue Business 

This was started in 2017. While I was still playing soccer in college, I realized it was real, I realized there was real potential there but didn't really have the time and energy to put into it. What we do is we purchase tickets from people who can no longer use them.  If you got sick or couldn't go to the show, for one reason or another, instead of just letting the tickets go to waste, you could sell them to us to get some of your money back.

[10:00] We landed on helping influencers and personal grant personal brands build their audience, and develop quality leads for their Instagram engagement., What we do is we learn everything we can about someone. We help them to spread their message far and wide through Instagram.

[12:17] Building the Team 

It's just putting people first. I'm such a firm believer that if your people are well-treated everything else is going to fall in place, the customers will be happy the service will be done.

[13:53] Launching an Idea

The biggest thing is having good people behind it. I think that constantly optimizing, never being happy with what you're what you currently have. You have to have some way that is going to differentiate you from everybody else.

[21:50] Top Three Keys to Living Life Moment

First and foremost, putting yourself first. Surround yourself with people who are going to lift you up. Figure out what fulfills you don't let money or things or anything like that be the driver of what you're doing.

[24:52] What promise did God make to the world when He created you?

I Think the promise would be that I am going to leave it better, much better off than it was when I got here.

Keynote

[9:00 – 9:15] “I think we were surrounded myself with surrounded by really good people. And I pride myself on not really being good at too many things. But one thing I am good at is finding people that are smarter than me and really good and in areas that are needed”

For more information on Bryce Wilson Follow him on Instagram. @Brycethreewilson

In this episode of the Aww Shift Podcast, Anthony Trucks talks with Aaron Walker. He is an Entrepreneur and Life Coach who has inspired many through his leadership, mentorship, and consistent pursuit of excellence. He enjoys helping others, and believes experience is a great teacher. 40 years of entrepreneurship and marriage have given Aaron a wealth of experience. Aaron continues to reach new heights and broaden his terrain by examining his experiences and growing from them. Today, he will share the life-changing experiences that made him the man he is today and how the term "Iron Sharpens Iron" becomes a catalyst for you to be with the right people.

 

Why should we listen to you?

[6:44]

41 years of experience and 14 businesses to my credit. I retired when I was 27 the first time fortune 500 bought me out, and I feel like I've got a few nuggets of wisdom to add.

 

Do your kids ever take your path?

[7:23]

My oldest daughter is the chief operating officer of our company, so she took this path, and I got another daughter, a stay-at-home mom, and taking care of three beautiful children. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't, but we've never forced any of our kids. They've worked all of our businesses throughout their life and taught them. Still, they had plenty of opportunities to do whatever they wanted to.

 

What's question should somebody should ask you?

[8:49]

People come to me all the time and ask how they can make passive income.  Whatever it is like, it's hard work. That's what you got to do to get there, and the people that come to me with that mentality, I'm teaching them how to make money. Not only that but also how to live a meaningful life. 

 

The Changing Point

[13:09]

I started looking outward instead of inward. I started being a giver and not a taker. Here's what's happened over the past 20 years. We've been twice as successful financially as I've ever been in my career, and I'm a lot more significant because I'm helping other people accomplish what they want. That is the very reason that I have Iron Sharpens Iron Mastermind.

 

Spending time with the right people

[14:25]

Why is it that the majority of people have to have this major moment? It's because we're not paying attention. The truth is we're intelligent beings. We don't have to go down that path to make the right choice. We need to be much more deliberate in spending the time with people that can help us take us to the next level, walk with us, and do not allow us to do stupid things financially.

[15:21]

When you have that camaraderie, team spirit, and people that's got your back, that's really applauding your superpowers, but they're really calling out your blind spots, and they're pointing out your Achilles heel, these are the people that can help take you across the finish line.

 

The True Value

[16:25]

The value is not necessarily the facilitator that's leading the group. The value is in the collective energy of the group. We've got to be willing to subject ourselves to the scrutiny of this group of people. You might not have it all together in whatever niche market that you're in. Still, there are certain attributes that God's gifted you with that you can help other people.

 

We are not alone

[18:19]

It's because of that collective energy. We can't do this alone. We need people for resources, encouragement, and accountability, and these people can do that. When you get into these groups, you do have something to offer everyone. You have value that you can add to other people. Don't let that timidity keep you from getting in a group to where you could really take your life to the next level.

Sharing the Secret Sauce

[19:32]

You got to willing to be into a group that you share the similar core values because if you don't have similar core values, you can never reach a general consensus. You've got to have similar core values. You've got to be willing to be a giver, not a taker, and where you have a roomful of givers, you'll get all the resources you want and everything you need. If you're a giver, you can't hold your cards close to your vest and not be willing to share the secret sauce.

 

Iron Sharpens Iron

[21:56]

You want to have the same core values. You don't want to have opposite core values. You want to have somebody who's willing to go for it. We call our group Iron Sharpens Iron, and that's exactly what it is. It's one man's sharpening another or one lady sharpening another.

[22:17]

You've got to be looking for people that are willing to commit. You can't just show up periodically because you got to get caught up when you do, and now you're behind.

[22:59]

It's about what you can bring, it's about your experiences. Being a giver is one of the things that we are really looking for.

[23:11]

You've got to have a vision, a mission statement, a purpose, and meaning in your life. 

 

The transformation

[24:38]

I would not be in a group for 21 consecutive years every week. I've been in a group, and so there's no way I wouldn't be in a group. A  transformational experience for me has been I was very arrogant and egotistical because I was a poor kid from Nashville, Tennessee, and I didn't have any money. I was broke and a convict when I was 18 years old.

 

[25:36]

I quickly realized that I needed to come down a notch, and I needed to figure out that you don't go on these journeys alone. Nobody is successful on their own. We just need people around us.

[26:00]

It keeps me grounded daily because I have this huge amount of accountability around me at all times. So I can't even begin to tell you the success I've had financially because of it because of all the doors that opened, the resources and people that I meet. There's been so much insight that has been given to me, people that I know care about me because they're willing to meet with me.

 

Aid in Success

[28:04]

With this stuff that's going on right now is what opportunity does this present? How can we be different? How can I use this as being something that's a catalyst for a new opportunity? When you start getting around other people that give you ideas, you start bouncing this. It's huge to aid in our success as we go through this.

 

Get honest people

[29:26]

In these masterminds, you never want a partner, and you never want a family member because they're biased naturally. I suggest that you get a group that has nothing to gain or lose as a result of giving you an honest answer.

 

What promise did God make to the world when He created you?

[32:29]

If you get around him, you'll never be encouraged in the way how he can encourage you.

Key Quotes:

[8:01-8:06] "Just just give them an opportunity and let them choose the path they want to take."

[16:59-17:06] "We're all bunch of knuckleheads, and we're just trying to figure it out. We need people around us to help us go to that next level."

[18:46-18:49] "Don't rob the world of the gift of you."

[21:14-21:19] "No matter how hard you try to see things a different way. You only have one perspective."

Know more about Aaron Walker at https://www.viewfromthetop.com/

 

Follow Aaron Walker on Social Media:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/aaron-walker/53/23a/64b

Twitter: https://twitter.com/VFTCoach

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDkwb8Lma3iylfjjBDzsB2A

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isi_mastermind/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AaronWalkerVFTT/