DO GOOD X Podcast

Ep. 40 Building Globekin: Navigating Challenges as Entrepreneurial and Life Partners

• Kimberly Daniel & Stephen Lewis • Episode 40

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In this episode, we are joined by Carla and Jeremy Vincent, co-founders of GlobeKin, an innovative e-learning platform. In their conversation, Carla and Jeremy discuss the challenges and rewards of being life and business partners, highlighting the importance of self-care, communication, and play to maintain a healthy balance. They share practical advice on navigating the early stages of a business, including tools like Google Suite and Adobe Creative Suite to streamline operations and creative work. They also talk about the struggles of accessing funding for underrepresented entrepreneurs, emphasizing the value of starting where you are, leveraging existing resources, and building incrementally. Finally, they offer insights on building a supportive network, encouraging entrepreneurs to step out of their comfort zones and seek mentorship from others who have faced similar challenges.

IN THE EPISODE:

(00:00) Introduction

(04:44) The inspiration behind e-learning and the guests share their backgrounds

(07:54) Trusting the process, validation, challenges and uncertainties 

(16:38) Jeremy comments on their motivation and wearing many hats

(22:04) Tips on married couples working together

(25:44) Tools, software, obtaining funding and finding mentors

(34:13) Carla and Vincent answer questions “off the cuff”

TAKEAWAYS:

  • Out-of-school e-learning in shaping children's lives, particularly in addressing gaps in traditional education, is critical and should be made accessible to all children and families.
  • Building an e-learning platform, particularly in team-building and managing uncertainties will be challenging. You must stay committed and be resilient, adapt to setbacks, and prioritize self-care, to fuel ongoing motivation for yourself and your team.
  • Underrepresented entrepreneurs should start where they are, tapping into existing resources, networks, and communities. Focusing on solving a problem can eventually lead to access to funding and support.

RESOURCES:  

DO GOOD X - Website

DO GOOD X - LinkedIn

Square One Startup School - Podcast

GlobeKin - Website

Jeremy Vincent - LinkedIn

Carla Johnson-Vincent - LinkedIn

Jeremy Vincent, co-founder and CEO of an e-learning platform, is passionate about using technology and AI to transform out-of-school learning for children of all backgrounds. Growing up in Grenada, his curiosity was sparked by nature, inspiring his mission to foster holistic development in young learners. 

Carla, co-founder and CDO of an e-learning platform, is passionate about transforming out-of-school learning to impact children of all backgrounds. Inspired by her parents' support and her own learning differences, she advocates for tailored education that embraces diverse learning styles. 

Episode 40 - Jeremy and Carla Vincent - Globekin

Narrator: [00:00:00] Welcome to the do good X podcast, a sanctuary from the entrepreneur grind host Kimberly, Danielle, and Steven Lewis advocates for impactful entrepreneurship guide you on the path where purpose meets business. Join us to slow down, reconnect, and explore the challenges of under resourced entrepreneurs, uncovering the unique journey of building businesses that make a difference.

Now you're hosts.

Stephen Lewis: Welcome to the Do Good Act podcast. My name is Stephen Lewis, and I'm a catalyst for a positive change in communities and businesses. And for over two decades, I have inspired leaders and entrepreneurs to live and work on purpose with intention, faith, and a commitment to the well being. And I'm delighted to be joined by my co host, Kimberly.

Hey, Kimberly, it's good to see [00:01:00] you. 

Kimberly R. Daniel: Hey, Steven. Good to see you. And thank you all for joining us. I am Kimberly Danielle, and I am a communication strategist, a community builder, and a coach who comes from generations of faith driven leaders and entrepreneurs who believe that our purpose should drive us to contribute to the common good.

I look forward to our conversation today. This is the first episode in our entire. Season so far that we actually have two guests joining us and not just two guests joining us, but two guests who are in business together, both professionally and personally in life together. So we are excited to have Carla and Jeremy Vincent join us today.

They are the co founders of Globekin, an innovative e learning platform. And dedicated to transforming how Children learn outside of the classroom. Jeremy and Carla, both [00:02:00] are deeply passionate about the power of out of school learning to shape young minds, regardless of cultural background or socio economic status.

Carla, the platform's chief design officer, brings a lifelong love of creativity and a personal journey of overcoming the Learning differences. She's on a mission to design learning experiences that caters to each child's unique style, breaking away from the one size fits all approach of traditional education that we often see.

Jeremy Globkin CEO grew up on the island of Granada where his curiosity for the world blossom with a vision fueled by advancement in digital technology and AI. He is committed to fostering holistic development. To young learners by tapping into their diverse strengths when they are not busy innovating education and leading their business.

Carla enjoys creating art, exploring new trails. We have that in common, [00:03:00] Carla and Jeremy finds balance through yoga, meditation, and cooking up new recipes. And together they're re imagining the future of learning for children everywhere. I had the gift of meeting Jeremy and Carla at a Intimate dinner with tech professionals and entrepreneurs.

And ever since we've stayed connected, they have also participated in the square one startup school, uh, pre accelerator program. And you, if you have been listening in, you would have listened to an episode with Jeremy McLeod, the founder of that. Particular pre accelerated program. So here we are continuing these conversations and you see where the threads are, and we are delighted to have both of you join us today and to get more into your story and more about GlobeKid.

Thank you for joining us. 

Jeremy Vincent: Thank you guys for having us. This is a really nice introduction. Um, and you know, [00:04:00] it's a first time for everything. Just saying that. So we're happy to be here as co founders, husband and wife duo to share more about the company we're building. Um, but also thank you guys for giving us the space and opportunity to share our story, to share why, to share our purpose in terms of what we're doing and building.

So thank you guys so much for this opportunity. 

Carla Vincent: Yes, thank you. I feel like I'm blushing over here.

Kimberly R. Daniel: Well, just starting out, I would love to hear from from one of you. What inspired you all to create an e learning platform focused on out of school learning? And how does your mission particularly address the gaps in traditional education? 

Jeremy Vincent: You know, it's been a journey for us as Co founders building this company.

And one of the things that we've realized for us is that out of school learning has had a huge role in impact on our lives. Um, for me specifically, [00:05:00] growing up with entrepreneurial parents, um, that basically gave me a firsthand look of what it takes to build something from the ground up, but was also the spark for me to want to aspire and build something one day, want to aspire and want to have my own entrepreneurial dreams one day, so.

Later on in life, when I started working in my career, which is finance and accounting, Carl and I started dating and we often had a lot of conversations around building a company that we felt like could make an impact, that we felt like could improve the lives of people, you know, on this planet, essentially.

Right. And, um, when we look around, there's so much disparities that you can see. Obviously, Disparities and inequalities, whether it's wealth inequality, you know, um, access and opportunity. Um, we felt like, um, education because it's something that we deeply value was the path for us. So we began exploring basically how [00:06:00] we can use digital technology to help bridge some of those gaps in traditional education.

Um, but Carla has some part of doing that. She can kind of share more from her perspective. 

Carla Vincent: Yeah, I would have to say for me, out of school learning, um, was a key aspect of my overall growth as an individual and also as a creative leader. Um, uh, and I know that we mentioned in the intro, um, but I do have a learning difference and I was diagnosed at the age of seven.

Um, and around that same time, I also discovered my talent for art. Unfortunately, my parents had the means to be able to support me and my out of school activities, whether it be tutoring to help with my dyslexia or art camps to nurture my talent. And these experiences really built my confidence. Which ultimately led me to go to art school, uh, then into a career in advertising, [00:07:00] eventually becoming a creative director.

So when Jeremy came to me with the idea of building an e learning product, I really realized That I had all the tools and experience to be able to make that happen. And while we were fortunate enough to have these opportunities, like Cherie mentioned, we know that millions of kids don't have access to quality out of school learning, which ultimately is essential for their academic and social growth.

And that's why we're so passionate about creating an e learning platform that really makes out of school learning accessible and meaningful for all children. 

Stephen Lewis: So, you know, I would like to know, how did you all validate your idea for Glowkin in the early stages and what feedback or insight shaped the direction of the development of your platform?

Jeremy Vincent: So in the earliest phases, we started doing customer discoveries with basically [00:08:00] parents and educators. So we did a bunch of different customer discoveries with parents and educators. And, um, through these conversations, we One of the things that we quickly realized was that, um, the children who were being left behind often had low engagement in out of school activities due to various constraints.

And when we were doing these interviews, on one hand, educators felt like it was up to the parents to take more ownership and responsibility to provide their child enrichment activities. And then, on the other hand, Parents will expect an educators to provide more resources and guidance. So for us, we saw that there was a clear gap.

Um, and as we dug deeper into the numbers, one of the things that we realized that the barriers to access were associated with availability, high cost, but also travel constraints for these out of school activities. Um, And then we also [00:09:00] discovered that, um, for every one child enrolled in an afterschool program, there are currently three on a waiting list showing that there's a clear demand from parents for these activities.

And in addition, in today's world with, you know, the digital landscape that we're living in, children are spending over four hours a day on screens. But when we dig deeper into those numbers to see how much time is dedicated to e learning platforms, Only 3 percent of that time was dedicated to those type of platforms.

So we saw that there's a glaring gap based on these insights and feedback that out of school learning needed to evolve, showing us that if we were to be more, um, to create an e learning platform that provided, like, intentional content as well as curated activities, we can help to supplement children's developmental needs, like outside of the classroom.

Kimberly R. Daniel: I think that's so important talking about how you all validated your idea early on and really [00:10:00] listening to that feedback from, um, from educators and in order to better shape. What it is that you offer and for early stage founders who are listening in, you know, we've mentioned customer discovery before.

We've mentioned making sure that you get out and talk to people because your idea can be great, but you don't know until you talk to people. So thank you for sharing how you all began to validate what it is that you're up to and began to further shape what global can is now. And it, Another question as it relates to being an early stage founder.

So there are challenges that entrepreneurs in the beginning of, you know, building their businesses may face. Uh, and so I want to hear more about what are the, what have been some of the biggest challenges you all have faced so far and building and launching your e learning platform and how have you navigated this, you all launched this, I believe about three.

or so years [00:11:00] ago. And so I want to hear about some of those challenges and how you navigated that. 

Carla Vincent: I would have to say one of the biggest challenges for us was building a team and also embracing the inevitable stumbles along the way. Um, as you mentioned, it did take us quite a time to be able to land where we've landed.

Um, and really when it starts in with building a team, um, it's one, it's one thing for people to support your idea from the sidelines, but it's a whole other thing to find those who are willing to commit their time, their talents to something that is still just a vision, right? Uh, we had to stay grounded in our values, um, while also searching for people who not only had the right skills.

but also shared that bigger vision. Um, and it's a process. It takes time, but it's [00:12:00] also crucial for creating a strong foundation for ultimately to have long term growth. And as for the stumbles there, there are a few. Um, it's also it's really being able to get comfortable with the imperfection. Um, That's really been key for for me, especially through in the world of advertising, you want to be able to show up pixel perfect at the first get.

And that's not always the case, especially when you're when building a company. Nothing ever goes exactly as planned. Uh, especially when you're building a business and that real growth comes from those missteps, those lessons that you learn time and time again. Um, and while it can be tough, those challenges have also been so very rewarding for us as we continue to move forward.

Stephen Lewis: Yeah. One of the things I'm curious, as you think about. This is such a learning [00:13:00] process, whether it's your team, or it's kind of figuring out what you need to do as it relates to your work. In other words, what I'm saying is that there's so much uncertainty, particularly in the early stages of forming and developing your business.

I'm curious about how you manage. Um, risk and the uncertainties that come with particularly being in a business like, you know, in ed tech, um, where there's so many unknown factors when you think about trying to build an educational platform. Um, so talk with us a little bit about how do you manage the uncertainties and the risk and what keeps you motivated through the difficulties in.

Ensuring that, you know, we're, we're on to something. We got to keep tweaking. We got to keep moving. Um, but there's so many different unknowns as you're building this particular. 

Jeremy Vincent: Right, right. Um, yeah, the uncertainties are unknowns. Um, you know, it's been a learning curve for us to get here and [00:14:00] figure out a lot.

And some of the things for us that. I can speak to that has helped us to mitigate those uncertainty and risks, um, or along the lines of becoming better planners, staying resilient and flexible, trusting the process, but also a big part for us is prioritizing our self care and well being as well. Um, those are some of the things that we think about.

So when we think about planning, um, we've had to become better planners by basically setting both short term and long term goals. And basically taking the necessary action to kind of keep us moving. in a direction, whether we're going in the right direction and height, it just keeps us moving and it keeps us kind of getting things in motion.

Um, but a big part of this journey, um, is also being flexible, like I mentioned, right? And open to change. Um, call it had mentioned previously, like things don't always go as planned. [00:15:00] So knowing when to make like adjustments, knowing when to make certain pivots will be crucial in order for you to navigate some of the uncertainties and dealing with the setbacks that will come.

And that kind of goes hand in hand for us with resilience, which is another key component, right? Because things are not going to go always as planned, you will have setbacks, you will have pitfalls, you will have to find a way to kind of pick yourself back up, dust your shoulders off and keep going. So having that understanding of just being resilient and keep trucking away and keep pushing away will help you kind of figure out how to endure.

And then also another part is trust, right? You can't deal with the unknowns. There's, you know, there's, um, so many unknowns. You have to have some level of faith, some level of belief and some level of trust that, you know, if you keep You know, grounding yourself within your purpose and aligning yourself with [00:16:00] the things that you're trying to achieve.

Um, well you eventually you will get there. So trust in the process is a big part of it. And then to kind of conclude is self care. Self care is a big part of this. You know, Kimberly mentioned previously doing meditation, doing yoga, um, obviously taking time to detach and playing, doing things that's outside of work to keep us grounded.

What'll keep us kind of aligned with our purpose. Um, and I think, what was the last question? Um, what was it? Why a, why? 

Stephen Lewis: Well, just, you know, what keeps you motivated during difficult times of figuring all this out? 

Jeremy Vincent: Yeah, I think that's, that's a really heavy question for us. Um. I think what keeps us motivated is always trying to connect back to our why, right?

And for us, that's basically tied to our stories, but also the sacrifices that our families have made. In addition to that, also the sacrifices that our ancestors or those who came [00:17:00] before us has made to create better opportunity for us today. So we do reflect on those things a lot, and we do reflect on their journeys a lot to put us in position And the environment that we're in today, with all that's afforded to us, with all the opportunity that's at our tables.

And that keeps us, keeps us going, keeps pushing us forward so we can hopefully create a better impact, um, and better opportunities for those in the future. 

Stephen Lewis: Hmm. I think that's really important. Um, this whole idea of connecting to your Y. Kimberley and I, we talk a lot about that. Yeah. Um, particularly as it relates to your own resilience and knowing, um, why each day, why you get up and do what you do.

And also, I think, you know, as I listened to you, this importance of like, you stand on the shoulders of those who come before you. And the sacrifices that they have made to put you in a position where you can hopefully do likewise for future [00:18:00] generations to come. So let me just ask this quick follow up question, which is so much of what I hear and what you and Carla have been talking about.

Well, you know, we had to figure this out, you know, it's a process about how we get here. And for our listeners, um, I think this is important for them to know is that, you know, entrepreneurship is not necessarily a straight line. There's a lot of, In and out and curves and curve balls that get thrown at you.

So let me ask you this, what is it that, you know, now that you wish you knew then, when you think about all the lessons that you've learned to figure out to where you got to this point? 

Carla Vincent: You know, we, we've chatted a lot, um, about this and, um, just reflecting on how far we've come. I think so often you get.

Um, wrapped up in all the things that you still need to do that. You don't realize that a whole year has passed and you've made true monumental shifts. Um, [00:19:00] but, um, upon that reflection, um, and lessons learned, I would first have to say. Stop worrying about job titles. Um, I've learned that they are not worth stressing over.

Um, especially in the early stages, everyone wears multiple hats in a startup. It's just how it goes. Uh, first, um, I thought that there needed to be clear cut roles, uh, but quickly realize that flexibility is key. One day you could be leading the marketing for social. But then the next day you could be helping with the product development.

Um, at the end of the day, what matters most is really being able to push forward, keeping your mission in mind. Um, it's not about the titles. Second, uh, I would have to say is staying focused on the problem. It's so easy to get caught up in new features, [00:20:00] trends. And even external feedback. So much external feedback.

Uh, but everything should always come back to that core issue at the end of the day. You take what you need, you leave the rest. Um, and for us at Glowkin, that's making out of school learning engaging and accessible for all kids. Uh, keeping the problem front and center really makes decision making so much easier at the end of the day.

And lastly, um, I would have to say is, Connect with your customers. Uh, do customer discovery earlier and often. Um, we wish we had started talking to our customers sooner. Honestly, we spent a whole lot of time refining our idea, um, making sure that it was perfect, really being able before getting real feedback.

Um, but the best insights come from people who you're trying to serve at the end of the day. The sooner [00:21:00] you start those conversations. the better you'll be able to understand their pain points, their needs. It's really not about what you think they need. Um, at the end of the day, it's all about listening, understanding, and letting their feedback shape what you built.

Um, and that has proven to really be invaluable for us at Glowpin. 

Kimberly R. Daniel: Yeah, those are really valuable points. So I hope you all tuning in, take note of those things. Especially if you're starting out and maybe you can start out a step forward, then what you all did, Jeremy and Carla, now that you've figured this out, I do want to ask, since, you know, this is our first time having two guests, specifically a guest who is partner in life and in business, I'm curious to hear just briefly from both of you, how have you found ways to maintain a healthy marriage while also being business partners?[00:22:00] 

Jeremy Vincent: I think Colleen might be able to give a better answer to this question. 

Carla Vincent: Okay. Okay. Well, first of all, I love this question. Um, I think it's a great one. Um, it also was a challenge for me, especially at the beginning, um, and wanting to, you know, keep structure. 

Jeremy Vincent: Yeah. Keep business and pleasure separate.

Exactly. 

Carla Vincent: Um, and I would say when it comes to balancing a healthy marriage. while also being business partners. It really boils down to three things, self care, communication, and play. Uh, for me, taking care of myself ultimately is key. Uh, I found over the years, you can keep pouring out and building externally, but at the end of the day, you really have to take the time To tap into your mental health, your emotional and [00:23:00] physical so that you can really be able to show up in the best way for yourself, but also in our case for, for my partner in crime, uh, things like exercise, journaling, and even taking time for a relaxing bath just to help me recharge really can help me be there for both of us, um, and in our relationship in the end.

Second, I would have to say, um, you know, communication, uh, we had to learn how to communicate better, especially when we're both very, have strong perspectives to say the least. But we found that, uh, when we take a step back, really listen to each other, things move a whole lot smoother. Um, it's all about respecting each other's space and working together to really be able to.

Um, strengthen what we bring to the table. 

Jeremy Vincent: Yeah. And I would say just to add communication for [00:24:00] us, um, sometimes you tend to want to, um, listen to respond a lot of the times. And we've realized, um, for us to be able to work well together is listen to really hear where the other person is coming from, um, and putting ourselves in their shoes, essentially.

So that has helped us to, you know, take our egos away in particular myself, um, and remove my ego from the situation so I can hear where she's coming from and respecting her opinion and values. Um, because there's something that uniquely she has that I don't have, right, uh, as co founders. 

Kimberly R. Daniel: That's great.

Well, you all have provided some valuable insight into that because there are some couples who are also business partners and it takes them way longer to learn those key things that you provided. So kudos to you all for learning how to navigate well your relationship, as well as, Building a [00:25:00] business together.

And we are going to kind of shift a little bit and specifically talk about some resources. This is our resource roundup and here we typically explore various resources or practical tools and tips that can help to equip and support underrepresented entrepreneurs who are listening in, who are also building their businesses.

And so just starting off, I want to hear from you all. What are one. Or two practical tools or software that you have relied on in the early stages of globe can to streamline your operations, manage projects or build your product that you think could be helpful to other entrepreneurs out there. 

Jeremy Vincent: There's a, there's a handful, right?

Um, I would say, um, we all living in the age where. Digital technologies accelerated. So I would say the first one is Google suites for us. Um, it gives us the opportunity to have basically collaboration and [00:26:00] communication. Um, means. Um, whether it's Google Docs, you know, slides, um, Google slides, um, the spreadsheets, I think it's a great tool for us to be able to collaborate, get feedback, um, and to share with, you know, and get feedback with, whether it's from advisors.

or each other. Um, and you can also work on a go as well with Google suites. Um, and because we're in the age of generative AI, I would strongly advise chat, GBT or any other generative AI models. Um, because those tools could really help to accelerate your growth and development and give you, it could be like basically a sparring partner to some degree.

As it relates to, um, refining ideas, as it relates to getting research to some degree, I wouldn't say take it, um, at face value, but obviously make sure you do your due diligence to, um, verify information that's coming from these models. But it does help you to [00:27:00] accelerate, um, a lot of things that you're trying to push forward as it relates to using those generative AI tools as well.

So I would say those are two great tools to start with. Carla can probably speak about Photoshop, but that's something else. Adobe Creative Suite. 

Carla Vincent: Oh yeah, I love Adobe Creative Suite. Um, it's my best friend, I would say, and it's really invaluable. From Photoshop to Illustrator, After Effects, XD, Um, there's a, a whole extensive, um, creative space at your disposal, and especially when you're utilizing Photoshop.

All the tools and skills in your toolkit. It's a really great resource to really bring to life visually, um, compelling and functional creative. 

Stephen Lewis: So let me ask you this. How have you navigated accessing funding and what advice do you have for underrepresented entrepreneurs who [00:28:00] might be struggling to secure financial resources for their businesses?

Jeremy Vincent: Yeah, um, that is a really difficult question because we know that there's a large funding gap for underrepresented founded. We know that we're the least founded black women or even least founded and black men. Um, and it is a struggle. It is something that we face on a daily basis. Um, I think thankfully for us, we were co founder.

Couple. So that helps us to be able to balance, um, our capability of one person working full-time and one working full-time on the company and one person working full-time just to bring money in to kind of keep us going. Um, so that helps to some degree. But one of the things that we feel like is important is really.

Starting where you are and kind of assessing the, the tools, the gifts, the resources that's probably [00:29:00] within reach of yourself or family. And I would say start there. Um, you realize that you might have, you, you, you might start realizing that you might have way more than you need, because sometimes I feel like we do lose sight of looking at what we don't have.

Instead of focusing on what we do have, right? Um, and just starting where you are and then looking to see how you can tap into the resources that you have yourself and figuring out how to utilize it to the best of your ability and building upon that incrementally over time, um, while focusing on a problem that you're solving.

We do feel like eventually the funding will come. Um, so just tapping into your network, tapping into your communities, tapping into those local opportunities and resources, and, you know, I guess, blessings that are around you. Um, and just starting there. Um, and then eventually I feel like the funding will come once you [00:30:00] focus on the problem.

Um, and starting where you are. 

Kimberly R. Daniel: So I met you all at a community gathering. And from what I recall, you all were fairly new to Atlanta. And so I'm curious to hear for folks who are new to the area or are Within the four walls of their home, working on building whatever is their building, how can underrepresented entrepreneurs effectively build a supportive network for the journey ahead?

Carla Vincent: One of the best ways underrep, underrepresented entrepreneurs can build a supportive network is really by tapping into your existing communities. And also seeking out mentors. Um, what's the worst that could happen? They say no, and then you move on But um at the end of the day you will find your people you will find your group and there are so many Organizations [00:31:00] and groups designed to support minority founders whether through networking events accelerators industry specific forums.

Um, at the end of the day, mentorship is key. So finding someone who has been through similar challenges can really be able to provide guidance and often open doors you might not even know exist. So, and also it's important to remember that your network doesn't have to be limited by geography. We live in the digital age, uh, where connection and communication, um, is at our fingertips.

We saw that really come to life, especially during COVID. Um, so connect with people who, who you can still, uh, resonate with who may not be within your state, who may be across country or across the globe, especially when you're rooted, um, in, in like [00:32:00] minds at the end of the day. 

Jeremy Vincent: I was going to just add a couple of things.

I think getting out of your comfort zone and actually putting yourself out there, um, and Is a big part of finding your community and finding support. Um, because if you're working in a vacuum or working in silo, um, you're shooting yourself in the leg to some degree, right? And so you have to be vulnerable by putting yourself out there to make connections and finding and establishing that community.

Um, and you know, you'll realize that there's. So much people out there who is willing to support you. Kimberly obviously has been supporting us in beautiful ways. Um, and then you're also realizing that there's so much that you don't know. By having a network in the community, um, you can start filling a lot of the blind spots that you might have.

Um, because there's guidance or there's advice, there's, um, experience that people have been through that they [00:33:00] can share with you to make sure that you can. Taking the best feedback so you can move forward in the best way. 

Stephen Lewis: Well, these are all wonderful resources that the two of you have provided that I hope that our listeners will taking notes and will, uh, attend to as they think about their own entrepreneur journey.

And for those of you who are listening in, do you desire a connection and a supportive community? Visit DougatX and join our community and access resources, tools, and advice from fellow entrepreneurs and change makers. And if you want to help us spread the word, leave us a rating or review on this podcast, and share this episode with an entrepreneur who could use some inspiration.

And now we're going to turn to the next leg of our segment, which is called Off the Cuff. We have a series of questions that have not been shared with our guests, and we would like to ask you at a fast pace, what is the first thing that comes off [00:34:00] the mind in response to the questions that Kimberly and I will ask you momentarily.

Are you ready? Yeah, let's do it. So what is the best advice that you've received on your entrepreneurial journey? 

Carla Vincent: Um, I would say You know, you have all the tools at the end of the day. Uh, that was something that it was hard for me to grasp in the beginning. Um, I was looking for outside resources, um, and not to say that that's not helpful, but the true health lies within, um, and finding that strength helped me become an even stronger individual and creative.

Jeremy Vincent: And I think this, this goes in and, and, um, you're right where you need to be on your journey. You know, um, sometimes I feel like we tend to get ahead of ourselves. Um, and that brings on sometimes anxiety and stress when you're getting ahead of yourself. So I think, um, being present and [00:35:00] being, um, being present within the moments and understanding that you're right where you need to be as, as part of this journey kind of helps you to keep grounded as well.

Kimberly R. Daniel: What is one of your go to practices or rituals to slow down, connect with yourself, center? 

Jeremy Vincent: I would say for me, I think it's definitely yoga and meditation. Um, I've been, we've been doing yoga and meditation for probably over three years now consistently. Um, since the pandemic started, during the pandemic.

Um, and it's been something for me that has allowed me to connect with myself. Thank you. Um, and block out all the noise physically and mentally. Um, and it has allowed me to get more in tune with myself, get more in tune with my thoughts, get more in tune with my emotions. Um, and I think that's probably one of the practices that I do consistently.

Carla Vincent: Yeah, I would have to say is walking in [00:36:00] nature. Um, there is so much, um, inspiration that is out there. If you take the time to slow down, um, and embrace it. And at the same time, um, I'm really able to find centering. So especially after a stressful week, um, with meetings and, and whatnot, um, it's nice to be able to find that grounding out in nature.

So long walks is definitely key for me. 

Stephen Lewis: What is one piece of technology that has been a game changer for your business? 

Carla Vincent: I mean, I already mentioned Adobe Creative Suite. Um, I might have to second that at the end of the day, uh, just because. The amount of in the long list of software that you have at your disposal is wonderful.

Um, so being able to, to build the branding, to be able to design, um, the, the user experience [00:37:00] and, and the overall flow of our product, um, I've been able to, to utilize those tools accordingly. Um, so. Through that suite, it really gives you a strong foundation for you to be able to build. 

Jeremy Vincent: Um, for me, I mean, going back to, I would hate to say chat GBT generated AI again, but it has been something that we've been trying to implement more.

Um, and it's available for us to utilize. And, you know, I would encourage other founders again to. utilize those tools to the best of your abilities, but also just make sure the inputs that you're putting into the models, the informations are accurate as well. Um, I think that has been a game changer for sure in terms of just again, getting a lot of things done, especially when you're in early stages and you're wearing so many different hats.

Um, You know, it's [00:38:00] something that allows you, um, like a sparring partner again to be able to work through a lot of the different, you know, research that you're working through, um, and information that you're sewing into, right? It helps to kind of be that sparring partner for sure. 

Carla Vincent: I have one more stigma.

Um, that's what I would say. Um, I honestly really didn't jump in and fully embrace it until this past summer, and it really has been a game changer while I do love adobe creative suite for building the foundational design, really being able to see our product come to life in a beautiful, efficient way, um, is, um, Is wonderful.

So Figma is great and also a wonderful collaboration tool as we start to work with our developers. 

Kimberly R. Daniel: How much of your success do you attribute to your faith versus your own grit, will, or hustle? [00:39:00] 

Jeremy Vincent: I would say if I had to put a split, I would say 60 percent faith. Um, 40%, I guess, natural grit to some degree, because, um, I think we've been, you know, as human beings, I'm personally on a spiritual, I guess, I do feel like we've been deposited with certain natural gifts, qualities, um, attributes, um, talents, right?

Um, and that's part of the same, that's also connected to faith, right? Because we've been given certain capabilities and certain talents and gifts that we did not, we didn't, um, create ourselves or we didn't deposit within ourselves. Um, and. Actually going out and trying to build a e learning platform. I think we needed a lot of faith, um, to really believe in ourselves, believe in our capabilities, to believe in the [00:40:00] mission and the goal of what we're building in terms of the problem that we're hoping to solve.

It required a whole bunch of faith, um, And belief. Um, and, but back in that again, with some of the skill sets and the talents and gift that we have has been beneficial. But again, we didn't give ourselves these talents, right? They were, you know, gifted to us to say the least. So, um, you know, we're definitely fortunate in that way that we felt like we, um, had the faith and belief to go out and do it.

And also that we had the gifts and skill sets to be able to start achieving it as well. 

Stephen Lewis: Well, then complete this sentence because of my entrepreneurial endeavors, communities will be are more able to do. Wow. 

Jeremy Vincent: Well, I think that I think communities will be able to live up to their potential. I think that's what we're [00:41:00] trying to achieve.

We want to be able to give children opportunities to find their gifts and talents and to be able to nurture their interest so they can live up to their fullest potential. Um, and they can, you know, hopefully impact and create more opportunities. In the future down the line. So I think living up to their fullest potential.

Kimberly R. Daniel: Well, thank you, Carla and Jeremy so much for joining us and thank you for the work that you're doing for young folks and helping them to live into their fullest potential. I look forward to witnessing the continued success and growth of GlobeCAN and to continue to be. A supportive person and community person in your community along the journey.

So thank you all again. We appreciate you coming and sharing your insights. 

Carla Vincent: Thank you. Yeah. 

Stephen Lewis: I just want to say thank you as well. It's been lovely to hear your story and, uh, and [00:42:00] also to see the ways in which you all have partnered together in life and in business, and as such an inspiration for entrepreneurs and those who are trying to do good in the world.

So thank you. 

Jeremy Vincent: Thank you guys for having us. And again, thank you guys for giving us the space and opportunity to tell our story. Um, and to share more about what we're doing. Um, so we appreciate this great opportunity. These insightful questions, um, had us reflecting a lot on our journey so far. So we appreciate this time to be able to share our story 

Carla Vincent: in Thank you all so much.

Kimberly R. Daniel: Well, that was a wonderful episode with some early stage founders. And I know that, you know, we ask questions around their advice, their lessons learned, what they wish they would have known. Um, and at times in other episodes, we may have talked about what entrepreneurs should keep in mind in business and building their businesses, but I specifically just want to chat [00:43:00] briefly about.

One or two things that you think, Stephen, or that we think early stage entrepreneurs overlook as they are starting out their businesses. 

Stephen Lewis: I think Carla and Jeremy mentioned, or at least hinted to it, which is to get your idea out of your head. Your idea is only as good to the extent that you talk to potential customers who's going to use your product or service.

And so I think customer discovery early. And getting your ideas out to your customers, even if they in rough form will help you build a better business solution. So I think that's one of the things that they aren't entrepreneurs don't take seriously enough about how do you actually get your idea out of your head and not worry about trying to make sure that it's perfect and those types of things that really start early on talking to people who might actually purchase, [00:44:00] use the thing that you're actually trying to build.

Kimberly R. Daniel: One thing that I would add, which this will emerge in a customer discovery, if you engage in listening to customers is identifying an ideal paying customer, not just a customer, an ideal paying customer, meaning they are going to pay you money, not just a customer. Like money to cover the basic cost. Like you are going to be able to have a sustainable business because of what they're able to invest or, or, or provide in purchasing your product or service.

Um, and it will help your business to grow and it offers that customer value. So you're not just taking into consideration, you know, what it may have cost you to build that thing that then the customer covers in their, in what they're, they pay, but it also covers. The value that you provide, the value, the expertise and the solution to their pain point or addressing the pain point in a [00:45:00] particular way that other products or services may not.

So customer discovery key and have a ideal pain customer. Anything else you want to add? 

Stephen Lewis: Or just quickly, which is, are your ideal, potential ideal pain customer already paying for a solution to address their pain? Because if they're not, then the thing that you could just kind of come in here with a grand idea that people were just going to start purchasing.

You might need to rethink that. So yeah, I think I would pair that with the ideal paying customers. What are they paying now for solving the problem or the pain that the pain that they're trying to address in their current life at the moment. 

Kimberly R. Daniel: So those are just a couple of things to keep in mind. We appreciate you all.

Tuning in. I always appreciate chatting with you, Steven. And until we join again on the next episode, be well.[00:46:00] 

Narrator: for listening to the do good X podcast to continue the conversation or access our resources, visit www. doogoodx. org. Join us again for conversations that will nourish your soul, ignite your dreams. And empower you to build an impactful business one intentional step at a time. Until then, keep striving, thriving, and doing good.