Carmen Darley

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[00:00] SPEAKER_01: It's Toronto's podcast on the Canada's podcast network.
[00:05] SPEAKER_00: Hi, this is Lesslie Dunlal with Canada's podcast, The Nation's Number One on Imperial
[00:10] SPEAKER_00: Network.
[00:11] SPEAKER_00: Herman Darley is an artist, mother, motivator, and advocate for mental health and positive
[00:16] SPEAKER_00: thinking.
[00:17] SPEAKER_00: After years of having a sought-after corporate role at American Express, Herman realized
[00:22] SPEAKER_00: that her life needed to shift in a different direction.
[00:25] SPEAKER_00: She had been painting and exploring arts, and she was a child, but she had never pursued
[00:29] SPEAKER_00: it.
[00:29] SPEAKER_00: Through life experiences and learning, in 2016, Herman decided to take the leap and pursue
[00:34] SPEAKER_00: a career as an artist and founded Carly's paintings.
[00:38] SPEAKER_00: She found Solas in her art and found her calling as an entrepreneur.
[00:42] SPEAKER_00: Herman creates shatter proof, original, and unique resin decor that has become very popular
[00:47] SPEAKER_00: in Toronto, and is sold in dozens of stores across the province, as well as online on
[00:52] SPEAKER_00: Etsy.
[00:54] SPEAKER_00: Herman has an entrepreneurial mindset and is constantly on the lookout for new opportunities
[00:58] SPEAKER_00: and where to grow her business next.
[01:00] SPEAKER_00: She's popular motivator and influencer in Toronto, and she has a keen passion for empowering
[01:06] SPEAKER_00: other female entrepreneurs.
[01:09] SPEAKER_00: She was recently a keynote speaker at the Toronto Business Baves Conference in 2019, where
[01:14] SPEAKER_00: she was telling her story about her struggles and how they've shaped her as a person and
[01:18] SPEAKER_00: the entrepreneur that she's become today.
[01:21] SPEAKER_00: Her mission is to continue to create beautiful pieces that transform into functional and
[01:26] SPEAKER_00: versatile home decor, as well as to empower other dreamers to pursue their lifelong aspirations.
[01:32] SPEAKER_00: So, Herman, we are so excited to have you on Canada's podcast.
[01:36] SPEAKER_00: Welcome.
[01:37] SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much.
[01:38] SPEAKER_01: Thanks for such an amazing intro Leslie, and it's such an honor to be here to take part
[01:45] SPEAKER_01: in the Canada's podcast.
[01:48] SPEAKER_01: It's definitely a long journey for me, and I think it will continue to go that way.
[01:57] SPEAKER_01: Because as entrepreneurs, we all know that it continues to evolve, and once you check
[02:05] SPEAKER_01: off that goals box, there's that next goal that comes into play, and you're constantly
[02:10] SPEAKER_01: thinking and working on the next thing, right?
[02:15] SPEAKER_01: So, super excited to be here to share some of my set box knowledge and some of my experiences
[02:23] SPEAKER_01: through my career in the corporate world, as well as how I brought that, I guess, experience
[02:31] SPEAKER_01: and some of the knowledge that I have from that world into my own business, because it
[02:37] SPEAKER_01: is a very, very different, it's like, it's a completely different experience is, I guess,
[02:45] SPEAKER_01: all I have to really say, because working in a corporate environment every day, you're
[02:53] SPEAKER_01: doing strategy work, you're doing presentations, and then trying to translate that into your
[02:59] SPEAKER_01: own words to portray and present information about yourself and your own company.
[03:07] SPEAKER_01: You don't want to sound like you're always boasting, but you're almost like always needing
[03:11] SPEAKER_01: to hot sell yourself, because you're like, I need to get this out there in the right way,
[03:16] SPEAKER_00: right? So, for sure. It's awesome that you can bring that knowledge and translate it to,
[03:24] SPEAKER_01: like, have a successful business. Yeah, it's not easy, that's for sure. So no amount of school,
[03:29] SPEAKER_01: no amount of experience can ever make it 100%. Yes, that's it, but...
[03:37] SPEAKER_01: No, building a business is school. Yeah, exactly. You're literally paying to do business and
[03:44] SPEAKER_01: to, like, educate yourself. Exactly. That's a big takeaway that I always tell people, you know,
[03:49] SPEAKER_01: people are like, oh, I don't know if I'm going to, you know, if this is a good investment,
[03:53] SPEAKER_01: or if I'm like paying for the right thing, or like, I should be spending my money, and that's
[03:58] SPEAKER_01: the biggest takeaway where I'm like, honestly, that is, that is the investment, right? So,
[04:05] SPEAKER_00: that is what you're paying to learn. Yeah. So, let's dive in. Tell me a little about how you
[04:12] SPEAKER_00: became an entrepreneur and your journey to get to where you are now. Yes, so to start off a little
[04:20] SPEAKER_01: bit about myself, I, as you mentioned in my introduction, I did do art, and that's kind of my
[04:27] SPEAKER_01: side thing. That's always been my getaway thing, my creative end. So, it's always been really creative,
[04:33] SPEAKER_01: doing art, learning how to draw and stuff from my grandpa and my dad, doing like Chinese
[04:39] SPEAKER_01: choreography and stuff like that, way back when I was in junior school. So, like, I would enter
[04:46] SPEAKER_01: competitions and stuff and like get really creative, never really pursued it educational-wise,
[04:52] SPEAKER_01: because the traditional Chinese family always aimed for, you know, the professional doctor,
[05:00] SPEAKER_01: lawyers and all that good stuff. So, could I solve the doctors out there?
[05:08] SPEAKER_01: Any accountants? But I didn't go that far. All I did was, you know, when she did all my sciences
[05:19] SPEAKER_01: and stuff. Anyways, long story short, my educational background is a psychology and bachelor's of
[05:26] SPEAKER_01: science, so very like science-related. And then as I kind of got older, I started to experiment with
[05:36] SPEAKER_01: you know, drugs, alcohol and the parties and all that stuff. And I think one thing led to another,
[05:41] SPEAKER_01: it could be a very slippery slope. And I became an alcoholic. And so, long story short, again, is
[05:52] SPEAKER_01: when I was going through treatment, my psychologist, psychiatrist had mentioned like, find something that you
[05:58] SPEAKER_01: can take solstice in, right? Like, like, be calm and really put that addiction energy, like that
[06:08] SPEAKER_01: compulsive energy into something that you really love. And I thought, okay, well, I'm really good at
[06:14] SPEAKER_01: so let's give that a shot. So, back in 2016, it was my third year in treatment. It started
[06:21] SPEAKER_01: treatment in 2013. Third year, and that was the year where I finally said, no, I'm going to
[06:29] SPEAKER_01: stop like my lifestyle, whatever it was and like, take on this hobby, which is like to do painting
[06:37] SPEAKER_01: and drawing. And then I soon found out that there was a demand because like markets were really
[06:41] SPEAKER_01: popular at that time. It was really up and coming. Original art was becoming really popular because
[06:49] SPEAKER_01: people were more supportive of living artists as opposed to artists who have passed away, things
[06:55] SPEAKER_01: that they can actually afford, but still unique. So, there was definitely a market there. And so,
[07:00] SPEAKER_01: I capital, I guess you could say capitalized or took advantage of it. And I sold my first painting
[07:07] SPEAKER_01: for $20. 16 by $20, 16 by 20 inch for $20. So, you can imagine like it was a pretty decent size.
[07:16] SPEAKER_01: That was my first abstract painting that I sold at Kajiji. And I was like, okay, so we got the first
[07:25] SPEAKER_01: one out. It paid for the material. So, my hobby soon became a very strategic way of a side hustle
[07:34] SPEAKER_01: because at that time I was working at a community center in project management. And then
[07:41] SPEAKER_01: during that time as well, I was working at Cancer Care Ontario. So, still in the corporate environment,
[07:47] SPEAKER_01: but okay, my dog was totally just going like, scratching. So, anyways, I tend to like draw
[08:01] SPEAKER_01: my story, but long story short is I found a demand. And then 2016, I was still in the corporate
[08:10] SPEAKER_01: environment. I didn't, I did a full current state analysis at that time. So, to all the entrepreneurs
[08:17] SPEAKER_01: out there, you know, we're all starting at a different period and with different assets, with
[08:22] SPEAKER_01: different type of like startup money. So, it's always good to have like a very brief current state
[08:28] SPEAKER_01: assessment to see like where you're at. And ultimately, my goal at that time was to be able to host
[08:38] SPEAKER_01: free workshops for anybody who wants to improve mental wellness. So, anyone who wants to take it as
[08:45] SPEAKER_01: like art therapy, anybody who wants to, you know, overcome any type of addictions or a traumatic
[08:52] SPEAKER_01: experience just to have an outlet. But at that time, you know, I just started selling a painting for
[08:58] SPEAKER_01: 20 bucks on Kijiji isn't really going to suffice all that, you know, the goal that I had. So,
[09:07] SPEAKER_01: I quickly thought about, okay, what are the steps for me to get to that end goal? And that continues
[09:15] SPEAKER_01: to kind of ground me as to why I'm doing all these things and how I can get there.
[09:20] SPEAKER_01: Have you ever done, have you ever done anything like that yet?
[09:24] SPEAKER_01: So, I haven't yet. In terms of the free workshop, what I'm doing now to lead kind of my way into
[09:34] SPEAKER_01: more community and free. The thing is, I don't want to throw in free because like I have to be very
[09:39] SPEAKER_01: careful with my branding and what I'm giving out. So, as I'm working through that messaging and
[09:46] SPEAKER_01: the content and how I build and what that workshop will look like and the type of value that would
[09:51] SPEAKER_01: give you the specific audience that I'm trying to target. It's a very different set of audience
[09:59] SPEAKER_01: as to someone who would pay $80 for my workshop, right? So, I have to just be very careful.
[10:05] SPEAKER_01: And that again, for entrepreneurs out there who are just starting, you just have to be very
[10:10] SPEAKER_01: careful with how you message and how you portray and put yourself out there in terms of branding.
[10:18] SPEAKER_01: So, I haven't been able to really get into that goal yet, but I'm very close because now I'm
[10:26] SPEAKER_01: testing out the workshops. I do have workshop experiences where it's a full experience as well
[10:32] SPEAKER_01: as learning the creative aspect. There are workshops where it's like, you know, come in here,
[10:38] SPEAKER_01: we'll learn something simple. Let's do this. And then because now I'm an official partner
[10:44] SPEAKER_01: with Ontario Shores, Ontario Shores is a mental health facility in Whitby. It's a big,
[10:53] SPEAKER_01: Durham-based mental health facility. Very similar to CAMH, but on a bit of a smaller scale.
[10:59] SPEAKER_01: So, they do like inpatient, they do all types of treatments, they do have like they have in-house
[11:06] SPEAKER_01: psychiatrists, psychologists, everything, all types of services. And so, I'm an official partner
[11:11] SPEAKER_01: with them and I'm creating right now, it's more of a blueprint, but I'm working with their
[11:19] SPEAKER_01: director and their CEO to figure out how we can bring that into that community where it's more
[11:26] SPEAKER_01: surrounding a mental wellness and how you can cope and have it as an outlet. So, I think,
[11:33] SPEAKER_01: without going through all the experiences within the past three years, I wouldn't be able to build up
[11:38] SPEAKER_01: the credibility and experience and kind of like really solidify my vision to say, okay,
[11:45] SPEAKER_01: before I get into, you know, giving out free workshop, I need to have that specific target
[11:51] SPEAKER_01: audience that I can actually target and not kind of jeopardize my brand. And what I set out to
[11:59] SPEAKER_01: my consumers and my end users as like, you know, the real, not the real, but like the pain
[12:05] SPEAKER_01: customers and all that stuff, right? So, that's kind of where I'm at in terms of meeting that goal.
[12:13] SPEAKER_01: It is part of the 2020 to 2014 strategic plan. So, every three to four years, I have a full
[12:21] SPEAKER_01: strategic plan that I write out. And that again comes from the corporate world.
[12:25] SPEAKER_00: Exactly. Like, yeah, I can see a lot of the things that you're saying are definitely from the
[12:31] SPEAKER_01: corporate world, right? Yeah. So, a lot of it is like personalized because I truly care,
[12:37] SPEAKER_01: but a lot of it. So, the strategic, the strategies that I write and the different pillars,
[12:44] SPEAKER_01: you know, the risk assessments, the marketing, which includes like the communication strategy,
[12:49] SPEAKER_01: my communication plan, your branding, my branding plan, my content plan, all of that kind of stems
[12:57] SPEAKER_01: from a bit of a project management background where, you know, you really have your specific goals
[13:03] SPEAKER_01: and your tangible items. My goal is to do workshops or have a creative experience. I don't call
[13:10] SPEAKER_01: the workshops workshops that are experiences. And then it's like, how do we get there? What are the
[13:17] SPEAKER_01: different milestones? You know, what's up and coming? Have I checked this off? What's the biggest
[13:21] SPEAKER_01: risk? Right? The biggest risk for a workshop is if no one shows up. Which is like my, like, number one
[13:33] SPEAKER_01: fear when I wrote all that up and put it up on my event, right? And every day, I'm like checking,
[13:39] SPEAKER_01: checking. And I think as an entrepreneur, we tunnel vision, like to the end goal where it's like,
[13:45] SPEAKER_01: okay, I'm checking. No one's buying tickets. Oh my goodness. My end goal is not being met. Like,
[13:51] SPEAKER_01: you know, and then I guess like you have to really step back and see the big picture. It's like
[13:56] SPEAKER_01: first two days, I didn't have any perk like ticket sales. And I'm like, okay, step back a little
[14:01] SPEAKER_01: bit and stop tunnel vision myself and saying like, like, why is nobody buying my tickets? Like,
[14:07] SPEAKER_01: no one wants this. Like, I'm not important. But you know, you go through these thoughts, like,
[14:14] SPEAKER_01: am I doing something wrong? So for entrepreneurs out there, like my biggest thing is like, really step
[14:19] SPEAKER_01: back when you have a setback. And that's a very minor setback, but step back on those setbacks.
[14:28] SPEAKER_01: I know say that 10 times. Really good.
[14:29] SPEAKER_01: A step back and really, like, kind of see the big picture of why there's a setback and there's a
[14:37] SPEAKER_01: stall. Like every time there's a project stall, you're kind of like, okay, let's review and take a
[14:43] SPEAKER_01: look at the bigger picture as to like where the fundamental issue is or where the gap is, right?
[14:49] SPEAKER_01: And you always try to bridge that gap. So I realized a lot of people are not looking at my stories.
[14:55] SPEAKER_01: So I needed to make posts. Some people are looking at my posts, but they're not, you know,
[15:02] SPEAKER_01: elaborate enough in terms of what they're getting. So I went live, right, to talk a little bit about
[15:08] SPEAKER_01: my experience, like the creative experience and what they would get out of it. And then show them,
[15:14] SPEAKER_01: like, what the studio space look like. So for example, the first experience is in a studio space.
[15:21] SPEAKER_01: So right now it's very popular to rent a studio space and take really like studio perfect photos
[15:28] SPEAKER_01: and have them Instagram worthy or keep them in your album or whatever the case is. And so I saw
[15:34] SPEAKER_01: demand there. And so I was like, okay, let's collaborate with someone who has a studio, but also do
[15:40] SPEAKER_01: resume work. So it's a bit of both entrepreneurs out there as well, you know, always figure
[15:45] SPEAKER_01: market analysis to see where the demands are, right? And where, you know, you'll probably get the
[15:50] SPEAKER_01: bigger bang for your buck. People who are watching this, like, oh, that's what Carmen does.
[15:57] SPEAKER_00: And I know you're gonna send this to all of your followers on Instagram. Oh, for sure. And I,
[16:02] SPEAKER_01: and, you know, as I progress as an entrepreneur, I definitely want, you know, to share this knowledge
[16:09] SPEAKER_01: and some of these business, I guess, tactics that are very tangible and where people can see
[16:17] SPEAKER_01: immediate value, something that they can do, right? Like, yes, sure, you have your ultimate big
[16:22] SPEAKER_01: picture goal and your ultimate goal. But a market analysis is literally what you could do,
[16:28] SPEAKER_01: like right now, you know, something you can pick up and say, let's find out through my analytics
[16:34] SPEAKER_01: if there's a demand for this. Or let's find out through asking my friends what they would think,
[16:39] SPEAKER_01: right? That's a very simple, tangible, tactical task that you could just like find out information
[16:46] SPEAKER_01: very easily and very quickly. Exactly. But through that, like, I found out, okay, studios, whatever.
[16:52] SPEAKER_01: And then through the gaps where I'm like, okay, two days have passed and there's no ticket sale.
[16:58] SPEAKER_01: And so what I've done is, you know, figuring, like, literally write down a list of things I can
[17:03] SPEAKER_01: potentially do, identify the gaps and then some of the things that I could do. So I went live,
[17:09] SPEAKER_01: I posted some posters in the local work. What is it? Curries, like, I've asked them, like, can I post
[17:18] SPEAKER_01: ads and stuff? And they're like, absolutely, right? As long as you're local. So yeah, that.
[17:23] SPEAKER_01: And so it's just small things that where you have to really not pin pigeonhole yourself as to like,
[17:30] SPEAKER_01: oh my god, like, these are the things that are not happening. It's more, how can I make it happen?
[17:36] SPEAKER_01: So I never, you know, you're why, where you always have your why to ground you. But a lot of times,
[17:43] SPEAKER_01: we stick so close to that why and your ultimate goal, we never step back to say how.
[17:49] SPEAKER_01: Yeah, right? Because we're so caught up in like, see things from the outside.
[17:53] SPEAKER_01: Yeah, exactly. And like, asking the how question is not, I feel like now it's like, oh,
[18:01] SPEAKER_01: but why? What's my why? What's your why? Like, why are you doing this? I already know that. That's
[18:06] SPEAKER_01: the ultimate goal, right? That's your vision. And visions don't come alive like after one day
[18:13] SPEAKER_00: involves exactly. And I'll take two years, four years, what if it's four years, in 10 years,
[18:19] SPEAKER_01: my vision will probably keep. Yeah, totally different. You've been evolving so quickly. And I know
[18:25] SPEAKER_00: because we've talked before, but what you're doing now is going to be totally different from what
[18:30] SPEAKER_00: you're doing a year from now. So yeah, exactly. I do have some more questions. Really, like,
[18:38] SPEAKER_00: the first question that I have for you, do you think entrepreneurs and being an entrepreneur
[18:41] SPEAKER_01: yourself, do you think we're wired differently? So that's an amazing question because my husband,
[18:46] SPEAKER_01: I, we're just talking about that. And we are wired in a more, not more or less, but differently,
[18:54] SPEAKER_01: I would say I would say that entrepreneurial mindset is that mindset where, you know, you see,
[19:03] SPEAKER_01: it's always a process, right? You, you meet people, you see things and then you listen,
[19:09] SPEAKER_01: and then you're like, how can I either one give back in a way that I can by making the money
[19:17] SPEAKER_01: that I can through this demand? And then creating a demand for that. So and knowing that you can
[19:24] SPEAKER_01: supply it, right? So, for example, you know, for yourself, you have a marketing firm, you, you know,
[19:30] SPEAKER_01: you can supply really, really great consultation. And you know, there's a demand for it. So like,
[19:37] SPEAKER_01: immediately, you're like, okay, how can I give and make money so I can give more? So I think that's
[19:43] SPEAKER_01: the type of mindset that, you know, I think a lot of us haven't. It's a matter of how we articulate
[19:53] SPEAKER_01: right and how we present it and how we portray it. So I think for whoever's listening,
[19:59] SPEAKER_01: anyone can be an entrepreneur, anybody can be successful in what they do. And that always
[20:06] SPEAKER_01: goes back to where is your success level? Like where do you want to, and that's the future state
[20:12] SPEAKER_01: assessment, right? Some people don't want to mature in a way that they're the biggest and, you know,
[20:17] SPEAKER_01: the largest well-known firm all they want to do is be able to say, I have a small business,
[20:23] SPEAKER_01: I can pick 10 clients. I'm very happy with that. And that will sustain me. And if it grows,
[20:30] SPEAKER_01: it grows, but I'm happy with where I'm at. And that's success on its own, right? That's their
[20:35] SPEAKER_00: end goal, right? Like if they've used what they've set out. Yeah. But everybody has their different
[20:40] SPEAKER_01: end goal. And I'm not trying to say like some entrepreneurs are better than others. Some are
[20:47] SPEAKER_01: just because of what they have in terms of education, experience, the connections that they have.
[20:54] SPEAKER_01: But I think overall, anyone can be an entrepreneur. You just have to be very sure of where you want to be.
[21:01] SPEAKER_01: And what the supply and demand is, right, at a time, and how you become a thought leader. And like
[21:09] SPEAKER_01: a lot of people are talking about thought leaders now. And it's not like, I'm a thinker. So I'm
[21:15] SPEAKER_01: going to be a thought. It's more about, you know, what your goals are, how you can educate others,
[21:21] SPEAKER_01: how do you position yourself? Right? So that goes back to how you articulate what you can provide.
[21:27] SPEAKER_01: And what kind of value you can add. How you demonstrate credibility when you go out there to
[21:33] SPEAKER_01: consult 10 of those people. Are they going to share that experience? Like, are you credible?
[21:39] SPEAKER_01: Are they going to come back and say, you know what? I don't ever want to do business with you anymore
[21:44] SPEAKER_01: because of XYZ. Or they're like, I really wish that you can expand. So I can tell like 10 more people.
[21:51] SPEAKER_01: Right? So that's kind of like where your mindset have to shift. And then you build your story.
[21:56] SPEAKER_01: My story is hobby to business. And eventually I want to be able to build it more geared towards
[22:05] SPEAKER_01: business consultation where I can share all this information with, you know, other entrepreneurs
[22:11] SPEAKER_01: who are starting or don't know where to start or, but yeah, and then be a resource.
[22:16] SPEAKER_00: Yeah, doing things like you've been doing like that being a keynote speaker at Toronto business
[22:20] SPEAKER_00: baves or doing this podcast like you're already taking steps towards that goal because you are
[22:26] SPEAKER_01: empowering other entrepreneurs. Yeah. So I think we are wired differently and everyone can be an
[22:32] SPEAKER_01: entrepreneur. You just have to be very conness of where your end goal is at. Success is kind of like
[22:39] SPEAKER_01: your status, you know, not who else's status. So for the small businesses who are watching and want to
[22:46] SPEAKER_01: grow, really, I think identify that first and then start working towards it. And if it blows up
[22:54] SPEAKER_01: and if you become like immediate famous, awesome, celebrate it, but if it takes you five years to
[23:03] SPEAKER_01: get five clients and so be it, right? Like you just have to now go back and look at the bigger picture,
[23:09] SPEAKER_01: you know, I want to 10 clients, but only a five. How am I going to get there? That's kind of my
[23:14] SPEAKER_00: two sons on it. Great answer. So I'm going to switch gears a little bit and talk about Toronto
[23:20] SPEAKER_00: because I know you're in you're in Durham, but I know you work a lot in Toronto and the GTA. So
[23:26] SPEAKER_00: what do you think the benefits are of doing business in Toronto? There are definitely pros and cons
[23:32] SPEAKER_01: for Toronto. Toronto being one of the biggest cities in, you know, Canada. You definitely have a lot of
[23:40] SPEAKER_01: audience, like you have a big group of audience that you can target. So, you know, it goes back to
[23:46] SPEAKER_01: that abundance mindset, right? When you're in business, you always have to, or you should know that
[23:52] SPEAKER_01: in a big city like this, there's enough business for everybody. So that's definitely a pro to being
[24:01] SPEAKER_01: a business in the city where you can literally get business from like different demographics,
[24:06] SPEAKER_01: different types of people, people with different hobbies. So it's great. The other, the con that I would
[24:13] SPEAKER_01: say is that when there's a big population and there's, you know, demands, then some things become
[24:21] SPEAKER_01: more saturated. So when there's an oversaturation, there's, you know, the supplies out there and the
[24:28] SPEAKER_01: demand might not be there. And then, you know, you get that influx of the same product and then
[24:33] SPEAKER_01: you really have to compete. But in Toronto, I feel like the biggest benefit is that you can really allow
[24:41] SPEAKER_01: for your creativity to take over because people love things that are innovative and different, yet
[24:47] SPEAKER_01: relevant. And I always go back to this example of not reinventing the wheel, but making that wheel
[24:54] SPEAKER_01: into something else that could be useful. So not reinventing the core product, but like making it a
[25:03] SPEAKER_01: differentiator, what is your differentiator in this big vast community with so many people
[25:09] SPEAKER_01: watching with so many people willing to spend money on this core product. But if you can change it
[25:15] SPEAKER_01: and make it into something slightly different and test out the market, I feel like, you know,
[25:22] SPEAKER_01: you're kind of ahead of the game already for this big population of spenders and like people who
[25:29] SPEAKER_01: always seek different things. So I think that's definitely something that you can take advantage of
[25:35] SPEAKER_01: as an entrepreneur in Toronto, being such a big city. And then you expand, right? Like right now,
[25:41] SPEAKER_01: online is definitely a big e-commerce area. I mean, online is the, well, obviously. I say
[25:50] SPEAKER_01: funny things like that, try to be smart. But it is like one of the ways that people
[25:59] SPEAKER_01: prefer to purchase, right? They may not want to leave their house. Amazon being one of the biggest
[26:05] SPEAKER_01: e-commerce, that's what I meant. Amazon being one of the biggest e-commerce. They've really set the
[26:09] SPEAKER_01: stage for that type of behavior and that lifestyle. So you can absolutely piggyback on that and capitalize
[26:18] SPEAKER_01: and, you know, sell things that are different online. Write a little note. Do you sell your
[26:25] SPEAKER_01: resin decor on Amazon? I grow on. I am looking into it. It's just more of the scalability of it
[26:32] SPEAKER_01: because I have to be ready to grow if there's growth there. I have that as a setback, which was one
[26:40] SPEAKER_01: of my setbacks in 2019, where I set myself up to grow drastically, like incrementally,
[26:49] SPEAKER_01: as a production business, as well as revenue growth. And I think that really damaged my brand
[26:59] SPEAKER_01: in a sense. One of the reasons why is because I wasn't able to sustain the demand. So, you know,
[27:07] SPEAKER_01: when you're doing your analysis and everything, you really have to think, you know, yes, there's a
[27:12] SPEAKER_01: demand, but how will I, you know, scale this? Yeah, too quickly. It'll, it'll sink your company.
[27:20] SPEAKER_01: Yep. And that was one of the biggest setbacks where I really have to like rebuild and like connect
[27:25] SPEAKER_01: with the customer. So it's funny because the money that I generated from that build, I ended up
[27:33] SPEAKER_01: giving it out as compensation. Really? Yeah. Because like for the customers who were disappointed,
[27:40] SPEAKER_01: because like I didn't deliver on time or like I couldn't keep my promise or whatever the case is,
[27:47] SPEAKER_01: or like, you know, quality wasn't as amazing as I would like it to be, which is very, very rare,
[27:56] SPEAKER_01: because I quality, like I check everything before I send it out, but for me as an artist, I'm like,
[28:02] SPEAKER_01: you know, like regardless of what it was, you know, I compensate it through like,
[28:08] SPEAKER_01: you know, I'll give you a free set or I'll give you two free sets, like let me make this up for you,
[28:13] SPEAKER_01: let's give you this order for free, like stuff like that. So I have setbacks that, you know,
[28:21] SPEAKER_01: no one can probably see, but it happens. And Toronto being a big market, I think there's definitely,
[28:29] SPEAKER_01: like you can take advantage of the pros more than the cons. Because we're talking about challenges
[28:34] SPEAKER_00: and some of the setbacks that we've had. Just what do you think has been the greatest challenge
[28:39] SPEAKER_00: that you've faced in your business today? Because if that is at your supply or has there been
[28:44] SPEAKER_01: a bigger challenge? So my biggest challenge is I'm still at a one-man show, one-woman show.
[28:52] SPEAKER_01: And I think my biggest challenge is not, no, you know what, I take that back. My biggest challenge is
[28:58] SPEAKER_01: not the fact that I'm a sole, like I'm an entrepreneur and I'm like a team of two with my husband.
[29:05] SPEAKER_01: And you know, other people who are very supportive and stuff. My biggest challenge is being able to
[29:09] SPEAKER_01: delegate the specific tasks and the products. Like I can very easily hire someone, but because I'm so
[29:18] SPEAKER_01: specific with the way I package, the way I do things, I'm almost like not letting go of that.
[29:23] SPEAKER_01: And that's actually been one of my setbacks even in the corporate world, right? Where I,
[29:29] SPEAKER_01: like it's hard for me to delegate and I like learned very hard how to do that,
[29:34] SPEAKER_01: giving like very specific instructions, you know, making sure that they have clear goals,
[29:38] SPEAKER_01: clear tasks and all that stuff. So that's been a little bit of a challenge for me,
[29:43] SPEAKER_01: but I am learning. And the other challenge is to what I mentioned earlier, which was scaling.
[29:50] SPEAKER_01: The scalability of my business and also being able to manage an online platform as well as
[30:01] SPEAKER_00: being present. You're on Instagram and I know our viewers will check you out on Instagram and
[30:08] SPEAKER_00: we'll be sharing it there, but like you're super present on Instagram and I, it's such a full-time
[30:13] SPEAKER_00: job doing that on top of creating the products that you do and delivering. It's just you must be
[30:20] SPEAKER_01: exhausted at the end of the day. That's it's in the baby, right? So I know you're a mother in a wife.
[30:27] SPEAKER_01: Not so much, you know, the wife part is like, you're on your own.
[30:35] SPEAKER_01: So yeah, like Instagram is a complete different beast on its own. It's a complete different,
[30:41] SPEAKER_01: like it's a full-time job. And so my recommendation is when you start off,
[30:48] SPEAKER_01: I would build a budget sheet to, you know, kind of say if I have 10,000 followers and my presence
[30:56] SPEAKER_01: become overwhelming, overwhelming, and within my budget sheet, I do have funds allocated to hire
[31:03] SPEAKER_01: someone part-time. Or there are steps where I can, you know, go and scout out, you know,
[31:12] SPEAKER_01: college students who can be an intern where I pay them minimum wage or like pay them a certain amount
[31:18] SPEAKER_01: for a semester to help. So I would definitely, if I were to build my budget sheet differently
[31:24] SPEAKER_01: and from what I know now, knowing that Instagram, or certain components of the business,
[31:29] SPEAKER_01: would probably function and run a little bit better, like, well, we'll oil the machine as opposed
[31:36] SPEAKER_01: to me running all of it. I would build that in my budget sheet, right, in my expensive sheet.
[31:42] SPEAKER_01: And you don't have to do it, per se, but at least it's there. Like the monetary value is there
[31:49] SPEAKER_01: for you to see and be like, okay, this is way too overwhelming and it's taking up way too much time.
[31:55] SPEAKER_01: It's on the budget sheet. Let's try it for like a quarter, right, and see how it goes.
[32:02] SPEAKER_00: I've heard some business owners say that just in terms of managing social media, that they
[32:10] SPEAKER_00: feel like they can't let go of doing it themselves because like that's their brand, right,
[32:14] SPEAKER_00: and that's their story, and it's so difficult to let that go. Yeah, it's absolutely true,
[32:20] SPEAKER_01: and it goes back to the delegation, right? So if you write a very robust plan for your social media
[32:28] SPEAKER_01: manager, if you want to hire an intern, at first, it's a great experience for them if they want to
[32:34] SPEAKER_01: get into content and branding. Secondly, it's an image, but also something that is
[32:43] SPEAKER_01: adjustable. So if something doesn't go well, you can remove the post. It's not like a product where
[32:48] SPEAKER_01: you're hiring someone and then the end product doesn't look like to your standard and you're stuck
[32:54] SPEAKER_01: with this thing or a consultation where a different message is being delivered to your customers,
[33:02] SPEAKER_01: and you can kind of take it back because sometimes when you deliver a message, they kind of hold
[33:06] SPEAKER_01: you onto it, right? So Instagram is a really great way to test out your ability to kind of delegate.
[33:15] SPEAKER_01: I just didn't build it in my budget, and so I'm kind of I'm struggling now to write up a little
[33:21] SPEAKER_01: proposal to schools and you know, kind of like literally almost like a job description and like
[33:27] SPEAKER_01: your responsibilities, right? Your role in responsibilities and like write out this day, you're
[33:33] SPEAKER_01: supposed to do this, blah, blah, blah, and then they'll take over on it, and then you know, you built
[33:37] SPEAKER_01: that relationship and they learn who you are and your brand is, and they do the right thing, and
[33:42] SPEAKER_01: you have to kind of put your confidence in them. It's a full plan that you have to
[33:49] SPEAKER_01: be very, very detailed on, and then once you do that, I feel like that would be like something off
[33:55] SPEAKER_00: your hands. Yeah, it's a lot of work in the onset, but after you've done it, then it'll be better
[34:01] SPEAKER_01: for your business. Yeah, and that goes with all of it, right? Like if you're comfortable with your
[34:06] SPEAKER_01: product being delegated, then you write a very robust plan. But I'm all about that planning
[34:11] SPEAKER_01: phase because that really allows for you to kind of start everything from scratch, and then
[34:19] SPEAKER_01: identify all like, oh, there's a kink there. Like I would not want her to post this on this day,
[34:25] SPEAKER_01: that does not work, right? So your plan is kind of like, you're go to, and I think it's totally
[34:33] SPEAKER_01: doable for new entrepreneurs. And there's a lot of resources on the internet, and then there's
[34:39] SPEAKER_01: also resources like through me, through you, right? Where we can give our two cents as well.
[34:45] SPEAKER_01: What's kind of the challenge aspect, I think? Challenges is endless. It is endless. It's like,
[34:51] SPEAKER_00: what do you do? Like when you're faced with a challenge like that, this is the next question for you,
[34:56] SPEAKER_00: but how would you advise someone if someone is faced with the huge challenge? How do you advise
[35:00] SPEAKER_01: on that they should react? So reaction. So the biggest thing is perception is reality. So your
[35:09] SPEAKER_01: every reaction leads to another action and every action leads to reaction. And you have to be
[35:15] SPEAKER_01: very, very careful on how you react. And this is something that I've learned being in the
[35:20] SPEAKER_01: corporate environment, managing a team of people, as well as hosting meetings and things go wrong
[35:27] SPEAKER_01: with senior VPs and CEOs and stuff, where you have to absolutely keep calm. Like don't let your
[35:35] SPEAKER_01: emotions react for you, because our very first instinct is to walk in a way it's a panic, right?
[35:44] SPEAKER_01: Or upset and you say things. Like protect yourself at all costs, right? We get defensive is what
[35:49] SPEAKER_01: I'm trying to say. And when we get defensive, things can come out of your mouth or the way you act
[35:55] SPEAKER_01: in a way that it's not you. Like it's just based on the circumstance and the situation. So you
[36:02] SPEAKER_01: know, for example, Instagram, there will be trolls, there will be people who say things on your post.
[36:08] SPEAKER_01: And the first thing you think of is like, how am I going to react and respond back so that other
[36:14] SPEAKER_01: people who are looking at it won't perceive me in a certain way. And that's one thing where you
[36:22] SPEAKER_01: learn very quickly, you know, you don't react. You know, it's something that is really hurtful
[36:28] SPEAKER_01: or creates like a room's your brand or whatever. You literally say like, I'm sorry, you felt this
[36:35] SPEAKER_01: way, but let's chat offline, right? Because you don't want to engage in that type of behavior in front
[36:40] SPEAKER_01: of everybody. Yeah, me. Yeah. Or like we can definitely chat, you know, you can email me, here is
[36:45] SPEAKER_01: our customer service. You can talk to me personally if you're really upset. It's just so that people
[36:51] SPEAKER_01: can see also how you manage right negative to negativity. Like you're not negative with them.
[36:59] SPEAKER_01: Because as much as people do read their message, they people read your message and how you react
[37:04] SPEAKER_01: and they're like, Oh my god. Yeah. Or oh my god. Like I wonder what happened, but you know, I guess
[37:14] SPEAKER_01: it's between them. That's the biggest kind of suggestion or comment that it would make on that.
[37:20] SPEAKER_01: And staying calm is definitely very important. Try and understand like the other person's perspective
[37:27] SPEAKER_01: empathize with them and see, you know, maybe they're having a really horrible day and your order comes
[37:32] SPEAKER_01: in or your meeting comes through and it like totally through the mob or maybe you touch them in
[37:39] SPEAKER_01: the wrong way, but you know, really try to understand like where they're coming from. I think
[37:44] SPEAKER_01: when you have that level of understanding and empathizing, people starts to calm down.
[37:50] SPEAKER_01: Right. And they'll actually tell you like to be honest, I had a really crappy week and this meeting
[37:56] SPEAKER_01: was not what I expected or this product was not what I expected. And it just threw me off,
[38:02] SPEAKER_01: but I hope our next one would be much better. It's also like being transparent as to and being
[38:08] SPEAKER_01: authentic. I think if you show that you truly care during a challenge and a setback, you will get
[38:15] SPEAKER_01: like the same kind of reaction back. It's more of like a personal touch in terms of how I deal with
[38:23] SPEAKER_01: challenges, but I felt like that's always worked out and being transparent, you know, like I got into
[38:29] SPEAKER_01: that accident yesterday. So today, I probably can't deliver anything because I really don't feel
[38:36] SPEAKER_00: comfortable driving on the highway. And two of yours, I don't think that was when we started,
[38:42] SPEAKER_00: I was before we started the actual podcast, but coming into an accident yesterday and a big
[38:47] SPEAKER_00: sheet of ice hit, smashed your windshield on the highway. Yeah, right on the 401, like I saw it
[38:52] SPEAKER_00: coming slow motion. I was like, no. And when things like that happen and you can't deliver,
[39:01] SPEAKER_00: then you just, you know what, take a day off and entrepreneurs don't take enough days off.
[39:05] SPEAKER_01: Yeah, exactly. So I'm being completely transparent. My husband's like, first thing you did was
[39:10] SPEAKER_01: go on Instagram. I was like, no, like I actually went on Instagram to share this experience so that
[39:17] SPEAKER_00: people are more aware. That's something that my husband and I talk about as well, like just being
[39:23] SPEAKER_00: transparent and setting expectations, right? So by doing that, by being transparent about the accident,
[39:28] SPEAKER_00: then you're setting your customers expectation. Yeah, for sure. So I have another question for you,
[39:34] SPEAKER_00: and then I've got some rapid fire questions. But if you could go back in time, what advice would
[39:40] SPEAKER_01: you give your 20 year old self? My 20 year old man, I can write a like 20 year old self. So
[39:50] SPEAKER_01: this is more of the mental aspects, right? And I think a lot of entrepreneurs don't see that as a
[39:58] SPEAKER_01: as a wealth because your mental health is wealth. Like if you're not well and you're not able and
[40:06] SPEAKER_01: thinking clearly, your business will be cloudy as well. That's one thing that I really want to
[40:12] SPEAKER_01: share with entrepreneurs is like make sure you know that mental health is part of your wealth,
[40:18] SPEAKER_01: part of your revenue. It's not a separate thing, right? So really, really take care of that and
[40:23] SPEAKER_01: invest in that. But to my 20 year old self is like, to be more aware of my surroundings and what I was
[40:30] SPEAKER_01: driving myself into and I used to be very negative. And I it's not negative, but like a realist,
[40:37] SPEAKER_01: you know, you know, this is my goal. But why would I put to like, how can I even get there? Like,
[40:42] SPEAKER_01: there's no way. Like who am I to say that I would get there, right? And that set me back a lot
[40:48] SPEAKER_01: because that fear or that fear of taking risks, right? Now I take risks, but they're calculated.
[40:54] SPEAKER_01: So it goes back to, you know, to my 20 year old self, if I see something that I a goal that I
[41:01] SPEAKER_01: want to get meet, I really want to know how, right? Which is what I do now. It's like, I want to take
[41:08] SPEAKER_01: this risk, but how am I going to take it in the best way possible with the least amount of risk,
[41:13] SPEAKER_01: like mitigate least amount of risk, right? It's like, how do I do that? So let's build a calculator
[41:18] SPEAKER_01: risk, calculate what my risks are and my biggest loss would be at a cap and that's it. And then when
[41:25] SPEAKER_01: you meet that cap, we stop. It would continue to, to be a loss or whatever. And then really be careful
[41:31] SPEAKER_01: on the type of people that you need, not to say like, oh, there's bad people out there, but where they
[41:38] SPEAKER_01: would drive you to, the people who are of value or whether they, if they're toxic, be very careful
[41:46] SPEAKER_01: as to where you spend your energy on, like who you spend your energy on. But mainly, you know,
[41:52] SPEAKER_01: I started drinking a lot when I was 20 and that I think substance abuse is one thing that
[41:59] SPEAKER_01: we don't really think much of, but as I'm getting older, it's like, it becomes you, right? And I
[42:07] SPEAKER_01: don't think I was, like I had predisposed, you know, genetics and stuff that's very prone to
[42:14] SPEAKER_01: addictions. But I think like if I had told myself, you know, keep your eyes on the prize,
[42:20] SPEAKER_01: be around people who are positive and like, could be a value to you and you guys can reciprocate
[42:26] SPEAKER_01: off each other and bounce good ideas and good vibes off each other. Then I wouldn't get into that,
[42:32] SPEAKER_01: like rabbit hole of continuous drinking and then eventually being an alcoholic, a functioning one.
[42:39] SPEAKER_01: And then eventually like hitting rock bottom with like nothing left. So yeah, I think it's,
[42:46] SPEAKER_01: it all starts young. And it's crazy because 20-year-olds nowadays, they think like that.
[42:54] SPEAKER_01: Like they're very on point. A lot of them that I talk to, they're like, no, I have like these
[43:00] SPEAKER_01: goals and like this is what I'm doing. And it's funny because it goes back to who you surround
[43:06] SPEAKER_01: yourself, right? Maybe those are the people that I surround myself with now. And that's what I'm
[43:11] SPEAKER_01: hearing mostly as opposed to, you know, the alcoholics and the negatives, right? So it really depends on
[43:19] SPEAKER_01: who you like have around. That's kind of my long to the short of what I would tell, I mean,
[43:27] SPEAKER_01: short to the long, I don't even know anymore. But what I would tell myself, 20-year-old self.
[43:33] SPEAKER_00: It's good advice for you, for your young self and it's good advice for other, other young entrepreneurs as
[43:39] SPEAKER_00: well. Okay, so now I have rapid fire questions and this is just say what first comes to your mind
[43:46] SPEAKER_00: and don't think too much about it. So if you were doing what you were doing right now for work,
[43:50] SPEAKER_00: what would you be doing instead? I would be a psychiatrist. Like that was my ultimate goal.
[43:56] SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and it sounds like you'd be very good at it honestly. Thank you.
[44:01] SPEAKER_00: What book are you currently reading and what would you recommend to our audience?
[44:06] SPEAKER_01: Currently, I am reading Maria Ferlio. So everything is figure-outable, which I can relate to
[44:12] SPEAKER_01: very, very much because of being a first-generation immigrant, everything needed to be figured out.
[44:23] SPEAKER_01: So I definitely highly recommend that. Donald Miller is someone that you should definitely
[44:29] SPEAKER_01: YouTube on. I think it's Donald Miller. It's called, do you mind if I take a minute?
[44:37] SPEAKER_01: No, I don't mind it. I'm writing it down. Did you say Donald Miller?
[44:40] SPEAKER_01: Yeah, he is a genius in branding and a lot of things are, it's very theoretical,
[44:48] SPEAKER_01: but he does give out examples. And then what I've been doing is exercising every day
[44:54] SPEAKER_01: where I listen to nuggets of his book and then I put through the tangible part.
[45:01] SPEAKER_01: Like I give myself the example and I test it out. Like we're positioning, like messaging and
[45:06] SPEAKER_01: brand marketing. So building a branding story by Donald Miller, amazing book. I recommend that
[45:13] SPEAKER_01: to everybody. Very like theory, but you can apply your own examples and you need to work on that.
[45:21] SPEAKER_01: And the more you practice that, the better you get at it. People with profit is another good one.
[45:26] SPEAKER_01: The luck factor gets a little bit weird, but for a new entrepreneur, I think it's a good read
[45:34] SPEAKER_01: because you learn about chance opportunity. So when you're starting off, you kind of,
[45:39] SPEAKER_01: you know, go back to, is this luck? Is it network? Like, oh, it's just luck. Like beginner's luck
[45:45] SPEAKER_01: or like something like that. But it really tells you like how you can prep yourself so that you can
[45:52] SPEAKER_01: have that luck and you can take advantage of that chance opportunity that comes your way.
[45:57] SPEAKER_01: That's a good read for new, like brand new spanking entrepreneur who's starting like
[46:02] SPEAKER_01: tomorrow after they read our like listen to our podcast, right?
[46:06] SPEAKER_01: Exactly. I'm changing my life.
[46:08] SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
[46:10] SPEAKER_01: You know, my answers are never quick because I like go on and on and on.
[46:16] SPEAKER_00: You have so many ideas. And that's why. And I just want to be thorough. Like, it's all valuable.
[46:20] SPEAKER_00: Everything that you say, it has so much value. Thank you. That's so sweet.
[46:26] SPEAKER_00: Okay, next one, next one. Are you a morning or a night person?
[46:29] SPEAKER_00: I'm a morning person for the most. If you had,
[46:35] SPEAKER_00: if you had one word to describe yourself, what would it be? And why?
[46:40] SPEAKER_01: It would be persistent because I don't give up.
[46:45] SPEAKER_01: I do give up to at a certain point, but I always, always, always figure out where the gap is
[46:52] SPEAKER_01: or try to figure out and make that connection or that bridge to get there. And if I can get there
[46:58] SPEAKER_01: one way or another, then I go back to, is this really the end goal that I want to be at?
[47:04] SPEAKER_01: But I don't give up if I have an end goal.
[47:06] SPEAKER_00: I know this is supposed to be rapid fire, but I think that always happens with entrepreneurs,
[47:11] SPEAKER_00: right? Like you try something. It doesn't work. And you have to pivot or you have to fill that gap,
[47:15] SPEAKER_00: right? What's keeping you up at night these days?
[47:20] SPEAKER_01: These days, I think how I can manage the next four years, trying to build a more
[47:29] SPEAKER_01: business-oriented business. So eventually, I want to evolve into more, yes, I'll keep my,
[47:39] SPEAKER_01: craft, my home decor side of things, but I also want to make it into more of a business experience,
[47:46] SPEAKER_01: business consultation, entrepreneurs, where that's at right now is kind of keeping me up because
[47:55] SPEAKER_01: you know, that's a completely different thing to cataclet and also coming from being an artist.
[48:01] SPEAKER_01: You're not seen as an entrepreneur, you're seen as an artist. I would really have to articulate
[48:07] SPEAKER_01: the expertise and provide resources to build that credibility. So that's kind of where what's
[48:12] SPEAKER_01: keeping me up at night. What's your favorite place in the world? Peggy's cove. When I visit there,
[48:19] SPEAKER_01: I said to my husband, I'm like, I want to retire and die here in the ocean. I was there last year.
[48:26] SPEAKER_01: I just want my little hut and I'm an introvert, right? But you know, you kind of build yourself to
[48:32] SPEAKER_01: speak up and all that stuff. But I prefer to just sit at home and read a book or listen to my
[48:41] SPEAKER_01: podcast and watch Netflix and watch the ocean like going and out, not stop. And that's it.
[48:50] SPEAKER_00: What are three non-negotiables that have to happen in your morning routine?
[48:56] SPEAKER_01: Coffee. Non-negotiable is giving my daughter a big fat kiss. If I can, if I'm too lazy and can't
[49:05] SPEAKER_01: wake up then. We'll have to wait. And non-negotiable is to think about my day. So although I do that
[49:16] SPEAKER_01: the night before where you know, you said, oh, okay, tomorrow's what I do, you really have to set your
[49:22] SPEAKER_01: intention and your tone for the day. Because a lot of times people who suffer from depression or
[49:28] SPEAKER_01: substance abuse, they wake up with zero hope. Negative thoughts right away. Negative thoughts
[49:33] SPEAKER_01: right away. It's like, oh, like today is going to be a crap day. Like I already know it. But you don't,
[49:41] SPEAKER_01: like you just have to think like, okay, today this is what I need to do. My intention is to at least
[49:48] SPEAKER_01: complete one out of the 10 tasks. And if I do, it's a win and everything else can wait. That's my
[49:56] SPEAKER_01: priority. It's going to be great. And let's get it going. And you lay for another 15 minutes and you're
[50:03] SPEAKER_01: like, oh, I gotta get up. But that's the truth, right? So I want to be realistic as well.
[50:11] SPEAKER_01: Those are like kind of my morning must-do's where I really set my mindset to say it's going to be
[50:18] SPEAKER_01: no matter what, it's going to be good. And no matter how bad it's a learning. So that's a good
[50:24] SPEAKER_01: way to set your intention and your goals for the day. What are some of the things that you do to
[50:30] SPEAKER_01: disconnect? I listen to my audio books. So my audible is my go-to app. It's like first and foremost. So
[50:41] SPEAKER_01: whether I'm driving or just sitting at home, disconnecting actually is a like driving is a big
[50:48] SPEAKER_01: good disconnect for me. Like I'm not like, whoa, just like driving like whatever is radically. But
[50:54] SPEAKER_01: it kind of sets myself aside from the real world. But I'm still in the real world, you know what I mean?
[51:01] SPEAKER_01: Because I'm driving mostly by myself. But my audio audible app is my disconnect. And then
[51:09] SPEAKER_01: literally sitting in a room by myself. Yeah. Nothing. And just staring out the window that's
[51:15] SPEAKER_01: a disconnect and like, nothing, no phone, no electronics. And I could be not thinking about anything.
[51:22] SPEAKER_01: So I think that's a part of mindfulness where you're just like, you could be completely blank.
[51:28] SPEAKER_01: But it kind of gives your mind a chance to recover and like reenergize. And like literally you see
[51:36] SPEAKER_01: the battery, packs going like, do do do do do like increasing. And you're like, all right, this is
[51:43] SPEAKER_00: pointless. Let's get out of here and do that at a certain point. Yeah. Okay. So I'm going to ask you
[51:48] SPEAKER_00: one one more question. And this is something we asked all of our guests. There's a small tropical
[51:54] SPEAKER_00: island in the middle of the ocean off the coast of Fiji. One phone booth and no internet. We drop
[52:00] SPEAKER_00: you off there with no technology. And at any time you can use the phone booth on the island to call
[52:04] SPEAKER_00: the boat to come pick you up. How long would you last before you make that phone call? And what would
[52:09] SPEAKER_01: you do until then? That literally gave me goosebumps as you're reading it because I'm like envisioning
[52:15] SPEAKER_00: it. And I'm like, oh, paradise. I just yeah, I just got back from Cuba. So I'm like, oh, can I go
[52:21] SPEAKER_01: back please? Yeah. In my mind, I would probably last quite a long time because I would spend all my
[52:30] SPEAKER_01: time figuring out what I can do before I make that phone call. And then probably like within the hour
[52:38] SPEAKER_01: to be like the real the realistic side of me is like, okay, within the hour, I'm like, let's call
[52:44] SPEAKER_01: someone and figure out what we're going to do. So one hour. Yeah, one hour. You check it out.
[52:50] SPEAKER_01: You just like, you have any coconut or bananas? I'm like, like literally this is my action. I would
[52:57] SPEAKER_01: be there. Look around. He like, okay, I'm good to survive. I have connection, depend like if
[53:04] SPEAKER_01: something was to happen. And like, kind of really look at my surrounding. And then actually, I would
[53:10] SPEAKER_01: probably make the phone call and be like, dude, when will you be here? And this is how much resources I
[53:17] SPEAKER_01: have. I'm quick. It would be three hours. I'll figure it out. No worries. If it's a day, like, I'll
[53:25] SPEAKER_01: still figure it out. But like, I need a time frame. I think that's probably what my reaction would
[53:30] SPEAKER_01: be like. So I lied about the first part. I probably can't last. Interesting. I would like to make
[53:37] SPEAKER_01: that call. I would probably do it right away to like scope out my surrounding and like, what I'm
[53:41] SPEAKER_01: given. But then after that, if you leave me there for like two or three days, I'd be like, cool.
[53:47] SPEAKER_00: Like, this is not so bad. Awesome. Hey, Carmen, well, do you have anything before we leave to have
[53:53] SPEAKER_00: anything that we haven't covered that you wanted to tell our listeners? Not really. I think we covered
[53:59] SPEAKER_01: most of it, like the important nuggets and, you know, some of the recommendations and just suggestions
[54:04] SPEAKER_01: and comments that I have that are important to me to share for you guys. But I do want to touch on one,
[54:13] SPEAKER_01: like, quick motivational point is that no matter how much, how fearful you think it is, it really
[54:21] SPEAKER_01: probably, you know, it's fearful at the time. But if you have this like pressing idea and this
[54:28] SPEAKER_01: vision to do something and start a business, it may not have to be like a small business. But at least
[54:33] SPEAKER_01: it's something that you're starting, like even if it's just creating a account for your business
[54:39] SPEAKER_01: on Instagram to say like, that's my business account. Anything that's small for you to reach your goal,
[54:45] SPEAKER_01: I would, you know, really highly recommend you to take that first step. It is the hardest step.
[54:51] SPEAKER_01: The first step is the hardest step, but your next steps can't happen until that very first step.
[54:57] SPEAKER_01: I just want to let the beer nose like after you see this and, you know, think about it,
[55:03] SPEAKER_01: definitely start and kickstart whatever you're doing. Whether it is to change your life or change
[55:10] SPEAKER_01: your life of one person, you're not here to change the world. That's always what I say. But if you can
[55:16] SPEAKER_01: benefit one person or yourself and one person at a time, like, I would really highly recommend that
[55:22] SPEAKER_01: you start like tomorrow with whatever it is. I love it. Carmen, you've given so many
[55:27] SPEAKER_00: like useful tips and advice and feedback with the whole thing. So thank you so much for coming
[55:34] SPEAKER_00: on as a guest and we will talk soon. Yes. So, oh, yes, when we're, when we're, when we're
[55:41] SPEAKER_01: thing, where can our viewers find you online? We were going to find me online on different YouTube
[55:48] SPEAKER_01: channels. They can contact me through email, which is on my Instagram page. They can contact me through
[55:54] SPEAKER_01: Instagram to see some of the things that I've been doing, some of the creative experiences that
[56:00] SPEAKER_01: they want to, you know, join. My online shop is going to relaunch. I've been saying that forever,
[56:07] SPEAKER_01: but it's just haven't been like perfect for me to relaunch the repars at my brand. So it's
[56:18] SPEAKER_01: which there you can contact me and you'll be able to order things. And then aside from that, you
[56:23] SPEAKER_01: know, I'm just an email away. So if there's anything that you guys want to chat about, about business
[56:30] SPEAKER_01: or art, I am here for you to invest my ability. So Leslie, I really, really appreciate you having me
[56:37] SPEAKER_01: as such an honor to, you know, be in a podcast, podcast, sorry, a podcast with like all these
[56:46] SPEAKER_01: amazing entrepreneurs that and successful entrepreneurs that you've already interviewed. So it's definitely
[56:52] SPEAKER_01: an honor for, you know, a business that starts from scratch, from a hobby to like where it is right
[57:00] SPEAKER_00: now and continues to grow. We're so thankful to hear your journey. So thank you, Padme. Thank you so
[57:06] SPEAKER_00: much. Thanks for listening to Canada's podcast. Like, comment and subscribe to all our channels to
[57:13] SPEAKER_00: the latest podcast from entrepreneurs across Canada.