Thriving Practice with Tracy Cherpeski

Episode26: Building the First Gaming Studio in Central Africa with Madiba Olivier

Building the First Gaming Studio in Central Africa with Madiba Olivier

Hi everyone! Thanks for tuning-in today for a new episode of Entrepreneur Mindset-Reset, THE podcast where entrepreneurs just like you and me share how they master their mindset to overcome obstacles to their success

Madiba Olivier joins us today. Madiba is a deep, thoughtful change-maker in Cameroon, and someone we will all be wise to follow and support. He is the founder of Kiro’o Games, the first video game studio in Central Africa. 

Everything Madiba does is with great thought and deep connection to a larger purpose. Even the name of his company is connected to a Swahili word “kimono mono,” which means “spiritual vision,” and as you listen to our conversation, you’ll hear how deeply connected Madiba is to his roots, to his community and to the African continent.  

Madiba’s story is inspirational for so many reasons. He has created something that not only didn’t exist in his country, but didn’t exist in the entire Central African region. Not only has he founded the video game studio, he was able to round up funding from over 100 investors to fund his startup and support his fellow Cameroonians in learning and growing while expanding their skill sets.

You won’t want to miss when he shares his best tips:

1. Build the culture first
2. When you succeed, the money will come (focus on your vision and stay focused on your vision)
3. Beyond the money, when you stay focused on your vision, you will change the world. 

Madiba’s journey to entrepreneurship, the pivotal moment when he received an email from a young boy who looked up to him, and his decision to be a leader and an example for his fellow Africans, is so profound, and I believe your life will be enhanced by listening to Madiba share his journey. So, grab a beverage or a snack and settle-in to listen to Madiba and his amazing journey.

Madiba’s Bio:

Since 13 years me and my team we worked hard against all the odds to open the first video game studio in our country: Kiro'o Games.

For the previous 3 years our goal was to built trust in the international business sphere. 

We succeeded to become one of the main reference in Africa for the gaming industry, even featured in the Wallstreet Journal

Our actual goal is to create a 18.7 million users base in 12 African countries taping on the fast African growing smartphones market through games and apps but mainly a complete ecosystem for a unique user-experirence around our brand. 

Our objective is to build a company ready for one of the biggest African IPO in 10-15 years with the most inspirational brand in Africa (and why not in the world).

We will then have enough money (as people and company) to diverse more investment in other sectors in Africa. 

Find Madiba:

Website: https://kirooworld.com 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madibaolivier/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/madibaOlivier 

The scans of the Aurion comic book: https://www.mangadraft.com/reader/aurion-legacy-of-the-kori-odan.en/110168

To become a shareholder: https://shareholders.kiroogames.com/index.php/invest?locale=en

Episode 25: Living With Courage & Vulnerability with Yoky Yu

Living with courage and vulnerability with Yoky Yu.

Hi everyone! Thanks for tuning-in for a new episode of Entrepreneur Mindset-Reset. Today I’m speaking with the brave and insightful Yoky Yu, a personal friend and remarkable human who is supporting people in becoming the best version of themselves through coaching and psycho drama therapy.

If you’re curious why I say Yoky is brave, you’ll hear early in our conversation that she grew up in China, moved to the US to attend university in Virginia at the age of 17, worked at Xerox for a few years, then moved to California to study acting, then back to China to pursue life coaching…and then, on to Spain to get her masters, and now a second masters, in drama and psycho drama. 

We dive into how the culture she grew up in impacted her wellbeing, and how that inspired her to branch out and live her life with courage and vulnerability as much as possible, ditching the pressure to be a “good girl” by being quiet, compliant and staying small. You’ll hear that Yoky does anything but play small.

We go pretty deep in our conversation about culture and how some mentalities and mindsets are more universal than we might think. 

Yoky reminds us that we all have issues, likely from as far back as childhood, and that we have the power to change how we feel and how we show up in this world. 

She shares some helpful tips:

1. Don’t judge negative thoughts when they come up
2. Talk with a friend, your partner, or a professional when you’re feeling down or anxious
3. Don’t try to hide; energy gets stuck
4. Write or journal to get your thoughts out of your head

Check out her novel, “The Permission” published on Amazon. It’s a steamy and raw novel about personal growth and sexuality. I just love how unabashedly open and natural Yoky is about sexuality, being our best selves, and giving ourselves permission to really step up and in to the best version of ourselves.  

Yoky is full of wisdom and insights, and I can’t wait to hear what you think of our conversation. So, grab a beverage or a snack and settle-in to listen to Yoky and her amazing journey.

Yoky’s Bio:

Yoky Yu is a healer, life coach, artist and writer. She creates one woman shows, behavior art, and other expressive arts. After having received her master’s degree in Acting from Institute of the Arts Barcelona, she is currently receiving psychodrama therapy training at University of Barcelona.

As a coach and professional facilitator,  she thrives to empower people with authentic self-expression and personal development. 

As a healer, she practices Reiki, Tibetan Singing Bowl sound healing, and Shamanism. 

Healing, diversity and inclusion, and gender issues are the center of her work, which is rooted in spontaneity and compassion. 

Find Yoky:

Website:  YokyYu.com  

Novel: “The Permission”  https://www.amazon.com/Permission-Jan-2021-Draft-ebook/dp/B08V244T24

Episode 24: Breaking Social Norms & Creating Women Change-Makers with Roshni Baronia

Hi everyone! Thanks for tuning-in today for a new episode of Entrepreneur Mindset-Reset, THE podcast where entrepreneurs just like you and me share how they master their mindset to overcome obstacles to their success.

In today’s episode, we bring you Roshni Baronia, strategic sales expert, author, host of Ace the Sales podcast, conversion specialist, life-long learner, and creator of “A Woman’s Voice,” a platform promoting women’s podcasts around the world.  

Roshni is a powerhouse, to say the least. Hearing her share her story about rebelling against societal norms to make her dreams a reality is nothing short of inspiring. She not only pushed back against the pressure to be content being the wife of a man who earns good money and being a mom and homemaker, she started and grew two companies from the ground up! Roshni gave a TEDx talk rooting for women change-makers in every home, supporting women entrepreneurs in expanding their businesses, and exploring their global readiness. 

You won’t want to miss when Roshni shares how to come out of the notion of being a “superwoman” and into unconditional support. Her tips on setting an intention to serve, being functional instead of perfect, and using the “A.E.D.” (Automate, Eliminate, Delegate) system will shift how you view your use of time and energy. This episode is chock-full of wisdom and immediately actionable tips.

So, grab a beverage or a snack and settle-in to listen to Roshni and her amazing journey.

Roshni’s Bio:

Donning the entrepreneur hat since 2009 I have come a full circle of dreaming, launching, scaling and exiting an online business. I launched my consulting business in 2016. I am based out of India. Being a life-long learner I seek knowledge from every person, book or digital medium. Most of all my father.

Founder of RB Consulting, a boutique firm providing bespoke sales advisory and strategic planning services to women-led startups and small businesses. A seasoned entrepreneur with 12+ years

I also coach solopreneurs within my immersive 1:1 intensives.

My VIP Days helps busy business owners break through their income ceiling without adding any new marketing, tech, team, or tress to their lives.

Find Roshni:

Website: https://www.roshnibaronia.com 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roshni_baronia/  

Ace The Sales Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ace-the-sales-selling-secrets-for-women-entrepreneurs/id1511421539 

TEDx SJE College: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAXNc0Bf4Wo 

Episode 23: Failure as Part of the Game with Lou Anne Gaffney

Thanks for tuning-in today for a new episode of Entrepreneur Mindset-Reset. In today’s episode, I’m speaking with the incredibly smart, service-oriented, Lou Anne Gaffney of Balanced Vintage Bookkeeping and Consulting.

She shares her best tips on how to prioritize your business goals and work with your ideal clients. She also shares how important it is for you to be OK with saying that a potential client is NOT a fit. If you’re not sure who your ideal client is, listen to what she says about focusing on personality traits as your niche, rather than being industry-specific in the services you provide. 

Lou Anne’s advice to all business owners is to take the mindset that you should be profitable from the get-go. Also, rest assured, dear listeners, because Lou Anne and I are in agreement that failure is part of the game, like a science experiment. You’ll learn from your failures and come back stronger. 

So, grab a beverage or a snack and settle-in to listen to Lou Anne and her amazing journey.

Lou Anne’s Bio:

Lou Anne Gaffney is a bookkeeper based in Greensboro, NC.  She uses bookkeeping as the backbone of a financial consulting and coaching, business, and focuses on helping entrepreneurs and small businesses feel in control of their money and financial decisions. Lou Anne is a certified QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor and serves clients throughout the US. She taught in the public school system for decades, then spent time working with the NC wine industry before opening her own business in 2017.  

Find Lou Anne:

Website: https://www.balancedvintage.com 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BalancedVintage 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louannegaffney/ 

Episode 22: Farmers Markets, Creating Opportunities, and Getting Involved with Sarah Dylan-Jensen

Hi everyone! Thanks for tuning-in today for a new episode of Entrepreneur Mindset-Reset, THE podcast where entrepreneurs just like you and me share how they master their mindset to overcome obstacles to their success.

In today’s episode, I am so excited to speak with with the brilliant and creative Sarah Dylan-Jensen of Mockingjay Press and the Snohomish County Farmers Markets, AND Washington State, Oregon and Idaho Farmers Market Associations. She’s basically the maven of the Pacific Northwest Farmers Markets.

Sarah’s journey from the fashion world to farmers markets is quite remarkable, and seemingly happened by accident. But as you and I know, nothing happens by accident. Her drive, organization, ability to make things happen, and deep connection to her community all brought her to where she is now. 

If you’ve ever been to your local farmers market, you may have noticed that the prices are generally higher than your average grocery store. This can be prohibitively expensive for people who fall below a living wage. You’ll hear in our conversation that Sarah’s passion and commitment to her community, particularly for those who are underrepresented and underserved, is very touching, and her advocacy, combined with local government action and funding, is supporting all people to get healthy, fresh food on their tables, regardless of income.   

Sarah shares her best tips on how to get involved and engage in your community. The first tip is to pull the bandaid off and just engage. For you introverts, start with one person; you might be surprised how quickly you build your network and grow your community. Listen, take notes, and also make note that while we were talking, Sarah’s ever-entrepreneurial spirit just may have sparked another business idea to meet the need to make another “her” so she can continue to support the Farmers Markets.

So, grab a beverage or a snack and settle-in to listen to Sarah and her amazing journey.

Sarah’s Bio:

After working 10+ years in the fashion design industry, Sarah decided it was time to move towards smaller, more localized business and away from the drama of corporate life. 

Sarah created Mockingjay Press in 2013 with the dream of bringing desire back to small-town shopping. In this social media outlet, she helps bring awareness & insight to supporting small, local shops & businesses. Through curated connections in the community she became the Snohomish Farmers Market Manager in 2015. Sarah now handles 3 large Snohomish County markets and handles the social media, graphic & web design for all, along with her steadfast client list. 

Sarah has been a featured speaker at the 2019, 2020 & 2021 WSFMA conference, the Alaska Farmers Market conference and the 2018 Women in Business conference. 

 

Where to find Sarah:

Website: https://www.mockingjaypress.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mockingjaypress/?hl=en 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-dylan-jensen-196b962b/ 

Find Your Local Farmer’s Market:

https://www.ams.usda.gov/local-food-directories/farmersmarkets 

Episode 21: Staying True to Your Purpose with Brandon Straza

Hi everyone! Thanks for tuning-in today for a new episode of Entrepreneur Mindset-Reset, THE podcast where entrepreneurs just like you and me share how they master their mindset to overcome obstacles to their success

In today’s episode, I am thrilled to speak with with the incredibly generous and deep Brandon Straza of The Success Finder.

He shares his best tips on how to move the needle in your business, and the importance of connection to your greater purpose. Listen carefully as he drops so many wisdom bombs.

You won’t want to miss when he talks about how approaches being in business, and the importance of investing in yourself. He’s up to big things with The Success Finder, and I know you’re going to take away a lot of wisdom bombs after listening to this episode.

So, grab a beverage or a snack and settle-in to listen to Brandon and his amazing journey.

Brandon’s Bio:

My sales career started at a young age, hocking sugar mixed with Kool aid packets to my neighborhood friends & classmates... 

I spent my high school years cleaning golf clubs, listening to business owners talk about their work. Deep down, I always knew that school wasn’t built for me but, my mom pushed me to have a piece of paper to fall back on. 

So – just in case – I worked three jobs, pushed through college, and graduated with a BS in Finance. I continued learning sales directly through Norwest Financial. There, I learned two major lessons: 1.) Accountability and direct sales was something that came naturally. 2.) problem solving was better than offering a customer what I thought they needed. 

Where to find Brandon:

Email: brandon@thesuccessfinder.com  

Facebook: facebook.com/bstraza    

Instagram: instagram.com/brandonstraza  

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brandonstraza 

 

Episode 20, Kelly Marianno - Rapid Client Attraction System

Welcome to this episode of Entrepreneur Mindset-Reset, THE podcast where entrepreneurs just like you and me share how they master their mindset to overcome obstacles to their success.

In today’s episode, I am so excited to speak with the deep, visionary thinker, Kelly Marianno, of Rapid Client Attraction System. My friends, this episode is long, and so worth listening to all the way through. You may want to break it up, take notes and re-listen to the wisdom-bombs he drops all the way through. 

Kelly’s story is so interesting. He’s not traveled a traditional path, ever, and has always done things his own way. He shares his ideas about thinking big, never under-estimating the value you bring to this world, and the concept of not selling from your own pocket. 

His tip about understanding very clearly who you help and what you’re helping them with is key in growing your business, because once you change your language to reflect who you’re serving, your clients and customers will start to find you. 

This interview is chock-full of insights and wisdom, and I think you’ll want to keep a notebook handy to take notes. Kelly is so generous with his expertise; you’ll not want to miss anything. 

So, grab a beverage or a snack and settle-in to listen to Kelly and his amazing journey.

You can find Kelly at:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellymarianno/

Email: kelly@RapidClientAttractionSystem.com 

Kelly’s Bio:

Kelly Marianno is a business coach who helps other coaches to attract more clients. He has been coaching since 2009 when he founded what is now IMPAKT, LLC. His passion is to help others realize their greatest potential by establishing businesses that will create a better lifestyle for their families and businesses that serve the community in a meaningful way. 

Kelly has been able to help entrepreneurs in various industries to move closer to the vision of the successful businesses by showing them how to connect with their ideal clients, make marketing fun, overcoming self sabotaging behaviors and thoughts all while being authentically themselves. 

Kelly is an awarded speaker of Toastmaster’s International and is known to have an engaging presentation style full of humor and content that is designed to move you closer to your goals. He is also a co-author on the book entitled, The Success Guide for the Unstoppable Entrepreneur which was released in 2012. 

He loves to spend time in Philadelphia with his wife, Sophonie and 2 younger children, Jennifer (9) and Jaxon (9 mos). Kelly is also the proud father of his first born daughter, Latrice, (32). 

Episode 19, Dr. Cam Caswell, the Teen Translator

This is episode #19 of Entrepreneur Mindset-Reset.

Hi everyone! Thanks for tuning-in today for a new episode of Entrepreneur Mindset-Reset, THE podcast where entrepreneurs just like you and me share how they master their mindset to overcome obstacles to their success.

In today’s episode, I have the distinct pleasure of speaking with the brilliant teen translator, Dr. Cameron Caswell, Adolescent Psychologist and Family Success Coach. 

Dr. Cam is on a mission to change the landscape of mental health through this current generation of teens and their parents. She tells us that teenagers feel misunderstood because they ARE misunderstood. We can all learn to understand and do better by listening far more than we talk. 

She shares her best tips on how to connect with and relate to people. She’s talking in the context of teens and their parents, but you’ll note that she spends more time reading and educating herself through management and leadership books and workshops than through parenting books. 

You won’t want to miss her success tips, which are: 

1. Ask permission to give advice.
2. Validate what people are saying.
3. Motivation - help people break it down into smaller steps until it’s not intimidating. 

These are incredible parenting tips, AND can very easily translate to your team. Humans are humans, and we all need to be heard and understood. Check out her Parent Power Hour on her website when you get a moment. You’ll be so glad you did. 

If you’re a parent or if you’re a leader, you want to listen to this episode. So, grab a beverage or a snack and settle-in to listen to Dr. Cam and her amazing journey.

Bio:

Cameron (Dr. Cam) Caswell, PhD is an adolescent psychologist, family success coach, teen translator, author, and the host of “Parenting Teens with Dr. Cam” podcast. She is on a mission to help parents build strong, positive relationships with their teens through improved communication, connection, and understanding using her PRIME Parenting Method. Dr. Cam is the mom of a teen too, so she not only talks the talk, she walks the walk!

Connect with Dr. Cam:

Website: www.askdrcam.com 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ParentingTeensWithDrCam 

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/teentranslator/ 

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameroncaswell/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ccaz 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBiER8Hwo8TLzfIXAnYYhYg

Episode 18, David Joseph of School of Rock Chapel Hill

Hi everyone! Thanks for tuning-in today for a new episode of Entrepreneur Mindset-Reset, THE podcast where entrepreneurs just like you and me share how they master their mindset to overcome obstacles to their success.

In today’s episode, I am thrilled to be speaking with the passionate and very-dedicated-to-music, David Joseph of School of Rock Chapel Hill.

David took a leap of faith back in 2017, and left his corporate gig to start a music school! David is the owner and General Manger of School of Rock in Chapel Hill, NC, which is a franchise of the School of Rock, inspiration for the movie with the same name. 

David reminds us that our life skills are transferrable, so we should always aim to find something that we love and take it out into the world. This shows up so much in David’s dedication to the success not only of his School of Rock location, but also in how he supports the success of students and staff. School of Rock provides music education, and so much more for all aspiring musicians, from tiny tots to retirees. In addition to music education, the opportunities for press coverage, live gigs and live-streamed gigs, builds impressive resumes for young musicians, many of whom go on after high school to study music and become professional musicians. 

David’s success tips are all great, but the one that really struck me was this: Proceed as if success is inevitable. Let me repeat that: Proceed as if success is inevitable. I would add: when you believe it, you’ll see it, so proceed as if success is inevitable.

So, grab a beverage or a snack and settle-in to listen to David and his amazing journey.

You can find David at:

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/dtjoseph/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/david.joseph.520

School of Rock Chapel Hill Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SORChapelHill 

Email:  djoseph@schoolofrock.com

Web:  https://locations.schoolofrock.com/chapelhill

David’s Bio:

Born in Philadelphia, and raised in its suburbs, David Joseph is a graduate of Drexel University (with both a BS in Business Administration / Marketing, and a Masters of Business Administration).  David’s professional career includes finance, operations, and control roles in several national retailers (Hecht's, Zany Brainy, Saks 5th Avenue), as well as consulting, strategic planning, corporate development, M&A, and competitive and market intelligence in the software industry (SAP, SAS).  And then there is music…

David is passionate about live music, and rock and roll in particular. It’s been that way forever. His favorite teenage memories involve playing the drums with his bandmates. Opening the School of Rock Chapel Hill in 2017 has been more than a business opportunity for David. It's been a musical mission to give back to the community he has come to call home.

In 1999, David and his family moved to Chapel Hill, NC. He loves the community and its vibrant musical scene.  He and his wife of 26 years (Sally), his son (Chris, 24) and daughter (Evie, 21) enjoy travelling, dining out, live music and live sports…and look forward to the time when all of those activities can be enjoyed with crowds again!

You can find David at:

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/dtjoseph/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/david.joseph.520

School of Rock Chapel Hill Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SORChapelHill

Email:  djoseph@schoolofrock.com

Web:  https://locations.schoolofrock.com/chapelhill

Episode 17, Tonja Lee Valdez of Purity Spas and ONJ Modern Organics

Hi everyone! Thanks for tuning-in today for our latest episode of Entrepreneur Mindset-Reset, THE podcast where entrepreneurs just like you and me share how they overcome obstacles to their success. 

In today’s episode, I have the distinct pleasure of speaking with the unflappable Tonja Valdez, owner of Purity Spa and ONJ modern ORGANICS. 

In our conversation, Tonja shares her views on the importance of the gift of having and creating more time, trusting your gut, and putting your wellbeing ahead of all else. 

Tonja took a huge leap of faith in the midst of the last recession and purchased commercial real estate! Then she started Purity Spa in her tiny southern Idaho town, and has grown, and intentionally shrunk, her business over the years. She shares how she created her own skin care line because she saw a gap in the market and filled it. Her clients were coming to her after treatments, wanting solutions for when they had events to go to and didn’t want to look like they’d just had facial treatments. 

Her story is remarkable and I just know you’re going to love listening.

Oh, and you won’t want to miss what she says about chocolate chip cookies!

So, grab a beverage or a snack and settle-in to listen to Tonja and her amazing journey.

You can find Tonja at:

https://purityspa.net/collections/onj-modern-organics

https://www.instagram.com/purityspa83301/ 

Tonja’s Bio:

Tonja Lee-Valdez is a serial entrepreneur – a licensed, practicing esthetician who owns and manages her own spa; and the founder of ONJ Modern ORGANICS skin, body care and mineral makeup.  She began her esthetics career over seventeen (17) years ago in Sun Valley, Idaho.  Tonja then built a successful medi-wellness spa where she is known for cutting edge treatments and creating solution-oriented protocols.  This client-centered practice led Tonja to create ONJ Modern Organics skin, body care and mineral makeup.  Clean, elegant products produced in small batches and made in the U.S.A to ensure freshness and efficacy are the foundation of ONJ Modern Organics. Tonja looks forward to meeting each of you to discuss opportunities that lead to increased profits and bring a new level of interest and excitement to your patients.