Redefining Business Strategies: Erica's Roadmap for Modern Entrepreneurs

Speaker 1: 0:36

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Speaker 2: 3:59

Yeah, I'm super excited to be here, so thank you for having me on.

Speaker 1: 4:02

Absolutely Okay. So I'm going to start you off with kind of a little semi serious question. Okay, you ready, erica?

Speaker 2: 4:08

I'm always ready, all right.

Speaker 1: 4:10

Are you a school believer?

Speaker 2: 4:13

Absolutely Love you to show.

Speaker 1: 4:15

All right, thank you, erica. Thank you so much for being a school believer. I really appreciate you. So I like to do here at the very beginning and just give me a little bit about who you are and what you do for your entrepreneur adventure and how long you've actually been doing it for.

Speaker 2: 4:29

Sure, um, so I have been in business or the world of entrepreneurs for about 23 years and then, during the pandemic, like most folks, I started to rethink the way that I did work and how I wanted to do it. And so, um, I had some folks that were in my circle that had reached out to me and said you know, you have been in business for a long time. How did you do it? I'm thinking about not going back to the workplace and, um, you know, what do you know about SBA loans or what do you know about you know, purchasing big, bigger mortar, but, um, well, just general business and you know practices. So I started, I hope, in people out, and then it became a little more formalized and about a year ago, we started a stellar business concepts, which is a little plan words. My mom's name is, well, was Stella, and um, she passed in 2019 and the timing just seemed right. And so Stella business concepts came to life, and there is a team of four of us and we all have our own little unique piece that we bring to the table. But I really just love helping people, and so it was very easy transition.

Speaker 1: 5:48

Yeah, it's all about helping others. This is one of the big things I've learned since I started my entrepreneur adventure. Is everybody's so willing to help everybody else? When I first started doing this, I really thought nobody was going to want to help me, because I'm competition or I'm I'm too close to what they're doing. And as I'm going on, I'm realizing that I'm the exact opposite. The exact opposite has been happening. Everybody wants to see me succeed. So it's been a, it's been a great feeling for me, and now I'm trying to give that back to you by helping other people succeed at the same time. And the pandemic man that I think more than half of my podcast start with. Well then, the pandemic hit and this, yeah.

Speaker 2: 6:30

Definitely was a pivot for all of us and I think we'll continue to see that with the changes in the economy and the changes in some industries and all of that.

Speaker 1: 6:42

Yeah, absolutely. So what are you doing now? You just started something a little bit about a year ago. What was that?

Speaker 2: 6:48

Yeah, so was business coaching and consulting. So typically I'll meet with. It does tend to be people who are starting a business or have an idea to start a business but haven't quite started yet. Or, interestingly enough, people who started their business right before the pandemic and then never really could get it off the ground because of the open closing, that kind of thing. So that's typically who ends up reaching out to me. So I guess that's my market. I mean, I always feel like the market kind of dictates and will tell you who you are to them. So, yeah, awesome.

Speaker 1: 7:28

We're actually in the same boat as far as that goes, because I try to talk to brand new entrepreneurs as well too, and give them what I call going across the start line helping go across the start line at least get started and move things along when they first get started. So I love that.

Speaker 2: 7:43

That's great. I think it too. It goes back to what you said about helping others, because once you do become somewhat successful, with whatever that means to you, you do feel like you're in your heart to help others, because it does feel really great to do that. And also it's funny, because when you give to others, I feel like you also get so much from it. It isn't just them on the receiving end, but I find a great deal of joy and then just talking with other entrepreneurs that camaraderie also is a great way to build your own company as well. So I think that those things go hand in hand.

Speaker 1: 8:23

Yeah, that's not always about making money too. It's about the relationship that you make with people, or later on they'll think, oh, he would be perfect that, or Erica would be perfect to go with this person over here. And they kind of remember you and because you help them out, they want to help you out in return.

Speaker 2: 8:39

Yeah, and I'm in Rhode Island, so we're really really small and really close knit. So, yeah, there wasn't anybody like too far. In my state we're all within 15, 15, 20 minutes tops from each other. So, yeah, definitely very tight knit state.

Speaker 1: 8:56

All right, that's awesome. Thank you so much, Erica. That's a great. I'd like to know what actually made you start your business. I see your mother had something to do with it, and I think. But I'm more kind of interested in what actually got you started coaching. I mean, what's the story behind that?

Speaker 2: 9:15

Well, I'm a teacher by trade, so that was very easy transition for me. I always loved working with people. I continue to love to teach, so I think I don't think I'd like woke up one morning and just said I think today I want to be a business coach. It really just happened organically, a little bit at a time. I wish I had a more deep story, but I don't. It really is. I started in childcare 23 years ago and I have multiple childcare locations and my community has been really good to me. I think it was just that love of teaching, that passion for teaching and helping others. Those are things that are my core value. I knew a lot about business Even prior to owning my other business. I'd been in retail. I've been in sales for years and years and years, so I just had a very unique tool basket, if you will, that I could really help with so many different aspects of running a business. And I think for me, one of the things I think is so important as people start is to understand good business practice, because when you have good business practice, it is much easier to grow your business and your network and, as you say, your tribe teaching people not only how you want to be treated, but also how they want to be treated as well.

Speaker 1: 10:47

Yeah, and you know, what's funny is sometimes and I have actually run into a couple of entrepreneurs that were kind of like accidental entrepreneurs, where they didn't know they were going to do it, but that's just kind of how they ended up too. So sometimes you accidentally get turned into a coach or anything like that. It just kind of happens that way.

Speaker 2: 11:07

Yeah, I definitely agree with that, and I think even with my first business it was I had my daughter I wasn't. I didn't plan on getting into the field of education because prior to that I was in sales and retail. And so sometimes too, as your life changes and evolves, so is the things in your space whether you want to work more, you want to work less. Because, again, let's face it, when you work for yourself, you don't work less, right? But you know, as your life, as your life changes, you know. So I think that that is a lot of what happened to many people in 2019 to 2020. We started to really look at what our priorities were and, like you said, it's not always about money. Sometimes it's just more time with your family or being able to do things that you really love and enjoy, and then, if you make some money doing that, that's great.

Speaker 1: 12:03

And I think one of the things I always thought of too is when that actually hit, when COVID actually hit, then it gave us a chance to slow down and take stock of what we had around us. I mean, our whole culture up to this point has been rush, rush, rush, rush, rush, go, go, go, go, go. Yeah, but once we, once the whole play everything shut down, we actually were able to sit down and actually look around and say you know, this is not where I want to be.

Speaker 2: 12:28

Yeah, I think, too, being grateful for what you already have right, because you're right, because it was a lot of, you know, keeping up with the Joanism and the thing that I really love about this new generation and people kind of hop on these millennials a little bit, but I don't know that they all have it wrong. I think that they prioritize things a little differently. And my niece, who works for me, jalisa I talk about a lot in my podcast but you know she really, as a 32, really has opened my eyes to a lot of things because, generational, we all grew up that you stayed in a place forever. You know you had loyalty to the company. At the end you got to watch a clock and right you got, you know, some type of a little pension benefit package at the end. But you know they really value other things. Instead of a bigger car, they want a smaller car, they want a smaller home and they want to be able to travel, and I don't think they're wrong. So I think there's something to be said for being grateful for the things you have and doing the things that you love and following that path.

Speaker 1: 13:34

Well, we've spent generations trying to reach for those big cars and things of that nature, but I think this, like you're saying, this new generation really is more apt to want to go see the world, want to experience life, instead of being stuck in this at a desk all the day.

Speaker 2: 13:51

Yeah, well, and I think too, we didn't have the same technology, because I think if we knew what was out there, maybe we would. We too would have ran I'm going to Fiji for the weekend, right, but we didn't. We didn't have the access to the globe the way that the children do I call them children because I'm a hundred years old but the younger children do and I think it's exciting. It's exciting new worlds and even being able to do like, just like right now. 30 years ago we weren't doing this. We weren't talking to people in other states. It was who was to your left and your right, and now we can do business with people across the world. We can talk, we can even non-business, just have networks of people that you work with all over the world, and that's pretty exciting.

Speaker 1: 14:37

Yeah, when I started the podcast I got to talk to the first person I ever in the UK. I've never talked to anybody that far before and that was quite interesting to be able to. Then I started talking to people in Africa and it was just amazing to reaching out to these people that you know. Without the technology and today's knowledge, I've never would have reached out to them.

Speaker 2: 14:58

Yeah, I totally agree. Yeah, Definitely very cool. I got to speak to a group of 70 students in India about early childhood education. I was like never in a million years would that have happened 20 years ago. So there are so many more wonderful opportunities out there for those of you who sees, you know, want to seize it, and it doesn't matter too. I think the other thing I really would love to get the message across is your age is not a factor. You can be extremely young, and I've been entrepreneurs who are 17, 18, 19 years old. You could be 85, right, there's no time limit. You know, bloom when you bloom. You know, go after those dreams. I don't think you should, I don't think you should really cap yourself, you know. So I think that should be the message to do things. And when did you start your podcast? How many years have you had the podcast?

Speaker 1: 15:49

Two years.

Speaker 2: 15:50

Two years right. So yeah, just like right, like it's not something you've been doing a super long time, but you love it, you enjoy it and you, just you grow it with who you're nurturing and love, and I think you know that should be the message is, you know, don't be afraid to try new things.

Speaker 1: 16:06

Yeah, definitely, definitely. I actually interviewed a. His name was KJ, was 15 years old and he was an NFT trader at the time and he actually goes out and does speaking engagements for kids. He's 15 years old. I love it. Yeah, and the other side of that is, if you know KFC man, that guy didn't start KFC until he was 60 plus.

Speaker 2: 16:30

Yeah, yeah. So I think there's, you know, lots of great stories like that and I applaud you for making sure that those stories get out there in lots of different ways. I think it's, you know, it's great. We we just held a business conference two days ago and we had a gentleman his name is Marcus and he's 18 years old, just graduated from high school and has his own website design company with two of his friends that are high school students and they're killing it. They're doing great. They're either in Cape Cod and you know they're. They're helping a lot of the folks in Cape Cod. A lot of the business owners are on the older end. You know they might be 50 or 60. And you know they really. You know they had websites, but they certainly weren't like the websites that we have now, you know. So, um, yeah. So I love seeing young folks do exciting things.

Speaker 1: 17:20

Yeah. And old folks like me and you.

Speaker 2: 17:25

Older, yes.

Speaker 1: 17:26

Well, you know, you know, as funny as I had a lady uh came to my school when I was in high school and she was 102 years old and still going around and doing speeches and things like that, and she'll say the words that I live by today age is mind over matter. If you don't mind, it don't really matter.

Speaker 2: 17:42

Yes, I agree. I think that's a great statement. I think it's a great statement. So, yeah, so all those folks out there listening to the show who maybe are thinking about starting a business and haven't quite done it yet, there's still lots of time. So you know, get that business plan going and continue to write your, your dreams on that napkin and grow that out.

Speaker 1: 18:04

And do it today. Do it right now. While you're thinking about it, don't wait.

Speaker 2: 18:08

Don't wait, don't wait, and it's never going to be perfect. So don't wait for it to be the perfect time, the perfect plan, the perfect place. It's never going to be perfect and you know you just keep. I always say you're going to always keep perfecting it. Even the best businesses that have been around for years and years and years are always still evolving and changing, and that's why you can't go anywhere and do business anywhere without them asking you to take a poll or get your email and all those things, because they want to continue to make sure that they're giving you the best service possible so that they keep you as a customer. So, yeah, I mean, even the big guys do that.

Speaker 1: 18:46

Yeah, and then my my tagline for my show is I can, I am, I will, and I'm doing it today. So we're going to do things today.

Speaker 2: 18:53

Yeah, today I love it.

Speaker 1: 18:54

All right. What I'd like to know at this point is I mean, we could talk mainly about your coaching, but if you want to throw other things in there too, but is there any pitfall, pitfalls or problems that you've had up until this point that maybe kind of stick out in your mind?

Speaker 2: 19:16

I think that there was maybe a little transition in my own brain it wasn't really so much with my customers, but it was myself is, if somebody owned a hair salon or something outside of my industry, it's like, why would you listen to the lady who owns a daycare? That was something that I had to overcome myself and say well, you know what? Here's why? Because, even though it's a childcare program that I own, here's how that translates over. I understood how to attract customers. I understood how to retain my customers. My average customer retention runs anywhere from five to eight years. Most businesses would love to have a customer that long. Right, I knew that I did some things really really well staff retention, recruiting all those things I knew I did really really well and I knew that those were challenges for other industries. I also knew how to get SBA loans and write a great business plan. I've done it multiple times. I'm like, all right, well, there were a lot of things I learned during that process that I could share with others that could help them maybe not make mistakes or help them close that gap on how long it took from the time that they had an idea to the time that they actually got funding to get that idea in place. I would say probably the biggest challenge would be more of just having that mindset of. Here's why, when we opened up our started our Practical Biz podcast I have two when I started Practical Biz podcast I'm like why would people listen to this show? Why would they listen to the show If they own something different than my industry? But it turns out they liked it and so I think it's just that again. Stop worrying about what other people thought or said. Even if my coaching only helped 12 people in a year, to me that's a lot. Any one business that we could help makes a difference.

Speaker 1: 21:24

Yeah, I mean, the way to really think about that is if you had 12 people in your living room that you had to entertain or talk to. That's a lot of people in one place, that's a lot.

Speaker 2: 21:33

Yeah, that's a lot. We get stuck on these number things and the likes and the follows and the shares and the stats. You get real stuck on that. But then when you have somebody sitting in your chair in your office and this has happened to me multiple times and I work with a lot of women, so sometimes we're ordering your business is hard anyway, and it's something that's very emotional for many of us but when you have somebody sitting across from you and they start crying and they say this is exactly what I needed. I was about to throw in the towel. It's that kind of stuff that blows my mind and makes me just want to just keep going. It's those types of things and that's happened a couple of times to me. I had one lady who's almost 60, and she's just now starting her art company that she has wanted to do for years and she's a very talented artist and I'm like what are you waiting for? But she had always given to her family and she took care of her kids and then it was her grandkids. I'm like your time is now and so it's those types of things that are just so exciting and it makes it really worth it. Well, I mean, even just having two or three experiences like that just make you want to keep going and helping people.

Speaker 1: 22:51

Because it fills our heart with joy. Yeah it really is to be able to see their their eyes light up and say why didn't I think of that? Or that's amazing. That's just like you said. That's exactly what I needed to hear. Yeah, and.

Speaker 2: 23:03

I think, yeah, and I think the best leaders are the ones that give that, are that go in with that mindset of just giving. Forget about what you're going to get from that relationship. It's that mindset of just that giving mentality.

Speaker 1: 23:22

Yeah, absolutely, and I'm going to go back to something that you said a little bit too. When you have a gift or something like that, or you know, you know this information, even though it's not going to match exactly cookie cutter way to what other person's business is, there is ways to cross over that information to the other business, Just like you're saying. It's not just child care or not just that. Yeah, anything else, it's the, it's the processes, it's the bookkeeping, it's the, it's the retention, just like you're talking about earlier, that we could actually help each other. It's no matter what the subject is. Whatever the entrepreneur adventure is, we still have ways that we could help each other, just like I know I'm an entrepreneur podcast but I've talked to people in the music industry and the acting industry not directly an entrepreneur, even though they have entrepreneur traits, but they're selling. You know themselves and their talents and not an actual product, but it still works.

Speaker 2: 24:20

Yeah, I work, I actually work with some folks in that, in that space, and then you're right, and we think it's entrepreneurial but it really is, because a lot of them, when they're first starting out, they are promoting their own shows. They're doing all of their media on their social media. They're, you know, writing press releases to the newspapers about you know different places that they're at where their gallery is with when their next album drops. So they still are doing things to drive their business forward, especially if they're not working with a publisher or a producer or a gallery, right, they're doing a lot of that groundwork. Especially when you're you're first starting, you're kind of like everything right, you're wearing all the hats.

Speaker 1: 25:00

And it doesn't matter what entrepreneur. When you're actually getting started, that's exactly what you're doing is you're wearing all the hats.

Speaker 2: 25:06

Mm-hmm.

Speaker 1: 25:14

At this particular point I like to ask this question, especially someone like you. But do you have any, any influences or any mentors or anybody you'd like to talk to that keep talk about that keeps you moving forward? Or, you know, say I'm, you know I like him, I like what his words is. Maybe I have to think about that, anything like that.

Speaker 2: 25:32

Yeah, so, um, it's not anybody famous. So I've had many mentors in my life, but there's one particular mentor that I got matched up with through score and his name is Ed Alves and he's been my business coach for probably about seven years now and he's significantly older than me and it's funny because, like, he'll tell me things and sometimes I'll be like no, no, no, and then, like a day or two later, I'm like, oh man, he's right, so, yes, so he's. He's kind of like the dad or grandfather that I didn't have growing up, um, but he's very thoughtful and reflective when he talks and he's very slow and he just plants these little seeds and he kind of lets them sit there, um, and so I do love that about him because, if you can't tell already, I'm very high energy, very high strung, and so sometimes it takes me a minute to reflect on things that might take me a day or two to process things, um, and then, yeah, so I do need to have that other type of energy around me. My sister, too, is is like that. I'm very like we're going to do all these things, and she's like that's great, where are we going to start? Right? So I think you know, being surrounded by great people who, can you know, maybe balance you out, um, but you know, I would say you know, ed definitely is a great mentor. Um, my sister, who was like literally my best friend, were like Irish twins, were like 15 months apart. Um, she's my business partner and everything and she's super talented and she's very detailed oriented and um, so, you know, just being around those kinds of people really helped keep me going and, and a lot of times, quite frankly, they make me look good.

Speaker 1: 27:18

That can happen sometimes. Yes, yeah, you know um, we uh scored. I think it's scoreorg right. Yeah, that's actually been mentioned two or three times in my podcast with some other ones, do you? Happen to know who uh Esprit DeVora, is by chance.

Speaker 2: 27:35

I do not, no, okay.

Speaker 1: 27:37

She's a uh, a female famous podcaster and she was one of the first people to talk about score uh work, so it's really good to hear it. A couple of different places, no, that's actually a good resource to go to if you need a mentor.

Speaker 2: 27:50

Yeah, the other thing too is, um, even if you're a new entrepreneur too, I think not only getting yourself a mentor, but being a mentor. So I'm also a mentor with uh E for all um, which is a great organization and they help a lot of startup businesses. But, you know, once you've got a few years under your belt or you feel like maybe you've been in the industry for a long time and you feel like you can bring some value to someone else and help them with that learning curve, I always think it's a great idea to be a mentor as well. And there's lots of great places this um. You know well, I've been running on so um, but you know there's a lot of different, different places that do mentorship. So I do say anybody, listen to the show. If you have something to give like, get out there and mentor as well.

Speaker 1: 28:36

Yeah, I, I know I haven't been doing this very long, but one thing I've learned that there's always somebody a little bit steps behind me that I can help.

Speaker 2: 28:44

Absolutely yeah.

Speaker 1: 28:45

And I can either ask a question or kind of ask, answer a question or anything like that. So I always look for that so I can help them out.

Speaker 2: 28:52

Yeah, you know what I think too. Sometimes, um, the way to push, push yourself is don't be the smartest person in the room. Look for those rooms where people know more than you and then zip your list and listen. Um, so I think that that is always a great, um great place to be People who are where you want to go.

Speaker 1: 29:16

If you look at a lot of uh high class businesses that are out there right now, they'll hire smarter people on purpose, just for that reason too. Um, pixar is a great example of that. They do that too. Uh read, uh creativity Inc. They actually talk about that several times in the book how he hired people that were smarter than him so he could learn himself about different aspects of animation and things that he didn't know about.

Speaker 2: 29:45

Uh huh. Well, I think, um, that he hired so intelligently that it put them on the radar for Disney to want to buy them out and then buy, eventually, buy them out. But they knew that some of the best animators were at Pixar, so they said, well, let's, let's get these folks on our team as well. So, um, yeah, I think that there's definitely some great strategy and having some brilliant people around you, so, yeah, all right, fantastic.

Speaker 1: 30:13

Well, let's all keep that in mind. This next question uh, I always have a lot of problems getting answers for this question, especially with high class entrepreneurs like yourself, but I'm going to ask it anyway. So I know you've been doing this for a little only for a little bit as far as the coaching, but you've been an entrepreneur for a while. But when will you know you've made it? When do you think you've gotten to that point where it's like this is exactly where I wanted to be at this particular time? Can you explain anything like that to me?

Speaker 2: 30:44

Wow, that is a great question. Um, wow, um, I don't wow, I don't know, I'm not sure I know the answer to that. Um, I guess you got me.

Speaker 1: 31:01

No.

Speaker 2: 31:03

I guess I feel like, well, my personality, like I'm never like quite done with anything, like as soon as I accomplish a goal, I like set a new goal which drives my family and everybody around me crazy. I'm like, can't you just slow down? And I say slow down when I'm dead I know it sounds morbid, but there's plenty of time to sleep then I think, I guess, when you feel like you have given more than you have received, I think would probably be the feeling of success for me.

Speaker 1: 31:36

That is. That's fantastic. I think that's the best one I've heard yet.

Speaker 2: 31:41

Thanks, it was a good question. Yeah, it was a good question and, like I said, it takes me a minute to reflect, but I really feel, like you know, I feel like I really want to. I want to leave the earth with mom, I want to leave my, my gas tank empty, and so I just want to just keep sharing and giving it. I know, god, it sounds very cliche and I promise I didn't like make that up as a pitch story, but it really, it really is true. Like I have like these four core values that really drive everything in my life, and that is family is number one, communities number two, passion for teaching is number three and professionalism is number four, and those are the four things that just drive every aspect of my life. So if it isn't in those four places, I don't do it. So how do I talk so much about giving back, as it really is just, really truly who I am?

Speaker 1: 32:35

That's amazing, that's good stuff and and you know you make it. I know this isn't in the quite the same subject, but you make a good validation for finding your zone of genius, if you really think about that, because if you're in the places that we want to be, if they fit in your life, then they're supposed to be there for a purpose and it keeps you in that zone where you want to be, because you're exactly where you want to be. It's what keeps you happy. So, and then the other thing too is I've noticed a lot of entrepreneurs. They'll say you know, I want this or what, that this is when I'll do it. But other ones will say I don't want to make it, it means that it means it's over, and I don't want it to be over forever. So it's like I think that's the exact category.

Speaker 2: 33:16

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. And I think there's something about people who take risks because, again, entrepreneurs are risk takers by nature, even if most of us are calculated risk. Let's, let's tell that part of the story. We don't just go, hey, yeah, I think I'm going to get a loan for a billion dollars and maybe I can make it, maybe I can't, but they're calculated risks that take, you know, planning and timing and you know, and you know a little gumption and following your gut. But, yeah, I think, I think that just entrepreneurs in general just have that kind of spirit, if you will.

Speaker 1: 33:51

Yeah, oh, we do, don't worry, that's yeah, even if. Even if it's a war, even a kind of an uncalculated risk, we're willing to take it as long as it doesn't hurt us or hurt others. Yeah, it goes. It actually goes into a fear which sometimes thinks about too, because some people we don't want to jump into that because we're scared of it. But it's not really something to be scared of, it's just a feeling that we have.

Speaker 2: 34:14

Yeah, you know, it's funny because when we started our first business well, really, my second business, but was in 2008, which was the last recession and everybody was telling us, including our family members, because sometimes your family members are not your biggest fans, right? So our family members meeting aunts and uncles and so forth, and I know they meant well, but they said, are you guys crazy? Are you crazy? Right now, this is not the time to open a business. I said, no, it's the perfect time to open a business. And the other advantages for those who understand or have lived this life growing up poor has such an advantage when it comes to being an entrepreneur. It's such an advantage because you understand living within your means, you understand a budget, you understand making decisions of, well, it's this or that. You know, not both, and you know. So I feel like all those things really are things that really just kind of help and guide you. So, yeah, Absolutely.

Speaker 1: 35:11

It's. Our experiences in our daily lives is what guides us. Even if we were small, even if we did grow up poor, it's we went through that for a reason. It's to keep things going so yeah something I like here, and this is might be somebody that's listening, that might want to want to do what you're doing. So I always like asking this question If you were to actually meet somebody that wants to have a similar entrepreneur adventure as you, what kind of advice would you give them? What steps would you have them take?

Speaker 2: 35:52

I would say definitely do your research. I think it's really important to know and understand your craft. And what I mean by that is, if you're going to own a restaurant, per se, right, but you've never worked in a restaurant, I would recommend go work in a restaurant for a year or two so you can really understand what you're getting into. Or the opposite is, as we said earlier, hire somebody who's really talented, who has a lot of experience, who can run it for you. But if they leave, then what does that leave you? So I feel like, really make sure you understand your craft and get really, really good at it. And the other thing is, even though you think you're great at something, always continue to learn, always continue to push yourself, because all industries change. I don't care what industry you're in. All industries change. Be aware of what's coming down the pike. So yeah, again, it's kind of that calculation you really need to understand what kind of business you're going into, the pros and cons. Talk to some people who are in that industry. They don't have to be your direct competitors, they could be in other states. Get those industry trend magazines, make sure they're reliable and really do some research. That would be the first thing I would say to anybody it's all great and willy-nilly, yeah, I can do what I want to in mindset, and yada, yada, yada. That's all great, but there's also other parts. You know, there's that execution, and you can't execute if you don't know what you're doing. So I think, do your research.

Speaker 1: 37:29

Researching your craft one way or another is probably one of the best things you can do when you're getting started, so you kind of understand what you're getting into, and I mean researching and like you could be like, well, you know, this isn't really what I want. Well, it's a good thing you found that out now, before starting an entire business, wasting a bunch of money and time for something you did, so it's a good idea to research something like that too. And constant learning is something I always talk about in my podcast. Almost every podcast I talk about constant self-education, constant learning, because just because we learned something Okay, like now I know how to podcast, that's great, but there's going to be changes coming up. Now I'm trying to learn AI and my brains go to explode trying to figure this out. Yeah, yeah, but I got to learn it because I'll get passed up if I don't.

Speaker 2: 38:15

So I agree. Yeah, I'm actually. I'm really excited to I'm going to go to podcast. I want to get into that environment with all the other. Are you going?

Speaker 1: 38:25

I might see you there.

Speaker 2: 38:27

Yeah. I think, yeah, I think that that is a good place for us to be, you know again, getting in the room with people who are way, way ahead of us, people who are at the same place that we are, and then people who are behind where we are, so it's a great place to be and get educated, Like you said. I mean right now, with AI, the whole, you know everything in marketing and everything in podcasting and everything in web design is all changing. This is all a very, very new evolution of how things are going to go, and so you're going to get left behind if you don't stay ahead of the ball.

Speaker 1: 39:00

Exactly I'm. I'm just, I'm just trying to raise the money right now so I can go. I mean, my mind is like set. I just need to find a way there, that's all.

Speaker 2: 39:08

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 39:09

Definitely going to.

Speaker 2: 39:10

I'm like 99% sure I'm going to yeah, so I'm going to, I'm going, I'm going to make it happen.

Speaker 1: 39:17

Yeah, that's what I have to do too, so that's what we're going to make it happen.

Speaker 2: 39:20

Let's go, let's do it.

Speaker 1: 39:27

Well, this is something good to it. I like doing this one. If you were to hire, if I was looking for somebody, as it looks to say, for a coach for now, because that's what you're kind of recently doing and I have for you and I find you, but I also have two other coaches that charge about the same amount of money, have the same type of experience. What would send you, apart from these other two coaches?

Speaker 2: 39:48

Well, first of all, like I said, there's like, kind of, there's a team of us, so when I talk to you, the first thing I do is we figure out, because sometimes people think they know what they need from the coach. I'm coming to you because I need to increase my sales, but a lot of times when we sit down and we talk, we talk about not only how we can help you do that, but is that really what you need? Because sometimes your best customers are ones you already have. So we kind of really flush everything out. We have website design, which today was so funny. We had a website call and while we're doing talking about website design, I was like, hey, did you think about X Y Z, which were things that weren't really even connect? They were connected to the website, but they weren't things that you would get or feedback you would get from a normal website designer. They would talk to you about what kind of fault, what kind of colors, what is your brand, blah, blah, blah, and those things are all very important. But I was, we were talking about like, where's your customer testimonials and where's your video on X Y Z? And hey, I'm part of this group and here are the 10 things I think are great about your group, but none of those things are on your website, right? So let's talk about doing a poll with the folks, right? So we really just like pull everything apart and the ideas that come out of that. That collaboration with the business owner Because I don't just say, well, I know everything and here's what I think you should do it's a collaboration of where they see themselves and then how I can help them and what are the steps, and I think it's just something that's a little bit unique because we can help you with everything. We have a social media person that's right on site. So maybe it's they don't have a lot of time. Do you have a lot of time to learn every platform, tick tock and Instagram and LinkedIn and all those things? Maybe you don't. Maybe your best time is used on on growing your business, getting out, networking, getting more clients, right. So I think what makes us unique at Stella Business Concepts is we have everything in-house and they are very interconnected, and so we really are able to almost be like a one-stop shop. I know that everybody says that, but it really is true. So you know, we're able to help people in a way that maybe going to a social media manager or going to a website designer or just going to business coach really doesn't quite work. So yeah, we have a very multifaceted Fantastic If you're just starting out. I could just put you right on my podcast. You got, and you know again, like you only don't charge people to be on a podcast, I'll put you on your podcast. I have a YouTube thing. I will, I will, I will put you out on everything, right. So, um, you know, I just think that we offer so many options that elects next to like no cost. On top of my charming personality, can you not do me drinking coffee? I don't drink coffee. I don't drink Celsius, I don't do any, I don't drink coffee. Like this is like hour 15 for me right now, at seven 40. My day started at like five in the morning and like this is, this is I have a lot of energy for everyone. I'm enough energy for you and me and them.

Speaker 1: 42:55

Whatever you do, do not start drinking coffee.

Speaker 2: 42:58

I will not.

Speaker 1: 43:00

I pretty much live on coffee. You can ask anybody.

Speaker 2: 43:02

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 43:03

All right, so that's amazing. Thank you so much for that. You're hired, okay. So this is one of my most favorite questions, but I did kind of steal it, so sorry everybody. What is the one question you wish I would have asked you, but I didn't? I always miss one really good question that somebody's all prepared for but never gets asked. So what would be that question you think that you'd really like to answer that I didn't ask?

Speaker 2: 43:37

Wow, um, I don't. I don't really have a question that I want you to ask me. Can I ask you a question?

Speaker 1: 43:45

Oh, I hate it when this happens.

Speaker 2: 43:47

Yes, go ahead. Yes, Tell me a little bit about why you started podcasting.

Speaker 1: 43:54

Why I started podcasting. Okay, so this is sorry school believers, You've heard the story a bajillion times, but that's okay. I started podcasting because of a failure. I wanted to be a karaoke DJ and a music DJ. That was one of my dreams growing up and because of COVID, we had slowed down One of my. I do have two full time jobs, one of them shut down because of COVID. So I had time to actually think about what I wanted to do. So I wanted to be a karaoke DJ and a music DJ, but the problem was I had no money. I had no equipment, no microphones, no, nothing. So I decided okay, so I'm just going to open a GoFundMe page and people will just go ahead and give me money Wrong.

Speaker 2: 44:35

That didn't happen.

Speaker 1: 44:38

I think I only made a couple hundred dollars in a couple of months, and I'm sure that was my mom. Just give me a couple of dollars to make me feel good, love it. So, um, after that epic failure, instead of throwing my hands up in the air and saying, you know what, I'm not meant for this, I'm not going to, I'm not going to do this anymore, instead I thought to myself why did it fail? You know how come it failed? What do I need to do to make this work? So I got into some deep research, starting listening to podcasts, starting to read e-books and things of that nature, and one of the things that popped up over and over again was you should start a podcast so people could start understanding who you are, what you want to do, and start following you and start getting a gathering. I was like, okay, that's cool, I can do that. So, uh, I put the karaoke thing aside just for a little while and started concentrating on podcasting. Well, holy cow, I was so into the podcasting. I put the karaoke thing aside. I said this is good. I'm going to put this over here for now, because I'm having such a great time talking to these amazing people on my podcast, I'm going to start concentrating on this and then, uh, about two years later, here I am talking to amazing people like yourself, erica, and helping other people as much as humanly possible to start their businesses.

Speaker 2: 45:50

Yeah, that is. That is a fantastic story. And so, as your new hired business coach because you hired me four minutes ago maybe at the end of each episode I'm only teasing maybe at the end of each episode you can still do karaoke and you can make the guys sing for a, two, two lyrics of their favorite song. I'm just teasing, but, um, I would like to say as a, as a fellow podcaster, congratulations on being at least last week I know they changed all the time but congratulations on being the number one podcast on good pods for the career uh, career section. So congratulations on all your hard work.

Speaker 1: 46:30

So you have been paying attention, haven't you?

Speaker 2: 46:33

Absolutely, absolutely. I told you I do my research, so I know that, I know that's, you know that's hard work, so you know. I'd like to say congratulations to you as well.

Speaker 1: 46:45

Oh, thank you, that's uh, that work unexpected. Thank you very much, Erica I appreciate it. I'm all like I'm blushing, okay, so deserved. All right, thank you for that unexpected phenomenon. Okay, all right, so we'll like to do with all my all my guests on my podcast is to get a six month goal for themselves. So where do you see you and your company in the next six months?

Speaker 2: 47:13

Um. So, as I had said, the other day, we opened up and had a business conference and I got to be on a big stage and do public speaking. Now I've spoken many times to large groups in like a classroom setting, um, you know, maybe breakout sessions, that kind of thing, but never on like the real, real deal deal stage, uh, where I wasn't part of a panel, like it was just me, a mic and a huge stage. So my goal is I loved it, I loved it, and so my goal is for the next six months is to get on as many big stages as possible and really go after the public speaking gig. So that is my goal. I think that, just like podcasting, it's a great way to get out to a lot of people at once. Um and, uh, I do like meeting people in person. So those two things seem like they will fit together nicely. So my goal is to get out and, um, talk to other entrepreneurs on a, on a larger, on a larger stage. So that is nice.

Speaker 1: 48:25

I, mine, similar. I really want to get up and stage. Being up on stage, being the center of attention, is actually where I really love to be, so I'm just waiting for that opportunity to see whether I really like it or it scares it, but Jesus out of me, so yeah you know that's a real thing, because I said that to my family the other day and they were all laughing at me and they're like Eric, you've been talking to people forever.

Speaker 2: 48:46

What are you talking about? Like no, you don't understand, it's not. It's it's not the same being on that stage, just you and a mic, and you know people sitting here and, yeah, it's a, it's a different, it's different thing. Um, and so I loved it, and I think you probably are going to love it too.

Speaker 1: 49:01

Oh good, all right, that's good to hear, all right. So what I'd like to do with the Erica is actually follow up with you in six months and see how many speaking engagements you've actually made it on. Is that okay? Yeah, sounds great, all right. So we're going to hold you to that. In six months, we're going to have another interview with you, just like this, and we're going to see how you did. Sounds good, all right. So what I could do now, erica, this is your time to shine. This is what I'd like you to kind of advertise yourself and your company and that kind of thing, so we can figure out how to get a hold of if you want any of your services. Okay, ready set go.

Speaker 2: 49:33

Okay, you can find me at. Stellarbusinessconceptscom is our website. My email is stellarbusinessconcepts1 at yahoocom. My podcast is Practical Biz Podcast. It's B-I-Z-Z. That is very Rhode Island based, and if you are in the world of early childhood education, you can check us out at the Child Care Director's Chair podcast.

Speaker 1: 50:04

All right, thank you so much for being an undiscovered entrepreneur. I actually had a blast talking in this.

Speaker 2: 50:12

It's been a few months and then you know what we can talk about. We can talk about how many stages you got on to.

Speaker 1: 50:18

Oh, now, okay, now I got it.

Speaker 2: 50:20

We're gonna hold you on to it. So you and I are gonna hold each other accountable. See, I told you I'm good at this.

Speaker 1: 50:26

All right, wonder, you're a coach.

Speaker 2: 50:29

No wonder why. All right, thank you so much, our school believers.

Speaker 1: 50:33

Thank you. Stay tuned for the wrap up. Thank you everybody. Have a good night. All right school believers. That was Erica man. She had some amazing information for anybody that's out there that's looking to start an entrepreneur. She had so much great knowledge and she just really kept it coming. She kept it going. It was amazing how much advice she had for brand new entrepreneurs. Please do me a favor If she is doing something that you're interested in, please reach out to her. We'll get her all her information in the show notes. So if you have any questions about what she's doing, please contact her. She's an amazing person. I think we can all learn something from her. All right, now we're gonna get into something a little more about me. Recently, I put out information about a AI prompt that I put together for new entrepreneurs to get them started on their entrepreneur adventure, so I want to make sure you take advantage of that. These are free prompts I'm giving to anybody that needs help starting their entrepreneur adventure. Go to tuepodcastnet, backslash a I prompt and it'll give you four prompts to start your entrepreneur adventure. They're amazing. They work really well. I hope you learned a lot from them. They're going to blur it out All kinds of great AI information for you about whatever it is that you're trying to start out. Also, this is something very interesting A couple I don't know, probably kind of months or so, I don't know exactly the timeframe it is. My friend, mikhail, said that the game show I guess it's a game show. It's a game show called the blocks was reaching out for people. I reached out to them and it looks like I am on my way. I don't think I'm in there quite yet, but I'm actually gone into the third stage of them possibly having me on the show. So I'm going to keep you updated on how that goes. Follow me, see if I actually make it onto the blocks. If I make it out to the blocks, maybe you'll see me on TV, who knows? We'll have to see how that goes. Next up, pod fest. I'm still trying to get out to pod fest. I need help getting out to pod fest. This is definitely something I really want to do. Deep within my heart and soul. I got to be there. I don't care if I got a hitchhike at this point. I really wouldn't like to do that, but if it's what I got to do, it's what I got to do. But I need help. I need help getting out there. So please, if you can reach out to me, go to my website, uepodcastnet. Be a contributor, help me out, go to buy me a coffee there. It's all my links right there. Please help me out. If you can't, I really want to get out there so I can help you, because helping me at this particular point give me the pod fest is going to make me a better podcaster, which is going to help you in the end. So please help me, help you. I don't know how that works, but there we go. I now have open interviews for brand new entrepreneurs. If you're a brand new entrepreneur, I want you on my podcast. Reach out to me on any of my social medias. You can reach me at linktree, backslash djs k o o b. So that's, linktree, lanktree, backslash djs k o o b. Reach out to me if you want to be on my podcast. Anybody that's less than a year in their business. I want to talk to you. Alright, that's going to be it for today, but I want you to stay tuned. After the music, I have a little something special for you, so I wonder what it could be. You like it. I think you really like it. Stay tuned for that. Alright, everybody, I'll see you next week with a coaching. Goodbye everybody, have a good evening. Hello there, dj Stoog here and I just want to personally say thank you for listening to my program. I really hope you learned something. Tune in in two weeks to listen to another brand new entrepreneur and remember I can, I am, I will and I'm doing it today.

Speaker 2: 55:09

It's hard. It's hard at first.

Speaker 1: 55:12

Well, yeah, because now the other thing you, your calluses in my fingers, so yeah, that's going to challenge. When you do that, look at your picking finger, look at your picking hand, trust your left hand. There you go Better.

Speaker 2: 55:31

Better, alright, try it again, Come on brain. Deep breath into the nose, good, cool. So that's just a basic warm up and you can do that anywhere on the guitar.