Episode 9 - Sue Anderson Inspiration Sparked Her To Build An Entrepreneur Retreat Center

I do really believe 100% from every part of me that everyone has the capacity to be able to do the things that they want and not to be held back by the mental baggage that's in our head that we want to push through.

Welcome to the do the Thing podcast. In each episode, we get down and personal with people who go after the things they want to make all their wildest dreams come true. Join us as we unveil and dissect a formula for what it takes to do the thing. Here is your host, Stacy Lauren.

Hey, everyone.

Welcome back to the do the Thing podcast. My name is Stacy Lauren and I am so happy to have you guys here. I met my next guest last year at a conference that I went to. You know, making the decision to do things is doing the thing. One event or one party or one excursion.

It can change so much.

You just never know who you're going to meet, what you will learn, or how things will connect to you. Just so you guys know, there's a yearly conference put out by capitalism.com called capcon. I went to it last year. It was right when Covid was dying down the first time. And honestly, it was spectacular. The variety of speakers that were there were mind blowing. From one person to the next, they just poured their hearts out and gave tactical strategies for how they became successful.

And overcame their challenges.

I loved it. The timing was so perfect for me. It was right after I exited my business that I owned for 20 years and I was feeling so disconnected from what I'd been doing for so long. And going to this conference, it reconnected me. It reconnected me to who I am. I'm not just this business owner for this singular company that was my entire existence for 20 years. I'm an entrepreneur and I love being an entrepreneur.

It was a safe space where people.

Could be vulnerable, share their hopes, dreams, challenges and visions. Going to meet like minded people who are all doing the thing, putting themselves out there, taking risks. Some at the very beginning of their journey, some in the middle, and others who recently exited their businesses. You guys are about to meet Sue.

Sue and I had an immediate connection.

We met at the conference and have really built up a great friendship since. We have so many parallels in our lives that it feels like magic. She's been up to so many amazing things that I had to have her.

On the show so she could share what she's up to. Welcome to the show, Sue. Hi, Stacey. It's so cool to be on here with you. Thanks for having me. Oh, yeah. I'm so excited.

So why don't you get us started? Tell us a little bit about yourself.

All right, so I'm currently the editorial director@capitalism.com but I've been a freelance writer since 2005. So I have an agency that beautifully runs on its own thanks to the magic of my project manager and head writer, Jessica. Everyone needs a Jessica. It kind of got me thinking. After almost 20 years of serving entrepreneurs, I'm onto a new thing, and it is. We are building an entrepreneur retreat center in Greenville, Tennessee, up in the Smoky Mountains, and I cannot freaking wait. Like, all these entrepreneurs have been just kind of cooped up for a few years with the pandemic and isolated and just stuck indoors, and this is going to be like. Like summer camp for entrepreneurs. It's going to be fantastic. So I'm really excited. Yeah.

It's so amazing.

I know.

It's like the funniest thing was when we met at capcon, I had no idea that we had the similarity, but we had talked about retreats. Has been something I've been wanting to do. And so it was just so amazing to be able to see that you're actually, like, doing it.

We're doing it. Yeah.

And I actually was lucky enough. Just so everyone knows, I was lucky enough to go out there and get to see this property. And it is, like, beyond. I mean, it is so amazing. And just, like, when you go there, it's like, literally, you're just transplanted into this, like, amazing nature. Is it, like. I don't even want to say reserve, because that's not right, but, like.

With.

Like, you know, the flowing water and the mountains, and it's just, like, so amazing. So how did that even work? Like, how did you even, like, come up with that idea? And how. Like, I know you just, like, you closed on the property, right?

Or you're about to close. We're closing very soon. Tomorrow, actually, 24 hours from now.

Yeah.

And like a year ago, I didn't even. This wasn't even on my mind. What. What's crazy is there's this guy, Trevor Blake, who wrote this book called Three Simple Steps. And I read it because everybody@capitalism.com was reading it. So I'm like, all right. And it just kind of shook some things loose. Trevor's, like, huge on spend time outdoors every day. You know, that's where your best thoughts are going to come and all. So that was kind of cool. I started doing that, and then a coach assigned us to do this perfect average day Exercise. Oh. And I'd never done that. This was a really, really long one with an old, you know, Internet marketing guy. I'm like, all right, I'll do this. And I did it. And I was driving in a long car ride after that, and all of a sudden it was like this amazing download just happened right into my brain, right into my lap. All of a sudden I had a business plan. Basically, I had no idea. I really wanted to have a retreat center. Like, all the times in the past 20 years, times when I've had the most growth personally, the best business connections, the most inspiring business ideas, it's been at a retreat. And I always kind of left like, you know, like a little kid leaving summer camp going, I'll see you guys sometime. I always just kind of had this secret desire, like, well, you know, what if I could have this all the time or create this for somebody? And so this just started, like, it started just like falling into place. And this idea was born and I started talking about it and people were like, oh, yes, please do this. Okay, let's do it.

Well, yeah, because it's needed, right? Like with the isolation, a lot of times with entrepreneurs feel and the constant up and down of everything that you have to go through and then to be able to. I know one of the things I love about, like, even running a business is being able to be outside of my business, you know, in order to, like, see what I need to do. And I think life is that way too, right. Where you get, like, shut off for a little bit with people like you, you know, and be able to actually.

Like, connect with them. Yeah, it just makes such a difference. Like, I feel like entrepreneurs are especially lonely people where, you know, it's like we're shut away. We're, you know, kind of chained to the computer. Those that are still working in their business especially, but even those who are working on it or who've exited, it's like, it's this weird life that, like, most people don't get. It's just kind of odd to them. And so it's, you know, like, I was talking with this one woman who had moved to a new town about three or four years ago, and she was really struggling to make friends and especially, like minded, you know, other business women, this type of thing. And she said it almost kind of had that feel of high school. Like, you can't sit at our table. You know, there's. There's this.

Yeah.

You know, like an isolation that happens and we become deeply lonely and we, we Think, well, maybe I'm crazy. I, you know, I built this thing so I'd have freedom and, you know, kind of living the dream, but also really lonely and isolated and just working too hard. And I thought I was in this for freedom, but this doesn't feel very free. So all of that kind of just gets them going. And it's just, it's very hard, I think, for people to, especially these days, to build a business completely on their own. And that, you know, with this, I'm. I'm not doing it on my own at all. This is the first time I've ever launched a business where I was not the only person in this. And it just makes a huge difference. Like, you get momentum, you've got a sounding board, you've got people cheering for you, you've got people supporting you. And it's. Wow, it's just so different. And I hope and long for my guests at the Entrepreneur center to feel that, to make connections and to never have to go alone in this again.

That's amazing. I just love that the people that you're affecting by being able to go here, but then the ripple that they're going to be able to affect by the experience, you know, after they leave. I mean, it's unbelievable.

It really is. I mean, you know, if you think about it like, you know, a lot of people, like, oh, where do you get your best ideas? They'll say in the shower, you know, or out walking or by, by water. You know, that's. It's just so. It's such a powerful thing to get away from the desk, away from the screen and go. Just be like, you'll find this inspiration just, you know, jumping on you. Like, please make me.

Yeah, definitely. Okay, so now I'm really curious. Okay, so walk us through, like the moment that you're. That you get the download. So this is you. You were into Trevor Blake and then was the.

Was the perfect average day. Was that part of Trevor Blake?

So was that something?

No. Yeah, that was somebody separate. So it just kind of happened to, you know, fall into sequence. And so I'm, I'm driving and all of a sudden these ideas start pouring into my head. I'm like, oh, no. O. Hey, I can pull over, but I got a six hour drive here. So I opened up a page in a notebook and I just start scribbling. And I'm not looking at it, I'm watching the road, but I'm just, you know, kind of going, oh, my goodness, it's this download. It's Almost like somebody was just, like, whispering in my ear, okay, you do this, and then you do this, and then you do this, and, like, what? You know, it's just crazy now. Honestly, I thought this part of my project was going to be a decade from now. Like, I was like, okay, well, I guess I'm gonna have to save up and buy some property and save up more and build some stuff on it. And I had no idea that it could happen as fast as it has. I had seen the property, actually. So I started going out with this realtor when I would go up to Tennessee to see my kids, and I was like, hey, you know, here's what I want to do. And he's like, oh, I've got some properties to show you. So I thought, oh, what's the harm? I'll just start looking.

Yeah. So not even thinking about this, like, you weren't. At that point, you weren't like, oh, okay, this will be for the retreat center. You're just, like, dreaming kind of thing.

Yeah, well, no, I thought definitely for the retreat center, but I thought this could take forever, you know, I don't know. I guess it couldn't hurt to start just, like, kind of walking around and seeing that, but I figured it might be a while. And then we saw this one, and it was like, oh, my goodness. And he fully understood, you know, what I want to do. And he's like, this is your property. You know, like, nothing even compared. This is just. It's so ideal. You know, at one point, we looked at each other. I'm like, it's like it was made for this. It's just perfect. So that was. That was a little bit crazy. And it dramatically, you know, brought the timeline up a little bit, you know, rather than a decade. Like, I need to do this now. So when you said, I need to.

Do this now, like, how did you actually. Like, a lot of people say that, right?

Oh, yeah.

But how did you actually, like, you're doing it, you know? So, like, how did it go from like, I want to do this now to, like, okay, no, I'm, like, literally doing this now.

Yeah. Yeah. Well, that was the big thing. Was just starting to talk to people about it, you know, as an introvert and a writer, like, I don't talk to people much. I just, you know, I'm surrounded by all these entrepreneurs, and I was like, hey, guys, what do you think? Like, I kind of want to build this. Like, I really want to build this. And as they started responding, people were like, oh, well, hey, you know, put together a pitch deck. Hey, you should talk to this person. Hey, you know, this person's doing something similar. You should go, you know, take a look at that online and see if that's, you know, along the line of what you wanted or not. There's an entrepreneur like those that are in RVs, so they call them mobile entrepreneurs. There's a, basically a retreat center for them up in Colorado. And that's, you know, Heath and Alyssa Ledger. No, not Ledger. He's an Alyssa. I can't remember their last name, but so they built this. And I was like, that's okay. That's kind of proof of market. There are entrepreneurs who would love to come someplace and, you know, the people at capitalism were like, oh, please, you know, build this, build this. Who runs it is. You know, he kind of has this in mind for at some point as well. But he's looking at places in Austin and he said that, you know, to get a similar sized property was going to be millions and millions of dollars just for the land. So when I started looking and I found out how inexpensive Tennessee is, he about threw up.

Right?

Yeah. Property. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So it was just the more people I talked to, it just sort of took on a momentum of its. And I was like, okay, well, we're, let's do this. Like, I'm not gonna wait. I'm 54. I don't need to wait till I'm 64 to start this thing. Do it now.

Yeah, I'm kind of like writing out your formula for doing the thing right now. Just so you know. So I have, I have. The idea was downloaded pretty much right.

Through all these things that you're doing.

Between Trevor Blake and then the perfect average day. And then you're getting other people. Once the idea was downloaded, then you're getting other people's buy in. Right. They're like, oh, yeah, that actually sounds like a really great idea.

And they're getting you excited and then.

Through that you're getting more educated because they're sharing, you know, other people that you're connecting with, you know, and being.

Able to learn new things.

Are we, are we going good so far?

Yeah, that's perfect. Exactly, exactly. So the next thing that I did. Yeah, yeah, the next thing I did was I started writing out kind of a, like a vision for it. It's not quite a vivid vision, you know, the Cameron Herald formula, but this was just kind of me pouring out my heart. Here's what I want to see, you know, here's What I imagine being here and the way that people will experience this place and what they'll go home with and how it's going to become kind of their home away from home that they come back to again and again. Like, what's that going to be like? And the more I just kind of poured this out, I'm like, whoa, it's actually taking shape. Then I started sharing that with people, and, oh, my goodness. The response, you know, it was with entrepreneur people. They were like, yeah, build it, build it. You know, normal people, they were kind of like, well, that's ambitious or even crazy. But. But the ones that I'm aiming to serve, they were just all over it. They, you know, hey, when can I come? So. Right. It was really validating. Yeah.

And then how did you identify, like. Because you're doing it, you're, like, literally closing in, like, days. So how did you identify like your. There's also this, like, risk assessment, right? Like. Like, how did you kind of identify that? Was that just, like, intuition? Or was it based on analysis or, you know, what. What kind of got you over that hump of like, okay, no, I'm really doing it, right?

Oh, yeah. So, I mean, at first it was intuition. I was just like, there seems, you know, I. I feel this, like, I need to do it. And then, as other people were very supportive and like, yes, please do. Like, okay. And then started looking at, you know, the actual numbers. I know, you know, some. A friend of mine was kind of trying to discourage this. She was like, you know, RV parks, nobody wants, you know, they're. They're leaving that. Owners are saying that's the worst decision they ever made, that type. I'm like, that's not this. So it was like, nobody had, you know, proof of that it wouldn't work. So I started looking at proof that it would work, like, just looking at precedent for how do entrepreneurs use the outdoors? And, you know, if you look way back in the 19th, you know, 1920s, 1930s, and, you know, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, you know, these guys they met outdoors, they'd go hang out in the forest and the mastermind, you know, all that caliber, those old, you know, huge moguls of business, the titans of industry, they. They'd get together outside and solve each other's, you know, solve together the problems that they were facing in their business and their life, and this became such a valued thing to them that they kept doing it. So there's precedent for it. Looking at Trevor Blake and his experience, you know, this man has created I think he's on his sixth nine figure business, and he credits being outdoors for finding that inspiration. I'm like, okay, I know that it can work for entrepreneurs. How about money wise? Like, how could this work? And then kind of, it's almost like a cross between a campground, an Airbnb, you know, a complex of Airbnbs. There are retreat businesses out there, like Baby Bath Water and Institute, Sun Valley. You know, that's for billionaires. And there. So there is a bit of this model where entrepreneurs get together, they leave their home, they go somewhere else, step outside of their business and do this, and they'll pay. You know, this is not. They're not expecting this to be like a little KOA campground where they're, you know, roughing it in a tent. They're up for having a really nice, you know, totally pampered experience. And so seeing that money model, I'm like, that's what I want to do. That is it. So it was just. It was easy then to find out, like, you know, how will this work financially? What can we do with this? You know, we're running. Running retreats quarterly. You know, what would that be like for them? What would that, you know, potentially, how profitable could it be? And it can be very profitable. You know, once we've got the space to host the people, these will be, you know, they show up and we just take care of them. Their meals are provided, drinks, live entertainment. Oh, and the important thing, no pitching. Like, it's just they're, you know, hanging out together. They might learn some things. But we're not. It's not like a pitch fest, you know, where a lot of events that entrepreneurs go to. I like that. Sorry. Yeah. So you.

By having that vision, right, you're like.

And the.

The idea of being outdoors, the idea of being with other entrepreneurs, and then. Then from there, almost like reverse engineering the numbers to make sure that it works as, like, a financial model.

Right? Yes, exactly that. Because, you know, my first, you know, as a creator and as a. I'm a quick start if you do the Colby assessment. So I'm like, hey, let's just go do it. But I'm like, this is big. I actually need to look at numbers. It's not like, you know, not just throwing up a website and hoping for the best. This is. This is for real. So looking at that and having people who are a little bit more financially savvy as far as, like, they understand how all the numbers work and, you know, all of that, having them look at it too. So again, it was kind of, you know, building in public. I know usually that's a software term, but it feels very much like this now where, you know, I just had conversations yesterday with somebody else who's like, oh, this looks amazing. I, you know, I want to, I want to hear more. I want to see if there's some way I can help. You know, it's. It's amazing if you say, I am doing this thing. Anybody else want to come along for the ride? Yeah, show up. You know, it's. It's amazing to see that.

And I like that you're doing it. It sounds like you're doing it in a way that's not like, asking for, like, feedback. You're like, I'm doing it, you know, and then. But you're also keeping an open mind, you know, so then you're kind of like learning things along the way, which I like.

Definitely. Yeah, definitely. And that was the other thing.

Oh, sorry, go ahead.

I was going to say, I also put up, you know, post on. I've been very public with this. It took a little bit of like, oh, okay. Like on Facebook, I've got friends from, you know, nursery school that are on there, you know, kind of being very public with, hey, I'm taking this risk, you know, which doesn't feel risky. It feels like this is a sure thing, you know, but kind of documenting that journey the whole way. And it's been amazing to see the groundswell of support from even people who are not entrepreneurs. And yeah, some of them say I'm crazy, but most of them have been like, wow, that sounds great. And with that too, I was able to ask, hey, you know, let's create this together. What would make this an amazing experience for you? I couldn't believe there were like a hundred replies to that. Wow. Yes. Yeah.

Like, so you're kind of like asking your target market, you know, and being able to like, almost put the experience in a bag, like a, Like a tied with a bow, essentially, you know, based on what they're telling you.

Totally. Like, here's your silver platter, the thing that you asked for, we're gonna do. That's so cool.

Yeah. So you're not like, st on any one idea. You're just keeping an open mind and flowing with where the people are going, essentially.

Definitely, Definitely. Because this is, you know, I'm building it for them, so they should have some say, you know, and if I can create, you know, just an out of the park type of experience for them, I'm Just so compelled that this is the place that I can create for them to come and sharpen their acts, you know, and link arms with others and leave not feeling alone, feeling inspired, feeling rested and rejuvenated, and hopefully a little bit addicted to spending some time outdoors, too, because that's really important.

Yeah. Yeah, I love that.

Okay, so what is.

What has been the hardest or what has been hard for you during this process?

To be honest, my own emotional state on it because, you know, when you're doing anything new, there's road bumps or challenges or, you know, things. Oh, that's an unexpected twist. At one point, there was an offer on the land, and I'm like, oh, no. And.

Right.

You know, trying to manage my own state. So I'm not in freak out mode all the time, because that's not a great state to be in. So I'm still learning on that. I know that, you know, every time I've started a business or done something new, there's a whole. It's almost like, bought yourself a whole personal development course. Okay, here's the next level, you know, and so it's just. It's been amazing to see things always work out. And, yes, I get tense and nervous and sweaty palms and waiting for this and that from, you know, and it's. But it's all part of the ride. My son was amazing. It was so funny. I was talking with him about this, and he says, mom, it's just kind of like being on the upward slope on a roller coaster. It's potential energy. So you're going up, up and up, and then at some point, you crest that hill and who you go down, and it's exhilarating. And then there's another hill to go. But, you know, just remember that, you know, that tenseness that. That's the same as being on a roller coaster. You're scared to death. You're like, oh, I'm going to die. But you don't, you know, and it's fun, and you raise your hands and scream and want to do it again.

Wow. That is an amazing analogy. Oh, my gosh.

That's really good.

Yeah, that's like. I'm literally having, like, a huge visual of that right now.

Yeah. Yeah.

What do you think been the thing that's helped you, like, when you are going through that and you're on that roller coaster and you're going up, like, what's. What's been holding you grounded?

Yeah. Well, the big thing is if I spend time outdoors, like, just like Trevor Blake Said, you know, it. It really. It beats my soul and I get grounded and it's like time slows down and it doesn't feel like everything is just incredibly, desperately urgent. It feels like, okay, you know, and I can. I look around and I smell the grass and I feel the sunshine on my face and I hear the birds and the frogs and the crickets and, you know, I'm. I love to garden. So I'm, you know, digging in the soil and it's like, okay, everything's going to be fine. Now that has been a little bit of a challenge because it's been winter, so, yeah, not as good. You know, like, if I'd had this all happening during the summer, I think I'd be a lot more chill. But, you know, I'll bundle up and I'll just go sit outside on the porch and just sit there and, you know, try to experience right now and breathe deeply, close my eyes, you know, just chill. That helps a lot. I won't lie and say, oh, I'm good as new. I'm ready to go. But it, My goodness, that'll talk you off the ledge really fast if you can just kind of center yourself. And, you know, I like to pray. I like to be, you know, kind of run through, like, all the things I'm grateful for. And I love to think about, like, my imaginary guests. You know, I put faces on them because I know, you know, I know a lot of people who will be there. But just imagining, like, you know, sitting around a campfire with them or walking up the hill or, you know, playing in the creek, that's there, and that is just. It really sustains me that, that sense of, you know, almost calling, like this total purpose. Like I can see them, I can. I can hear them, you know, thanking me for, for creating this and that they could be there. I can almost see the, you know, thank you notes and emails that are going to come through and, and that's very, very powerful for keeping me going.

You know, it's amazing that the thing that you're building is also the thing that centers you.

I know, right? I wonder if everybody does that. I kind of think most businesses are not like that, but this is. Yeah, this, you know, I'm building this for me as much as for everybody. It's. It's. Yeah, it's just a dream come true to be able to do that and to share it.

Well, I'm excited. I love that, like, we're kind of documenting, you know, the beginning of it too. So I think it's cool that you have so much, you know, like, in your head and on paper and through the people that, you know, you know about what this experience is. And then, you know, at some point it's gonna be like, here, you know, my goodness.

Oh, my goodness.

So I do. Because, like, I'm. What I'm trying to do for the people listening is, you know, showing that idea of doing the thing right. Like, it's hard. It's hard to, like, be able to jump off that.

Or. What is it? Go up the roller coaster.

We'll do your son's. Yeah, like that. It's hard. So, like, a lot of people have the idea, you know, but then to actually do it is the other thing. And so that's kind of why I'm trying to, like, dissect formulas from the different people I'm talking to. Because everyone. Some of the things are similar, and some of them are different.

So it's been really cool, like, to.

Get an opportunity to, like, see yours. And then I was wondering, too, because I know you have the writing business. Have you seen any. Like, how did. If you don't mind just touching on that for a minute, because I'm curious if you've seen any, like, similarities, like, how did you get into that business?

Yeah, actually, so that one. It's kind of funny. So in 2005, I had two little kids, you know, and I wanted to be able to be home with them, but there was just no way that it was going to work financially unless I was somehow working. So I thought, well, all right, what if I got a temp job? Like, you know, work, register with a temp agency, and, you know, if I can work, I can work. If the kids have something, you know, I can not work that time. And I had done that through college to kind of put myself through. You know, during summers, I would work at temp agencies, but. All right, that'll work. So the night before my very first assignment, I get a call the evening before, and the lady on the other end of the line essentially said, hey, okay, well, here's where you're going. Here's what you'll be doing. And your bathroom breaks are at 10 and 2 and 4. And I said, oh, my God, like, what? I am a grown woman. You're going to tell me when I can go pee? That, no, I'm sorry, that is just not going to work. And I just. I was like, no, that obviously I have to find something else that. That's totally not going to work. So I ended up hiring a coach, basically with the question of what am I going to do when I grow up here? And she helped me to identify what my skills were, because I really didn't know at that point. I, you know, worked for years in different fields and just kind of nothing felt like a great fit. And certainly nothing felt like something I wanted to start a business with. So we identified that writing was definitely my thing. And I remember saying, yeah, but Robin, I don't want to starve to death. Writers are, like, starving. She says, well, sue, there's this thing called the Internet, and everyone is going to need to have a website. Website. And every website needs to have words. So if you can figure out how to write for them, you can have a business. And like, whoa, okay, So I just did it. I didn't, you know, I went on to guru.com and signed up there and ended up being their number one writer for like, number one ranked writer for a while and gathered clients and, you know, after a while, it was more writing than I could possibly do. And I'm like, whoa, this is crazy. I'm now working 60, 70 hours a week. That's not what I had in mind. Right. So I brought on other writers and, and built an agency this way. So it's all stay at home moms. And, you know, they, they don't have to handle the clients or the billing or any of that kind of stuff. They just want to write and get paid. So it really turned into this beautiful thing. And it was the same Dennis, you know, it was like, all right, how does you know?

I.

It's like I don't know enough to know what I can't do. I'm going with ignorance on some of these things. Like, oh, that's impossible. Oh, I just did it. Okay.

Well, yeah, it sounds like if you think about it, you know, like hiring a coach. Right. It's kind of similar to what you're doing with the retreat center where you're getting other people's buy in. You know, like, you got the coach to really kind of support you and help you, help guide you and mentor you, too.

Yeah. And then, and then you just keep.

A really open mind, it sounds like. And then things are just sort of like, you know, opening up for you.

Yeah. And you just, you do whatever is the next thing that makes sense to be doing, you know, and for me, with the writing and with this, you know, a common thread too, was just really like, I. For the writing business, I had such a heart for the mom and pop businesses. These Small and middle school, you know, medium sized businesses that needed writing, you know, they would be. I don't, you know, a lot of people will understand that it's really hard to write for your own business because it just, it feels weird. I have a hard time writing for my own business sometimes. But yeah, if I can see somebody's greatness, what they're doing, you know, if it's a plumber, like, man, you're not just like wrenching on a, on a toilet. You're not just fixing a leak. You're really providing peace of mind. You know, these people have a massive problem. They're calling there, there's water spurting through their house or they, whatever the problem is and you're in there to save the day. Like, if I can see somebody as the hero of the story, then I can go all in just supporting them. And same with the retreat center. Like, I know these, you know, these folks are creating like solutions to problems throughout the world. Yeah, they're getting paid really well for it, but that's because the problems they're solving are really plaguing people. And if I can get in there and support them, it's like nothing's going to stop me. I'm doing this, you know, and at one point I was like, I'll do this if I'm 90, you know, and it's not if I'm 90 before I get the property and do this. I'm doing it. Yeah, it's the corners of my life.

You know what's so cool that you said too, on top of everything else that you said, that was really cool.

But the thing that I really loved.

Was you said something like, do whatever the next step makes sense to do. It sounded better when you said it, but like, it kind of makes me think my daughter uses the term future tripping, you know, and it sounds like, like you're not future tripping. You're really just like going in this, like, okay, what's next? You know, and so you're not getting caught up in all these other things, which, you know, that simplicity I think is also really, really good because I mean, that could bottleneck anything, you know.

Oh yeah. If you and future trip. Your daughter's so smart. That's the perfect, perfect term for what normally happens. We just get wrapped around the axle trying to think, well, 15 moves from here, how am I going to handle that? Again, Blake, the way he described it was so great. He said, look, it's like a winding staircase. You can't see much from further Than, like, three or four steps ahead. And there. You know that there are a bunch more, but you. You gotta step up to find these next steps, and then you'll see how to take them. You can't possibly imagine, you know, what you're gonna need to do or how you're gonna do it until you get closer to doing that particular step.

I love that. Yeah.

Yeah. That's so good.

Oh, my gosh.

Dude, that's powerful. Yeah.

Yeah, that's good. So we can actually. We can actually say when the entrepreneur retreat center is going. You can say, you know, this is here because I didn't want to take scheduled bathroom breaks.

Yeah. Because I'm stubborn.

Yeah. I just almost, like, wonder. It's just interesting when things like that happen to us. Right. Because, like, that moment in that temp agency and, like, what happened and you having such a strong reaction, you know, it created this ripple, and who knows what would happen?

Really cool.

Yeah.

Yeah. It tipped the first domino. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. It really did. Yeah. And I never could have seen, you know, time travel back to 2005, and I'm desperately looking for something so I can bring in some extra money. Never would have seen this.

Yeah, it's amazing. Okay, so what is the one piece of advice you have for people about them being able to do the thing?

Oh, yeah. All right, here it is. Go outside every day, unplug. You don't get to bring your phone. You're not listening to music, you're not checking the time, any of that. It could just be a few minutes better. You know, longer. A little bit longer is way better. But do that and just be still, because if you start to just. And you don't have to do it. It's not like meditation where you're purposely trying to not think or, you know, just let your brain go. It's fine. It's fine. Anything that you're thinking about is fine. And if you do this regularly, I'm thinking a few weeks of this, and you're going to start having some really inspiring thoughts and take them seriously. Jot them down, see? You know, play with it a little bit, See what happens. Like, there's nothing that's impossible for you to do. You know, some things will take. Doing a lot of things, take a lot of help, but it can definitely be done. And don't let your brain tell you, oh, that's stupid. That's too hard. You can't possibly do that. Like, okay, fine, I'm just writing it down. How risky is that? I'm just writing it down. Of course it might actually turn into something, but you don't have to censor yourself or look at, well, what's reasonable, what's normal, any of that kind of stuff. Just let your brain go because there's some dream inside of you, some new task. It could be taking a vacation, it could be a whole new business, whatever it is, but it's dying to come out of you. And in the quiet of being outside alone, just sitting there, there's not a whole lot of extra shouting going on in your brain. After a while it'll just be clear and you'll get this idea and just write it down. It doesn't mean you have to act on it. But if you start getting into that practice of letting your brain tell you what would be amazing and unpeeling that so that you can kind of see like, like what is, what's on my heart to do, what's my, you know, I don't want to say purpose, but it could be, you know, but if there's this sense of I was made to do this and if you can get outside and, and spend that time and lavish that time on yourself, you'll be amazed at what things come out of you that you could go and do. And from there it's kind of self fueled like a rocket. So just be prepared. You may find yourself doing something you never dreamed.

Wow, that's really good.

That was a really good piece of advice too. I'm like, oh my gosh.

You'Re giving people permission to not judge their thoughts. You know, it's like you're like you're just writing it down. That's all you're doing, you know.

Exactly.

You're not giving anything crazy. Right?

You're writing some words. What could happen.

Yeah, I love it. Well, is there anything that I did not ask you that you wish I asked you?

Oh, wow. Let's see. My goodness. I think, yeah, just, you know, as far as like dealing with the naysayers because sometimes they're in our own brain, sometimes you know, their friends or family or you know, like that and that, you know, that does come up and especially if you've had failures in the past, you know, or, or they have. So handling that, that, that can be a little tough sometimes. But just I try to keep in context like this is coming from their best wishes. They, they're hoping to save me trouble or you know, protect me or they're just, they've had a hard time with something before, they've had a failure Whatever it is like that, it's just kind of like a, like a protective mechanism. And so their intentions are good, they want to protect. They don't want something bad to happen. And so I can then just kind of think, literally and for real be thankful for them that they're showing some care. Their input is not what I needed at the time. So I just kind of file it away and I, you know, I thank them for the, for their care and their concern and I'm gonna go do it anyway. Oh my gosh.

And it's so cool that you said that because it's so easy when someone does that to just be like, oh, they don't get me, or whatever. Now I'm telling you my own brain. But, oh yeah, you're telling them you're, you're like you're. And whether you say it verbally or you say it just in your head, it's like you're just thanking them for caring about you. And I think that's such a great refrain, you know, then the opposite situation.

Oh yeah. Because it would be really easy to get bitter and discouraged and. Oh, gosh, well, I guess this guy's right. I can never do it. Oh, wait a second. Like, why, why am I going to.

Let him say, yeah, I'm just going to do it anyway? I love it. Okay, so where, where can people find. Find out about you or find you.

So got a brand new website that's under development. So it's a little ugly looking right now, but we're working. We'll, you know, we'll get a good one going at some point, but it's entrepreneurretreat center.com and we're doing a little newsletter and starting a blog on there. And normally that would have been all the first stuff I would have done instead of taking actual action on this. Yeah, Kind of an afterthought. Yeah.

Great name. That's amazing that no one saw that yet.

Couldn't believe it was available. Yeah. Wow.

Well, thank you so much for coming on. I really appreciate it. This has been really wonderful. And you are like, you're a gem. So thank you.

Stacey, that time just meeting you at capcon, I mean, there were hundreds of people there and the fact that we connected that saying something special. I just, I absolutely adore you.

Thank you.

Thanks for listening to the do the Thing podcast. We hope you enjoyed the show. But even more, we hope you'll be inspired to do the Thing. Do you have a burning question on doing the Thing that you'd like answered? How about an inspiring do the thing story of your own that you'd like to share? We'd love to hear hear all about it. Just leave us a voice message at dothothing callcast co or email us@helloothethingpodcast.com.