https://www.listennotes.com/e/45ff21c9d0f24b69a8c0f2ac032c5c23

Welcome to Executing the Vision podcast. I'm your host, Brad Hunter, president of Emerge Labs. On the podcast, we'll get to know the person behind the vision, their successes, their challenges, and their plans for the future. If you're interested in becoming a guest or know someone who might be a good fit, stick around to the end and we'll discuss how to apply. Now, enjoy the show. I'm your host, Brad Hunter and today I'm welcoming Gila Kurtz with Dog Is Good. And she has. Well, I'll let her tell all sorts of fun things that she's done over her career and so very excited to kind of dive in and talk more. But go ahead and tell us a little bit about what you're up to these days.

Yeah, well, thank you, Brad. Excited to be here today. So you mentioned Dog is Good. That is without question the company that has been a huge part of my life and my heart for the past, gosh, 16 plus years. I can't believe it's been that long already. But it's a company where we focus on celebrating the dog human connection and reminding people how great it is to live life with dogs. At the heart, we are manufacturers who create gifts and apparel and home decor and and accessory products for just people who love their dogs so much. We operate in a number of areas. We are in retail stores all over the country. We sell globally through distributors around the world. We license the brand to other manufacturers. And we have a really unique opportunity within our company helping dog lovers create their own business and turn their passion and love for dogs using into a business using our brand. We call it the Dog Is Good Pop Up Shop. And so I'm very involved in that component of our company, but less so these days in much of the other parts of the company through the work that I've done in Dog Is Good and all the things that I've learned along the way during those moments where everything was amazing and also in those moments when there were a lot of challenges, all the growth that came my way through those opportunities for learning now parlay into work that is near and dear to my heart. Now that I get to do, which is help CEOs and leaders of other companies, entrepreneurs to build their companies. I do that through an amazing company called Pinnacle Global Network with a mission to help CEOs build companies that can thrive with or without them, but are companies that can also grow to have huge impact and change the world. And then I also just started, and this is really the passion project of my heart, is a program for teenagers, it is called the BOLO Project, and BOLO actually means be on the lookout. It is my dog's name, and it will be her legacy. And it is designed to develop confident, empowered, focused teenagers that become future leaders of impact. So building resilience, helping them come up with tools for stress, anxiety, depression, while they are also working together to cultivate a philanthropic project in support of animals. And that's built on some core pillars of success principles, growth, mindset, financial literacy, leadership, and communication. And then, of course, culminates in that project.

I just mentioned a lot of different things to unpack there. I'll say. When I came across, you know, you and we were researching different guests, you know, came across, first saw the website, it's like, oh, my gosh, that's great. That's such a neat, you know, really cute stuff for dogs. And then started researching a little more. And then when I initially talked to you, just the amount of different things you have going on is amazing. And so I want to kind of back up for a second. First, give me the origin story. How are things growing up? And also want to understand what creates this kind of drive? What creates this thing for you to, you know, you have one successful thing, and then you're going to another successful thing and another successful thing and another. And, you know, I always love to understand where did somebody come from? And then what is it on a daily basis that really kind of keeps that drive alive. So let's start with origin story of where are you from? What was life like growing up? How did you kind of make your way to where you are?

Oh, my gosh, that's so much. I'm going to condense it, obviously into something that I think might be really helpful for people, because at face value, people look at other people and they are only hearing the highlight reel, right? Or they're seeing and looking at the highlight reel, and they're. They're not aware of or even contemplating that in between stuff that truly makes us who we are, that builds our resilience, that helps us to achieve the things that we achieve or drive us the way that. That we're driven. So I'll. I'll give you the very condensed version, but hopefully drop some points in there that maybe help to illustrate how I became who I am and how it is that I do the things that I do. Which while on the exterior looks like many different things, there is a through line between all of them that is fully aligned and that is simply just helping other people fetch anything that they want. In business and in life and becoming the person that they are meant to along the way. So that's kind of the core thing. But where it all began. I grew up in Virginia mostly and come from a family of two other siblings, so three, three kids and I. There was a really pivotal moment in my life, age 12. As I reflect on this now, it kind of makes me emotional because I think that that was the pivotal moment that shaped everything about who I am. So back then, at age 12, my parents announced to us that they were going to be getting a divorce. And like most families, you know, that is troublesome, and it creates a lot of sadness and upheaval and uncertainty. But I remember very distinctly, I remember that moment, my mother telling me this. I remember sitting in the car as she picked us up from the airport following a apparently specific trip to the grandparents to coordinate all this behind the scenes. And I remember sitting on I95 south and the rain coming down. And as she started to tell us what was about to happen, I felt that lump in the throat. But I remember looking at the driver. I was sitting in the passenger seat. And so I'm looking to my right, seeing the driver next to me with the rain on the glass, and consciously saying, you will not cry. You will not cry. You will not think about this. You will not be bothered by this. And I was consciously saying this fast forward a few weeks later when my father finally exited the house. I remember repeating this very distinctly as I stood in the. In a doorway of a bathroom, facing that front door as he walked out and left. And I never did cry. I never did shed a tear. I never really processed what that grief was. And then six weeks later, come to find out that my father left because he was gay and he wanted to move on, to live his. In his own authenticity. Of course, at the time, this was not so prevalent. Nobody ever talked about it then, and it was a shock. So now I'm addressing grief and shame, dealing with grief and shame, and doubling down on the. You will not think about this. Nothing will ever happen to you. You need to focus on everything but this. And so in that very distinct moment of decision, I became. I kind of liken it to a drug. And my drug of choice became achievement. That was the drug. So diving into pouring into all the things, becoming the best student, becoming the best, you know, cheerleader on the cheerleading spot, becoming the best of the best of all the things. Because the more I could hone in on those things, the less I had to address any of the pain that I was experiencing. And so as I think about some of those things and you think about a, as you know, for achievement, I really think that as a reflect back now as an adult, A for me really was just avoidance, avoid pain, avoid processing, hurt, avoid internalizing that could this be about me? I will not let anything happen to me. So therefore I have to protect myself. And so on the outside it looks awesome because when you're achieving on the outside, you get all the accolades and you people begin to recognize that you're capable and that you're somebody that makes things happen. And that just became the story of my life. Now along the way too, I was very specific. As a 7 year old, I made a decision that I wanted to become a teacher. Everything about all my decisions led up to that moment where I actually graduated with, you know, diploma in hand and headed right into the classroom of a high school where I taught juniors and seniors. And it all culminated exactly as I had envisioned. And it all culminated with success, including right out of the gate teacher of the year for the school. So everything was about that. But you have to understand underneath was a tool to avoid all the other stuff going on. I met my husband who is in the Navy, we moved around and I couldn't get a teaching job, but I discovered that I could be a really amazing entrepreneur. And so I started a journey of entrepreneurship and became a serial entrepreneur once again. Head down, focused in achieved. Yeah, in all those things. And that is a strategy and a drug, if you will, that work. And it worked really, really well for me, including the building of our company. DOG is good, but it only works until it doesn't, right?

In fact, that point I had. Listen, I can't recall at the moment what that podcast was, but listen to a podcast about that concept of high achievers in the percentage of high achievers that had a traumatic childhood was quite astonishing. And they, as they talked about that whole concept of, you know, it's kind of bow and in certain ways it can be your superpower because you're so highly motivated and everything. But then there comes that breaking point where sooner or later it needs to be dealt with. But I didn't fully realize that, but once you kind of hear it, it makes sense that most that are very high achievers. Where does that drive come from? Unfortunately, most of the time that drive comes from some really negative things in childhood.

Yeah, it does, it can. And for me it certainly did. I think, you know, people talk about intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. If you know, intrinsically, you're seeking to avoid pain, shame, or whatever trauma you might have experienced, it can go on to press itself outwardly. And that's where it becomes a teeny bit dangerous, because as I said, on the outside then, it looks amazing and people count on you and they expect it, and it's rewarded socially. But like everything, it will work until it just doesn't. And that certainly is part of my story too. There was that breaking point where it.

Stopped working and where dogs come into the story. Right, because that's a big thing for you. So it must have been somewhere along this journey, right, that you found a dog really comforting.

Believe what it was. I never grew up with dogs. I did not have have a dog. Thought dogs were okay, but they weren't a part of my world at all. And we didn't have a dog at the time. But because I was engaging in a variety of entrepreneurial ventures, there was this point where I was. We were living in Japan, we were stationed there, and somebody's dog had puppies. And I don't know what took me over, but I really wanted one of them. I just wanted something to care for and love. And it was so cute. I. And. And I remember my husband saying to me at the time, you know, you have to walk these things. You gotta feed them. I was like in my 30s going, yeah, I know I'm not 10. But anyway, we got the dog, of course, and the dog would join me on one of my business ventures. I owned a number of gourmet coffee vending machines that I placed in the D.C. area. And I would just go a few times a week and service those, and she would join me, and then we'd land at the dog park at the very end. That was the fun part of the day. And I remember walking in and seeing this guy with like six, seven dogs. And you had just mentioned before we hopped on this call, your children are about to embark on launching a dog walking business. Well, that's what this guy had. Only this was 30 years ago when before dog walking was a thing. And so when I saw him, I thought, that is amazing. I've never seen anybody with so many dogs. And he said, oh, yeah, these aren't. These aren't mine. I was like, wait, explain, please. He said, oh, I'm a professional dog walker. And I was like, what? He started telling me. He started telling me how much money he made. And I was like, you are kidding me. And so I called my husband. I said, hey, our next military move. This what I'm doing, I'm starting a dog walking business. I thought it would be great but as it turned out, where we lived in the panhandle of Florida, they didn't need dog walkers like they did in the D.C. area. And so at that point was in love with the idea of doing something with dogs. And so I decided to combine my passion and expertise and love for teaching people and my love for dogs and became a professional dog trainer. And it was through my work as a dog trainer that we ultimately launched the Dog is Good brand. That's how it came all.

Okay, so we launched. So you've done a lot of different businesses, very entrepreneur minded, moving around a lot, coming up with different businesses to do the Dog is Good. So that one comes up and then that one really seems to be, really takes off. So what's the period from when that one starts until it's really become quite a thing? What's the buildup for that?

Yeah, that happened very quickly. And I always define myself in those years as the unconscious incompetent because number one, I didn't know what to do. This was like the biggest business that we had. Idea that we were pulling together and I just wasn't aware what I didn't know in order to ask questions, to learn and to grow properly with the business. But the other thing was it just started to grow so fast again, I'm a doer, I'll make things happen. And it started to grow so quickly that I wasn't aware of what it takes not just to build a business, but to build a business that wasn't dependent on me. That was not even a concept in my head at the early stages. And that is when my strategies for living, for thriving, for excelling started to unravel. I would say about within three years we had already grown pretty significantly. By the fifth year it was we had made a name for ourselves within the pet industry and we were doing quite a bit of business. And it was at that point where I started to sense that my coping mechanisms were no longer going to work in the, in the way that they had in the past. I was beginning to unravel inwardly and honestly. Started to find myself an abyss and then was diagnosed with clinical depression as a result. The challenge there is that again, on the outside everything looks amazing, right? Everybody's like, oh my gosh, you're amazing. This is right.

Everybody you're talking to is like, oh my gosh, you must be so, your business is doing so well, you must be so happy, everything must be so good and you're yeah, yeah, it was.

It was horrifying. And the thing that I think was the most troublesome was one evening I was walking with my neighbor, and at the end of our walk, she turned to me and she was like, I wish I had your life. I just looked at her like, you have no idea. If you were in my head, you would run as fast as you could. And that was really a turning point. And serendipity, to me, is a very real thing. And that evening, a bunch of other things. There was a lot of thoughts that started to go through my head, and they were not, you know, pleasant thoughts or not thoughts that I'm proud of, but they were there nonetheless. And one of the things that I attribute and why I'm so convicted about the role that dogs play in our lives is if not for her, I don't know what would have happened the next day. Not for my puppy at the time, Bolo. And so I always refer to her as the dog that truly changed everything I believe in my core, changes the way you see the world if you allow it. You know that phrase, when the student is ready, the teacher will appear. And she absolutely was there, not only as a teacher, but as my lifesaver in that moment. And then from there, there's a woman, Allison Maslin, who was running an ad on Facebook. Now, I'm rarely on Facebook, but I just happened to be. And her ad popped up, and she was giving a talk at a local hotel here in Southern California. And I decided, for whatever reason, it was important for me to go to that presentation. And everything that she mentioned aligned with where I was, everything she talked about. And it was. It was very eye opening. And it was the first time that I really considered the idea of diving into mentorship and getting guidance. And through that, I feel like. Like really turned everything. Everything around.

And that was pinnacle. She's with you? Yeah. Okay.

Through the work that we did together, through my. The mentor that I worked with, through her systems and her processes and just pulling all the things together, she has a very specific methodology, which I. I'm so convicted in. This is what I love to help others with now, too. It's called the Scale at Night method. It's a very proven, tried, and true methodology. They. In Pinnacle Global Network, we've taken tens of thousands of CEOs through this process, and it's really changed the game for so many people, not just in the scaling component of their business, which is first and foremost and the reason why so many come. But I don't think I was unique at the time in where I was in terms of feeling overwhelmed and feeling frustration and creating something that on the outside was so successful. But then why was I feeling the way I was on the inside? And it's because I just was in all the things. And through that process, really turned a lot of things around, shifted how I showed up as a leader for my team and also as a leader for myself. And so much had changed in my world as a result of the work that we were doing that I. I just remember thinking, one day, gosh, I wish I could be on her team. I just, like, had a thought in my head. I wrote it down in my notebook. It became something that I was like, I really would love to be on her team. And I just started writing about it and envisioning what that would be like. Two years later, I did get a call from Allison. And I will not forget that moment because I was just. I was so excited. And I have been working with Pinnacle Global Network as a member of their team in support of all the amazing, the coolest people that we get to connect with for the past four years and every day. It's a gift. I just sit in gratitude at the gift. It's been unreal. And because we help people build team managed companies. And this is what I've been able to do with my own business. My team pretty much runs the show. It's led to that passion project, which is interesting how everything comes full circle right now. I'm suddenly finding myself back teaching teams, which is where I started in the very beginning. And that part, to me, I sit down and I'm like, like, this happened and this happened and this happened. And of course I landed exactly back where I'm supposed to be, but in a much different headspace simply because of all the things that I have experienced. As everybody does, everything happens for a reason. And everything always works out. It just does.

And now talk to me a little bit more than about Pinnacle. So what is the. You know, there's. There's a lot of CEOs, executives that, that watch this show. You know, who is the ideal client for Pinnacle?

The ideal client for Pinnacle Global Network is an entrepreneur CEO who has success in building their business already. And they're just at a place where they're like, oh, everything that I've done up until now is just not working. They hit that proverbial wall because most businesses will hit a proverbial wall. And they. The idea of working harder or doing more, this doesn't fly anymore because There really are not more hours in the day or they haven't really empowered their team to step up, not just as leaders, but empower them in that ownership, if you will, to truly, truly take care of all the things that are at hand so that the CEO, the leader, can just be forward thinking, can focus on the vision, can be creating those strategic partnerships and alliances. And so the, the ideal person is that CEO entrepreneur who they're just working all the time. It was me, you know, is that overwhelm is working all the time. It's doing all the things and not taking the big leaps that you once did early on and not knowing how to restructure from where you're at to get to where you really want to go. That's, that's really the ideal client. And then of course, just somebody who wants to make it happen and wants to have impact and wants to get their life back. That's, that's usually the ideal person.

What's the typical timeframe? So somebody comes in, they're interested, they enroll in this program. Mike, from your experience, how, from that moment, they enroll, how long until they can really see and feel some actual change in their lives?

Yes. Well, that's a great question. And of course, every business is different. When you're looking at the methodology that we use, there's five phases of scaling. So we have to first look at, well, where are you in the scaling process? Most tend to be in phase three. We call it the ringleader, because it's, it's total circus, if you will. Then there's five pillars that have to be shored up for anybody to move forward. And this is, in every business, you have to have a strategic vision. If you don't have. And that's the thing that I find most people have the biggest struggle with. They are able to set a goal in January and they check it in June, they revisit it in December to see how it all played out. But there it's not vision, it's a goal. And so strategic vision is really, really key because it determines what the model's going to look like and then what the strategy is going to be to get there. Cash flow, the marketing, sales, the operations of the finances, the alliance of the team, the leadership that's required, who we need to be in order to be that visionary leader. And then the execution, like how everything gets measured and how everything rolls out is how the vision really comes to life. And so every business is different. Do people shift right away? Absolutely. As a, as the leader that l Pillar gets addressed pretty quickly. And that along with the vision, as those things start to turn forward, movement can happen pretty quickly. I have seen some businesses grow significantly within a year, two years, three years. And it just keeps growing and shifting and changing. And what's interesting is how visions expand and how people use a scalable model to really, to grow beyond where they ever were before and to do it precisely with, with a strategy in place around it.

You have the successful business, the website business, the, the retail, you know, business. There things just internally are very overwhelming. You find this Pinnacle group, you start working, it helps transform your life and your business. Then you come back around and start working with Pinnacle and start, you know, kind of paying it forward. Right. And doing the same thing with others. So then you're doing that for how long? And, and now you're still doing that plus doing the other. Working with teenagers that's just now on the horizon. Is that right?

That's kind of just began.

Okay.

Yes.

You know, so you're, you're working with Pinnacle, you're working with other parameters, getting to the same spot. This feels wonderful. Great. Explain to me how then there's this, this other piece now that needs to be added to the puzzle. Like where did that creation idea come from?

To back up, in working with Pinnacle Global Network, the first thing that had to be addressed was me, who I was, how I was showing up. My lack of vision needed to be addressed. So many things needed to happen within myself before we could take it to the next level. Once that became clear, once those things were addressed, once I started to get clarity for a vision and conviction and courage within that again, then it came down to what kind of scale, duplicatable process can we put in place to grow it. And we started implementing quite a few different scalable strategies like the licensing, like the pop up program, et cetera. A lot, couple of different things. And I will say you don't need a lot of scalable models, you just need one. But we used a few and I got very clear on what my role was going to be. I had have the right team in place at the time. I did not. We have an amazing team and so they really do run the show. I spend just a little bit of time helping our pop up shops in that business. Pinnacle is so much fun. Pinnacle Global Network for me as a mentor, super fun and I just love to do that. But a couple years ago I got very, very clear what I was noticing, how I felt after everything that I was doing. And it became so clear so obvious that any time I was either mentoring or teaching a workshop or helping somebody else, I feel more alive than I. Than I've ever felt before. And now I use that as the measure by which I choose to spend my time. And so in 2021, when Covid was still really part of our world, I mean, I know it still is. We're still in the aftermath of a lot of that. I was having coffee with a principal of a local high school, and I just asked her how the kids were doing, and she turned to me and she said, this is a disaster. And she kind of used some colorful language, but she basically said this. Fifteen years from now, it's going to be a very trying time in our country. These kids are really challenged. And as she explained to me why and more, I just made a decision in that moment. I will do something to help this somehow. And with my love of dogs, with my understanding about mindset and about all the things that are required as it relates to self leadership and leadership and communication, like, I get, I'll put together a program. And I just started ideating what that would look like. And it culminated last October with the nonprofit foundation. And we ran a pilot program previously just to get some, you know, our feelers out there to see if it would work. And then this summer, we ran the first group, which I will tell you, I can't make this up. Parents every week saying, I don't even know what's going on. Like, my household is changing. My kid wants to be here. Like, you must be. You're. It's amazing. And the kids saying, one mom made me cry because she said, my kid has struggled since 2021, and I've not seen her this happy and engaged in life since starting this program. Another kid was like, oh, my gosh, I have so much clarity for what I want to do and where I want to go to school simply because of the work that we're doing here in this class. And it's just one unprompted testimonial after another. I literally just got a text on Sunday from a parent that it's been three weeks since we ended, and she said, I just had to tell you that Isabel is having her best year yet. I've never seen her this positive. She is doing so well in all of her classes so far. And I attribute it 100% to the work you do. And so that drives me. My mission and vision for that is so huge. Like, to me, this is stuff that's not taught in school. Why I Don't know, but it should be. And I just see millions of teens nationwide engaging in this kind of program and I know that having the dogs part of it, it is what makes it impactful and get the results that, that we're getting with these students. It's amazing and I love it.

And what exactly does the program look like? How long does it last, how many sessions? Give us an overview of exactly what it's about.

Yes. So it starts with a two day retreat and we do it here at Dog is Good two day retreat. It is very deep dive immersive. It's designed to get these students connected and it's designed to give them an introduction into the what we're going to be covering throughout. So mindset and growth, mindset and success principles, communication, leadership. We also begin to tap into elements of financial literacy and then we begin to set the stage for them working together in their project. And we do a lot of. It's a lot of peeling back the layers, you know, taking down the walls that they're, that they come in here fully put up. But by the end of the weekend, man, I don't. They are, they just see through the exercises and activities and conversations that we have that hey, we are pretty much all the same. We are all the same, same desires, same fears, same self limiting beliefs and talks. And so it, they're getting exposed to a way of thinking that they're just that are not conversations that they have at home or in school. And then it's eight weeks, 90 minute classes once a week. And then we just deep dive into those pillars. And then throughout their working together to coordinate fundraiser for an organization they've identified and it culminates at the end with the, the execution of that fundraiser. And then we donate the proceeds. They ended up raising this summer $2,600 for the big Heart Ranch located in Santa Monica. And it was amazing. They went there on a field trip. We didn't really, it wasn't like official plan but they all went, the parents went. It was a, it was a powerful summer and everybody was really blown away, myself included by the whole experience and.

How many students at a time.

Class caps at 16.

Okay.

Keep it small because that allows for these kids to get vulnerable and get real and to connect and for it to stay a safe place for them to learn and to grow.

Well, yeah, I mean that sounds amazing. I think all those things you mentioned, you know, seem definitely something that's very helpful for society and something that I think kids for sure. You know, to me the kids at that high school age, you know, just having those. I was big into sports, you know, as my brothers and everything like that. And that's typically where we would kind of get that inspiration in that thing, right. From our different coaches and from sports and things like that. But, yeah, I just feel, you know, really bad for a child that goes through and doesn't have something like that, just kind of goes through the normal system and doesn't really happen to take to a teacher or a coach or somebody that really can help mold them, you know, and then just seems like there's a real good chance of them just kind of drifting around without real good guidance. And.

And even those who are part of sports teams or engaged in activities that they're very, very engaged in, if they don't have the right mindset around that.

Right.

They will not reach their full potential there.

Excited about the future of that. What is that looking like? Because of course, I'm sure, like all things right, you want to take it and grow it and expand it and, you know, how do you see that occurring?

Yeah. So my vision is that there are packs, if you will, of BOLO project groups all over the country. I see it in every state, fully throughout. I see multiple periods during the year where students are getting engaged in this, and I see where it becomes even a curriculum that goes into schools, because this is not taught in school. And if it was, it would be the foundation by which all the students could have a greater experience, maybe cut down on the bullying and the poor self talk and get these kids off their tech a little bit. I'll share with you. When we had the conversation around habits in becoming our future selves, and I asked them, you know, what is a habit you want to change? Just guess. The number one thing on everyone's list, it was their phone. And they all said it the same way. I wish I could stop scrolling. That's what they said. And so, you know, they don't want to live their lives like that on their phones all the time either. But they're addicted to it, of course. So it's. It's a program that's nationwide. We train facilitators who get certified in our process and who take these into their own communities. It is heavily funded by organizations and individuals, being that it is a nonprofit, so we can make it available to all students regardless of economic status. And kids have fun throughout.

And now this is high school age students.

Yes, it is for 9th through 12th. And clearly there's a need for 7th and 8th because I have a big wait list for parents begging me, please create something for the seventh and eighth graders. So next summer we will have something for seventh and eighth graders, too.

And now is this something that, as far as getting into private or public schools, is one. I assume one path is significantly easier than another.

As far as getting into a school as a curriculum, I would say private is probably easier. Or charter schools easier than a public school. Some. A lot of barriers, I think sometimes, yeah, the public schools. As far as the students coming to us, they're coming from all. All areas. Private, charter, homeschool, public school.

Okay. And if somebody's interested in this, loves what you're saying, would like to somehow get involved, run this program wherever they happen to be. How would they go about doing that?

That. Oh, just contact me. I would love to have a conversation. And anybody can reach out to me at that address. It's. I know you'll probably put it in the show notes, but it's Gila G I L a@the boloproject altogether.org and they. Anybody can reach out to me. I would love to do that. We do have quite a few people seeking to bring it into their areas. So in the spring, we'll start our certification program for facilitators, and we just seek to. To get it out there. I think the biggest barrier in this present moment, as of September 2024, is that simply parents just don't know about us yet, but they will.

All right, well, great. And then what's the. For this spring, how many new areas are we hoping to launch this year?

I would like to have five programs going throughout Southern California, and then we can start to take it elsewhere.

Okay. Okay, great. Well, I certainly would like to help. Help.

Oh, I would love it. Thank you.

Do what I can do to push that. I think it sounds great. Thing I'd like to end on is you've spent an incredible amount of time and energy in your life helping others. Right. And mentoring and, you know, between business owners and, you know, high school kids. Now, what are your top couple pieces of advice, you know, that you could give somebody for just, you know, I guess whatever you might say, my thought would be just in general in life, like, what are kind of a. The top things you tend to work with both elements on?

Right.

If you're a business owner or these high school students.

Yeah. I think, you know, I tend to operate my life with a formula which starts with clarity. Clarity plus a burning desire for what it is that you want. So you have to know what it is. And it has to be to me, a burning desire. Like they're just, it's just what you want, you know it, you feel it tremendously. To have full on faith, faith, always faith, that no matter what it's happening, it doesn't matter what you see right in this moment, whatever obstacle might be thrown your way. One of my favorite books is Ryan Holiday's the Obstacle is the Way. And it's true, there are things that are thrown in our path simply because it has to be that way in order to get to a better version of where it is that we want to go. So that full on faith, just a knowingness. And that's kind of how I am all the time. Like, ah, I just know as I know the sun rises and sets, that once I have a burning desire and a clear vision for it, it's happening. So cultivating that feeling as though you're driving forward with some sense of purpose and meaning, that is what drives people. Without that, we shift to autopilot. So there needs to be that. What, what does give you purpose. And sometimes that's just a matter of having a defined intention every single day. Every day. And I would have the students do this too, is, you know, what are you intending for today? What are you intending to feel like? What are you intending the day to look like? So it also boils down to what is. If we start with the end in mind, hence the vision, then we can just reverse engineer back to it. But also, who do we need to be for all of those things to come to fruition as we see it? Because that person and I share this with people often. The me 90 days from now is actually the woman driving the show. It's rarely me. I'm the puppet. I'm just doing what she needs me to do so she can exist and have the impact that she wants. And so those would be the core things, just clarity and a burning desire, faith, you know, purpose and some sort of intention. And in that faith piece is that ability to keep looking where you're going despite what's, you know, all right there. Oh, and then take inspired action. Like thoughts do become things. I say that all the time, but never, if I'm just sitting in my chair all day long, I gotta take some inspired action all the time. Oh, and gratitude. I wear a bracelet that says grateful to remind me gratitude for all things. Not just the obvious, but every minute.

Every day, every piece of advice you threw out there, you know, are different things that, that strike home for me. Hopefully a good grasp and at least firm belief in, you know, how well I practice them at times, probably. It has been wonderful talking to you today. It's amazing the things you've done. You know, not only, you know, the idea of I get to talk to a lot of successful entrepreneurs that have built wonderful businesses, but rarely do get to talk to somebody like you, you know, who has not only, you know, built a successful business, you know, then been able to go and shift into that thing of helping so many others. So I really appreciate what you're doing. I really want to do what I can do to kind of help, you know, push things along, continue things for you and congratulations and keep going. You're an inspiration.

Thank you much, much appreciated and thank you so much. And thank you for the opportunity to speak with you and connect with you and just be a part of your journey as well.

All right, well, have a great day. Thank you for listening to Executing the Vision. If you'd like to be a guest, go to EmergeLabs US and click on the podcast page. If you like what you heard, please share the episode and subscribe. Ratings and reviews go a long way to help promote the show. You can find us on Instagram, Brad EmergeLabs as well as X Facebook and LinkedIn where we strive to provide valuable information on business and life.

Life.

We'd love to hear your thoughts on the show and what you'd like to see in future episodes. Thank you again and have a great day.