unExpectedly Successful

From Corporate Burnout to Boss Lady: A CEO's Self-Worth Journey

• Griselda Martinez • Season 3 • Episode 27

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From burnout to achieving her childhood dream of business ownership. 

Ever felt trapped in a corporate environment, undervalued and overworked? 

Join us in this inspiring conversation as we go deep into the incredible journey of Michelle Elder, CEO and founder of Savvy Consulting Group. Michelle's story is a testament to the power of recognizing your own worth, strategic planning, consistency, and personal growth. Michelle shares her experiences, challenges, and insights from corporate burnout to business ownership, drawing from the book 'Atomic Habits' and other wisdom pieces in her continuous self-improvement journey.

Discover how she's helping small businesses optimize their operations with strategic planning and processes and gain motivation for your own entrepreneurial journey. Tune in to find inspiration, actionable items, and valuable business lessons to help you leap into entrepreneurship or take your business to the next level.

Top 5 business lessons learned from this episode: 
•Recognizing Your Worth
•Strategic Planning
•Consistency
•Personal Growth
•Helping Others

📣 Get in touch with Michelle: 
💼 Tiktok: savvyconsultantgroup
🌐 Instagram: savvyconsultantgroup
📚 Facebook: Savvy Consultant Group

Referenced books:
📖🚀Atomic Habits, https://amzn.to/3NqH38l, “Winners and losers started with the same goal in mind”

📚 RECOMMENDED readings and programs:
🧠 On Mindset - Soundtracks: the surprising solution to overthinking, https://amzn.to/40W2zHv
💬 On Communication - The 16 Undeniable Laws of Communication: Apply Them and Make the Most of Your Message, https://amzn.to/3N1c56g
📈 On Scaling Your Business through Synergies - Who Not How: The Formula to Achieve Bigger Goals Through Accelerating Teamwork, https://amzn.to/4a7USlQ

🎧 Listen to the show:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/66x3kimKtCA4dSHE51IOEj?si=486ebbd41f284f3d
🍏 Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/un-expectedly-successful-the-podcast/id1691434992

💌 GET IN TOUCH WITH ME 
🎓 Learn about my Online Academy, Her Path to Purpose and Profit, at drgriselda.com   
💼 Economic Development Consulting: ascendostrategies.com

Who I AM:  
I am Dr. Griselda Martinez, your transformational business coach, speaker, and consultant dedicated to empowering seasoned professionals like you to step confidently into entrepreneurship. After reaching the peak of my career, I realized my true calling was not in the corner office but in guiding women to unlock their purpose through business ownership. 

Join me and a community of passionate, purpose-driven entrepreneurs making a real difference. Subscribe to become part of the un-Expectedly Successful tribe, and let's elevate your business journey together. Share your aspirations in the comments and discuss how we can achieve them. Ready to redefine success on your terms? 

Let’s go!

Disclaimer: Some linked items are affiliate-supported, meaning a commission may be earned with no added cost for you.


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Speaker 1:

Anything is possible with a strong process and a strategic plan. Anything is possible. Whatever your goal is, it is possible to get a strong, a strong process and a strategic plan ["Street Dance"].

Speaker 2:

Welcome back to another episode of Unexpectedly Successful and tonight, today, I have this amazing individual that I've been looking forward to have this conversation with, and you'll hear to know why Michelle Elder. And let me brag about Michelle. Michelle is the CEO and founder of Savvy Consulting Group, and when you get Michelle as your consultant, you get let me get this right you get strategy planning and processes for you to optimize anything you do, either as an individual, as a small business or as a large corporate, and let me tell you some of the results that Michelle helps her clients get. At least in one instance, she helped this company, a large corporate, save $1.5 million when the project was planned to be over budget. I don't know about you, but $1.5 million is a large amount, so the investment they had in Michelle was really a drop in the bucket, and what she does for these large corporations can do that for small businesses and individuals. And so let's get going with this conversation, michelle, how are you doing today?

Speaker 1:

Hi, Griselda, I'm doing very well. Thank you so much. I'm very excited to be here. It is an honor to join your podcast.

Speaker 2:

It is an honor for me to have you here, michelle, and I'm excited to dig into your story as a business owner, because you are a little bit of a puzzle for those who know you and definitely for those who don't know you yet. Anyway, the first question who? What is to be, michelle, for you? Michelle?

Speaker 1:

Constant evolution, constant evolution. I'm always focusing on getting better and better, improving myself and I think like, as I look back over my life, that has been a really big theme of just having a goal, being goal-oriented and being focused on that goal is trying to like improve my life and improve myself.

Speaker 2:

Awesome, michelle, and you know, as you're talking about this, your description of yourself is basically the description of what you offer your clients right Because you offer optimization of their own systems and processes for continuous improvement. That's an amazing connection. Right there, I'm excited. Okay, so you talked about being most proud of your younger self, and I'm gonna quote you here For all the hard work, sacrifice and dedication she poured out in blind hope for you in this moment. Can you please unfold that for us, michelle?

Speaker 1:

Yes, well, I guess I kind of alluded to it a moment ago where, you know, there wasn't a quote that I came upon in my journey and it stuck out to me. If you don't know by now, I'm a quote person. I love wisdom or wise sayings. So there was a quote I found it's called do something today that your future self will thank you for, and so that really stuck out to me in my mind, like I would just hear that over and over again, and so I just always had that perspective. I kept that as my perspective as far as like doing something today that my future self will thank me for.

Speaker 1:

And you know, over the time it didn't always, like you know, sound as cool as that quote. You know, when you're in the weeds of like going through the day to day, and sometimes I even forgot all about that quote. But what was interesting is, I think maybe maybe two years ago I came like that quote came to my awareness again and you know, I remembered like all of that motivation and determination that it helped feel. And one of my friends had asked me on my birthday hey, what did you learn this year, like being another year older? And it was really interesting that that quote popped to my mind and it was like for the first person or for the first time I was looking at that quote from like the future self.

Speaker 1:

And I really, I feel so thankful for myself.

Speaker 2:

And it's the coolest realization there.

Speaker 1:

Sounds so funny. Yes, I do. I feel so thankful for myself in all the hard work that I have put into. You know, get here, it's like you know, you put your blinders on and you, you know you get into that work day to day and like sometimes it gets discouraging and it's long. It's that day after day, after day. But yeah, when you look up and you look back and it's like, wow, I'm so grateful for that younger self who didn't know if it would work out. And you know now, I'm just so grateful.

Speaker 2:

That is the coolest reflection, michelle, because we often, like I've heard this approach of what would you tell your younger self, but like being thankful of that previous version that has led to this moment. It's super cool. It's a different level of gratefulness to my own person. I love it. I love it. Okay, so you talked about consistently, day to day to day In your messages. You talk about consistently is the key. So can you please give us more context to what is your day to day, what is those ups and downs that you talked about, and why is it key for you to be here right this moment?

Speaker 1:

Yeah, sure, I think one thing that I've been learning about is an idea week, and so that is really kind of just that idea, the idea of an idea week and having that as, excuse me, putting consistency in your life. It kind of ties everything together. So you have a goal. Oh my gosh. It just came to my mind something that's really exciting that I wanted to share with you on this note, because it's a book that I'm reading called the Atomic Habits by and I have it here by James Clear. Yes, and yeah, james Clear.

Speaker 1:

So Atomic Habits, and there was something in there that they said was that winners and losers both have the same goal, which is and that was just like that. Just, I'm sorry that just like blew my mind. Winners and losers both have the same goal, like they both started out with, like winning. They're both like and that was that really hit me because, you know, like I alluded, I've like grown up as like always being goal oriented and like I have goals and I'm gonna reach my, you know, potential, I'm gonna keep getting better, but it's kind of like what is the difference between, like, the people that actually accomplished their goals and they don't accomplish their goals? It is like their daily habits and that's what that book is about your Atomic Habits.

Speaker 1:

But that's that consistency piece. It's like did you do the things that were required to get it done? And it's sort of like a bottom line mentality which is kind of could be harsh. It's like a business mindset that it's like either it is or it isn't and so like, on the day to day basis, it doesn't matter how you feel or what happened. It's sort of like the consistency, like did you put in that work day after day after day? And I think that is really what makes the big difference and that's what that book was talking about. It's like those the things that the thing that makes the difference is the winner did what it took every day to get there, and nobody's perfect, so everything you do is imperfect. But yes, you know the majority, like 90%, or you know to the best of your ability that you keep trying consistently and you don't give up. So that would hopefully answers your question.

Speaker 2:

That's awesome, that I love the reflection and like, if we talk about winners and losers, both started with the same goal in mind. It's like, do I wanna be a winner, do I wanna be a loser A year from now? Right, and it's a deep reflection, it's a harsh reality and that ties to something you say here Living a life with a system and a strategic plan is hard, but it is also hard to live a life with a system, without a system or a strategic plan. Choose your heart. I think it connects to that. So what has been your own experience? And I told you all if you get Michelle, you get systems, strategy processes, planning. So this is her own journey. What has been your own journey, michelle, as a business owner in systems and strategic plans? And just like bringing it to the day to day and because when I hear strategic plans it's like, ooh, that's a big document, what is it for you?

Speaker 1:

Yeah, you know, actually it can. It can sound a little bit, you know, overwhelming or intimidating if you're not used to writing everything down or making documentation or you know those kinds of things. But really, like a strategic plan is maybe use a fancy word for taking the time to like have your plan well thought out. Is the strategy piece? The strategy is thinking through stuff. What are the possibilities that might go wrong, what could go right, what kind of things? Like you know, it's kind of like you when they talk about chess, it's like always being thinking like five steps ahead. So, like for me, for example, like really practical, like growing up, you know, I grew up in situations where you know, like just, you know, in struggle, like they're, you know, in having less than lack, you know, I grew up with a lot of opportunities, okay, and so, like I always wanted to better my situation. I didn't just want to like keep having the same life that I had. I wanted to do something excuse me to make my life better. So that would be my goal. Right, that's your goal, what you wanna have. But how are you gonna have that? I can't just say I'm gonna be better, I'm gonna have a stable income. I'm gonna have these kind of things. No, how are you gonna get there? That's sort of like the plan is and those consistency is that steps that you go from A to B the process. Well, I'm gonna do this and I'm gonna do that. And then the strategy piece is just really thinking through how to make it smooth, if that makes sense.

Speaker 1:

So in my way of in my mind, growing up, I'm thinking okay, what can I do to better my situation? So in real life, my strategic plan was I always wanted to be a business owner. But I'm coming up, growing up, what am I gonna have a business? Like as a child. So it's like you gotta have. But that's thinking through things. That's a strategy because it's like, okay, at that time I didn't have anything to or the I wasn't in the place in my life, in my mindset, in my skill set, to have a business right. But I knew that's where I wanted to go and I also wanted to have this better life. So I was like, okay, I'm gonna come up with this.

Speaker 1:

So what I did was I went to college, I learned some, got some education, I decided to go to corporate and learn some skills and I thought that those skills would one help me maybe leverage something in my future, in my future. But one I thought that it would get me some capital, because people need stability to get their mental health together, get like your basic needs in order and things like that. So that was my strategy was go to school, go to corporate, play on the corporate ladder and that was my hustle, so that I could gain that income and build my credit as well, because that we're living in America, you need credit, you need capital. So that was sort of my strategic plan, because as I went on with that capital, I was able to invest in myself, invest in personal development, invest in counseling, invest in all kind of different things tools, resources, buy different things like that. And then as I got on, I was able to leverage that actually even further. Then I thought I would be able to leverage which you may get to later, which is how I ended up here in this conversation with you.

Speaker 1:

But that was sort of like as a kid that was my strategy and I was thinking, hey, I'm gonna get enough money to get stability, get myself together, get my life kind of in order, and then I'll be able to then build up some capital, build up my credit, so that way I could leverage that to start a business. So that was sort of my strategy and God had his own plan and it didn't work out exactly that way, but I did try to stick through that and you can see that that was my plan. Every time I took a job I was very strategic in the job that I chose. It wasn't just because, well, I could go over here make more money, or at different times the economy was up and down rough, but I always made an intention to choose the job. Hey, what is this gonna teach me? And things like that. Yeah, I love that. What is this?

Speaker 2:

going to teach me that's a great idea, Wow, okay, so you said a lot of really valuable pieces. So, going back to the strategic planning, the planning is how going from A to B, and the strategy is thinking through to get there the smoothest way. I love that. You talked about several things that I wanna dig deeper into this, but the first one is you always knew that you wanted to be a business owner. Did you recall the moment in which you said I wanna have my own business, and context to that?

Speaker 1:

No, no, I don't. I kinda grew up around entrepreneurs or solopreneurs or kinda like that hustle culture, so it wasn't a total foreign language to my environment. But I don't know, what about me was just like I'm gonna be a business owner and it was kinda funny, I don't know. As I think back as a kid I made up a game called business and I was like I would be trying to ask everyone, pestering people. Well, you will play business with me. So I would pop up on my briefcase and I had my keyboard and my cash register and forms. I had forms. I would go around like anywhere in life you know I was as a kid. I would be out like at Myers, you know, like a grocery store, and at this front of the store they have like applications that look in my mind. I'm like that's a business form and I need it.

Speaker 2:

That is so awesome, Michelle Like anywhere.

Speaker 1:

There's like a random form. I'm like there's some forms, I need to collect those and I've like run home and organize all my forms and then I would just be like, hey, do you wanna play business with me? And I would like make people fill out forms. I don't know it just. And then I guess it just evolved, like you know, as I got older. Then that's like a seed. So then I'm like thinking about business or like in spare times or like down times, when you know that was just something that I always held, was able to hold to. It's just like a game that I'll play in my mind or have different ideas, like, oh, I have an idea, this would be fun to write it down.

Speaker 2:

So then you said you went to college, you got an education, you thought of acquiring skills that then you could leverage upon for your own business. Do you call in which moment you had this vision that this was the way to get to your dream of having your business?

Speaker 1:

No, not at all. And like at that point, I don't even think like I translated exactly like the skills I'm learning here or what I need for my business.

Speaker 1:

It was like I need this skill to, you know, get my career so that I can get capital I can build my life, I can get credit, then I can figure out whatever I can use that capital and credit to, like you know, start a business. And then, as I kind of went into my career, you know, to my studies and kind of like learned more, started to be like, oh okay, I can see how this relates and you know I could. You know I was raised by as an entrepreneur. My dad is a solopreneur, so he, you know, I kind of was exposed to him like trying to, you know, sell his things and things like that, and so you know, I'm seeing him in his business and also other people in my community, just like having you know their side, you know things that they do on the side for extra money and things like that. And then, like, I'm going to school and I'm learning like system and data and reporting and things like that, and I'm like, wait a minute, this is what my dad needs.

Speaker 2:

Like oh, this is what.

Speaker 1:

so it like if this person had this, like they would, they would, this would help them. Or like, especially when I got into corporate and I'm seeing like it in, like real life, like functioning, and it's just like, I'm always like, oh, this is, this is what they need, this is what, and so that's how it kind of like, I think, transitioned over time to like, hey, now I think I have something to help small businesses, because I'm like this is why we struggled. I think because, like, we didn't have these systems in place and like, if, because it wasn't like an effort level, it wasn't like a quality level, like the level of quality was there, like the workmanship, the skill set, the ability to sell, like the ability to talk to people, the ability to build relationships and network, and you know, like that is all there, like hitting on all cylinders, but like those systems in place and you're like, oh, you didn't miss out on this date. Or like, oh, yeah, well, you didn't have this paperwork. Or like you know different things.

Speaker 1:

I've heard people like, just, you know community conversations like, oh, like an audit or something like that, which people feel like, oh, I'm being audited and it's. It's like yeah, that is scary, no lie, I'm sure it would be. But if you realize in business that's a normal function of business and one of my roles in corporate was sort of dealing with the like federal, regulate, federal, like oh sorry regulations and sort of going through that like process of the government coming in and auditing large corporations, like on a quarterly and like annually basis. So it's like when you have those structures in place, those things you know don't impact you so much.

Speaker 2:

So that's I love it. I love it, michelle, because I mean you were, you were going through life. You were exposed to entrepreneurs that did not have the systems. Then you evolve in your own skills and knowledge and then you were exposed to corporate, which you have a long history in corporate America, and then you started seeing how they were thriving because of those systems and planning versus those other people who were struggling and that really benefiting from optimizing their systems. So to the services that you now provide, the passion and the caring comes from that deep place of you wanting to help those people back from your community childhood moments right, yes, yes, wow this is awesome and you know for our audience

Speaker 2:

for those small business owners listening, for those aspiring business owners listening. There's always a moment in which you can say no more to the disorganized paperwork, no more of the not knowing how much I'm making, not knowing how much my product costs, my expenses are. This is the moment to really get a handle of all those pieces to my business, and not only for knowledge but to optimize because, like Michelle you said, the effort, the knowledge, the abilities, the skills, everything was there, except for that missing foundational part. Where is where you come in to really help understand and then establish systems and processes for a brighter future. I love that big mission of yours, michelle. So, going back to your times in corporate America and then one day you said it's time.

Speaker 2:

How did this transition to from corporate, which can be hard work, but it's a stable income? Now to you being your own business owner and bringing your childhood dream to reality. Tell us about it.

Speaker 1:

Okay, that's and that's so funny. That's why I feel like I belong on the unexpectedly successful podcast, because it's so unexpected and it's sort of like, you know, it's completely unexpected. Basically, what happened is, yeah, it's just not the normal way that I ever would have thought that I would be saying that I'm owning a business. It's so unexpected. So, basically, it was actually happened during the pandemic.

Speaker 1:

So there was a lot of changes, you know, in just the environment that caused a lot of disruption and so that kind of like from there I was working from home, 100% From my corporate job, and then through like just and it's something that happens all of the time in corporate Like they had a reorganization, a reorg, which means like leaders and you know, head like very high of CEOs of different functions and are, or like directors, are like changing their ownership, their lens of ownership, which then like cascades down. So how that affected us is that that split and actually it had to do with like a corporate policy change. These are all like the behind the scene decels. But long story short, yes, corporate America.

Speaker 1:

A lot of tape, a lot of things going on behind the scenes, just to say that our team, our team, had to split up and divide, wow, wow. And it was very interesting because I had been fulfilling that role for maybe a little bit over a year and I had been in that role like and I'd say 100% because I didn't have any backup, so like if I had to take a day off or something I had to like plan to, you know, get things done, make sure things were out on time. If I'm taking like vacation or anything like that, it was just like I'm 100% responsible for this work, like it is a business owner.

Speaker 1:

So you were being trained, you were being trained.

Speaker 1:

Oh yeah, if you get in in corporation, they'll definitely teach you how responsibility, the bottom line, the bottom line is real there. So that, yeah, that's. I had been operating that role for about like a little over a year, and so that role was very engaging, it was fun, I was making a lot of changes. It was a lot of hard work and I was basically optimizing the reporting arm of that, like the reporting environment in that team and also onboarding, like a new repository that we were going to be reporting on, which had to do a lot of cleanup. It was a lot a lot going on.

Speaker 1:

But I did a lot of work and it was interesting was during the pandemic. A lot of that work was easy for me to go unnoticed because I'm already at home. So like when I'm working late, it's like. You know, there was like not, it was just a lot of work in that, okay. And then when I'm saying I'm working home from home, I'm saying like there was a lot of work going on. And when that team split up, it was interesting because they took on like another person did this to do this role, but they were higher, they were like up, they were like it sounds funny, they were like two levels higher than me and I was like and they were taking only part of my job. Oh wow, and I was like only part of my job and the part that I just worked all of this time, like during the pandemic, I've been working like sometimes all night long like unhealthy Cause.

Speaker 1:

It was like in the pandemic. I didn't have good work, life boundaries at all.

Speaker 2:

And that's very important. And you're just, I worked.

Speaker 1:

Working, working, working, and I worked so hard to like really optimize. I had put in a lot of work and so this thing that I really cleaned up and got it like you know, it's really proud of how, like a thing that I had got this.

Speaker 1:

I had like got out all the errors. I had built in like some extra code, some extra processes. I had built in a change process to like help with this reorg, because you're always reorging, so that, like I built in a change process for that to automate that, and then I'm handing that part off to the person that's higher than me and like I'm, there's still like a full time job left for me Like to do all the part that now looks like left, wow, we're all clean up, starting from scratch.

Speaker 1:

I mean I'm doing it and it's fine, I'm operating like, but it's kind of like it just kind of feels like a little uncomfortable that that is going on.

Speaker 2:

A little uncomfortable, like so can you describe to my audience like the real emotions and thoughts in that moment? Because you know, because this is I mean, I'm working my field right here, I'm not. No, no, no, no, no, no, this is a raw this is a raw and genuine story, is Michelle Tell tell us? Oh yeah, okay. So like frustration, I was upset, like upset.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I was. I was really like hurt, like my feelings were hurt, like because I had, you know, I worked so long at this company, like longer than I ever expected to work at a job, like almost 12 years, and I always, every time I took a job, I like put my effort into it.

Speaker 2:

I'm all you know.

Speaker 1:

I'm always like trying to improve things. That's just my natural inclination, and so every job I come with the same energy like, oh, I'm going to improve this and I do, I make changes. I'm I volunteer for stuff. I'm like, hey, I noticed this thing and I have an idea. Wow, do you think. And, like you know, managers are like, of course do that you know like yeah, do extra work for us. Right For free what?

Speaker 2:

I'm for free. You want to optimize the company for free?

Speaker 1:

Oh yeah, and we're just signing out Extra, like we're out of, and promoting you Like, yes, you're staying late, you're working extra for nothing and we're not paying you overtime. Yes, do this.

Speaker 2:

Wow, yes.

Speaker 1:

So all those little things, but it's so really kind of it's like hurt my feelings because I worked so hard and my career it meant so much to me, because that's part of my strategy.

Speaker 2:

Right, yes, I'm building my career. What's your lifeline?

Speaker 1:

Yeah, that was like that was my thing. So, yeah, like it really hurt my feelings, which then it's kind of like you. Then that's I think maybe that's my primary emotion was the hurt, and then, like you know, my secondary emotions are coming up. I'm angry, I'm frustrated, I'm like shutting down, I'm like, and then not, and I have to train this person I had to train her on how to do these things and then I think the lady was feeling something for me because she was like saying, like you know this, why are you? You were doing all this by yourself, like and you're, and she's like, and I'm higher than you, I'm making, I'm sure I'm making more than you.

Speaker 2:

So somebody started seeing this Wow.

Speaker 1:

And she starts telling me like you, you know, start telling me, like look at what are you, why are you doing so much? And I'm like I don't know. I thought I thought I thought this was the way to get ahead. I thought this was, you know, I thought this is work harder, you have to do everything like you have to just work hard. I have to work like harder to get ahead because just the way things are, and so it's just like you know, that was just like my mindset and like work hard and then prove yourself and then maybe you can ask for something instead of like demanding things upfront. And so I think that was just a big shift which I'm still, you know, in conversations that we have offline. I'm still working on that shift.

Speaker 2:

But you're doing amazing, michelle. So how did how did you go from that moment of frustration, anger, disappointment, upsetting into saying you know, this is it. I'm starting my own business. It was a divine alignment.

Speaker 1:

Tell me the divine alignment. I mean, it sounds weird, I don't know how to describe it. But other than to say it was a divine alignment, I was shared like and I was just shared an insight like hey, have you ever tried contracting? And like someone just talked to me about contracting and I had heard about it before, I knew about it before. But when you think about doing a temporary job I'd worked temp jobs before but when you think about getting temp jobs, it doesn't sound safe. It's like I don't want a temp job, I'm trying to build a career. But then when you get behind the scenes, it's like there's a whole world out here.

Speaker 1:

I didn't know, and it's like a back end. Wow, into this ownership is to be a corporate contractor, and so I'm still providing the similar services that I would be to large corporations, that I was in that same seat, in that same frustration, putting in that same effort, trying to improve, but now, like I'm just going in through a different door, okay, so the experience, the knowledge, the skills you acquire in corporate America, how does shift is aligned?

Speaker 2:

to your strategic planning for your own life and career.

Speaker 1:

So that one, it kind of shifted my mindset in that it allowed me to almost operate Well, I mean I keep saying almost and I have these words as I'm shifting my mind right now some unexpectedly successful yeah, it's basically that I am able to operate as a business, still leveraging the skillset that I have been building, and what it's done is it's helped me. It's basically been sort of like a moment in time that I was able to stop and see myself for, like all of the work that I have accomplished and all of the skillsets that I've learned, to say, hey, I have learned and accomplished an amount of experience and knowledge base that I can now transfer to small businesses. So it kind of just shifted my mindset and so how it's helping me is, with that shift, so it's helping me operate as a business, so I'm able to fulfill my dream as far as being a business owner and operate one.

Speaker 1:

But then that is also helping me to actually shift and I guess it's just by operating my mind as a business owner, because now I'm like, oh, I have to seek out clients, I have to seek out business classes, I have to seek out how to be a better business owner, and so, and I think in that process of doing business activities it's actually just helping me to help businesses better, because now I'm doing those small business things, whereas I've got a lot of experience in large corporations. Now I'm doing some of those small business things so I'm able to kind of hone my skillset or my awareness into those needs as I'm operating as a small business owner. So that way, as I'm taking on those small businesses, one-on-one clients in different things, I'm able to give them even more direct and targeted Like it's so more than assistance.

Speaker 2:

yeah, you know, and as you're describing your own experience now as a small business owner, it brings me back to the earlier moment in your life where you were seeing these people with their side hustles and seeing the missing pieces they had. And now it's like your first-hand experience as a business owner, now getting full circle to say, you know, I was seeing the need, but now I'm experiencing the need and just reinforces one more time the passion and the caring of you on systems and strategic planning and processes and really, yeah, this is so fascinating, that's so great that you say that, because I was actually just thinking about that the other day, like actually just yesterday.

Speaker 1:

I'm going through a cleanup of my data because before now I've just been operating like as a person and so like the data on my laptop and on my computer.

Speaker 1:

There's a level of organization just because of my natural lean, but it's maybe not to the you know like where I'm going to be having my file folders built out for my business folders and things like that. And so because I kind of like started this, like I kind of like started my business, like just it kind of just came up like just you know, just so fast, I sometimes haven't had time to utilize my file structures.

Speaker 2:

Wow so your own structure hasn't been fully implemented.

Speaker 1:

Yes, yes, we kind of like yes, because I kind of lacked at myself and I called out myself because I'm always, like you know, data integrity is very important, my thoughts myself, you know, like I have to stop and do a data cleanup on myself and I'm like, wow, like I really put myself in those people's shoes. I'm like judge, not, at least you'd be judged the same time, because I can see how easy it is Like when you start a business. It's like sometimes it doesn't always start as kind of like cookie cutter, like do one, two, three, four, and then you would have all of your documents in a row in order.

Speaker 1:

No, sometimes you're like that and just like that. Oh, and then it's like, oh, my God, I'm in business and, okay, I have like this and I like, oh, and I need an invoice. Okay, like, all right, and so it happens that way, and so I mean so.

Speaker 2:

I'm totally describing myself right now. And that yeah, like, and so now I'm listening and I'm sure many business owners as well that are listening to this podcast anyway.

Speaker 1:

I had that experience and now I was like and so now I'm able to, like, I catch myself and I'm like oh my gosh, no, save it in the folder. Okay, do the naming convention. Okay, you know, so it's, you know. So I'm kind of doing a hard stock where I'm like okay, now we're acting as this is my business computer now, so we have to be, you know, establish my business, follows protocol and like data practices that I'm used to doing at work and bringing those to my. You know, I love that.

Speaker 2:

I own my computer.

Speaker 1:

Yes, yes.

Speaker 2:

So you know, Michelle, you keep doing this, as when you say business.

Speaker 1:

I don't know, I didn't. You know, I do this, come on.

Speaker 2:

I mean this so for my audience. This is a woman who has been running her own business for two plus years, leveraging all the skills, and they're still part of her language, and so this is just to highlight that business ownership is not an easy thing.

Speaker 2:

But I don't know if you can capture the energy from Michelle as she described that moment of frustration versus the moment of excitement, as she's describing how she is growing as a business owner and, more importantly, have acquiring a different set of skills as a business owner to even help those business owners that she works with at a different level, at a deeper level and from a very firsthand experience which, if you don't go through it, there is no way you can acquire those skills. There's no other way. I love it, michelle, I will quote you, but as a business owner. Anyway, michelle, go back to that moment of your deciding. How was your resignation moment? Like where you filled with excitement or anxiety, or both, or like what? How was that moment of transition?

Speaker 1:

It was. It was fear, intense fear, intense fear, just crazy, like bewilderment, like just not knowing, like yeah, just, I don't know what's going on here. Like because that was my, you know, that was my safety net, basically that was my, that was my strategic plan in life was like I had to have my career, like I don't have a plan B, I don't have like a trust fund, I don't have like I'm single, I don't have like, so my income is like supporting my household. So it's kind of like if I'm jumping out here I'm submitting my resignation. That's not a game and you know there is a lot of implications. That comes in in that fear of like, in that process of, you know, building up my career, like I did, you know, in while I was working there, I had grown in my career so that I grown in my you know my stability in my life and like my comfort level that I was able to like provide myself. So to be able to risk that and then, like risk, I'm putting myself at risk for, like you know, I, you know, built myself up to this level of comfort that I'm able to provide myself. Now I'm risking possibly like going back, like going down to, like you know, that shakiness or instability or you know that foundation that I had was you know kind of came from. So that was fearful, that was extreme, that was extremely terrifying. And then just to think of this new opportunity it's not something that you know, that I'm very familiar with it kind of feels like is this fraud? I don't know if this is this like. Is this like? You know, I'm like betting my life, like all my eggs are now like in this basket. So that was that moment of fear.

Speaker 1:

I talked to my mentors, like it, you know, in that job, like anyone that could give me advice, to let them know like hey, this is what I'm thinking about, what do you think?

Speaker 1:

And everyone was very supportive. So that kind of like made me feel least some kind of semblance of okay about it, that my mentors were very supportive about it and even encouraging, because I has been so long in that one large corporation and because that corporation is so large, large and I was able to go through like all of these different roles In that career or, I'm sorry, in that company, like I was able to gain a lot of different experience, but it was all like indoctrinated in that corporation which you know is very you know it's a good corporation, they have a lot of good practices. But my mentors were able, you know, encouraging me if I went outside I would gain additional exposure to other like corporate cultures, different, you know problems, different things that are going on, and so that would be a benefit to have that exposure. And they always said like if you know worst case scenario, you could always come back.

Speaker 2:

Wow, wow, that's exciting.

Speaker 1:

You're hurting in that, in that.

Speaker 2:

So question what made you decide to go on your own versus finding another corporate job?

Speaker 1:

I think the pandemic really I think the pandemic really did a lot to shift my mindset and I think, if you just like my, my life every year is always like my mindset is always growing because I'm always intentionally like investing in personal development and trying to grow myself.

Speaker 1:

But during the pandemic that was obviously huge for everybody and I learned a lot of things about myself in the pandemic and just gained like a different perspective. Like I just felt like hey, it's the end of the world. We got to do what we want to try, like you know what I mean. It's kind of like that waiting till tomorrow, like oh well, I'll start my business one day or I'll start this, like it kind of was just like the pandemic was just like it's now or never, like you do it today, there may not be a tomorrow. I mean that I guess that it's always been true, but that reality really became present in the pandemic and so I think it really made me like more act, to be like jump out and do something like drastically different and be like I'm, you know, changing something.

Speaker 1:

So I think that kind of like you know, raise the temperature on that a little bit.

Speaker 2:

That's so exciting. What is exciting about the future for savvy consulting group? What's coming? Tell us.

Speaker 1:

So many things.

Speaker 2:

Because you have a strategic plan. I am almost 100% sure.

Speaker 1:

I do yes, yes, there is definitely a plan, and so I think we're rolling. I think there's going to be a number of things that we're going to be focusing on.

Speaker 2:

Tell us about it.

Speaker 1:

This next year. So one of the main thing is going to be focusing on content, just getting content out there. So it's going to build my you know my audience.

Speaker 2:

Build up my, remove my air quotes, so I stop talking. So next time we ask are you a business owner when I have our quotes? Yes, very nice, we're making progress.

Speaker 1:

Yes, so I think one of the big things I'm going to, that we're I'm going to be focusing on next year is like the increase of frequency of content and the types of content and really like pushing that out there and like on all the platforms, really like trying to build out to talk and YouTube and get those like following growing as well as Instagram and some on Facebook as well.

Speaker 1:

But so that's going to be like our main, like main focus is getting our content as well as like you know, like my email list going, so that might be like written content and stuff like that, and there may be a number of offers that, like I come out with because it is strategic and I do have plan. So there's a lot of things that are going to be rolling out, but I think focusing on, like, getting that content piece out is going to be a huge, a huge lift in the first quarter of 2024.

Speaker 2:

So, michelle, what is going to be the focus of your content? Is it going to be strategic planning processes? Systems will continue to be building from those skills and and and passion of yours really.

Speaker 1:

It is sort of a passion of mine. Everything has to have a strategy and a plan. I'm actually some pillars that I'm working on, so we'll have four main pillars that our social media will, or our content will, roll up under. So one is going to be motivation and personal development. It's hard to do anything when you're not motivated or inspired, and I believe that anything you build will rise or fall according to your own level.

Speaker 1:

Personal development so, like you know, knocking down those mindsets which you also helped me with, you know, and we're all growing together.

Speaker 2:

I was glad to have these conversations.

Speaker 1:

We're going to focus on motivation and personal development. We're going to focus on data power and integrity. So that's that data integrity, data power. The third piece is going to be strategic planning. So that's what we were talking about the strategy and the planning, and then the fourth piece, the fourth pillar, will be like a toolbox in systems.

Speaker 2:

So that's tool box.

Speaker 1:

Exciting specific trainings on different technologies that business owners can use, and levers to do different things, as well as like systems, which will be processes, you know. So those will be the four pillars that our content will be focused on, that is exciting, sounds exciting for my audience.

Speaker 2:

How can they get in touch with you to follow up what's coming for them for their own benefit?

Speaker 1:

Yes, oh, my gosh. Well, you, on all of my platforms. You can find me at Savvy Consultant Group as a handle. All together in one word, that's SavvySAVVY Consultant Group.

Speaker 2:

And that is Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube. That's exciting. Okay, three questions when you expected to be successful, Michelle, as a business owner.

Speaker 1:

I was expecting it, but not in this path and not in this way. All right.

Speaker 2:

So success looks different than what you had in mind.

Speaker 1:

Yes, totally, totally different.

Speaker 2:

In a good way or in a bad way or just different.

Speaker 1:

Just different, just different, just completely different. I think my life, my life journey has been differently different than I expected. And yeah, it's just, it's just different. I think it's just. The possibilities are still amazing, and so it's not better or worse, but just totally different.

Speaker 2:

I love that the possibilities are still amazing, like possibilities out there. Yes, michelle, what would be words of wisdom for women out there at the verge of taking that scary step and doing their own, whether it's a side hustle or full time? What would you tell them?

Speaker 1:

I would really want to encourage them and tell them anything is possible with a strong process and a strategic plan. Anything is possible. Whatever your goal is, it is possible if you get a strong, a strong process and a strategic plan.

Speaker 2:

Yes, and Michelle has said this before, where she says I am online today. Anything is possible with a strong process and a strategic plan. So she is consistent and persistent. Those two words, okay. So the last question if you have to summarize your business journey in one word, what would that be?

Speaker 1:

Wow, that is a hard question. Oh my gosh. Briselda, in one word, my business journey. Oh my gosh. I'm trying so hard not to use strategic strategy. Strategy no dedication I think staying dedicated and dedicated or resilient.

Speaker 2:

Yes.

Speaker 1:

Those two things kind of go hand in hand. But I think without those two pieces, or without dedication or resilience, I wouldn't be sitting here today in any way, shape or form.

Speaker 2:

That is so cool. Michelle, you know it is my honor to get first handle of your journey as a business owner and I know that many listeners will be inspired by your raw and genuine story of this journey that started with Humble Beginnings, with a great vision and just the grit, the commitment to make it work, and I am excited for you for 2024. And I am excited for those business owners that you will help transform their businesses and save money, optimize increased revenues, because this is all what systems can do for you, for my audience. I want to thank you for sharing this moment with us and until next episode, mark, you come.

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Dr. Griselda Martinez

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