How to Make Money and Make an Impact in Business | Profit With Purpose

Can you make money and still make an impact — or do you have to choose?

In this Real Talk episode of The CEO Lounge, co-hosts Derrick Thompson and Joselyn Flores tackle one of the biggest unspoken tensions in entrepreneurship: the emotional conflict between building wealth and doing good in the world.

Many entrepreneurs start their journey wanting to serve people, help their communities, and make a difference. But what happens when you realize that impact actually requires money, systems, and infrastructure?

In this conversation, Derrick shares lessons from building multiple ventures and leading community initiatives — while Joselyn asks the tough questions about purpose, profit, generosity, and guilt around money that many founders struggle with but rarely talk about.

This episode breaks down the truth about profit with purpose and why avoiding money does not make you more ethical — but it might stop you from creating the impact you want.

In this episode you'll learn:

• Why impact without income is not sustainable
• The dangerous mindset behind undercharging for your services
• Why profit and purpose are not opposites
• How entrepreneurs can start giving back even with limited resources
• The importance of systems and infrastructure behind impact
• Why money often amplifies who you already are
• How to build a business that creates both wealth and real change

Whether you're a new entrepreneur, service provider, startup founder, or small business owner, this episode will challenge the way you think about money, generosity, leadership, and impact.

Subscribe to The CEO Lounge for more real conversations about entrepreneurship, leadership, business growth, and building something meaningful.

#Entrepreneurship #SmallBusiness #BusinessLeadership #PurposeDrivenBusiness #ProfitWithPurpose #StartupAdvice

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:04

Welcome to the CEO Lounge, your blueprint for success. This show was founded by Derek Thompson, a 30-year entrepreneur and CEO who has built multiple ventures from the ground up. And I'm Jocelyn Flores. Five years into my own entrepreneurial journey, I am sitting here asking the hard-hitting questions. And this is a real talk episode, meaning we're diving deep into topics that may be a little taboo for some people, hard to discuss, not that popular, or things that we're very, very passionate about, um, and that might require some tough questions and some tough uh looking inward on ourselves. Yes. So that's what the real talk episodes are about. And today, specifically, we're gonna be talking about making money while making an impact. So building wealth without losing why we started. Right. Um, when I grew up hearing, it's better to give than to receive. I think maybe a lot of us grew up with that. Right. I don't think it's a bad thing to grow up on, right? I grew up definitely hearing, especially from my mom, it's better to give than to receive. And she's been a testament of that example my entire life. And to this day, she is she's still that. And I've always believed that. So when I started um my entrepreneurial journey, I carried that mindset into business and I carry that mindset into everything that I do. It's better to give than to receive. I want to help people, I want to serve, I want to make an impact. But then I feel like I ran into something that maybe we don't talk about enough, which is what happens when you want to give, you want to serve, you want to make an impact, but you're not financially stable yet to do it. You're just not there yet. But that desire doesn't go away just because I'm not financially there to be able to do it. Right. So what happens when generosity starts competing, right, with sustainability? I can't necessarily sustain how generous I want to be. But if I'm not making an impact, if I'm not generous, I'm not being true to who I am, and then I'm suffering because I'm not being able to tap into this area that I've always wanted to be able to do. Um, and as we've mentioned, Derek runs multiple ventures and several of them give back to the community. Um they they give back in in different ways.

SPEAKER_01 2:10

Right.

SPEAKER_02 2:11

But that level of giving back to the community, it yes, it came from passion, yes, it came from a desire to serve and maybe some emotion, but it didn't happen, right? There's some infrastructure that has to go into impact, yes, into being able to give back.

SPEAKER_01 2:27

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 2:27

So today we're talking about that, that tension between purpose and profit and how to build both without compromising the other.

SPEAKER_01 2:34

Right.

SPEAKER_02 2:34

So I have a couple of questions for you.

SPEAKER_01 2:36

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 2:37

First, I want to talk about what does impact really look like? And I think it's really important for all of us to ask ourselves, what does it look like for me? Right. Right? Right. So when people hear impact, uh, usually think about nonprofit, a foundation, a charity.

SPEAKER_01 2:55

Right.

SPEAKER_02 2:55

But I think like that's not the full picture. Uh first I want to ask you, what impact are you most proud of?

SPEAKER_00 3:02

Oh man, bringing that one. Um, there's a lot. Um, I'd have to put it into two different buckets.

SPEAKER_01 3:09

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 3:10

So if it's the impact as far as on the community, um, I would say, man, I don't know if I can pick just one. Because one of the things that we did when we started TNT Creative Group is we picked several initiatives that we wanted to support and be a part of. So in hindsight, that might have been a little much. You know what I mean? Because we didn't, you know, we hadn't made a dollar yet. We picked like literally three causes that we were going to support. And not only that, it wasn't that, okay, we're gonna just help these causes, we were like creating our own programs.

SPEAKER_01 3:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 3:43

You know. Yeah. So yeah, it was a little, little much, you know, in the beginning, but I'm so proud of what we did. Um, we uh created a camp for kids uh to teach them how to code and you know other other um technology within STEM. Uh so which went on for like 10 years. Yeah, 10 years, yeah, 10-year summer camp. Uh we gave away a bunch of Chromebooks for free to kids, um, as well as other, you know, robots and whatnot, um, and taught them how to code. I'm proud of that. I'm proud of our bowling for autism program that we had. We had that for about five years until COVID. And we were able to donate a bunch of iPads to classrooms that taught kids that had special needs.

SPEAKER_01 4:23

Beautiful.

SPEAKER_00 4:23

Um, we also gave away, you know, money and made pledges and, you know, all of that. Um and we established a golf tournament as well where we picked a different beneficiary every year. Like one year it was Stop Soldier Suicide, another year it was the Alzheimer's Association. So we would like to pick different causes every year and did that for several, several years. So I'm proud of all that. Yeah. So I don't know if I could pick one of those. Um, but then on the personal side for family, um, definitely proud of what I was able to, you know, provide, you know, from that side. So again, we're in business to, you know, we're in business to make money. Yeah. You know, we want to have a certain lifestyle and all that. But then I'm a big believer in also using our business to do good in society. So I'm proud of those things that we did in the society. Um, I say on a personal level, probably when I bought my wife a Maserati for her birthday. I think that was probably the um on a personal level. I mean, that's a good my husband's in the audience.

SPEAKER_02 5:34

Maybe in a couple years ago, like, what's what are you most? Oh, you know. I I love a forerunner.

SPEAKER_00 5:40

Like I normally don't talk about that, but you know, if I'm being honest, if this is real talk. Yes. Then yes.

SPEAKER_02 5:48

Yeah, because and it and it looks different for everybody, right? Like, um, I mean, I remember being really little and telling my parents like two things that like I knew one day I want to do for them. Uh and like I would always tell them that, right? And I'd be like, mom, one day I'm gonna buy you a house. And I would be like, Dad, one day I'm gonna buy you the truck of your dreams, right? And I'll um, and one day when I can say I did both of those things, like that's gonna be like the impact that I, not just to the, yes, I want to impact the world, right? But we all have those personal things that like we that mean a lot to us and be able to say, I was able to do this, but I wasn't able to do this because I had like really good feelings about it, you know? Because it was just like I was so excited. I was able to do this because there was money to be able to do it. It requires infrastructure, it requires a system. Right. Um, but I also think that we get really caught up in like, again, thinking impact has to be um, I want to change the world. I wanna start a charity, I want to start a foundation, I wanna everything you were saying, you're like, we were able to give these the uh Chromebooks, we were able to give these computers away, we were able to choose these though that is beyond beautiful. And I think we should strive for that.

SPEAKER_01 7:03

Right.

SPEAKER_02 7:03

But I think we also have to be real with ourselves. Like I said, when we're starting out, and you really want to make an impact, but like you can't necessarily and you said maybe I started off a little too strong. So here we are learning maybe from mistakes, and you would say in the beginning, don't go all in.

SPEAKER_00 7:20

You can ease into you have time. Yeah, you know, make and if you if you're not making money, you're not gonna be able to continue to sustain and help causes. So yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 7:29

So I think if you're wondering how to make a difference and make money, uh, first go back to what does make a difference mean to you. Right, right. It it looks different for everybody. And the before we go into any of the money-making aspects, we're just we want to talk about what is impact. Like, you know, a lot we think like impact has to be shiny, it has to be bright, it has to be visible, it has to have my name on it, and everybody has to know that I did it.

SPEAKER_00 7:52

Oh boy, yeah. Right? Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 7:54

And if it's not that, then I didn't make an impact because nobody knows I was the one who did it.

SPEAKER_01 7:58

Right, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 7:59

Uh or I didn't change anything because nobody knows that my name was attached to that.

SPEAKER_01 8:03

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 8:04

Why, why do you think that's like the way that we've kind of been um, I don't know, made to feel like impact must look.

SPEAKER_00 8:11

Yeah, well, because that's what is you know highlighted the most, you know, the person that has the building named after them or, you know, the you know, big elaborate donation and whatnot. And that's great.

SPEAKER_01 8:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:22

But, you know, being able to give your time is super, super valuable. You know, there's so many causes that need help from a time standpoint that um, you know, there there's so many ways that you can give outside of, you know, just being monetary.

SPEAKER_01 8:36

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 8:36

And if I could go back, that's the thing that I probably would have done a little more earlier, would have done a little more of that. I think we're actually pivoting to that a little bit now to where we're donating more of our services now. Um, we're creating videos for nonprofits to help them um, to help them showcase what they do versus writing as many checks. You know? Yeah. So we still write checks, but trying to be a little more intentional with that. And so as you're starting out, that's what I would encourage you to, you know, the biggest way to make an impact is maybe utilize your service, what you do as a business to donate that maybe a little more as a way to give back. And then once you get more established, then there are uh other ways that I'm sure we'll talk about to where you can decide how you actually then get into giving money.

SPEAKER_02 9:24

Yeah. Cause like if you if you're not in a position right now where you can just write checks, uh, but that desire is in your heart, and you're like, but you know, I wasn't, I didn't just do this um, you know, just for the money. I did because I really wanted to help out. Right. You can donate services, even though that whole I don't do this for the money, we'll get into it a little bit. I have a question on that.

SPEAKER_01 9:47

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 9:47

That's why I was like, should I say this? Cause then I'm probably gonna take those words back in a few minutes.

SPEAKER_01 9:52

But but we'll we'll get there.

SPEAKER_02 9:56

But again, it's like we're defining what does impact look like for you. Right. What is making a difference? Impact for you could be, I, you know, I'll know that I made a difference when I am able to host entire Thanksgiving for my entire family and not even have to question the costs. Like, here you go, family, this is on me, you know? Or you're like, no, when I can donate a couple of million to my alma mater and have my name on a this, it's different for everybody. So, first, like, what is we because we would be crazy to think that when you ask what is impact, what is making a difference look like, we would be crazy to think that there's one answer to that question. Not at all. It's it looks different for everybody. Um, and before anything, you need to define like what does it look like for you and what is true to you. Yeah, what are you doing because you believe in it, or what are you willing to do because of what it's gonna look like?

SPEAKER_01 10:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 10:51

Because if you're just doing for what it's gonna look like, you're gonna find yourself in a situation where you're probably giving more than your sales.

SPEAKER_00 10:58

Definitely will. Yeah, you got, yeah, because you want the the Instagram post, the, you know, whatever, showcasing yourself there with the picture with the check and you know, all of that. And I mean, yeah, that's that feels great, you know, to get that that shine and notoriety. Yeah, it feels feels wonderful. Um, but there's a lot that comes with that. Um, you know, one being very public with that then also brings a lot of other requests your way. So that's something, you know, you're on the lookout for. And I'm sure we'll kind of get into those things. But yeah, yeah, there's a lot, a lot there. But I know for me personally, um, I one impact for me was seeing a kid that um pursued, um, pursued technology, you know, because we were able to introduce them to it early, you know, and so they had the confidence later on and, you know, didn't kind of feel like they um should not, you know, go into that. So that was a big driver. Yeah, because and that was all from I was at a Rotary Club meeting and someone from the Y came and they explained about the technology gap and said how um a lot of like between third and fifth grade, that's when the gap happens because those that are not, you know, introduced to certain facets of technology will get left behind. And it wasn't so much a uh socioeconomic thing, although that is a factor for sure. But it was also simply the fact of just if your your family just might not be, you know, might not be in the tech. You know, you might come in a family that is very well off, but they're in a totally different industry. Yeah, tech was not on the forefront. Yeah, that's a way you can get left behind. So there's so there's so many different ways. So one of our big missions was just to introduce tech to as many kids as possible in that age range.

SPEAKER_02 12:45

Yeah, and that's beautiful. And then that question, like, okay, what does impact look like? I want to, I want to make a difference. What does it look like to you and what is the reasoning behind it, right? Um, because again, like this is a real talk episode. So, like, yes, that there's a ton of people who make a huge difference. There's a ton of people who are very wealthy, and because of that, they are able to give tons of money. I'm not I am not saying that, like, oh, we're gonna discredit the money they give because it didn't come from a kind place. Because I'm sure the people who got that money donated to them could care less. Yeah. If it came from the goodness of your heart or because you just wanted your name. I I needed that donation. Absolutely. But like at the end of the day, you know, we gotta go to bed with ourselves and our mind and our heart, and we gotta deal with our own decisions. Right. And we know, even if somebody else out there doesn't know why I did that, you know why you did it.

SPEAKER_01 13:33

Right.

SPEAKER_02 13:33

And so you really need to know what does making a difference look like? What does it mean? Is it driven by truly wanting to help create change? Or is it driven by wanting to see my name be be pronounced and be on, you know, and whatever that might be, the world may not see it. Right and it may not matter, but you know.

SPEAKER_01 13:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 13:55

And whether you think it matters or not, it's gonna matter one day. It's gonna chip away at that.

SPEAKER_01 13:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 13:59

You know, I feel like we we will we both believe that we're here for, you know, not just to make money and to that the reason why we're talking about this is because we believe that, like, we believe in being good people.

SPEAKER_01 14:09

Right, right, for sure.

SPEAKER_02 14:10

We kind of discuss that all the time in the sense of like nobody's perfect. But really, what's that driving force behind? And I it's important to talk about because especially when you're young, I think you can be um deceived by what it's supposed to look like.

SPEAKER_00 14:26

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 14:26

And so I'm I'm willing to sell my soul so that it looks like that.

SPEAKER_00 14:30

Oh, absolutely. And then also to when you're young, impact to you and what's important to you is gonna be so much different 20, 30 years down the line. You know, I mean, yeah, if you caught me at 25, yeah, I I wanted my name on the building. I wanted I wanted to be in the photo with the check.

SPEAKER_01 14:47

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:48

Yes, I wanted all the limelight. You know what I mean? You know, now, no, I I don't want you to even know who I am. You know, it's totally different, but that's just with age, maturity, living life, you know.

SPEAKER_02 15:03

Impact is not just writing a check. Yeah, it can look so many different ways. We have if you want to make an impact, impact can look like paying people well.

SPEAKER_00 15:11

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 15:12

If you have employees. Yes. Right? Yes.

SPEAKER_00 15:14

Not just for sure.

SPEAKER_02 15:15

That is impacting somebody's life.

SPEAKER_00 15:17

That's a huge impact.

SPEAKER_02 15:18

Creating jobs, having the ability to be able to provide somebody a job, that is making an impact in somebody's life.

SPEAKER_01 15:25

Right.

SPEAKER_02 15:25

Whether they see it that way or not, you were you opened a space where you were able to employ somebody that needed a job.

SPEAKER_00 15:32

Creating a an environment where people want to be there, want to work for that company. That's a hundred. How many people are miserable where they work? Yes.

SPEAKER_02 15:40

You know, so and finding a place where you feel respected, where you feel comfortable, that it is making an impact because that's not the norm. Most people, you know, don't necessarily love their job. It's something that you do um out of need and survival. And even if you are doing out of need and survival, but you found a place where you feel comfortable in, where you feel respected. Right. Where yes, you you you're still expected to do your work and to perform well, but that is making an impact in somebody's life. But we're only seeing what we think it's supposed to look like. Staying in business long enough to matter, that's making an impact. Right? Operating with integrity, that is making an impact. So if you have a service-based business, even if you're a solopreneur and it's only you, but you're providing top quality services and your clients are receiving results from it, they're happy, they're feeling um secure in the service that they hired, that is making an impact. Yes. Uh, delivering excellence, mentoring, mentoring is an impact. Hopefully, the CEO lounge was it's gonna be a form of an impact on entrepreneurs, anybody looking to grow in business because it's mentoring, refusing to cut corners, right? All of those things, it's it's making an impact.

SPEAKER_00 16:57

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 16:57

But everything that I just mentioned does require for you to be profitable.

SPEAKER_00 17:02

Yes. Right? Yep, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 17:04

So it doesn't negate the money making. So you don't have to start your own nonprofit, you don't have to, you know, start your own, your own business, I mean your own uh organization. There's so many different ways, but we can't ignore the fact that like, okay, but we we gotta make money.

SPEAKER_00 17:19

Gotta make money. Right.

SPEAKER_02 17:21

Or what would you say to like there can sometimes be an emotional and moral confusion around money.

SPEAKER_00 17:26

Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Right? For sure, for sure.

SPEAKER_02 17:28

And why why do you think?

SPEAKER_00 17:30

Oh man. Well, I think, you know, it's kind of what we were talking about earlier. Like, I think money just makes you more of who you who you already are. Right. I I fully believe that. I think if you're, you know, got bad habits or off person or whatever, you're just gonna be more of that. Yeah. I think if you're generous and giving, you know, money's gonna make you that having money's gonna make you more of that. So I I believe that. Um, you know, there's a lot of adages that kind of go against that and say, you know, with money comes, you know, all these other other things. But I th I purely think it's just it just makes you more of who you are.

SPEAKER_02 18:06

Of who you are. Yeah. And like would you say that a lot of times, I don't know, right? There's a moral confusion around money because money makes you more than who you already are. But a lot of times the people who are willing to do whatever it takes are the ones we see in these spaces with lots of money. And so we kind of get clouded by like this negative uh view of people with wealth.

SPEAKER_00 18:33

True, true.

SPEAKER_02 18:34

But yeah.

SPEAKER_00 18:35

That that happens, and then also, so the one thing that does come with money though, what I'll say is it's a lot of times it's the people around you. So uh sometimes if you have money or if it just looks like you have money, right? If it looks like you have a company that's doing anything, you get pulled in a lot of different directions. You get hit up for a lot of things. And that that was something that I was not aware of going into business, especially as a young entrepreneur, you know, in my 20s. So yeah, that's what I would caution um people about going into business, is that that that part of it. Um a lot of a lot of people's job is to take your money. You know what I mean? Like that's just how it is. It w from vendors, um, from some causes, because again, not all causes are great causes. Yeah. You know, and that's how I then determine who I stop giving to. You know, when I see certain, I give everybody a chance, you know, beginning, and then when I see certain things, I'm like, oh, okay. Yeah, we'll we'll kind of stop that. But yeah, you know, I feel like um in in some cases, and again, I weed them out, but there's so many people that are just are doing the bare minimum, just doing just enough to invoice you. You know, what can I do so I can send you an invoice? You know what I mean? And that's that's what that's what a lot of entrepreneurs need to be aware of. Because if you're not, yeah, you're gonna, because when you start, you have a certain amount of money to go and you have a budget and whatnot.

SPEAKER_01 20:14

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:14

And if you're not cautious of who you're bringing on, who you're associating with, what you're giving to, you're gonna be out of money.

SPEAKER_01 20:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:24

Because you're not gonna get the services that you need to be in business, and that money's gone.

SPEAKER_02 20:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:30

So that's something, that's one of the things that you really have to be careful of.

SPEAKER_02 20:33

Be very careful of. Yes. And you know what's weird? I think I don't know if this is just um, and not with all, not with everybody, but it's something that I've seen a lot, and that if I'm being honest, I think I definitely experienced in the beginning. Um, and I don't want to say it's exclusive to young entrepreneurs, right? Wherever you may find yourself, uh, but there's sometimes I feel like there you can feel guilty for charging um your worth.

SPEAKER_01 21:00

Right.

SPEAKER_02 21:01

And it's like, I don't know if I'm crazy for feeling that, uh, but I've seen it where I can tell somebody's like, you know, oh, this is what it's worth, but like, how am I gonna charge that person that much for it?

SPEAKER_01 21:16

Right.

SPEAKER_02 21:16

But but but this is what my service is worth. Why am I feeling guilty for charging what my service is worth?

SPEAKER_00 21:25

I've been there and yeah, that happen happens a lot. Um but what I would say is that's because typically, yeah, it's because you are not talking to your um target market. You're not talking to your buyer persona, your ideal client, that exercise that we've talked about previously. Um I give you an example. So I I run into that when I'm running into an individual that's maybe starting out a business that wants the services that we do for. Or Fortune 500 companies, they're wanting that service. Yeah. You know, and I'm like, well, you know. But it's tough because you don't want to insult them by telling them what it costs. Like, well, do you know it costs this? You know what I mean? So you don't want to come off like that. And then you're thinking, okay, well, uh, can I, can I maybe reduce it? Or you're thinking about you're thinking about you're thinking about how much they can pay you versus what you just charge. What are your rates? Yeah. You know what I mean? So if you're getting into, okay, wait a minute, uh, uh, how much can this person afford to pay? And can I still maybe do it for that? You're not talking to your, you're not talking to your ideal client. That's why you feel guilty.

SPEAKER_02 22:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:44

Because you're not talking to your ideal client.

SPEAKER_02 22:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:47

Um, now, how you then massage that conversation is a whole nother thing. Yeah. But that's because I've thought about that a lot.

SPEAKER_02 22:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:55

And I think that that's where that where where that comes from.

SPEAKER_02 22:58

Yeah. A hundred percent talking, you're you're not talking to your ideal client. And then also that part of you that is like, wait a minute, but like, I'm not all about the money, so I should be able to gift a service. Or, you know, be able, but like we have to be real with ourselves. And again, like nobody goes into business. Um, there's a difference between a charity and a business. And and you're in business to make money, right? And with this money, now you have the ability to do so many other things and and you're able to fund the things that you want to do. Right. But do you think there's ego on both sides, like ego and chasing wealth, and also ego in performing goodness?

SPEAKER_00 23:40

Oh, it can be. Oh, for sure. Right? Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 23:42

Like there's the ego and the chasing wealth, but ego and also like, oh, I just I don't do it for the money.

SPEAKER_00 23:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 23:48

I I do it to give back.

SPEAKER_00 23:50

Yeah, oh yeah. Oh, for sure. Like, let's be real. For sure, for sure. Oh, yeah, definitely, definitely. Yeah, yeah, yeah. There's a lot of ego.

SPEAKER_02 23:58

Undercharging is actually very irresponsible for your business.

SPEAKER_01 24:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 24:04

For yourself. Yeah. And if you have employees, it's extremely irresponsible for your team. So when you're undercharging, I guess somebody is winning, which is this client.

SPEAKER_01 24:15

Right.

SPEAKER_02 24:16

Maybe, but everybody else is losing in the long run. Yeah. You know, it's gonna hurt you, it's gonna hurt your team, it's gonna hurt your clients, it's gonna hurt your mission.

SPEAKER_01 24:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 24:26

It's gonna. So what would you say somebody who's like, well, I guess we would direct them to an episode on finding their ideal client.

SPEAKER_00 24:36

That's right. That's right. I would definitely direct them to that. I would also say, yeah, you know, think about because okay, what what pain is worse? Right? Telling that person that, or just, you know, telling them what the price really is, and you know, worrying about looking a certain way or hurting their feelings, or laying off an amazing employee that you've had for years because you're up here undercharging and now you don't have funds to keep them. What's worse?

SPEAKER_01 25:03

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 25:03

You know, so I'm sure if you can mentally think of, you know, that, yeah, then you'll you'll have less of a problem you know, telling a client what your prices really are.

SPEAKER_02 25:16

Pricing correctly is it's good leadership.

SPEAKER_00 25:18

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 25:19

And for for your team for you. And it it's not it's not noble.

SPEAKER_01 25:24

Right.

SPEAKER_02 25:24

Even if it feels noble, it ends up not being noble.

SPEAKER_01 25:28

No.

SPEAKER_02 25:28

And even if you feel like, you know, this is me doing a good thing, you're actually probably creating more hurt, more damage than good by underpricing.

SPEAKER_00 25:37

Causing more damage. Again, we we'd like to think that we're gonna do a stellar job on that project. We probably won't.

SPEAKER_01 25:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 25:45

You know, because you know, you know what I'm saying, you know they're getting it for way less, you know. And the other thing no one wants to talk about, man, that client's gonna be the biggest pain in the butt. You know what I'm saying? You're gonna work five times as hard for five times less the money.

SPEAKER_02 26:09

Yeah. 100%. Because a lot of times what happens, especially like what I've seen, and I know I mentioned in um in other episodes, but like I, so I do social media management. And what I've seen, uh, and again, I can only speak to like my experience of like in the industry that that that I've been working in, but I'm sure it's across all that when somebody is like very penny pinching, right? It's because this is all they have in order to make this work.

SPEAKER_00 26:32

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 26:32

So if I'm gonna give you, I don't know,$500, so that's so low, but like$500 to run this, it's because I need these$500 to bring in clients. Yes. I need these$500 to to make or break this for me.

SPEAKER_01 26:47

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 26:47

Uh, and so that price is a red flag because they're they're wanting you to work magic. Whereas somebody like your ideal client in a in a higher bracket, in a higher whatever, right? They're they're not micromanaging, uh, they're not needing you to save their business, but you're you're there to to make them look good online, to make sure they're present, they're existing, that the work that they're already doing is being promoted, and also it's turning over into clients, but you know, it's not like the end all be all.

SPEAKER_00 27:16

Nah, they they have it in their seat cushion.

SPEAKER_02 27:18

Yes. So just yeah, it's and I know in the beginning it underpricing, it's it's a lot of different things. It's definitely like fear of not being able to um convince somebody to to to pay you more for this service. But but if you're underpricing because you're like it's the right thing to do. Yeah, no, it's no. It's not, it's not. Yeah, it's not. It is not. I have uh a quote that I heard. Uh I want to say and I want to get your reaction.

SPEAKER_00 27:48

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 27:49

So impact without income is charity.

SPEAKER_00 27:53

Yeah. Oh, that's good.

SPEAKER_02 27:55

Income without impact is empty.

SPEAKER_00 27:58

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 28:00

You agree?

SPEAKER_00 28:00

Yeah, for sure, for sure. Yeah, yeah. I mean, you know, again, you're here to make money. If you're just, you know, giving away and, you know, doing things, you're better off. You're better off just getting a salary and, you know, helping the community on the side where where you can than trying to, you know, do it through your business because you're gonna be out of business. Yeah. Anyway. There's so much impact you can have on the world through your company. There's so much. Um, you know, it's man's look look look at it. Like look at, you know, Amazon, you know, just look, look at these companies that have just so much money.

SPEAKER_01 28:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 28:40

You know what I mean? And they can start a program or fund something, and they're they're the ones that can, you know, write that, have the name on the building, write that shit, and it's like nothing to them. But it's a huge, you know what I'm saying, difference to, you know, to that organization. And so, yeah, I'm a big believer that just through business alone, yes, there's so much that we can do 100% uh to help others.

SPEAKER_02 29:04

And that's the thing. So like you have to be honest with yourself, right? Because there's like sometimes, again, like this moral confusion around money and the topic of money and like chasing wealth. Um, but if you it what does impact look like to you? What does making a difference look like to you? Again, if you're like, I want to be able to, I don't know, uh I want to be able to invite my family to this and not have to think about the cost of it, like that's beautiful. But if we're talking about I want to make impact at scale, yeah. Okay, well that's gonna, that requires, that requires money.

SPEAKER_01 29:34

Right.

SPEAKER_02 29:34

That requires, we're talking a little bit higher level here. We can't kid ourselves and be like, I don't care about the money. That's what I was I was gonna ask you about that. When somebody says, I'm not in it for the money, is that always integrity or sometimes insecurity?

SPEAKER_00 29:50

Oh my gosh. Ooh, we I mean, I don't know. I've kind of lived by the model of when when someone says it's not about the money, it normally is. You know, like if if if you have to say it, if you have to say it, you know what I mean. Then you're not humble. You know, if you brag about how detailed you are, you probably aren't the most detailed. Yeah. Um, yeah, I've just seen that. So that's you know what I think you said, you know, what's what's known doesn't have to be said. You know, so I kind of put it in that in that.

SPEAKER_02 30:23

It's not about the money. I also because sometimes um I was kind of I was reading this article um kind of on this topic, and it was talking about that thing with with a lot of times when you hear people say it's not about the money or they they're avoiding uh, you know, it's not so much because they are the no like, oh, it's noble integrity, but because they're afraid of like the impact of what wealth brings. Yeah. Because wealth uh a lot of times brings impact or it wealth brings influence. And influence a lot of times leads to, you know. That's why you said when you're um when you sometimes you don't even want people to to know anymore because there's an influence now. So now there's an expectation.

SPEAKER_00 31:09

Yeah, yeah. Of like definitely an expectation, definitely, definitely that. And so it's interesting because speaking of expectation, that's the thing. Once you once you give to most, most people, then it's expected. And I put a lot on, okay, what if there's a year or there's a time when I can't do it? You know, how how how how do you react to that?

SPEAKER_02 31:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 31:35

And that then tells me all that I need to know, you know, going forward. Because I've been in that situation. I've been in a situation to where maybe I've give given to something for several years. Yeah. Oh, okay, we can't quite do that right now. And I've seen two different reactions. I've seen the, oh, you know, no problem. Well, we understand, we appreciate all you've done to this point. You know, you're able to do something in the future, great. That, man, I'm like, hey, wow, you've got me for life. Then I've seen total opposite reactions, you know, saying clutching the pearls. Right, really reactions to that. And I'm like, thank you.

SPEAKER_02 32:09

Oh, yeah, yeah. Now I know.

SPEAKER_00 32:10

That's what I that's what I needed to know.

SPEAKER_02 32:12

You know, but because like, okay, we're talking about making an impact, making money, how to build wealth without losing why you started. Um, and there's like these two extremes, right? Of that you can fall into just chasing wealth and nothing else. Um, and then being so virtue driven. So, like, that it's like, again, that putting on this persona that I don't care about the money, or like, you know, undercharging because you don't want to, I don't know, or just not taking the steps that you know you need to that if you took these next two steps, you can make so much more money. Right. And therefore you could have so much more of an impact, but you don't want to take them because like I'm not in it for the money. So, like, why would I do all of that? Um, there's a difference between not caring about money and being uncomfortable with the responsibility and the power that comes with having money.

SPEAKER_01 33:03

Right, right.

SPEAKER_02 33:03

And so it's like the there's two extremes. Like, there are there's a difference between not caring about it, uh, but just because you don't care about it doesn't mean you don't understand the importance of it and what it could help you do. But like sometimes I think we mask being uncomfortable with the responsibility of money and we make it like I just don't care about it, therefore I'm not gonna do that. Because if I get there, then I'm gonna have more responsibility.

SPEAKER_00 33:27

Then you'll have, yeah. Right? Yeah, right, right.

SPEAKER_02 33:29

And it's like we can't kid ourselves. Um if you if you want to make an imp at large scale, if you're somebody who, like, for instance, right, when I what the the example that I there's like larger things that I have in my mind that I'm gonna keep I keep close to my chest. But like the two that I've known I've grown up with, which is like when I since I was little, I'd be like, mom, one day I'm gonna buy you your dream home, right? And like dad, even though he does not need me to buy his dream truck anymore, we are fighting about that anyways. But um, I'm like, um, you know, one day, here you go. I can't kid myself and be like, if I wanna buy my mom her dream home one day, then I need to take the steps that are gonna allow me to get there.

SPEAKER_01 34:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 34:15

You right?

SPEAKER_01 34:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 34:16

Uh, and especially if I know what they look like or put in the work to do it. But it's like, oh, but I'm not in it for the money. So I don't need to try that hard.

SPEAKER_00 34:26

Yeah, no, you've got to. You have to. You have to have to work hard.

SPEAKER_02 34:31

And you can't say you want to make an impact at a large scale if you're not willing to work for anything.

unknown 34:35

No. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 34:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 34:36

Yeah. But that that goes for anything.

SPEAKER_02 34:38

That goes for anything. But I think it the the reason why I say it's because like I think we try to make them exclusive. Like being generous sometimes can't go with trying to acquire more wealth.

SPEAKER_01 34:51

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 34:52

And I think when we talk like acquiring more wealth, people are like, oh no, that's don't do that. That's evil. It's like, no, this is what allows us to be able to give back.

SPEAKER_00 35:00

You have to, yeah. You have to.

SPEAKER_02 35:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 35:03

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, you can't, you can't tell, you can't tell the, you know, landlord or, you know, that, hey, you know, I'm not. We we decided not to worry about money this month.

SPEAKER_01 35:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 35:14

So, you know what I'm saying? It's all good. Like, that doesn't, that just that just doesn't work.

SPEAKER_02 35:20

In my humble era, I don't make money anymore.

SPEAKER_00 35:22

Like I don't make money anymore.

SPEAKER_02 35:25

That's not what drives me.

SPEAKER_00 35:27

Right, nah, nah, that's not. That's not here. Not here. Maybe other places, but nah, that don't work.

SPEAKER_02 35:32

Like avoiding money does not automatically make you ethical.

SPEAKER_00 35:35

No. You know?

SPEAKER_02 35:36

No. That's just not at all. That's the way that it works. Uh, especially again, if you are like if you this is gonna make it sound I don't know how it's gonna sound. Take it out if it's to me, not just joking.

SPEAKER_00 35:50

It's real tall.

SPEAKER_02 35:51

But it's like if if you're complacent, exactly where you are, you want nothing more, you could care less about growing in this from the spot and being able to give anything to anybody around you, then okay, don't take any steps. Stay right where you are.

SPEAKER_01 36:12

Right.

SPEAKER_02 36:12

But if you've ever said, like, I want to make a difference, don't kid yourself and think that that's just gonna magically happen and that you don't need money in order to be able to do it.

SPEAKER_01 36:22

Yeah, yeah. You know, right.

SPEAKER_02 36:23

Like you need to, and this and like listen, I'm a church girl, okay? Like, born and raised in the church. So I right, money is the root of all evil. Why gain the whole wide world if you're gonna lose your soul? Right. Uh, like all those things, but but so I understand the concept of that cannot be where your heart is, but also as a church girly, right? Uh uh, we would kid ourselves to think that all of those things that we've learned was telling us don't make money and don't learn how to steward it well. Right. It's about knowing where, knowing how to use it.

SPEAKER_01 36:59

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 36:59

And so, like, yes, you you can make a lot of money and still find yourself as somebody with integrity.

SPEAKER_00 37:08

You you can. And so to kind of go to what you were saying about like, you know, being complacent and it's like, I'm good here. So if we relate that to just being in business, really, even just in in corporate America, wherever, that doesn't really exist. You might in your mind think, yeah, I'm good, I'm here. A lot of times, I hear that a lot, man. I just want to get to one more level, I want to get to director level, VP, VP level, senior VP level, and then I'm good, I'm just gonna coach, I'm gonna ride it out. That doesn't really exist. You're either, you're either going here or you're going here. Yeah. You know, there is no just, I'm just chilling, you know. So you may in your mind think you're just even chilling, but you're actually going down.

SPEAKER_01 37:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 37:54

You know, so you always have to have, you always have to have, if if you plan on excelling, you have to have goals, things that you're striving for, um, monetary, whatever, because otherwise you're going to get lost, get complacent. That's when the blockbuster videos and you know, JCPenney's all the all the different examples that we have of people that stopped innovating, stopped trying to move forward and said, Hey, I'm good, we got it. All we have to do is just rinse and repeat.

SPEAKER_02 38:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 38:27

All those rinse and repeat companies are gone.

SPEAKER_02 38:29

Yeah. You know, wealth is not the enemy. But undefined wealth, not knowing uh the place that it should play is.

SPEAKER_01 38:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 38:40

But wealth is not the enemy. Right. No. Especially if you are, if you want to make if you're impact tripping, if you are like, I I'm I want more than just to run a business. I want this business to help others. I want more than just to create a service that's going to, you know, make me um make me money and be able to provide me. Like we were speaking um in a previous episode about this, but like, you know, a lot of times people go into business or entrepreneurship. Why? So they you want to create your own schedule, you want uh um freedom uh of time and all this stuff, but you could say, but I don't just I want that, but I also know that I also want to be able to help these people and like maybe even this it's a smaller scale. If I've always known that I want to be able to provide for, I don't know, this person, provide for my parents when they're older, provide whatever that may be. That all requires money, not just good intentions, right? Not just good feelings. It requires infrastructure.

SPEAKER_01 39:41

It does.

SPEAKER_02 39:41

So we're gonna talk a little bit more of that infrastructure.

SPEAKER_01 39:44

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 39:45

Um passion isn't scalable. Passion on its own isn't scalable. Um caring on its own, it's not sustainable. So what does impact actually require behind the scenes? So I'm just gonna name a few, and then maybe so like systems, cash flow, people, processes, documentation. When you were, what would you say in your the ventures that you've done? Right. Um, right, so tweens in tech, bullying for autism, the I've been able to attend a couple of the golf tournaments and it requires a lot of people.

SPEAKER_01 40:20

Yeah. A lot of people.

SPEAKER_02 40:22

They're um, they've been like beautiful to be able to witness the, but it just give us a little bit of behind the scenes of like, hey, listen, guys. Gosh. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 40:32

On how how it was run and just the infrastructure and all that.

SPEAKER_02 40:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 40:36

Wow. So a lot of planning. Um, a lot is the teamwork. The teamwork is the big uh big thing. Uh, a lot of people that are here, you know, Heather, um, volunteering, Aaron, filming, um, it's really a a a full, full team communication, um, planning, you know, uh making sure everybody's, you know, happy and understanding. So there's a lot that goes goes into it. And when you get those events to a certain point, they kind of feel like they they run the run themselves. When you have the right people in place um and you have the right infrastructure, it becomes much easier. So the hardest one is the first one when you have an event like that. And then it gets a lot, a lot easier. But it all comes down to the the the team that you have, the people that you have, and just making sure that you're communicating, you know, the right way is is the big, big, big part of that.

SPEAKER_02 41:27

Yeah. All right. So you know, we're talking about like you wanting to make uh impact at a scale, uh, that requires money.

SPEAKER_01 41:34

Right.

SPEAKER_02 41:34

Right. And then if you want to uh be able to have influence, yeah, uh that requires a certain status.

SPEAKER_01 41:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 41:41

Um we're not there yet, but you're like, but I want to be able to help somehow.

SPEAKER_00 41:45

How do you do that?

SPEAKER_02 41:46

How do you do that? Um, you know, we kind of even spoke about like like that hundred dollars.

SPEAKER_00 41:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 41:54

If you do you want to go into that more or something, let me go on that.

SPEAKER_00 41:57

Yeah. So with what I found is when you're looking at giving money, you don't want to be willy-nilly with, hey, okay, this person asked me for donation or can I sponsor this event? And you're just willy-nilly giving money. You want to have some type of system with how you are giving. And so what a lot of restaurants do, because we've helped a lot of restaurants with their marketing, is they would have a certain amount like each month, right? And then so when people would come in middle of the month or end of the month and say, oh, you know, sorry, we we've already, you know, exhausted all of our funds, you know, for this month. And I was like, man, that's that's a really cool system because at least you have some type of system. You're not just going by the eye test of, uh, should I give it to them? You know, it's just be being willy-nilly. So what what um I've established now is is having a percentage. So this prevents you from getting in trouble of giving too much too soon, right? And then taking away from your employees and everything like that. So set a percentage, whether it's 1%, 2%, 10%, whatever that is, just set a percentage on what your community give back is going to be. And then that will allow you to always stay in line. So yeah, when you're starting off with whatever the percentage is and what you're making, it literally might be$100 that you're giving away that first year. Fine. Great. Yeah. You know, that 100 can certainly help somebody. Then as you grow it, maybe a thousand, it may be 10,000, maybe 100,000, maybe a million. But whatever that is, it's all relative. But it's important to set some type of parameter. Because if you don't, yeah, then that's when the guilt comes into play. Oh, this person asks, oh, I helped them last year. Oh, and there's a whole lot that goes on.

SPEAKER_02 43:50

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, there's already a number I budgeted. Yeah. It's like, um, and whatever it is, whatever that number may look like for you, but if it's if it's very important for you to give back. You're like, but I know that I want to, but all I have is a hundred dollars. Hey, that's fine. Budget that out. Figure out if there's a don uh charity you want to donate it to, or I don't know, a local community group that you want to give that$100 to. Or you I think you even mentioned, like, uh, I forgot there was one example you gave when we were meeting, where it was like, um, you know, purchasing, like, there's like Christmas gifts that you can purchase where like Yeah. Yeah. So you buy two Christmas gifts for this for children. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 44:29

We did that. We adopted a uh uh school and they had a list of like gifts that we were able to buy. Yes. And that's what that's I think that was like our first, that was the first time we ever did something. Yeah. There was a local school and they had uh a few families that were in need, and um, you know, we're able to just buy like, you know, Christmas gifts and whatnot.

SPEAKER_02 44:46

So that's beautiful because if and I know a lot of schools do that. Um, if you're like, I just started, right? But like I really want to be able to give, I really like something that would make me so proud this year is to know that like my business, you know, it's like, well then go find one gift and like my business gave this gift to this this child this um this year. And it's like who cares if it doesn't seem like this giant, flashy, extraordinary? It is a giant thing for that child to receive in that gift. So it's again, what does impact look like to you, right? Does it need to be flashy? Does it need to be noticeable? Does my name need to be, or it's like, or I I need to know that I went above and beyond and I did more than just work. I I did something with the money that I earned.

SPEAKER_00 45:40

Right, right. And I'll say, you know, to that ad is hey, you're, you know, at a certain point, if what motivates you is having your name on the building or whatever, if if if if that's gonna motivate you to grow your business and be profitable, then hey, go for it. You know, a thousand percent.

SPEAKER_02 46:01

Because let's be honest, like, I mean, nobody's complaining about whoever donated that hall, right? Like, go ahead, put your name on it because you paid for it. Like a thousand percent. Like, if somebody comes, um, I don't know, to our church buildings, like, hey, we will remodel your entire second floor, yeah, just put my name on this door, done, right? But done.

SPEAKER_00 46:24

Yeah, that's right. That's right.

SPEAKER_02 46:26

But if you want your door remodeled or fixed. But like if we're talking like somebody starting out, I hope one day you can do that. I hope one day you can donate the millions. Yes, but you don't have to wait until you can donate the millions in order to start making an impact. Right. You can start making an impact now in small ways. It doesn't have to be that big. And I hope that one day, you know, it can be that big. But don't limit yourself to like until I can do that, then I'll feel like I made a difference.

SPEAKER_00 47:02

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 47:03

Because it can look so much difference.

SPEAKER_00 47:05

Right, absolutely.

unknown 47:06

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 47:06

Um and and on the other end of it, uh, with your like, I'm so willing to make a difference that like I will avoid money at all costs because money's like the root of all evil, like you're never gonna make a difference. Like uh, I saw somebody say the other day um something about like you're not morally superior for avoiding money, uh, but it's like but you're also not morally bankrupt for wanting to attain it. Like the you're not more noble because you you stay away from it, and you're not evil because you you want it. It's it's what you're doing with it. Like you've worked hard for this, you've earned this.

SPEAKER_01 47:46

That's what she's saying.

SPEAKER_02 47:47

Your wife is also a part of like what you now get to give back to, and like again, there's nothing wrong with with attaining wealth. There's nothing wrong with that. We don't need to make it look like it's this evil, dirty thing that I can't admit that I want to attain wealth. I can't admit that I want to buy nice things because if I admit that, then somehow I'm morally corrupt. Right. And it makes me more noble to say that, like, no, I'm not after the money. It's like, no, two things can exist at once. I can want to attain wealth because I understand what it means, what for my family, for myself, for my community, and not lose my soul in the process. Right. Because, like you said, money only highlights who you already are.

SPEAKER_01 48:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 48:34

You know, it's only going to expand on who you already were. Yes. And so we just like there's we just gotta be real with ourselves.

SPEAKER_01 48:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 48:43

Like I think that's all it is. It's just really being real with yourself and really being like, where's my heart? Because like again, there's ego in both. There's ego and just going for money and nothing else, and then there's ego and like pretending that I'm just here for the good of all.

SPEAKER_01 48:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 48:58

You know, when it's not when it's not real.

SPEAKER_01 49:00

That's right.

SPEAKER_02 49:01

But so then there's that real balance. So now like a little bit more practical, and then and we're we're wrapping up with like the balance. Again, going back to what does wealth mean to you. But okay, now we're going a little bit more practical. This is somebody who maybe doesn't have a lot to give right now, and we've already established uh make sure you already added as part of your budget. Uh, and if it if it's only a hundred dollars that you can give, then it's a hundred dollars if you can donate this gift. Um, but like let's do a couple of checks.

SPEAKER_01 49:30

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 49:30

So, like if let's do a are you in a building season or a giving season? So how to know if you're in a building season or a giving season?

SPEAKER_00 49:39

So I would say you're starting out, you know, the first 90 days, like we did last episode, you're in a building season. You know, don't don't try to probably trick yourself and think that you're, you know, in a you know, giving season off the bat. Um and again, I but I think that that percentage, you know, you can dictate whatever that percentage is. Maybe it's the end of the year, maybe you do something quarterly, you know, but I think that that giving season, that giving season is going to be at the end of whatever you determine your cycle is, whether that's quarterly, you know, half a year annually. Beautiful.

SPEAKER_02 50:14

So a capacity check. If you say yes to this opportunity, what suffers? So your energy, your focus, your family, your financial runway. Again, this is all for people starting out who are like desperate to give.

SPEAKER_01 50:26

Right.

SPEAKER_02 50:27

But they need to be asking themselves this question.

SPEAKER_01 50:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 50:29

So um if you say yes to this opportunity, what actually suffers? How important is it to ask yourself that question?

SPEAKER_00 50:36

Yeah, very important to ask yourself that question. Um and like like even, you know, going back to what we talked about before with with if you're you know even undercharging, you know, what's worse? Um you know, telling that person what they're what you really uh are worth or or what you charge or you know, letting somebody go. So you have to keep that in the forefront.

SPEAKER_02 50:57

An alignment check. Does this serve your long-term mission or just your emotions right now?

SPEAKER_00 51:03

Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You don't want to no one go off emotions. Yeah. Long term. Yeah. Long term.

SPEAKER_02 51:10

Long term.

SPEAKER_00 51:11

Long term.

SPEAKER_02 51:11

And sustainability check. Uh, what would you say? Can you do this again in six months without resentment?

SPEAKER_00 51:17

Yeah, very important. Um, because you want to, you know, unless you have certain like milestones that you hit, like with our tweens and tech, 10 years of camp and things like that. But, you know, you want things to be sustainable. You don't want to just do it like one time and not do it again. And then the, you know, you can kind of get a reputation for that. So you want to, whatever you start, you want it to have some type of shelf life. It everything doesn't have to go forever, but you want to have some type of sustainability that you can point to.

SPEAKER_02 51:45

Yeah. So maybe the goal isn't choosing money or impact. Uh maybe it's building something where both can exist.

SPEAKER_01 51:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 51:52

But it's our job to decide how. Yeah. Like it's it's everybody's individual job to decide how both work together instead of having to decide one or the other. So what would you tell somebody who feels torn right now? We're speaking to somebody starting out. They uh do not have a ton of capital. Okay. They um they and they've been made to feel that it's um, you know, you they have to choose whether to make money or be able to give back.

SPEAKER_00 52:21

Well, if you're if you're feeling torn, it's make money. If you're feeling torn, it's make money. You can always give back.

SPEAKER_02 52:31

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 52:31

You know what I mean? So yeah, you can always give back and give money. But yeah, if you if you have doubts, you know, yeah. Don't yeah, f focus on the money. Focus on the money and and and that percentage. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 52:46

And then also I think it'd be be careful to, and even you said something earlier today, uh, when you were talking about, you know, these businesses that all they want to do is like just be able to send you a check.

SPEAKER_00 52:57

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 52:58

Right?

SPEAKER_00 52:58

Yeah. Or uh sorry, invoice.

SPEAKER_02 53:01

To be able to they just want to be able to send you an invoice.

SPEAKER_00 53:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 53:04

Um, to go like just a tiny bit deeper, I think also be very careful when you start making money. A lot of people feel that they're entitled to your money.

SPEAKER_00 53:14

That's a whole nother episode.

SPEAKER_02 53:15

And that's a whole nother episode.

SPEAKER_00 53:17

That's a whole nother episode, man.

SPEAKER_02 53:18

But that guilt can exist of feeling like, uh, you know, and we're not talking about businesses, we're talking about friends, family. That's where that normally lies.

SPEAKER_01 53:28

Right.

SPEAKER_02 53:29

And um that can that there can be a lot of guilt behind that. Behind feeling like if if I'm and I I fully believe if I'm eating, you're eating. Like I fully, fully believe that. Like that's definitely how I was raised. But um, but I know that there's there's boundaries, right? And sometimes there people feel entitled.

SPEAKER_01 53:47

Right.

SPEAKER_02 53:47

And I know that's that's a completely different, we could go on that for a lot more. Right. Um, but I guess just want to ask, you know, if somebody feels like they are being challenged on, well, didn't don't you want to make a difference? I thought you wanted to help people.

SPEAKER_00 54:02

Yeah, oh gosh. Well, yeah, then then me personally, like if I'm being come at like that, then I don't want to have anything to do with you. You know, that's like my test of, okay, I've given for three years and now there's one time where I can't. And it's and then, you know. Right. If if if if if that's met with anything other than, you know, oh, okay, well, I understand. Well, you know, let's stay connected. You know, if it's met with something other than that, I I don't want to be, I don't want to be associated with you because I don't have to give to you. You know. Yeah. You know, so that, yeah, I don't, I don't like that. I I don't like, I don't like entitlement in a lot of with just across the board with with that. When something's being done nice to help somebody, you know, then that it just needs to be, again, you don't have to, you know, kiss my butt, you're not doing that. You know, I don't want to have anything negative come my way if there's a time where I can't do it.

SPEAKER_01 55:00

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 55:00

I got I think that I think that's more than fair. Yeah. Yeah. You know, but there's so many folks that um don't fall. And that goes across, yeah. That goes across, that can go across some organizations, that can go across um certain vendors, certain people that may do a service for you that you may hire to do work for you, and they're so used to you doing something for them, and then they're depending on them to be one time maybe where you can't. And this, you know, there's a it goes a that can go with employees, that can happen across the board in a lot of areas, you know. So that's a very open-ended one, and maybe we'll tackle later. But yeah, I just don't like in, you know, entitlement when it, you know, when you're doing something for someone.

SPEAKER_02 55:40

And yeah, and you shouldn't ever feel feel forced to to give. Right. Yeah. Like you that's not the same as making a difference and creating this impact that you desire when it's coming, when you're you feel like you're actually being forced to do it. And that probably won't be sustainable either. Right. Because I'll be careful.

SPEAKER_00 55:59

I'll give, you know, as much as anybody, but if I'm feeling like then it's uh like you know, I'm supposed to, type of thing, then yeah, that's uh that that's a turn-off.

SPEAKER_02 56:10

So building wealth and making a difference, impacting the world, they are not mutually exclusive. If anything, you want to make an impact or large scale, you need to make money. Yeah, it's not one or the other. Absolutely it's not this one's really good and this one's really bad.

SPEAKER_01 56:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 56:27

Um, we don't need to kid ourselves and pretend that we, you know, have to uh just walk around and like look extremely humble and like I don't, you know, I I don't care about money, I don't care about things that all I care about is giving back. And like no, you you can chase after your dreams, you can chase financial stability and and not lose yourself because it's all about who you were already were in the beginning. Yeah, right? Um, last question. Okay, because Diego's here in the audience. What's the first car you're gonna buy him? No, I'm just kidding.

SPEAKER_00 57:03

Just joking, just joking. Man, that that that ship was sale. Mama took mama took all that. 1982 Ford Pencil.

SPEAKER_02 57:17

Hey, hey, hey! My first car was like uh 1998 CRV. CRV? Is that the and I love that little thing. Yeah, that was not yeah, I am not good with car maintenance, and I think like I never changed the oil. Oh god, and it just gave out on me in the middle of the road. Literally.

SPEAKER_00 57:37

That's a way for it to yeah. Yeah, no, like the the wheel literally started slowing down, I couldn't move it anymore.

SPEAKER_02 57:44

And I was like, I think this car's done. Uh but that's uh, you know, making an impact while making money. We're gonna clap for your wife because we're so happy for her.

SPEAKER_01 57:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 57:57

For Derek, for you know, uh allowing you month after month to sit here and ask you these questions, for giving us such an example to be able to follow, for not being afraid to answer tough questions, for giving us an insight into what this all looks like. Uh, and I hope everybody keeps tuning in because we are gonna have a lot more real discussions for you to come in the next couple of months.

SPEAKER_00 58:22

All right, all right. Thank you.