The Conscious Entrepreneur

EP05: Uncovering Your Zone of Genius

Super fans of “The Big Leap” will love this week’s episode - it’s the conversation with Gay Hendricks you’ve dreamed of having.  We are a lucky fly on the wall as our host, Alex Raymond, asks Gay Hendricks, the brilliant author behind "The Big Leap", the questions you’ve probably had after reading the book.
 
Gay elaborates on key concepts, discussing how to navigate limiting beliefs, address the upper limit problem, and transition from working in your Zone of Excellence to your Zone of Genius. For enthusiasts seeking more, Gay also provides a glimpse into his exclusive, in-person half-day workshop that is coming up in November in Boulder.  It’s a hands-on experience to further tap into one's unique potential, and tickets are available here.
 
Listeners can anticipate a blend of actionable tools and perspectives from Gay, crafted to foster both personal and business growth. He shares insights on mastering time, urging listeners to harness it proactively. Additionally, Gay sheds light on recognizing personal barriers, integrating spirituality into entrepreneurship, and shares his own grounding practices, like meditation, which anchor him in his genius.
 
Key Takeaways:
The Zone of Genius is about spending more time on the things you love and are uniquely talented at, rather than getting stuck in the zones of competence or excellence.
Upper limit problems, such as limiting beliefs and fears, can hold entrepreneurs back from reaching their full potential.
It's important to cultivate emotional intelligence and be aware of how our emotions can impact our success and relationships.
The fear of outshining others or feeling burdened by success can hinder entrepreneurs from fully embracing their genius.
Time management is crucial for entrepreneurs, and adopting an Einstein time mindset can help shift from feeling like a victim of time to being the source of time.
 
Quotes:
"An upper limit problem is caused by limiting beliefs in ourselves, and one of the most common ones is that I have an old unconscious belief that I'm not worthwhile, that because of things that happened to me in my life, I don't deserve the good things of life." (03:20 | Gay Hendricks)
"In Einstein time, you don't find time, you make time. You're where time comes from. I'm where time comes from, so I can make up exactly enough time, plenty of time to do everything I love to do." (23:47 | Gay Hendricks)
"From working with a whole bunch of executives over the years, we found that the happiest ones are the ones that make that transition out of the excellence zone and spend some time every day in their genius zone." (26:47 | Gay Hendricks)
"A conscious entrepreneur is one who goes about the execution of his or her vision also with a complete openness to learning." (45:16 | Gay Hendricks) 
"Your body is where your mind lives. It's not the other way around." (50:42 | Gay Hendricks)
"We need to get ourselves in harmony with our spirit, our body, and our minds in order to make best use of ourselves." (51:03 | Gay Hendricks)
Links
Connect with Gay Hendricks
Website: https://hendricks.com/
Workshop: https://consciousentrepreneur.us/zone-of-genius-workshop-with-gay-hendricks/
Learn More About The Workshop From Gay Hendricks: What can people expect from the Zone of Genius workshop with Gay Hendricks?
 
Connect with Alex Raymond:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/
Website: https://consciousentrepreneur.us/
HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast. Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm
 

EP04: What Most People Get Wrong About Burnout

"Shame is this place that gets us into burnout and keeps us in burnout because we don't want to let people in on what's actually going on," says Jim Young.
If you’ve ever felt burned out, embarrassed, and alone, this episode of The Conscious Entrepreneur podcast is a must-listen. Host Alex Raymond interviews Jim Young, a men's burnout coach and author of the book "Expansive Intimacy." In this powerful conversation, Jim shares his personal journey of burnout and the moment he realized he wasn't okay. He delves into the one-two punch of burnout and shame, discussing the societal expectations placed on men and the impact it has on their well-being. Jim offers a fresh perspective on burnout recovery, debunking common fallacies and emphasizing the importance of social support and intimacy. Through his concept of "expansive intimacy," Jim encourages entrepreneurs to cultivate deep connections, both personally and professionally, to combat burnout. This episode will provide you with valuable tools and resources to navigate burnout, redefine success, and create a more fulfilling entrepreneurial journey. 
 
Key Takeaways:
Burnout is a chronic condition that requires a comprehensive approach to recovery, including addressing physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects.
Shame plays a significant role in burnout, as men often feel the need to hide their struggles and weaknesses, leading to increased stress and exhaustion.
Expansive intimacy, which involves building deep and authentic connections with others, is a powerful tool for combating burnout and creating a support system.
Burnout recovery fallacies, such as taking a vacation or implementing productivity hacks, are not effective solutions and do not address the underlying causes of burnout.
Seeking support from trusted individuals, whether they are friends, colleagues, or professionals, is crucial in navigating burnout and finding the necessary resources for recovery.
 
Quotes:
“I think that the socialization that we get as men in Western culture has a set of rules, and they're pretty clear to any guy who's grown up in this culture, and that's we need to be strong, we need to be successful, we can't show our emotions, we can't ask for help. And when you put all that together, it's kind of an impossible puzzle. that it's going to lead to, well, I just got to be alone. I have to suffer in silence if anything is up for me because I can't share emotions. I can't ask for help. Well, that's not human. That's not a reasonable expectation.” (14:47 | Jim Young) 
"If you're having problems sleeping, if you're having more bouts of whether you want to call it moodiness, or depression, if you're feeling anxious, oftentimes anxiety and lack of sleep are going together." (21:19 | Jim Young)
"Anything that you might find under an article that talks about life or productivity hacks is not going to be an effective strategy for burnout recovery." (29:12 | Jim Young) 
 
Links
Connect with Jim Young:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thecenteredcoach/
Website: https://www.thecenteredcoach.com/
Expansive Intimacy Podcast: https://www.thecenteredcoach.com/podcast
 
Connect with Alex Raymond:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/
Website: https://consciousentrepreneur.us/
HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast. Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP03: Consume Less, Create More

"How does mindfulness impact business?" In this episode, Beck Sydow delves into the heart of conscious entrepreneurship, discussing burnout, the role of emotions in business,  shadow work's transformative potential and the inverse relationship between consumption and creativity. Sharing personal experiences with burnout, Alex and Beck highlight the critical need for self-awareness and timely self-care. They advocate for more than just resilience, emphasizing the importance of overall well-being.
 
Beck presents a refreshing take on emotions in business, making a case for their vital role in successful leadership. They speak about the significance of creating environments that encourage genuine interactions and mutual respect, fostering a culture of psychological safety.
 
Shadow work emerges as a crucial topic, with Beck illuminating the growth stemming from understanding our deeper selves. They point out the valuable lessons our inner complexities offer, suggesting that embracing them leads to a holistic sense of authenticity.
 
Addressing self-care, Beck aspires to achieve more of a flow state mindset rather than adopting a rigid, disciplined routine.  Time outdoors, walking & journaling are part of a regular morning.  Reading and learning are daily priorities; however, Beck warns that overconsumption of content kills creativity and masks a lack of confidence to create and be seen.
 
Key Takeaways:
Burnout can affect anyone, regardless of privilege or access to resources.
It's important to recognize the signs of burnout and take action before it becomes overwhelming.
Building a conscious business requires integrating business acumen with leadership skills and a focus on understanding and serving customers.
Creating intimate spaces for leaders to be vulnerable and authentic is crucial for personal and organizational growth.
Taking radical care of ourselves involves not only physical self-care but also caring for our minds by cultivating awareness, embracing our shadows, and practicing self-acceptance.
 
Quotes:
"I knew I was burning out and I did what most of us do. I kept trying to convince myself that there would be, you know, just ‘in one more month’ or ‘in a couple weeks’ or ‘when we get this part of the business to a completion’ or just all of those ways that there's some someplace out in the future." (08:16 | Beck Sydow)
“The reality is when we think we're going to be okay out there somewhere sometime in the future, we're missing the ways that we can be okay in the moment.” (10:09 | Beck Sydow) 
“I wish I could remember where I heard this, I heard someone say that consumption is the enemy of creativity. so and and it is the um expression of a lack of confidence so as you continue to consume you're consuming because you don't think that you could put something out and boy is that a big part of my story i mean you you follow me a little bit i'm starting to be more active on LinkedIn, I'm writing more. The journey to get to that was huge.” (49:20 | Beck Sydow) 
 
Links
Connect with Beck Sydow:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/becksydow/ 
 
Connect with Alex Raymond:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/
Website: https://consciousentrepreneur.us/
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP02: Community Engineering and Human Connection

"Entrepreneurship is a personal growth journey," says Lizelle van Vuuren.
 
Lizelle is a force in the Denver Startup Community, she’s founded her own companies, is an advisor and an investor, and now she’s exploring her passion for soccer and her mission to bring professional women's soccer to Denver.  On this episode of The Conscious Entrepreneur, Alex Raymond  is in conversation with Lizelle about her journey as an entrepreneur and the resilience and inspiration needed to build a successful business. Through her own experiences and reflections, she shares valuable insights on the importance of self-discovery, community engineering, and mental health for entrepreneurs.
 
Key Takeaways:
Being an entrepreneur is a long journey that requires resilience and self-awareness.
Belonging is a fundamental human need, and creating communities that foster belonging is essential.
The entrepreneur's journey is a path of self-discovery, where personal growth and self-awareness are key.
Work can be a coping mechanism and an escape, but it's important to find a balance and not tie our self-worth solely to our work.
A conscious entrepreneur is someone who has a heightened sense of self-awareness and connection to others, and strives to create impact while also being profitable.
 
Quotes:
“What wonderful things have you created, because you have not felt like you belong? And there's millions of people who feel the same. In fact, I think that is really quintessentially a part of the human experience and people want to belong in places and spaces. And I believe that when you belong, when you feel like you belong and you are welcomed into belonging somewhere. It untaps your full human potential. So now people who feel like they belong, whether it's in a tiny startup or a big community or in their school or adversity or in a club or whatever, now they can relax. Our nervous systems kind of take a breath and we can fully show up.” (23:06 | Lizelle van Vuuren) 
"Now I look at the entrepreneur's journey as an athlete's journey, which is to say, you cannot possibly think that you're going to be an exceptional athlete without training and stretching and eating well and doing the movement, doing the motion, doing the work, doing the exercise, whatever that might be. And it's true for an entrepreneur. You can't possibly imagine that you're going to be your best as an entrepreneur without quite literally sleeping well, eating well, exercising, training, walking, having friends, having a community, maybe going to therapy, unpacking some trauma, like all those kinds of things." (28:58 | Lizelle van Vuuren)
"Entrepreneurship is a personal growth journey." (49:58 | Lizelle van Vuuren)
"Being an entrepreneur is not a job title. It's not something you do. It's how you are. It's how you behave in the world, how you act in the world. And we need to broaden that conversation so that we're talking about all these things that really add up and that really matter." (55:45 | Alex Raymond) 
"A conscious entrepreneur is someone who with every fiber in them creates impact for people while attempting to be profitable." (57:21 | Lizelle van Vuuren) 
 
Links
Connect with  Lizelle van Vuuren:
Website: https://lizellevanvuuren.com/
 
Connect with Alex Raymond:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/Website: https://consciousentrepreneur.us/
HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast. 

EP01: How to Become a Conscious Venture Capitalist

Are you tired of the adversarial relationship between entrepreneurs and investors? Matt McCall, a seasoned VC with 28 years of experience, offers a refreshing perspective on the traditional relationship dynamics we’ve come to expect. In this episode, Matt shares his unique approach to investing, where he not only provides funding but also coaching to help entrepreneurs thrive. He believes that the key to success lies in focusing on the human aspect of business, elevating entrepreneurs to be their best selves. By investing in personal growth and fostering authentic relationships, Matt has seen firsthand how this approach leads to greater resilience and success. Discover how Matt challenges the traditional VC model and why he believes that investing in the well-being of entrepreneurs is a competitive advantage.
 
Key Takeaways:
The relationship between entrepreneurs and investors doesn't have to be adversarial; it can be a partnership where both parties work together for success.
Investing in personal growth and well-being supports the achievement of results in business.
VCs can act as guides and safe harbors for entrepreneurs, providing support and resources to help them thrive.
The concept of the Aristotelian ethic, focusing on curiosity, discipline, courage, and love, can lead to a more fulfilling and successful entrepreneurial journey.
Taking care of one's well-being and addressing internal issues, such as unsaid conversations and energy drains, is crucial for long-term success and avoiding burnout.
 
Quotes:
"Everything that I would do as a traditional coach, I do as a VC, but I do it from the perspective of making them the highest version of themselves so we can have the best success with the company." (13:58 | Matt) 
"What launched this whole thing is we interviewed,10 years ago, a hundred entrepreneurs and said, 'How do you want your VC to show up to be most helpful?" And number one, by far, they said, I don't trust any of you guys. But if I could trust you, it was who can be there on a Sunday night when the demons are running through my head." (31:56 | Matt) 
"The way that I'm thinking about it is, you know, we're putting all these demands on an entrepreneur and he or she's got 30%, they're at 30% of their capacity because 70% of it is blocked by something else. And so the work of becoming more aware, doing personal work, becoming more mindful, learning to meditate, learning tools and frameworks for communication, and so on. Those are about increasing the amount of available energy that I have to do the things that I love. And if I'm not focused on it, then I'm just burning myself down, and that's what leads to burnout, collapse, companies going poof." (35:03 | Alex)
Links
Connect with Matt McCall:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattmccall/
Website: https://somethingventured.com/
 
Connect with Alex Raymond:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/
Website: https://consciousentrepreneur.us/
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

The Conscious Entrepreneur Trailer

Hustle Culture is ingrained into our society and teaches us that entrepreneurship is a hard journey. We blindly worship hero stories of entrepreneurs who sacrificed it all (health, happiness, family) in pursuit of business glory. But these stories are toxic models for entrepreneurs: many founders struggle with depression, anxiety, and burnout. 
 
It doesn’t have to be that way. In The Conscious Entrepreneur, we have an open and honest conversation that leads us away from misery, fear, anxiety and stress and towards happiness, health, sanity and positive relationships. We dive deep with inspiring and authentic entrepreneurs, bypassing the familiar "hero stories" for genuine insights and wisdom.
Hosted by Alex Raymond, The Conscious Entrepreneur is the only podcast that is 100% dedicated to the wellbeing of entrepreneurs.