Introduction to Equity Funding Insiders

Speaker 1 0:13

Ready to get the inside scoop on equity funding ? Tune in to TDJ Equity Funding Insiders Podcast for an in-depth look at what it takes to access financial capital and maximize your investments . Hear from experienced professionals , including bankers , underwriters , loan officers and industry experts , as they share their unfiltered stories and valuable lessons on securing funds .

Speaker 2 0:45

We're thrilled to welcome you to our exciting new webinar series Giving Power to the Business Owner . This series empowers you with the knowledge , strategy and tools you need to take your business to new heights . In partnership with leading experts from complementary industry , we're bringing you a diverse lineup of sessions that will cover a range of topics that's really crucial to the growth of your business . Hi , I'm Jacqueline Jackson and I'm a loan broker with TDJ Equity . We are bringing in from you people that can give us from innovative financing solutions to effective marketing strategies , to optimizing operations , mindsets and leveraging technology . We have created a content that addresses the real-world challenges and opportunities you face as a business owner . Our goal is to provide you with actionable takeaways that you can implement immediately and drive growth and achievement to your business .

Speaker 2 1:43

Okay , so we are now going to get started , and I want to start off by , first of all , we want to thank our guests that we're having today . Who we have today that has come from Bend , oregon , is Shannon Lee Reynolds . She is a change leadership consultant , so she's come in to help talk to us on our giving power to the business owner and give us some insights , as business owners , of what we can do to be to reach those successful goals . So again , shannon , thank you for being a part of our show . First of all , thank you for having me excited to be here . Yes , ma'am , and we're excited to have . Now we do want to find out a little bit more about you . I know from talking to you and been knowing you for a while , you have a passion about what you do and I love that part , and so I want you to first tell our listeners what is it about ? Why are you so passionate about coaching women , professionals as well as business owners ?

Speaker 3 2:43

Yeah , well , I actually started my career in banking and accounting , which was a while ago , and at that point in time , you know , it still was very much male dominated .

Speaker 3 2:57

Both industries were very much male dominated and it was interesting as I essentially grew up through those careers .

Speaker 3 3:07

What I realized with working in those industries , and then also as I started getting into consulting and coaching , working with business owners , is that women truly bring a unique set of skills , strengths and a different perspective to how they do business and how they move forward in their careers .

Speaker 3 3:26

And one of the things that I recognized when seeing this is that , while they bring this very unique perspective , they also have a very specific set of challenges that I think our culture , as you know , as we move forward , we've gained some traction , but I still think that there's a lot that we can do as a society to help navigate some of those challenges . So my goal in my career is really to help empower women in their businesses to navigate some of those challenges and pressures that we have out there in the business world , but still be able to embrace , you know , the strengths that we bring to the table as women business owners . I think that there's a lot of very different perspectives that can make a company very well-rounded when we bring our authentic selves to our businesses and grow in a way that is true to being a women business owner and grow in a way that is true to being a women business owner .

Speaker 2 4:29

Now , what you say I think is great and I definitely agree , but we know , as women , we have some challenges . Like you said , that may not necessarily be what the male may have . So one is dealing with business , in which you and I have talked on that . So what type of challenges do you see , as women , that we have

Shannon Reynolds: Change Leadership Consultant

Speaker 2 4:45

when it comes to facing , you know , being professional and being in a business setting ? What type of challenges do you see us , as women , having ?

Speaker 3 4:55

Well , I think the number one thing that I see stand out is our work life balance , because women are , we're nurturers by nature right , so not our .

Speaker 3 5:07

Not only are we bringing a hundred percent of ourselves to work , whether it's in our career or in our business , but we're also bringing a hundred percent to our home life as well , and those are always conflicting and pulling at each other . So that's definitely a challenge that we have . Another thing that we see is I see a lot of women that have that imposter syndrome , just feel like they maybe are not quite sure of themselves . Do they really deserve to be where they at ? And I think a big piece of women in business is a lot of women , and I am a huge advocate for this . I've read this in a couple different places .

Speaker 3 5:52

We always talk about having access to mentors , that type of thing , but I think I find that women are over-mentored .

Speaker 3 6:01

What they're missing that men are really good at is they have , instead of having mentors , they have sponsors and they have very supportive networks , and the difference between a mentor and a sponsor is that you know in the community they're sitting down to a table for negotiations and they're bringing you in and they're sponsoring you into that situation . So they're lending their credibility to you and we haven't quite gotten that skill down and I think it's really important to have that because when we talk about finance especially women in business that because when we talk about finance , especially women in business that sponsorship becomes really crucial to understanding the ins and outs of funding , of understanding their investment options . When we have that sponsorship that imposter syndrome is less likely to creep up on us and we learn a little bit more about some of those ins and outs of how we can navigate that financial , those financial pressures and constraints that we have . So having a sponsor and having a strong network will help us gain that confidence when it comes to growing our businesses .

Speaker 2 7:24

Just doing it , and I can attest to that too , because , being a loan broker , we do have and that's how I want to do the show too as women , we second guess ourselves , and so when it comes to business and we have to put together loan packages and all of that , we can put it together administrative wise . But I noticed that we kind of and I'm saying this because I want you to kind of elaborate on it , if you can that we kind of have a tendency to hold back and like , okay , we want you know five a half a million , but you know I don't think I can afford that . I'll go buy you know a hundred thousand dollars , and not knowing it all has to do with cash flow . So we have those things that kind of stop us . So , in your experience , what are some strategies that women can use that can kind of help them maintain that , that , that to stay on the road , that integrity and to stay focused ? Do you have any strategies that can help us with that ?

Speaker 3 8:21

Well , I do . I think that it's really important for in business as a company that you've got a good , strong , diversified team to help you look at , be strategic in your thinking . But I think fundamentally with women business owners , quite often we go into business because we have a passion about whatever it is that we're doing . So the key to owning a business versus having a hobby is is that our business makes us money and we , as women , need to be okay with making money . I mean , it's that's what a business is for . So if we can be okay with making money but have a clear vision and abide by that vision , the mission and the values that we've established in our business , even as our business grows , we're always looking to the future and we're setting clear value driven goals . So when we look at what those goals are into the future and what we want for our growth , we're then able to take a step back and say , okay , what do we need to hit those value-driven goals ? And what really happens is usually you've got to spend money to make money and the only way that you're going to attain that growth , the way that you want to attain it , is by getting that funding . So , understanding what that future growth is and being okay with that , taking that step out and getting the money that you need to really finance it and have the cashflow , because most businesses have receivables , those types of things , and they get .

Speaker 3 9:57

You know , there's certain times of the month or the cyclical times of the year where they have shortfalls in cash , but they know maybe three months down the road that they're going to have a bunch of money coming in .

Speaker 3 10:07

So understanding the finance and

Unique Challenges Women Face in Business

Speaker 3 10:10

the strategy that goes along with finance helps them attain those goals so much faster and they can work more effectively within their business and they can be transparent with all the stakeholders and letting them know here's what our long-term goals are . These are our values , any decisions that we're going to make . We're only going to say yes to the things that will help us reach those goals and then , when they do that , they can then demonstrate to their lender that here's what we said we were going to do . These are the steps that we're taking to make it happen . These are the steps that we're taking to make it happen and when you can show that you have a plan , you're working your plan and you've taken and you've done the things that you've said that you're going to do and you're generating that cash flow . Now you're more likely as I'm sure you can attribute and verify you're more likely . When you're making money , you're more likely to be able to get money to help for that scaling .

Speaker 2 11:04

Right and see , and that's the thing you just answered is when we ask , like I have people have asked , like you know , why certain businesses seem like you know they're doing real good and they don't have to struggle and all of that , well that the secret to it is not necessarily a secret , but it's an old cliche business planning . Everything you just said . It should be written down and written out so you won't make those mistakes . But I think the confidence will come in knowing , like you said , knowing where you're going , knowing what you're doing , and that's so important . It's more and more people are not doing business plans . They're just working off their hip , shannon . So what do ?

Speaker 3 11:42

you have to say on that , or or they do the business plan right . They spend all of this time making the business plan and it's done , and then they're done and they put it in a drawer and they never look at it exactly exactly , exactly they own .

Speaker 2 11:54

It is a strategic plan and that's what I tell people . When you do your business plan , you have a business plan , but we suggest to recommend like you do too as well , strategic planning needs to be input I think people need to be aware of and you and I have talked on it you should have a funding plan a part of your business plan . At what point should you get money ? Everybody think , oh , when I first started off , I need to get money . Okay , you could or could not , but when you're looking at getting another round of funding , when should you get that and what should that look like ?

Speaker 2 12:26

Like you said , they have to be cash flowing and you have to really show you making money . But we still have to look at what's your long story , what's your use of funds , and those are the things that most of us do not even know . And because women have a tendency to be and I'm not trying to say this is putting us down and we're not we're more timid than to ask the straight , direct question Am I right or wrong ? You know , in business , absolutely .

Speaker 3 12:52

I think that and again , it's not for all women , but I do see that a lot of women they don't like to negotiate , they're not good at advocating for themselves and they're not always good at asking for what they're worth and whether that it doesn't matter if you're a professional , in a career or if you're owning your own business . A lot of women don't want to ask for the wages , but in business compensation is still the same . They don't want to ask too much for the services that they're providing or the products that they're creating , much for the services that they're providing or the products that they're creating , whereas you have to know what the value of what you're providing is and be confident in that . And when you do , you become profitable and then you can look at growth and scaling and then you can , like you said , write that loan story right , your lending story of what , where have you been , where are you now and where do you want to go ?

Speaker 2 13:46

Right and how you do it . And the thing I think we have to be cautious of is women . But as business owners , period is that we have certain things that have happened to us in our environment when we were younger that have imprinted on us as adults in business , and what we do is continue to do business . We're not dealing with that and and I say that because and I've talked to you about that , shannon that we have people come in before they even ask for the loan , they have already killed the deal , and that's because we come in with this criminal , oh I don't think I'm deserving , oh I'm not gonna get it , oh I'm , you know , and that's because our environment imprints on us . And I think that's something .

Speaker 2 14:24

And that's what I love about what you do , because you help people to see in that change leadership , what's stopping you ? Because we don't even know stuff is stopping us . That's the big trick , ok , so that's where you guys , you come in and you can kind of help us . So what kind of ideas or what you could give us to help us to stay like that , to stay focused on that ? What kind of ideas or what you could give us to help us to stay like that ?

Speaker 3 14:45

to stay focused on that . Well , I think that , again , I think the biggest thing is is for women is setting boundaries , and that means setting boundaries at work . It also means setting boundaries at home and in your relationships , and there is so much power in saying no , right and surrounding your people . I think it's human nature to want to surround yourself with people that make you feel good about yourself

Value-Driven Goals and Financial Strategy

Speaker 3 15:15

and not uncomfortable . But I think the most powerful thing is surrounding yourself with people that are just going to push you a little bit , make you just a little bit uncomfortable , because once you step into that next level , it's uncomfortable when you take the first step , but when you take the next step and the next step and the next step , it gets easier and easier and easier . And guess what , don't get comfortable there .

Speaker 3 15:42

Then you step up to the next thing and I think that it's really important that we take the same perspective of our businesses , because when you quit striving and you quit growing , you actually revert backwards . So we have to have that mindset and that's why the changes I think is so vital to my coaching and consulting is so many people are afraid of change and change to me , rather than looking at it as something scary . To me , it is a huge opportunity and if you're in business , you should be changing all the time . All the time it's just making sure that those changes that you make are in alignment with what your vision and your goals and what your business plan says , what your lending story is about , and if they are not , then you need to be taking a look at that and talking with your sponsors and your network and your support team that you have .

Speaker 2 16:43

Oh my God , it did it again .

Speaker 3 16:46

With the times and where your industry is going , and making sure that you've got a plan moving forward and you don't have to have every single little detail planned out . But you do need to make sure that you've got that path and you're sticking with it so that , when it does come time to looking at your funding , you have a reason for the steps that you're making and what your next steps are going to be , because that instills confidence in your lender In the lender exactly , and that is so true .

Speaker 2 17:16

So it's about us .

Speaker 2 17:17

Actually , it sounds like what you're saying is it's not necessarily just the confidence , but you get the confidence by knowing what you are at life , where you're at , what you're doing at that point , and then you can deal with how much you need , based on actual facts of what that is .

Speaker 2 17:34

That's what you're saying basically Not to be so emotional like we are , because we are , and I think that's some great work and that's what I think and I want to say this too to our listeners to have someone like you I've gotten into this business coaching thing , been in it for a while , but I've ran into so many of you all . That really works well with females and that's something I think I want to encourage our women to get involved with you guys . I am because , as a business coach , you bring something to help guide us on what we don't know how to do , you know , and it's stopping us Like we talk about . It's just a flat foot stop and we just feel like we're by ourselves . What is it about us as women that's in business , that we don't reach out for others , for help ?

Speaker 3 18:22

What is that ?

Speaker 3 18:24

I really think that we care more what I'm guilty of this myself we really care what other people think of us , and it's really not our business what anybody else thinks about us , as long as we have that strategy in place , we know what our passion is , we know what our values are and we're being true to ourselves and we are strategically moving forward in the direction that we want to take our careers and our businesses .

Speaker 3 18:50

It doesn't matter what anybody else thinks , right , so surround yourself with people that are going to be supportive and sponsor you in your goals . I think that really , when it comes down to it , we're worried about what our families think , we're worried about what our staff thinks , we're worried about what our peers think , and we need to just quit worrying about it . Just true to who you are , make sure that you're doing the things that you need to do to be successful in your definition of success , and then surround yourself with professionals like you that are going to be able to help you move forward in those goals , help you understand what you need to do to make those next steps , because I think that we need to surround ourselves and build each other up .

Speaker 2 19:35

We do , we do , and I'm going to say that when you're saying that , I don't think we realize how vulnerable we are and we actually put ourselves in front of a lot of places , peoples and things that we shouldn't when we're in business and we trying to build because everybody's not going to support you . That's what you're saying , right , they're not , you know , they're not going to be there . I don't think we realize that you can't just keep going back to the same . Somebody said if you come in a room and everybody don't light up when they see you , you need to go to a different room . They need to go to a different room . See you , you need to go to a different room . That you need to go to a different room . Exactly , and as women , we need to learn that .

Speaker 2 20:15

Get the help . If the help is not there , go to where the help is and get your help .

Setting Boundaries and Embracing Change

Speaker 2 20:20

You don't have to do it by yourself . Reach out to Shannon , reach out to myself . We may not do , but we know somebody that will . You know , but the thing is , you don't have to do it by yourself .

Speaker 3 20:29

That's what we're saying , whatever it is well , you know , what's really interesting when we're sitting here talking is is that , um , let's just say , whoever's watching this video , they're going to be listening to us and they're going to be thinking to themselves . Oh , I could use that help , but you know what ? I don't want them to know how much I don't know yeah , so .

Speaker 3 20:50

I think that we have to get her out of our own way and be okay with just having that conversation and starting it , because the first time you have it that it's really hard and I'm just as I'm not , an expert . I learned how to do this stuff the hard way , through my own . The first time that I decided to make a career move , it probably took me I'll be honest and transparent probably took me about three years because I was so afraid of what everybody would think .

Speaker 2 21:15

So you know how we feel . That's why you can help us , right ?

Speaker 3 21:19

Yes , and then the next time I did it maybe the little time was a little bit shorter because I didn't want people to think that I was moving from one thing to another and then the next time , when it didn't feel good , when I walked into that room and I knew it didn't feel good , I knew it was time for a change and it didn't matter what anybody else thought I was going to do this and I made the change and it was amazing and it was the right thing at the right time . So don't wait for other people's , because if you start going and asking everybody , you'll get all of these different answers and it'll be . You'll do that analysis or paralysis by analysis right Right .

Speaker 3 22:00

Be good reaching out If you have some place that you want to go and you just need that helping hand . Reach out to that person and don't be afraid that they're going to judge you , because guaranteed they are not .

Speaker 2 22:10

They're going to be so happy to help , you To help , and we have to understand we do not need to ask permission to be successful . That's right ,

Moving Past Fear of Judgment

Speaker 2 22:20

absolutely , you know no permission required . So I'm with you . Well , I think this is great . Is there anything else that you would like to tell our listeners ?

Speaker 3 22:29

going forward , Well , I think that , as I'm working with women , especially at this point in time , I think that we need to be aware that we are really in a huge area of change , especially in business . We have so much digital transformation that's coming about , so , and we've got a growing focus on diversity and inclusion , which guess what ? We , as women , we're really good at that , so that gives us a little bit of a competitive edge , right ? I think the number , the biggest things that we can focus on going forward is we have to stay adaptable . Do not be afraid of change . We do be willing to learn new things . Be willing to ask for what you're worth and take steps to sponsor other women .

Speaker 3 23:26

If you have a skillset , be willing to invest in someone else , help them grow and help them grow enough that you're willing to take them out in the community and stand there as their equal . And when you look at your business , don't be afraid to grow Right . Don't be afraid to go into new markets , invest in new products , invest in new services or just scale your operations . Invest in new services or just scale your operations . And when you do that , make sure that you've done the work ahead of time so that when you are ready to go get that funding , that you've educated yourself well and you have that support network in place so that you have you know the ins and outs before you're actually there . So you become the expert and it helps with that confidence when you go to sit down to the table . You've already educated yourself ahead of time , so make sure that you're investing in yourself .

Speaker 2 24:19

Right , and that's exactly . That is great , great , great information . Well , I do wanna thank you , ms Shannon . This has been awesome Again , like I said , the information that you and I get when we talk together and what you bring for everyone . You all can reach out to Ms Shannon . Our website is right above tdjequitylscnet . If you would , you can book an appointment with us . You can get in contact with us as well , and we can get you in contact with Shannon as well . If you would , shannon , let everybody know how they can contact you . Let's see here .

Speaker 3 24:52

Just put into the chat . If anyone wants to just visit with me for just , you know , a few minutes and kind of find out more , share your story and where you're at , I would be happy to just sit down and have a chat . So there's a link to my calendar session or my calendar in the chat and they can just

Final Advice and Contact Information

Speaker 3 25:10

book a quick discovery session and know , you know , it's just , it's just about getting to know each other and learn a little bit more about your business and your journey .

Speaker 2 25:19

Right and there and knowing that you have that possibility to help . So definitely reach out to her and make an appointment with her and , like I said , let's see what she can do to help you . That's what we here . We got to start doing what Miss Shannon said . We got to work together and sponsor each other when we can , you know , see how you can help each other , and the little knowledge we know may be a big knowledge knower for somebody else . You know what I'm saying , so we do need to do that . So I do want to thank you so much , miss Shannon , for coming . We love to have you Great , and I want to thank all of you all who have actually that's listening to this or hearing from repeat or replay . We want to thank you guys and let you know we're working toward harnessing the power that you need to take your business to the next level . Check us out on our YouTube channel as well as you can visit us on our website at wwwtdjequityllcnet . And until next time , you all take care and stay safe .

Speaker 1 26:20

We hope you enjoyed this episode of TDJ Equity Funding Insiders Podcast . If you'd like to be a guest or get in touch with us , please visit our website at tdjequityllcnet . Forward slash podcast or email us at podcast at tdjequityfundinginsidersnet . Until next time , take care .