Crystal Uncorked

For me, when I’m at Disneyland, I have space to think. It’s always fun and playful there, and I just get so much inspiration there. Today I’m tackling the topic of giving yourself time to think. I’ll be sharing some strategies for how you can reclaim some precious time so that you can return refreshed to your business, with new ideas or maybe even a completely inspired pivot.

I totally understand that we don’t always have the luxury to take a vacation, but I want you to think about how powerful it can be to find new energy or life force. Whether it’s being a parent, a pet owner, or a busy business owner that’s holding you back from embracing a quiet moment of peace, I want you to know that it’s absolutely vital for your emotional well-being AND for your future.

If you love the length of this podcast, give me some feedback! DM me on Instagram and I’d love to hear from you. You know that I love good wine, but I had a friend suggest that I do a series on Costco wines. I’m intrigued by the idea, and I’d love to know what you think. Tell me!

What's Inside:

• What would your week and your personal energy level look like if you could block out 60-90 minutes a week from your schedule for just you?
• My challenge for you: Ask yourself more questions in an environment that’s new and different with no technology.
• Learn to trust yourself and your intuition all over again with this powerful strategy.

Mentioned In This Episode:

@CrystalunCorked on Instagram
@CrystalUncorked on Tiktok
CrystalUncorked.com
Crystal Uncorked YouTube Channel
2019 Octopada La Mancha
A More Beautiful Question

Let's stay connected:

• Follow my journey on Substack: https://buildingmyepicempire.com
• Email me: [email protected]
• Instagram: @crystalvilkaitis

I'll CU on the next CU! 😎

I recently took a Strengths Finder test, and found out that I’m competitive and like to achieve things. Which is really no surprise to me. When you’re competitive like I am, you always want to win. But that’s not realistic.

When I knock out my to-do list and am crushing my achievements, I feel like I’m on top of the world. But that’s also not realistic.

Then add into all of these things the absolute time suck of procrastination and you can see why it’s a recipe for disaster. No one can win all of the time or achieve every goal on their list every day. It’s just not real life. Plus, I just physically and mentally do not have it in me to be at the top of my game every single day.

In this episode, I’ll share some of my planning tips for accommodating my natural ebb and flow of energy, and I’ll include how you can set up your physical environment for success. Then I’m going to tackle procrastination, which all of us have to deal with at some point. You’ll see how identifying these things will help you disrupt the procrastination cycle:

• Trigger
• Pattern
• Reward

What about you? Where do you land in the Strengths Finder test? I would love to hear from you if you struggle with procrastination, competitiveness, or the pursuit of perfection. Come talk to me on Instagram: @crystaluncorked.

What's Inside:

• My new favorite quote is “Procrastination is a form of stress relief”, and boy do I feel that this week.
• The energy that I spend thinking about creating work, I could’ve taken all of that time and energy to do the work and then be free!
• I’m going to share how you can break the habit of procrastination in 3 simple steps.

Mentioned in this Episode:

@CrystalunCorked on Instagram
@CrystalUncorked on Tiktok
CrystalUncorked.com
Crystal Uncorked YouTube Channel
Asana.com - To-Do List and Project Management Tool
My friend’s epic wine collection
Strength’s Finder test
Now, Discover Your Strengths
Kate Northrup’s Origin Membership
Willpower Doesn’t Work Book
Mel Robbins on Instagram
Unleash Her Power Within 

Let's stay connected:

• Follow my journey on Substack: https://buildingmyepicempire.com
• Email me: [email protected]
• Instagram: @crystalvilkaitis

I'll CU on the next CU! 😎

I have known Tami Staker for years, and you’re going to love this real and honest look into the toy retail business. A toy store owner who drops the F-bomb every now and then? Yes, and now you’ve been warned. For 12 years, Tami has run Whimzy in Albert Lea, Minnesota as a part-time business owner, while also working as a full-time employee of a Fortune 500 company. 

When she first purchased the store, it was branded as a party store, but the market was saturated. I mean, who wants to buy napkins at a specialty store when they can just pick them up at Walmart? She realized that the party store was not working for the town of 18,000, so she pivoted into something she loved.

It’s hard to walk out of a toy store unhappy, and that’s the whole vibe that Tami embraces. Did the pandemic affect her business? Um, yes. Like a lot of small retailers, she had to get creative last year. But she was able to dig down deep and deliver the most EPIC Santa Claus experience for her town. Seriously, you’re going to love how she served her community with fun during a crazy year. Her store’s more than a toy shop; it’s become a destination for families.

Not only is Tami generous with her time today, but she’s also offering a copy of Brendon Burchard’s latest book for the first person to leave a comment. And while you’re at it, give me a shout-out if you need a Clubhouse invite! I’ve got a few invitations available for listeners. Check out Whimzy online, and if you see something you can’t live without, she does ship! Do a little virtual shopping and wine drinking with us.

What's Inside:

• Is it even possible for small toy stores to compete with Amazon? Tami says, “Yes!”, and you’ll love how she differentiates herself from the online retailer.
• Since a toy store is a non-essential business, Tami’s had to get creative over the last year to stay current and relevant during this crazy pandemic season.
• When Tami rebranded, that is when she finally felt that the store reflect her true vision.
• Spying on other stores and scoping out their cool new products is a super-secret side benefit of running a toy store.

Mentioned in this Episode:

@CrystalunCorked on Instagram
@CrystalUncorked on Tiktok
CrystalUncorked.com
Crystal Uncorked YouTube Channel
Tessellae Old Vines GSM
Berry Vine Cooler
See the Full Show Notes Here

Let's stay connected:

• Follow my journey on Substack: https://buildingmyepicempire.com
• Email me: [email protected]
• Instagram: @crystalvilkaitis

I'll CU on the next CU! 😎

July 4th, 2017, Rob and Leah Davis had their lives completely turned upside down when their completely healthy son Blake just passed out. One minute they were buckling him into the car seat, and the next minute they realized he had stopped breathing. I’ve seen their journey from the outside since Leah works for me, but she invites me in to hear how she and Rob navigated one of the hardest periods in their lives. Prepare your hearts for their touching tribute to their son Blake and the lives he’s been able to touch in the last four years.

By the time Rob and Leah made it to the hospital, doctors were mystified by what made Blake stop breathing. He looked completely healthy and was anxious to get up and explore the hospital. But as the doctor got ready to send a scope down his throat to rule out any problems in that area, he started to go unconscious again. For nearly a month, Blake was placed in a medically-induced coma to give his heart and lungs a chance to heal and get better, and Rob and Leah were shuttling between the hospital and home, caring for Blake and their younger daughter Scarlett.

Friends and family begged for some way to help them out, but it wasn’t until a social worker suggested that Rob and Leah give them something to do that the For Blake movement really began. As they sat in the hospital with Blake, messages poured in from friends, family, and strangers about how they were making a difference in the world in Blake’s name.

Leah says that this is their story and in so many ways, she hates their story. And yet. This wave of positivity surrounds Blake and his memory. The kindness movement builds every year and buoys them up with light and love. In honor of what would have been Blake’s 5th birthday, do a good deed in April.  Spread the good and change the world. In memory of Blake Davis.

What's Inside:

• Can you really manifest the future? Why losing a child might and will shake your ideas about the future.
•  Raising a kind and gracious child while also dealing with that child’s complicated medical issues was a challenge that Rob and Leah had to work through.
• Giving a bath to a child constantly attached to medicine was one of the many normal activities that were turned on its head.

Mentioned in this Episode:

@CrystalunCorked on Instragram
@CrystalUncorked on Tiktok
CrystalUncorked.com
Crystal Uncorked YouTube Channel
For Blake Facebook group
Rady Children's Hospital
Ronald McDonald House Charities
For Blake Website

Let's stay connected:

• Follow my journey on Substack: https://buildingmyepicempire.com
• Email me: [email protected]
• Instagram: @crystalvilkaitis

I'll CU on the next CU! 😎

There are three big goals that haven’t worked out for me. I let obstacles get in my way. And in a way, that’s failing. I’m going to walk you through some of the lessons I’ve learned, plus uncork one of the most delicious bottles of wine from my absolute favorite winery, and I want to hear from you. What’s one of your unexpected failures, and what’s something you haven’t succeeded at....yet?

My background in modeling really trained me to be comfortable in front of crowds. I love public speaking and being in front of a camera. When I was around 11, I joined IMTA which is an organization that trains you so that you can go to New York City and compete. I did runways, sitcoms, and monologues. I love, love, love runway, but I’m too short. And who knows, but maybe that’s why they cut me from their program in the funniest, non-confrontational way ever.

In 2019, I was at a workshop where the speaker said that if you want to accomplish something, you need to put it on the calendar. For example, if you want to get into shape, you should sign up for a 5K. For me, I love Disney. So signing up for a marathon to run in costume through Disney is a no-brainer. I can get in shape while also doing something fun in one of my favorite places in the world. So I signed up and started training. Everything was going great until….I pulled my groin. Should I quit? No way! That just means I need to adjust my goals, not quit them entirely.

Have you ever heard the phrase, “You just have to ask for something you want”? Is it for real? I decided that with all of the travelings that I do that I absolutely wanted to fly first-class more often. So I decided to ask for it, and well, it was not the resounding success that I was promised.

I want to hear from you. Share your story with me on Instagram:

• What new thing did you try?
• How’d that work out for you?
• What did you learn from your failure?

What's Inside:

• How my modeling background has helped me get comfortable in front of a camera.
• I’ll talk about goals that are crushed versus goals that are delayed, and how you can adjust your plans around them.
• Is it really true that you only have to ask for the thing that you want? Let’s explore that.

Mentioned in this Episode:

@Crystaluncorked
CrystalUncorked.com/contact
Austin Hope Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Let's stay connected:

• Follow my journey on Substack: https://buildingmyepicempire.com
• Email me: [email protected]
• Instagram: @crystalvilkaitis

I'll CU on the next CU! 😎

Patricia Norins is a 4th generation retail owner, and she likes to say it’s in her blood. She sold her company to ISCS and stayed on to grow the company internationally. She started her company Blue Butterfly to help companies implement strategic plans to grow, and she works with Fortune 500 companies and entrepreneurs. And of course, she’s been my personal mentor for years. I am so happy and honored to introduce you to her so that you can see her awesomeness for yourself.

In this episode, we cover so much ground, but I love that we get to start off with celebrating some personal and professional goals that we completely crushed in Q1. Patricia’s current favorite book is The 12 Week Year, and she gives some of her favorite advice from the book, including wisdom like: “Don’t just be good, DOMINATE.” Now that is incredibly powerful.

Whether you’re scaling up your business or just getting started, nearly everyone at some point has fear hiding in the background. Ask yourself and be honest: What’s the worst that can happen? Even though fear is a normal part of the business process, sometimes it holds us back. When your brain is fighting the change in your life, how can you work with that? Patricia and I talk through that common entrepreneurial problem.

What is the future of retail? From the bottom of her heart, Patricia believes that physical retail will stand the test of time. The online shopping experience has come a long way, but it will never replace that in person shopping adventure. She says that 96% of people who buy from a website have a desire to shop inside the store too. So if you’re convinced that you have to go all in on the online experience, listen to Patricia’s voice of experience before you leave the brick and mortar world.

If you’re struggling with goal-setting, send Patricia an email and get in touch with her. She’d love to give you some support no matter where you’re at in your business.

What's Inside:

• You’ll get a good look at how Patricia practices the art of positivity and infuses that energy into goal setting and networking.
• If your dreams scare the living daylights out of you, I’m going to share my best advice for how to tackle that fear head-on.
• No one got to where they are without a team; Patricia and I talk about some of our best collaborations with other entrepreneurs.
• Get a sneak-peek into how Patricia mentors me as I prepare to scale up my business this year to hit my $1 million revenue goal.

Mentioned in this Episode:

The 12 Week Year
Blue Butterfly
Think and Grow Rich
Bigger Pockets
Blue Butterfly on Facebook
@crystaluncorked

Let's stay connected:

• Follow my journey on Substack: https://buildingmyepicempire.com
• Email me: [email protected]
• Instagram: @crystalvilkaitis

I'll CU on the next CU! 😎

My favorite wine is a bold red. I love Cabernets, Syrahs, Malbecs, Petite Syrah and everything in between. The bolder, the better. I would consider myself to be like my fav wine, I would say I'm a bold, confident person, most of the time.

I've always felt that my superpower is confidence, or at least seeming confident, and helping others find it from within.  I feel like when we're confident, life is a little brighter, a little easier, and a little more fun. It helps us grow. When we're confident we're more resilient, we're open to try new things, we show up better in our relationships, and we perform better.

When I look back at when I was 20 years old and just graduated college with a Bachelor's in Marketing, to where I am today, I needed to be bold, and find my confidence to get here.  I'll be sharing how I did it in this episode, and how I help unlock other people's confidence. I also share a story about my confidence getting rocked, I lost it for a bit but I was able to find my way back.

So grab a glass of wine (or drink of choice), and let's open up about building self confidence! 🍷

Mentioned in this episode:
Featured Wine: 2016 Petite Syrah, Arndt Cellars, Paso Robles CA

Crystal Media, http://crystalmediaco.com, a social media education company for retailers, and done-for-you social ads agency.

Follow along on Instagram, and let me know your thoughts about a Crystal Uncorked community like I mention in the show!

Visit this episodes webpage at https://crystaluncorked.com/blog/be-bold-like-my-fav-wines-boost-your-confidence-and-spark-it-in-others/

Let's stay connected:

• Follow my journey on Substack: https://buildingmyepicempire.com
• Email me: [email protected]
• Instagram: @crystalvilkaitis

I'll CU on the next CU! 😎

I've been a business owner for over 8 years and have been profitable every single year. I'm sharing the three things that have built my business and have given me freedom, fun and success. Grab a glass of wine (or drink of choice!), and let's open up!

Mentioned in this episode:
Crystal Media, http://crystalmediaco.com and specifically our Insider membership group, http://crystalmediaco.com/insiders

Featured Wine: 2020 Dove Hunt Dog Chardonnay,  https://scoutandcellar.com/product/20DHDChardonnay/

Coaches:
Patricia Norins, Blue Butterfly, https://www.bluebutterflyllc.com/teamsection-patricia-norins
Paul de la Garza, High Performance Business Solutions, https://highperformance-solutions.com/

Books:
Rocket Fuel, https://www.eosworldwide.com/rocket-fuel-book
The Go-Giver, https://thegogiver.com/the-go-giver/

Visit this episodes webpage at http://crystaluncorked.com/three-entrepreneur-lessons-for-next-level-business-growth

Let's stay connected:

• Follow my journey on Substack: https://buildingmyepicempire.com
• Email me: [email protected]
• Instagram: @crystalvilkaitis

I'll CU on the next CU! 😎

This is a really special episode. ❤️ My first guest is my boyfriend of over 10 years, Dustin Peyser.  We open up about the secret to a long-lasting relationship and the ingredients needed for us to have such a strong and fun partnership.

We talked about Dustin losing both of his parents and the impact that has had on his life, and the perspective it's given him. We discussed creating a legacy and what he's trying to create for his life. Dustin shares a tip if you're looking to get into sports card collecting (he's the pro!) and I ask the question, "why aren't we married yet?".  At the end, Dustin puts me on the spot and I share a tip that's critical to see continued success for entrepreneurs.

There's a lot of little gold nuggets during this conversation so grab a glass of wine (or drink of choice!) and let's get uncorked! 🍷

From Dustin, "Thanks for giving a shit!"

Learn more about Dustin's Sports Card and Memorabilia business, Collecting All, at http://collectingall.com

Follow me on Instagram at http://instagram.com/crystaluncorked and take a screenshot of you listening to this episode, Dustin and I want to see it! 

Wine Recommendation from this Episode: 2017 Malbec, Allegretto Vineyards, Paso Robles https://www.allegrettowines.com/product/2017-Malbec

To submit a topic or guest request visit http://crystaluncorked.com/contact

Visit this episodes webpage at https://crystaluncorked.com/blog/an-open-conversation-with-dustin-peyser/

Let's stay connected:

• Follow my journey on Substack: https://buildingmyepicempire.com
• Email me: [email protected]
• Instagram: @crystalvilkaitis

I'll CU on the next CU! 😎

Stand-up comedy, a messed up yet supportive Christmas gift, and questions to ask to find the things that light you up and make you jump out of bed. Grab a glass of wine (or drink of choice!), this...is Crystal Uncorked. 🍷

Follow Crystal on Instagram at http://instagram.com/crystaluncorked

If you'd like to get the show recap for this episode, head to http://crystaluncorked.com/blog/stand-up-comeday-and-motivation

Wine Recommendation from this Episode: 2018 Educated Guess, Cabernet Sauvignon
https://shop.rootsrundeep.com/product/2018Educated-GuessNapa-CountyCabernet-Sauvignon

Let's stay connected:

• Follow my journey on Substack: https://buildingmyepicempire.com
• Email me: [email protected]
• Instagram: @crystalvilkaitis

I'll CU on the next CU! 😎