Latest / The Delegation Download Podcast / Intentional Time: Why Strategic Planning Is Critical for Growth with Monica Torres: Behind the Scenes at Elevate's Strategic Leadership Retreat

Transcript

Intentional Time: Why Strategic Planning Is Critical for Growth with Monica Torres: Behind the Scenes at Elevate's Strategic Leadership Retreat · The Delegation Download Podcast

• 0:01
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to the Delegation Download Podcast, where business owners, CEOs, and leaders learn to work smarter, not harder.
• 0:07
  SPEAKER_00: We're your hosts, Nicole Hughes and Ashley Carlson, here to share real stories, expert tips, and simple strategies to help you delegate with confidence and grow your business with support.
• 0:16
  SPEAKER_00: Because you can do anything, but not everything.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome back to the Delegation Download Podcast, where we have real conversations about what it takes to lead, grow, delegate, and build a business that doesn't depend on you doing everything yourself.
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_00: For the next four episodes, we're doing something a little different.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_00: We're taking you back to Elevate's leadership retreat last year in Nashville, where our team stepped away from the day-to-day to work through our own strategic mapping process.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_00: And we're bringing you behind the scenes.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_00: You'll hear from the Elevate team members who were in the room as we talked about where we were, where we wanted to go, and what needs to happen in order to get there.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_00: These conversations are real, they're candid, and they give you a look at what strategic planning actually sounds like when you're in the middle of building and growing a business.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_00: So welcome to this special four-part series of the delegation download.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_00: Pull up a chair and join us at the table.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_00: Let's get into it.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome back to another episode of our mini-series from the Elevate Retreat here in Nashville.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_00: Right now I am joined by Monica.
• 1:12
  SPEAKER_00: Monica traveled over 500 miles to be here today.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_01: I did.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_00: Tell everybody who you are, what you do here at Elevate, and where you're from.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so um from Michigan and I am a VBA and account manager manager at Elevate and have been here for three years.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_01: Three years.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_00: That's crazy.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah I mean, I've been here now, it'll be five years in April that I've been with Elevate.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_01: Every year, uh September, I get to celebrate my birthday and my anniversary.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_01: It's the month of Monica.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_01: It is the month of Monica.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, I love that.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_00: It is the month of Monica.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_00: So this is now your second uh strategic planning that you have been to with Elevate because you came last year as well.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, we set aside this intentional time to plan and to essentially do the layout and the journey of our next year.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_00: So I'd love to know from your perspective in your role now, before you're in the leadership team, what does this intentional time mean for the business?
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_00: And what have you seen the benefits?
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_00: What benefits have you seen from setting aside this detentional time?
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so coming full circle from being an EA now to an account manager, having gone through this experience once and coming back, I think it is critical to the business to take this time and to pause and reflect not only in uh where we're going, but what celebrate all of the accomplishments and the progress that we've made already.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_01: So we're in day-to-day supporting clients as leaders, but also as account managers, leadership, solving problems, putting out fires.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_01: It's really like we do a lot of work and important work day to day.
• 2:51
  SPEAKER_01: So that pause to celebrate, be intentional, and then also just like, okay, so what how do we want to continue to grow?
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_01: How do we want to continue to improve?
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_01: Continuous improvement, always things that can be better, be fine-tuned.
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_01: So that time and just really saying we're all gonna sit down, put on our thinking caps, brainstorm as a team is super important.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_01: And I think just the space to be collaborative, to have the team building, it also creates that bond and makes us stronger as a team as a whole.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, absolutely.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_00: And I love that you said like as a team as a whole, because I strategic planning is not just for the business, right?
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_00: It's for individuals as well.
• 3:27
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_00: So can you speak on what the impact is or the benefit is to having strategic planning as an individual within the company, whether you're a member of leadership or an EA or an accountman, like whoever you are in the business, how does it benefit them?
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_01: So for us, obviously, we get to take things and run with it, right?
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_01: Like Elevate is really great at so like empowering us and saying, like, this is what you're passionate about, this is something that you want to work on, go forth, do that.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_01: But those priorities, obviously, we have a team behind us.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_01: They're very capable, they're smart, they are always looking to grow and improve within their roles as well.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_01: So it really creates opportunities for our team to say, like, hey, we have these priorities.
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_01: We cannot possibly do everything alone.
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_01: We are a full team.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_01: We have our team supporting all of our clients, we have our team supporting us internally with our priorities.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_01: So that creates the environment for professional development internally, for them to be able to see and be a part of our strategic initiatives and how we're moving the company forward, which ties into our mission, our values.
• 4:29
  SPEAKER_01: And I think that just builds a strong connection for them to really have that fire lit and to be really excited about where we're going because they're a part of that as well.
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, absolutely.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_00: And it's not just like bringing in somebody, it gives them ownership.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_00: And we talk about that a lot in different series that we've had, but giving people ownership to allow them to feel more connected with the business, to feel more impactful in the business.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_00: Like, yes, you're making an impact, you're supporting clients, you are doing the things that need to be done in order to have client satisfaction, to move the needle forward.
• 5:03
  SPEAKER_00: But when you involve and bring people in to work on a project, like a bigger project, a yearly goal, that just gives them ownership.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_00: Like I am making this difference in the business and gives them a little bit of like a stakeholder type of thing in the business where they feel like, yes, I did this.
• 5:21
  SPEAKER_00: Elevate is me.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_00: We we are all elevate type of situation.
• 5:25
  SPEAKER_00: So I love that that's that you talked about that because I think it's really important in any business just to have that additional thought and that that thought leadership, like bringing, letting team members on your team be leaders within whatever the project is.
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_01: 100%.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_01: And I mean, we're like we always say one of the models and mantras we have internally is like more heads are better than one, right?
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_01: So collaboration, brainstorming on any type of problems, like we're all here.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_01: And as leadership, we're saying that these are important, but we know and we rely on our levias, like they're in the work day-to-day just like we are.
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_01: They might have a different perspective.
• 5:58
  SPEAKER_01: They might have a client that is facing something different and can bring a new perspective to something that we're already building on, and it's just gonna make it that much better.
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_01: We're none of us are seeing through the same lens.
• 6:07
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 6:07
  SPEAKER_00: We're all looking through a different camera.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_00: So we need to see what you're seeing on your end of the camera.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_00: Exactly.
• 6:13
  SPEAKER_00: So we talked about it before in the conversations that I had with Emily and Amanda, but this year we get the redsheet a little bit different.
• 6:19
  SPEAKER_00: We each got a workshop.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_00: Each of these workshops was meant to identify action items and to build a plan moving into next year.
• 6:27
  SPEAKER_00: So I'd love for you to chat about what your topic was and how you were inspired to work on that topic as a group.
• 6:37
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so I thought this was a great shift that we did this year, just really one to distribute the workload, right?
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_01: Like this is a heavy lift to bring strategic planning and everybody has their own priorities and things they want to do.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_01: So this was really like the ownership piece for me to be like, okay, what do I what do I need to accomplish?
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_01: What did what is something I'm passionate about?
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_01: So from the retreat last year, we had developed a client relations plan that we wanted that was an outcome, and I've been working on that all year.
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_01: So part of the workshop that I did bring was like, here's a client relation plan.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_01: This is everything for our client experience from beginning to end.
• 7:09
  SPEAKER_01: And this is putting it in front of everyone, doing a gut check.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_01: Are we doing a good job?
• 7:13
  SPEAKER_01: Are we doing the things that we said that we wanted to do from last year?
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_01: And what can we do differently?
• 7:18
  SPEAKER_01: How can we continue to improve that client experience?
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_01: And so that was a workshop, and that was getting, you know, the feedback from the team.
• 7:26
  SPEAKER_01: And there already were ideas that had been circulating just organically because obviously we're very client focused.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_01: But yeah, we were able to identify some real concrete actionables that we can take into the end of this year and then keep building momentum into next year.
• 7:40
  SPEAKER_00: Based off of your workshop, is the the client after they graduate.
• 7:45
  SPEAKER_00: Because your client experience doesn't stop when we are no longer supporting you on a day-to-day basis.
• 7:50
  SPEAKER_00: Like we're still your cheerleaders, we're still supporting your business as you move on to the next phase, as you grow, or whatever the case may be.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_00: So if you're looking at what my choice, my choice was to focus on moving into next year, which is fostering those relationships with clients who have already graduated, what is the impact that you want to make with that moving forward?
• 8:11
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think that is a really key piece because we can get caught up in what our clients need now.
• 8:17
  SPEAKER_01: But I think the piece of our graduated clients, like still supporting them, still building that relationship and having that connection, celebrating them, being able to expand and keep our network, small business owners, right?
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_01: Like that, they rely on that.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_01: They will rely on referrals, they rely on those relationships.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and I think that's super important.
• 8:36
  SPEAKER_01: We can always have lessons learned, we can have ways to partner with each other.
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_01: And we already know their business.
• 8:42
  SPEAKER_01: So we don't know what opportunities that that can bring.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_01: We don't know like if there's another need that we can help fill for them.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_01: But I think just keeping that relationship strong, which is what we're about.
• 8:51
  SPEAKER_01: We're about connection, we're about collaboration and just celebrating our clients.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_01: We want to do that.
• 8:57
  SPEAKER_01: If we're working with you, if you're doing a milestone and we can see that, you know, like on socials, like we we want to be a part of that, like regardless.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, there's a space for it.
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_01: And I think it's really important that we're gonna focus on that.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and I love that that I didn't think about it before, but now that we're like having the conversations and it's the day after, you know, you get to reflect and things that kind of roll through your brain.
• 9:19
  SPEAKER_00: With Amanda's workshop, hers was all about culture connection throughout our partnerships.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_00: So building that community and fostering that culture with our previous clients is like your workshop is going to tie into her walk workshop at some point.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_00: When will those cross?
• 9:37
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know, but you guys have two very different end goals, right?
• 9:42
  SPEAKER_00: But they will collide at one point because that's how we're going to build that culture of that branch in our culture tree, is with our previous clients.
• 9:51
  SPEAKER_00: So we'll have to mark that down.
• 9:52
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and I think that's an interesting point for sure, because I think in all of the workshops we've seen some type of intersection.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_01: And I think coming together, focusing on the strategic planning and what everybody brought for their individual workshops, just seeing that really just speaks to our alignment and our focus.
• 10:07
  SPEAKER_01: And like we're all on the right track.
• 10:09
  SPEAKER_01: We all have the same mission.
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_01: So that feels really good to just come together and just be like, okay, we are still like moving full speed ahead and we all have the same mission.
• 10:18
  SPEAKER_01: We are super aligned, like that.
• 10:20
  SPEAKER_01: Like we're we're doing the thing.
• 10:21
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 10:22
  SPEAKER_00: And well, even my stuff, like my workshop was on uh visibility focus and how we can shift it in various ways.
• 10:29
  SPEAKER_00: Previous clients, social media, that falls in my butt.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_00: Like there's so many things that intertwine with each other that in the moment, like I said, yesterday we didn't realize it.
• 10:38
  SPEAKER_00: But now looking back at it, I'm like, your thing is gonna hit my thing, which is gonna hit her thing.
• 10:42
  SPEAKER_00: And then we're all gonna be working on the same goal, but then still like branch off into our separate end goals again.
• 10:47
  SPEAKER_00: But we will meet at an intersection and say hello, and we'll go our opposite directions again.
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_00: But yeah, it's all the same end goal, which is great that we are all aligned on the same thing moving forward.
• 10:59
  SPEAKER_00: What is one thing that you are personally committed to moving into next year as an individual to bring all of these visions to life, not specifically in a workshop, but as an individual?
• 11:11
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I say so.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_01: For me, I know that one person can make a huge impact.
• 11:16
  SPEAKER_01: So whether that is me helping to spirit head an initiative or empowering some of our LDAs to do that, I think for me is really just making sure that every single voice on our team is heard and getting input.
• 11:30
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, we're really great about doing that, but just really just bringing the team along and making sure that they're they are feeling the alignment, they're feeling the connection to everything and every piece of the puzzle is important and they're making an impact every day with our clients and they're seeing that and they're feeling that.
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_01: And like I said, more voices are better than one.
• 11:48
  SPEAKER_01: That's what makes Elevate unique is we have a team behind us and just really just bringing that internal collaboration, just like we do for our clients.
• 11:56
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I love it.
• 11:56
  SPEAKER_00: And then what would be one piece of advice that you would give a small business that is hesitant about strategic planning, can't find the intentional time, doesn't want to find the intentional time because it feels like too much.
• 12:07
  SPEAKER_00: To what would be your advice to actually do it?
• 12:10
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I think do the hard thing and commit to making that time.
• 12:15
  SPEAKER_01: So I think it's really easy to just kind of go into like survivor mode and just like this is working, right?
• 12:21
  SPEAKER_01: Like you're figuring it out.
• 12:22
  SPEAKER_01: But is that the most efficient way?
• 12:24
  SPEAKER_01: Is this the best way?
• 12:25
  SPEAKER_01: Is this really making the impact that we want to make?
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_01: And you, if you don't prioritize that time and ask those hard questions, then how much of a gap is there in what your mission or what your outcome is that you're trying to achieve?
• 12:38
  SPEAKER_01: And how much inefficiencies are you having in your internal processes?
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_01: Are you are the right team members focused on the right things and using their skills?
• 12:46
  SPEAKER_01: Like we have a really great internal culture, and so like building on that and making sure that our team members are doing the roles that work the best for them is also super important.
• 12:55
  SPEAKER_01: So it doesn't have to be a long thing, right?
• 12:57
  SPEAKER_01: Like start small.
• 12:58
  SPEAKER_01: It doesn't have to be like a big elaborate thing, but I would just say like do the hard thing, ask the hard questions and knowledge is power.
• 13:05
  SPEAKER_01: Once you have the information, then it I think it'll be clear what the next step should be.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_01: And then you just take it one step at a time.
• 13:11
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, because I think a lot of times, like you said, like do the hard thing because you're once you get into survival mode and you're just doing the do to do the do, at what expense?
• 13:20
  SPEAKER_00: Like, what else is falling off your plate?
• 13:23
  SPEAKER_00: What else?
• 13:23
  SPEAKER_00: What other priorities are you avoiding, neglecting so that you can make sure that you are continuing to just keep things moving forward because they're probably not moving forward.
• 13:34
  SPEAKER_00: They are probably circling and not running outside.
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, exactly.
• 13:38
  SPEAKER_00: So do the hard thing, take the intentional time.
• 13:41
  SPEAKER_00: Your time is a bigger investment in your business than having three days worth of a full calendar of meetings that may not or probably not going to result in tomorrow.
• 13:54
  SPEAKER_00: So set that time aside.
• 13:56
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and I think, I mean, walking away, I don't know if you feel the same way, but like just feeling reinspired and igniting that fire again of just like getting back to the basics and like the foundation and thinking higher level and like why are we doing this every day?
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_01: Like, why are we showing up every day?
• 14:11
  SPEAKER_01: And as a small business owner, you're doing, you're wearing multiple hats.
• 14:15
  SPEAKER_01: Like we see it all the time.
• 14:16
  SPEAKER_01: And so just being able to reflect and reset and be like, this is why I started this, this is why I'm doing what I'm doing, and really getting back to that, I think helps to uh really motivate you and then will motivate you to continue to want to do that and focus and invest that time on your priorities, strategic planning, that type of thing.
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, like you said, like why did you start this business in the first place?
• 14:38
  SPEAKER_00: That is a really important question that I think a lot of business owners tend to like get to a point where they're overwhelmed, they're on the verge of burnout, they don't have the time to like think about that anymore.
• 14:49
  SPEAKER_00: And then, like you said, their fire dwindles.
• 14:51
  SPEAKER_00: But you started your business for a reason.
• 14:53
  SPEAKER_00: It is your passion.
• 14:54
  SPEAKER_00: So make sure that you are spending as much time on your relationship with your business as you are with your relationship with your clients.
• 15:01
  SPEAKER_00: Because if your business is starting to crumble, those clients will not be there.
• 15:06
  SPEAKER_00: And they'll feel it.
• 15:07
  SPEAKER_00: They'll know they'll feel the disconnect.
• 15:09
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, 100%.
• 15:10
  SPEAKER_00: So invest in your relationship with your business.
• 15:13
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 15:13
  SPEAKER_00: Even if it's just you and your business, invest in that, invest in that relationship.
• 15:17
  SPEAKER_00: I love that.
• 15:18
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 15:18
  SPEAKER_00: Um, all right, now to the fun part.
• 15:21
  SPEAKER_00: These questions have been okay so far.
• 15:23
  SPEAKER_00: So I have been very lucky, but you are now the host of the podcast.
• 15:26
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I am the host.
• 15:27
  SPEAKER_00: So uh the mic is is on your end.
• 15:30
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so Nicole, I am interested to know if you were not doing what you're doing today with Elevate, what would you be doing career-wise?
• 15:39
  SPEAKER_00: Um, okay, so I have uh since I was a child, and this will probably not surprise you, but um the job choice that I'm gonna tell you.
• 15:49
  SPEAKER_00: Um, since I was a child, I have always, always dreamed, and I would do it now if I wasn't old and could run a mile.
• 15:57
  SPEAKER_00: I've always wanted to be a police officer or a lawyer.
• 16:01
  SPEAKER_00: Interesting.
• 16:01
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 16:02
  SPEAKER_00: And so I think that if I was not doing the job I am now, I in reverse 10 years.
• 16:09
  SPEAKER_00: That's all just 10 years.
• 16:10
  SPEAKER_00: Um I would either go into the police academy or become a paralegal or something on those lines and do something in criminal law.
• 16:20
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 16:20
  SPEAKER_00: But that would be probably be where I'm at.
• 16:23
  SPEAKER_01: I could see the lawyer thing for sure.
• 16:25
  SPEAKER_01: The police officer is a little surprising, but I could see it.
• 16:27
  SPEAKER_00: I could see it.
• 16:27
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 16:28
  SPEAKER_00: Like a detective, like I'm not SVU, because I don't think I could handle cases like that.
• 16:32
  SPEAKER_00: But I would do some type of investigative.
• 16:36
  SPEAKER_00: I think that that would be where I would.
• 16:39
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I mean, for sure.
• 16:40
  SPEAKER_01: And I see it, right?
• 16:40
  SPEAKER_01: Like the don't quit until I find the answer type of the attitude and energy that you bring.
• 16:45
  SPEAKER_01: Like for sure.
• 16:46
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, you would be getting awards for sure.
• 16:48
  SPEAKER_01: What would what was your childhood job?
• 16:51
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so my childhood dream, I had two.
• 16:55
  SPEAKER_01: So to be an architect.
• 16:57
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 16:57
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but I I mean, that's a hard one.
• 17:00
  SPEAKER_01: Like I don't really know what how that happens or what how you do that.
• 17:03
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 17:04
  SPEAKER_01: Uh so that kind of fizzled, but I was super into like collecting rocks and just understanding like the foundation of things and like trying to figure out like that kind of thing, uh, or astronaut.
• 17:15
  SPEAKER_01: So really literally from ground to space.
• 17:18
  SPEAKER_01: And I landed somewhere very in between.
• 17:20
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but those were the two kind of like dreams that I had, but also why it's really important to like foster those conversations with pits because like you don't know how to get from that point from that dream and to you know to actually executing that.
• 17:35
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 17:35
  SPEAKER_01: Uh so it definitely fizzled out, but you know, I don't know.
• 17:38
  SPEAKER_01: But apparently you can go to space now.
• 17:39
  SPEAKER_00: So well, yeah, you don't need it, you don't need to be a good one.
• 17:41
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I don't need to be an astronaut.
• 17:42
  SPEAKER_00: Nope, you don't need to work at NASA.
• 17:43
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely not.
• 17:44
  SPEAKER_00: I know my girls, I mean, my oldest has always said that she wanted to be a vet.
• 17:49
  SPEAKER_00: So I was very up front with her in the beginning.
• 17:51
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, being a vet is a lot of schoolwork.
• 17:53
  SPEAKER_00: I'm not gonna lie to you.
• 17:54
  SPEAKER_00: It is a huge investment of your time, it's a huge investment into education.
• 17:58
  SPEAKER_00: I know you're only five, so you have no idea what I'm talking about.
• 18:01
  SPEAKER_00: But like, if you want to go to school, it's like 12 years of college.
• 18:06
  SPEAKER_01: It's like a doctor.
• 18:07
  SPEAKER_01: You're a doctor for minimals, right?
• 18:08
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 18:09
  SPEAKER_00: And she's like, Oh, that's that's easy.
• 18:10
  SPEAKER_00: That's so easy.
• 18:12
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, well, now she's 11.
• 18:14
  SPEAKER_00: And she's like, the more I think about it, it is a lot of schooling.
• 18:17
  SPEAKER_00: And I would really like to be a vet, but I also think that I might want to look into being a teacher.
• 18:22
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, okay, well, teaching is also a good amount of schooling depending on how far you want to go with your teaching career.
• 18:28
  SPEAKER_00: So you'd have to do this and do four years here, and then if you want this, you'll have to do another two years here.
• 18:33
  SPEAKER_00: And if you want your master's, you're gonna have to do this, and then if you want your PhD, just like okay, can I just grab your high school?
• 18:39
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, Yes, let's start there, let's start there.
• 18:42
  SPEAKER_00: And even setting expectations.
• 18:43
  SPEAKER_00: No, and I wanted to be honest with them because it is there when you are a kid and you're looking at your dream jobs and you want to do what you want to do, I think that like even in college high school, like when we were in high school and they're talking about like applying for colleges and like doing all this stuff, and they're like, you just need to pick a degree.
• 19:02
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know what I want to do at 18.
• 19:04
  SPEAKER_00: I don't, I don't know.
• 19:06
  SPEAKER_00: I have that investment at that age, right?
• 19:08
  SPEAKER_00: I have an idea of what I want to be, but I'd like to explore it a little bit more.
• 19:12
  SPEAKER_00: And so we try, my husband and I try to be very like upfront with the girls about like this is what this job would take, this is what this job would take, this is what this job would take.
• 19:22
  SPEAKER_00: And it's fun now because Kennedy School, they have a um career awareness class that they take every year where throughout the semester they get to choose three careers to research, write a paper on, look at what the salary is, look at what the um the requirements are for the job.
• 19:40
  SPEAKER_00: So they get to see what a job entails before you actually start.
• 19:45
  SPEAKER_00: Realistically, right?
• 19:45
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 19:46
  SPEAKER_00: So she did a vet, a teacher and a cosmetologist last year.
• 19:49
  SPEAKER_00: And so I think that's where the teacher is coming from.
• 19:52
  SPEAKER_00: She still did that this year, too.
• 19:54
  SPEAKER_01: So I it's still there.
• 19:55
  SPEAKER_01: Setting expectations, but hey, you want to do it, do it right.
• 19:58
  SPEAKER_00: She's strategic planning her own life right now.
• 20:01
  SPEAKER_00: Like sign me up.
• 20:02
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, exactly.
• 20:03
  SPEAKER_00: Well, Monica, thank you so much for taking this time to chat with me.
• 20:06
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I'm sure the listeners got some really great insight out of all of these conversations, but it's it's really cool to hear your perspective on what it is, what we're doing from behind the scenes.
• 20:17
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for listening to another episode of our mini-series.
• 20:20
  SPEAKER_00: If this inspired you to think about doing strategic planning or you want to get more tips and tricks, make sure that you're following us on Instagram and LinkedIn to get all the tips and tricks.
• 20:29
  SPEAKER_00: And then if you are really interested in setting aside time to do strategic planning, hit that clarity call link in our show notes to have a chat with Ashley.
• 20:38
  SPEAKER_00: And hopefully we'll help you get to that next stage of your business.
• 20:41
  SPEAKER_00: And remember, you've got this.
• 20:43
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for listening to the Delegation Download Podcast.
• 20:46
  SPEAKER_00: Don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and follow us at Elevate VV Solutions for more tips to help you lead smarter and live better.