127. Be a Thought Leader with Mwale & Chantel

Can anyone be a thought leader? How do I master my message? Mwale and Chantel Henry join us for a conversation about being married to your business partner and how business owners can master their message and become thought leaders in their industry. Mwale and Chantel are the co-founders of The League of Experts, a company dedicated to helping experts become thought leaders by developing the intellectual property that expands and sustains their businesses.

Connect with Mwale and Chantel:
Website: https://www.joinloe.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coachchantel
Instagram: https://instagram.com/mwaleandchantel

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You can find Dana @adashofboss, @dana.dowdell and @hrfanatic
Dana Dowdell – Boss Consulting – HR Consulting
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You can find Russ @reliable.remediation
Russ Harlow – Reliable Remediation – Disaster Restoration
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Transcript

Dana Dowdell  00:05

Hi Russ,

Russ Harlow  00:06

Dana, good day.

Dana Dowdell  00:08

Good day. How are you doing very

Russ Harlow  00:09

well. Thank you.

Dana Dowdell  00:10

I'm fabulous. Thank you so much. We are joined today by Mwale and Chantal Henry. And they are the co founders of the League of experts, which is a company dedicated to helping experts, become thought leaders. And I'm so excited for the conversation. So Wally and Chantel, thank you for joining It's Just Business.

Chantal Henry  00:32

It's so great to be here. Dana and Ross, thanks so much for thinking so highly of us 

Mwale Henry  00:37

yes, definitely. Thank you for allowing us to be part of your community. And we're excited to have this discussion with you guys.

Dana Dowdell  00:45

Absolutely. So tell us about the League of experts how it got started, how you to founded the business and a bit about your story into being entrepreneurs.

Mwale Henry  00:56

Oh, good times. Well, this is a story we love sharing, because our business is actually tied to how we actually met. So we met each other. It was my first time in America. If you guys hear the accent, I'm originally from Trinidad. So I'm a Caribbean boy. I love great weather. So even as we do this podcast, I'm actually we're actually in Trinidad right now on vacation. So it was my first time to America, and of all places for us. I was going to Vegas. And literally what happened in Vegas didn't stay in Vegas, because 10 years later, we're married and we have a business together. So my background is management consultancy, worked with the Franklin Covey Institute, one of the youngest consultants in Latin America and Caribbean and Chantal. Her background was PR and public relations have vast experience as a college professor and, you know, working in South Africa with the Nelson Mandela Foundation, but she'll tell you all about herself, but she's a heavy hitter. So when we met in Vegas was for Business Conference. And I saw her in a line of 20,000. If now guys, if you've ever been to Vegas for business conference, there are some conference rooms, they are huge. And it was like 20,000 people's or international conference. So the lines were wrapped around the building. And Shannon came there by herself. So she it was her first time to Vegas. And she was trying to break the line. Dina, and, you know, Caribbean people were so friendly. So when she met our group, everyone is lined up by the countries, you know, they all done in their colors. She was talking to one of my friends, I was late to the line because hey, if your friends are in the line already, you could get like 30 minutes in right? extra sleep. And I saw from afar and I was like, Ooh, this was fine girl walked up to him, we had a conversation was 30 seconds, you know, we just connected. And if you ask me what happened at that conference, I had no idea because we were talking through the entire conference together like speed dating on fire. So. So that's where our journey of the business started, you know, my expertise in the area of management, consultancy and building, you know, best selling business and being able to help people really capture their thought leadership and package that leadership and tie that to a business or key value proposition and chanteuse her expertise in finding the right people so that they can be served by your expertise. So from there, that's where that the dream team started. It started off with love. And today, you know, we are excited today, Tony and

Russ Harlow  03:46

Chantal, I'm curious because my wife and I tell the story of us meeting very differently. So I'm just, Mwale's story stronger

Chantal Henry  03:58

spy on, you get paid for paying attention to details.

Dana Dowdell  04:06

So when you two met and then started this relationship, you were working for other people, right? Where you weren't self employed at that point, correct?

Mwale Henry  04:16

Well, for me, I was working as a consultant.

Chantal Henry  04:20

Yeah, I was running my own PR firm in Atlanta. That's where we're based our businesses in Atlanta. Yeah. And so I was working with NFL NBA players. Like, it was a it was a great time, but I was looking for more. And that's where the other opportunity came in. And yeah, it was one of the best decisions that I could have made because one of the great part about entrepreneurship is in the early stages, being willing to be flexible between your passion and what pays you okay, because it's not always that you're going to be profitable in something that you love to do. However, you got to count the costs, right. Are there more benefits? He's on the side of entrepreneurship and doing something that you love, but some things that you may not desire in order to get to that goal, or do you want to strictly run like a nonprofit, right? And that's another ballgame. So, for me, it was just about trying what I really want it to do. And that allowed me to be open enough to go to this conference meeting Mwale And so the PR business morphed into what we have today.

Dana Dowdell  05:27

I feel like we're talking to like, entrepreneurial marketing royalty, like you both really do sound like badass heavy hitters, like truly with what you were doing and what you are doing. Tell us a little bit about like, you know, I'm assuming networking and those connections and relationships, helped build your careers and build the business to what it is now. Can you talk a little bit about that?

Mwale Henry  05:54

Yeah, definitely. So for me, I could speak on my level. Now, Shantou. She was always a serial entrepreneur. So every time like, just recently, I was in a hometown in Maryland. And she's we're driving through the streets for us. And she's like, oh, yeah, I worked here. Oh, yeah, I work there. Now, when Chantal says to me, she worked somewhere, it's like two days, because she never liked working for anyone. Right? So she was always on this entrepreneurial for us. You know, her mom, you know, hats off to her mom really gave her that drive of building a vision for yourself. And I'm on the opposite. I worked in a public sector. I worked for an international company, I worked in the private sector. You know, I had a myriad of experiences from, you know, working with President Obama get meeting the Queen of England, you know, managing international conferences. So that was my background. So meeting Shanta, she challenged me to say, Hey, you're putting all these hours into building other people's vision, building other people's business? And their dreams? Why not do it for yourself? So to your question, Dana, you know, what, what is that process like? And for those of you who are listening, I had to answer this key question like, What is your end goal? What would you like to see after 1015 years, and when you paint that picture, wherever you are working, if it's in a private sector, you're working in somebody else's business, you are a partner with someone. It's important to glean the tools that you are that you are crafting and sharpening as Franklin Covey talks about sharpening your sword. And those tools that you're sharpening, sharpening your soul will be key for what is the ideal dream in the next five years. So we do a lot of what we call transitional coaching, helping corporate clients, people who are in the financial sector from Wall Street, we have an investment banker, she manages over $7 billion. And she came to us she wants to craft her intellectual property and you wouldn't believe for us. She's like, I don't know. You know, what I could talk about, I'm like, what, like, come on your resume is like badass, you really, you know, you're kicking ass, you're taking names, you're like, just seriously doing so much great things. But sometimes when we are so close to our IP, we don't see what is so valuable of what we do. So I'm gonna challenge people wherever you are in your intrapreneurship journey. Sometimes whatever you have ownership over. It's be it cooperate, or in a business or for people who are parallel, or what we call parallel Trump. turnouts. We are one foot in the corporate world, one foot, I say to you, sometimes you're so close to your genius, you just require someone to just pull you back and say, hey, this may be cellular to you. But it's a great answer to someone. And so I had to go through that process of looking at all the hours that I've worked with so many different clients and fortune 500 companies, what was the outcome I generated for them? I'm like, I can do that for myself, right? Or if even if I hit 5% of that, like, I'll be fine, right? It's more than what you could have paid me for the year. So that's my process, helping people want to be aware of your genius. And sometimes you might need someone to pull you back from your greater self, to see that excellence in you. And then secondly, being able to translate that type of expertise into building your own dream. So those were two key areas that supported us in being in this place.

Russ Harlow  09:40

So I have two questions. One when visiting that hometown in Maryland, did Chantel tell you to get some good crab at least? 

Chantal Henry  09:48

Well, she did for the last six months and while he has been on a carnivore only diet

Russ Harlow  09:57

Okay, 

Chantal Henry  09:59

with any crabs Okay,

Russ Harlow  10:00

so then I guess the other question then is this because my wife and I can't even cook together in the same kitchen, because we have things we do just our way, and we don't work well in that way. So we would not be, it would not serve us well to be in business together. So, obviously, you guys have a great synergy. But that doesn't always translate and be able to do business together. Can you tell us a little bit how you've managed that? And how it seems to be a really great fit for the both of you?

Mwale Henry  10:32

Yeah, well, Mwale, he comes from a very, like a military background, he served in the Coast Guard force country. And so with that comes a lot of discipline comes a lot of, you know, 

Mwale Henry  10:44

Structure and Strategy.

Chantal Henry  10:45

Right. And so, but for me, I've come from more of a liberal arts background. I, you know, study communications, you know, the whole creativity side is like my, my jam. And with that, you can appreciate comes a lack of, you know, formality in some instances. And so we really, even to this day, we've been in business together for just over 10 years, and we still have those moments where we're looking at each other, like, how in the world. And you're about to drive me crazy. So but in order to combat that, we have had to have some lines of demarcation, right? So when he's talking to me, when it relates to business and what I've done, not so well, right, we call it not arguments, but intense discussions, right? We're having those intense discussions, he has to put on a lack Nike hacks, okay, like he literally picks up his Nike hat and puts it on that indicates to me not to take it personal, right. He's talking as a CEO, to the COO, not as Mwale, the husband to Chantel the wife, but when, because at first was really difficult for me, for us to really distinguish between who was speaking, so I would take our office, corals to the bedroom and, you know, wrap myself around the sheets, they don't touch me earlier today, and so he'll have the black hat, SEO and the white hat as Mwale. And that's been working really well. We've been doing that for the past six years. And then most recently, he took it to another level. And I decided, yeah, I'm excited to only talk about business on WhatsApp. So he'll text me, hey, did you send this report, whatever. And then on iMessage, it will be, you know, relationship and family business.

Mwale Henry  12:46

Yeah. But then I was like, a model.

Dana Dowdell  12:51

I just, I feel like I mean, being entrepreneurs or not, like, that's a good piece of advice for any couple, right? There's that there's a time and a place to talk about certain things and a certain way and manner to talk about things and being able to delineate and not take things personally. And understanding when something should be talked about.

Mwale Henry  13:16

And then two other things that would have supported our process was rarely leveraged, and it's like a team, right? The strength of a team is based on everyone's expertise and genius. And, you know, I always say this to Chantal, even in our most difficult team meetings, when we're planning for the year when we're reviewing our strategic plans. You know, if I had to choose another COO, if I had to choose another partner, I will always choose you. Because the brilliance that she brings to the table is enough for me to make that decision over and over. And it's not just, you know, a love relationship is just a bonus. Like bonus, I get to work with the person that I love, right? So we've, we've really framework, our the structure of our company and our team, whereby, you know, it's like in business, they always say to you in HR, you know, getting the right people in the bus. But there's another step further, getting the right people on the bus to sit on the right seats. So that is the piece we had to journey through where she's like, Okay, this is not my genius. I know it isn't. So we outsource that, or we hire someone for it. But for the most entrepreneurs, you're the butcher, you're the baker, you're the candlestick maker, you are everything. So we had to go through that process in the incipient stage of our business to say, hey, we have each other. Right? We have each other in terms of, we have to be comfortable doing things we don't like to do. And it's an incentive Deena to do it well, so you could get someone to start doing it for you. So the another complaint when all The window. You know, we did things we didn't want to do, until we built a team, and we're able to now 10 years later, we stay in our genius, we stay in areas that we are excited. And that would have supported us through that process as well.

Dana Dowdell  15:15

And would you say it's better to have those conversations in the beginning, you know, whether it's a couple going into business together, or just two people going into partnership together, you know, having those conversations ahead of time before shit hits the fan?

Mwale Henry  15:29

Yeah. You know, I tell people, you know, contracts and agreements are essential to preserve relationships. That's how I see contrast, it's not out of a lack of trust. Because when, when you know, when the wheels fall out, our instinctive nature most times is to protect ourselves, protect and or defend our decisions, or probably even to blame others. So black and white allows you to, you know, it's not it's not emotional, you know, the pages doesn't cry, it doesn't have a story, the letters don't rearrange, just to fit your narrative. It's right there. Right. This is what you were, you know, you had an agreement to do, this is what we have to stick through. So that allows us so yesterday to you dinner, it's very, very important. We see that sometimes when we the temptation when we are hiring service providers, you want to hire some friends and family to want to give you the friends and family discount. Yeah, we put it in writing, because it saves those relationships, you know, like, hey, the video, it sucks, like, come on, like, I can use this like, well, I try Well, this is what it said, you know, this is this is these are the details here. So it allows people like their corner, they have no other way or place to go to owner to fix it, you know, or just not receive payment for it. Right? So it allows us to go through that process as a team.

Chantal Henry  17:02

Yeah. And it's good to have it in the beginning. However, it is an evolving document, right. So even if it's not written down, that verbal understanding and agreement, right, is something that has to grow with the relationship, because the way that he probably, you know, could have had expectations of me, before two kids is a lot different after two children, right, because they have more reasons maybe why things didn't get done. So it's a growing thing.

Mwale Henry  17:33

So and that's where the integrity comes being able, whatever you agreed to, because just like in a relationship or Shantou shed, our family is changing. But your business changes as well, the demands change the market changes, we do constant market research on our market to be clear how our clients are reacting. And it may require us to make setting internal adjustments requires certain type of expertise of pivots in the team. So as a management team, we always revisit that and make the required adjustments. But whenever you make those adjustments, it has to be based on collective agreements, like okay, we all agree to this pivot. And we move forward again.

Russ Harlow  18:17

Contract contracts, protect both parties. And it's good to have those expectations out there for everyone. You're absolutely right. Now, I'm curious, can you tell me more about what you all are doing at the League of Experts tell us about your business and how you're helping people and helping people grow?

Chantal Henry  18:35

Absolutely, we are dedicated to helping thought leaders really positioned themselves as experts in their field, in three core areas, landing a signature talk like on stages, like TEDx, for example, packaging your ideas, into a best selling book, and also creating assets that support your business so that you can grow a movement instead of just having one great thing that you've done in a moment in time. And that's really what we're focused on.

Mwale Henry  19:07

For me what was excited about our assignment? You know, we really, you know, as, through the years of working with persons, we really rescue geniuses from the confusion in their head, you know, to a place of clarity and, and really defining an abundant legacy. And our thought leadership supports people in three core areas, is the area of you gain clarity on your idea, how do you really come to that aha moment? This is the idea. This is the truck that I could run on and build a multibillion million dollar business and then to the place of sales. How do I now take this idea and place it in front of my ideal client? Who will say yes, this is what I require. And not just say yes, but as business owners, we want to have what is called qualified sales conversation. So if you're tired talking to people who just don't have, you know the money, or tired of talking to people who they're at a different journey in their lives, because you know, there's a difference between people who say, I need this, and I'm not ready for this, right. So there are people who talk about change or required, but they're not in that place of change and transformation. And the third area is PR and marketing, you know, being able to get the type of press, PR publication podcasts, being in areas of press and trade, trade publications, to really establish yourself as an expert. So that those are the three core areas, we support people through a mastermind that helps them establish themselves as a thought leader, monetize the message and take their message to the marketplace.

Dana Dowdell  20:49

The idea of being a thought leader is so fascinating to me. And I'm curious if there's, you know, is there any type of industry where wanting to become a thought leader? doesn't, isn't attainable?

Chantal Henry  21:03

I don't like so, I mean, I've never thought about that question. But now that you mentioned it, no, like, you know, it's always attainable to the degree in which you recognize that we live in an information world. And there has to be someone or someone, some many people who position themselves where if you Google, I have a headache, right? There's going to be a doctor at some point of your search that pops up. That's a thought leader. So we help you to, you know, not drown in this swimming pool of experts of coaches, right, because there's nothing new under the sun. But our job is to help you to stand out.

Mwale Henry  21:44

And moreover, Dana, for leadership for us is really highlighting or magnifying your USP, your unique service proposition, what is unique about the market or the segment that you are in, because there are many coaches there many thought trusted advisors, because many of the clients, we work with either coaches, because trusted advisors, consultants, and there are many persons within that industry, that bring specific type of information. But your unique story, your journey, the lens that you carry through life is like your fingerprint, it's unique to you. And that's what we unpack so that whenever you share your message whenever you speak, whenever you stand on stages, whenever you deliver your coaching program, whenever you whichever opportunity, you have to bring your message to the marketplace, people see elements of themselves in you, but in a unique way, because you are that vessel that is bringing that message. So they see themselves in you like wow, yeah, I was there, or I've been there. Or I can identify with them. Or, you know, there's something in their story about their grandparents, like I have a grandma like that. And that's where people choose you and say, hey, I want to work with him, I want to work with you. Because you provide not only a unique perspective, but you also you're teaching me and your unique story allows me now to connect with you in a unique way.

Dana Dowdell  23:16

I'm thinking about Russ, so rest does disaster restoration and mold remediation, and he's started to, to market himself as like the doctor of mold. Okay, and, I'm curious, that's what kind of prompted the question. I think sometimes as entrepreneurs or service providers, we can be like, Oh, unlike my thoughts are not unique or like the message has been replayed already. But I think Russ is a perfect example of, of a service provider taking a niche and, and working to become a leader in information.

Mwale Henry  23:49

Hmm, yeah. And that's how the market that's how the market dollars are being a Porsche now in in well, I know in America, you guys in niche right? So we niche Yeah. So that's where you see before ad dollars would have been appropriated people who had large following, right. So they look at your Twitter following it, they look at your subscribers, okay, we apportion that, but if you look at video content for the past five years, YouTube has revolutionize you know, how do we appropriate value in the marketplace? So we have one people with smaller followings 100,000 But their followers are engage because it's a niche market. And because their followers are engaged they invest right they invest ad dollars micro influencer into micro influencers they allow them now to create videos, have YouTube stream give them you know, contracts, etc. I could give one example is sorry, that's all she started off a very small micro environment. You know, she just landed a multimillion dollar deal, you know, with it with HBO, right. And I think she just had another deal as well. So it's just an example to people who think, hey, I need to have this great following. And, you know, and have 1000s and 1000s of people who are enamored of who I am. But the market has been so saturated with a lot of information that people are now looking for people who they can connect with, identify with. And the pandemic is a clear example that people are craving connectivity.

Russ Harlow  25:32

Now, I think, so not everybody has a million dollar idea, right? And, and I know that's probably a great client, but everyone could be can be a leader in their own industry. And so I'm sure you work with plenty of people like that. How do you help people kind of get over the obstacle thinking, Oh, I'm not a leader in my industry, what? But to find a way to say, Yes, I can be a thought leader in my industry, and I can put myself out there as an expert in my field. So how do you work with those people and get them through that process?

Chantal Henry  26:10

Yeah, well, that's a great question, because it starts with asking the right questions. So we literally sit on a call, for example, with a new client, and do what we call a breakthrough brainstorming session, where we just simply asked, okay, you desire to be, you know, known for financial investments, right? What was your first experience? Not having money? What did that feel like? What did that sound like? What did that even taste like? So we, we then allow the conversation to flow in such an organic way where they're now sharing a story, maybe a story about a time when they were young, and they've realized, hey, there's no food in the cabinet, what am I going to do? And then we ask them questions in that same vein, because then the story comes from one moment, to actually building out a catalogue of experiences that form their passion. And now unpacking those experiences, now we're able to come up with a recipe, right? That allowed them to move from that place of desperation to now that place of expert in financial planning and investments, right, because there has to be something that you've gone through that informs the reason why you're so passionate about your business, you may not recognize it, because you're too close up on it, right. But there's value not in the newness of your idea, but in the wisdom of your experience. And so we unpack that journey through asking the right questions.

Russ Harlow  27:45

So just as a follow up, then how, what's the difference? So just me saying, Oh, I'm good at what I do. And being an expert in my field, and being a thought leader? What difference does that make to me in my business, and how I grow it and scale it?

Chantal Henry  27:59

It's a mindset. It's definitely a mindset. So for me, you know, I recognized that I was not just a publisher of books, right, our company, but we are the publisher of stories of expert experiences of expertise. And the reason why that came, that revelation came and it helps with distinguishing you between Well, I just know a lot of great stuff, versus I'm a thought leader is that the thought leaders recognize that their wisdom has value associated with it. It moves them from the place of having conversations that insight, what we call discount dialect, where yeah, you know, I'll, I'll give you half off, you know, or just take this for free,

Mwale Henry  28:47

or, you know, I'm just I just doing a little business, I'm just trying to learn something.

Chantal Henry  28:52

That's what people who just have good information tend to say, but those who understand that there's value attached to their wisdom, they don't have discount dialect. Instead, they're willing to put a premium price on what they have to offer. They're also willing to have those high level conversations with people who actually need the solution to the problem that they're solving. So understanding the differences between the two and deciding which team you want to be on, do you want to be on the team of entrepreneurship where you're just like, I have a lot of great value and I want to just give it out, versus I have a lot of great value I want to give it out and to get my Master System is going to come with an equal exchange of value.

Dana Dowdell  29:42

Okay, this is the introvert in me asking, so to become a thought expert or a thought leader. Does it require you to be on a speaking stage or show up and do like you know, Facebook Live was in social media lives? Or is there? You know, can you become a thought leader? While staying true to your comfort level? With visibility?

Mwale Henry  30:12

Oh, great question. So for us, you know, we look at it is not just about so your introvert question is really about modality, how do I make my impact, and we usually think impact comes from visibility. And then we always associate visibility with standing in front of stages or 1000s of people. And if I don't see a crowd jumping up and down, well, I guess I'm not a thought leader. So I'll take you through what that experience is like for persons who are introverts and may define themselves like that. Number one, most people that you see on stages are introverts. You know, the only thing that moves them from the inner conversation, to having an outward conversation is their life's work, that that moves them to open their mouths, standing audiences, intimate spaces, be it coaching, you know, an intimate spaces, doing retreats, is because they know what their life's work is. And that moves them more than anything else. It moves them beyond, you know, you know, feet shaking, teach shattering moments, to saying, Hey, what is my why, and why am why is this such a disturbance to me that I can't just go to sleep and just believe, you know, the day is a normal day? And is that though, those clarifying questions that Chantal talk just mentioned, we take our clients through, you know, being clear who it is that you're looking to rescue, who it is that you're looking to add value to, who's that person that you, you have a desire to make a difference. So even when they're standing in front of an audience of five, or 10, or 15, or 20,000, we say to them, you're actually speaking to one person sitting in 20,000 seats. So by being in that space, where you're seeing, I'm standing, I'm standing before an audience of 20,100. But you're actually speaking to one person sitting in 100 seats. And that revolutionizes, you know, the anxiety that's on the inside. And then it allows you to realize it's not about me, is really not about me, how, how can I make that impact, because my greatest life was my discoveries. Like when I was homeless, I remember the time when I was homeless, you know, it was a place where in my professional life, I would have never thought I'd been in that place. Even though people knew me as a best selling author, working with, you know, you know, heads of states. When I found myself in that place, I was ashamed. And that shame allowed me to be in such a paralyzing state. And we've all been in that place where we fell paradise, right? Sometimes we go through loss, sometimes we've made bad spending decisions. You know, sometimes we hold shame on the inside, especially for my entrepreneurs, we're always experimenting, and everything blows and falls to the ground. And no one knows, right? And your biggest experience as an entrepreneur, you're always like that mad scientist in your basement working on a dream, and no one knows about it. And you only talk about it when you're successful. So that was my mindset. I was in that place. And I had to crawl myself through to redefine and rediscover my identity. It wasn't in my accomplishments or my accolades. As a matter of fact, great people have a long list of failures, right? We could talk from Abraham Lincoln, right? long list of failures. So I had to redefine myself and rediscover myself and redefine what success is to me. And that caused me to come to that place of realization and it didn't happen overnight. Overnight, is that same process that I share with people of rediscovering your identity, from losing everything. So when clients the things that they're hiding away? It's your greatest gift to humanity? What was the process that caught you through loss, made divorce, lost a job, lost a friend lost a loved one lost your health? And how are you on the other side? Share with us that that formula that you use to bounce back? That's your greatest gift to humanity?

Russ Harlow  34:43

So I'm curious, I see value in this for everyone. Right? Not just certain people. I think there's great value here for a lot of people, business owners and entrepreneurs. Can you tell me that? What questions should people be asking? or what things could be going on in their lives to think, like with your clients and the people that work with you that say, Oh, this is the next step. Oh, this is what I need to do. Like, what questions or should they ask themselves? Or what realizations are they having? When they realize, oh, yeah, no, I need to be an expert in my field, I need to be seen as this, I need to start doing these things.

Chantal Henry  35:23

Yeah, so you, you know that it's time when you realize that you're watching others in your industry, have the attention and not in a vanity way. But you recognize that there are some gaps, you're seeing them do what they do some things you admire other things, you look and you say, Wow, I can probably do that better. Or I have something to add to the conversation. And I just need that, I just need to get it out. When you are wrestling with the discomfort of the status quo, that's when you know that it's time to find a coach, time to find a program time to find a new playground with some new playmates that are going to help you to stand on your tippy toes and get your message out there.

Mwale Henry  36:14

Another thing is, when you realize that you're the brightest light in the room, that's a clear indication, it's time to get out there. Because we've professionalize and really, you know, brought an expert level of being the brightest light in the midst of the room. And you get yourself in a place of comfort like, Well, yeah, I did my day's work. And if you are in that space, where either everyone is keeping that preys on you, is a clear indication that your next step is to further your empire. And what does that mean? Because just like in any business, if you are in it up, that's the phase launch, you know, there's the scaling stage, and then there is the stabilizing stage. And if like in any business, if you are on that plateau for too long, the next step is you begin to decline. And you might be that person where people rely on you lean on you celebrate you, they call you, they you know, you are the go to person. And even that space, your close knit space, you are that brightest light alone, over time, your light will be begin to become dim. Because your greatest gift is not just the place of your comfort zone. You know, I learned from a mentor that he said to me, your convenience, and your convictions never live on the same block. So as you think that your service is in a place of convenience, that's when the signal is you need to start living your conviction. stand on your tippy toes chanteuse. And that's when you know, you need a support for your next.

Dana Dowdell  38:03

Um, you guys have a free community, correct? Yes. Tell us a little bit about that.

Mwale Henry  38:10

Yeah, so the League of Experts, we it's join loe.com. And that's where we just pour into, you know, those who are looking to stand on their tippy toes, they realize that, hey, I'm tired living in my convenience. I want to live in my conviction where I can make massive impact. And probably your biggest question is, where do I start? And the best place to start is in community. And that's where we have weekly conversations on supporting you in being clear on what your idea what's the process to unpack an idea? How do you go through the different steps? How do you choose? What's the right? product? Right? Is it a book? Is it a digital course? Is it a high ticket coaching program? You know, what is that? You know, not because everyone's doing it, your market may not require you to do that specific type of product. And then how do you have the right type of value based conversations in sales? You know, there are many people in intrapreneurship. They like the content. They like delivering the content, but sales is them that muscle is in atrophy, like, I could talk about everything. And from the time is a conversation about money like that, but you begin to fall apart, right? So how do you gain the confidence in not just giving a dignified, awful, but why given off in the first place?

Chantal Henry  39:33

Absolutely. And that's what I love about the League of Experts, because it's a judgment free zone. So even if you've never dipped your toe into entrepreneurship, but there's a still small voice in the back of your head saying, try it or have you thought about that. It's a community where you're going to see other people who are on your same journey, actually engaging in the process of giving birth to something that they've never ever tried before. It's all So a great place for individuals who are in that starting scaling or stabilizing phase, and you just need some more support. Right. It's a great place for you as well.

Dana Dowdell  40:12

I love it. All right, Mwale and Chantel, we do a lightning round with all of our guests. So we will kick it off, we ask you five questions. So the first one is, what is one thing that you wish you had known before starting a business and you have lots of business experience? I'm very, I can't wait to hear answer. Oh,

Chantal Henry  40:31

I wish. I wish I wish I had a blueprint. Now in a blueprint there many, many things to know. But I really wish I had a blueprint, you know, I come from a family where we blue collar workers, my mom she drove. But she said five feet tall, and five foot tall, she actually drove an 18 Wheel city bus. And that was her career for 32 years. And so I didn't have a blueprint for entrepreneurship. So when we first got started, at least for me, it was like trying to fly an airplane and building it at the same time. How miserable. How just challenging is that. And so I really wish there was a blueprint that would have showed me you know, how to save money, how to apply for grants, just all of the things that you don't initially think about when you're just gung ho, I gotta work for myself, really having a foundation for a business that had been successful would have been great. Instead of me feeling like I had to start from scratch.

Mwale Henry  41:32

Yeah, I think my key learning lesson would have been the importance of business credit, you know, most entrepreneurs leverage using their own finances their own money, right. And we've seen the importance of getting there quicker, faster sooner. In doing that, it really gives you that rep the necessary fuel for your dream to invest that dream to support that dream. So I'll always encourage, you know, business owners from the jump, you know, have a clear cap rate strategy, have a great wall of China, between your personal funds, and your business funds. And that really will support your business in a more strategic way. Gone are the days you no longer have to be married to the struggle, you know, build it would be you know, as you go or bootstrapping your business to big time, all those things are nice, but there are more strategic reasons in supporting your business. And business credit is a very, very strategic way to do that.

Russ Harlow  42:39

Great, good stuff. What's your favorite way to market your business?

Chantal Henry  42:45

favorite way is through referrals. We believe that satisfied customers are your best and have been our best, you know, way to build a business because a happy customer means more happy customers and they become your greatest advocates.

Mwale Henry  42:59

And not only that, it allows us to focus on giving 100% Satisfaction guaranteed. So when we support clients in that way, we know there's a big payoff on the back end. They're like they rave about us, they talk about us, we have top clients who go on stages and talk about us without us even it will seem Hey, could you endorse us? So when you really deliver at a cellular level people buy into your vision and it has a ripple effect.

Dana Dowdell  43:30

What is one business platform that has changed your life?

Chantal Henry  43:34

Chat GTP I don't know I met I met AI back then called what you might but I really love the fact that AI is unemotional ask it for an email campaign and it gives it to you without hesitation so I think Chat GTP as of recently has been one of the greatest assets for our business

Mwale Henry  43:57

um for me would be key with formulas infusions of having a real powerful way of managing your entire business centralizing that we will actually icon of the award winners for key and that would have really supported us and understanding the importance of having proper tools to measure to manage to know when to stop this isn't working and to pivot. So having a central support system like that is key.

Russ Harlow  44:32

How about favorite business book or book that had the most impact on you in your business?

Mwale Henry  44:38

Alex her multi-million dollar offer. That's been a really key example of really moving your mind from process sales to more value outcomes. Building value helping people to see value. So it really build that muscle For us not to be emotional or apprehensive in giving, you know, five figure six figure offers or managing contracts of that value. So you guys check it out.

Chantal Henry  45:13

And I would say, The Bible has been one of the greatest books for our business as well. You know, sometimes people take for granted that it's just spiritual and spiritual, but like, there are some business building principles that are phenomenal. Like one of my favorite scriptures is found in the Book of Proverbs 29:18. And it talks about your vision, right, where there is no vision, the people, the business will perish. And so understanding that having a vision for your life, your business is going to be so important to succeeding. Because in those dark moments where you want to quit, you want to give up, you remember, the reason why you started and it all begins with your vision.

Dana Dowdell  45:58

When did you guys feel like you made it?

Mwale Henry  46:04

I think we realize we made it when people were talking about us in rooms that we weren't present in. And it really goes back to that question about focusing on giving maximum service, that's when we knew we had a sustainable business. You know, we'll have clients who will come we never heard, you know, like, how did you hear about us? Or, or people will be like, Hey, did you hear this person was talking about you at this event is like, No, I didn't know that, you know, or they've used you as an example in their, on their slides, or, you know, and that for us really makes our heart sing to know that people are receiving our intentionality and they're not taking that for granted. And it's having the desired effect. So once you get to have people really speak about you, you know, in a favorable way, before others to their community was like, Okay, this is not just wasn't a one hit wonder.

Russ Harlow  47:08

Was it the same for you, Chantal? It is,

Chantal Henry  47:10

it is. So you covered everything. Thanks.

Russ Harlow  47:15

That's a good feeling. Um, I, I want to thank you both for being here. I think that, you know, I just, I love you guys. I just have loved this conversation so much. I learned a lot. I made a decision listening to you about my own business today listening to you. And I know that our listeners has benefited. So thank you. Thank you so much for being here and sharing your expertise with us and your experience. And, you know, to our listeners, I want to thank you for being here and sharing your time. And I know that you've gained something from this podcast, and I want you to like it, I want you to share it. I want you to check out the League of Experts. I want you to go and check out all the places where you can find and Mwale and Chantal it'll be listed in our show notes you can find us at it's just business podcasts in all the places like it, share it, get involved. And remember it's not personal. It's Just Business.