Ep 19: Debt Free and Living the Life of Your Dreams

Dr. Julie Ducharme: Hi welcome to the authentic Alicia I'm doctor Julie <unk>. And it is Valentine's Day. So I'm wearing my pink today. Happy Valentines day to all of you. And this shows the show where we get to talk to people doing authentic things around the world I love this because I mean amazing people who usually end up becoming great friends and business partners and we do all kinds. Wonderful things together and we get to learn just something new and positive happening in our world just as a reminder today our shows brought to by synergy learning institute, a technical vocational college where we support not only professional development, but also so our veterans transitioning out of the military where we offer pro educational programs and one we're very proud of combat boots to heels heels which serves woman veterans around the nation and actually soon to be serving many women veterans internationally and as well to support this program. We have a wonderful event called lead and power her. She talks it's a tour that travels the nation and it's many different States giving woman a platform to share their voice and many of these woman that we record for this are woman veterans as well And All the ticket sales Go to support our program combat boots to heels and our next event is coming up in Houston on March eleventh We Have an ethics Line up of speakers an amazing event happening. So if you wanna get your tickets and learn more about what we're doing go to lead and power her dot com, click on tore and you'll find the Houston event and those tickets and we have many more dates coming as well and I'm excited today because one of our she talkers for Houston I am interviewing today So Candace Montgomery is a serial <unk> who is now training others who want to <unk> yours and make their dreams come true with business coaching business camps and So much more I'm really excited to have her on the show Candace. Welcome to the show.

Candice: Hi doctor Julie, thank you so much I'm So glad to hear.

Dr. Julie Ducharme: Well I love getting a chance to enter view Archie talkers, because one of the reasons we created the platform was to give every woman voice from anywhere in the world, right. Many times I hear people say you know, I really wanted to do this talk, but they told me I wasn't popular enough or I didn't Have enough followers or didn't have enough money and our platform is so different from that because we really want to support and advance each other and I love what you're doing, because you know, you're not just an <unk>, but now you're you're changing your stride, a bit and you're starting to give back and help other <unk> recognize their dreams, but before we go into that I'd like to step back a bit and have you give US the back story of how you became an <unk> newer, how you ended up becoming a serial <unk> her you know, it to this point today where you're now giving back.

Candice: Well yeah So I wanna say happy Valentines day as well to today. Celebrates are thirtieth uh Valentine's day with my husband <unk>.

Dr. Julie Ducharme: Congratulations.

Candice: Thank You. But um so that he was the reason why we got started in business it was really his passion. He um studied H a C and he was like one day. Um I wanna have my own business. So I just made a list and started going um because that's just the kind of person that I am I just go for things and I don't. Um if I if I say I'm gonna do it I'm gonna do it. So um so I was twenty two, we have been married, just about two years and we had no experience in business. So um like I said I made my list and then I just started I, try to figure things out. Because back then there was no Facebook. There Was no Google. Um it was just you know, figure out as you go and I mean well my mom did here and she had her own Sloan and my dad dabbled in in business it was never anything that was like What we're experiencing? So it's it's been um it's been like changing for sure uh we've had a lot of ups and Downs and um and so now I wanna help. Others to do the same thing and and it wasn't even my idea to to have that happened it was one of my one of my friends in mentor she's like you know, you really should. Do of course You really should do something because you have so much To give. And I was like okay. Sure. [laughter] <unk> [laughter].

Dr. Julie Ducharme: Yeah [laughter].

Candice: I'm Not a teacher like [laughter]. So but <unk> I I posted something this week that was just like my mom always told me as a kid that. I was gonna be a teacher, because I loved office. Supplies [laughter] the store and I would just be like I love this let's I mean by this I'm. Not gonna be A teacher [laughter].

Dr. Julie Ducharme: You know what I said the same thing as well everyone in my family, a teacher and I was like Nope Nope and Lo and behold here I am teaching at universities. So well and you know something you mentioned you said you know as an <unk> or when your friend said, do the class? Oh sure, like yeah I'll Do it you know that is that is what we are on <unk> because we become this we're? Not a one for Pony as a non trainer, you suddenly have to learn how to do payroll, how to do HR because when you're first starting out and you have no money it's like you gotta figure. Well out on your on and I like you started my first business around twenty to twenty three there was no Internet there was no. So I mean now everything's streamlined. We have Internet and streamline payments and <unk> there's, none of that I mean I I I for a long time I still had paper receipts and the whole thing and I was going to staples and buying those things which I love those do I I loved it all um so you know, and I love to that, you said. Okay. We're, just gonna start a business right. Some of the most amazing things that have happened someone just decided to start a business and they figured it out as they went. So. You have an hvac. Company I think you said you have a <unk> salon as well. Is there another company do I have them?

Candice: All right. So <unk> we started in ninety six. Um I had my spray teaming studio which I originally started out as a team's <unk> in two thousand and one I started spinning in two thousand and two and then I completely converted to sunless. Um as the first sunless in the area probably in Texas or maybe the United States only Shawn and so um I've been doing that for twenty one years and then I had started the um the online a in the online space, entering and coaching don't really like touching, but you know, educating I guess. Yeah

Dr. Julie Ducharme: That's Great. Well I love it because I I think we're I was talking about this other day on another podcast with a friend we talk about uh these moments of transition in our life where we feel like we need to have more empath and I think that's where it seems where you're at, right now as well as having that impact and helping others maybe skip over the top top steps that you had and maybe you could mention or <unk> touch on maybe one of those kind of tough areas that you and your husband had to figure out along the way you mentioned some your blogs and websites you know you had many failures, but as well many successes Ah. So maybe we could touch on that as well as um a lesson learned that you have.

Candice: Yeah So I think one uh that kinda holds true. You know, it holds in my head is that I was going to Dallas. So I'm about an hour from Dallas and I was going to a class for our supplier. Um something I don't even remember how many years ago and so I get there I get checked into the hotel I? Get into my room and then I for whatever reason. I was checking the bank or doing something and it was like oh my God our bank account is negative and and I was like. Oh, what am I gonna do. What am I gonna do? So I went back to the front desk know like I'm, sorry have emergency I have to leave and I don't really even know I mean now I don't, remember what happened. But I was just like oh my gosh. And so I remember calling my dad and I'm like that I I need I need some help I need to know. I need to figure out. What this is I just need to figure out? What I did you know? And so it the learning lesson or the lesson learned is just that it's gonna happen it we're not perfect. And we're, not always gonna do everything. Right. Um we're gonna make mistakes and you know, I mean um I don't know the the true specifics on that, but um but I know like Bill gates for example I think he found bankruptcy like three times or something <unk>, you know, <unk>. Seven times I. Okay. I thought it was more like I think.

Dr. Julie Ducharme: It's seven I could I don't quote me on that. But you know, I love that you're transferring about that, because that's. So real and it's So true every <unk> newer has had a moment where their bank account is in the negative and that's the moment where you have to decide. Okay. Am I gonna have faith and keep pushing because it's gonna change it's gonna get better that's the really tough part and I think that um a lot of people are transferring about that like and So many successful <unk>. Have said oh yeah. I've been bankrupt I've Been in the negative I didn't know where my next ten cents was gonna come from you know I was selling off Things here. So I can make ends meet and then you look at them down the road in their multi millionaires. They have all this success and so I appreciate you sharing that. Because and I like to that, you reached out for help that you ask your dad. Right. Because sometimes we don't do that either and it's like I, just had some another day say to me. Um that they were they be glad to help with the thing. I was doing anytime just ask, but if they don't know they don't know and I was like wow that's So important me being a very important woman. I don't, ask for help much, because I think I can figure it out on my own and so seeing you do that And being willing to say you know, at dad, like I don't know, what's going on I need some help I think that's a great testimony. Because any <unk> Brewer is going to have that moment in their life. Um so you know as you've been growing as an <unk> and you've been going these businesses. So you've been business.

Candice: How many years have you been in between all the business <unk> twenty seven years?

Dr. Julie Ducharme: Okay. So yeah. You're beating me I've only done about twenty three. So twenty seven years with successful businesses that's a great run Um you have a block and you touch on some great things in this block and so one of the things you talked about was what are three things you should know before starting a business and I think this is important, cause a lot of people kind of just throw caution to the wind and be like let's start a business. And So I think that'll be great to hear what are those three things that you do.

Candice: So like I said um with the previous story things are not gonna be a they're, not gonna go as planned. So that's Okay I mean we um can't be perfect. All the time we can't make everything work all the time and in order to learn we have to fail. So it's. Okay. And you have to give yourself Grace and I I've struggled with that over the years, but I'm I continue to learn everyday still to this day. Um so the other thing is that you will uh never feel like you're qualified and I can say that for sure, because um. Talking with you this she talks is the first time I'm gonna be speaking and if it wasn't for you I wouldn't have done that and I am. So thankful for the opportunity to be able to uh to get up and speak and I, keep telling my husband. Oh my gosh I'm gonna be talking in front of real people [laughter] this people [laughter] and so he's just like.

Dr. Julie Ducharme: [laughter] and it's gonna be wonderful, who are gonna be cheering. Woman. You on and I'd like to use, you mentioned, you know, we don't always feel. Um what was it like were um I, forget.

Candice:The word you use qualified. Thank U Um.

Dr. Julie Ducharme: And I Think woman do that a lot You know. And I don't know why I think it's a cultural thing Um because I I grew up in a great family. My parents always told me I was worried and to go after. It but I can't. Tell you how many times even at this stage at forty five when I've been super successful I'll use an example I was just in a negotiated meeting, the last couple days and I'm in this meeting, which I'm very qualified to be in a I I, absolutely be in, but It was absolutely. Terrifying at the thought speaking up, because I I I, make a joke. You know, I'm not the smartest person in the room, but I'm surrounded by the smartest people which is a great thing, but sometimes I don't wanna say anything to the other smartest people in the room and so today one of the things I did was was take you know, speak up at a moment that I really knew I needed to even though it was absolutely terrifying and it was very impact full what I said. And it was needed and it helps with closing negotiation, but you know, I was telling my husband even at that moment it was kind of like I'm So qualified for this. But why do I feel. So unqualified for it. And I Think that's something that is great to recognize is that we're not always gonna feel qualified for it. But I used to have this joke when I started out teaching at the college right. You know, I was young I was twenty three and they'd be like a we need someone to teach this class right and everyone else would be like I don't know that and I'd be like do you have a book and they say yeah, I'm like give me the book. I'll teach it [laughter] it was like I'll just read it and I'll figure it out. Right. So I think that's important to know that we may not feel qualified, but we're. So much more qualified then we are it's such a good point. So another thing you talk about in your box is some tools for every <unk> they need to start their business now. I know that there's probably a long long list of these, but what are maybe some of your favorite tools that you thought were essential for starting a business.

Candice: So um we have been using Carrillo for like the past year or so a really like it I have a three G a s and we're able to be able to communicate and keep our projects organized. So that's been a really important one. Um they of course did not have that um whenever we started and um it was like paper and pencil and I Remember um like a palm pilot and I mean that's probably dating me way back there. And people are like what what is a palm <unk> [laughter]. So so that's that's, an important thing for me is it's a project management somewhere where you can keep up with your tax and what you're doing and kind of where the process is a so nowadays there's So many more new tools that can be used and they're free tools you don't even have to have something that you pay for. Um another thing that we use is slack and that is for US to communicate back and forth, you can also communicate with other people that you're working with or outside of your organization. So if you're a sole printer and you want to work with somebody on doing something in marketing or doing something in sales, you can invite them to your slack channel and you want to communicate back and forth there. So that way you have everything in one place. Yeah. The whole text messaging or you know, emailing back and forth and you can have that there and it's not um it's not gonna take up space somewhere else and it's not gonna get lost somewhere else. So that's really important. Um and then I think another one that is really great now. Um and this is something that's really kind of new to me is I had all these processes in place years ago. I was really organized 'cause I Did everything this is how you do it and I always typed up everything. And I was like okay. Um but now you can do loom or any of the other kind of video recording. So that you can document your processes and be able to have that available for whenever you do have someone come onboard with you it will help you and then you don't have to train them. So much and you know they can be able to pick it up and say okay I need you to do this and they can go see watch a video of how you do it <unk> and They can go do it on their own and they don't have to take time to learn how to do it from you.

Dr. Julie Ducharme: Yeah. That's Great Yeah. Well in recently we just start using slack I know, I'm like probably behind the times on slack, but I was forced into it by some clients and stuff. Um and it took me a little bit because in my mind I was like I got another thing to check during the day like another [laughter], but it's actually come in handy and I agree with you it's a good place, because especially with Gmail you can just get this for ever long list and then you're going back through trying to find where that is. So I think those are all great. Um and the videos to we've been doing that a lot with our with our printers program and then we're saving those for the next round to comes in and it is a little work upfront, but then once you have it in place it makes life. So much easier and I'm all about streamlining business and I have to get better at it I would say because like you I've been doing this a long time and I get comfortable in my methods and then it's like you have to bring more people and it's like I. Have to change my method, but this works. So well for me all right now, but you know like you we. Didn't have ten of that. Now we have so many things our fingertips we're trying to as well, just like you work to find the best way to streamline. So I think that's. Fantastic.

participantOne: Um the last one I saw on your block said self love and care for a business owner and so I want to ask what does this mean, because that sounds really good. Yeah <unk> I am really bad at taken care of me. First. So what does self love. And care for a business owner mean so.

Candice: I agree with you I am. So bad as well. Um I have so many um other obligations as do most women with their family and um and their children and everything else besides business. So the the big thing is you need to set boundaries for yourself, you need to just established that you cannot do everything I have to remind myself of this all the time and. Know that you're gonna you're gonna upset some people whenever you do that, but that's. Okay. You have to protect you. And and that's the part that's gonna help you florist. Um taking breaks. Um I'm again really bad at that I will find [laughter] I I'm like okay. I'm gonna stop working. Right now. I'm gonna stop now. And then I'll end up with working from the time. I walk up to the time. I go to bed. I'll stop in there. And I'll go back. And and I'm like 'cause I get excited about things like <unk> in this <unk> working on this and then it's days later. I realize oh I'm really kinda tired I hadn't done that you know, <unk> need to take a map. So um in organization um is really important for me, but probably a map getting sleep is probably <unk>. During the day. So yeah.

Dr. Julie Ducharm: Yeah. I I resonate with all of those um I am a total workaholic I love what I do. But I'm also I want to like you go get it and accomplish it and I definitely can find myself doing that where I'm just <unk> really working from eight until whatever. Um and I myself. Have had to do that I Put a timer. So I make myself take a lunch I I I, you know, take a break when I pickup, my kids from school and try to be really present and then usually pop back on before bed to check things, but I really had to start putting limits like you said I for myself I had to start making it. So that I didn't Do any mediums before nine in the morning. So I had time to take my kids to school drink. My coffee. Do a work out. Like do me time and I'll tell you it took me Twenty something. Years to get that in place really it's only been over the last couple years I've really tried to <unk> shift that and it's 'cause, you know as you said if we can't be at a hundred percent then we can't be a hundred percent for everyone. Right Our family. Our business and I have to ask myself I made myself, ask this question can this wait for for tomorrow. Well anything I work on it tonight and if the answer is it's, not gonna nothing's gonna change I. Change if. Can work on it tomorrow then I just put it down and I walk away. Um from it, but that is very hard for work I'd like to say I'm a recovering perfectionist in recovering workaholic. Um because it happens you know, um so everything you're saying resonates with me now. Um as we're coming to the close of pockets I wanted to touch on some of the things you're doing I Saw that you have a business basics boot camp, a three day challenge happening February twenty. First twenty third, a little information on what that is Can you give US?

Candice: So yeah. So it'll be three days, just some quick things that you can learn. For getting organized. Um Like learning. About domains and trade markings a business names and then also a project management. So kinda Tello or at my assistant Maria and she's amazing Savannah and she has just started US using click up. So um so that's is something new, but I haven't I'm, not gonna teach on that 'cause I don't know what <unk>.

Dr. Julie Ducharme: Yeah. That's that's. Awesome And so this is great. So if you were who would you suggest going to this is this first time business owners or even maybe people who haven't even started.

Candice: A business. Yes, definitely So if you haven't started a business if you're new in business um or even if you've been in business, you know, a couple of years and you know, you just need some fresh inspiration to you know to know what to do a test on that a lot. Um in my course I, do the same thing? So I talk about that. Um to kind of bring to light things that people don't talk about and don't teach about business, they teach you all these other things, but they don't teach you all the basic things that you need to know to get started. Yeah.

Dr. Julie Ducharme: I love that Well. We're getting ready. To she talks is coming up in four weeks for those of you or listing you'll Get a chance to meet Candice at her day view her first day view. Um there and that's gonna be in Houston on March eleventh, nine to three, you can get your tickets at leading power dot com and here's a couple things you can do is as well if you can't attend the vent, but you'd like to scholarship. Someone you can Scholarship a woman to come now. We typically scholarship alot of our woman veterans because all ticket sales go to our woman veterans and the veteran program called combat boots to feels. So you can scholarship anyone to attend and you can. Even purchased a table. And scholarship eight women to go So if you're interested. In anything like that Go to our leading power dot com website you can message US there you can also see the the schedule coming out soon when Candice is gonna be speaking if you wanna come and support her and of course you can go and click on each one of our speakers pictures and bios I'll Give you all the information on them, but we're super excited to be adding Candace into the lead in power. She talks family as I always say <unk> once you're in we got you are not letting you go Um so <unk> that you guys check out. Everything that's going on with Candace obviously if you missed this, maybe your listening working out. We'll have all the links in the post when they go out as well. So as I always say live love laugh and always be your authentic self.