How to Build Brand Partnerships That Last with Amanee Nassereddine

Are you ready to build strategic brand partnerships that increase revenue, fuel sustainable growth, and help you scale with intention? In this episode of CEO Sales Sessions, I sit down with powerhouse relationship-builder and Chief Brand Officer of the Run the World team, Amanee Nassereddine. Amanee has built partnerships with elevated brands such as The Ritz-Carlton, TD Bank, Holt Renfrew, Square One, and the City of Mississauga, and today she shares how she identifies aligned brands, builds win-win proposals, and fosters long-term relationships that go far beyond a single event or transaction. This conversation is for the female founder who wants to create an aligned community where every person feels supported, valued, and empowered to grow.

Keep listening to hear:

• How to choose partners that align with your brand vision instead of chasing visibility through collaborations that look impressive but aren’t strategically aligned
• Amanee’s ALA framework and why listening should make up the majority of every partnership, outreach, and sales call
• The open-ended questions that reveal a company’s goals, pain points, and priorities so you can build an offer around what matters to them
• Why a “no” is often simply a “not yet,” and how adjusting the opportunity can create a pathway toward future growth, revenue, and a long-term collaboration
• How genuine follow-up, thoughtful communication, and consistent relationship-building can turn corporate contacts into trusted advocates for your business

More content, visibility, and sales calls won’t automatically create stronger partnerships. The best collaborations are built by approaching intentionally, listening deeply, and creating an opportunity where everyone at the table can win. What’s your biggest takeaway from this episode? DM me on Instagram @autheticgazzy and let’s keep this conversation going. I’ll see you next Tuesday. 

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Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:08

Welcome to CEO Sales Sessions. I'm Gazzi, your host, former political staffer, turned entrepreneur, and founder of Sales Beyond Script, where I build CEOs whose sales feel effortless and profit becomes inevitable. I've spent years in the highest pressure rooms, both in politics and business, and I'm bringing you everything I learned straight to this site. No fluff, no filler, just actionable steps, tough love, and big thinking alongside some of the sharpest COs in the game. Let's get to work. So let's dive right into this. Amani, thank you so much for being here. And you know, we started filming 30 minutes ago, but you and I were just yapping and we didn't even get started till now. That's how I know it's gonna be a good episode.

SPEAKER_00 1:19

No, seriously. And I just saw you dive right into your element and this suits you so beautifully. So I'm really excited. It's gonna be fantastic.

SPEAKER_01 1:25

Yeah, it's not every day that we see each other in this setting because we are usually uh running around, hustling, moving swag bags in conversations with partners and really in the event production life. And sometimes it's nice to slow down and talk about the behind the scenes of how do we even get to that point in the first place?

SPEAKER_00 1:48

That's in a really nice way. As you were saying, like we're never catching break. My face even fell because I was just sitting there and I'm like, yeah, like I think every time we talk about it, I'm like, okay, what are we doing next? What's going on? Because there's so many nitty-gritty details to meeting everybody's expectations, but also making sure that everybody's happy too. It's so hard. So I just realized that we are always in that mode of making sure everybody else is taken care of before we take care of ourselves. And I'm really kind of glad that this is that kind of avenue in a way where we're gonna talk about that and put everything out on the table. Yeah. The behind the scenes are heavy, but they're good.

SPEAKER_01 2:22

That's it. And I feel like, I mean, the number one question people are asking us always is like, how are you connected with all of these big brands? And I got to give you your flowers because you're the women from the Run the World team that is the glue and the connector to these big brands. So if you've been to a Run the World event, you know that we work with elevated brands, brands like Holt Renfrew, Square One Mall, TD Bank, brands that are some people's dream brand partnerships. These are friends and partners and colleagues through the relationships that you have built that have come into our community. And yeah, I want to give you your flowers for that because like you're the person that does this on our team. And I think that there's so much, especially we just got back from the retreat. There's so much that others can learn from you. And I think now that the events and the brand and the collaboration world is a lot bigger it was than we started. I think a lot of others are looking to people like you and I to learn some of the best practices. So I know that you're an open book of wisdom, and I want to pick your brain today and really understand how did all of this happen? And what did you do? And how did you really build those relationships?

SPEAKER_00 3:45

100%. And and thank you, honestly. It's it's a lot of work that doesn't just happen overnight. Um, there's two words that I like to use. There are two words that I like to use, and that's patience and persistence.

SPEAKER_02 3:56

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 3:57

And it does take a lot. There's actually somebody at the retreat who mentioned uh the word grit. And I think it does take a little bit of grit or a lot of bit of grit, if you want to put it that way. Um, because you're gonna be talking to yourself a lot of these times. Yeah. And I, you know, honestly, it's it's it's really difficult to get these corporations. So um, one of the ways I've kind of coined it is it's like a think of it as an onion, so the corporate onion. Yes. And there are tiers to the corporate onion. Yeah. And and then layers, if you want, if you may. And every layer of that onion that you kind of go into, it makes you want to cry even more because it's like there's just so much more to unpack here, and I don't know how many more layers I need to get to before I'm like done crying and trying to be patient.

SPEAKER_01 4:42

You have to be persistent, you have to be. That's it. Yeah. So I want to even pull back because you're persistent when you find the right brand. But I want to even go back to like what made you think, well, first of all, was the first brand that you collaborated with Ritz Carlton? Was that the first official, let's say, big name brand that Run the World had?

SPEAKER_00 5:02

Ritz-Carlton, followed by uh TD simultaneously with the City of Mississauga and the Economic Development Office of Mississauga. And Holt Runfrew through there. Incredible.

SPEAKER_01 5:13

Yeah, and casually Holt run fruit through there, no big deal. Like Ritz Carlton, that's one of the bougiest hotels. So I want to know a little bit about how do you even pick the right people that you want to collaborate with? Because I think there's um a certain level of intention and strategy behind it. I know you and I talk about there's always an angle, which we're gonna get to as well. But I want to know, like, if you're someone who's starting out and you're like, well, I want to partner with big brands, do you just approach anybody and everybody? Or how do you like how did you know I want to align with Ritz Carlton? We want to be in Holt Run through. What's the mindset behind that strategy?

SPEAKER_00 5:58

100%. When we looked at Run the World, we were looking at what do we want to be? What does like what do we want Run the World synonymous uh to be synonymous with? And we put some names out there. You know, we were thinking elevated RAM, luxury, everything that we would love to like basically when we created an event and a space and an experience, what is something we want to attend? Where's some we want to be? Yes. And that's kind of how we work backwards from there. So the idea of a first Sundays came rough was like we should do something for community building experience. And first Sundays, like a high T experience. I was like, the best of the best here is right now is Ritz Carleton. Yeah. And I've got a contact there.

SPEAKER_02 6:37

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 6:38

And sometimes it does take it, like, you know, that one person in your corner in your community, and it takes that ask. Once you put that, hey, I don't have anything to show you right now. Yeah, I just have an idea on a piece of paper, and I was hoping that we can kind of bring this idea to life together. We kind of had to spell it out a little bit, like here's what we're thinking. Um, to give you a little bit of context. We visited the Rut Ritz Carlton March 5th, 2020. Okay. We were like, let's go, let's sign this piece of paper, let's get these series underway and let's make it all happen. March 17th came around, 2020, and the world kind of shut down. Yep. It was hard because we were so excited to get that ball rolling. Yeah. We had somebody on the inside who was like, I've kind of worked already with you. I have a corporate past life that I kind of worked in. Okay. And I kept those relationships. And those relationships became hey, I'm no longer here, I'm over here. And here's the vision. I know you trust me from what I did here. Let's make something even better with this new brand over, like run the world. And that's why I always believe, and that's there is that saying, people follow people.

SPEAKER_01 7:48

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 7:48

So they're not following the brands per se, they're following where the individuals are. So I have moved on to another place. We had a fantastic relationship. I'm coming over here. I'm giving you a company that has nothing to show for just yet. Yes. But I know you trust me and I know that we can get this done. So, yes, we looked at it in March of 2020, but we didn't make it happen until 2021. Uh, we wanted to make it right. So, even though there were some opportunities where, you know, there was some kind of like you could sit two at a table, mask on, mask off. It was a very ambiguous time. Um, we still waited because even though we got the right brand, that's what we wanted associated with. We know that we wanted to be in that luxury, high-end places associating with brands people trust and like basically look at very highly to know that we want to be associated with them. Yeah. But we also wanted to make sure that we did it right too. So it wasn't about doing it right away with two people at the table. It was let's wait it out a year and let's do it with the right amount of people at the table where the experience still feels authentic and genuine. So we did wait an extra year before we actually did the first thing with them, but we did it.

SPEAKER_01 8:51

So that's it. It just takes the time. But I love that you said that you already had the relationship. So let's talk about this a little because one of the things I find when I'm being pitched to is that people are very transactional with these things. And they're always looking at like, what's the give and take? And I know that you don't think about it this way, which is why you're really good at it. So I want to know a little bit about your mindset when it comes to the relationship building versus the ask. And I can tell you're not in it for something, but you are in it for something, but there's a sense of genuine care. So what's a what's that balance? And also what importance would you put on the actual relationship building part? Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 9:41

I think one of the one of the things I do say is that I don't believe that this role is necessarily for everyone. I do believe you need to be authentic, you need to be a certain level of that transaction and that and like that energy of wanting something transactionally is felt immediately. Yeah. And we talk about it all the time. And I I am naturally a giver and I naturally want to sit down and listen to somebody and I naturally want to make sure that they're happy. And that like by virtue of kind of being that way, whether it's good or bad in my own personal level, it it actually works to my benefit in the professional uh sphere.

SPEAKER_02 10:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:18

Because when I'm sitting down, I'm actually sitting down to make sure like hear what the other person needs, what they want. Build that relationship. There's a lot of what we always say is give before the get. Because there everybody does always want something. And everyone's always going to want something from you the same way you're naturally gonna need something from somebody else. Yeah, everything is for a payoff, 100% for them. 100%. And that's why there's the word symbiotic relationship. It's in in nature, it's when two animals benefit from one another. You know, so if a fly lands on the back of a hippo and it's cleaning the back of the hippo by eating the insects, the hippo's getting cleaned and basically the fly is eating its food. Granted, I don't know if it's the flies that are landing on the hippo or not, but just the concept is there. I get it. So it's a symbiotic relationship where they're both happy with what they're doing. So when we're looking at the partners, for example, let's just say there's a partner, okay, Ritz Carlton. Let's let's let's talk about them because this is actually how it went down.

SPEAKER_02 11:16

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 11:16

We know that hotels in the city on Sundays are usually free. We know that there's an essence to Sunday brunch, Sunday high tea.

SPEAKER_02 11:25

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 11:25

We know that we wanted to, we knew that we wanted to build a community. And we were like, you know what? They need somebody to fill up the space on Sundays. That's a day that they wouldn't have anything booked, anyways. There's an essence to wanting to build a community over a high tea, a brunch, that kind of uh vibe, let's call it. Why don't we kind of fill in that gap for you on the Sunday? And we also create that event experience that we're looking for. So we know we want to be associated with you. We know that you're looking to fill up that spot on the Sunday. We know that we need this too. So what can we do to make it work? I wouldn't go after a brand, let's say that I know we say there's always an angle, but and there's and there are always is. Like always is. We've proven that time and time again. Yeah. I I do believe though that if you're not if you see a brand and you don't really align with the people behind it, or if there's a brand that maybe that what's going on right now doesn't like necessarily seem right to you, no matter how big the hype is, no matter how badly you'll probably think it'll be fantastic for your brand, it's better to kind of steer away from that. So understanding um the brand, the vision, the what you want to kind of attain and building an angle around those people and the partners, it's fantastic. Like, you know, there could be a brand that's like amazing, but the people behind it aren't that great and you're connecting with them and you just don't dive.

SPEAKER_02 12:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 12:48

They'll they'll not want to be part of it, and you probably won't either. And that's okay. Yeah. You actually taught me release with love.

SPEAKER_01 12:54

Yeah, release with love.

SPEAKER_00 12:55

And and that is it. And if it's not, it's not meant for us.

SPEAKER_01 12:58

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 12:59

There are people that are part of our tribe that are meant for us.

SPEAKER_01 13:02

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 13:02

And that's though, those are the people that we should go and kind of gather in. We call it our little tribe of people in our community.

SPEAKER_01 13:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:08

And those are the people we kind of go and build something with and continue to grow from.

SPEAKER_01 13:12

Yeah, that's amazing. But I think you have this, you have this gift. And I think it's like we're gonna talk about the angle. What's we keep talking about that, like what's finding the angle? From what I see, is you're really good at finding that win-win for everybody at the table. So when you know, we bring in brands and partners, it's like their success is our success. So we got to make sure that, hey, if X person is partnering with us for this experience, that it's not just if it's good for us, it has to be good for them. So if it's not good for them, it's not good for us. So, and I know you have a framework for this, and I want to get to that. How do you understand what a win-win would be? Because most people, if they're not also naturally givers or naturally not thinking about it, most people are thinking about for themselves. So they're like, hey, we're looking for this sponsor. Do you want to be a part of our event? Well, what's in it for them? And I think this is where I want you to touch on this ALA little bit, where it's like, how do you go about truly understanding what's important for them so that you can create this symbiotic relationship where it's benefiting everybody because truly that's the best partnership where everybody at the table feels like they're winning. But how do we actually get there?

SPEAKER_00 14:31

And I love that you mentioned brought up L ALA. It makes me so happy because I know that it's working. That's the thing now. I know I love acronyms, and I'm just like, I have to like put the acronym out there. So ALA, it means approach, listen, and ask. Okay. So the approach is really understanding who you're going after, where you're reaching out to them, uh, what you're asking them. It's doing the research. So understand how you said with Ritz Carlton, knowing Sunday is empty and that could be a gap to fill. 100%. So the approach there is like, okay, I've done my research. Let's let's, you know, tackle the angle with Sunday. We know that they need that's a pain point for them there. They want things filled out. Not a lot of people book the Sundays. And we know that we need, again, we need to create that community. We love the uh the essence of a of you know a high tea on a Sunday, a brunch on a Sunday. Why don't we go in with that angle?

SPEAKER_01 15:19

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 15:20

Then we listen. And part of the listening, and this is what comes down to like as the best answer I have for the question, yeah, is asking all the right questions. Yes. Sit there and ask. Ask as many questions as you can. I am that person that will sit there when everybody's done the meeting and I'm still asking questions because those questions and and making sure specifically they're not yes or no questions. I love to make sure I'm asking questions that give me a full sentence answer in return.

SPEAKER_01 15:52

In coaching, we call that open-ended question. Open-ended question. Yeah, so it leaves room for the depth. So it leaves room for us to truly listen. Because if again, if if it's yes or no, then I can just listen to yes or no. Where else do we go from there?

SPEAKER_00 16:05

What do I do with that information at that point? Okay, well, I gotta know. And and the whole point is to not get a no. That's the whole point of it. The point is to, I love the idea, like open-ended questions, getting those responses. Because within those responses, when you're using an active ear, like a listening ear, you're getting golden nuggets, is what I like to call them. And then what are you doing? What do you how are you cashing in those golden nuggets? Yes. Take in those notes, take in what they're telling you, actually listen because they're providing information. The more you let them speak, the more they're providing information that you're gonna need to take and build that angle around. Because then the other part of ALA is the ask. And the ask comes in the the the approach and the ask are about 20% of the work. It says the research, 10%. Yeah, the ask is 10%. It's the listening, learning, and what are you doing with that information?

SPEAKER_01 16:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 16:58

What are you doing? Are you okay? Somebody, if they tell me that they need Saturdays, but I'm sitting there asking them for Sundays, what's the point of me having listened?

SPEAKER_02 17:06

That's right.

SPEAKER_00 17:06

I didn't do anything with their information at that point. That's right. So it's it's asking the right questions, making sure they're open-ended questions and and making sure that you know you're taking your notes and then building and framing your angle around what they want. Not what you want. Not what you want, but what they want. But making sure at the end of the day, yes, uh, you're there for a reason. You're at the table for a reason. Of course. You're gonna find a way to make sure you're served through that um basically experience as well. But you want to make sure that their best interests, that what they have put on the table, is being received. So yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:42

And I could give you an example of where I saw that go so bad. Just two weeks ago, I had somebody who was like, oh, um, I'm gonna be hosting an event in Toronto for the first time. I know, you know, run the world hosts a lot of events. I'd love to get on a call to tell you a little bit more about our event and maybe how we could work together. So, you know, you and I are so used to this. We're on these calls all the time. I'm so, I'm so excited. And I love supporting women, would love to, you know, be a part of as many of these communities that I can. And on that call, again, incredible vision, incredible idea. But what I thought was wrong was she spoke most of the time and asked me zero questions. And so what she did was she gave her pitch of the event. This is what I'm doing, this is who I know, this is who I'm bringing. And it was all incredible, but she couldn't have a good ask from me because she didn't know what's important to me, what I could do, how I could be involved, what's cooking on our agenda, what are we doing that there might be synergies? Are there any lessons that we've learned that could help along the way? So it was pretty much a 20-minute conversation of them just speaking about themselves. And at the end, we couldn't go anywhere other than saying, this was a great call. Thanks for your time. Let's see if any ideas come from this. But again, if I'm going back to what you were saying, well, if there were questions that were asked, she would have gotten some nuggets that would have helped for how I could help her. Could I be a MC, a paid sponsor? Could we help with production? Like we just weren't able to go there. And I wasn't sure what it was. But when I sat in your masterclass and I was understanding, oh, well, that was a pitch to me. Usually I'm on the other side, but I thought it didn't feel right. What was it? Was that it was more about the other person than it was about me. And I know that you're the complete opposite because when you're on the call, you're just asking so many questions about that other person. And now I'm noticing, oh, that's where we went wrong on that call. Was it very much just here's my approach, here's my ask. But there was no meat of the listening with open-ended questions. And essentially that's why it went nowhere.

SPEAKER_00 20:03

And that's and it's difficult, like when somebody doesn't realize that. So I've had that too. And it's and it's hard to sit down because you're so excited. And to your point, we want to be able to support all of these businesses. We want to be able to like, let's collaborate with everybody and let's figure something out, you know? But it's very difficult sometimes when you're inundated with everything, when uh, you know, slots are already filled for the year, but you're also sitting down across somebody who's you could tell, like maybe it comes off as they don't really know what's going on on their end, too. It's a little messy. They're not asking questions or they come not so much, no, not so prepared, perhaps. And maybe it's like in those moments, it's guiding the individual, be like, hey, do you have any questions for me?

SPEAKER_02 20:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:45

Because I have, you know, maybe ask me a few questions and I can give you some answers. And I'd like to make sure I throw that out there, like, ask me the questions because if I'm then spoon feeding them, oh, well, this is basically what I have. Like, and I'm like, what about this? Are you doing I'm giving I'm doing that kind of that's not what a relationship is. It's not.

SPEAKER_01 21:03

No, that's a one-sided. And I think if we talk about what really partnership is about is building incredible relationships with people that are aligned on values, on mission, on impact, on experiences, on how we show up. But when it's a one-sided combo, we don't even know where those synergies are. So I want to know what sort of questions are we asking? Like, obviously, how's your weekend is not the one that's gonna give us the best golden nuggets. I mean, it might, because then we're talking a little bit about family and learning a little bit more. But from a getting dollars for collaborations, what sort of things do I need to ask or be listening for that I could then use as those golden nuggets? Could you just give me some samples of that?

SPEAKER_00 21:51

Right on. So essentially, if it's a like with corporations, a little bit more difficult, of course, but these next questions that I can think of on my top of my head that I I ask Are kind of can be applied to a lot of you, whether they're SMEs, small, mid-sized enterprises, or you know, corporations. One of them simply is what are your goals for the year? It's it's not a yes or a no. It's an open-ended question. What are your goals? Are you looking to grow your subscribing, like your subscriber list by tenfold? Are you looking to at participate in at least two events? Are you looking to make sure you gain more followers on your social media? What are your goals this year? And usually people will be able to tell you, well, you know, you know, the SMEs, the small med enterprises, will usually tell you, I'm trying to grow my exposure, I'm trying to get more followers, I'm trying to get more customers. Okay, great. So that's a good piece of information to see how our uh basic ecosystem can provide that with corporations. Usually it's like we're looking to support SMEs. So, you know, sometimes the depending on the department of the, you're gonna be speaking to a department at a corporation more than most times. So if it's a department that, you know, specializes in diversity, inclusion, and below equity and belonging, then they're basically gonna be looking at diverse communities. So are there startups that are coming up from the BIPOC community, for example? And how can they support them? So it really depends on what their key pillars are.

SPEAKER_02 23:20

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 23:20

Um, that's that's one. So KPIs, their goals for the year. What is the company's mission statement? And this might apply for corporations more so. So usually corporations have uh anywhere from three to five to even more pillar missions. And what are pillar missions? They're basically what the corporation corporation is built on. So if you're you're going to um a corporation who specializes in sustainable packaging, for example, one of their key pillars will almost always be about eco-friendly uh kind of solutions. So that is one. Um, if you're going to a company that has wellness at the core of their business, then one of their mission statements is going to revolve around, you know, uh people's well-being, their health, how are they looking introspectively? So knowing those mission statements, uh, you could do your research, but there's also another layer of information you'll get by connecting with the right person at those places. And they'll give you those nuggets again that you'll need to kind of build on. So when you're asking questions, you're understanding more about them. Think about it like you're going on a date. You're gonna sit down, that person's gonna ask you questions, hopefully. And if they're not, I I don't know what you're so fronting. Yeah, thank you next. No, but they're gonna ask you questions and you're gonna ask them questions. You're getting you're getting to know the person.

SPEAKER_01 24:43

If we're gonna vibe, let's make questions to know if we're aligned and we want to go on a second date together.

SPEAKER_00 24:48

Exactly. And those are the questions you want to build on on those. And another, like, this is very event-specific, but then you could take the formula of this or the format rather of this question and apply it to what you've got. But have you worked with partners in past on events, for example, and what went well and what didn't? And one of the reasons I really do like that question, um, and then you could supplement events with anything else, of course, is because you're getting a lens as to what they've done in past, what they didn't like, and maybe why they wouldn't return, and what they did like and what you can go above and beyond it. So, yeah, that's another one.

SPEAKER_01 25:23

And both those questions are so important. Knowing what didn't go well, you're gonna make sure you make sure that you're not gonna do that. And then whatever did go well, you're gonna make sure that that's included and knowing that that's a value of theirs, then you're gonna include that in the angle 100% and elevate it.

SPEAKER_00 25:40

And how can we go above and beyond what you thought was the best? Because when we're building these relationships and we're sitting down, investing time, there might be investing dollars, resources, whatever it is in us. And we're investing time and building this kind of relationship, it's not a one and done. You're trying to build something that goes on for a long period of time. Well, whatever long period of time looks like for you. It's not a transaction of like, okay, thank you so much. We're moving on. It's even doing those pulse calls after the transaction that's called has occurred.

SPEAKER_02 26:12

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 26:12

Hey, how did it go? What went well? How can I help? Yes. It's continuing that conversation and that little follow-up call. If people are not doing that, or or even just a message or text, like literally just a text message. Yes. Sometimes as simple as that.

SPEAKER_01 26:26

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 26:26

Just checking in. And I know that you do that and you do that really well, Gassy. Like and and and and you know, when you do it, you're doing it because you genuinely care.

SPEAKER_01 26:34

Yeah, absolutely. And I think that that gives me a little bit of like look to your success. Because if I think of the partners that we've had, this is something we take pride in. Is most people don't partner with Run the World only once. In fact, it's very rare that we would take one-off partners because we really believe in building longer-term relationships, not just for us, but also for our community. So we can show them that, hey, we're bringing you people over and over again so you could continue to build trust with them. I mean, how many years has the TD partnership gone on for? It's been six solid years. Yeah. Six solid years. So it's like if you just imagine, like it doesn't cut off at one. And a man is doing the work to like keep these relationships going, the infinite lunches, the text, the email follow-ups, but truly that's what it takes. And I think like the not transactional is a word I really want to land on because sometimes people are so focused on like, we want to get dollars from these brands that they lose all of the human part of what it truly takes to build trust and relationship with people. And it is the check-in of how are you feeling after this event? How have things been? What are you up to this summer? Those are just as important as the ask that happens at the end of it because it's the building of that relationship that so many of our partners have gone from just partners to being truly ambassadors for us. They are people who say our names in rooms when we're not in. And I think, you know, I'm I'm proud of that. And it shows the care that you bring to the partners that you work with and the value that you put on the genuine relationship building that's beyond the numerical number of 100%, what is this even all about? It's so much bigger than that. 100%. And it's even the ones that don't partner with us.

SPEAKER_00 28:34

Yeah. You know, the ones that don't come through. Yeah. Not even like in kind or with like partner, not even that. It's, you know, those ones, those individuals who maybe from their heart they wanted to kind of be part of it, like coming from a space of like vulnerability, they really wanted to, but they just couldn't. And we couldn't make it work that time. That time. Not not a no, just not yet. Not exactly, not a no, just not yet. I love that. And that's exactly it. It's keeping that avenue of communication. It's checking in. Um, one of the things that I was mentioning, and I didn't realize the weight of this until later, but um we have not had to pay for a single piece of media. We have had only earned media recognition, which is one of the highest honors you can get in the media world. You got earned media, you didn't have to pay to be spotlighted or spoken about, and so on and so forth.

SPEAKER_02 29:27

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 29:28

And that is all because of the relationships we built. People want to hear our stories. We're genuine about telling the stories. And beyond that, too, it's the relationships that I've built within, let's say, the just the media space. Yeah. I genuinely care to like keep in touch with them. Totally. There's one that actually she went on Matt leave. This is how long it's she went on Mat leave. Um, she came back after her Matt leave. Hers her son is about five years old now. Okay. So to kind of give so it's been about five years of all maybe even six, I guess. But um, and I've kind of like kept in touch with her this entire time. I'm always asking about her son. I'm seeing the pictures, I'm connected on Instagram, I'm I'm entering their lives. I'm I'm and and they're like and seeing a part of my life too. And we're connecting on levels that have nothing to do with work. And this is something that I really believe in. People are not their titles. And that's a huge, huge thing. Cause like when you're talking to somebody at TD, they're not just a person at TD. They're a person who has a family, they're a person who might own a little business on the side, who they're a person who maybe loves to travel. And you're talking to them about the things that they love and you're connecting with them on a human to human level. And and that goes so much further than just connecting with them and circling back on like, oh, how was this event? How was that? No, it's also talking to them about like, hey, how was your weekend? Going back to that question.

SPEAKER_02 30:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 30:51

And that question could be like, oh my God, my weekend was so crap. Okay, let's take 10 minutes if you're comfortable talking about it, even. Yeah. What happened? How's it going?

SPEAKER_02 30:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 31:00

And a lot of people that I've met through the profession, the professional, like, you know, like avenue, trying to get them as partners for on the roles, for example, have become incredible people I just connect with outside of the that world. And a few names already came to my mind, thinking of like, you know, going and speaking with them or just checking on them through DMs or when going and grabbing a coffee.

SPEAKER_02 31:22

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 31:23

And to me, if I've ever grabbed a coffee with anybody, it really means a lot because we're I I this takes a lot of energy and we've talked about it. These building these relationships is like emotionally draining sometimes and it's taxing, emotionally taxing. Cause you just sit there and you're done. And I can't even go home and talk to my brother sometimes or my husband. I'm like, I don't talk to me. Yeah. I'm tired of my own voice. Exactly. I've been talking to myself all day. It's just like I don't want to like, I don't want to interact at that point. So it can take a toll.

SPEAKER_01 31:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 31:53

And and and I learn a lot from you too, where it comes like, I'm I'm learning to guard that energy too. Yeah. Yeah. The power of no. I know we're like talking about not asking questions that lead to no. Yeah. But sometimes that no is important too.

SPEAKER_01 32:07

Yeah, yeah. And I've also seen you grow over the years. I even like when I was talking to Sarah, I was like, I was so proud of a manny when I saw her at the retreat because I felt like I saw a version of you that was, I could see that you're growing. And I really was just like so proud of you. And I think whatever that know is about, and learning how to guard that energy. And there's a time where it's like, you know, we're focused on everybody else, but I feel like that's a season for you. So I want to know a little bit about that as well. What has that journey of learning how to be a kick-ass relationship builder? But also at the same time, how to preserve that energy, cleanse that energy. What are you learning on your journey with that? I'm still learning. There's so much to learn. As we all are, that's why I want to talk about it. Cause I feel like as women, we're giving so much. And it's like we charge the phone at the end of the night, but how do we charge ourselves? So what are you learning? And it doesn't have to be that you've learned the lesson already. Maybe we're still in the messy middle of it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 33:14

And I think it was really eye-opening for me when Sarah said he was over and she was giving me an incredible massage. We're talking, and then she realized my breath. She's like, hold your breath. And I was like, I couldn't hold it for more than three seconds. And that was a body that was not being able to respond to the it's just like, I need to breathe because I'm like on it and I can't. I'm like going off, like anxiety's through the roof. Even though there's nothing I'm getting massaged, but my I couldn't hold my breath for over three minutes.

SPEAKER_02 33:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 33:40

Uh three seconds. I'm amazed I would be for three minutes, but I I I genuinely couldn't.

SPEAKER_02 33:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 33:45

And that was eye-opening for me because it's just like, I can't breathe. I gotta chill the fuck out. Yeah. And that's a huge one. And I'm I'm naturally a go, go, go kind of person. I don't process a lot, which is not that great. And the biggest thing that I've been learning is really like, and I'm I I forgot it for a little bit there, but I'm I'm I'm so much more conscious of it now. Yeah. And it's my breath. It's literally something as simple.

SPEAKER_01 34:13

What a small thing. It's a good idea.

SPEAKER_00 34:15

And that alone helps me kind of like, okay, take a deep breath and just sit with that breath for a second and then go back into if you need to dive right back in. Like I do dive right back in. But because I'm so on the go, there's about a thousand different things in my mind. There's a thousand different people I need to speak to. I only have this amount of energy. How if something does end up taking a toll. And I did say this at Money Moves, and I kind of like the sentence, and it kind of just came up on the stage was this journey of entrepreneurship, this journey of building something, being part of something so much bigger than what we are today.

SPEAKER_02 34:53

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 34:54

Is is basically it costs a lot. It costs your energy. It costs friends. It costs time with your family. It costs a lot. And sometimes the cost of it, you can't, you know, it's not salvageable at all. You there are friends that have come and gone through my life and released with love. Yeah. And that comes at the cost of me not having had the opportunity to make sure, okay, you know what, today, let me settle down, let me give myself some time, let me go sit with my friends. But I would get drained a lot.

SPEAKER_02 35:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 35:24

I would be like, I can't even get off the couch right now.

SPEAKER_02 35:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 35:27

And learning to breathe, and virtue of slowing down, learning to how to slow down a little bit has been helping me a lot. I I still have a long way to go. Yeah. But it's just as simple as that rewiring the brain. Because if you want to be in this world, it does take those moments of deep breaths and slowing down.

SPEAKER_01 35:47

Yeah. Also, if you want to be in this field for a while. Yeah. Like, you know, you were going, sure, six years strong, but if you want to be doing this for a foreseeable time, it has to be sustainable. And like you said, like you're good at this role because you're a giver and you really want to make sure the partners are getting what they need. Every speaker, every activation booth is exactly what they expected and that they're getting their ROI. They love the community. They had an incredible experience, but you can only do that from that full cup. And I love that I've seen you come back to yourself in that way. And I think it's only going to give back more to the company. That's my belief, is like even I was writing in the group chat yesterday. I love that we're all taking care of ourselves. You know, everyone's like focused on their wellness journey. Everyone's locked in on, you know, okay, I got to prioritize time to do this with family. I think that if anything, it's like a pullback to move faster rather than just like go, go, go without intention behind it. And yeah, I think we're all learning that, but I want to mirror to you that I could definitely tell the difference.

SPEAKER_00 36:56

And that means a lot because it's a lot of work. Yeah. And it's a lot, it's a lot of conscious work. And we live in our unconscious most of the time. We're an autopilot, literally. Moving through the motions. And to switch gears and be like, oh no, okay, hold on. We're just gonna slow down.

SPEAKER_02 37:12

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 37:12

We're just gonna pause. Yes. And it does take a little bit of talking to yourself.

SPEAKER_02 37:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 37:16

Um, it does take like, you know, if I we were just talking before we kind of went, you know, put the turn the mics on, kind of thing. It's okay if my husband wants to make a protein shake at 1 a.m. and then I just have to like, you know, deal with it tomorrow morning. That's okay. That's okay. It's okay. It's it's a later meat problem if we want to call it coin it as a problem. Yeah. It's not in me. Right now, I'm going to sleep. Right now, I'm it's that present thought, it's that present moment that's it's very difficult. I for me at least. I find it hard to do.

SPEAKER_01 37:43

Yeah, for sure. I mean, I think all entrepreneurs, we've got the gajillion tabs going. We're stuck in the do-do-do. And I think, like you said, that conscious reminder to come back to the present moment is just such a learning that is not gonna benefit you, the team, the partners, but just overall, what we're teaching women about running successful businesses is that it doesn't have to be through burnout or distress or dis-ease that it could be done in a regulated, calm, present way. I love that we get to be a model for that. And I want to talk a little bit about modeling because, you know, our team, a group of all diverse minority women, young, bold, powerful visionaries, it really means something to our audience when they come to an event and they see that. You know, I get goose right now, just thinking about that. That they see that reflected on our stages, they see that diversity reflected in our leadership. What does that mean, do you think? Like I know what it means for our audience, and I know that we do it intentionally. The people we bring on our stage is not by accident. It's not because we need to fill a spot. Every single person is chosen with intention. And I think, you know, as a woman of color growing up, I didn't get to see that modeled as much. I didn't know a lot of women entrepreneurs. I knew some men entrepreneurs. I didn't know a lot of women entrepreneurs, and I didn't know successful women entrepreneurs. And so now that we get to play a role in that, for me, it feels so much bigger than just our mission. It feels like part of a bigger mission that we're here to be a part of. And I want to hear from you because you're one of the OGs of the group. What does that mean for us to model this diversity and representation for other women? I really love this question.

SPEAKER_00 39:45

And I believe, and I hope that this is the sentiment people receive when they come into the room and see that is that they belong, that there is a seat at the table, that this space that we've created here, this is a community for all of us to be part of. That you're not on you know you're you're meant to be here and that you can be here. And we want you to be here. Those, those are the things that we want folks to walk away with, knowing that there is space, they're safe to grow, there is a community to help them and back them. And it is about building those relationships. We've seen so many incredible relationships grow from our four walls, wherever, whatever four walls are like within. We've seen so many incredible things occur. And it's because people of intention come of like-minded intention. They know that, you know, their struggles may be similar, they may be different, but their stories are somewhat the same. And they're able to create something and feel comfortable about being part of the space. That's why so many times we see the same faces in our seats over and over again. And that tells us that they they do feel like a sense of belonging. And that is a huge honor to have. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 40:52

I mean, even if I'm just going back to my experience. So you were the first girl from Run the World that I connected with. Oh, yeah. Yeah, but first Sunday. At first Sunday. But even how I got a part of the team. So I heard about first Sundays because I was looking for like white-minded women to connect with. I came to First Sundays, had an incredible experience. It was the first time that I stepped into a room where there was so much diversity that I wasn't the minority. You know, I always carried that like I was the only woman of color at the table because when I worked in politics, that was oftentimes my reality that I was the youngest, almost always one of a few of women, and then women of color. So I'm like all three of those. And then I come into a run the world room, and I'm not the only one. In fact, there's so much diversity that diversity is the majority of the room. And that feels so safe. That feels the word that comes to my mind is like possibility. There is room for growth there. And that's what inspired me actually to volunteer for the event, which if you remember, you interviewed me for. I remember I had DM'd the account being like, I'd love to volunteer for one of your upcoming events. I'm in the event space. Um, I, but I'm not doing events anymore. It was part of my past career, but I'd love to be a part of it in some way. But now if I look back, the only reason why I felt like I could do that was I felt that it was safe. There was something about seeing Zaina, Rafa, you, the women that our community were part of, the way the partner spoke about the women, that I was like, I want to be a part of this and contribute in a certain way. And that's not an isolated feeling because, you know, even at the retreat, like that was two weeks ago, there are people in that room who are already collaborating with each other, is because I genuinely think we create a space where women feel so safe. And you're right that there's alignment between all of the women. Even though that they don't know each other, they're like each other. So it's so easy to get to know each other. And I think part of it happened by accident, but there was part of it that was by design. And then the rest of it kind of poured in because the team started as three, and I came along, then Laura and the events started getting bigger. So it's like it naturally happened, but I think there must have been a point in time where we were really grounded on this is what we wanted to create. And then that energy rippled forward. And I think to this day, there's two things that make run the world like nothing I've ever seen before. I always say it's the quality of our production. Because if you come to a run the world event, you know it's a run the world event because we have the carpets, the walls, the vinyl. Like you just know. So the production, but that's still superficial because anybody with good production and good amount of dollars is going to be. But at the same time, that community, money can't do that. Money can't do that because it's the energy and the heart and the intention. And I think those two things are what keep us unmatched to what I've seen. And like I'm sure you felt that as well. Like there's nothing like the run the world community.

SPEAKER_00 44:15

And uh Gazia, I'm really I it's I'm like feeling really nostalgic talking about this too. And our first ever first Sundays. Um, shout out to Hoda from Sloan T, the founder of Sloan T, which is incredible to you. I'm not like this is not sponsored, I promise. Hodo's fantastic. And she said something that sits with me till this very day. And it was don't be surprised when you put good energy out there and good people come out.

SPEAKER_01 44:42

Oh, I love that.

SPEAKER_00 44:43

And it's still, this was said what, five years ago, maybe more, and it still sits with me today. And that's exactly how you know we we put the good energy and the good people came. And in Ghazi, I I kid you not, we had when we did that call out for ambassadors, when we had to, we remembered your energy was like very memorable. Even Rafi was like, Oh, you had the glasses on, you remember?

SPEAKER_01 45:05

Like when we did that call, I don't know if you remember, and anytime I remember I was at a hotel at a conference and I was walking up and down the hallway talking to you on that call.

SPEAKER_00 45:14

And I have to tell you, because we like I we had a whole bunch of people DM, message, email, whatever it was. And I think we ended up with about eight or 10 people. So I called a few people, some people I was like, uh, and some people are like, okay, great. Well, we'll do like with you, and I anytime somebody tells me, and I prom, I swear, anytime somebody says, um, oh, Gassy's fantastic, she's great, and then they're like, How'd you guys find her or something? And I tell them, like, she found us. And then one of the conversations too was I like we had that interview, quote unquote. I was on my bike. Yeah. I didn't sit down at the Google me. I'm like, hey, you with the bike. I did it on my bike because, and I think the last time it's like, okay, great, I'm gonna just send you an email, you're it, because I knew already going in. I'm like, this girl showed up, she came into our rooms, she reached out, she wanted to be part of it. And the rest has been history. Yeah. Because now it's just been since day one. And I'll I'll tell you this much. Um, shout out to everybody that participates in everything. I um we call them our COOs sometimes just because they like that name. It's my brother Nader and Rafa's sister Radia. And they've also been with us while we were there. They're the family that gets voluntole to help at every event. Every event.

SPEAKER_01 46:19

So good. And they just show up, they have no idea what's going on, but they just do. Your husband's gonna be added to that list and he doesn't even know it.

SPEAKER_00 46:26

And he has no idea. He's probably just tries to like busy himself as hard as he can. But I had told Nader separately. I told him, come back with somebody who stood out to you. And I told Radia that separately as well. Come back with one name that stood out to you. And I didn't tell both of them that I told I said that. Independently, they both came back and said Gazzy. To the point where the next event we did, and it's not to take anything away from anybody else, they're like, Oh, we think you found your next Gazzy. And that says a lot to us because that we have somebody who cares so much that other people who are not even necessarily involved see it too.

SPEAKER_02 47:00

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 47:01

So cares so much. But I think it's exactly what you say when you put that good energy out there, it just attracts it. And I think that's the part of the strategy that you can't copy and paste, unfortunately. I wish it was as easy as just do this. Um, I mean, it is easy if you're a good person, but sometimes people want the tactics. How do you hire the right person? Like, how did you guys even? And it's just like if you've got the good vibes, the good vibes attract the good vibes, and it's all alignment based on values. Like I hung out with your mom. You hang out with my family. Like these are the alignment pieces that go beyond the business that actually create sustainable growth for the company beyond just the fact that we're good at sales and brand partnerships, right?

SPEAKER_00 47:46

I know. And this is something that we we need to do more of. And I'm putting this out in public. We do need to do more of that, where we like what we did recently, and I believe Run the World so deserve that, the biasly saying this, that we sat down and actually caught a breath. We sat down and got to connect with each other uh over a meal, over just sitting down in a cottage over the pool, where we're entering one another's lives in a different lens where it's just not like, okay, did you like get this partner on board? Did you get this over? How are we doing on here?

SPEAKER_01 48:16

It was literally if you scroll through mine in a manny's conversation on what's up. It's like, hey, did you hear back from this? Hey, to be no. We don't even say hi or hello. It's like, hi, update on this. Hey, did you get details on this? Just a reminder, just a reminder, hey, still following up on this.

SPEAKER_00 48:28

It's like that's our life. I I love that, but also don't love that for us. Yeah, I get it. But I know that we're in-person kind of people though. That's it. Because I know our our our WhatsApp messages can be as informal as that, but in person, like this podcast has been going on for two hours. People don't know about that, right? Behind the scenes, we're sitting down because we're talking about forever together. And and that's what I what I love. And that goes back to the thing, energy cannot be created or you know, it's it's it's literally it's there or it's not. It's the same way as the chemistry, like as it's like fitting. Yeah, it's either there or it's there or it's not. You can't fake it. And it's and yeah, like you can be a good person, yeah, and the other person could be a great person. But if it's not like you know, the chemistry's not there, the alignment's not there, or maybe it's just a timing thing too. That's it. And that's fine. And sometimes I did want to say this too, because I've heard more no's, way more no's than I've heard yeses. Like, like for every hundred no's, I'll get half a yes. You know, like it's not even a full yes. I'm good with that. Let me roll with it. Thank God, you know? But I don't want people to sit there and think that the no's are bad. Yes. Or that the no's are discouraging. I've had to work a lot on that no does not define me. That no does not mean I let down the team. That was a big thing that weighed on me a lot. Okay, I didn't even know that. It did because I'm like, okay, I need to make sure I'm delivering. And if I'm not, then oh my god, what is the team doing? What are we doing? We need to, we need to do stuff, we need to make things happen. But I don't keep getting these no's. And that no, I needed to learn. And I'm again, I'm still learning, but I I think honestly, it took me within the last year or two, maybe, I don't know. Yeah, where that no is is not about me. If the no isn't like they're saying no to me, the no is of course it's not personal. Yeah, you know, we we did lose a huge partner that we really valued, and we loved working with that team in particular too. But it was because that the company was going in a different direction. They need to reassess everything internally, yeah. And it wasn't about us, it wasn't about me, it wasn't about anything else. It's they need to figure their things out, and we're still great. Like, you know, we could still touch base, and it there's no expectation to put it.

SPEAKER_01 50:35

But you were attaching that no to your value and your worth. And it was like a lot of times personal. If it was a no, you did something wrong, or did we do something wrong? Sort of a thing. Yeah, yeah. And I love that you said like for every hundred no's, there was a half yes. Yeah. I think that's important because sometimes it's easy for people to look and be like, oh, well, you've got Ritz Carlton, you've done TD, you guys go to these beautiful places like St. Anne's. And it's like, you don't know how many no's we got to be able to get this. And I think that's also one of the lessons that you know you learned in sales. But I want to ask if there's any other lessons that you learn because the no lesson is a really, really strong one. It's like you're gonna get a lot of those no's. That's just a part of this industry. But is there anything else that you've learned that maybe surprised you along the way of working with partners?

SPEAKER_00 51:24

That's a great question. And I'm just giving it a bit of thought. Cause there's so much that I've learned, but I can't like, you know, sometimes when you're like, you know what you've learned, but you can't think of it right there and then. But one of the biggest things, too, is that people do want to help, people do want to be involved. And it again, you know, nose aside, you know what what you're looking for, let's say that you're asking for X amount of dollars, they can't have that. They they can't give that to you. Okay, but hey, I have a whole bunch of like incredible products that I would love to provide. And that's where a lot of our gift bag comes in. Yes, we love our gift bags. People love our people literally find the most creative ways to get our gift bags, and we've seen it firsthand.

SPEAKER_01 52:11

Yeah, they're obsessed because I mean we have the best. What was the value of the gift bag for the retreat? That was over 1100.

SPEAKER_00 52:18

Yeah, yeah. Over everything together, way over 1100.

SPEAKER_01 52:20

A little little goodie bag. Yeah. Incredible. So I'm hearing that the lesson that you're saying is even though sometimes you're hearing a no at the top level, could they be involved and help in a different way? So it's not a full no, it's just a no in this capacity. You're so good with that a many. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 52:38

And I think that's it's realigning. It's just like, again, it's just like, where's the where's like, you know, okay, I still know that I want to have, you know, there's certain things I still need. Or okay, one of the things I love to do is, and this is why it's so important to know our calendars. Okay, it's a no for this one. Hey, the turnaround was tight. I get that. We've got an event about six months from now. It's gonna be here. It's gonna, it's gonna include these individuals. It's gonna have this is the vision for it. Thoughts on participating, whether in kind, brand partnership, like with monetary.

SPEAKER_01 53:08

That's what you call realign. So it's like you're really taking that no for a okay, thanks, talk to you, never. I even remember at the retreat you showed the email and like you had underlined this line that you like of like this aside, is there still like possibility? Like you're coming right back with a different angle.

SPEAKER_00 53:25

100%. It's it's taking the what was presented as the problem, okay, or seemingly is the issue, yeah, and putting it aside. So let's let's I understand that that is the issue. Let's let's put that on the side because we're not gonna focus on that. We're gonna focus on how we can figure things out from there. Because there is a different way to figure things out. Yeah, you know, it's just like, well, that aside, okay, let's that's problem is no longer a problem because we can figure it out from here. Yeah. So what's your problem over here now? Like it's like it's like trying to find a new way. And it does, you know, sometimes people can come back and just be like flat out no. Yeah. But then they'll come back and be like, oh, okay, that might work for us. Or maybe, you know, it's it's knowing where, you know, without reducing your value, where you can also have somebody still come on party. You want to meet them where they're at.

SPEAKER_01 54:10

Yeah, absolutely. And I love that again, that you're going back to if we go back to the way you look at partnership, it's not one event. So it's like, okay, if we're not aligned for here, well, we're still gonna be in communication for the next two years. Let me tell you about the other things that we have coming up. So that's that grit and persistent part that it's like, if it's not this one, you just be patient, present the next opportunity. So I think that's another lesson that I'm pulling from you is like, if it's not a no for this way, can we realign in a different capacity? And a lot of times the brands that can't come in for dollars or bigger stage presents at the time, they might come in with in kind, which is our fancy word of products or getting gifting their product. But that's also a beautiful entry point because a lot of the people that start in the bag then see how valuable being in the bag was for their brand and then are joining us for those longer-term relationships, time and time again for the next relationship.

SPEAKER_00 55:09

100%. And you hit the nail on the head. And I'm nodding, like like shaking my head, nodding. That's it. Because exactly that. Uh, they start off sometimes small. It could be a sample, then it can be like a full-size product, then it's like a full activation, and then it's a speaking engagement. It grows from there and we've seen it. Sometimes they need to test the waters. Yeah, you know, for sure. And that's fair.

SPEAKER_01 55:29

If they've never worked with us, it's like, how do we build trust?

SPEAKER_00 55:32

We have to have some relationship to build the trust off of. 100%. And you need to make sure that what you know is delivered. Sometimes it's is delivered in a way that is, you know, go a little bit above and beyond. Go push a little bit harder just to make sure you're showing that, hey, this is just the tip of the iceberg of what we can do. We got more to show you. We got more to show you. This is actually how one of our strongest uh partners who has been with us um for the last three years began. It was just an incline product. We recorded a killer video for them for the product launch. Yes. And we've been, and it just grown from there. And it also has to, again, it has to do a lot with the people trusting and vouching for you. But it's also making sure that you give them something to trust in, you know? That's so um that's one of the things that you know we've we've seen time and time again. So that little sample in your little gift baggie can be just a start to something so much bigger. And we're talking about it's like a gift baggie, but it could be anything really.

SPEAKER_01 56:31

Yeah, that's it. So to wrap us up, I want to know it's like a two-parted question. One is what's next for Amani the person? Because as we talked about, we're not always the title. So what's next for Amani the human? And what's next and coming up for Run the World?

SPEAKER_00 56:50

Emani the human is figuring it out. No. Um, I uh did recently get married. I did just move into a new place. Yeah, literally an Arab figure. Like 11, he's like well, I I love that. So um I'm I'm really, really grateful to have found my person. He's fantastic. Um, my Amani the person is just trying to figure out how to find flow, find those pockets of me time. Cause then I'm just like diving into the next chapter of my life before even like giving myself some time with all the inundation of everything that I love to do, though. Um it's I'm I'm trying to find ways to just find balance for myself, find practices and habits that are beneficial to my health. And I love that in the group chat yesterday, Gazi was just shouting us all out. Like we're all stepping into our uh selves, giving ourselves some space and time and really prioritizing our health. Because I was that person that never understood why I am putting my oxygen mask on first before I would put it on a child. I couldn't understand it growing up. And then I'm like, okay, like, and even in the moment, if I'm ever faced with that, I still feel like I would struggle to have to like put my own oxygen mask on first. So many of the persons working on that.

SPEAKER_01 58:04

Beautiful. What a good thing to work on. I mean Yeah, when we take care of ourselves, we can give more to our husbands, our friends, our families, our businesses. Yeah, beautiful.

SPEAKER_00 58:13

And that will go right into Run the World. And wherever I feed into myself, I know it'll like to multiply and ripple effect to everything else in our lives. So for Run the World, um, we are working on so many different things. So uh from our own kind of community-building experiences, we've got our events in Montreal in September, as well as in Vancouver in September as well, our Founders and Forks series. We're very excited to be on the road. I'm like, I like to call it with TD for that one. And then from our new pillar focus at Run the World is our client base, our agency, our production uh agency. So uh helping different kinds of brands ideate and execute. I'm I'm I'm like the words that I'm liking to use these days are from first render to first reveal. So we're helping uh brands basically bring their visions to life uh with our uh basically our creativity and the new production thing. Like you dream it, we can make it kind of thing. And I can't wait for that because it's a new chapter for us. So uh Run the World has a lot coming down the pipe, but um, something I'm mostly excited for when it comes to run the world is um we've grown and I'm really, really excited to grow in a way that our team feels connected more so and just to see each other grow in that space. So very, very, very excited from that side of things. So and I'm very grateful to have you be part of this. And we're just like, it's it's it's great.

SPEAKER_01 59:40

I'm looking forward to it. Yeah, I'm I'm really excited for Montreal and Vancouver. I want to put a call out on this podcast because maybe you're listening and you want to be involved in our upcoming experiences. So we're headed to Montreal September 13th and then Vancouver just one week after that for our founders and forks series. If you want to be a speaker, if you want your products in the bag, if you want to activate in some of the most beautiful locations and you know, run the world events, we are elevated and beautiful. We would love to hear from you. All you got to do is just message Run the World, Amani or myself, and we would love to tell you a little bit more and of course see if it's aligned, because that matters more than anything. But on top of that, I just want to thank you, Amani, for your time. I know that time is our most valuable asset, and I appreciate you taking the time to be here to pour into the community and help women understand what it takes to close incredible, aligned, and profitable partnerships. So, with that, let's wrap this episode up. Well, that brings us to the end of today's episode. Thank you for sharing your time with me. I know as a CEO that time is your most valuable asset. So let's make it worth it. What's one thing that you're gonna implement or embody today? Because listening without action is just entertainment. So DM me your takeaway on Instagram at AuthenticGazzy. I want to hear it, and I promise you I will hold you accountable. And if this episode resonated, share it with a woman in your circle who needs to hear this. And if you haven't already, follow and subscribe so you never miss a Tuesday. I'll see you next week.