Join us in an honest conversation with Georgette Pascale (she/her) exploring the highs and lows and the in betweens of successfully selling a business, and moving into a new chapter of entrepreneurship.
Georgette (aka “G.”) is a bespoke, efficient personal business ally that assists solopreneurs and small businesses in any industry achieve their short term goals. A former CEO that thrives on connecting people, authenticity and helping entrepreneurs get from A to B.
In this episode you’ll hear:
Connect with Georgette:
Connect with BWB
Be sure to subscribe on Apple or Spotify, and leave us a 5-star rating + review!
Podcast Song: Holding you by Prigida
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/prigida/holding-you
License code: CELWR55ONTDIFRSS
Join us in an honest conversation with Georgette Pascale (she/her) exploring the highs and lows and the in betweens of successfully selling a business, and moving into a new chapter of entrepreneurship.
Georgette (aka “G.”) is a bespoke, efficient personal business ally that assists solopreneurs and small businesses in any industry achieve their short term goals. A former CEO that thrives on connecting people, authenticity and helping entrepreneurs get from A to B.
In this episode you’ll hear:
Connect with Georgette:
Connect with BWB
Be sure to subscribe on Apple or Spotify, and leave us a 5-star rating + review!
Podcast Song: Holding you by Prigida
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/prigida/holding-you
License code: CELWR55ONTDIFRSS
CASEY: Welcome to the Questions to Hold podcast. I'm your host and BWB founder, Casey Carroll. In a world that often praises answers over questions, the act of holding a question is an act of resistance, presence, and devotion. In this podcast, I hold space for discussion at the intersection of life's biggest questions and our personal and professional worlds.
These are honest conversations with progressive leaders dedicated to questioning our institutions, igniting change, and provoking new possibilities.
Join me for my next discussion.
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CASEY: Hello everyone and welcome to the Questions to Hold podcast. Today we have a very special person on who I feel like I maybe have known my whole life, and equally am also getting to know for the first time, Georgette. I'm not gonna spend too much time expressing my love and gratitude for you. I'm gonna kick it over to you and let you introduce yourself to our, um, Questions to Hold community, and then we'll dive into some of the, the juicy questions I know we're here to talk about today.
GEORGETTE: I love it. Thank you for having me. I love what you're doing. I love the title. I love everything about the way you operate. And I think that's why we're kindred spirits. Um, so yeah. I'm Georgette, I'm G, I am a single mom to three teens, which is, you know, my main role in life. So I like to start with that. And, um, yeah, I mean, I've been in marketing, pr, coms, all of that my whole career. Almost 30 years. Sold a business, recently started a new one, starting some new communities. Just kind of like, you know, I'm almost 50 and it's, uh, you know, not “the second act” because I loathe that, but it's more just a new start and a new life after a pretty wild six years. So, uh. That's me. That's me in a nutshell. I'm known as The Connector. I like to connect people and that's pretty much the gist of who I am in a nutshell, personally and professionally.
CASEY: Well, I love that we're gonna probably crack open that nutshell a little bit in this episode today and hear some of the pieces that you just gave us a broad brushstroke on with your journey and how you ended up here today. I'm gonna kick it off with what I always like to start with, which is, looking at what your relationship is to questions, and that can be everything from what it was in childhood to what it is now, to if they were nurtured to, if you felt questioned a lot or if you know can really take it however it lands for you. But curious if you think about what your relationships is to question as a foundation setting today.
GEORGETTE: I am. I love it. Honestly, that is the best question and the nice thing is nearing almost 50, I'm finally learning and feeling able to ask more questions. The way I grew up, it was very old school Italian of like, you know, “don't talk about anything. Your teacher will, will tell you that, the babysitter can..”, you know, like there wasn't, um, not in a negative way or, you know, dissing the ‘rents. It's more about, there wasn't really that open dialogue. So I try to foster that with my kids and I know when I leave the door open, they will come to me when they're ready. So now my relationship has beautifully evolved where maybe I was a bit more timid or afraid in my twenties and, you know, even into my early thirties of “What would my mom think?” Or, you know, “you're not supposed to talk about that”. And now, you know, I'm at the, the place just even spiritually, you know, and mentally where I like asking more questions, where I usually, you know, especially being, you know, uh, a CEO, in my last role, I was asked so many questions, so I'm kind of loving the new spice and vibe I have for communicating and feeling honored to ask questions because you know, that's really where you get all of your nuggets and your goodies and your good, you know, so, so now it's evolving for me, but I'd say it was a rocky start where I really didn't feel empowered to, um, and maybe that's why I love it so much now.
CASEY: Yeah. What you're bringing in is really important and something that we talk about a lot in the work and in coaching relationships, which is how contingent our relationship to questions is to our identities and to different areas of our social location that you're naming of being Italian or being from wherever region you grow up in or however you were in your family system. Or again, you're even talking about age and how that's changed depending on how you're identifying from a kid to early twenties and thirties to where you are now. And then even an identifier, like a CEO. And so it's cool to just take a moment to actually like, think about all of that and unpack all the different ways that, that and so much more is coming into intersection, impacting your empowerment to feel like you can ask a question and to know when you can ask a question. And also what you're naming about the CEO, cuz, um, I can relate to that somehow, even though we're in very different stages of that journey. But how a lot of times questions in a role like that are asked for an answer so folks are coming to you a lot with a question that wants an answer versus where we talk about like a new way that we're proposing of leadership, which is a question that you can actually be holding instead. So like that, that, that permission as a CEO maybe now that you'll have in your future endeavors where folks may come to you with a question and you may say, “Cool. Let's be in that question.” versus like the expectation that an answer has to be on the other side of that.
GEORGETTE: I love that so much. And just to add, I think, you know, it's, it's the difference between when someone comes to you and says, “let me pick your brain for 10 minutes”, which is so incredibly frustrating. Rather than, “Hey, I read your bio and I saw you did this from this year to this year. How did. How did you get there? You know, I'd like to offer you insight of what my road is or what I'm thinking”. That's, that's more real, that's more authentic, and that's what's going to help people more in the business world, frankly. Right?
CASEY: Mm-hmm. Yeah. I feel like we need to do a whole nother, I'm gonna moderate a panel on another episode with you and a couple other folks where we've been talking about this topic of “picking your brain”. I'm doing air quotes, where, I'm thinking of three very specific, you're one of them, uh, two other women leaders that we work with who have equally said lately like, that is so insulting and comes so often as a way to like ask questions and like harvest wisdom, but typically from a place of not being compensated or valued appropriately and the way that it kind of lands. And anyways, I think that's a really important conversation.
GEORGETTE: Oh my gosh. We definitely need to do a spinoff on this one, Case, cuz yes, I agree. And I think it's also, it's never about the money. It's more insulting of, “what is that, what are you saying? You're insulting me. Like I don't have a brain.”. And so it's like, let me, you know, it's more the, the vibe behind it. So yes, I would love that.
CASEY: Or that you're just like a disembodied brain and we can like, like, just take off your head and we're gonna pick at it. Like we were saying, even like, sometimes we just have to get really curious and listen to the language we're using and ask why are we using that and what is that really saying and meaning and is that the impact that we wanna be having on someone even, is that the intention that we have? You know, cuz sometimes I think it's like unconsciously used because it's a, a saying or a phrase in language, but then you gotta be curious of like, “Why are we saying this?”
GEORGETTE: And who started it and why is someone not saying anything about it? That's why I had to do a reel about it. And I'm like, I don't understand why people aren't saying more. And I'm so happy to hear, you know, because people in my circle as well, and mentors and folks that I, you know, vibe with for ideas, they say the same thing. And you know, I think what I like to say too is, you know, the, it's the copy/paste is so 80s, 90s. Why are we doing, why are we doing, that's why it is more about what we do. Bespoke service, you know, it's like everyone is different and yeah, that speaks volumes to it.
CASEY: Did you say you have a reel about picking your brain?
GEORGETTE: Yes. On my, on my Instagram, I'll have to send it to you. It's funny.
CASEY: Okay, please send it, we'll put it in the show notes and then we will use that as a follow up to, um, the panel that will be coming at some point after.
GEORGETTE: I love it.
CASEY: Awesome. Well, I'm wondering if you wanna dive in. You named so many juicy pieces up at the upfront about how, you know, you've been in business. You did something that I think a lot of people aspire to do or maybe don't even aspire to cause they're not sure how to do it or how to set up that path, which is successfully selling, growing a business and then selling a business, and now you're in this, uh, next kind of like you're in the inquiry, you're in the question. Right?
GEORGETTE: I am the question.
CASEY: So that's like in that limbo space between what was and what maybe will be. And right now you're in the inquiry, which is really, a space of courage. It can feel scary, it can feel disorienting. And I'm not projecting that on your experience. I'm just saying this is what we've seen with different people and I'm, I'm curious how your landing now that you kind of have sold a business. You're in this question, there's probably a desire to maybe even be on the other side of the question faster.
GEORGETTE: Yes.
CASEY: But where are you living right now and thinking about your career and, and who you are in this next phase of your journey?
GEORGETTE: Yeah, I like to say, um, you know, it's so funny, steak emoji, like, you know, the steak emoji. I'm hungry. I'm always, I feel like a, a young Ali. A young boxer who's like- I really do. The other side of that though is it has been so hard and no one talks about that and there's a lot of, “oh, congratulations. Bye.” You know, and you don't hear from people and not in a “boohoo, you were my friend way”, but more of someone you coexisted with for almost 30 years in a, in a certain sector. So it's a bit disorienting because you think some of those people might come on the next journey with you and sometimes they don't and it, that's a bit disorienting because you know these people so well. Right. So I think identity is so interesting and hard when you do, when you go through this and then you add in me, I'm an open book, you know? Menopause single mom like, you know? Emotions, just a lot of other things. You know, friendship's changing. You're at that. I mean, every stage has its stuff, right? So I think adding in all of that, I had two major surgeries last year, and it just kind of felt like everyone thought I should be almost like relieved and just going on vacation, but I was kind of like, oh, but I have this other idea. And I think sometimes people don't validate you could want more dreams validly. And that's kind of concerning to me because I still have so much to offer and give. So that's, that's been, it's been very hard. I'll be completely frank.It's been freaking hard, but. Or yet, as I like to say, not but, I am moving through it and I'm finding so much out about myself in relationships that I would've never known and lessons I would've never learned. So I look at everything as a lesson. So I'm kind of coming out the other side now I feel like, and I'm loving testing different areas and my strength and applying it to different people, and it just is so inspiring. You know, financially, obviously I'm not profitable yet. You know, I'm not anything like that. I don't want a title. I don't want a 50 over 50 award. I'm not here for eight gazillion followers. You know, a lot of, uh, younger entrepreneurs I talk to, that is their game. That is not mine. Um, mine is affecting change in a positive way. Knowing utilizing the gifts I've been given, you know, So confusing, crazy, but also steak emoji. And I believe in my, my vision so much that there will be people that believe in it too. And I'm so convinced of that, you know, so I think I'm kind of like, I'm being the water. I'm being Bruce Lee. I'm riding the wave. I'm seeing what's next.
CASEY: How are you finding like age intersecting, as you said with like, that you have this other vision and there's folks who are like, well, just now you should be vacationing or whatever, and there's like the way in which the market is meeting you differently. You know, I'm not sure how old you were when you started Pascal and grew it and then ended up selling it. I'm not sure what that journey was for you. But from a timeline perspective, but I just am hearing that a little bit in your share too. And then, like, also what stage of life that's different for you. Your kids are at a different age than they were when you were probably had young children doing some of that work, so curious what you're noticing and experiencing from that vantage point coming back into entrepreneurship.
GEORGETTE: I love that question. Um, I've definitely experienced ageism, Casey, and it's so weird. I never thought I'd be somebody's, like, I literally, you can ask my teens, I feel like I'm 21. I don't, you know, I don't feel like I'm old. I never say that, I'm so comfortable in my own skin. Um, finally, thankfully. So, yeah, I mean, it has been, it's been very, it's been very interesting to say the least. And I feel like, I feel like a lot of younger folks than me have a set way of doing things and are less nimble and a little bit more rigid, um, and are kind of like, “I don't get what you're doing. You need to do it this way and go through 20 modules”, and it's all very much like that. And maybe the way I'm doing something is like too old school. And then I feel like the folks on the other side who maybe have sold, you know, 10 years ago and other mentors are kind of like, “oh, you know, you don't need to worry about that now. Whatever. It's, it's a good idea”. But, you know, and I'm generalizing, obviously that's not everyone, but I feel like yeah, people haven't been as supportive to me and say they're I, what I'm finding is organizations and new things as I venture out, say, they're inclusive, but they're really exclusive if you're not like them. And that's weirdly bothersome in this day and age when I'm the most, you know, personally, open person, you know, and I am so, you know, I embrace every community, you know, so that's been interesting. So I think it's, you know, twofold. It's like from the different age ranges, or maybe not taking me seriously because they think I wanna do a hobby, but I really do love what I do, and you know what I mean? So it's, it's kind of all of those things, which is, which is so interesting. But I did go to a conference this weekend that was great, that I felt the love and I did. I felt the love from some ladies that understood what I was saying and that made me feel a lot better, just in terms of my journey.
CASEY: Yeah, I think it's so important that there's, I mean, this speaks to so many different things. I think in our, our culture in terms of like how we affirm wisdom and ages, all the different pieces of ageism that you're naming and how we kind of like reward and uphold youth or youngness in a certain way and capacity, especially in the market and the workplace and how technology is advancing us in such a way at such a clip and speed, as you said, that suddenly you're like old school in certain ways and there's other ways, and this is why I just feel it's so important to be in questions, to lead with questions versus like, “oh, that's not a good idea”, or “We don't do it that way anymore”. And instead actually getting really curious of, where is this opportunity for more like intergenerational idea building? Where can we be translating your wisdom and bringing some of the tools that other entrepreneurs are bringing in and, and vice versa versus, I feel like what happens or what you're naming and what we see happening a lot too, is this like barriers and the kind of walling off of like, “oh no. I don't, that's not how we do it. So..” Versus like, ooh, what could be if we like lived into this and got curious about it and there's a million more ways we could talk about that cuz certainly that comes up specifically when we work with entrepreneurs who are trying to relate to social media from a different age group too than who has kind of been prioritized in a lot of those of social media platforms and things like that.
GEORGETTE: And I, and that's what I hear. I hear things, you know, little snippets like, “but if you're not doing TikTok and selling on TikTok, it's just, it's not gonna happen for you if you're not doing those paid ads”. And I'm like, but that's, I, I had a marketing agency for almost 20 years. I actually do kind of know what I'm talking about. You know what I mean? So, yeah. It's, it's all what you're comfortable with and, and how you wanna grow. There's so many different, that's why I love the word “bespoke” from my fashion days. There's so many intricacies that you could really, you know, speak to. It's not just like, I'm not on TikTok so I can't be successful? And a lot of the younger, you know, mom entrepreneurs, I'm like, you don't want your, you don't want your kids to hear that either, right? Yeah. Like the way you are portraying things seems a bit, that seems antiquated to me and OG to me. Some of the thinking, even though they're positioning themselves a certain way, and we know that from marketing, right? So yeah, it's, it's a very interesting dichotomy that I've noticed. It's, it's interesting.
CASEY: Well, I'm excited too because I know you and Caitlin have an event coming up together down in Connecticut where you're gonna be talking a little bit more about this very specific issue too, essentially, of some of these iInteresting myths that have existed out there, such as like you have to be on TikTok or these, these mandates in a certain way, which are not true. So we can be a choice around those and I know you and Caitlin are holding that event for other entrepreneurs and small business owners, which will be so awesome and juicy and also linked in the show notes in case it happens before we go live, it'll I'm sure happen again because this is just the first of many connections we'll have.
GEORGETTE: Definitely. And it's all, as you know, it's all about utilizing your authenticity and your gifts and the way you are comfortable and that you believe in too. It's not just what someone's telling you to do.And I started a group for Parents of teens, a community, um, in Connecticut recently that I hope to grow nationally called Middle Meets, which is really support for parents of teens, which people forget about. And a lot of this comes up too. Just with social media, what people are telling you to do. It's, it's kind of crazy.
CASEY: Well, where do you see, I guess, you know, if you had–or I'll back it up and just say that when Georgette and I have talked about this before, I shared this story of, my father was an entrepreneur as well and owned a business. And somebody had said to him when he retired, oh, you're experiencing PIP status. And my dad said something like, what's that? And the person said, “A previously important person”, and we all have a good laugh about it. But there's also a lot of grief and truth and sadness and other complex emotions that come with that reality, and I'm wondering why you think that so many people don't talk about what happens when you sell or when you retire, or when you kind of culminate and reach a pinnacle of a certain part of your business career. And then go on to maybe something else, why there isn't a lot of conversation about the like complexity and emotional terrain that happens on the other side of that.
GEORGETTE: Another amazing question, which is why you're so great at what you do, and I think, you know, it comes down to two things. Ego and still keeping up with the Joneses. I think it's a lot of that. I think it's a lot of, “oh my goodness, I can't put out there what I'm doing now”. You could be just working at Home Depot or you know, a mail carrier or whatever you want, as if you're happy and you're providing value. Don't judge and, you know, crap on someone's parade because it's just not worth it. And so I think a lot of it is that, where people expect you to do, I, I've been presidents of boards, whatever, I, I never talk about that stuff. I don't talk about my awards. I, who cares now. Like, it's almost like, you know, I'm more of the, you know, don't look back at F'S with your neck type of person. And I feel like it's a lot of ego and it's a lot of keeping up with the Joneses. It's your, it's the people you surround yourself with. And I've seen it in certain organizations or communities and you know, they say things like, “oh, well hey Sally, you should be, you know, getting a boat and going to Turks & Caicos”. So, you know, so I think people don't feel like talking about their journey or what they're still wanting to do and being hungry and humble, steak emoji. It's just not a conversation. I'm hoping to change that with people like you and do more content about that and talk to more entrepreneurs about that because it's so darn important. But you know, it's never about what people think. I know from people I've talked to that have sold their companies, they almost feel like some guilt or, or shame that they should be doing something. I mean, I can't tell you the people I've had say to me, um, in the last six months, Casey, like, “why would you wanna help entrepreneurs? They have no money. Like, that just seems like a really bad business model, Georgette”. And I'm like, but, but you're not seeing the long term of what I'm doing here. I'm doing a love letter to help people not f up and make mistakes. I did. You know, and, and that's, there's value in that. Totally. So I think it's a lot of that too. And, you know, money and, but you know, I know what I'm doing, you know, what you're doing. I think it's a matter of just staying true to yourself. But I think the ego and keeping up with what others think is still a huge issue. And I, I don't like it because I feel like then that goes down to the kids of these parents and they see that and you, they just shouldn't want to, I mean, whatever.
CASEY: Yeah, as you said, I mean, it's so complex, obviously, and there's no way in, you know, a 30 minute conversation we could really get into the root of all of it. And really, I think it just needs more transparency and community dialogue around because to me, there's all these thresholds and transitions in life, some of which get honored and some of which don't. And those can be personal, professional, both. This, to me, seems like a big, glaring one that gets pretty much no attention. And the attention that it does get is like, congratulations. This whole body of work, legacy career that you've built, whatever it is, where-wherever you've fallen in your career, It basically gets a congratulations, now, whatever is on the other side of that retirement or what people kind of are conditioned to think of as retirement, which I think we should get curious about anyways, and also see what people wanna do in that space. But it becomes this automatic lever that happens and or switch that goes off. And then on the other side of it is many things. Your whole identity has changed. All of a sudden you have a ton of time in your hands. You might be questioning your value and your worth. You're not sure where you fit into the mix of things. Sometimes you wanna ask, who am I? Ditch all of that. And just see what the moment is meeting in you there. And it might have nothing to do with who you've been or how you've been in the past. And I think so many people are uncomfortable with it because they're uncomfortable with it for themselves. And so then they reinforce some of these social norms and narratives on that like achievement cycle that you're saying of like, “oh, we'll go to Turks and Caico”, or whatever the kind of like, privileged norm and lenses of what retirement looks like versus I still have a lot of spirit. What I'm hearing from you is you still have a lot of spirit, you still have a lot of energy. You have a lot of vision and idea for a next phase. And again, the that's all met I think, from another person's perspective also just because of their uncomfortability with this transition, because it's just not talked about nearly enough. So I'm so grateful that you're talking about it and that you're a natural community weaver in the way that you are in all the different elements of your business. And you’'ll talk about that in the Middle Meets like you're talking about. You'll probably talk about that with your friend group. You'll hold G-vents that also talk and hold space about this because to me it just feels like a dialogue that needs to be happening more and more, you know, across the board for in any stage of career in any industry, and you're in just for all of us who, who work.
GEORGETTE: And I think it's also, you know what else it is, Casey, and I just realized this too, I think it's probably a little jealousy where people get jealous and, are think you, “oh my God, you have all this money all of a sudden, you're, you know…” People don't understand how M&A works. They think, you know, like, I mean, it, it, I think that's also it. I think they just hear, “oh my God, you must have gotten a huge payday and you're out of there” where there's so many more things, like you said, that are intertwined with that, that, you know, play an effect in your life for a few years after. It's not like you just sell a business and you're like, okay. I mean, there's, there's a lot of steps just legally, business wise, you know, it's very intricate. So I think the process of it is what I'd like to talk about more as well with, you know, people even thinking about selling because beyond the emotion, there's just so much you're not prepared for. It's like, it's a bizarre, it's like just a weird experience, you know? Um, and it is like a death in a way, but, You know, then you build another baby. You have another baby. You adopt more babies and then you do, you know, all the other things. Yeah. So it's, I'm like so excited to just keep discovering myself, you know, and how I can apply my skills. And I think that's all you could do, right?
CASEY: Yeah. Yeah. And I agree. Just, you know, and I think it, so many of us can feel uncomfortable about change and when somebody is allowed to reinvent or re-present themself and you know, that's not your work. That's the other person's work to really be like, oh, okay, who's Georgette today? Can I meet her with new eyes? Can I get curious about what she's interested in? Can I let go of what was? I mean, so much of us are attached to those stories and instead getting really curious and I think that's just a practice of how to be with each other, you know?
GEORGETTE: Or what they think I should be doing.
CASEY: Right.
GEORGETTE: And then they get upset because they think I should be doing this or volunteering on every board, or you know, everyone has ideas for you and you're like, but what about what I want? I wanna teach my kids. It's going- What makes you happy? Heart and head, you know? And yeah, it's, it is. It's a wild ride. I can't wait to talk more about it with you, because I think you ask the best questions as opposed to so many other podcasts I've been on. These are just what people need to hear because I think it's a bit of a reality check and it might help someone you never know, you know?
CASEY: Yeah. Well, that's the hope, right? What do you, would you say, you know, for any of the listeners out there that are either growing a business right now and are curious about, “what does it even look like to sell or exit? How do I set that up?” And also listeners out there who might be kind of ready to start considering the potential next move in something like that, what would be some helpful, I don't wanna say like tips, but considerations that you might offer that can be processed as you said, or anything else that you know, you, you were happy to have considered or that you wish you had considered in that journey?
GEORGETTE: I think initially, and you should always, from the day you start your business, I wish I did this a little earlier, is get out of your own way. I think sometimes many entrepreneurs are just like, “I'm gonna do it all.I can do it all.” Know what you're good at and you're not. My dad taught me that, RIP, when I was young. Um, and he's someone who also retired, probably seven times before he passed when he, I mean, he was like, and he always called me, Pumpkin. “Pumpkin, you're gonna be just like me. You're always gonna be doing”, I mean, till the day he passed. Seriously. I mean, so he was like, became a handyman. He did that. It's just, you know, that's just who we are. So I think know what you're good at, know what you're not. And and start to plan bringing people in, even if they come and go to test who you really wanna work with. Because so many think until almost the end, they could do so much on their own and then start to bring in people. But you really have to start giving up that control and the power and identify, “here's what I can really excel at and who can I bring in to help me?” And that's where people like you and I can help people with our networks to say, you know, “talk to this person about this, because, you know…” so I think that's the biggest thing is like get out of your own way. It's not all about you. I know it's your vision. I know it's your baby. I know it's your blood, sweat, and tears and sleep. I get all that. But you've got to learn, you know, to respect and honor and ask questions of others to get to the point of selling. You know, I think too, too many people still make it all about them.v And then, you know, it comes time to sell and there's just a whole lot of issues. So try and open yourself up a little bit more into that kind of thing.
CASEY: Yeah. I think it's really true and we have, I have so much compassion for that journey of where there is an element of control, because it's coming from so many angles at us as entrepreneurs of a, it being told to us like know everything, handle everything, do it. You know, this like individualization that's like so pervasive and like, American capitalism, white supremacy, all these kind of norms that we're swimming in right now. And then it's also been internalized and met with that grit of if I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna do it. I can do everything. And we work with that in so many different coaching relationships and I just have so much compassion for it. And also that there's like, a skill we're not taught around, you know, really building team and like you named something around, um, know what you're good at, know what you're not. And a lot of times too, I think it's this reframing of even that it's something you're quote “not good at as much” as like it can be better with a community, with a team, like, you know, it doesn't have to be like the, uh, the shortcoming of you that you have to pass on to somebody. It can be that it's somebody else's gift and strength. And so I think just like reframing as you're naming that whole dialogue right on the upfront of bringing in, of starting the business and thinking about scale and thinking about team and community, and especially for so many folks who are really just like solo entrepreneurs that can feel like, dizzying of like, “how could I ever, where's the investment coming from? I can't do the risk. Like when do I do that? I have to be so scrappy”, and so a lot of times I just wanna hold space for like all the muddy, murkiness of that so that we can get all those feelings out and then find the pathway forward as you're naming of like, who do we bring in? How do we bring them in? What's the strategy? So that we, we we're not like 15 years later, like “shit. We're in the weeds”.
GEORGETTE: Exactly. Yeah. And what works for you? I have a neighbor come over, she's a serial entrepreneur. She has these amazing companies. You would love her. And sometimes, I'm totally not a tech person and I could go to some guy down the street and pay $2,000 to do whatever, but sometimes I'll just sit with her and say, wait, like how would you do this? You know? Because she has that skill and then I help her with things. And that's much more of a, a place to get my daily goodies that rather than getting on a, you know, a Zoom call with Mr. Tech guy who doesn't really know me at all or my business. And yeah, he can maybe set something up for me, but I'm really not inspired. And then I get pissed off cuz I'm spending a lot of money where, what feels good, right? Where are you holding space that feels good? And it doesn't, it could be, you know, like your landscaper that you talk to all the time or whatever, you know, it's, it doesn't, I think sometimes people are like, oh, I need to talk to like a CEO or I need to talk-sometimes it's just who feels good and you could figure other things out, right? That maybe you're not so great at, but someone else can help you get there that maybe isn't, you know, in a certain role, if you will. And reframing that is so important because that's what gets you through, through life in the minutes, right, is working with good people, you know?
CASEY: Exactly. Exactly. Well, I know that there's so much, I really hope that we continue to unpack this conversation more and more because it really feels so important and bringing other voices into it too, and just kind of really create a whole, I don't know, series around something like this. But I'm curious what questions, you're kind of giving some of the advice and tips, but is there a question you would pose back to folks to sit with, not try to answer, but to sit with as it relates to either that part or just like what may, where they might be at in terms of getting ready to sell or on the other side of the business?
GEORGETTE: I think you know, really, what's important to you?, but mostly like, how can you be more hungry, humble, and educated about the process? Like how are you doing that for yourself? Um, without, depending on others, because I didn't take care of myself nearly enough through the sale. I was so worried about everyone else it was a huge fail on my part in so many ways, I'll be completely honest. So I think, you know, inward looking at, you know, and asking yourself like, how can I be humble and still proud? Through this process, like every day as you go through it is so important. And I would do so many things. You know, I never look back. I mean, there's things I would've done differently, but I'm still in a good place today and it got me here and I learned so much, right? So that's always, that's always the goal. But I'd say that's, those are the questions to kind of sit with even of yourself and others who can help you feel that. So you're not so, um, in the minutiae of money and legal documents and, you know what I mean? Like keep, you've gotta keep that kind of presence to, to make it work.
CASEY: Well. Well, Georgette, thank you for all your wisdom and time today. And I would say to anybody listening who is interested in either starting a business that they may maybe one day sell or hadn't thought about that and are now kind of more curious about it, please let us know. Um, you can send me an email at casey@wearebwb.com and I can connect with Georgette. Um, Georgette’s contacts are going to be in all the show notes as well. You can reach out to Georgette on it, but I would love to know if this struck a chord and also know if there's um, more ways that we might be able to support in this part of the journey. So thank you for your honesty, your transparency, and always your your good energy Georgette. And we will be talking to you soon.
GEORGETTE: Oh, thank you. Likewise. Have an amazing week.
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CASEY: Thank you for listening to the Questions to Hold podcast. I hope you enjoyed this episode and are leaving the conversation with way more questions than answers.
I invite you to build a more meaningful relationship with yourself and the world around you through the simple yet profound act of holding questions. Visit questionstohold.com and wearebwb.com to learn more about this practice, our Questions to Hold card deck, and explore more conversations. See you there.