Full Transcript

Sari:
Welcome to your Food Business Success. This podcast is for early stage entrepreneurs in the packaged food industry ready to finally turn that delicious idea into reality. I'm your host Sari Kimbell, I have guided hundreds of food brand founders to success as an industry expert and business coach and it's gotta be fun. In this podcast, I share with you mindset tools to become a true entrepreneur and run your business like a boss, interviews with industry experts to help you understand the business you are actually in, and food founder journey so you can learn what worked and didn't work, and not feel so alone in your own journey. Now, let's jump in! Welcome to the last podcast of the year, we did it, we made it, we're almost out of 2022 for all the good, bad, challenging, amazing, ugly, all of it, right? And you should really pat yourself on the back and feel good about getting through this year and hopefully, some amazing things happen for you, as well as all the difficult stuff. And today we're going to talk about; first, the value of first time experiences and this really is so important. I thought it's such a great topic to end the year on as you are wrapping things up and then also looking ahead for the new year. I did this exercise and it took about 15 minutes maybe, maybe not that long. And it was really valuable to look back on my firsts over the past year. And so before I talk about the actual activity and what to do next, I want to just talk about the value of it but talking about the opposite too, right? Certainty or routine or knowing what's going to happen as much as possible, versus uncertainty. And this is actually a part of Tony Robbins, he has a framework called The Six Human Needs. And different people have different levels of need, you know, strongness of need for certainty, and some people really have a need for uncertainty. We all have both, and some are just some of us have a very, you know, much stronger need, one way or the other. And I certainly value a lot of certainty in my life. There is really good things about having routines and habits that benefit us, right? The more we don't have to make decisions. So you know, what time am I gonna get up in the morning? What time do I go to bed? What do I eat? You know, most of us, if you look at the majority of your day, it's probably pretty habitual, right? That there are patterns and habits and routines that you have built in. And there's nothing wrong with that. In fact, you know, for the most part, it's a good thing. Now, I have been to the place where I was that person who just got so entrenched in habit, and did not have a lot of novelty. And I actually found myself pretty depressed. I remember going through a period where I had just graduated college and I was a little bit older, I didn't go like directly out of high school. And I got my first teaching job and at that teaching job, I was at a junior high and I met my going soon to be husband. At that point, we kind of had a whirlwind romance. We were married the next summer, we bought a house, and it was just like new, new, new, new, new, new new, right? And then we both changed jobs. We both change schools, we're both teachers. And yes, I was a teacher for junior high. So I love teaching you guys and I think I'm a really excellent teacher but Junior High. Yeah, that was a trip. And after that, like it was so much novelty. It almost like shocked my system where I felt a little unsafe and like what is happening, especially when all of a sudden you're like, now you're like oh, now we're just doing what's normal, quote unquote, the routine stuff, right? And so I kind of went through a little depression after that. And I just found myself like, we're just like, okay, this is my life, this is my routine. This is what we do and we didn't do a lot of novel things and I wasn't thinking in novel ways. I wasn't like pushing myself into growth. And it was really challenging time. And so I look at my life now and there is a balance for sure of like keeping things routine and knowing my bedtime, having great food in the house, like knowing what works for my body, knowing what time I get up my, you know, every morning, I have like the same series of beverages and kind of the time I eat, usually, and the workouts and all of that stuff. But it's really important that we do seek out some uncertainty, some novelty, right? And there are so many reasons for this, it creates new neural pathways in our brain. And when we create these new neural pathways, we actually get a rush of delights. So when you try something new, it could be a new food, it could be, that's why it's important, like even like your workouts or, and even the foods you eat, like mixing it up every now and again, just to get that little bit of rush of excitement and pleasure. We get a lot of reward stimulation in our brain for that. And it also stimulates the part of our brain that strengthens long term memory and learning. And they've shown that in people who developed Alzheimer's that you can really help to avoid a lot of that if you are learning new things, you're seeking out new experiences that help your brain continually create these new neural pathways. And it's important that, you know, there are some people who do like have very risky lives and seek out the thrill of novelty a lot, right? And that's a little bit different. I'm not going to call that good or bad. But for most of us, it's probably not kind of like my example of that whirlwind year where you're almost taxing your nervous system and adrenaline. And it becomes this like addiction like I need more, I need more, I need more. Versus like pushing yourself a little bit out of your comfort zone without really threatening your overall safety. Now, one could argue that jumping out of an aeroplane definitely threatens your safety, which that might be a little bit extreme, which is one of my first this year, but that's why I love entrepreneurship. It is an amazing vehicle for creating firsts. You will have so many firsts, so many opportunities to grow. So many opportunities to feel the rush of excitement and newness and delight and success. And you will have a lot of opportunities to work through firsts that are very challenging. That push you to think bigger, and to pivot, and to problem solve, and to process your emotions. But we want to do that kind of experiential learning and growth and first, because it does increase your confidence. As you, you know, I've had some episodes where I talk about like micro dosing courage. As you push yourself into new territory and you try doing some new things that are a little foreign to you. You're going to create confidence as you overcome those challenges, you're going to become more resilient. And as you do that in small ways, you can keep stair stepping your way up to new things, to bigger things, things that change your life, right? We all are going to die with some untapped potential. I will, you will. The person who is living their life seemingly to the fullest every day will still have some untapped potential.

Sari:
However, you get to decide how much. I want to be on my deathbed hopefully at an older age at 85, 90 where I am like, I lived it to the fullest. I tapped as much potential as I possibly could. I like suck the marrow out of my life and did amazing things and created amazing experiences and lived in awe and wonder and richness and connection and love. And that's why I love helping people start their food businesses or take their food businesses to the next level because then you're going to grow, then you're going to tap into your potential. Let's see what you're capable of in 2023. Listen, we all have an ability of what we're doing right now. That is your current ability for you to create, you know, replace your salary, for example, with your food business or to launch your food business, you aren't going to lean into what's possible, what you are capable of. You don't have the ability yet because you haven't ever done it before. And it's a first. It's an amazing first filled with tons of amazing firsts inside of it. And I love helping you navigate that and be more successful because what I hate to see is people come up against a few challenges, a few new firsts, and they don't have the tools and they don't have the experience and the knowledge and the expertise to get over that. And I want to help you get over those obstacles faster, and do it with more fun, and actually make a profit in your business. You know. What a concept, right? I want you to be more successful in your business. So you keep doing it. Because, again, having a business is going to give you tons and tons of new firsts, I promise you. So I went through my calendar just started back in January 2022. And I would encourage you to do the same thing, just pull up a calendar on your computer, or if you have a paper calendar, and just have a piece of paper with you and just start listing out all of the first. So some of mine were attending the Fancy Food Show with inviting clients and I had 11 clients come and we went out to dinner. And in that time, I also got a tattoo. Now it wasn't my very first one but it was my first one like in a conspicuous place, a much larger tattoo and certainly my first tattoo in Vegas. So that was really fun first, and I get to take another group of Food Business Success members and one on one clients to Fancy Food in 2023 and I'm so excited. I joined Food Bevy and became a coach inside that program, which was so fun. It's been a really fun first. I launched Fuel, which is our membership group inside. It's our community inside Food Business Success, and kind of changed the model of this, of my program. And so I started these group coaching calls. I also started Power Hour, the VIP program. So lots of new firsts in Food Business Success, which was so fun. I did the Whip Up your Food Business workshop, I went to my very first mastermind event for my coaching program, The Life Coach School. And I received an award for the 100k plus earners. So I got my very first award. I went to Sonoma with one of my best friends Alicia and we did some really cool wine tasting. Now that wasn't a total first, I have been to Sonoma but it was my first time with her. And that was, we made it a very first time experience. I walked on coals. I also jumped out of an airplane. So those were two new firsts that were pretty big, pretty intense, definitely took a lot of courage. I went to a program called Reinvention that cost me $5,000, actually was $10,000. And that was a really big first for me, putting down that kind of money and getting so much value out of it. I did a Create More Time boot camp. I started to do some live speaking events like in person on a small scale. I did some coaching presentations for other groups like Food Bevy and Brand new factory. I joined a social club. And that was so fun. I'm still a member. And I discovered that there's this social club here in Denver, and it's kind of like a country club without the golf course. And it's really, they do have a focus on entrepreneurs and business and networking. So I have met a ton of new people through that experience and that membership has been really great. So pushing myself out of my comfort zone, getting in person. I got COVID, that was a first for me. I also got a colonoscopy, another first, maybe not the good kind of first, but I got through it, right? I did hire two new coaches to help me in two areas of my life. One was online awareness and ads and like tracking and just boosting my findability online. And I also hired a wealth coach who taught me about the Profit First system, which I am going to be doing some new first things in 2023 with that, but we set up a 401 K for me, I am like running my life and my business and my money like a boss now because of working with her. I went to my first meditation retreat, I shopped with a concierge at Saks Fifth Avenue. We did our first end of year planning retreat with a group of friends and coaches up in Breckenridge just a couple of weeks ago. And I did my first in person planning, like one on one strategy session where we did a longer afternoon with a one on one client, and I have another one, actually, this week when this airs. And that's been really fun to do those in person and be like a real longer strategy session. And the last thing I came up with was that I started running Facebook ads using a new program, and a new mentor helping me out with those. So that was a lot of firsts. And, you know, I didn't even mention all the new clients, the first time clients, all the new members in Food Business Success, all of the connections and people I've met through all of these experiences, been so amazing. So I'm curious for you, when you go back and run, make a list of all of your first is the list long, or is it short. And if it is short, there's no judgment there. But I'm going to encourage you to actually start planning more first, like doing it on purpose, saying yes to opportunities, saying yes to offers that, you know, when they're a good match, when they're in alignment with you, and like it could take you to a new place. Now, sometimes, it feels scary, I would say all the time, it feels scary when you're doing something new. There is a level of, you know, excitement, slash nervousness, which is really very similar in experience, right? The nerves, the butterflies, you know, sometimes you might get a little bit of tight chest or you feel like you might want to vomit. When I work, when I talk with people who are interested in one on one coaching and I tell them what the cost is. And I say, you know, if you're feeling a little bit vomity, if you're feeling like a little barfi, that means you're on the right track, that is actually a really good sensation to notice, like, oh, this is the thing that feels really hard, but it's actually the thing I need to do, because it's what's going to get me out of my comfort zone, it's going to force me to learn and to grow and to get, help my business get to the next level. So that's actually a really good feeling. I certainly had that times a hundred jumping out of an airplane and walking on coals, but doesn't always have to be that extreme by any means. So challenge yourself to do more first and start small, microdose that courage, right? Go listen to that podcast about micro dosing courage.

Sari:
Maybe it starts with just like trying a different food or shaking up your routine a little bit, meeting some new people, going out to a meet up or something like that, get, you know, just get out of your comfort zone a little bit. There's so many reasons to do that and how it benefits you. So for next year, I am planning some really fun first. Now, I fully expect now that I am in this frame of mind where I am just like embracing first and I'm like I have more confidence that I can figure it out. And I'm going to make it through the other side. And, you know, this one short life that I have to live, I'm gonna like do big things, and I'm gonna take bigger risks. But it didn't always start out that way for me. And like I said, couple, you know, not that long ago, it's pretty terrified of doing new things. So I've been there but now I'm I have this momentum going where it's super fun, and I'm enjoying the variety of the, you know, certainty, being really safe in my life and feeling really grounded. And then pairing that with moments of uncertainty and novelty and getting out of my comfort zone. So next year, I do have a couple of firsts that I want to tell you about. And I don't have all the information yet, but if you're interested, I want you to go to the web page foodbizsuccess.com/2023. And that'll give me a little bit of information so that I know which list to put you on. But I'm going to do two things for sure in January and February. One is going to be a launch challenge. So if you are just thinking about starting a business, you're wondering like, should I do this, could I do this? You know, that side hustle, maybe you want to make a little extra money. And you just want to see if it's possible for you, I'm going to be doing a four day launch challenge in January. And it's going to be 19 bucks, super inexpensive. And I'm going to meet with you for days in a row, you're going to get access to me, you're going to have like some things to do every day to help move you along. Because I want to help you make a decision whether to move forward with your business, whether you get my help or not, I just want you to make a decision and do it, right? Take that leap and do that first time of saying yes, and going in on yourself to start this business. And then for my folks who already have a business but you are like, I don't think that this is very profitable, I may just have an expensive hobby, or you have a great business, I am going to be doing a workshop all about Profit First, which has radically, hugely changed my business and how I view my business money. And it has changed everything for me. And I've been starting to work with clients on the strategy as well, helping them start it and do the process, and it is amazing. The the transformation and how we see our businesses as profit makers, not just like money takers. And so I will be doing a workshop specifically on that for next year as well. So those are two new firsts that I know are coming again, foodbizsuccess.com/2023 to get on the list for either one of those. And I'll put that in the show notes below. And then as far as like, personally, I don't know that I have anything super specific planned yet, but I will be taking full advantage of all things that I can and that come up, and I will be seeking them out too. I'm not just waiting for things to show up in my lap. I know one thing I want to do is join a new mastermind. So I have been on the hunt, the lookout for the right type of mastermind, for the one that feels really aligned with my business goals and the coaching style that I do but not necessarily with a coach from my school. So I wanted to be more business focused. So that's something that will definitely be new and I'll put that into my schedule. And I'm sure it'll be a little bit disruptive at first, but that's what we want. We want to disrupt ourselves just a little bit. I do have some trips planned. Right now I have a trip to Miami in March, and I've never been to Miami. And it's going to, we're going to have a yacht experience, a luxury yacht experience and I've never done that. So that will definitely be a big first for me. And so yeah, I'll I, one thing I really was thinking about this morning is I really want to go to Vancouver. I've never been, I've been to Vancouver Island, but never to Vancouver, the city. And so I might start planning a summer trip where I go visit my best friend in Seattle, hang out there and then maybe just take a trip up to Vancouver. So that'd be really fun. It just as a little aside, I heard something that really I have been loving. I've been doing it for a couple of years now where you should always have two new things, like two plans on the calendar. So for instance, like the thing in Miami, the retreat in Miami and then like a trip to Vancouver as an example. And then that way, when the thing in Miami happens, sometimes we go through a little bit of depression when that thing is wrapping up, right? We're like, oh, we don't have anything else on our calendar. That's why you always want to have two things because you always have something new to look forward to. And then you add another one. So just a little life hack there. It really does work well. All right, I want to wrap it up there I really encourage you to go do this first time experience activity, go look back on your calendar. If there's not a lot of first, if there's not a lot of getting out of your comfort zone then make 2023 your year like go after it, do it on purpose for all the benefits for feeling healthier, feeling happier. Dopamine hits, right? Just the awe in life like it opens your eyes to like, ooh, the fun of life. And we all know people who have retired, that stopped doing new things and they just kind of like shrivel up a little bit and they get, you know, really stuck and really in one place and it can be a little bit of depression there. I don't want that for you, I want you to cease your potential, go after it. Live it to the fullest and if starting or growing your package food business is in the cards for you, it's on your wish list, then I would love to help you go get on the waitlist for either of those programs. And I will see you in 2023. Until then, have an amazing week. The smartest thing you can do as an entrepreneur is to invest in a who to help you with the how to speed up your journey and help you skip the line. When you are ready for more support and accountability to finally get this thing done. You can work with me in two ways. Get me all to yourself with one on one business coaching or join Food Business Success which includes membership inside Fuel, our community of food business founders that includes monthly live group coaching calls and so much more. It's one of my favorite places to hang out and I would love to see you there. Go to foodbizsuccess.com to start your journey towards your own Food Business Success.