Ep. 87 The Stern Truth: Business Therapy Thursday With Alex Papaconstantinou

My guest on this Business Therapy Thursday episode is Alex Papaconstantinou. Alex is a  somatic educator and body worker, bridging the gap between bodywork and psychotherapy. She’s turned more of her attention to this business in the last year and tells us how she wants to feel less scattered.

Alex admits it’s still early in her career and has a lot to learn. She says there’s so much noise and doesn’t know what to look at or what advice to follow.

Our discussion gets into how overwhelmed with choices you are when you own a business. For instance, those “programs” that cost $20,000 and can help you grow your business to nine figures? Watch out for those ones.

Sustainability in her own business is something Alex brings up a few times this episode. Alex herself has been invited to teach at universities, offers in person and online sessions, intensives, and group work but wants to feel less scattered. Some great advice I’ve gotten (and given) is to slow down to speed up. You don’t need to stop everything, but slowing down brings you a better understanding of what’s happening.

I tell Alex to not feel the pressure to do everything. Pick a primary focus, then make a list of everything else you need to do and put those tasks into different months, while holding yourself accountable for them. Accountability can be incredible to help you focus and reach your growth goals while still showing up authentically. 

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Transcript

[00:00:00] Marshall Stern: All right, we are back with another special Business Therapy Thursday episode. This is basically a deep dive clarity strategy coaching session where we sit down with a business owner, an entrepreneur, someone who has a vision, and they might be currently stuck. They might be stuck growing their business.

[00:00:22] They could be stuck with a specific challenge that they want to work through. This is an amazing episode. You don't want to miss it. And if you want to be a guest on a Business Therapy Thursday episode, simply reach out to me, marshall@marshallstern.net, and we'll have a chat to see if this is a fit for you.

[00:00:42] Also, don't forget, if you want to be around other business owners, come check us out, the ONtrepreneur Inner Circle. The link is again below. We meet weekly on Tuesdays. You can simply come as my guest. In any case, grab your pad of paper and be ready for some really big insights in this special Business Therapy Thursday episode.

[00:01:08] Hi, I'm Marshall Stern and I've spent over 35 years leading and growing multiple small businesses. I know firsthand the struggles of entrepreneurship, feeling isolated, lonely, overwhelmed, and feeling like you have to do it all by yourself. I've been through multiple recessions, and I have felt the highs and the lows.

[00:01:28] I've been there, and I get it. This podcast is here to change that. Every week I will bring you straight talking advice, real world strategies, and honest conversations about what it takes to succeed in business without the fluff, the gimmicks, or the sugar-coated. If you're ready to stop spinning your wheels and start making real progress, then you are in the right place. 

[00:01:51] This is the Stern Truth. 

[00:01:56] Hey, Alex, how are you? 

[00:01:57] Alex Papaconstantinou: I'm great, thank you. How about you? 

[00:01:59] Marshall Stern: Doing well. I'm doing well. Thank you for doing this. I've been looking forward to this session. 

[00:02:04] Alex Papaconstantinou: Oh, great. Yay, me too. 

[00:02:06] Marshall Stern: So, this is a Business Therapy Thursday session. 

[00:02:10] Alex Papaconstantinou: Mm-hmm. 

[00:02:10] Marshall Stern: So just for context for our listeners, and then this just could be you and me, so forget about everyone else, but just for the context for our listeners, maybe just refresh my memory and for our listeners of what you do.

[00:02:23] Alex Papaconstantinou: Mm-hmm. So I'm a... My, my credentials are I'm, I'm a somatic experiencing practitioner, but I'm a somatic educator and body worker, and I specialize in working with the physiological symptoms of stress and sometimes resilience. So, kind of bridging the gap between body work and psychotherapy. 

[00:02:43] Marshall Stern: Okay.

[00:02:44] That is so needed these days. 

[00:02:46] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. Yeah. I mean, more and more the science is coming out to support that line of work, so. 

[00:02:54] Marshall Stern: Yeah. No, perfect. How long have you been doing it? 

[00:02:57] Alex Papaconstantinou: I've been working for about five years, but only really getting serious in the last year and a half. 

[00:03:06] Marshall Stern: What do you mean by getting serious?

[00:03:08] Alex Papaconstantinou: Like, like being actually able to dedicate time to my work and seeing clients. 

[00:03:19] Marshall Stern: Okay. So, in the time we have today... Well, I, I guess the question I have for you is why did you raise your hand to this opportunity? What would you like to get out of our talk today? 

[00:03:28] Alex Papaconstantinou: I, yeah, I think general curiosity.

[00:03:32] I've never really, like, I don't really... I've seen the word coaching floating around but never really understood like exactly what it meant. So, it was mostly just curiosity. 

[00:03:44] Marshall Stern: Okay. Curiosity. Why do you think it would be helpful to you? Is there an area that you want to maybe improve on or work through?

[00:03:54] Alex Papaconstantinou: Well, in general, I'm, like I'm pretty early on in my careers, my career and careers. 

[00:04:01] Marshall Stern: Yes. 

[00:04:02] Alex Papaconstantinou: And I have a lot... I mean, I always, I'm probably always going to have a lot to learn when it comes to entrepreneurship, and, like, strategy and making smart decisions and learning how to do so. So yeah, I don't know.

[00:04:17] I'm just open to learning what I don't know, and I probably don't know what I don't know. 

[00:04:23] Marshall Stern: You don't know what you don't know. 

[00:04:25] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:04:25] Marshall Stern: So, so do you feel, do you feel like you are on the right path, everything seems clear right now, you're doing the things you need to do? It's like just step by step and it's a matter of time, or maybe not?

[00:04:40] If you can't see the face, you... Yeah. 

[00:04:43] Alex Papaconstantinou: No, it does not feel clear at all. Like I'm, I'm clear in my line of work, in my skillset and my practice, but how it looks, what makes sense, how to structure it that to benefit both, like, my clients and for it to be sustainable for me long term, it's... Yeah, it's just like so scattered and all over the place and kind of feeling patched together right now.

[00:05:12] Which is fine because I'm still very early in my career but also, like, it, yeah, it needs more organization. It needs more structure. Like, there's so many... There's so much noise whenever I, like, set out to learn about what I need to do to make it, to bring more organization and structure.

[00:05:36] Like, there's just so much noise and, like, so many voices and so many people trying to sell everyone on everything that I just don't know where to look, what to listen to that isn't, like, trying to pull me in a, a very specific direction for their own benefit, you know? Like, I just don't know. Yeah.  so yeah, I've kind of just been...

[00:05:57] Had my blinders on and just, like, had my head down, trying to do what makes sense for me, but I still, like... I don't know. Yeah, it's still not great. 

[00:06:06] Marshall Stern: Thank you for sharing that. So, I have the answer for you. I have the solution. 

[00:06:10] Alex Papaconstantinou: Oh, yeah? Great. 

[00:06:11] Marshall Stern: So, I want you to invest $20,000 with me, and I'll help you grow your business.

[00:06:15] I have a six-step framework that will help you get to build, to build a nine-figure business. How's that sound? You can just click below and buy right now. 

[00:06:25] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. I, I'm, like, skeptical and also, like, yeah, maybe, maybe you do. Maybe your framework works for a very particular industry, but because I am in an industry that almost barely exists currently- 

[00:06:40] Marshall Stern: Right.

[00:06:41] Alex Papaconstantinou: …and what does exist is, like, really sketchy and not really ethical, like, most advice doesn't work for me because I'm kind of carving my own path in a lot of ways. 

[00:06:52] Marshall Stern: Yeah. Well, first off, for, just for context, I don't have a $20,000 program with a six-step –

[00:06:56] Alex Papaconstantinou: Oh, I know. Yeah, yeah, yeah

[00:06:57] Marshall Stern: ...six-step this, right? 

[00:06:59] Alex Papaconstantinou: I know. I got your... 

[00:07:00] Marshall Stern: You got that. Just for the listeners out there who – 

[00:07:03] Alex Papaconstantinou: I was with you. 

[00:07:03] Marshall Stern: You know, who's like, "What is he trying to do? Who's this guy? He's just like one of them." I know. No. You know what? I, okay, so thank you for sharing that. And, and honestly, I talk about this on the podcast all the time. And something that I...

[00:07:17] I'm only one person, but I'm trying to change that because... I don't know if I can change it, but I'm trying to bring light to what you just said, so I'm glad you brought it up as well, because you're... I've been there, right? It's overwhelming out there. Who do you trust? Who do you believe? Who... What system, what process, what's going to work for me?

[00:07:33] Everybody wants to take your money, right? And who has actually, like, done it? And there's so many... Like, if I... I’ve, I’ve said probably in dozens of these episodes, there are more coaches coaching coaches – 

[00:07:44] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:07:45] Marshall Stern:...right? And in your field as it grows, there will be these... Well, there's a... The health and wellness industry has these health and wellness coaches with these, this is my, my air quotes, right?

[00:07:54] Alex Papaconstantinou: Mm-hmm. 

[00:07:55] Marshall Stern: That claim they built this... Exactly. Eye roll, all of that stuff. 

[00:07:59] Alex Papaconstantinou: We, we all know. 

[00:08:00] Marshall Stern: Okay? So, there's that, okay? But you don't know what you don't know. So, in today's session, if we can maybe get you a little bit less scattered, would that be helpful? 

[00:08:09] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. It would be great. 

[00:08:11] Marshall Stern: Okay. What do you think you need to be less scattered on?

[00:08:14] Alex Papaconstantinou: The structure of how I work, yeah, that one is the biggest one.  that one is the biggest one. But anytime I have, like, tried to dial it back and be more structured, like, I kind of... Because I just don't have, because I'm still so early in my career, it takes a long time to build a caseload. Like, I, I end up feeling that I have to expand, and expanding for me, it previously has meant, yeah, kind of opening up the way that I work.

[00:08:54] Marshall Stern: What do you mean by that? 

[00:08:55] Alex Papaconstantinou: So, okay. Yeah, I'll, I'll kind of bring you through. So, when the pandemic hit, like so many of us, I was like, "I can't allow myself to be in that vulnerable financial position again." World shut down, everyone was scrambling, including myself, to adapt and figure out a different way of bringing an income when, while respecting, like, everything that was going on, and no one knew when it was going to end.

[00:09:27] And it dragged out for a lot longer than most of us thought, I think.  and so part of my reaction to that was like, "All right, online, I will always be adaptable. I'm going to be – put myself in a position where I will always be adaptable. Figure out how to do my work online." I did, and so the online component is, of my business is important to me, like seeing people online.

[00:09:54] But also, there's a piece that in-person work is also really important for my line of work and the way that I work, and it's also important for me being just a more grounded human in the world. And being able to do my, my work, like, sustainably. And it brings the bodywork part into my name.

[00:10:21] So, yeah, I think, and like... And so, it's, like, in person, online, and then there's a bunch of different ways that I can work with people. So, there's, like, an hour-long session, and then there's a 90-minute session. But then there's also group work, and then there's intensives, and then there's building workshops.

[00:10:43] So it's just, like – just in laying all that out, there's like online version of all those four things, and then the in-person version of all those four things. And so now all of a sudden, I'm spread across eight different... Yeah. Right? 

[00:10:59] Marshall Stern: Hence the – hence the scattered right now?

[00:11:01] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. And then add in, I recently have added, like – I've been invited to teach at, like, universities.

[00:11:10] So then add in speaker and workshop builder for, like, training professionals. So yeah, it's just a lot, and then there's my private practice, and now in Toronto to get my feet on the ground I'm going to be working under a clinic there. So that's pretty scattered, right? 

[00:11:28] Marshall Stern: Okay. So, okay, let's... Yes, it is. And well, it is, it is to a certain point.

[00:11:34] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. Right? It is feeling that way for me right now.

[00:11:36] Marshall Stern: It feels that way. That's the feeling. The feeling is scattered, yes. 

[00:11:38] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:11:39] Marshall Stern: Okay. So, let's take... I want to reduce the scattered feeling. I want to take away – 

[00:11:42] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeahhh... 

[00:11:43] Marshall Stern: I want to start with the, okay, for – I'm feeling the scatteredness. 

[00:11:47] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. Yeah. It's just a, it's just a lot to, like, be... Like, nothing is fully done in either of them. Like, I'm kind of just, like, day to day kind of chasing my tail to get the thing done in each of those things. But I don't actually... Yeah. 

[00:12:05] Marshall Stern: Okay. So, we need to, we need to put a, put a framework to this. 

[00:12:08] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah.

[00:12:09] Marshall Stern: And, and slow things down. So, one of my mentors, he, he once said or always says is, "You have to slow down in order to speed up.

[00:12:18] From time to time, you need to slow down in order to speed up." So, I think we need to slow down in the scatteredness part and but also looking at it from a different set of eyes. 

[00:12:28] Alex Papaconstantinou: Mm-hmm. 

[00:12:29] Marshall Stern: So right now, it's from my set of eyes. So, you mentioned you've got the four different options online to work with you.

[00:12:34] Alex Papaconstantinou: Mm-hmm. 

[00:12:35] Marshall Stern: Right? Which is really... It's four different price points. Okay? So, you got, you said, 60-minute, 90-minute, do you do, what'd you say? Full workshop, full day workshop and then group? 

[00:12:45] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah, like group work. 

[00:12:47] Marshall Stern: And then – 

[00:12:48] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:12:48] Marshall Stern: …workshop. And then a workshop? Is that the fourth one? 

[00:12:50] Alex Papaconstantinou: Intensives but I don't really do intensives online, just because they're, like, intense, but yeah, workshop is the fourth. They're intense. 

[00:12:56] Marshall Stern: Yeah. Intensives are intense.

[00:12:57] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:12:59] Marshall Stern: And then in person. The same thing, but in person. 

[00:13:01] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yes. 

[00:13:02] Marshall Stern: So, I want you to think of it differently, okay? When you go to an... into a restaurant, what do they usually give you? 

[00:13:10] Alex Papaconstantinou: The menu 

[00:13:11] Marshall Stern: Menu. Okay. 

[00:13:12] Alex Papaconstantinou: Mm-hmm. 

[00:13:12] Marshall Stern: So, you have a menu. 

[00:13:14] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:13:15] Marshall Stern: Okay. So, it's a matter of that's part, that's part of your business. 

[00:13:20] So that, that, that is your ... So, you want to work with me, here's the menu, these are the options you have. 

[00:13:24] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:13:26] Marshall Stern: Now, within each option we need to figure out what is, you know, it’s not really scattered in this case. Now where you put your focus really depends on the, the, the person you ... You know, like the 60 minute versus 90 minute, it's, that's a personal choice for someone.

[00:13:40] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. Mm-hmm. 

[00:13:41] Marshall Stern: Okay. Obviously the intense- intensives will be, and the group are for possibly different people. 

[00:13:47] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yes. 

[00:13:48] Marshall Stern: Right? Some people ... And some people want groups, some people want one-to-one. 

[00:13:51] Alex Papaconstantinou: Mm-hmm. 

[00:13:52] Marshall Stern: Okay. So, we need to figure out, and that, and that we can talk about in the future, but it's okay, your ideal client, who is perfect for these different, different options.

[00:13:59] Alex Papaconstantinou: Mm. 

[00:14:01] Marshall Stern: Okay? That's your menu. 

[00:14:04] Alex Papaconstantinou: Mm-hmm. 

[00:14:04] Marshall Stern: It's simple. It is a simple menu. I know it might not feel simple but it's a simple menu. And if we get that on paper and then just go from there, I mean, it is a simple menu. 

[00:14:15] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:14:16] Marshall Stern: If you had a menu like if you've ever been to, like, The Cheesecake Factory, which there is one in Toronto.

[00:14:20] Alex Papaconstantinou: I haven't. 

[00:14:20] Marshall Stern: Well, there is one in Toronto, so go check it out. 

[00:14:22] Alex Papaconstantinou Okay. 

[00:14:23] Marshall Stern: That is not scattered, but that would be overwhelming because honestly you can go to The Cheesecake Factory probably seven days a week for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and have something different. 

[00:14:32] Alex Papaconstantinou: Oh my gosh. 

[00:14:33] Marshall Stern: It's a massive, massive menu.

[00:14:35] Alex Papaconstantinou: Okay. 

[00:14:36] Marshall Stern: Okay? It's not really scattered because it, it is categorized – 

[00:14:39] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah... 

[00:14:40] Marshall Stern: …which is what yours is, but there's too many options. 

[00:14:43] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. Poor kitchen. 

[00:14:44] Marshall Stern: Poor kitchen. Well, honest- honestly, I've had two things there. I've been there, like, dozens of times, and I've had two things there. The... I've only had one thing for lunch or dinner, just the same thing, and I've had only one thing for brunch, and that was the one.

[00:14:58] That's it. So, I've never tried anything else because I like what I like. 

[00:15:01] Alex Papaconstantinou: I respect that. I'm the same way. 

[00:15:03] Marshall Stern: Okay. So, if you like fish, miso salmon, it's to die for. 

[00:15:07] Alex Papaconstantinou: Ooh.

[00:15:09] Marshall Stern: I've never had it in Canada, though, only in the US. I don't know what it's like in Toronto. Probably charge, like, $100 or something because it's, the prices are different.

[00:15:15] No, they don't charge that much, but it's a huge piece. Anyways, we're not talking about food anymore because now I'm getting hungry. Does it feel scattered, though, to think about... What's the scattered part in the, that you're feeling about just that part? 

[00:15:29] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. So that, like, the online portion is fairly easy for me.

[00:15:34] Like, but then add an in-person, and then add an in-person in my private practice, and then working under the clinic, and it's like... And then I, the logistics of all of that. So, like, I have to find a space to work in person. I have a space to work for the clinic. I don't have a space to work in the private practice.

[00:15:55] So if someone reaches out to me and wants to work with me in my private practice, it's just like – 

[00:16:01] Marshall Stern: So, the clinic, are you paid by the... You're not paid by the client for the clinic. You're paid by the clinic, then? Is that right? 

[00:16:07] Alex Papaconstantinou: Kind of a hybrid of both. The client pays the clinic, then the clinic pays me after they take their cut.

[00:16:15] Marshall Stern: Okay. Yeah. So obviously you make, you make... Are you making less money per client in the clinic if you were to go, if you were to go to – 

[00:16:20] Alex Papaconstantinou: More because of location, downtown Toronto. 

[00:16:23] Marshall Stern: Okay. So, you're going to make more money with a client after their cut in the clinic than you would if it was your client alone. 

[00:16:33] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yes.

[00:16:34] Marshall Stern: Okay. So, my question to you – 

[00:16:36] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah ... 

[00:16:37] Marshall Stern: …is why would you even have your own space right now? 

[00:16:42] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. I – I wouldn't. Like, it's not, it's, it's not looking that way as of right now.

[00:16:52] Yeah, it's not looking that way as of right now, but that's how I've always traditionally worked prior is like having my own space. Yeah, so it's just kind of like wrapping my mind around the logistics. And then, but then that person is un- is under the care of the clinic and not under the care of my private practice.

[00:17:11] It's a little bit different because that's, like ,within, within a already established proper system, like it's Ontario Healthcare, whereas my private practice, I have more freedom. 

[00:17:24] Marshall Stern: Right. 

[00:17:25] Alex Papaconstantinou: And like different – 

[00:17:26] Marshall Stern: You can work, you can work anywhere. 

[00:17:27] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yes. Yeah. Yeah ... I can work anywhere, but I also have different ways of working that isn't by the Ontario healthcare system.

[00:17:39] Does that make sense? 

[00:17:40] Marshall Stern: It does. It does. 

[00:17:41] Alex Papaconstantinou: Okay. Yeah. Okay. 

[00:17:42] Marshall Stern: But we need to simplify things. This is my suggestion.  

[00:17:44] Alex Papaconstantinou: I know. 

[00:17:44] Marshall Stern: Yeah. You know, like – 

[00:17:46] Alex Papaconstantinou: Then under the clinic, I take... I have sessions that I can take insurance for and se- sessions that are private pay. So, it's just, like, it's a lot once you start getting into it, you know?

[00:17:57] Marshall Stern: It is, but let's, let's see if we can – 

[00:17:58] Alex Papaconstantinou: Okay. Yeah. 

[00:17:59] Marshall Stern: …let's see if we can narrow down the menu. 

[00:18:02] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yes. 

[00:18:03] Marshall Stern: Simplify the menu, right? 

[00:18:05] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:18:05] Marshall Stern: So, if I were your, your advisor, if I were your coach, your mentor, and you came to me and said, "I found this awesome space, Marshall. I want to rent it out for my private clients. It's closer to where I live," which is obviously not downtown, not downtown in Toronto. 

[00:18:20] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:18:21] Marshall Stern: What do you think my – 

[00:18:23] Alex Papaconstantinou: I'm really upset that I'm commuting downtown, by the way. I'm really upset about it. 

[00:18:26] Marshall Stern: Well, but here's the thing. This is not for the rest of your life. 

[00:18:30] Alex Papaconstantinou: I know. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's what I'm telling myself. This is a just for now. If it doesn't work, I can change it.

[00:18:36] Marshall Stern: Right. 

[00:18:37] Alex Papaconstantinou: But yeah. 

[00:18:38] Marshall Stern: So, if I... If you came to me, I know you're relocating. 

[00:18:41] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:18:42] Marshall Stern: When, as this, when this comes out, you will have relocated, okay? 

[00:18:45] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:18:45] Marshall Stern: So, I will ask you, how's it going? But if you found a space in the area you’re, that you're going to be living in, near, near that area, and you wanted to rent it out and it's going to cost you,  maybe it's a smaller space.

[00:18:58] I don't know. You probably don't need a big space, right? 

[00:19:00] Alex Papaconstantinou: No. 

[00:19:01] Marshall Stern: It's like a small office kind of space? 

[00:19:02] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah, like a little bit of a bigger office, like maybe medium. 

[00:19:06] Marshall Stern: Medium, okay. Not a grande or, like, a venti. Just like a, a, a tall. 

[00:19:10] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:19:11] Marshall Stern: A tall office. 

[00:19:11] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. Yeah. 

[00:19:12] Marshall Stern: Sorry, that's just my that's my Starbucks thing.

[00:19:14] I know, I know Tim Horton's and Second Cup are huge in Toronto, so I know... I don't know what they call those. I think it's medium. And you said it, it’s going to cost $1,000 a month. What do you think I would say to you? 

[00:19:25] Alex Papaconstantinou: Do you have the client base to back up this, that extra $1,000 a month expense in your business?

[00:19:32] Marshall Stern: Right. 

[00:19:33] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:19:34] Marshall Stern: So, honestly, I would just take that off your menu right now. 

[00:19:37] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. Yeah, it is. It's, like, not even something... It's, like, in the back of my mind, but I'm still... Like, I'm, I'm thinking about it, but it's not at the forefront by any means. 

[00:19:50] Marshall Stern: I would... Actually, I would put it at the back of your mind.

[00:19:52] You know, give yourself maybe a timeframe. I mean, you're just relocating. 

[00:19:55] Alex Papaconstantinou: Mm-hmm. 

[00:19:55] Marshall Stern: Okay? So, you, you get settled. 

[00:19:58] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:19:59] Marshall Stern: Okay? You might absolutely despise the commute. 

[00:20:03] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:20:03] Marshall Stern: Right? Mm-hmm. You're thinking you will. 

[00:20:07] Alex Papaconstantinou: I'm just not a city person. 

[00:20:08] Marshall Stern: Okay. So, you're just, are you doing, are you doing this just now because you're just relocating and just to get established and for income and to get some – 

[00:20:16] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. Yes. Mm-hmm. 

[00:20:16] Marshall Stern: Okay. Might not be as bad as you think, but you're not going to know until you…

[00:20:20] Alex Papaconstantinou: I know. 

[00:20:21] Marshall Stern: Yeah ... you're not going to know until you, until you know. So, I want us to become less scattered. So, I don't even want that in the back. I- just, just table it. 

[00:20:29] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. Okay.

[00:20:30] Marshall Stern: Six months. Six months. 

[00:20:31] Alex Papaconstantinou: I can do that. Oh, I can do it for... I can table it for a year. 

[00:20:34] Marshall Stern: For a year? You're good with a year? 

[00:20:35] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. Yeah.

[00:20:35] Marshall Stern: Okay. You're going to go through the summer, you're going to go through the dead of winter, you're going to commute. You're just... You're committed for a year. 

[00:20:41] Alex Papaconstantinou: Mm-hmm. 

[00:20:41] Marshall Stern: Okay. One year. So online is one option, or the clinic.

[00:20:46] Alex Papaconstantinou: Okay. 

[00:20:47] Marshall Stern: But – 

[00:20:47] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. Yeah, I can do that... 

[00:20:49] Marshall Stern: Now, you could actually still do in-person, I guess, intensives if you really wanted to, or in-person, that sort of work. 

[00:20:56] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah, I can do that. Yeah. But it's, it's going to take preparation. It's going to take a decent amount of preparation. 

[00:21:03] Marshall Stern: So, let's table that for how long?

[00:21:05] Before you even really start to dive in and think about that. 

[00:21:08] Alex Papaconstantinou: End of July. 

[00:21:08] Marshall Stern: Okay. I, I'm doing the math here. Okay. So, four month- from the recording, let's say four, four months. 

[00:21:15] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:21:15] Marshall Stern: But by the time this comes out, it may be you've already done it. You're... Okay. So just table it. 

[00:21:20] Alex Papaconstantinou: Okay. 

[00:21:21] Marshall Stern: So now what are we looking at?

[00:21:22] Your, what are your opportunity, opportunities to work with Amazing Alex? 

[00:21:27] Alex Papaconstantinou: We're looking at groups in person in the clinic, online. The groups would be currently as it stands online – 

[00:21:37] Marshall Stern: Yes. 

[00:21:38] Alex Papaconstantinou: Not an in-person group as of right now. 

[00:21:42] Marshall Stern: Yes. 

[00:21:42] Alex Papaconstantinou: And then, like, one-on-one session work clinic and online in my private practice.

[00:21:48] Marshall Stern: So you have... Okay. So, it's online, one, one-to-one online or group online, or the in-person clinic. 

[00:21:55] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yes. 

[00:21:55] Marshall Stern: At least for the next –

[00:21:55] Alex Papaconstantinou: But this is where it starts... also gets complicated is that I have a bunch of clients already in my private practice in Ontario that are very excited about working with me in person. So, I have to get them over to the clinic, but it's going to be more out of their pocket, and only, I – I don't know

[00:22:12] Marshall Stern: Is it out of their, more out of their pocket? Okay, that's fine. Not fine for them. Is it out of their way? Is it also they have to come travel far other distance? 

[00:22:19] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah, they... Yeah. Mm-hmm. 

[00:22:21] Marshall Stern: Are they all in the same area as where you're going to be living? 

[00:22:24] Alex Papaconstantinou: No, scattered around like southern Ontario. 

[00:22:28] Marshall Stern: Okay, and they won't go online?

[00:22:30] Alex Papaconstantinou: We are currently working online. 

[00:22:32] Marshall Stern: Okay. Okay. 

[00:22:34] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah okay. Great. Okay. 

[00:22:36] Marshall Stern: Are you a people pleaser? 

[00:22:38] Alex Papaconstantinou: No.

[00:22:39] Marshall Stern: Oh, okay, good. 

[00:22:40] Alex Papaconstantinou: No. 

[00:22:42] Marshall Stern: Good. Let's skip that. We don't have to go there. Great. 

[00:22:44] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:22:44] Marshall Stern: That's just knocked, that's just knocked off 15 minutes from this session. 

[00:22:47] Alex Papaconstantinou: Okay.

[00:22:51] Marshall Stern: At least. Okay. Yeah. Here's the thing, Alex. 

[00:22:56] Alex Papaconstantinou: Mm-hmm. 

[00:22:56] Marshall Stern: There's no rules to the game. 

[00:22:59] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah, I know. 

[00:23:00] Marshall Stern: That's part of the problem, right? 

[00:23:01] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. It's... I love it. I love it. Don't get me wrong. 

[00:23:06] Marshall Stern: Yeah.

[00:23:06] Alex Papaconstantinou: That's partially why I'm here, because I... 

[00:23:10] Marshall Stern: But no, but I... Let me repeat that. Let me repeat – I'm going to say it again. 

[00:23:13] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:23:13] Marshall Stern: But I'm going to add onto that.

[00:23:15] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:23:16] Marshall Stern: There's no rules to the game, so you can do, pardon my language, whatever the hell you want to do. 

[00:23:23] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. 

[00:23:25] Marshall Stern: Not what you think you should do. what other people want you to do. Not what society,  or I know it's a newer industry or what is the known thing. 

[00:23:35] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:23:36] Marshall Stern: You can have, if you wanted, strictly online business if that's what you want.

[00:23:40] I'm not saying it is, but if that is what you wanted, you could have that. 

[00:23:44] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. Yeah. I am, I'm aware. 

[00:23:47] Marshall Stern: Okay. 

[00:23:47] Alex Papaconstantinou: Mm-hmm. 

[00:23:48] Marshall Stern: Okay. Do you feel pressured at all to do the other stuff as well? Not, and now the clinic, I mean, it's, we're talking about income and everything. I get that, but having a in –

[00:23:57] Alex Papaconstantinou: The only pressure is financial constraints.

[00:23:59] Marshall Stern: There's... Okay. Okay. 

[00:24:01] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:24:02] Marshall Stern: Well, obviously.

[00:24:02] Alex Papaconstantinou: Other than, other than that pressure, no, I don't feel pressure like from any other direction. 

[00:24:07] Marshall Stern: Okay. Because obviously there's a financial investment if you had your own space, and then you have to have – that's more financial pressure to have clients, because now you have this rent that you're paying, right?

[00:24:17] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. Mm-hmm. 

[00:24:19] Marshall Stern: Okay. So, with that thought, before we move on, online options or the clinic, be honest with me. Does that feel a little bit less scattered? I don't know if that's the right, even the right word anymore, in your mind, I guess? 

[00:24:35] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yes. 

[00:24:36] Marshall Stern: But…?  

[00:24:38] Alex Papaconstantinou: There is a but there. I'm just trying to figure out what it is.

[00:24:53] Like, it feels okay for now. It feels okay for the next however many months.  like it's totally fine and great. But it doesn't feel like the complete picture. Like, there's something inside me that is like, "But we have other things." 

[00:25:08] Marshall Stern: Okay. 

[00:25:10] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:25:10] Marshall Stern: I think – 

[00:25:12] Alex Papaconstantinou: I think that also just the other things have a lot of inspiration and excitement around them for me. So, yeah, I think that's probably part of the feeling. 

[00:25:24] Marshall Stern: Okay. So that's, that's where some discipline's going to come in. But I want to acknowledge something. I want to acknowledge something with, with that your thinking, your mindset. That is the entrepreneurial mindset.

[00:25:34] Alex Papaconstantinou: Mm-hmm. 

[00:25:34] Marshall Stern: That will serve you if you, if we can harness it, it's... Right? It will serve you well. 

[00:25:41] Alex Papaconstantinou: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

[00:25:42] Marshall Stern: Where it will not serve you well is if you act on it all the time, and you're always wanting everything now, right? And that is seriously that – 

[00:25:48] Alex Papaconstantinou: I don't really have that issue of the, like, wanting it now.

[00:25:51] But I do think that the way that I've learned how to work is, like, if it's there it'll... Like, if I don't get it out, it'll just kind of loop. So, I always have to get it out. And if the inspiration keeps going- 

[00:26:08] Marshall Stern: Yep. 

[00:26:09] Alex Papaconstantinou: Then I kind of have to, like, I have to get, like, that out as well. 

[00:26:14] Marshall Stern: Okay. 

[00:26:14] Alex Papaconstantinou: So, I think that's the building part.

[00:26:16] Like, it's like, it's kind of building before I have a solid structure. 

[00:26:21] Marshall Stern: Right. But we're talking about, we're talking about building your business. 

[00:26:25] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:26:25] Marshall Stern: Okay? 

[00:26:26] Alex Papaconstantinou: Mm-hmm. Yeah. 

[00:26:26] Marshall Stern: In a less scattered way. 

[00:26:28] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. Mm-hmm. 

[00:26:29] Marshall Stern: A little more of a systematic, I won't say planned way, but intentional way. Intentional way.

[00:26:33] Alex Papaconstantinou: Mm. Mm-hmm. Yeah, 

[00:26:36] Marshall Stern: Okay. So, one of the things I do with my clients is a primary focus. I give them a primary focus tool. 

[00:26:42] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:26:43] Marshall Stern: Okay? And it's like month by month. So – 

[00:26:47] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:26:47] Marshall Stern: If you – 

[00:26:48] Alex Papaconstantinou: That'd be great ... 

[00:26:49] Marshall Stern: So, okay, we're going to do this right now. This is where –  

[00:26:51] Alex Papaconstantinou: Okay ... 

[00:26:52] Marshall Stern: This is where it might really help you. 

[00:26:54] Alex Papaconstantinou: Okay. 

[00:26:55] Marshall Stern: Okay. It's okay. I'll go gentle. Okay. Now, we're recording this in March. 

[00:27:00] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. Okay. March is going to be crazy. 

[00:27:03] Marshall Stern: So –  

[00:27:03] Alex Papaconstantinou: March is crazy for me right now ... 

[00:27:05] Marshall Stern: It is, right? But it's already, honestly, it's mid-March, okay? So, your primary focus... So, here's what a primary focus is, and I'll explain this also for people who are listening or watching.

[00:27:14] Alex Papaconstantinou: Mm-hmm. 

[00:27:15] Marshall Stern: Primary focus is what I do with my clients. It's a tool. It's, you do it for one month. Each month you have a different... Sometimes it might be the same. We'll, we'll get there, but it's a primary focus for that month. And it's one thing you are going to focus on, one thing you... I know that's already the one thing.

[00:27:34] I, I... What happened when I just said that? 

[00:27:37] Alex Papaconstantinou: Okay. So, so let me just give you a quick snap – like a really quick snapshot of the, the, the rest of my March. So, I'm like moving. I'm like packing up my life right now. It's almost done, but I have a lot of fricking work to do, and part of the lot of fricking work is that driving across, but also while I'm driving across, once I get to the other end, I got invited to talk at a global mental health summit online.

[00:28:03] It's going to have... They're estimating couple hundred thousand people. I already pre-recorded my talk for it. I already pre-recorded, like got my free gift set up, but I have a lot of back-end stuff to deal with. So, while I'm... In the next couple weeks, it's like moving my entire life, driving, spending the time driving, having to do all the back-end stuff to get my, like website, socials, systems ready for that kind of traffic.

[00:28:35]  I have a workshop that I'm offering that's, like, kind of specifically based on the topic of... that I'm talking about for the people at the summit, so get that properly set up,  while also still seeing the client load that I usually have. So, it's just, like, when, when you say – and then starting at the clinic.

[00:28:59] Marshall Stern: Yep. 

[00:28:59] Alex Papaconstantinou: The – 

[00:29:00] Marshall Stern: I get it. 

[00:29:00] Alex Papaconstantinou: …like, yeah. So, it's just, like, primary focus, my brain gets split into four . important things.

[00:29:07] Marshall Stern: Okay. That's okay. So, month is – March is a bit of a scattered month. 

[00:29:12] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yes. 

[00:29:13] Marshall Stern: Okay. And that's okay. That's just... Especially moving. One of the biggest stressors in people's lives, death, tax, and moving.

[00:29:20] Alex Papaconstantinou: Historically, moving has been very stressful, but this one is, has been, like, it's very, like, every piece has easily clicked into place. 

[00:29:29] Marshall Stern: Right.

[00:29:29] Alex Papaconstantinou: But it has been, like, been a joy. 

[00:29:30] Marshall Stern: That's good. 

[00:29:31] Alex Papaconstantinou: But yes, it is, it is.

[00:29:31] Marshall Stern: But, but it adds up, too. Yeah. 

[00:29:33] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:29:34] Marshall Stern: What could your – so the idea of the primary focus is to have one main focus, okay?

[00:29:41] Okay? Before – I know it landed with you, and I know it's happening again when I say one. Okay? But you didn't let me finish. Cut me off. One main focus –  

[00:29:50] Alex Papaconstantinou: Okay. 

[00:29:51] Marshall Stern: …that if nothing... Obviously other stuff's going to happen, too. If nothing, nothing else happened… 

[00:29:55] Alex Papaconstantinou: Okay...

[00:29:56] Marshall Stern: … at least that was the one focus. You got it done. 

[00:29:59] Alex Papaconstantinou: Oh, okay. 

[00:30:00] Marshall Stern: Better now? 

[00:30:01] Alex Papaconstantinou: I can do that. 

[00:30:02] Marshall Stern: Okay. Okay. because here's the thing, this is the reason why it's important, and I think it's so powerful, is throughout the course of a year, you could start January 1st and say, "Oh, my God. I'm going to do all these things. I'm going to redo my website. I'm going to" I'm just making stuff up that I've gone through.

[00:30:18] Start a podcast. I'm going to start a group coaching program. I'm going to do public speaking at, like, 10, 10 events. I'm going to do this. I'm going to do that. Then there's the personal stuff, too. I'm going to clean up my garage because I've been told by my wife, like, every weekend, you got to clean out the garage.

[00:30:32] I'm going to do this, I'm going to do this, I'm going to do this. All the to-dos.

[00:30:35] Alex Papaconstantinou: Mm-hmm. 

[00:30:36] Marshall Stern: And then we just, like, go through life, and it's like, okay. Oh, I haven't done this. It's, like, March now. Oh, I haven't done any of this stuff. I've done... I've been focused just running the business. 

[00:30:46] Alex Papaconstantinou: Mm-hmm. 

[00:30:47] Marshall Stern: So, make that list of all the things.

[00:30:51] Alex Papaconstantinou: Okay. I can do that. 

[00:30:53] Marshall Stern: And start putting them into months. 

[00:30:56] Alex Papaconstantinou: I can do that. 

[00:30:57] Marshall Stern: Okay?. So really for March, it could even just be a Jan – it's getting, it's getting fricking settled. Cleaning up all of your stuff and getting settled because really, honestly, that's the main thing. You have to get settled, and the key behind the… 

[00:31:13] …primary focus moving forward is then you work, reverse engineer back kind of, what are all the things. Well, it's not really reverse engineer. What are all the action steps, things that you need and the people you need, the information you need in order to achieve that primary focus for the month?

[00:31:31] Alex Papaconstantinou: Mm-hmm. Yeah 

[00:31:36] Marshall Stern: Okay. So, I'll give you an example for, let's say, April 20- what year, what year are we in? 2026. April 2027. March 2027, which is one year from now. 

[00:31:48] Alex Papaconstantinou: Mm-hmm. 

[00:31:50] Marshall Stern: Okay. Maybe your primary focus, you're not going to do this now, but at the beginning of the year, or as you're planning the year, your primary focus for, for, let's say March 2026 will be possibly, let's just say, your own, your own space.

[00:32:04] Alex Papaconstantinou: Mm-hmm. Yeah. 

[00:32:07] Marshall Stern: Okay. Set, set up in your own space. So, it's out of your head. You've got the plan. This is what it is. 

[00:32:15] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:32:16] Marshall Stern: Nothing’s changed as the year goes on but as long as it's, as long as you're changing it and it's still in line with where you want to take your business. 

[00:32:22] Alex Papaconstantinou: Mm-hmm. 

[00:32:23] Marshall Stern: Doesn't mean you have to then, oh, I, I have to get my space by March 30th –  

[00:32:27] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[00:32:27] Marshall Stern: ... or 31st. Do you know what I mean? But it's all putting those, those to-dos, the important to-dos that we progress- procrastinate on and that overwhelm us and make us feel scattered into certain months. 

[00:32:39] Alex Papaconstantinou: Mm-hmm. 

[00:32:40] Marshall Stern: Things that we want to accomplish. 

[00:32:43] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:32:43] Marshall Stern: One month it might be this. One month it might be a workshop.

[00:32:47] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:32:48] Marshall Stern: Okay. I want to have a workshop in May, or whatever it is, and then what are all the things you need to do? Title, platform, like everything. But just –  

[00:32:58] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah... 

[00:32:58] Marshall Stern: But you don't even look at it till then. 

[00:33:00] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:33:01] Marshall Stern: You know it's then. You get it out of your head, out of your to-do list and into a month. 

[00:33:06] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. I can do that.

[00:33:11] Marshall Stern: Does that feel, does it help with the scatteredness? I mean, you haven't done it yet, so it might not even, you don't know. 

[00:33:17] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah, it does. There's still like... I, I'm still grappling with the sense of, like, inside of, like, but I have more. 

[00:33:27] Marshall Stern: Okay. 

[00:33:27] Alex Papaconstantinou: But I- it's a little bit less, but it's a little bit less. 

[00:33:30] Marshall Stern: You have more what? To-dos? Wants? 

[00:33:33] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. All of them. 

[00:33:34] Marshall Stern: Idea – ideas? 

[00:33:30] Marshall Stern: You have more what? To-dos? Wants? 

[00:33:34] Alex Papaconstantinou: Like, more inspiration, more, more things to implement than I have months. 

[00:33:41] Marshall Stern: Yeah. Perfect. Yeah. Love that. That's the entrepreneur in you. Do you have them all written down?

[00:33:47] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah, so one of the things, I got very sidetracked this weekend because I started implementing some pretty comprehensive AI systems.

[00:33:57] So transferring everything that I was doing manually into those. So yes, I kind of do, but I just need a bit more time to, like, get them more organized and into my system properly. 

[00:34:11] Marshall Stern: Okay. 

[00:34:12] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:34:12] Marshall Stern: I would... Before we go to that, so one of the – I know we're not actually officially working together, but I'm going to hold you accountable.

[00:34:18] Aside from, besides just getting settled, obviously you're going to do, because you have to do, I, I really want you to write down two things. I want you to make a list of all the... Well, it's not really the, just the, the to-dos, but the things you've been putting, putting off. All the things you want to do.

[00:34:35] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. I'll probably do that on my drive, because I have, like, four days of intermittent driving, because I'm sharing the driving with my dad. But –  

[00:34:43] Marshall Stern: Yeah. 

[00:34:43] Alex Papaconstantinou: Teah. 

[00:34:43] Marshall Stern: Yeah. I would just write down as much as you can. 

[00:34:46] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:34:46] Marshall Stern: Get everything, you know, all the ideas you have, because that's part of being scattered, is when it's in our head, or it's in this over here, it's in over here. It's in this, it's in this. Get it in one place. Have it written down. 

[00:35:01] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:35:01] Marshall Stern: Put it, put it into, like, whatever works for you. If it's a, if it's an app, if it's a Google Doc, whatever it is so you have it. I guess you're not a fan –  

[00:35:08] Alex Papaconstantinou: It's currently – 

[00:35:09] Marshall Stern: You're not a fan of –

[00:35:09] Alex Papaconstantinou: No. It's current -  no, that's... It's just, like, it's currently all my things are scattered within, like... That's another thing of just, like, in a tech bloat. Like, it's in my Google Docs, it's in my things, it's in, like, the list for each thing is in my things. It's in, like, a bunch of... Yeah, so that needs to happen.

[00:35:28] I'm working on that. 

[00:35:29] Marshall Stern: Yeah. So how – 

[00:35:30] Alex Papaconstantinou: And then sometimes I'll find something that disappeared somewhere else, and I'm like, "Oh, there was a lot of important stuff in there." I, I get it. Just like my notes app that I, like, worded into at 2:00 AM. 

[00:35:43] Marshall Stern: So, here's the thing, okay? It's all about just having a system – 

[00:35:46] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. Mm-hmm

[00:35:47] Marshall Stern: ...to be less scattered. 

[00:35:48] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:35:48] Marshall Stern: So, maybe whether it's at the, at the end of the week, okay?  whatever that looks like for you. Maybe you just spend 10 minutes to make sure all of the ideas you had throughout the week in the Notes app and in this app and on... and if you have a book, that it's all moved into one central place.

[00:36:05] That you can have access to it all the time. 

[00:36:07] Alex Papaconstantinou: Mm-hmm. Yeah. 

[00:36:09] Marshall Stern: And then review – 

[00:36:10] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah, I'm working on that. 

[00:36:11] Marshall Stern: …reviewing that, okay? 

[00:36:13] Alex Papaconstantinou: Mm-hmm 

[00:36:13] Marshall Stern: And then we can go to, we're not going to have time to do that today, but we can go to the next step as to what is feeling scattered, and, and that is the actual technical side of – 

[00:36:25] You felt that one – of growing the business. 

[00:36:28] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. It's the side that I know the least about, and it's, like, the biggest... It's not the biggest, it's one of the biggest, like, mysteries. Thankfully I have a wonderful web development team that also help me with, like, tech stack and integrations, but it's still, it's still, like, a confusing thing for me, that takes a lot of time to, like, troubleshoot and when things break and, like, yeah. 

[00:36:53] Marshall Stern: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Well, I wasn't... Okay, so you're... I'm, I'm not refer – yeah, tech, like I'm... Tech and me are not friends. 

[00:36:59] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:37:00] Marshall Stern: So, so I –  

[00:37:00] Alex Papaconstantinou: Me neither. 

[00:37:01] Marshall Stern: I wasn't even meaning, like, the – when I meant the technical side, I wasn't referring just to tech. But I'm glad that landed with you, and you have at least someone to help on that.

[00:37:10] I meant more, I guess, that side and marketing. And I hope people are watching the YouTube and not just listening, because your face is telling it all. It's, say a thousand words. 

[00:37:22] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah, that part is also, like, one of my biggest pain points. because it's, and it's just not in my skillset, and it's like, yeah, I was trying to ignore it.

[00:37:35] I was doing a great job ignoring it until... And now I'm just at the point where I'm just like, "I can't ignore it anymore. I have to put on my big girl pants and deal with this." 

[00:37:44] Marshall Stern: That's the – that's the name of this podcast episode, putting on my big girl pants. Big girl pants. 

[00:37:48] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:37:48] Marshall Stern: Well, you don't want to be the, the, the world's best-kept secret.

[00:37:53] Alex Papaconstantinou: Hmm. That's nice. I was, you know what, for, like, my, like, the, up until very recently I was totally excited to be that. 

[00:38:03] Marshall Stern: To be the best-kept secret? 

[00:38:05] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:38:06] Marshall Stern: Why do you want to be a secret? 

[00:38:09] Alex Papaconstantinou: Nice. I'm a pretty private person in general, so, I'm pretty, like, I'm pretty, like, social media adverse and in, like, in, in my personal life.

[00:38:20] Marshall Stern: Yeah. 

[00:38:20] Alex Papaconstantinou: In professional life, I've had to, like... get over some barriers. But yes.

[00:38:24] Marshall Stern: Alex, Alex, Alex. Okay, we're getting to the Stern Truth part. 

[00:38:27] Alex Papaconstantinou: Okay. 

[00:38:27] Marshall Stern: Okay? We haven't even talked about this, but do you want more clients? 

[00:38:31] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah, I need those. 

[00:38:33] Marshall Stern: Do, do... Don't... No, no, no, don't say need. Don't say need. I – 

[00:38:36] Alex Papaconstantinou: Well, like when it- 

[00:38:33] Marshall Stern: I need to serve them. You need to serve more clients. 

[00:38:39] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Totally. 

[00:38:40] Marshall Stern: That's – okay. Yeah. I need to get my, my skill, I need to help people.

[00:38:44] Alex Papaconstantinou: My skill needs to be used. 

[00:38:46] Marshall Stern: Yes. You have a message. You have a technique. You have a superpower. 

[00:38:49] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's what I meant. Thank you.

[00:38:53] Marshall Stern: Okay. You're welcome. You're welcome. It's all about reframing. Reframe the question. It's not get – 

[00:38:58] Alex Papaconstantinou: Where's the Stern Truth?

[00:38:58] Marshall Stern: You're not... If you keep being the worst... The, the, the worst, sorry, the world's best kept secret, you're going to be the, at this clinic, under someone else – 

[00:39:09] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah... 

[00:39:10] Marshall Stern: …forever. 

[00:39:11] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. I know. Yeah, I know

[00:39:13] Marshall Stern: So, do you know,  do, do you know why you do what you do? Are you clear on your why? 

[00:39:17] Alex Papaconstantinou: Maybe. It's, it's pretty, like, maybe in an abstract way, not in a – 

[00:39:22] Marshall Stern: Okay. I've done, like, this is... I've done, like, 70 podcast episodes, okay? And you have given me the, the most, the, the best different facial expressions ever in the history of the Stern Truth Business Unfiltered, Business Therapy or regular. 

[00:39:34] I just have to acknowledge you for that. You are number one. You win, you win the award for facial expressions. So, so my friends, if you're listening to this, click over to the YouTube channel. Check it out because it's hilarious.

[00:39:50] I'm having fun just watching, like, the words are just popping out of your face. 

[00:39:54] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:39:55] Marshall Stern: That's the Stern Truth. 

[00:39:57] Alex Papaconstantinou: Okay. 

[00:39:58] Marshall Stern: You – 

[00:39:58] Alex Papaconstantinou: All right. 

[00:39:58] Marshall Stern: …you, you really, if you talk about need, if you want to serve more and more people…

[00:40:03] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah…

[00:40:04] Marshall Stern Oh, stop it, stop it, stop it. 

[00:40:03] Alex Papaconstantinou: Okay. 

[00:40:07] Marshall Stern: Don't fight back. That's where the scatteredness is coming from, because you're pushing back.

[00:40:12] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:40:13] Marshall Stern: It's, it's like almost like self-sabotage so to, so to speak.

[00:40:16] Alex Papaconstantinou: It, it's, it's a... I, I hear you, and I think, I think it's like a personal ethos thing. Like, I, like I, I mentioned being so like social media adverse, and I like it's, it's like, yeah, it's, it's like a – my ethics do not align with the world of tech that we live in fundamentally.

[00:40:40] Marshall Stern: Got it. Right. 

[00:40:40] Alex Papaconstantinou: And so, like I have been avoiding it, but I'm at the point where I can't avoid it anymore because that world is like in a lot of ways, like becoming a world that most people not just in the Western world are plugged into. Like it's,  yeah. So, it's not a self-sabotage thing. It's a, it's a just, yeah.

[00:41:00] Marshall Stern: Ethics, all of that. 

[00:41:01] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. Yeah. So, I think it's been like I've only just very recently gotten to a place where I can like have an okay sense of how I can interact with it without like moral injury. 

[00:41:15] Marshall Stern: But what I... Hang on. Let me, let me, let me rephrase the, the comment. 

[00:41:19] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:41:19] Marshall Stern: Okay? I'm not saying it's, you're intentionally self-sabotaging.

[00:41:22] Alex Papaconstantinou: Mm-hmm. 

[00:41:23] Marshall Stern: I know that's what the term means, but it is self-sabotaging. Now you don't have to become this TikTok and social media queen. You don't have to be posting every day. 

[00:41:32] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. I think it just to – I think I just like really needed, like I needed time to like process and get clear on how I would show up and utilize that tool in a way that was like not destructive, not feeding the machine and not, and it not consuming me. 

[00:41:52] Marshall Stern: 100%. Yeah, you want to, you also want to show up with your authentic voice and feeling good about... You want to be able to sleep at night knowing that what you're doing is, is serving you and your client, potential clients.

[00:42:02] Yes? 

[00:42:02] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Mm-hmm. And I mean, yeah, and it's only very recently that I've gotten to a place where I'm like, "Okay, I think I've, I think I'm more clear and have like an understanding of how to interact with this." 

[00:42:16] Marshall Stern: Okay. 

[00:42:16] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:42:17] Marshall Stern: Perfect. Okay. 

[00:42:18] Alex Papaconstantinou: Mm-hmm. 

[00:42:18] Marshall Stern: Excellent. Glad we worked through that, sort of. 

[00:42:22] Alex Papaconstantinou: It's a very long rant. I can rant about it for a long time. 

[00:42:26] Marshall Stern: Well, we can have another conversation on it. You know, that's, that is, but that is... I understand that. I understand. 

[00:42:32] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:42:32] Marshall Stern: Mm-hmm. And I wouldn't ask anyone or expect anyone to do something that is against their morals. or their values, right? 

[00:42:39] Alex Papaconstantinou: Mm-hmm. 

[00:42:40] Marshall Stern: But it's also how we look at certain things, right?

[00:42:42] And if something... And it's all about the why. If something if you really want, there's – it's not all about social media. You can go about it a different way. 

[00:42:52] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I, I was trying to. I was trying to go about it a certain way, and that certain way just, like, I, I wasn't able to hack it.

[00:43:01] Marshall Stern: Right. 

[00:43:01] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. And it's not – you're right. It's not just about social media, but whatever, like, reaching a broader audience is going to demand – 

[00:43:09] Marshall Stern: Yeah, it is. 

[00:43:10] Alex Papaconstantinou: …interacting with the tech oligarchy. 

[00:43:14] Marshall Stern: Like... Look, here, here's the thing. Before we go, here... No, before we go, here's the thing.

[00:43:18] Alex Papaconstantinou: Mm-hmm. 

[00:43:18] Marshall Stern: There are some of the best coaches in the world, the best therapists in the world, the best somatic healers, wellness, whatever you want to call it, in the world out there.  

[00:43:30] Alex Papaconstantinou: Insert anything in the industry.

[00:43:31] Marshall Stern: ...no one, that no one knows about. 

[00:43:34] Alex Papaconstantinou: I respect it, though. 

[00:43:35] Marshall Stern: So, if you're okay being a struggling –  

[00:43:38] Alex Papaconstantinou: Ah, yeah, I know.

[00:43:40] Marshall Stern: …doing what you can, it's not just about the money. Hang on. Hang on. Hang on.

[00:43:42] It's not just about the money. It's about the impact. So, the... here's the Stern Truth. 

[00:43:53] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:43:53] Marshall Stern: Whatever we need to do to have you comfortable with it. There is a, there is a game to be played – 

[00:44:00] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah ... 

[00:44:01] Marshall Stern: …in order to reach more people. 

[00:44:02] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:44:04] Marshall Stern: Yeah. And you can do it. I believe you can do it in your own voice – 

[00:44:08] Alex Papaconstantinou: Mm-hmm ... 

[00:44:09] Marshall Stern: …authentically, obviously authentically, but staying true to your values.

[00:44:14] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. 

[00:44:16] Marshall Stern: Period. End of story. Yeah. I truly believe that. 

[00:44:19] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. Yeah, I agree. I think, like, yeah, up until, again, like up until really recently, like, I, like the word impact is it's a heavy one for me, and I, I, I had to let, I definitely had like a lot of resistance of creating that on any broader scale.

[00:44:38] But yeah, I'm definitely starting to... It's, that's starting to soften for me. So yeah. And, and the voice, the voice that I have to share is getting loud. 

[00:44:49] Marshall Stern: Good. Good. 

[00:44:51] Alex Papaconstantinou: Loud. Like inside, which is part of like my I'm just like, "Okay, here it is." Like, this is – 

[00:44:58] Marshall Stern: Okay ... 

[00:44:58] Alex Papaconstantinou: … this is like... And, and it's not just what I have to share, like it's like, it's just like increasingly what has been like loudly thrown at me that it's needed, so.

[00:45:10] Marshall Stern: Good. Good. Good. 

[00:45:11] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah. 

[00:45:12] Marshall Stern: Okay. Well, I'm excited to see what you do and how you get settled. And before we go, so what is the one thing, from our call today, what is, what... Has there been a, an insight or a takeaway that you've received?

[00:45:25] Alex Papaconstantinou: Yeah, yeah, I think, I think like I definitely feel a little bit more organized.

[00:45:31] Like I have a, I have more of an idea of how to move forward that isn't like blah, all over the place. Yeah, and I have like some action plans in my mind that I'm probably going to do right after this. 

[00:45:47] Marshall Stern: Perfect. Perfect. Yeah. And, and, and the primary focus, give it a shot. If you ever have any questions, just let me know, but I think that might just simplify things, just getting them off of the two things, getting the, all of the ideas, all those amazing insights and ideas that you have, the things you want to do onto, into one document, keeping that updated.

[00:46:06] And then, "Hey, I'll, I'll do that in June. Hey, once you get settled, I'll, I'll do that in July. I'll do that in December." Right? And then, then work that. 

[00:46:14] Alex Papaconstantinou: Okay. 

[00:46:15] Marshall Stern: All right? 

[00:46:15] Alex Papaconstantinou: I can do that. 

[00:46:16] Marshall Stern: So, you don't... First of all, I want to acknowledge you for doing this. Don't go anywhere.

[00:46:20] I'm going to say goodbye to everyone else. You just stay put – 

[00:46:22] Alex Papaconstantinou: Okay. 

[00:46:22] Marshall Stern: ...for two seconds. I know you have to go. But everyone else has to go, and I thank everyone else for spending this past hour with us and seeing and hearing and seeing maybe something or hearing some things you couldn't see if you're listening, but I think you could hear.

[00:46:37] Yeah, I think you could see it just by hearing it because Alex is, is... You're an amazing soul. You really are. 

[00:46:43] Alex Papaconstantinou: Aw, thank you. 

[00:46:45] Marshall Stern: And in your silence at times, and your facial expressions have, have said more than anything. So anyways, thank you Alex. Thank you all for joining us. I'd love to hear your comments.

[00:46:56] If you're on YouTube, put in the YouTube comments. If you're on the audio, Spotify, Amazon, or Apple, you can give a five-star review, comment, like, share with people so more people can hear this. And we will see everyone again next week on another episode of The Stern Truth: Business Unfiltered. Bye for now.

[00:47:16] Thank you so much for tuning in to the Stern Truth. If you found today's episode helpful, we would love to hear from you. Please like, share, and leave us a review. Also, if you'd like to be a guest in an upcoming episode or join us in one of our Momentum accountability group sessions, simply email me to marshall@marshallstern.net.  

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