Episode 237: Clarity. Control. Capacity.

"Every stage of your business growth requires a different version of you as the business owner."

Antwon is all about removing the complexities from being a business owner or entrepreneur and focusing on what it takes to execute. Scaling your business will not be possible if you are not changing the capacity in which you operate.

They are not asking you to relinquish control completely, but rather truly step into the role of CEO and take advantage of the resources at your disposal. As you work with Antwon and the team, you'll come to the realization that they don't call him "The Skillful Advisor" for no reason.

Tune in to episode 237 as Antwon reveals his ideal client, recalls how two decades in the Army contributed to the experience he has today and much more!

For more information about The Skillful Advisor:

Website: antwonperson.com
LinkedIn: Antwon Person

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Get out your own way and expand your mindset. It's all about going from operator to CEO when it comes to business ownership. And Antoine will tell you exactly how to do that and then some. He'll talk about the two decades that he spent in the army and how that completely transformed his mindset when it comes to business ownership and the entrepreneurial journey. But on top of that, he'll even tell you his ideal client, but who he's really passionate about working with. So if you're here, if you're listening, if you want to grow, if you want to scale, you're in the right place. Without further ado, enjoy episode 237. Clarity, control, capacity. What's going on, everybody? Welcome back to another episode of the Down to Business Podcast. It's always good to connect with the cues. It's always good to connect with the cues during my birthday month. I've been, look, I've been amping y'all about July for the last two to three episodes. So we're finally here. We made it. I'm excited. I'm glad to be here. But nonetheless, as I said, always glad to connect with the like-minded. Sitting down with somebody today who can be of very great assistance to business owners, to entrepreneurs, to somebody out there who may just really even need a mindset shift. So hopefully I have your attention by now because I know that he will steal the show. He's come here to give some great value and even talk about what he does and how he could potentially be of assistance. So before we get into all things though, before we just let him go, Antoine, how you doing today? How's everything on your end?

SPEAKER_01 1:20

I'm doing great. How are you?

SPEAKER_00 1:21

I can't complain. I can't complain. We're here. We're making it. So, all right. Very excited to have you on the show, obviously, but I know that we're gonna have a host of people tuning into this episode. Obviously, the cues will be here in full effect. So, root to the bros, of course, but I know we're gonna have some people from your side. I know we're gonna have some people from my side, and then we're gonna have arguably my favorites. So, people who probably know nothing about us, but somehow, somehow came across this episode. So, to bring everybody up to speed to even the playing field for us all, can you just do two things for me? Can you one, just tell me a little bit about yourself, and then can you two just tell me what brings you on the Down the Business Podcast today?

SPEAKER_01 1:53

Okay, okay. Hey, but first I would like to say uh, you know, thank thank you for having me on your uh platform. I know that hosting a podcast is not easy. And on top of that, the value that you provide to your audience uh, you know, is amazing. So again, thank you. But yeah, so the reason uh a little bit about myself, uh, you know, and to one person, uh, I'm an entrepreneur. I've been in multiple different industries. So I have a good idea of what a lot of business owners will need as they're starting uh and growing their business. And you know, while I'm here, I just want to kind of educate uh entrepreneurs, new and old, on new things that are going on and how, you know, they can actually you know scale their business.

SPEAKER_00 2:34

I love that. And absolutely I appreciate, you know, I appreciate that how much is the same at the beginning. Now, when you think about your earlier days, when you think about kind of just getting started, kind of moving into this field, was entrepreneurship always in the cars for you? Did something really spark that specifically?

SPEAKER_01 2:49

No, my journey kind of in entrepreneurship started uh a little bit earlier than that. I spent uh two decades in the United States Army leading different organizations. And when I transitioned out of uniform, I brought a lot of the principles and strategies with me, and they kind of shaped how I build businesses and what I do with skillful brands today. Um, you know, my focus is really, you know, just on helping entrepreneurs eliminate some of the complexities that they have with operating a business.

SPEAKER_00 3:17

I love that. Thank you for your service. Just the same. So when when coming in, when really just starting to work with entrepreneurs, other business owners, what would you say off bat were just some commonalities that you noticed? Because obviously, you know, whether you're we've spoken to so many different industries on this podcast. We've had some that are very popular, we've had some that are very niche, but ultimately I feel like they all kind of get on here and sometimes have the same pain points, sometimes have the same things that they can even relate to and resonate with. So, for you, when you started working with these people, what were some things that you noticed early on?

SPEAKER_01 3:48

Yep. So for myself and you know, entrepreneurs, I've seen the same thing. So, you know, my shift into entrepreneurship uh began when I had the realization that just being busy in your business uh does not create uh or does not create or run your business. Um just like so many other business owners, I had a full-time job. I had the responsibilities of being a husband and a father, and I was trying to grow a part-time business, but I quickly realized that part-time environment had uh a full-time obligation. Uh, so you know, those lessons kind of shifted the way I think about running a business.

SPEAKER_00 4:27

I hope y'all heard that of a full-time obligation. And I really want to talk about that balance because I am somebody right now who is trying to build this brand, is trying to become a full-time podcaster essentially. But I do work at 905. I even had a side job at one point, but it was just beginning to be a lot. So for you, what was it, what was it like really making that leap into full-time entrepreneurship? When did you know you were quote unquote ready in a sense?

SPEAKER_01 4:51

Uh so for me, you know, when I transitioned out of the military, I kind of knew that I didn't want to work for anyone else. Um, I had, you know, kind of had a taste of being an entrepreneur uh while I was still serving. Uh so when I when I transitioned, I just kind of looked at what I had done. I had already uh started a couple of businesses while I was still in the military, and I still just had that entrepreneur vibe. And a lot of my friends, they would come to me, uh, they kind of ask me if I could assist them with their business. And you know, that was just my really my passion.

SPEAKER_00 5:24

I love that. Do you find that, as someone not in the military, I'm very curious about this. Do you find that a lot of people who take that route are being the resources that you guys are exposed to, does it help with getting a business started? Does it help with becoming an entrepreneur?

SPEAKER_01 5:38

Uh, you're saying that's military-wise? Yes. Okay, yep. So I would say that um a lot of people that transition from the military, they do have the leadership traits and uh, you know, different skill sets that they could leverage. Um, but when you're transitioning out of the military, um, either retired or just transitioning because you've did your time, they do have some programs um like uh Boots the Business that assist you uh, you know, as you're transitioning out. They help individuals come in to help you establish your business, tell you about different franchises and things like that. But um it really is the network. Uh there's so many people that you know transition out of the military and they, you know, become entrepreneurs. So just linking in with them, I think is very helpful.

SPEAKER_00 6:24

Okay. That's that's that's good to know. I would have, you know, that's that's a great perspective to have from somebody outside looking in. Now, with you specifically and thinking about what you do as GoFo advisor as well. Are you niche specific? Are you, as we spoke about, there are a lot of just businesses out there. There are a lot of people in different industries, there are a lot of people kind of even in the same industry, just different lanes. So, for what you do, for who you're working with, are you focusing on particular lanes or are you kind of just open to any and everybody who may need some guidance?

SPEAKER_01 6:50

For me, um, we're open to helping anyone, especially veterans. Um, so my ideal client uh is a little different than who I'm really passionate about helping. So, my ideal client really uh are entrepreneurs that have been in business for at least five years. But I am more passionate with helping new entrepreneurs because I know how it felt uh when I wore all the hats. I knew how it felt when I was just getting started. So, you know, I really get excited when uh I'm speaking to a new entrepreneur, but my ideal client for my overall business really are entrepreneurs that have been in business for at least five years.

SPEAKER_00 7:29

I got that. Okay, so you sparked a few thoughts there. So is there any particular relevance or significance around the number five?

SPEAKER_01 7:37

Uh so around year five, they've already kind of hit some of the breaking points of you know, where their business, usually, people that have been in business for at least five years, they have the right mindset. And they have something that I really uh call the three C's. They have clarity in their business, they have control, and they have capacity to understand where they need to go. Um, so you know, that's what I kind of look for when we're, you know, dealing with businesses that are you know over uh five years.

SPEAKER_00 8:07

Very insightful. It's funny you mentioned three C's, triple C's. If for people who follow me on Instagram, they know that at one point in my Washington, D.C. commutes, I had something called the triple C's. They were not business related at all. It was called the Car Complaint Chronicle. So it was really just me and my car talking about the the mayhem that that takes place in my Maryland to DC commute. So, but no, I I do like that just because too, I I do feel like while I can't vividly remember year five of my business, I do feel like there was a point in time where I was just like, uh the first couple of years, even the first few years, it was just like, all right, I know I want to do this, I know that I'm kind of having fun with it, I know that I'm meeting people, I'm learning, I'm growing along the way. But I would say it's that now thinking about year seven, it's like, okay, I I I I pretty much I'm not a master of my craft, I would say, but I feel pretty confident in what I'm doing. As you said, I have that clarity and I know kind of my vision, I know my audience, I know who I want to communicate to and what I want to do. Essentially, I feel like I'm just adjust adjusting and adapting to what's around me. Now, another thought that I kind of had just in thinking about what you do. So for those earlier entrepreneurs, for those people who are just kind of trying to come in, they're getting their feet wet in some capacity, what would you say is what would you say is like a common question that you get very early on about people pursuing entrepreneurship in those early stages?

SPEAKER_01 9:25

Uh so really, I don't think it's it's really a question that I get. I get more of individuals that they may know what they need to do, but they really need someone to kind of hold their hand initially to get going. And and I will share with you um, so my first business was really into real estate. Um I was a real estate investor. Um, you know, I was, like I said, I was still in the military and I had gone to a real estate investor meeting, not a you know, a realtor meeting, but an investor meeting. And I partnered, I kind of met this gentleman, older gentleman. He was actually retired military. And uh, you know, just being able to be around him doing my first couple of deals really helped me out because he was actually able to assist me, gave me the confidence to know that I would what I was doing was correct. And that that kind of started my entrepreneur entrepreneur journey. So I think what really is the challenge for new entrepreneurs is just kind of having someone hold their hand when they first get started to let them know that, hey, what you're doing is right and this is the way you should be doing it.

SPEAKER_00 10:32

And I think too, that's sometimes how that comparison is the thief of joy can start to take its, take its head. I I feel like sometimes when you don't have that person that's been there done that, when you don't have somebody to kind of like egg you on, because I I do feel like you're speaking to somebody that's different than like your family member or like your friend, that's just gonna, you know, there's that's just gonna support you off the strength of who you are and what you do to them. You really do need somebody that's gonna give you the pros and the cons, the good and the bad, but also at that same time let you know that you're building that foundation. So I do understand that because even I think about too, when I started back in 2019, whereas there were probably a lot of podcasts out and just a lot of people doing that. I feel like now that I look at 2026, I feel like everybody's doing it. And not in a bad way, but I do feel like a lot more people are listening to them or suggesting them. In 2019, during COVID, we weren't asking about podcasts or who's listening to what or who's doing what. So I felt like for me, just getting started, it was very new. Even just making my first episode, I go back and listen now, and it was just like, yeah, I would do, I would just make things a little bit different. But sometimes I often felt like I didn't really know who to go to. And a lot of people were kind of asking me questions and wanted to kind of get my pick my brain and do different things like that. But I didn't really see myself as that at the time because I'm still learning, I'm still doing your YouTube universities and your Google searches and things like that. Now, in a previous answer, you brought up the idea of wearing many hats. And I feel like that's definitely something that I do in my business. It's definitely something that I take pride in, but it's not something per se that I want to continue doing. But I do feel like, and I've even spoken about this in previous episodes, I do feel like there comes a point in time where people just have a problem, not even necessarily delegating, but delegating, but also that divide of when to kind of move on, of when to kind of, you know, I if I can automate this or if I can build a team or if I can give other roles to other people. So, how do you encourage people that while it may not necessarily be bad to wear the all the hats in your business, you can probably be a bit more productive if you are to kind of move around and be the true business owner?

SPEAKER_01 12:25

Yeah, so you know, um, one of the things that I share with, you know, entrepreneurs is that the shift most entrepreneurs never make is from operator to CEO. Every stage of your business growth requires a different version of you as the business owner. And the skills that help you start your business are not often the same skills that you need to scale it. So, you know, uh, you know, if you started your business five years ago or you know, in 2019, the person that you were at that point and the knowledge that you had, uh, a lot of people carry that same knowledge and think that, hey, that will really get them to the next level. But what I tell everyone is at a certain point, you have to hire individuals that have a zone of excellence in something, right? So for a podcast, you might have to hire individuals that know how to scale podcasts, that you know may know how to recruit individuals that be on your podcast, how to get your visibility out there. Because as one individual, you're not an expert in all, right? So that's what I try to share with everyone is that at some point uh you will not be able to actually scale your business farther than the knowledge that you have.

SPEAKER_00 13:40

It even spoke to me a bit just the same. I I have to recognize that you know, I'm not a jack of all trades. So it is important to have people that specialize in everything, even when you think about the corporate world, you know, they hire for certain positions because they want people that are skilled in that aspect. They want to bring you on for this. The job description really kind of writes itself in a sense. So, but I get that. I get that a hundred percent. Now, thinking about what you do, you spoke to your ideal client, you spoke a lot of the times who you're working with just the same. Would you say that there gets to a point where you kind of just want to let people fly? Like you, you, you may meet people in the beginning. You may meet them, you kind of may work with them, you kind of may scale them. Do you is it is this a thing more so, is it more common for you to still stay and stay in touch with these businesses, still stay in contact with them and still help them grow, or does it get to a point where you're just like, okay, we've we've kind of maybe knocked off some goals or achieved where you've wanted to go. Now it's kind of go ahead on to the next one. What's that process for you?

SPEAKER_01 14:37

Yeah, so for me, uh I stay in contact with all of the individuals that I work with, right? Because you pretty much you're developing a community. Um, so you know, when they're in the program, when they are out of the program, it's really like a community you can leverage because you know, they may end up learning something that I know nothing about. So I really want to stay in contact with everyone that I'm working with. You know, they're in my database. And it's almost just like I'm going out to other networking events and meeting other individuals.

SPEAKER_00 15:09

I like that. And I do think that's important, too. That even a great thing that you just kind of highlighted is that even though they're coming to you for help, for assistance, for guidance, you still, as a teacher, have to remain a student. You can still, you know, you're not you're not versed in every single niche, every single industry. So somebody you guys could really be teaching each other, bouncing ideas off of one another, and that could also give you something that when you work with this industry again, now you have a different approach, or now you've had an experience where now it kind of helps you to help this new person or these new people.

SPEAKER_01 15:39

So yeah, uh, what I was gonna also state is uh one of the things that I also um think about is a lot of people talk about, you know, your ideal client, right? So everyone says, hey, you gotta know your ideal client. You gotta, you know, they're the people that really drive your business. But I'll take it an even step further. So you should know your ideal client, but then you also should know the people that come in contact with your ideal client. So just, you know, the people that are in my program and I mentor, they may come in contact with my ideal client. So that's another reason that I keep in contact with them because they're gonna run into other people that's interested in entrepreneurship. Hey, they can refer to my program because they'll come in contact with my ideal client all the time.

SPEAKER_00 16:27

I love that too, that that word of mouth. But also, too, it speaks to the reputation that you build and the work that you do because people are not just gonna refer anybody just willy-nilly, you know, because that then is their name on the line. But if this is somebody who they're well respected, they're well protected, you know, I've worked with them. They've the results are proven, everything is given. It's not just all talk, then I love that too. You kind of led me into my next question just a bit too. So now, with people discovering you and people finding out about you, what would you say are in most cases, in most scenarios, how how do people become clients of yours? Is it through referrals? Is it like are you attending just different events? Is social media a big play for you? What does that look like from a promotional perspective?

SPEAKER_01 17:05

So I will say that really is it's been myself going out, networking, meeting other people, but then it's also visibility online, visibility in the community. I'm also part of um a nonprofit called the TOSA Initiative, um, which we're you know recreating Wall Street and you know, like smaller communities. Uh so yeah, it's really for me, I've been I that I am the founder and CEO, I have individuals that are working for me, allows me to get out and actually do the networking and meet new people.

SPEAKER_00 17:38

I love that. Networking is so important, even for my even for my uh my my introverts out there. I'm telling you that you know, it there comes a time where I'm a big advocate for shooting your business shot. And it definitely has paid dividends for me. Just sometimes being in rooms that sometimes have nothing to do with podcasting, nothing to do with communication marketing. But you get to talking to people, they as you start asking questions, business cards get passed around, and next thing you know, you have another interview, you have another client, you have somebody who because it's is and too, it's not always about that person right then and there. As you spoke to, sometimes you come across people who, when you kind of explain to them what you do, oh, I know somebody who was I was just talking to so and so about that, and they could use it. And the next thing, and a lot of times that's how the connections have come for me, too. That it's not necessarily the people who I'm speaking to, but the people who they know, and then you get tapped into another network, and before you know it, it's revolving. And I I will also no go ahead. No, I was I was about to ask another question, so no, go ahead. No, go ahead. I I'll come back to that. Okay. Well, I was gonna say, okay, so the intention behind building your team now, I feel like that that is something where it's it's something that I take very seriously because obviously nobody is gonna treat your baby like you're like like you will. Nobody is gonna kind of put the and it's not to say that they just wouldn't care about it, but at the end of the day, as that founder, as that CEO, you you kind of have done the blood, sweat, and the tears, you're doing the trials and the tribulations through it all. So with building this behind you, you know, with recognizing that you wanted to go from operator to true CEO, what was that process like? Were you kind of just, was it people kind of already in your network, people who you had worked with previously, were you just outsourcing? Was it a little bit of everything?

SPEAKER_01 19:14

Yeah, it was really a little bit of everything. So, you know, when I started to really try to scale, um, I was using services like Fiverr and Upwork to try to find different VAs um to actually kind of you know leverage. And that worked out for a little bit, but you know, those individuals weren't really um dedicated to you know helping my business. So I needed to come up with a different system. So I still used um virtual assistants from that are from overseas. I've just developed a different process to be able to evaluate those individuals that we hire to make sure that they're the right fit for my business. Um and then using that, I had to also draft you know SOPs and different guidelines that they must follow as they're you know submitting documents and submitting requirements to me.

SPEAKER_00 20:03

It's all about using your resources. And I'm just gonna tell y'all, I'm I'm gonna let y'all do whatever y'all need to do with this information. When I first sat down with Antoine, like when we kind of had like our pre-meet, he probably had the coolest setup that I've ever been in, like in my life. Like I was sitting in like an office with him, we were talking, and it was it was just something I had never done before. But you know that just also goes to show the beauty of just learning and just discovering, but also just talking to people and networking. You know, you find out about I've been to a couple of networking events out here in DC, and I thought that I had one of the coolest apps as far as like transferring contacts and business cards until you meet somebody else that had that same thing but went to this. So sometimes it's just really just about having those conversations, and you really may learn something, and it's even more powerful when that knowledge, that that little nugget can be applied to your business or what you're doing as an entrepreneur. So I I I like the intention behind that at all because too, it's it's I I think about sometimes the ease at which, if I could just have something in place, as you said, writing an SOP, kind of giving that to somebody, letting them operate as well, but still keeping the standard and still keeping the structure of my business is the most important part up front.

SPEAKER_01 21:08

So I will also share that um another thing that probably is different for me, and I try to preach this to everyone, is you have to be different. Not really different because you want to show other people, but just be different in the way you run your business. So, you know, I don't really follow the same flow of everyone else. You know, um, for example, you know, a lot of people are using different um, you know, CRMs and they're using different places to add their courses. What I try to do is I try to do the research to find out that, you know, what's going to be really good for my business versus just following other people and what they're doing. So for example, um, you know, I I found the um a white label software that I use for my courses. So it's actually branded to mine, and that worked worked out. I use App Sumo a lot for. A lot of um, you know, lifetime deals that really work out. And, you know, with me, that cuts down on cost as well because now I'm paying, I'm not paying like a monthly subscription for different uh tools out there.

SPEAKER_00 22:14

It's important. It's really just because you see a lot of people that may have amassed success from it, or you see a lot of maybe these household names or brands or or just different things using it doesn't mean it's the end all be all. Doesn't mean what may work for them could be totally different in your situation.

SPEAKER_01 22:30

Yep. And you know, and then what I share is um so we preach a framework. Um, and we, you know, we have all of the entrepreneurs develop a framework. Um, and and I'll share that uh even though I was an entrepreneur and I started my first business in 2007, um, it really wasn't until about five or six years ago that it really got going. Obviously, I was in the military, but what I realized is I didn't have a proper framework. Um, and by you know, developing that framework, it allowed me to actually understand where I was in my business and what I needed. So there's a lot of courses out there, there are a lot of tools that come come uh by, and they may be great products, but it may not be the right time for your business. So, you know, I would just suggest, like, hey, not not doing that, you know, at this point. And then also I will share that as far as mentors, um uh, you know, when you're looking for a mentor, you you kind of want to find someone that's been through the same fire that you you're going through because they can provide so much valuable information versus another entrepreneur that may be doing great, but they haven't faced the challenges that you've grough. So they can't really provide any great insight. They may be making a million, but they don't really know how to help you get past what you're facing.

SPEAKER_00 23:53

That's uh that's a gem right there. You you have to find what's conducive to you. And sometimes all that glitters is is not goal. It really has to be about what you may think is just so right, so perfect, so that could be the downfall, could be something that kind of puts you in a in a totally different direction. So I think it's all about, you know, in order to maintain that integrity, sometimes you you have to make a sacrifice, or sometimes you have to do the, you have to dare to be different. You have to do the unthinkable, go the road, less travel, and just see what it does for your business. So yeah, I like that a lot. I feel like as not even just as business owners and entrepreneurs, but as people, we naturally are drawn to comfort. We naturally are drawn to just what is not prone to the most risk, what is not kind of gonna put me out there that much. But scared money don't make no money as they say it. But I feel like that word money can be replaced with a few different things. So I I kind of love that, I love that insight and I appreciate you sharing that. Okay, so when we're thinking about now meeting people where they are, the ideal client, even sticking in in contact with them and staying afterwards to just allow them, whether it just be a check-in, whether it just be for connections, whether it even be they may just need something in the future, what does the future outlook for the skillful advisor, for what you're doing, for you know, and thinking about even the times that we're in now? Um, because I I I feel like I've kind of asked this question to a lot of just business owners and entrepreneurs, but I feel like the question of AI has been so interesting within businesses and within industries and niches. So for you, as you move forward, as you kind of think about where you're still going, that foundation that you're still kind of building and fine-tuning, what does that look like for you and your business?

SPEAKER_01 25:31

Hey, so what I'll share is I think with AI, AI is a great tool, helped you do a lot of analysis, uh, give you different frameworks. But as an entrepreneur, um, the implementation of that framework is still gonna be hands-on because AI is not in the field with you actually doing the day-to-day operations, helping you, it may help you put it together, but it's not actually out there holding your hand. So for me, I don't believe that AI will um it will enhance your business and it will help you um improve it. But a new entrepreneur really needs somebody on the ground that they can reach out to and say, hey, I might have seen this on AI, but am I implementing it the right way?

SPEAKER_00 26:17

Understood. It's all about how you use it. And I feel like we are literally at the the helm of it. So we we as human beings, as business owners, entrepreneurs, we kind of control the direction that it goes and how we build it and what we teach it and what it learns and and all of that. So interesting, interesting perspective, but I love to always just hear from those people who not necessarily shrug it off, but it's just like, look, that's not gonna really stop me from doing what I've been doing, from moving around.

SPEAKER_01 26:42

So right, for me, you know, I'm really doing consulting. Now, if I if I had a business where I was building websites and things like that, it may be different because now you can use AI to build you know a full website, you know, help you with your SEO and things like that. But as far as business consulting, um, I feel that that will always be around. I could be I could end up changing over to be a consultant for AI or how to implement AI tools in your business, but that consulting piece will always be around.

SPEAKER_00 27:14

Absolutely right about that. With um with where we with where we are now and just what you're doing, what people are are thinking about the world, AI, we can even throw that in there. Do you feel like it's ever too late to start a business? Or have people kind of come to you and they felt like they're kind of maybe too old or past a certain point in their career or uh industry is saturated? Like, how do you how have you handled that approach when somebody has said like it's probably out of the cards for me?

SPEAKER_01 27:50

Yeah, so I feel like you're never too old. Um, people start businesses all the time, uh, but you can't be too late. Um, and what I mean by that is if let's say you're you're planning to start a business, but you you work to make sure that every piece of that business is perfect before you get going, that opportunity could pass you by. So, what I suggest to a lot of individuals, um, you know, go with the 70% uh because you can continue to fine-tune it as you as you're going. You may get to 100% and launch it and it'd be a flop, or you could go with the 70%, launch it, and it could be a really great product that you can fine-tune, you know, as you go along.

SPEAKER_00 28:35

Now, from my down-to-business vets, y'all know that quote is a page out of my book. I always tell y'all, this is not about perfect, this is not about perfection, because if you if you work so hard towards perfection, where do you go from there? How do you get to 100 to 1%? What does that look like? Versus you can notice some clear differences from a 70 to a 75, from a 75 to a 82 or 82 to a, you know, so I feel like you have to give yourself grace, but I do like that, I do like how you frame that. About it's not necessarily about your age, but it could be about the process. It could be about everything leading up to that that could have put you way behind the eight ball now. And now you're doing yourself more harm than good. All right. Now, when people are finding out about you, for my even as I said, there are probably gonna be some people during this episode that probably know nothing about us, but now they're inquiring, or now they may know somebody who knows somebody who may need your services or what they do. What can they expect with it with when it comes to an experience with a skillful advisor?

SPEAKER_01 29:32

So I would say that you know, we're all we're always professional and we're always gonna help. Uh, you know, by working with us, you're definitely gonna get uh, you know, your value because I find myself, you know, just someone just maybe calling me that's not even my client. And before you know it, like I'm totally helping them. So, you know, you will definitely get a great product and you won't be uh disappointed.

SPEAKER_00 29:55

I got you. And as so to not to spoil anything or not to give away anything, because I know sometimes we talk to people on here who are writing books or who have different formulas or blueprints that they want to release, courses, whatever have you, is there anything that we can expect now? Because obviously now down to business, this is not just gonna be a one-time thing. We're definitely tapped in, we're definitely wishing obviously you the utmost success, but I'm interested to see the progress and just where things go, the clientele, everything like that. So is there anything kind of in the pipeline, anything in the future that you're you're kind of excited for as you think about the direction you're going with the business?

SPEAKER_01 30:28

No, just you know, for us right now, it's just continuing to grow. Um uh, you know, even though I am an entrepreneur for a while, you know, um I had a challenge with deciding if I wanted to promote my personal brand uh as the face of the business or actually uh drive it as an actual business itself. So we kind of just changed, we made a decision that the business is gonna is gonna run off of my personal brand. And then I will then, uh when people reach out to me, I will then you know tell them about my business because I am really the person that's out networking with the business. So people come in contact with me first and will remember me first before they remember my business. So uh you will just definitely see more of me uh online and visible, you know, across social media.

SPEAKER_00 31:22

I like that. That makes me actually think of something in my earlier stages of business where it was hard for me to differentiate the two. And it wasn't until I sat down with one of my friends that he was just like, you know, people know Tamar Turner for who he is, for what you do in any capacity that they've come across you, whether it be school, whether it be personal, whether it be sports, fraternity, life, job, anything. But they just because they know who you are does not necessarily mean that they're always going to relate and resonate with what you do as a business owner, as an entrepreneur. And that was the hardest thing for me because I also felt like, well, if I do decide to, you know, keep my personal brand, obviously, but if I then do decide to make down to business like a different entity or umbrella, I feel like I'll be starting from scratch. And he was like, if anything, that's refreshing. It's because it'll really also to allow you to realize who who is interested in that. Everybody that follows your personal page may not want to see everything down to business related. Everybody may find out that you're a business owner or entrepreneur, but you can't kind of force that on them the same way that you would if this was just the down-to-business page, the down-to-business website. They know what they're getting when they come to that website for podcasts, anything of the sort like that. So I like that because, too, I also think that it it still keeps that authenticity. It still just lets people know that, hey, at the end of the day, I'm Antoine. At the end of the day, I'm Tamar. At the end of the day, this is who I am, this is what I do. But also, if you must know, I'm also here. I'm also a consultant. I also kind of do this and help business owners and entrepreneurs build scale and just take out the complexities of everything. So I think that even spoke to me just a bit more to let me know. And even the other business owners and entrepreneurs out there like that too. Look, it's nothing wrong with having your mission and your vision, but you're still who you are at the end of the day. Before that business got started, you still were that. I love that.

SPEAKER_01 33:07

Right now, and then I was gonna say that uh, you know, also social your social media platforms, um, all of them are different for different audiences, right? So, you know, I am heavily now on LinkedIn because it's more business professionals. So something that I post on LinkedIn um may not be something that I post on Facebook or IG because it's a different audience. So you just got to kind of know your audience. Uh, but I am heavily on LinkedIn, which I share with all business owners, they probably should be on LinkedIn as well.

SPEAKER_00 33:39

I love LinkedIn. It was you obviously helped me get some jobs and secure some things, but I definitely do think I've made some of my most genuine and best connections on there. And it also just kind of is taught me things. You know, I follow people who are well versed in the podcast space. I follow just different pages and platforms that are just, but as you said, you know, whereas you may go to certain things for news or for sports or for entertainment, that LinkedIn is going to give you what you're looking for every single time, especially as a business owner. So a great gem there, just the same. Now, before we uh let people know where they can find you, social medias, LinkedIn, everything like that, do you feel like there is anything that we haven't touched on today that you want to get into or even any last words that you want to leave for the people out there, for the business owners, for the entrepreneurs, for the creatives, anybody listening to this?

SPEAKER_01 34:24

Um, one of the things I would just say don't let yourself be, don't let yourself be your business busiest, busiest obstacle in your business, um, which is the bottleneck. Um, you know, the gap between uh where your business is today, um you could be the bit the gap between where your business is today and where it could go tomorrow.

SPEAKER_00 34:47

Man, if I I I laugh at that because you know it wasn't until I had some tough conversations with some people that it was just like, yeah, I can be the problem. Like, and I and that, and obviously, as a from the outside looking in, that's that's I love the feedback when somebody tells you that. Um, but when you're looking at it as your business owner, entrepreneur, you just kind of you're like, no, not me. Like it could never, like I'm I'm trying to do everything right. How could I possibly be holding myself back? And then when you you look at some things, you're like, yeah, I'm holding myself back. So I I definitely do appreciate that. And I just, you know, I thank you obviously for all the value. I think you for just the connection, you know, even the pre-conversation that we had was just very insightful. And it just, as I said, you put me in one of the coolest things that I've I've seen since I've, you know, since doing interviews. But the fact that, you know, for going through the website and just going through your pages and your social media and just seeing everything that you do, but the value that you provide, it really resonates with me a lot. And I feel like it can really resonate with obviously we spoke about your ideal client, but we spoke about who you serve and ultimately where you are with things. So I feel like, you know, people listening to this, people who are coming across this episode, no matter which stage or phase that they're in, I think they'll be able to gain some insight and some perspective from it as well. Now, when it comes to getting in contact with you, when it comes to reaching you, when it comes to people who you've probably piqued their curiosity at this point, as far as websites, social medias, LinkedIn, can you just give us everything you got on your side?

SPEAKER_01 36:04

Yeah, so right now, um, if someone wants to reach out to me, they can find me on my personal website, which is AntoinePerson.com. So that's A-N-T-W-O-N-P-E-R-S-O-N.com or on LinkedIn, AntoinePerson.

SPEAKER_00 36:18

All right, y'all. My business owners and entrepreneurs, if y'all not on LinkedIn, you know, on LinkedIn, don't be that obstacle. So, no, but again, thank you so much. Obviously, you know, we will definitely be tapped in here. Um, I hope my LB hears this. Um, I'm very disappointed that we are missing clave this year, but we are gonna get you married, brother, and we're gonna have a good time. But nonetheless, you know, from down to business, the skillful advisor to you as well, Antoine. Just thank you so much for everything that you're doing, for the value that you provided today from our audience, but what you'll go on and what you'll continue to do. I'm very much excited that we were able to connect, but now excited to be tapped in on the journey and be here every step along the way. So, to everybody who continuously listens to us, look, man, uh I told y'all it was time. We were here. Best month of the year is upon us. So please just, you know, keep doing what you're doing. I appreciate all the motivation. I appreciate all the love. I appreciate everything that y'all have been doing to corral these episodes and just keep things going. So I love y'all. I appreciate y'all. This has been another episode of the Down to Business Podcast here with Tamar Turner.