Strategy of Resources w/ Arian Simone
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can't bless who you pretend to be or who you compare yourself to he can only bless you and the lane that was created for you I feel that for somebody you don't need no edge entity you need boundaries what I don't need your likes I don't need your validation all I need is a God fighting for me that says all things all things Chad

When someone is buying property, location matters. This month, we're talking about strategy. And me and my homegirls think resources matter. One of my homegirls is Arian Simone. I don't think we could adequately talk about strategy or resources without Arian. Do yourself a favor. Do a quick little Google and see why my friend has been recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine as one of the 100 women of impact. She is a podcast.

Let's learn.

Arianne, you strike me as the type of person who people were like, you know what? I knew you were always going to be this way from the time that you were a little girl. You seem to me to be just consistent through the seasons, like like our father in heaven. You seem like like there was not this big old transformation, but that you have always been Arianne Simone, as we see today.

I do believe people are who they are even in their youth. I really, I'm a strong believer. I mean, what it evolves to look like

can be grander and greater, but at your core, yes, I've been a risk taker at my core. I had no clue that I was the kid with lemonade stands. My mother reminded me the other day, she was just like, remember you asked for lemonade stand, you asked me for an investment. She said, and you paid me back. And I was like, oh my gosh, I did it during like a yard sale that we had at the house. I was like, yes, yes.

So I know for me, I was raising money as a seven-year-old for the UNCF and the NAACP. And I would like even out-raise adults, you know, for like the local chapters and whatnot. And I would just take my parents, Rolodex, and I'd go through even all the people at church and I'd collect. I don't say, Erin, you have to slow down. This is not normal. This is not normal.

First of all, you know, and I would just collect your money. I would collect them. Tell me, like, what is in your head? Like, what is in your mind that makes you bold enough to think even at a young age? Like we're talking about adults who don't have this level of courage. And we always wish that we had that childhood courage. But even as a child, I don't know if we would have been this courageous to really think that one, I'm going to ask you for it. And two, you're going to give it to me.

You know, I think my mother had me start asking so young that I never had where the world would impose its fear upon me because I started asking so young. I never feared that somebody would say no. You know, so I didn't start with that point. I even remember, of course, is like three and four years.

We would be walking down the aisle at church to give our offerings. We started having an exchange with money at a very young age. My mother always sent us down with a one or a five that we had to go give. And I think that just stayed with us, just that practice. And when it came time to fundraising, she put it on us versus the parent usually go around, ask their friends. She put it on us to do so.

That's what we had to do. How would you define like who you are and what you do in the world? Oh, my gosh. I'm a catalyst for people's dreams. I am a connector.

I am an innovator and a motivator. I think that's just the best way to say it because my purpose has just shown up in different career sets and different through its trajectory. But it's still at its core that I am being used to help somebody's dreams grow.

you know, expand and manifest. Whether it was my PR and marketing company or now that it is a venture capitalist running a fund. We, I'm still a change agent in that space. So,

So I know that that's one of the reasons why I'm here. What is the most valuable resource that exists in the earth? Because all of those things that you mentioned to me speak to your ability to see resources properly, whether they are human resources, financial resources, relational resources. It seems like you're able to see them properly. But what do you think is the most valuable resource in the earth?

When you first asked that question to me just now, the first word that came to my mind was just time. That time is our most valuable resource. So when you come across an opportunity, we don't get to choose.

The moments that God says, I'm going to bless you with this, bless you with that. We just have the free will if we're going to choose to show up or not. Wow. And I would just say time. I would definitely say that. So it's on us and our responsibility that we seize the moments, that we seize the encounters, you know, that we've been blessed with.

So it sounds like you've always been bold and courageous, but can you remember the first time you did something that even was like outside of character for you? Like that was even bold for me. That was out of character for me. Oh, gosh, I got to think of something. I was like, whoa, did I just do that?

So I'm pretty sure I've had probably a few of those moments where I've probably approached people that I thought were probably like so huge or bigger than life type people. And I'm like, well, OK. Like I remember walking up to Jay-Z just having a conversation. This is like young 20s.

And then it hit me after like, Arianne, we should sit up there and speak. So I think I probably had those moments on a few occasions. Other meeting the other day, I went in with a certain number in my mind and I was like, Arianne, just throw it out and double it and see what happens. And I was just like, oh, wonderful.

So, yeah, I do take risk on top of wherever my, I guess you would say, regular risk-taking would be. Okay, so I think taking risk, I feel like that puts it a bit lightly. Because on one hand, people are taking risk all of the time. But I would...

returns on those risks don't look like Arian Simone's return on those risks. I mean, you were doing big time deals, huge your partners. I mean, they, any corporation you can think of Arian's partners rival that list. How is it possible that your risk-taking turned into this revolution and

What did you do? What were the how? How did you do this? I guess it does go back to even my youth. I'm glad my mother did start us off real young, just asking. And we were never afraid to ask for money.

Now, there is a power of naivete. And I think that's what was working in my youth, which was working for me even in my adulthood. So I wasn't aware of a lot of the disparities and a lot of the statistics as far as like black female led fund managers. I just go and ask. I was just bold enough to ask. And because I asked, I received. But yeah, it

Even in a meeting today, I was just like, okay, I don't think I'm talking to the right person. I'm like, I have an ass and I got to make sure this ass gets met. And she was just like, well, how high are you trying to go? And she does not know. I will find the board of directors to get this ass met. We have to have a conversation. So I think it's a lot. I do know the fund was that I had no clue we were encountering the level of

I don't want to say scrutiny, but I guess I can say that. Like there's very few female, whether it's white or black fund fund managers. Um, I didn't know I was entering at such a great, I guess you would say what they would call barrier to entry in the market. Like I had no clue. Um, and because I didn't know, I just went for everything and it turned out well for us, but yeah, I'll say the power of naivete really. Um,

So as a fund manager, you expect for people to approach you with a strategy for a business or an idea. And then your goal is to then fund it. Can you talk to me a little bit? I think is that was that an accurate description of what you do? First of all, let me do my homework.

For everybody listening, the easiest example to give you is Shark Tank. So that's what a venture capitalist is. You come and you say, hey, I'm asking for $500,000 in exchange for 10% equity of my business. And we have a discussion. It's cash for ownership.

We say, hey, we're willing to offer you this for this percentage of ownership of your business or willing to offer you that. So that's pretty much how all of this looks. It looks similar to Shark Tank from a high level. Now, there's a lot of paperwork, a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes, but that's what it is from a high level. That's our investment vehicle. And then on our foundation vehicle, we...

deploy grants. We have education programs. We have a lot of activations in the market to just make sure that our community and people of color are being just educated about what we're doing. Okay. Okay. That's really powerful.

No, no. Remind me to tell you about something outside of the podcast that I think would be of interest to you. But I wanted to ask that question because there's someone who's watching or listening right now and they're thinking to themselves, I have an idea. I don't have the resources. What is it that you look for in an idea? So if this is Shark Tank, what do I need to make sure is a part of my presentation that will get me one step closer to the resources I need to fund the dream?

I'll say this. If you approach any investor, you need to have a good brand story and traction in the marketplace. Like those, I was just in a meeting with my mentor prior to the podcast and we were going over like just all the key indicators that we as investors look for. So those are like the two things you're going to get somebody's attention with. We look for how strong is your team?

We look for your product, like how good is the product? What is it solving? We look at your brand story. We look at your traction and marketplace. So those are our four indicators that we pretty much say, hey, we can take a meeting or not take a meeting. Those are things that's going to get you in the room. Now, of course, what's going to keep you in the room is that everything else is in order too. What is everything else?

Your money. If you, if we're like, Oh gosh, if we invest this money and they're just about to go splurge this, their cash burn rate is going to be horrible. Um,

Luckily in the women of color space, I will say this, the profile of our entrepreneurs are bootstrapping women. They're savvy women. They're creative women. You know, we make something out of nothing type women. So we don't have to worry about that as much as others. Making sure in the diligence process that you don't have any lawsuits against you. Meaning like if we take 10% ownership of your company, are we under lawsuits? Right. Lawsuits, lawsuits, lawsuits.

So we have to go through that in the diligence process. And they do that on Shark Tank, too. It's just what you don't see on TV. They have to do that later to go through legal diligence. But yeah, that's what that pretty much looks like. And those are the things that I would tell anybody to make sure they had in order.

So are you- Now, if there's not an order, I'll say this though. Okay. We have a program called Get Venture Ready. It sits under our foundation. And we have educated now over a thousand women of color founders on how to be prepared for investors. So if you feel that you're not, it is completely free. We have corporations that underwrite it. You will be in a 12-week program. You will learn about your product market fit, your corporate governance, just everything you need in order for investors. We were wanting to and willing to prepare you

because we knew in our community, it wasn't just a lack of access to capital. It was a lack of access to the education.

Arianne, I am just like blown away hearing you speak because when I first met you, you were not a venture capitalist and hearing you speak, it's like you were born. Well, I guess you were born when your mother already proved that to us. Like you're not blowing your own mind right now. Like sister just sitting up here with her hand underneath her chin. Just like when I talked to MasterCard and American Express, we talk about this all of the time. Like what? Like, come

Yes. I am snapping to you. Oh, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Yes. Everybody listening. We were young. So we have known each other quite some time. Honey, and the changes that we have made. Amen. My God. You got to do it.

My God, my God. Oh, goodness. This month, we're talking about just having revolutionary strategy for different areas of our life. And this week for you, we are talking about having revolutionary strategy for resources, for the resources that are available to us. How important has team been for you as a resource? And how do you qualify for

People who are there seasonally versus people who you can tell are going to build with you for the long term. Oh, Lord, this is loaded. This is loaded. My team is the reason why we are where we're at, though. And we have been blessed to have great team members. We even have one, actually two that work for us for free for over a year before they were employed by the company.

because they just believe that much in the vision. And this wasn't just anybody working for free because anybody can just show up to work for free. This is like six figure level people that are coming to work for free. They're like, hey, I'll make a sacrifice because I see what this is. Seasonal versus long term. You want me to break it down? Because I can. I know the difference. I definitely know the difference. Um,

I'm not at this stage of my life. This is me personally, not even professionally. I'm not going to try to hold on to something that God has moved on from. Like, I'm just not in that space. I'm not about to do it. I'm not about to fight the Lord. Like, I'm not doing that. So if that person is to be removed, I am somewhat sensitive from a spiritual standpoint in nature that, oh, God's moving them. And I'm at peace with it.

Because I have known when he's had to move before the level of elevation that we've encountered. So I'm definitely more at peace with that. What I'm seeing for long term is that people who are truly mission aligned and they're in alignment with the vision. These are the long term people.

There will be indicators that they're not just qualified for the job, they're qualified for the mission. And there's the difference. So when you're interviewing people, there will be people who do look good on resume, who people can even interview well. And they're going to do great for a job description, but are they truly in alignment with the vision of where you're going and not just where you're at?

And being willing to grow with you in those spaces. So that's where we see like a lot of our long-term people to where we know they want to see this to be the billion dollar assets under management firm with all of these people funded. We see the people who are in alignment with the vision. I love that you said God's moving them. I don't, that's not my immediate thought. It's like...

That was so holy and spiritual. I feel like you need to be the pastor and I need to be the venture capitalist because that was so, I mean, I feel like, okay, they're going to have to go. You know what I mean? Like this is just, this continues to show up. But I love the idea of if someone is no longer a fit for you, it means that they're no longer a fit for that portion of their destiny either. And so God is moving them somewhere where they will be better aligned as well.

Oh, I got something to say right when you said destiny. Now, I don't know. This is just me thinking or my philosophy or theory behind this, because we have heard before that, you know, certain people are just not attached to your destiny. So I used to recently even started reversing that. OK, if certain people are not attached to your destiny, by me keeping these certain people around, I'm now delaying my destiny. So that's why I'm willing to just say, OK, yes.

Because I'm up here intentionally delaying on where God has us going because I'm trying to keep somebody around who's not even supposed to be in that season. I don't have time for that. So...

I've been willing to just surrender that. And it took a lot, you know, of time for me to get to this place because I would be trying to fix something, keep something. And now I'm just like at peace with it. I'm like, it's OK. I was going to ask you, how do you determine that fine line between this person needs more training, they need more development, maybe they're a

courses that can better help them versus, you know, you're just not a good fit for this role that I have you in. And I feel like God is moving you. I'm using it now. It's stolen. I'm taking it. You have to be able to identify growth. If they are able to meet certain milestones and certain markers, then this person can continue to grow in the area.

And therefore, I have something now measurable to say, you know what? In the past 30 days, they were able to make a shift and they were able to do this. So now I know they're growing in the upward trajectory that we need them to grow. But if they're unable to do that, then that's definitely a sign that they are going to need to leave.

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Okay, we dabbled a bit in human resources and that was I got some nuggets for myself that I have written down. I own them and

And you talked about time, though, being the most valuable resource. And time is something that is not necessarily tangible, but it's ever present. And it makes me think about other resources that are necessary in order to build a business, to grow.

you know, climb a ladder to do anything that requires you to show up in the world, like energy, like peace for us, our faith. Those are all resources that to me are underground. Like you see the tree, you see the fruit, but the underground resources, it's the dirt and the nutrients and the water that has allowed this tree to sprout up and be who you are today.

When we talk about those resources that you can't touch, but that you feel a need, what are your practices to help you keep your tank full in those areas of rest, of energy, creativity, strategy? How do you keep going?

Well, peace for me is always a priority. It is. It's always a priority as far as how do I keep going? How do I get rest? I've never been team no sleep. I've always probably got six to eight hours. I only probably did that like early, early 20s to where I was just working, working, working. I'm like, oh, please, that is not healthy. Yeah.

My father even gave me this like this small journal recently, and it's this happy book. And it's like, do one thing every day that makes you happy. So I'm very intentional about my happiness. I am very big on what feeds me and when I feel depleted, because if I start feeling depleted, I break out my journal, all these notes, all this chicken scratch. And I start to see basically like where the blockage is.

So a lot of it, I guess you would say it's just self work and development. Um, I noticed recently I hadn't been dreaming and I said, Arian, you're a lot of things are happening. You're being blessed in other areas, but when have you just taken the time out to just sit and just dream? And, um,

A friend of mine saying, well, what's blocking that or what time are you using? What's replacing it with that time? And I said, oh, gosh, I've been binging these couple of shows. I know what's replacing it. So I like eased up there, went on nature walks and start and just got back to just dreaming. I said, you got to remember this. So.

I'm intentional about what feeds me basically, whether it's a nature walk, whether it's seeing a waterfall, whether it's spending time with my family, I'm just very intentional about what feeds me. And I think that's just what keeps me sane. Um,

Just keeping the big things, the big things and keeping things in order. Like if I have a baby cousin with a birthday that has not come before my venture capital meeting, it just does. And it never has. So I am at that birthday party. I am showing up and full on everything and I am cheering and just, you know, having me a good time. So the things that matter in life just need to matter.

I'm kind of torn between asking this question because, okay, I'm going to tell you my thought process. I feel like a lot of times people are like, don't envy someone's life because you don't know what's going on behind the scenes. And yet, I feel like you are such a genuine, authentic person and accomplished person that it just feels like there are so many opportunities for women to feel like that's it, that's the life that I want. But

But this person has insecurities. They don't have as much confidence. They don't feel as balanced. Maybe they are so aggressive and so motivated by the hustle that they can't allow themselves to sleep. Like, what do you think is the most challenging inner work that you had to overcome to show up in the fullness of who you are that maybe someone else can relate to? Yeah.

Most definitely. That was so sweet of you. No, I'm having a human experience like everybody else. But what has helped me and I'm definitely going to answer that, but what has helped me is just more so living on purpose. And I think I've shared that before when your father gave this message, it was back in 2012 about living. You have to live on purpose because anything outside of that is called wasting time. And I, it just struck me like it's,

That live on purpose series. It was three sermon series, three Sundays. And it just stayed with me as far as it helped me with intentional living really. Um,

Things that I had to overcome, I would say I was one of those people on the opposite side only because I had just seen so much fluctuation in money prior to now. The last book I did it based upon people have more fear in being broke than they do faith in having abundance. And I had to go through that shift for myself. So me seeing so many ups and downs, living out of car, parents in a divorce case, I was like, what's going on here, Jesus? Yeah.

Having that whole fear of scarcity, that scarcity mindset, I had to definitely get rid of that because it's just not healthy. And I do believe that poverty is probably like the biggest distraction and interference as it pertains to you living out your purpose. Because when you got to think about the light bill, you're not even thinking about that. Like when you got to think, oh, God, I got to eat and I don't know where dinner is coming from. It's just it's way too distracting. Yeah.

So definitely different financial challenges early in life that I had to overcome. Definitely being at peace, like how I was saying, we're just letting people go. This was not just professionally. This is personally, too. You know, being at peace when God is moving people around in and out of your life and knowing, OK, this is this is OK.

I'm trying to think of other stuff that's definitely, I go through probably a little bit of everything everybody else goes through. No, I love what you said about scarcity. I want to break that down a little bit because I think a lot of us live with that mindset, even when we aren't living underneath the threat of poverty. I think that many people can be accomplished or on their way to accomplishment and they still live with the fear of scarcity. Can you define what it means to live with that fear of scarcity? Yeah.

Yes, that you have the opposite view, of course, of unlimited abundance. And you're thinking like there's a resource that's not going to show up for you in any area. Now, I can give a few tips that are very tangible just to, I don't want to say trick your mind, but keep your mind in the space of abundance is your refrigerator. You got six kids, but your refrigerator needs to be full.

And when your refrigerator is full, you're always thinking, oh, I have more than enough. I'm not one that you walk up on me and I don't have cash in my wallet. I always have cash in my wallet. I'm usually spending it or not because I always want to be in the mind state of I have it. Yeah.

My pantry stays full. Just whatever visual things of abundance, you'd be surprised how far it will go for you on just your psyche and you're thinking about there's always more than enough here for me. Hmm.

Okay, so you're saying there's more than enough opportunity, even though I see one woman doing one. I think I struggled with this. Maybe that's why I feel so closely connected to it. I think because I felt like I was coming from behind growing up, just trying to make up for the

fact that I had more to carry than most people. As a mom at 14 years old, I had so much more weight on me that going to school was going to cost more. Studying was going to cost more. I needed a babysitter. I couldn't do it well. So I think I've always struggled with this idea of if someone gets there first, then there's no room for me. And coming to a place where I can really trust

that there's room enough for everyone and that they're like one person doesn't take away from something. I think that that's been one of the greatest areas of like transforming my mind that I've had to undergo. No, I can see that. I can, but I think everybody's had to do that in some form or fashion, whether it was your journey or another journey.

Just I think everybody somehow has encountered that, like, OK, is there enough space for me? Is there opportunity for me? I think we've all experienced that at some point, though. Like, I don't think that there's anybody who probably hasn't. Now, what does keep me, I guess you would say, knowing that there's always space and always enough space.

is I do keep a gratitude journal. So I'm able to see, you know, when the doors have opened up, I'm able to go back and look at it saying, okay, these doors opened up for you here, more doors will open up for you again. And just knowing that that will continue to happen. That's so good. Cause I think people struggle with this idea, especially if you have accomplished something

Maybe more than those around you have. How do I keep believing that I'm going to continue to innovate, continue to trailblaze, continue to break curses within my family? And I think that gratitude journal sounds like one of the key ways of doing that.

Yeah, it's definitely it's helped me and even shifts my energy. Like if I know if I'm like in a mood or in a funk and I'm like, your energy is as happy as usual. You need to sit down and you need to just start writing out what you're grateful for.

Oh, that's so good. You know what you were saying about abundance mentality and it's really trusting that there's enough. It made me think of this moment during conference where Dr. Cynthia James was talking about this notion that there aren't any good men around. And she says that when you say that, that it is a charge against God, that you're saying that God has no. Isn't that something?

Yes. You're right. Because you're saying that he didn't make enough. Yes. Isn't that something? She got us right on together with that. Two and gather. Yes. Oh, my gosh. That. Oh, Lord. That is. That's heavy. Yeah. That is it right there. We just had. Oh, OK. Can I tell you this? Yeah. This is like tell me. Yeah.

So we just had a relationship discussion, a fearless discussion on relationships, on dating, marriage, and the state of everything in 2022.

And we used the clips from you and your husband on February 14th. Oh, really? You guys didn't do like a traditional sermon on that date. It was like a discussion about relationships. So I had somebody cut it up. So we would insert you guys in the discussion. So you guys would talk about how you were talking about meeting people. Yes. And then we would have the audience chime in. And then we would go back and forth between the clips and open up for discussion. It was awesome.

So that's only the reason when you were talking about the men and having an abundance of great men, which I do believe are out there, especially just great black men. And hearing you say that, I said, oh, I got to tell her we were just using their teachings. You know what? A lot of people had a problem with us. Well, at least with me saying that idea of like needing someone. They did not like that.

They didn't receive me in the room. So let me tell you, and I didn't know it till one of the other panelists was like, Erin, did you see the reactions? Yeah. And I was like, I said, I didn't. He was like, though I agree with you,

He said the room was was doing like this. I was like, oh, I said I played it because she was saying something. I've always said people do need people. If we didn't, God would not have us down here coexisting. Yeah, this is sense. I said people need people. It just is what it is.

And the reason why I wanted to hone in on it, because a lot of people on social media, especially the girls, I feel like they've gone left with the women's empowerment movement to where it's like, oh, I don't need a man. Go get your bag type thing. And I'm like, wait, why is the men taking place of the money? Right. Can we have both? Can we can we have both resources, please? This is problematic. I was like, and I said, that's a human soul you're trying to replace with cash. This whole thing is just problematic. Right.

And I said, you're speaking from a place of hurt.

And not that your hurt isn't valid. It's just not a way to heal. Yeah. So we went through this whole discussion about it. But when you just said that your reaction was like that, mine was too. And I didn't even know it. I was like, oh, OK. I kind of felt that same way with like the whole movement, you know, where we went through this stage where we were like normalizing being a hoe. I was like, especially because it was rooted in the idea of if you call me a hoe, I'm going to just own my wholeness and then I'm going to just be a hoe and the hoe is life. And I was like, it's wholeness.

I remember when that started, it was around 2011. And I said, what is this? I remember it. And I think that it's just our way of trying to take power back instead of acknowledging the wounds and the hurt that caused us to be in those circumstances in the first place. We way off topic, but we talking. How you doing? Yeah.

I'm sorry. I'm like, I know you probably got a whole script because let me tell you, SJR has a production, honey. No, no. Okay. We're talking about strategy for resources, but I feel like that counts because we're talking about at the end of the day, like a strategy for our romance resources, for our financial resources.

We're just tying it all in together. Just help me hold this while I tie it together. A strategy for the relationship. That's what's happening. That's what I got. Okay. Yes, we're going to get back on track. Strategy for resources. You know, you all are the masters to me when it comes to strategy. I listen to you. I listen to your family. I listen to so many of you all when it comes to being strategic. Being strategic. You guys...

have done phenomenal as far as your thought processes around strategy. Don't you think that if you're like me, this is true, but I don't know. I feel like my strategy for my resources are changing. I feel like the moment that it makes sense in one season, it shifts. And based on the vision or the goal, the strategy has to change. How often are you revisiting your strategy for the different resources that exist within your ecosystem?

Probably right now, almost, I would say more like six to 12 months before I would have said longer, but the flow of my life is moving at a different pace now.

Oh, I got one that's real good and practical. And I'm like debating with God right now. Like, Lord, do I got to share this? If he put it, you got to drop it. Yes, I know. But it's a little heavy. And oh, and it was it was heartbreaking because I don't I'm not going to say the person's name. Yeah.

But it was something happened. And one of my I guess she would say wealthy white girlfriends. She's here and I got to take the fall for this. And I was just like, well, nobody's wrong. Why are you taking the fall for anything? And she was just like, because you can't. And what I knew that meant in that moment was, oh, you know, the younger new black girl on the scene.

That may not have the level of wealth that you have. If I take the hit, it's going to be a harder hit than if you take the hit. And she said, so I said, okay, I get that. Then she went on to say, Erin, you're also at a place in your career, in your life,

where you're going to need people to advocate for you versus you always being the advocate in the room and the person receiving, of course, the money. And I said, I get you because I said, now you're speaking from a place of privilege, but I do understand what you mean.

I told her that black women have not always had the privilege to separate our advocacy from our work. Yeah. I said, so I did have to advocate in the beginning to get the work. I said, but I do know what you're saying. She said, yeah. She said, because if you show up now at the level that you're at now and you advocate, she said, people will basically pay you to pay you off versus pay you to do business with you. Yeah.

She said, so have somebody else. Pay you to pay you off. Wow. Instead of pay you to do business with you. Yes. So she was like, be mindful in that area. You want people to advocate for you, whereas you can just show up and do the work. Yeah.

And I was just like, Lord, that's not like, OK, I'm at another level. And you need to take a sit back, process this, re-strategize what this looks like now raising capital. Because like right now we're raising nine figures, you know, so it's like we have to restructure this. What it looked like at the five million dollar level is not what it looked like later on. We got to eight. And it's not going to look like as we're on this journey. And I'm like, I'm always having to be a.

better version of myself, a newer version of myself to show up at this level for myself. So when you were like re-strategize, I'm like, Lord, I feel like I'm re-strategizing every six months lately. Um,

Um, but before I would say maybe two to three years, but now, yeah. Cause when she said that she was definitely speaking the truth, but I had to digest it and I'm like, you gotta come up, have to come up now with a new strategy on how you're approaching this. I can resonate with that every six months. I think even the nature of the pandemic, you know, while I'm going to evolve is still new, um,

especially to consider that two of those years were spent in a pandemic. So we had our first event in 2018. It's 2022. That's four years out. And two of those years we spent in a pandemic. And I really felt like right when 2020 hit that I was getting to a place where I could plan a year out.

out and then maybe two years out we'll do this and then everything halted and so now i'm kind of like back at the drawing board trying to determine you know does this still work is the need still there has the need changed and i know honestly i think that like i'm really trying to i was nervous when we had conference in 2021 because i was like i don't know if they're going to come i don't know who's in the room i don't know if this work still matters for this group of people

after having gone through a pandemic. And so I'm learning to trust the call, even in this new season of my life. And that's been work.

Well, it matters even more because community is needed even more because of the pandemic. So the work is definitely the shift is and I get what you're saying. Like, how do we show up in this work? Yeah. You know, going through this season. But the need has probably increased, if anything. Wow. Wow.

One thing that's important to me is genuinely check in with those that I love. So how are you today? Really? Take a minute to think about it. If you're feeling overextended, tired, annoyed, or just meh, it's time to connect with your feelings by starting your mental health journey with Headspace. We all say fine when we don't mean it. Fine isn't really an emotion though, girl, is it?

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This is the best Headspace offer available. So go to headspace.com slash woman evolve today. I've taken the creativity course with Andy and it reminded me how limitless I am creatively when I am less stressed. Try it out for yourself at headspace.com slash woman evolve. Okay, friend, we have an advice question. Are you ready? Yes. Okay. We gonna see.

Hey, big sis, you want the long story. So I want to give you the most information I can. I'm 20 years old and I recently transferred from a community college to a university in Charlotte, North Carolina. I like to say my greatest trait is that I'm spirit led and I only do what God has for me to do. Recently, I've been getting really stressed because I want to pursue my purpose and I don't feel like it's in college. I know I watched a few podcasts back where you said that having your own business

set versus working at a regular job is harder because money is not always flowing like you want to. However, honestly, I just want to step out on faith and start a ministry or a nonprofit that helps my generation become aware of how their mindsets can change their life, which leads to me stating that God has already given me a business name. What I'm really saying is I want to quit school and just do ministry and help young people or anyone who needs to hear that our past,

is not what makes us and that if we change our mindset and become rooted in God, our lives will change for the better. I honestly just don't like school. It's not fun for me. I have so much more joy with learning about the kingdom from you, your husband, your dad, and et cetera.

also growing spiritually. I truly believe I'm chosen and I have so much more in me, but I don't want to choose the wrong thing or the wrong way. So with the advice you give me, can you also pray that I also choose the right thing, please? And thanks.

I'll say this. The two things that stuck out to me is that she must not be in a major of theology, of something that's of her interest. So that's also the reason why she's trying to escape, because she's not studying something she's interested in. So I...

I would definitely encourage her to switch her major. But what I also heard was that that campus is her first ministry. That's what I was thinking. Yeah. God has placed her in a position of so many people who do need to hear a good message is that is your testing ground. That is your ground, which you're going to be able to get everything off the ground that you even mentioned that is in your heart.

I would start the organization right on campus. I'd start the ministry right on campus. I'd start everything that has come to her right there. He's given her a built-in audience. Now, she may just need to change her major so she can just stay interested enough in order to complete

But the audience is already built in. I would think the same thing. And I think to also understand, especially for Gen Z, as they have mostly been raised with Internet and social media, there are mental health implications that we haven't yet uncovered for Gen Z. And while understanding how they need to be rooted in God is going to be important, it's going to be equally as imperative to understand.

Amen.

prize when you're working at Target or working at wherever you're going to work. You're not necessarily around people your age as frequently as when you're in a school environment. So think about the challenges that that generation is going to face and how you can overcome it. Maybe you start studying social work to understand how the foster care system is working and how you can advocate for Gen Z or the upcoming generation that's going to be experiencing those social work

or in need of those social work services. But yeah, I would definitely see if there's a way that you can work them in tandem. Because if you hear me say all the time, I dropped out of college and it's probably like, I don't like living with this idea of a regret, but I think I wish that I would have been focused enough to buckle down and continue to get my education. God calls all things to work together. I got too many kids to go back to school, so don't even tell me it's not too late. It's too many kids. No, I say you done did enough work, you can get an honorary degree. Somebody, somebody send me the,

paper and I will walk across this stage that's the only chance I have at this stage in my life but if you can stick with it stick with it I love you friend this was great I love you too thank you so much

My girl, Arian, it was fun catching up with you and learning from you as always, though. That's just 100. I'm always going to have a good time. Please keep doing the work that you're doing and inviting us along for the ride. We're always rooting for you. Delegation, before we go, and I'm sure y'all already know what I'm about to say, but here we are, sis.

Send us a one to two minute video to podcast at woman evolve dot com, letting me know why you should be my next co-host. The rest of the delegation and I need your perspective and we're looking forward to hearing from you. I'm a good lawyer and I want to win. I think I killed G.T.

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Who doesn't love a sports story? The rivalries, the feats of strength and stamina. But these tales go beyond the podium. There's the team table tennis champ, the ice skater who earned a medal and a medical degree, and the sprinter fighting for Aboriginal rights. Listen to Womanica on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.