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You Can't Afford Me
Making the leap from employment to entrepreneurship can be a scary time. The biggest fear people have is the unknown. Here on the “You Can’t Afford Me Podast” we speak with hustlers and innovators on how to make the most of your journey. If you have questions we have answers.
You Can't Afford Me
Why Every Business Owner Should Think Beyond the Next Paycheck
Christian Mosier knew from an early age he wanted to start something, but it wasn't until he'd spent years working in sales and benefits that he found his calling. As founder and president of BenX Consulting Group, Christian brings a refreshingly honest perspective to what it really takes to launch and grow a business from scratch.
The conversation dives deep into the financial sacrifices required when stepping away from a steady paycheck. Christian meticulously planned his entrepreneurial leap by saving 12 months of expenses and slashing his monthly budget to a bare-bones $1,500 – a level of discipline that meant saying no to social outings, golf trips, and the lifestyle his peers were enjoying. For eighteen months, he lived this spartan existence before taking his first modest salary, demonstrating that success rarely happens overnight.
What sets Christian's approach apart is his long-term perspective on client relationships. Rather than chasing quick transactions, he builds partnerships designed to last decades. "Our goal is to have clients for 20 years," he explains, contrasting this with his previous sales roles where relationships often ended after implementation. This philosophy extends to how he views his own entrepreneurial journey – not as a sprint but as a marathon requiring sustainability and forward thinking.
The podcast explores the evolution every founder experiences, from solo hustler to team leader. Christian candidly shares how bringing on employees changed his motivation: "When you just start something and it's just you or maybe you and a partner, you're only accountable with so much. But now it's a deeper conversation if it doesn't work." This responsibility has driven him to develop leadership skills and create systems that can support his growing team.
Whether you're contemplating starting a business, in the early struggle phase, or working to scale what you've built, Christian's journey offers valuable insights into balancing ambition with reality, work with relationships, and short-term sacrifice with long-term vision. His story reminds us that behind every "overnight success" lies years of consistent effort, strategic thinking, and the courage to keep going when no one else believes.
www.themrpreneur.com
Are you trying to reach decision makers, entrepreneurs and sales professionals, then you Can't Afford Me is your next marketing move. With six episodes a month and a growing audience of CEOs and industry leaders, your brand won't just be heard, it'll be remembered. Advertisers can place audio ads on our podcasts and even secure visual placements in our full-length YouTube videos. This is where smart brands earn attention. Lock in your ad spot today before your competitor does. Email sam at enzomediafirmcom to receive more information.
Speaker 1:Welcome to the you Can't Afford Me podcast, where we skip the fluff and dive straight into the ground Real entrepreneurs, real struggles and the unfiltered journey behind success. Let's get into it. Hey guys, thanks for joining us on another episode of the you Can't Afford Me podcast. Today we're going to talk about something. There are a lot of things when it comes to entrepreneurship where you don't really think about these things when you're first starting up your business, but they're very integral and things that you're going to have to implement at some point. So we have a gentleman on the podcast today that's going to be talking about that service, but also he's an entrepreneur himself, so we're going to get into the meat of how he built his business. So today we have Christian on the podcast. How you doing buddy.
Speaker 2:Good Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1:Absolutely man. I feel official being on the podcast, I feel dangerous. Well, let's get silly then.
Speaker 2:Man, take a moment, give everybody a quick rundown who you are, what you do, sure, so my name is Christian Mosier, I'm the founder and president of Binax Consulting Group and essentially we are a full service benefit advisory firm. So, just like Sam said, anything dealing with employee benefits offering them to employees is something that we handle. We try to look at it from the lens of an entrepreneur and business owner, because that's what I am, so I try to look at it from that lens.
Speaker 2:Grew up in South Hill which has about 4,000 people and went to small college Ferrum that had about a thousand.
Speaker 1:You know, Ferrum was one of the first schools I actually looked at. I ended up not going there, but that was one of the first ones on my radar.
Speaker 2:I, for whatever reason, really enjoyed it during the tour. I was like I want to play here. So I ended up going to Ferrum and moved to Richmond after I graduated and it was funny. Most people move to Richmond and they're kind of a small city right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I did the exact opposite, as we talked about right. Like I moved to richmond. It's like a massive metropolitan yes, compared to ferrum and south hill. That's how I felt. I came from lynchburg, lynchburg's I think lynchburg's one of the largest small towns in america but definitely I had that feeling. When I came to richmond I was like, oh man, I'm in the big city. Like I felt like I was a country boy moving to new y City or something like that. It felt massive.
Speaker 2:Cheeseburgers 12 bucks.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah. So kind of talk to us about your journey, how you even got started in this industry. So you went to Ferrum. What did you?
Speaker 2:major in in school Finance so I did like finance and some accounting actually funny enough.
Speaker 1:So you knew early on this was a field, somewhat, that you wanted to be in.
Speaker 2:Yeah, somewhat. I knew that I kind of enjoyed numbers and people, and that was it. Now I realized that accounting would be just numbers most of the time. Yeah, not a big fan of that. And then I had a couple interesting jobs. To start was like in construction for a bit, was in recruiting for a bit after college. No one knows what they want to do, right?
Speaker 2:after college and then found kind of a sales role at adp and that's what I really fell in love with was kind of the business development and relationship building side, building a network serving people versus selling people which I really enjoyed and so from ADP after a couple years there went to the benefit industry just from a networking contact and friend Didn't even know really benefits existed.
Speaker 1:And most times.
Speaker 2:You know what's health insurance, what's benefits.
Speaker 1:I didn't know what a deductible was.
Speaker 2:But what I really enjoy about benefits is it matches the people and the numbers. Now, because now. I deal with numbers all the time, but I also can relay them to people all the time. So it's like, I'm not all numbers, I'm not all people. It's kind of a really cool mix, that's how I got in there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, when that so that transition there. What was it when you kind of saw this side with health benefits that you said I want to switch from sales to the benefit piece. What was it that attracted you to this industry?
Speaker 2:It was. That's a really good question. It was oversold to me. I'll say Just like some jobs are, but the thing that attracted me was relationships for a lifetime versus relationships for a year.
Speaker 1:So like.
Speaker 2:ADP a lot of times or sales roles in general. Right, you're kind of selling, consulting, maybe selling a little bit, and then you sell the product or service and you're kind of out right. Like maybe you help with implementation and things like that, but then you're done. Where I really enjoy it benefit-wise, is like our goal is to have clients for 20 years.
Speaker 1:So it's like.
Speaker 2:our goal is to have a client just continue with us on a journey as they grow, which is really cool to see.
Speaker 2:It's probably one of my favorite parts about what I do today and you see, what I said is seeing different businesses, from marketing to nonprofits to law firms, all of these types of companies. It's really cool to see them grow and see them evolve. But that's kind of what drove me originally was like let's, let's have some relationships and do good work over a longer period of time, first like hey, I'm gonna sell you something, and then the call me if you need absolutely, so you just dropped the gym there.
Speaker 1:I want to make sure people don't don't miss. You said you want to build relationships and work with clients for the next 20 years, so give us some insight there in terms of how do you hone that relationship to last that long, because I think too many entrepreneurs salespeople they're too short-sighted when they're looking at these things. I'm kind of feeling like I mean, I've been doing this 10 years now but I feel like I'm almost just became an entrepreneur, because some of the things I'm learning and how some things are clicking now, where before, in the early days, it was transactional because you're just trying to eat yeah, he's like man, I gotta get this like absolutely, yeah, I mean it's paid for.
Speaker 1:Let's, let's get this done. I think that shows a maturity of an entrepreneur. Once you can get past that point, it it's like all right, it's not about the next meal, it's about how am I going to cultivate relationships for the long term. So what are some things that you do to deepen those relationships with clients?
Speaker 2:Yeah, and they always change too. Right Like the relationship that you form originally. Maybe it's surface level, or maybe it's like a small company, or whatever it might be, but as your journey as an entrepreneur, you know, grows and evolves, and your client as well. Like companies that you work with and people right At the end of the day.
Speaker 2:It all comes back to people. They grow too. So it's not like you're always changing and evolving the relationship and I just think it goes beyond. A lot of times, especially with business, it goes beyond personal relationships, because personal relationships are very important, right, like golfing together, grabbing lunch together. All that stuff has its place by all means. But if you don't do good work with that, it's like you're missing one side of the puzzle. And that's kind of the cool thing that I've noticed the last few years. I've been asked when we do our best work, sometimes the best relationships come out of that, the best sales come out of that. It doesn't come out of us, just like you know, hoping that just because I play golf, this person, this happens.
Speaker 2:It's like no like yeah let's develop a relationship for sure with people and get to know people, but on top of that, like let's don't just rely on the relationship and let's also do some great work, absolutely like support that journey as well absolutely.
Speaker 1:I remember hearing a story from, uh, gary vaynerchuk one. I have yet to do this, but I do have a client in mind that they're about to upgrade to the next level with us and once we do that, I'm like all right, I got to put a little cherry on top of this. So he found out one time a client he was working with was a big Bears fan, and he did this just by going through, scrolling through his social media, found out who his favorite Bears player was, and then he went on eBay, ordered a jersey signed by this player and sent it to the client and it was like man that deepened the relationship so much. Are there any techniques like that that you've tried in terms of like? You know we've all done probably the pizza party and stuff like that, but like, is there anything beyond like we talk about golf and things like that, which is a fantastic way of developing a relationship with people? Is there any secret or tidbit like something you've tried that you're like man that worked out better than I thought?
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's funny you say that we haven't done anything to that extreme by any means, but one of our best referral partners.
Speaker 1:I did.
Speaker 2:She's a big Syracuse fan. And so I did. Actually, I hired a company locally river city caricatures nice and I did like a caricature of her as the ceo with the syracuse cape, it was, like you know, very personalized and just kind of like an office gift and that I was.
Speaker 2:I knew she was gonna like it, but I was very taken aback by like how much she, I would say appreciated the gifts yeah and, just like you said, like it's so, it's so personalized, sometimes like what Gary Vee did, and like I think that's really maybe something we need to do a little bit more of. It's like, yeah, we do like the coffee and the happy hours and some stuff. You know dinners and different things, but having something. Like you know, I'm a big Carolina Panthers fan. No one's ever gotten me anything Panthers won, but they did even if it was like something small, right, even if it's like a.
Speaker 1:I mean we should, because that stuff's on sale all the time, man, all the time. Nobody wants Panthers here. You could get a ticket, we could get a field-level seat for $30.
Speaker 2:There was a crazy game last year against I think it was the Falcons. It was a team that you could literally get a ticket for $3.
Speaker 1:Oh my yeah, and that's not too far of a drive man Bryce Young's turning around though.
Speaker 2:Yeah, nah, I do like.
Speaker 1:Bryce man, I was talking to somebody yesterday. I was at a golf tournament yesterday and the guy I was with he was a Carolina fan too and he said who's the quarterback for the Houston Texans?
Speaker 2:CJ Shroud, cj Yep. He said, carolina could have gone either way.
Speaker 1:Oh, they're number one pick, yeah. But I'm like it's so hard to predict a quarterback. And then I felt like Tom Brady was Mr Irrelevant. Turned out to be the greatest of all time. Steelers got Big Ben in like the fifth round or something like that. Like you never know what you're going to get with these quarterbacks.
Speaker 2:So much is. We could have a whole podcast about that, but so much is about, like, the coaching and the of the organization, because you look like Brock Purdy. Yeah, he just signed a five-year $265 million contract.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you need to get a health insurance plan with him. Man, you need to get more than that.
Speaker 2:He needs to get some crazy stuff insured. That's $265 million and he was, you know, sixth round. I think Yep yep Fifth or sixth round.
Speaker 1:He was close to a Mr.
Speaker 2:Actually was he Mr.
Speaker 1:Relevant that year. I think he was. He might have been. Yeah, yeah, it's great, it's nuts man, um, all right, so let's talk about we talked about the development of relationships, strengthening those relationships. What caused you? Because you were working in the health benefits area, yep, what made you wake up one day and said you know what I want? To be a psycho and start my own business? Definitely psychotic, you know, and we, I talked to you. A psycho and start my own business Definitely psychotic.
Speaker 2:You know and we I talked to you about this the other day but people ask me like, how do you get the motivation to do something like that? I said, well, if you wake up one day and you don't have a paycheck, you'll find motivation really fast.
Speaker 1:Oh, thousand percent, very fast.
Speaker 2:No, but but before that I was with a good firm, I would say locally, and I just noticed that they were all focused on the relationship aspect which, like we talked about, is important.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:But they were kind of doing their clients a disservice by not also doing good consulting and not having a good service and product with that. And the average age in my industry is a little high I forget what the statistic is, but it's like 61. And I kind of looked after a couple of years of that firm. I looked at it and I was like I really feel like I can bring some innovation, some proactiveness instead of reactiveness every year and some new, fresh ideas into an industry that's been the same for 15 years. So that was the vision behind starting it. But to kind of go a little farther, I always knew, like even when I was in high school, that I wanted to start something. Now I didn't know what that meant.
Speaker 2:Like in high school, you have no skills. I was just hoping to get singles over shortstaff's head, right. You have no skills. And so it's like what do I start? And even in college and stuff, I always had this feeling that I wanted to start something, but I didn't know what. And so finally I felt like after a couple of years in the benefit and then obviously a couple of years in ADP too on the sales side, I really felt like now I have something to bring. So that's kind of why I started it.
Speaker 1:Talk to us about what did the first six months look like of you stepping out. Were you Ubering on the side to make some extra income while you were getting the business off? It's funny.
Speaker 2:you say that I thought about it. I thought in fact I was so close to doing DoorDash and Uber because six months in I had like no money, luckily. I'll say any piece of advice if anyone's watched this and they ever want to start something or maybe they just started something have people around you to like.
Speaker 2:set your expectations correctly have people around you to like set your expectations correctly. So before I started, luckily a few of my buddies were, you know, not big time entrepreneurs by any means, but they were two, three, five years into a journey and I really got to pick their brain. And so before I started I knew the first probably two years were going to be really difficult.
Speaker 1:And so how did you get through that Cause we we gloss over that on on this podcast, like I like hearing these stories. But what does that really look like? Because for me it was. I was ruffling for spare change in the floor of my car to put two dollars in the gas tank. It was little caesar's pizza like. What did you do to bridge the gap financially? So you passed on doordash and uber. How did you find ways to make money during that time?
Speaker 2:so I knew that if I just had to keep my expenses as low as I physically possibly could, I was living off like the first few months. Something crazy including rent was like rent. Food utilities was like $1,500 a month. That was what I was living off of.
Speaker 1:Did you have roommates?
Speaker 2:I had a few roommates, yeah, so I kind of moved in proactively before I started, had a few roommates or a couple roommates, yeah. So I kind of moved in proactively before I started, had a few roommates or a couple roommates and the housing situation luckily was a low expense which some people just you know.
Speaker 2:Obviously maybe you're a family- I was definitely blessed, and the time that I started it I could definitely be flexible with that. So I had a couple roommates, housing expense was really low and then obviously I have utilities, gas, food. I mean I tried all in. I don't tell many people this, but I tried all in every month to spend 1500 bucks. So I had like a certain amount saved for 12 months and I'm like okay if I can live for 1500.
Speaker 1:You know, okay, so let's back up. So you pre it, so you plan this out. Wait, this is why I love you financial guys, accounting type, you guys plan.
Speaker 2:I just run out with my heart and jumping deep in the pool.
Speaker 1:So prior to you making the leap, was it okay? I know I'm going to do this at some point. Let me stash away 12 months of living expenses.
Speaker 2:My goal was 12. Yep and 12, once again in my situation is a lot different than other people Like other people might have stashed away 60.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I had to stash away 20.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's a lot different, but even that, like it's, I've read this statistic recently. It's like over 51% of americans have, uh, less than a thousand dollars in savings, and so I had to lean over to my wife.
Speaker 2:I'm like we're not doing as bad as you think. We are top 49.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm the top percentile, baby, yeah, um, but looking at that like fly on me yeah it's not easy to put away I mean based on most americans.
Speaker 1:It's not easy to put away five, ten, twenty thousand dollars like to save, so that right there takes a certain level of discipline. So I'm assuming during that period because this is probably you're in your early 20s, mid-20s at this point, um, that means like your homies are hitting you up and like, hey man, we're gonna hit the bar tonight and you're like I gotta stay home 100 and luckily my, like, my buddies weren't too hard on me.
Speaker 2:They would rip me a little bit here and there but couldn't really go out to eat much, couldn't go to the bar, couldn't like golf trips. I couldn't really take golf trips right Like besides family vacations.
Speaker 1:Yeah, when mom and dad are taking the tab. Yeah, I'll go to Orlando.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I remember when I first started BenX, the first 12 months I been next, the first 12 months I barely, you know hardly played any golf, which for me is is and you're still better than me but it was the first time like it was probably the first time in my life I played that little in golf, because I grew up playing. I played middle school I played high school and so, like it was probably the first time in years I hadn't played, you know, at least regular, like consistently you know a few times a month.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, gave that, I gave that up, but it was also short-term and my mindset. I was having this conversation a couple days ago because I was thinking why I originally started it. One of my buddies was an entrepreneur for a few years. My senior was like because I was kind of at a weird time, I was like should I get my MBA? Should I do something else? What should I do? Should I start this thing? He was else should I like, what should I do if I start this thing?
Speaker 1:he was like if you did this for a year you're going to learn more than anywhere you ever go right, whether it's harvard or you know it doesn't matter. The best education by doing it.
Speaker 2:So that was kind of my final kick, was like just freaking, do it so that was when I kind of like started planning, doing some stuff and and then ripped the band-aid off. Um, but yeah, it was it's.
Speaker 1:It was a huge learning experience and still is and people don't realize I want to stay on this for a second people don't realize how much that sucks to sacrifice that for a year where it's like you see all your friends on social media out having a good time, your boys are meeting their potential wives and all this stuff is happening. Everybody's there in myrtle beach on the golf trip and having a blast and you're just at home working on a business plan and trying to get some things together like dude, it sucks. It does, yeah, but when you realize 12 months of your life, man, that ain't jack exactly.
Speaker 1:It's nothing in the grand scheme of things. So, like most people just have that problem, they can't suck it up for that short period of time to live how they want to for the rest of their lives.
Speaker 2:Like you've set the foundation with that, just by having a little discipline yeah, there's a piece around that right, because it's like it's less of a success and failure game. It's more of like I'm gonna give this all I have and if it works, let's go awesome, and if it doesn't, like I can live with that, like it, like I that was my big thing was like if I really give this my all for a couple of years, like I will never have any regrets, right, like if it doesn't work, it doesn't work, like that. So I was kind of, when I stepped out, I was fine, completely fine, with it being a complete failure.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:But I knew like, if a complete failure means that I have peace, I don't regret it, and on top of that it means I learned however much I learned in 18, 24 months or whatever. I knew that was going to be so expedited because it has to be, and so if the failure is an expedited learning right and a chance to do something that most people don't like, I'll take that downside.
Speaker 1:Yeah Right, how many, how many years into it did you have to? Were you able to stop living off of $20,000? And things could elevate a little bit.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it was 18 months in. Yeah, almost two years before you know, because the first 12 months was essentially nothing.
Speaker 1:What was that moment like for you where you're looking at the numbers, you see the gross revenue that's coming in and that aha moment of holy crap, like I got something here. What was that like?
Speaker 2:Yeah, it was awesome, I'm not going to lie. It was like and it wasn't much. It wasn't like, it was like a big amount by any means. But it was when I first was like oh, I can actually like make a base wage and pay myself. It was like the coolest thing ever.
Speaker 1:Because it was like you know ever.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because it was like you know. Now I'm making whatever you know, 40 or whatever. Like the base you know is and, and it's just like this kind of came.
Speaker 2:Obviously I'm a believer, so I believe it came from like from god, and at the end of the day as well, but like it came in the last you know 18, 24 months or whatever it is, and it was really cool to see because it was like you know, I went into it like that might not work. My first time was, like you know, I went into it with like that might not work. My first time was like taking a paycheck and take some money. I was like, okay here we go.
Speaker 1:How do you feel about like this is a conversation I have with a lot of young entrepreneurs in terms of, like quote unquote being your own boss and I've always said I let go of one boss to take on hundreds of bosses which are now my clients. How did you feel about that? In terms of, like you know the flexibility of schedule, because for me it was. I remember looking out of my office door or my office window when I worked in corporate America and it was like a Tuesday and people outside throwing a frisbee and having picnics and playing with their dogs. I'm like, what in the world do these people do? Yeah, that they can be outside on a Tuesday at 2 o'clock and just having a good old time. For you, like, let's get into the building piece. Like once you started to put together a team and things like that came together. Talk to us about leveling up, Because it's one thing to be a solopreneur. It's another thing to bring people on a team and now you're responsible for them having to check. Thing to bring people on a team and now you're responsible for them having to check, Because I remember the days where it was like, all right, I'm gonna have to skip my paycheck this pay period and make sure my people are taken care of. Talked about the obstacles you had there building the team.
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Speaker 2:Yeah, I think it's funny when people say, like the affirmcom to get started. Yeah, I think I think it's funny when people say like, be your own boss. Cause it's, it's not really true, cause it's like, at the end of the day, I've never worked harder today, right, like I've never. I've never worked hard in my entire life at anything.
Speaker 1:Entrepreneurs work 80 hours a week, so we don't have to work 40 hours a week for someone else.
Speaker 2:It's actually kind of stupid but it's, it's also like really you know, if you believe in what you're doing, it's really rewarding.
Speaker 2:And it's like you're, you're kind of at peace with that. Like I know I'm going to work more, but like I I understand that that that's kind of how it is. Um, that's a good question, though, cause, like it's funny, cause people, my friends, I'm sure yours do the same thing where they're like it must be awesome to be your own boss and like well, there's pros and cons to every decision you ever make. There's definitely pros of like no, if I'm going to the dentist, like no, I don't have to let anybody know. Or if I am going to go to the beach for a couple of days with my family and girlfriend, like obviously that's fine. Or if you want to eat lunch at 1.30 instead of 12 o'clock, like yeah, get to make those decisions, exactly that's fine. But it's like the con is that, like, once you start to hire employees, it's like you definitely feel it's a motivating thing too, because you definitely feel like you need to essentially level up.
Speaker 2:like you need to be a better version of yourself, because when you just start something and it's, for example, just you or maybe it's you and a partner, even it's like you are you're only accountable with so much because it doesn't work. It doesn't work, but now it's like it's a little bit. It's a little bit of a deeper conversation. If it doesn't work like you, feel like you're letting more people down than yourself yeah right, and so it is.
Speaker 2:I would say it's. It's definitely more. I wouldn't say they're bosses by any means, but it's definitely more motivating to make sure, like I'm leveling up myself. Cause like I'm trying to read right now a leadership book, like you know, like it's something I've just never, never, really, never, really done, but I know that the next phase is definitely going to take a better version of Christian.
Speaker 1:Absolutely so. We're. I think we're on the same plane with that. Like, I'm always reading business books and self-help education books, but right now I'm honed in on the leadership component, because I realize that's the skill set I need to grow the most in order to take this organization to the next level. Curious, what book are you reading right now on leadership?
Speaker 2:It's called the Five oh gosh. It's by Patrick Lencioni. It's not the Five Habits. It's not the five habits, it's the five traits of a successful leader.
Speaker 1:Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, or the five, literally 90 pages in.
Speaker 2:I should know, I should know, but it's five qualities or five characteristics, or it's going to drive me insane. But it's by Patrick Lencioni and it's a really good book.
Speaker 1:And that's one thing that I've. Now I'm trying to up it Five.
Speaker 2:Dysfun, one thing that I've. Now I'm trying to up it Five dysfunctions of a team. There we go. That's what I know.
Speaker 1:I haven't read that one and it was five something. Send me the link on that.
Speaker 2:It talks about, like you know, lack of trust, lack of clarity and accountability, like the dysfunctions of a team that isn't performing well.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and so now, yeah, now more than ever.
Speaker 2:and you know we're not big company. We have, you know, three I mean me and then two full-time employees and advisory board and some of the pieces in place, but it's like your people are everything.
Speaker 1:Like.
Speaker 2:I need to obviously be better continually, but like, if you can be a better leader to the people that you you know that you're working together with.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:That's an exponential return. Because like it's kind of the most satisfying for me, and I'm sure it is for you. Like to see someone else do well right, or to see someone else, like you know, solve something or do something here or be able to provide in this way, and it's a really cool really cool feeling Like one of my employees.
Speaker 1:last year he was able to buy his first home and he was working here for four years and just, I wasn't the one that got him a house or anything like that, but it's just like the fact that I was paying you a certain wage, that you were able to go out and afford your first home. It's just an awesome feeling. On the education piece, like I'm trying to up the amount that I'm reading per week. Now, nice One. I can't remember who this guy was on the quick reel that I saw, but I went and watched the full video. Yeah, yeah, oh, alex, is that guy's everywhere? Yeah, uh, but he was saying the top ceos, they're reading 50 books a year and if you break that down, basically you're reading book a week and I'm like, uh, with the combination, do you count audio books?
Speaker 2:absolutely okay thank you, I don't as long as you're like like now, audio books when you're working out, I don't know like, if you're like focused on doing something else. I don't know how much like me for example, I don't really retain much but if I'm driving or if I'm absolutely yeah.
Speaker 1:So I'm trying to get to that point where I'm reading, listening to 50. I haven't gotten to that point. I know a lot of guys will read audiobooks on like 2x or something like that. I can't. I'm like listening to chipmunks man. I can't. I just got to listen to it at normal speed. But you know, for me, I think that moment what woke me up and said you need to delve a lot more into leadership. And in early days, you know, I was reading a lot of John Maxwell and things like that, so I picked up those leadership skills. But I think at some point you let me know if you've experienced this. Yet I think all entrepreneurs, we get some imposter syndrome at some point where you're like, am I that guy? Like should I be the one leading this organization? Like do I have it in me to lead these people? Like why are they following me? Am I that I'm not? I'm nothing special, all these different things. Have you experienced that yet in terms of imposter syndrome, thinking that you're not enough?
Speaker 2:Yeah, good question. Maybe moments or bits and pieces, I have for sure.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's not something that lasts for six months.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but bits and pieces I think I have. I also think, to be honest, that I know people who are CEOs of two unemployed companies and they don't have it together. So when I see that, it definitely makes me feel a little because at the end of the day, no one really has it together. Everyone's just kind of learning on the fly, and so once I've seen mentors of mine or people I look up to, that are just like hey, we're at X and I don't know what I'm doing.
Speaker 2:That definitely is relieving, because when you start a business and you start hiring, you know, you know I started having some clients and hiring employees and all that fun stuff it like it becomes I don't know. I don't know what I'm trying to say.
Speaker 1:I literally just made a post before we jumped on here. I'm talking about how I'm just starting to realize that fatherhood is so much like entrepreneurship Because, like you know the age I'm at now, like my parents were just having me Sure and looking now and realizing, you know, at 40 years old dude, I don't know what I'm doing. I'm figuring this fatherhood thing out as we go and just hoping that I'm doing the best thing and I'm, you know, talking to the right men and surrounding myself around other guys that I think are good fathers and setting the example.
Speaker 1:It's a great point. Yeah, we're all trying to figure this out along the way.
Speaker 2:The biggest thing too, kind of going back. To finish, the train of thought was just like caring about people and just always trying to do the right thing.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I think there's people who just like try to potentially cut corners, and I'm I've always I've always been a believer that cutting corners might not hurt you. Now, at some point it's going to absolutely come back. But like, at the end of the day, I feel like if you're caring for people and you're like kind of goes back to like you know, doing everything you can and I think everything else kind of takes care of itself to a certain degree absolutely that's one thing, when, when things you know and you're probably at the stage where things get bigger and you can't control anymore, like everything anymore, like you're between delegation and people and clients and like you can't be involved in every single aspect of the business yes.
Speaker 2:But just like being okay with that. Yeah, you know.
Speaker 1:One time I heard somebody I'm going to butcher this metaphor, but he said leadership is kind of like getting out of a chair. If we both get out of the chair right now, we're going to push down on the arms and see what happens. We move up. No-transcript. These people to that point, yeah, and most of the people that come in an organization there. I don't think and I may be mistaken, I don't think anybody in my organization is thinking that one day here they're gonna be making three hundred thousand dollars a year. I definitely see myself making an income like that at some point. But if I can get them what they want, get them to their goals, meet their needs, you naturally just rise up from there, exactly. So I think that's a big thing to look at when it comes to leadership. You mentioned that you played baseball when you were in school. I don't think I've asked anybody this on the podcast. Do you see any direct correlation of the things that you learned in sports to entrepreneurship?
Speaker 2:It's funny on time. I get so frustrated. I was late today. I get so pissed off at myself, but I hate, like you know, when someone says they're going to do something or be somewhere and they don't cause like I've just been trained for forever. Like hey, if you commit to this, like you're going to go and you're going gonna do this and you're gonna be on time and early is on, time on time is late yeah, yeah, as I was late today, but no, you're good, you're good, we'll blame richmond's huge traffic scene yeah, no, I had an employee.
Speaker 1:It took her 45 minutes to get to work today because of some traffic patterns that are going on here, but I would say like one of the things is definitely the consistency in it like day in day out realizing that like it's never sexy. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Right, like maybe once in a while it's sexy, maybe you want a big client every once in a while, or you know you hire a key employee and maybe every once in a while for sure. But it is just a day by day consistency, right?
Speaker 2:Like consistency compounds. That's probably the biggest thing I learned was like show up every day like consistency compounds. That's probably the biggest thing I learned was like show up every day Like consistency compounds, do what you say you're going to do, and I think that's really helped in certain aspects, for sure. One of my favorite quotes is most people overestimate what they can do in a year, but they underestimate what they can do in five Because like the consistency of doing something for five straight years yeah is like really powerful, like think, if you worked out five times a week for five years yep I don't care who you are, what genetics you have, you're gonna be in good shape.
Speaker 2:You're gonna look good, right like you might not look like you know you might not be four percent body fat but like you're gonna look really good you're gonna be in the top 10 percentile of adult Americans?
Speaker 1:Absolutely, because most people are. I saw something the other day that said the new flex in America is a healthy body.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Because I truly believe, like this pattern we're going on. That's a perfect segue, because I was going to ask you how does health and fitness equate into your everyday life as an entrepreneur? Because I fully believe that entrepreneur is a full contact sport, like we have to be sharp mentally, we have to be sharp spiritually, we have to be sharp physically. Um, what's your regimen? Cause you don't look like a slouch, you don't have a gut hanging over your pants.
Speaker 2:Like no, it's uh, it's been, it's been on and off. It's been a part of my life where it hasn't been as consistent as the others. You know work has been very consistent the last three years but fitness is not like. I ran a half marathon two and a half years ago, so that was obviously the consistent, but like since then it's been like two or three times a week just doing stuff whether it's lifting weights where that's running, just being active, um, but I really need to.
Speaker 1:I was actually thinking about that the last few days, having some type of goal or having some type of like, because the the thing I've struggled with recently is like I'm just doing it to do it yeah and it's like maybe having some type of either accountability or goal with it yeah, like if you got a tough mutter on the calendar, you know you got something, you're working on you know you need to, you know prepare for it a little bit yeah and so looking into what that might be but yeah, I mean it's pretty much.
Speaker 2:Two, three times a week. I'm doing something, whether it's weights or running or I mean that's still major.
Speaker 1:I mean most people aren't. Most people are sitting on the couch, yeah. So I mean, if you're out two, three times a week doing something active, um some people are crazy, though.
Speaker 2:Some people, I mean, 5 am alarm. You know I'm not. Are you that guy?
Speaker 1:I'm so blessed by people like that so I will say this once you get married and have the kids, that is literally the only time of the day I can get it in. Um, because by the time I get back from the gym, my wife and kids are just waking up, so it's like I never even left the house. Plus, I've just always had this innate thing in the back of my head, like that was one lesson that my dad taught me without even saying anything. So my dad was a pastor since the day I was born and I will never forget. And still to this day I try to think back like if I ever beat my dad waking up in the morning, there was not a time I can remember that I didn't get up in the morning, first thing, and I'm I'd maybe get up at six and be like, oh, I got him today, walk into the bathroom.
Speaker 1:He's sitting in his study reading books or doing something. Um, so it was a lesson that was always like ingrained in me. I just think something happens when you're up before and I don't care what it is you're doing, whether you wake up to pray, meditate, read a book, start looking through your calendar for the day If you're up at that time while most Americans are still in bed. I just know that by the time, because I do.
Speaker 1:I'm the type, when I'm warming up on the treadmill, I'll just do walk for my warmup and then I'll hit the weights. I like warming up on the treadmill. I'll just do walk for my warmup and then I'll hit the weights. I like to be on the treadmill for 30 minutes because that gives me an opportunity to listen to a good podcast or a good audio book. So by 5.30 am, 6 am, I've already read a chapter in the book while most people are still sleeping. Then I'm getting into the physical component of it and it's just like I just feel sharp when I get to the office. You know, some people may just be rolling in Like I keep a younger staff, and I've had some employees where it literally looks like they just rolled out of bed and like got here as quick as they could. Yeah, man.
Speaker 1:I've got a a bad house yeah, I've gotten the news, like I've read a chapter in a book, like I've checked on, uh, the stock, see what things were looking um, like from the previous day. Like I just feel like there's so much that you can get ahead of when you get up at that time. So I'd encourage you and I'll I'll set a goal with you, man, let's let's figure out some competition that's coming up, because I feel like, yeah, I can get kind of stale with my workouts and it's just like you're just doing it to doing it. My motivation has been when I see that guy in the gym. That's like 65 years old, he's just straight. I'm like dog.
Speaker 1:I'm like, because I'm I'm doing the math, by the time my kids are like leaving high school and things like that. Like I don't want to look like I'm my age right, like I want to be able to keep up with them. I want to be the dad that can still have a good time, have fun, like we can go out and do some stuff, um, so let's find some competition that's coming up, we'll get javon in the mix, that too, because he keeps me pretty motivated when it comes to stuff like that what, uh?
Speaker 2:what do you say? So you're, you're early morning weight lift, so you weight lift in the mornings.
Speaker 1:Yeah gotta do. Uh, the the weights. Like the weight training to me is is the best, just because the older you get, like your bone density, and you start to lose muscle mass and all that kind of stuff. Um, I was a distance runner growing up, so like that is one goal for me. Like I'm trying to work my way back to 10ks half marathons never done a full marathon, yeah, and I'm psychotic. I'm still debating like that was just one of those things I always said I would do. But I'm debating now at my age like what, what am I, am I going to feel accomplished after I do this? Like I think half marathon's like all I need at this?
Speaker 2:point. Well, marathon takes, it really becomes a part-time job, you don't? Talk about like getting like I've ran two half marathons and like you know, you trade a decent amount for those, but nothing yeah, nothing like a full. Oh yeah, no, it's full. I just gotta run 21 miles. Yeah, just a casual day, just do that there's one guy.
Speaker 1:I'm listening to his book. I'll I'll send you the link on this one. Um, this guy's a maniac, so he maintains a full-time job. Yep, um, he like he's been working for this like construction company or something for like the last 20, 30 years. Um, this guy gets up and runs a half marathon literally every single day. He's like one of the top. Uh, what do you call it? Archer boy? Yeah, an archer. He's like in the top three in the entire country right now, and he has a wife and kids. I do not know how this guy does it like I'm listening to his book every day every day, dude, every day.
Speaker 1:I've done a couple times, I'm like no, it's insane.
Speaker 2:Every day, every day, dude, every day. I've done it a couple times and I'm like no, it's insane every day.
Speaker 1:I think he's getting up at like 3 am going to work out. Then he gets the bow stuff in, like but he still has time for the wife and kids working a full-time job. Still like he's flying across the country doing all these things like it's insane dude. Yeah, just when you see people do stuff like that, like those are the things that kind of motivate me. I don't want to do that.
Speaker 2:But it just lets you know Like you know rings.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Phone arrow, but it just shows you like what we're all capable of, Like I think we all underestimate so much of like our capacity and what we're really capable of doing Whenever you feel like you're kind of at your max. Like you know, as both of us believers, God's never gonna put anything more on you than you can handle. So like when that stuff come your way, man like you, just take it by storm. One thing I want to touch on with you like being an entrepreneur and being single. Mm-hmm, what's the dating world like now as an old friend, yeah, girlfriend how long you guys been together three years.
Speaker 1:Okay, oh, yeah, yeah you've been off the market a little bit.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, we talked about this, so you're coming up on the time we're getting there uh well, what's it like, you know, not being married, having a girlfriend, and like being able to balance that time because, like when I first met my wife, the conversation was like, hey, I'm gonna be here and I'm gonna give you as much attention as I can, but the number one thing in my life right now is my business and I'm not going to put that to the side for a relationship. And so we had a clear understanding from the start. What's that been like for you guys?
Speaker 2:it's been great. I mean, she's been really supportive, like through the last couple years. You know, I, when I started it, we just started dating pretty much and she's been really supportive about that and and we still managed to spend. But she, I mean we still managed to spend a good amount of time together, but she works a a good amount as well. She does a great job and I work a decent amount. There are times where I wish certainly we could spend more time together here and there. I also think the nice thing about being an entrepreneur is you can really pick and choose your spots.
Speaker 2:There are days that are 12-hour days, and there are days that are really tough, for sure, but you work really hard Monday, tuesday and then Wednesday comes around and you have no meetings after 3. Monday, tuesday and then Wednesday comes around. You have no meetings after three.
Speaker 1:It's like well, I can take. You know, I can do a little early this day.
Speaker 2:So that is one of the nice things, of course, about entrepreneurs You're going to give more than you've ever given, but you can definitely structure in a way where it makes sense. We might do date night on a Wednesday, or you know something like that for sure, Nice. So it's been, but it's more on the emotional side.
Speaker 2:And that's what I'm trying to learn, how to balance now and learn from people. Maybe you know, like you and people who have been doing it for a little longer than I have, as far as like how to still have things in the tank when you're done. Yeah, like done work, so like it's so tough when you are working giving, because you know, as an entrepreneur, a lot of times you have to give it your all, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And so working, giving it your all, and then still. You know, having something in the tank left for date night or in the tank for different things is a lot easier said than done.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I will tell you this I don't know, and I may not get these numbers exactly right I think throughout a full day, I think women have 30,000 words and men have like 10,000 words a day. So by the time we typically leave work, I've used up most of my words for the day, so my wife will be talking and saying and like especially all these podcasts.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we're doing 40 of them. Yeah, I'm going crazy.
Speaker 1:I got no words when I get home today. I can promise you that. But a lot of time women think like we're ignoring them or we don't care or something like that. And it's just like, mentally, I, mentally I've, I've used it all I've, I've given all I can. And my wife understands that. There are certain days where it's like and she'll hit me up. Sometimes she's like you know what? I'm going to take the kids to do this. You can work late today, like I don't even have to say anything. She'll just be like yeah, I'm going to get something started and off the ground.
Speaker 2:But also, if you're looking at it in a 10 to 15, year window, or like I'm Lord willing, I'm looking at it in a long horizon. It's like you also want to be the best version of yourself in 10 years. You don't want to like hey, I'm just going to kill myself for three years and then guess what? I'm going to hate what I created.
Speaker 2:And so that's also a balance of that, where it's like you know, give it your all and there are going to be days where, like you're spent, like there are some days where I get home or, like you know, after work and I just like don't talk. Yeah, just because it's been maybe emotionally or stressful, or you know so many meetings or whatever it might be, and our brains are constantly working.
Speaker 1:You're still processing stuff.
Speaker 2:that happened at 10 am stuff that happened at 10 am. It's still working through your head, yeah, especially if it's a problem with a client or employee or whatever it might be. Yep, but just having having that peace and like that doesn't need to be every day yeah like you don't.
Speaker 2:You don't have to kill yourself every day to now. You have to work hard, by all means, and you have to be completely focused. But you don't have to work, you know. You don't have to spend yourself completely all day because, really, if you're looking at it in a 10 to 15 year window, yeah you want the sam and the christian in 10 years to be even stronger right business savvy wise and even more invigorated by like what you're doing absolutely, versus when you first start and that's you know, obviously more reputation, more clients.
Speaker 2:That's when you want to, you know. Ring it in, yeah for sure.
Speaker 1:Well said, well said. Before we wrap up, I definitely want to touch on the health benefits thing. So I think you and I, who connected us, kyle Kyle, yes, appreciate you, kyle, I know he's a fan of the podcast. If you didn't listen to this, we're going to have to wait a little bit. He connected us because now my organization is at a point where I'm going after the best of the best. I'm trying to attract the best talent I possibly can here and in order to do that and keep great people, you got to offer benefits.
Speaker 1:So give us kind of a brief overview in terms of like, because the thing that scared me as a business owner and honestly I think now I'm just getting like the right team together, so it makes the most sense now. But I was always told since I became an entrepreneur oh dude, it's so expensive to give benefits to your employer. Like, ah, you're going to be at a certain level to do that. Nobody would ever give me a number. It was just like this is really expensive. And then, after talking to you, it ain't that bad though, like it's not that bad. So kind of talk about like some of the options that are out there for entrepreneurs yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Well, first of all, there's more than most entrepreneurs think about. Like when you're designing a benefit program. Everyone thinks health insurance, everyone, and don't go wrong, health insurance is a very highly requested benefits. But the biggest thing with benefits is like because, like I said, we're trying to look at it in the lens of like an entrepreneur and business owner. It's like if I spend money on a benefit program, what's the?
Speaker 2:ROI, like what? Who are we actually impacting and is it helping us recruit and retain talent? You know. So like, your benefit package is going to look vastly different than nonprofits, which can look vastly different than a tech company, which can be vastly different than a blue like than a blue collar, so it's like it's all different. So, like I say that because you want to use your benefit program as a tool right, you want to help take care of employees, of course, at the heart of everything, but you want to use it as a tool for recruiting and retaining talents.
Speaker 2:So if your benefit program is not helping you do those things, you're throwing spaghetti at a wall and just hoping it sticks right you need to make sure, like your current team team and a great way to do that's pretty basic just talk to them, survey them, talk to them. You know, have someone else talk, have an hr person talk to them, whatever someone, just have someone talk to them. Be like what, what do you value? Like what's important to you. Then you get the data and then you realize, hey, a couple of our employees want health insurance, come on disability, come on this and that, and then from there you can really design a plan yeah based on that.
Speaker 2:But it's you need to look in the lens and you're doing it. It's like is this going to help me recruit? It's just going to help me retain and obviously help with employee well-being yep, yep, super important and they're.
Speaker 1:They're a combination of a bunch of different things. Like you know, here, when I was building this company, it was always about the type of environment, because I remember a lot of jobs I had that I didn't like, and it was like what didn't I like about those jobs? So what don't I want to bring here? And it's having little things like arcade machines, it's like, you know, making sure like I only had. Actually did I have any job do this before? No, I don't think I did. Keeping a fridge just stocked with refreshments and snacks and things like that, where it's like my employees don't have to worry about bringing, you know, a 12 pack of water bottles to work every day.
Speaker 2:They know little things like that are going to be provided.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so it's not stuff that necessarily costs thousands of dollars a month to attract good talent Like sometimes it's just so small things that people can offer and obviously that's a big piece of it. What's the what's the cutoff year for? Because you know, you and I have talked I have a pretty young staff. What's the cutoff year for when um, I was about to say kids but adults roll off their parents insurance plans great question 26.
Speaker 2:Okay, now it can be before that yeah, right like obviously there's some people who you know. Your parents say hey, you're 21, get out of here like get off the house plan but it's. The official age is 26 and that's the month that you turn 26.
Speaker 1:So let's just say my birthday is june 6th right so let's just say someone I realize we're that far apart. Mine's june 1st, is it yeah?
Speaker 2:there's something to be said about june birthday oh yeah, so we're golfing that weekend. I love it, love it um, but yeah, 26. So if you turn you know 26 june 1st, then by july 1st you have to be yeah, off your parents plan gotcha, gotcha, yeah, cool it's a good evaluation.
Speaker 2:Most people, you know, don't know as far as, like, the cost of, like their spousal coverage and all this stuff, depending if they have families, and it's kind of, essentially, health insurance is also a math game, right? It's a math game for how much the employer contributes. It's a math game for, like what the plan design is, how much the employee or the member might pay out of their own pocket.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:So a lot of times it's helpful to take some emotion out of it, because benefits can be a very emotional conversation which I was actually unprepared for five years ago.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Because it really is kind of an emotional conversation for people, which I understand.
Speaker 1:It's like talking to a lawyer about a will.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but be careful not to confuse health care with health insurance.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Those are two different things. So health insurance helps cover events but, health care is like the actual care that you receive from doctors hospitals, hospitals, facilities. So just make it more of a math game than an emotional game and are you client wise?
Speaker 1:what areas can you serve? Just the state of virginia nationally, like what's? What's your client base?
Speaker 2:yeah, good question. So we are in actually a couple different states now. So, virginia, most of our clients are in virginia, which makes sense from a referral standpoint, but we're also in dc m, maryland, connecticut and Delaware. Nice, nice, yeah, good stuff, man, we just won a soccer organization in Delaware, which has been fun.
Speaker 1:Good stuff.
Speaker 1:So if people want to get a hold of you which I'll, let me do this plug for Christian yeah, it can be daunting trying to find someone to talk to about health benefits for your organization.
Speaker 1:The education you've given me as we've kind of discussed things, I've never felt pressed. It wasn't like you're calling some 1-800 line and it's just like somebody just trying to put you in something. You and your team take the time to figure out what our needs are, what makes sense for us. So, even if you just want the numbers, I would highly encourage you guys to talk to Christian, just so you may not be at that spot now in your business where you can offer these things, but you want to kind of get a forecast for what's down the road and knowing like, okay, by the end of this year I'm probably going to need to offer this. Let me go ahead and get my head around this, cause I like to operate from the perspective of OK, if operationally it's going to cost me this much more, well then I'll just find another client to sign that's ultimately going to pick up this tab for me.
Speaker 1:So you know, if this is not just using as an example. Let's say, you know, benefits for health or whatever it is I'm going to do is going to cost me another two grand a month in my overhead. I'm going to go out and find a client that can pay me $2,000 a month and we're taking care of there. So if people want to get a hold of you, if they want to learn more, they want to get a consult with you, how can they reach out?
Speaker 2:Yeah, good question. I would say LinkedIn and website are the two biggest platforms. Website is just wwwbenxconsultingcom we put a and the website a lot of testimonials and process and systems on the website. And obviously LinkedIn. So I post a lot of videos on LinkedIn and LinkedIn post. So just Christian Mosher.
Speaker 1:Good stuff. Thanks for the plug, though Absolutely man, I appreciate it.
Speaker 2:I'll pay you afterwards.
Speaker 1:Appreciate you being here, man. This was a good conversation.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it was. I appreciate it, man. Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, and we'll see you guys on the next episode. Are you an aspiring entrepreneur? Our one-on-one coaching tailor strategies to your unique business goals. Dive into interactive workshops fostering skills essential for success. Looking for an inspirational speaker for your next event? Book Mr Prenuer to elevate your gathering. Visit wwwthemistaprenuercom to learn more and embark on your path to entrepreneurial success. Mr Prenuer, empowering your entrepreneurial spirit.