Because typically people didn't get into business to administer their business, right? They got into business because they were passionate about something. And if you get caught up in all of the details and all of the running of the business, and how do I do all of these things, then you're not doing what you got into business to do. So that's probably the biggest challenge. Sometimes that's a mental thing, like letting go of it and learning how to let go and trust somebody
else to help you with that. And sometimes it's just a physical, like, I just, I need to give this to you.
This is The MindShift Podcast where we share real stories, real strategies, that will help you find real success. This is the place to hear from people just like you who have taken their ideas, goals and dreams from a point of inspiration to realization or when life knocked them down, from a point of breakdown to breakthrough. I'm your host, Darrell Evans. Let's get started with today's episode.
Hey, my friend, how you doing? Welcome back to another episode of The MindShift Podcast. First of all, I want to thank you for taking some time out of your day to spend it here with us and if this happens to be your first time here, we really hope you enjoy today's show and If you do, please head over to the Apple Podcast Network and leave us a review. It doesn't matter if you like it, didn't like it, tell us what you think. We're always trying
to improve the show. And of course, if you did like the show, make sure you never miss an episode by hitting the subscribe or follow button. With deep roots in business development and coaching, as the founder of Entrepreneur's Secret Partner, Cami Allen has helped local businesses grow and succeed for over 25 years. Cami's unique approach to leadership has enabled her clients to incorporate thoughtful strategies, leading
to successful solutions. Through her specialized onboarding approach Cami provides support that leads to effective organization, systems design and time management. She's also the creator of the More Than Money coaching program, an abundant life coaching program for women entrepreneurs. Cami, how you doing? Welcome to The MindShift Podcast.
Thank you, Darrell. I'm so excited and pleased to be here.
Let's just get this out of the way. But you and I have known each other for the better part of 15 years, right?
Yeah. So yeah.
I'm super excited to have this chat. We haven't actually had a chat in quite some years. I mean, so this is a neat privilege for me as well. Cami, where are you coming in from?
I'm coming in from Summertown, Tennessee, which is a little tiny, tiny town just south of Nashville.
Oh, okay, great. And go ahead and introduce yourself to our audience. Tell them a little bit about who you are, what you do, how you do it, and who you do it for?
All right. I work with primarily entrepreneurs, solopreneurs. And I help them with everything from virtual assistance, actual hands on administrative type tasks to designing systems and plans for their businesses, where they're headed, and everything in between. So it's very customized to each client. I really work to create a system and a solution for them that is going to help them further their business. So nothing is canned, nothing is prefabbed, it's all designed for you.
Hmmmm, 25 years doing this, right? That's a long time in the game. And so I have a tremendous amount of respect for longevity, right? A lot of people get in, they make a few bucks, they do something good, then they pivot. Nothing wrong with pivoting. You and I both pivoted over the years as we've known each other.
Yeah.
Stepped our toes in different waters but the ability to stay in the game is something I just respect. What does it take to be in the game 25 years as an entrepreneur and someone supporting businesses?
It takes a passion for what you do, and persistence, because it's not always fun. It's not always easy. There are times when it can be really challenging. It can be frustrating. It doesn't always go exactly how I want it to. And those are the times when you . . .
Oh really?
Yeah! Those are the times when you need to pick up and maybe pivot a little bit and keep moving. So
Yeah.
It's been a long journey and I, I am glad to have been in it so long, to have been able to work with so many great people over the years.
What was it in the early years that got you interested in entrepreneurship and then not only yourself being an entrepreneur, but then becoming the Entrepreneur's Secret Partner? I love that because it automatically tells me you're behind the scenes making sure that the magic happens out front, right?
Yes.
What got you interested in that?
Um, it was really kind of a sort of just series of events. I was married and going through a divorce back in 1993. And wasn't loving my job, just really felt like I wanted more. And somebody asked me to help organize them. And I to that point didn't realize that not everybody knew how to be
organized. And so I started organizing people and my business grew from that and then as I would organize people, they would say, oh, you know, I really need help with x. And I would say, I can help with that. And so it just sort of grew. And I became a virtual assistant before virtual was a thing. So I was actually driving around the city to all of my clients and working with them, and being what I called at the time, satellite secretary. And so things just grew from there, and
then technology changed. And I was able to broaden my reach and help people, you know, in other states and cities, and it's been really, really awesome.
Yeah, this lately, this whole idea of VAs and gig economy, there was an economy before this economy, right? You've been doing this for a long time. This isn't brand new. It's brand new to a lot of folks, but what are the top two or three areas of challenges that you see entrepreneurs struggling with the most? And maybe it's different than it was 10 years ago than it is today, so if you can compare and contrast, that'd be great.
Yes, I think it stayed the same, or similar over the years, just the use of technology, and things becoming more online than physical. So a lot of it is having systems for managing your information and making sure you can put your hands on things when you need it. That's one of the biggest
challenges I see. And the other is really letting go of all of those little things that aren't the best use of your time, that you don't need to be doing, that you can hire someone to do, like me, that will free you up to do what you do best. Because typically, people didn't get into business to administer their business, right? They got into business because they were
passionate about something. And if you get caught up in all of the details, and all of the running of the business, and how do I do all of these things, then you're not doing what you got into business to do. So that's probably the biggest challenge. Sometimes that's a mental thing, like letting go of it and learning how to let go and trust somebody else to help you with that. And sometimes it's just a physical, like, I just, I need to give this to you.
Yeah, that's such a great point. I want to ask you, from your perspective, because I know I talk a lot about this with clients in my digital agency, as well as in the MindShift Business Academy. Why is it that entrepreneurs hold on to stuff that they shouldn't be doing? For, I mean you almost have to pry it away from them, right? They know they're worth $100 an hour or $50 an hour or $35 an hour, and they're doing $10 an hour tasks.
Why do we do this? See, if we come from corporate, there's someone doing a little bit of everything, and you're doing your thing.
Yeah.
But we come start a business, and now all of a sudden, we have to carry the whole shoulder of the burden of doing everything, and then we don't want to let it go. In your perspective, why is that?
I think it's a fear thing. Really, it's fear of losing control, of somebody not doing it as well as I would do it. That's a big one. I think that a lot of times we get into the pattern of and this is whether you're an entrepreneur, or you work in a company, we get into this pattern of well, I can do it faster than I can teach them how to do it. So I'm just gonna do it. And we don't realize that that compounds, and then we never get out of the pattern of doing that.
Yeah, you know, it's very interesting you just said that. If there's a phrase I've heard for years, if it's going to be it's up to me, and like you said, no one can do it as good as I can and by the time I teach them how to do it, I could have had it done. Yeah, that time, right?
Right.
That time. But what happens when it happens another 100 times?
Yes, exactly.
It's gonna happen 100 more times, right?
Right, we get kind of short sighted in in that now I'm repeating that same task over and over when I could have done it one time and taught them. And then I don't have to repeat it anymore. And so it's, it's about just, you know, thinking a little bit bigger, and having the faith to just let go and know that there are competent people in the world.
Yeah. When you're taking these tasks from these entrepreneurs, what is it that you're freeing them up to do? What have you found over the years that they're doing? Give us three to five of the top things that you see them doing that they shouldn't be doing. And I know there's hundreds of things they could get off their plate, but you can't get them off your plate when you're a brand new entrepreneur, right?
Right.
Because someone's listening to this right now. And they're already bobble heading through the other side of this microphone, and they're saying, oh, Cami, yeah, that's me. But it's all stages. And what should they be doing? What are those early things they should get off their plate and what should they be doing?
I think, in the early stages, that they can at least have a way of managing their information and managing what they're doing so that they have some systems in place, so when they do hire somebody to come on board with them, if it's a VA or full time, that they actually have a blueprint to share with them. That'll make it so much easier. I mean, and that's E-myth is where I got that from, Michael Gerber, years ago.
Gotta love it.
Love that book.
It's a must read.
Yes, it is. And that's one of the things that I really liked that he said, is create a job description for everything you do. Create a job description, so that you can pass it on easily. And so I think creating your systems to begin with is super helpful. And then the things that people are spending time on that they don't need to be spending time on are going through all of their emails, and dealing with all of the things that don't have anything to do with getting business. Or responding to a
client. Having somebody help with scheduling and calendaring and all of the other little things that you might do for your clients that don't require your expertise and your unique skill, but that needs to be done, and are repetitive kind of tasks.
Yeah, I want to talk about email really fast. It's actually one of the things I have yet to outsource in all of my years. It's because I use a system taught to me by David Allen, the author of Getting Things Done.
Yes.
And for whatever reason, I've just held on to it. But let's talk about email, because I now have multiple things going on. I've multiple projects in the fire, multiple email addresses, and it is now starting to get a little weird. I'm gonna play the devil's advocate entrepreneur on the other side. But how will they know what's an important email and what's not an important
email? Talk to us about how you begin to delegate email because I want you to teach me right now, because I have five different email accounts that I have five projects running on right now. I don't want five email accounts. I do have an executive assistant, trust me on this, but there are still a couple of inboxes that still have to make it to me, but talk to us about, for that process, that could be one that everyone could benefit from today,
I think one easy way to do it is to start bcc'ing your assistant in responses that you make to clients. So things that you feel like are relevant or that these are important, but I say the same thing, a lot of times, like, I answer this question a lot. If they bcc'd me, then I begin to be aware of, okay, this is their pattern, this is what is important to them, this is how they respond to it, and you start to get a feel for it. So that's one way.
Another way is just really, depending on the client, there may be times when I'm not sure if it's important or not. Like, it sounds like it could be important to me, may not be to them, err on the side of caution and ask. And as you go, it takes a little time to to begin to understand your thinking process and how you work. But now I have clients where I can respond as them and nobody is the wiser, because I've gotten their voice so well, just from working with them and understanding.
Yeah, I'm glad you brought that part up. A couple of things. Number one, document those repetitive things you're doing so that you can start to identify that, oh, I keep doing the same thing and start to acknowledge whether or not it should be you or could be somebody else because there are those things. I have probably in my arsenal, 25 different email templates, whether they're outgoing or reply based, based on what you just said, which is
the customary things, right? And I think that's, you know, one of the best ways to start when you think about delegating, and you think about hiring on team, whether it's part time, full time, project, in-house, outsource, whatever the case is, it really starts with you being intentional, right? It starts with you being intentional. I remember when I read E-Myth, and we'll link it up in the show notes for anyone who doesn't know where to find it. It is a must read if you're a
solopreneur, specifically. If you've left corporate and now you're on your own, you will find yourself in what Michael Gerber calls an entrepreneurial seizure.
Yes.
Right? And, and the reality is, then you'll find yourself in what Tim Ferriss calls, the entrepreneurial rollercoaster, right? Where you're exuberant when you first get started. And then you realize, oh, there were people at my company who did this other stuff and now I have to do it. And now your exuberance goes to depression, because you're like, I don't know where to start, and you have overwhelm and all that stuff. So. . .
Yes.
So let's talk about what do you find most that the entrepreneur at the stage that you're working with them in. What are they now freed up to do?
And work with them in different stages. I've gone from, you know, even helping people start their businesses in the right structure and understanding what that looks like and help them write business plans, which I think is incredibly important, just to have a sense of this is where I want to go, this is what its gonna look like, you need a
plan. And then as they grow and they get to the point where, okay, I've got a lot of business and I can't do it all myself anymore, then that's where I come in and start taking some of those tasks, some of those things off their plates so that they can continue to focus on what makes them money, what brings them business or creating new things. Maybe they want to create new products or be involved in some additional
streams of income. They have the ability to do that, because they know they've got somebody that's in their corner supporting them, however they need.
Let's talk a little bit about the area that I know entrepreneurs struggle in, and that is the emotional roller coaster of entrepreneurship. And I know that some of this, as you just said earlier, it's mental, some of the releasing of these tasks is a control thing. There's resistance, even though they know they want to do it, they know they should do it. And if they think back to their corporate job, they saw it happening, right? They weren't the one in the department doing
all 300 things. How do you get them over that emotional or mental block to letting go?
I think a lot of it is really identifying what the root of it is. Is it some kind of lie that they have believed? A limiting belief that is kind of stuck in their brain that either says only I can do it, you know, because if I don't, somebody is going to take it away, or something's going to happen, or it might be that subconscious chatter that says, they're saying, you know, you are only capable of this. And
you can't grow. And that's part of I think what letting go of some of that stuff does is, it's easy to hang on to it because then we can't grow, right? And then there's another fear or another limiting belief we have to get past to be able to get to the place to embrace change and growth. That's why I started the coaching program, because it really becomes a coaching journey as well as an organizational one.
Yeah. You brought up the coaching journey and I always like talking to entrepreneurs, and I almost know the answer, probably before I ask the question, but I always want to ask, and that is how do you handle pressure when it really starts to mount? Do you have a coach in your corner, are you part of masterminds? I find that not just great entrepreneurs, entrepreneurs who've been in the game for a long time, they generally have a coach, they have a mentor, they have a guide, somebody they can
count on. Talk to us about that in your journey.
Yes, it's been a huge part of my journey. And I believe anybody who coaches people also needs to have their own coach. So for me, it's one of the requirements. You got to walk your talk. And it has shown up both in working for other people as a leader and working through some of the issues and challenges that come up when you're in that role. And just having that support and that outside voice. A lot of times I think we don't know what we
don't know. And it takes an outside person, another perspective to come in and help us see what we're missing. And help us maybe acknowledge and look at the things we don't really want to look at. So we can get past them. And so for me, that has been a really big, a big part of my journey is, even in my growth with my business, has been telling the little seven year old kid, I appreciate you and I don't need
to listen to that anymore. And then being able to take that and grow and move forward in my business and take the next steps.
What would you tell your five year entrepreneur self now that you're at 25 years? What would you look back and tell that person as a lesson that they should avoid now? Assuming we're talking to entrepreneurs right now, who are in that two to five year window. You're 25 years in this business. What advice would you give that five year entrepreneur Cami, who's also listening in on this show?
I would say get help sooner rather than later. You can't create in a vacuum, you can't grow in a vacuum. You need other people, whether it's people to collaborate with or have a mastermind with or a coach or a virtual assistant. Get help sooner than later. You will thank yourself for it. You will grow and go on to do more than you thought you could do, sooner than you thought you could do it.
We talked about books a little bit ago, we talked about Michael Gerber, E-Myth. What are the top 1, 2, 3 books are sort of the staple in your world that have really given you a lift. I always tell people, you don't necessarily always have to hire a coach, you know, start at the book level first. And I talk to people and they don't read books. I'm like, What are you talking about? You can get the cheapest level of help possible.
Yeah.
And obviously cover to cover, every book's not good. We're not going to argue that point. But you're going to find a nugget or two for that $16, $17 investment. But what books have guided you along your path?
I would say I'm a big John Maxwell fan. So one of my favorites of his is the 15 Laws of Growth. That's kind of my thing. I always want to be learning and growing. And so there are things that we need to do. We need to stretch the rubber band. We need to be uncomfortable. And that book has really helped me a lot and what I will say about books, I heard this great saying, are you practicing self development or
shelf development. So it's great to have the books, it's great to read them but if you are not using what you've learned in them, they're worthless.
100%
I think that's the biggest thing is no matter what you're reading, make sure you do the work.
Yeah, I always find that a book sometimes will land in your lap somehow. And you just have to honor, the title may not be the title that you think it should be. You should just open the book and go there. And Cami, you might be able to concur with this but I have had books show up in my world, one way or another. I can think of one when I was in an airport, I literally went to go get some water and in this little stand where they have magazines, snacks, all that good
stuff, there's a book. And I literally see this book, I picked the book up, game changer. And I didn't finish the book by the way. I only read enough of the book for the whatever, a couple of hours, a few hour plane ride, didn't finish the book, got what I needed. And to your point, just honor that concept. Don't just become a book buyer to be a book buyer, because you'll be a, I like shelf development, that's
really good. But I've had plenty of books where I picked them up and got two thirds of the way through, half the way through, and got the aha moment I needed. The rest of the book wasn't necessary.
Yeah.
So what's changed in your view of you know, what I guess I'll categorize as operational systems management, post pandemic, or should I say, as we've lived through now pandemic for going on two years,
We're using technology even more. And there are so many solutions out there. I had one client that was coming on board, and she was telling me, these are all the things I've been recommended. And she had like 10 different apps, and things that she'd been recommended to use. And I'm like, okay, now you're just going to be chasing your tail. Like we need to narrow it down to what our goals are, what we want to accomplish, and what few apps are going to be able to
manage those things for us. And not just see going after the newest, greatest thing. And oh, somebody said this was good, I should you use this. And then you're reinventing the wheel over and over trying to learn a new system. Pick one and use it and use it to its full ability.
Yeah, I love that. Let's just do that real quick. Let's talk about a few of the top apps you use or recommend. What do you use for calendar? Because you talked earlier about someone being able to put a way to calendar events without you having to go back and forth, I actually cannot stand playing date and time and location tag. It is over. Been over for me for years. I've been using an automated calendar for a lot of years. But what's your top calendar tool today?
So I use Calendly.
Great tool.
That's my favorite, the free version is good, the paid version is . . .
Better.
. . . much better, because you have lots of different types of appointments you can create. And you can create customized emails to your clients for reminders and things like that. So I really love that. I do have one client who works with mostly CEOs and C suite people who want that personal touch. So that one, I get to play calendar tag for her.
Got it.
There are still people that want that. They feel like that's important.
Sure.
So you know, I have that as well. But Calendly is my favorite.
Gotcha. What's the next top two or three apps you see most often can really help an entrepreneur get a few things off their plate? And they don't even realize maybe the either the app exists, or that it could do it. Do you have a couple, two or three things that just make things easier.
So I use Trello. And I actually create a board for each client and I share it with them. So then that is a place where they can say, oh, this is something I was thinking about, I need to ask you to do. They can just type it in. And then it's in there when I go check. And so it's a way for us to, you know, sort of like an inter-office, you know, messaging board or or I guess even Slack. It's a way for them to capture their thoughts and ideas when they have them so
that they're there. And we neither of us forget them, and I use it for agendas, and just everything for each client. So it's all in one place. And then they also have access to that information.
Good project management tool. So many things. I'm like you. I see people that have all the tools. They're very inexpensive these days. But the problem is with their inexpensive nature of them, you could be saying, oh, well, it's only 200 bucks for all these tools. $10 here, $12 there, $8 a month there, $22 a month there, 34 there. And next thing you know you got 21 tools, right?
Yeah.
And you're worse off than when you started. So I love that. Let's talk about your program. Let's talk a little bit about, I love the name of it. It speaks to the heart of something I strongly believe in. I'm imagining where we're going to go with this last piece, but talk to us about More Than Money.
I believe that living an abundant life has a lot of different definitions. It's not the same for everyone. So. And it's not just about how much money you make. You can be a millionaire, and still not have an abundant mindset. And so it's really about all of those pieces, the lies again, that come into our life that we allow to limit us and to keep us small and not abundant. And so they create blocks that we don't even
realize are there. And, you know, we may be aware that the blocks are there, but we don't really know how to get past them. And the program is really designed to 1, help you uncover those blocks, those lies, those limiting beliefs, intentions that no longer serve you, the emotions that maybe you're stuck in, or you're holding onto, and that subconscious chatter and really, saying, okay, here's
what we've got. Now, let's get rid of this and replace it with your truth, so that you can experience more freedom and abundance. Like for me, it means I wake up. When I wake up, I don't have an alarm. I spend time with my dogs in the morning. I have a whole meditation and routine that I do. And then I start my day. And for me, that's an abundant life. That is super meaningful to me to be able to have the freedom to do that, and to create that
space for that for me. And so for everyone it's different, but the program is really designed to help you identify what that is for you and to start living that way.
All right, I'm gonna geek out with you for just a second. I tell everybody, I wake up with no alarm clock. And like, Darrell, yeah but you don't got kids. Yeah, Darrell, but you don't have to do . . Yeah Darrell but, so listen, I don't use an alarm clock, haven't used alarm clock. You're probably the first person I've talked to in a long time, who doesn't use an alarm clock. I just believe I'll wake up when I'm done sleeping, and then I'll
get enough sleep. And I'll wake up when I need to be because if I know where I'm supposed to be the night before my mind will govern that behavior. And people don't realize the power of the subconscious mind, the power of intention. And so anyway, I love hearing you say that. But how long have you been doing this no alarm clock thing?
I've been doing it for three years.
Wonderful. I'm going on five. And I'm telling you for those listening, because this actually, I'm talking to my clients about this. You want to talk about gaining balance and clarity. It starts with keeping some space for just you before the rest of the world starts putting all of its demands on your shoulders, right?
Yeah.
And so I have two and a half, three hour routine every day before the world gets to access me.
Yeah.
And they're wondering like two and a half to three hours. And the funny thing is, I heard a multi multi multi-millionaire say this about 15 years ago. And he was retired, of course, by this point. And he wasn't old. He was probably in his late 40s. So I'm in my mid 30s. And I finally about five years ago, I said, why do I need to wait till I'm retired to stop this. Like, stop waking up from alarm clock. Alarm clock was on my last nerve then, when I first heard it, but
I just hear it all the time. I don't want to dovetail. But anyway, Cami, I think people listening who may be feeling a little bit overwhelmed. They, they're lacking some systems. They may have all the tools, but they don't know how to organize it. And then in this last part of the conversation, really, or maybe clear on how to balance this thing we call life and be abundant. Because again, you can have all the outward success and be trapped on the inside. I see this for the last decade in my
work as an agency owner. And it's something that is a real entrepreneurial challenge. So
Yes.
I appreciate that you're having this program primarily for women entrepreneurs, yeah?
Yeah.
Yeah. Where can people find out more about you and the program?
They can go to my website, which is ESP4biz, the number 4, B-I-Z. And they can also connect with me on LinkedIn, and we can put the link in the show notes. I'm here, I'm happy to have a chat and see if there's a connection and a fit and get you moving.
Cami has been a pleasure having you on the show. I always ask my guests a final question. If you've listened to the show, I think you have, so you probably know this question.
Yes.
And that is in your personal faith, so I'm really excited to hear your answer. If today happened to be your last day here on this planet we love and call home, what would you want everyone to remember you for?
I would want to be remembered for, as someone who loved others and encouraged and inspired them to grow. Awesome. Cami Allen, thank you for spending some time with us here on The MindShift Podcast. It's been a pleasure having you. Thank you. I enjoyed it.
Hey my friend, thanks again for listening to today's episode of The MindShift Podcast. Listen, let's not have the conversation in here. Connect with me on social @MrDarrellEvans on almost all the platforms, with the exception of Facebook. My Facebook fanpage is @DarrellEvansFan. Until next week, remember you're just one shift away from the breakthrough you're looking for.