Shannon Mattern: Thank you so much for agreeing to speak at the Side Hustle to Self Employed Summit. You guys, I cannot wait for you to meet Deonjala Williams of Heart and a Heat Press. She is here at the summit today to talk about how to elope with your side hustle, creativity, bartering, and the other currency of changing times. But before we dive into that topic, Dee, I would love for you to share with everyone just a little bit more about you, what you do, your side hustle, Heart and a Heat Press, all the things. So I will send it over to do this, to introduce yourself to everyone

Deonjala Williams: All right, so good morning. Good afternoon. Good evening. All participants. I'm so happy to be here with you guys. And I'm so blessed that Shannon called upon me to speak at this summit. So I am so excited about side hustles because my current side hustle, which is Heart and a Heat Press, actually came about from another side hustle that turned full time business, which is Dee's Sweet Tees. And so a little bit about me. I went to business school, you know, I checked all the boxes, dotted all my I's crossed all my T's and did everything the right way, came out in 2008 only to find that that $85,000 a year starting salary, that that Dean was talking about. That was not true. Okay. And so, you know, you have a bachelor's degree in business, you have a master's degree in business. And so what you know, that had become the, the, the paradigm has shifted for that.

Deonjala Williams: And so in the midst of finding myself, I worked a lot part-time jobs and I was miserable, um, a lot of the time, but eventually I found my path to entrepreneurship and working for myself and that the path to entrepreneurship for me and working for myself, full-time started with the side hustle. So it all starts with the side hustle, right? And so I was working full time for a nonprofit organization while at the same time in the morning, before I went to work, and then in the evenings, when I got off, I was doing Dee's Sweet Tees and that was my side hustle. And so I just remember, um, looking back at, I think it was 2015. Cause when I, when I go back and I was looking at my QuickBooks, I, it did like $18,000 in revenues for a side hustle. So, you know, my mind started wondering like, well, if I decided that I wanted to do it full time, you know, what would happen?

Deonjala Williams: And so when I did step out on faith in 2016, I did start doing it full-time. And that first year that I ran my business full time when I was able to focus all of my skills, my creativity, and my own business, that side hustle turned full time, did $90,000 in sales. And so that was a humongous eye opener for me like, Oh my goodness, I'm onto something. So from that, my t-shirt printing business has seen lots of success. I am a minority business, woman owned business. I made sure that I did everything right. Got my paperwork filled out, you know, cross audit. Cause I never want anybody to come back, you know, on that end. We're good on the creativity side, but there's other things beyond a t-shirt printing business and business in general. And so I jumped through all the hoops, did all of those things and now I'm starting to see the successes. And one thing that I want to remind you guys is when you plant a seed, don't go dig it back up and don't doubt it.

Shannon Mattern: That's so good I'm sorry to interrupt. That just gave me chills when you said that. Let me let you finish that because I'm just like oh my gosh. When you plant a seed, don't go dig it back up.

Deonjala Williams: Don't go dig it back up. And I feel like a lot of the people who are listening today, they're planning their seeds right now and what they're, you know what they're doing? Okay. So you have this dream, you're going to plant this seed, but do not go dig it back up. And so everything has it season. Everything has a maturation date right to it. And so if I, if I planted the initial seed in 2013, which was doing this as a side hustle, I mean 2020 was full of crops that I didn't expect. But if I went and dug it back up with that doubt, which I don't know if this is working, I don't know if this is, you know, we can be our worst critics. Uh, if I went and dug it back up, then it's not getting a chance to take root. So now it's taking root and now it's beginning to bear fruit for me.

Deonjala Williams: So if you guys are in the beginning of your side hustle, if you're in the middle where you're trying to grow and scale, I'm just here to tell you, you already planted the seeds. You're, you're doing what you need to do. Don't go dig it back up, keep pressing for it. And that's, that's part of my saying, which is press on. We just have to keep moving forward. So, um, I discovered that, and then from there with all of these successes coming in, I wanted to share those successes with others. And so that's how Heart and a Heat Press came about because I was able to basically take all of my mistakes and all of my victories and put them into an online course and community, a coaching community that would help like-minded entrepreneurs who wanted to start their own t-shirt printing businesses, how to do that.

Deonjala Williams: Or even if they wanted to do it as a hobby, how to do it, but to do it effectively and efficiently, if that's what they wanted to do. So I'm excited to, to say that this side hustle right now, which will soon be full time business as well, that it's the baby of my first side hustle who grew up and became a full-time mom, so to speak, to this side hustle, if you look at it like that. So that's just a little bit of a background on who I am, what I've been through, what I've been up to,

Shannon Mattern: Uh, just set, like I'm still just like stuck on this. Don't dig up your seeds because I did that so much at the beginning, like, and the ones that I planted and left alone, those were the ones that grew, the ones that I, you know, dug up with my doubt, those that's what kept me, um, struggling for, for so long and, and that in that beginning phase. So I just, I just absolutely love that. So, um, I invited you here, you know, just because of all these amazing things that you say, but you know, when you talked about like, what do you want to speak out at the summit? You talked about, you know, you want to talk about eloping with your side hustle and, you know, creativity, bartering, and, uh, and the other currency of changing time. So why is that something that you wanted to talk about with our, with our attendees today?

Deonjala Williams: Okay. So first of all, a lot of times when people are starting side hustles, they may not have all of the financial resources that they need. And it could, you know, that could be one of those parts where you're going back and digging up the seeds because you're like, Oh, well, I don't have this. And I don't have that. I'm going to dig that back up. But I feel like if they're able to take in everything that's around them and learn how to use the different tools, the different resources around them to their advantage, then they then not having a specific amount of money won't be as much of a hindrance. I'm not saying, you know, t-shirt business is a zero startup type of thing, but there are little ways, there are little tricks in every business that you can keep your initial startup costs, you know, very, very small in the beginning.

Deonjala Williams: And so all I want is the audience to think about that before they, especially if they're starting up a side hustle to just think about that before they just hop into it, you know? Um, I know, I know they say entrepreneurs just jump off the building. And then they build a plane on the way down. And, you know, I believe in that sometimes, but I'll be honest. When I jumped off, I knew that the plane was going to be there because I already had the blueprint that I had made. So I knew that I was going to build it on the way down, you know, type of thing. So that's what we're doing right now. We're building that blueprint. And so the first way that we're going to build that blueprint is to elope with your side hustle. Okay. ELOPE stands for Excel by Leveraging Other People's Expertise. That, that, last E.

Deonjala Williams: It can be expertise. It can be experience, it can be equipment. You're going to excel. You are going to uplift your business, your brand by leveraging other people's experience, their equipment, their connections, whatever that is. I think the real estate gurus refer to it as other people's money, but it goes beyond just being other people's money. Um, okay. And so within that scope, you must get creative. And especially as like a side hustle or a startup, you'll want to embrace an ELOPE mindset. And this includes using your creative gifts, bartering skills and other types of currencies, that can be very useful in these changing times. So, one thing that I definitely want you guys to take home today is that even though the US dollar, or any dollar, depreciates, your gift never does. Okay. And so even though we're in this society, that's around money, money, rules, everything around me, type of thing, money depreciates, one minute is worth this one minute is worth that, but your value, that thing that's inside of you, that makes you special to your tribe, your customers, your income, that thing that makes you unique is invaluable.

Deonjala Williams: And so that's never going to change. So how do we tap into that? And how do we use that to our advantage, to get a leg up when we're starting our, our side hustle or scaling our side hustle. And so how do we embrace an ELOPE mindset? Right? And so first we must take an assessment, an inventory, if you will, of all that's available to us. And so there we have what I call in my community I refer to it as a "GOTS" assessment. And that's literally it. That's not an acronym. What all do I got? Taking it in. Okay. Okay. Okay. And if I have a chance, I'm going to share my screen with you and tell you exactly what that looks like, because that's the first principle I discuss and I teach to my course members is how to do a "GOTS" assessment. So I'm going to pull that up real quick.

Shannon Mattern: YAnd so that's never going to change. So how do we tap into that? And how do we use that to our advantage, to get a leg up when we're starting our, our side hustle or scaling our side hustle. And so how do we embrace an ELOPE mindset? Right? And so first we must take an assessment, an inventory, if you will, of all that's available to us. And so there we have what I call in my community I refer to it as a "GOTS" assessment. And that's literally it. That's not an acronym. What all do I got? Taking it in. Okay. Okay. Okay. And if I have a chance, I'm going to share my screen with you and tell you exactly what that looks like, because that's the first principle I discuss and I teach to my course members is how to do a "GOTS" assessment. So I'm going to pull that up real quick. try that again. I'm trying

Deonjala Williams: I'm trying to, now I'm just going to play a snippet. This is actually from module number one of my online course. And we're talking about the "GOTS" assessment. So I want to play that really quickly. And then we'll hop back into my car. Right? So what's your creative advantage? Um, most people like to say a competitive advantage, but I don't like to compete. I don't like to look over here and see what you're doing and say, Oh, I could do that better. No. Instead of competing, I like to create, so I suggest that you do the same thing. So we're going to look at your creative advantage. What makes you creative? What creative assets do you have that set you apart from the guy next door and by doing so, you're going to assess your "GOTS". and by "GOTS"I just mean, what do I already got? What do I already got that I can write down?

Deonjala Williams: So I want you to take a, another piece of paper and just list your "GOTS". Relationships. Who do I know? So when I first decided to jump out on that ledge and leave my job, I made this list. And I started off with my relationships. Who I know. Because I made it a point not to burn bridges with people. So I even put down my, my supervisor, who I gave my resignation letter to, because we left things on a good, in a good space. So I was able to put him down now. Because of that, I was able to come right back to the place where I resigned from and do t-shirts for their volunteers. Okay. Um, even one of the directors who ended up leaving this organization and going to, uh, an affiliate organization up North, I was able to do t-shirts for his store as well as for his staff at, uh, in a whole 'nother state.

Deonjala Williams: Okay. So it's the relationships. Having a relationship with my old boss at the construction company. Now I do everything. Their t-shirts, their banners, whatever they need. I'm the one that they come to. So, and not just relationships for customers, relationships for, um, people who you can collaborate with. Relationships for all different types of things. There might be somebody who, um, may be moving up in the print business and you can get equipment from them for pennies on the dollar. Um, volunteering, all these different types of things. The relationships are very important, and that's why it's listed first. That's why it's listed first those relationships. Right? And so I'm going to stop the. Well, actually, I'll keep sharing for a second, but the relationships are so key. And I think a lot of times we don't even realize when we hear the terminology human resources, like that is the most invaluable resource you're ever going to come across is, is another living human being, you know?

Deonjala Williams: And so how do we tap in tap, tap, tap into those relationships, right? And so that's the first thing that I wanted you guys to do was just take an assessment because, um, I know it's kinda corny. Sometimes people are like, Oh, well you already have everything you need, but you really do have already have everything you need. Sometimes you just need to see that you already have everything that you need. So once you make that list, then you're able to assess everything that you've been exposed to up until this point. You know, that relationship with the bakery up, the mom and pop bakery up the street that you thought was just, you know, you were just going in there and buying coffee, that can turn into something totally different for your business. So relationships are key. Also take in sensual things. What have I seen?

Deonjala Williams: What have I touched? What have I heard? What have I tasted. These are some things that maybe I can put a spin on in my business and, you know, bring out to market. Skills. What do I know? What am I passionate about? What am I talented at? We have to do an, where have I been? I went to, I know, I know I've traveled a couple of different places. How can I relate that to my business if necessary? So we kind of have to do like a full range, kind of just deep introspective, look at ourselves before we do anything else. So once we have the "GOTS" assessment, then we have a strong foundation to move forward with how we can, you know, leverage the, get the best out of our side hustle, you know, and, and also not tear up our purses in the process. So I'm going to stop share for one second.

Deonjala Williams: Okay.

Shannon Mattern: So I just have a question for you about, you know, when you walk your people through that "GOTS" assessment, do you see them going like, Oh, but I can't put this person on the list because they already had someone doing their t-shirts. So are, you know, they limit themselves when they're assessing their "GOTS" and, and like kind of already deciding that that's not going to be a thing that they have. Do you see them kind of filtering that and, or, you know, do encourage people like put everything on the table cause you never know.

Deonjala Williams: Yeah. So initially most people are going to do that. That's a common response, right. To doubt. And I remember I'm glad that you said that as far as like, because I have had students who said, Oh, well I can't market to this person. And, and I remember one person that I was just mentoring at one point in time saying, you know, I really want to do this business, but I feel like other people are doing it. And I'm like, well, other people were doing McDonald's and Burger King came along. You know, other people were going chicken and Chick fil-A popped up. Like there is willing to coexist, but you just need to know what your unique, creative advantage is that you can serve your tribe. Everybody is not for you. And therefore you cannot be for everybody. You will have to probably get specific, have a niche, have a niche. However, they, niche niche, niche.

Shannon Mattern: I say niche. I don't know how to say it.

Deonjala Williams: I want to find out the proper. But yeah. So a lot of times there is that self-doubt in the beginning and that's, that's not just in business, that's in anything going back to school, you know, virtual, a virtual schooling with the kids home, like homeschooling with the kids. Um, had I not been forced into it? It was something that I probably thought I can't, I'm not going to do that because that's a lot of work. But then when you're forced into, you like, Oh, I'm kinda good at this. Pretty good at this even. I think I'm going to keep them home forever now.

Deonjala Williams: So, but once they get out of that bubble and once they, once they get out of this bubble that they've put their selves in with all these limitations and I'm like, it doesn't have to be perfect just right. Just, just right. Just put it all out there. You know, you've been a sponge for how ever old you are. So just put it out there. And that can be from your first memory at the age of five or six to however old you are, just put it out there. And those limitations will start to fall away as you start to the relationships with those people as you're building, um, building your business. And I remember, um, I remember a post that I saw like yesterday that was like, Hey, if you're worried about not starting your business, because tons of other people out there doing it, you know, go to Walmart and look into the bread aisle or any grocery store and look at the bread aisle, and I'll go so far to say any aisle in the grocery store. I mean, stacked, it's thousands of different products, but what's going to make the customer pick yours up off the shelf type of thing. So I think that "GOTS" assessment is definitely that first thing. And yes, I'm glad you brought that up because that is like the number one opposition to it when we get started in the beginning.

Shannon Mattern: Awesome. So what's next in your ELOPE principle.

Deonjala Williams: Okay. So once you, once you assess your "GOTS", then you'll want to arrange your team. Okay. And so who will take lead? Well, you, of course, and that starts off as being the team captain at first. So when I played basketball as the team captain of my team, I was on the floor with them running up and down the court, doing the work, working on my mechanics, but I was their leader. You know, that's a different role from eventually evolving into being the coach of your team, where you're not on the floor, but you can pull your players to the side and say, Hey, this is going great. You're doing an awesome job. This is not going so great. We, need to come back and we need to restrategize this whole thing. And then eventually my goal is to go from coach to franchise owner at some point in time.

Deonjala Williams: So, but we have to start with ourselves. So that's the first thing. When we first come in, more than likely when we're coming into a side hustle, we're going to be the team captain. And as a team captain, you know, your players emotions, you know what side they dribble on the strongest, you know, if they're good at shooting that last free throw for y'all or not, you know, all of that, just like the coach knows that just like the owner knows that. But our starting point is being the team captain first. Okay. So once we identify that and we already know what we got, who do we want on our team? And so depending on what industry or field you're approaching, you will need team players who strongly align with your ideals and your mission. And so it's no different than in sixth grade, you know, during PE when you know, everybody's picking teams and nobody wants to be picked last, but if I'm picking teams, I want to pick the best players.

Deonjala Williams: I want to pick the strongest people, the people who are going to help me win and who we can collaborate with together. And so what I want you to do now is to make a list of all the things you'll need in your side hustle. What products will you need? Okay. And then what services will you need? Okay. So for me, my team looks something like this with me as the coach, of course. Okay. So some of my product team members include my equipment manufacturers. Okay. So without the machines, I don't print a thing. My t-shirt suppliers, you can't print a shirt without a shirt, right. And then my decoration suppliers. So the people who supply the vinyl, the plastisol ink, all of those different ways that I decorate my apparel, that's the core. And with this team, I am able to serve that basic need of printing a shirt.

Deonjala Williams: But this team does not do enough for me to run a t-shirt printing business. If that makes sense, I have to have more team members in order to operate a successful business. And so a lot of other strings have to get pulled behind the scenes, right? So on my service team members, like I said, I got product team members. I have service team members. My service team members are my CPA. She makes sure that my books are good. Like I still have to go into QuickBooks and make sure that I do all the invoicing, but all of my books are reconciled. And at the end of the year, whenever I need financial reports to recertify, to go after grants, to do federal contracting type of things, my CPA already has that stuff. So she's on the, the little payroll, because I know that I need her.

Deonjala Williams: I know she serves a role. Now in the beginning, can you do all of your bookkeeping? Yes. And you probably will. And so you want to find the simple, you know, drag and drop apps that you can use to do that. But eventually you will want to connect with someone who can offer that service to you. And when we get a little bit more into the bartering part, maybe you can work with somebody who you've established a relationship with to barter your services for their service. All right. So QuickBooks is another service team member. I use them for all of my invoicing. Vimeo is another, is another service team member. And then social media outlets, including the new Clubhouse app. Right. And those are, those are free. And so you just want to make sure that you're looking at your team. And then once you know who your team is, you vet them. Once you know who you need on your team.

Deonjala Williams: Now it's time to do tryouts, right? And some people will make the cut and some won't. And just like in basketball, some people will make the team and then they'll be cut later on. Cause things happen. Right? And so you want to test out their services and then you want to ensure their quality and their integrity. Well, how do I do this? If I, if I have little or no capital? Right now is the season of sampling, especially with what's been going on with, you know, the pandemic and everything. People want to send you samples of their products or their services so that they can get you on board. So get asked for a sample first, if possible, try it out. If they have a seven day trial, if they have a physical product that you can try out, then you need to try that thing out.

Deonjala Williams: And then once you discover who your team members are, then, then we're ready to hit the ground running. All right. So once again, well, what if I don't have a bunch of money to get started with my side hustle, Dee, then what? Okay. So although my recommendation is bartering to free up your cash flow. First things first, let's identified the monumental things that you can do in your business and for your business for little to nothing. Okay. So here in South Florida, we have what's called SBDC or Small Business Development Centers, whose mission is to help startups grow and sustain. So what I want you to do is it might not be called an SBDC in your state. It might be called something else, but their mission is to help startup businesses to thrive. So you need to locate your specific program in your County or in your state, and you need to reach out.

Deonjala Williams: And you may even be assigned a mentor who is going to guide you through the initial steps of the process, like registering your business, setting up an EIN. And even some of them have business incubator programs, depending on what you do. You may be able to have office space free for a year under a program. So there are ways. There are also ways to get employees under your belt where the government would pay for them through programs like, um, what I did AmeriCorps, I was an AmeriCorps Vista for a year. And so there, they can still come in and work in your organization, but the government would be responsible for paying them. And not you, I don't know who doesn't want that.

: Right. I'm like I had no idea. This was a thing not as awesome. Oh yes. Okay. So second let's identify your barter.

Deonjala Williams: Okay. So second let's identify your barter. Okay. So there are there several different types of bartering. There are product to product barters. So in a product to product barter for me, that might be somebody gets tired of their X-Box. I'm tired of my X-Box 360 and, and Gillian up the street is tired over heat press. All right. How about we make a swap? You know, now that can be something of family friend connection, or it can be through Craigslist or Offers Up or something like that. But there, there could be a possible product to product bartering. So let's assess that. Let's write down some possible product to product barters that you can do to get more cash flow into your startup or to your side hustle. The second thing I would say is there are service to service barters. So for example, I printed shirts, you know, I've provided a service cause I, um, I mean shirts are both because you are providing the service and you're providing the product, but providing the service and then getting a similar service or not even a similar service, it can be completely different.

Deonjala Williams: You can barter a haircut with the barbershop if you need it to. And so I just want to throw in a quick note with bartering. Bartering is not always feasible when you, when you get to bigger places. Like you can't go into Walmart and barter, or you're not going to go and go online on Amazon and barter, but bartering can be a way to a means. So if you needed more cash, do a product to product barter, and then you can go get the equipment that you needed off of Amazon. Um, and also take advantage of your mom and pops. You know, a lot of them are falling off. And so they're looking for different things. How can I serve you in at the same time, be served, where, where is this mutually beneficial relationship? And so you have those three types. You've got that product to product, you got service to service, and then you have product to service. And, but at the end of the day, it's all about the value that you attach to what you have, what you're doing and, and the same with the receiving party. And as long as those two things match, you're in there like swimwear,

Shannon Mattern: I love that. I have a story. Like when I first started my web design business, um, I had a friend who owned a granite counter granite countertop company. Like she and her brother ran this company and she was like, Hey, will you build our website? And I was like, Hey, will you put countertops in my house? And so we traded like my website for her, for the countertops. And it was like a win-win for us because they got to do it like at cost for like just their materials. They like found scraps, lying around their shop and like put in, like to fit our stuff. And I got to spend, you know, a week working on their website and like, no money changed hands, but we both got exactly what we wanted and needed. And it was a win-win and I was just like, you know, and I always told that story.

Shannon Mattern: I was like, I traded a, I traded a website for these countertops and people are like, Oh, you got new countertops. I'm like, yeah, I traded my website. I traded a website for this. So it can work like in so many different ways, you know, when you have a product or a service. And sometimes I feel like people are like, Oh no, don't ever trade. Like, I've heard people in entrepreneurial circles say like, Oh no, don't ever trade for anything. You should always get paid money. And I'm just like, that's ridiculous. Why? Like, why when you can absolutely like make it such a win, like there are wins that go far beyond money, especially when it comes to, to bartering. So,

Deonjala Williams: And so, and what, what difference would it make like it? Okay, so for example, let's just say the countertop situation was 2,500 and your website was 2,500. So I'm going to go pay my friend a $2,500 check, and then she's going to come back and pay me the $2,500 check.

: Yeah. And I don't have $2,500 check to give her, but I have a website,

Deonjala Williams: I have a website. And so I think that's so important because, you know, we're, we're so focused on money and people that I think that could be a part of digging your seed up. If you feel like, Oh, well, you know, I have this great idea. I have this, this, that, but I can't get started until I have X, Y, and Z. Well guess what? By the time, by the time we can get the X, Y, and Z, the needle has probably moved again for them.

Shannon Mattern: Yep, absolutely.

Deonjala Williams: How do we get started now? And I think bartering is a good way and you just, you just have to get a little bit creative with it.

Shannon Mattern: Ah, I love it. I absolutely love it. So, you know, we talked about how to, how to barter with the right entrepreneurs. Was there anything else on that before we move to our next topic?

Deonjala Williams: No, that's actually that's.

Shannon Mattern: I love it. Well, like I think with that too, I think it's like that first bartering relationship can really turn into something longer term too, where you're like, Oh, I, because I'm a web designer, I think of this. I think of like web designer, graphic designer, techie, like two different things, but they could always like barter services for their business. Then it turns into like a relationship where the graphic designers like referring the web stuff to the web designer and like those things, those that's a seed that can grow far beyond just the initial, um, exchange of the first thing that you need it.

Deonjala Williams: And I, and I think you also brought out a point that I'm going to bring out now, which is don't sleep on bartering. Like, don't feel like you don't have to do as good a job because you did not receive cash because you're making an exchange like, Oh, okay, well, it's an exchange. I, you know, so I'm not going to do my best on this shirt. You know, I see that little smudge, but it's a barter. No, this is just as valuable as if it was a cash exchange. So just make sure that you don't take that for granted.

Shannon Mattern: So good. So, um, next, uh, you mentioned you want to talk about how to delegate without compromising quality. Yes. And so let's talk about that.

Deonjala Williams: Yes. That'll be really quick. And that's just like, okay, sometimes people get a little fearful, you know. Now, now I've started this business and okay. I've had success in this business, but if I allow somebody else in, then it's like, this is my thing. This is my thing, you know? And And I struggle

Shannon Mattern: And I struggle with that.

Deonjala Williams: Especially as, you know, when you start off as a one-woman show or a one man show, and you're, you're, you know, calling all the shots and things, you can somewhat be a little stingy and selfish, you know, when it comes to, uh, delegating things out, you know. Number one, you don't want to be a hoverer. Let's not, let's not be a hoverer because we should have already vetted the person that we were delegating this thing out to, we should have already got samples of their work. You know what I'm saying? So we should already know that the quality is going to be there. But we're going to have to release, I say, release responsibilities without letting go of the control. So I'm giving you a responsibility, but I'm still controlling the outcome of how this is going to go. Because at the end of the day, whether you're a subcontractor or, you know, whatever my brand and my name and my reputation is on the line.

Deonjala Williams: When, uh, when, uh, if a customer gets a botched up shirt, they don't want to hear, Oh, my sub contractor botched it up. They're going to say Dee's Sweet Tees, messed it up. And so you just want to make sure that the vetting process, that you're going to align yourself with somebody who does high quality work and has some of the same, has the same moral compass that you have. And so once you have that, then you should not be fearful of delegation because delegation is what helps us, you know. If you ever saw those, those, uh, the box that explains, you know, you have the employee, you have the self-employed, you have the business owner, and then you have the investor. And so delegation is what takes you from, you know, those different phases and for you to get to investor mode for you to be franchise owner, you're going to have to delegate because at the end of the day, you're not going to be able to do it all on your own. You're not going to want to do it on your own. Yeah. And you don't need to. And so that's it that that would conclude everything.

Shannon Mattern: Oh my gosh, I love.. Here's the, the, what I got out of just hearing you talk about all of this is you do not have to do all this by yourself, you know? And I think that, you know, the, the Excel by Leveraging Other People's Experience equipment, you know, that whole concept of, of what you just explained is that, you know, you're going to go farther faster if you don't try to be like the only person on your basketball team, doing everything. Like, you know, you're trying to do the work of five people. You have no coach, you have no captain, no owner, no guidance. Like you're the one doing all of the work. And it's no wonder that be like going back and digging up seeds, because how could you ever possibly make progress when you're that overloaded with everything? And so, you know,

Deonjala Williams: IAnd in the, in the basketball community, and it's the worst day you can be called in the basketball community, it's called being a ball hog. And I remember being called that my freshman year, my freshman year of basketball, uh, our team was not that good. I was the best one on there. And, um, but the word got back in school, like, like I had a good game last night, you know, 20 points. And they're like, yeah, we heard you a ball hog, and that hurt that cut real deep. I'm like, ball hog? I got all the points for us. You know, so it took me through this thing. But as I evolved through my basketball time in high school, I was like, okay, how do I set this lady up? I was the point guard. So how do I set this lady up with an assist? How do I make sure, how do I encourage her, this type of thing. Instead of me trying to take everything on my own shoulders. There is no trophy for trying to do it all by yourself.

Shannon Mattern: I think that is like the perfect place to wrap this up. I'm, I'm a recovering ball hog, by the way. Um, and you do, you have to realize like you cannot, it is not sustainable for you to be the one scoring all the points, every single game, like you're going to hurt yourself. You're going to burn out. You're going to be injured. And then there's no one left. If you, you do that to yourself. So the whole way you have structured all of this, um, I just, I just absolutely love, so thank you for coming on to share all of this with us. I could just listen to you talk about business for hours and hours. So I'm so glad that you're on Clubhouse, but can you tell everybody, like, where can we connect with you? Um, you know, where can everybody follow you and learn from you and get mentored by you?

Deonjala Williams: Right? So, um, I'm never about, you know, Oh, go to my site and join my course type of thing. Like I want you to, let's have a conversation first, let's connect because I like to build relationships. And relationships will eventually lead to, you know, other things. Sometimes it might be an invoice, but sometimes it might be a barter. You, you never know. And so I would say, um, first let's connect on Facebook, um, Heart and a Heat Press, and then also on Instagram at Heart and a Heat Press. But on Clubhouse, if you're in Clubhouse, then you can join me at Heart and Heat. I wanted to do Heart and a Heat Press but there weren't enough letters for it. So Heart and Heat, yeah. Heart and Heat. Yes. Yes. But what you'll drop below. Right. All right. So I'll make sure, I'll make sure I give you the links for it. But yeah. Looking forward to connecting with everybody and, you know, just, don't forget, don't dig the seeds back up, guys, come on. You guys are planting them. This was so good. You know, watering them, you know, you go into all of these classes, make sure that you guys are taking notes and make sure that you're not being too hard on yourself. Maybe you need to affirm some things in the morning, but what I can tell you is this, you got this.

Shannon Mattern: Oh, perfect. Perfect. I'm going to wrap it up here. Dee, thank you so much for being here and everyone go click all those links below, connect with her. She's someone you're going to want to be following in your journey no matter what industry you are in. So, Dee, thank you so much.

Deonjala Williams: You're so welcome. I'll talk to y'all soon. Let's press on and I'll see you inside.