angishields, Author at Business RadioX ® Page

BRX Pro Tip: Client Retention is More Important Than Client Acquisition

April 7, 2025 by angishields

BRX Pro Tips

BRX Pro Tip: Client Retention is More Important Than Client Acquisition

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BRX Pro Tip: Client Retention is More Important Than Client Acquisition

Stone Payton: And we are back with Business RadioX Pro Tips. Stone Payton and Lee Kantor here with you. Lee, client retention is so fundamental and critical to a business’s long term sustainable success but say more.

Lee Kantor: Yeah, I think this is an area that people don’t invest enough time on. They spend so much time on getting that new client that they’re not really investing the time and energy necessary to keep a client. And just keeping your client for one more cycle, it can make a huge difference in the amount of revenue that a business coach or a professional service provider makes in any given year. So, I would recommend investing a lot more time and energy on client retention.

Lee Kantor: You know, part of the reason is that the real profit in your business is going to come from people and clients you already have. Client retention is the key to any type of long-term success because that means you have sustainable revenue, and you have easier growth. Just think about it. It costs less to retain a client than it is to acquire a new one. Just from that standpoint, you don’t have to spend new money resigning a client than you would of getting a brand-new person to become a client.

Lee Kantor: Number two, loyal clients spend more with you over time because they already know, like, and trust you. So, you’re already there in their minds for a lot of the stuff, so you’re going to be able to make more money over time, and you might be able to upsell them, you might be able to get more referrals from them, or they may even give you ideas of more services you could provide.

Lee Kantor: Number three, I just said it a little bit, but more referrals, word-of-mouth referrals. Satisfied clients don’t just stay, they bring you more business. They recommend you to others. That means you’re getting higher quality leads with no marketing cost. So, just that by itself is making you more money more efficiently. And new clients grow your business. Loyal clients sustain your business. Focus on retention. You’ll not only increase your profits, but you’re going to build a business that thrives for years and years to come.

Amy Palmer with Soldiers’ Angels

April 4, 2025 by angishields

Beyond the Uniform

Amy Palmer with Soldiers' Angels

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Amy Palmer is the President & CEO of Soldiers’ Angels, a national nonprofit dedicated to supporting service members, veterans, and their families.

When she took the helm in 2013, the organization was on the brink of closure. Within two years, Amy led a powerful turnaround, transforming it into one of the most respected and efficient military nonprofits in the country.

Under her leadership, Soldiers’ Angels has served over 7.5 million individuals and earned top ratings from Charity Navigator, GreatNonprofits, and Candid.

In her conversation with Trisha Stetzel, Amy—herself a veteran and military spouse—shared the journey of rebuilding and expanding Soldiers’ Angels. She highlighted the organization’s vital programs, including monthly food distributions, hygiene support for hospitalized veterans, and housing kits for homeless veterans.

Amy also emphasized the growing need for donations, volunteers, and new board members in Houston and Corpus Christi. Looking ahead, she revealed plans to grow their food distribution efforts by 50% in 2025 and encouraged listeners to learn more or get involved at SoldiersAngels.org.

Connect with Amy on LinkedIn.

This transcript is machine transcribed by Sonix.

TRANSCRIPT

Intro: Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX studios in Houston, Texas. It’s time for Houston Business Radio. Now, here’s your host.

Trisha Stetzel: Trisha Stetzel here, bringing you another episode of Houston Business Radio. It is my pleasure to bring this guest on the show today. She was introduced to me through a mutual contact. Barrett. Uh, and I, he must have known we’re, like soul sisters or something. You have. You do such amazing work. So, Amy Palmer with Soldiers Angels. Welcome to the show.

Amy Palmer: Thank you. Thank you for having me today. We’re excited for the opportunity.

Trisha Stetzel: Well, I’m excited that you’re here today to talk about Soldiers Angels. Before we get to that, though, Amy, can you tell us a little bit about you?

Amy Palmer: Sure. So I grew up in a small town big house. Um, which is a lot of the reason I know people join the military. Um, you know, I have ten brothers and sisters and wanted to find a way to get through college and pay for college, so I joined the Air Force. Um, I was injured, um, during the Gulf War and had to have back surgery. So I was, um, medically discharged and, um, but remained a military spouse and spent the next 20 years, um, with a military spouse as well. Um, and so, you know, it’s great, uh, great opportunities. Um, one of the things I found as I was getting out of the military, when you’re notified of a med board, you a lot of times don’t have a lot of time to prepare. So I think when they notified me it was about a six week time frame, I was, um, going to be discharged. And, you know, being a dual income family at the time, we were able to support it. But, you know, the thought crossed my mind if if I was the primary breadwinner, what would I do right now? And so, um, you know, it made me think about all of those people in those same situations and and how do we help them. And so that’s where I ended up. I’m working in the military and veteran nonprofit space and have been in it ever since, so about 21 years now.

Trisha Stetzel: Fantastic. So, Amy, I hope you like dogs for anybody who’s watching the video. Yes, I have one that I’m babysitting because she’s got bad allergies right now. If you’re only listening, you’re missing the show. Uh, thank you for sharing that, Amy. And, uh, I think you and I are. We definitely have more in common as we continue to have conversations, because I, too, am a veteran and married to a veteran mother of a veteran daughter of a veteran. So I understand exactly where that that gut comes from, uh, and wanting to serve. So let’s dive into Soldiers angels. Tell me more about the organization.

Amy Palmer: Soldiers angels is a national nonprofit. We provide aid, comfort, and resources to our service members and veterans and their families. Um, our organization was actually started by General Patton’s Peyton’s family when one of the patents was deployed to Iraq, um, during the initial invasion of Iraq. So Patty Patton was busy sending him care packages and, um, during the early days, you know, they didn’t hear from the from family members. And so she just kept sending and sending and sending. She was one of those mothers that we all, um, screech about who called the commander because she hadn’t heard from him. And yeah, you know how that goes in the military. So I’m sure he was teased for the next six years after that. But she finally got Ahold of his unit and his commander, and he said, oh, your son is the luckiest man in Iraq. He’s been getting all these care packages, but he’s been sharing them with others. And so he she finally was able to talk to him and he said, keep sending them. You know, I’m sharing with friends. So, uh, Patty created a website where people could go on and adopt and support a deployed service member, which you can still do. Now. You can go there.

Amy Palmer: See, we have about 500 service members waiting for adoption that have just recently registered, that are deployed, um, in combat support, you know, vicinity. So areas, um, that had previously supported combat operations, um, and so they can register so you can go and search by branch of service, gender, home state and find a service member that you want to send care packages and cards and letters to during the course of their deployment. Um, over the first ten years, we had over 180,000 volunteers come through and register and adopt service members. Um, since then we’ve expanded, you know, deployments have drawn down and, uh, we added some other things people could do by mail, because a lot of our volunteers are scattered all over the US and even in foreign countries, and they’re used to doing things by mail. So we added virtual baby showers, a holiday Adopt-a-family program, a program for caregivers of post-9-11 wounded, ill and injured called Women of Valor. So those are all opportunities that are still done completely by mail where people can volunteer. And then we also created opportunities in the local VA’s Bas and bases and guard and reserve centers where people can do local support as well. Wow.

Trisha Stetzel: That you have taken an organization that was focused on one thing and really expanded the way you’re serving, uh, our active duty military. Thank you for being so amazing and continuing the service through this organization. Um, where I heard you say something about the the VA’s. And I know that your organization has concentration in particular areas in Texas. We talk a little bit more about the service that you’re giving back to, um, the VA.

Amy Palmer: Absolutely. And, you know, when we started a market, we try to grow those sites to be large enough where they can get all of the services that we offer. And so, for instance, in San Antonio, um, we offer our food distributions once a month. So drive through food distributions. We’re adding some food pantries in the area for for veterans and active duty and guard reservists as well. Um, we have transportation services where, um, we do Uber, Lyft, Greyhound, you know, if they’re, um, needing to get there and they can’t afford to. Um, we do, of course, bus first. But, you know, if they have a compromised immune system and they need Uber, Lyft, or if it’s after hours we use those services. Um, we do VA cafeteria vouchers for veterans who can’t afford to eat in the cafeteria and are there for appointments. Um, we do box lunches for, um, homeless and low income veterans for, you know, after hours that are nonperishable. Um, we do patient visits, donuts and coffee, all sorts of great things. So in in our full service facilities like San Antonio, Houston, we’re actually growing to that level. Um, we do luncheons and dinners, donuts and coffee. Um, at the VA, you know, right in the atrium. Um, we work at the Community Resource and Referral Center and, and help stock their, um, pantry area where they feed homeless veterans lunch every day. So we’re expanding Houston to grow that to those things. But there’s a lot of opportunities. But but even in areas like corpus and other areas that may not have a full fledged hospital, a lot of them do have VA clinics or even VA vet centers. And so we’re able to provide support in those locations as well. So while it may not be a hospital, there’s still opportunities for people to volunteer locally and serve veterans.

Trisha Stetzel: Yeah. That’s lovely. I know that monetary donations are always important to organizations. So, um, just assuming that that’s important to your organization. Yes. If if someone wants to give, they certainly can. I’d really like to focus on volunteers and then roll into, uh, maybe board opportunities as well. So as a volunteer, someone who wants to serve with soldiers, angels, what can they do or what is out there for them and how do they find you?

Amy Palmer: Um, yeah, that’s a great point. And and as you mentioned, with donations and that’s assumed that all charities need those. Um, the great thing about us is especially like with our food programs, we can feed someone at a very low cost because of the way we source it and using resources. And so, like, we can feed a family for a week for about $15, where if somebody gave us in kind, you know, it wouldn’t have the same impact. So of course, um, cash contributions are amazing. Um, there are so many great volunteer opportunities. Um, you know, and as companies have come back from Covid, like, the whole dynamic has shifted of what a company looks like. And, you know, a lot of people work virtually. Um, and they may be scattered across the country now, um, where they migrated, you know, their kids lived in another city, like my son lives in Dallas. And so, you know, having the opportunity to go there and work virtually, you know, I know people have kind of scattered. Um, and some are back in the office. So I’ve seen a lot of kind of mixed companies now, but we have a lot of opportunities for both. We have the local opportunities in the local areas, but then we also have a lot of the virtual ones where they do everything you know by mail. They register on our website and create a volunteer profile, and then they can do any of those sorts of things. They can write a letter, um, they can bake for deployed, like there’s so many opportunities. Um, so it’s great for businesses that want to engage their employees. But it’s hard because they’re, you know, some of them are here and some of them are scattered, like, we can do that in kind of a one stop shop fashion, which is great for our companies.

Trisha Stetzel: Yeah, fantastic. So if someone is interested in volunteering, Amy, how do they get started?

Amy Palmer: So they just go to our website at Soldiers Angels org and click the volunteer button. They’ll create a profile, but that profile is good for everything, whether that’s local things in their area, whether that’s virtual opportunities or any of our campaigns where like right now, our sock drive, if they want to do socks like all that’s through that same profile. So, um, so it’ll take them a minute to get that set up, but it’ll be worth it because they can do any of those sorts of services with soldiers angels at um at the on the volunteer tab at Soldiers Angels. Org.

Trisha Stetzel: Beautiful. So anybody who’s listening and wants to get involved with soldiers angels, it’s very simple. Go to the website Soldiers angels and go to the volunteer tab. Right. Uh, and fill out the form and you can get started that way. And there’s so many opportunities for you to volunteer with this organization. I’d like to shift to the next level, which is board opportunities. I understand that soldiers angels may have opportunities, uh, open for board needing board members. So can we talk about that?

Amy Palmer: Yes, absolutely. Um, you know, we are always recruiting new board members. Um, you know, we’d like to have a new, healthy perspective and some turnover and, you know, different folks geographically. Um, and in different, you know, spheres of influence and expertise. So, um, we have elections twice a year. We have the next round coming up in June at our annual meeting. So it’s a great time for people to be candidates for the board. And people often ask, you know, what are you looking for? We’re looking for people that could serve in any capacity. Um, you know, geographically, location is great. Um, and we don’t have anybody in in most of those areas. Of course, we have a couple folks in San Antonio, but no board members in Houston or Corpus or any of those locations, so we’d love to consider them. Um, and we have different committees. Each board member will serve on a committee. So there’s always a place for everybody of different kind of backgrounds. Um, whether they’re veterans and active duty, that’s great, but they don’t have to be. We’re about 5050 and board membership, but we have, you know, marketing committee, fundraising, finance, um, strategic planning. So I think there’s a place for everybody to fit in. But the great thing about soldiers, angels and our board service is really impact a lot of lives and, and develop programs that, you know, change the world.

Amy Palmer: You know not and I mean, there’s a lot to be said for local nonprofits as well as national nonprofits. But but the impact nationally is really great. And so, you know, as we expand and grow food programs, for instance, you know, those are decisions that the board makes that that’s the direction we’re heading based on the need. And so really you get to make do a lot that really influences people and to really make a difference. So if anybody’s interested in board membership, they can reach out to us. Um, like they can email info at Soldiers angels.org like information info at Soldiers angels.org um and uh we or go to the contact us form on the website. Those all get filtered back to me. Um, we have a committee who will vet the candidates, um, in advance and have conversations with them and then present them to the board. But, um, we have a great board, very active, love serving people, love serving veterans and and active duty service members. So, um, it’s a great opportunity and we’d love to have some additional folks if anybody’s interested. And it’s, you know, on their hearts to do something like that.

Trisha Stetzel: Yeah. Amazing. And you guys heard that those of you listening from Houston, we’re looking for some board members from Houston as well as corpus. So if you’re interested, shoot that note over to Amy and her team at info at Soldiers Angels. Dot. Okay, now that we have all of that out of the way, I’m very curious, Amy, how your service in the military, the time that you spent in the military and even as a military spouse really set you up for success running this organization.

Amy Palmer: Um, you know, I think two ways I think understanding the space is important. And, um, and while not everybody that works here, you know, has that connection, they all have a passion for doing it. Um, but knowing how the system works is really good. And being there myself, you know, going through the med board process, going through a VA disability claim and a VA disability appeal and um, and VA appointments and medical care and all that stuff is really great. Um, because it really has helped me understand the needs of of people and also help them navigate the system. Um, but it also helps helps me communicate with leaders in the military and VA, um, world about the needs of this population and how we can continue to serve them. Um, but I also think, you know, it has to run like a business. And that’s one of the changes that we made. Um, when you know, the the focus on the war efforts in the media and the public eye, you know, was on decline. You know, how do we change the organization to be more professionalized? You know, it started as people with just with a passion for serving, but without the skill to do, um, you know, all of the other components. And so, you know, it’s for us, it was really important to be able to do that. Um, but, um, you know, it’s amazing to be able to serve so many veterans and so many military families, but also run a business.

Amy Palmer: And, you know, it’s hard when you have to make shifts and make changes and professionalize staff and, um, and bring on people with a skill set, um, a different skill set, you know, but it is important to treat it like a business and have that business mentality. And even for board membership, you know, we want people that don’t always agree with me. You know, we want people. And sometimes I’m like, oh, that board member. But that’s good. That’s what you’re looking for. And you know, you need to treat it like a business. We have money. Well, how best do we use this money to serve the most people and make the biggest difference? Um, how do we, um, not conflict with others and just, you know, serve in our lane? Um, you know, we don’t want to compete when someone’s doing it great and doing a great job. How do we partner with them to do that better? And so a lot of it is really the business aspect of it. And I think in the early days, you know, there was less of that, but I think more so now, and people just really treating it like a business. And sometimes we have to make tough business decisions. Um, and, um, but, you know, I love it. Um, to be able to combine the business with the service is really great. And, you know, it makes all the hours and the time you put into it worth it.

Trisha Stetzel: Yeah, absolutely. I, I everything that you said coming straight like pulling at my heart because nonprofits often run just to serve. And if we don’t treat them like businesses, then we don’t have the, um, materials that we need to serve the purpose that we opened that nonprofit for in the first place. So I love that. And by the way, just putting a little, you know, uh, feeler out there for board members, again, that have some business acumen because it is important to bring people who have business acumen onto a board of directors or board for, um, the nonprofit space as well. All right. So, Amy, has there been a, um, particular success story recent or maybe in the past of soldiers angels.

Amy Palmer: Yeah, that’s why I love it here. Um, there’s like, this seems like one every day of something different and unique. In a way. We are changing someone’s life. Um, you know, a couple of things. Um, in one of our offices, we have a veteran intern that’s been with us a long time. Who was who? I was there when he first started. Very shy. Was, like, scared to death to go into a room where there were other people not even presenting, just being in that space as a representative of soldiers, angels. And we did the Daytona 500. We did a food distribution, a pop up with Kroger Racing Team and JFK racing. Um, and he was on a bullhorn saying, start your engines and all that. And I’m like, wow, like, this is a changed person. And he went from, you know, a veteran that was like really down and out to just a changed human being. And so it was so crazy to be at that event and see him. And I’m like, wow, I can’t believe how much you have changed and grown, you know? And it was just it was awesome to see. Um, but at that same event, you know, we it was a pop up distribution. We’ve never done one in Daytona before. Um, we did one at the Daytona Beach VA clinic, which is actually a really new clinic, a beautiful clinic. And, um, so we don’t have relationships with these veterans like we do in a lot of the other markets where they know us by name.

Amy Palmer: But we had a veteran come through that had a brain injury, and he recently had a brain bleed. And as a result of that, he was having migraines and flashbacks and nightmares. Um, and he went through the line and telling one of our volunteers that he was going to kill himself. And, um, we, you know, of course, after getting him his food, we’re like, okay, you know, what can we do here? And and she convinced him to go inside and get help. And so the VA came, you know, we had VA staff there, of course, in their parking lot. They came and they took him, and they did what they needed to do to get him the care he needed. Um, which is great, you know. Suicide prevention is not our number one focus. But everything we do hopefully is, is a factor in that. And we do ask those questions, you know, when they apply for programs and food and, you know, our transportation and those things. But, you know, to see it actually played out in someone, um, was really great because, you know, we didn’t just provide food for him. Hopefully we changed the trajectory of his life, um, in that one moment. And so, um, you know, those are the stories that make you want to continue to do what you do.

Trisha Stetzel: Yeah, absolutely. And even though you’re staying in your lane, as you mentioned earlier, and supporting these soldiers or these veterans in a particular way, you still have connections. And that’s the beauty of your organization is all of the connections that you have. So, Amy, as we get to the back half of our conversation, what does 2025 look like for soldiers angels? What’s your big goal this year?

Amy Palmer: Great question and we’re very excited about it. We’re actually. Our goal is to grow our food programs by 50% over last year, which is a big goal. Um, but we have increased um, the number of via cafeteria vouchers were distributing to VA’s. Um, the number of VA’s eligible to receive those to issue to veterans, um, box lunches are growing our food um program. So, um, in addition to the sites that do monthly food distributions, we actually just added Cincinnati, Ohio. Um, last month was the first month, um, we took over that food distribution in Cincinnati at the VA there. We’re adding DC in June, um, which is awesome. And, um, but but we’re adding pantries as well. So we’re, we’re setting up some food pantries. We’re, um, adding a food pantry in Charlotte, North Carolina. Um, we just added one in Detroit with the Detroit Pistons that was funded by the Detroit Pistons, which is awesome. And, um, and they’re actually building out the space even for us, which is really great for the pantry. So, um, our food programs are growing. Um, and even the pop up ones like we did in Daytona, we are doing, um, several NASCAR races with Kroger Racing and JFK racing this year. So, um, we’ll be doing the Fort Worth race at, um, there. We’ll be doing a pop up food distribution and another area. So so it is a lofty goal to increase it by 50%, but we’re well on our way with these various events. And food insecurity is such a huge issue. Um, not just among veterans, but also active duty and guard and reservists. Um, and so being able to provide food is really a way that we can make a big difference.

Amy Palmer: Um, and not just food, you know, like with a service member or this veteran that was suicidal. Um, we also ask them, have you recently appealed your VA claim, or when was the last time you did it? Because a lot of the older veterans don’t feel like they deserve it, and they see amputees and think they need it much worse than I do. But I always tell them, let the VA decide that you know that’s not your job to decide. You just do the paperwork and let them do it. And whether you use a service agency, whether you use a for profit accredited, like we can help them figure out what’s best for them based on their situation. Um, but we definitely are always encouraging, especially the older veterans who may have not ever done that or may have not looked at it in 30 years to do that. Because that one thing, if especially a veteran that’s living on Social Security, that could double their income. And, and a lot of cases will change the path of them needing food and other assistance. And really, that’s the ultimate goal. And so, um, but also finding them other resources that they need mental health, a service dog, a a vehicle, you know, we can connect them to those agencies and those resources in Houston. Combined arms is one of our most amazing partners. Who has that network that helps them navigate those things. And so we can get them down the path of finding out, like, what’s the root of the food insecurity needs?

Trisha Stetzel: Okay, so last question before we close today, those that are listening, how can they help you meet that goal of increasing that food distribution by 50%?

Amy Palmer: Um, of course, as I mentioned up front, cash is important because we’re able to feed them a lot more effectively and cost effectively than than what someone could do if they sent us, you know, canned foods and things. Um, gift cards are always great. We use those a lot of times for for veterans and needs. Um, our VA cafeteria vouchers are $8, which gives them a warm meal in the VA cafeteria. So, you know, if people wanted to support a number of those, even if they said, I would like to fund 100 of those for 100 veterans in our market, that would be great. Um, there’s also so many opportunities to volunteer to serve food in San Antonio. We have the drive thru distribution in Houston. We work at the Krcc, the community resource center, where they feed homeless veterans downtown. Every day they feed them lunch. Some days they don’t have it, and they’re making peanut butter and jelly for them. And we really want them. And and a lot of the VA staff actually paying for those things out of their own pockets just to be able to feed them. And so those are things we want to do is make sure that they have the tools to feed them and give them something warm. So we brought them some new appliances and things, you know, some, you know, air fryer and a and a pizza oven and those things so that they can serve those veterans better. But there’s opportunities to volunteer in those settings and, and even opportunities to volunteer where we may not have a pantry and could start one because someone stepped up to do it. So, um, there’s so many opportunities to help us increase that, um, food number, um, really greatly. We do hope to add food distributions in Houston. And so hopefully that’s coming. But you know, again having the volunteers there is really important. And even, you know, corpus and other locations, um, we could have food pantries in those vet centers and VA clinics and things as well.

Trisha Stetzel: Fantastic, Amy. It has been such a pleasure having you on today, and thank you for serving and thank you for serving after you’ve served to serve others. I think that’s just beautiful.

Amy Palmer: Thank you as well. And thank you for everybody listening and for everybody that is a veteran. Thank you for your service as well.

Trisha Stetzel: And anybody who would like to connect with Amy, her team or even soldiers angels, please go visit soldiers angels org. And again, if you’re interested in serving on the board you can send an email to info at dot. Amy, thank you again. I appreciate you being here with me.

Amy Palmer: Thank you.

Trisha Stetzel: That’s all the time we have for today’s show. Join us next time for another exciting episode of Houston Business Radio. Until then, stay tuned, stay inspired, and keep thriving in the Houston business community.

Danna Olivo with MarketAtomy LLC

April 4, 2025 by angishields

Houston Business Radio

Danna Olivo with MarketAtomy LLC

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Danna Olivo is a government contracting specialist with over 35 years of experience in the Architectural, Engineering, Construction (AEC), technology, and green energy sectors.

She’s a trusted advisor in federal and state procurement, known for her strategic leadership in business development, market research, and international expansion—particularly guiding firms through complex contracts tied to global events like the World Cup and Olympics.

In her discussion with Trisha Stetzel, Danna shared insights on business strategy, marketing, and her unique Market Anatomy framework—drawing parallels between market dynamics and the human body.

She opened up about overcoming self-doubt and the power of authenticity in business, and offered valuable advice on navigating the government contracting space, especially for veteran and disabled-veteran-owned small businesses. Danna also highlighted a major win: helping a client secure a contract with NASA.

Connect with Danna on LinkedIn.

This transcript is machine transcribed by Sonix.

TRANSCRIPT

Intro: Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX studios in Houston, Texas. It’s time for Houston Business Radio. Now, here’s your host.

Trisha Stetzel: Hello, Houston. Trisha Stetzel here for another episode of Houston Business Radio. It is my pleasure today to introduce you to my new friend Danna Olivo with Market Academy. She is the CEO of this business. Danna, I’m so excited to have you on the show today.

Danna Olivo : Oh, Trisha, I appreciate it. I’m really excited. Excited to be here, to be talking about what we’re going to be talking about.

Trisha Stetzel: So yes, absolutely. We’re going to tackle some really good stuff today. A little bit of mindset and a little bit of like deconstruction of this particular space that some people are a little afraid to work in. Right. So it’s going to be fun. So Danna, tell us a little bit more about you as we get started.

Danna Olivo : Well, you know, myself personally, I am a business strategist. I work with small and medium businesses. I my background is in marketing, business development and strategic planning. Um, for more than 35 years, I’ve worked within the architectural, engineering, construction and technology markets. Um, I have worked both locally and internationally down in Brazil. So it kind of gives you a little bit of, uh, background as far as where my experience comes from. And as we get farther into our show, you’ll understand why. Um, you know, I have gone in the direction that I have. So.

Trisha Stetzel: Absolutely. So another interesting thing I’d like to talk about is the name of your business. So Market Academy and its Market Academy. By the way, for those of you who want to go check it out. Danna, tell me a little bit more about this name of your business.

Danna Olivo : Well, you know, it started back in 2012. I was down in Brazil working as a strategist for the World Cup games and the Summer Olympic Games. Um, matching companies here from the United States to companies in Brazil. This was during the recession. Okay. So, um, and when, uh, and I had a major accident down in Brazil that laid me up for a little while. And when I came back to the United States, I had several of my colleagues and everything that had to start their own businesses because they lost work. And they would come to me and they said, Danna, I don’t understand what I’m doing wrong. I’m bleeding money, you know? I need to make some some changes with my business. Well, in the process of talking to them and understand I’m in recuperation, I’m going through surgeries, but they’re coming to me, you know. And so in the process of talking to them, it became really obvious that these were good business people in the sense which they they had good products and services, but didn’t know how to build a business around those products or services. And in an effort to explain to them in a language that they understood, I developed what’s called the Market Academy concept marketing anatomy or the anatomy of marketing. Mhm. And it’s built around the human body. And what the purpose was, was to identify and show them where the heart of the body is your soul.

Danna Olivo : It’s it’s your your passion. It’s your love. It’s, you know, it’s why and who you are. Well, in business, the heart of your business is your passion. It’s why you do what you do. You know where where that passion comes from. Also in the body. The brain has everything that’s needed to keep the heart going, right? Well, in the business, in the brain of the business is the playbook. It’s your systems. It’s your processes. It’s everything that you need to help that business grow around your product or service offering. So in the human body, can the heart operate without the brain? No. So this is where I explain to them, you need everything in place, the brain and the heart of your business working cohesively to push your message, your clear message through the channels. Marketing channels which are the veins of the body to the body, which is your target market. But keep in mind, the soul of the business is you. And so by explaining to them and then breaking that down into different areas that they needed to focus on to build those processes and systems, they finally realized, oh, yeah, I hadn’t thought about that, you know. So that’s where Market Atomy came about. Okay.

Trisha Stetzel: I love that. It makes it so simple. The way you break it down, you need all of these things to be functioning together.

Danna Olivo : Right?

Trisha Stetzel: To make it whole.

Danna Olivo : Right, right, right. And as a strategist, you know, when I’m working with small and medium businesses, that is so critical is to put it in terms that they understand because a lot of them did not go to school for business or marketing like I did, or what you might have gone to school for. A lot of them just started their business, or they are tradesmen or something like that. So you have to be able to explain this to them in a language they understand that is not talking down to them. And that’s that’s where I pride, um, what we do at Market Academy is the fact that we come in where I’ve been there, I’ve done that. I know exactly what you’re going through, and I can help you.

Trisha Stetzel: Yeah, I love that. Without judgment.

Danna Olivo : Without judgment? Yes. No, definitely.

Trisha Stetzel: Because I’ve been there before. Absolutely. So, Danna, you’ve given some a little, you know, kind of peek into you had a life altering event which really set this new business into motion because people needed something, and that’s usually how things work. But there’s some other things that come into play here. I think as business owners, I talked to so many small and medium business owners that have some of these self-sabotaging beliefs around their businesses. So can you talk a little more around how those things that we tell ourselves, or that we’re thinking can keep us from receiving what we deserve?

Danna Olivo : Right. Well, you know, and and this was a critical turning point for me. And unfortunately, it did not happen until after I was 50 years old, you know. Um, but for years, you know, I had hit bottom and had to rebuild, you know, to the point where I have a tattoo on my back of a phoenix to remind myself, okay, I’m always going to rise up out of the ashes because I’ve always believed I could do whatever I put my mind to. And this is the same thing with what had happened down in Brazil. Okay. We were doing very well. And then all of a sudden, this accident happens. That lays me up for over a year. Um. And, um. And then what happened was working with my psychiatrist, my counselors and stuff like that. I came to realize it. They pointed out the fact that the reason I kept failing was because of the fact that even though I believed I could do anything I wanted, where I was fighting was right before I crossed over and had to deliver. All right, I would believe, and I’d be promoting and saying, I can do this, I can do this, I can do this. And then I get to a point where I have to cross over and deliver, and then something would happen. And usually it was something that I had done, or it was something that, you know, I don’t know what it was, But what we figured out was the fact that I was self-sabotaging myself because I didn’t. I felt like I was going to be found out to be a, um, you know, false or, you know, just, you know, just not not true to what I was teaching. Yeah. Which wasn’t the case. But in my mind, I was thinking, okay, I’m not good enough for this. So when it comes to delivering, I didn’t want them to find out that I was a fraud or something. Does that make sense?

Trisha Stetzel: Yeah, absolutely. It does. I think a lot of us struggle with that. Right? The identification of are we in the right place, doing the right things? Are we capable? Are we good enough? And I think we oftentimes we ask those questions of ourselves. So what’s the rest of the story, Danna, how you were able to overcome Calm this space, right? This barrier between believing and actually receiving what you desired.

Danna Olivo : Well, while I was going through this and it took less than two weeks for me to do this, I wrote my fifth book. Okay. And it’s still in the editing. I’m still kind of flushing it out in my mind, but it’s written. It’s been edited by, you know, the professionals and everything. But I want to make sure. But basically it talks about the fact that my entire life this has been going on, you know, I’ve had a very strong belief system, but somehow I was always self-sabotaging. So what I did was, um, I’ve got a sign right in front of me that says believe and receive. Okay. And by doing that, I keep reminding myself that I can do it. I’m not fake. And I’ve had people come up to me and tell me, you know, I’ll tell you a story. I had a gentleman who was also a strategist. Um, but he was one of the higher end. I don’t want to say he was a higher end. He was your traditional strategist, which went to college, you know, for business strategy and everything. And, um, we were on a panel together. And after the panel got done, um, he looked at me and he says, Dan, we need to go. We need to go have some lunch. And I’m thinking to myself again, this self-sabotaging behavior. I’m thinking, oh, what the hell did I say wrong this time? You know that type? You know, when I had my accident in Brazil, in the ambulance, when it finally dawned on me, the first thing I said to myself is, Danna, what did you do this time?

Speaker4: Oh, goodness.

Danna Olivo : So these are things that, you know. But anyway, Harry, when he you know, when he told me, he says we need to go have lunch. I said, okay. You know, we go and we sit down. He looks at me and says, you know your poop. And I said, he’s a good old Oklahoma boy, okay. And I said, huh? And he looked at me and says, you know what you’re talking about. And I looked at him and I said, Harry, I said, you know, that means a lot to me coming from you. You know, because I had a lot of respect for him. He says, no. He says, you know as much, if not more, than any of us on that panel. The difference is in the way that you deliver it. And that was a turning point for me in a lot of things. You know, his understanding. Yes. I’m not going to I’m not going to compare myself to other strategists out there. I can’t compare myself to other marketers or anything like that. You know, when you’re in business, that credibility and that vulnerability speaks louder than any marketing you can do.

Speaker4: Yeah.

Trisha Stetzel: Absolutely. So thank you for, uh, for sharing that story. And, you know, I think so many of us coming back to so many of us do struggle with that, right? We’re we’re telling ourselves one thing, but do we actually believe it? And I love the idea of being vulnerable and building credibility and just being you and not trying to be someone else, or compare yourself to others who are out there. All right. So we’re about halfway through, and I want to give folks an opportunity to connect with you. If they’re already interested, they maybe they want to learn more about Brazil, or maybe they want to learn more about these self-sabotaging beliefs or ways that they can overcome them. What is the best way to connect with you, Danna?

Danna Olivo : They can connect with me, um, through, um, market Academy.com they can email me at Danna a Olivo at market Academy.com. Or they can go to my calendar link, which you’re going to put into the show notes, and you can actually set up an appointment to talk with me and that’s free of charge. So by clicking on that 1 to 1 meeting for my calendar, you actually will get 60 minutes of my time.

Speaker4: Wow. That’s fantastic.

Trisha Stetzel: Thank you Danna. That’s amazing. Yeah. You guys, it’s in the show notes. So if you’re sitting at your computer listening or watching right now, just point and click. It’s really easy to set up a 60 minute conversation with Danna to find out more about her and about Market Academy, uh, and the type of work that she’s doing. So, Danna, I’d like to leave the mindset conversation just a little bit and move towards government contracting. I know some of you out there listening are like, oh, that’s such a hard space to play in. And I think many of us have that, um, that idea in our head, like, I want to go pursue government contracting, but it sounds so hard and there’s so much red tape. So can we talk about all of that stuff? Like, what do you think is keeping our business owners from pursuing government contracting?

Speaker4: Fear. Fear. Yeah. Okay.

Danna Olivo : Okay. Um, you know, uh, I’ve been doing government contracting for over 35 years. Coming from the architectural engineering construction market, um, mostly on the commercial side. And whenever you go after these government contracts, um, what we call request for proposals, you know, things like that. Whenever you’re going after government contracting, there’s a lot of red tape, a lot of regulations and things like that. And what you have to keep in mind is the fact that they are dealing with our taxpayer dollars. So a lot of these regulations and everything are designed so that they can respond Spond to where our tax dollars are going. So with that being said. Going after government contracting is no different than going after private business. If you’re a small or medium business owner, you know that you have to create relationships with with the people that you want to do business with and ultimately build that relationship so that you can actually work with them. It’s the same thing with government. The difference between working on the private sector and the government sector is finding those people who are the decision makers within government contracting. And one thing to keep in mind, the government does not produce or do anything.

Speaker4: Okay.

Danna Olivo : They work with what’s called prime contractors. They’ll hire your large firms or your medium firms, or even your small firms to produce or to, you know, provide the products or services that they need. And so understanding the process that’s, that’s needed in order to go after these, these programs is critical. You know, I have um, several webinar, uh, educational webinars or informational webinars that I do. And one of them is called Breaking Barriers into Government Contracting. And if you want to find out when my next presentation will be on that, simply schedule a time on my calendar or reach out to me, and I’ll be glad to let you know the next time I’m going to be presenting that. But what breaking barriers into government contracting does is I actually explain what the process is that the government goes through in order to find the people to fulfill their needs, you know, the procurement Process. But we also talk about the money flow from federal on down to municipal. You know, and and, you know, by the time federal disperses its money down to. The state and then the state disperses down to county and then to municipal. You know, it’s it’s like working with your 401 K or or unemployment. Let’s look at your unemployment check. It only covers a small portion. Right. So therefore at the county side and the municipal side, that’s why the, the the city and municipal, you know, governments go out and they have they get their tax dollars, they get all of these fees, which helps pay for what needs to be done. So understanding this process helps to understand when you’re going after these projects where that money’s coming from.

Speaker4: Okay.

Danna Olivo : Okay.

Speaker4: Yeah.

Trisha Stetzel: So it sounds so complicated.

Speaker4: It is. It it sounds.

Danna Olivo : Complicated. And it’s a lot to take in. It’s like drinking through a fire hose. When you sit down. And as a strategist, what I do is I work with these companies to coach and mentor them through the entire process.

Speaker4: Wow.

Danna Olivo : What I do, I help them get their certifications. I help them get, you know, um, registered as vendors. You know, there’s a lot of things that have to be done. But having somebody who understands the process is critical.

Speaker4: Absolutely.

Trisha Stetzel: We all need a Danna in our corner so that we can get through the red tape. Right. And I know I have I think I told you this before, uh, when we had our discovery conversation. I have a lot of veterans who are business owners that listen to this show. So any particular piece of advice for those veteran business owners out there?

Danna Olivo : Well, definitely, when it comes to being a veteran, disabled or not disabled or whatever, having that veteran status puts you into a prime position for getting some of these contracts as long as you have are showing up properly. Okay. What that means is you are registered, you know, and everything else. Now the minority status is a veteran or a disabled veteran. You know, um, in a small business that always puts you in a prime position. Um, the other thing to keep in mind, and I wanted to touch on this, everything that’s going on right now with the federal government. Okay. What, you know, Doge and what, you know, the tariffs and everything else. Everybody is up in arms about what’s happening on the federal side. And I’m currently putting a presentation together, an informational session together, talking about what we could expect. But when you look at the 4 or 5 areas that that President Trump and is is concentrating on the tariffs, Doge, everything else. The reasoning behind it makes solid business sense. Makes solid business sense with what they’re doing. How they’re doing it is another story. All right. And I’m not going to speak to whether I agree or disagree or anything like that. But to keep in mind, we’ve needed this reasoning behind doing these for a long time. And what’s going to happen now is on the small medium business side, when we’re going after contracts, the tariffs are going to force things back to the United States.

Speaker4: Okay.

Danna Olivo : So therefore small businesses won’t have to compete with the lower rates. They’re going to be able to compete on a more level field.

Speaker4: Mhm.

Danna Olivo : And then the other thing to keep in mind. Is with Doge. Ultimately, once this all Ferris you know, gets taken care of or whatever, we’re going to be dealing with a smaller government entity. And in order for them to be able to handle everything, they’re going to have to introduce some kind of streamlined processes, leadership processes, you know, all of this to make it so that they can still fulfill what needs to be done for us as citizens at a government level. What’s that going to do? It’s going to open up more leadership, more agile, you know, systems, processes and things like that to do training. So it’s going to open up more stuff, you know. So there’s there’s some positives that come out of what’s happening federally. But there’s also some negatives. It’s not going to be ironed out. We’re not going to really start seeing any um. Responses or actions or positive responses, probably for another, you know, 10 to 12 months, it’s going to take that long for it to really start coming out, I think.

Trisha Stetzel: So what I’m hearing, Danna, is that there are still opportunities out there to do business with the with the government. There are and it there may be more down the road and an easier way to get there. In the meantime, those of us who don’t know what in the world we’re doing when it comes to government contracting, we have to get in touch with Danna. So one more time, Danna, tell people where to go to to find your contact information or how to connect with you.

Danna Olivo : You can connect with me through my email, which is Danna, at academy.com or schedule a time on my calendar, uh, through the link that’s going to be in the session notes. Um, I don’t give out my phone number, primarily because I get so much spam call that I have it. If your phone number is not programed in my phone, it goes straight to voicemail. If you want to leave a voicemail for me to call you back, I’ll call you back.

Speaker4: But to do that.

Trisha Stetzel: Well, the easiest way is just to connect with you either through your website, email, or just go directly to your calendly link. It is there and they can just book some time with you. So as we finish up today, thank you, by the way, for such a great conversation around two things that I think are really hitting home with people right now. But I’d love to hear a success story either your own or someone that you’ve worked with.

Speaker4: Oh goodness.

Danna Olivo : Well my own. Um, I would say the the biggest success I have is just what I’ve, you know, realized about myself as far as the self-sabotaging behaviors and being able to get through with that. Um, so but as far as business is concerned, because I am concentrating a great deal more on the government side rather than the private side. Doesn’t mean I’m not doing the private, but the focus right now is on government. I’ve been able to get one of my customers into Nassau here in Florida. Okay. At the Space Coast. And then also, I am currently working since I’ve been putting out my, um, um, breaking Barriers presentation. My my Breaking Barriers speak speech. I am closing, on average, 60% more than what I was when, you know, because it comes back to that vulnerability and credibility by doing my speeches first. They see and hear, okay, I know what I’m talking about.

Speaker4: Yeah.

Danna Olivo : And then I leave it up to them to reach out to me in order. And, and I do a great deal through my calendar because I love talking to people, and I love just handing out information that will help them make decisions. And getting into government contracting is not hard. It is not hard. It the federal side does have a long lead time. The local side is a shorter lead time. But you know the the bottom line is you have to develop relationships.

Speaker4: And.

Trisha Stetzel: And have Danna in your corner. I’m just.

Speaker4: Saying. Thank you. Trisha.

Trisha Stetzel: Oh, you’re very welcome. Thank you so much for being with me today. Fantastic conversation for our listeners. Everything that you need in order to connect with Danna is in the show notes. You can just point and click, or if you happen to be in your car, you may have to come back and grab the recordings so that you can connect with her on her calendly link and book some time with her. Thank you so much for offering an hour to anyone who’s listening. That is very special. We appreciate that so much and appreciate you being on.

Speaker4: Yes.

Danna Olivo : And also anybody who books on my calendar, I have a special gift for them.

Trisha Stetzel: Oh, a special gift. We love.

Speaker4: Special gifts. So Deanna, thank you so much.

Trisha Stetzel: Deanna Olivo with Market Academy LLC. I appreciate your time today, and maybe we’ll have to have you back on to tell more of your story.

Speaker4: Yes. No, definitely, definitely.

Danna Olivo : Thank you.

Trisha Stetzel: You’re very welcome. And that’s all the time we have for today’s show. Join us next time for another episode of Houston Business Radio. Until then, stay tuned, stay inspired, and keep thriving in the Houston business community.

From Stuck to Unstoppable: How Coaching Can Change Your Life

April 4, 2025 by angishields

Greater Perimeter Business Radio

From Stuck to Unstoppable: How Coaching Can Change Your Life

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In this episode of Greater Perimeter Business Radio, Ramzi Daklouche talks with Nicole Comis, a professional certified coach specializing in personal transformation. Nicole shares her journey from the mortgage industry to coaching, emphasizing the significant role of the subconscious mind in feeling “stuck.” They discuss the importance of clarity in attracting the right clients, building authentic relationships, and overcoming subconscious barriers. Nicole offers practical advice for self-discovery and highlights the value of having a coach.

Nicole Comis is not your average coach—she’s a powerhouse of transformation.

As a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) accredited by the International Coach Federation (ICF) and a Master Coach in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), Time Line Therapy®, and Hypnotherapy, she helps high achievers break free from the unconscious patterns keeping them stuck.

With years of deep coaching experience and extensive training, Nicole has mastered guiding professionals and business leaders toward incredible transformation. Nicole helps her clients gain the clarity, confidence, and courage to think bigger, push past self-imposed limits, and create a life that truly excites them.

Whether it’s scaling their career, building a thriving business, or finally prioritizing their happiness and fulfillment, she helps them achieve more than they imagined. Her clients come to her for career growth, leadership development, and personal fulfillment, but they leave with a radical shift in how they see themselves and their future.

Nicole’s coaching transforms not just what her clients do but who they become.

Connect with Nicole on LinkedIn and Facebook.

This transcript is machine transcribed by Sonix.

TRANSCRIPT

Intro: Broadcasting live from the Greater Perimeter. It’s time for Greater Perimeter Business Radio. Now, here’s your host.

Ramzi Daklouche: Welcome to another episode of the Business RadioX show where we shine a light on the people, the strategies and the transformations that are moving business forward in Atlanta and beyond. I’m your host, Ramzi Daklouche, with VR Business Sales of Atlanta, where we help business owners transition to their next chapter. Whether they’re ready to sell, expand, or plan for the future, you can reach us at. World.com. Or by calling 678478675. If you’re curious about what your business is worth, we’re happy to have a conversation. Today’s guest someone who works on a different kind of transition. The one that happens on the inside. Nicole Comis is not your average coach. She is a powerhouse of transformation, A professional certified coach, PCC through the International Coach Federation and Master Practitioner of NLP and certified in time line therapy and hypnotherapy. Nicole helps high achievers and entrepreneurs break through the subconscious patterns that keep them playing small and unlock the clarity, confidence and courage to finally go after their big goals. Her work is not just about business success, it’s about who you become along the way. Nicole, welcome to the show. We are thrilled to have you.

Nicole Comis: Oh, thank you for having me.

Ramzi Daklouche: You know what? I did all this presentation. Most of it. I don’t even know what it is. So I hope you can shine a light on what you do. But before we start this, let’s start with your journey. What led you into coaching and transformational work?

Nicole Comis: Yeah, so I started working with my first coach in 2003. I was I had an incredibly successful career in the mortgage business, and I, um, a coworker and very good friend of mine started working with a coach, and I watched her transform in front of my eyes. And at the time I didn’t know what she was doing, but I didn’t care. I just wanted whatever it was. And I worked with my very first coach and it completely changed my life. So fast forward to 2008 and the housing market crash happened. Well, so did my career and my identity. I was really unhappy for about five years, trying to figure out what was next for me and try to reinvent my life. I tried to find that love and passion that I used to have for my career, and after five years of being unhappy, I finally decided to become a coach.

Ramzi Daklouche: So what was that moment before? Before the crash? Before all this, I said, you know what? This is something I could do. I mean, everybody has that aha moment that keeps in the back of your mind thinking, this is what my path should look like.

Nicole Comis: Yeah. You know, it’s funny, I my very favorite part of my job in the mortgage business was everything I didn’t get paid for. So it was really coaching my clients. It was coaching them, educating them, supporting them in creating goals for their finances and helping them structure their mortgage so it was compatible with their future goals. And you know, it’s funny, when I became a coach, my mom said to me, she’s like, Nicole, you really have always been a coach. She’s like, you were always that person that your friends came to for, you know, to talk about their problems or to work through different challenges they were having. And you always came with an open mind. And so realistically, I feel like being a coach was kind of in my DNA.

Ramzi Daklouche: Yeah, I think it’s natural people that are coaches and I’ve been I’ve done that before, uh, are not curious about people that really have this, uh, curiosity that makes them want to ask that next question and not afraid to ask the next question. And it’s genuine usually. So. And I see coaches that would never be successful because they just don’t have that. They’re in it for the and it’s not only a business, it’s really you got to be curious about the people.

Nicole Comis: Absolutely. And your heart has to be in the right place, you know? Yeah. And not, you know, it can’t be what I think is right. It has to be helping the client discover what’s right for them.

Ramzi Daklouche: Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So you specialize in helping high achievers get unstuck. How does the subconscious mind play a role in the in the stuck feeling?

Nicole Comis: Oh, so our subconscious is where our programing is. So it’s our beliefs, our values, our negative emotions, our, um. Ah.

Ramzi Daklouche: Everything that holds you back.

Nicole Comis: Yeah. Well, it’s it’s everything. Everything that we see. So imagine your prescription glasses. Right? Your prescription glasses work for you. That’s how you can see the world clearly, right? Now, if I were to put on your prescription, I would see the world differently, right? Right. So you see the world through your beliefs. I see the world through my beliefs and my values and my history. And so when somebody is stuck, it’s likely something in their subconscious programing.

Ramzi Daklouche: Yeah. So why do you think so many smart, driven professionals put their biggest dreams on the back burner?

Nicole Comis: Fear. Fear. Overwhelm.

Ramzi Daklouche: Is that what they get stuck with? Fear.

Nicole Comis: A lot of times, you know, and it could be fear of anything. It could be fear of rejection, of failure, of, um, you know, it could be fear of what other people will think.

Ramzi Daklouche: Yeah.

Nicole Comis: You know, um, a lot of people also get caught in living in autopilot. They made a decision to go after a goal, and then they started going after that goal, and they pushed everything else to the side.

Ramzi Daklouche: No balance.

Nicole Comis: No balance. Or, you know, they wake up in the morning and it’s they get up, they take a shower, they go to work. They work ten hours. They come home, they eat, probably work some more, go to bed, wash and repeat. Right? And it’s the same cycle. And then six months, six years down the road, they’re wondering, how the heck did I get here?

Ramzi Daklouche: Yeah, but that’s not just for business. That’s for life in general. Right?

Nicole Comis: I mean.

Ramzi Daklouche: Yes, I know people that are trying to, for example, lose weight, right? And they lose the first 5 or 6 pounds and they stop and they think they’re just not doing them. It’s a fear of they don’t know what. What is it going to take them to lose that next ten or next five or whatever it is. So same thing in relationships, right? They they have it good and then they really screw it up after that. So what’s the I mean, is there something visual that people could do or. I don’t know, like what can they do? What advice do you have people that are stuck in stuck in fear, right.

Nicole Comis: Yeah.

Ramzi Daklouche: Meanwhile because they start but they don’t know how to continue.

Nicole Comis: Sometimes for sure. So, um, you know, through coaching, you know, or self discovery. Right. So really looking at what are what are your thoughts. Right. So let’s say there’s something that you want to go after and you notice that you’re stopping. Start asking yourself questions, right? Like, um, what are what are the thoughts that I’m, I’m having? What are the emotions that I’m having? And be curious about what’s happening in your mind.

Ramzi Daklouche: And I don’t think that a coach can really figure out that every time you have that thought, you got to put it aside. It’s easier said than done, right? Even for me. And I listen to a lot of people and read a lot. Sometimes it’s very difficult to say, okay, stop thinking about this. You can’t control it. Just keep moving forward. Keep moving forward so well.

Nicole Comis: And that’s why I have a coach, right? Because.

Ramzi Daklouche: Oh wow. That’s interesting.

Nicole Comis: Yeah. Well, I can’t see what’s you know what I can’t see. Right. It’s like I’m in a box. And so you need somebody else to look at, you know, and see the things that you can’t see.

Ramzi Daklouche: You’re stuck in your own whirlwind, I call it.

Nicole Comis: Sure. Or your own. Your own crap.

Ramzi Daklouche: Crap. That’s a technical word.

Speaker4: I think that’s very good.

Ramzi Daklouche: What are some of the common internal patterns you see holding, you know, entrepreneurs, small business owners back? Um, besides overanalyzing.

Nicole Comis: Overanalyzing for sure. Right. We all do that. Um, I think, you know, also it’s it’s losing that fulfillment in life. Yeah. So many people, um, you know, especially driven professionals, are so focused on their career that they put their personal life on the back burner. And eventually that catches up. You know, our health and wellbeing is the foundation of everything we do and everything we don’t do. So how do we treat our body, mind and spirit? Relationships are we’re literally programed for for connection, right. So it is fuel to our goals. So if we’re not taking care of our relationships and we’re not taking care of our health and wellbeing, it’s almost like driving a car with, you know, little gas in it. It’s running on fumes and eventually it’s going to stop. Right? So if you can fulfill yourself with, you know, fulfilling relationships and taking care of your health and well-being, it’s like putting gas in a car. It helps you with those big goals.

Ramzi Daklouche: So in your business, you also have to help them with structuring the day.

Nicole Comis: Well, I you know, it’s really up to the client, right? So with coaching true coaching is different than consulting, right? Consulting is when you tell somebody what to do. Somebody would come to me for maybe being a marketing expert, a marketing consultant would say, here are the things you need to do to grow your business. Whereas coaching is more about helping the client discover the answers inside of them. So if during every coaching session, we spend a few minutes catching up and then I ask my clients, what would you like to get out of today? All of my coaching sessions are driven by the client, not by me.

Ramzi Daklouche: Okay.

Nicole Comis: So it really is up to the client’s, you know, decision. And it’s it’s based on their goals and what’s important to them in that moment.

Ramzi Daklouche: Yeah. Do you without mentioning, of course, names, but do you have an example of someone who had a big vision but needed support clearing their mind?

Nicole Comis: Sure. Um, I had a client who came to me, and he had been, um, in his business for about five years, and he built his company to $1 million. He had spent nights sleeping at the office to get it to $1 million. Right. And he hired me because he wanted more. More support with relationships and continuing to grow his business. And so five years later, his company was worth $10 million. He got married. He built a team. He took vacations. He took care of his health and well-being. So he wasn’t able to see that him, you know, working, you know, all these hours and painting. Spending all of his focus on his business was actually not supporting him in his true goals. And so we worked together and, um, you know, he did focus on personal development and all of that great stuff. And he grew both personally and professionally because of that.

Ramzi Daklouche: That’s awesome. I think there’s a lot of business professionals that probably could use that where they get stuck, or they really are their own worst enemy. They get in their own way and and help like this can be incredible to them.

Nicole Comis: Yeah.

Ramzi Daklouche: So you cover a lot of modalities. Nlp timeline therapy. Hypnotherapy. How do you integrate all these into a session?

Nicole Comis: Yeah. So, um, traditional coaching is more about what’s happening, say, in the conscious brain, right? What are your goals? You know, what do you want to achieve? Going. You know what’s going on in your day to day life. Whereas the subconscious mind is the NLP, which is neuro linguistic programing. So the study of your brain or the language of your brain. Hypnotherapy and timeline therapy. So what happens is all of my clients get breakthrough sessions, which is a full day intensive where we we dive into a specific problem or area of life. And so let’s say the main challenge that they’re having is in relationships or in finances or with confidence. We will spend that intensive focusing on that. We unpack all of that. What’s happening at the the subconscious level or with the unconscious mind. And we get those limiting beliefs and the negative emotions and the inner conflict and the values and all of that. And then we use the tools like hypnotherapy, Neurolinguistic programing and timeline therapy to release them at the unconscious level and install positive beliefs aligned with the goals that they want. One. And so that is really where the unconscious mind work comes in. And then once they’ve done that, we can based on what the client’s goals are during our weekly coaching sessions, let’s say a limiting belief comes up. We can work on unpacking that and then releasing it through those techniques as well.

Ramzi Daklouche: Can they? This is just a question that I have. Can they? Because as a business person, to take any time away from what I do because I think my time is very valuable and nothing else can get in the way. Can they take that and say, you know what, this is the return on investment I got because I spent time with Nicole.

Nicole Comis: Heck yeah. I mean, you know, a client five years made his company to $1 million. Five years later, it was worth ten. What do you think that ROI is? Well, right. So. And, you know, I work with my clients one hour a week, and I work with them remotely because they are busy, right? So they pick up the phone, or we jump on a zoom call and we spend one hour together, and then they’re on with their day. And of course, there’s always, you know, things to work on in between sessions, whether it’s journaling or, you know, making time in their day to work out or, you know, um, having conversations, that type of thing. Um, but it’s incredibly important. Working on you is the best investment you could ever make for you, for you personally and for your business, because you can only take your business as far as you’re willing to go yourself.

Ramzi Daklouche: And you got to structure yourself really, really well. And this is probably the hardest stuff for entrepreneurs is how do you structure yourself? How do you get the how do you get the help right. Because big corporation think Coca-Cola, think Apple. They really have executive coaches for the executives, right? I’ve had that before in my life. But as you get your own entrepreneur, you are it. You should be. You’re expected to do everything for the company yourself, right? Yes. From mopping the floor all the way to board, meeting with yourself. Right. But there’s no one really helping you through that journey, not coaching you for business and how to manage your business, technical aspects of your business, but actually how to really stay in touch with you and how to manage yourself so great. What sets you apart from other therapists and other executive coaches? It sounds to me like what you do is brain massage.

Speaker4: That’s how I.

Ramzi Daklouche: I don’t know if that’s a trademark word or not, but it should be kind of brain massage, which is really good, right?

Nicole Comis: Yeah. Well, when there’s so many things that sets me apart, you know, one, it’s my, you know, me as a person, right? My story, my personality. Um, I also like to bring a lot of fun into coaching, because I don’t think it has to be painful to experience, you know, to unpack the stuff that’s holding you back. We get to have fun in the process. Um, but also, you know, unlike a lot of coaches, I integrate the conscious mind and the subconscious into the work I do because that’s where I believe true Transformation comes. The other thing is, is that there’s a lot of coaches out there now who are delivering programs. So it’s a lot of hands off, kind of do it yourself type of programs. Yeah, I don’t believe I mean, sure, I, you know, I have goals of one day doing that more of where it’s something to support people who can’t afford to work with me to get some, you know, transformation. But I believe true transformation happens one on one. It happens when I can sit with you. You have a safe space to unpack whatever is happening in your head, in your heart, in your life, and you know you can be vulnerable and share things and say things that you’ve never even said out loud before.

Ramzi Daklouche: Yeah. You know what you just said about coaching online or programs? I think it’s just overdone in my point of view right now. And maybe it’s generational. I’m a generation where I get the most out of a time with a person on a one on one, or getting to know them in person, not on zoom. I prefer to have these moments where we are really talking and getting to know each other without any, you know, interruption of a phone or the second screen, getting an email on it, or a program. Right. Including not just, you know, a business coaching, but also workout coaching. There’s a lot of it right now where, you know, you find a coach and they charge you X amount of money a month, but you still are. It’s a program that’s going to send you once a week or once a I don’t know how that works generationally. Maybe it does not work for me at all. Maybe just me. Also, it doesn’t work at all.

Nicole Comis: Well, and I do think that there’s some benefits, right? So somebody who can’t afford to hire a coach if they’re going to be committed to doing the work that’s going to get at least get them started, right? So and, you know, I think that there also gets to be some flexibility because there are people who are, you know, so, you know, stuck in the I only want to work with a coach in person and that can hold them back too, because, you know, if you think about it like if I had an office, let’s say it would take you 30 minutes to drive to me, find parking, then 30 minutes to get back to your office. There’s two hours out of your day versus just jumping on a phone call and having that session and moving on with your day.

Speaker4: Right?

Ramzi Daklouche: Yeah, yeah. So how, um, you know, uh, how do people find you typically. Is it and this is really helping because part of this program is to really help small businesses, entrepreneurs with ideas on how to, if they’re stuck with referrals, if they’re stuck with, you know, marketing all this stuff. How do you find customers? Is it referrals online? Is it speaking events? I mean what is your best? And again, you have to go back to thinking, okay, there are entrepreneurs out there listening first year some second year, some ten year. So everybody different place in their journey, right?

Speaker4: Yes.

Ramzi Daklouche: What’s your what’s your best way to do that?

Nicole Comis: Well, I think I think it’s all of the above. Right? Like, I feel like you don’t want to put all your eggs in one basket, right? But I also do believe in the power of networking and building relationships. I’m a relationship person, right? I mean, well, coaching is all about relationships, right?

Ramzi Daklouche: It’s. Or you die.

Speaker4: Yeah.

Nicole Comis: Absolutely. And when I was in the mortgage business, it was the same. I’m all about building relationships. I want to get to know you. I want to get to know, um, your clients. I want to be able to find out. How can I help you? And so I believe networking is one of the best ways to. And building relationships is one of the best ways to build a business.

Ramzi Daklouche: And networking is a strange word for a lot of people. We hear it’s overused. But do you have any specific networking? You know, I know you go to groups and all this stuff, but what’s the best way to network? Like, you know, networking on purpose, let’s call it. Do you have any kind of nuggets for these entrepreneurs on how to network on purpose?

Nicole Comis: Um, well, you know, I think anything that you do could be considered networking. It’s all about building relationships. And so getting out there and, you know, I’m part of a group called the Amicable Divorce Network, right? Which is a bunch of divorce attorneys and financial advisors and people that are helping people through divorce. And so, you know, being intentional about getting to know those people in that group and their businesses. And then I’m also part of, um, you know, I’ve been part of Chamber of Commerce for years and years and years. And so, you know, it’s it’s all about building relationships with the people in the room.

Ramzi Daklouche: And it’s how much time you put into it.

Speaker4: Yeah.

Ramzi Daklouche: Not just coming to church once a week and saying, okay, well, I went to the chamber meeting or whatever. It’s actually putting time into spending time with them one on one, all this stuff to help you with that because they get to know you on a personal level.

Nicole Comis: Yeah. Quality time.

Ramzi Daklouche: What’s the most effective way to attract aligned clients? To make sure you get the right clients for you?

Nicole Comis: It starts with getting really clear on who you want to work with.

Ramzi Daklouche: Hallelujah. I talk to a lot of. I was waiting for this. I was I talked to a lot of coaches. So what do you do? I help companies grow. How? And, you know, whatever they need. No no no no. Be clear, be clear. How can I help you? If you don’t know exactly what is it you’re good at? You can’t be good at everything.

Speaker4: No.

Ramzi Daklouche: Right. So. So you got to be clear. So I love the clarity that you just said that. You really have to find that in the client you have, or else you can’t take them as a client. It’ll be a disservice to you and a disservice to them.

Nicole Comis: Absolutely.

Ramzi Daklouche: To take them to the client. Uh, for coaches, consultants and service based pros who don’t love selling. What advice would you give on building a business in an authentic way?

Nicole Comis: Shift your mindset. It’s not about selling. It’s about building relationships and offering a service that truly helps other people.

Ramzi Daklouche: Find a solution. Whenever you talk to somebody, just help them find a solution, right? It doesn’t matter if it’s going to pay you today or tomorrow, but they remember you for helping them with whatever solution you can give them, right?

Nicole Comis: Right. Well, and the reality is, every entrepreneur is a salesperson, right? And so if they have a nasty taste in their mouth about what a salesperson means, they need to be able to shift that mindset and think of it more as in providing a service, helping somebody out. And sales isn’t a dirty little word anymore. It’s not like, you know, the used car salesman that we heard, you know, see in our minds from long, long, long ago. It’s really, you know, about building relationships and helping the other person. If you believe in what you’re selling or you believe in the service you’re providing, share it with the world. Old.

Ramzi Daklouche: Yeah. Nicole, it’s interesting you say this because I used to train huge groups of people sales a long time ago for different companies that I manage or, you know, as a consultant. And it’s always give me one job in the world that doesn’t require you to sell, right. And there is not. And you born being a salesperson when you’re a little kid, when you’re asking for something and your parents say no to you, everything you do to get that thing, that’s called networking and selling. So for people that still don’t believe that you’re selling all the time, even if you try and go out on a date that’s selling, even if you’re priest that is selling. Right. So every profession I can’t find a doctors, surgeons, everything takes selling. It just depends on the on how you do it. And some of it needs more networking, some of it less networking. But you just are always selling.

Speaker4: So yes.

Nicole Comis: Building rapport first and foremost, connecting with the person and then selling.

Speaker4: Yep.

Ramzi Daklouche: So if someone listening today feels they’re not fully showing up in their business or leadership, what’s one action they can take to start shifting that today?

Nicole Comis: I believe it starts with getting clear clarity on what it is. Your vision is what it is. You want your business and your life to look like in the future. So depending on where you’re at, where you feel comfortable, think about a 1 to 5 year goal. Three years might be the sweet spot and write out what you want your business to look like three years from now, five years from now. And spend some time with your heart first, you know, and and try to get out of your head and imagine I had a magic wand and you created the most amazing business. It was perfect for you in every way. What does it look like?

Ramzi Daklouche: So dream. Yeah, yeah. Dream about your business. What’s it going to look like? Just your business.

Nicole Comis: Well, no. But also your your life, right. Because you. If you are a business owner, your business is connected. And to be real, every single one of us, our lives are interconnected, right? It’s it’s they’re integrated. And so your relationships are connected to your, your business in some way or your career in some way, because you don’t leave your, your business at home when you get, you know, when you’re out with your friends or you’re on a date or you’re coming home to your spouse or your children. It comes with you. So how does your business align with what you want for your life?

Ramzi Daklouche: Yeah, and I want to add one more thing to this that I believe is true. And it may sound, uh, materialistic, but it really is not. So part of dreaming or part of understanding where you want to go with your business, with your life, is having a something you look up to, right? For example, I want this bigger house on the beach or I want this, uh, you know, supercar, whatever. You could dream about that because whatever you come up with, a business will help you achieve that as well. So. So you don’t go out and buy it on credit forever, right? But if you dream about even financial, it’s okay to dream financial as well.

Speaker4: And you should.

Ramzi Daklouche: You should dream financial because it’s not just, oh, I want more time. Okay. More time comes if you if you’re more comfortable. Right. So thinking about all that stuff before you kind of start putting pen on paper, like what is my dream? And you know, I’m going to get there. So now what does my company needs to get me there?

Nicole Comis: Yeah. And think about all avenues of it. What does your team look like? You know who’s supporting you? Um, what are your customers look like? What are what do you want your customers to say about you? All of that gets to be part of your vision.

Ramzi Daklouche: Yeah, yeah. It’s interesting you say this because I dream so much about the company where I’m taking it, and we’ve been, you know, extremely successful and blessed with what we’re getting that my own family is joining the company now. My kids are joining the company because they see the dream. They hear it. They haven’t really seen like the the nuances of working in this business. But they feel it. They see it. They hear it in our voices that are joining the company now. That’s all continue to support us.

Nicole Comis: So and I would say the most important thing with that dreaming and that vision is put it on paper, share it.

Speaker4: Well share.

Nicole Comis: It too. But also put.

Speaker4: It on paper. Absolutely.

Nicole Comis: Because when you put it on paper, it becomes real.

Speaker4: Yeah.

Nicole Comis: And then you take that vision and you break it down into achievable goals.

Ramzi Daklouche: Absolutely. What is the biggest mindset between people of stuck and people that can actually see the future?

Nicole Comis: Well, that’s a I mean, there could be many things, but I think one of the biggest is having a growth mindset versus a fixed. A growth mindset. A positive mindset versus a closed or negative mindset.

Ramzi Daklouche: Or get help. Call Nicole. Let me tell you why. Because a lot of people like they may have a dream, but they get stuck somewhere. Oh for sure. Or or their subconscious become their worst enemy. Say, you know what? You don’t deserve this. Or you just can’t do this, or.

Nicole Comis: That’s not possible.

Ramzi Daklouche: Why are you looking at this? It’s not you at all. Like, oh my God, why would you even do that? Right. You’re supposed to work 14 or 15 hours. Yeah. And though outside they may say stuff, very positive things. The inside of them can really hold them back. And that happens not just in business, in life in general.

Nicole Comis: Oh, absolutely.

Ramzi Daklouche: So.

Nicole Comis: Well. And it’s so important to have that person, whether it’s me or another coach or, you know, an incredibly open minded, trusted friend, to talk about those big goals that you have. You know, I have a client that this week or a couple of weeks ago, we were talking about his goals for the future, and he owns a construction company and we were talking about he is partners in a bar, and we got really big on his vision about five years from now. And he doesn’t just want to own a construction company and a bar. He wants to own five bars, laundromats, a construction company. He wants he sees like the enterprise. Right. And he is managing these different, these different entities, and he’s got a team supporting him. It was because we were able to go in deeper, and I was able to ask questions that he wouldn’t have thought of himself, that he was able to come up with that.

Ramzi Daklouche: Yeah. That’s amazing. So talking about that dream for five years, what does Nicole Gomez look like in her coaching in the next five years?

Nicole Comis: Oh, it’s very similar to where I am now because I love what I do. I believe in one on one work. Um, you know, for me, it’s, you know, ten clients is a sweet spot for me with a couple additional breakthroughs every month. I also have a program. It’s a life transformation program, which includes a personal retreat. So it would be me and the client away for two and a half days where we really dive in deep into, you know, their goals and their life and the things that they want to achieve. And then, um, it’s in a fun location. So whether it’s in, you know, Tampa or, you know, um, South Carolina, right. Like we’re going to have two and a half days where we can spend some time on our health and well-being, as well as goals and working through any blocks that are showing up.

Ramzi Daklouche: That’s incredible. Um, wow. That’s actually fantastic. So there’s no, uh, Nicole Gomez franchise. And.

Nicole Comis: You know, one, Nicole Combs is plenty for the world.

Ramzi Daklouche: One nickel is plenty for the world. Okay, now I’m going to. There’s a, you know, three rapid fire questions. Okay. A morning routine must have.

Nicole Comis: Oh, water. I drink a big glass of water when I first wake up in the morning. And I think because we get dehydrated in the middle of the night, it’s so important for our brains to drink water. But I have a whole morning routine working out, whether it’s yoga or going for a early, early bird. Yeah, I tend to get up around six five.

Ramzi Daklouche: Oh, that’s not an early bird to me.

Nicole Comis: That’s not early for, you.

Ramzi Daklouche: Know.

Nicole Comis: For. Oh, boy, that is early. That’s still last night. Yeah.

Ramzi Daklouche: Yeah.

Nicole Comis: Four, four. Wow.

Ramzi Daklouche: Five at the gym.

Nicole Comis: Good for you.

Ramzi Daklouche: Yeah. It’s been like this for years. It’s the curse. Actually, I don’t know if it’s good.

Nicole Comis: No, it’s a good thing. It’s a very good thing.

Ramzi Daklouche: Yeah. Wow. Okay. Uh, favorite quote or book you say that shaped your journey?

Nicole Comis: Oh, how do you pick one?

Ramzi Daklouche: Latest one. I can tell you mine. Go ahead.

Nicole Comis: Um, well, I would say the best way to predict the future is to create it.

Ramzi Daklouche: Oh. Very nice. I don’t have a quote. I have a book.

Nicole Comis: Okay.

Ramzi Daklouche: What’s that? Buy back your time.

Nicole Comis: Oh.

Ramzi Daklouche: It’s incredible. It really changed my perspective on how I look at my calendar and how I give myself free time for me, in the past six months, I would say. Okay. All right. What’s something most people don’t know about you?

Nicole Comis: Oh, that’s tough, because I’m an open book. Oh, okay. I’m a beauty school dropout.

Ramzi Daklouche: Like the movie grease. Can you sing the song School Dropout?

Speaker5: Yes, I could. I won’t, but I could.

Ramzi Daklouche: Yeah. Wow. Uh, beauty school dropout. That’s interesting. And you went into mortgage and then coaching.

Nicole Comis: I actually was in the restaurant business. And then mortgages and then coaching.

Ramzi Daklouche: Very interesting. How can people get in touch with you or learn more about what you work?

Speaker5: Yeah.

Nicole Comis: So the easiest way is to go to my website Nicole m Omice Coaching.com. And all of my socials are there as well.

Ramzi Daklouche: Is that how they can connect with you? Yes, but the best thing to do is to go through your website.

Speaker5: Yeah.

Nicole Comis: Or you can find me on Instagram or Facebook, but it’s probably easiest just to go straight to my website.

Ramzi Daklouche: Very good. What are something that people should know about you but they don’t know anything about it?

Nicole Comis: What should people know besides that? I’m awesome. No, I’m just kidding. Um, what should people know about me? But they don’t. Well, I don’t know. It’s that people that don’t know this. But I have a huge heart. Um. I just want to see people win and succeed and live their best life.

Ramzi Daklouche: Well, that comes through through your coaching, so. And everything you said. So, Nicole, thank you very much for your time. I appreciate it. Pleasure talking to you.

Speaker5: You too.

About Your Host

Ramzi Daklouche is Principal at VR Business Sales. His mission is to facilitate seamless transitions for business owners looking to sell or scale. The organization’s four-decade legacy in managing transactions, from modest enterprises to extensive mergers, resonates with his expertise in mergers and acquisitions. Our collaborative approach consistently unlocks the true value of businesses, ensuring sellers’ peace of mind throughout the process.

His journey began when he left corporate world to venture into the challenging realm of entrepreneurship. After running their own business for several years and earning accolades for their dedication to service and quality, he decided to establish VR Business Sales Mergers and Acquisitions Atlanta. Their mission is to provide unmatched value through transparency, security, diversity, service, and experience.

At VR Business Sales Mergers and Acquisitions Atlanta, they empower business owners and buyers with clear, honest guidance and exceptional service throughout every step of the transaction process. While their office is based in Atlanta, they offer their services nationally and globally, embracing diversity and engaging with a broad spectrum of communities and businesses.

With decades of industry expertise, they aim to build lasting relationships based on trust and excellence, enabling their clients to achieve their business goals with confidence and peace of mind. Whether they are transitioning from owning their business or moving toward ownership, they’re here to support every step of the way, navigating the vibrant landscape of Atlanta’s business community and National & Global markets for remarkable success.

Connect with Ramzi on LinkedIn.

BRX Pro Tip: Don’t be a Commodity

April 4, 2025 by angishields

BRX Pro Tips

BRX Pro Tip: Don't be a Commodity

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BRX Pro Tip: Don’t be a Commodity

Stone Payton: And we are back with Business RadioX Pro Tips. Stone Payton and Lee Kantor here with you. Lee, you know what a huge believer I am in positioning and establishing your value ideally before you even really begin to substantially engage with someone. And a core tenet of that is you don’t be a commodity.

Lee Kantor: Yeah. There’s something that Seth Godin wrote a long time ago that it really resonated with me. He goes, “Accept no substitutes is the opposite of you can pick anyone and wear anyone.” So, if people just see you as just another business, they’re going to compare you based on price, generic services or just kind of whatever the industry calls it. That’s what makes a business a commodity. That means you’re replaceable. That means you’re competing in a race to the bottom when it comes to pricing. You have to be able to position yourself as something unique, valuable, and indispensable.

Lee Kantor: If you do that, then clients are going to seek you out specifically and happily pay you for what you do. If you want people to choose you instead of shopping around, you have to make it impossible for them to compare you to anyone else. That means the more unique, the more specialized, and the more personally branded you are, then you’re going to be able to shift in the mind of your client from being a commodity to being an in-demand thought leader. So, spend some time elevating yourself above the commodities in your industry and be one of one, not one of many.

The Art of Active Listening: Elevating Your Leadership Game

April 3, 2025 by angishields

High Velocity Radio

The Art of Active Listening: Elevating Your Leadership Game

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In this episode of High Velocity Radio, Stone Payton is joined by Jane Bishop, a dedicated coach and leadership expert. Jane shares her diverse career journey, spanning academia, corporate consulting, and solopreneurship, which informs her coaching approach. The discussion delves into the distinctions between coaching, counseling, mentoring, and consulting, emphasizing active listening and powerful questioning. Jane highlights the importance of self-leadership and emotional intelligence for effective leadership. She also addresses the challenges of marketing coaching services and offers a pro tip on understanding core values.

Jane Bishop is a self-proclaimed unplanned entrepreneur that founded Take The Next Step to empower others to go for their “it!” She positively interrupts other’s space to help them stop, pause and think so they move forward as she uses tools/methods of coaching, training and speaking.

Jane uses her experience and expertise from her background that includes academic/athletic at the small college level, corporate, non-profit and business owner to help entrepreneurs, business owners and team leaders co-create a path to develop and/or strengthen their self-leadership skills.

Jane is known for making it all about the other person and has been described as “unexpected” and “refreshing.” As a lifelong learner, she continues to learn new skills and techniques. She holds academic degrees from three institutions, the ICF Coach Credential, and multiple certifications.

One of her favorite quotes is by John Mason: “You were born an original. Don’t die a copy.” It describes her personal approach to life as well as her desire to empower more “originals.”

Connect with Jane on LinkedIn and follow Take The Next Step on Facebook.

This transcript is machine transcribed by Sonix.

TRANSCRIPT

Intro: Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX studios in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s time for High Velocity Radio.

Stone Payton: Welcome to the High Velocity Radio show, where we celebrate top performers producing better results in less time. Stone Payton here with you this afternoon. You guys are in for a real treat. Please join me in welcoming to the broadcast with Take the Next Step, Jane Bishop. How are you?

Jane Bishop: Well, Stone, thank you for having me to have a conversation with you today.

Stone Payton: Well, I have really been looking forward to this conversation. I got a lot of questions and I don’t know, we might not get to them all, but let’s, uh, let’s start by maybe if you could describe for me and our listeners mission. Purpose. What are you really out there trying to do for folks, Jane.

Jane Bishop: The great question, Stone. I really am passionate about empowering others to go for their IT, whatever they’re looking for at a season in life, at a point in life, at a career, and helping them understand that a lot of times they have everything they need or most everything they need within them. They either don’t know it or they don’t know how to pull it out. But helping them realize that, identify it, and really be able to stand on their story and make a difference in their sphere of influence.

Stone Payton: So tell us a little bit about your journey. How did you find yourself doing this kind of work?

Jane Bishop: So I’ll give you the CliffsNotes version. I have been blessed and fortunate to be in three different career contexts The Academic Athletic Arena, where I was coaching and teaching on a small college level. Then the corporate sector where I was using my gifts and skills with the strategic development, consulting, coaching, training. And then now as an unplanned solopreneur. So I’m where I am today simply because that’s how my life has evolved.

Stone Payton: So I saw a phrase in the, the, the pre-show preparation that I did. And at first I thought it was a typo. And then I thought, you know what? This isn’t a typo. She is using this word. She’s using it for a reason. And you were talking about the coach approach to Leadering. Can you speak more to more to that?

Jane Bishop: Leadering. Well, I think maybe there was a little typo there that I did not catch, but a coach approach to leading and or leadership. That is a great way for people to learn how to better connect with other stone, and it’s using five basic coaching skills that those of us who are professional and credentialed coaches use. Anybody can learn, anybody can use and begin using that approach to conversations and connecting with people. And it is amazing what happens as a result of that. A coaching colleague of mine likes to put it this way in saying it’s like having a conversation on steroids.

Stone Payton: Okay, so there are coaching competencies that can make someone a far more effective leader. That’s funny. So it really was a typo. I like that word though. I’m going to start saying leader. It’s like an action word right.

Jane Bishop: Hey you know and and since I gave you that typo, I’ll use it too. So we can both use it. So how’s how’s your leadering go going today? I think that’s a great see, I love stuff like that.

Stone Payton: I do too, I do too, but look. Yeah, say more about this because it’s the, the, the things that you’ve learned as a professional coach. Those competencies, those skills, those discipline, that rigor, those really do dovetail right into what it takes to to be a good leader and, and generate results with and through the, the voluntary cooperation and effort of other people, doesn’t it?

Jane Bishop: Yes, yes it does. And connecting with people is different than communicating. You can communicate. You can offload information all day, but it doesn’t always connect with the person or the people around to really connect. It’s understanding what is valuable to that person and where the two of you can intersect, or the group of you can intersect. And I’ll just I’ll just give you a little freebie here. The five basic coaching skills that I teach in a, in a workshop that I do are all around listening, asking powerful questions. It’s about aligning to the language that that person is using. You know what’s important to them. You know, picking up and listening on that brainstorming and then finding a way to support, you know, in terms of what you’re hearing. But the two basic ones, the listening and the powerful questions. If if people would practice, learn and practice and hone those skills and didn’t do anything else, stone it, it would be phenomenal. What incredible results would be experienced?

Stone Payton: I don’t remember exactly who it was, but I’ve been blessed with a lot of mentors throughout my career. And he did a great job in like this workshop, really painting the picture and the distinction between listening and waiting. Right? Those are two different things, aren’t they?

Jane Bishop: Yes yes, yes. Well, you know, listening. I don’t know what the what what your mentor did, but listening is, is not hearing. Hearing is that auditory function. We hear sounds and we pick up way, you know, sound waves and different tones if we are listening. Basically what we’re doing, we are all in with that person or that group. We are listening for what they’re saying, for what they’re not saying. We’re focused. We’re not looking around and distracted. We are involved in in their words and understanding where they’re coming from. So it is an all in process.

Stone Payton: So are you working with individuals, teams? Uh, who are you? Who are you working with these days?

Jane Bishop: Yes. Uh, both. As a matter of fact, I work with I have individual coaching clients. I work with teams and groups on a lot of communication and leadership. Under the umbrella of what are some essentials for high performing teams, and it all comes out of how we lead ourselves, because how you and I lead ourselves, how well we do that is really going to determine how effective we are in leading others.

Stone Payton: Well, that’s an interesting perspective. Say more about this because, well, the positive aspect of that, what I find in empowering and inspiring about that is maybe that I do have some degree of control, right? If I start working on leading myself, say more about that.

Jane Bishop: Trying to think of a good, good metaphor, because I think metaphors are an important if if we are if we’re driving a car. I don’t know that this is the best metaphor, but it’s the one that comes up. But if we’re driving a car, we are in control of that car in terms of where it goes. You know, the acceleration, the braking and the changing of the gears. To some degree, though, the car also has its control mechanism because it it functions and everything works together in the engine and all the components. However, how well those components work together is really dependent on how well we care for those components in the inner workings of the car and then how we use those components, how hard we brake, how quickly we accelerate those types of dynamics. Same can hold true to ourselves. We must take care of our internal components physical, mental, social, spiritual and then handle those in a way so that they are used effectively.

Stone Payton: Well, I think it’s a marvelous metaphor. And then to me, it extends for where my mind went was, yeah, we have some control over that immediate environment, but we have to leverage that to adapt and respond to some things we don’t have control over, like the guy in front of us and the guy behind us.

Jane Bishop: Right. Exactly, exactly. So if you’re if if you haven’t taken care of your car and you need new brakes and all of a sudden you have to hit the brakes and they’re not there, what’s going to happen potentially.

Stone Payton: Now, do you make a distinction in your work? Because I know some do between these different things mentoring, consulting, counseling, coaching, the there’s do you make some distinctions between those things?

Jane Bishop: Yes, yes. There are there are distinctions. Stone. That’s a great that’s a great insight from your side. And I appreciate you bringing that up, because a lot of people think that that counseling is coaching and coaching is counseling and consulting is coaching. And here’s the basic distinctions between those disciplines. Consulting is when I go into your organization or your team and you you have issues or you’ve identified that something’s not right, but you don’t know what it is. So I do an assessment. I do all that it takes to get involved, to put together a plan. And I hand that off to you and I say, here’s the plan based on my knowledge, based on my assessment. It’s up to you to work the plan. That’s what consultants do. Counselors will work with you to resolve something from generally our past that is holding us back from moving forward or leading forward, as I like to call it, effectively in our lives. So we have to put some closure to to whatever that is in our past experiences that we just haven’t reconciled. So counseling the discipline of counseling and therapy helps with that. Mentoring is where we come alongside somebody and we act as a guide and we ask questions, but we always but we also invest and impart what we have learned along the way our lessons learned, our hard knocks, things that we got knocked down and had to learn to to get back up. And then coaching is where the client, let’s say you and I were you were you and I were in a coaching coach relationship and you were the client. You are definitely in the driver’s seat, stone. My job is not to take over the wheel and tell you where to go. My job is to watch and listen and observe and ask questions, and then occasionally nudge you to keep you from going off in the ditch. So it’s helping. It’s listening and asking those good, powerful questions so that your wheels begin to turn in your brain and put some things together that perhaps you haven’t thought about.

Stone Payton: Well, yeah. Then those are very different, um, roles and. Right. And functions. And you’ve chosen to gravitate for the most part to coaching, I take it.

Jane Bishop: Yes. That that is my, you know, coach’s the one difference in the distinction in the counseling and the therapy discipline and the coaching profession. Therapists are required to have a license, a credential. There’s certain types of certifications that they are required to go to through, to accomplish, to, to be known as a legitimate therapist. Coaches do not have to do that. How? It’s. However, if you want a legitimate coach, they’re going to be a credentialed or a professional coach that has that coach specific training. Because here’s what happens. Sometimes people say, oh, I’ve got this great coach. They tell me everything I’m supposed to do. Well, okay, then they’re either being a consultant or a mentor. They’re not really being a true coach, because that means you’re not having to think about it. So you want to be disciplined in your experience and your knowledge base, even in the coaching profession, as you do in the other professions.

Stone Payton: Well, and you made the financial and time and energy investment in yourself and in the profession to become a credentialed coach with, um, the International Coaching Federation. Say a little bit about that experience.

Jane Bishop: Yes. The International Coach Federation is is a global organization that is one of the most widely Recognized for coaching, credentialing, and coaching membership. And there’s a certain standards. Any of us who are credentialed through that organization, there are certain coach specific training that we have to do initially, and then there are continuing coaching credits every three years that have to be taken to renew our credential. If a person wants to renew it. There are professional standards, ethical standards, learning support systems. So it is a it’s a good organization, even though a lot of people have not heard about it. And it it’s a guide. It a lot of people will find coaches through that organization because they know they’re they’re credible.

Stone Payton: So at this point in your career, you know, you’ve been at this a while now, what are you finding the most rewarding about the about the work. What do you enjoy the most these days?

Jane Bishop: One of the things I enjoy the most about coaching is when that person or that group has that aha moment and the expression, the energy, the excitement that starts showing up, and they start realizing and putting pieces together of a puzzle that they already had, they just didn’t know where the connecting points were. I love that.

Stone Payton: So how does the whole sales and marketing thing work for a coach? Like how do you get the the new business?

Jane Bishop: Well, that’s a very challenging part of coaching for most coaches. I you know, I tell it like it is.

Stone Payton: Yeah.

Jane Bishop: There are a lot of business models in the in the coaching world. Some will use the business model of creating funnels to attract people to be able to disseminate information. Others will you speaking to get in front of groups to make themselves known? It really depends on the coach as to what model they use. The key to any model though, that that they try to use in sales and marketing is are two things from my experience and observation. Number one, there’s got to be a marketing plan. You can’t just say, okay, I’m a coach, everybody come now who wants to, you know, pull some things out of them, here I am. That doesn’t work. There’s got to be a plan. And number two, that marketing plan must align with who you are. Just because somebody else is doing, or it’s the hottest and latest thing on the market, does not mean it’s for you. When solopreneurs and entrepreneurs or anybody, but specifically in that I’ll just key in on those two, start trying to grab everything that comes across their path because they think that’s going to get them where they want to go, and yet it’s out of alignment with who they are. It does not end well.

Stone Payton: So what do you enjoy doing when you’re when you’re not engaged in coaching? Anything that you kind of nerd out about that doesn’t have anything to do with the work?

Jane Bishop: You know, I, I enjoy having conversations with people, wherever that may be. On on the High Velocity, uh, podcast with the Great Stone Payton or whether it’s in line, the the local grocery store. I enjoy reading. I enjoy movies, I enjoy my yard work, I find aspects, I simply enjoy life, and I enjoy connecting with people where I am. I love to travel. I haven’t had an opportunity to do that for several years for for family reasons, but I hope to get back to that, you know, at some point in the future.

Stone Payton: Well, I think that’s marvelous. And I. I don’t know if this has been your experience or not. I may have shared with you before we came on air. For example, uh, some family members and I are going to Greece in a few weeks from when we’re doing this on air conversation, and we’ll enjoy the heck out of it, of course. But I find personally when I do that, I honestly believe with all my heart I feel like I come back a better practitioner. I feel like I come back better equipped to serve than before I left. Yes. Do you find that? Yeah.

Jane Bishop: That’s that’s very, very important. I will, I will say I don’t know your your thinking or your rationale behind the name of your podcast, High Velocity. I’d be interested in knowing what that is. Going back to your question about when you get away, you come back feeling refreshed. Yeah. If we want to maintain high velocity, in other words, be the best we can be. And to use your words to have better results in less time, we have to build in those those breaks in life. Now it could be three seconds, or it could be three hours, or it could be, you know, three weeks. However, the key is consistently doing that. We can’t go at high velocity and high octane 100% of the time without stopping to tend it along the way. So your trip that you’re doing with your family and and going to have that refreshment and that reset is is huge.

Stone Payton: I agree, and that’s a marvelous way to wrap the conversation. I was going to specifically ask you for a pro tip around producing better results in less time, and I think you just laid it on us. But I’ll give you a chance. Is there another piece of advice you might leave our listeners with? Just something to chew? You know, something to chew on and be thinking about with respect to coaching internally, getting some, getting some coaching help, engaging a coach, anything around around your body of work. Just some some things to consider or think about before we wrap.

Jane Bishop: Thank you for that opportunity, Stone. I would encourage the listeners to be very clear about the core of who they are. And I’ll the acronym of Core is your character, your operating system, your beliefs, your value system, your relationships. Are they healthy relationships or are they toxic relationships? And then the E of core is your emotional intelligence. Identifying those components within you keeps your core strong. Like our physical core that supports every part of our body so that we stay in alignment so that we can be positioned consistently to lead ourselves well, which leads others well, which creates a whole team of people in high velocity function which is better results in less time.

Stone Payton: I am so glad that I asked, and I’m even more glad that we recorded this conversation. That is marvelous. What’s the best way for our listeners to tap into your work and, you know, maybe have a conversation with you? Let’s leave them with some coordinates so they can do that.

Jane Bishop: Sure. I give anybody a free coaching conversation so you can give you the two things. You can find me at Jane Bishop Live.com or or Jane Bishop Dot. I’ve got two different places there, but I’ll just do the Jane Bishop live. That’s easier because you can get to the other one that way. And then you can find me on LinkedIn. Simply Jane Bishop, real simple. Gives you some information about the leadership. You’ll find my phone number on all of those two places. You can call me. I do answer my phone, and if I’m not available, leave a message and I will call you back. I realize that’s a little atypical in this day and time, but that’s how I roll.

Stone Payton: Oh, marvelous. Jane, it has been an absolute delight having you on the broadcast this afternoon. You’re clearly doing really important work and genuinely serving so many. Thank you. We sure appreciate you.

Jane Bishop: Oh, well, thank you for having me and allowing me a little glimpse into stone and all that you’ve got going. So you just you just keep up that high velocity and keep leading forward.

Stone Payton: I’ll sure do it. All right, until next time. This is Stone Payton for our guest today, Jane Bishop, with Take the Next Step. And everyone here at the Business RadioX family saying, we’ll see you in the fast lane.

Coaching for Success: Uncovering Blind Spots and Achieving Leadership Goals

April 3, 2025 by angishields

High Velocity Radio

Coaching for Success: Uncovering Blind Spots and Achieving Leadership Goals

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In this episode of the High Velocity Radio Show, Roshmi Dalal, Director of Executive Coaching and Leadership Services at Weaver, joins host Stone Payton. Roshmi shares her journey from CPA to leadership coach, emphasizing the importance of emotional intelligence and mental fitness in effective leadership. She discusses her role in launching Weaver’s new coaching practice, which includes individualized and team coaching, emotional intelligence training, and well-being coaching. The conversation highlights the value of coaching in personal and professional development, the significance of trust in coaching relationships, and practical tips for enhancing leadership skills.

Roshmi Dalal, Director of Executive Coaching & Leadership Solutions at Weaver, is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC), CPA, and Mindfulness specialist, dedicated to coaching leaders and individuals to improve their Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and empowering them to make positive behavioral changes to unlock their greatest potential.

With years of experience in high-stress, corporate roles and over 500 hours of coaching clients globally, she has successfully helped people overcome an array of challenges, including their insecurities and negative thought patterns, imposter syndrome, burn out, conflict avoidance, procrastination, career/life transitions, health challenges and more.

Roshmi’s coaching methodology includes extensive positive and emotional intelligence training, a strengths based approach, resilience and accountability tools and mindfulness mastery, which all empower her clients towards achieving their goals and desired outcomes.

Connect with Roshmi on LinkedIn.

This transcript is machine transcribed by Sonix.

TRANSCRIPT

Intro: Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX studios in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s time for High Velocity Radio.

Stone Payton: Welcome to the High Velocity Radio show, where we celebrate top performers producing better results in less time. Stone Payton here with you this afternoon. This is going to be a good one. Please join me in welcoming to the broadcast Director of Executive Coaching and Leadership Services at Weaver, Roshmi Dalal. How are you?

Roshmi Dalal: I’m doing good, Stone. So happy to be here with you today.

Stone Payton: Well, it’s a delight to have you on the show. Tell us a little bit about your role at Weaver and what you find yourself doing these days inside that organization.

Roshmi Dalal: Yeah, I’m very excited to talk about that. So we at Weaver, um, are launching our newest practice in leadership and executive coaching services. Um, so these will these services will involve individualized coaching team coaching. We’re going to, you know, offer some emotional intelligence training. I know that’s really in trend these days in addition to wellbeing coaching. Um, any any challenges with succession planning or even outplacement services? Um, and we have our very own, um, coach training program that we are offering our clients. So yes, I am the director of these external services for our firm. We are a CPA firm that offers audit, tax and, uh, consulting services.

Stone Payton: Well, it sounds like good work if you can get it. Tell tell us a little bit about the journey. How did you find your yourself on this path?

Roshmi Dalal: Yeah, that it is quite the journey because, um, I, you know, started my career as a CPA. So it’s it’s like it’s all coming, you know, to one big circle now with this position I’m in. Um, so I started my, my career as a CPA. Oh, gosh. About 25 years ago. Um, coming out of the University of Texas at Austin. Um, and, uh, leaping into the world of the big four public accounting firms. One very famous kind of actually infamous, infamous known as Arthur Andersen is where I started my career. Um, and I was there for almost five years with, um, another infamous client called Enron being, uh, my main client over there. And, you know, early this was very early on in my career that, you know, I experienced, um, such a curveball as both companies, as you know, went went down in the early 2000. Um, and we had promising careers. Um, my husband and I actually both worked for these companies, and we we just saw it all come to an end within five years of being at these firms. Um, so from there, I went on to work for an oil and gas company called Occidental, and I continued on providing or, you know, servicing in accounting, finance and specifically in Sarbanes-Oxley at the time, which was very hot off the press due to the situation at Arthur Andersen and Enron. Um, I became their technical accounting lead. And then life happened. Stone um, we started to experience some, uh, personal setbacks, which caused me to take a break from my career in, um, in oil and gas accounting for a bit.

Roshmi Dalal: We started a family at the same time. And our our extended family, um, meaning our parents really experienced some health issues that I had to take a break for and be and be a caretaker? Essentially. Um, for a few years. Um, so as I was experiencing those setbacks, I was, you know, kind of exploring my own personal growth at the time and noticing how much I, you know, had to turn to mental fitness tools. You know, essentially, that’s what I call them to recover and jump back, uh, and move on from these setbacks, whether they were health as they were, my parents both had, um, serious health issues that I was trying to combat or, again, with my career. Any other area I was noticing myself in those instances and how I was recovering, and I was taking the help of meditation practices, mindfulness tools, all to kind of help me move on from these setbacks. Um, I did try to go back during this time to my accounting career. And, you know, as we all believe in destiny would have it. It just wasn’t working out because I was a caretaker for a few years. Doing both was, you know, very, very hard on our families and was difficult to find a part time situation that would accommodate that. Well, lo and behold, we, um, experienced loss, uh, due to those health issues. And, um, we also experienced devastation from our home being flooded in Hurricane Harvey in 2017. And once again, instead of spiraling because of those setbacks, we did something very, um, out of the ordinary.

Roshmi Dalal: We took a position to go to the other side of the world, to the Middle East, and work for Saudi Aramco. Um, that was certainly a a brave leap of faith, uh, from some of the, again, challenges that we faced here back at home in Houston. But we just saw some real possibilities for our career as well as for our family. And it was in the Middle East where, um, I was assigned to come up with a positive mental wellbeing program for a sizable oil and gas company. And it was there that I discovered the world of coaching, and I was coaching on the job without even knowing I was a coach at the time. And, um, and, and because of, you know, the world becoming more virtual at the time, this was soon after, uh, the pandemic hit. I was able to start my own global coaching practice, um, in the Middle East and, um, service clients at large oil companies that were in leadership roles as well as the community over there. Uh, that was going through so much progress, um, with males and females being on, you know, the same page or on the same plane, rather both at work and in, um, in, in the In the local communities. Um, and then, uh, I took my practice back here in Houston. We moved back a few years ago and resumed my, um, private practice and then got, uh, an exciting opportunity to work for, for Weaver and launch their external coaching practice, which is what I’m doing right now.

Stone Payton: It’s never a straight line, is it?

Roshmi Dalal: But that’s what makes life so interesting, I think.

Stone Payton: But what a tremendous amount of, uh, street cred you must have in your day to day work. Are you finding that mental fitness resilience that it’s analogous to physical fitness in that you really can impact it with some discipline, some rigor? There are ways to to increase this. Yes.

Roshmi Dalal: Yes, 100%. I mean, I do believe and through my own personal and professional setbacks and challenges that, you know, we are in power of our destiny in a way. Um, as long as we can get out of our own heads, as long as we don’t allow ourselves to spiral in response to major setbacks and challenges, and these mental fitness tools and practices that I was so privileged to have by my side when practiced regularly and with intention, can definitely help you with that resilience that’s needed. Um, whether it’s a, you know, decision that you’re having to make in a leadership role or, again, whether it’s something personal that you’re trying to recover from, such as a loss of a loved one. Um, you know, when practice regularly, it can do so much, uh, in terms of that recovery, in terms of seeing the possibilities ahead even when things seem so bad. Um, so I, I draw huge parallels to physical fitness, as you mentioned. Um, and it of course it depends on the size of the challenge, but the more regular we are with our mental fitness practices, uh, the easier we’re able to hand handle the challenges, no matter the size.

Stone Payton: So with that, as an overarching framework, what are some other key topics or practice areas that you find yourself working with, with people and teams on? Or there are a few that just are almost always part of the process for you guys.

Roshmi Dalal: A lot of clients come to me for just developing their emotional intelligence. And emotional intelligence covers so many competencies. You know, uh, self-awareness, emotional self-awareness, self-control, self-confidence, um, growing initiative, flexibility. Um, again, that resilience. Empathy. Very key to emotional intelligence. Um, and, you know, all these competencies, uh, are used in leadership, um, in, at on executive roles as they’re managing teams, as they’re, um, you know, trying they’re challenged with, uh, a merger or acquisition bankruptcy, um, trying to, uh, engage their clients, retain them, trying to develop productivity tools, uh, time management tools for their employees. So, you know, all of these, um, emotional intelligence, um, tools are being used to address client needs in the areas that I, that I work in.

Stone Payton: And the people you’re working with, I’m operating under the impression. I mean, these are they’re in high stress, high stakes roles, right? I mean, this could have a heck of an impact on the everything from mental fitness to bottom line, right?

Roshmi Dalal: Oh, yes. Absolutely. I mean, you know, there’s strategic planning involved. There’s high stake decision making with lots of stakeholders involved. Um, communication is so key. So, yes, uh, depending on the challenge, of course, all these areas of development are needed in, in, you know, highly, uh, high profile leadership roles. I’ve seen it with, with my own clients.

Stone Payton: So I think you mentioned earlier a phrase like, you know, I have clients who come to me or to us for this or for that. And I was kind of thinking, man, it would be great if they are coming to you. And it must be tremendous value in having them engage in the work. But is that sometimes a challenge? Because I can think that there it would. There are people in my life. Let’s let’s put it that way. I can only speak to what I observe. That boy, I really feel like they would benefit from something like this, but I don’t know that they would be real quick to come to any. Like how do you get the new clients new the new business?

Roshmi Dalal: Now, that’s a great question, Stone, because often people don’t realize that they have the need, right? Or it’s difficult for them to talk about. And, um, you know, I’m a big believer in listening to to to the, the challenges that my prospects have, uh, before trying to offer what I, you know, what I can do for them. So being a very keen listener and really trying to take a deep dive on what someone’s needs are, I think are extremely important, um, for them to build awareness on, you know, how we as a service provider and coaching can help them. Um, and of course, we take the help of assessments as well. Um, I have emotional intelligence assessments that I offer. Um, I’m trained in Harrison, which is a very robust leadership, um, assessment where people understand, again, at a deeper level, you know, where are they? What are their own roadblocks? Where, where how are they getting in their own way of progress? You know, the famous saying, our minds can be our best friends, but they can be our worst enemies. And a lot of times, these assessments are a great indicator on helping people figure out, um, you know, what they can do for themselves to, to get ahead.

Stone Payton: I could see where some of the people that you’re working with, maybe many of the people would feel feel alone. I don’t maybe even like you got people aiming at you. But I can see in leading an organization of any real size and complexity feeling that way. And then I can also see the person really kind of getting down on themselves when it doesn’t go right. I mean, you’re dealing with all of these dynamics at once, I suspect.

Roshmi Dalal: Leadership roles as as you can imagine, are different from management roles, traditional management roles. I mean, you are, as a leader, having to really, you know, um, address those curveballs that are coming at you a mile a minute at the same time, uh, with very, very deep consequences if if those decisions are not made right. And so, um, there is there is so much to, uh, you know, there’s so many benefits of developing oneself by the time you get to that point, um, to be able to handle a company in distress, you know, or a company that’s restructuring, um, or going through, um, major growth even, you know, how do you take that company in the right direction in a way that’s, um, calm and effective and influential, inspiring as well for, you know, your employees.

Stone Payton: So what’s the most rewarding thing about the work for you these days? What do you what are you enjoying the most at this point in your practice and your career?

Roshmi Dalal: Well, I think, you know, taking my clients through the journey of coaching can once again just reveal so many blind spots that they didn’t know they had in their, um, in their own way of thinking. And I think, you know, taking that deep dive with them to really understand, um, their past to some extent. Of course, as coaches, we don’t go into their past as much. But but to really understand the present level, um, in a much more deeper level is impactful for them to make the changes that they want to make and seeing them make those changes and get closer to achieving their goals for me is is absolutely rewarding. I mean, that’s why I entered this profession and to begin with, um, I’m so, uh, fulfilled as I offer this trusted, uh, quiet space for my clients to do the deep reflection that they do and to, you know, lay out their their action steps to get closer to achieving their desired outcomes has been very rewarding for me as a coach to see.

Stone Payton: Well, I’m glad you mentioned, uh, a trusted space, because I was thinking, as you were talking the level of trust, the depth of relationship that you must have to cultivate for the to to really help these folks as much as possible. I mean, they have they have got to feel safe when they’re engaging in this learning, don’t they?

Roshmi Dalal: Oh, that level of safety is one of the most important things to build that, you know, trust, uh, and vulnerability, um, you know, in this coaching relationship, I start, uh, with six months of coaching to begin, and we meet twice a month. And believe me, the first few months, I would say, yeah, we’re just getting to know each other. You know, we’re just continuing to explore one another and, um, get those very uncomfortable, get to those very uncomfortable places. Um, that that’s not easy to always talk about, you know, looking at patterns and for myself, making observations. But even being able to be very transparent as we go along in our coaching, it just takes time and trust and, um, again, creating that safe space in our coaching relationship. But that can lead to phenomenal results.

Stone Payton: Well, I suspect there’s tremendous value if your clients choose to take advantage of it That in watching you model behaviors, maybe even strategies and tactics and tools to build trust because, wow, how much more powerful might they be as a leader if they take some of what they see you doing inside their organization? Yeah.

Roshmi Dalal: What a great point. You just made, stone. Um, that’s really that’s a lot of what happens during our coaching conversations. We marry each other in a way. And so it is important for me to show that empathy that that leader wants to grow in for his or her team. You know, it is important for me to show active listening where I’m completely present to, to what my client is telling me versus being distracted on the phone or trying to do something else. Um, again, if that client wants to work on his or her presence and productivity. Um, so yes, as we are engaging in these conversations, I am doing my best to model and project the behaviors that my client wants to see and develop.

Stone Payton: So do you run into I got I’m going to call them myths, misconceptions, just preconceived notions about what this work is. You know, maybe early in the in the in the course of engaging with people, do you find that you have to kind of educate through or work around to sometimes people have some pretty, um, off the mark ideas about things like mindfulness and, and mental fitness and emotional intelligence and these kind of things.

Roshmi Dalal: Oh yes, there is always misconceptions. Sometimes, as you know, the the mindfulness. And these areas are perceived as being woo woo, you know, uh, by many. Um, but, you know, I, I take the time and I think it’s important for coaches to do this to to clarify, first of all, the coaching tools that I use and the meaning behind them and what they’re able to bring for my clients when I do demonstrate, for example, mindfulness practices during the coaching sessions, I do it with permission. First of all, I ask my clients for permission to to engage in these practices, and then I love to explore what those practices did for them so that, you know, it’s not just a one sided approach. They’re receiving it and feeling the difference. Um, and then I, I want to ask them, has their, uh, perception of these tools change? And nine out of ten times it’s a resounding yes. Um, they see the impact, they see how calming the effect is. They see the clarity that it brings in their, um, approach to thinking and decision making and and most of all, they see the long term resilience that they gain from doing these practices regularly. And of course, the emotional intelligence competencies that they’re building over time. So, um, again, early on, I do like to clarify, you know, a little more about what these practices do, will bring them, will do for them and what they’re all about and how they’re relevant to our coaching. I also try to clarify what coaching is in general and how it’s different from therapy and mentoring and counseling, because many times when I do have a client that wants to work with me, they want to know the answers. They want advice, um, specifically if they’re in the same area of business, which is the finance industry, you know, if they’re CPAs that are wanting to develop that emotional intelligence. And, um, of course, my answer to them is, is that coaching is not advice. It’s about us engaging in a series of thought provoking questions and conversation that helps allow for you to bring the best solutions to your challenges.

Stone Payton: Well, this brings me back. I don’t want to dismiss this at all, because it’s kind of a I don’t know, revelation may be strong, but it’s certainly opening my eyes to this this idea of capability transfer and thinking about return on investment from having senior leadership participate in something like this. But with this capability transfer, I’m going to call it for right now, whether it’s conscious or not. I mean, that could have an exponential impact on going like the, you know, like the ripples in the pond thing when I get back to my ranch. Right?

Roshmi Dalal: Yes. Are you referring to the ROI, the return on investment? Yeah.

Stone Payton: Coaching to me, you know, and like, I’m. I’m the number two guy in a pretty successful media company, right? So if I’m in there working with you. We’re working through some of my challenges. I’m building that trust. I’m watching you model that behavior. I’m practicing on these skills in a safe environment. And, um, you know, I could certainly have other people in the organization come to you as well. But now we’ve got a we’ve got me going back to the ranch Business RadioX and behaving this way and being a model for people in my world, that’s a a multiple return. It seems to me like.

Roshmi Dalal: Yes. And, you know, to kind of corroborate that, to back that up, you know, we encourage our clients to do 360 reviews with their with their teams, you know, do a set before the coaching, do a set after the coaching so they can really realize from the feedback, the changes that their teams are experiencing, um, with their leadership. So there are definite return on investment numbers to back this work up. Um with improving leadership competencies, uh, for our clients.

Stone Payton: All right, I’m gonna switch gears on you for a moment, if I could. I am genuinely interested, and I think our listeners will be, too. Uh, hobbies, pursuits, interests outside the scope of your work, anything you have a tendency to nerd out about or really enjoy that doesn’t have anything to do with any of this?

Roshmi Dalal: Well, I am a very extroverted social person, so I, number one, love people. And, uh, I, I love just, um, you know, engaging in all kinds of, uh, clubs, like book clubs. I love to read. I love to discuss books. Um, sometimes they’re on coaching since it is a place of passion for me. And sometimes they’re on various topics. Um, I am quite the spiritual person, so I love topics on spirituality. I enjoy, um, teaching yoga. That’s one of my passions and mindfulness. Um, and it again brings me closer to that spiritual path that I, you know, um, take very seriously. I love children, so I teach Sunday school, and, uh, I love, you know, being able to engage with kids. I love traveling in the Middle East. We got to travel quite a bit, just being geographically in a very central location. Um, and of course, my family is number one. I’ve got two teenagers, 19 and almost 17, who I adore and would love to spend every waking minute with if I could. So I’m very grateful I have a very full life in addition to this, um, wonderful job that I have at Weaver.

Stone Payton: Well, I find you remarkably calm and evenly keeled for a mother of two teenagers. So, uh, congratulations on that.

Roshmi Dalal: I’ve had lots of tests there, so.

Stone Payton: Hey, before we wrap, I’d love to leave our listeners with a pro tip for producing better results in less time. But, you know, in the context of of this conversation, whether it’s, it’s, uh, their own development or trying to look at their organization and look, gang. The number one pro tip is reach out and have a conversation with me or someone on the team. But let’s give them a little something, whether it’s something to read or to think about. Uh, let’s leave them with a pro tip.

Roshmi Dalal: Yes, absolutely. You know, I go back to we are often the ones that get in our own ways. So instead of looking at challenges as just being external, whether it’s in your professional or even personal life, um, take a deep dive and look into developing your own self, you know, building that self-awareness, taking that pause. More importantly, when you are faced with a challenge and, you know, doing some reflection on what is what is it that that it continues to get in the in your own way regarding your thought patterns? And what are some neat ways that you can help change that with the help of a coach or someone that could hold that trusted space for you as we work on ourselves? I believe in so many more possibilities, and I think we deserve to give ourselves that pause and do that reflection and work on ourselves as we move forward in our lives.

Stone Payton: I think that’s marvelous, counsel. All right. What’s the best way for our listeners to continue to tap into your work, maybe have that conversation with you or someone on your team. Let’s give them some coordinates to do that.

Roshmi Dalal: Yes, absolutely. Please do check out our company website at Weaver. Com and specifically, if, um, anyone wants to reach out to me, shoot me an email at roshmi. That’s spelled r o I dot. I’d a l a l at Weaver Comm.

Stone Payton: Rosemead. Thank you so much for investing the time to visit with us this afternoon. Thank you for your insight, your perspective, and thank you for the work you’re doing. It is so important and impacting so many and we are sincerely grateful.

Roshmi Dalal: O Stone, this was so much fun. I really appreciate the opportunity and time you’ve given me to talk about a topic I absolutely love.

Stone Payton: My pleasure. All right, until next time. This is Stone Payton for our guest today, Roshmi Dulal with Weaver and everyone here at the Business RadioX family saying, we’ll see you in the fast lane.

Women in Health: A Bold New Approach to Ending Hunger

April 3, 2025 by angishields

Women in Motion

Women in Health: A Bold New Approach to Ending Hunger

00:00 /

In this episode of Women in Motion, host Lee Kantor welcomes Jenny Buettner, CEO of Buettner Global Services. Jenny shares her remarkable transition from the fashion industry to the food service sector, driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. She discusses her company’s mission to combat food insecurity by providing healthier food options and developing a transparent vending program for donations. The episode highlights the importance of innovation, partnerships, and community engagement in addressing food security issues, showcasing Jenny’s dedication to making a significant impact in the health sector.

Jenny Buettner is a dynamic business leader, entrepreneur, and strategist with a proven track record in brand development, sales, and market expansion. As the CEO of Buettner Global Services Jenny has been able to assist in scaling brands into Food Service through her connections and partnerships.

Additionally, she has used her expertise to participate in the launch of Aqua beato as their Chief Operating Officer, she has been instrumental in driving growth, securing key distribution partnerships, and positioning the brand as a leader in the **natural alkaline water industry**.

With a passion for innovation and sustainability, she has spearheaded initiatives that bring high-quality, environmentally conscious products to market along with spearheading food scarcity and fatigue through SirVend aiming to combat hunger during emergencies and everyday needs.

Beyond these initiatives, Jenny has built a diverse portfolio of business ventures, from consumer goods and private labeling to strategic brand consulting. She excels in forging meaningful industry relationships, navigating complex supply chains, and creating impactful marketing campaigns.

Her expertise in scaling businesses, breaking into new markets, and leading high-performing teams has made her a sought-after voice in the industry.

As a WBENC-certified entrepreneur, Jenny is committed to empowering women in business and helping others navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship. Her insights on leadership, business development, and innovation continue to inspire emerging entrepreneurs and industry leaders alike.

Connect with Jenny on LinkedIn.

Music Provided by M PATH MUSIC

This transcript is machine transcribed by Sonix

TRANSCRIPT

Intro: Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX Studios, it’s time for Women In Motion. Brought to you by WBEC-West. Join forces. Succeed together. Now, here’s your host.

Lee Kantor: Lee Kantor here, another episode of Women In Motion, and this is going to be a good one. But before we get started, it’s important to recognize our sponsor, WBEC-West. Without them, we couldn’t be sharing these important stories. Today on Women In Motion, we have Jenny Buettner, and she is the CEO of Buettner Global Services Corp. And this month, remember we are highlighting women in Health, so I am so excited to be talking to Jenny about her work. Welcome, Jenny.

Jenny Buettner: Hi. Nice to see you. How are you?

Lee Kantor: I am doing well. I’m so excited to learn what you’re up to. Tell us about Buettner Global Services. How are you serving folks?

Jenny Buettner: So, Buettner Global Services has been in the food service industry for the last five years, supporting food banks and shelters and major distributors across the country and helping with food insecurity.

Lee Kantor: So, what’s your backstory? How’d you get involved in this line of work?

Jenny Buettner: Oh, okay. So, this is my backstory. It’s very interesting, considering I did not come from the food industry. My background has been in fashion, and I was in fashion for 12 years, designed and patented fashion solution products, and have been in manufacturing for quite some time. And COVID happened. Everything came to a complete standstill with fashion, you know, the fashion shows, weddings, whatnot, everything just kind of stopped. And I overheard a conversation with Sysco mentioning that they needed food and helping with the MREs, Meals, Ready-to-Eat, for different food banks and shelters across the country and that they had been contracted for. And since they did not have the capability to do small-scale retail, shelf-stable food, everything they did was in large portions like six, ten cans, 20-pound bags of pasta, they needed assistance in finding smaller quantities of food.

Jenny Buettner: So, I overheard a conversation that this is what they’re looking for, and I said I can help you because I’ve been working in that space. And then let me tell you how I worked in that space. So in the fashion world, I made, manufactured my products that I patented, and I sold them into high-end costuming, wardrobing and boutiques across the country. And then I knocked myself off and also brought myself, bifurcated the company and brought myself into discount chains like Dollar Tree, 99 Only, and so forth. So that manufacturing and that scale increased exponentially by being able to go from 600 high-end boutique stores and costume and wardrobing to now, you know, another 30,000 stores across the country by going into the discount retail area.

Jenny Buettner: So, that’s my manufacturing background, being able to perform for all of those different categories. And so, initially I heard that they needed assistance. I told them that I worked with these discount retailers. They asked me if I can assist them through that process. So it got me into the food business. And then I started working directly with manufacturing or different manufacturing companies to assist us in that purchasing.

Jenny Buettner: So, as I started to see the food start to – so, people starting to get food fatigue, you know, with a lot of these food programs. It’s the same food over and over and over again. And you start to see that people who are receiving this do become fatigued with the choices that are presented to them. The choices are not always the healthiest that the government provides to them. And so, I started seeing that there was a need to provide healthier choices to our community. And that’s how I got started.

Lee Kantor: Can you talk a little bit – you kind of went over it pretty quickly, but I’m really curious about the point of you knocking yourself off. And that’s – I find that most companies are afraid to do something like that. I mean, I can only think of Netflix as one of the few that have successfully knocked themselves off to be, you know, a major pivot, but still kind of within the same industry. Can you talk about the thought process there and the steps you took to knock yourself off so you can expand your presence?

Jenny Buettner: Sure, sure. So in that fashion world, my initial products that I patented were designed to go into, like I said, high-end costume and wardrobing, into fashion boutiques, and so forth. And so once I accomplished that, I went that is very limiting. You know, you’re stuck now with just a specific demographic where I really wanted to be able to provide my products to the masses.

Jenny Buettner: And so I created a secondary brand, and I brought it to Dollar Tree and to 99 Only and Dollar General, and like I said, I bifurcated the company and created another network of opportunities for my products that just didn’t sit in a high-end level. So by doing that, I was really able to expand the brand. And that brand is Shibue Couture, and that brand has been doing exceptionally well and still does today.

Lee Kantor: Now, what was – can you just walk us through what was the thought process like? Did you hit a point where it’s like, hey, there’s no – this market’s not big enough for our dreams? We’re going to have to do something. Can you talk about how you went to that point? Because that – I don’t know if everybody would make that same step that you took to, you know, go into a different, you know, whole market, you know, knocking yourself off like you did. Can you talk about kind of the thought process, the trade-offs that you were debating about doing it?

Jenny Buettner: Well, as long as I was not interfering with my high-end brand, then I was okay. And that’s really what I was looking for. I wanted to make sure that – the thought process behind it is how do I be able to increase my manufacturing capability, bring prices down, and hit a wider market? And I was not able to hit a wider market just by sitting alone in a high-end retail, especially with fashion solution products. And that’s what my company, you know, it’s still my company today, Shibue, is that Shibue was designed for fashion solutions, so things that you can’t see, which is – we went from food to fashion. But the whole basis for Shibue was to look flawless underneath the clothing that you’re wearing, without showing panty lines and bra straps and so forth and so on. So that was the concept all behind Shibue, and I felt like there was a much broader audience than just in your high-end retail, that there was a need across, you know, all walks of life.

Jenny Buettner: So by providing those products to the discount chains, you know, I felt like I was giving somebody else a high-end product but at a better offering. And also, I was able to increase my capability of manufacturing at a higher level.

Lee Kantor: And then by building those relationships with those other outlets, that kind of made sense with the food side of the business. Now, you had access to a variety of markets that your food could get distributed into.

Jenny Buettner: That’s right. So it really was when the change of the guard happened. So I went from providing them as a, you know, as manufacturer my products to saying, hey, I need to buy your products for this need. And so, I did. I became, you know, I switched hats and came out to them and said, look, I need to be able to buy these products for Meals, Ready-to-Eat, and I need to be able to buy them at a better price. And I need them immediately. And you have access to it right now, and I need it right now because that’s what happened in COVID. You know, all of a sudden everything was cut off immediately and people were, you know, without a job, without food; there was only so many people that were designated to be – what was the word that they used? We were –

Lee Kantor: The essential.

Jenny Buettner: Essential. We were essential, yeah, you know, who was an essential worker, who wasn’t an essential worker. And so, you know, everybody was pretty much cut off from the food chain or, you know, financing, you know, having money to be able to go out and buy food. So we were picking up the pieces along the lines with some of the retailers that I had relationships with.

Jenny Buettner: And then, as I was utilizing those relationships, I was also creating new relationships in the food industry and started calling and knocking on doors and, you know, reaching out to people who were very seasoned in the industry and that were also needing help. And I became an integral part of sourcing for not only Sysco, but, you know, various other high-end distribution companies and, you know, food banks and shelters. So, we became very essential very quickly.

Lee Kantor: Now, is there any advice you could share for other people when they’re trying to elevate themselves from a vendor to a partner? How did you build the relationships in such a way that that made sense for both parties?

Jenny Buettner: That’s interesting because it wasn’t super easy in the beginning. You know, this industry and the – I could say that about industry, every industry, every industry has it seems to be your good old boys or, you know, people who have been in the business for so long that, you know, they’re an anchor there. And me coming in as somebody brand new saying, look, I want to buy half a million dollars worth of your product. They’re, who are you? You know, how do we know you’re going to pay us? How do – you know. It was – it was quite a challenge. It really was.

Jenny Buettner: I mean, there was, you know, deals that I was making all. You know, I will go ahead and I will confirm that I will buy X amount over this amount of time and really started building up relationships and showing that there were benefits and they could trust me in the business. And that was the biggest part. You know, you have a lot of people, I think, who come to some of these businesses, and they’re looking to make the quick buck and then escape. That wasn’t my plan. My plan was to go in and make a presence and then grow my presence.

Jenny Buettner: Because if I was going to step into something like this, it wasn’t going to be a one-shot wonder. I was going to make something of this, and this is what we’ve done. And as a result, now we are expanding into the way we assist people who are having food security issues or even basic need issues.

Jenny Buettner: That’s become a huge thing as well, as we start to see emergencies happen all across our country. One of the things that we’ve developed and we’re deploying now is our containers with not only Meals, Ready-to-Eat but your basic necessities of aspirins and, you know, laundry detergent and toothpaste and toothbrushes and things like that. All in vending, in vending machines. So that’s a whole nother thing. You and I could talk for hours about some of these programs that we have, but it’s really been expanding the way that we are implementing our food choices and healthier choices to the end user. So we can avoid the food fatigue, avoid the food waste, the labor shortage, and so forth, and really making a meaningful impact.

Lee Kantor: Now, how are you deciding how and when to innovate? Like is – I guess I would imagine in something like vending, you’re getting pretty instant data about, “Okay, this is selling, this is not selling. Let’s do more of this. Less of this.” Is it something that you are from the top down, you’re saying, hey, we need more of this? Or is it from the bottom up, where the people are like, hey, you know, if we had more of this, you’d sell more of this?

Jenny Buettner: So, this is a new program that we’ve just piloted, and we’re just doing it right now in California, in Orange County. And the way that the program works is that our vending is all powered by our wishes platform, which is another exciting thing I could share with you.

Jenny Buettner: It is a platform that you can go in and make a donation and specify it to family members, friends, people who have stories, like a GoFundMe. But the difference is, is when you give your $100 donation and you say, I want it to go to the fire victims and I wanted to go to basic essentials, that money goes into that pool. And then the minute that money is spent, you know exactly where that money was spent and who spent it. So, you know, not a full name and whatnot if it was gone into a pool but you’ll know exactly that data.

Jenny Buettner: And today nobody has that kind of data on donations. And so if you went in and said, I want $500 to go to my son who’s going to college, and I want him to only spend it on food because, you know, we want to be able to track what my son’s spending, now you have that donation and that when your son goes to spend that money on our vending machines, you know exactly where that money’s been spent.

Jenny Buettner: So what we’ve seen and what we’ve uncovered in the last 4 or 5 years during our work with food banks and donations and fundraisers and so forth, that there’s no transparency. When you give that money, you don’t know where that money has gone. You don’t know if it’s gone to food. You don’t know if it’s gone to liquor. You don’t know, you know, or even if the story is that you’ve been told has been properly vetted. You know, I can tell you stories like Scamanda, right, on Netflix today where people were donating and that was a complete farce. Well, everything that we’re doing through our wishes platform and through our Serv-Vending program, you know exactly where every penny has been spent through the donation process. And the data is remarkable. Just the data that we’re able to provide is remarkable.

Jenny Buettner: And we really feel that that’s going to be super meaningful as we move through our pilot and then move across the country with our vending program, because not only are we going to be able to provide – not only are we going to be able to provide, you know, detailed data of how the money is being spent, the food choices that people are making but we’re also going to be able to provide healthy food that is either specific to people’s health requirements, you know, low sodium, gluten-free, that type of thing, high protein, low carbs, healthy, good food that is all locally sourced. And that’s been – you know, this whole program that we’re developed out right now is all about community, working with local, local companies and really being able to provide a missing link in what is going on in today’s world for food security.

Lee Kantor: Now, are you partnering with organizations, school systems, or is it individual people?

Jenny Buettner: No, right now we’re partnering with campuses because we’re recognizing that on – especially on a lot of our, you know, college campuses that there’s a huge insecurity of food for, you know, some of these students that are on campus. We’ve determined just on one campus alone, I won’t mention it, but here in Orange County, the one campus alone, there’s 19,000 students enrolled in the school, but there are 5000 who go without a meal a day.

Jenny Buettner: And so, with our wishes program and with the donations that we’re able to put up into that pool, they’re able to go and utilize our wish card through our Serv-Vending program and utilize that money to be able to buy food, laundry detergent, just necessities, you know, school pen, paper, you know, and you’re starting to really understand where money is being spent and how it’s being and how – and be able to take that data and derive the information that’s necessary for us to be able to take this and pilot it across the U.S.

Lee Kantor: Now, why was it important for you to become part of the WBEC-West community? How did that come about?

Jenny Buettner: So when I started working with Sysco, the amount of projects and, you know, sales that we were doing with them across the country, they asked, they said, “Are you certified through WBENC?” And I said, “No.” And I really didn’t know much about WBENC at the time. And they said, “You know, you really need to get on with WBENC. We would like you to be a WBE.” And I said, “Sure, no problem.” So we signed up with WBENC, and I’ve been thrilled that we’ve been a partner with WBENC because they have been instrumental in really a lot of connections throughout, you know, throughout the country.

Lee Kantor: So, what do you need more of right now? Do you need more strategic partnerships? Do you need more talent, more funding? What –

Jenny Buettner: All of the above, actually, because this particular program that we’re going into is not a small program. You know, FEMA is having a little bit of a challenge today. And I think what we’ve got going on today, nobody is being able to provide the type of data that we can provide. And so growing out this platform and bringing it across the country to all the different schools and campuses and shelters is where we’re going.

Lee Kantor: So if somebody wants to learn more, have a more substantive conversation with you or somebody on the team, what is the best way to connect? What is the website?

Jenny Buettner: So, the best way to connect with me right now is jenny@bgs-corp.com. They would be able to reach out to me on my email. And our website is bgs-corp.com. They’d be able to reach out, check out our website there. But that is my what you called me on regarding my food business. Right? This is what we do.

Jenny Buettner: But one of our – it’s our – you know, a subsidiary is our Serv-Vend, which is what we’re pushing out there for the food insecurity across the campuses across the U.S. So, that is the launch of this one. And like I said, our first pilot is going on here in Orange County, and we’re really excited to be able to provide that data and show how we’re making an impact, because today people are, you know, feeling like their donation is making an impact, but they really don’t know what kind of impact that donation is making.

Lee Kantor: Now, the Serv-Vend, does that have its own coordinates? Do you have a website for that? Or is that –

Jenny Buettner: Yes. That’s actually – it was up yesterday and then we just took it down to add all the menus. And so that’s going to be back up on, I think, on Friday. So it’s being all developed out.

Lee Kantor: And then who’s the ideal candidate for Serv-Vend?

Jenny Buettner: So, the ideal candidate is again it’s shelters, campuses, airports, you know, gymnasiums and really doesn’t – there’s no limitations to where our vending machines can go.

Lee Kantor: All right.

Jenny Buettner: In order for somebody to be able to utilize our vending machine, they can use it with their regular card. Or if you are somebody who is having a difficult time and going through a challenging experience, you can go on to our wishes platform, and you can get assigned. You can go in and tell your story. You get assigned a number and then people can donate either up to your story like a GoFundMe, or what they could do is go into a pool like they’re, you know, they can say, you know, I’m in the fire zone and I need help because of whatever. And that money will go into that pool, and where they can go ahead and swipe their wishes card because now they’ll have a wishes ID on their phone, and they’ll be able to use that at any one of our 76,000 retailers.

Lee Kantor: And they can use that just like money.

Jenny Buettner: And they use it just like money. And the good thing about it is, again, they get to go utilize it for what it’s been designated on or designated for, right? So, you know, if I’m donating it and I want it to go to food or I wanted to go to gas or I wanted to go to insurance, the minute somebody goes and they swipes it, I’m going to know where my money was spent as the donor.

Lee Kantor: What an amazing story, Jenny. Such rewarding work. You must sleep well at night knowing the impact you’re making.

Jenny Buettner: Thank you. Well, we are really excited about this program. We’re really excited about being able to make an impact and help people because there is such a need today as we start to see, you know, every time we turn around, there’s something else going on, where we really feel we can help people.

Lee Kantor: Well, thank you so much for sharing your story today. You’re doing important work, and we appreciate you.

Jenny Buettner: Well, I appreciate you having me on and love to share more as we start to grow this program across the U.S.

Lee Kantor: Sounds good. Well, thank you again. This is Lee Kantor. We’ll see you all next time on Women In Motion.

Bridging the Gap: How Education and Financial Support Can Change Lives for Marginalized Youth

April 3, 2025 by angishields

Cherokee Business Radio

Bridging the Gap: How Education and Financial Support Can Change Lives for Marginalized Youth

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Brought to you by Diesel David and Main Street Warriors

In this episode of Cherokee Business Radio, Stone Payton facilitates a roundtable discussion with Natalie Hutchins, Dr. Angela Coaxum-Young, and Dr. Angelita Howard. Natalie discusses EverFund’s mission to secure funding for small businesses and educational institutions in underrepresented communities. Dr. Young and Dr. Howard highlight the challenges faced by students in the juvenile justice system and the importance of educational opportunities. The conversation emphasizes the need for financial support, community involvement, and partnerships to create transformative educational environments.

Natalie Hutchins has 23 years of experience in education and community development. Her primary roles and responsibilities have been to oversee federal grant budgets upwards of $55M annually and the development of the Consolidated LEA Improvement Plan (CLIP) and comprehensive needs assessments for the districts she has served.

In 2020, as the world faced unprecedented challenges during the pandemic, Natalie recognized a critical gap in the landscape of grant writing and charitable funding. With small businesses and educational institutions struggling to stay afloat, the realization was that too many dreams were being lost simply because people lacked the expertise to navigate the complex world of funding. This realization led to the creation of EverFund – a venture dedicated to helping individuals, organizations, and communities secure the resources they need to thrive.

She enjoys marrying the politics and the practicality of State and Federal Laws to seek relevant opportunities to fit the district’s needs. As a part of the EverFund team, she aims to bring her wealth of experience to meet the needs of some of Georgia and our nation’s most underrepresented, justice-involved families by bridging the gaps in equity and access to high-quality education.

Natalie began her career pursuing a double major in Biology and Chemistry at GaTech, received her Bachelor’s in Interdisciplinhttps://theeverfund.com/ary Learning and Master’s in English Speakers of Other Languages from Western Governors University, and her Specialist Degree in Educational Leadership from Berry College.

Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn.

Angelita Howard is an educational pioneer, author, teacher, mentor, scholar, and servant leader. She serves as the Vice President for Global and Online Learning at Meharry Medical College.

Formally, Angelita was the Founding Dean of Online Education and Expanded Programs at Morehouse School of Medicine, in Atlanta. She served as inaugural Co-Director for both the Master of Science in Biotechnology (MSBT), and more recently over the last 2 years, the Master of Science in Health Informatics (MSHI) and the Doctorate of Health Administration (DHA), which were both established under her direction.

In her current role, Dr. Howard has demonstrated outstanding leadership, teaching, scholarship, and academic achievements. She has successfully launched and overseen several new online programs, including the #1 ranked MSBT. She has also developed and implemented innovative teaching methods, such as the Summer Bridge Pathway Programs, which have helped to increase diversity in the student body.

In addition to her administrative and teaching responsibilities, Angelita is also an active researcher with scholarly activity. More recently, she is a certified clinical research coordinator and has extensive experience in conducting research on educational interventions.

She has published several articles in peer-reviewed journals highlighting these research approaches and has presented her work at numerous national and international conferences.

Dr. Howard is an exceptional and internationally recognized leader of graduate education and online student performance & outcomes research. She is a gifted leader and educator who can connect with students from all backgrounds. She is also a tireless advocate for students, and always willing to go the extra mile to help them succeed.

Connect with Dr. Howard on LinkedIn.

Often regarded as an innovative leader, researcher, author, and speaker in education, Dr. Angela Coaxum-Young brings nearly two decades of experience to the field of education.

She is a candid, frank, and resilient educator, committed to disrupting systematic norms that often marginalize or disregard students deemed “at-risk”. Dr. Young’s public trials and triumphs became the conduit of change that ignited her advocacy and discussion around equity in education.

She is an energizing public speaker and challenges audiences to innovate and create new practices that ensure ALL students have a seat at every table.

Dr. Young began her career as a middle school social studies teacher in Miami-Dade County Schools. She continued her career trajectory serving in various roles in school districts across Metro Atlanta including principal, district support specialist, and most importantly, teacher.

Dr. Young founded Favor Academy of Excellence, Inc. (2009). The non-profit is credited for expanding educational opportunities for underserved youth in communities with limited resources. Dr. Young recently opened the company’s first tutoring and intervention center in Douglasville, Ga.

The center provides intensive academic, social, emotional, and restorative intervention for K-12 students. The center’s signature educational therapy: the Restorative Learning Model (RLM), is committed to ensuring students are academically inclined and mentally well.

Dr. Young is a respected school strategic planner, program/curriculum designer, published author, and culture builder. She has committed her life’s work to establishing educational programs and opportunities for underrepresented student populations. She utilizes her experiences as an educator to develop programs for diverse student groups including Students with Disabilities, Gifted Students, Students with Socio-Economic Disadvantages, and first-generation high school/college-bound students.

Dr. Angela C. Young received her Bachelor’s in Sociology from Bethune-Cookman University, her Master’s in Administration of Educational Programs from Nova Southeastern University, her Specialist Credential from Georgia College and State University, and her Doctoral Degree in Educational Leadership from Georgia Southern University.

Dr. Angela C. Young is married to SFC Travis Young, and they have four children: TJ, Jordan, Joshua, and Jacob.

Follow Favor Academy of Excellence on Facebook and Instagram.

This transcript is machine transcribed by Sonix.

TRANSCRIPT

Intro: Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX studios in Woodstock, Georgia. It’s time for Cherokee Business Radio. Now, here’s your host.

Stone Payton: Welcome to another exciting and informative edition of Cherokee Business Radio. Stone Payton here with you this morning. And today’s episode is brought to you in part by our Community Partner program, the Business RadioX Main Street Warriors Defending Capitalism, promoting small business, and supporting our local community. For more information, go to Mainstreet Warriors and a special note of thanks to our title sponsor for the Cherokee chapter of Main Street Warriors, Diesel David, Inc. please go check them out at diesel.david.com. Also a very special announcement. I’m so excited I can’t see straight. For those of you who have been following our collaboration with Wildlife Action and so many community partners here in the Greater Cherokee area, the SS Freedom Adventure, for all that wheelchair friendly boat that we are going to be taking folks out in fishing, cruising, having a good time, it will be in the water tomorrow, will be booking cruises soon. Please continue to follow us and you can go to ssfreedom.org and stay on top of that. You guys are in for a real treat. Today we have a special roundtable episode. Please join me in welcoming to the broadcast to introduce all of this, set the stage. With EverFund, she’s the owner and executive Director of federal grants and funding for EverFund. Natalie Hutchins. How are you?

Natalie Hutchins: I’m doing so well. Thank you so much for having us.

Stone Payton: What a delight to have you and your crew.

Natalie Hutchins: Oh, yeah.

Stone Payton: Here in the studio. I’ve really been looking forward to this conversation. I have so many questions. I’m looking forward to to learning a great deal and sharing this conversation with our listeners. But let’s start. If we could give us a little bit of an idea of your work, what are you and your team at EverFund really out there trying to do for folks?

Natalie Hutchins: Thank you. Well, at EverFund, we are a small but mighty team and we really have two intents and purposes. Our objectives are to support small businesses, especially those in underrepresented communities, to ensure that they are fiscally responsible and fiscally ready for funding opportunities so that they can grow their own agencies. Right. And on the second side, we have a procurement and grant administration firm where we support charter schools, private schools and public schools under 30,000 students to ensure that when funding ebbs and flows, schools and students and families don’t miss out on the very vital programs that they need to be successful. So that’s really what we bring to the table. We’ve been doing this work for about five years exclusively, but as a team of five between all of us, we have about 200 years of experience in the federal programs world, and we’ve managed between 50 million and $150 million annually. So it’s just really, really great to be able to share our skills within the community and around the state of Georgia and beyond. We’re officially now we have seven programs, two schools, and we’re in nine states. So it’s just really a blessing to be able to do this work.

Stone Payton: Well, congratulations on the momentum and every indication that it’s not anywhere near stopping. It’s only going to continue to scale and grow. Uh, sounds like noble, just and true work, if you can get it. What was your journey? How did you wind up doing this?

Natalie Hutchins: Well, I started off at, believe it or not, as a pre-med student at Georgia Tech.

Speaker4: Of course. Makes perfect sense.

Natalie Hutchins: A double major in chemistry and biology, which was awesome. And I realized very quickly that if you got out of work at 5:00 in the hospital, it really was 9 to 10:00 pm, and the schedule was a little bit hard for me with a bunch of little kids. So I decided to take a break. And I am a bilingual speaker, so I do speak Spanish very fluently, and I was invited to just hang out at school. So I started as a paraprofessional. Then I was a bilingual educator and things just kept going from there. And I found myself in central office in one of the largest school districts in our country for about 20 years. And within that every program had money and had funds. So I had the opportunity to just slow down and learn how to navigate the 32 overarching federal grants that are available in the United States. And now I just do that work for the people that can’t afford it.

Stone Payton: So at this point in your career, what what are you finding the most rewarding? What’s the most fun about it these days for you?

Natalie Hutchins: Well, that’s what we’re going to talk about today. A board that I had been on for about three years, um, the private school has done so well. And in their space and the juvenile justice and juvenile engaged arena, they’re going to be here with us today, or they are here with us today to just really speak about that work. And I’ve transitioned, um, from that role of being on the board to actually supporting them in their Office of Finance, and they’re doing some really, really amazing things, and I’m so proud of them. So I really just want to highlight a really great example of what partnerships can do when you believe in others and give them the support that they need when they need it.

Stone Payton: Fantastic. Well, let’s bring them into the conversation. Introduce our other guests, if you would.

Natalie Hutchins: Absolutely. We have our Executive Director and Founder, Dr. Angela Young. Um, so she’s here with us, as well as her President of her board, Dr. Angelita Howard. Um, so they’re going to take it away and share with us what’s going on. Um, with Favor Transition Academy and Favor Academy of Excellence.

Dr. Angela Coaxum-Young: Um, thank you so much for having me on. I am super excited to engage this discussion, and I hope there’s an opportunity to to merge, um, the value of financial support, um, with missions that are underfunded in communities that are certainly underrepresented. So, um, today we’ll give a little bit of discussion around the juvenile justice, mental health and, um, how we have been able to kind of partner and work together. I want to pause before I get into favor Academy of Excellence and just give some homage to Dr. Howard. Um, allow her to tell a bit of her work and why she is so integral in our success as an organization.

Dr. Angelita Howard: Thank you. It’s such a pleasure to be here and share. And so the three of us came together over the last two years. When we talk about justice involved juvenile justice and partnership and finance. We do understand that if you don’t have financial support, it’s a nightmare. It can be a nightmare. So that’s why it’s really important, the work that Natalie has done and is doing. But beyond that, we also understand how important education is. And so with Dr. Young, she and I are the educational specialists, if you will join team to create opportunities for those who are marginalized, who don’t necessarily have the support and then adding a financial support to that to make sure that students, no matter where they are, no matter their background, have opportunities to success, is what we’re about. That’s the work that we’re doing, and I’m so happy to have joined this team of amazing women on this last few days of Women’s Month, to highlight the work that’s being done to create opportunity, access and impact for young women and men.

Stone Payton: So what are some of the the major gaps, the the unfunded things, or they’re not properly funded things until you guys get involved at a layperson like me may not might not even cross our mind. We might take for granted.

Dr. Angela Coaxum-Young: Um, I’ll start in the K-12 space. So I will also say that Dr. Howard and I represent education from two different lenses. And so we’ll be able to speak to this, um, in a more in a broad way. Um, K-12 specifically, um, has some challenges when we’re talking about dynamic student groups. And so in our case, we are talking about students who are just disengaged. So students who have what we call enter the pipeline to prison. So at some point, their behavior, um, their attendance, uh, their records, uh, criminal records have removed them from the ability to continue their traditional learning in a traditional school environment. And so we look for alternatives for them. What we found to be an issue was, uh, the resourcing for alternative spaces for students like that is just not there. So our partnership was birthed, um, from the idea that this is a student group who needs more, not just for the benefit of educators and for society. These are the group of kids that we certainly want to reform, restore, make sure they are ready to return to our neighborhoods and our communities, um, healed, um, free of all interest and participating in any criminal activity and just create safe environments for everyone. So I was really looking for a thought partner who had some expanded experience. And I came to Dr. Howard, who at the time was working with the college, and they had just created, um, a justice involved care program or. I’m sorry. Yeah. I’m sorry. Um, and she she really blew me away with the work she was doing and how she could expand our vision. So.

Dr. Angelita Howard: So, yeah, you know, that’s the wonderful thing about education is transformative from k through 12 to college. And so even at the institution I’m at now, Meharry Medical College, one of the things this is why it’s so important for we’re talking about, uh, networking and partnerships is because even to your question, even when we think about the needs of those who, again, are underrepresented, underserved, we’ve had we have to have partnerships. We have to have back to finance. We have to have those grants because we’re trying to make sure people have access to education. They have access to to equitable education. And a lot of times, the way that happens, especially in minorities or marginalized populations, are through grants or through grant fundings or through private funding. Some of course, now with everything that’s taking place, honestly, we are concerned because a lot of the federal money is being taken away. A lot of the words, the key words that we in favor Academy have dealt with, you know, if you say those words, you can’t get funded, certain funding, certain federal funding. So that’s a stressful time. And so when we think about partnership with Natalie, then what happens is here she can find opportunities that are not necessarily Really funded by federal grants. It might be private sectors that can help us streamline some of the work that we’re doing from K through 12 private. And then certainly in the college arena.

Stone Payton: Way to go. Natalie, you’re the hero. All right. So kind of break it down again. Kind of at the layperson level. And I’m going to say $100. Check. I know there’s a lot more zeros probably attached to some of these programs. I certainly hope so. But so what are some things you would you tactically invest in once you receive the funds?

Natalie Hutchins: So I would like to just if we think about how much it costs to educate a student. So with our particular program that we are sharing we have a middle and high school program. So that program is a Saturday program that maybe will run about 12 to 16 weeks, where we’re watching students and partnering with our nearby counties to say, hey, we can see that these students based on an early warning system, may be on the trajectory to not being able to complete school or being very close to being just disengaged. So let’s start now. We do with our middle school and our high schoolers. We have a wonderful giveback program. That alone you’ve got teacher, you’ve got a counselor, you’ve got a psychiatrist, you’ve got the therapist. You have the building. Right. So that alone can cost us $25, $40,000 just to run that program.

Natalie Hutchins: So that’s huge. And then on the other side, we have a private school for high schools that is fully accredited. You know how much it takes to raise money for a kid to go to school? We all know what our tax bill looks like, right?

Natalie Hutchins: We’ve talked about the Tax Digest. We’ve talked about those homestead exemptions and what those funds look like. So favor is positioned well to ensure that they have the funding that’s necessary to take care of all of a high school student’s needs and some of our really large endeavors for next year. We recently just put in some applications Dr. Young for some school and sports things. So if you want to maybe share what that looks like, because we are a petite private school, but we’re intentional.

Dr. Angela Coaxum-Young: And so I think it’s important to kind of expand on the understanding around the student group we’re talking about. These would be students that for some can not return to the traditional public school system. Some have already, um, acquired felony charges. Um, some have through school disciplinary measures. Um, been permanently expelled from the school system. Um, what’s in place right now typically for this student group is online learning. And that poses a problem because these are students who are very active already, very connected in communities. Um, and they are kind of left to their own devices, Vices, if you will, to learn independently. Most times they won’t continue their learning, but even if they are more tenacious and they decide to pursue their education, they’re still partnering with people who might have been the very people who led them down the wrong path, and they are free all day to, in some cases, if I’m honest, wreak havoc on communities. And so this is where we need partnership. This is where we need everyone on one accord. We want to have safe communities. We want to have students who are prepared. We want to have students ready to enter our workforce. Um, we have a student group who, if we reform them well, might be, you know, ideal candidates. Um, and so we need to make sure that we get them prepared. So when we think about this school favored Transition Academy in particular, it would be the kids who are already disconnected from the public school would be the kids that we need some oversight or certainly some resources like mental health therapists and etc. to make sure that we deal with the thing that lives inside of them that might be creating some of the behaviors we’re seeing.

Dr. Angela Coaxum-Young: And we certainly need people who are willing to partner with the school to create, to create opportunities for them to get job skills, career readiness skills, etc. and we need advocates. Very strong advocates who are going to say, give the students a second chance. They may look a bit scary sometimes, but like at the end of the day, they are still children and that is something we firmly believe restoration, like giving them an opportunity to restore their communities through righteous and rightful efforts. And so that is the the premise and the basis of this school. And so partnering with Natalie was huge because we kept running into barriers and we attempted everything. We attempted to open the school as a charter school. Charter schools are, you know, in general, schools are very focused on academic success. This is a group that we can’t guarantee. Academic success for. I can’t even guarantee sustained enrollment for, because I am in competition with the very thing that attracts them outside of the schoolhouse. Um, so that that’s problematic. Um, and ultimately, we did not win there. Um, but we kept pushing and again, through partnership and I have to be able to, um, really, really just celebrate Natalie and Dr. Howard. These ladies have continued the fight with me alongside of me breaking walls, connecting, you know, partners and networks as best we could to get us to this point. Um, we are now positioned to open an actual school site. So we have been operating out of our program site for the last a little over a year. We’re now opening a school site coming into the next year. Um, it’s a little scary, but we because.

Natalie Hutchins: What I hear, I, what I hear is, you know, we’re about to get into a building, right? We are looking for.

Natalie Hutchins: And you know what that money looks like. So, um, anyone who has a mortgage, if you, you know, you buy something that’s two, three or $400,000. I mean, now we’re looking at 2 or $3000 a month just for overhead on top of what we just recently talked about with that program. So educating children is a very expensive and fundraising is very important. Um, we’re getting into some spaces now where we’re going to be looking at kind of some adopt the students, um, opportunities so that corporations and of the like can volunteer or at least maybe pitch in and say, you know, if this is the tuition for the student, can you, you know, how many students could you, you know, pay a semester or a quarter, those kind of things? Um, in addition to the, um, the grants, because these families really do need the help and support. But more importantly, like Dr. Young is saying, we all need these students to go through the program and to be successful, it’s for the greater good of our communities, right?

Stone Payton: That’s an excellent point, and it’s an inspiring mission. And I got a ton more questions around it. But I’m thinking just if even just from an enlightened self-interest point of view, I want these kids on this other path than the one they’re they’re on. Absolutely, absolutely. And it also, it occurs to me that it’s great if we can have this, you know, major sea change and, you know, incredible transformation. But even if you just change, the word you used was trajectory. Even if we just move them a few degrees, we’re talking about a very different future.

Natalie Hutchins: And think about the families, right?

Natalie Hutchins: So if you know your grandfather or your great grandfather, think about your life differently today. If your great grandfather made some really bad decisions, you know, how long does it take a family to recover from maybe an accident, an incident, or just being naive. And we are talking about children, and children are children, right? They’re going to do things. They’re going to test the limits, because everybody has had that experience of just saying, I’m invincible. I can do anything because I’m 15, 18 and 20. And then when you get on the other side, you’re like, how did we make it? You know, what were we thinking? But, um, that’s just what we’re here for because we understand, like you’re saying, if we just can get them a few degrees to look the other way or have something else inspire them or catch fire inside of them. The world isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. You know they deserve their grandchildren deserve for someone to step in to help change their grandchildren’s lives. And that’s what we’re here for.

Stone Payton: And the earlier we can get to them and provide some of that positive input. But yeah, I’m thinking just a few early wins and, and the, the psychological benefit of hey, someone you know, something has invested in me a little bit. And now I’ve tried this set of behaviors and I’m getting some positive results, then maybe we can achieve some escape velocity. I asked Natalie the question a moment ago. I’m going to ask each of you because I’m interested in kind of the the day to day, that energy that you must have to have to keep doing this work, as noble as it is, has got to require a great deal of energy. Um, but what are some of those things that you find rewarding? Uh, Angelina, that just push you on to tomorrow? Even if today was a tough day.

Dr. Angelita Howard: Change, change pushes me. And knowing that students, no matter where they are, things can happen. Dr. Jung talked about workforce development, but even beyond there, there are students who will be in her program or who are in her program, who will come to college. They will end up going to college if we get them early enough, if we help them, if we make sure that they have guidance, if they have mentorship, they will come to college. And so then it’s my responsibility to make sure that we have programs for them, aligned for them, so that they don’t feel as if they are on an island by themselves, that we embrace whatever has taken place. For example, in a program that I have run, we had a felon, a person who was in there in prison for 25 years. He’s now graduated from college. He now works for the government. He works for the Department of Behavioral Health. So he went back to the system that had him for 25 years, and now he’s training uh, other, uh, juvenile impacted or justice impacted individuals to do some of the work. The peer specialists that he’s that he has done. So this type of work is what fuels me to get up every single day to make sure that, again, people have opportunity. Because oftentimes in my field and in what I am so passionate and I care about, is to make sure that those who would not have the opportunity, that they do have the opportunity. So that takes a little bit more work, a little bit more elbow grease, because they’re not the ones who normally have a 4.0. They’re not the ones who normally will just get accepted into your Ivy League schools. They are ones that may have, you know, some issues along the way. They may have had lower GPA, they may have had family issues that have stopped them from progressing in the way that they should. And so it’s my responsibility to go and find opportunities, create opportunities for them to be successful, create pathways for them to be successful.

Stone Payton: So does, um. I’ll come back because I want to hear this from you, too. Um. Dr. young, but does healthcare impact this world at all? Because it strikes me. Well, my my wife, who made a very comfortable living and we had Cadillac insurance and all that, she hung up her cleats, retired. I had to go out on the thing, get my own insurance. That was even, you know, in my situation in life, that was kind of a tough transition. But does health care impact us?

Dr. Angelita Howard: Oh, absolutely. Yeah. In fact, at Meharry, where I am now in the School of Global Health, we just built a program focused on not only health equity, but looking at how health equity really is amongst everyone. There are people who are in the jail right now who, you know, they tell them to take one medicine for everybody. It’s like blood pressure medication. Okay, everybody take metformin. But my body is not like the next person’s body. And if you don’t have equity, if you’re not teaching, if you’re not showing, if it’s not building, if we don’t have access to these different types of medicines, these different types of therapies, then people, no matter where they are, are going to suffer. And that’s the that’s that’s the bad thing about, you know, disparities and social determinants of health. And beyond that, political determinants of health. Because if you don’t have access then of course you’re going to suffer. And in again, marginalized community in which we serve, which we know a lot of our kids are from, they have chronic diseases which have stemmed from years and years. Grandpa, grandma, all of those years of of health issues. If they’re not addressed early on or through their process, then they’re it’s only going to get worse.

Stone Payton: Yeah. So Dr. Young, speak to that as much as you want as well. And what keeps you going? What are you really enjoying?

Dr. Angela Coaxum-Young: I definitely want to make the connection. Um, the health care connection with the student group that I serve. Just because we’re when we think about students who are inclined to link up with people who would perpetrate, um, unsavory or they would perpetuate, um, scenarios that are unsafe for themselves and for everyone around them. Um, you have to wonder where the origination of that mindset comes from. And so we find that there is an intersectionality between mental health or mental instability and student behavior. We definitely see that show up in our schools. And I also want to kind of bring this back to just the passionate side of me. Um, I served as a school assistant principal, a school principal, and I happened upon one school, one population of students. It it affected my health care. I’m going to say I’ll start there. Right, right. Um, I don’t think I’d ever come across a set of students who who had such a hopelessness. It was such a buried hopelessness that it was hard to describe. And I remember driving to work for the first year on the job, just wondering when and how could we ever get a student to be so angry? How could they wake up angry? How could they wake up so aggressive, so ready to fight the world and attack anyone that that stepped into the space that they were holding on to their life for. Um, and so slowly I began to unpack that. But as we moved into the pandemic, I started to see what a lot of educators saw.

Dr. Angela Coaxum-Young: Um, there was a rise of violence, um, in schools, there was a rise of violence in the communities. The kids had had some time to be home. Um, that created this for some, this interest in isolated environments. And so, of course, when we brought them back into the school with hundreds of kids, anything and everything could set them off. Um, I shudder to think. Um, for some of the things I’ve engaged in, I won’t be as colorful as I could be for some of the things I’ve engaged, some of the experiences I’ve had as an educator and students I’ve had to kind of come alongside of and help turn the bus around. Um, I shudder to think of a society that would be laden with large amounts of students who operate with that level of hopelessness. It’s scary. I’m. I’m saying it from someone who has seen it, who does not separate myself, who does not categorize myself in a specific race. And I don’t want to paint a picture that’s untrue. This is scary. Some kids are scary. There is danger. No one wants to deal with that group. The only way we could get to that group is if we put them in the prison system. There has to be an alternative, because it could take us 20 years to catch a kid and put them in a prison system. They’re running around doing who knows what. In between that time. So this is a very hard thing, which is why it isn’t a one that you see every day.

Dr. Angela Coaxum-Young: You’ll you may see one school dedicated to students who have some very advanced and significant negative behaviors. Um, in every community, I’m going to say in every county, maybe. Um, but they are very few and far between because this is hard work. Even as we open the private school, we’re opening it with the idea that we want to keep it small. We have to grow, you know, in concert with what we’re seeing. Because we don’t know what we don’t know. I don’t know if I bring the wrong set of kids together, what that’s going to look like in a school building, I don’t know, but what I do know is I have to staff it with enough mental health support. I have to staff it with enough teachers that are not just, you know, able for to be able to teach the curriculum, but they have a passion that exists beyond what their degrees have prepared them to teach. Because that’s what you need. You need someone willing to go the extra mile for this group of students. And that wakes me up. The idea that I’m not just changing a life because that’s important to me. I have to be purpose driven. That’s that is definitely motivating. But the fact that every life I change changes the lives of so many others. You when you drive into our county, because there’s a favorite transition academy, there may be an incident you never experienced because we existed. And that’s important to me.

Dr. Angelita Howard: So and you see why we love it? Do you see why I follow her? Do you understand now why we follow her?

Stone Payton: Absolutely.

Dr. Angelita Howard: We’re connected.

Stone Payton: Well, and you said you don’t know. There’s a lot that you don’t know right now. I applaud your your efforts for so many reasons, but the your willingness to throw your hat over the fence. Because what you do pretty well know is what’s going to happen if you don’t do anything.

Stone Payton: If you’ve got some real not just anecdotal evidence. You probably have even some hard data on what’s going to happen, what’s going to continue to happen. And I’m sure, Natalie, I’m sure it’s everybody’s doing a high five in the parking lot when we get like an injection, you know, a company, an organization steps up and provides some money, or you win this big grant from a from the federal government or something like that. But what you really I suspect you need this ongoing, you know, consistent funding to make this work. Right. That’s got to be on your mind.

Natalie Hutchins: Absolutely every day. So we’re just like a stool. Any client that we work with or we support, you know, we talk to them about those three legs, you know, what are your private sales? What’s happening? What are your donations? What is foundational, what is philanthropic. And, you know, what is federal, state and local. And I know those are a lot of things, but we’ve got to decide what those three prospects are and really be steadfast and consistent. We had a conversation on our way over. Um, as we were driving up today, just going, okay, so we’re looking at this building. What is this going to cost? What do we have in the pipeline? When is the next thing over? How many opportunities do we have in the waiting? What’s pending, what’s next? And it’s just that everyday grind of it all because like, um, Dr. Young said, you know, I have to come alongside her. And when she prompted and she was sharing this and I said, wow, I’ve never thought about what happens with the children that because every district is trying to raise their API. And we can do that by saying, you know, this kid’s a little bit too rough for our our building, but also protecting the students that we do send to school. Right? So you have those students who are not coming to school traumatized. We don’t want them to leave traumatized, right?

Natalie Hutchins: So what do we do in the interim? What do we do for the child who needs a different safe space? What does that safe space look like? I remember years and years ago. I believe it was either cut or racetrack. But I want to say cut. And of course, like now we all see the blue lights, right? That’s the thing. I love the fact of thinking like Favre as that blue light. We knew that if we rode past a cut and it was 2 a.m. and something was happening, and we used to tell our children this because we’re all educators, you know, I’m in the K-12 space as well. So we always tell our students, if you ever have a, you know, a situation or you can’t find your mom or there’s a fire, or we worked with lots of homeless students in our district at the time. You know, if you can find that blue light, they will feed you. They will give you a snack. I mean, you can walk into that and say, I don’t know where my mom is. Call. They have someone on staff. And that was huge work that you think a gas station like, why would a gas station do that? A gas station understood that it is common to loiter at a gas station. That’s where people are. So if you’re having an emergency, there is always a gas station. So they took it upon themselves 15, 20 years ago to say, hey, we’re going to create safe spaces and you’ll see the little yellow. This is a safe space. Next time everybody’s going to go to sh and a racetrack and be like, I’ve never known this space, right?

Natalie Hutchins: So we used to really talk to our parents about that and talk to our students about having that safe space. And that blue light is explicitly what that is. It’s like, hey, if you’re homeless and you need food, that’s why we keep fresh food and fresh vegetables. You guys always we can walk into sh and you see that little basket. That’s one of their selling points.

Natalie Hutchins: They don’t make any money off of that. They want people to be able to come in and grab that. If you have an emergency or if you need something. So I feel that same way about favor. I feel like that is the the blue light that is really shining on that side of the county. And we look forward to their growth and their efforts. I love that they are so intentional and so thoughtful about the student group in a way that I’ve never seen. And so for me, I was like, let’s do it. Let’s just find the funding. I know that this is important not to just us, but other people, because we want everybody to be in their community safe. We want you to be able to go to the grocery store and not worry about the teenager who can no longer go to high school, who’s doing nothing all day. Right. Um, and Faber has been really instrumental in building partnerships with barbershops and places like KFC and Taco Bell, so that students actually can work during the day and do classes in the evening, which may not be very traditional, but it’s excellent for our population of students because now, instead of you going to school for only seven hours a day, now, you know, we’ve kept you occupied for 12, 14 hours a day, which again, is that, you know, reentry into society. And it is our community responsibility. So that within itself, it just takes a ton of money to do it. Um, and I’m here for it. So I’m going to my you know, papa always said that, um, you know, it’s easy to tell a man to pull himself up by his bootstraps. But what about the man with no boots? Right.

Natalie Hutchins: Well, we’re boots on the ground. Boots on the ground.

Stone Payton: So I want to talk more about these sponsorships, because now you’re starting to touch my world a little bit. We do a lot of work with with small business, of course, and they want to try to contribute in any way that they can. That’s why we have a community partner program here in Cherokee County for our little operation. Um, but I got to tell you, you know, as a, you know, a middle aged, rich white guy, I am going to make a point of doing more business at the county on my way when I go hunting and fishing.

Stone Payton: And, you know, because it just that makes me feel I would rather buy my coffee and beer, buy my coffee there, and I gotta believe a lot of folks would, would feel that way, even if they’re not as educated and all. So I’d like to hear more about the partnerships, and then I’d like to hear a little bit more about how you’re educating, you know, people like me and people with a lot more power and influence than me to try to to help you guys?

Natalie Hutchins: Absolutely. I will get straight to the money and then I’m going to turn it over to, um, Dr. Howard because she is all about that. Um, I will tell you that the tuition for a student is $7,000. So any partner that wants to say, hey, I’ll cover a kiddo for a year, that would be lovely. And a semester is 3500. Super easy math. Um, and that’s a lot cheaper than what it costs to on our tax dollars, because our tax dollars are about $25,000 a year to house an inmate, even at the juvenile level. So you can pay $25,000 a year off your taxes or, you know, ask your boss for some cash.

Speaker4: Right? I like that framing. Yeah, absolutely.

Natalie Hutchins: 7000 is nothing. That’s a third of the cost. Um, and if a kid goes to high school for, you know, four years and you’ve kept him out of that, then you know, that return on investment for community people, we will we will feel that in our pockets when we’re not building more and more prisons. Right. Because that is it’s very costly. So, um, that’s, you know, our pitch. If someone wants to adopt a student, we would be more than grateful for you to be able to do that. And then we have those Saturday programs where the students are actually reinvesting into the communities that they’re tossing. Right. So that’s really important to us that we say, hey, we are going to be community builders and not community wreckers. So what Dr. Young has going on is every Saturday, those middle and high schoolers that we kind of see on that trajectory, we keep them in small groups, but they are doing community service oriented projects. So if you ever want to donate any amount that helps us with community service, as we look at a building, we’re going to need to get paint. And the inside of the building is great, but the outside of the building we’re going to need some work on. So we’ll be definitely hitting up Home Depot and your fellow friends if you want to come out and help us and bring some. You know, I love the cow manure. So bring it. Bring the plants, bring some trees, bring the flowers and let the kids, you know, make that building their own as we begin to, um, really set that in motion over the next couple of months and be ready to open our new building in August.

Stone Payton: Well, and here again, it would just it would feel good to contribute to something like that in whatever fashion we could like as the Business RadioX network or something like that. Um, but again, it’s everybody wins in that equation, right?

Natalie Hutchins: Absolutely.

Stone Payton: Everybody wins. So at the, um, Dr. Young, um, at the school level, like if you identify a kid or maybe you Angelita as well, um, that has an interest. I’ll just make this my little tiny world. But you got a kid that’s interested in media or broadcasting or, you know, they they think so. Like to give them opportunities to come and hang out and do, like, how cool would it be to have the a kid sitting right here running the board, right. Or.

Dr. Angela Coaxum-Young: Absolutely. That’s a huge part of our school, um, model.

Dr. Angela Coaxum-Young: Um, the students aren’t always earning money at jobs during the day. It is internship. What we’re trying to do is occupy a large portion of their awake time. And so.

Dr. Angela Coaxum-Young: It is getting them connected to career fields that they thought were just off the table for them, for their past, you know, commitments. Um, and so partnering with people who say, I understand this is going to be a student that I might have to work with a bit, I might have to kind of coach up and maybe, um, through redundant practices, teach and reteach again. But I am committed to making this student ready and prepared to consider this as a viable career option for us, because that’s the first part of restoration. They have to see the potential.

Stone Payton: And they got to believe that there’s there’s light at the at the end of the tunnel. And you know, my example may be very pedestrian, but how cool would it be for that kid who in that environment may be, you know, they’re there. They really like the rap music. And they see all the stars and the flash and all that stuff. Um, and, you know, maybe we can’t put them in a limo and make all that happen for them, but how cool would it be if the raw audio from this interview was sent to the that kid and and he’s on a computer, you know, doing all the the magic to the audio and he’s he’s part of the industry just again those little moves.

Dr. Angela Coaxum-Young: It would be life changing.I think it’s life changing for them if they see that what they’ve done is a part of something great, it’s a part of something useful. Yeah. When you hear negativity all the time.

Dr. Angela Coaxum-Young: You start to believe that. So when you and you’re able to put something out there, product, anything. I mean, if they paint a wall and someone walks in and says, this wall is gorgeous, there’s a pride that lives inside of them that is hard to contain. And so that’s what we want. We want to inspire that feeling all the time, because then they’re more inclined to move in this direction than this. Because now this one also comes with finances, Answers, praise, adoration. People like me here, over here, not so much. And I want to really get away from this, this level, this lane and live in this one. And so it’s it’s exposure. It’s access. It’s all the things we’ve talked about today. And when you asked about community education, that was one of the reasons we initially partnered with Dr. Howard. Um, so they were doing a justice involved care program. They were training people who were very interested in working with justice involved people, not just juveniles, adults as well. And I was in love with their life coaching model because it’s a whole child, whole person effort. And there are some things that as an educator, a veteran educator, it’s more than the social studies. I can teach you what’s going on right here. I need to be able to take the the titles off and just be your aunt for a second.

Stone Payton: I love that, I love that.

Natalie Hutchins: And, Dr., um, Howard, talk to us a little bit about the film festival. That was a great segue, Stone. So talk to us about the film festival, which was our most recent, um, program project.

Dr. Angelita Howard: The film festival.

Dr. Angela Coaxum-Young: I think she’s talking about the act, but but I do want her to piggyback on, um, the program that she did with, uh, the justice involved care and what you all were doing with that and how we got to. Because it was all.

Natalie Hutchins: And I’m calling it a film festival because it was just really awesome. And I was a guest, and it felt like a film festival to me. I mean you know.

Natalie Hutchins: I mean, the kids did an amazing job, and you, I was like, wow, kids edited this.I’m just trying to, like, figure out how to turn on my cell phone. Right. And I walk in and these kiddos were just did some really amazing, amazing things. Um, under her, her support and her leadership.

Natalie Hutchins: That was a part of that care program.

Dr. Angelita Howard: So, yeah, that was the menopause that just happened.

Dr. Angelita Howard: Like, that was a menopause moment.

Dr. Angelita Howard: I’m like film.

Speaker4: Festival because.

Dr. Angelita Howard: We know, honestly, this team does so much all the time because in this world, in the world that we serve. You don’t stop. You don’t get a chance to stop. You rest, and you wait for someone to kind of hold your hand up while you’re resting and then you jump back in the game. But so this film festival we had, oh my goodness, one one, one little young lady, she stole my heart. But we had people, children, youth that came and gave projects. They were given a title to work within, but they took it and transformed it to another level. It was held in Douglasville somewhere not far, uh, in a convention center. Uh, the team had done such a amazing job. Back to what Dr. Young said. Providing them an opportunity, giving them this is this is what you can do. And so they took their film. They put it on like a YouTube, if you will. They created they had all these segments that they were able to do based on a justice involved, if you will, or an issue and how to go through that issue like one of the issues dealt with absenteeism, frequent absenteeism and how to overcome those things. Some of these students, unfortunately, have had some of the worst home life, upbringing, sex trafficking, you name it. It was it was so difficult to to know their background, but then it was so rewarding to see how they pushed through, how they wanted to push through.

Dr. Angelita Howard: But then even more, when they saw the adults cheering for them, clapping for them, praising them, and really saying, you know what? I really can do this. I really can be something different. I can go and I can shift or pivot because somebody invested in me. Somebody saw me today. Someone looked at me today and saw that I was not just a piece of meat, or I was not just a piece of, uh, a story that I had this or I had this or this background. And so that was one of the changing moments for even our school for favor, because we knew then it was we it was unspoken. It was really unspoken. But we knew then we had no other choice but to push forward with all of the what we believe were setbacks. I believe they were set up for something greater. We didn’t need we. Not that we didn’t need, but at the time that we were trying to go through the charter schools and go through that, those rejections, they were certainly they were needed because we wouldn’t have been able to experience what we’re experiencing now if it were not for the rejection. So each one of us have had rejecting moments and workforce over the last 2 or 3 years that if I were to talk about it, about it, I think we would all cry.

Dr. Angelita Howard: But the rejection that came as a result of us losing. But God said, we’re going to win on the other side. And so because of rejection that she had. It’s been greater for her because the rejection that she had has been greater for me because of the rejection that I had, has been greater for all of us. And that is absolutely why we cannot not have a favor. We cannot favor is on our lives. And we didn’t see it then and we didn’t understand. Each one of us did not understand why we lost. We lost our jobs. There were jobs. There were people who, um, and not before. And I hope they don’t mind me sharing. But we we lost even with my last employer, you know, not giving the things that I simply asked for. And when we talk about going hard, going hard for we are all 200% workers, not 100% not 99. But we had to transition in order to transform. And so what you’re seeing now is transformation. You’re seeing transition. You’re seeing hurt. People heal. You’re seeing heal people going to heal others. And so we’re excited about the work.

Stone Payton: Well, I’m glad that you’re invested in this work because you could be out making a ton of money as a keynote speaker. I feel like i just went to a big corporation keynote talk, and I will, from this day forward that it’s it’s not a setbacks or set ups.

Speaker4: Yeah, absolutely.

Stone Payton: You’re going to if you’re if you listen to any more of our program, you’re going to hear me say that. And I’ll try to remember to credit you in the early.

Speaker4: Going and then.

Dr. Angelita Howard: And then it’s.

Speaker4: Yours.

Stone Payton: Over time, it’ll be like I always say.

Speaker4: Yeah. That’s right. There you go.

Natalie Hutchins: I feel like we all need t shirts.

Speaker4: Yes.

Stone Payton: Oh, you guys are doing such important work. Okay, let’s make sure. Before we wrap, Rap. Let’s leave our listeners with whatever coordinates or ways to connect continue to tap into your work. I want to make sure that, you know, maybe they can have a conversation with you guys, go to websites, LinkedIn, whatever is appropriate. But let’s, uh, let’s make it easy for them to, to tap into this.

Natalie Hutchins: Well, I just want to say thank you so much for having us, um, for trusting us in this great work and allowing us to share just a small piece of our story with the community and the listeners at large. Um, we appreciate you. We appreciate your support of Stone and what he has going on at Business RadioX. And just all the people out there doing what they know needs to be done and filling the gap for someone else. So for that, I’m just so very grateful. At EverFund. We have lots of different spaces that we’re in. So, um, we’ll be on the road here for the next 3 to 4 months. Um, we have some campaigns with KSU Small business, UGA Small business as well as Grameen America with Bank of America. So we’re going to definitely be on the road. Um, just really supporting entrepreneurs and making their for profits and nonprofits steadfast and give them a really good foundation so that financially they can, you know, do what they need to do because it takes a lot of money to, to make people’s dreams come true. So that’s where we are. And as far as favor is concerned, I’ll hand it over to Dr. Young. Um, there will be a there is a link to be able to donate. Um, on the website. But, you know, I’ll give you her cell phone number if you guys want.

Speaker4: To.

Natalie Hutchins: Support a kid, like I don’t mind. Um, you know, giving you the direct bat phone. Um, but we’d really appreciate, you know, any type of corporate or individual sponsors. Uh, we have a goal of ten students next year. Um, so that’s $70,000, right? Like, it’s seven grand a kid. So we need a budget of about 125,000 to make that happen. And that’s, um, that’s our charge. So, Dr. Young.

Dr. Angela Coaxum-Young: Um, yes. Um, they can follow Faber News on Instagram, on Facebook, on Twitter. Um, our website is Faber Academy of Excellence. Org. The school in particular is Faber Transition Academy. Org. Um, we spoke a little bit about our program, our restorative program. We are in Douglasville, Georgia, but we are a Georgia nonprofit organization. So I certainly want to be able to say we are mission minded. Um, doesn’t matter where the student lives, if you have a student that would benefit from partnering with us, if you feel like this would be a program that could exist in another community, I avail our organization to you. We have written our own curriculum. Um, we certainly train on justice involved care. We’re operating under a grant right now and we are able to reduce tuition for students for next school year. And so, um, I just encourage everyone to please reach out to us if you, um, just for students. And so if you have a neighbor next door who you feel like needs to be connected to someone yesterday, do not feel like because we’re in Douglasville, we would close the door because we are mission minded and this is important work. Wherever the kid is, however we can help them, we will help them.

Dr. Angelita Howard: And if you’re interested in anything around healthcare, especially health care law policy, health law policy, how the policies work, how leadership works from going to advocate, we talked about advocating and making sure people have a voice. And so sometimes people need a voice, but you’re their voice. So if you’re interested in health law, policy management or healthcare equity, health equity, political determinants of health, we certainly have those Opportunities available at Meharry Medical College in the School of Global Health. They’re online so you don’t have to move. You can stay right here in Georgia or wherever you are. And that’s Meharry Global. Org. And I’m so thankful to be here.

Speaker4: Thank you. Thank you so much.

Stone Payton: Ladies. It has been an absolute delight having you in the studio. You’re doing such important work. And keep it up. And we want to continue to follow your story. And we’re going to try to figure out how to help you any way we can. So thank you so much. This has been fantastic.

Speaker4: Thank you.

Natalie Hutchins: Thank you so much. We appreciate.

Speaker4: You.

Stone Payton: My pleasure. All right. Until next time. This is Stone Payton for our guest today. And everyone here at the Business RadioX family saying we’ll see you again on Cherokee Business Radio.