Lessons from a Quitter

The path that many of us have been brought up to follow usually goes a little something like this: take the right classes, get the good grades, get into the prestigious school, graduate, and then find a high paying job. We're taught that it is a linear path that you stick to and climb to the top. Well, in today's episode, Phil Black teaches us why you should buck that wisdom. Phil has one of the most interesting careers we've ever highlighted on this show. His story is a testament to following your curiosities and always re-evaluating what is most important. Among his many accomplishments, Phil played D1 collegiate basketball at Yale, worked as an investor at Goldman Sachs, was a Navy Seal Officer, went to Harvard Business School, is a firefighter, entrepreneur, father, and more. While it wasn’t clear to him during his journey, he was gaining an incredibly useful skill: the ability to find his way into really competitive positions. This is, as Phil calls it, his “superpower” which later led him to create his current business venture, PrepWell Academy. The academy is an innovative approach to preparing high school students (and their parents) for the rigors of the college admissions process. His unique program is delivered online and focuses on the early preparation of students (freshman and sophomore year) interested in attending highly-selective colleges (e.g. Ivy League, Stanford, MIT, etc.), military service academies (e.g. Naval Academy, West Point, etc.), and those seeking athletic or ROTC scholarships. Visit our website to enroll your child in one of our custom programs (Pathway, Ivy, Military, Athlete). Phil’s story is mindblowing and is a real testament to the fact that we’re allowed to start over not just once, but as many times as we want! Here is what we chat about in this episode: The process of how Phil reinvented himself multiple times. The importance of evaluating (and re-evaluating) your life. How Phil discovered his “superpower” and how it helped him build his current business. How it’s okay to never settle on the idea of pursuing one thing forever. And so much more! Where to find Phil:   Website:http://www.prepwellacademy.com/ Email: phil@prepwellacademy.com Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/PrepWellAcademy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepwell_academy/ Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/philipablack Resources mentioned in this episode: The Start Up Of You by Reid Hoffman What Are You Waiting For? by Nickelback Follow along for more: www.lessonsfromaquitter.com https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/ https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

One of the biggest excuses around starting a new venture is lack of time. We are obsessed with being busy (and telling everyone else how busy we are!). Well, on today's episode, Steve Chou debunks that excuse. Steve ran multiple 6- and 7-figure businesses while maintaining his career as an electrical engineer! The secret? Plan for the long game and prioritize your time. Steve's entrepreneurial journey began back in 2007 when his wife got pregnant and wanted to quit her job. He actually enjoyed his job as an electrical engineer but they weren't going to be able to live off of one salary in the Bay Area. So they had to come up with a business that could replace her income. Their potential plans ranged from opening a Kumon franchise to a creating meal prep company, and more. Eventually, they chose to start an online E-commerce business selling handkerchiefs, called Bumblebee Linens. Keep in mind that this was before everyone was selling on Amazon and there were a million tools like shopify. Through diving in head first with a limited set of skills, Steve began to put the pieces together through trial and error (even learning how to embroider). They ended up making over $100,000 in that first year. Because of their success, Steve began blogging about their experience at mywifequitherjob.com. Over the years, he added additional avenues to share what he's learned and teach others how to do the same. He eventually started a podcast, an online course, and a conference. He has since grown each of these platforms to 6- or 7-figure businesses. But the most amazing part of this journey is that Steve didn't leave his full-time job until 2016 - almost 10 years after the official launch of their E-commerce store! I got to talk to him about how he was able to accomplish so much while he was still working, why he kept his job when he was making so much money from his side income, and more! Steve's story is a great reminder that you can plan that first step forward as much as you want, but you'll never truly know what will happen until you take that leap- and it doesn't have to be a giant one either! Here is what we chat about in this episode: Why they chose to go the E-commerce route How to make better use of your time What it took to create their online businesses How it cay pay off to play for the long game Why you don't need to have everything figured out right away to take that first step And so much more! Where to find Steve:   Shop: https://bumblebeelinens.com Blog: https://MyWifeQuitHerJob.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/mywifequit Online Course: https://profitableonlinestore.com/ Conference: http://sellerssummit.com/ Follow along for more: www.lessonsfromaquitter.com https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/ https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

Today I have the honor of talking to Dave Hollis, CEO of The Hollis Company. If you’re living under a rock and haven’t heard yet of Dave or, his wife, Rachel Hollis, just know that they are on a tour of world domination to help every person become a better version of themselves.   Rachel has been building a career, first, in the lifestyle blog space and, more recently, in the personal development arena for the past 15 years. She has 2 New York Times Best-Selling books (Girl, Wash Your Face and Girl, Stop Apologizing), is one of the most sought after motivational speakers, has 2 top-rated podcasts, and has been called the female Tony Robbins.   Dave stepped in as CEO of The Hollis Company just 10 months ago to lead the expansion plans in the next, exciting phase — focusing on media (books/podcasts/live coaching/radio/tv), live events and merchandise.   But before taking on this role, Dave had an incredibly successful 17-year career at the Walt Disney Company which culminated in his role as President of Theatrical Distribution. Dave was in charge of global theatrical sales for Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Lucas film. During his tenure, Disney had industry breaking records such as the first $7 billion in global ticket sales in one year and the only studio to cross $6 billion two years in a row.   His job was, by all accounts, “the dream” -- high paying, high glamour, highly respected. And yet, I talked to Dave about why it became unfulfilling and how he came to the decision to walk away. This episode is full of inspiration and incredible wisdom about how we all should be approaching our lives. Here is what we chat about in this episode: Why the very thing that made Dave’s role at Disney a dream job was the thing that ultimately led him to quit What 3 circumstances in his life at the time led Dave to decide to make the leap How a conversation about personal development with Rachel changed the trajectory of his life Why you should be honoring the struggle What Dave would have done if he didn’t have the opportunity to run the Hollis Company What it’s like to work with your wife And so much more!   Where to find Dave:   Website: www.theholliscompany.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/mrdavehollis Facebook: www.facebook.com/mrdavehollis Podcast: Rise Together   Resources Mentioned in this episode: Mindset, by Carol Dweck   Follow along for more: www.lessonsfromaquitter.com https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/ https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast  

We're usually sold on the idea that once we achieve x, y, or z then we'll finally be happy, but that isn't always the case. When Annie saw her mom's experience as a lawyer, it was cemented in her mind that she must follow the same path. It wasn't until she landed her dream job at her dream company that something didn't feel right. Despite everything looking picture perfect on the outside, she could feel it in her gut that this wasn't where she was supposed to be. Something was still missing. Luckily, Annie met her future partner, Annabelle, at the same law firm in Miami. They both shared a love of candles and wanted to find a way to make them more personalized for gifts. The two became instant friends (can you say, soul sisters?). The A-team connected first through design: they both decorated their offices to perfection--from gold staplers (yes, all gold everything) to luxurious candles. But they soon bonded on a deeper Level: their gift for all things thoughtful. It wasn’t long before TAJA was born. TAJA Collection launched in June 2017, to create what was missing from the market: customizable home accessories. Their business focuses on both e-commerce and wholesale. Here is what we chat about in this episode: Why she felt drawn to the path of becoming a lawyer How everything suddenly changed when she got her dream job How a common interest in candles sparked the idea for their company How they utilized their local female network to help get the word out about their business And so much more! Where to find Annie:   Website: https://tajacollection.com/ Email: info@tajacollection.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tajatribe Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tajacollection/?hl=en Resources mentioned: Coupon code for TAJA Collection: GOLI15 Follow along for more: www.lessonsfromaquitter.com https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/ https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

I love Dawn’s story! Did you know that you could even be a professional crafter?! I didn’t. And, actually, neither did Dawn. She started out her career in the corporate world and ended up leaving when she had her second child. She had every intention of going back to work when her children were in school.   But because her daughters had special needs, Dawn needed to stay at home much longer. When her daughters were grown, Dawn was looking for something to occupy her time and decided to teach crafting at her local community center. Given her love of crafting, this hobby was a great way to earn a bit of extra money while doing something she loved.   However, through networking, volunteering, and a lot of hard work, Dawn turned that hobby into a full-time career. Dawn is now a professional crafter, vlogger and podcaster based on the New South Wales Central Coast of Australia. She has worked in the Australian craft industry for well over a decade, creating projects for craft magazines and brands across a variety of craft mediums. She has hosted an Australian papercrafting television show, spoken at The Artful Business Conference about how video is a valuable tool for enhancing the customer experience.  She has an online store selling craft supplies, teaches in collaboration with other businesses locally, and just launched The Craft Room Podcast. Find out exactly how she made that jump on the episode today! Here is what we chat about in this episode: Why she left the corporate world to stay at home with her children Why her plan to go back to the corporate world didn’t really work out How she got involved in the craft community How she went from just a hobbyist to a professional crafter How networking really helped her career take off And so much more!   Where to find Dawn:   Website: http://www.dawnlewis.com.au Email - enquiries@dawnlewis.com.au Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/DawnLewisImagery YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/DawnLewisPaints Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dawnlewisimagery   Follow along for more: www.lessonsfromaquitter.com https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/ https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

Typically, on this show, we feature stories of people who have quit their careers and started over in a completely different field. I’m so excited to talk to Nicole on this episode to show that you don’t have to do that. If you like the field that you’re in but want something more, be it flexibility, more money, more ownership etc, it is time to think outside of the box.   Nicole started out her healthcare PR career in 2002 at a large medical device company, Guidant Corporation, where she learned the trade for 5 years. When the company was acquired by Abbott in 2006, Nicole was no longer allowed to keep her part-time status. Because she wanted the flexibility of staying at home with her kids and having a career, Nicole quit her job and started her career as a medtech PR consultant, working primarily with startups to launch their companies and products. She hired her first fulltime employee in 2016. Today her agency has approximately 20 employees and offices in the San Francisco Bay Area and Orange County.   Nicole is also a founding member of MedtechWomen, a nonprofit organization dedicated to highlighting women leaders in the medical technology industry. She was named a 2015 PR Executive of the Year by the Business Intelligence Group and is a finalist for PR News' 2019 Top Women in Healthcare Awards.   We talk all about how taking that jump, and knowing how to value yourself, led Nicole to create an incredible business that also gave her the flexibility she wanted. Here is what we chat about in this episode: How to recognize the value you bring in your career and how to charge accordingly How she realized it was time to make the jump Why setting up a business isn’t as difficult as people make it seem. How freelancers can provide a lot of value that companies can’t provide Why you shouldn’t work for free Why the riches are in the niches How she grew her company from being a single consultant to 20 employees Why she believes in investing in yourself even if you’re not making money yet And much more! Where to find Nicole:   Website: https://healthandcommerce.com/   Twitter: https://twitter.com/nicoleosmer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleosmer/     Follow along for more: www.lessonsfromaquitter.com https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/ https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast  

One of Steve Jobs’ most popular quotes is “You can’t connect the dots looking forward. You can only connect them looking backward. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.”   Nowhere is that principle proven truer than in John’s life and career. He grew up the son of immigrant farmers and saw first hand the hard work, sacrifice, and struggles his parents had to go through in life. So you can imagine how well-received his decision was to drop out of his Engineering program in college to join an internet startup. But John promised his mom that if it didn’t work out, he’d go back to school and become a doctor.   While he had some initial success with the startup, it eventually folded in the internet bubble burst in the early 2000s. As you’ll hear, John credits that failure as one of the best things that could have happened to him. He went back to UCLA to finish his Engineering degree and became an engineer for Boeing. Most people would have just stopped there. But wanting to make good on his promise to his mom, John decided to go back to school to become a dentist. He not only became a dentist but went on to specialize in orthodontics.   During that schooling, John met his current co-founder, Dr. Hongsheng Tong, and they began developing a product that would place braces behind the teeth in order to make them invisible. After he received his degree, John began working as the managing orthodontist for Bristol Dental and Orthodontics. But he kept working on this invisible brace product and company on nights and weekends.   Eventually, John became the CEO and co-founder of Swift Health Systems and is bringing disruptive change to the orthodontics industry with INBRACE. His past startup experience coupled with his specialized knowledge of orthodontics makes him uniquely qualified to lead such an innovative company. And in under 2 years, John has helped to raise $25 million dollars and grow the company to 75 employees! Incredible, to say the least!   There is so much we get into this episode, so you definitely don’t want to miss it!   Here is what we chat about in this episode: How John’s upbringing affected his view on work and life Why he decided to drop out of college to pursue the internet startup craze How the failure of that tech startup impacted him Why he decided to become a dentist when he had a good career as an engineer How he started his current business and how he’s grown it so fast How mentors have shaped his life How he became clear on his “why” and how that drives him, and more! Where to find Dr. John Pham:   Website: https://myinbrace.com/   Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-pham-dds-ms-999a274/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myinbrace/ Email: john@myinbrace.com     Resources mentioned in this episode   John C. Maxwell, 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership     Follow along for more: www.lessonsfromaquitter.com https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/ https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

The goal in life is to be happy, right? Well, maybe not. Today on the show, we have the incredible Dr. Zelana Montminy, a clinical psychologist and reformed happiness researcher. Dr. Zelana used to focus on how people could be happier in their lives but she quickly found, through her research, that the more we obsess over happiness in our society, the more people are unhappy. She saw that the people that were content and fulfilled in their lives were the ones that were resilient to whatever life threw at them.   Dr. Zelana is now a renowned wellness architect, providing an unparalleled realistic perspective rooted in science. Whether it’s as a bestselling author, working with celebrities, hosting a television show, or leading a transformational retreat, Dr. Zelana is paving the way for mental fitness. A prominent figure in Positive Psychology and one of Maria Shriver’s Architects of Change, Dr. Zelana is the author of bestselling 21 Days to Resilience. She speaks around the world and is a go-to authority in the media appearing on Access Live, The Today Show, Good Morning America, The Dr. Oz Show, The Doctors and more. She also makes ongoing contributions to the pages of Real Simple Magazine, Health Magazine, Redbook, Better Home & Gardens, and the list goes on.   I love this conversation with Dr. Zelana about why resilience is so important and how we can build it in our lives.   Here is what we chat about in this episode: Why we shouldn’t focus on happiness but rather try to build up our resilience What resilience actually is and how to start building it How to know when your unhappiness should lead to change v. when to weather the storm What actionable steps can you take to build resilience What is the difference between habits and goals How to build resilience in your kids, and more Where to find Dr. Zelana:   Website: www.drzelana.com Instagram: @dr.zelana email: contact@drzelana.com Follow along for more: www.lessonsfromaquitter.com https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/ https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

So many mothers face the tough decision of how to balance their careers while raising kids. It is often the catalyst for big change whether that be a new business, deciding to quit and stay at home or shifting your goals in your current career. On today’s episode, I got to talk to Allison about how the birth of her son started the beginning of her journey into entrepreneurship.   Allison spent much of her career in business management, as either an office administrator or an executive assistant. When Allison’s son was born and had to spend some time in the NICU, she was faced with the decision of returning back to work or leaving her career to stay at home. She was looking for a way to stay at home but also bring in some extra money to support her family.   She decided to start a blog, chronicling her life including the various issues NICU mothers face. Her blog quickly took off and she began being featured in publications such as Huffington Post, Scary Mommy, TODAY Parents, and more. Having learned how to effectively market her own blog through Pinterest and other social media outlets, Allison began offering those services to other bloggers and business owners.   In under 2 years, she has grown her online business management company to over 6-figures through mostly referrals. She now has a growing team that helps cater to their growing customer base. And she gets to do all this while spending more time at home with her children. I got to talk to Allison all about how she grew this company and how we can learn from her experience. Here is what we chat about in this episode: How the birth of her son sparked her interest in starting her own business or side hustle Why she started a blog in a saturated market and how she stood out How she started her online VA business What resources she used to learn about monetizing her blog and how people monetize their blogs How she built up her online business management company into a 6-figure business in 2 years.   Where to find Allison:   https://allisonrlancaster.com/ www.lovinglivinglancaster.com Pinterest course: https://allisonrlancaster.com/lets-learn-pinterest-course/ Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/allisonrlancaster/ Follow along for more: www.lessonsfromaquitter.com https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/ https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast  

Montine Blank has done it all. From the corporate world to entrepreneurship to transformational coaching, Montine has a vast array of expertise that she utilizes in helping her clients create a meaningful, fulfilled life.   With an MBA, Montine started out at a large management consulting firm before deciding that she wanted a different future than that path provided. Her jump took her down a successful entrepreneurial road, where she founded numerous companies including The Green Half, a discount gift card site for sustainable businesses that had over 10,000 subscribers and The Green Plate, a nonprofit aimed at reducing disposable plastic consumption. She has also created 3 one of a kind art business, Crazy Moon Art Room, T-shirt Construction Co and Paint Awake. On this episode, we talk a lot about how art and painting helped her on her path to self-discovery and how she uses it with her clients.   Because of her own journey, Montine was led to getting certified and becoming a transformational coach. She now coaches clients on a wide-variety of life and career transitions in order to help people become more aligned with the true version of themselves.   We talk about her own journey as well as overarching questions about working with a life coach, like: who would benefit from it, how to find a good coach, what to work on, etc.   Here is what we chat about in this episode: How she started planning her escape out of the corporate world Why taking slow baby steps is generally the best practice for jumping on a new path How intuitive painting helped Montine along her path to discovering her next steps and why creativity is so important for everyone on self-discovery journey Why she was reluctant, at first, to get involved with coaching How she got involved in transformational life coaching When do you really need a coach and how can you find one that works for you Why the majority of the work is just on your thoughts and not actually creating a plan   Where to find Montine:   https://www.themoreyou.com/ www.IntuitionPainting.com Follow along for more: www.lessonsfromaquitter.com https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/ https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast