Welcome to the Join Up Dots business coaching podcast interview with Brandee Sweesy
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Introducing Brandee Sweesy
Todays guest, joining us on the Join Up Dots podcast interview is Brandee Sweesy.
She is a lady who is the perfect one to hangout with…and although you maybe thinking that would be in a bar or pub, she likes to do it via Google.
To be honest she might like bars and pubs too, but her expertise in Google Hangouts is taking her to the top and becoming the go to lady to find out how to make the most of this resource.
Starting her career down in the heart of the Florida Keys at Marathon, Brandee Sweesy worked at the Jet Center creating contracts for pilots to use the facilities.
And this is one of those brilliant Join Up Dots stories as her career seems almost random as she moved towards where she is today.
How The Dots Joined Up For Brandee
But we see it time and time again, that its the myriad of experiences that help someone find their path in life and get to the top.
And with a history encompassing real estate, Marketing, Public Relations, training and Event Planning she learnt the skills to go it alone and become an entrepreneur through all those roles.
And when she did create her own company teaching the world about Google Hangouts, well Brandee Sweesy has never looked back.
But did she always have the outgoing and passionate personality that made her such a natural in front of the cameras, or did she start to realise her passion when working as a trainer for Fred Pryor Seminars?
And what was it about Google Hangouts that made her say “This is it….this is where my future lies?”
Well let’s bring onto the show to start joining up dots, as we discuss the words of Steve Jobs with the one and only Brandee Sweesy
Show Highlights
During the show we discussed such weighty topics with Brandee Sweesy such as:
How she first went to a toastmasters session and struggled to get through a two minute presentation and now will rock it in front of 20,000 people.
How her first goal was to leave the Florida Keys, and now plans to move on every two years even if she loves where she is living.
How she was once in a room with an amazingly successful businessman and realised that he still was insecure as to the work he was performing and the value he was providing to the world.
Why Brandee Sweesy believes it is so important to go on a “No Information diet” when working on a new product to stop comparing to whatever else is out there in the real world.
And lastly……
How she feels that the moment that you become truly yourself then the money and success just comes your way effortlessly, however it takes a long time of discovery to get to that point.
How To Connect With Brandee Sweesy
Return To The Top Of Brandee Sweesy
If you enjoyed this episode with Brandee Sweesy, why not check out other inspirational chat with Clayton Morris, Dorie Clark, and the amazing Niall Doherty
You can also check our extensive podcast archive by clicking here – enjoy
Audio Transcription Of Brandee Sweesy
Intro [0:00]
When we’re young, we have an amazing positive outlook about how great life is going to be. But somewhere along the line we forget to dream and end up settling. Join Up Dots features amazing people who refuse to give up and chose to go after their dreams. This is your blueprint for greatness. So here’s your host live from the back of his garden in the UK, David Ralph.
David Ralph [0:26]
Yes, hello Vale Welcome again to Join Up Dots, Episode 220. It’s me, David Ralph, your host broadcasting from the back of the garden in the United Kingdom and bringing you another powerhouse episode as you would expect. And today’s guest is a lady who is the perfect one to hang out with. And although you may be thinking that would be in a bar or pub, she likes to do it via Google. To be honest, she might like bars and pubs too, but her expertise in Google Hangouts is taking it to the top and becoming the go to lady to find out how to make that most of this resource. starting her career down in the heart of the Florida Keys at marathon. She worked at the Jets into creating contracts for pilots to use the facilities and this is one of those brilliant Join Up Dots storeys as a career seems almost random as she moved towards where she is today. But we see it time and time again. But it’s the myriad of experiences that help someone find their path in life and get to the top and with a history encompassing real estate marketing, public relations, training and event planning. She learned the skills to go it alone and became an entrepreneur through all those roles. And when she did create her own company teaching the world about Google Hangouts, well, she’s never looked back. But did she always have the outgoing and passionate personality that made her such a natural in front of the cameras? Or did she start to realise her passion when working as a trainer for Fred prior seminars? And what was it about Google Hangouts that made her say this is it this is where my future lies? Well, let’s find out as we bring onto the show to start Join Up Dots the one and only Brandee Sweesy. How are you Brandee?
Brandee Sweesy [1:58]
How great. Wow, you very did your research. Great job.
David Ralph [2:02]
I joke. I stalk you big time I go. I go deep into brandy.
Brandee Sweesy [2:08]
Oh, wow. That is impressive. I am so impressed. Yeah.
David Ralph [2:11]
So yeah, you you’ve had a bit of a maybe a bit of a journey. So we’re going to start where you are now to sort of frame the brandy that we’re talking to the reason why you are the go to person for Google Hangouts. WebEx is live for your WebEx your hangout?
Brandee Sweesy [2:27]
Um, well, you know, it’s fascinating. I really tripped in the Hangouts. And so I was asking where I’m living country wise, I was in San Diego, California. Wow.
David Ralph [2:36]
How’s it going with hangouts? You go with it?
Brandee Sweesy [2:39]
Yeah, yeah, I tripped into them. Quite honestly, I was studying online marketing. And I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. And I, you know, I was waiting for the clouds departs, and the lightning bolts come down and tell me what my passion was. And I had kind of an idea. And I was trying to launch another brand. And I did a Hangout on my birthday to launch that other brands. And I got really great feedback, and, you know, amazing views and all the stuff. And then I was like, okay, it was hard. It was difficult, like tech wise. And so I hired a couple experts, and they made it even more difficult. And then people started offering me money. And I was like, you know, it’s free, right? So like, if you would have told me two years ago, I was going to be the Hangout queen. I would have been like, no way that that sounds tech tech wise. And no, that’s definitely not me. And yeah, so it’s fascinating. So that’s why I love this show, you know, is because as I look back, even in the last year, as I look back on life, like all these different, you know, zigzags that lead you to something that you would have never been able to figure out what Yes, the cash was dropped something. No.
David Ralph [3:41]
Well, when I first became aware of you was probably just when I was starting my entrepreneurial leap, and I stumbled across you, as a guest on Michael O’Neill, show the soda pioneer hour, which was the actual starting point of my journey. That was the very first show, but I had my neighbours voice broadcast from and you at that time, you seem to be somebody who was starting to rock and roll, but hadn’t really found the full identity that we’re seeing now? Has it been, you know, fascinating how over the last year and a half, you really have blossomed into the sort of powerhouse but he’s Brandi squeezy.
Brandee Sweesy [4:22]
Thank you, I’m flattered. I am like powerhouse. No, but yeah, you know, it has, it’s been an evolutionary process. You know, when I first started with them, you know, I was kind of teaching the tool, and then a mentor of mine said, you know, stop teaching the tool, teach your benefit to the tool, you know, so it’s been an end even, you know, just like with anything, you know, the more that I do them, the more I discover, the more I find my stride my voice, my, you know, being able to share that. And it’s an ongoing journey, you know, you know, what I started off, you know, just teaching how to push buttons, and then it turned into, oh, wait, that’s this. And then, you know, it’s just like, with anything, the more action you take, the more clarity comes, you know, and then I suffer just like anybody else from an hour, this is paralysis, where I, you know, sometimes, you know, slow myself down or get in my own way with things. And I remember Oh, that’s right, I was so much happier when ignorance is bliss. And I just kept on taking imperfect action. And, you know, when I do that, then then things get a lot more clear. When I overthink things, they don’t stay quite as clear.
David Ralph [5:17]
So, so give, give the listeners. And I’ll be honest, I don’t think I’ve actually hung out in Google. I don’t think I’ve ever done a Google Hangout. And so if I haven’t been, it’s going to be an awful lot of people that don’t really know what we’re talking about. So give give an example what Google Hangouts are, and why they are really so powerful, especially that you if you creating an online identity for yourself.
Brandee Sweesy [5:39]
Yeah, it’s insane. Well, so you know, the first thing that I figured out was the psychology of it, right? blogging brought about transparency. You know, we had tell seminars that brought about tonality and podcaster bring about tonality. And then, you know, we went into video marketing. And so you hear a lot about video marketing, but you know, equipments and editing and so people get so slow down. So I really think that hangouts are really the harmonisation of your brands. So Google Hangouts, you know, for those that don’t know what they are they they put Google Hangouts on air stream, live to YouTube. So you don’t need any really expensive equipment. And the more natural you are, the better success you have. So instead of worrying about hiring a videographer, and editors, and uploading, and all the rendering, and all of that kind of stuff, you could just, you know, open up your laptop, start talking. And it’s fascinating to me, that when you’re on YouTube, consistently, people think you’re kind of like a TV star, they really view it like TV. And it’s like, you know, I find it fascinating the psychology of it. So, you know, basically hangout stream live hangouts on air, I should say, streaming live to YouTube. So it’s really YouTube marketing on nightdress. You know, Google ranks, YouTube ranks videos based on current and relevant content. So if you’re doing a live hangout on air, obviously, that’s current and then you know, your contents relevant. So you can end up on the first page of Google if you’re interested in that, which most people are.
David Ralph [6:55]
So So you’ve got a personality that naturally works well on video, and I’ve, I’ve seen you on quite a few things. I was looking at you on your own website today. And you just seem naturally competent doing that. In the introduction, I was talking about your event planning and your training that you’ve been doing over the years. If we went really back in time would be early Brandi been out to be so comfortable? Or was it all the experiences added up to where you are today?
Brandee Sweesy [7:23]
You know, honestly, you know, I think oh, yeah, but I’ll tell you this, this is a cute storey, like I, I wanted to be a public speaker, and somebody recommended that I do Toastmasters. So I went to Toastmasters. And you know, I struggled for that very first two minute speech. And I had the good fortune of having people around me that remind me of where I come from. And so I was talking about having to give this, you know, this big, huge, you know, presentation in front of 2000 people. And you know, I wasn’t even stressing and shoot. And my friend said, Remember when you like struggled to give your two minute talk at Toastmasters? And I was like, Oh, that’s right. It didn’t come naturally to me. I forgot where I came from, because it does come so naturally now. But you know, as you look back over time, you know, the, it’s all those, you know, connect the dots backwards, you can only connect them backwards. And then you know, you have to remember to like now for me, you know, I could walk out right now and speak in front of 20,000 people and not even think about it, you know, but I couldn’t give a two minute speech, you know, 15 years ago. So yes, I think it’s a it’s a culmination of all the experiences over time.
David Ralph [8:21]
And that, does that scare you going out in front of 20,000? People? Or do you go Yes, bring it on. That’s what I’m here for.
Brandee Sweesy [8:29]
Yeah, I’m on the Bring it on. That’s what I’m here for. Yeah, I’m not one of those people that would rather die than publicly speak, I don’t really care.
I don’t think I was always like that. But that’s how I am now.
David Ralph [8:41]
Because it’s so many people out there, who are, you know, the actual avatar of the show other people that are just about ready to go by haven’t taken the entrepreneurial leap. They might be in a job that they don’t like they might be in a relationship, but they don’t like, and the vibe of the whole show is really, you’ve got one life, you might as well be happy. And if you’re not in that job that’s making you happy, get another job if you don’t like being in a job, become entrepreneurial, and so on, so forth. And back at this sort of the roles that you were doing when I was looking through your your profile, your LinkedIn profile, there was some that you were there for quite a while and there was some that you weren’t there for very long at all. And there’s some but you kind of go, how did that start? Now I was kind of interested with the jet Centre at marathon. And the only reason why I was so interested in that my very first online venture was a website based on the Florida Keys, where I realised that there was a marketplace for Florida Keys website. So I built one based on it, never having been there once. And it took a tonne of research. But I know the area quite well, virtually. So that was your childhood down in the keys, was it?
Brandee Sweesy [9:57]
Yeah, I was born and marathon and I think you’ll appreciate this storey Well, I was born in marathon. There’s 129 islands in the keys, as you know. And so I’m from the central one. So their slogan is the heart of the Florida Keys. And they stopped delivering babies in 72. And I was born in 69. So I’m like one of the very few people that was actually born in marathon. Now you have to go to Key West or Miami to have a child. But here’s the funny twist to the entire storey. When my grandmother got sick, I moved back down to the keys and I was taking care of her. And I ended up becoming the marketing director. When they hired me as a as a consultant for fishermen’s hospital, the hospital that was born and like I remember thinking, wow, what like a bizarre turn of events with this. Yeah.
David Ralph [10:39]
So So did you have a desire to leave the keys because from my understanding, the people that I’ve spoken to, you are so kind of isolated from the mainland, you’re closer to Cuba on you from Key West, when you are actually to the tip of Florida. Most people kind of it’s their life. So for you to go to where you are now in San Diego was better something that you naturally wanted? Or was it once again, just a series of dots that led you there.
Brandee Sweesy [11:06]
I never, you know, as an adult, like living there, you know, you are very limited. You’re very, I mean, it’s fantastic. You know, a lot of my friends that I went to grade school with all still live there, and they love it. They love the lifestyle. For me, I was way too ambitious. So you know, that was my first goal was to get out of there. And then I made a very conscious decision. 20 years ago, she moved every two years. So every two years I move whether I love a place or not. And then I try to move to someplace that I’ve never been or visited. And that’s just a you know, keep on my you keep myself on my toes. You know,
David Ralph [11:38]
that’s that’s interesting, though, isn’t it? Because you, you really are forcing yourself to take action all the time. And by taking that action, you’re almost preventing a rap from occurring. You know, you’re in San Diego now is that what were you said at the beginning?
Brandee Sweesy [11:54]
Yeah, I’m in San Diego. Now, he has been here, a little over a year, about a year and one month. So I have, what, 11 more months and I’m to someplace else.
David Ralph [12:00]
But San Diego to me is seems to be the hub of online world, it seems like you’re all sitting around in bars, and everybody knows each other. But that’s kind of from the the vibe that I get from over here. Obviously, I speak to the people in San Diego and I say, Oh, it’s not really like that, it may seem like it. So
Brandee Sweesy [12:19]
it’s really like that.
Yeah, it’s really like that.
David Ralph [12:23]
So is it going to be a wrench when you pull yourself away from the hub of what’s going on at the moment?
Brandee Sweesy [12:30]
Um, no, because, you know, it’s fantastic, you build these relationships, I would have never had the relationships that I have currently had I not been living here, you know, like, I love the virtual world. And I love that we can, you know, interact, you know, you know, virtually and become friends virtually. But there’s something to be said for like sitting in a pub and having a conversation and, you know, sharing ideas that, you know, don’t get shared online, that there are posted on people’s Facebook walls, or, you know, that kind of thing. So it really was a game changer for me.
David Ralph [12:59]
And and so you you buying into the the environment was more important than your experience, the people that you surround yourself was key to taking you to that next level.
Brandee Sweesy [13:09]
I really think so, you know, I mean, it’s fascinating, you know, we talked about, I’m all about transparency to and honestly, you know, it’s kind of, it’s both, you know, it’s fantastic, the Connexions and the people that I’ve met, you know, there’s people that are really famous in the industry that you’ve never heard of, you know, they’re they’re amazingly brilliant, and, you know, they contribute in a big way, and they make tonnes of money, but you’ve never heard of them until you like meet them at, you know, someplace locally for dinner or whatnot. So, you know, it’s kind of a, it’s kind of both for me, you know, where I have the, I get into too much comparison. Like, I think sometimes I was happier when I didn’t know anything, you know what I mean? So I expect my launches to be, you know, with the top 1% of the industry. And the reality is, is I’m not the top 1% of the industry, I have the good fortune of knowing all of those people, you know what I mean? So So, you know, I’ve gotten kind of tripped over myself a little bit in the last few months, you know, and trying to be like them, you know what I mean? And the reality is, is I’m not them, we’ve been doing it for 20 years, I’ve been doing it for a year and a half, you told me to do that, then
David Ralph [14:09]
Brandi because that That, to me, takes away from you being authentic to yourself, it adds the pressure of competition. And as you say, vaping doing it. 20 years, you’ve been doing a year and a half, you know that. So why do you feel the need to sort of compare yourself?
Brandee Sweesy [14:27]
It’s funny, I’ve only have come to that realisation like in the last probably two months, you know, I’ve done enough personal development work throughout my lifetime, to be able to look at my stuff. You know what I mean? So I’ve questioned that too. I’m like, why would I even do that? You know what I mean? Like, that’s, you know, the biggest part of my, you know, when I started this entire this process, this part of the journey was all about congruency. You know, if you hear me on a podcast, you meet me in a pub, you see me on video, I’m the exact same person and I don’t want to create an illusion and then have to live up to that illusion. But, you know, I tripped over myself a little bit, just like everybody, you know, when you have to take a step back and objectively look at it and say, why am I doing that? That’s not realistic. You know, to me, I was doing this a couple days ago. I’m like, okay, Brandi. Like, think about this. You’ve been doing this for a year and a half. And most people dream of being where you’re at. Let me like, let’s lighten up just a tad, though.
David Ralph [15:16]
It’s interesting, because some Do you do audience, the audience of Join Up Dots, as I say, are the people that look at the success storeys, and go back to the life of me, that’s what I want. But it’s all right for her. It’s all right for him. They’ve got talents, they’ve got skills. And he’s interesting that you are the success, and you’ve still got those same kind of insecurities. Do you? Do you think that kind of ever stops once you get to like the 1%? Do you think those 1% are still looking around at each other going, I should be slightly ahead of the game.
Brandee Sweesy [15:50]
I’ll tell you, this is the greatest gift. And I’ll tell you this was the greatest gift moving to San Diego. I was in a masterminds, I got invited, I couldn’t believe it. It was you had to be a minimum seven, you’re earner. Most of the people in the room were eight figure earners. And I like was in the corner like, Oh, I don’t even know why I’m here. And the person that invited me when you go around the room and you introduce yourself? You know, I said something like, Oh, yeah, I do marketing. That was pretty much it. He’s like, would you stop brandy, like, tell them what you really do. And I was like, so intimidated by the room and the guy in the hot seat, you know, in a mastermind to get hot seat, and then everybody gives you feedback. And the guy in the hot seat have gone from 2 million to 200 million in two years, scaling, coaching. And he was talking about his own insecurities about thinking he didn’t have any value to bring to the marketplace. And the guy sitting to the left of me, who I’d never met before, nudges me. And he goes, it doesn’t matter if you’re here, or if you’re here, we’re all facing the same shit. And I was like, really, because I thought I was the only one and I’m in the inner circle. Well, you know, for sure. And everyone faces it me like you’re not dodging that bullet, you know, is so fantastic at that level to find out that those people are equal insecure as I am, you know. I mean, it’s like, you know, it’s horrible. But, you know, it is in a way that you know, like, wow, you too, Oh, my gosh, he’s, it’s kind of
David Ralph [17:09]
great. But it’s also awful, isn’t it? Because we would like to think that we can create a lifestyle for ourselves, that is financially viable. It’s also comfortable. And on a kind of spiritually mental aspect, you’re kind of very comfortable, and to have 200 million, and you’re still thinking, I’m not good, I’m not good. That’s kind of awful, isn’t it? Really?
Brandee Sweesy [17:35]
Yeah, I mean, you know, like, well, he was going well. So in that case, he was moving. And then the target that he was going after was the unsatisfied life, the person that, you know, the the middle aged man who’s, you know, accomplished all these things, and is still, you know, unhappy. So, he was going to move into that, because that’s what he was facing, you know, and we always teach from our wounds we teach from, you know, I teach from my mistakes, I don’t, like, I don’t come on the scene and be like, Oh, I’m so fantastic. It’s more like you did that, that didn’t work here, this might be a better way, you know, what I mean? So, you know, all of us that want to serve and help people, you know, teach from our errors, you know, you know, I was there too, I know what that feels like, you know, and that’s what makes, you know, a lot of the big guys so effective, because they’ve all been there, you know, and they know what it’s like, and they know that you know, the pain that’s involved. And so in that particular case, that that one guy, you know, now he’s got an entire, you know, brands built around, you know, helping to have a more fulfilled life, because money doesn’t buy you happiness. And so if you get to that level of success, and you’re still unhappy and unfulfilled, you might want to take a step back. And that’s what he did. He was leaving that 200 he sold that $200 million business and wanted to move in a totally different direction. Did you look at
David Ralph [18:43]
him? And when he’s talking, I find this really intriguing, this this conversation, when he’s talking? Do you kind of go? Yes, I still want that. I still want what he’s got? Or do you kind of go? Now Actually, I don’t think I do one. But I’m quite happy where I am. where’s where’s your passion and your energy? Because you seem to be a very ambitious lady, the fact that you knew that you wanted to leave the Florida Keys, you knew that you’re going to leave every two years for a different place. You seem to be somebody that is, is moving on constantly. So there’s the ambition match up with the action? Or is your ambition greater than the action?
Brandee Sweesy [19:20]
I think that they match, I’ll say, you know, like, now as I’m getting older, you know, for probably, well, it’s still the screensaver on my iPhone is a jet, you know, I’ve always wanted my own jet, you know, but now I’m thinking okay, well, okay, what would that be, you know, to buy a jet? That would be $50 million? How hard would I have to work to buy that jet? maintain that jet? Is there a better way? Could I get a net jets membership, and you know, save the cost of that. So you know, it’s kind of ebbs and flows. You know, I really like my lifestyle, and it doesn’t take $200 million for me to maintain a lifestyle, I am still incredibly ambitious, and not as ego centred on it, as I once was, I did a little bit of personal development, you know, again, I have the good fortune of being able to step back and look at my stuff often. And I was like, Okay, so what is this all about wanting to be on the cover of fortune? You know, when I was 15, I told my mother, I wanted to be on the cover of fortune, she was like, Okay, well, if that’s what you want, you can get it. I think that that was more me looking for external validation for my success, you know, so I don’t need the external validation as much as I did when I was, say, in my teens and 20s, you know, now I just like living a good lifestyle, having good friends, you know, being able to have the freedom to do what I want to do when I want to do it, it’s not so important that that you think I’m successful, as much as it’s how do I feel with myself? That makes sense?
David Ralph [20:37]
Yeah, it makes it makes total sense. But there’s still that kind of, that there’s that need to match up to other people’s expectations, isn’t there? So you know, we see it time and time again, when really successful people commit suicide, for example. And you think, why did they do that? I had everything, but internally, they couldn’t match up to what we expected them to. He’s like,
Brandee Sweesy [21:01]
Yeah, well, I mean, I have, I had a really, really rough childhood. You know, and we all have a storey. Right, but mine was pretty horrific. And, you know, again, that, you know, it’s more about when we started this journey, like, I was never the brand until, you know, a year and a half ago, I always hid behind a company name, you know, and most people didn’t know who I was, you know, I’d only talk to the CEOs of companies and things like that. It’s always very hard putting yourself out publicly, you know, for you know, you for the haters for the, you know, the trolls and things like that. You know, though I still like, you know, I wanted to be on Oprah, when we start doing the connect the dots, you know, I did a run at trying to be on the own network, Oprah’s network. And that was terrifying for me, you know, because I was like, God, I’m publicly seen. And if you’ve ever read any of Rene brown stuff, it’s fantastic. She talks about we all carry the certain amount of shame. And certainly with the background that I had as a child, you know, overcoming all of that. You know, there’s always that lingering shame. So when we started the Brandi squeezy, quote, unquote, brands, I was really about not buying into my own illusion, because I would always feel a certain amount of shame. So that’s why I try and you know, sometimes it’s a struggle to be as transparent as authentic as possible. You know, I have to check in with myself and my branding words. You know, when we did my brands, I have a brand process they go through is bold, real and inspiring. Those are my three words. So I have to check it out. Am I being bold? No, you’re being a chicken shit. You know, my big inspiring know, you’re being a whiner. You know, am I keeping it real? No, you’re hiding your true self, you know, so I have to check in with myself sometimes, you know, as I as I came the, you know, quote, unquote, overnight success, or became well known in the industry so rapidly, you know, which is unheard of, you know, I had to keep checking in with myself to not buy into the illusion. So I needed to make sure that I was constantly keeping it real.
David Ralph [22:53]
is the image that you’re creating? Is it a direct opposite view from your childhood? Now? I don’t want went on your childhood, you already said it was horrific. But is that a starting point to where Brandi got her drive?
Brandee Sweesy [23:08]
Absolutely. You know, I mean, you know, like, with any worse, you’re like, Okay, you know, my mother was, you know, really a challenged woman mentally, you know, addictions, all kinds of different things. And so she was a constant lesson and what I did not want to be, you know, and I’ll tell you, I’ll never forget this. This is pretty funny. I had lost a contract, actually, with the Jets, one of the Jets centre was actually a contract on marketing contracts. And I lost, they didn’t renew the contract. And that was, you know, 50 or hundred grand. I can’t remember back then. And I was talking to my mother about it. And she’s like, Oh, you know, I know you’re not gonna want to hear this. But you’ll get a job at Walgreens. I was like, do you friggin know who I am? You know what I’d be like, I was a really big fish in a very small pond. And I was just, like, mortified that she told me to go get a job at Walgreens, like,
David Ralph [23:50]
a supermarket or something. Is it
Brandee Sweesy [23:51]
like, yeah, like a, like a, like a CVS? Like a Yeah, like a little drugstore? You know, you know, where you get toiletries and prescriptions? And I was like that, okay. Yeah.
David Ralph [24:02]
And what, why did she kind of do that because that, that, as a mother, you kind of you want your kids to be safe. You want them to many ways, be realistic, but you also want them to be Dreamers. And it was quite evident as a child, I imagine that you was a dreamer, you were somebody that wanted more than what you were seeing. And so for a mother to say, well suppress that stay where you are, get a job fair, don’t go for the big thing. That seemed sort of strange way of operating.
Brandee Sweesy [24:34]
Well, yeah, I mean, like I said, I could give you 1000 examples of things like that. But I just remember sitting there, like I was in the newspaper every week, you know, I was featured, like I was hanging out with, you know, famous people from football teams and from movies and things like that she had just zero clue of who I was, she wanted me to go get a job at, you know, whatever minimum wage was, and then I’d have benefits, that was her big thing, then I would have benefits. And I’m like I am, you know, flipping 25 years old. So you know what, I’m not really worried about having health insurance at this point.
David Ralph [25:03]
And did you know what you wanted at that stage? Did was Brandi on a path? Or was Brandi still trying to find things?
Brandee Sweesy [25:12]
I definitely was always ambitious. You know, there’s, there’s no doubt like that. Like I, you know, though, I did not have the clarity of the past. Like I said, God, if you would have told, like, we talked to my 20 year old self and said that I would be in internet marketing and Google Hangouts, I’d be like, what is that? You know, but I was always ambitious. I mean, that was there was no doubt about that. And I was always one of those people and still remain to be one of those people. Actually, I just signed a contract with somebody really, really, really super famous to do something that I’ve never done, but I’m like, I’ll figure it out along the way. He told me he’s like, I’ll either fall flat on my face, or I’m going to become really successful. Who knows, you know?
David Ralph [25:49]
So you could be called boozy squeezy. Can you really?
Brandee Sweesy [25:52]
Oh, yeah, absolutely. Yeah. Happy? Yeah, for sure. But that’d probably be the first thing that everybody would tell you about me. brazen and ballsy.
David Ralph [25:59]
Yeah, so I’m going to play some words now. But kind of evidence is the point that the conversation that we are in, and this is words that Jim Carrey said recently, and it’s so powerful, and I would love to know your opinion on them. Jim Carrey,
Jim Carrey [26:12]
my father could have been a great comedian, but he didn’t believe that that was possible for him. And so he made a conservative choice. Instead, he got a safe job as an accountant. And when I was 12 years old, he was let go from that safe job. And our family had to do whatever we could to survive. I learned many great lessons from my father, not the least of which was that you can fail at what you don’t want. So you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.
David Ralph [26:39]
Does that resonate with you at all those words?
Brandee Sweesy [26:42]
I cannot believe you played that. I was listening to that yesterday as a reminder, but I kid you not yesterday, I was listening to that exact speech. Yes. So of course it resonates with me. And that was my that’s really truly been my my driving course throughout life as I don’t ever want to look back and regret it. I’ve had massive failures and massive successes, you know, I mean, but I look back and I never say I should have not done that. You know what I mean? I always have lived, you know, wholeheartedly in, I don’t ever want to look back, you know, I could die tomorrow. And I don’t want to say I wish I would have could have should have done that. No, no, absolutely not. Because I made it tomorrow. You know what I mean? And so yes, absolutely. And it’s so funny that you played that because I was listening to that yesterday.
David Ralph [27:23]
Because it strikes me the fact that you’re saying that you’re listening to it. That is something that has huge influence on the world, for people that are trying to find their thing, and the fact that you are still listening to it, and you quite evidently have found your thing, and I totally believe is going to get bigger and bigger and bigger, you’re just somebody that can drive it forward. That’s interesting, isn’t it, that you still gain comfort from those kind of words.
Brandee Sweesy [27:48]
I mean, that’s, you know, that’s the other thing, you know, you never really, quite honestly arise, you know, so So, you know, they’ll make people can look at me and say that, you know, I’ve arrived, you know, I need those reminders, you know, like, so that contract with that super famous person I was telling you about. That’s why I was listening to that yesterday, I was listening to a couple of different things about you know, okay, you know, just even like, Branson has a quote, you know, like, if somebody offers you a huge opportunity, and you just say yes, and figure it out along the way. And so that’s what I was essentially doing. So then I had to listen to some of those things yesterday to remind myself that you know, okay, remember where you’ve come from, remember, you know, I may fall flat on my face, you know, who knows, or I may be a success, but I won’t know until I try.
David Ralph [28:28]
Screw it, just do it.
Brandee Sweesy [28:30]
That’s my, I’m telling you, you and I are like soul soul mates. That was my every interview that I’m on, people are asking me what my favourite quote was. And that was my favourite hangout when I first started doing hangouts was seeing Sir Richard Branson on it. And it was kind of Elon Musk and some other people. And that’s been my favourite quote of all time was Screw it, just do it.
David Ralph [28:49]
And it is, once again, it’s the simple words that are so brilliantly powerful, and that beautiful, and you can actually gain comfort very, very quickly on love fat, screw it, just do it. And it is true what you say, if you don’t screw it, and do it, then you’ve got what you’ve always got. And you might fall on your face, you might fail spectacularly. But it might be the biggest movement in your career that you’ve ever had. And as long as it’s something you passionately want, and it’s in an area that you love, you’ve got to do it, haven’t you?
Brandee Sweesy [29:23]
Well, yeah, I mean, you know, I’ll reframe failures to one of the one of the biggest guys in the internet marketing industry, I was talking about, you know, some failure, you know, there’s no failures, there’s just lessons. You know what I mean? Like, stop, stop referring to those failures, they’re just lessons. You know, that’s all they are. They’re just lessons.
David Ralph [29:41]
Where is that ability to overcome that fear, though, because you do seem fearless. And I take everything you’re saying. And I agree, totally. But I also know that when you have a huge opportunity in front of you, that opportunity is always going to be pulling you out of your comfort zone. And that is scary. There’s no getting away with it. It’s scary. When you go to your first job interview. It’s scary when you earn your first million. It’s scary, scary, scary life scary. And so when you get these opportunities, and you do go Screw it, just do it, you must still have sleepless nights, you must do sort of have heart palpitations thinking, am I really gonna pull it off?
Brandee Sweesy [30:23]
Well, of course, I mean, why was I listening to those those videos yesterday? You know, because I was having a lot of fear around it. Like, I’m like, I should decline this. I really don’t know what I’m doing with this. It’s YouTube advertising for somebody. And I’m, you know, I’m really excited about it. But I don’t know enough. And then to have the biggest way, like a really super famous person approached me for that. I’m like, yeah, and then, you know, I say, Well, I haven’t done them yet. I mean, I know enough to be dangerous, but I don’t know what kind of success we’re going to get. And I’m like, well, let’s just do it. And I’m like, Okay. But of course, I’m terrified. You salute Lee terrified? Yeah. And
David Ralph [30:59]
he just that you’ve been knuckle down and you research and you do the speed work? Or do you go with luck? How do you actually prepare to minimise that potential learning experience? The big F word?
Brandee Sweesy [31:16]
Yeah, I mean, um, well, yeah, I’ve done my research. Right. And so you know, and it’s good, because it’s putting the pressure on me to do it. And I’ve been doing a lot of research about it. But I haven’t taken any action on it. I’m sorry, of course, construction starts right. When we get on an interview. I think they, they, you know, put their binoculars up and him to do that. But yeah, you know, I’m doing my research on it, you know, I’m not going to just kind of wing it. You know, in the past, I have, I have just winged it with some stuff. But I had enough of information and talent and skills to do that, in this particular scenario. I don’t you know, what I mean, this is this is a whole new world for me. So I have you know, I’m doing my research, I’m watching videos, I’m reading everything I can, I’m going through all of the, the the help stuff, and I bought a couple of courses from different people. You know, I’m, you know, fast forwarding to the point of where I don’t know, I’m trying to, you know, simplify the process. And then and then do it.
David Ralph [32:08]
I have you had opportunities in the past about you weren’t so ballsy. Screw it, just do it that you, you you walked away from for the same reason that so many people do it out of your comfort zone, or have you always gone for it.
Brandee Sweesy [32:23]
I always have pushed through it. You know what I mean? Yeah, I’ve always just said, I’m just gonna grip it and rip it. You know, that’s my other script, just do it, grip it and rip it. I’ve just gone ahead and tried, you know, and again, that goes back to my core driving forces I don’t ever want to regret. So I’ve never walked away from opportunity, you know, I will be transparent, like in this particular scenario that we’re talking about in the last 48 hours, you know, like, hey, so I really have never done these before. I have enough information to be dangerous. Just to give you a heads up, I can refer you to somebody that’s truly experienced, that if you want to work with me, I will do my absolute best. And they’re like, yeah, we want to work with you. So I was transparent. You know, I didn’t say, Oh, yeah, I know everything about that I was very clear on the fact that I know just enough to be dangerous. Unfortunately, they have the budget to run with it.
David Ralph [33:13]
Well, what do you think? I mean, this is nice this way. But why do you think that you’re transparent, you say that it’s not quite my game? I could refer you to somebody better suited. But they said, No, I don’t want that. We want you what, what what are they seeing in you?
Brandee Sweesy [33:29]
I think I’m, you know, I’ve often question that. I don’t maybe it’s my transparency. Maybe it’s my desire, or my drive or my willingness to fall flat on my face, I’m not really absolutely positive of what that is. You know, I think that, you know, I have the good fortune of being able to build relationships and rapport pretty rapidly with people. You know, and I don’t know where I developed that skill, to be quite honest with you. You know, I don’t know, I wish I couldn’t give you an answer to that. Like somebody told me like a year ago, they should write a book about how to become an overnight success. And I was, it was my advice. Just don’t be a douche. You know what I mean? That was my big advice.
David Ralph [34:10]
I think he purely Is that you, you give an image and an aura of, I’m not going to fail. You know, I’ve been speaking to 35 minutes. And I’m already thinking, this lady can do anything she puts her mind to and she’s not going to fail. There’s there’s a kind of almost Bulldog spirit to you. I can imagine you just biting down on something and not letting go until you you make it to what you want to be. And I think it’s it’s your spirit, isn’t it, but they’re buying into it’s your, your desire to actually prove yourself. It’s that unknown quantity that is going to bring either remarkable success, but highly likely, well, not highly likely, barely likely no mistakes at all, because you’re not going to allow it to happen. It’s always better to go that route. I think, Ben, somebody that has been there seen it done it, and it’s almost blogs I about it.
Brandee Sweesy [35:05]
Thank you. Yeah. Shoot the compliment. Yeah, I mean, I guess that is it, you know, like I do, I like I dig in and, and and stick to it without a doubt. Like, I definitely have to stick to this, you know, where I won’t give up. I am a dog with a bone. You know, we’re, yeah, I’m gonna buckle down, you know, so I should have launched the campaign yesterday. But I was like, yeah, let me just do a little bit more research, let me just be a little bit more clear, when we hang up this column that actually launched the campaign because I just have to grip it and rip it. Because if I get too caught up in my perfectionism and having to be perfect, you know, I’m hindering the process. So I’m just going to go ahead and put it out there and see what happens. And then, you know, like, with everything, you’re always tacking, right? You’re always moving. Okay, well, that didn’t work. Let me try this. So that didn’t work. Let me try this. You know, so, yeah, I mean, I’ve gotten caught up in the last 24 hours of not launching it thinking I needed to know more, I really want to be successful, you know, that kind of stuff. And then finally, I told myself this morning, I’m like, okay, just more launch it and see what happens,
David Ralph [36:01]
which you’ve done on everything else you’ve done. Surely, you’ve always got to a point when perfection goes out the window, and you launch it. And then it’s, it’s momentum isn’t it is natural growth, things do change, where you start getting feedback from people and you realise Actually, yeah, should give it a slight direction. And then it becomes more powerful.
Brandee Sweesy [36:23]
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, yeah, that’s, that’s the I, you know, like, somebody was to say, you know, what’s, what’s my downfall sometimes, you know, now, like I said, I was happier when I didn’t know anything. So now I do too much analysis, paralysis on my own stuff. Now, with your stuff, you know, I could tell you how to be a success in 24 hours, you know, with my own stuff, I sit and you know, gosh, you know, I sit and play with it too much and overthink it too much. And my messaging needs to be a little bit different, or, you know, the funnel needs to be a little bit different, or this not, you know, the email responders needs to be, you know, what I mean? And so I play around with a little bit too much. You know, in the beginning, when I first got into internet marketing, I was just like, screw it, just do it, see what happens. And I became the equipment success.
David Ralph [37:01]
And that’s because your personal expectations and the expectations of your fans are growing over time. And now you see it, you see it all the time. It’s like people like, I suppose, Pat Flynn is, I assume he’s one of your friends, because he’s in San Diego area. But he is one of those sort of benchmarks of somebody that really can’t do anything wrong. And you kind of think, well, that’s not possible, he’s always going to screw up because because that’s the nature of the game. But there must be an expectation when you’ve got those many followers that causes what you’re saying that you to start double guessing yourself and actually spending more time on the product. And you would have done beforehand.
Brandee Sweesy [37:39]
Yeah, absolutely. I, you know, like I said, I was I was much happier when I was just, you know, moving forward fast. You know, and that’s, you know, in the last, you know, couple of weeks, I was like, Okay, let’s get back to that, you know, quote, unquote, beginner’s mind, you know, in meditation, or, you know, if you’re into any of that kind of stuff, they always talk about, you know, always being in a beginner’s mind, and I’m reminding myself being a beginner’s mind, you know, fast, fast, imperfect action always trumps everything, you can always go back and tweak stuff, and you can always go back and change stuff, but you just have to, it’s got to be speed to market. And, you know, I got a little caught up the last couple months. And so I’m reminding myself, it’s so funny that we’re having this interview, you know, because these are the kind of the realisations you know of things that I’ve been going through in the last probably six weeks. And so you know, reminding myself, you know, get back to beginner’s mind, you know, speed equals success, you know, remember that stop overthinking everything, just get it out there
David Ralph [38:27]
is some people out there that you are just constantly amazed about how much content they produce, how effortless it just seems, and but they always seem to do things the right way. Or is it once again, once you get to know the inner workings of it all, you realise that you only see the things that finally get to, to the surface.
Brandee Sweesy [38:50]
to people that I’ve never met that I am insanely impressed by is Brendan Bouchard, and Murray for Leo, they put out so much content, but I’ll tell you being a research and somebody turned me on this website, it’s like an archive, web archive.org or something. And I went back and stopped them back to their beginning times. And you know, she’s been around since 2003. And you need to go back and stalk her websites, because you can see their old websites, it took her a long time to find her voice in her stride. You know, and say his is pretty much always been the same. But you know, hers was really impressive. And I was like, Oh, see, like, I’m trying to be that in a year and a half when I won’t, you know, she’s been at it for 10 years. And that’s one of my, my, you know, good friends is really big in the industry. He says that, to me is like it’s muscle memory for us, you know, we’ve been doing this for 10 1520 years. Like, we don’t even think about it, it’s muscle memory. So it’s just developing that that muscle memory to to be able to do things. So, you know, though, it’s, you know, you don’t want to go back and like judge people’s past, it’s also, you know, good to know, like, Look, it took this person a while to find their voice. It look, it took them a while to really become good on camera. You know, if you go back to some of their original videos, they weren’t always that fantastic. You know, but they kept on taking action. That’s the moral of the storey is you just have to keep taking action.
David Ralph [40:03]
That’s what we all need, isn’t it, we need the ability to go back in time and plot someone’s progress. And that’s why I think this show has taken on. So, so quickly, really, due to the fact that the guests are so open to the fact van until the last couple of years, or five years or two months, whatever. They were still trying to find their thing. They were trying to find their voice as you as you say, did you do remember when your voice suddenly appeared? Was it the branding, when you became who you are now? Or were you sort of almost bare at a certain point?
Brandee Sweesy [40:39]
Wow, you know, I was so funny, because, like, sometimes I question if I have my voice now, I think it’s always going to be a progress, you know what I mean? It’s just like, we all evolve, you know, we get older, you know, it’s, you know, same with, you know, our business and our evolutionary process as as humanity. Right. So I think, you know, still think that I’m still kind of finding it, you know, like, you know, I still you know, I think I have it, you know, for the most part I mean, I’m sure if people are like watching me or heard of me, they’re like she clearly has a voice. So you know, I still question like, Do I really have my truest authentic, like, passionate voice? Yeah, when I’m helping people. Absolutely. I do. The branding process. When we when we launched, Brandi squeezy, I hate talking about myself in a third person, but, you know, when we were doing that brand that did help me to clarify what my core values were, you know, and how I wanted to be portrayed in the in the marketplace. You know, I really was all about congruency for me. I didn’t want to have any, you know, anything hidden or any shame or any of that. So, yeah, probably, I think that, you know, that was definitely a test and being seen being heard. being judged, you know, that that stuff, you know, you were like, I’m like, this is just who I am you either like me or you don’t you know, and I think that that, again, is a growth process as well to get to that point. We were joking around last night’s you know, I was out with some internet marketers, we were in a pub. So it did. That’s how it is in San Diego. And we were talking about you haven’t arrived until you get a hater. Like, so we all joke about that, like you truly haven’t arrived until you get a hater.
Unknown Speaker [42:07]
And it
David Ralph [42:08]
is true that isn’t it? That is the badge of honour. And so many people have told me that. And when it first happens, you kind of take it personally. And I remember somebody telling me, Pat Flynn going back to him again, he spends a lot of time actually kind of responding in a very sensible way. He doesn’t sort of go screw you for saying that he kind of really over kills with kindness. And do you have that kind of mechanism to you? Or do you kind of go hang on basta, I don’t deserve this and Ben to fight back a bit.
Brandee Sweesy [42:41]
Okay, so this is talking about congruency, Pat is by far one of the nicest guys on the planet. You know what I mean? Like, he is really sweet and really thoughtful and really kind of I don’t respond the same way. I mean, if somebody wants to know, like, I’m pretty much like Screw you. I really there’s 7 billion people on the planet, I can’t make it everybody happy. Now if you’re like you don’t like my products, you know, or anything like that, then then of course, then I’m going to go above and beyond because my core driving forces to help people to achieve their goals. So if you’re not getting success, you know, it actually hurts me like I would stay awake thinking about that. But like with somebody who’s like, unsubscribed from my list and said like somebody said, your branding looks like porn. And I’m like, well, you went to my friggin website. Like, you know what I mean? Like, I don’t know what on my website looks like porn, but but you went to my website, all my branding is consistent across the board, you decided to put in your email address. So what has What’s changed? I didn’t send out a naked picture. You know, somebody else wrote me and said, your emails are not very professional. Like, if you’ve ever heard me, how did you find me? I cuss all the time. I’m notorious, you know, drinking and cussing woman I like so why would you expect my emails to sound like corporate stuff I talked to you just like I would talk to you in a pub, on an interview wherever you know what I mean? Like, so you know, stuff like so I’m just like, serious. You know, the one that you found to be I didn’t find you like, so I get a little bit more nasty. I don’t say anything to them. But it kind of like, I’ll be like that myself. But I was just like, good. By unsubscribe. You know what I mean? You’re not my You’re not my tribe anyway, like if you expect me to be uptight and professional. So then I sent out an email to my entire list going if you expect me to be professional, my emails, here’s the unsubscribe button. Yeah, I was I retaliation.
David Ralph [44:25]
So So isn’t is that what what sets this all of the Uber successful apart as well that I realised that when you get to the top, not everyone’s going to love you, you’re going to have your loyal supporters and the people that don’t like you, you can almost forget about them. And the people that are moving up the ranks, try to spread themselves, Finley. And so I suppose what I’m saying they’re not unique and authentic to themselves, because they’re trying to please the world where the real successful guys niche down.
Brandee Sweesy [44:54]
Absolutely, I mean, that’s the thing, you know, like, so when people are trying to be everything to everyone, you’re going to be miserable, they’re going to be miserable. I’m all for firing clients. You know what I mean? Like, you don’t make decisions based on money. Like, if I don’t think I’m gonna resonate with you, I’m gonna have issues with you, I won’t get to hire me, or I’ll fire you in a heartbeat if I’m gonna have an issue with you. You know, it’s just it’s not, you know, you got to find your tribe, you know, who who resonates with you? Who are you going to be most capable of helping, because if you’re trying to help everyone, you’re going to fail, you know, like, you got to find the people that that, you know, resonate with you, you know, and that’s, you know, there’s so many people on the planet, like, stop trying to be everything to everybody. And, you know, you see so many people like trying to be I want to be another Pat Flynn, I want to be another Brendan Bouchard, you know, they got that covered, like, be you like rock you like, you know, do your thing. Like, don’t try to be the next anybody, they got that covered.
David Ralph [45:47]
You know, we talk about that all the time in podcasting land, one of the kind of kind of mild complaints from other podcasters is the new bunch coming along all the a kind of john Lee Dumas routine. And we talked about this constantly. But he nailed that, because he was the first one that came along. And it’s his structure, and he does it brilliantly well, and it’s his success. And to mimic someone actually takes more effort than being yourself. Because being yourself should be easy, because you’ve always been yourself. And that is when the power comes back is when the people either love you or hate you. But if you all will find it, you’re providing value, as you say, and you’re doing things your way and not trying to copy. Ultimately, you’re going to win quicker. But the starters, the newbies don’t see that Dubai somehow they see that they have to mimic success. But ultimately, they end up shooting themselves in the foot.
Brandee Sweesy [46:43]
Absolutely. I mean, that’s, you know, you know, what I, when I first started in internet marketing, I kept on noticing that I was losing my voice, because I was studying so many people that I was starting to, you know, have their voice. So I went on a no information diet before I lost launched my course. Because I wanted to make sure that was being as authentic and true to my voice and to things like that. Because, you know, I mean, it’s natural, like if you you know, around people all the time, or you’re studying people all the time, you’ll start to have their voice and their their style of doing things. And that’s why I was really passionate and still am passionate. someday I’m going to launch it. It was hashtag GSB y o u, which stood for just f&b you, and I put dollar signs in the you in the sea, because that’s really when the money happens, the money happens a second that you’re just bringing you, you know, I don’t know, if I’m allowed to cuss on this podcast, I will drop f bombs all over the place. But I know some podcasters like no, because then it gets ranked as explicit. But you know, that is the truth. Like when I’ve looked at everybody that’s successful, it’s the second that they just are friggin them is when they become successful. So stop trying to be the net, like I said, being the next whomever, you know, you can model success but don’t mimic success.
David Ralph [47:50]
And is that something that naturally comes back moment you’re talking about? Or is that purely trial and error, because it should be the easiest thing in the world and it just being yourself. But we all work in corporate roles where we play a part, we all work in companies where we feel that we have to operate in a certain way. And when that goes out the window, and you are just doing your own thing. And you can see examples of it across the globe, these people that are really shooting stars, is that an epiphany? Or is that just a series of dots as led to that point?
Brandee Sweesy [48:24]
I think it’s a series of dots and an epiphany, I you know, I think it’s finally being comfortable with yourself, you know, and realising that you don’t need to play a role. You know, we certainly have and you know, when you’re in a work environment, it’s a lot harder to, you know, I couldn’t go around talking about being you know, hung over and cussing all the time, right. And corporate environments, I’d like you know, it’d be like, I couldn’t talk the way that I talk naturally. So, you know, we kind of get, you know, segmented in these different roles, you know, parents, you know, the corporate environment, the family environment, and things like that. So there’s a lot of freedom. And it’s fantastic the moment that you do have it. But you know, it does, I think it takes a little bit of time, because, you know, you’re a part of the family unit as a child and you’re in a school units, and then you know what I mean? So you’re, you’re kind of conditioned throughout life to kind of succumb to society’s pressures, you know, whether that be your family, your work environment, whatever. So to finally find your own voice and truly be who you are, is really, it’s a lot of freedom. And it’s also very scary, because you’re trying to figure out well, who am I really if I’m not, you know, all these different labels? Right?
David Ralph [49:29]
How close are you to absolute nailed on Brandi? Do you think?
Brandee Sweesy [49:36]
Um, I think about as close as I, I mean, of course, I could always do some more work, but I feel pretty confident that I’m exactly like, I’m, yeah, I’m really comfortable with who I am. Now, you don’t feel like I make no apologies. You know, in the past, I would have made apology, so sorry, said this, or sorry, you know, or please like me, please like me, please like me, whereas now I’m like, whatever. Like, I can’t make everybody like me, it just is what it is. And so I’m much more. Yeah, yeah, I think I’m pretty much narrowing in on who I am.
David Ralph [50:05]
Because a lot of time, once you become too authentic, you become a caricature of yourself, don’t you, you start playing up to the role that people expect of you. Have you ever been aware of at all?
Brandee Sweesy [50:18]
Yeah, we were talking about earlier in the conversation, right, you know, so So, you know, rising so quickly and getting in the inner circle, so quickly, have any questioning, you know, who am I? Am I living up to this, you know, to this image of I fabricated this image? You know, you know, so so it says, again, Azad, you know, like, nobody’s perfect. It’s just like, with everything, you know, like nothing you don’t go every day is not Oh, bliss, bliss, joy, joy, you know, I feel like, like, rough days, and maybe, you know, so, you know, like I said, the last six weeks have been really fundamental and taking a look at some of that stuff, like, you know, I was, you know, doing this with myself and going, Okay, am I being true to myself? Or am I, you know, worried about what other people are going to think of me. And then the biggest thing, like I was, you know, is trying to get on a certain stage. And that was like, why do I care? That’s all ego, they’re not even my demographic, they’ll never buy my product, they’ll never hire me. So this is all ego based. So why do I care what they think of me? You know, like, so I have to remind myself of that, like, you know, it is, in the grand scheme of my life, is this going to contribute to my life? No, this is just purely ego. So screw them, I don’t give a crap what they think about me.
David Ralph [51:24]
I think that’s a perfect way of thinking, isn’t it that that is total liberation, that is you playing to your strengths, playing to what your audience is providing, knowing who your audience is, and forgetting the rest? And that is, that is just powerful, isn’t it?
Brandee Sweesy [51:41]
Yeah, I mean, that’s that, you know, again, that was another one of my own epiphany is, you know, like, we’re all evolving constantly. And that was one of my things without my ego was getting a little beat up. I was like, okay, in the grand scheme of my life, you know, does this, you know, contribute to my bottom line to my well being to my emotional well being to you know, does it contribute? No, absolutely not, this is a friggin decision. So let it go, you know. And it was, that was very liberating for me. Like when I finally realised, okay, in the grand scheme of my life, where’s this contributing? Well screw them, then
David Ralph [52:11]
let it go. Let it go. Let it go. As I say, I’m going to play the words of Steve Jobs now about our the theme to the show. And he made a speech back in 2005, which is hugely powerful to so many people, I’m going to play it. And then I’m going to ask whether it has resonance, just in the gym the same way as we did with Jim Carrey, this is Steve Jobs.
Steve Jobs [52:30]
Of course, it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very clear looking backwards 10 years later. Again, you can’t connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something, your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. Because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leaves you off the well worn path. And that will make all the difference.
David Ralph [53:05]
And I true to your life, Brandi.
Brandee Sweesy [53:07]
That’s why I was so I’m honoured to actually be on this podcast, because as I’ve in the last year looked back over my life. It is fascinating to me, that I was always going to be in this industry, and I never knew it. You know what I mean? Like I was around and circling this industry forever, though. Um, well, gosh, this is kind of a funny storey Frank Kearns, you know, obviously really famous in internet marketing. And I guess it’s like, 810 years ago, I bought Neil Strauss. His book was called The game was a pickup artists book, right. And I was going to write a book about, you know, dating or whatever. And I read that book and thought the guy was, you know, fantastic writer and all it you know, and I was on the list, I was on the email list, I didn’t really know that what a list was at that point. And come to find out I was in a, at an event a couple weeks ago, and Frank got up on stage and had said that he was actually the copywriter marketingprofs and for that entire thing, and I was like, wow, like, I had no idea. I didn’t even know who he was back then. You know, like my Oprah thing. I tried to get a show on the own network. And so talk about ego, when I didn’t get selected to have my own show on the own network, obviously. And somebody told me at that time, like, why don’t you do a web show, I was like, web show YouTube, blah, blah, blah, you know, like, so condescending about it. And then here how, ironically, I am like the Google Hangout, YouTube Queen, you know what I mean? It’s so like, there’s just a couple of bunch of little things like that, like people that, you know, had been on my, that I’m now friends with, that are famous that, you know, it’s just a bunch of stuff, like, just crazy to me, a though it’s more that stuff becomes apparent, you know, as I keep moving forward, and looking back and moving forward, and looking back, you know, and I’m like, wow, and then, you know, like, have I taken, you know, imperfect action back then, or learned it back then I’d probably be a, you know, billionaire at this point. But, you know, it’s all, you know, timing to, you know, we have to learn certain things and you know, kind of keep on tacking until we find that that one path.
David Ralph [55:03]
So So is it a big.in your timeline when you look back on it, and you go, yes, because of that. Brandi was born.
Brandee Sweesy [55:13]
A big one? No, well, maybe, okay, so I was taking care of my grandmother, and I was just waiting tables, and I was writing a, like a little out and about column for the local newspapers is down in the keys. And the President, the Chamber of Commerce, you know, calls me and says, Hey, the hospital wants to hire a marketing company, you should do it. I was like, Well, I don’t know anything about marketing. And she’s like, Are you kidding? You know, cuz I’ve done the real estate thing, too. And she’s like, you’re fantastic marketing. I was like, I don’t really have any true marketing experience. She was like, yeah, just go and talk to them. And so I walked in, you know, with the CEO, and the, you know, the CFO and whatever. And I sat down, and, you know, they wanted to hire me. And so they’re like, how much I didn’t even know what to charge. And so they said, Well, how about 2000 a month? And I said, No, it’ll be 4000 a month, that’ll be part time, and I will work remotely. And they’re like, okay, wrote me a check. And I started my company.
And that’s how I became the quote unquote, marketing person.
David Ralph [56:08]
And that is the moment when you look back and you fall, you really started driving your future, you were taking the decisions to make the path, the one that you want to?
Brandee Sweesy [56:20]
Yeah, absolutely. And I mean, that’s Yeah, it was, it was fantastic. And then it’s also it was a good confidence builder. You know, I laugh at that, you know, that moment that I had enough confidence to ask for that. I think it was actually desperation to you know, I needed money. So I was able to ask for what I needed. And then I figured it out along the way. And then I figured out it was actually really good at marketing. And so that’s how I got into marketing and public relations and event planning, and everything else
David Ralph [56:44]
is fascinating, isn’t it? That one dot really, I know, in life, it’s a series of small dots that build up to the big picture. But for most people, there’s one moment and it can be so innocuous, that actually changes your life.
Brandee Sweesy [56:58]
Yeah, absolutely.
David Ralph [57:00]
Well, this is the end of the show, and I really don’t want to say goodbye to you, but this is the part of the Sermon on the mic. And this is when I send you back in time to have a one on one with your younger self. And if you could go back and speak to young Brandi, what age would you choose and what advice would you give? Well we’re going to find out because I’m going to play the theme to now and when it fades you’re up this is the Sermon on the mic
Unknown Speaker [57:28]
with the best of the show the Sermon on the Mount
Brandee Sweesy [57:43]
Okay, so I go back to I’d say like in my teenage years that it doesn’t you no matter what people think of you and that there shouldn’t be any shame in your life and to you know, have the confidence and to know that that you are unique and special and you have a special gift that that you can share with the world and don’t worry about how people judge you or look at you or you know, just keep on being your most awesome self and keep on you know, just realising that that none of the exterior matters that you really are important that you do belong here that you can change lives and and just to stay on the path
David Ralph [58:28]
last last question do you think that everyone out there all the listeners can have a kick ass life?
Brandee Sweesy [58:35]
Absolutely. Yes.
David Ralph [58:37]
Simple as that. Yes. Absolutely. Yeah. Brandi How can our audience connect with you
Brandee Sweesy [58:44]
I mean, go to Brandee Sweesy.com for for to get on, you know to be on my email list where I where I mail, you know, talk about stuff. If you’re wanting to learn about Hangouts, it’s hangouts for business comm
David Ralph [58:54]
We will have all the links in the show notes, Brandee, thank you so much for spending time with us today. joining up those dots and please come back again when you have more dots to join up. Because I do believe that by joining up the dots and connecting our past is the best way to build a futures Brandee. Thank you so much.
Brandee Sweesy [59:09]
Thank you so much for having me. I loved it.
Outro [59:12]
David doesn’t want you to become a faded version of the brilliant self you are wants to become so he’s put together and amazing guide for you called the eight pieces of advice that every successful entrepreneur practices, including the two that changed his life. Head over to Join Up Dots.com to download this amazing guide for free and we’ll see you tomorrow on Join Up Dots.