Freed Stories: Turning Five and Six Figure Businesses into Seven and Eight Figure Legacies This podcast shines a light on everyday entrepreneurs and business owners who are scaling their ventures to new heights. Each episode features a member of our community sharing their Freed Story - a journey of challenges, breakthroughs, and invaluable insights. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take your business to the next level, these real stories of grit, determination, and creativity will educate and inspire you. Join us as we explore the diverse paths founders, entrepreneurs, and small business owners take to achieve their unique personal and professional freedom. Freed Stories is your companion on the entrepreneurial journey, proving that while the road may be challenging, you don’t have to travel it alone. Tune in for practical wisdom, innovative strategies, and the motivation to turn your business dreams into reality
Episodes
Tuesday Apr 27, 2021
Tuesday Apr 27, 2021
I am joined today by fellow Freed member Becky Pool, founder and C.E.O. of Country Chick's Solutions, an online virtual assistant service for coaches, mentors, and online business owners who are looking to be online in a greater capacity or are looking to grow their online presence and influence.
2020 was a very difficult year for many of us, as it was for Becky. Becky was completely shocked when she unexpectedly lost her corporate job in late March of 2020, and she, for several months, worked remotely as a contract employee before starting Country Chick's Solutions in September of 2020. From a young age, Becky knew that she wanted to own her own business and make a difference, and having twenty years of experience in administrative work, she was perfect for her new role as an entrepreneur doing online virtual assistant work.
Becky offers a couple of pieces of advice to us, advising us that while losing your job is scary, starting your own business can be even scarier, so we should find someone who will encourage us and support us if we aren't sure of where our talents lie. She also assures us that it's okay for our dreams and goals to be scary, that they, in fact, should be if they're worthwhile. She even recommends a book to us and reveals what she believes her superpower to be!
As always, I hope that you will continue to tune in to the Freed Stories podcast as guests share their stories of entrepreneurship – their successes, their failures, their goals, their hopes, and so on, and be sure to hit that subscribe button so that you never miss an episode!
Time Stamps
[0:58] – Jackie introduces Becky Pool, fellow Freed member, to this episode.
[1:18] – We learn what Becky's current job title is as founder and C.E.O. of Country Chick's Solutions, describing what her company does.
[1:46] – Becky, as she reveals, lost her corporate position in March of 2020, ultimately resulting in her establishing Country Chick's Solutions several months later in September of 2020.
[3:37] – We discover where the company's name comes from.
[4:23] – Becky discloses that, even at a young age, she always saw herself as owning a business and knew that she wanted to make a difference.
[5:44] – Becky offers two pieces of advice to anyone who finds themselves in similar shoes as hers.
[7:02] – Becky details what corporate work was like and how that has affected her current work as an entrepreneur.
[8:48] – We learn how Becky has routines and daily regimens in place that keep her schedule on track, and she describes what her typical day looks like from start to finish.
[11:32] – Becky credits her faith, her family, her business coach, and her church family as her main support system and also shares with us what book she is currently reading.
[12:45] – Becky hopes that in five years, she will be running the top level virtual assistant agency with at least 150 to 300 clients.
[13:16] – Becky believes her superpower to be discernment, her ability to predict and understand clients' needs beforehand.
[14:05] – We discover where online we can find Becky if we want to connect with her.
Links and Resources
Apply for our Freed Fellowship Monthly Grant
Free Training to Help You Grow Your Business
Country Chick's Solutions' Facebook Page
Country Chick’s Solutions - Website
Tuesday Apr 20, 2021
Tuesday Apr 20, 2021
We have a very special episode in store for you today as we welcome Freed Fellowship founder Andy Louis-Charles. Andy was only eight years old when he started his first business, and he continues to do great work as our inspirational Freed leader. As our leader, he removes obstacles and roadblocks and also serves as a coach, but he, as he states himself, also tries to let us do our own thing.
Andy shares how and why he founded Freed Fellowship, as he noticed a lot of disparities in economic and career opportunities. He consequently wanted to create an environment and a program that allowed people to free themselves from the limiting and unhelpful stories that they tell themselves, hence the name of the fellowship.
Offering plenty of helpful advice, Andy encourages us to get in over our heads because doing so forces your hand and makes you need to find a solution. He also advises us to find our personal discomfort zones and to build a team before going into a project alone, even if you can't initially afford to hire people and need to ask family members and friends to come on board or at least be a support system for you.
He reveals that he is the type of person to not overthink things because, from his experience, overthinking things tends to kill them. He is not a fan of the word failure because, as he declares, nothing is a failure if you have learned from it but is rather a lesson. Andy has ambitious and admirable goals for the future, hoping that Freed will help at least a thousand entrepreneurs form million dollar companies within the next decade, and he even shares with us what he believes his superpower to be!
Please continue to tune in to the Freed Stories podcast as guests share their stories of entrepreneurship – their successes, their failures, their goals, their hopes, and so on, and be sure to hit that subscribe button so that you never miss an episode!
Time Stamps
[0:59] – Jackie introduces us to this episode's guest, Andy Louis-Charles.
[1:24] – Andy provides us with some background information about himself, such as how he is the founder of the Freed Fellowship and describes his role with the fellowship.
[2:40] – We learn what inspired Andy to establish the Freed Fellowship, as he noticed gaps in economic and career opportunities that he wanted to close.
[5:00] – Andy revealed where the name of Freed Fellowship came from – wanting to help us free ourselves from the limiting stories that we tell ourselves.
[6:37] – Andy shares that another definition of the word freed in the context of the fellowship is freeing locked up human potential.
[8:28] – Jackie and Andy enthuse over how Freed Fellowship can help people unhappy in the corporate world explore other opportunities.
[10:54] – Andy asserts that if you truly find something that is important to you, then you will figure out how to make it happen.
[12:36] – Andy offers us advice if we're looking to become entrepreneurs, advising us to get in over our heads.
[14:17] – We learn what obstacles Andy has faced over the years and what lessons he has learned from them.
[16:08] – Andy strongly encourages us to build a team before starting a project or business, even if it's made up of family members or friends.
[18:21] – Andy reveals two things that he wants fellowship members to get out of being members – removing unhelpful stories about ourselves and feeling like we are in a community.
[20:30] – Andy hopes that, over the next decade, Freed Fellowship will help at least 1,000 new entrepreneurs grow their businesses to million dollar businesses.
[23:20] – We discover that Andy believes his superpower to be his ability to connect dots and connect people.
[26:31] – Andy discloses where online we can reach out to him and the fellowship.
Links and Resources
Tuesday Apr 13, 2021
Tuesday Apr 13, 2021
Join me as Nathan Rodgers shares his own freed story this week! Nathan is currently a digital marketer and has a background in the public sector in the Peace Corps (which he joined after college). He then worked at UNICEF and had the opportunity to do business analysis and training around a software system called SAP. Nathan then lived and worked in Thailand and got to see a lot of the world which was exciting for him because he had always loved to travel.
Because he always felt like he wanted more out of a career than to spend the entirety of it at one bureaucratic organization, Nathan eventually took a risky leap of faith and allowed a contract to expire seven years ago – without anything else immediately lined up! It was a scary decision, but, as Nathan explains, almost every important decision that he has ever made has been made in opposition to fear. This decision eventually led him to Nicaragua, where, even though he initially thought that he would only stay for a short while, he has been for seven years, having started a business via a hotel. It was a long road, but he and his two partners finally opened the hotel's doors on December 1, 2019.
Nathan discusses some of the challenges presented last year by the COVID-19 pandemic and offers advice to us. He advises against taking on too overwhelming of a project as your very first entrepreneurial endeavor and to also destroy your fear with action. He, in addition, suggests that we should allow ourselves to be vulnerable and open with people in order to establish a sense of community and avoid the loneliness that sometimes comes with the territory of being an entrepreneur.
He additionally explains how he balances his work life with his personal life, recommends some podcasts, and even reveals what he considers his superpower to be! Please do reach out to Nathan via the methods that he provides, and I also really hope that you will continue to join me on the Freed Stories podcast as guests share their stories of entrepreneurship – their successes, their failures, their goals, their hopes, and so on! Be sure to hit that subscribe button so that you never miss an episode!
Time Stamps
[0:59] – Jackie introduces this episode's guest, Nathan Rodgers, and Nathan gives us some background information about himself.
[3:33] – We learn that Nathan decided to learn Spanish and randomly chose Nicaragua to do so.
[4:44] – Nathan reflects on how he has been in Nicaragua for seven years and has started a business via a hotel.
[7:22] – Nathan discusses the challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic hitting last March posed for the hotel.
[9:55] – Nathan describes what his journey has been like over the last year.
[10:45] – Nathan explains that he grew up in a middle class family and grew up wanting to be an archaeologist like Indiana Jones.
[11:34] – We discover that Nathan has always loved to travel for as long as he can remember but that there hasn't been much else that consistent.
[13:39] – Nathan makes a connection between his aspirations when he was younger and what he is doing today.
[15:38] – Nathan offers two pieces of advice for anyone interested in starting a business, starting with not taking too big of a project as your first endeavor.
[18:05] – Nathan provides a second piece of advice – to destroy fear with action.
[21:04] – Nathan expounds upon the loneliness that is sometimes involved with entrepreneurial work, advising that being willing to be vulnerable and seeking out community are the best ways to combat it.
[23:06] – Nathan describes his history with serious depression.
[24:52] – Nathan delineates how he balances his work life with his personal life.
[28:00] – Nathan credits three different podcasts as helpful resources for him.
[30:30] – Nathan reveals what he would tell himself five years ago if he could to expect a more difficult journey than he had initially expected.
[31:19] – Nathan hopes to grow his business financially within the next couple of years.
[33:00] – We learn that Nathan considers his superpower to be an ability to make complicated ideas simpler so that people can understand them.
[35:15] – Nathan shares with us where we can reach out to him online.
Links and Resources
Apply for our Freed Fellowship Monthly Grant
Free Training to Help You Grow Your Business
How I Built This with Guy Raz - Podcast
Tuesday Apr 06, 2021
Tuesday Apr 06, 2021
Join me as I talk to Nto, of the company Busy Bumblebeees, about her business and how it got started, how she had been a content creator and manager at a restaurant but was laid off because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and how she got started as an entrepreneur via Upwork.
Nto also shares how when she was much younger she had dreams of having a regular, stable job as an accountant, taking part in social activities such as office parties, and how that ultimately resulted in what she does now. She went to college for business management which led to her following a path of independent entrepreneurship. She now provides virtual assisting and social media marketing to a wide range of clients.
As I often say, the road to entrepreneurship and even entrepreneurship itself can sometimes be lonely, so Nto not only talks about how she combats that loneliness and how being a fellow of Freed has helped her establish a sense of community as an entrepreneur, but she also offers some advice, such as familiarizing yourself with your target market and eliminating self-doubt to fight off imposter syndrome. She also details her daily schedule, shares what she would say to herself five years ago if she could, and even reveals what she considers her superpower to be!
I really hope that you will continue to join me on the Freed Stories podcast as guests share their stories of entrepreneurship – their successes, their failures, their goals, their hopes, and so on! Be sure to hit that subscribe button so that you never miss an episode!
Time Stamps
[0:57] – Jackie introduces this episode's guest, Nto of Busy Bumblebeees.
[1:42] – Nto gives some background information about herself, such as how she was a content creator and manager at a restaurant but was laid off due to the COVID-19 pandemic so became an entrepreneur via Upwork.
[3:27] – We learn how Nto wanted to be an accountant when she was younger.
[5:00] – Nto offers us advice – knowing your target market and eliminating self-doubt.
[6:38] – Nto explains how she has handled the loneliness of entrepreneurship, such as by following virtual assistant pages on social media and being part of Freed.
[7:38] – We discover what Nto’s daily schedule looks like and how she balances her life and her work.
[9:34] – Nto credits a social media page that has inspired her and taught her to live a successful yet pleasurable life.
[10:48] – Nto shares that if she could talk to herself five years ago, she would tell herself to be consistent in everything that she does and to not be afraid.
[11:18] – Nto hopes that five years into the future her business will grow so that she’ll have a team.
[12:05] – We learn what Nto’s superpower is – her attention to detail.
[12:47] – Nto shares where we can find her online.
[13:05] – Nto explains where the name of her company, Busy Bumblebeees, comes from and why it's spelled the way that it is.
Links and Resources
Apply for our Freed Fellowship Monthly Grant
Free Training to Help You Grow Your Business
Tuesday Mar 30, 2021
Tuesday Mar 30, 2021
Imagine, if you have to, having a career that allows you to encapsulate pretty much all of your interests. Most of us aren't that lucky, right? Well, Deja Tyla, founder of Tyla's Writing Services, is that lucky! With a background in project management and information technology, Deja was able to marry her interests in writing and business management with her company, which helps businesses meet their business goals by offering them assistance with things like interview preparation, resumes, LinkedIn profiles, and so much more. Tyla's Writing Services also works with small businesses that are just getting started and might need those extra resources to get their names out there.
Deja shares her Freed story with us, sharing, for example, how she always saw herself as a leader and as someone who stood up for what was important to her, and with writing and business management being interests of hers, she founded Tyla's Writing Services. In addition to sharing her story with us, she is also kind enough to offer some advice. She suggests that it's very important that you're having fun and enjoying what you're doing or else you're just going to burn out, and she also stresses how crucial that it is to never stop being eager to learn even after you have finished your schooling and/or training. She also offers some advice to those who might be experiencing the often talked about loneliness that sometimes goes hand-in-hand with entrepreneurship – encouraging us to surround ourselves with like-minded professionals who can be support systems for us.
Deja reflects a little bit on the past and also shares what she hopes to accomplish with her company in the future. She even explains what has driven her over the years and what has helped her through making the jump to entrepreneurship! Be sure to connect with Deja Tyla via the various methods that she mentions in the podcast, and as always, I really hope that you will continue to join me on the Freed Stories podcast as guests share their stories of entrepreneurship – their successes, their failures, their goals, their hopes, and so on! Be sure to hit that subscribe button so that you never miss an episode!
Time Stamps
[0:58] – Jackie introduces this episode's guest, Deja Tyla.
[1:18] – Deja gives us a little bit of information about herself and what she does with her company, Tyla's Writing Services.
[2:27] – We learn what Deja hoped to be when she was younger and how she wanted to be a leader who stood up for what was important to her.
[3:09] – Deja offers a piece of advice for anyone who might be interested in following a similar career path – that it's important to enjoy what you do.
[3:26] – Deja provides us with a second piece of advice – to never stop being a student.
[4:13] – Deja asserts that she has had a lot of support on her journey and hasn't experienced entrepreneurial loneliness but offers advice to those who have experienced it or do experience it.
[4:55] – Deja admits that she works very hard sometimes and finds it difficult to find a balance between her work life and her personal life.
[5:49] – We discover that Deja considers her excitement to learn and educate herself as being the main thing that has helped her make the jump to entrepreneurship.
[6:38] – Deja reflects on her past self from 2015, stating that she would advise herself to accept all challenges happily if she had that opportunity.
[7:04] – Deja hopes that within five years, Tyla's Writing Services will have grown as a brand.
[8:06] – Deja shares with us where online we can reach out to her.
Links and Resources
Apply for our Freed Fellowship Monthly Grant
Free Training to Help You Grow Your Business
Tyla’s Writing Services - Instagram Page
Tyla’s Writing Services - Facebook Page
Tyla’s Writing Services - Twitter Page
Tuesday Mar 23, 2021
Tuesday Mar 23, 2021
Freed fellow Sammy Kelly, one of two co-owners of Digivangelism, is here to share her freed story with us! When Sammy was younger, she always saw herself as a missionary, excited by the prospect of a lifestyle other than the typical 9-5 grind, which is what led to her eventually co-developing Digivangelism, a company whose goal is to spread hope and healing through knowing Jesus Christ and to help church leaders do that more effectively in their communities.
Sammy not only shares her story with us but also offers some great advice – (1) don't be afraid to get started in some small way even if it's not initially full-time and (2) introduce positive habits into your life. (She, for example, has been running a mile each day for 293 days!) She also suggests that most businesses succeed because they're enthusiastic and optimistic and are willing to go through the ups and downs of their journeys. She credits Donald Miller – author, business mentor, and influencer – as an inspirational resource for her and recommends his Business Made Simple educational program and book.
As I frequently say, the road to entrepreneurship and even entrepreneurship itself can sometimes be lonely, but it doesn't have to be, and Sammy also touches upon how you can combat that entrepreneurial loneliness, such as connecting with people and making friends with them even if they live very far away and also making use of rest days to engage in social activities.
Be sure to check Sammy and what she does out at the various methods that she lists! I really hope that you will continue to join me on the Freed Stories podcast as guests share their stories of entrepreneurship – their successes, their failures, their goals, their hopes, and so on! Be sure to hit that subscribe button so that you never miss an episode!
Time Stamps
[0:58] – Jackie introduces this episode's guest, Freed fellow Sammy Kelly.
[1:18] – Sammy tells us a little bit about herself and how she got started as an entrepreneur.
[2:13] – We learn that when Sammy was younger, she thought that she wanted to be a missionary.
[3:30] – Sammy offers two pieces of advice for people who want to embark upon a similar journey as hers.
[5:28] – Sammy comments on how she has combated entrepreneurial loneliness – making connections even if they're long-distance and also taking advantage of time off to engage in social activities.
[7:07] – We learn how Sammy balances her personal life and her work life.
[8:45] – Sammy credits Donald Miller as an inspirational resource for her.
[10:42] – We discover that if she could, Sammy would tell herself five years in the past to invest her money and to expose herself to helpful resources such as books and podcasts.
[11:22] – Sammy shares what she hopes for within the next few years – such as wanting to buy a van and get a dog and also for Digivangelism to be more closely connected with education and have a certification program.
[13:20] – Sammy reveals that she considers her superpower to be enthusiasm.
[14:59] – We discover where we can reach out to Sammy online.
Links and Resources
Apply for our Freed Fellowship Monthly Grant
Free Training to Help You Grow Your Business
Jeff Haden - The Motivation Myth: How High Achievers Really Set Themselves Up to Win
Donald Miller – Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality
Donald Miller – Business Made Simple University
Tuesday Mar 16, 2021
Tuesday Mar 16, 2021
Beginning her journey networking on social media for various animal rescue sanctuaries, fellow Freed member Shawna joins me in this episode to share her Freed story, sharing how she got into virtual assistant business six or seven years ago which was when she realized that that was where her true calling was because it was what she most enjoyed. She has since been working as a virtual assistant, enjoying her time helping companies grow.
The Freed Fellowship, seeking to foster a community of entrepreneurs to make the road a little less lonely, is always encouraging our guests to talk about how they curb that entrepreneurial loneliness, and Shawna shares her own secret – that she avoids loneliness via networking on social media! She always has clients to assist and shares with me that, even though the type of client whom she helps varies depending on the situation, her idea of a dream client is someone who already has a vision of what they want done, since formulating and executing the vision herself is oftentimes part of what she has to do. Stressing the importance of knowing your skills and building a network so that you can “have your little elevator pitch ready,” ambition is clearly something that is important to Shawna, and she offers helpful advice about what you should do if you wish to walk the journey toward becoming a virtual assistant like her!
I hope that you'll continue to join me on the Freed Stories podcast as guests share their stories of entrepreneurship – their successes, their failures, their goals, their hopes, and so on! Be sure to hit that subscribe button so that you never miss an episode!
Time Stamps
[0:05] – Jackie welcomes us to the podcast and explains what the premise of the podcast is.
[0:55] – Jackie welcomes Shawna, another Freed team member, to the podcast.
[1:16] – Shawna narrates her story, telling us how she got started and how she ended up an entrepreneur.
[2:21] – Shawna explains that her ADHD growing up led to her repeatedly changing her mind about what career path she wanted to follow.
[3:06] – We receive two tidbits of advice from Shawna if we want to become virtual assistants like her, to know our strengths and to be sure to network.
[4:16] – Shawna describes her dream client.
[5:15] – Shawna clarifies how she curbs entrepreneurial loneliness via social networking.
[6:11] – We learn what Shawna's daily schedule usually looks like.
[7:11] – Shawna discusses the importance of a virtual assistant taking breaks to eat and not overworking.
[8:05] – Shawna recommends Score to us – a website where you can communicate with other mentors.
[9:07] – Shawna reflects on what she would tell herself five years ago if she could as well as what she hopes for in the future, such as how she's hoping to form a collaborative agency.
[10:25] – Shawna credits herself as being adaptable, as she is easily able to adjust what she does for her clients' needs.
Links and Resources
Tuesday Mar 09, 2021
Tuesday Mar 09, 2021
Switching things up a bit in this episode by doing a reversal of what we did in our first episode, Maggie Partin now interviews me, host of the Freed Stories podcast Jackie Heil, who, like Maggie, made the scary jump from the corporate world to the world of entrepreneurship!
I was in the corporate world for about eight years as a communications and events coordinator, but I am now a freelance content creator who specializes in writing and voiceover work. If, like me, you are looking to get into entrepreneurship, remember that (1) there is never going to be a perfect time, so just go for it because even though the jump is scary, it's so worth it in the end, and (2) you should always know the value of what you do and stick to that value. Don't accept discounts! Know your worth! Know what your services are worth!
The road to entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship itself can frequently be a lonely one, but it doesn't have to be! Because of Freed Fellowship, for example, it really hasn't been too lonely for me. The things that I missed about the corporate world such as networking have been satisfied by the Fellowship, and that is the gap that we are looking to bridge here at Freed. We want to make that transition easier by fostering a community of entrepreneurs.
I hope that you'll continue to join me on the Freed Stories podcast as guests share their stories of entrepreneurship – their successes, their failures, their goals, their hopes, and so on! Be sure to hit that subscribe button so that you never miss an episode!
Time Stamps
[0:05] – Jackie welcomes us to the podcast and explains what the premise of the podcast is.
[0:54] – Maggie announces that she will be interviewing Jackie in this episode.
[1:24] – Jackie shares with us her story of how she got started on her entrepreneurship venture and what she now does.
[2:11] – We learn that when she was young, Jackie was always writing and performing and made cards, dreaming of working for Hallmark.
[2:41] – Jackie informs us that she has a degree in writing, editing, and media.
[3:10] – Jackie offers advice to people who want to begin a path of entrepreneurship.
[4:22] – Jackie comments on whether or not being an entrepreneur has been a lonely path for her, crediting Freed Fellowship for preventing loneliness for her.
[5:07] – Jackie explains how she manages her time and what her daily schedule tends to look like.
[6:10] – Jackie gives credit to Reddit for being a helpful resource for her as an entrepreneur.
[7:36] – Jackie reflects on what she would tell herself five years ago if she could and where she sees herself five years from now, such as how she hopes to have an agency of her own with several like-minded people.
Links and Resources
Reddit – The Podcast Guest Exchange
Tuesday Mar 09, 2021
Tuesday Mar 09, 2021
Are you in the corporate world looking to make the scary jump to entrepreneurship? Are you worried about the road to entrepreneurship being a lonely one? If your answer to either of those questions is yes, then the Freed Stories podcast is for you!
The Freed Stories podcast seeks to bridge the gap between wantrapreneur and entrepreneur. Join me, your host Jackie Heil, in this episode as I interview Maggie Partin, co-founder (alongside yours truly) of Freed Media and someone who made that scary jump from the corporate world to entrepreneurship. Maggie and I discuss how she got started on her entrepreneurship venture, describing herself as a “multi-passionate entrepreneur.” She encourages new entrepreneurs to trust their instincts and to take risky leaps if need be, and she shares with us the challenges of entrepreneurship, such as how it can be frustrating to do something that has never been done before because there are no answers out there; you have to learn on your own.
Being on your own is, after all, often the scariest part of wanting to move toward entrepreneurship. The road to entrepreneurship can be lonely, but it doesn't have to be! We at Freed Fellowship seek to build a community of entrepreneurs and bridge that lonely gap, and Maggie and I discuss that loneliness and how to overcome it, and she also provides us with what she considers to be the three core things to do if you're just starting your journey of entrepreneurship: (1) surround yourself with people who will support you and hold you accountable for what you say you're going to do; (2) have a clearly defined mission statement that you define right from the get-go; (3) be prepared for things to go awry and have a back-up plan in case they do.
I hope that you'll join me on the Freed Stories podcast as guests share their stories of entrepreneurship – their successes, their failures, their goals, their hopes, and so on! Be sure to hit that subscribe button so that you never miss an episode!
Time Stamps
[0:05] – Jackie Heil provides an overview of what the podcast will cover overall as well as what this particular episode will cover.
[0:54] – Jackie welcomes Maggie Partin, the other half of the Freed Media duo, to the podcast.
[1:16] – Maggie gives us some background information about herself such as how she got started on her entrepreneurship venture.
[2:19] – We learn what a typical day's routine looks like for Maggie.
[3:39] – Maggie explains how she balances her personal life with her work life.
[4:50] – We discover what Maggie's career dream was as a child and how that led to what she ended up doing, such as how she was interested in architecture and building homes.
[7:19] – Maggie tells us about how she was temporarily an events and parties planner but how that burned her out physically and emotionally, which led her to start ventures such as Stitch Fix.
[9:51] – Maggie offers us advice on what to do if we're looking to move from the corporate world to entrepreneurship like she did.
[12:26] – Jackie comments on Maggie's advice, adding that some people don't realize how lonely self-employment and entrepreneurship can be.
[12:53] – Maggie illustrates how she deals with loneliness as an entrepreneur and finds the balance between feeling lonely and enjoying time to herself.
[15:10] – Maggie sheds light on what she has learned from The Fellowship.
[17:22] – Maggie lists off and explains what she considers to be the three most important things about starting a small business.
[20:27] – Jackie asks Maggie what she would have told herself five years ago if she could and where she sees herself five years from now, and Maggie shares that she hopes to own a home and also run several multimillion dollar businesses.
[22:27] – Jackie brings the episode to closure by thanking Maggie for joining her.
Links and Resources
Tuesday Mar 02, 2021
Tuesday Mar 02, 2021
Welcome to the Freed Stories podcast from the Freed Fellowship, a program that gives small businesses and entrepreneurs feedback on their ideas as well selects a monthly fellow who receives a grant and mentorship. In this intro episode, I – co-founding member of the Freed Fellowship Andy Louis-Charles – give you a little bit of background information about myself, such as how I became an entrepreneur at the young age of only eight, and outline how and why I helped form the Freed Fellowship.
It was my vision to help help unleash the human potential amongst both individuals and teams, and although it took me more than a decade (during which time I pursued a multitude of opportunities), I was finally able to realize my vision.
I also introduce you to Jackie Heil, fellow co-founder of the Freed Fellowship. Jackie, who is currently a freelance content writer and creator, will be your regular weekly host on Freed Stories. She briefly gives a little bit of background information about herself and her vision with the Fellowship. As she emphasizes, the entrepreneurial journey does not need to be lonely, and the Freed Fellowship is here for you!
We hope that you'll join Jackie on the Freed Stories podcast as guests share their stories of entrepreneurship – their successes, their failures, their goals, their hopes, and so on. Be sure to hit that subscribe button so that you never miss an episode, and if you're an entrepreneur yourself, we also encourage you to come speak on the show and share your story! Let's get freed!
Time Stamps
[0:05] – Andy Louis-Charles shares with us that he has been an entrepreneur for most of his life, having made bookmarks at eight years old.
[0:26] – Andy reveals that in 1997, he read an article that inspired him and gave him hope.
[0:50] – We learn that it took Andy more than ten years to get where he wanted to be, pursuing countless opportunities in the meantime.
[1:14] – We discover that Andy exited 2019 financially fulfilled but feeling like there was still something missing, explaining the initial vision that led to the formation of the Freed Fellowship.
[1:59] – Andy projects what the biggest economic opportunity will be over the next ten years.
[2:17] – Andy introduces himself and clarifies why he helped form the Free Fellowship, also explaining what the Freed Stories podcast will be covering.
[2:49] – Andy further discusses what the podcast will cover, outlining, for example, how the podcast will share entrepreneurs' ups and downs and successes and failures.
[2:59] – Andy hopes that some entrepreneurial listeners will also become guests on the podcast, sharing their own stories, and he introduces Jackie as the podcast's main weekly host.
[3:16] – Jackie introduces herself and provides a little bit of background information about herself.
[3:49] – Andy reiterates that Jackie is one of many whose stories we will hear on the podcast and that he hopes that entrepreneurial listeners will share their stories on the podcast.
Links and Resources