AJ: [00:00:35] Mindy, this is such an exciting day. I love when I get the [00:00:40] opportunity to interview real live friends, and today is one of those [00:00:45] special days, so welcome to the show. Thank you MINDI: aj. It is such an honor to be here. AJ: You know [00:00:50] that in the introduction, I shared a whole bunch of stuff about what you do [00:00:55] today, but what I would really love to help our audience know is how did you get [00:01:00] into the business of owning and running what, honestly, one of the most [00:01:05] successful bridal shops in the country? How did that start? How did you get into that? MINDI: Yes. [00:01:10] Well, I was over 20 years ago, recently engaged and started shopping for my wedding dress, [00:01:15] and I went everywhere in Colorado that had a standup business and I [00:01:20] was like, okay, I’m gonna go check them out. And either it was an older rundown shop. With old [00:01:25] inventory and definitely not the vision that I wanted, but they had nice staff, or it was the [00:01:30] antithesis. It was a beautiful showroom, gorgeous gowns, but not a [00:01:35] friendly environment. And so I remember shopping in both of those worlds thinking, [00:01:40] why can’t it be both? Why can’t it be a beautiful shop? Gorgeous. Products, but [00:01:45] then some of the friendliest people to help you feel beautiful for your wedding day. I mean, I felt [00:01:50] terrible shopping in some of these places, like maybe I didn’t have a high enough price point, or [00:01:55] my size wasn’t gonna be accessible, and I, I thought, you know what? [00:02:00] There could be a better solution. And so after my wedding, I told my [00:02:05] husband, I said, I wanna fix it. I wanna create something that is both of those [00:02:10] worlds and I’d like to start my own business. AJ: Okay. I think this is a really [00:02:15] big deal because all of you, uh, who are listening know that we often share this [00:02:20] statement, this sentiment that you are most powerfully positioned [00:02:25] to serve The person that you once were, and you and [00:02:30] Jordan, your husband, who guys are business partners. You guys are kind of the epitome of that, and you didn’t [00:02:35] know it at the time clearly, but I mean, how long has it been? [00:02:40] We’ve MINDI: been married 20 years and our shop’s been open. 18. AJ: Yeah. So let’s take it back [00:02:45] 18 years ago to you guys. You had this experience 20 years [00:02:50] ago, roughly. Probably 21 years ago. Yes. You opened 18 years ago. You identified a [00:02:55] problem and you’re like, I want to solve that. I want to make this different. [00:03:00] What was it? I guess, and I would love to hear like your thoughts and opinion [00:03:05] of like why Jordan said yes. Yeah. But like what was it about this particular [00:03:10] experience or about you specifically that was like, no, this is a big enough deal that I [00:03:15] actually wanna make a business around it. MINDI: Well, I would say that I’ve [00:03:20] always wanted to have my own business. It was something that was like a deep desire in my heart, but I didn’t wanna [00:03:25] just start something, you know, in my twenties, that was just a random [00:03:30] start of business. So I was waiting. Honestly, I am a person of faith. I was waiting for God to reveal to me [00:03:35] kind of a need in a marketplace that would match my skillset. And so it [00:03:40] kind of fell in my lap in a way because I had such a bad experience shopping and [00:03:45] wasn’t finding what I was looking for or the service I needed that I eventually went out of state and got my [00:03:50] dress. And I said to him, I said, if it doesn’t exist here, why don’t we create it? [00:03:55] And he thought it was a little wild because, you know, we were both teachers not making a lot of money, [00:04:00] but we had, uh, put a huge down payment. Thanks to Jordan on our first [00:04:05] little house, our little home, and we were able to take a, take out, a home equity line of [00:04:10] credit to start this business. And um, you know, this was back in the day of Barnes and Noble. There was no chat [00:04:15] GPT. So I’d go and I’d buy these like business plan books and read everything about a [00:04:20] SWOT analysis and how do I start a business? And we just won it. I mean. Kind of, [00:04:25] I would say ignorance is bliss because I, if I had known some of the challenges of [00:04:30] retail and overhead costs and things like that, it probably would’ve scared me away. But [00:04:35] because I was so passionate, like you said, to solve the problem of making a woman feel [00:04:40] beautiful. Accepted and special regardless of her price point or her body type. [00:04:45] That those two things really made me feel like I am passionate enough to come [00:04:50] alongside and create that experience. But then also I, I recognize that that’s a skill that I feel like [00:04:55] God really gave me, and that’s celebrating others. I love making other people feel celebrated, [00:05:00] so I was like, that’s a very natural pairing. From my gifts and the need in the marketplace. [00:05:05] And my husband absolutely agreed. He just was like, this is very risky. You know? [00:05:10] However, at that time we had no extra mouths to feed and if we were gonna go for it, [00:05:15] I felt like that was the time to go for it. So we went all in. Uh, and I just. [00:05:20] Did a hundred percent the business I didn’t like trickle in. I, I literally quit my job, went [00:05:25] all in, didn’t make any money for the first three years and just put every profit [00:05:30] back into the business. And then it just grew substantially over the last 18 years. AJ: So [00:05:35] I think that’s a good quick just, uh, reflection point. If everyone didn’t hear that [00:05:40] for three years. You basically didn’t make any money. Anything you made just went [00:05:45] right back into the business. Correct. And I think it’s important because we live, which is not news [00:05:50] to anyone, but we live in a, I want it right now world. Like if it, if it hasn’t worked in the last [00:05:55] six months, then it’s not worth it. Or if it’s not succeeding in the first year, then this was a [00:06:00] waste of time and money. But that’s not reality. That’s not what true success in business [00:06:05] looks like. It’s like it takes time. So can you just gimme a quick idea when you say, we made no [00:06:10] money for the three first three years. Like, take us back to those first three years for just a [00:06:15] quick minute and go, what does that actually mean? MINDI: What does that mean? Okay. Well first of all, we took out a hundred [00:06:20] thousand dollars in 2007 as a line of key lock on our [00:06:25] house. So if we didn’t pay it back, we’d lose our home. I did everything in the meantime to [00:06:30] create extra revenue. So I worked seven days a week, but I’d teach piano lessons at the night. I [00:06:35] would do errands for people for extra money. I would do whatever I could. My husband stayed as an [00:06:40] educator, so you know, we’re making 30,000 a year plus these piano lesson like on the [00:06:45] side. And so the first three years, our goal was to pay off the line of credit. Like just [00:06:50] before we pay ourself, we really try to live as much debt free as possible. So we tackled the [00:06:55] debt and then. After the third year is when we were able to finally say, okay, if we wanted to take a [00:07:00] little bit of income, we could, but we paid that line of credit off first [00:07:05] and we lived very, very modestly. And people don’t actually [00:07:10] understand that. Sacrifices like that set you up in the long run. So much better. But we [00:07:15] didn’t care that our friends got new cars or were having kids and everything. That was beautiful. [00:07:20] We were like, we see the end goal. And I would say that’s probably one of ours. [00:07:25] Superpowers Jordan and I is, we’re able to really just like be super gritty [00:07:30] for many months and years at a time if we know the bigger vision. And so it is [00:07:35] something I tell people as I coach, I, I’m encouraging them. It does take three to five years [00:07:40] before you receive an income and it doesn’t just come to you [00:07:45] and it’s a grind. And so if you’re struggling with traffic or anything in your [00:07:50] business, I’m always like, well, how much have you. Done the grind. How much [00:07:55] have you really gone out there and after it? Because it took us working in the [00:08:00] evenings, working in the Mor, like doing a lot of extra work that other people aren’t willing to always [00:08:05] sacrifice, but now we are reaping the benefit. AJ: Yeah. I just think that’s just [00:08:10] really important for anyone who’s listening who you just feel like it’s not working right. [00:08:15] You’re on the verge of giving up and if you just reflect back and go, well, how long has it been? [00:08:20] Yeah. A month, six months, a year, even two years, even three [00:08:25] years. Like I, you know, I relate to that because it was a full five years. We were in [00:08:30] year five of brand builders group before Rory and I started paying ourselves.[00:08:35] MINDI: Mm-hmm. That’s pretty average actually. That’s, yeah, AJ: five years [00:08:40] and. We were living off of savings. We had to sell a car. Uh, like there [00:08:45] was a lot of things that had to happen, but it’s like, I think it’s just [00:08:50] encouragement. If you’re listening to this to go, it can still happen, [00:08:55] right? Like totally. Uh, but it also means it requires.[00:09:00] More of you in some cases than maybe you’ve been giving and that might be an opportunity to [00:09:05] reflect on it. I just think that’s like such an important part of so many entrepreneur stories. We look at [00:09:10] the success that you’re having today and we can compare it. We try to compare it to the [00:09:15] success or lack thereof that we’re having and it’s like, it’s that good reminder of like, I cannot compare my [00:09:20] step one to your step 1000, my year one to your year 18.[00:09:25] That’s the problem is like you cannot compare those things that they’re not [00:09:30] the same. So I just think that’s like a good highlight moment of, for anyone who’s listening of [00:09:35] like, it might be looking good now. Yeah. On the backs of a [00:09:40] lot of. MINDI: Man, I think of how many things we’ve missed, aj like you two [00:09:45] probably over the years of, you know, social involvement or, you know, [00:09:50] I’m thinking of the evenings that people went out and we were working bridal shows [00:09:55] or, you know, I, there’s so many sacrifices that you have to make as long as you have the big [00:10:00] picture in mind and the purpose of like, here’s who we’re here to help and we know the big dream is just gonna [00:10:05] take a long time to get there. AJ: Yeah. And I think that’s an important part of, like, you, you [00:10:10] said a, a key word. It’s like who you’re doing this for. Right. And that’s what makes it [00:10:15] worth it. Mm-hmm. It’s not paycheck or dollar. It’s like, Hey, no, like. I had this [00:10:20] horrible experience. I never want anyone else to have that. And there’s women coming into my stores where [00:10:25] I get to change the trajectory of how they experience love and fashion [00:10:30] and body image on one of the most important days of their life. Right? Like it’s a big, I think that who [00:10:35] part is, um, a big part of it. Okay. I could stay, I could stay right there for the next [00:10:40] 45 minutes, but I’m not, ’cause everyone else wants me to probably like move on. [00:10:45] I think it’s a really unique thing that Jordan initiated and you [00:10:50] eventually got on board with. How do you use your reputation? How do you use your [00:10:55] personal brand to actually help you grow your bridal store business? And I [00:11:00] think this is a really important conversation for so many people listening, because I hear all the [00:11:05] time, all the time, everywhere I go, oh, a personal brand is just for [00:11:10] influencers. Or authors or podcasters or speakers, or you [00:11:15] have to be this thought leader to grow a personal brand, and that’s not what we [00:11:20] believe and that’s not what you guys have done. I mean, you guys really have used your reputation, your [00:11:25] personal brand, to grow an amazing, thriving business in the [00:11:30] bridal industry. Can you just talk about how that has come about? MINDI: [00:11:35] Yeah, it’s the word you used is what you’ve taught us anyways. It’s just been like brand is [00:11:40] like the same thing as reputation. And I love how you and Rory put that because [00:11:45] it just simplifies the understanding of why so, so many people I think resist [00:11:50] going online about their lives because either one, they don’t wanna feel braggy. It’s really [00:11:55] kind of messy. ’cause you like live in a community where people know you in real life and then you don’t wanna be like, oh, and this [00:12:00] is also who I am online and try to be a different person. So we’ve tried to. Show up [00:12:05] authentically online, the good and the bad, not just highlight reels of this is how [00:12:10] awesome we are. You know, we really want it to be, hey, sometimes there’s hard days, sometimes there’s tough [00:12:15] things, uh, and realistic. But I will just say once you can get [00:12:20] over the fact that like it’s a little awkward to show up online.[00:12:25] You realize like we’re just highlighting the reputation, we’ve been living [00:12:30] out our whole adult lives. We’re just highlighting that on the, the, you know, [00:12:35] internet so that people who might not get a chance to get up close can [00:12:40] feel like they are. Because now if you come into my boutique on any day of the [00:12:45] week, I think you’re pretty familiar with Jordan and I, even if we haven’t gotten to shake your [00:12:50] hand, but people feel like they can trust the business they’re going to [00:12:55] shop at because they know the reputation of the owners. And so as [00:13:00] we’ve grown over the years, I don’t interfa interface very often with the bride and groom. [00:13:05] I sadly, you know. That’s one of the things I miss. But as we’ve grown and evolved, I have the most [00:13:10] incredible team that does that. However, I still feel like the customer feels close to us [00:13:15] because of how much we’ve shown up online. And so thanks to Brand Builders Group [00:13:20] and like you said, Jordan, uh, kicking me into doing this, I realize, [00:13:25] okay, this is actually super important regardless of your business [00:13:30] type. Like we happen to be in the wedding industry. Let’s just say that’s on the side. We have our personal [00:13:35] account so that you can feel like, oh, these people, like they’re raising kids, they’re trying to do the [00:13:40] thing. They showed up at moments that were hard. They [00:13:45] care about their community. What are things that they value? And then if [00:13:50] people relate to those things that we value, they’re more bought in to be [00:13:55] customers ’cause they feel like they’re connected to us. It’s been so strange, even our, you know, marriage and family [00:14:00] podcast. We’ve had people come to our bridal shop from hours away that found [00:14:05] our YouTube channel, loved our. You know, perspective on marriage [00:14:10] and then said, oh my gosh, I wanna come here to shop. And I didn’t get to personally meet them, but [00:14:15] my staff was like, that is so cool that they felt close to you and they [00:14:20] trusted us. So it’s very reciprocal and more than I ever imagined. [00:14:25] But basically I would just like to say to people, your reputation if you’re only in [00:14:30] person, can only go so far. ’cause it’s dependent on who you run into the grocery store or see at the PTO [00:14:35] meeting. When you put your reputation online. It’s like a 10 x [00:14:40] effect. So people are starting to feel like they know you and they can hang out with you. [00:14:45] It’s kind of weird, actually. I was at market last week in Atlanta and people would be like, oh my gosh, Hey Mindy, [00:14:50] how’s you know the dog? You know, like they felt like, I don’t even know them, but they knew my life and [00:14:55] they felt like we were friends. And so that was cool from a coaching perspective, [00:15:00] because you know. This is a future client that I’m hoping to engage with, [00:15:05] but she feels like she can relate to me as a mom, wife, whatever. And it’s just [00:15:10] really neat because like I said, it’s just, it makes the splash a little bit bigger in the pool of [00:15:15] reputation. AJ: Yeah, I love that. And I think it’s, it’s like you guys are really. I [00:15:20] think paving the path in so many ways for other people in your [00:15:25] industry to also be able to do the same thing. And I think that’s like a great reminder and like one of the [00:15:30] reasons that I wanted to have Mindy on the show, other than I know her personally and she’s just amazing and a wealth of [00:15:35] knowledge and she’s fun and so many other reasons, but it’s also because I think there is this [00:15:40] misnomer that personal branding is tied to. All these other [00:15:45] things. Oh, you have to be a course creator and all these other things, and it’s just not true. It’s like [00:15:50] we all have a personal brand and you can leverage it to the benefit of what you’re doing right [00:15:55] now, of helping people get to know you, like you, and trust you, thus [00:16:00] then introducing your business to them. But this is about you as a human, not what you [00:16:05] sell. It’s about right. Holding real life human connection in a way that we’ve never been able to do [00:16:10] it easier, faster, and cheaper than we can do right now online. And [00:16:15] there’s a, an acceleration of trust and reputation that happens globally [00:16:20] in some cases, that then allows you to grow your business because you’re allowing [00:16:25] people to get to know you. Yes, there’s a lot of power in that. So [00:16:30] much power. I think you’re doing it really, really well now. You guys have, you [00:16:35] guys were already super successful at your business and already a [00:16:40] leading expert in the industry long before we encountered you at Brand Builders Group. So one of the [00:16:45] questions I have is, um, this concept that I, I think a lot of people struggle with, and I say this [00:16:50] from the Brand Builders Group community, but not just that community and a lot of [00:16:55] communities I’m a part of where people really struggle with this idea of imposter syndrome. They [00:17:00] think that this knowledge they have is common knowledge and they don’t really think that what they [00:17:05] do or they have done is all that special or unique or special. Thus, they don’t believe they really [00:17:10] have the power to help someone else. So the question I have for you is, [00:17:15] and not just in a business sense, but in just like a human sense of like what were some of the [00:17:20] pivotal moments that you’ve had in business and in family [00:17:25] where you had this idea or you started to believe it’s like. This can [00:17:30] translate into real thought leadership for an industry. It’s like what we’re doing is different. [00:17:35] Like there is something that’s working here that could help other bridal shop owners. [00:17:40] Like what were some of the things that led you to go, wait, maybe we are doing [00:17:45] something really unique. Maybe we are doing something that other people aren’t doing. Because [00:17:50] you guys are, and you’re helping other bridal shop owners from around the country, like that [00:17:55] was an evolution of expertise and experience and success. So [00:18:00] what were some of those moments that you were like, wait, maybe we are doing something right [00:18:05] here. Maybe it could help someone else. MINDI: Yeah, I mean, gosh, there’s a lot of [00:18:10] moments over the years that I think of when you ask me that question. Anything from when I’m [00:18:15] seeing the amount of traffic and the amount of brides coming from so far away to have this experience, [00:18:20] and I hear that this door’s in the same town were dead and had no appointments, like I’m like. [00:18:25] We had 40 brides today and I would hear that they had none. [00:18:30] And I was like, that’s very different. That’s interesting. Right? So lots of Saturdays like that over the [00:18:35] years. And I would hear that not from brides. I would hear that from brand reps. You know how they travel [00:18:40] from location to location to sell you their products. And they would go from their store to my store [00:18:45] and say, there’s nobody at that store. What are you doing here? What’s going on? Like, what is the [00:18:50] juice? Are you serving people here? I was like, nothing. We’re just like doing our very best. But so I [00:18:55] started to realize, okay, in my own local market we were. We were just seeing so [00:19:00] much success with our processes of, you know, and I don’t wanna say sales, but just in [00:19:05] the sense of we are driving a ton of traffic, we were unique in how we [00:19:10] serve them. Our experience is super personalized and we were just seeing a tremendous amount of [00:19:15] success. Then I would go to our industry market events, which is where we go and buy. [00:19:20] And you know, you start to have people come up to you and ask you questions like, Hey. How are you guys doing this? [00:19:25] Or, I saw you did this on Facebook, tell me about that, or what’s this sale about? And then eventually, uh, [00:19:30] a friend of mine asked me to do a little speaking session and I used to be an [00:19:35] educator and I love training and development, so I was like, sure. So I spoke at Atlanta Merchandise [00:19:40] Mart for bridal shop owners, and it was kind of the first spark of, I, I [00:19:45] wasn’t coaching, I wasn’t speaking or anything. But they asked me to speak on some marketing tips. [00:19:50] I did it, and afterwards I was like, swarmed by all these owners that were like, we’ve never [00:19:55] heard any of this before. Nobody’s ever talked about the way you explain how you promote [00:20:00] your, your, um, something new is the name of my bridal shop. Nobody’s ever talked about how they promote their [00:20:05] business this way. Will you do some speaking sessions for our store? We, and so there just [00:20:10] started to be this little bit of a whisper. A clue that like this is [00:20:15] needed in our industry. Nobody’s thinking outside the box. What’s tricky is [00:20:20] when you’re industry specific, we all start to just look at each other for ideas. And [00:20:25] I would just say to you is that for me, since the beginning, since day one, I’ve never wanted to [00:20:30] go to my own industry to learn ideas. I’ve been like a much wider. [00:20:35] Bigger net kind of thinker. I read books, not about bridal. I like to [00:20:40] expose myself to different ways of thinking. And so I’ve always said like, oh man, that’s how that works in the [00:20:45] tire industry. That’s really interesting. You know, if I go get my tires changed, I’d be like, how are [00:20:50] they selling these aftercare packages? Let me listen to their spiel and I would listen to it. I’d go to a spa [00:20:55] and I’d listen to them do this whole interview with me about my skin type, and then make recommendations to [00:21:00] me about what type of products I need after my massage. And I was like. That was really fascinating. Can you say it [00:21:05] again and maybe like, you’re so weird. You’re so weird. But I’m like taking notes [00:21:10] wherever I go because then what I would do is I’d say, okay, the world at large, [00:21:15] how are they successful in their experience? They provide customers so. [00:21:20] It doesn’t have to just be a Disney world, but everywhere you go you can like be a learner, an observer. And [00:21:25] then I would take it back to bridal and I’d tweak it and make it my own. And so I think that’s [00:21:30] where I was different in this industry is that, like I said, everybody just kind of copies each [00:21:35] other. And maybe this is true for most industries, but I was like, no, I wanna kind of reach out. And [00:21:40] bring good practices and apply it to, um, our industry. And so I’m very different [00:21:45] and that’s why I named my brand something new. I’m always trying something new. I’m always [00:21:50] exploring how can we do it better and what does a customer need today? ’cause it’s very different than what [00:21:55] they needed 18 years ago. What they need today. And so every year we’re evaluating how can we [00:22:00] be the best, how can we do better for our customer and get out of the way, you [00:22:05] know what I’m saying? Like not make it about ourselves. So I would say that was a spark maybe six years ago [00:22:10] and um, slowly and truly started coaching, teaching. And now we have our own company and it’s [00:22:15] just pretty, pretty delightful. ’cause to your point, we’re serving who we once were. [00:22:20] AJ: Yeah. You know, I think this is really. Really [00:22:25] important for those of you who are listening, who undervalue and underestimate [00:22:30] what you do, that is unique, special, and [00:22:35] extraordinary. And I think that a lot of people, they [00:22:40] undervalue their own experience, their own expertise, and what’s [00:22:45] ordinary to you is most often extraordinary to someone [00:22:50] else. You, you were able to pick up what was ordinary in your [00:22:55] everyday life, but when you went out to others around you, it was extraordinary. Right? But you also [00:23:00] made the decision of I gotta do something about this. Right? This isn’t just, [00:23:05] wasn’t just a compliment when you were out at market, this was like, no, there, there there’s something [00:23:10] here. So today you guys still run the something new bridal shop. [00:23:15] Yep. Also have a thriving coaching business, coaching other bridal shop [00:23:20] owners. How was the evolution from, you know, 18 years [00:23:25] as bridal shop owners, which you still are using your personal brand to grow that business, [00:23:30] make it what it is today, which was again, already on a [00:23:35] fast path to success, to also being like, okay, now there’s this other thing [00:23:40] too that we’re gonna add in because you, it wasn’t. You diverged. It wasn’t a divergent from [00:23:45] what you were doing. You’re still serving the same industry. You’re still serving a segment of the same people. It’s [00:23:50] just really more in connection with the, you know, it’s like you, you were [00:23:55] serving the person who used to be as a young bride. Now you’re serving the person who used to be as a struggling [00:24:00] bridal shop owner, right? Mm-hmm. And so there was evolution in the who, some addition to [00:24:05] that. You didn’t have to do that. Y could have just like coasted off into the [00:24:10] sunset. Yeah. Had a really awesome business. I think about that sometimes. MINDI: Like why did I [00:24:15] go for the hard, you know, I’m joking. AJ: Like, what was it in all of that? Because I think a lot [00:24:20] of us are struggling with that. It’s like, should I go do this new thing? Or I had a conversation [00:24:25] with, uh, a friend of mine who’s an EO last. Friday at a coffee shop, [00:24:30] literally. And it was, he just had a successful exit from his business and he is like, [00:24:35] now I could just go start another one of those businesses, but I don’t really want to. [00:24:40] And he goes, but you know, it’s like this whole idea of coaching and consulting. He’s like, I mean, I feel [00:24:45] like what I do is pretty basic and I’m like. Okay, well, as [00:24:50] a avatar, I will tell you the words that you just used. I feel like I’m hearing Chinese, like I don’t even know what you’re [00:24:55] talking about when it comes to all this cybersecurity stuff. So there’s just still this segment of [00:25:00] people underestimate the power of the knowledge they have and how it can help someone else. You guys [00:25:05] saw it. You noticed it, then you did something different. You did something about it, and you started a whole new [00:25:10] branch of business coaching bridal shop owners. So. How did that happen? [00:25:15] Like how did you go from this brick and mortar business to now having a hugely [00:25:20] successful and growing bridal shop coaching business? MINDI: That’s a great question. You [00:25:25] know, it kind of goes back to that six years ago when I was inundated with people after I [00:25:30] spoke, it was just enough to say, I’m kind of interested in this. Also, I [00:25:35] pay attention to clues. I feel like God gives us little clues along our lifetime. And [00:25:40] remember, I, I used to be a teacher. My master’s degree is in education, specifically in [00:25:45] curriculum design. Which is crazy and I didn’t know how I would use that, but [00:25:50] fast forward, I’m sitting there going like, my passion and skillset, [00:25:55] natural skillset is training and development. I know how to do something that these people are asking me about. [00:26:00] This kind of makes sense here. So after that event, I did a few one-on-one [00:26:05] coaching experiences, saw a lot of traction, and a really successful firm [00:26:10] in the bridal industry. Asked me to be a coach for bridal owners, [00:26:15] just as a one-on-one consultant. So I said, Hey, that’s probably the next step. [00:26:20] It’ll put me on another person’s stage. It’s a good open door to start [00:26:25] and I did three years of one-on-one coaching with dozens and dozens of clients, [00:26:30] probably 80 people. I would look back and say, and I was really a student at the [00:26:35] time as well, like while I was coaching them, I was studying and taking diligent [00:26:40] notes on this avatar of like, what are their biggest pain points? What are they [00:26:45] struggling with? What do they show up every single week and ask me about? So I was. Again, [00:26:50] delayed gratification, right? I was like taking in thought on, if I were [00:26:55] to really solve their problems, do they have enough, consistently same problems [00:27:00] across this big grouping of people? And after the three year, you know, coaching [00:27:05] one-on-one, which was so rewarding, but also to be honest, very exhausting. It was the [00:27:10] grind, I mean. I would come home sometimes from eight hours of one-on-ones and I [00:27:15] couldn’t even like talk or listen and I realized I had to pause. I had to pause. It was too [00:27:20] much. ’cause I was also running my shop and I have four little kids, so I paused [00:27:25] and took a like three month sabbatical and said, I’m, I’m. I left the [00:27:30] firm. Super great terms. We high five each other all the time. They’re awesome. And the three month [00:27:35] sabbatical was time for me to reflect and pray. Like what does it look like next for [00:27:40] me? I knew all this information. I knew how I could serve people, but in order to [00:27:45] scale, I couldn’t develop just hourly coaching plans anymore because you have a [00:27:50] limit on your time. There’s only a certain amount of time you have every week, so I could only serve [00:27:55] however many people I had hours to serve. So it’s almost like a counseling session where it’s [00:28:00] like, once you’re booked, you’re booked. And so I was like, I have more people wanting what I know and what I [00:28:05] wanna share than the amount of hours I have in a week. So now I think it’s time to launch something [00:28:10] else. So in that sabbatical, I really [00:28:15] spent time like, you know, interviewing really smart people, uh, praying, reading books. [00:28:20] How would it look? To solve the problem in more of a digital [00:28:25] format. So I created almost like a Netflix for bridal shop owners where you log into a [00:28:30] platform and you can search a keyword of whatever you’re struggling with. And I have it all super [00:28:35] organized with over 60 courses and downloadables and templates and everything you can imagine from [00:28:40] the years of one-on-one coaching to know what their problem really is. Then I [00:28:45] created a solution that now is like a forever living database of my life. [00:28:50] Work on how to be a successful bridal shop owner. So now we have people from New [00:28:55] Zealand, uk, Ireland, Scotland, Canada, US all over the world, over a hundred clients full on [00:29:00] in our program. And not just doing that is really cool. ’cause aj, I decided to be a [00:29:05] practitioner coach, meaning I don’t want to leave my bridal shop to just coach. My bridal shop [00:29:10] has become, in essence, a hub of research to try out [00:29:15] my solutions that I come up with and my crazy mind. And I, I try everything out for a year [00:29:20] before I introduce it to my clients and I make sure it’s. Actually gonna work. [00:29:25] And then I teach on it monthly live. I solve problems every month and continue to add to the, [00:29:30] to the platform. So it’s just been really cool ’cause now it can scale. There’s no limit. I could [00:29:35] serve as many people as they want, like as many people as want that want to become [00:29:40] profitable in their business and have a bridal shop that they enjoy, that they don’t [00:29:45] resent because it’s weekends. Every weekend I get to, I’m so fortunate I get to. [00:29:50] Use my shop as like a hub of education. And so our team is just [00:29:55] on fire in the sense of they realize they’re not just making a difference in the brides that we [00:30:00] serve, but they’re actually making a difference in the industry. And we’re teaching people how it can look [00:30:05] different and it doesn’t have to die. Like most retail, it can be very focused on [00:30:10] providing a bride the moment she’s always dreamed of. And we’re hoping that never goes away. [00:30:15] AJ: Oh my gosh, y’all, if y’all do not. Feel inspired. [00:30:20] Hearing that. Then I need you to pause, rewind, and listen to that again, because [00:30:25] I think this is a really important part of the future of business, right? There is the [00:30:30] business, but then there is the benefit, the gift, the responsibility of teaching people what [00:30:35] you have learned. That doesn’t mean you have to leave your business, sell your business, retire [00:30:40] from your business. There is a way for you to be a practitioner and a coach. And I [00:30:45] think that’s a really important thing because a lot, we hear a lot of, well, you have to [00:30:50] go all in and you have to leave this one thing to do the next thing. And sometimes that’s true, [00:30:55] but there’s another way too of going, I can have an [00:31:00] established business, have the business run and still do the other things that I feel [00:31:05] called to do that are. Forwarding the influence that are making a [00:31:10] bigger impact and that my team actually gets to come with me. It’s not something I’m doing [00:31:15] by myself. It’s something that the entire team is coming along the For the [00:31:20] ride. I think that’s a really big deal and it’s a great reminder to me, and this is what I wrote [00:31:25] down when you were talking, is no matter what you’ve done, no matter what you’ve been [00:31:30] through. No matter your successes or failures or all the things you tried, [00:31:35] the things that you kept doing, the things that you stopped doing, nothing is for n all your [00:31:40] experience, all your trials, all your efforts, all your ex, you know, like, you know, [00:31:45] temporary, uh, endeavors, like whatever it is that we’re all going through, they’re like, oh, that’s a waste of time, [00:31:50] or That didn’t work. It’s like, that’s not true. All the things that you have done and are doing [00:31:55] currently are preparing you for what’s next. And it, it’s a gift and [00:32:00] a responsibility to not forget that and to actually use it to do something greater. MINDI: [00:32:05] Totally agree. I couldn’t agree more. He hasn’t like, I don’t feel like God has wasted a [00:32:10] thing or a moment, or a relationship or a failure. All of [00:32:15] it can be used as lessons learned and applied for your future [00:32:20] decision making skills. So it’s, it’s been a ride to say the least, but it’s been [00:32:25] a really good one. AJ: Also for the benefit of others. Yeah. Like [00:32:30] I, I love that old saying, it’s like you do not have to recreate the wheel. Right? There have been enough [00:32:35] people who’ve tweaked and fine tuned the wheel that you can learn from them. You just [00:32:40] have to have enough people who go, I want to show you. I want to teach you, [00:32:45] and this doesn’t apply just to the bridal shop industry. This could be any industry. If you’re listening of [00:32:50] going, how could I start teaching all that? I have learned all that I know [00:32:55] in addition to not leaving the main thing, but I I can also create this thought [00:33:00] leadership. Yeah. And education path too. MINDI: Yeah. I think of all the mentors and business coaches [00:33:05] I’ve had, I’m sure you as well, and. I think that’s also a part of just a [00:33:10] gratitude piece here of saying like, I’m so thankful for all the people that [00:33:15] have shown me the way, even though it wasn’t maybe industry specific, that’s what I was searching for, but [00:33:20] because they did shed light or mentor me in a certain way or really, [00:33:25] you know, like I said, teach me new things. I was so grateful that now it’s [00:33:30] almost like a duty and a responsibility to give back. And there’s a quote I used to always. [00:33:35] Tell myself when I was hungry for more and it was, life’s too [00:33:40] short to earn, to learn your own lessons. So you’re gonna learn [00:33:45] your own lessons, but why not also learn from others? Because that is the [00:33:50] speed, like where I am today. 18 years is really where some people are at 40. [00:33:55] It’s only because I learned from other people’s lessons and I was so hungry. I asked a lot of [00:34:00] questions and I sought out education. There’s just so much value in learning from other people’s [00:34:05] missteps in addition to your own, because I basically doubled my time, right? Like I, I learned from [00:34:10] their lessons and I learned from mine. So I just, like I said, I’m really grateful for the [00:34:15] mentors and coaches I’ve had along the way, and I hope that I can be that type of a person for [00:34:20] someone else. AJ: I love that, and you’re just so great at that in general. Okay. [00:34:25] I have three questions that I hope we can tackle in the next 10 minutes. So if I move [00:34:30] quickly, that’s why, because I’m watching the clock and I know that we’re, we’re running out of time, but I have three really important [00:34:35] questions that I think are super pertinent to this conversation. So here’s the first one. What [00:34:40] advice would you give to someone who wants to move from business ownership?[00:34:45] Into industry thought leader, MINDI: I would say to find where [00:34:50] those people gather and go start to talk to them. [00:34:55] Mm. So this could be a conference, this could be a Facebook group [00:35:00] online. This could be wherever they are. You just need to start by having [00:35:05] conversations and get to know what are they struggling with. Because to your point, a [00:35:10] lot of times we think, oh, that’s obvious. Sometimes it’s not what’s [00:35:15] obvious to them as a successful person in our industry might be something that they’re struggling with. So I [00:35:20] think you need to get on the ground and really start to understand their problems. And that only starts with [00:35:25] conversations. So if you can go in person, I’m a big believer of in person. [00:35:30] Experiences. Sometimes they have, you know, real estate network gatherings or things like that. And just [00:35:35] get around the people that are struggling, listen to their problems. And then the second piece to [00:35:40] that is start to serve them with free resources. So if that’s free phone [00:35:45] calls, if that’s free downloadables, if that’s free website with a whole bunch of re like [00:35:50] tons of tips, however you can serve them, because at first. I did it for free. You [00:35:55] know what I’m saying? Like after I spoke at that first time and these stores started calling me with questions, I would just [00:36:00] answer them. I wanna help you. I would just answer them. But then I kept track of what they were struggling with [00:36:05] so that I was prepared for more things to come. AJ: Yeah, I think that’s good. I [00:36:10] mean, step one from going from business owner to industry, thought leader is like, you gotta know what the [00:36:15] industry is struggling with. What are people like you struggling with? What problems do they have? How would you [00:36:20] answer them In part two is and start answering them, right? Yes, yes. Answer the [00:36:25] questions. Share what you’ve learned. Be on panels, speak at conferences, take phone calls, answer [00:36:30] dms. It’s just start giving away the knowledge you have for free. MINDI: And I thought of [00:36:35] one more thing. A lot of industries have publications like Little Specialty magazines, and so you [00:36:40] can offer to be a guest columnist. Like every week you could say, Hey, I would [00:36:45] be totally fine just for free, providing you content every time you release a [00:36:50] magazine or a publication. And even though some of those are online, I just think that’s another place to show [00:36:55] up. They appreciate the not having to write an article to fill page seven every week, you [00:37:00] know? But I’m just saying these are some really easy ways to just. Start to show up [00:37:05] as a person that does know what they’re talking about and provides free education and eventually [00:37:10] you can charge. AJ: Love that. So, so good. You just gotta make the effort, [00:37:15] right? Reach out. Yes. Make the effort, do the thing. Okay. Second questions. How can [00:37:20] leaders, business owners, but we’re say leaders identify when it’s time to scale their [00:37:25] influence beyond their company. When did you know like, okay, [00:37:30] this isn’t just something I’m doing in my company anymore. I’m gonna scale this influence what I’ve learned [00:37:35] outside of the company. MINDI: Well, I would say in your market, if [00:37:40] you’re kind of dominating, you know, not to be weird, but over the 18 years we’ve seen a [00:37:45] lot of competitors come and go, and so that was a key indicator that like we’re doing [00:37:50] something right because we’ve stood the test of time. Right, and we’ve seen [00:37:55] consistent growth every year. So it’s like, okay, you might be doing something right. If you’ve seen [00:38:00] consistent growth every year and you have the longevity that has surpassed other [00:38:05] people trying to do the same work, then when you start to get asked questions, [00:38:10] that’s your clue. AJ: Good. Those are three things I’m gonna, I’m gonna recap for [00:38:15] everyone. Number two, it’s like when you’ve like really tested the [00:38:20] time. Test. Right? It’s like there’s longevity, like you’ve passed the time [00:38:25] test like you’re still in business, right? I think this is a good reminder. Yeah. It’s the majority of all [00:38:30] small businesses fail in the first five years. Mm-hmm. When I say the majority, it’s like [00:38:35] 90% of small businesses fail in the first nine years, and less than 10% may [00:38:40] get past 10 years. So that longevity of just like, again, a [00:38:45] reminder, it’s like if it’s year one, maybe not it, but it’s like, how have you like really made it [00:38:50] through the test of time? So that’s one. Number one, longevity. Number two, is that consistent growth year over year. [00:38:55] Do you continue to grow regardless of the market, uh, administration, [00:39:00] the economy, and whatever your competitors do? Are you continuing to see consistent growth? [00:39:05] Number three, when people just start coming to you. And I think [00:39:10] those are three great indicators of, all right, now this is, this is a great [00:39:15] potential time to start scaling your influence beyond your ordinary business of [00:39:20] you’re still in business check, you’re still growing check, and [00:39:25] people are now coming to you asking you, how are you doing that Exactly. Those are simple, [00:39:30] awesome tips. Um, you heard it here first. [00:39:35] Those, those are great. All right, last question. Um, and then I wanna, uh, well, sorry, I [00:39:40] lied. Last business question then I wanna talk about this awesome freebie that you have for our [00:39:45] audience. On the same kind of topic, what’s one action [00:39:50] that you would suggest or recommend someone take to start building industry [00:39:55] credibility? MINDI: That’s really good. I would say, first of all, I’ve already mentioned a [00:40:00] few, right? Offer free advice. Show up where they’re hanging out, be [00:40:05] supportive, be a phone call away for people having questions offer to write on [00:40:10] platforms that need a columnist or a specialist to answer those questions too. [00:40:15] But beyond that, beyond those things that we already talked about, it’s really [00:40:20] starting to use positioning statements in your marketing, in your personal brand [00:40:25] and reputation. And when I say positioning statements, things like. [00:40:30] Our industry’s thought leader on marketing in such and [00:40:35] such domain, or for us Colorado’s best wedding dress shopping [00:40:40] experience. There’s so much power in positioning statements, and this is kind of a [00:40:45] nitty gritty thing, but I just think that if you can curate a couple really important [00:40:50] ones. Start to kind of wrap those around all the different [00:40:55] places you show up, whether that’s online, on your website, on your Instagram handle. We’ve even [00:41:00] bought domain names like that before where it’s like the positioning statement so that we [00:41:05] own the search words of the positioning statement so that people start to come. It’s [00:41:10] just kind of, it’s like laying a really good cement foundation for what you’re about to build. [00:41:15] So I, I think, you know, we wanna. Make sure that we’re [00:41:20] saying what we do and who we are and how we’re the expert, and then [00:41:25] offer all the free support around it. But sometimes if we just say on our personal [00:41:30] website or whatever, oh, I’m Mindy. I’m a mom and a business owner, or whatever. No, I wanna be the [00:41:35] best. Profitable business like I will teach you profitability. If you’re a bridal shop owner [00:41:40] anywhere in the world, I’m the best coach for that. And then I own all the positioning statements, [00:41:45] wherever that is. Then I want people to think of my name synonymous with that type [00:41:50] of position. Like this lady is saying, she can teach bridal shops how to be profitable more [00:41:55] than anybody else can, and that you need her business school more than anyone else. [00:42:00] So when I wrap around those business, you know, positioning statements [00:42:05] to how I show up, it’s a match. Because if I just showed up talking about [00:42:10] business, but didn’t tell people my purpose, mm-hmm. I think it would be confusion. But I [00:42:15] love how they kind of go hand in hand and so. My business [00:42:20] pages give a ton of free support. Every video is like, Hey, these are ways to [00:42:25] increase your Google reviews. Hey, this is how you can retain staff. Here’s how you can pay people better. [00:42:30] I mean, I give all this free knowledge all over the account, but if you read who we are [00:42:35] and how we help people, it’s like we teach business owners how to be profitable so they can have a business [00:42:40] that they enjoy. And so we’re really clear with how we’re supporting them. [00:42:45] We show up everywhere online that way. So I’m just saying that would be a first step for me is just start to tell people [00:42:50] who you’re here to help and how you’re gonna help ’em, but then do it and have it be a match. [00:42:55] AJ: Really important, because I think that kind of comes back to this like little bit of a topic that we [00:43:00] had earlier around. Imposter syndrome, like a lot of people don’t do [00:43:05] it because they, one, they don’t acknowledge or see what they’re doing as unique, special, even though [00:43:10] it is, but then they have a real hard time acknowledging that publicly to [00:43:15] others. But it’s kind of one of those weird catch 22 things. It’s like people [00:43:20] don’t know if you don’t tell them. Right. Like they actually, you have to tell [00:43:25] them I can’t. I would just, it made me think about this funny. Funny event. I was [00:43:30] speaking at years, this was years ago. And I was a speaker on stage and it was at this huge advertising [00:43:35] promotional conference. And I was on stage speaking and I get [00:43:40] down and I just offered to do like an after session q and a for anyone who wanted to stick around. And this [00:43:45] one person walked up to me and they’re like, so like, what do you do for like a real job? [00:43:50] And I was like, what do you mean? And they were like, like, what’s like your nine to five? And I [00:43:55] thought to myself. I’m a speaker. Like, what do you mean? Like, that’s what I [00:44:00] do is what I just did for you. And they were like, wait, you’re a speaker, like full time. Like, [00:44:05] that’s your job. I was like, yes. Then, [00:44:10] so I, I, I had, I had this aha moment and I went back and I read my bio and [00:44:15] my bio did not have in there that I was a speaker, a [00:44:20] consultant, a trainer, or a coach. Isn’t that crazy? [00:44:25] They just sat in a room with me for an hour, experienced what I do, [00:44:30] and did not know what I did because that like so much of [00:44:35] it was like I didn’t tell them. But I didn’t tell them this is what I [00:44:40] do, this is what I research, this is what I talk about, like my profession is what you’re [00:44:45] experiencing. And I’m like, this guy just literally thought I was like some volunteer that came [00:44:50] in and was like hosting a session. And it was like an aha reckoning moment for me of [00:44:55] like, they don’t know if you don’t explicitly outline and tell [00:45:00] them. Correct. That’s our job. MINDI: Correct. And so. [00:45:05] Yes. I just feel like it was one of the very basic first things someone can do [00:45:10] is get really clear on how can you explain it in 30 seconds or less [00:45:15] what you do, and that you are the leader in such and such. And so that is, is something [00:45:20] I’ve, you know, tried a few times in the sense of, you know, you try to explain it and, oh, they didn’t get it, [00:45:25] so I gotta reword it the next time. And you experiment with it. You have to [00:45:30] tell the world what you wanna help them with if you want them to see you as somebody that’s a thought leader. [00:45:35] AJ: Yeah. That’s so, so, so, so true and so good. And a good reminder to all of us is [00:45:40] that they don’t know if you don’t tell them. And so a part of that is that [00:45:45] positioning. Okay. A transition as we’re wrapping up here. And so this [00:45:50] is two, part one is a question I have for you, and two is this [00:45:55] awesome giveaway, um, that we have for our audience. And so here’s my last question for you today. We’ve mentioned this [00:46:00] a few times throughout this interview that you and your husband Jordan. Started this [00:46:05] bridal shop business together. You guys are still happily married and [00:46:10] happily in business, and he is also part of the bridal shop coaching business and [00:46:15] co-host with the podcast. You guys do so much together. So here’s my question. [00:46:20] What have you learned about working with your spouse [00:46:25] that you think applies to relationships universally? [00:46:30] So what have you learned about working with your spouse that applies to relationships [00:46:35] universally? MINDI: That you each have your own strengths and to let each other run in [00:46:40] each other’s own lane without getting upset that [00:46:45] they don’t operate just like you in your lane. So I thought just because [00:46:50] we were married that he would understand what I meant by things, or that there would [00:46:55] be this really easy flow, but our brains are so different and the [00:47:00] way we operate are so different. I think that applies to my whole team, that [00:47:05] the more years I’m with my team and I have people anywhere from six years to 14 years that [00:47:10] have worked for me, the more I spend time, I’m realizing we’re all growing every [00:47:15] year. We’re all becoming different, better people every single year. And if we don’t [00:47:20] focus on realizing, hey, that’s actually what they’re passionate about, like I try [00:47:25] to. Really tweak people’s job roles. Every year they’re with me to be even more [00:47:30] dialed in to their God-given strengths, abilities, and just passions, [00:47:35] and so that we’re each playing to those. And same with my spouse. It’s like we maybe started out with [00:47:40] certain roles, but we have evolved and transitioned into. What [00:47:45] we’re passionate about, and it’s a constant dialogue of, there’s part of our roles that we [00:47:50] have to do just ’cause we have to do them right. Nobody loves everything that that comes along with entrepreneurship, [00:47:55] but there are people that in this relationship as a partner or as a team member, that are [00:48:00] better suited for certain skills and tasks. And so I just would [00:48:05] like to say. Lean into that instead of fighting it, lean into it and the faster you [00:48:10] lean into it and celebrate those good things about that person, instead of being [00:48:15] frustrated that you wish they were more like this, I think you’re gonna have a happier work life [00:48:20] and marriage. AJ: So good. And you and Jordan have created [00:48:25] this amazing free resource. So for all of you who are listening, we’ll put this in the show notes, but there’s [00:48:30] this awesome free download that you guys can grab. It’s the Spotlight decision making tool for [00:48:35] working couples. Right, and so you can go to Jordan [00:48:40] and mindy.com, floor slash resources, Jordan and [00:48:45] mindy.com/resources. We will put that link in the show [00:48:50] notes. Such a generous gift. Thank you for giving us this download. And like I said, E, [00:48:55] even if you’re not working with your spouse, these, these practices, these principles. [00:49:00] Apply universally throughout relationships, but this is curated really for [00:49:05] couples who are working together. So thank you so much for that. Mindy, if people just wanna connect with [00:49:10] you because you’re so awesome, where should they go? MINDI: I would say the place I am most [00:49:15] often showing up is on Instagram and they can follow my Instagram handle, Mindy Li [00:49:20] Linscomb. It’s just my first and last name on Instagram. And um, and then you’ll see all the [00:49:25] things that we do from there. AJ: Yes, and I will also put that in the show notes as well. But then they [00:49:30] also co-host an awesome, the Something new show, which is an amazing podcast. We’ll [00:49:35] put that in the show notes. Mindy, this has been such an awesome conversation with [00:49:40] so much universally applicable information for anyone who’s going from business [00:49:45] owner to thought leader, taking what they’ve learned and starting to share that to help other [00:49:50] people. In and outside of their industry. So thank you so much for coming on. I love [00:49:55] you. I love this conversation. I hope everyone else has enjoyed it as much as I have. And for everyone who [00:50:00] is listening, thank you for sticking around. Uh, stay tuned for the recap episode [00:50:05] and we will see you next time on the Influence. Thank you personal brand. [00:50:10] Bye everybody. Bye. [00:50:15]