1 00:00:02,730 --> 00:00:05,100 Robert Plank: Hey, we're here with Eric Carter from Eric 2 00:00:05,130 --> 00:00:08,730 Carter calm. And we're going to talk about overcoming your toxic 3 00:00:08,730 --> 00:00:12,210 mindset. So you can get out of your own way and stop self 4 00:00:12,210 --> 00:00:15,330 sabotaging and stop putting up those roadblocks for yourself, 5 00:00:15,390 --> 00:00:18,570 and really get to where you need to go and become the person that 6 00:00:18,570 --> 00:00:21,750 you need to be. So Eric, I'm glad to be talking to you. Nice 7 00:00:21,750 --> 00:00:26,130 to talk to you as well, Robert. And so as far as this topic, I 8 00:00:26,130 --> 00:00:29,100 know that you you're an expert on things like like leadership 9 00:00:29,100 --> 00:00:32,340 and motivation. But he said that lately, you have been focused 10 00:00:32,370 --> 00:00:36,210 and intrigued by this toxic mindset concept. So can you tell 11 00:00:36,210 --> 00:00:39,270 us like, what has been your thoughts, these last six or 12 12 00:00:39,270 --> 00:00:43,080 months about the toxic mindset? And just how it applies to you? 13 00:00:43,650 --> 00:00:46,950 Unknown: Yeah, absolutely. Well, definitely, for sure, for the 14 00:00:46,950 --> 00:00:50,520 last 18 months, you know, without saying goes without 15 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:54,600 saying, We've been in a whirlwind, literally, of things 16 00:00:54,600 --> 00:00:59,730 that has never occurred in my lifetime. And, you know, one of 17 00:00:59,730 --> 00:01:03,420 the things that I think has happened is that people just 18 00:01:03,570 --> 00:01:11,520 just stopped learning how to, you know, self motivate 19 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:16,710 themselves. A lot of people require or insist on somebody 20 00:01:16,710 --> 00:01:20,370 else, motivating them. But if you don't motivate yourself, 21 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:25,050 it's kind of, you know, fruit towel for somebody else. To try 22 00:01:25,050 --> 00:01:28,320 to motivate you, you shouldn't rely on somebody else's 23 00:01:28,320 --> 00:01:33,060 motivation to motivate you know, what a toxic mindset comes in as 24 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:38,430 is we are our own worst enemies, by far, our own worst enemies. 25 00:01:38,670 --> 00:01:43,560 So if we are our own worst enemies, it's it's a combination 26 00:01:43,590 --> 00:01:47,700 of ourselves, beating up on ourselves, as well as the you 27 00:01:47,700 --> 00:01:50,880 know, we feel the world is beating up on us, or they don't 28 00:01:50,880 --> 00:01:56,730 understand us. And so when you are, you know, that cliche of 29 00:01:56,730 --> 00:02:00,420 the mind, you know, your mindset, your truly your mindset 30 00:02:00,420 --> 00:02:03,480 is everything, because everything starts in your brain, 31 00:02:03,480 --> 00:02:07,260 whatever your outcomes want to be, or what you don't want to be 32 00:02:07,260 --> 00:02:09,930 is the you know, cumulative of what you think about the most. 33 00:02:10,020 --> 00:02:15,720 So if you feel or think that you're not a good person, or a 34 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:18,600 good business owner, or you should have never started this 35 00:02:18,600 --> 00:02:21,810 business, or you should have never left your corporate job, 36 00:02:22,500 --> 00:02:27,930 it tends to just wear on you, and you just tend to not have 37 00:02:27,960 --> 00:02:31,950 any one that supports you, which is the number one person is 38 00:02:31,950 --> 00:02:34,530 yourself. And then everybody else have that. 39 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:38,370 Robert Plank: So that's a lot to think about. Just right off the 40 00:02:38,370 --> 00:02:40,980 jumping off point there that there's this, this negative self 41 00:02:40,980 --> 00:02:44,370 talk, right, that we all tell ourselves and, and kind of just 42 00:02:44,370 --> 00:02:49,560 like, like bad mouth and smack talk ourselves, and then also be 43 00:02:49,590 --> 00:02:52,770 having difficulty adapting to change like pandemic or whatever 44 00:02:52,770 --> 00:02:57,120 it is. And then also thinking that we need someone else to 45 00:02:57,120 --> 00:03:01,080 motivate us where we need to be the motivators ourselves. And 46 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:03,900 people like you and me, you know, self employed business 47 00:03:03,900 --> 00:03:07,080 owners. That's been kind of the name of the game from day one. 48 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:10,410 But there's a lot of your nine to fiver career type of people 49 00:03:10,470 --> 00:03:13,500 who have had to jump into this for the first time, right? 50 00:03:13,500 --> 00:03:16,830 Because up until now, maybe they were working in an office, maybe 51 00:03:16,860 --> 00:03:19,590 they didn't have someone there personally motivating them. But 52 00:03:19,590 --> 00:03:23,220 if they're at home behind a camera, there's no one really 53 00:03:23,220 --> 00:03:25,770 looking over their shoulder every minute of every day, they 54 00:03:25,770 --> 00:03:31,260 need to maybe tap into these sorts of new tools. And so do 55 00:03:31,260 --> 00:03:37,710 you have like a go to like method, technique tactic trick 56 00:03:37,740 --> 00:03:41,970 in order to get yourself motivated and free of self talk? 57 00:03:41,970 --> 00:03:45,090 Do you have something that maybe it's like an easy win? Or an 58 00:03:45,090 --> 00:03:48,120 easy starting point to getting ourselves motivated and 59 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:48,840 productive? 60 00:03:49,140 --> 00:03:55,620 Unknown: Yeah, absolutely, Robert. So with that we are. We 61 00:03:55,620 --> 00:04:00,660 are the future now of ourselves, and what decisions that we make 62 00:04:00,660 --> 00:04:06,930 today will impact or feed us, you know, today or tomorrow, a 63 00:04:06,930 --> 00:04:11,430 month from now a year from now, five years from now. And so what 64 00:04:11,430 --> 00:04:15,060 I've developed as a program where you, you know, you take 65 00:04:15,060 --> 00:04:19,080 good old, old school in debt cards, index cards, I know 66 00:04:19,080 --> 00:04:21,900 everybody has these vision boards, which is fine. But I 67 00:04:21,900 --> 00:04:26,040 think the old school index cards one, it helps you when you take 68 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:29,910 something that you're thinking about, whether it's a goal or 69 00:04:29,910 --> 00:04:33,270 something that you want to do the old school yet we can type 70 00:04:33,270 --> 00:04:36,540 it on the keyboard, we can voice it into our phone, but you need 71 00:04:36,540 --> 00:04:40,560 to write it down. There's something about the cognisance 72 00:04:40,590 --> 00:04:45,210 of actually writing something that changes different than if 73 00:04:45,210 --> 00:04:48,480 you just voice speak it or if you type it on a computer, or 74 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:52,410 maybe in school, particularly at my age, everything was written. 75 00:04:52,410 --> 00:04:55,590 We didn't have computers until I got in high school. So we had to 76 00:04:55,590 --> 00:05:00,000 write everything down. And so if you take in that time to write 77 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:04,620 down your, your, your your goals, you take time to write 78 00:05:04,620 --> 00:05:08,940 down what you envision your best self as being because there's an 79 00:05:08,940 --> 00:05:14,460 old Zig Ziglar saying that you can't consistently do the things 80 00:05:14,460 --> 00:05:18,360 that you do. I know I'm probably butchering this, but I'm with 81 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:20,790 that, as a matter of fact, I have it written, written down, I 82 00:05:20,790 --> 00:05:24,930 am so sorry. You can't, you cannot consistently perform in a 83 00:05:24,930 --> 00:05:28,710 manner that's inconsistent with the way that you see yourself. 84 00:05:29,310 --> 00:05:33,780 And that was so profound in in essence of you envision yourself 85 00:05:33,810 --> 00:05:38,970 as, whatever this, you don't may be a leader, speaker, coach, a 86 00:05:38,970 --> 00:05:42,960 business owner, famous tennis, a tennis player, whatever the 87 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:48,120 case, it may be, but if you're not putting the things in place 88 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:53,220 to actually make that happen, it will happen. So you're, you're 89 00:05:53,220 --> 00:05:56,460 saying one thing that you want to be, but your actions are two 90 00:05:56,460 --> 00:06:00,090 totally different things. So I found old school index cards of 91 00:06:00,090 --> 00:06:03,210 writing down your goals, writing down what you want to achieve, 92 00:06:03,420 --> 00:06:07,110 writing down what you're not happy with. And then having a 93 00:06:07,110 --> 00:06:12,450 solution to that problem. tends to work out over a period of 94 00:06:12,450 --> 00:06:12,780 time. 95 00:06:13,860 --> 00:06:17,190 Robert Plank: Interesting. So the goals, the problem and the 96 00:06:17,190 --> 00:06:20,550 solution. And when you're explaining this, this idea of 97 00:06:20,550 --> 00:06:24,060 like your best self, what comes to mind is, whenever I mean, 98 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:27,960 we're always heading towards destinations in life, right? 99 00:06:27,960 --> 00:06:30,180 whether whether it's you're driving across the country, or 100 00:06:30,180 --> 00:06:33,570 you're climbing a mountain, and it seems like it's like you have 101 00:06:33,570 --> 00:06:37,560 to continuously apply the the gasoline or the pressure to 102 00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:40,050 like, keep yourself moving forward, right, you're running 103 00:06:40,050 --> 00:06:43,530 along and you see this stop sign weigh in the distance, you're 104 00:06:43,530 --> 00:06:46,230 like, Well, I have to keep on telling myself to go keep on 105 00:06:46,230 --> 00:06:49,770 telling myself to go. And at any point, if I gave up or change my 106 00:06:49,770 --> 00:06:53,700 mind, like I 100% be guaranteed to not get there. And so that's 107 00:06:53,700 --> 00:06:56,850 what's and so when we're talking about, you know, our goals, and 108 00:06:57,060 --> 00:07:00,810 in our business, or like work or something like that, it's like 109 00:07:00,810 --> 00:07:04,230 some of these are like weeks long, or months long or year 110 00:07:04,230 --> 00:07:07,680 long goals. And when you're explaining this concept of like 111 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:11,130 your best self, and your actions need to match up with your best 112 00:07:11,130 --> 00:07:14,010 self, that's what comes to mind is that you might have that that 113 00:07:14,010 --> 00:07:17,490 same goal that's way off in the distance. And we're just keep on 114 00:07:17,820 --> 00:07:21,420 it day by day, getting ourselves a little bit closer, but like 115 00:07:21,420 --> 00:07:27,180 keeping that that focus on sticking to it right and and on 116 00:07:27,180 --> 00:07:30,390 doing some of these. I don't know if the term is silly, but 117 00:07:30,390 --> 00:07:32,730 just like these these like tried and true methods of like you 118 00:07:32,730 --> 00:07:36,150 said, like, put it on an index card, write it down, do it by 119 00:07:36,150 --> 00:07:39,090 hand, do it the way that it worked back in school, because 120 00:07:39,210 --> 00:07:41,790 that seems to be what I don't like slows down your mind or 121 00:07:41,790 --> 00:07:44,790 what gets you there. So I like this a lot. This is making a lot 122 00:07:44,790 --> 00:07:45,450 of sense. 123 00:07:46,170 --> 00:07:50,100 Unknown: Yeah, absolutely. And I kind of like the quick analogy 124 00:07:50,100 --> 00:07:55,110 that you've made about, like I run, I run a lot. And I know the 125 00:07:55,110 --> 00:07:57,870 destination that I'm going in my head. But when I start out 126 00:07:57,870 --> 00:08:03,690 running, I do small markers. I don't look at Okay, if I'm 127 00:08:03,690 --> 00:08:07,830 running from here to the McDonald's in a McDonald's I 128 00:08:07,830 --> 00:08:13,500 noticed five miles away, I make little markers that keep me 129 00:08:13,500 --> 00:08:16,230 motivated. Because if I'm thinking going from where I'm 130 00:08:16,230 --> 00:08:19,620 standing to McDonald's is five miles. That's a long way. But if 131 00:08:19,620 --> 00:08:27,000 I think okay, I'm run to the closest. One, Walgreens, I know 132 00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:30,630 that's half a mile away. And it keeps me motivated and 133 00:08:30,630 --> 00:08:34,830 motivated. It's kind of like, celebrating small wins, is what 134 00:08:34,830 --> 00:08:37,950 I call it. So instead of thinking about from the end 135 00:08:37,950 --> 00:08:42,060 goal, I make a little markers in between that when I reach that 136 00:08:42,060 --> 00:08:46,800 point, it's like a little win for me. And then the next marker 137 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:50,070 is a win for me. So when you relate that to business and 138 00:08:50,070 --> 00:08:53,520 life, don't think you have to do everything all at once, dude, 139 00:08:53,520 --> 00:09:00,960 little small wins and markers to get you from point A to point B, 140 00:09:01,050 --> 00:09:02,610 as cliche as that is, 141 00:09:03,090 --> 00:09:05,850 Robert Plank: but it's a cliche, but it's true. So I like that a 142 00:09:05,850 --> 00:09:08,940 lot. Just that the whole idea of that, like the milestones, the 143 00:09:08,940 --> 00:09:12,480 markers. And what I'm hearing from you also is that there's an 144 00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:16,290 order of importance involved, right? Like you're aware of the 145 00:09:16,290 --> 00:09:18,600 McDonald's all the way five miles away at the end of the 146 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:21,540 finish line. So that's still in your head but you're not really 147 00:09:21,600 --> 00:09:26,010 focusing dwelling on that what's what's more of a focus is the 148 00:09:26,040 --> 00:09:29,400 the the Walgreens thing that's half a mile away. And so it's 149 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:33,540 like there's a few things to juggle and we're aware of that 150 00:09:33,540 --> 00:09:38,100 and goal, but then the current hard work, the focus is on 151 00:09:38,100 --> 00:09:41,880 getting to that next step. And so as this relates and applies 152 00:09:41,880 --> 00:09:47,010 to to you and your business, have you had, have you like had 153 00:09:47,010 --> 00:09:50,280 something like this happen in your own like personal like 154 00:09:50,310 --> 00:09:54,180 business or like your kind of work activities where you said, 155 00:09:54,180 --> 00:09:58,260 Well, I have this goal, but it's so huge. It's so far away. I 156 00:09:58,260 --> 00:10:02,850 have to like keep keeping in mind, but also focus on these 157 00:10:02,850 --> 00:10:05,880 easy wins anything come to mind as far as something recently 158 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:09,450 where there was the big hairy goal, but also the easy win that 159 00:10:09,450 --> 00:10:12,090 you were more short term headed towards? 160 00:10:12,300 --> 00:10:16,590 Unknown: Yeah, absolutely. So, you know, then, sure, you can 161 00:10:16,590 --> 00:10:19,260 test it as being a entrepreneur, most entrepreneurs are 162 00:10:19,260 --> 00:10:22,650 visionaries. And so they have these big hairy things that they 163 00:10:22,650 --> 00:10:27,480 want to create and build and problem solve for the people. 164 00:10:27,570 --> 00:10:31,740 And it's great. But and I call that the 30,000 square foot 165 00:10:31,740 --> 00:10:35,220 view, but breaking it down into smaller increments for so for 166 00:10:35,220 --> 00:10:43,020 me, I had this vision of bringing, like service based 167 00:10:43,020 --> 00:10:45,960 businesses, you know, your plumbers, electricians, your 168 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:50,250 power washing people, you know, all these different businesses 169 00:10:50,520 --> 00:10:54,690 under one umbrella where a consumer can go and just find 170 00:10:54,720 --> 00:11:01,290 other consumers who naturally and not by paid, can recommend 171 00:11:01,710 --> 00:11:05,160 these different businesses. And so I worked on putting together 172 00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:09,180 this this very large directory, and it kind of scared me a 173 00:11:09,180 --> 00:11:13,560 little bit because I envisioned this huge monstrosity of a 174 00:11:13,560 --> 00:11:17,250 thing. But what I realized on what I broke down, Robert was 175 00:11:17,250 --> 00:11:21,120 just doing the simple things buying the domain name, getting 176 00:11:21,120 --> 00:11:25,290 hosting. So every one of those little steps as I broke it down, 177 00:11:25,290 --> 00:11:29,160 and I wrote it down, I achieved something every time. And so 178 00:11:29,220 --> 00:11:34,290 what it made it what it became is not this big elephant, with 179 00:11:34,290 --> 00:11:37,260 you know, that saying, you know how to eat an elephant or frog 180 00:11:37,260 --> 00:11:40,830 one bite at a time. That's what I did. And I start celebrating 181 00:11:40,830 --> 00:11:45,210 those little milestones. And so it helped me go from seeing 182 00:11:45,210 --> 00:11:48,690 this, this big picture of how I can bring consumers and 183 00:11:48,690 --> 00:11:52,740 businesses together to just do on the small little steps to 184 00:11:52,740 --> 00:11:56,370 just even build that. And that helped me a lot. Because I 185 00:11:56,370 --> 00:12:01,320 wasn't then overwhelmed by this, this huge, you know, big 186 00:12:01,320 --> 00:12:04,470 monstrosity. I just broke it down into little, little bitty, 187 00:12:04,500 --> 00:12:06,570 you know, actionable steps. 188 00:12:07,980 --> 00:12:10,050 Robert Plank: And I think that we can all relate to that, that 189 00:12:10,080 --> 00:12:13,980 being over by having a goal and a vision so huge that you get 190 00:12:13,980 --> 00:12:17,430 overwhelmed, and you're not even sure what the first step is. And 191 00:12:17,430 --> 00:12:20,760 so you're you're saying, like, take any step or take a few 192 00:12:20,760 --> 00:12:23,640 steps where you get those small wins. And then I imagined that 193 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:26,700 when you take those first few steps, you get excited about it, 194 00:12:26,700 --> 00:12:30,090 because like you see it start to come together, and then it 195 00:12:30,090 --> 00:12:33,780 motivates you to continue on and to take more steps. 196 00:12:34,169 --> 00:12:36,659 Unknown: Absolutely. Absolutely. You hit the nail on the head 197 00:12:36,659 --> 00:12:39,209 with that one. Absolutely. Absolutely. 198 00:12:40,049 --> 00:12:43,169 Robert Plank: And so as far as this, this project that you have 199 00:12:43,169 --> 00:12:46,049 with this directory, have you gotten stuck at any point 200 00:12:46,049 --> 00:12:48,179 because there's like we've said, like, there's like that there's 201 00:12:48,179 --> 00:12:50,729 the end goal, there's the starting point, but then that 202 00:12:50,729 --> 00:12:53,639 middle section, that's the real, that's the real rough part, 203 00:12:53,639 --> 00:12:55,889 right projects are fun to start fun to finish, but then 204 00:12:55,889 --> 00:12:58,889 sometimes you're in the thick of it. And you're just like, one 205 00:12:58,919 --> 00:13:02,999 wanting to give up not really seeing, like real solid results 206 00:13:02,999 --> 00:13:06,629 yet. But then still knowing that well, I can't give up now I've 207 00:13:06,629 --> 00:13:10,589 come too far. So can you can you relate to that? Or can you tell 208 00:13:10,589 --> 00:13:14,009 us about how that has been for you as far as being being stuck 209 00:13:14,009 --> 00:13:16,799 in the middle? and needing to find ways to keep going? 210 00:13:17,220 --> 00:13:20,100 Unknown: Yes, absolutely. And I and I can sum that up very 211 00:13:20,100 --> 00:13:24,390 simply, it's understanding some things you are not meant to do 212 00:13:24,420 --> 00:13:30,030 by yourself. And I was doing everything by myself. So I was, 213 00:13:30,270 --> 00:13:33,750 you know, wearing, you know, all the hats of the visionary, you 214 00:13:33,750 --> 00:13:37,440 know, to the builder, you know, to the coder to the designer. 215 00:13:37,620 --> 00:13:42,510 And I realized that I was I was definitely my own worst enemy in 216 00:13:42,510 --> 00:13:45,690 that. And so I realized that I had to stop doing everything by 217 00:13:45,690 --> 00:13:53,730 myself, I needed to take a step back and trust and ask for help 218 00:13:53,790 --> 00:13:56,790 from others. And we as business owners, and entrepreneurs and 219 00:13:56,790 --> 00:14:00,660 just individuals, sometimes we are afraid to ask for help from 220 00:14:00,690 --> 00:14:04,650 other people. Because we feel that they you know, that they, 221 00:14:04,920 --> 00:14:08,970 they may cast judgment, they may, you know, laugh at us think 222 00:14:08,970 --> 00:14:13,050 it's funny, they may steal what we're doing. And, you know, 223 00:14:13,050 --> 00:14:15,660 those are just, you know, chances are things that you have 224 00:14:15,660 --> 00:14:19,260 to take so if you're relying on yourself to do everything, 225 00:14:19,260 --> 00:14:24,240 you're pretty much your own worst enemy and you're your own 226 00:14:24,270 --> 00:14:30,270 bad, the most worst employee you will ever have in life because 227 00:14:30,270 --> 00:14:32,310 you're doing everything yourself that you should not do that. 228 00:14:32,430 --> 00:14:35,640 Yeah. You cannot skilled and grow everything by yourself. 229 00:14:36,419 --> 00:14:39,659 Robert Plank: And it seems like like what you're explaining here 230 00:14:39,659 --> 00:14:43,949 is that sometimes we get stuck and there's a there's a warning 231 00:14:43,949 --> 00:14:47,339 sign but it's it's something it's good that the warning sign 232 00:14:47,339 --> 00:14:50,129 happened right. Like how you said you do a lot of running I'm 233 00:14:50,129 --> 00:14:53,069 sure sometimes like your your ankle hurts or your pull a 234 00:14:53,069 --> 00:14:56,579 hamstring, maybe that is a sign to stop for a minute or like 235 00:14:56,579 --> 00:14:59,699 take a day off running so that way you can heal on likewise. If 236 00:14:59,879 --> 00:15:03,269 you You had this goal, if you had this deadline, if it's not 237 00:15:03,269 --> 00:15:06,599 happening, if you're hitting a wall, if you're not meeting that 238 00:15:06,599 --> 00:15:09,299 deadline, then that's not a reason to give up. But it's a 239 00:15:09,299 --> 00:15:12,719 sign to then go and figure out some other solution, in this 240 00:15:12,719 --> 00:15:16,169 case it is to to hire someone else. So that's what I'm getting 241 00:15:16,169 --> 00:15:20,579 from your answer here is that it's so many roadblocks are not 242 00:15:20,579 --> 00:15:24,239 reasons to turn around and go back. It's just that some other 243 00:15:24,479 --> 00:15:26,309 some other ingredient is required. 244 00:15:26,669 --> 00:15:30,539 Unknown: Yes, absolutely. Absolutely. I call it the pivot, 245 00:15:30,929 --> 00:15:34,109 you have to be willing to pivot at any given second. Yeah, 246 00:15:34,139 --> 00:15:37,499 absolutely. And so if you understand that, versus just 247 00:15:37,499 --> 00:15:40,109 think I have to complete this, I have to complete this, I'm the 248 00:15:40,109 --> 00:15:43,439 only way that is going to get done. And you really doing 249 00:15:43,439 --> 00:15:46,139 yourself a disservice. And that 250 00:15:46,950 --> 00:15:49,410 Robert Plank: and so and you're mentioning here that how 251 00:15:49,410 --> 00:15:52,890 important it is to get outside of your own head that you know 252 00:15:52,890 --> 00:15:57,240 the mindsets really important, but it's not. What's what you 253 00:15:57,240 --> 00:15:59,280 were thinking what you're doing. Sometimes you need those those 254 00:15:59,280 --> 00:16:03,210 extra people to help you. And I'm sure that you've come across 255 00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:07,830 other people with similar, like, difficulties right, other people 256 00:16:07,830 --> 00:16:11,070 get their own self sabotage mindset issue. So it is an 257 00:16:11,070 --> 00:16:14,130 interesting story come to mind, bear as far as someone else that 258 00:16:14,130 --> 00:16:15,870 you've helped get out of their own way. 259 00:16:16,380 --> 00:16:20,580 Unknown: Yeah, absolutely. There was this, this couple, um, Brad 260 00:16:21,450 --> 00:16:26,250 and Chrissy, and they had a or what, no longer Yeah, they had 261 00:16:26,250 --> 00:16:30,090 passed, and they had a furniture store. And it was doing very 262 00:16:30,090 --> 00:16:32,160 well. But they were they were stuck at a point that they 263 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:36,360 couldn't see any additional growth in their in a furniture 264 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:39,270 store. And they were just thinking about closing it down 265 00:16:39,270 --> 00:16:42,150 selling it. And, you know, maybe going back to work in corporate 266 00:16:42,150 --> 00:16:45,510 America, well, I got introduced to them. And sometimes it takes 267 00:16:45,510 --> 00:16:50,040 someone else to see something that's really literally in front 268 00:16:50,040 --> 00:16:54,270 of your face. And so I just sit down with a couple and just, you 269 00:16:54,270 --> 00:16:58,860 know, talk to them got the story and where they envision when 270 00:16:58,860 --> 00:17:01,830 they started this furniture store where they were going. And 271 00:17:01,830 --> 00:17:07,410 so we were able to take a look at, you know, who their current 272 00:17:07,410 --> 00:17:11,790 clients were, how often they current clients would come back 273 00:17:11,790 --> 00:17:15,480 in which we come to find out, it was kind of almost like a one 274 00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:18,990 time sale. And so what we did is just kind of really looked at 275 00:17:18,990 --> 00:17:22,620 their, their database of people who are already buying from them 276 00:17:22,650 --> 00:17:27,900 and found a way to come back around and find other things 277 00:17:27,900 --> 00:17:32,610 that they could reach out to them and invite them back in to 278 00:17:32,610 --> 00:17:35,370 purchase additional furniture. So they went from just being 279 00:17:35,370 --> 00:17:40,740 stagnant to now seeing growth with just people who would have 280 00:17:40,770 --> 00:17:45,270 already spent money with them already, versus trying to figure 281 00:17:45,270 --> 00:17:48,600 out how to get new new clients every day. So it was it was a 282 00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:51,900 wonderful story. So they basically went from 1.2 million 283 00:17:51,900 --> 00:17:56,250 a year. And I was working with them off and on coaching them. 284 00:17:56,280 --> 00:18:01,590 And within five years, they were 4.5 million for furniture store, 285 00:18:01,590 --> 00:18:05,550 which is pretty certificate for a furniture store. I mean, they 286 00:18:05,550 --> 00:18:07,590 had more than one location. But yeah. 287 00:18:08,670 --> 00:18:10,920 Robert Plank: And what's cool about that is that it's it 288 00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:15,030 seemed like, maybe they were stuck in their own thinking or 289 00:18:15,090 --> 00:18:18,630 they needed someone from the outside like you to provide more 290 00:18:18,630 --> 00:18:22,320 solutions. And it seems to be really easy in so many cases to 291 00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:26,010 just be to be stuck in saying Well, I don't even know what the 292 00:18:26,010 --> 00:18:29,850 questions I should be asking are right and and it seems and so 293 00:18:29,850 --> 00:18:34,440 many times but the answer is something that's that simple, 294 00:18:34,470 --> 00:18:36,840 but not simple in a way that should be discounted. It's 295 00:18:36,840 --> 00:18:39,270 simple that you've been missing it this whole time, right? Like 296 00:18:39,270 --> 00:18:42,810 this whole idea of go back to your customer list and figure 297 00:18:42,810 --> 00:18:46,110 out how to turn those into repeat customers. It's It's so 298 00:18:46,110 --> 00:18:50,340 simple that so many people just won't just will skip over that 299 00:18:50,340 --> 00:18:53,850 because it's too simple or just like you know, simple things 300 00:18:53,850 --> 00:18:57,090 like that, like, well, where where does your traffic come 301 00:18:57,090 --> 00:19:00,660 from? Or where do your customers usually come from? Or like what 302 00:19:00,660 --> 00:19:04,080 did you used to do that you stopped doing? And there's so 303 00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:06,990 many there's there's so many people that are just looking to 304 00:19:06,990 --> 00:19:10,020 do something new and different just because it's new and 305 00:19:10,020 --> 00:19:12,840 different. But it's like but you're you're giving up just the 306 00:19:12,840 --> 00:19:16,410 the solid tried and true thing that works. And from the outside 307 00:19:16,410 --> 00:19:20,670 looking in. It looks insane. It looks counterintuitive, but it's 308 00:19:20,670 --> 00:19:23,760 easy to get stuck in your in your own box and say, Well, what 309 00:19:23,760 --> 00:19:26,340 I did five years ago like that, that was old stuff. I'm doing 310 00:19:26,340 --> 00:19:28,920 something new. It's like Yeah, but what was you doing five 311 00:19:28,920 --> 00:19:32,400 years ago was working, maybe there's something to dusting off 312 00:19:32,400 --> 00:19:37,230 some old marketing technique or some old idea you had, and I 313 00:19:37,320 --> 00:19:40,500 regret bringing it to a fresh life. So that's pretty cool that 314 00:19:40,500 --> 00:19:45,210 you you had a new way of thinking and you even were kind 315 00:19:45,210 --> 00:19:48,000 of asking the questions that even they would not ask. 316 00:19:48,510 --> 00:19:51,360 Unknown: Yes, absolutely. Absolutely. Absolutely. They 317 00:19:51,360 --> 00:19:55,770 were they were just in it and they couldn't see out that old 318 00:19:55,770 --> 00:19:59,400 saying they couldn't see the forest despite the trees is it's 319 00:19:59,430 --> 00:20:01,860 it's kind of like Like what it was they were just kind of going 320 00:20:01,860 --> 00:20:07,740 through the motions and I I brought excitement I brought 321 00:20:08,970 --> 00:20:12,780 things that again like they just had just kind of forgot about 322 00:20:12,780 --> 00:20:16,050 it's like being in a relationship, you you know you 323 00:20:16,050 --> 00:20:19,320 might be in a relationship or married for a lot of time. But 324 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:22,260 you don't go out on dates on Fridays you don't make time for 325 00:20:22,290 --> 00:20:24,780 each other you know, you're you're working you're taking 326 00:20:24,780 --> 00:20:27,780 care of the kids, you're, you know, you're trying to build 327 00:20:27,780 --> 00:20:31,230 your your retirement nest egg, but you don't go and do the 328 00:20:31,230 --> 00:20:34,710 things that kind of brought you together when you first started 329 00:20:34,740 --> 00:20:37,050 dating and you need to do that. So 330 00:20:38,250 --> 00:20:41,610 Robert Plank: right but the fundamentals that the things 331 00:20:41,610 --> 00:20:44,610 that it worked, they worked back then but then you let the day to 332 00:20:44,610 --> 00:20:48,810 day take over m&e You forgot things, and it's, it's a little 333 00:20:48,810 --> 00:20:51,900 bit scary to even think about, like, there were things that 334 00:20:51,900 --> 00:20:54,600 that we forgot that we used to do every day that have just 335 00:20:54,600 --> 00:20:57,660 fallen by the wayside just because because life happened. 336 00:20:57,660 --> 00:21:01,890 And so we've been mentioning some kind of like business ideas 337 00:21:01,890 --> 00:21:05,700 and strategy, some motivational things. Do you think? Is there 338 00:21:05,700 --> 00:21:09,930 something that is like unique to you, Eric? Or is there something 339 00:21:09,930 --> 00:21:15,780 that like you think you have more of a of a focus or a handle 340 00:21:15,780 --> 00:21:19,080 on then then maybe some of your peers? 341 00:21:19,500 --> 00:21:22,140 Unknown: Yeah, that's absolutely, I think, two things. 342 00:21:22,140 --> 00:21:28,020 One, I'm, I'm very, very strategic and about the moves, 343 00:21:28,350 --> 00:21:35,220 or things that I do. So I'm very calculated, I think about what 344 00:21:36,780 --> 00:21:40,770 what I want to do, or what, what something that may solve a 345 00:21:40,770 --> 00:21:46,500 problem. And I find unique ways. And working with not only just 346 00:21:46,530 --> 00:21:50,580 for my own business, but working with other entrepreneurs, 347 00:21:50,580 --> 00:21:56,490 investors, co founders, CEOs, to help them really strategically 348 00:21:56,640 --> 00:22:02,310 map out, you know, from where they are, where they want to go. 349 00:22:02,460 --> 00:22:05,820 And what we need to put in place the building blocks to get to 350 00:22:06,030 --> 00:22:11,670 that next level. So instead of going from, you know, here to 351 00:22:11,670 --> 00:22:16,110 the end result, we just do small, incremental steps, just 352 00:22:16,110 --> 00:22:21,630 like you walk from your house, to your garage to your car, you 353 00:22:21,630 --> 00:22:24,600 have to take one step after the other and just kind of putting 354 00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:28,890 those in place in a very strategic about that, you know, 355 00:22:28,890 --> 00:22:32,130 show what's the best route, what's the most efficient route, 356 00:22:32,130 --> 00:22:36,390 what's the most least resistance to get from where you are to 357 00:22:36,390 --> 00:22:37,290 where you want to go. 358 00:22:38,790 --> 00:22:42,180 Robert Plank: And what is your your big idea moving forward as 359 00:22:42,180 --> 00:22:47,850 far as the like your great ads at being motivated at thinking 360 00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:50,910 at setting goals, like you said, where there's where you are, and 361 00:22:50,910 --> 00:22:52,830 there's where you want to go, there's what you put in place to 362 00:22:52,830 --> 00:22:56,160 get there, what is on the horizon for you, what's the 363 00:22:56,460 --> 00:22:59,160 latest and greatest big fun project coming up? 364 00:22:59,550 --> 00:23:03,510 Unknown: Okay, for the big fun project for for for me, is 365 00:23:03,510 --> 00:23:11,100 actually is actually getting into putting together using the 366 00:23:11,100 --> 00:23:13,800 latest technologies, this, you know, that's available, but 367 00:23:13,800 --> 00:23:18,060 building strategic systems on top of that, because you can 368 00:23:18,060 --> 00:23:22,140 have the best software or wiziwig. But if you don't have a 369 00:23:22,140 --> 00:23:26,580 system to actually make it work, it doesn't. And so I'm getting 370 00:23:26,580 --> 00:23:32,670 into systems that use the software to help companies 371 00:23:32,730 --> 00:23:37,200 acquire their ideal customer, client and patient. So getting 372 00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:41,220 into software development, and I spent the last year and a half 373 00:23:41,220 --> 00:23:41,550 now. 374 00:23:42,869 --> 00:23:45,179 Robert Plank: Fantastic. And I can relate to that a lot in 375 00:23:45,179 --> 00:23:48,599 there, there's sometimes being like software that that almost 376 00:23:48,599 --> 00:23:51,479 does what you want, let's just get like 90% of the way there 377 00:23:51,479 --> 00:23:53,969 and using a second piece of software to get it done or maybe 378 00:23:54,029 --> 00:23:57,869 like a super powerful kind of software. But the important 379 00:23:57,869 --> 00:24:01,079 thing that you actually need is only like 10 or 15%. And so 380 00:24:01,079 --> 00:24:04,109 there's there's not just the tool, but there's also how to 381 00:24:04,109 --> 00:24:06,899 navigate the tool and how to use the tool and like you know 382 00:24:06,899 --> 00:24:10,499 things like like a customer relationship management system, 383 00:24:10,499 --> 00:24:13,289 like a CRM to track your customers, it can do all kinds 384 00:24:13,289 --> 00:24:16,949 of crazy things, but unless you have a good strategy, a good 385 00:24:16,949 --> 00:24:20,249 process, you're trained to use it use it in the right way than 386 00:24:20,249 --> 00:24:23,039 what is any of that matter. It's like if you're running and you 387 00:24:23,039 --> 00:24:25,799 have the best running shoes, but you're not in shape, or you 388 00:24:25,799 --> 00:24:29,129 don't have good form or you or you don't like you know train 389 00:24:29,129 --> 00:24:31,409 yourself properly to work yourself up to as far as 390 00:24:31,409 --> 00:24:34,679 strength than what what good are the best running shoes if you 391 00:24:34,679 --> 00:24:38,999 don't have those other things in place, including the like the 392 00:24:38,999 --> 00:24:44,159 self awareness and including the kind of ability to to adapt to 393 00:24:44,159 --> 00:24:48,149 the unexpected problems. obstacles, right like your feet 394 00:24:48,149 --> 00:24:51,749 might hurt, this road might be closed might be too cold, too 395 00:24:51,749 --> 00:24:54,899 hot, too tired when you're running. And the same thing with 396 00:24:55,019 --> 00:24:57,209 with business as some of the stories that you mentioned. 397 00:24:57,299 --> 00:25:00,749 Sometimes we get stuck sometimes. We need to Think our 398 00:25:00,749 --> 00:25:04,139 way out of things or find new ways to motivate ourselves. And 399 00:25:04,139 --> 00:25:08,009 so for people who want to find out more about you and who want 400 00:25:08,009 --> 00:25:11,999 to jump on the Eric Carter train and bandwagon they say, I like 401 00:25:11,999 --> 00:25:16,079 what he has to say. I like his motivational advice. I like the 402 00:25:16,079 --> 00:25:18,959 way that he can take something really complex and say, here's 403 00:25:18,959 --> 00:25:22,469 what you need to do easy wins a marketing strategy. How did they 404 00:25:22,469 --> 00:25:25,949 take the next step with you? How did they contact you reach out 405 00:25:25,949 --> 00:25:27,389 to you find out what you're all about? 406 00:25:27,780 --> 00:25:31,020 Unknown: Yeah, absolutely. Well, it's just simple they just go to 407 00:25:31,620 --> 00:25:37,410 Eric Carter calm and that's actually Carter spelled ca r d 408 00:25:37,410 --> 00:25:43,620 are not car t e r, so they can go there. And they can book some 409 00:25:43,620 --> 00:25:48,600 time with with me just this, you know, simple web presence. And 410 00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:53,790 they can, you know, if what I've talked about has resonated with 411 00:25:53,790 --> 00:25:56,670 them are just interested in no more knowing more does it cost 412 00:25:56,670 --> 00:26:00,390 him anything to have basically coffee with Eric, and we can, 413 00:26:00,420 --> 00:26:04,050 you know, can talk and if we find out that we you know, we, 414 00:26:04,950 --> 00:26:07,440 you know, may want to pursue something further, then we'll 415 00:26:07,440 --> 00:26:08,100 take it from there. 416 00:26:08,940 --> 00:26:14,640 Robert Plank: Fantastic. And that is e r i c, c a r d, e 417 00:26:14,670 --> 00:26:18,870 r.com. And if anyone is hesitating to to go there and 418 00:26:18,870 --> 00:26:21,720 book the appointment, like I think we can all relate right? 419 00:26:21,780 --> 00:26:25,650 Like it's like hesitating to go to the doctor or hesitating to 420 00:26:25,710 --> 00:26:30,060 go to the accountant. It's scary to examine your own problems. 421 00:26:30,060 --> 00:26:33,810 It's scary to just like, I don't know, like, make make some of 422 00:26:33,810 --> 00:26:36,090 this stuff more open and share it with someone else. So if 423 00:26:36,090 --> 00:26:39,570 someone is maybe a little bit afraid of going to Eric 424 00:26:39,570 --> 00:26:43,350 carter.com right now and booking that phone call with you. Do you 425 00:26:43,350 --> 00:26:46,830 have any advice to someone like that? Like, have you been in 426 00:26:46,830 --> 00:26:49,740 where they're at? Or if someone says, you know, that sounds 427 00:26:49,740 --> 00:26:52,980 great on Eric Carter calm and like kind of sharing some of my 428 00:26:52,980 --> 00:26:55,410 problems and getting some solutions. But I'm just a little 429 00:26:55,410 --> 00:26:58,170 bit hesitant. Do you have anything to say in response to 430 00:26:58,170 --> 00:26:58,560 that? 431 00:26:58,950 --> 00:27:02,670 Unknown: Yeah, it's just a friendly conversation. It's just 432 00:27:02,670 --> 00:27:05,910 like, you know, you meet someone in the grocery store, and you're 433 00:27:05,910 --> 00:27:09,210 just having some, you know, great dialogue back and forth. 434 00:27:09,450 --> 00:27:12,630 I'm not trying to sell you anything. I'm not trying to beat 435 00:27:12,630 --> 00:27:17,820 you over the head is just having a conversation with someone that 436 00:27:17,820 --> 00:27:21,060 you know, that you just met and you just clicked and you just 437 00:27:21,060 --> 00:27:24,780 feel like, you know, maybe this person might could, you know, 438 00:27:24,780 --> 00:27:28,950 point me in a direction or they could assist me and if nothing 439 00:27:28,950 --> 00:27:32,640 comes out of it, you just had a great conversation with, you 440 00:27:32,640 --> 00:27:34,710 know, hopefully a new friend. And that's, that's 441 00:27:35,580 --> 00:27:38,100 Robert Plank: fantastic. Well, Eric Carter comm is the place 442 00:27:38,100 --> 00:27:41,400 for that great conversation, maybe some new ideas maybe 443 00:27:41,400 --> 00:27:44,070 pushed in the right direction. And as we wrap up, wind down 444 00:27:44,070 --> 00:27:46,770 this conversation here, Eric, is there any lasting piece of 445 00:27:46,770 --> 00:27:48,210 advice you want to share with us? 446 00:27:48,630 --> 00:27:53,730 Unknown: Yeah, absolutely. Stop doing everything yourself. Ask 447 00:27:53,730 --> 00:28:00,090 for help. Um, you know, it's okay. Not everyone will agree 448 00:28:00,090 --> 00:28:06,780 with the not everyone will, you know, Ruchi on but, you know, 449 00:28:06,780 --> 00:28:09,270 you can't do everything by yourself and you should seek 450 00:28:09,270 --> 00:28:14,310 others to help you whether it's myself, or you know, anyone. You 451 00:28:14,310 --> 00:28:17,970 know, don't don't go out alone. solitude is not the best thing 452 00:28:18,000 --> 00:28:20,790 in life and surely not in business.