Let Jesus Be Your CEO, Convicted Obedience + Coffee and Seasons of Refinement, with Annika Baylis

Annika shares her incredible journey of starting her business at just 18 years old with a folding table and a simple espresso machine during the pandemic, and how faith, resilience, and “convicted obedience” led her to build a growing coffee brand, multiple locations, and a nonprofit ministry impacting lives far beyond the cup. This conversation dives deep into overcoming imposter syndrome, navigating seasons of uncertainty, and trusting God through the refining process of leadership and entrepreneurship.

You’ll discover powerful insights on what it means to surrender control, lead with purpose, and trust that God will do more than you could ever ask, think, or imagine. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, leader, or simply searching for clarity in your next step, this episode will challenge you to step out in faith, embrace refinement, and align your work with a higher calling.

About Annika Baylis

Annika Baylis is the founder + CEO of Prickly Pear Coffee Co., and the president of The Prickly Coffee Foundation non-profit ministry. With a degree in entrepreneurship and years of hands on experience, Annika is passionate about helping others turn their ideas into reality. Her journey reflects resilience, creativity, and a deep heart for marketplace ministry, pursuing ventures that glorify God, uplift people, and embody excellence with purpose.

If you’re ready to stop playing small, trust the process, and let God take the lead in your life and leadership, this episode is for you.

Connect with Annika:
Email: akvn@pricklypearcoffee.com
Phone: 952.456.2532
Social: @pricklypearcoffeeco | @annikavbaylis

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Welcome to Unapologetic Leadership. If you felt stressed, overwhelmed, wrestling with the imposter syndrome, wondering if you're just not good enough, then this podcast is for you. So here's your host, Corey Dunham.

SPEAKER_02 0:22

Welcome to this episode of Unapologetic Leadership, where I have a wonderful guest, Anica Bayless. And she is the founder and CEO of Prickly Pear Coffee Company and president of the Prickly Pear Coffee Foundation. Welcome, Annika.

SPEAKER_03 0:38

Thank you so much for having me. This is such a treat and getting to talk all things leadership and just learn from you and talking about Jesus like we already have been offline. I'm looking forward toward to having a recorded version because I know that I'm going to be listening back to like relearn and process whatever comes from today.

SPEAKER_02 0:56

Awesome. No, that's fantastic. That's fantastic. And I think that's such a great attitude of um when we do re-listen to either what we've said or what just happened. Many times you don't realize since we're just in the moment. Totally. The things that are said, the things that could be learned, or deeper learning with that. So I think that's a great leadership principle in and of itself, the willingness to relisten to how you contribute and how you show up in the world. So I think that's cool.

SPEAKER_03 1:23

Thanks. Yeah. Honestly, a lot of it is probably, and I'm sure so many CEOs can relate to this, but a lot of it is like my brain is constantly multitasking that to be able to process it, I need to listen to it multiple times. And then I also hear it differently in different seasons in different contexts, you know?

SPEAKER_02 1:38

Oh my gosh, yes, the complexity of all that. You're right. Just like reading a book or listening to an audio. Yeah. First time, first time you listen, you're like, oh my gosh, this is this is amazing. You listen to it multiple times more. You're like, how come that wasn't in the first time I I literally, literally. They changed it.

SPEAKER_03 1:54

Totally, totally. Um, yeah, I love that. Well, thank you for having me. Like you said, my name is Annika Bayless. Um, and I have the honor of leading Prickly Pear Coffee Company and newly the Prickly Pear Coffee Foundation, which is our 501c3 nonprofit ministry aspect of the business, if you will. Prickly Pear Coffee Co. exists as a coffee brand here in Nashville, Tennessee. We exist as a coffee cart, which is where we started, and I'm sure I'll touch on that a little bit. Two brick and mortar shops, and then recently two coffee campers. So we have four locations that you can visit us at across Nashville and Franklin, and then our coffee cart goes around and caters. We do a lot of weddings, corporate events, that kind of thing. Yes, and then the foundation is, I mean, that could be a whole separate podcast, but I always in dreaming about having a Christian coffee shop, I always knew that there had to be an in our city, for our city mindset of it. I just definitely did not picture that this is how the Lord would do that. And it's it Ephesians 3.20 has been like my summary verse the past year, two years of just he will do more than we could ever ask, think, or imagine. And so when I tell people about the foundation, I'm like, Ephesians 3.20 tells you everything you need to know. And I do not have any experience in the nonprofit world. And so this has been such a wild roller coaster, but so much fun as well.

SPEAKER_02 3:18

That's no, that's fantastic. A lot of things there. How did you we were talking a little bit before we started recording? How, if you don't mind me your either your age or how many years you've been uh a business owner or an entrepreneur.

SPEAKER_03 3:31

Yeah, I am 24, and we will celebrate six years of prickly pear coffee in April. So I started my business at 18. It was I was a senior in high school when the pandemic hit, and I had always had a dream of a Christian coffee shop. Like I said, I did not imagine that it would look like this, and I did not imagine that it would be this early in my life. Um, I had worked at a coffee shop all through high school and just really, really loved it. I loved the people aspect of it probably more than I did the coffee aspect of it. Like someone actually said this to me the other day of like, you just use coffee as a front to talk to people. And I was like, yes. I was like, they were like laughing and joking with me, but I'm like, wait, I'm gonna use that. Like that is so perfect. I totally use coffee as a front to just get to know people. And so always kind of had that attitude as my coffee shop job in high school. And when the pandemic hit, I was working full time and so qualified for the same stimulus checks as a lot of the country did. And that was, I took that as my opportunity of man, I'm you know, I've never been invested in this way. Like that is this money is supposed to stimulate the economy. What better way to stimulate the economy than to start my own business? And so in April of 2020, I invested in a folding table and a little Brevel espresso machine, which is so funny because most people have the Brevel on their kitchen counter now. Okay, but it's a it's definitely like a home espresso machine now. And so I set off that in the pandemic as things were slowly opening up just to get to see people again, just to be face-to-face, to offer something. And when I moved to Nashville to attend college that fall, I had realized that I actually was making money, and so why not keep going? So I moved to Belmont University here in Nashville, and I would just cold email all boutiques in town and be like, can I set up my little folding table Saturday morning at your boutique? And there were lots of no's, but even more yeses, and so we just continued to pop up. And then ultimately I met the one client who would hire me to cater for his office once a month and would ultimately change my life in offering me a commercial space to fail and grow and learn and open so many doors beyond that. So again, I could probably spend this whole podcast telling you just all the crazy things that the Lord did, but truly Ephesians 3.20, that He will do more than you can ever ask, think, or imagine, has been the life verse when I think about prickly pear.

SPEAKER_02 6:05

That's I think that's amazing. Yeah, and you mentioned several things, but mostly just the knowing of Ephesians 3.20. And as I've taught Bible study for over 30 plus years to high schoolers and middle schoolers, just the whole idea of remembering scripture. You don't have to remember a lot, but to come back to that and the truth and the promises of God through scripture when we have challenges is has been a huge thing to remember rather than seeing what's been pitched out through the world through all the podcasts or YouTube and TikTok things going on. Because what we fill our brains, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 6:40

I'm not great at it, I'll be honest. I have like my it's like a goal for 2026 is just to know, like just to have more scripture memorized. Cause like you said, those are like your tools in battle. Like we are definitely in a spiritual warfare, and so having scripture written on your heart and memorized. And I'll be honest and tell you that I have three in my arsenal right now because they are just so relevant. But I am, yeah, I love exactly what you said on that. I that is a goal of 2026. So you can check back in with me next year and ask me how many are in my arsenal. So I'm working on it.

SPEAKER_02 7:10

Okay, okay. No, I'm gonna check back with you in February, two weeks from now.

SPEAKER_03 7:14

Okay, okay, okay.

unknown 7:15

Perfect.

SPEAKER_03 7:16

February's on Monday, but perfect. I'll work on it this weekend. Right, right.

SPEAKER_02 7:19

As we're recording this here in January of 2026. So this is good. No, this is good. And things do take time, and it's not I used to be a very ritualistic memorizer of just in school and scripture, and then I kind of got away from that in some good ways, because in other words, instead of just being transactional, oh, I did the thing, I checked the box. Now it's okay, no, I'm using these things more intentionally. I'm trying to live out what I'm doing. I'm really looking back to God through prayer, scripture, meditation, devotions, and of course, worshiping all of that. And it so it's something to not just memorize it, but I memorized those things in the past, but they weren't really deeply connected to me walking in that faith walking, trusting. So that's where my thing is. Yes, I do memorize some scripture, but I don't have a lot at this moment. I know what the Bible says in many areas, and then we can go back and reference anytime we want. It's like, oops, I was kind of off. I was kind of off, yeah. Or I was on track, and let's keep moving forward, but just to embody what scripture says rather than just knowing it logically up here. So I I appreciate you saying that, and I'm glad that's a good one.

SPEAKER_03 8:31

Knowing the difference, or there is a difference of like knowing it in your head versus knowing it in your heart.

SPEAKER_02 8:37

Yeah, yeah, it's big time. And I know as you said too, maybe talk about that a little bit, some of the challenges that you've learned, and I'm assuming that's part of your faith walk. And just as a side note, my wife just started up a coffee cart uh for an early retirement gig with her, one of her colleagues.

SPEAKER_03 8:54

I love that.

SPEAKER_02 8:55

Yeah, yeah. So just that over the last year and a half, roughly, yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 8:59

Oh my gosh, that is so awesome. Okay, I definitely want to hear more about that. So yeah, that is so awesome. I'm a huge proponent, obviously, of those types of endeavors. You asked me about challenges, right? Is that what we were talking about?

SPEAKER_02 9:16

Thank you. Getting me on track. Yes, I totally forgot to go back to that. Yeah, you haven't had any, so do we need to move? Can we move on?

SPEAKER_03 9:22

Yeah, there's been nothing, just absolutely nothing. Life is unicorns and rainbows. No, I think the very first one that comes top of mind is probably the imposter syndrome. I think it's and this is so funny because I have been my year, my word of the year is refinement. And so really diving deep into everything I can get my hands on, like absorbing all of the refinement that I can, which is an over, which is overwhelming. Because when I sat down and was praying for 2026, I was like, that was not the word that I wanted the Lord to give me, because refinement often means pruning and more challenges, right?

SPEAKER_01 9:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 9:58

Just but as I have been absorbing it, it seems to be that a lot of the challenges we have are because we struggle to get out of our own way. And I think that I am no different in the sense that the biggest challenge and the first that comes to mind has just been the imposter syndrome specifically because of my age. And there are logistical, there's logistical realness to that, right? Like when I started this business, I didn't have a credit score. So there was no the only option was to bootstrap because I did not have a credit score to apply for a loan to move forward or or whatnot.

SPEAKER_02 10:28

And if you could explain bootstrap, because there might be some listeners who don't know what bootstrap is.

SPEAKER_03 10:34

Totally, totally. Uh so we took our first loan out this past summer, actually. And so for the past five years, we've been quote unquote bootstrapped, which means that every dollar invested was then used to grow the business. Um there was no outside influxes of cash. It really just was like we only can grow as much as what's currently in the bank account. And I that I could go so much deeper on that. Like I'm a huge proponent. I think that is such a great way to know your finances really well, to know your business really well, to set yourself up for success and achieve really high profit margins. There's so many things. But I have also learned the power of giving money a job and a job description. If money's to work for you, what would that look like rather than being afraid of money and the power of maybe taking out a loan, taking on investors, whatever that looks like for your business? I think those are two great options. So, yeah, all of that to say though, I did not have that option due to my age, no credit, nothing to put up as collateral X, Y, Z. So there are some logistical things that come with starting a business young and having that imposter syndrome. And I think that is valid. But I think a lot of it too was just me being in my own way and believing that I'm still in the pro I have a degree now, but as we're starting, it's like I'm just getting the college and I don't have the degree yet. And we're told that we have to have XYZ and all this life experience and this, that, and the other. And I think that that would probably that all of my like biggest challenges, at least getting off the ground, can probably be traced back to the lack of, I don't even think it's that I didn't believe in myself. I think that I just was anticipating that there would be roadblocks. Now, that doesn't mean that I didn't do it, I just maybe made things a little bit harder for myself along the way.

SPEAKER_02 12:20

Okay. Yeah. And then how did you have the inner conviction and courage to keep leading when doing something that you had no knowledge or experience of? How did you handle that?

SPEAKER_03 12:32

Yeah. It's such a good question. And I think if my mom were answering that question on my behalf, she would tell you that I have always been someone that like has just been, I just have never had fear. And I do not say that in a prideful way. I just, like, quite honestly, there is not anything I can think of that I might be scared of things, but that is a very different emotion than fear. Um, and so she would tell you, and she would probably tell you in being a very close person through this whole process of entrepreneurship. She's an entrepreneur herself, but she would tell you that, you know, I had this imposter syndrome, but I wasn't afraid of being an imposter. Like, okay, maybe I am an imposter, but we're still gonna go do the dang thing, you know. Uh so I think I think the inner conviction though would just be that I was so the Lord was so clear in opening these doors that I felt convicted to be obedient. I felt that being disobedient would be not walking in what he's called me to do. And I think that is ultimately why I just continued to make sacrifices or whatever it looked like to do it, and I had no idea where it was leading. It just felt like the next obedient step was to say yes and put one foot in front of the other.

SPEAKER_02 13:45

I think that's amazing because I know I've struggled with imposter syndrome, being introverted and then focusing on that fear as 90 90% of what I'm looking at. And then when I thought of God, I'm like, He's only the 10%. Like, oh, you subconsciously, I didn't say it consciously, but I was like, ooh, subconsciously, you can't handle this big fear I've got because I've invested and fed the fear instead of looking to God for the the guidance.

SPEAKER_03 14:11

Right, totally. And I do not want to paint this picture that I have been perfect at that either. I mean, that is absolutely not the case, but I what I will say, I was just telling my manager this morning, like every January in specific, and I and I mentioned the ice storm a little bit offline. Nashville was just hit with this crazy ice storm this week, and it looks as if a hurricane came and ripped through our city. I mean, power lines down, trees down. Wow. There's still hundreds of thousands of people here without power. And I was telling her, I was like, it feels like every January there's new trials because January is the hardest time of the year for most small business owners, especially a treat like coffee, because people make New Year's resolutions to make coffee at home, spend less money, they're maybe just not out walking because it's cold and we rely a lot on foot traffic, all the things. So historically, January has always been slow. And I just told her this morning, I'm so thankful that January is almost over, but also I feel like I learned new ways to rely on the Lord every single January. Like I feel like my pruning season is a different level every January because it is like what like I live, there are times previously where I'm like, I don't even know how I'm gonna make payroll this week. And so the prayers just become so much more intimate, so much deeper, so much like I have to focus on the 10% of God, like you were saying, rather than this 90%, because I have a team that relies on me that has to get paid. So what does it look like to just trust that he's gonna provide? Like he had did not take me this far to leave me here, you know. And that that's a hard thing. I mean, I that's another thing that I think could be something you know in your head, but to know that in your heart of like, if he asks me to be obedient in this, then there's another in the fire, he's in this with me.

SPEAKER_02 15:49

Yeah, yeah, and I think it's some of the examples in the Bible, whether it's you know, Daniel, the lion's den, meish, shadrach, and a bed bed to go. And uh as my wife growing up in Christian school used to say, Meshak, shadrach and a bed to go.

SPEAKER_01 16:05

But I love that.

SPEAKER_02 16:07

Yeah, but having yeah, and just seeing how God works. And there's other more recent, miraculous things that have happened, or as I have another friend say, synchronicities, and you're like, these synchronicities of things just keep coming up, and I keep being provided in one way or another.

SPEAKER_03 16:24

Maybe not the way I'm thinking that I want to, which I just to bring it full circle, Ephesians 3.20. Like, it might not be what I could imagine, but he always makes a way.

SPEAKER_02 16:37

Yeah, and you have to be open to listening and hearing, because I know I wasn't for a long period of time. I was still doing my own thing, focusing on fear. So, how have you been, made aware, if you don't mind sharing some of your maybe your upbringing? Why Christ? Why Christianity? Why trust God and have faith in something that it's a lot of people have a challenge in?

SPEAKER_03 16:57

I had the best childhood, like truly the best childhood. I grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and I am now married to an Alabama boy, so I will not be moving back to Minneapolis, Minnesota. We are from very different worlds, and as much as we love that place, I definitely love being in the South too. My parents are both believers and both have really amazing testimonies. I even would say though that within the last five years, as though they have been believers my whole life, I think I have really seen a transformation of so much of their knowledge going from their head to their heart, even in the last five years. Um, and so that is just really special to see. But yeah, like I said, I was raised in a Christian home and did all of the things that one does and really loved it. I so many, so many of my greatest memories are just like with our church family growing up or Bible studies or this, that, and the other. I have really, really fond memories. And then I kind of have a classic story of being in high school and my faith had to become my own at some point. To be totally honest, and I don't share this story, this part often, but when I was in seventh grade, my dad and I took a trip to Poland and we visited the Auschwitz concentration camps. And this was a really big turning point in my faith because it was the first time that I like had seen devastation in this way and started to question like if God is so good and if everything I've been told about God is true, about his loving kindness and John 3.16 and this, that, and the other, then like how could something like this happen? And I would now, if I could sit down with younger me and have that conversation, it would look so different because I majored in theology and would feel much more confident. But I do believe that was such a pivotal point in my faith because I am young, I had never seen devastation like this before. Like I said, my childhood was amazing. Like, I feel like I grew up, I grew up knowing about the world, and my parents were really intentional about that, but I had never seen or experienced anything like I did that day in Auschwitz. Um and so that was really the beginning of just kind of a wrestle the next couple of years of like, well, if you're so good, then like why do bad things happen? And how could this happen? And like you, you like Jesus wins, so then why did you not win this situation? And you know, and again, probably a couple hours more worth of story here. But eventually I gave my life to Christ, my junior spring of my junior year of high school, and so that would have been about four years later, so four years of kind of going back and forth, and the pieces really clicked for me, and I really was like, the only answer is Jesus, and I was baptized the fall of my senior year, I think.

SPEAKER_02 19:38

That's so that's so long ago.

SPEAKER_03 19:40

So I know, right? So long ago, like honestly, I'm sure you can relate to this, and so many people listening can too, but once you throw the pandemic in there, all of the years got messed up. Like the fact that it's already 2026 and it's been six years since 2020 also doesn't feel right. You know what I mean? Yeah, anyways, so yeah, that was kind of a huge turning point for me, and then the Lord just continued to really fan the flame of just my zeal for him, and like you said, the synchronicities and whatnot, and just continuing. I like to say that he continued to show up and prove himself to me, even though he does not have to. Um, he continued to there's I have so many stories of where it felt like he stepped down from heaven and chased the one and left the 99 to chase me. And it's like wow from such a holy and sovereign God, I'm so unworthy of that.

SPEAKER_02 20:29

Real quick, real quick, sorry to interrupt you, but can you think of maybe one specific example that hits you? Just the first one doesn't have to be the most profound, but okay.

SPEAKER_03 20:41

The first one that comes up actually is not even a me story, but it is something I've been talking about a lot this week. I serve in prison ministry here in Nashville, and it is truly like such a joy of this season. And I was telling my husband last week, I literally feel the closest to Jesus right now in this season of life. The place I feel him the most is on Wednesday nights in the prison with those women because there is such a pure zeal for the Lord when everything is stripped away and it is just Jesus. And so my favorite story right now is that there is one woman on death row in Tennessee, and she had we have had the opportunity to minister to her, and just the stories that are coming out and the conversations that are coming, the things that are coming out of those conversations is truly the Lord stepping down from heaven and leaving the 99 to chase the one because her execution date was recently set for later this year, and I truly believe that the father has said, like, I am coming down to receive my child because I want to spend forever with you in heaven, and there's opportunity for salvation. And that is just the clearest picture I can think of that comes to mind right now because it is something that that we've been praying for and believing for. And again, he is so kind to do that, you know, and it's like this is his daughter. And in the eyes of the world, her sin is dirtier than mine, but it's not. In the eyes of God, sin is sin, you know. Yes. Um so yeah, I love that I love that you asked that question, and I love that story, and just really believing her full salvation and that they will be unified together in paradise.

SPEAKER_02 22:18

Yeah, and I think that's beautiful just in the whole idea that eternity is such a long time. And we are all here, whether it's uh execution date or the time when we all pass. Many times we think, oh, we're gonna be here for forever when you're under 20. You just can't see an end date. But we don't really know when that is. But it's amazing how I just use the analogy that God, you know, he blinks for one second, that's our whole life, and that's how quickly it is for God. And we think, man, our life is so this and that, but our eternity, that's forever, whatever that means, but it's forever. So the fact that, like you said, he leaves the 99 to chase the one, and that promise of relationship, everlasting life, conquering death, sin, and the devil has been done by Christ. Oh my gosh. That victory is worth it.

SPEAKER_03 23:13

I know that, but I'm like, man, like just that uh it's just so good, and I just feel so undeserving. It's so good, and I think it gives you so much, or those are the things I would say that I cling to. Like, there is so much peace in just being like, This is not my forever home because this is not how it's there's a great book by Lisa Turker's called It's Not Supposed to Be This Way. And it have you read that book? Oh my god.

SPEAKER_02 23:37

I actually haven't read the book, but we've studied her in our Bible study groups, so yes, yes.

SPEAKER_03 23:41

Love it. And the whole principle of the book is that we live between the Garden of Even Eden and the Garden of Paradise, and those are the two places in the fall we got to be with God, and then we will get to be with him again. And so we're living between this two garden, these two gardens in this liminal space, and it's just not supposed to be this way. And I just feel like there is a peace that comes in knowing that there is something far greater than we can ever ask, think, or imagine on the other side of eternity.

SPEAKER_02 24:08

Yeah, I think that's amazing. And some of the most difficult things I've gone through in the last three years, relationship challenges with my wife. We've been married 26 years, the pandemic, business fluctuations all over the world, and all this doom say happening. And so I've had to cut out a lot of that media and flip to more scripture, more truth, because that's more eternal. And I was gonna say how much peace and joy I've gotten by trusting and leaning on God, which scripture also talks about that, that the the load is light. Lean on Christ, lean on Christ. And if we don't see those types of messages or read scripture or do devotions or worship, that's gonna get quieted down and all the other garbage is gonna happen. So we have to look at what's the true truth rather than what everybody else's truths. As I went to a conference, I think it was 2019, and in Minnesota for one of our youth trip gatherings that I was chaperoning, and one of the pastors talked about we have small t's, a bunch of small truths, and approximately seven billion small truths on the planet, versus the one big T or the one big truth, which is Christ Jesus and God, our Heavenly Father. So looking at those two different things and seeing what that is, and then having that faith walk, like I said, it's giving me so much more peace when I've just learned to let go and release and let God let more space for God to come in rather than me trying to wrestle and control everything that's going on around me. I've learned to embrace some of the challenges.

SPEAKER_03 25:44

But yes, you're I love oh, I was gonna say, my like I kind of mentioned, my mom is an amazing entrepreneur, and one of the things that she always says is that Jesus is the CEO of her business.

SPEAKER_01 25:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 25:56

And I love that. And I love that as a leadership principle because it takes so much pressure off to just be like, I am human, like he is God and I am not. And what does it actually look like for me to surrender this to his will? And so that's not an that's not an excuse to get out of being a good leader, but it is a way to manage when things come. What does this look like? I was listening to a podcast yesterday, Rachel Wortman, about the urgent versus the important, and it can be important, but it might not be urgent, or it can vice versa, and just managing, learning to manage from the frame of like, okay, I actually have to go to the CEO with this first, and that's not me, it's Jesus, you know. And letting letting care actually be my first response. I think that is so much easier said than done.

SPEAKER_02 26:44

Yeah, yeah, and looking to God for guidance or Christ for guidance, you you get this different perspective. And if you understand his mind, his thoughts, who God is, then uh you start to get some of that wisdom and God shares that with you because he's yes, come to me, I want a deeper relationship with you, and then trust me, trust me, I will lead you. Yeah, yeah, I love that advice of checking in with the CEO.

SPEAKER_03 27:10

Yes, totally, totally. Uh and I think just also having the frame of mind of how you view work is essential, you know, and allowing it to be something that like work is not a consequence from the fall. Work is not something that we are supposed to toil in. Like, work is good. And what does it look like for this to be a blessing? And like for at the end of the day, for me, it's okay, this is just coffee. It's not rocket science. This is where the urgent and important boundary is really important for me because it is just coffee, but so many times it can rule my day, rule my week, rule my night, rule so many other aspects. And so just kind of re I think while I think about refinement and I think about the pruning and just setting the business up for success this year and refinement being that word, re-evaluating like my work, not work-life relationship, but like work attitude and perspective of what does it look like to do hard work, but to not see it as a task or oh my gosh, I have to do this? Like, what is it, what does it take for me to actually get up and be excited about my work? And I am, don't get me wrong, but I also always say just because I created my job doesn't mean I have to love my job. And I think there's seasons for that, and that's true, but what does it look like to actually have an eternal perspective, even with the everyday mundane tasks in in submission to the CEO rather than seeing it as maybe a consequence of the fall and toil and hard and this, that, and the other?

SPEAKER_02 28:44

Yeah, and that's so true, because in all things, I know there's some scripture, I don't have the exact verse, but some of the scripture talks about be joyful in all things or be thankful in all things, which I have struggled with that. I'm like, seriously, seriously, but when I have, yeah, when I have let go and to say, ooh, this is my perspective, and now let me be joyful in all things. And I start opening up to God's perspective, like, oh my gosh, he's the author, the finisher, he's got so much more knowing of what's has happened and how this works for his will in the future, which I may not ever see what that outcome is going to be, but just trusting and knowing he's a loving God makes all the difference for me.

SPEAKER_03 29:28

Which you have been an entrepreneur much longer than I have. Do you feel like there has been seasons of ebbs and flow where you love or loathe your job? Like I feel like that is a very normal thing.

SPEAKER_02 29:40

Yeah, it is. Over the last three years, during some of the most difficult challenges, once I learned to really release, let go, and let God, I have still been through some of the same challenges in recent years than I have over the last 20 plus years. Yeah. But I but the peace wasn't there 20 plus years ago. God always provided, always provided, always took care of us, always either had a next client, people were healed, all different types of things. And I look back at all the all the blessings and wonderful things. But more in more recent times, I've really said, Well, this is a challenge or this is something I don't know about, but I'm gonna trust God for it because He's really taking care of me. If I'm honest, and as I've reflected, I'm like, oh my gosh, there are so many blessings. And one thing is I just had right hip surgery two weeks ago.

SPEAKER_03 30:32

And oh my goodness.

SPEAKER_02 30:33

Yes, yes. And I how are you feeling? I am actually recovering so well and I feel so blessed that I decided to do this. And I had to jump through so many hoops to get my doctor's approval. And then when they I did that, they said, Oh, have you ever had a heart scan? Let's do a what is it called? A elect, I think electrocardiogram, just a smaller scan. And they said, Ooh, Corey, it looks like the bottom of your right side of your heart. You could have had a heart attack at some point in the past.

SPEAKER_01 31:02

And I'm like, What?

SPEAKER_02 31:04

But I trusted in God and I said, Okay, I'm like, God, if you want this hip surgery to happen or if I have heart issues or not, is what it is. And I've been pretty athletic. I'm 57, but I up until my hip surgery two weeks ago, I was still playing full court basketball with meds. But yeah, and I think that's part of my recovery too. Obviously, I'm blessed. God has been good, but part of that they said, since I've been so physically active and healthy throughout most of my life, that's helping in my recovery. So some of the therapists are like, oh my gosh, you're 57 and you're able to not really use any cane or walker after a few days after the surgery. And this is one of the easier surgeries where they say up to six weeks, and you're back up to about 90% of capacity, and then you continue on with that. But uh but just looking at God and just trusting in all of that. And how is business gonna happen? How's my coaching? How's it gonna be out for two weeks? And I didn't know. But I was blessed to have more control over my schedule being an entrepreneur and being able to work a little bit longer hours than I wanted. Not in the past, I used to hate that. I'm not working weekends, I'm not working extra overtime. Because at one point I was an arc, I was gonna say an alcoholic, but I meant to say workaholic. I was a workaholic, but that's messed me up in my family realm and the relationships there, just focusing on money, money, money and scarcity, scarcity. Uh, but as I this pastime, we've had ups and downs like any business, but I wasn't worried about my God, we'll take care of that. I'll work the extra hours, and it made me feel so good just knowing I had some of these things taken care of and trusting God. And I was able to get some deep rest for a few days after the surgery on Friday, driving a few days after that since I wasn't on narcotics anymore. But yeah, so it's just been an amazing journey, like I say, over these last few years and even this last year, even more, just having that faith walk and literally letting go, and the stress has literally melted off of me. The first 54 years made me bald. Yeah. Yeah, the first 54 years made me bald. Now maybe I'm growing back a few hairs because I'm a little less stressed.

SPEAKER_03 33:11

That's so awesome. That's so good. So when you have when you retire with a full head of hair, we'll know why. Well, one thing is that I don't plan to retire, but yes, yes, maybe if you ever do, if you ever do, you'll have the full the full thing going. I love that. That's so good.

SPEAKER_02 33:30

Yeah, people won't recognize me, but uh, but it is definitely a huge shift in the peace level. And it's something you can't explain to people because it seems so illogical for how I was operating. And yes, yeah. So testimony. Well, thank you. Thank you. I appreciate that. Thanks for asking. Yeah, so what's one as we get closer to the end of this episode, because this has been amazing and I appreciate you sharing. What's one of your biggest leadership lessons? And maybe you've already shared it, but maybe what's one of your biggest leadership lessons? I've had a ton, but yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 34:04

I think the first one that comes to mind, that's maybe not even might be the biggest, but it's the realest for this season, is managing the difference between being a leader and a manager and really having to set in place firm boundaries. A great example of just working in the coffee space, a lot of my employees are my age. And so it has just thrown a little bit of a wrench of boundaries because they're people that, if they weren't my employees, we would be probably really good friends. And so I have made mistakes in just the way I show up to lead and kind of like I said, standing in my own way, making it harder for myself of it, like maybe in like maybe putting words in their mouth and in my head made out of making up this whole narrative of they don't respect me as their boss because I'm their age. And it's like, that is not true. I totally just told myself that, you know? And so something I'm currently reworking on is how do I lead well and really honor them and then get out of my own head and not be so concerned with the age factor. And this seems to be a common trend in this episode of just things I'm processing and working through. But yeah, I would say right now the leadership lesson that I'm learning is what those boundaries look like, and then the difference between leading people versus managing people. And a lot of that on the front end means that I have to onboard and train differently so that they feel well equipped to do their job. So I don't have to manage the people, I can just be the leader.

SPEAKER_02 35:33

Yeah, I think that's beautiful because I've had to learn that lesson too. And I used to come from this once again, this fear perspective, the scarcity perspective or imposter perspective. And that was translated into them and also what I even told them. So I didn't wasn't strong enough, as you talked about being convicted earlier, strong in my conviction and leading them or co-creating. Hey, this is not just my business. We are working this together, we're in partnership, no different than a marriage, a friendship, or whatever. So I love that.

SPEAKER_03 36:07

Yeah, which they very much are, because like like some like I mentioned at the beginning, if coffee is a front for people like getting to talk to people, and if coffee is a front for loving on people, these are the girls that are the frontline workers, if you will. They're the ones, like I have stepped back more into the CEO role. And I will say, I I do get in the shop at least once a week because it is so easy. If I am stuck behind my computer for the week doing the numbers, the this, that, the other, it really can get easy for me to get away from my why. And so I do make it a priority to get behind the bar and serve. But I will say, like that synchronicity and just all being on the same wavelength of what that looks like is essential. And so them feeling like we are partners in this, which I believe we absolutely are, is crucial because the joint investment has to be with the frontline workers who are the ones actually going and doing the work. And I have such an amazing team. And so learning what it looks like to lead them and steward that team in a way that honors the business, honors the little things, our profit margins, our payroll, our this, that, and the other, and stewarding our inventory, cost of goods, da-da-da-da-da. But also in a way that honors me as their boss and honors them as the employee. And I think that marriage has been hard for me to figure out, and I have not done that well in the past. But we are refining in 2026.

SPEAKER_02 37:25

That's right. I love it. I love how you come back to that. And God's never done with us. Do you feel the same? Yep.

SPEAKER_03 37:33

So I'll continue to refine, is what you're saying. That it's not just gonna be 2026. I mean, that is true, but I definitely if it if you know, selfishly, I would like that to not be spoken over me just because it comes with so many challenges. But of course, I always pray to be growing and changing and learning. It just is funny how when you it's like the common saying like if you pray for patience, you better be ready to have to learn patience the hard way, you know? And so praying for refinement means that I'm gonna be pruned. And it's January 29th, and we have been 29 days into my year of refinement. And let me tell you, I have been refined.

SPEAKER_02 38:10

Yes, yes. And I hate hate to quote quote movies in terms of scripture or great analogies for the Bible, but it back in Bruce Almighty, the movie, when Morgan Freeman was playing God, one of the best things that my wife and I have talked about many times is that he says in there, when you pray for patience, you don't just get it, you get opportunities to practice and learn through that. So that's what I'm hearing from you.

SPEAKER_03 38:35

So totally, totally, totally so good.

SPEAKER_02 38:38

Yeah, and I've had to just like you're saying, I was like, I don't want these opportunities. Just give it, give me the patience, please. That's not how it works. But then as I've learned and shifted my attitude around, wow, God's working with me, in me, and through me, I'm like, ooh, that probably means my capacity will be a little more. I can't, like you said, I can't just let go and let God do everything. But how can God work through me, in me, and with me? And that's the impressive part. So that's what's also giving me more peace. I'm not 100% either, whatever that means. But it's like, ooh, yeah, that gives me a little more joy to say, wow, God's working through me more. So I don't have to do the heavy lifting. I just need to be present, serve, and love my neighbor.

SPEAKER_03 39:19

So let him be the CEO for real.

SPEAKER_02 39:22

Yes, yes, yes. Yeah. So thank you, Annika, so much for being here. How can people find you, Bess? You're welcome. You're welcome.

SPEAKER_03 39:31

Yes, pricklypearcoffee.com and at prickly pear coffee co. Those are our brands, and I am much more active on all things prickly than I am personally. But you can also just find me at Anica Bayliss, LinkedIn, Instagram, all of the things.

SPEAKER_02 39:48

Awesome. Well, thank you again for being here.

SPEAKER_03 39:51

Thank you for having me. It was such a joy, and I cannot wait to come back a year from now when we are pruned and have all the scriptures memorized, and you have a full head of hair. I mean, I got an afro. Yes. Amen. Amen to that. What a great note to end on.

SPEAKER_02 40:07

Yes, yes, yes. So thank you everyone for listening. And I just want to remind you that unapologetic leadership is developing relationships, having convicted, what did I write? Convicted obedience. And remember through Ephesians 3.20, which is for he can for he can do all.

unknown 40:30

Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_03 40:31

They put me on the spot. I'm just gonna tell y'all, Ephesians 3.20 promises that he will do more than you could ever ask, think, or imagine.

SPEAKER_02 40:39

Thank you. And remember to let God be your CEO, even if you don't have a business, but let him be the CEO of your life. Yes, yes. So thank you for listening. Thank you for being here. Thanks, y'all.

SPEAKER_00 40:56

So that's it for today's episode of Unapologetic Leadership. Head on over to wherever you listen to podcasts and subscribe to the show. One lucky listener every single week that posts a review on Apple Podcasts or iTunes will win a chance the grand prize drawing to win a twenty-five thousand dollar private VIP day with Corey Dunham himself. So head on over to Unapologetic Leadership Podcast dot com and pick up a free copy of Corey's gift and join us on the next episode.