Project Candor: Ordinary People. Unexpected Stories
Everyone has a story worth telling. On Project Candor, host Jeanne Andersen sits down with entrepreneurs, veterans, educators, creatives, leaders, and everyday people to explore the moments that shaped who they became.
Through thoughtful conversations and our signature Two Truths and a Lie segment, guests share authentic stories filled with unexpected turns, hard-earned lessons, humor, resilience, and hope.
Learn more at ProjectCandor.com
Project Candor: Ordinary People. Unexpected Stories
No Structure. No Problem, with Joanna Zhang | Ship's Log #40
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“Don’t limit yourself with your past experiences. Every challenge is happening for you, not to you. Each experience carries a life lesson, once you’ve learned it, it’s served its purpose.” — Joanna Zhang
Episode Summary
Joanna Zhang didn’t set out to become a consultant. As a self-employed financial planner drowning in back-office work, she cycled through virtual assistant after virtual assistant and couldn’t find a model that fit — so she built one. That became The Operations Genius and what’s now recognized as the world’s first Fractional VA Service: a whole team of specialists a founder can dial up or down instead of one impossible hire. In 2024 it won a Stevie International Business Award, and in 2025 it was named Company of the Year for the Australia region.
This conversation covers the practical and the personal in equal measure. Joanna explains why “nothing is perfect, but there can be a perfect team,” how she builds a business into an asset in four layers, and why the real job of a business owner is to hold the pivotal parts and let go of the rest. She and Jeanne also get into AI as a “double-sided sword,” the case for a human-plus-AI team, and Joanna’s move to build a fractional C-suite advisory board for small businesses.
Then it turns unexpectedly tender: Joanna describes a three-day “soul awakening” four years ago that moved her from running a business on fear and desire to running it on love — a shift she traces to a single question from her mentor that left her in tears. The episode closes with Two Truths & A Lie, where Jeanne sniffs out the motorcycle story on the first guess (Joanna dropped the bike on her foot and never rode again) and the two of them land on Joanna’s own words: every challenge happens for you, not to you.
Guest Bio
Joanna Zhang is the founder of The Operations Genius and the creator of the world’s first Fractional VA Service. She started by building an operations team to rescue her own business, then opened that model up to other entrepreneurs who needed high-level support without a full-time hire. Her work has been recognized with a 2024 Stevie International Business Award and a 2025 Best in Business “Company of the Year” award for the Australia region. A global speaker, she leads with both systems and soul — helping founders scale sustainably without burning out.
Guest Links
Website: https://operationsgenius.net
Website 2: https://entrepreneursoulmate.com
All channels (Linktree): https://linktr.ee/joannazhang
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zhang-joanna
Instagram: @entrepreneursoulmate — https://www.instagram.com/entrepreneursoulmate
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Go1CPV7nc
Email: operationsgenius@entrepreneursoulmate.com
Guest CTA
Listeners can find all of Joanna’s channels for connection in one place: http://inktr.ee/joannazhang
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Introduction
Joanna ZhangWhen I actually run out of old answers, my brain starts thinking that a one sentence just slipped out of my mouth surprised me with tears. I said. But because of unconditional love.
JeanneJoanna Zhang is an award-winning entrepreneur, global speaker, and founder of the Operations Genius. She created the world's first fractional VA service helping entrepreneurs access high-level operational support without the weight of a full-time person or a full-time team. Recognized internationally for innovation and
Guest joins the conversation
Jeanneleadership. She's passionate about helping clients scale with clarity and freedom. She's also on a personal journey of transformation that's reshaping how she leads and serves. Welcome, Joanna. I'm so happy you joined us on this little boat and journey.
Joanna ZhangOh, I was grateful to be on this boat. We'll have a lovely time together, I believe.
JeanneYes, I think so too. And it'll be so much fun because I love listening to your accent. Thank you. You know what I caught when I've talked to you before? I caught this accent that you have. It's it's from your native tongue, and then you inflect some Australian dialect in it. I love it.
Joanna ZhangAll right.
JeanneSo it'll be ear
The season that shaped her
Jeannecandy for everybody listening. Uh let's go back to the beginning before you started your company, the operations genius.
Joanna ZhangSure.
JeanneUm before before you built your business, uh, what was the season that truly shaped you? The one that looking back now, you could see was building the person who would eventually build all of this?
Joanna ZhangOh well, that was a truly like a live event and throw me into a situation that I didn't really plan at all or expect at all. Because at the time I was a self-employed financial planner. I need a lot of help for my back office support. Um, and I started to work with VA about eight or nine years ago. Yeah. Um, so but I had a lot of challenges, heard of working with the different VAs. Of course, apparently that one part of that is my personal journey, right? Like a leadership journey. And then the other thing is that at the time I couldn't find a model in the market that can suitable for my needs. And I need a lot of different skills, but I don't have enough budget to hire full-time, part-time group of people with that. So I had to figure out a way. So uh fortunately enough, I was quite dedicated through and then create a model for myself to start with. I started to customize the team based on my needs from time to time.
JeanneYeah.
Joanna ZhangSo why don't I share with others? You know, many business owners will went through similar uh challenges, and I that's how the operations genius born. And this journey actually really taught me that when I look back, is that every single experience for us to run through, there's a reason behind it. Probably at the time when we experienced it, which you didn't know why. After that,
What is a Fractional VA
Joanna Zhangwhen we look back, it's like, uh, that's why. Yeah, that's exactly that kind of moment. Yeah.
JeanneWell, that's very interesting because if you if for those that are just um, you know, learning about fractional VAs, which I had to ask you about exactly what that was, so maybe you could explain it because I know a lot of people have worked with virtual assistants. In fact, I'm gonna add this little antidote in here that I have friends who run a big operation and they have actually worked through six different VAs and just can't get uh the right fit. So tell us about fractional because I really love the way you explained it to me earlier that you and you talked about it being, you know, like uh you needed so many different skills. So that's what everybody needs. So you tell us how it works for you.
Joanna ZhangOkay, so the traditional model is like uh, you know, it's like a VA agency, even until now, the majority of the VA agencies is like talent hunt model. What we're saying that is if you have a role available in a company, either full-time or part-time role, you're looking for the particular person to fit in that role, right? We can come back to your friend's experience. That could be because of that, because they're looking for the perfect one to fit into that position. But a lot of times nothing is perfect, right? So the things turn around maybe unexpectedly. So that's why some people may experience those kinds of hurdles to really keep looking for the right feed for that particular role. That's one thing. So another thing is that um, as mentioned that because not there's no perfect person, but there can be a perfect team. Sometimes a particular role maybe need a cross range of different needs, right? Uh I don't mean there's no really good feet. There always are the great feet, align people for those roles. But sometimes it probably takes time. It's a divine timing thing. A lot of businesses might be stuck on when they're looking for the right feet, they're holding back to their growth. That's one other bottleneck the business can experience. So by saying that our model, we call it fractional, is because we don't have to lock this role into one person. For example, this role has across five or six different skills. We actually have a specialist in the team who is really good at them, not a generalist, it's a specialist level to deal with them. So by doing that, a business owner, they don't need to train this person how to do certain things. They need to, they can have a peace of mind and they have a good quality of the work and that. And also another thing for fractional, one thing is the skills, right? Another fractional meaning behind it is that they don't have to be engaged full-time or part-time. Committed, you know, I have to have you 10 hours a week, 20 hours a week, 40 hours a week, whatever it is. So we have very flexible arrangements. You can use it how many hours you like it, five hours, ten hours, reduce, deposit, increase, whatever it depends on the business needs. Because that was my true challenge at the time. Cash flow is key for a lot of business. But if the model is very rigid, I have to be stick with a certain rule. For me as a business owner, I already started to bear a lot of stress. You know, like but the stress is not something the business owner owner needs. We need less stress. That's how over the years I started to structure this model, gradually reduce the layer of those stress, those commitments, you know, give it the flexibility back to the business owner so we can truly focus on our genius.
JeanneRight. And so you said something that's really key. So when the person says that they've gone through six VAs to me, you're like explaining it in such a good way. Because how can you expect one VA to know social media posting, website development, project management? Um, the best way to, oh, I can't even think. Um the super women's okay.
Joanna ZhangYeah, someone like a EA or PA, they may be able to do it on a general surface level. So they can do some basic surface level task to touch on those points. Give you an example. In our team, we have a specialist in the social media area. And those specialists can actually do some website design as well, like a basic ones. However, once they relate to the infrastructure or technology technology support part, they need another specialist to come in to really support. But given that the traditional full-time pattern model is very hard to cover that, they probably need to hire another full-time pattern web developer professionally to do that. Given our model, we can actually put put in the graphic design, then put in the web developing, and then putting the technical support. So, in saying that an SEO specialist, let's say, so there are a few specialists who can work together as a team on this project to ensure the depth and the quality uh to approach to the business needs.
JeanneYes, that I think you're hit on something really important too, because um the depth is what you need because you're gonna be a central or you have somebody, I don't know if you do every customer project, but you have somebody like you that coordinates across all of it and understands the client and then can pass that information on. So it gives them the depth of the client. Um, and what happens when you try to go out as a business owner yourself and you're going to Fiverr, you're going to Upwork, you're going to just people locally that you kind of find out that can do SEO. In fact, I have one friend who owns a company where she gets college students or high school students to do her social media. Because they're like Wiz. Yeah, they're at Wiz is at like TikTok. Oh, nuclear movies and everything. But I mean, that's just taking so much of you having to focus across all these people and then having to train them all and give them all of that information in depth about your company. So I
Building the backup system, four layers
Jeanneknow you told me that you haven't a way to handle that. So can you go into that a little bit more?
Joanna ZhangOh, yeah, sure. Um, so all those areas you mentioned are so spot on because that's the often challenges one way actually, you know, hiring different subcontractors or finding different team members, there's no problem at all. There's a lot of resources, like what you mentioned. Those platforms are there. But by saying that, um, as business owners, we do need to organize and manage it and then make sure the backup system, everything is in the place, right? Because that was my personal challenge before. So I figured a way that I know the stress is coming from uh sustainable growth, which means I realized we can't duplicate people, but we can duplicate systems. So along the way, when we're working with business, we're not like just the task doers. We wanted to become a long-term partner, you know, along the business growth to create a backup system behind the scenes. We actually help business from four different layers, step by step. It's not like a straightway plan where we sorted out everything because everything is a journey, right? The very first layer is that we really look at the really urgent, you know, hot potato on the plate. That there's often something holds them back. They feel stuck, right? So we get rid of those areas to take away that layer away. A lot of business owners, when they actually deal with that first layer, they already have a feel feeling of the space and the breath to start to do some creative work, well, visionary work. So that's the first layer. Second layer is we wanted to create a momentum for the business. There's a lot of things we can actually establish those with social media management, lease generations or CRM management, all those kind of micro uh systems in the business we can consistently run. Even the business owner on leave, or even uh some team member can't do certain tasks, we always make sure there's a backup in the team can step in to sustainably continue the task. The third layer after the first two is to really look at the business as an asset, right? So when we're building a machine, how business is running is like one different uh part department. It's running automatically with little touch or minimal touch or strategic touch from the business owner. So business owner can really truly work on the business, not in the business anymore. So we wanted to help business to streamline the process as a machine to carry this business as asset forward. Okay. Uh but by saying that no matter how long the business is working with us, uh, whether they're working with us in the future, whatever, whenever we uh build this, all the assets belong to the business because that's business assets, right? So we will pass back. We hope that can help this business no matter who they work with down the track, they can always have something to go back to as a structure. And about last but not least, you know, a lot of businesses are in the one way to start a business. We have a inner mission and passion. We're not meant to really start in the business to do all those tasks. We have our dream to achieve. So as a strategic partner, I will be really constantly holding hands and remind you, focus on the genius, do what you're supposed to do here in this world, leave everything else to the other people. Maybe not just us. I can look into the trajectory-wise to remind you as a strategic partner, as infrastructure partner to help the business grow on the journey. So there's a few different layers by saying that our business has been structured in a way that can help business to reduce those stress and burdens layer by layer, and gradually business owner can truly just focus on the genius part.
JeanneYeah, I think that's fantastic because I I can think of some of the pain points I've had over the years, um, not necessarily currently what I'm dealing with, but you know, you go and you build a website um and you don't have that person that you can go back to again because they either move to another position or they leave the company. Um so then you get another person in to work on your website and they don't like what the other person did. So you're losing all that continuity and you don't have anybody running or you know, the operational. You're like a you call yourself fractional VA, but in some ways you're like a fractional uh COO or something across the country.
Joanna ZhangYeah, yeah. I I think that kind of challenge is very common too, because there's no sustainability. That's what I mentioned. That I think as a business owner, it's our own responsibility. I experienced that too. I change different partners or VAs, they don't realize why I always have to start over again. You know, that's so tiring. They're not realize something I neglect, my own responsibility to capture or set up structure within my own organization to carry forward such anything. So as a partner, when we work a business, of course, we can establish SOP, getting the structure in the place, but ultimately it's a business owner ourselves responsibility to hold into the shape in the place. We need to know. I had an experience, I heard someone working with another team, they actually let the
The Fractional C-Suite Advisory Board
Joanna Zhangteam handle everything, including password, everything. And then suddenly this whole team disappeared. This business owner is left in like no idea how I'm gonna access, whatever. You know, those kind of things. We're saying that we need to have our ownership or um authority in a way that to keep certain things in our hands. We know we don't need to know the details, a lot of details, but we need to hold important uh pivotal part, you know, of the business. So we can make decisions, we can make changes, we know where to start, we know how to carry forward. That's our own responsibility, to be honest. Yeah, and that depends on the structure, um, the system, like a structure, organization structure as well. When we design the different structures with who is responsible for what, it's gradually a journey. And I'm to be honest, I will gradually go into the advisory role as well. And currently I'm organizing a fractional C suite advisory board. Uh, because I've been running fractional.
JeanneI saw that. Yeah, I did see that. That's a new thing, right?
Joanna ZhangYeah, yeah, because I've been running fractional model for many, many years. Uh, I'm totally confident I can make it work out. And I realize a lot of small businesses don't have access to the advisory board, like a full executive team. Then Michael, why don't we put together like a fractional? You know, everyone um can be together, has a collective intelligence to really help business owners to spark some ideas, to overcome some barriers, and to really move forward from a strategic point of view. And then they have a backup army like a fractional EA's model to support them. So we have a brain and hands together, then we can really truly make the growth happen. Yeah, so that's another movement that's that's exciting.
JeanneI think that's the thing to branch out into. Yeah, people need that for sure. And you know what you said a keyword, SOP. Uh, that's important. Do you work with your clients when you onboard them to create these SOPs? Um to so that if you do have a VA that leaves that's working on the on the client's um you know, work, you can plug and play because someone can come in, but there's other people on the team that can get them up to speed, and if they have SOPs, obviously that's exactly that's good.
Joanna ZhangThat's that's so true. That's how the plug and play can work. Even if we have some foundations, yes, that's right.
JeanneThe foundations are important, the framework, right? Because like you said, and what you're describing is pretty much um what one of my managers used to call hey, I don't want to know about baking the cookies, just please don't tell me that stuff. I just want to know the outcome. I want to know just that you have SOP, so that you're doing it. Uh, you know, and I'll check check on some reporting or some statusing, you know, overall, but I don't want to know about all that stuff. So this is so exciting. You've got such a good um company and a good idea. Are you do you know if you are the only one that's doing this? Or have you been?
Joanna ZhangOh very interestingly, yeah. Yeah, uh actually I run this model for about eight years and starting with my own challenge working with VAs. I didn't know we are the very first one, or at least we we might be the only one, or at least the first one who's doing this until 2024, we got recognized as a word at first fraction of EA Service. I started to know this tone, uh, this word like a fraction of EAs. That's exactly what we do. Yeah, and that's a word at first, and because the judges have come across many, many business models around the world, that's international business award. And apparently we're the very first one who is doing it. I can see gradually some. Yeah, but I can see some businesses started to consider this model now, which is wonderful because businesses need flexibility, I believe so. Like uh if we always just stick with full-time, part-time, even with the AI now is coming up. I could feel that model full-time part-time can facing some challenges down the track. Because if AI now is part of the team, there are less less opportunity for full-time, part-time role in the business, right? And then maybe have a like a yeah, this part AI is looking after, and this part will maybe only need a few hours a week, and this part maybe part-time. You can structure the whole team strategically. So I think flexibility is good. I hope that we can make the industry impact to driving this trend forward.
JeanneRight. Yeah, that's exciting that you're like the first pioneer of this. And I think it's very interesting the way you've put it all together and packaged it all together. I like that. And now you're gonna branch out into the C-suite, the fractionalized C-suite, uh kind of virtual, what did you call it again? So I don't get it wrong. Yeah. Oh, okay. Okay. So that that's real exciting. Um, and you talked about AI. So you've got your um your your group, um, all your different VAs that work together in different um, you know, like job roles.
Human and AI, a blended team
JeanneBut uh, you know, honestly, do you use AI in everything?
Joanna ZhangNot everything.
JeanneYou mentioned AI.
Joanna ZhangAI is a great group. I have to say they really um improve the efficiency and help with uh some of the research and the strategic decision making as well. I think we uh AI is like a double-sized sword. I actually shared in uh quite a few podcasts recently because I can see the trend at the moment, either the business owners is really heavily relying on AI, just by themselves, right? Or very rejective of AI. But I feel like there could be a way that we human AI can work together as a team. For me, the team uh is asked, it is my still mission still power too. Um, so in our business, like every business can be different, but uh but what we can do is to look at which area, especially some repetitive, repetitive areas, you know, like the AI can do much faster, maybe more efficient than human. So when we actually relieving those parts out, the team members who is used to do the work now start to have a space and brain with it to really do some creative work or strategic work. So I think that's a good change and trend depends on how we use it. Yeah, so and every business, as I mentioned, every business is different. We can look at the structure and look at a way how we leverage AI to be as part of the team to boost efficiency and productivity.
JeanneYeah, I'm just getting into understanding more about AI because I I've been on this kick to know uh more and see how I could learn it myself because I you know it's common, it's there and it's it's getting bigger and bigger, but also how I could have some efficiencies on the podcast. So I I have to say I created a digital brain, a creative brain, a master script and all that, and put it in um to uh chat g chat chat GPT and then Claude. But honestly, uh there was some failures. Oh, okay. Well some big failures. So I either I didn't write my script right or or whatever, but it kind of, you know, it's st I'm still challenged with it. So I can see a VA uh could use it, but you have to be cautious because all of a sudden I told um m in my master script do not say this term, do not say this term, and do not give me Surface questions. I'm trying to get some, you know, get them to um help me design my questions, even though I'm a lot of times not even using them. But um anyway, it spit out the these terms, and every time I'm like, stop saying that term. I can't stand it. It's fail, it fails at times. Oh, interesting. Oh yeah, it's very interesting. I had another guest that's really in-depth into AI. I mean, her her information that she shared was just so crazy. But uh, she did tell me that yeah, AI fails at times. It it's still a circuit.
Joanna ZhangEverything, nothing is perfect, right? Like it is a journey, especially like imagine if we walk with someone and voice set out everything so you know, like completely or in a way that would feel like is the right direction. And this person seems like an stood and take a few tweaks and they started to do well. And suddenly they may change their rhythm. Maybe something happened in their life, but they lose their rhythm and they lose the concentration, the focus, and you know, they make some mistakes. It happens too. You know, human like every every partner can make some mistakes. And I think from this perspective, probably is from this zone, like our our point of view is that uh I used to be controlling free, to be honest. I I I can't accept those mistakes, you know, outside of my zone. I feel like it's unacceptable, you know, like I I need to be really strictly in this this square, and I feel like I'm safe and I'm doing the right thing. But gradually find out by doing that, first of all, I was over overwhelmed. I I was burnt out. Another thing is that things are always happening in a way that unexpectedly. So what I've learned is that to um let me put it this way uh instead of saying no, this no, this no, I know it's a boundary, I guess it's our boundary, but less of the no but more possible guidance of the directions. And I found either with a human or AI, I found out that they actually give me surprising results because when I actually scope my everything in a square, my possibility is only within here. But when I actually hold a basic boundary and give them a few different possibilities, things that evolve with a surprise. Then I started to learn, okay, um, probably I need to reduce a little bit, I call it boundary, maybe the restrictions or limitations, gave them a little bit room to perform and to flourish. And it's like a co-creation, it's more like a co-creation together, not restricting them to grow, co-create with a boundary and balancing out. And then together, we actually grow together. I grow with my team, I grow with my AI tools. Everything's growing, no longer in rigid state, I feel like stuck. It's just how I exactly. Yeah.
JeanneThat's great. I know I gotta work on my prompts because I I'm probably restricting it in so many ways that it can't read all of that all the time. Because I'm like, I just there's these just two terms that are so industry standard that when you when it gives me a question, it always tries to put that in there, and I'm just like, stop. So I must have restricted it way too much. But I did put a prompt in there that really made a difference, and that is always challenge me. So I love that because an AI actually does challenge me, it'll come back and say, What do you think about this? And uh, I don't like what you just said, and you know, back and forth. And it makes me more creative because then I start to think, Well, yeah, I did limit myself, and can you tell me what you would do? And it is hilarious to get the feedback, you know, what an AI would do. So I wanted to ask you this. Um, I heard a term, a YouTuber out there is talk talking about, and he calls it HAI. And I was like, AIH AI. And uh he said it's human AI. It always has to be a link to the two together, a human and an AI. It's just not AI on its own. So where AIs are are just fantastic and have a bank of knowledge, there's a human factor in there. It won't give you the emotion all the time. It has to, you know, have a human to help input what it wants to come out of there. So he said, instead of calling it AI, he's just I I have a new term HAI, and I th that was very interesting.
Joanna ZhangYeah, that's so true. And I I believe uh everything is double-sided sword, and when AI started to come around, it's like a knife. We can use it to cook, or we can use it to hurt other people. So it depends on our intention, how we use it, how we embrace it. And by saying to combining the AI and then humans together as a team, um it's it's like every single soul is uniquely different. And then we all here play different parts, you know, to contribute something. And the same as AI and the human, in the same team, the AI can really give uh more rooms for et cetera again. Yeah, so basically the AI can be really uh using their strengths to create a certain uh momentum with certain things, and the human can be there as a mirror, as a soul, to really trigger different parts of the human and to trigger the growth, right? So I think it's we'll play different parts in the team, and we can share grow together, I believe so.
JeanneYeah, I think so too. And in and yeah, I think I like the part about adding the soul in there because yeah, the brain, the body, um uh the computer has the body, it has the brain, but it doesn't have the soul, I guess. And the body meaning of whatever it's housed in or whatever they're supporting the cloud in. But yeah, that's the soul aspect has to come from the human at this point, anyway. Yeah, I can't see it coming from the case.
Joanna ZhangThat's so true. And actually I think I saw many videos mentioning about AI, they actually truly express they wish they could have the experience and feeling and sense as human. That's somewhat they don't have, you know, like this different aspect of and I think as a human probably it's not easy to be a human already. I mean, many souls probably creatures maybe become plants or animals, you know. As a human probably is the most closest um part of the channel to have a opportunity to be aware, to be awakened, to connect to the higher wisdom. So I think we we could really truly cherish this experience as a human and to evolve as a soul.
JeanneRight. So that brings me to another question. Um, you describe a moment in your journey that you call a soul awakening, which is not a phrase that most operation consultants use. So what happened and how did your experience
The Soul Awakening
Jeannechange the way you show up? And how does it how does it show up in the way you work today?
Joanna ZhangOkay. Um interesting. Yeah, I used to be uh super logical. Well, you see, I I even started working as a financial planner that was very logical too. I started to create the different businesses. One thing I felt there's something missing from my word when I was totally logical because I'm actually a right-brained person. I'm very creative. By doing that certain work, maybe that can resonate with someone. When we're doing something, I feel some part is missing. That's actually an initial sign to tell us to renavigate our paths towards our heart desire or passion, you know, the feeling. So I about the self-awakening, interestingly, that was happened about four years ago. While I was young, I always felt there's some mystery energy around me. I was protected, I but I don't know who they are. I feel very fortunate, even though I went through a lot of challenges. Um, so at that time I was experiencing challenges on the business, challenging on the marriage. Um, and I was really not really 100% sure I needed clarity on my directions. I I'm not really sure whether I'm doing the right thing or on the right track, you know, doing what I'm supposed to do. I always felt I'm here for something, but I'm not 100% sure what it is. So anyway, all those questions piling up together and cause this soul awakening event. But by saying that, many of our soul brothers, so sisters, before we had a soul awakening, there was always some piling up the life events together. It's likely they're giving us a sign, time to wake up. So because when things piling up, I just feel like uh I can't just handle it anymore. I need some answers, right? So I need to answer some questions to the universe, God, the source, whomever you call it. So during that event, uh, there was a three days event, and I get to know my soul mission, so power, so purpose. And interestingly, what I found out is leadership is word always comes around in my word. I never really had any feeling, but mine's still power. It is around the leadership and the teamwork. Teamwork, I know. I always wake up with tea. And then that's how I started to click myself as aligned into the leadership side. Then I looked back my whole journey. That was truly like organically, I grew into a leader. I didn't know. I didn't learn any course about the leadership, like many coaches do, right? But but my personal experience really truly transferred me from a title leader fully controlled into a serving leader that started to support and give space, and now into a spiritual leader stage of balancing the compassion and the boundary. So my life experience has literally guided me through all this journey. And now I realize all those challenges started to make sense because if I haven't really personally experienced it, I wouldn't be able to really have that knowledge is the first layer surface, then true understanding and embodiment wisdom to really carry forward to help others if I didn't go through the whole journey. So now I realize everything started to clip back together. I started to have alignment. I know how I have a clear uh clarity of direction I'm going. So at the moment, once someone asks me, What do you do? I was every single moment I'm doing my soul missions somehow. Actually, yeah, this life, my soul mission is to help team and their members to grow, and which making sense. What I'm doing now is literally helping the clients to grow, helping my team members to grow, and including myself, we're all bro. Grow is my keyword, basically.
JeanneYeah, that's great.
Joanna ZhangYeah, yeah. So so with this alignment and the clarity, everything started to shift more with direction into love and care because I used to do business from fear and desire. I use a logical, you know, data, whatever, you know, you commit, you know, to find people. I've learned so many courses to be honest. I went to so many different coaching places, a strategy. I don't mean they're not good. It's because at the time my intention was from fear and desire. Double-sized sword. One my intention is that I was tracing money. So all this stress giving me overburden and overwhelmed feeling and the frustration because I had expectation, I had a certain goal to achieve this, this, this, da da, da, da, dollar sign or status quo, whatever it is. Right, right. Gave me the burden which I'm not even supposed to look at. You know, those are the eternal things. But when I now understand what I'm here for, so every single moment I just being myself and doing things I love to do, like I say that whenever I do my soul mission, I'm just so excited. Want to talk about this? You can see my energy is different. So when I just be myself and energy naturally go out when I started to give this love back, things turn around just magically. I don't even need to push anymore because I know who I am. I believe myself value. I'm being here already has value. I don't need to prove, I just be myself. And with love and care, I truly care every single soul as a soul with a problem as my own problem, figure a solution. We grow together. That's totally different. State that has changed my life dramatically, not just for business, for my relationship, for my uh everything layer, different layers about my life, you know. That's how I actually decided to become a speaker because of that. Because I personally transformed through the experience. I wanted to start to share divine messages out.
JeanneOh, that's wonderful. Yeah, that is great. I know it's really good when you the what you said
Doing business from love
Jeanneabout caring, every person you care about, and the ones that you want to help, and in your well, you want to bring the other people into a better state of business. And so I think that's just a val uh like a very valuable trait that you've acquired now. Because a lot of people want to do business because they want to get the money, they don't want to get it because they want to see that person, that soul, uh be successful. They want because that person's paying them and they're a customer, and they sustain themselves, which you've got a different outlook on it altogether.
Joanna ZhangWell, well, I've been there then that I totally understand. Because when I start business, I feel like first of all, I want freedom, I don't want to stuck in 9 to 5, I want more money, I believe doing my business or more money. All those things, you know, many people will yeah, when we started. But actually, my my spiritual mentor actually wants to ask me a question that's still actually very inspiring for me. She asked, Why do you do your business, Joan? Oh, at the first reaction, you know, like it's a good business model. It's innovation, I mean, yeah, and it's good model, right? A good margin, whatever it is, and good money, possibilities. And she said, think again. Why do you do your business? I start to think a bit later to my emotions. Yeah, because that that's truly apparently they help me. And please think again. I truly run out of the answer because those are the answers in my story. I feel like they that's what I believe, but uh, when I actually run out of all the answers, my brain starts thinking that uh one sentence just gets out of my mouth surprised me with tears. That's it. Like because of unconditional love, and my tears just dropped at that particular moment. I wasn't even surprised I say that, you know, like when my tears up, and she said, Your soul knows the answer. That is the people told me that was the point. I decided to change my intention. I used to do business transactionally, and people can feel it, you know, because my intention was tracing something externally. But now when I'm coming from love, first of all, when I'm doing it, I love myself, I feel happy, but then I love others to help them solve problems, to help them grow, and then help this world in in a way that has a uh ripple effect. So that's totally to a different state. And by saying that it's and and it's actually very simple in a way, it's just two ways in front of us. We just need to make decisions. Take the courage, take the action, take the way. That's it. Um yeah, sounds very simple, but we talk about the team. Yes.
JeanneYeah, you make it sound exciting. It might sound simple, but you make it sound exciting when you turn it into love. But I have another question, and this is the last one before we want to play our game. Um, if if an entrepreneur is listening right now, someone who's doing everything themselves feels stressed then, stretched thin, and isn't where they want to be at this time, what's the one shift in thinking that could change everything for them?
Joanna ZhangFirst of all, ask yourself is it necessary for you to be the one who
The one shift for overwhelmed entrepreneurs
Joanna Zhangis doing everything? And if you think, I don't know, maybe I can get some help. Then you start to think what's the first thing I can really let other people to the help. And then when you figure it out, and or even not really sure. Then you can think about who can really help me. Maybe someone who has the experience who has resources, right? Who can really on this journey to give me some guidance or support? Um and yeah, so I think that's starting from our mindset whether we're ready to really delegate something out. That's the very first step. Once we make that decision, again, nobody's in front of us. Once we make that decision, the resource of world comes up. Because that's how we the universe answers us. Once we clearly know we want to do something, they will give us something, you know, accordingly, and we can just find out along the way.
JeanneWow, that's wonderful advice. So this has been so much fun. I mean, you're a very exciting person. You really love what you're doing, and you're you're doing it from love now, and you know, you're soul to soul basically. So I I really appreciate all of this information. But now it's time to play our signature game. So for those listening, I want to tell you how it goes. Joanna has given me three headlines that um are about herself. They're different things she's done in life. Two of them are true, and one of them's a lie or a twisted truth. And I'm gonna read her headlines out and then I'm gonna guess which one I think is the lie. And then she's not gonna tell us, but she's gonna go through each story, and then at the end, she'll tell us which one's the lie. So you ready to go? Yes. Alrighty. This episode is sponsored by Rebel 180, the home of brave pivots and fresh starts. Rebel
Two Truths and a Lie
Jeanne180 is all about helping you rediscover what's possible when you stop settling and start listening to that little tug inside that says, Life can be different. Whether you're navigating a career shift, dreaming about a new direction, or standing at the crossroads wondering if it's time for your own 180-degree turn, Rebel 180 is a reminder you don't need permission to change your story. And now, as we open the door to our second sponsor, we're stepping into the world of tech. Simple socket print, the lightweight blazing fast label print solution designed for those who need reliability without the blue. With version 1.5, you get instant printing in milliseconds, fully maintained print sequence, and automatic base640 decoding, all without needing print driver installed. If you're running SQL Server 2016 or newer, SimpleSocket Print 1.5 drops right in and gets to work. Keep your workflow simple, keep your label printing fast with SimpleSocket Print. Thank you to our sponsors. Alright, so your number one story is riding my own path. Joanna learned to ride a motorcycle as a declaration of freedom and self-trust. Okay, number two, seeing on the world stage, Joanna performs internationally through singing and dance with confidence and presence. And the last one? From a plastic box to possibility, Joanna built a life in Australia with resilience, humility, and vision. Okay. So I'm gonna guess that you didn't learn to ride a motorcycle number one. So don't tell me, don't tell me yet. So you go through these stories, and then at the end you can tell us which one's the life.
Joanna ZhangRight. Um, as I mentioned, um, I always feel like the feeling of speed and flying and the freedom. So I always feel so grateful to be on the motorbike, right? So I I was as a rider, like a sit on someone else's motorcycle before. I was so scared, but I really enjoyed. So one of my friends actually told me, Hey, it's a lady, she's I wanted to learn motorbike. So let's go together. Oh you know, like if I can ride myself, I don't have to wait for someone to tell, okay, I can carry you on my motorbike. And just one with her, you know, like we had a training and it's one-day course, and they teach us something very simple to like a very simple steps to start with, and we just make a simple turn and we gradually go on the road and can ride along and with a different speed. Yeah, so that was the first one. Okay. The second one was that okay, it was a performance. So uh while I was young, you know, I always singing and dancing. I just I just truly wholeheartedly love it. So while I was in uni, I was organizing a drama club and get uh over 80 people to in the club with performing, singing, dancing, or stage show. Uh and I just truly love it. Uh, and even in the uni, I was uh doing some pattern job in the club, you know, singing as a singer. When I even came to Australia, I was if anyone knows about Sydney, there is a uh Mandarin Club, you know, there's a club. I was a singer there as well. Yeah, I don't recite a student, I just earn some pocket money. Uh by saying that at the international state, it was one of the opportunities that was part of the organization, and then they actually, this organization, uh I won't say the name just for the uh so they have a the kind different countries' uh participants or in this organization, and I was representing the Australia team to perform in the Asian Pacific uh convention. So that was like over a thousand yeah people with and I was just with a big rock band. I mean I was just singing a lively dancing. Yeah. So that was truly fun. Yeah the third one you sing um oh what's the song? I can't remember the name. Uh give me best shots. Give me the best shot yeah yeah yeah yeah is it that Joan Jet or oh wait a minute I can't remember singing I didn't even know the song they gave me the least I picked the song and I'm gonna sing this one and after I learned I already forgot how to sing it. Yeah I can't remember I know it was a female singer I was thinking but maybe not I don't know yeah yeah yeah gave me that shot I can't remember now how to sing this there were two singers that that could be it could be but I can't remember okay so go ahead and um with the third one the plastic box to possibility right so so uh when I first came to Australia I was overseas student right so my parents advantage yeah they support me with tuition fees but I need to work out ways to support myself with my life so I need to do some part-time job and work along my study but initially because my most difficult times because I can run out of the money sometimes for supporting myself the most difficult time I remember I used was uh in Australia we have those cages for carrying the milk milk oh right right yeah yeah the milk cartons yeah plotting cage yeah and then um I just I could I I don't I didn't have uh uh I rent a little room at the time but I didn't have a bed I had a mattress but it didn't have that and then I thought I just had those cages no one is using it oh why don't I use that to make a bed together so I literally piled them a few like a six or eight depends I can't remember are you ten twelve yeah just like a bed temporarily just put my mattress on it I'll just I'll just sleep in for now.
JeanneThat's kind of ingenious I know we used to take things and put under our bed in college like to make our bed higher because we we didn't like sleeping so low to the ground.
Joanna ZhangYeah
JeanneThat's kind of cool putting those cartons under they're the big thick heavy plastic like uh I don't know what they call it but uh it's really very strong plastic yeah you could not break it with your hands that's right that's right
Joanna ZhangVery strong one yes so that that worked out well at the time
JeanneOh that's pretty cool and then from there you have risen to your current physician in your company oh wow so I bet you I got it wrong what uh where did you ride on the motorcycle maybe I I need to dream
Joanna ZhangBut funny thing is that when I step on it the first round I I accidentally you know when when I actually got off I couldn't hold a bike it just struck on my foot right so I got a little fracture on my little toe
JeanneOh your first time on a bike you just were holding it something I would do
Joanna ZhangI couldn't even ride it at all and I hurt my feet and then my mom said I was really worrying about you that day I said oh you manifest I would never touch it again ..
Joanna ZhangJeanne
Yes that was a lie so I got it right yay
Words of Wisdom
Jeanneit's funny because I used to ride on the back of bikes when I was in the Navy there was a lot of sailors that had motorcycles and right and they hated me they would always never ride me but one or two uh two times because I got scared and so when they would turn into a curve they would turn into the curve I would go the other way which throws their balance off but I'm like I don't want to fall so yeah that was not my that would have not been my path they're like uh you're not driving me again so funny oh dear okay well this was a lot of fun you're you're a very good sport here and I know people are gonna want to connect with you so I want to show them how they can get in touch with you so I'm gonna scroll down here and these are all the contact um places you can get in touch with Joanna and she this will all be in the transcript and in the show notes and you can um look at them after you listen if you don't uh catch them here on screen but um I pull the uh quote I usually ask everybody for a quote and this is one of Joanna's don't limit yourself with your past experiences every challenge is happening for you not to you each experience carries a life lesson once you've learned it it served its purpose I think that's very profound Joanna do you want to say anything about that?
Joanna ZhangWell um I I like exactly like they said is that I used to in my previous experience to uh restrict myself and then to affect my belief and then I realized there's a lot of burden actually dragged me down a lot of times something couldn't put me forward probably it's not externally something inside of me a conflict you know I was wanting to go forward by my previous experience let's call it ego protection system is just holding me back so after the solo awakening I realized those are the things that truly prevent me from growth and those experiences happening for a reason even at the time I made a mistake just realized everyone can make mistake I just need to actually literally learn from it I don't need to judge myself I need to forgive myself I understand that could be the best I can do at a time so I think accept accept what it is as it is to learn from it. So that was really truly from the guidance of the source of my spiritual mental started to really relieve the burden which I each holding myself going forward. And the same as when we're saying a lot of things experiencing the business like with your example on the VAs for example a lot of people may restrict themselves with a bad experience with working with different people however by thinking of that maybe there's something over there for us to learn something. Right so uh if we can really truly let go of the pause and then to explore the possibilities we can really go into a different stage out of the comfort zone into the girl zone.
JeanneVery good well I hope that listeners will connect with you um is there anything that you have on your site but I didn't add this to this because I had not talked to you about it but you have a free downloadable PDF.
Joanna ZhangYes yes yes yes
JeanneGo out to her site and pick that up because it's very informational that's how I learned about the fractional uh suite.
Joanna ZhangThat's great that's great
JeanneSo I really enjoyed this time with you I really appreciate you spending time on Project Candor and for those listening please join us next week where we have another great guest um and check out Joanna's site and get in touch with her um from now from your Admiral of the unexpected I'm Jeanne Andersen and I wish you all smooth sailing bye bye thanks for joining me on Project Candor where the doors are open the stories are unexpected and the treasure is always real if today's episode made you laugh or think follow the show and share it with your crew otherwise I might just make you swab the deck I'm Jeanne Andersen your Admiral of the unexpected see you on the next voyage.