Social media can make us believe that everyone has it all figured out, except you. You are the lone exception to the rule, and you are the only one who is experiencing unexpected disasters. That is the furthest thing from the truth! Which is why I want to highlight this week's guest, who bounced back from an unexpected business disaster and was all the better for it.
After sailing across the Caribbean for 4 years, Andrea moved back to Miami, sold her e-commerce business, and bought a landscaping company with an SBA loan. Five days after closing, the previous owner stole $7,000 and disappeared. The manager quit and told all 12 employees to leave. Revenue dropped from $70K to $40K a month. With a toddler, a newborn, and a half-million dollars in debt, quitting was not an option. She and her husband rebuilt the business, working 80-hour weeks. When the workload became unsustainable, she taught herself AI from YouTube. Within weeks, AI was answering calls, booking appointments, collecting overdue payments, and sending post-service photos. Her husband went from getting home at 6 pm to 3 pm. Fridays became family days. They turned down a $750K buyout offer. Now she runs Crewless, helping service business owners implement the same AI systems so their kids get the best of them, not what's left.
In this week's episode, we're talking about how she lost everything 5 days after closing and built it all back with AI! Life and business are not about never dealing with adversity. It's about pushing through, discovering what you're capable of, and learning new skills to make your business even better!
Tune in to hear what went wrong in Andrea's new business venture and how she dug her way out of it with AI!
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Follow Andrea on:
Instagram: @andreapalacio
TikTok:@ai.andreapalacio
Website: andreapalacio.ai
YouTube: @ai.andreapalacio
LinkedIn: Andrea Palacio
Follow Erika on: Instagram @theerikacruzTikTok @theerikacruzLinkedIn
Website: http://www.theerikacruz.com
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Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST, an Afro-Latina-owned boutique podcast production and copywriting studio.