Latest / Curiously Guided Podcast / Ep.72 | Shootin’ Your Shot & Becoming a Full-Time Content Creator with LaShonda Brown, Tech Educator

Transcript

Ep.72 | Shootin’ Your Shot & Becoming a Full-Time Content Creator with LaShonda Brown, Tech Educator · Curiously Guided Podcast

• 0:07
  SPEAKER_02: Welcome to the Curiously Guided Podcast, the show for intentional business owners and curious minds looking to combine the inner work and outer work to create a life, business, and career that feels deeply fulfilling and wildly aligned on all levels.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_02: We're your hosts.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_02: I'm Shay.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm Mariah.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_01: We're two business strategists passionate about rewriting the rules to success in a way that combines both strategy and energetics.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_01: So this podcast started with both of us being in the online business world, craving more deep, meaningful, and transparent conversations.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_01: So we decided to come together and create a space to do just that.
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_01: Our guest interviews highlight cool humans doing cool shit, chasing their dreams, and going down their own rabbit holes to create a more sustainable and fulfilling life in whatever way that means for them.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_02: We see this podcast as everything that people won't share on social media.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_02: We don't give a fuck about highlight reels or proven frameworks.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_02: We love getting in the weeds, asking the tough questions, and doing the work to create a life and career we love, all while committing to ourselves and our personal growth.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_02: Because only through that lens can we truly create a lifestyle that feels good from the inside out.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome to the Curiously Guided Podcast.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_01: Are you ready to trust the nudge and let curiosity guide the way?
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_01: Because we're excited to shake shit up and live outside the box with you.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome back to the Curiously Guided Podcast.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_01: If this is your first episode, welcome.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_01: You are in for a serious treat.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_01: If this is not your first episode, welcome back.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_01: We appreciate you guys so much for tuning in and for listening.
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_01: And like it really does give me and Shay a like so much joy, truly, from just like having these conversations with people.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_01: And we walk away from the conversations like super inspired, super motivated, and we hope that that's the energy that you guys get from listening to these.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_01: So Lashonda, her episode is not like it's so good on so many different levels.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_01: And I think it's because like I was reflecting on, I was listening to it last night, and like we're just balancing kind of like a lot of polarities, like a lot of differences.
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_01: Like we talk about building community and just like building a business both online and offline, which I think is really important, and we dive into that, but also combining the inner work and the outer work.
• 2:39
  SPEAKER_01: Like through this conversation, we kind of just bounce back and forth through just like how it feels and just like the inside work that it takes and building confidence and inner work with like what it takes to fucking shoot your shot, what it takes to get in the room with opportunities and how to think about having conversations and stuff like that.
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_01: So I appreciate Lashonda bringing her genius into this conversation.
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_01: And the conversation also really reflects just like how Lashonda is as a person, like about she really focuses on more balance.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_01: And I actually I talk about it in this episode, but I just went to a retreat that she hosted back in October.
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_01: And it was super cool because like I've been to a lot of business retreats, and most of them, they're great, right?
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_01: Like we sit down and we have hot seats and and we have these conversations about business, and time is carved out to talk about business.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_01: But in this retreat, it wasn't like that.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_01: It was more about like online people getting together offline, and we just like hung out.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_01: Like there was no hot seats, there was no business strategizing.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_01: And I think that there is a time and place for that.
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_01: And of course, when you get a bunch of business owners together, we're going to naturally talk about business in certain conversations, but it was cool because like there wasn't any strategy time carved out.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_01: We did yoga, we did sound bath healing, we did um, we went to her local farmer's market and met like her local people that she really loves.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_01: And like we got to hang out and go to lunch and go to dinner and went to this really cool ice cream shop and then went on this walk and like checked out the mountains.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_01: And it was just so cool to be with people and to be people and to be human and to not have it fit into this business box.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_01: But like I said, of course we naturally weaved in, like, oh, this is what I'm working on, and like I'm so excited about this.
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_01: And like I made really good business friends, but also really fucking good human friends.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_01: So I think it was just a really good example of balancing the online and the offline and the inner work and the outer work.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_01: And like I just love Lashonda and like what she brings to this space, and I just love her perspectives on things.
• 4:55
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, Lashonda is such a good example of someone who is balancing the inner work with the outer work, which is the theme of this podcast that we've really been trying to explore.
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_02: And you're exactly right, you know, when you first mentioned Lashonda to me, she's a full-time content creator.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_02: And to me, like that is such like a seems like a mythical unic unicorn in a way in this online business space.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_02: Like we keep hearing, you know, oh, you can make a full-time income just by making content that's really fun and your people love.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_02: And it's like, okay, but what actually goes into that?
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_02: And does it require me to work 24-7 all nights and weekends?
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_02: I'm like chained to Instagram and have to be posting content, you know, endlessly.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_02: And Lashana's a good example of no, it gets to look like how the fuck you want it to look.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_02: And so she really pulls the curtain back on what it actually looks like to become a full-time content creator.
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_02: I was really inspired by how she really built her business by A, just showing up, sharing things that she cared about, and then B, listening to her audience and developing relationships with them, both online and offline, and how she let that really guide and feed and grow her business.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_02: And then that turns into these incredible things.
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_02: Like I'm about to read her bio here to y'all.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_02: I didn't even know you could do these things.
• 6:11
  SPEAKER_02: You know, Canva has verified experts.
• 6:13
  SPEAKER_02: You can be an instructor at Flowdesk.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_02: You know, she's just through sharing herself and being visible.
• 6:19
  SPEAKER_02: She's made all of these insane connections that I thought were impossible for normal folks.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_02: You know, and she's showing, you know, it's none of us are better or worse or in particular special.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_02: It's just more about be visible, show up for your people, listen, and keep it going, right?
• 6:35
  SPEAKER_02: And you'll be amazed at what opportunities unfold.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_02: So she really helped me kind of demystify what it means to be a content creator and what it means to get partnerships with these big brands and what that actually looks like.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_02: And she just made it very approachable and down to earth, which is definitely Ryanai's style.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_02: So I'm excited to share her story with y'all.
• 6:56
  SPEAKER_02: With that, let's jump into the bio.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_02: Lashonda Brown is an award-winning tech educator, YouTube coach and speaker based in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_02: Through her YouTube channel, Bootstrap Bizadvice, her virtual workshops, Lashonda teaches service providers how to work less and live more by leveraging tech and YouTube.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_02: Lashonda believes there is no shame in bootstrapping, and content will help you keep your expenses low and your profit margins high while you DIY.
• 7:25
  SPEAKER_02: Lashonda heavily advocates for sustainable, healthy rhythms in business and shares mindful living tips, often including her strategy for the 20-hour work week.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_02: She has a small business warrior and loves supporting her neighbors and friends through spontaneous acts of kindness in her local community.
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_02: Lashonda is one of 50 Canva verified experts in the world and also serves as a Flow Desk University instructor and an official ambassador for the new tech startup groove.
• 7:53
  SPEAKER_02: And with that, let's jump into her story.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, having Lashonda on the podcast is like one of my favorite full circle moments because I feel like I found her on YouTube from searching something random, ended up subscribing to her channel, and she's probably one of the only people that I would watch like all of her live streams, either after the fact or like during them.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_01: And like I just became obsessed the way that she was like approaching business.
• 8:22
  SPEAKER_01: And then she released YouTube coaching, and I signed up for her email list before that.
• 8:27
  SPEAKER_01: And she sent an email, and I literally sent an email back, and I was like, I don't know if I said bitch in it, but I literally was like, yo, bitch, I've been waiting for you to do this.
• 8:35
  SPEAKER_01: So once she released it, then I was like, now you have to hop on a call with me.
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_01: So she ended up helping me with YouTube, and then like through a couple of calls, we ended up becoming friends.
• 8:45
  SPEAKER_01: And recently I got to meet her in person at a retreat, and I feel like it's just really fucking cool because I think it was a year, a year ago, maybe.
• 8:55
  SPEAKER_01: It's like I would have been, I don't know, like super fucking stoked for you to come on the podcast and like now you're here, and this is just a really cool moment.
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_01: So welcome to Curiously Guided.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna say it's really good to see you, Mariah.
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_00: Because I just feel like it's so wild taking an internet person, meeting them in real life, and then sending us back to the internet.
• 9:19
  SPEAKER_00: It's just like, oh, we have like this whole past.
• 9:21
  SPEAKER_00: It's like we went to school together, and it's just really exciting to continue to have conversations with you.
• 9:26
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's it's really cool, like you said, like to meet people in person.
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_01: And then when you get to connect with them online, like this has happened between me and Shay too.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_01: Like me and Shay met online, then we met in person a couple times, then we come back online.
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_01: It's like you just have a deeper understanding of the people, and it's like you know their energy, and like you know, kind of like it's body language, but like on a deeper level, you know what I mean?
• 9:52
  SPEAKER_01: Like on video, you can kind of pick on like subtle things, body language and stuff like that, but like in person, it just feels different.
• 10:00
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, I think this is perfect timing in terms of doing this.
• 10:04
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm excited to talk about the topic of just like shooting your shot, becoming a full-time content creator, because I was telling Shay that you as a human, like you you like exude confidence in terms of just like getting yourself in the room or just like pitching yourself for opportunities, and you're just like not afraid to be to put your hand in the air and be like, oh, I can do that.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna do that, I'm gonna pitch myself for this, don't give a fuck.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna go over here and all of that.
• 10:35
  SPEAKER_01: But I think all of this, and it maybe started before this.
• 10:39
  SPEAKER_01: You can tell us, but like, how did this all start?
• 10:42
  SPEAKER_01: Like, how did you get into the world of YouTube?
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_01: Did all of this start before then?
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_01: Like, wherever you feel called to start the story.
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so I think that people assume I have a different origin story than I do simply because I kind of hit the ground running when I decided I wanted to be a full-time content creator.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_00: So my background, you know, originally was theater.
• 11:05
  SPEAKER_00: And my husband and I own a video production company and spent a decade doing corporate video.
• 11:11
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it was like welcome to fill in the blank, go to this national park and here's what you can expect.
• 11:18
  SPEAKER_00: And I just had this moment where I just thought, okay, we have a skill set, we're completely capable of making content for other people.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_00: But what if I was a client?
• 11:28
  SPEAKER_00: Like, what if we made videos for ourselves?
• 11:30
  SPEAKER_00: Like, what would that look like?
• 11:32
  SPEAKER_00: And so it was a really sweet moment of saying, okay, I can repackage what I do for a different audience.
• 11:39
  SPEAKER_00: Who do I want to serve and how do I want to show up?
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_00: And I just thought, you know, a lot of entrepreneurs are kind of feeling bad about having to bootstrap their businesses.
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_00: But in a lot of ways, being frugal and being financially responsible in the early stages is a really positive thing.
• 11:57
  SPEAKER_00: And so I almost wanted to remove the stigma of bootstrapping.
• 12:00
  SPEAKER_00: And so I called the channel Bootstrap Biz Advice.
• 12:03
  SPEAKER_00: And the original goal was to help people to grow their biz without breaking the bank.
• 12:07
  SPEAKER_00: How can we go about growing our online businesses without going into debt doing it?
• 12:14
  SPEAKER_00: And so all of my solutions were super affordable.
• 12:17
  SPEAKER_00: And I was like, well, I'll just share, you know, what I'm doing, what I'm learning.
• 12:21
  SPEAKER_00: And then I realized, like, oh yeah, I guess this could be a job.
• 12:24
  SPEAKER_00: And so I began to think, like, okay, I have no desire to vlog my life or do hauls of what I'm wearing or slapping on my face, but I will tell you what I'm using on my computer and what's saving me time and helping me live a more fulfilling life.
• 12:38
  SPEAKER_00: And so that's the angle I took.
• 12:40
  SPEAKER_00: And I was so shocked to see how many people really resonated with that and how I was able to fill a gap.
• 12:46
  SPEAKER_00: So that was not the original vision.
• 12:48
  SPEAKER_00: Didn't grow up thinking, oh, if I could only be a YouTuber.
• 12:52
  SPEAKER_00: But YouTube provides me that platform to teach at scale.
• 12:56
  SPEAKER_00: And I absolutely love that about it.
• 13:00
  SPEAKER_02: Can you tell us a little bit more about like the audience that you've uh started to draw and pull together?
• 13:05
  SPEAKER_02: Like, what are the people like?
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_00: They're like Mariah.
• 13:10
  SPEAKER_00: They're honestly, it's a lot.
• 13:12
  SPEAKER_00: So what's interesting, I'm really into data.
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_00: And I looked at the data with my channel and it's actually spit split right down the middle.
• 13:22
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I've got a community of both men and women who really like concise, to the point tutorials, biz reviews, and business advice.
• 13:32
  SPEAKER_00: And so it's a really good mix of people from all around the world who have a specific perspective on business.
• 13:39
  SPEAKER_00: Like that's what we have in common.
• 13:41
  SPEAKER_00: And so I have just met some of the most intelligent, thought-provoking people because of this YouTube channel that I never would have met otherwise.
• 13:49
  SPEAKER_00: So it's cool.
• 13:50
  SPEAKER_00: I really like cultivating a community on that platform because YouTube is different than Instagram and other platforms like that, where it's less about being that megaphone and just putting content out there, hoping someone listens.
• 14:04
  SPEAKER_00: And it's more like a telephone.
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_00: There's way more conversations happening with that community.
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_00: And so it really fits in well with my personality type.
• 14:12
  SPEAKER_00: So I prefer it.
• 14:14
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I feel like your style of videos is what really connected me to you and the fact that you had a shirt that says tutorials are my love language, because like that's what I love creating.
• 14:27
  SPEAKER_01: And I always heard if you want to make it on YouTube, you have to do this kind of video and that kind of video.
• 14:33
  SPEAKER_01: And you were the only one that I found that was like, I'm I fucking love tutorials.
• 14:39
  SPEAKER_01: And then like later you started adding in live streams in order to like build a community.
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_01: And I think that that's really cool and just another testament that like you can grow your business, you can get visible in a way that feels good and aligned for you.
• 14:55
  SPEAKER_01: And I feel like one of the questions that I want to dive into, but so basically it's it's getting over the fear of putting yourself out there, right?
• 15:05
  SPEAKER_01: Because a lot of people have fear.
• 15:07
  SPEAKER_01: But my perspective, I guess, when you say I have a theater background, is well, I've never had fear about putting myself out there.
• 15:15
  SPEAKER_01: I've always been on stage and doing stuff.
• 15:18
  SPEAKER_01: So I guess, like, is that perspective correct?
• 15:20
  SPEAKER_01: Like, what is that?
• 15:23
  SPEAKER_00: Well, I mean, theater definitely teaches you teaches you how to deal with rejection for sure.
• 15:28
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I think that everyone at some point should take a theater class because I think just feeling comfortable in your own skin is good no matter what job you have.
• 15:38
  SPEAKER_00: I also think that what's so beautiful about theater is that you learn how to study life so you can imitate it.
• 15:44
  SPEAKER_00: And so you're way more attuned to people's body languages.
• 15:48
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, I just feel like you're just, I don't know, as a person, I think just being comfortable in your skin and being self-aware enough to know how people are perceiving you really helps in the long run.
• 16:00
  SPEAKER_00: So I definitely think transitioning from being on stage to being on camera wasn't as difficult as a leap.
• 16:08
  SPEAKER_00: However, I will say when you're doing theater, you're focused on being someone else.
• 16:15
  SPEAKER_00: When you're speaking on camera and you're educating, that's you.
• 16:19
  SPEAKER_00: That's your opinion.
• 16:20
  SPEAKER_00: These are your words.
• 16:21
  SPEAKER_00: And so you can't really hide behind a costume or a character.
• 16:25
  SPEAKER_00: You're being vulnerable.
• 16:26
  SPEAKER_00: And so I think that a lot of people assume that, oh, because I live stream it, oh, because I'm on camera, that I am just so fearless and super confident and nothing rattles me.
• 16:35
  SPEAKER_00: And like that is so far from the truth.
• 16:38
  SPEAKER_00: I think realizing that doing the thing is what builds your confidence.
• 16:42
  SPEAKER_00: You don't have to be confident to start.
• 16:44
  SPEAKER_00: If you don't start enough, you don't build up that confidence muscle.
• 16:48
  SPEAKER_00: And so just like any other muscle, you have to use it.
• 16:50
  SPEAKER_00: And it gets, it gets a lot easier over time.
• 16:53
  SPEAKER_00: So I think that, you know, YouTube has given me that stage, that virtual stage that I can step on whenever I want.
• 17:00
  SPEAKER_00: And so that's fun.
• 17:01
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but yeah, there is something to be said about just feeling confident enough in yourself that my people will find me.
• 17:10
  SPEAKER_00: I just need to put myself out there enough times for them to do that.
• 17:13
  SPEAKER_00: Helps a lot.
• 17:15
  SPEAKER_02: And how long did that take for you?
• 17:17
  SPEAKER_02: Like when you were getting started.
• 17:18
  SPEAKER_02: I'm glad Mariah said that because I had the same thought.
• 17:20
  SPEAKER_02: I was like, oh, she did theater.
• 17:22
  SPEAKER_02: Um I see like it can be different, but I'm curious, what did that look like for you as you were getting started?
• 17:27
  SPEAKER_02: And you're, I agree, confidence comes through proof, right?
• 17:30
  SPEAKER_02: So you're getting those little data points over and over.
• 17:32
  SPEAKER_02: But take us back to like the beginning.
• 17:34
  SPEAKER_02: Like, what were some of the like fears or concerns you had about putting your own personal self and opinions out there?
• 17:41
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I remember when Periscope came out, and I really thought that app was super intriguing because I'm like, okay, you're live streaming to complete strangers.
• 17:52
  SPEAKER_00: Like, what would that look like?
• 17:53
  SPEAKER_00: So I ended up like getting an iPhone because at the time, like iPhone users could use it, you know, before everyone else.
• 18:00
  SPEAKER_00: And I remember the first time I went live and I was so sweaty, like I was so nervous and I was shocked.
• 18:07
  SPEAKER_00: I'm like, I can't see anyone, I can't hear anyone.
• 18:10
  SPEAKER_00: Why am I so stressed?
• 18:12
  SPEAKER_00: And it was the feeling that I can't take this back.
• 18:16
  SPEAKER_00: There are no redoos.
• 18:18
  SPEAKER_00: You know, well, what happens if I misspeak?
• 18:20
  SPEAKER_00: What happens if I forget?
• 18:21
  SPEAKER_00: What happens if I, you know, technical difficulties or what have you?
• 18:25
  SPEAKER_00: And I think the reality is that's always an option, whether you're in person or online, like life happens.
• 18:34
  SPEAKER_00: And so when you start to realize that even when things don't go according to plan, when you acknowledge it, you know, instead of trying to fight it, when you make it a part of the story, then all of a sudden it kind of loses its power over you.
• 18:50
  SPEAKER_00: And so it's like, okay, well, if you forget what you want to say, just say that, you know, and then give it to the audience.
• 18:56
  SPEAKER_00: What do you want to know?
• 18:57
  SPEAKER_00: Because I completely forgot what I was gonna say, you know, and then all of a sudden it takes that pressure off because you're like, okay, I don't have to be polished and perfect to grow a business.
• 19:08
  SPEAKER_00: I just have to be human.
• 19:09
  SPEAKER_00: And I think when people sense that, when they're like, oh my gosh, I can relate to this person, this person is real, they're genuine, that's gonna take you so much further than feeling like everything has to be, you know, prim, proper, and polished.
• 19:24
  SPEAKER_00: So I think jumping in the deep end and realizing that even when things mess up, you can still help someone out there.
• 19:34
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, it made it a lot easier for me.
• 19:36
  SPEAKER_00: So I would just encourage people, find an area where you can explore and play and fall and just get back up again.
• 19:46
  SPEAKER_00: So maybe that means, you know, going live with some of your friends to practice first, you know, maybe that means an unlisted video until you feel comfortable putting it out there in public.
• 19:55
  SPEAKER_00: But I think if you can get comfortable with that, then you'll find yourself really enjoying the process of creating.
• 20:04
  SPEAKER_01: You know, you you've connected a dot a little bit that I don't think that I've connected before.
• 20:09
  SPEAKER_01: So it's like we're saying that in order to build confidence, you have to take action.
• 20:14
  SPEAKER_01: And confidence is built through action.
• 20:16
  SPEAKER_01: But I think what confidence really is, is just building up the muscle to figure it out.
• 20:24
  SPEAKER_01: That's what confidence is, is essentially strengthening your self-trust to be like, whatever happens, I'm going to figure it out.
• 20:33
  SPEAKER_01: It's not just like I walk into a room and I know everything.
• 20:36
  SPEAKER_01: It's like, that's arrogance, not confidence.
• 20:40
  SPEAKER_01: There's a difference here.
• 20:42
  SPEAKER_01: And so confidence is truly being like, I know that I can figure it out.
• 20:47
  SPEAKER_01: And if shit goes out, I'll figure it out because I've always figured it out.
• 20:52
  SPEAKER_01: And I just think of this example.
• 20:54
  SPEAKER_01: I think me and me and Andrew were watching, we watch like comedy skits and stuff like that.
• 21:00
  SPEAKER_01: And we watch this one show, and there's people that come up and they have a minute of time to do one minute of comedy and whatever.
• 21:08
  SPEAKER_01: And we've noticed that the most like cringe-worthy things are the ones where people will do something, like they'll walk up and like accidentally knock the microphone stand over.
• 21:18
  SPEAKER_01: And it's only cringy when they don't acknowledge it.
• 21:22
  SPEAKER_01: When they don't acknowledge it, everybody's sitting here, like, oh God, they're trying to ignore that that didn't happen.
• 21:28
  SPEAKER_01: And now we all feel anxiety for them.
• 21:30
  SPEAKER_01: But if they were just like, Where the fuck did that microphone stand come from?
• 21:34
  SPEAKER_01: I literally didn't even think shit.
• 21:36
  SPEAKER_01: Now you get to like giggle with them and be like, okay, yeah, now it makes it more human instead of ignoring it.
• 21:42
  SPEAKER_00: And so I feel like that's well, and it includes it includes the audience in with it too, right?
• 21:47
  SPEAKER_00: And so it's like when you ignore when real life happens, you put you know, the people in the room in this awkward situation where it's like, I'm waiting for you to acknowledge what we all experience together.
• 21:59
  SPEAKER_00: And so it's Almost that feeling of you mentally putting up that wall of like, oh, I need to protect, you know, my pride.
• 22:05
  SPEAKER_00: I need to protect myself when instead let the wall down and let people in.
• 22:09
  SPEAKER_00: And then you can have that experience together.
• 22:11
  SPEAKER_00: And it'll probably lead to a much more beautiful experience.
• 22:15
  SPEAKER_00: So I mean, I notice that a lot when I see speakers speak in person because I have seen, you know, incredible best-selling author, keynote speakers have a clicker network and really get frazzled because of it.
• 22:29
  SPEAKER_00: And, you know, in that circumstance, it's like, okay, well, let the audience in on that.
• 22:35
  SPEAKER_00: Make a joke out of it.
• 22:36
  SPEAKER_00: Tell the tech guy in the back, the clicking, clicking.
• 22:39
  SPEAKER_00: You know what I mean?
• 22:40
  SPEAKER_00: So it's like when you do include people, you allow yourself to have a much more beautiful moment than, you know, trying to manufacture something that isn't real.
• 22:50
  SPEAKER_00: So I mean, it's it's hard because I think everyone wants to just show up and always need to perform at their best.
• 22:58
  SPEAKER_00: But I think, you know, the last few years have taught all of us you can be the most prepared for life as you want, but things happen.
• 23:06
  SPEAKER_00: And so it's how we, how we evolve, how we, how we pivot, how we, you know, accommodate new situations will really, really show people what we're made of.
• 23:18
  SPEAKER_00: So I, you know, have fun.
• 23:20
  SPEAKER_00: Life doesn't have to be so serious.
• 23:21
  SPEAKER_00: I think that's a big thing with business, is that we really stress ourselves out just trying to be super serious all the time.
• 23:28
  SPEAKER_00: When you realize that everyone else just wants to laugh a little bit more, it makes everything a lot better.
• 23:36
  SPEAKER_02: Mic drop.
• 23:37
  SPEAKER_02: That's so good.
• 23:38
  SPEAKER_02: I agree.
• 23:38
  SPEAKER_02: I've been feeling like we're all this whole non.
• 23:40
  SPEAKER_02: Our grip is all so tight.
• 23:42
  SPEAKER_02: Like, where's the levity?
• 23:43
  SPEAKER_02: Where's the fun?
• 23:44
  SPEAKER_02: Where's the joy in all of this?
• 23:45
  SPEAKER_02: That isn't that why we got here in the first place, you know.
• 23:48
  SPEAKER_00: So uh we Well, we all said we love this, we love doing what we do, you know.
• 23:52
  SPEAKER_00: And I just think that whole like, you know, just white knuckling life and just like, oh, everything's just gotta be just so.
• 23:57
  SPEAKER_00: And it's like, let's just laugh a little.
• 24:00
  SPEAKER_00: We're the grown-ups in the room.
• 24:01
  SPEAKER_00: That's funny.
• 24:01
  SPEAKER_00: Like, that's genuinely funny.
• 24:03
  SPEAKER_00: It's okay to acknowledge it.
• 24:05
  SPEAKER_01: We are the grown-ups in the room.
• 24:07
  SPEAKER_00: I love that.
• 24:08
  SPEAKER_01: Isn't it bizarre sometimes to think about?
• 24:11
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 24:12
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, yeah.
• 24:12
  SPEAKER_02: I've been in teaching settings before.
• 24:14
  SPEAKER_02: I like spent some time teaching in my early days, and um, there was a group of boys that broke out fighting, and I looked around.
• 24:21
  SPEAKER_02: I was like, who, where's the teacher that's gonna come solve this?
• 24:24
  SPEAKER_02: And it's like, oh shoot, it's me.
• 24:27
  SPEAKER_02: I'm the adult.
• 24:28
  SPEAKER_00: I'm the grown-up.
• 24:30
  SPEAKER_02: That's such a good realization.
• 24:31
  SPEAKER_02: But no, not to deralize too much.
• 24:33
  SPEAKER_02: I really love that point about find the levity, find the joy in all of this.
• 24:38
  SPEAKER_02: There's always an opportunity.
• 24:39
  SPEAKER_02: And I want to go through, like, okay, so two fears I know people have about putting themselves out there.
• 24:44
  SPEAKER_02: Number one, how did you feel about like, oh, so and so I went to church with is gonna see this, or like, oh, I don't want so-and-so, or my ex-boyfriend is gonna see this.
• 24:53
  SPEAKER_02: Did you have any kind of fears around that?
• 24:56
  SPEAKER_00: Oh yeah.
• 24:57
  SPEAKER_00: Oh yeah.
• 24:57
  SPEAKER_00: And I and I think what's funny too is like the amount of people that I run into who really think they understand every aspect of my life because of social media, I find it hysterical.
• 25:08
  SPEAKER_00: You know, they're like, oh, I saw you on the Facebook.
• 25:10
  SPEAKER_00: I know exactly what's going on.
• 25:12
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, no, you don't.
• 25:15
  SPEAKER_00: But I thank you for feeling included.
• 25:18
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but I I think it's it's hard because you have when you have a offline and online life, right?
• 25:25
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes the two flow back and forth effortlessly.
• 25:29
  SPEAKER_00: And other times you're like, no, this is my online life and this is my in-person life.
• 25:34
  SPEAKER_00: And so I think for me personally, I had to start learning how to protect the things that I didn't want out there for public consumption, to not feel obligated to share every aspect of everything with everyone.
• 25:48
  SPEAKER_00: So that if I did run into someone in person, it's like everything you can see online is what I feel comfortable with you seeing and knowing.
• 25:55
  SPEAKER_00: And if it's something that I just want to cherish for myself, I'll keep it for myself.
• 25:59
  SPEAKER_00: And so I think that was like a really healthy boundary.
• 26:02
  SPEAKER_00: And I had to take some time because I have a lot of friends with much bigger audiences because of what they create.
• 26:08
  SPEAKER_00: And we all kind of go back and forth about you want people to feel that sense of community, but you also don't want to feel beholden and you also don't want, you know, to put your safety at risk, right?
• 26:21
  SPEAKER_00: And so there's always that balance of like, oh, here's this monumental thing that happened, just bought a house, but maybe we don't put the house number on the internet.
• 26:30
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe we don't show the whole neighborhood, you know, because sometimes people like to visit.
• 26:34
  SPEAKER_00: And so just really, really deciding like, okay, from the beginning, what do I feel comfortable with putting out on the internet?
• 26:41
  SPEAKER_00: And then once you come up with those boundaries for yourself, then you can feel free to lean in within the box that you've created.
• 26:48
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that's a super helpful thing to do if you want to be a content creator.
• 26:53
  SPEAKER_02: I think that's so true, having those clear, firm boundaries.
• 26:56
  SPEAKER_02: And you get to decide what they are because I'm sure it can look different for all of us.
• 26:59
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, my next one for you.
• 27:01
  SPEAKER_02: This is my fear.
• 27:02
  SPEAKER_02: What if I just don't have enough to talk about?
• 27:04
  SPEAKER_02: What if I can't think of new ideas?
• 27:06
  SPEAKER_02: Like, what if I just run out of things to say?
• 27:09
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and I think that's a common thing because you know, you you kind of lean into those topics that you talk about often, and then you find yourself going, like, okay, well, well, now what?
• 27:19
  SPEAKER_00: You know, how do I keep the conversation going?
• 27:21
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that's where having some type of community-based side of your business is so essential because your community will tell you what they need.
• 27:31
  SPEAKER_00: Your community will tell you what they want to know.
• 27:33
  SPEAKER_00: And so if you've got a means for them to talk back, whether it's a live stream or it's, you know, some Instagram posts or even just the community tab, you know, you can crowdsource topics.
• 27:46
  SPEAKER_00: And I think also, you know, I don't do it as often as some other creators, but I do think it's important when things happen from a news perspective in, you know, like the online business community, it's okay to make the top of your opinion on things that are impacting a lot of people.
• 28:04
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and so I think like situations like when threads came out, I thought that was like a really interesting scenario where we're all kind of like waiting for someone to say, now what do we do with this thing?
• 28:15
  SPEAKER_00: Like it's cool that it's new, but like what is it?
• 28:18
  SPEAKER_00: Do I need to be on it?
• 28:20
  SPEAKER_00: How am I supposed to be showing up?
• 28:22
  SPEAKER_00: Like, what is this?
• 28:24
  SPEAKER_00: And so that was a really good opportunity for you know, educators and thought leaders to say, okay, we are starting, we're seeing a social media platform start from the beginning.
• 28:34
  SPEAKER_00: We get to set the tone for what this thing is gonna be.
• 28:37
  SPEAKER_00: Here, here are my thoughts on it.
• 28:39
  SPEAKER_00: So I think that, you know, when you're really got it, when you really have a pulse on what's happening around you, that's also a great source of content.
• 28:48
  SPEAKER_00: Because sometimes you just have to speak up and say, hey, I know this is what everybody else is saying, but let me throw in my opinion and just see what you think.
• 28:57
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think that that's really good.
• 28:59
  SPEAKER_01: And it just goes to show like how important community and relationship building is.
• 29:05
  SPEAKER_01: Like if you are, regardless if you want to be a content creator or not, if you just want to be a business owner and sell stuff, who are you selling stuff to?
• 29:14
  SPEAKER_01: Probably your community and the people that you're creating relationships with.
• 29:18
  SPEAKER_01: And so I think, especially in this online world, we forget that there's an offline world, we forget that there's a local community, we forget that there's opportunities local.
• 29:32
  SPEAKER_01: And I kind of was was starting to realize this um uh a couple months ago when me and Andrew were living in the mountains of Asheville, North Carolina, and we're away from all of our family and friends.
• 29:43
  SPEAKER_01: It's just me, Andrew, the raccoons and the squirrels hanging out, and it was great.
• 29:47
  SPEAKER_01: And I got so much time to really dive into like my online space and create, and like, man, I was in the zone.
• 29:53
  SPEAKER_01: And then I got to a point where I was like, fuck, I'm really craving like some in-person stuff.
• 30:01
  SPEAKER_01: But if you would have asked me three years ago when I lived in Buffalo with all of my family and friends and everybody from high school, I was like, you cannot pay a girl to go to an in-person networking thing.
• 30:12
  SPEAKER_01: I would rather eat shards of glass than do that.
• 30:16
  SPEAKER_01: Literally, that's what I thought.
• 30:18
  SPEAKER_01: And then I'm like secluded and I'm like, well, wouldn't it be nice if there was an in-person marketing or like networking event that I could go to?
• 30:27
  SPEAKER_01: But and then I started realizing like how many of us get so focused on like building our audiences online, building a YouTube community online, building like a lot of business owners will start an Instagram and they're trying to build like this big Instagram following.
• 30:43
  SPEAKER_01: And it's like, what about your local community?
• 30:47
  SPEAKER_01: Why are we ignoring them?
• 30:50
  SPEAKER_01: Because it's it's so important to be able to tap into that.
• 30:53
  SPEAKER_01: And I mean, just knowing you personally, you're really fucking connected.
• 30:58
  SPEAKER_01: I feel like in person and online.
• 31:02
  SPEAKER_01: Has that always been a thing?
• 31:10
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• 31:17
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• 32:40
  SPEAKER_01: All right, let's take you back to the episode.
• 32:48
  SPEAKER_00: You know, when we started our business, Facebook was not a way to get business.
• 32:55
  SPEAKER_00: It was very interesting.
• 32:56
  SPEAKER_00: So we started our video production company in 2011.
• 33:01
  SPEAKER_00: And so I think at the time, Facebook was more like, I call it like the proof of life platform.
• 33:06
  SPEAKER_00: It's like, we're still alive, we're still here, here's what we've been doing.
• 33:11
  SPEAKER_00: But it wasn't like tripwires, funnels, countdown timers.
• 33:16
  SPEAKER_00: Like it was not that at that time.
• 33:18
  SPEAKER_00: And so all I knew was in person.
• 33:21
  SPEAKER_00: All I knew was, you know, the networking groups and the chamber of commerce and the ribbon cuttings and, you know, the classic way of building a business in person.
• 33:30
  SPEAKER_00: And so, you know, when I started doing business online, I really felt like I had to choose at that time.
• 33:38
  SPEAKER_00: So there was kind of like a pivot to like all in person.
• 33:41
  SPEAKER_00: Then I was all online.
• 33:42
  SPEAKER_00: And then I thought, wait a second, I'm making my life a lot harder because it is so much easier for me to go to coffee with a friend and say, hey, it's been like three years since we did one of your videos.
• 33:54
  SPEAKER_00: Do you need new content and walk away with work than to create a webinar and market the webinar and get people in?
• 34:01
  SPEAKER_00: And then so I think when you have a hybrid approach to business or just multiple streams of income, you take so much of the pressure of business off your plate.
• 34:11
  SPEAKER_00: When you've got all your eggs in one basket and you're like, you know, online or bust, you know, then you're competing with the whole world because it's a global economy.
• 34:22
  SPEAKER_00: But when you have some type of offline presence, then you can be a big fish in a small pond.
• 34:28
  SPEAKER_00: And there's a place for that too.
• 34:30
  SPEAKER_00: And so I think I think that was probably what was so special about having like online friends come to my community because it was almost like I was able to see again from a new perspective the value of just being recognized in your backyard.
• 34:46
  SPEAKER_00: Like it feels nice to go places and to have people know who you are, even if they're not, you know, your ideal customer.
• 34:53
  SPEAKER_00: I think being a well-rounded person is always going to help you to grow online.
• 34:58
  SPEAKER_00: So I love the laptop life.
• 35:00
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's cute that we can travel all over and work from wherever, but looking around and, you know, sometimes just being where your feet are is a really healthy thing to do.
• 35:11
  SPEAKER_01: Lashonda is a local celebrity at her local farmer's market.
• 35:16
  SPEAKER_01: I feel like everybody were walking around, they're like, Lashonda, Lashonda, Lashonda.
• 35:21
  SPEAKER_01: It was like, this is amazing.
• 35:23
  SPEAKER_01: Also, it made me jealous.
• 35:25
  SPEAKER_01: Like it made me jealous in terms of like I didn't have uh a local community where I was because also I knew it's like I'm not building a local community in Asheville because I ain't staying here.
• 35:35
  SPEAKER_01: Like we knew that we were and so it made me be like, damn, dude.
• 35:39
  SPEAKER_01: And then like you posted a video, like this is a good example too.
• 35:42
  SPEAKER_01: You ended up posting a video on your YouTube channel for your online community of like, hey, this is ways that you can give back to your local people or connect with your local people.
• 35:52
  SPEAKER_01: And I remember commenting on that, and I was like, you're making me want to plant roots and to stop like moving around so much.
• 36:00
  SPEAKER_01: Because it's like when I was back in Buffalo, I think that I did need to move away in order to have this perspective because I lived in Buffalo my whole life.
• 36:08
  SPEAKER_01: I even thought, like, three years ago, you can ache.
• 36:10
  SPEAKER_01: We were in a group, and I was like, I ain't never leaving Buffalo.
• 36:13
  SPEAKER_01: It's my home base, like never ever.
• 36:15
  SPEAKER_01: And then I was like, gotta go, bye.
• 36:17
  SPEAKER_01: And I think that I needed that.
• 36:19
  SPEAKER_01: But now it's like I'm coming back with like a new, fresh perspective of how much juice there really is.
• 36:27
  SPEAKER_01: And now I'm seeing these threads be pulled through in like my online conversations with things, like new business owners coming up.
• 36:35
  SPEAKER_01: I have friends from high school reaching out, hey, I'm starting a new business.
• 36:37
  SPEAKER_01: Like, what do you think I should do?
• 36:38
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm like, talk to your neighbor, like, talk to your people around you.
• 36:44
  SPEAKER_01: Start there, and you can always bring them online.
• 36:47
  SPEAKER_01: But like you were saying, it's harder to like host a webinar and expect all of these random ass people that never met you to show up, versus what if you held an event at a local coffee shop and now you're like inviting people that you've met in person.
• 37:02
  SPEAKER_01: It's just it's a different level.
• 37:04
  SPEAKER_01: And I think that we're starting to realize that like we can do both, but like that walk in between and the awareness of it, like we've never been in a season of time in the world where we had to balance both.
• 37:21
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 37:22
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and I think I think the thing too is to understand that wherever you are, just honoring honoring the people around you where they are, like meeting them where they are.
• 37:34
  SPEAKER_00: It's like if I had walked in the farmer's market and you know, walked up to Dorothy and said, Dorothy, what you really need to do, girl, is you need to host a a summit.
• 37:46
  SPEAKER_00: I need to see a farmer's market virtual summit.
• 37:49
  SPEAKER_00: I need breakout rooms, I need, you know, an active chat.
• 37:53
  SPEAKER_00: I need a special one-time offer.
• 37:56
  SPEAKER_00: She would look me dead in my face and say, Lashonda, you know you just taught me how to make a reel.
• 38:00
  SPEAKER_00: Like, what are you saying to me?
• 38:01
  SPEAKER_00: You know, and so it's like understanding that there's value in how they do business, that it's face-to-face, it's email, it's text, it's phone call.
• 38:12
  SPEAKER_00: That's perfectly fine.
• 38:13
  SPEAKER_00: And then when I get online, it's like, it's very rare that I have an online person's phone number.
• 38:19
  SPEAKER_00: Like that's how you know, like you're basically cousins at that point, because it's like, no, no, no.
• 38:23
  SPEAKER_00: If you get in a number, it's probably Google Voice.
• 38:24
  SPEAKER_00: If you're getting an address, it's probably a P.O.
• 38:26
  SPEAKER_00: box.
• 38:27
  SPEAKER_00: It's a whole different mindset.
• 38:28
  SPEAKER_00: And so I think just honoring the fact that online life functions a certain way, offline functions a certain way.
• 38:35
  SPEAKER_00: And it's not that one is behind the other or ahead of the other.
• 38:38
  SPEAKER_00: It's just different, you know, and just knowing the culture of where you're at is super important because I think when you're trying to find that balance, sometimes it's tempting to want to push people beyond where they're at and really embracing where they are and seeing the beauty and the value in that early on makes the relationships way more meaningful.
• 39:00
  SPEAKER_00: And so, like Dorothy thought it was amazing that she was in my YouTube video.
• 39:03
  SPEAKER_00: She's like, oh my gosh, that's amazing.
• 39:06
  SPEAKER_00: That's so cool.
• 39:07
  SPEAKER_00: I didn't even see you getting this footage.
• 39:09
  SPEAKER_00: And so it was just beautiful to make her excited about what she's doing.
• 39:15
  SPEAKER_00: She's used to, you know, a couple thousand people seeing what she's doing on a, you know, every weekend.
• 39:22
  SPEAKER_00: But now thousands of people online can now see what she's doing in our backyard.
• 39:27
  SPEAKER_00: And that's a beautiful thing.
• 39:29
  SPEAKER_00: So I think that's something that I learned because in the beginning I didn't quite know how to strike the balance.
• 39:34
  SPEAKER_00: And so it's gonna, it's gonna be messy before, you know, it makes sense, but be willing to try to figure that out.
• 39:41
  SPEAKER_02: Well, and I like what you're saying is how they can kind of beautifully come together and like help each other, and you don't have to sacrifice one for the other.
• 39:48
  SPEAKER_02: It can all kind of work harmoniously together.
• 39:50
  SPEAKER_02: So I think that's awesome.
• 39:51
  SPEAKER_02: And I always laugh, people are always shocked when you're like, you can build a business without social media.
• 39:56
  SPEAKER_02: And it's like, yeah, for all of time, people have been building.
• 40:01
  SPEAKER_00: I will tell you, I think the thing that was shocking is I I was a fractional CMO for um a jewelry company at one point because I've lived like nine lives.
• 40:10
  SPEAKER_00: And I remember asking them, I'm like, okay, we have to invite people to our annual sale.
• 40:16
  SPEAKER_00: Like, where's the email list?
• 40:17
  SPEAKER_00: And they're like, I don't know what you're talking about.
• 40:19
  SPEAKER_00: We don't email, we send stuff in the mail.
• 40:22
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, wait, like physical mail, like in my mailbox?
• 40:25
  SPEAKER_00: They're like, Yeah, we make invitations every year.
• 40:29
  SPEAKER_00: We mail them every year, and people get upset if they don't get them in the mail.
• 40:34
  SPEAKER_00: That is how we roll, you know, and they were perfectly fine in a beautiful business, you know, almost a hundred years in business.
• 40:40
  SPEAKER_00: And it's like, yeah, there there is a life outside of social media.
• 40:44
  SPEAKER_00: Social media is is great and it serves a purpose, but there's also a time and place for just face-to-face interactions or just slow living.
• 40:55
  SPEAKER_00: We don't have to always move at a fast pace.
• 40:57
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, phone calls.
• 40:59
  SPEAKER_02: How cool is that?
• 41:00
  SPEAKER_02: It means that I say when everyone's zigging, you should zag.
• 41:02
  SPEAKER_02: Now, if I got a special invitation in the mail, how special would that feel?
• 41:05
  SPEAKER_02: You know, like that's such an innovative idea.
• 41:08
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I love those kind of stories.
• 41:10
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, I actually have something.
• 41:11
  SPEAKER_02: Mariah, I have a question for you.
• 41:12
  SPEAKER_02: I don't know that we've ever done this.
• 41:14
  SPEAKER_02: When, you know, we wanted to have Lashonda on this podcast.
• 41:17
  SPEAKER_02: The whole idea is that she shoots her shot.
• 41:20
  SPEAKER_02: Will you share with us a couple examples where Lashonda has shot her shot that you were really impressed with?
• 41:25
  SPEAKER_02: Because I know you've shared some with me, and I want to share it with the audience too.
• 41:30
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I feel like like getting on podcasts, like the opportunities in terms of sponsorships.
• 41:39
  SPEAKER_01: Lashonda has behind the scenes like shown me how she pitches some of these like packages and opportunities and like sends them within like 48 hours, like a custom proposal slide deck thing for people.
• 41:53
  SPEAKER_01: And like, I was like, what, dude?
• 41:56
  SPEAKER_01: I didn't even realize what.
• 41:58
  SPEAKER_01: And then it's like the Canva verified expert, and just like getting these bigger tech companies and just like getting maybe not even sponsored right away, but like getting them to notice you, and like you're not afraid from my perspective, and correct me if I'm wrong, but it feels like you're not afraid to be like, I know that I could help you.
• 42:22
  SPEAKER_01: This is exactly how I can help you, and I'm gonna tell you how I can help you, and then like you'll send it off, and then they'll respond, type thing, or just like I don't know.
• 42:32
  SPEAKER_01: I feel like you're so good at seeing opportunities and things because I feel like that's an issue that a lot of people have too, is they're like, okay, like, listen, I'm down to shoot my shot.
• 42:43
  SPEAKER_01: Where the fuck do I shoot my shot?
• 42:45
  SPEAKER_01: So I feel like in order to be even more successful with it, you're able to see opportunities.
• 42:52
  SPEAKER_01: Like I remember when we were doing YouTube coaching, you were like, Well, you could do it this way, you could do it that way, you could do it this way.
• 42:57
  SPEAKER_01: What if you did this, this, and this?
• 42:58
  SPEAKER_01: And I was like, dude, I never even fucking thought of that.
• 43:01
  SPEAKER_01: And they weren't like anything that was like, and now you need to develop code to create your own app.
• 43:07
  SPEAKER_01: Like it wasn't anything like super like out of mind, super technical, but it was just like shifting perspectives.
• 43:15
  SPEAKER_01: And I think, like through what you're saying, and you said something before that I wanted to kind of pull through here, is you said taking the pressure off.
• 43:26
  SPEAKER_01: And I think that that can help people shoot their shot in one arena or the other because you don't have everything on your shoulders for one thing.
• 43:37
  SPEAKER_01: It's not like you're pitching one sponsorship and it's sitting on your shoulders.
• 43:41
  SPEAKER_01: Like, if I don't get this sponsorship, I can't pay rent.
• 43:45
  SPEAKER_01: That would make me horrified to send that pitch.
• 43:49
  SPEAKER_01: So, like, maybe that's part of the reason that maybe it feels so quote unquote like easy for you.
• 43:56
  SPEAKER_01: But I guess, like, how do you see all of this?
• 44:01
  SPEAKER_00: Well, you know, there's a lot of different aspects to it.
• 44:05
  SPEAKER_00: But I I think when it comes down to it, because it's not, you know, the big tech companies is very cool.
• 44:10
  SPEAKER_00: Not gonna lie to you.
• 44:11
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's hysterical when I utilize a tool and then I can tell you, like, oh yeah, so and so at fill in the blank.
• 44:17
  SPEAKER_00: And it's like, oh yeah, we're like, we're like besties.
• 44:19
  SPEAKER_00: We were just on Zoom the other day.
• 44:20
  SPEAKER_00: Not me dealing.
• 44:21
  SPEAKER_00: It's fine.
• 44:22
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I I still think it's cool myself.
• 44:24
  SPEAKER_00: So please don't think that I have been so far removed from the situation that I'm not shocked as well.
• 44:30
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I I'm so honored and so grateful for the tech companies that have taken the time to invest in my brand.
• 44:37
  SPEAKER_00: And I think, you know, I had a very candid conversation with a friend of mine who's um the co-founder of an app.
• 44:44
  SPEAKER_00: And I told him, I was like, well, I don't know what you thought you were getting on a Zoom call for today, but here's what I would like to accomplish.
• 44:51
  SPEAKER_00: And I remember asking him, I was like, you know, I desperately want to partner with brands simply because I don't want to charge my audience a ton of money for things that I've created.
• 45:04
  SPEAKER_00: I've built this brand about growing the biz without breaking the bank.
• 45:08
  SPEAKER_00: These are not the audience members who want to pay thousands of dollars for anything that I make.
• 45:13
  SPEAKER_00: I already know that by default.
• 45:15
  SPEAKER_00: So, how can I get the tech companies to be my customer so that my students are not being asked to, you know, throw all this money my way?
• 45:24
  SPEAKER_00: And one of the things he said to me was like, no matter what tech company you're trying to approach, we all just want to ride the coattails of someone who's leaning into doing their own thing and doing it well.
• 45:38
  SPEAKER_00: You know, you start thinking about, oh, what's the strategy?
• 45:40
  SPEAKER_00: And how can I get more, you know, brand deals?
• 45:43
  SPEAKER_00: How can I book more UGC or whatever?
• 45:45
  SPEAKER_00: Ultimately, you creating great content that you believe in is always going to attract your customers no matter who they are.
• 45:53
  SPEAKER_00: And so, you know, for me, I thought, okay, well, that takes a lot of pressure off.
• 45:58
  SPEAKER_00: If my emphasis now is on the quality of the content and engaging my community, then it's less about, you know, me meeting all the requirements these tech companies are looking for.
• 46:09
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but I think when it comes to pitching a brand that's not expecting to hear from you, or even, you know, someone reaching out to you with an expectation and then you negotiate, I think it's you take it from the perspective of how can this be really good for both of us?
• 46:25
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I really want this to be a long-term relationship and I want us both to win.
• 46:30
  SPEAKER_00: So I know this is what you asked me to do, but I know my audience, and I think this would actually perform better.
• 46:35
  SPEAKER_00: What do you think about this?
• 46:36
  SPEAKER_00: And so I think that's where you start to leverage technology to tell those stories.
• 46:42
  SPEAKER_00: Storytelling is one of the biggest skill sets that you can have in business because if someone doesn't immediately get it, if you can tell them the story, then they can come along for the ride.
• 46:52
  SPEAKER_00: And so I would use those presentations or use the emails associated with it to say, okay, I want you to see what I'm seeing.
• 46:59
  SPEAKER_00: Here's what I know about my audience, here's what their problems are, here's how I think you can provide a solution to it.
• 47:06
  SPEAKER_00: And here's where I play a part in this.
• 47:08
  SPEAKER_00: This is what you would have to pay me.
• 47:10
  SPEAKER_00: Not leading with the money, leading with how can we both work together to provide a solution to the same customer.
• 47:17
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, and it's not free because I gotta make money and you gotta make money, and we all gotta have money to live, you know?
• 47:24
  SPEAKER_00: And so the order matters too.
• 47:26
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, I mean, I would just encourage so many people, you'd be surprised, the companies that are willing to say yes, but you have to be willing to tell the story and paint the picture that you see about how they can both win for them to want to say yes.
• 47:45
  SPEAKER_00: It's not just about, hey, I can make an Instagram reel and here's the price.
• 47:50
  SPEAKER_00: What would that Instagram reel do?
• 47:52
  SPEAKER_00: You know, who are you trying to help?
• 47:54
  SPEAKER_00: And how does that help that company?
• 47:56
  SPEAKER_00: That plays a huge role in if they will say yes or not, if that makes sense.
• 48:02
  SPEAKER_02: Absolutely.
• 48:02
  SPEAKER_02: That was so good.
• 48:04
  SPEAKER_02: I want to go back to what you started with, which is when you were thinking about monetizing, you were really honest about what your audience was.
• 48:11
  SPEAKER_02: Because I have heard so many people say, Oh, I've built this audience, but it's all DIYers.
• 48:16
  SPEAKER_02: And how am I ever gonna sell them high-ticket?
• 48:18
  SPEAKER_02: And it's like a bad thing.
• 48:19
  SPEAKER_02: And instead, you're like, okay, they're DIYers.
• 48:22
  SPEAKER_02: What do they need?
• 48:23
  SPEAKER_02: Probably not a high-ticket offer for me.
• 48:25
  SPEAKER_02: What else could I do?
• 48:26
  SPEAKER_02: Ah, brand sponsorships.
• 48:27
  SPEAKER_02: So is that kind of how you started to monetize this whole thing in the beginning?
• 48:32
  SPEAKER_00: So affiliate marketing was really where I started.
• 48:36
  SPEAKER_00: And I mean, people like it's affiliate marketing has become like that secret sauce that people like bring me in.
• 48:43
  SPEAKER_00: They're like, girl, ain't nobody doing it like you doing it.
• 48:46
  SPEAKER_00: So what's happening here?
• 48:47
  SPEAKER_00: You know, and what I love about affiliate marketing is it allows you to validate your influence on your audience, right?
• 48:55
  SPEAKER_00: You know, in a lot of other cases, you're like, oh yeah, I have this many followers, but that doesn't mean that people are willing to make buying decisions because of your content.
• 49:03
  SPEAKER_00: But with affiliate marketing, you can say, I made a tutorial about X.
• 49:07
  SPEAKER_00: I put this link.
• 49:09
  SPEAKER_00: Here's how many people clicked, here's how many people became, you know, free trials, here's how many converted to paying customers.
• 49:16
  SPEAKER_00: What's the value of that to you?
• 49:18
  SPEAKER_00: And so I think that was huge because I realized when I wasn't selling to my audience, they still wanted to reciprocate.
• 49:24
  SPEAKER_00: People give tutorials a bad name, they give DIYers a bad name, but that audience really appreciates you helping them.
• 49:32
  SPEAKER_00: And so they're like, well, if you don't have anything for me to buy, what else can I do to support you?
• 49:35
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, click your link.
• 49:36
  SPEAKER_00: No problem.
• 49:36
  SPEAKER_00: I can click a link.
• 49:37
  SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna sign up for it anyway.
• 49:39
  SPEAKER_00: No big deal.
• 49:39
  SPEAKER_00: It doesn't cost me anything, it helps you.
• 49:42
  SPEAKER_00: And so I began to realize that my audience was utilizing my affiliate links as a way to blatantly support my generosity.
• 49:52
  SPEAKER_00: And in a lot of ways, that was a more effective strategy than trying to push a$10 ebook.
• 49:59
  SPEAKER_00: So it paid off for me.
• 50:01
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it helped me to genuine, genuinely develop passive income because some of these tech companies would offer recurring commission.
• 50:08
  SPEAKER_00: And again, it took that pressure off of me from having to sell to my audience because the tech companies were the ones compensating me for sending them customers.
• 50:16
  SPEAKER_00: So, affiliate marketing, guys, start there, start there as a way to really start to monetize the content you put out there.
• 50:27
  SPEAKER_02: Um, it's so funny that you bring that up because I feel like um affiliate marketing has almost gotten a bad rep these days because there's so many people online like, be an affiliate marketer and make$10 million tomorrow.
• 50:38
  SPEAKER_02: And so it's really encouraging to hear you say, like, no, there's something here if you do it right and it's legit and it can be built into so many different things.
• 50:46
  SPEAKER_02: I'm curious, what would you say if I were to ask you, like, what's your biggest get that or biggest pitch that you did, the most audacious pitch that you're proud of, you know, like tell us about that story.
• 50:58
  SPEAKER_00: Oh man.
• 51:00
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, my biggest pitch.
• 51:03
  SPEAKER_00: You know what?
• 51:04
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, this one was fun.
• 51:06
  SPEAKER_00: This one was fun.
• 51:07
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I won't say the company name, but it'll be pretty obvious if you go to my channel.
• 51:12
  SPEAKER_00: So if you really want to do some detective work, it's pretty much in plain sight.
• 51:16
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but there was one company that their marketing team really wanted to start creating more video content for their YouTube channel, but they didn't have the infrastructure to just start pumping out content.
• 51:29
  SPEAKER_00: So they were reaching out to content creators saying, Hey, would you be willing to make YouTube videos that would actually live on our channel?
• 51:36
  SPEAKER_00: And so I remember, you know, them throwing that concept out there, you know, could you do a series that would be helpful to the small business community that aren't just straight tutorials?
• 51:48
  SPEAKER_00: So relevant topic for people, you know, using the software.
• 51:52
  SPEAKER_00: And I remember them giving me a range of videos that I could make.
• 51:55
  SPEAKER_00: And they're like, oh, you can make anywhere from like three to 10 videos.
• 51:59
  SPEAKER_00: And in my head, I'm like, well, you know, this is so early on in the partnership.
• 52:03
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I don't want to, you know, go all out and, you know, go toward the end of the spectrum.
• 52:08
  SPEAKER_00: And I thought, you know what?
• 52:09
  SPEAKER_00: Why not?
• 52:10
  SPEAKER_00: Why not say 10?
• 52:11
  SPEAKER_00: They could always say, girlby, let's do five or three is better.
• 52:16
  SPEAKER_00: But I was like, you know what?
• 52:17
  SPEAKER_00: I'll just go for it and see what they say.
• 52:18
  SPEAKER_00: And I just remember my jaw dropping when they're like, yeah, let's do 10.
• 52:22
  SPEAKER_00: That sounds great.
• 52:24
  SPEAKER_00: What are the 10 topics?
• 52:25
  SPEAKER_00: And I remember sitting back going, like, oh my gosh, I am making 10 videos for someone else's YouTube channel.
• 52:33
  SPEAKER_00: Where do I start?
• 52:35
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that's the biggest thing I would say to folks, it's like, just go for it.
• 52:40
  SPEAKER_00: They can always reel you back in.
• 52:42
  SPEAKER_00: You would be shocked.
• 52:43
  SPEAKER_00: Some of the things that people will say yes to if you tell a good enough story and they see the value.
• 52:48
  SPEAKER_00: And so that partnership is one of my favorites that I've had over the years because I've got all this content that doesn't even live on my platform that I don't have to worry about.
• 52:58
  SPEAKER_00: I didn't have to market.
• 53:00
  SPEAKER_00: They simply loved what I was doing and wanted to see that on their channel.
• 53:04
  SPEAKER_00: And so that was really special.
• 53:06
  SPEAKER_00: I went for it.
• 53:07
  SPEAKER_00: It's like you gave me a range.
• 53:08
  SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna see if you say yes, and they did, and it was really special.
• 53:13
  SPEAKER_01: I think that's fucking awesome.
• 53:15
  SPEAKER_01: And like on this podcast, we just really enjoy sharing stories of inspiration and motivation like that.
• 53:21
  SPEAKER_01: Like stories of just like, I went big for it and I ended up getting it.
• 53:26
  SPEAKER_01: And sometimes, like, I've pitched big things and didn't end up getting it.
• 53:31
  SPEAKER_01: But that's fine.
• 53:32
  SPEAKER_01: Like it's all about, like we said, strengthening the muscle.
• 53:35
  SPEAKER_01: Like, I'm sure you've gotten no's.
• 53:37
  SPEAKER_01: Probably more than you've gotten yeses.
• 53:40
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and I think I think this is the big thing though.
• 53:42
  SPEAKER_00: I tend to say no to people long before we get to like negotiation because I I understand it's so important to maintain my audience trust.
• 53:53
  SPEAKER_00: So you will start to see as you do brand partnerships and sponsorships, like lots of folks will want to reach out.
• 53:59
  SPEAKER_00: And so if you kind of know like these are the people I'm looking for, then you know, when you quickly say no and you start to really hone in on who's a good fit for everybody, then when you see that and you're like, okay, they check this box and this box and this box, then it's almost like you're unstoppable in that way because you can see it plain as day, like this is a win, let's go for it, versus, well, I'd have to accommodate here and maybe this isn't a great fit.
• 54:26
  SPEAKER_00: And so you have to be open to vetting these opportunities.
• 54:30
  SPEAKER_00: I think as entrepreneurs, we're so afraid of if we say no to something that another opportunity won't come along, or if someone says no to us, then that's the end of it.
• 54:39
  SPEAKER_00: Forget it.
• 54:39
  SPEAKER_00: I'll never try again.
• 54:41
  SPEAKER_00: And so no is just a part of the process.
• 54:44
  SPEAKER_00: So whether you say no to them or they say no to you, the no's have to happen for you to get to your yeses.
• 54:50
  SPEAKER_00: So just embrace that.
• 54:51
  SPEAKER_00: That's a part of the how it works, and it'll make things so much easier for you.
• 54:58
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, so I think that that's really important because we always see people's like highlight rails of like, look at all this and this, yes, and like I got featured here.
• 55:08
  SPEAKER_01: And like, even if people aren't down for like the brand sponsorships, it's like featured in the media or like getting on somebody else's podcast.
• 55:16
  SPEAKER_01: It's like we get plenty of no's there.
• 55:18
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 55:19
  SPEAKER_01: But I guess what I'm hearing in terms of even like if people aren't coming to you yet, and you're pitching yourself to some kind of opportunity, whether it's to be a speaker at a conference or whether it's to do a brand partnership or be a guest on somebody's podcast or a collaboration, even like with your story, you've even taken the time to build relationships with tech companies.
• 55:46
  SPEAKER_01: And it's funny because, like, in our brains, we like of course there's fucking humans behind the tech company.
• 55:52
  SPEAKER_01: Of course, we have to build relationships with them.
• 55:55
  SPEAKER_01: But it's like once it goes from like a person to a brand, it's like something in our brain is like, now we have to be super professional and we have to talk like a corporate something, and like, nope, we have to go in and negotiate right off of the bat and show them what we're made of, or something like that.
• 56:15
  SPEAKER_01: But instead, it's just like, what if we just got to know the human behind the brand?
• 56:22
  SPEAKER_01: And then building a relationship with that brand then makes pitching yourself in whatever way so much easier.
• 56:32
  SPEAKER_00: Well, and I will tell you a secret.
• 56:33
  SPEAKER_00: And I think if we all slowed down long enough, we would see it.
• 56:37
  SPEAKER_00: But the reason why, like in the beginning, I was totally into just build relationships, don't go into it thinking how I will monetize it.
• 56:47
  SPEAKER_00: Just when you know people, it helps.
• 56:49
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm just gonna get to know people.
• 56:51
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I definitely started out in entrepreneurship that way.
• 56:54
  SPEAKER_00: But what I began to realize in big business is that people move, people retire, people get changed, they change positions, they, you know, go to different countries, they take sabbaticals.
• 57:08
  SPEAKER_00: And if your connection is with that brand, then it's kind of like there's only one place for it to go.
• 57:14
  SPEAKER_00: You know, you bounce off of that brand and it comes back.
• 57:17
  SPEAKER_00: But if you have a relationship with a person, when that contact gets headhunted to another tech company, well, now you have a relationship with two tech companies.
• 57:26
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, we were besties here, we had a great working relationship, you moved to a different role over here, but you still remember me and you're still doing something similar over here.
• 57:35
  SPEAKER_00: And so now my network has expanded simply because I went beyond the brand and got to know people.
• 57:41
  SPEAKER_00: Then you start to realize when you get into the thick of it, tech people know tech people.
• 57:47
  SPEAKER_00: So then it's like you're on a call and you're like, oh, I'm beta testing X.
• 57:51
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, I didn't know you know them.
• 57:52
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, we were doing this.
• 57:53
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, we went to MIT together.
• 57:55
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, well, we went to, and you start to realize like the world is so much smaller than we think.
• 58:01
  SPEAKER_00: And so whether you're trying to talk from you know, entrepreneurship world to corporate folks, or you're just talking with your peers online, it's like it's just so important that we become more relational.
• 58:18
  SPEAKER_00: I don't even like saying social.
• 58:20
  SPEAKER_00: Like social has gotten so tainted by apps.
• 58:22
  SPEAKER_00: It's like forget being social, be relational, be human.
• 58:27
  SPEAKER_00: Because, you know, Mariah, you might be, you know, doing SEO right now, but in 10 years, you might decide, you know what, I'm just going to sell candles.
• 58:36
  SPEAKER_00: And that's what I feel passionate about.
• 58:38
  SPEAKER_00: Well, if I need candles as a client gift, because I have a relationship with you as a person, regardless of whether or not, you know, we connected because of SEO, what have you, now I can still grow my business and support someone else because it had so little to do with what you were doing in that moment and so much to do with who you were as a person.
• 58:57
  SPEAKER_00: Everyone loves being humanized.
• 59:00
  SPEAKER_00: Everyone loves real deep relationships and not just the shallow what's in it for me.
• 59:05
  SPEAKER_00: And so if we can change that, whether it's corporate people or fellow entrepreneurs, you're going to see that the pace of how you do business will drastically change.
• 59:17
  SPEAKER_00: I find that it's it's a much shorter path to get from what I would like to do to actually making it happen when I have a real relationship with someone.
• 59:26
  SPEAKER_00: You know, you can just text them.
• 59:28
  SPEAKER_00: The amount of partnerships that I've gotten over text is crazy because I have a relationship with the person.
• 59:34
  SPEAKER_00: I'm not putting them through the funnel.
• 59:37
  SPEAKER_00: And so that's that's how things actually happen.
• 59:40
  SPEAKER_00: And I so I think that when you really start to say, regardless of what your title is, you know, it's not about sizing people up and oh, you're a VP, oh, you're a CEO.
• 59:49
  SPEAKER_00: It's like, no, you're a person and we resonate with each other and we want to see each other be successful.
• 59:56
  SPEAKER_00: Let's start from there and see where life takes us later.
• 1:00:02
  SPEAKER_02: I love all of that.
• 1:00:03
  SPEAKER_02: I think you're so right.
• 1:00:04
  SPEAKER_02: I loved what you said about the difference between like social and relationships.
• 1:00:08
  SPEAKER_02: I think that's such an important distinction because I immediately, when I hear be more social, I'm like, uh, but when he said build more relationships, I was like, yeah, yeah, I love relationships.
• 1:00:17
  SPEAKER_02: That's how I built my first business.
• 1:00:18
  SPEAKER_02: I was like, if I can just get in enough rooms with people and tell people what I'm doing, I'll find the connectors and they'll connect me.
• 1:00:23
  SPEAKER_02: And so I love what you're saying.
• 1:00:25
  SPEAKER_02: It's so true.
• 1:00:26
  SPEAKER_02: Tech companies are made of humans.
• 1:00:29
  SPEAKER_02: Mariah's been saying that like SEO is just a bunch of humans.
• 1:00:32
  SPEAKER_02: Like we have to connect back to like the humans, not the data points.
• 1:00:36
  SPEAKER_02: And it, and yeah, like it does seem like these big companies like Amazon or whatever seem huge.
• 1:00:42
  SPEAKER_02: But if you can find the person there and build the relationship with them, then they're gonna connect you to so many different opportunities.
• 1:00:48
  SPEAKER_02: So I think the best marketing advice I've ever heard is like water your relationships every day, you know, just detach from outcome and just like pour into people.
• 1:00:57
  SPEAKER_02: How can what are you doing?
• 1:00:58
  SPEAKER_02: Let me tell you what I'm doing.
• 1:01:00
  SPEAKER_02: And then, you know, humans want to solve problems for people they like.
• 1:01:03
  SPEAKER_02: And so that magic starts to happen in that area.
• 1:01:06
  SPEAKER_02: So really love the relationship focus.
• 1:01:09
  SPEAKER_02: Um I okay, so I'm sitting here, and this is gonna maybe seem like a weird question.
• 1:01:15
  SPEAKER_02: So let's say I'm a listener on this podcast or I'm me, and I want to start, I want to be a content creator.
• 1:01:20
  SPEAKER_02: That's that's what I want to do.
• 1:01:21
  SPEAKER_02: What would you tell me like today at the end of 2023?
• 1:01:24
  SPEAKER_02: Like, where would it make sense to get started?
• 1:01:29
  SPEAKER_00: So I think taking the pressure off of any platform to be amazing from day one is the best thing you can do if you want to be a content creator.
• 1:01:39
  SPEAKER_00: Because I think the days of just going viral and just having the algorithm do the work for you, it's just not happening.
• 1:01:46
  SPEAKER_00: It's not happening as much as it used to.
• 1:01:48
  SPEAKER_00: And so I think if you want to be a content creator, lead with I desire to create content regardless of how many people see it.
• 1:01:56
  SPEAKER_00: Anything that you do for a long period of time is gonna pay off, right?
• 1:02:01
  SPEAKER_00: If you enjoy the process of showing up on that platform, if you enjoy the process of creating, then as it takes time for things to pay off, you can still enjoy that.
• 1:02:12
  SPEAKER_00: But if you're looking for like, I gotta go viral, first thing I post, gotta be viral.
• 1:02:17
  SPEAKER_00: Good luck, good luck.
• 1:02:19
  SPEAKER_00: I wish it was that easy.
• 1:02:21
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but I would just say that just having the joy of creating is super important.
• 1:02:26
  SPEAKER_00: And then setting up, you know, boundaries for yourself in terms of what that content will look like for you.
• 1:02:35
  SPEAKER_00: To say, like, okay, I'm not expecting to create or feature film every time I post on YouTube.
• 1:02:40
  SPEAKER_00: I simply want to show up, be myself, deliver value, and sign off.
• 1:02:45
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe that means that, you know, you only have one camera angle.
• 1:02:48
  SPEAKER_00: There was a guy I was listening to who all of his YouTube videos he recorded in one take over Zoom and he uploaded it, but he did it every day.
• 1:02:57
  SPEAKER_00: And so the the man has like over a thousand videos on his channel.
• 1:03:01
  SPEAKER_00: It's like, yeah, if you're daily posting on YouTube, that will pay off after a while.
• 1:03:08
  SPEAKER_00: So that's really how how these platforms work is they they want to see a lot of content geared to a specific audience.
• 1:03:17
  SPEAKER_00: And so figuring out who you're creating content for and enjoying the process of creating for them, give it some time, it will pay off.
• 1:03:25
  SPEAKER_00: So that's that's my best advice for somebody looking to get started.
• 1:03:28
  SPEAKER_00: I just I see so many people wanting to see immediate payoffs, and it's just not a realistic expectation.
• 1:03:34
  SPEAKER_00: But if you take that off the table and you do it, you know, in the background while you're doing something else, that also takes some pressure off as well.
• 1:03:42
  SPEAKER_01: I think this is really good advice also for business owners when it comes to marketing, because I see a lot of people complaining where they're like, I got into business to make candles.
• 1:03:52
  SPEAKER_01: I didn't get into business to become a content creator.
• 1:03:56
  SPEAKER_01: But we get to essentially when we boil marketing down, it's just telling the right people about what you do.
• 1:04:03
  SPEAKER_01: And so it's like, how the fuck you want to do that?
• 1:04:06
  SPEAKER_01: Because you have to do it.
• 1:04:07
  SPEAKER_01: You know what I mean?
• 1:04:08
  SPEAKER_01: Like, I feel like the virality of some things, people will be like, well, some people just get lucky and then they get picked up here and they don't really have to do any work and then blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
• 1:04:19
  SPEAKER_01: And it's like, okay, so what if we go into business or we go into becoming a content creator or whatever our online presence?
• 1:04:26
  SPEAKER_01: What if we go into it and going viral isn't on the table?
• 1:04:30
  SPEAKER_01: Like, let's pretend that it's not even an option.
• 1:04:33
  SPEAKER_01: If that's not an option, how do you want to market your business?
• 1:04:37
  SPEAKER_01: How do you want to create content?
• 1:04:38
  SPEAKER_01: How do you want to show up and allow yourself to get found?
• 1:04:43
  SPEAKER_01: And by showing up and allowing yourself to get found, I don't just mean online.
• 1:04:47
  SPEAKER_01: I don't just mean like, oh, Instagram showing up to get found.
• 1:04:51
  SPEAKER_01: It's like, no, it's like Dorothy at the farmer's market.
• 1:04:54
  SPEAKER_01: How does Dorothy want to show up and get found for the farmer's market?
• 1:04:58
  SPEAKER_01: She wants to show up every Saturday, help people set up the tents and have conversations with people in person in her community, get to know the people, get to know what their problems are, what they need, and maybe the community around them.
• 1:05:11
  SPEAKER_01: Like, what would you like to see at this farmer's market?
• 1:05:14
  SPEAKER_01: And so maybe in instances like people like Dorothy, it's like you're just getting clear on how you want to show up and what that can look like.
• 1:05:22
  SPEAKER_01: And I think that that's just a really good reminder that we need as business owners, whether you want to be a content creator or not.
• 1:05:28
  SPEAKER_01: And I think that the internet just makes it easier or not easier, but like there's just different paths for marketing.
• 1:05:35
  SPEAKER_01: Like I no longer have to get a billboard in order to get seen by a million people.
• 1:05:41
  SPEAKER_01: I could create a social media profile that has like that opportunity to reach a lot of people, but then it's like we think that it's easy.
• 1:05:48
  SPEAKER_01: And it's like it's not easy.
• 1:05:49
  SPEAKER_01: You still need to be fucking consistent with it.
• 1:05:53
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and I think the other thing to take into consideration too is that everyone is not your customer.
• 1:06:00
  SPEAKER_00: And you only need a certain amount of customers to accomplish the goals that you need to have in your business.
• 1:06:05
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I think when people put a lot of emphasis on virality, it's not so much about the views as they're like, ah, by having more people see my content, that increases the likelihood that I will make sales.
• 1:06:17
  SPEAKER_00: And I have noticed so many people actually say going viral was the worst thing that happened to me.
• 1:06:22
  SPEAKER_00: Sure, my numbers went up, but it attracted the wrong people to me because, you know, the comments were saying this.
• 1:06:30
  SPEAKER_00: And so because of all the increased engagement, that's why I went viral, or I went viral and I wasn't ready, or I went viral and it crashed my site.
• 1:06:38
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, just getting more eyeballs on your content is not the best strategy for growing a business.
• 1:06:45
  SPEAKER_00: And what I realized too, there's something super beautiful about being able to fine-tune your message when your audience is smaller.
• 1:06:52
  SPEAKER_00: So when more people are watching, then you are more confident, then you have a better idea of how you want to show up.
• 1:06:59
  SPEAKER_00: Like it's a good thing.
• 1:07:00
  SPEAKER_00: There were only a few people on my first Periscope, you know, streams because your girl was struggling.
• 1:07:06
  SPEAKER_00: And so now it's like, ah, no problem.
• 1:07:08
  SPEAKER_00: I can go live and I can, you know, go with the flow.
• 1:07:11
  SPEAKER_00: I'm grateful that I was able to get comfortable with a smaller audience before I had a lot of eyes on me.
• 1:07:17
  SPEAKER_00: So I think virality seems wonderful.
• 1:07:21
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but I think that there is there's something beautiful in, you know, slowly growing and you know, starting small.
• 1:07:29
  SPEAKER_00: And then by the time you do have more eyes on you, having more of your messaging together so that, you know, it does have a bigger impact when you have a bigger audience.
• 1:07:41
  SPEAKER_02: Well, this has been amazing.
• 1:07:43
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I've been writing down.
• 1:07:44
  SPEAKER_02: Um I'm not sure if you're into human design, are you?
• 1:07:49
  SPEAKER_00: I'm learning it.
• 1:07:50
  SPEAKER_00: I'm learning it because all of my friends are, all my people are like, you gotta learn, you gotta know.
• 1:07:55
  SPEAKER_02: Do you know what your type is?
• 1:07:58
  SPEAKER_00: I don't yet.
• 1:07:59
  SPEAKER_00: I don't yet.
• 1:07:59
  SPEAKER_00: Because I asked my mom about when I was born, and she's like, I don't know what time, I know the day.
• 1:08:03
  SPEAKER_02: So that's like that's how my mom was to me.
• 1:08:06
  SPEAKER_02: She's like, why would you need to know that?
• 1:08:07
  SPEAKER_02: I was like, everybody is asking me.
• 1:08:10
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you'll have to follow up with us and let us know.
• 1:08:12
  SPEAKER_02: My type is I'm very much like a projector, so I like to pull the pieces together.
• 1:08:16
  SPEAKER_02: But some themes I've heard you say over and over that I just kind of want to reiterate because I think they're really powerful.
• 1:08:22
  SPEAKER_02: Number one, the power of story.
• 1:08:24
  SPEAKER_02: I it's weird how often story comes up in every single aspect of running an online business, but having the skill set to understand the person you're talking to and understand the story that would grab their attention.
• 1:08:36
  SPEAKER_02: You know, these days, trust is running at an all-time premium.
• 1:08:40
  SPEAKER_02: No one wants to trust anything, no one's got any attention span for anything.
• 1:08:44
  SPEAKER_02: The only thing that can break through the noise is a good story that's, you know, anchored at them.
• 1:08:48
  SPEAKER_02: So I really love how you're thinking about your pitches is more of like, what's the story that I can tell here?
• 1:08:53
  SPEAKER_02: And then we can talk about like price and nitty-gritty at the end.
• 1:08:57
  SPEAKER_02: I think that's really powerful.
• 1:08:59
  SPEAKER_02: Um, boundaries is another thing that you've said a lot in different ways.
• 1:09:02
  SPEAKER_02: You know, you get to have boundaries with yourself and what you share and what you don't share in that kind of like private world versus online world.
• 1:09:10
  SPEAKER_02: But then you having boundaries around your audience, I could see like as you're growing, you're starting to get a lot of offers, you know.
• 1:09:16
  SPEAKER_02: So I think having really strict boundaries of like, this is for my people and this is not for my people, that seems to be so critical.
• 1:09:23
  SPEAKER_02: So I love that you shared that.
• 1:09:24
  SPEAKER_02: The power of relationships, obviously.
• 1:09:26
  SPEAKER_02: But then the thing I am really leaving with is the power of finding joy in all of this.
• 1:09:30
  SPEAKER_02: Because I do think that no matter what we're doing, and this is me speaking to myself, like if you get detached from the joy in it, it's just gonna lead to burnout.
• 1:09:39
  SPEAKER_02: It's gonna feel like a grind, everything's gonna feel like a chore.
• 1:09:42
  SPEAKER_02: And so um, you know, I've been asking myself lately, like in the moment, where's the joy here?
• 1:09:47
  SPEAKER_02: Where's the joy here?
• 1:09:48
  SPEAKER_02: And just by speaking to you today, I just want to thank you.
• 1:09:50
  SPEAKER_02: Like you've really helped me, like, this is joyous, and we can find joy in our day-to-day work.
• 1:09:55
  SPEAKER_02: So I just want to thank you so much.
• 1:09:56
  SPEAKER_02: I feel like you've shared so many um gems, and you've also made it seem really like approachable, like, oh, I can do this too.
• 1:10:04
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, of course.
• 1:10:05
  SPEAKER_02: You know, there's room for all of us.
• 1:10:07
  SPEAKER_02: So uh yeah, I just want to thank you for all the lessons that you've shared.
• 1:10:10
  SPEAKER_02: And Mariah, I'm curious, like, what have been your take big takeaways?
• 1:10:14
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think it it really comes down to like what I keep hearing is like relationships and community building.
• 1:10:21
  SPEAKER_01: That's the juice here.
• 1:10:23
  SPEAKER_01: And just like, how can you stay true to who you are and your zone of genius?
• 1:10:28
  SPEAKER_01: Because that's what's gonna anchor you.
• 1:10:30
  SPEAKER_01: That's what you're gonna keep coming back to.
• 1:10:32
  SPEAKER_01: And it's like that's also what fucking makes stories easier.
• 1:10:35
  SPEAKER_01: Like, if you got to pitch some story to, let's say, to be on a podcast or to get sponsored by a tech company, and it's like you're like, what's the story?
• 1:10:43
  SPEAKER_01: It's like you most likely are coming back to you and what you actually give a fuck about.
• 1:10:49
  SPEAKER_01: And I feel like so many people instead try to like, I'm gonna use Chat GBT to figure out my story.
• 1:10:55
  SPEAKER_01: And it's like actually, what's a little bit more powerful is you sitting down and reflecting and being like, what do you want to say and why do you want to say it?
• 1:11:04
  SPEAKER_01: And making story more simplistic and then showing up, being, I like what you said too, like relational, not social.
• 1:11:13
  SPEAKER_01: Relational is like three steps deeper, where it's like, I could be social and then it doesn't really get anywhere because it's just like surface level, but relational, you're actually getting to know the people.
• 1:11:25
  SPEAKER_01: And I feel like that kind of comes back to.
• 1:11:29
  SPEAKER_01: So I had a question, but I feel like this kind of answers it.
• 1:11:31
  SPEAKER_01: So it's like, I feel like you're really proactive when it comes to getting opportunities versus like waiting for opportunities to like land in your lap.
• 1:11:40
  SPEAKER_01: And through your story and just knowing you, what I see is it's because like you can go out and and quote, get opportunities, but what you're doing is just paying attention to your fucking relationships and your community and checking in with your people and having conversations.
• 1:11:57
  SPEAKER_01: And then, oh, look, that's where opportunities come in.
• 1:12:00
  SPEAKER_01: Like opportunities are connected to people.
• 1:12:03
  SPEAKER_01: And I think that we forget about that.
• 1:12:05
  SPEAKER_01: We forget, we think that like opportunities are just floating in the air, but it's like, no, opportunities end up getting like a direct path to us when you take the time to build relationships.
• 1:12:18
  SPEAKER_01: So I appreciate your perspective on everything.
• 1:12:22
  SPEAKER_01: I love having conversations with you.
• 1:12:24
  SPEAKER_01: Is there anything that we didn't get to talk about or any last little bites of wisdom?
• 1:12:32
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I think what I am really taking away just from just from years of being an entrepreneur, I think granting yourself permission to craft the business you want to work for is the most important thing that we can do.
• 1:12:47
  SPEAKER_00: I think a lot of times we feel because there's so many experts out there telling us this is what works, that that's what we have to do.
• 1:12:55
  SPEAKER_00: But if what brings you joy is having a balance between online and offline, you know, if what brings you joy is to go deep on one platform and to not feel the pressure to show up on others, or if it means showing up in video format and not worrying about making graphics or posting photos, I think ultimately what's the biggest drain on growth and businesses is feeling obligated to execute things that don't feel like they're in alignment with how you want to run your business.
• 1:13:25
  SPEAKER_00: And so giving yourself that freedom to say, okay, maybe everybody else isn't doing this, but this is what feels good to me.
• 1:13:31
  SPEAKER_00: When you show up in that mindset, you will find your people.
• 1:13:37
  SPEAKER_00: And so I think I felt more pressured earlier on as different apps came out and different strategies came on the table to have to implement everything that I've learned.
• 1:13:46
  SPEAKER_00: And it's so much more important that you learn concepts, that you learn what other folks are doing and you take the time to slow down and say, but what's a good fit for me?
• 1:13:56
  SPEAKER_00: And does this fit in with how I'm trying to move forward in my life?
• 1:14:00
  SPEAKER_00: And if it does, great, let's do it.
• 1:14:02
  SPEAKER_00: And if not, it's fine to say great for them and let it keep going.
• 1:14:07
  SPEAKER_00: So I would just encourage people, give yourself that permission because when you do, it's so much easier to hold on to your joy.
• 1:14:13
  SPEAKER_00: That's such a big thing.
• 1:14:14
  SPEAKER_01: Isn't that a muscle?
• 1:14:16
  SPEAKER_01: Ain't that a muscle that we got to strengthen?
• 1:14:18
  SPEAKER_01: It's like that thing of like because with all of the opportunities and with all of the possibilities, it's so easy to get sidetracked.
• 1:14:26
  SPEAKER_01: It's so easy to get inspired by what somebody else is doing.
• 1:14:30
  SPEAKER_01: And then it's like, oh, well, we want to have control over what we're doing too.
• 1:14:34
  SPEAKER_01: So if we're inspired by it, then I'm just gonna copy what that person's doing because that feels easy.
• 1:14:39
  SPEAKER_01: You know what I mean?
• 1:14:40
  SPEAKER_01: So I think that's just a muscle.
• 1:14:42
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm really, I'm really glad that you shared that.
• 1:14:45
  SPEAKER_01: That's really powerful.
• 1:14:46
  SPEAKER_02: Well, the reason we started this podcast was because we wanted to share stories of you get to build this any fucking way you want.
• 1:14:52
  SPEAKER_02: Like, that's the beauty of the online business world.
• 1:14:55
  SPEAKER_02: There's so many ways we've seen to slice and dice it.
• 1:14:58
  SPEAKER_02: And I think we all get back into that, like, I'm in school and you're the teacher mode, and we're looking for the answers from someone else.
• 1:15:04
  SPEAKER_02: So, like, just another awesome example of like, nope.
• 1:15:07
  SPEAKER_02: The real skill is can you slow down?
• 1:15:09
  SPEAKER_02: Can you like ask yourself what is right for me?
• 1:15:12
  SPEAKER_02: And then have the confidence to go out there and get after it, like Lashonda does awesomely.
• 1:15:16
  SPEAKER_02: So this is amazing.
• 1:15:18
  SPEAKER_02: Lashonda, our last question that we love to ask for people is um, our podcast is called Curiously Guided.
• 1:15:23
  SPEAKER_02: Mariah and I are both very interested in life's curiosities and rabbit holes.
• 1:15:28
  SPEAKER_02: What would you say recently has been kind of sparking your own curiosity, or what kind of rabbit holes have you gone down?
• 1:15:36
  SPEAKER_00: So I think finding time to play more games.
• 1:15:41
  SPEAKER_00: I used to, I used to be so much more playful, I think, when I was younger.
• 1:15:45
  SPEAKER_00: And I felt like I got away from play.
• 1:15:47
  SPEAKER_00: And I realize now how helpful it is to take little breaks to just play, whether play means, you know, go in the woods and walk around, if play means, you know, grab a controller and play a video game and don't feel guilty about it, like or sitting down playing a board game.
• 1:16:03
  SPEAKER_00: I think you get older and you're like, okay, I'm an adult, I'm a grown-up, I've got to be serious.
• 1:16:10
  SPEAKER_00: And finding more time to play has really helped fuel my curiosity lately.
• 1:16:14
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm trying to be more playful because I feel like I'm a better version of myself when I'm doing that.
• 1:16:21
  SPEAKER_01: Amen to that.
• 1:16:23
  SPEAKER_01: I literally just asked Andrew yesterday.
• 1:16:24
  SPEAKER_01: I was like, can we play a game?
• 1:16:25
  SPEAKER_01: I just want to play a game with you.
• 1:16:27
  SPEAKER_01: Can we play a game?
• 1:16:28
  SPEAKER_01: I feel like it's just it's an invitation to laugh too.
• 1:16:31
  SPEAKER_01: I find that like if I feel kind of disconnected from Andrew, the first question I ask is, when's the last time we laugh together?
• 1:16:40
  SPEAKER_01: Because that's the thing that like really brings us closer together.
• 1:16:43
  SPEAKER_01: And even like with friends and stuff like that, it's like, if you ain't laughing, and I mean, like laughing is like humor is one of my love languages too.
• 1:16:52
  SPEAKER_01: I like making dumb jokes and saying dumb shit.
• 1:16:54
  SPEAKER_01: So it's just like one of those things that I feel like just as humans, it's a language that we can kind of all understand.
• 1:17:00
  SPEAKER_01: And it just brings us closer, like you said, to like who we were as children and just like allowing ourselves to be free.
• 1:17:10
  SPEAKER_01: And like I feel like laughing is interesting.
• 1:17:14
  SPEAKER_01: Like, how weird is it that something like makes your insides jump so much that you like audibly make this ridiculous noise?
• 1:17:22
  SPEAKER_00: Like laughing is like and then every and everyone has their own unique laugh too.
• 1:17:27
  SPEAKER_00: And sometimes someone else's laugh makes you laugh even more.
• 1:17:30
  SPEAKER_00: It's just, I don't know.
• 1:17:31
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's just an invitation to let go because when someone else laughs or when someone else smiles, it's really hard to return that with the stern face.
• 1:17:39
  SPEAKER_00: You know what I mean?
• 1:17:40
  SPEAKER_00: So it's like, I think joy, play, laughter, we all need more of that.
• 1:17:47
  SPEAKER_00: You know, again, like the past few years have been so heavy.
• 1:17:50
  SPEAKER_00: I feel like so much of us are just walking around with these like mental loads that when you take a minute to just say, hey, it's okay to smile, it's okay to laugh, it's okay to play, even if you know everything isn't figured out in this moment, take a minute to give yourself that release.
• 1:18:06
  SPEAKER_00: Like you will be fine.
• 1:18:07
  SPEAKER_00: It will all work out.
• 1:18:10
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think that's a really awesome reminder.
• 1:18:14
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, so I promise this is the very, very, very last question.
• 1:18:17
  SPEAKER_01: So can you just tell our listeners where they can find and connect with you?
• 1:18:22
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I would encourage you guys to head over to lashondawn.com if you want to see the full picture of what I'm up to.
• 1:18:29
  SPEAKER_00: But always look for me on Bootstrap Biz Advice, watch some content, comment if you like it.
• 1:18:36
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but that's that's my job.
• 1:18:38
  SPEAKER_00: My job is to put out knowledge for free and to help people in need who are really looking to leverage tech and YouTube to work less and live more.
• 1:18:48
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, so we will put all of the links to all of Lashonda's information, her YouTube channel, her website, all of the fun stuff in the show notes.
• 1:18:59
  SPEAKER_01: But I think we're ready to close this episode down.
• 1:19:01
  SPEAKER_01: So remember that you have the power to create whatever the fuck you want.
• 1:19:06
  SPEAKER_01: Follow the nudge, ask questions, and let curiosity guide the way.
• 1:19:11
  SPEAKER_01: We'll see you in the next episode.
• 1:19:16
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much for tuning in and listening to this episode of the Curiously Guided Podcast.
• 1:19:23
  SPEAKER_01: We appreciate you so much for being here.
• 1:19:25
  SPEAKER_01: Truly, this podcast is such a joy for us to create.
• 1:19:30
  SPEAKER_01: If you love the conversation or you're a fan of the podcast and you want to support us in creating new episodes, feel free to head over to curiouslyguided.com slash support to buy us a coffee.
• 1:19:43
  SPEAKER_02: If you're not already, make sure to subscribe to the podcast on your favorite listening platform so you can stay in the loop with all of the episodes we've got coming your way.
• 1:19:51
  SPEAKER_02: And while you're heading over to subscribe, slide over to the review section and let us know what you thought about that episode.
• 1:19:57
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