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Curiosity Creates Ownership When You Lead with Stephanie Smith, Be Brave · Epic Entrepreneurs

• 0:45
  SPEAKER_00: All right, everyone.
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to this week's episode of Epic Entrepreneurs.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_00: I am Cliff McCray with Action Coach Business Growth Partners, where we work with local business owners to turn big ideas into real scalable growth.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_00: So today I'm excited to be joined by Stephanie Smith with the Be Brave Group.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_00: Stephanie, thanks for being here.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_00: How are you doing today?
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_02: I am doing fantastic.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you for having me.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, we're really, really excited to have you here.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, if you don't mind, let's go ahead and jump right into things.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_02: Sounds good.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_00: All right, perfect.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, for those of you who may not know it yet, you know, for the listening audience, you know, what is Be Brave Group?
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_00: What do you guys provide for the community?
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_02: Be Brave is what we like to do.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_02: And really, it's it is myself.
• 1:27
  SPEAKER_02: I am a solopreneur that I work with teams and leaders that that organizations that want to grow, grow intentionally, not just grow, but grow intentionally.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_02: Oftentimes, what I have seen over my years of leadership and management is teams come together, but a lot of times we fall into what I consider to be default mode instead of design mode.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_02: We tend we start off being intentional, being focused, being aligned.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_02: But oftentimes as priorities shift and we get busy, we start to fall back into that default mode of reaction and being scattered, just being busy.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_02: So I work with leaders and teams to help recognize that, become aware of that, and then take the right steps to get back to that design and intentional mode and keep that momentum going forward.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, okay.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_00: And who's Stephanie Smith?
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_00: What do you got going on personally?
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_02: Stephanie Smith, I here in Morgantown, West Virginia, family of three.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_02: I have one son, and we love to hike, be outdoors.
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_02: Here in West Virginia, we do love, love the great outdoors, wild and wonderful.
• 2:39
  SPEAKER_02: And I just I enjoy I enjoy nature a lot, whether that's through photography or just enjoying it being outside.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_02: I love watching my family grow, doing things together.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_02: We just finished up a Spartan last weekend as a family, so that's pretty fun.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_02: And really just enjoying the culture of our town and being able to give back where we can.
• 3:01
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, okay.
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_00: Now you want to raise in Morgantown or are you from somewhere else?
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_02: I am actually from the eastern panhandle of West Virginia, but came to WVU in 96.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_02: And I actually originally studied MIS, Management Information Systems, and Finance.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_02: So I was a business school major.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_02: And when I started out, I was a software engineer designing and building solutions for clients.
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_02: And that really is fun to look back on now of where I am today versus where I started from.
• 3:35
  SPEAKER_02: Because I started off building solutions and systems using software.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_02: And then I really recognize that the true systems are the people.
• 3:43
  SPEAKER_02: And that's what really makes or breaks whether or not there's this a successful solution put into place.
• 3:51
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, okay.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_00: Now, Stephanie, what is the story kind of behind Be Brave?
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_00: You know, what was happening in your career or life when you realized this thing needed to become a business?
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_02: So I have been in leadership and management for over 20, 20 years and primarily in software.
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_02: But again, what I found was after like designing solutions, what I really started to be drawn to and my roles really were always ended up being more of a mentorship and super like helping people grow.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_02: And it was about around 2022 when I kind of recognized that was like, okay, you know, Steph, what do you want to do with the next 20 years of your life?
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_02: You know, we've got a lot, a lot of life ahead of us here in the workforce.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_02: How do we want to make the most difference?
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_02: And I really did a career audit.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_02: I looked back at everything that I had built or bit the teams that I'd been around, the teams that I'd helped develop.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_02: And when I started to look at the stories that impacted me the most, it was always around building the teams, watching them grow, watching them step out of their comfort zone and grow into new positions, leadership positions, director positions, watching that take place and helping along the way to guide them, be that mentor, be that support, be that accountability partner.
• 5:17
  SPEAKER_02: That really spoke to me as yeah, that's what speaks to my heart.
• 5:21
  SPEAKER_02: And I really recognize that when you build the right teams of people and you help them really unlock themselves, their strengths, their communication styles, and be who they're truly meant to be, that's where the magic happened.
• 5:35
  SPEAKER_02: And that's when I said, wow, this is what I'm doing already, but I want to take it even further.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_02: And I'd like to be able to kind of really take this out on my own.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_02: And one of the things with be brave is really, you know, fear is always going to be there.
• 5:50
  SPEAKER_02: And starting your own business can be scary.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_02: You know, there's a it's a big leap, but really to be brave is just to have courage in the moment.
• 5:58
  SPEAKER_02: And that's what I decided to do.
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_02: Have courage in the moment.
• 6:02
  SPEAKER_02: And that's where be brave kind of stemmed from.
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_02: And I said, okay, let's do this.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_02: Let's go out, be brave, and help others do the same.
• 6:11
  SPEAKER_02: Because sometimes we don't take enough enough initiative on our own to bring our true selves to light because we might be scared or we might be fearful to take that next step to say, like, yeah, this is who I really want to be, or this is the gap, but I'm afraid to take that leap.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_02: So helping others be able to do that.
• 6:29
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_00: Nice.
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_00: Now you have worked across government, private, and econom academic environments.
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_00: Is there is that correct?
• 6:37
  SPEAKER_02: Correct, yes.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, okay.
• 6:39
  SPEAKER_00: So which experiences most shape the way you now coach leaders and teams, would you say?
• 6:45
  SPEAKER_02: They've all definitely had a role in shaping, shaping who I've become as part of how I lead as part of Be Brave, really it the portfolio of clients that I've been able to deal with, whether that's in the commercial sector, in the academic sector, understanding people has like, so the contrast between, say, government contracting and academia, completely different.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_02: Understanding how someone in the academia field or industry or field is going to come at me with like, here, here's our problem and here's how we how we want to solve it, versus a client that's a multimillion dollar CEO and saying, hey, we have this problem and you need to solve it.
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_02: You really just have to recognize where people are coming from, why they're coming with you to with their problem and recognize, like recognize their situation.
• 7:39
  SPEAKER_02: And it's more than just, you know, empathy and emotional intelligence.
• 7:43
  SPEAKER_02: It's it's more about recognizing like where they truly are.
• 7:47
  SPEAKER_02: And that's one of the things that I like to do is I want to invest and be a partner with people that I work with.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_02: So I think all whether it's been private, public sector, or academia, they've all taught me a little piece about how you need to, we really need to recognize where people are coming from, what solution they're really trying to solve.
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_02: And it's really that power of listening and curiosity, being curious about what it is that people truly want to solve.
• 8:15
  SPEAKER_02: The power of curio of being curious is underrated most of the time.
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_02: So you know, I think one of the things I like to say is, you know, curiosity creates ownership.
• 8:26
  SPEAKER_02: Because when we're curious about something that lets us dive deeper into the why, and then the why helps us understand what is it that we're truly trying to solve.
• 8:35
  SPEAKER_00: Nice, nice.
• 8:36
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_00: Love that.
• 8:39
  SPEAKER_00: Now, where did the grow by design, not by default, idea come from?
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_00: And when did you realize it could become more than a phrase, a framework for your work?
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_02: You know, after one of the things that is has been a challenge for, I believe, all leaders is that, you know, and I saw this as myself as a leader, and I see it with leaders that I work with today, is that we busy all of a sudden becomes the norm.
• 9:08
  SPEAKER_02: And what I was starting to really recognize and pick up on while even before Be Brave was that we're just going a lot of times, sometimes we're just going through the actions, and the actions lose their intention.
• 9:21
  SPEAKER_02: They become more of a checkbox instead of an intentional action that needs to be taken.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_02: We still want the same outcomes, but we're not putting the right kind of initiative and intention into the front-end, front-end work to make that happen.
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_02: So I really started to be like, well, why is that?
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_02: And really, I thought it was that like when I think about intention, that was one of when I started be brave, it was a lot about rhythms of intention.
• 9:49
  SPEAKER_02: That was a kind of a a workshop that I had had had actually started was kind of like, how do you make sure that everything that you do, you do with intention.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_02: When you walk into a meeting, what intention do you plan to have?
• 9:59
  SPEAKER_02: Who do you choose to be?
• 10:01
  SPEAKER_02: What intention do you would like to show up with?
• 10:04
  SPEAKER_02: And just doing that little piece led me to recognize when we don't do that, we're just showing up.
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_02: There's there's nothing there that's guiding who we are or who we're choosing to be in that moment.
• 10:17
  SPEAKER_02: And that just kind of like, well, what does that mean?
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_02: It's just like, oh, that's just the default.
• 10:21
  SPEAKER_02: It's just the way of way of being.
• 10:23
  SPEAKER_02: And that's that's not where we want to be.
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_02: One of the big one of the things that I've learned, I learned like the the Latin root of mediocracy or mediocre is actually stuck almost, stuck between and really stuck between two mountains, if you think about it that way.
• 10:43
  SPEAKER_02: And I feel like that's where we end up landing, is we're kind of just kind of like stuck between two mountains.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_02: We've maybe grown a whole bunch and like, oh, now we're a little bit tired and we're now we're down in the valley and we don't have enough momentum to keep going.
• 10:55
  SPEAKER_02: Um, or we just we just don't have that right intention to get us up to the next peak that we know we need to be to.
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_02: And we think we live in this state of media mediocracy and we feel a bit stuck.
• 11:07
  SPEAKER_02: We're reactive instead of proactive.
• 11:10
  SPEAKER_02: And that's kind of I started seeing that as like, yeah, but nobody wants to be there.
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_02: We're all gonna end up there at some point, but nobody wants to be there.
• 11:18
  SPEAKER_02: So how do we and we can't get to the top of the mountain, the next mountain, without a plan, without a design in place, because otherwise we're just kind of randomly roaming and hoping we get to where we need to go.
• 11:32
  SPEAKER_02: So that's kind of like where the design versus default kind of kind of came from is like, well, yeah, we want to live in a land of design, not fall back into default.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_02: And if it happens, being aware when that does happen so we can catch ourselves, you know, and then uh and kind of get that momentum back.
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_00: All right.
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, I kind of did a little bit of research on be brave.
• 11:52
  SPEAKER_00: So I saw Be Brave offers coaching, workshops, strategic facilitation and speaking, right?
• 11:58
  SPEAKER_02: Correct.
• 11:59
  SPEAKER_00: All the things perfect, perfect.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_00: Now, which offer is the strongest engine for the business today and which one do you want to see grow the most?
• 12:07
  SPEAKER_02: I the the thank you for asking that.
• 12:09
  SPEAKER_02: Uh so one of the things that I like to do is really when I start working with leaders and teams, is to just dive in and do a discovery of where the team is thriving, but also where the challenges are.
• 12:23
  SPEAKER_02: And that's going to be different for and unique for each team in their own capac in their own ways.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_02: However, there's a lot of patterns that I have seen just in my work of B Brave and the years of experience that I've had working with teams, and that it really comes down to clarity about where it is that we're going.
• 12:43
  SPEAKER_02: And once we even figure that out, keeping that momentum to make sure that we stay aligned and we keep that momentum going for the future.
• 12:53
  SPEAKER_02: So as I have been working through Be Brave, I have learned that like a lot of times working with a team to kind of do a kickoff type of let's set the stage with, say, a half day workshop to kind of get the team together, create that space, which is what the most important thing is.
• 13:13
  SPEAKER_02: Creating the experience and the space for the team to come together, to become aligned and say, yes, this is where we want to go.
• 13:21
  SPEAKER_02: And we're all on the same page and we've all had the chance to raise our hands, share our voices, and feel safe in doing so.
• 13:29
  SPEAKER_02: Creating that space first then usually leads to what I like to say is the brave edge, right?
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_02: So I offer an eight-session series, and again, that cadence can depend upon what works best for the company to really then take the team through that default to design a momentum workshop.
• 13:53
  SPEAKER_02: So it's it's a series that will take them all the way through, recognizing what their core strengths are, their communication styles, how they're showing up, how they get their energy right, how they're contributing, what their culture really means, not just words on the wall.
• 14:08
  SPEAKER_02: And how are they going to keep that going forward?
• 14:11
  SPEAKER_02: So that's usually kind of a phase one kind of an initiation, bring the team together, phase two, and to an eight-session kind of series that brings brings the team even more alive and then typically like to put into place because one of the things I like to do is partner with organizations.
• 14:29
  SPEAKER_02: It's I don't want to deliver a workshop that's a one and done, and then the notebook gets put on the bookshelf and everybody walks away and be like, oh, remember that workshop when?
• 14:39
  SPEAKER_02: I don't want that to be the takeaway.
• 14:42
  SPEAKER_02: I want it there to be momentum, I want there to be a rhythm that is installed inside of the team going forward.
• 14:49
  SPEAKER_02: So then working with them as a partner to keep that momentum going, whether on a quarterly basis, a biannual basis, or even an annual basis to keep that alive.
• 14:59
  SPEAKER_00: I love that.
• 15:00
  SPEAKER_00: I love that.
• 15:01
  SPEAKER_00: Now, you know, and I you may have to think about this a little bit, but what has been your biggest win so far?
• 15:05
  SPEAKER_00: You know, has it been a client transformation, a business milestone, or or is it something other than the both of those?
• 15:11
  SPEAKER_00: Anything else you could think of?
• 15:13
  SPEAKER_02: I will say my biggest win so far, I have had I had the opportunity to work with our local United Way organization here.
• 15:21
  SPEAKER_02: And not only to just work with them through team awareness awareness, team alignment, team, team trust in building, I was also able to then help them with their strategic planning for the community.
• 15:35
  SPEAKER_02: How are they going to show up the next three to five years?
• 15:38
  SPEAKER_02: And being able to work with a team to partner together, to kind of outline that, to listen to what the community needs and now help them take action and put those action, those actions into place, that has been really rewarding for me.
• 15:53
  SPEAKER_02: I mean help knowing that I can help have an impact in our local community through through the work, the wonderful work that they're doing, that that that fills my cup.
• 16:02
  SPEAKER_02: That that's the kind of work I like to do.
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, okay.
• 16:07
  SPEAKER_00: Now, what has been the hardest business lesson hidden inside a business that is ultimately about helping other people grow?
• 16:15
  SPEAKER_02: One of the hardest business lessons I'll say is that I I see this and I this I'll take a I'll take a little clip from you know Stephen Covey's seven habits of highly successful people.
• 16:29
  SPEAKER_02: You know, a lot of times team investment and investing in the growth of our teams and the wellness of our teams often falls in quadrant two.
• 16:39
  SPEAKER_02: It's important but not urgent.
• 16:42
  SPEAKER_02: So ensuring and helping organizations and leaders recognize like this is this is really, it doesn't maybe not feel like it's urgent until your team starts to fall apart.
• 16:54
  SPEAKER_02: And then all of a sudden it becomes urgent.
• 16:56
  SPEAKER_02: Like, but helping them see that before they get to that point, helping them recognize that even if we're not at a point where like, oh, we're you know, things don't feel right, just knowing that like these are the people that make things happen on a daily basis.
• 17:10
  SPEAKER_02: I need to invest the time and the the energy into ensuring that they show up, they can show up with you know and that are set up for success.
• 17:20
  SPEAKER_02: But oftentimes that that isn't the case, helping leaders recognize that first planning needs to happen so early on, like for even for 2027, recognizing that, helping, helping leaders and organizations realize that that's that's a challenge because it's again, it's important, but not urgent.
• 17:40
  SPEAKER_02: So trying to help help move that into more of a yes, this is something intentional that we need to do because the the ROI on that investment will be dramatic.
• 17:50
  unknown: Yeah.
• 17:51
  SPEAKER_00: So so now let's get into that a little bit more, kind of what you just talked about there.
• 17:54
  SPEAKER_00: So when do you you said you've already probably started on 2027?
• 17:58
  SPEAKER_00: When do you typically start on kind of uh working on that next year?
• 18:01
  SPEAKER_00: Do you usually start in the summertime or is it halfway point?
• 18:03
  SPEAKER_00: When do when do you usually start that?
• 18:05
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, I do as soon as July 1st hits, it's one of those things.
• 18:10
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, because but one of the most important things that I'll say is starting with reflection.
• 18:16
  SPEAKER_02: That's where you really need to start.
• 18:18
  SPEAKER_02: Where where are we halfway through the year?
• 18:21
  SPEAKER_02: And where are we?
• 18:22
  SPEAKER_02: Where do we want to be by the end of the year as well as next year?
• 18:26
  SPEAKER_02: But you have to start with reflection.
• 18:28
  SPEAKER_02: You have to see where you, where, what gains have you had, and are you on track?
• 18:33
  SPEAKER_02: And if you're not, that's it, doesn't have to be a you know, kick yourself because we're not on track.
• 18:38
  SPEAKER_02: It's a more of a, okay, let's realign, let's adjust and see what we need to do.
• 18:42
  SPEAKER_02: But bringing that to bringing that awareness to the surface is what needs to happen first.
• 18:49
  SPEAKER_02: And celebrating that progress.
• 18:51
  SPEAKER_02: Some oftentimes we do not celebrate what we actually have done if we haven't reached our uh ultimate goal.
• 18:58
  SPEAKER_02: That's that's we do that personally and we do that in organizations all the all the time is we don't, unless we've hit the exact goal, we don't always celebrate the progress.
• 19:07
  SPEAKER_02: So helping a team recognize, celebrate, here's where we're where we've come, here's where we still want to go.
• 19:13
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, how do we make that how do we make that happen?
• 19:16
  SPEAKER_02: And that needs to start every bit of six months before before your goal, just to have that start that reflection process.
• 19:22
  SPEAKER_02: Because if you don't truly reflect on what you've done, what worked, what didn't work, and where do you want to go, then that that future planning is not going to be as effective.
• 19:31
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, okay.
• 19:32
  SPEAKER_00: I love that.
• 19:34
  SPEAKER_00: Now let's let's kind of dig into a little bit more.
• 19:36
  SPEAKER_00: Now we're gonna get really get into kind of the the real stuff that people want to hear because I don't know if I told you this, but we have a nice size bit of our audience that uh are actually small entrepreneurs themselves.
• 19:45
  SPEAKER_00: So this will probably help them out a lot.
• 19:47
  SPEAKER_00: So what would you say is the biggest challenge inside Be Brave right now?
• 19:51
  SPEAKER_00: What do you would what's the biggest challenge you're dealing with this economic climate right now?
• 19:57
  SPEAKER_02: Really, I being a solopreneur, you wear a lot of hats, right?
• 20:01
  SPEAKER_02: So that's one of the biggest challenges is making sure that I am putting my energy into the right places and recognizing when I need to reach out for somebody in my ecosystem that can do that probably as well, if not better, than I can, and hand that off.
• 20:21
  SPEAKER_02: That's that's really important because my energy needs to be spent in doing what I do best, which is facilitating and really creating transformation for teams.
• 20:30
  SPEAKER_02: So recognizing what my strong suits are, recognizing where I can reach out for help and doing that, taking that action, handing that off, giving up that control a little bit of things that I know, yeah, somebody else can can help me with that.
• 20:45
  SPEAKER_02: And that'll allow me to grow even faster.
• 20:47
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, okay.
• 20:48
  SPEAKER_00: Now let's dig into a little bit more.
• 20:50
  SPEAKER_00: Is are you kind of are you getting like a subcontractor to kind of help you out or how does that work?
• 20:55
  SPEAKER_02: So typically, yeah.
• 20:57
  SPEAKER_02: So a question I do get asked often is do I, you know, plan to grow, be brave as far as hiring, hiring additional employees.
• 21:06
  SPEAKER_02: But at this point, I love having an ecosystem of partners.
• 21:11
  SPEAKER_02: So one, I like to network as much as possible with people in the community, whether that's online or here in in Morgantown and local areas, that I know can prov help provide services that I that are just not my expertise.
• 21:25
  SPEAKER_02: So I what I that's what I call my ecosystem.
• 21:28
  SPEAKER_02: So it would be partners that I can work with, not necessarily, they're not going to be be brave employees, but people I know that I can trust and they can count on me as well, that we can partner together to really deliver a full holistic solution for for a client and organization.
• 21:46
  SPEAKER_00: Nice, nice, okay.
• 21:48
  SPEAKER_00: Now, how many hours are you working in on the on the business a week?
• 21:51
  SPEAKER_00: Would you say right now?
• 21:54
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I'll tell you, if when I first started Be Brave, I had a goal of I would love to, we have right now, family is super important to me.
• 22:04
  SPEAKER_02: I have an 11-year-old son and I want to be around and involved as much as possible.
• 22:09
  SPEAKER_02: And when I started Be Brave, one of the reasons I started Be Brave and to do things on my own, another reason was to make sure that I am present for my family and for activities.
• 22:20
  SPEAKER_02: And I thought, okay, I'm gonna work.
• 22:21
  SPEAKER_02: I would like to create a business where I can work 28 to 30 hours a week.
• 22:27
  SPEAKER_02: And make sure that I am, and I had, you know, my my calendar structured and make sure, and I still do that.
• 22:33
  SPEAKER_02: But the work has become where it fall and it falls into those gaps, but I don't necessarily count my hours, but I never feel overworked.
• 22:42
  SPEAKER_02: And that's the beauty of it.
• 22:43
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm present for activities, I'm present for my son, I'm present for myself.
• 22:49
  SPEAKER_02: And that so if I had to go back and count, I'm probably close to that 32 to 36 hour mark per per week.
• 22:58
  SPEAKER_02: But it's the it's been beautiful not to have to count it or think about it because the balance of I worked hard to create that balance and now it's just a natural rhythm that and it blocking off time for family activities for my own life balance is important.
• 23:15
  SPEAKER_02: And that that is part of my Sunday routine is to make sure that, like, okay, what parts of this week are giving back to the community, giving back to my family, giving back to myself, and then serving those that that need that need be brave help.
• 23:30
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, okay.
• 23:32
  SPEAKER_00: Now, you know, and this question is kind of tough, I know because I know you're like, like you said, you're a solopreneur, but you know, let's say, let's say we did ask somebody that you've worked with before many times, right?
• 23:41
  SPEAKER_00: Let's say if we pull them to a side to the side and let's say we ask them anonymously, please tell us what Stephanie Smith does.
• 23:48
  SPEAKER_00: What's her strongest quality as a leader and facilitator?
• 23:52
  SPEAKER_00: What do you think we would hear from someone if we asked them that?
• 23:57
  SPEAKER_02: I make people, I create an environment where people feel comfortable in the room, no matter what the topic is, no matter what it is that we're addressing.
• 24:08
  SPEAKER_02: I ensure that everyone in the room has a voice that they feel safe and that they feel inspired to share and be a part of the conversation that's happening.
• 24:21
  SPEAKER_02: And that's oftentimes what is missing in our meetings and our even at our, you know, conferences or training sessions is we don't allow enough time for the room to speak.
• 24:33
  SPEAKER_02: And I believe that I create that comfort level and that environment that allows them to participate and engage and learn in a way that they might not get in other situations.
• 24:48
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, okay.
• 24:50
  SPEAKER_00: And let's go to the opposite end of that spectrum.
• 24:52
  SPEAKER_00: Let's say if we asked, you know, a person that you worked with a lot in the past, let's say what what is something that she, you know, Stephanie could actually improve upon or do better.
• 25:01
  SPEAKER_00: What do you think we would hear then?
• 25:03
  SPEAKER_00: Because no one's perfect.
• 25:04
  SPEAKER_02: No, no one is perfect.
• 25:08
  SPEAKER_02: So being curious has its downfall that sometimes you can I can talk a little bit too much, right?
• 25:15
  SPEAKER_02: So I just I strive very hard to anytime I am facilitating an experience, a workshop, a session, that it is 40% me talking, 60% of the room talking.
• 25:28
  SPEAKER_02: But I recognize and fully recognize that because of my own curiosity, I could probably talk more than I would like to.
• 25:36
  SPEAKER_02: So I I need to make sure that that's something I need to keep in check is making sure that if my purpose is to create space for the room to come together, then I need to ensure that that's what happens and not take over in a sage on the stage type of approach.
• 25:52
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, okay.
• 25:54
  SPEAKER_00: Now, when multiple, you know, when you have multiple workshops going on, coaching engagements and facilitation projects, when they overlap, what systems keep preparation, delivery, follow-up, and client communication consistent?
• 26:08
  SPEAKER_00: What do you have set in place for that?
• 26:10
  SPEAKER_02: So I I try very hard to plan out what I call a masterpiece day.
• 26:17
  SPEAKER_02: I really have I have a 90-minute block block at the beginning of my day that I know this is how this needs to happen in this order in order for me to the rest of my day to be to be the most productive and less chaotic as possible.
• 26:32
  SPEAKER_02: Before I even get to that, though, one of the things that I like to do, I do a PM protocol that helps me plan for the next day.
• 26:39
  SPEAKER_02: Um I do the same thing at the end of the week to plan for the next week.
• 26:43
  SPEAKER_02: So a PM protocol at the end of the week to plan for the following week, and every day a PM protocol that plans for each next day.
• 26:49
  SPEAKER_02: That allows me to reflect on everything that's just happened, look ahead and see what's coming up, help me prioritize who should be what things need to be in what order and knocked out first in that block of time that I'm going to spend my next morning.
• 27:06
  SPEAKER_02: So that's really my system for ensuring that like I know I really embrace that term of eat the frog, right?
• 27:13
  SPEAKER_02: That what's the most what's the hardest thing I need to do or the most important thing that I need to do?
• 27:18
  SPEAKER_02: That's what needs to happen first.
• 27:20
  SPEAKER_02: And by doing that PM reflection, by doing that planning ahead of time, that allows me to recognize what that is, what my approach is going to be, and then I can lay out how everything else starts to fall into place.
• 27:33
  SPEAKER_00: Perfect.
• 27:34
  SPEAKER_00: That's awesome.
• 27:35
  SPEAKER_00: Now, where do your best opportunities come from today?
• 27:38
  SPEAKER_00: Is it from referrals, partnerships, uh speaking events, networking events, repeat clients, or is it something else entirely?
• 27:46
  SPEAKER_02: Right now it really is from referrals and networking, networking events.
• 27:52
  SPEAKER_02: Relationships are key.
• 27:54
  SPEAKER_02: To do this type of work, you know, there's a lot of trust that needs to be there.
• 27:59
  SPEAKER_02: So meeting people and getting referrals, you know, having somebody give a referral on my behalf, that you know, they they won't, they're not going to do that unless they trust the work that I that I do.
• 28:11
  SPEAKER_02: So that's really important to me.
• 28:13
  SPEAKER_02: And that's the best kind of way that I would like to be, you know, I like to get work because I know that like, oh what that that comes from something that has you know already has already been successful.
• 28:26
  SPEAKER_02: Um so let's let me just take that.
• 28:28
  SPEAKER_02: That's just a really good way to go into to a new client.
• 28:31
  SPEAKER_02: And they can, you know, we can dive in deeper and say, here's what we've done, and here's how we can make that even more customized or you know, focus on what it the gaps are that your you and your team are seeing.
• 28:41
  SPEAKER_02: Um referrals and then and then you know, a lot of networking, a lot of networking events being, you know, being seen, having people recognize you know, oh, be brave.
• 28:51
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, that's you know, there's something about that that's a little unique and different that has to ask the question, what is that exactly?
• 28:58
  SPEAKER_02: And then walking them through that and you know, explaining like it's really just having that courage to show up in the moment and then helping them define what that looks like.
• 29:07
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, okay.
• 29:09
  SPEAKER_00: Now, you know, obviously, I and I kind of want to get into this a little bit more, but you know, the the kind of your competition, right?
• 29:15
  SPEAKER_00: So obviously the coaching and leadership development market is very crowded.
• 29:19
  SPEAKER_00: So, kind of what makes a client choose Bree Brave instead of another coach, facilitator, or consulting firm?
• 29:26
  SPEAKER_00: What are you doing better than your than your competitors out there?
• 29:31
  SPEAKER_02: It's the personal investment, I do believe.
• 29:35
  SPEAKER_02: I care a lot about the clients that I work with.
• 29:39
  SPEAKER_02: And and and I'll say, I mean, when when I do a discovery process with a client to get to know, again, where they're thriving, where the challenges are, it's as much of an interview for them to know if they want to work with me as me to work with them.
• 29:55
  SPEAKER_02: So I I really enjoy learning about the different facets of not just the facets of the company, but the different intricacies of the team, of the leaders, how they work together, how they're maybe not working together and really diving into that.
• 30:12
  SPEAKER_02: It is not a one-and-done workshop.
• 30:15
  SPEAKER_02: It is not a checkbox.
• 30:16
  SPEAKER_02: It is not a, oh, we need to do team development this year, so we need to do this.
• 30:20
  SPEAKER_02: That's the investment, though, that I help bring to the table.
• 30:24
  SPEAKER_02: They feel it.
• 30:25
  SPEAKER_02: They're the I understand the team, I get to know the team, and I'm that allows me to then really make a solution created alongside with them, not just for them.
• 30:38
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 30:40
  SPEAKER_00: Now, as you grow, what's kind of becoming harder?
• 30:43
  SPEAKER_00: You know, finding people who could deliver the work in your style, uh, protecting quality, or letting go of the belief that you need to be in the room for the work to be exceptional?
• 30:53
  unknown: Would you say?
• 30:54
  SPEAKER_02: Um I like that that last part of that question, because that is true.
• 30:58
  SPEAKER_02: Being in the room, one of because of the way that I I love being in person.
• 31:05
  SPEAKER_02: I can do sessions, workshops, experiences virtually.
• 31:11
  SPEAKER_02: Those are very successful as well.
• 31:13
  SPEAKER_02: I do prefer to be in the room.
• 31:15
  SPEAKER_02: I do feel like the connection is always going to be stronger when there's a coherency and that you can feel feel in the room.
• 31:23
  SPEAKER_02: But I also recognize that I see the power of, and this is where it goes back to becoming a long-term partner.
• 31:31
  SPEAKER_02: In order to become a long-term partner, I also have to make sure that I am setting that room up for success going forward without me, that the rhythms and the processes in place to keep the team aligned, to keep them on track, to keep expectations clear.
• 31:48
  SPEAKER_02: I need to help set them up for success so they can go forward without me or go forward for six months until we come together again.
• 31:56
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so ensuring that that takes place.
• 32:01
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, okay.
• 32:03
  unknown: Excuse me.
• 32:04
  SPEAKER_00: No, you're fine, you're fine.
• 32:05
  SPEAKER_00: Now, if the demand, let's say if demand double tomorrow, right?
• 32:08
  SPEAKER_00: Let's say this podcast comes out, right?
• 32:10
  SPEAKER_00: And everybody hears about Be Brave and Stephanie Smith and everybody loves it if they want to hit you up and and and work with you.
• 32:17
  SPEAKER_00: What would strain first, would you say?
• 32:19
  SPEAKER_00: Would it be your calendar, uh, your sales process, facilitation capacity follow-up, content creation, or delivery quality?
• 32:26
  SPEAKER_00: What what would suffer the most, would you say, if if demand doubled tomorrow?
• 32:30
  SPEAKER_02: If demand doubled tomorrow, what would suffer first?
• 32:39
  SPEAKER_02: That's a great question.
• 32:40
  SPEAKER_02: I would obviously love to answer that nothing would suffer first.
• 32:45
  SPEAKER_01: Of course.
• 32:47
  SPEAKER_02: But I I would want to ensure that quality does not suffer.
• 32:54
  SPEAKER_02: And that is one of the reasons that this this framework that I have that has been evolving since the beginning of Be Brave is helping me be able to recognize there's constant themes and patterns that I see with each client.
• 33:10
  SPEAKER_02: So having this framework will help me be able to deliver more than what I was even two years ago, being able to do that and still create a customization component to it so that it fits the needs of that organization.
• 33:28
  SPEAKER_02: I think I need would need to ensure that my that that what I mentioned earlier about having specific time to be present for my family, for myself, for the community, that has to remain in place.
• 33:41
  SPEAKER_02: And but that would probably be one of the easiest places for me to say, like, oh well, you know, there's, you know, I'm gonna get a paid event or I could go, you know, work in the community.
• 33:50
  SPEAKER_02: I need to make sure that that boundary stays firm because there's a reason why I wanted to be on my own and a solopreneur so I had that ability to give back for those that give to me.
• 34:03
  SPEAKER_02: So my calendar would probably feel the most stress about that and take the most balancing.
• 34:09
  SPEAKER_02: But I really would hope that the quality, I would ensure that the quality of what I'm delivering does not change.
• 34:15
  SPEAKER_02: It just mean might mean that the runway is a little bit longer for those two to get to get a session on the books.
• 34:23
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, okay, that's fair.
• 34:25
  SPEAKER_00: Now, which growth path excites you the most?
• 34:27
  SPEAKER_00: Is it kind of deeper corporate engagement, more recurring coaching, scalable workshops, programs, speaking, licensing, or something else entirely?
• 34:38
  SPEAKER_02: I really, really enjoy facilitatic facilitation when bringing leaders together, bringing teams together to help them unlock the wisdom that's already in the room through that curious questioning, that powerful questioning.
• 34:54
  SPEAKER_02: I have been working hard over the last couple of years in what is called the exchange approach, and just recently was certified in that approach, which has helped me with a lot of facilitation tools that are designed specifically to bring rooms together and using these tools to really unlock that wisdom, to create that safe space.
• 35:19
  SPEAKER_02: That's the part that I really enjoy.
• 35:21
  SPEAKER_02: Oftentimes, you know, we think, oh, we need bigger goals, we need to hire more people.
• 35:27
  SPEAKER_02: But most of the time, the talent and the answers are sitting in front of those leaders that are saying, we need more.
• 35:33
  SPEAKER_02: And so if we can create the space and the environments to do so, then a lot of times they have what they need.
• 35:40
  SPEAKER_02: They just need to create the opportunity to see that and and take advantage of that.
• 35:45
  SPEAKER_02: So creating facilitation and specifically strategic facilitation is a lot of where I see my future going.
• 35:53
  SPEAKER_02: That could be through one-off type of workshops, but also through those, like that that eight session series that I was talking about, watching a team help them facilitate, strategically facilitate through through their growing and through their intentional actions.
• 36:09
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, okay.
• 36:10
  SPEAKER_00: All right, perfect.
• 36:11
  SPEAKER_00: So we're gonna get into the this or that round.
• 36:13
  SPEAKER_00: So how this works is I'm gonna give you this or that.
• 36:15
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, kind of a would you rather type of thing.
• 36:17
  SPEAKER_00: And then you kind of give me you know your choice, and then you kind of tell me why you chose it, kind of a little blurb on why you chose it.
• 36:24
  SPEAKER_00: That's a great yeah, great way to kind of break up a lot of it.
• 36:26
  SPEAKER_00: So personal, some of them are some work stuff too, but to kind of break up the the work talk a little bit, learn a little bit more about your personal side a little bit.
• 36:33
  unknown: Okay.
• 36:34
  SPEAKER_00: All right, perfect.
• 36:35
  SPEAKER_00: Beach or mountains and why?
• 36:38
  SPEAKER_02: Mountains.
• 36:39
  SPEAKER_02: Mountains, uh used to be beach, now it's mountains.
• 36:43
  SPEAKER_02: Uh the view you can see from the top is just amazing.
• 36:48
  SPEAKER_00: So views, views, views, views, right?
• 36:51
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 36:53
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I think the beach, and I love beach, don't get me wrong, but uh the sand gets everywhere and it kind of gets a little messy.
• 36:58
  SPEAKER_02: So I used to be, I would used to be a beach person.
• 37:01
  SPEAKER_02: Now I'm more of a lake mountain person.
• 37:04
  SPEAKER_02: And I think I just uh appreciate the the beauty and the yeah, it's that climb, right?
• 37:10
  SPEAKER_02: You get all the way to the top and you're like, oh, look at that.
• 37:13
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, so I like that.
• 37:15
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, okay.
• 37:16
  SPEAKER_00: Uh coffee or tea?
• 37:18
  SPEAKER_02: Coffee.
• 37:21
  SPEAKER_02: I enjoy a good a good cup of Joe.
• 37:24
  SPEAKER_02: I do.
• 37:25
  SPEAKER_02: I don't mind tea, but I I enjoy a good cup of coffee.
• 37:29
  SPEAKER_02: It's maybe it just reminds me of my parents because they drank coffee all the time.
• 37:37
  SPEAKER_00: Uh coach or facilitate.
• 37:39
  SPEAKER_02: Facilitate.
• 37:41
  unknown: Okay.
• 37:41
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, again.
• 37:43
  SPEAKER_02: I I can you know coaching, I I love coaching because it's not the reason I love coaching is the person across the table has the answers already.
• 37:53
  SPEAKER_02: And a lot of times it's just create, again, creating that space.
• 37:56
  SPEAKER_02: So there's a lot of similarities there for them to recognize and get to the realization of where they that they really want to go and get clear on that.
• 38:03
  SPEAKER_02: Uh facilitating is helping a whole room full of people be able to do that and and watching that come alive, come to life.
• 38:11
  SPEAKER_02: There is a there's an energy there of letting watching a room come together and to say, yes, this is where we're going, or this is why we're going here.
• 38:21
  SPEAKER_02: That's powerful.
• 38:22
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I agree, I totally agree with that.
• 38:25
  SPEAKER_00: Winter or summer.
• 38:29
  SPEAKER_02: Oh no, in between, huh?
• 38:32
  SPEAKER_00: No, yeah, the two extremes.
• 38:37
  SPEAKER_00: Anybody can say fall, falls falls pretty much everybody.
• 38:39
  SPEAKER_02: I know, I know.
• 38:42
  SPEAKER_02: I am going to say, I'm gonna say summer.
• 38:46
  SPEAKER_02: I am going to say summer, even though I keep having these hankerings for Christmas already.
• 38:51
  SPEAKER_02: Shh, don't tell my husband.
• 38:55
  SPEAKER_02: But I think summer, because of the outdoors, how much we can be out and about is important.
• 39:02
  SPEAKER_00: So Yeah, I agree.
• 39:03
  SPEAKER_00: Well, that you know, that's the thing.
• 39:05
  SPEAKER_00: We live in a place where you know you have seasons, so you have to take advantage of the time you're able to be out because once winter comes, you're not going to be able to be out too much anymore.
• 39:14
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 39:14
  SPEAKER_00: I mean you can, you can, but it's gonna be very cold and very messy.
• 39:18
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 39:19
  SPEAKER_02: I appreciate the beauty of winter, but uh I feel more I feel like I'm I'm more engrossed in the summertime.
• 39:26
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah, yeah.
• 39:27
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, winter.
• 39:29
  SPEAKER_00: If you wanna if you want a winter where you could be outside and and and walk around, you gotta go down to Florida, you know.
• 39:33
  SPEAKER_01: That's all right.
• 39:34
  SPEAKER_00: That's uh yeah, that's why they say snowbirds to go down that way.
• 39:37
  SPEAKER_00: I I actually grew up there, so I yeah, that's I hated it.
• 39:41
  SPEAKER_00: Hated it.
• 39:41
  SPEAKER_00: It it's just it's nice.
• 39:42
  SPEAKER_00: It's great to visit.
• 39:43
  SPEAKER_00: It's just to live in a place that's warm all year, it just gets old really fast.
• 39:48
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 39:49
  SPEAKER_02: I appreciate the four seasons that we're talking about.
• 39:53
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 39:53
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it's it's nice to have something to look forward to every three months.
• 39:56
  SPEAKER_00: I like I love it rather than just a constant same day every day.
• 40:00
  SPEAKER_00: It's always gonna be above 80.
• 40:01
  SPEAKER_00: It's always gonna, you know, it's yeah, it's gonna be sunny, beautiful, which is cool, it's great, but it gets it gets old.
• 40:06
  SPEAKER_00: It's it feels like a constant, never-ending vacation.
• 40:09
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, I agree.
• 40:10
  unknown: Yeah.
• 40:12
  SPEAKER_00: Text or phone call.
• 40:13
  SPEAKER_00: What do you prefer?
• 40:14
  SPEAKER_00: And and I know this can differ for business and for pleasure or for personal.
• 40:17
  SPEAKER_00: So I don't know if that changes.
• 40:21
  SPEAKER_02: Oh well, you know, I love I love a good a good meme here and there, but I probably prefer a phone call.
• 40:29
  SPEAKER_02: Just to yes, phone call.
• 40:33
  SPEAKER_00: And that's on both sides on the personal and and business.
• 40:38
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, I think that it it rids any ambiguity or mis you know, no nothing can be misunderstood for the most part with a phone call.
• 40:49
  SPEAKER_02: Uh so the ease of texting is great, but um it uh I think that if at the end of the day, a phone call is always best.
• 40:58
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 40:59
  SPEAKER_00: I I for me, I just think it's the it depends on what you're trying to say to me.
• 41:02
  SPEAKER_00: Like if it's just something very quick, you know, we don't need to have a phone call over hey, I got to the I got to the beach.
• 41:08
  SPEAKER_00: Just let you know, blah, blah, blah.
• 41:09
  SPEAKER_00: You know, that could be a simple text or whatever, but like you you're very right.
• 41:13
  SPEAKER_00: I was having a quick story.
• 41:14
  SPEAKER_00: I had a I was having a conversation with my mom the other day, and I I don't know, the the text messages seemed like she was having kind of an attitude, but she wasn't.
• 41:21
  SPEAKER_00: She's like, mom, just answering your question.
• 41:23
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, see, this is the reason why text messages kind of get, you know, they can kind of get kind of weird.
• 41:29
  SPEAKER_00: Cause I don't know, she sounded like she did have kind of an attitude when she was answering my question, but she's like, No, I'm just answering you.
• 41:33
  SPEAKER_00: I'm I'm perfectly fine.
• 41:34
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, oh, okay.
• 41:35
  SPEAKER_00: Oh see, that's why I hate text.
• 41:37
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, yes.
• 41:38
  SPEAKER_02: But I but I agree with you too.
• 41:40
  SPEAKER_02: It's like a quick, a quick thing.
• 41:41
  SPEAKER_02: You don't need to call and say, Oh, hey, I made it to the beach, right?
• 41:44
  SPEAKER_00: Yep, yeah.
• 41:45
  SPEAKER_02: Yep.
• 41:46
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 41:47
  SPEAKER_00: The next one is, oh, this is a good one here.
• 41:49
  SPEAKER_00: So would you rather have dinner with your future self or relive a great day from your past?
• 41:58
  SPEAKER_02: I would like to have dinner with my future self.
• 42:02
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 42:04
  SPEAKER_02: Why do I feel that way?
• 42:06
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 42:12
  SPEAKER_02: I think because dinner with my future self technically could all would already already include the the great day that I had in the past that would already be part of who I am showing up for my future self.
• 42:27
  SPEAKER_02: And I'd I'd like to yeah, I'd like to just know in my future self, like, you know, just for for that to see like, yeah, you did it.
• 42:38
  SPEAKER_02: And I think that would be it would be good to yeah.
• 42:47
  SPEAKER_00: To see what's uh what's coming up in the future, kind of how things look.
• 42:51
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and just to I don't need to like, yeah, I don't need to like spoil anything.
• 42:56
  SPEAKER_02: I think it's more of a like, hey, the hard work paid off.
• 43:00
  SPEAKER_02: And yeah.
• 43:02
  SPEAKER_00: Or or you never know, you may you may get an insight on it and you might be able to make some changes to get to be even better, right?
• 43:08
  SPEAKER_00: That's also another thing.
• 43:10
  SPEAKER_02: That is a that is very true because sometimes you know you don't ever want to look back and regret.
• 43:15
  SPEAKER_02: So you know having that opportunity to say, like, hey, reconsider this, you know, that would be it would be good to to have that opportunity.
• 43:25
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 43:26
  SPEAKER_00: Clarity or courage.
• 43:30
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, that's tough.
• 43:33
  SPEAKER_02: Because I truly believe that clarity is power.
• 43:40
  SPEAKER_02: But I feel like in any moment to even get to clarity, you've got to have courage to take action.
• 43:46
  SPEAKER_02: So courage.
• 43:47
  SPEAKER_00: Courage, okay, okay.
• 43:50
  SPEAKER_00: Let's see here.
• 43:51
  SPEAKER_00: Ask the hard question or give the hard answer.
• 43:55
  SPEAKER_02: Well, a lot of what I do is ask questions.
• 43:59
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 44:02
  SPEAKER_02: Probably ask the hard question.
• 44:07
  SPEAKER_00: Plan it perfectly or start before you're ready.
• 44:11
  SPEAKER_02: As a person that knows their number one saboteur is, you know, to to be a pleaser.
• 44:18
  SPEAKER_02: This one is I I I know daily that I do not want to fall into paralysis by perfection.
• 44:27
  SPEAKER_02: But it is a battle.
• 44:30
  SPEAKER_02: So I know that starting before you're ready, that's when the confidence comes.
• 44:35
  SPEAKER_02: That's what you need to do.
• 44:37
  SPEAKER_02: You have to act to change ACT, act change action changes things.
• 44:41
  SPEAKER_02: You have to take action first.
• 44:44
  SPEAKER_02: Not wait on it to be perfect.
• 44:46
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I totally agree with that.
• 44:49
  SPEAKER_00: Natural talent or intentional practice?
• 44:53
  SPEAKER_02: Intentional practice.
• 44:55
  unknown: Okay.
• 44:56
  SPEAKER_00: That makes sense.
• 44:57
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it makes sense if you mean for practice makes perfect, right?
• 45:00
  unknown: Right.
• 45:02
  SPEAKER_00: And uh speaking from a stage or facilitating around a table.
• 45:06
  SPEAKER_00: Which one do you prefer?
• 45:09
  SPEAKER_02: Facilitating around the table.
• 45:11
  SPEAKER_02: I like both, but I think that facilitating around the table is a bit has a a stronger connection than just speaking from the stage.
• 45:21
  SPEAKER_02: And again, I like both, but there is a connection piece that has to be as part of facilitating that I enjoy.
• 45:31
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah, I totally agree with that.
• 45:33
  SPEAKER_00: All right, perfect, perfect.
• 45:35
  SPEAKER_00: And then the last one is dream vacation or dream home?
• 45:39
  SPEAKER_02: Well, if the vacation is just a one and done, then I'll take the dream home.
• 45:44
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I mean, that makes perfect sense, right?
• 45:45
  SPEAKER_00: Because your home is home.
• 45:47
  SPEAKER_00: That's where you're going to be every day.
• 45:48
  SPEAKER_00: That's right.
• 45:49
  SPEAKER_02: If it's my dream home, I won't really need it.
• 45:50
  SPEAKER_02: It should be, yeah, my should be pretty nice.
• 45:54
  SPEAKER_00: Exactly.
• 45:54
  SPEAKER_00: As I was about to say, if yeah, if it's your dream home, you probably won't need a whole lot of vacations, probably.
• 45:59
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 46:00
  SPEAKER_00: Um yeah, because you got everything you need right there.
• 46:02
  SPEAKER_00: So all right, perfect, perfect.
• 46:05
  SPEAKER_00: All right.
• 46:05
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, I can I kind of want you to be as as candid as you can on the answer to this next question.
• 46:10
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I told you earlier we have a nice entrepreneurial audience that listens to the podcast every week.
• 46:15
  SPEAKER_00: So let's say uh a small entrepreneur, let's say a solo opera a solopreneur like yourself is listening to the podcast episode with you today.
• 46:22
  SPEAKER_00: And let's let's say they're just having a tough go of 2026, right?
• 46:25
  SPEAKER_00: We're already more than halfway around almost, you know, the last quarter here of the year.
• 46:30
  SPEAKER_00: But let's say we're just having a rough goal of 2026, right?
• 46:33
  SPEAKER_00: Just feeling stuck or overwhelmed, just not having a great go of the year, not profitable, just things aren't looking great, thinking about jumping back maybe to that prior nine to five that they left to start the business.
• 46:43
  SPEAKER_00: What's a piece of advice you'd give to that small entrepreneur?
• 46:47
  SPEAKER_02: I first want them to make sure that they intentionally reflect on what actually has they have accomplished because they might be feeling or not recognizing what they truly have accomplished.
• 47:02
  SPEAKER_02: That is so important.
• 47:04
  SPEAKER_02: We do not celebrate our wins or any kind of progress.
• 47:10
  SPEAKER_02: And it kind of gets us into this state of, I'm not where I wanted to be yet, instead of recognizing, look how far I've come.
• 47:18
  SPEAKER_02: So really be intentional about what is it that you've been able to accomplish, big or small.
• 47:26
  SPEAKER_02: And then going forward, thinking about what is the most important, like what is one small step that you know that you can take that will move that needle.
• 47:36
  SPEAKER_02: One of the things that I work when I work with teams or individual clients is what's called the 1% edge or the power of 1%.
• 47:45
  SPEAKER_02: This isn't a new concept, it's something that's been out there, but it is so true.
• 47:50
  SPEAKER_02: We have 1,440 minutes in a day.
• 47:54
  SPEAKER_02: 1% of that is less than 15 minutes a day.
• 47:57
  SPEAKER_02: How can you take 15 minutes today and move the needle forward for tomorrow?
• 48:04
  SPEAKER_02: Guarantee that you can find one small step, one phone call, one email, one minute for 15 minutes for yourself.
• 48:12
  SPEAKER_02: That is going to make a difference.
• 48:13
  SPEAKER_02: And then consistently do that every day and let that consistency compound.
• 48:19
  SPEAKER_02: Let that growth happen intentionally, little teeny bits at a time.
• 48:24
  SPEAKER_02: And guaranteed you are going to see movement, you're going to feel the momentum.
• 48:29
  SPEAKER_02: Even if that's in hindsight, it's going to happen by taking those small, small steps, small micro actions.
• 48:36
  SPEAKER_02: That's really what's going to lead you to where it is that you want to go.
• 48:41
  SPEAKER_02: And again, constantly reflect on where it is that you've come from because guaranteed you're making, you're making strides and you're making progress.
• 48:50
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 48:50
  SPEAKER_00: I love that.
• 48:52
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for that advice.
• 48:53
  SPEAKER_00: That's really good.
• 48:54
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, what what's next for uh Be Brave?
• 48:57
  SPEAKER_00: What should people be excited about coming up with in your future?
• 49:01
  SPEAKER_02: Willy, really, what I am working toward is again establishing those those partnerships where I can help people really prepare for 2027.
• 49:12
  SPEAKER_02: I think we're walking into the new year with a feeling of wow, my team's, my team feels aligned, my team feels on it, I'm clear, my team is clear, and we've got an action plan and a momentum plan in place.
• 49:29
  SPEAKER_02: That's big.
• 49:30
  SPEAKER_02: So helping teams do that again through that initial, initial kind of, hey, bring the team together.
• 49:36
  SPEAKER_02: And then just working through those eight, those eight sessions that I have to offer, working through those, customizing those as needed to help them really bridge that gap 1% at a time to really get them to where it is that they want to be at the end of 2027.
• 49:55
  SPEAKER_02: So helping helping them do that.
• 49:57
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, perfect, perfect.
• 49:59
  SPEAKER_00: And yeah, and you know, how does how does somebody connect with you and learn more about what you all do?
• 50:04
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, absolutely.
• 50:05
  SPEAKER_02: So be bravegroup.com is full of some information that talks about the default versus design framework.
• 50:14
  SPEAKER_02: There's also available on on the site.
• 50:17
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so if they go to be brave group.com slash design, there's a way to download a small check-in, which is a very quick check-in for a leader to take five to ten minutes and just sit down, be honest with themselves.
• 50:34
  SPEAKER_02: It's five questions that really out go through the different pillars of energy, right?
• 50:41
  SPEAKER_02: Are we how are we showing up?
• 50:43
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, contribution, are we clear about what it is that we're truly focused on?
• 50:48
  SPEAKER_02: Are we focused on the right things?
• 50:49
  SPEAKER_02: Um, as well as connection.
• 50:51
  SPEAKER_02: How are we intentionally investing in conversations and relationships that matter?
• 50:57
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and it kind of helps you kind of assess where do you feel like that you're showing up as a leader, but also as your team?
• 51:04
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, where are you, are you maybe skewed a little bit more in default than you recognize?
• 51:09
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, there's ways that then we can kind of work through that assessment to say, like, okay, where do we want to go next?
• 51:15
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so that's a free you know takeaway that that a leader can use to kind of just get a little taste of what the default to design framework kind of helps you unlock and discover.
• 51:27
  SPEAKER_02: And then my information's on the website there as well to connect.
• 51:32
  SPEAKER_02: I can meet virtually or in person and and really just kind of go a little bit further and do that discovery process to see how can how can we help you grow intentionally?
• 51:43
  SPEAKER_02: How can we help your team grow intentionally?
• 51:46
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, okay, perfect, perfect.
• 51:49
  SPEAKER_00: All right.
• 51:49
  SPEAKER_00: Well, Stephanie, again, thank you for coming on the podcast.
• 51:53
  SPEAKER_00: We really appreciated talking with you here.
• 51:54
  SPEAKER_00: It was a great story.
• 51:55
  SPEAKER_00: It's felt like you had some great nuggets here of advice for other entrepreneurs as well.
• 51:59
  SPEAKER_00: Any last words you'd like to give to the listening audience before we go ahead and sign off?
• 52:03
  SPEAKER_02: I don't think so.
• 52:04
  SPEAKER_02: I one of the things that I do mantra that I have that I I recommend to anyone is to grow through what you go through, no matter what that is.
• 52:15
  SPEAKER_02: There's always room for growth.
• 52:18
  SPEAKER_02: So, so just kind of keep that in mind.
• 52:19
  SPEAKER_02: And if there's ways that I can help do that, then you know how to get a hold of me.
• 52:24
  SPEAKER_00: All right, perfect, perfect.
• 52:25
  SPEAKER_00: All right.
• 52:26
  SPEAKER_00: Well, Stephanie, I again appreciate you coming on.
• 52:29
  SPEAKER_00: I really wish you continued success and uh with be brave as well.
• 52:32
  SPEAKER_00: Hope everything works out and uh, you know, you guys grow to uh you know as as much as you want to grow, right?
• 52:38
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, you know, because I know you've kind of talked about growth a little bit.
• 52:40
  SPEAKER_00: So uh wish you to continued success in the future with Be Brave.
• 52:44
  SPEAKER_00: And again, you know, this is Cliff McCray with the Action Coach Business Growth Partners.
• 52:48
  SPEAKER_00: We'll see you growth.
• 52:49
  SPEAKER_00: We'll see you next time.
• 52:50
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you, folks.
• 52:51
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you.