Unstoppable Success with Zak Shellhammer: Authenticity in Business

Today, we're diving deep into the world of marketing and authenticity with the incredible Zak Shellhammer. Zak shares his journey from web design to becoming a sought-after marketing consultant in Reno, revealing the grit and perseverance it took to overcome numerous hurdles along the way. We discuss the importance of aligning personal and professional values, and how being true to oneself can attract the right opportunities and clients. Plus, Zak offers some witty insights on branding and the art of storytelling, emphasizing that being unique is the key to standing out in any industry. Join us for this enlightening conversation that promises to inspire and empower you to embrace your authentic self! Jaclyn Strominger's podcast, Unstoppable Success, features an insightful conversation with marketing consultant Zak Shellhammer, who brings a wealth of experience and humor to the table. Zak's journey from a creative childhood in Pennsylvania to becoming a sought-after marketing consultant is filled with both challenges and triumphs. He discusses how his early interest in web design set the stage for a dynamic career, navigating through various roles in marketing and real estate. With a witty sense of humor, Zak recounts the ups and downs that shaped his professional path and ultimately led him to embrace his true self in the business world. Throughout the episode, Zak emphasizes the importance of authenticity in both personal and professional spheres. He shares how years of feeling constrained by corporate expectations fueled his desire to break free and create a business that resonates with his values. Jaclyn and Zak engage in a light-hearted yet deep discussion about the significance of aligning one's work with their true self. Zak provides listeners with actionable insights on how to cultivate a strong personal brand and the power of storytelling in marketing. His perspective encourages listeners to embrace their individuality, fostering a sense of connection and community among entrepreneurs. The episode wraps up with Zak reflecting on the power of relationships and networking, urging listeners to reach out and nurture their connections. His charismatic personality and relatable anecdotes make this episode not just a source of inspiration but also a practical guide for those looking to thrive in their careers. Listeners are left with a renewed sense of purpose, motivated to pursue their passions while remaining true to themselves. Jaclyn's engaging style and Zak's vibrant energy create an entertaining and informative experience for anyone seeking to unlock their potential.

Takeaways:

1. Zak Shellhammer's journey from web design to marketing consultant showcases the importance of perseverance and authenticity in business.

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Transcript

Recording Started

Introducing Zak Shellhammer: Insights from a Marketing Master

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Welcome to the Unstoppable Success Podcast, where we spotlight visionary leaders who have mastered the art of growth, purpose, and powerful connections. I'm your host, Jacqueline Stollminger, connector, high performance coach, and creator of the Leap to Your Success Framework in Two Steps to Yes. Each week we dive into bold insights, real conversations, and powerful strategies to fuel your growth, deepen your relationships, and ignite transformational momentum. And why? Because you were meant to be unstoppable. Now let's leap into the podcast. Well, hello everybody, and welcome to another amazing episode of Unstoppable Success. I am your host, Jaclyn Strawminger, and as you know on this podcast, we hear from amazing leaders, professionals, and um great people with incredible expertise who will help you be amazingly unstoppable at what you do. And today I have the absolute pleasure of introducing you to Zach Shellhammer. And let me tell you a little bit about Zach because I know him personally, and he is your favorite marketing consultant. He actually um moved to Reno a little about a year ago.

SPEAKER_00 1:19

A little over a year ago, yes.

SPEAKER_02 1:21

And took Reno by storm. Um and he truly is a master at marketing and branding, and all things that help you actually get known and recognized. And that's what helps you be unstoppable. So, Zach, welcome.

SPEAKER_00 1:39

Thank you. Thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_02 1:41

I was so excited to talk to you today. All right, so so we don't all start out, and I'm sure you did not pop out of the womb um being a um you know our favorite marketing consultant.

SPEAKER_00 1:56

No.

SPEAKER_02 1:58

So right.

SPEAKER_00 2:01

I came out of the womb and crawled across this country.

SPEAKER_02 2:05

Crawled. Um so how did how did you get into marketing, branding, consulting? Like tell tell us through a little bit about your journey.

SPEAKER_00 2:19

A little bit about that. Uh, I grew up in Pennsylvania, a little little know-nothing town, and was just this creative, amazing, fabulous creature who was like, What am I doing here? What what's happening? Um wanted to be an artist, fell into web design in the late 90s, learned how to code my own websites, design things in like Photoshop or other other odd programs back then that no longer exist.

SPEAKER_02 2:48

I was gonna say Photoshop, I used to use it all the time. It does not like does it even exist? Is it out there still?

SPEAKER_00 2:55

It yes, that that does. Yes, it's the other ones that are like I don't even remember. Like it's a Microsoft like front page then came around and all that.

SPEAKER_02 3:05

So I think I feel like we're dinosaurs.

SPEAKER_00 3:07

Yeah, yeah, we're dinosaurs, yeah. Back when the internet was just starting out and no one knew and it was just dangerous to be on and crazy, um, got into the the web design through family history actually. I was doing family history research, and my aunt inspired me to do a website because she was doing family history research uh analog, like you know, brick and mortar, beating the pavement kind of stuff. And she's like, there's this this brand new thing called the internet, and I bet you could get really far with family history research if you did this and like set up a website. So I'm like determined to do so. Launched my first website in 1997 on Halloween, and uh went from there, thought it was a great, and everyone thought this is a unique talent, no one else, you know, very few people can do that. Uh, and then I was graduating high school, so I thought, well, I'm going to be uh a web designing superstar and just move to California and make lots of money designing websites. Seemed logical at the time. Right. I did exactly that. Uh crawled across the country and then found that web design had changed completely, uh, moving into like the WordPress stuff, but more so like the front pages, the designer programs, and everybody wanted to hire somebody that knew those programs. I did not. Eventually found my way to Vegas because I just needed a job and found one in marketing with real estate, uh real estate brokerage, did their flyers for them because back then they were using like uh Microsoft Paint to do like flyers of stuff. Didn't matter what it looked like. So here comes this guy that could do like billboards and designs and stuff. So I did that. The housing bubble burst, and I just wanted a job. And they're like, Well, do all the jobs in real estate in the office, and we'll keep you. So I did, taught me how to run a brokerage. Uh, so I was kind of had like a background of marketing as I went through real estate operations management for like 11 to 15 years. Um, and then finally, when I had uh became a broker, I was teaching agents how to be successful in their business and found that everyone's story kind of mimicked mine as far as looking for authentic authenticity in business, yeah. And then became a consultant and coach and moved to Reno and found that that was what I loved the most.

SPEAKER_02 5:42

Okay, but back up, right? Right, wait, but back up. So so being a so a couple things here. You have because this is actually really important and a key thing to note. There were like there were a lot of hurdles in there, so you have a lot of grit.

SPEAKER_00 6:00

Yes, there was a lot of hurdles. There was 15 years of really torturous hor hurdles.

SPEAKER_02 6:07

Right, but but you persevered and went through so when you were going through some like hurdle number one, right? Like moving to California, like, oh my god, everybody, I don't know all these other programs.

SPEAKER_00 6:21

Right, yes.

SPEAKER_02 6:22

So, where do you feel that that part of you comes from that you actually have that ability to you know seek and find the path to yeah, it's very interesting.

SPEAKER_00 6:37

I'm not sure why that exists, other than strong family background of like hard workers. Um, some kind of understanding from childhood that you just have to do things, you just have to persevere. Um, I've never been like waylaid by the things that most are, just like I don't get scared by something. It's scaring me only makes me want to do it more. Like if it's a challenge, I want to do it more. So I did have a couple people in my family that were more like, you know, just take chances. They were all uh many of my extended family were business owners uh themselves. So maybe some of that rubbed off as far as that you just you if you're gonna do this, you gotta do it all on your own. Um, it's it was always very clear that no one was going to help me. Uh, and maybe that also was like a life lesson of I didn't have any example around me of success. I was actually told that I would be um a garage mechanic like my dad, or an accountant like my mom, or a chef, or a chef's assistant, or just like background stuff, which is nothing wrong with that. But I was like this fabulous glittery artist. I don't want to be just like dad, I just want to be me and stand out from the crowd. So, and and I didn't go to college, there was no money for that. That was the generation of like no money for college and parents telling you you're not going to college. So you're stuck, basically. And I'm like, I am not stuck. So wherever that genetically came from, I just have a very bold, I'm not gonna be stuck mentality. Um, and I'm gonna make it, and that's been to this day continuously, I'm gonna make it. Uh, and I'm still looking to make it, even though it looks like I have, but like every day within me, there's that because you always have that kid within you that's like looking for what that fulfillment, and no matter how much you give it to them, they still want more.

SPEAKER_02 8:46

Right. It it's like I'll take all the chocolate chips, but I kill what all the chocolate chips. I want to keep eating the chocolate chips or whatever that what whatever your whatever your vice is, whatever, like ooh, that's like I want that.

SPEAKER_00 8:58

Yeah, and I I grew up with those vices too. Like, I was I was just addicted to food. I'm still addicted to food, but excess is my thing. Like, I get it and I just only want more of it. Yeah, and thankfully that just translates to good things in my life.

SPEAKER_02 9:15

But so so you now, I mean, obviously, you you got into brokerage. I'm curious, what made you because brokerage that's you know, being in real estate. What made you want to actually pivot out of that?

SPEAKER_00 9:30

Uh wanted to pivot out of it because I didn't want to pivot into it. I got into it as that the mindset of I just want a job. And I that's that's the interesting thing about me is I on one hand, I think I could make it and be like the best of whatever, but on the other side, I was looking for somebody to take care of me. So I wanted a paycheck, and I wanted to like to succeed in something that someone would just pat me on the head and be like, here's your office, here's your desk, here's your fantastic paycheck, and problem solved. Um, and maybe that stems from birth as well. Um so I thought I was getting into the corporate world of like, oh, you're going to excel since I was good at it. Like, I just did it because I wanted to stay in my job. And then eventually they're like, Well, you're really good at this. And then I got another job with another broker, and they're like, You're really good at this. Let's get you licensed so you can negotiate offers and do contracts. And they saw that I had that attention to detail and ability to talk to people.

SPEAKER_02 10:37

And I thought, well, this is things that are kind of odd that sometimes a lot of people don't have.

SPEAKER_00 10:42

Yeah, really, and and I didn't know that either. So I was just I was just being me through this whole thing. And I thought that that would just get me the paycheck I needed, that that would just solve all the problems. Instead, it was more like just toxic work atmosphere, your standard corporate situation. Um, never excelling because uh something that I found midway through my journey there was a quote that said something like, If you are irreplaceable, you'll never excel in the job because they can't replace you. And that was me. I was stuck where I was doing what I could do because they couldn't replace what I did, and I couldn't move up and they wouldn't give me more money. And I tried for 11 years in that specific situation to get to that level, made it to like operations manager that that was a like big deal. Um, but I never was comfortable as in financially comfortable. I was never happy in the job. It was a not nine to five, but more like you know, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. kind of situation. And there was always fires and drama and craziness, and I wanted to pivot out of it always. I just thought maybe one day something would stick and I'd finally get into a position where I'd be somewhat happy that I have some vacations and good money, but that never happened. And I kept hearing all these podcasts and books about just taking a leap and going out. Leap to your success. Right? Yeah, gee.

SPEAKER_02 12:19

Great name of a company, right?

SPEAKER_00 12:22

And uh it took me a very long time because it's terrifying to go out on your own or or quit the comfort of because it was it might have been uneasy and dramatic and maybe stressful and killing my soul, but it was comfortable, and I could trade all that for comfort. But I decided in uh 2019 or so, 2018, probably I just I couldn't couldn't anymore, and I had to make a change and I had to take a chance because I saw nothing was going to change. I had to change it.

SPEAKER_02 12:57

And so see, make the change. So in 2018, so when did you when did you move?

SPEAKER_00 13:03

I kind of stumbled around in commercial real estate, property management. I just kind of because at that point, then I put my foot down, and maybe had I done that earlier, I could have excelled into the positions that I wanted to within that company, but they saw me as a compliant uh in the disc profile. I was compliant. I was the secretarial type role, and I was not a leader to them. Uh so I when I quit or or said I was resigning, they were like, Well, what about a bigger role in commercial real estate in that part of the division? And how about property management? And I tried and it was not, it was still not. Real estate just I love I could teach it because it's it's a perfect entrepreneurial job structure, but I don't want to do it. And uh it is very emotional for me from every client to client, no matter who they are, it was just very emotional. So I uh got into my own business in real estate. Eventually, that didn't work because that was all brick and mortar, that was like all liability on me. That was I'm a broker now, so I was training my own agents. It was successful. Uh, but then at the same time, I'm getting agents that are like doing million-dollar deals and not talking to me, their broker. And I'm like, oh my god, what what is this liability? It's it's scary. I don't want to have like 16 of these going at the same time. So I'm like, this isn't for me either. Uh, and just decided I I couldn't anymore. I I would I didn't know what I was gonna do, but I already once you quit once, I think it's easy to do it again and again and again.

SPEAKER_03 14:43

Right.

SPEAKER_00 14:44

Uh and that's seems to be like there's no fear in that anymore for me. Like I now know because the universe has shown me that whatever you do, there's always gonna be something there for you.

SPEAKER_01 14:54

Right.

SPEAKER_00 14:54

I believe that. Um, and so if you just keep stepping forward, like something's going to happen for you to take care of you.

SPEAKER_02 15:01

Right. And I there's a couple things here that I think to really point out. Number one is in these, in these things, I don't look at thinking of it as quitting. It's it's that they weren't in alignment with what you were, so you needed to make a change. Yes, there was something that was out of alignment. And and we talk on this show a lot about being in alignment with where you're going, having clarity in what you're doing, and you know, whether you're if you're a corporate employee or um and your leader or manager, team leader, I hate the word manager because that just sounds like we're managing a flock of seagulls or something. Um, but you know, your team lead, whoever that is, you're you know, that you're that you report into, you know, if there if there's not an alignment with you know how they their values and your values, don't they all have to be exactly the same, but they need to be in alignment, right?

SPEAKER_00 15:59

There's some light bulb moment right there, because that's what I was looking for for the entire all the the 20 years from web design to current, I was looking for alignment because I was happy to do the job. Always happy to do the job. I just wanted it to be more in alignment with me.

SPEAKER_02 16:17

Right, right. And and so making all these pivots, you know, it was just finding really your values and what aligned mostly with you. And now you're at this point where like I could say you are so in alignment with what you're doing, like in the you know, with your business and with the companies, quote unquote, that you keep, so to speak. You know, you work with urban roots, you work with jam entertainment, and you have your business. And at the same time, all of that though is brand, it's like it it all resonates with you, right?

SPEAKER_00 16:57

Yeah, I say I don't do anything I don't love. I love it all. It's it's all in alignment, right? And and being myself, and as you talk about authenticity yourself a lot. Yes. Um, all those years I was told to be someone I wasn't, like literally told to dress a certain way, act a certain way, hair, glasses, everything was like dictated, and in a threatening, like you'll ruin your reputation and ours kind of way. And I believed that because these were professionals seasoned in the business decades. I figured, well, they must know what they're talking about, but it was killing me to not be me. And that was the other progression there, kind of the the background noise of the progression. I started my own business in real estate thinking, well, I didn't want to be, I wanted to be authentic, but I didn't want to be like crazy authentic. I just wanted to be, you know, slightly, but it just happened. Like the agents I attracted were more authentic individuals out there working with interesting people and same it was just we attracted our tribe as you do, right? And that showed me not to be afraid of that, and let me kind of put my my whole foot in the water there with like just being myself. And the more I saw that that attracted people who actually loved that and supported that, and that there was business for me in that vein, then that was a that was a big deal, and that's why I'm so happy because I am myself, I can be myself. I don't have to think about what am I saying, how do I look? I don't have to like dance around any of that anymore, which is why it's all in alignment.

SPEAKER_02 18:41

I love that. And you you there's that so listeners, I want you to make sure that you take a couple of these nuggets. Like, don't be dancing around, and if you are dancing around, that might be a sign, right? That's part and if your gut is telling you something, that's a sign too, right? Now, I like I am one of my big things is and is your personal brand, you know how you how you show up, right? So you don't have to dress like everybody else, but you also have to know how to dress for the room that you're walking into, right? Right. So if you're walking into something that's professional, you don't want to walk in necessarily with tie dyes and you know flip pants.

SPEAKER_00 19:28

And and and flip-flops, please.

SPEAKER_03 19:34

I don't want to see your toes.

SPEAKER_00 19:38

If you see me look down and you're wearing flip-flops, you are you have just been judged, unfortunately. Yes, this is not permission to just be sloppy, in my opinion.

SPEAKER_01 19:52

Right.

SPEAKER_00 19:52

Um, when I fully like just because I I went like hardcore when I became myself. The original uh headshot was like my hair was longer, straighter, but it was platinum blonde. Uh the glasses were tinted very noticeably blue. I always wore like pleather jackets, uh just leather in general, but that taught me also about brand and brand story because people would like nationwide conferences, people would cross rooms because they saw my hair or the glasses, or they knew the jacket, and that showed me that I they were watching, but it was because I was so unique, no one could miss me, right? And they loved that, but it was still professional, right?

SPEAKER_02 20:38

So professional, but that's a so that's a really key thing to note. You know, and you and you share this, it's like you know, you didn't want to be invisible, you wanted to be seen, you know, and growing up, you're like, you know, I'm all glitter, right? Like I want to show, I want to be right, and so the biggest thing that I can say, you know, as you are growing your business, as you are the CEO, as you are working in um in whatever career you are, your voice in who you are needs to show up and and dig deep for that confidence to speak up. Each and every one of us has a voice and we need to use it. We need to listen, which is why we have two of those ears, but you also need to have that voice to speak up and not be, you know, don't if somebody is is putting your light out or not letting you sparkle. Again, that's a big sign.

SPEAKER_00 21:43

Red flag.

SPEAKER_02 21:45

Big red flag. So take us forward though. So I mean, you do such a great job, obviously. What you know, I think I I shouldn't say obviously listeners, you don't know, but you but once you check out Zach's stuff, you will see the obvious. Um Uh you do a great job with branding and helping your client. So when when you made that shift like talk about that shift of now being in, you know, being this marketing consultant. And what does it mean to you?

SPEAKER_00 22:19

It means uh helping people tell their story, their true story. Um, we're hearing so much more about brand story now than ever. But I was I was hearing this in my head way before I heard it out there in the world. And this last year in Reno, um taking over or dominating, as you say. Love that. Uh that showed me it was the proof that I needed, further proof that I needed, because um, when I transitioned from broker to consultant, uh, it was more because the agents that I was working with came back to me and they said, You taught me so much. And that while they still had to go find a new broker and get out there and and do, you know, I I left them out in the world on their own. They came back and they said, I still want you to coach me and tell me more. Like I it wasn't a bad situation that I had to let them go. And I thought, you know, if you if you come back to me after that, I must have done something right.

unknown 23:20

Right.

SPEAKER_00 23:20

And I was hearing the same story of authenticity. That was the the line across it was I'm I want to I have to be a luxury agent because uh it'll make more money, and that's the only thing I can do to make money. And I'm like, no, there's 103,000 things in real estate that you could do to make money, and it's not, you know, you do what you want to do or what aligns with your talents. Um, and then it was just random people saying, Well, could you do that? I'm a random entrepreneur or random business owner. Can you help me sell my t-shirts or uh my other life coaching business? I'm like, Well, let's give it a shot, and then I see it fits the same model. So it was kind of an A-B testing out there of what worked, and that finally I think I found, you know, when you grow up, when you're a kid, and you say you want to be fill in the blank.

SPEAKER_01 24:12

I I said I wanted to be a teacher, and I met like school teacher because you only have a like sorry, I don't have a poker face, and you're like teacher, and you said I'm like school teacher, right?

SPEAKER_00 24:24

Yeah, exactly. Well, because back in the back then, 80s, 90s, there was a list, you know. You want to be an astronaut, a teacher, uh fireman, fireman, you know, you're never gonna be the president, you're never you know, there was a list of things you can and cannot do, just being um all of a sudden I'm thinking of Sesame Street, like who are the people in your neighborhood? Right, yeah, exactly. So you know you have to pick something, right?

SPEAKER_02 24:46

Right.

SPEAKER_00 24:46

It's gotta be out of this one box. So it was like, well, I don't know. Teaching seems, you know, I'm standing in front of a room in front of a board. That sounds right, okay. Uh, but it's weird how many exactly how many times I hear people tell me that kind of story and they picked the simple thing, but they did turn into that. It was just completely different than what that actually means. Because I am teaching people how to be themselves in public, right? Which is one of my one of my taglines somewhere is like people teaching people to be themselves since 1997. And and I always wanted that's all I wanted was like we all just need to be ourselves. If you sparkle, sparkle. If not, don't. It's fine. But I never like had this box mentality where we just needed to be what what mom and dad said we should be, or the society says we should be. And I think I feel even more passionate about what I'm doing, long, long way around here. But because of that, uh, I'm actually doing what I always wanted to do and help people realize. Right. Because I used to do that as an artist, and I thought, you know, it didn't didn't really land. Like people were just like, okay, yeah, you're an artist and you're unique and interesting, but it took me to get here to finally be able to have a framework for people uh on how they can be their authentic self in their business and in their personal life. And that spoke to me.

SPEAKER_02 26:21

Yeah, no, and I love that. And that's a it's a it's a huge, it's a huge part about business, entrepreneurship, CEO, is that you have to be comfortable both you know, personally and professionally. And again, going back, like those values need to align both. You can't have one value that you can't have a set of values at home and a different set of values at at work because you're gonna be fighting each other right all the time. But at the end of the day, too, each and every one of us we do so much better when at our core we're we're helping other people or lifting other people up. And I love the fact that you're helping people be their authentic self out in public and letting them and and to be unstoppable, you need to be authentic at first to you. Like be true to yourself first.

Finding Authentic Connections in Business

SPEAKER_00 27:20

Yeah, and two things there. Uh, when I do a discovery call with someone, to this day, I will still hear when I ask them a personal question, they're like, oh no, no, like like what's going on at home. No, we're not we're not talking about that. We don't, we're just gonna talk about the business. It's like, well, we're we're pretty much done here because if you're not connecting the two, then it's not gonna work. And I've seen it, I've seen people because I have taken clients that told told me that, and I tried it. And at the end of the day, then suddenly one day they come in crying about their personal life, and I'm like, Well, this was the problem all along, like your whole setup at home was completely off, and it was affecting your business, but you refused to talk about that, and the other thing was bravery. I've always been told I'm brave, and I I never see that. I just I don't get it when when I talk uh to folks about being authentic or the things that I've been through or growing up as a sparkly child in Pennsylvania, they take me aside and they're like, You are so brave to be yourself, and like I can't do that as a business owner, or I'll be blackballed as a business owner. And that only drives me further on to push this even more is like this is not bravery, and if this is, then it needs to not be. We need to just be able to do this and be ourselves, right?

SPEAKER_02 28:46

Don't you want to just smack them?

SPEAKER_00 28:47

Oh, absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 28:48

Right? I mean, obviously, I don't I don't I'm not saying that I'm condoning and and supporting hitting and fighting, but no hitting, yes, right. But it's really important to own who you are. I mean, you have to be, you have to know who you are at the core. And we talk again, we we we talk a lot on this podcast also. Again, I'm gonna keep going back to clarity, knowing your clarity, who you are first, knowing your values, and really knowing what you want in your vision and mission. And it can take you a while to get there. So if you haven't gotten there yet, please do not worry. Like, you can take time to get there, right? Everybody has their own journey. And I always love to share, like, you know, um, I think somebody had said to me once, and I thought this was great, and maybe maybe it's not the right quote, but so don't like sue me against this. But you know, Warren Buffett, I think, didn't make his first, like, you know, he was 65 when he made his first billion, billion again. But 65.

SPEAKER_00 29:50

Yeah, yeah, that always makes me feel better now, especially because sometimes, because it's it's taken a long time. This has been I've I have been around a long time in my perception of it. And when I think when I look at those stars, that it's not usually till 50 that they break through, sometimes 60, sometimes 80. And it's like, well, okay, I've still got some time then to plenty, right?

SPEAKER_02 30:16

You plenty of time, yeah, right? Plenty of time.

SPEAKER_00 30:19

But it's so easy to get down on yourself because living in these bodies every day is just such a long process. It feels like such a long process, and and it did, I did come back full circle starting out as an artist and a web designer. Now I I am getting back into the art and the web design, but also adding all this other stuff to it, which I would never have gotten to if I didn't go through all that fire.

SPEAKER_02 30:42

Right, right. I love that. So, listeners, I really want you to understand something. If in fact you are at that point where you're like, oh, I'm on a cusp, you know, this is a point to reach out, right? So like connect. Um, be you know, it's in it's really important. Now, all right. So what right now, as you I mean, there's a lot of great things are going, what do you feel is your biggest challenge right now?

SPEAKER_00 31:12

That's that's a good question. Let me use all those things that we use to delay answering the questions. What is challenging then? It's it's finding the folks that want that long-term advisory. Um so many people want still they're looking for band-aids. They want to just have a talk, feel inspired, which is great. And I love that too. But I really love when I get someone who's like, I'm you're you're hired, you're you know, long term, we're in this for the long haul, and we're gonna work together on this project and their life uh for six months, a year or more. And the challenge is finding folks that are interested in that. If that's the type of challenge you're looking for here.

SPEAKER_02 32:13

Well, yeah, no, it's it's any challenge. And it's you know, and I think one of the things, you know, it is, it's it's it's and that's where actually I, you know, obviously the challenge is then is is how are you, you know, what are you doing to go about finding those people?

SPEAKER_00 32:28

Networking has always been. Uh, and that's I've I've never had to go beyond the organic networking and just referrals word of mouth. Um, so I'm looking how to better increase that to find those specific people um and and business owners. As I I just I love that because people say, How do you advertise? How do you get your people? And I'm like, I've never had to like get anybody. I just it just has happened. It just always happens, and and I want that to continue. I want it to always just happen. So just amplifying my message more so to get it out there, uh, to know that I'm here and and available.

SPEAKER_02 33:11

Right. So that's you know, I always call it's relationship capital, right? So that's really working through, you know, working, you know, and I will say this to any everybody, please like take this really important. Your network you need to work your current network, not just you know, not just always being going out and finding new people. You know, if you think that you've got somebody in your contact list, right, that you haven't spoken to in a year, reach out and connect with them.

SPEAKER_00 33:40

Yes. You know, you can't be so happy that you did usually.

SPEAKER_02 33:44

They're gonna be so happy. You just never know where a quick it could be just a quick conversation, it could be a quick text message. You know, we have so many people in our phones that I haven't spoken to, and I'm and I will text people, I'm like, hey, this is Jacqueline. We have not connected in a super long time. I literally saw your name in my phone as I was looking for somebody else, and I just thought I'd reach out and say, Hi, hope you're doing great. Like, or whatever that is, like spread some love and joy and and sprinkle some you know fairy dust on other people, right?

SPEAKER_00 34:17

Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely. And those seats that that was the I think I've been working towards this for so long, especially moving to Reno. I've had had that hurdle of learning a new area, new people, getting connected. Um, but now that I'm and I'm super happy with the area that I'm in and the people I've connected with, so now I can take it to the next level and keep going with that. Uh, but same with I made a video the other day about planting the seeds years ago. I got a call uh from someone I haven't talked to in two years. And she said, I was just talking about you at dinner because I still see you everywhere, and I know you're you're doing out there doing great things. And and I bet if I asked, they wouldn't even know to say what great things are that I'm doing, but they just see that that's important that you're putting that perception out there uh and that you are you're everywhere. I and that got me um another opportunity uh from like two years ago that and I knew two years ago that those were the seeds I was planting, right? And they will remember that, and same with with everybody out there is you've got to keep that pipeline of people nurtured. You don't have to always be talking to them, but like you said, if you happen to see their name, just sprinkle some dust.

SPEAKER_02 35:34

Sprinkle some dust. All right, so on that note, all right, first of all, listeners, seriously, you need to connect with Zach. How and what is the best way people can connect with you?

SPEAKER_00 35:45

Best way is by going to zacunscripted.com. And that's my website, everything's there, and then you could add me anywhere. I am Zach Unscripted uh pretty much everywhere Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, all the channels. Add me, follow me, like and subscribe.

SPEAKER_02 36:07

Yes, and we will put all of those links actually in the show notes. Um, Zach, thank you so much for being an amazing guest. I could talk to you forever because I absolutely love you. Um, he really does great work, guys. Um, so thank you. Listeners, please do me the favor again, reach out and connect with Zach. The other favor I would really love for you to do. Um, right now uh we have a brand new school community called Unstoppable Success. It's on school. So I would love for you to go to the school community and join. We will have some of the podcast episodes on there. We're gonna have some great um free content. There's gonna be some paid content. And one of the content um lessons that we will be having is all on building your relationship capital. So please make sure you head over there and subscribe to and join our Unstoppable Success School community. And then, of course, do me the always a favor of please making sure that you hit subscribe to Unstoppable Success Podcast. And please share this uh podcast with some friends, business associates that you think could um get some wisdom out of this great message. So thank you so much for listening. And again, thank you, Zach, for being a great guest.

SPEAKER_01 37:24

Thank you, Jacqueline.

SPEAKER_02 37:31

Thank you so much for joining me on the Unstoppable Success Podcast, where we don't just talk about growth, we leap toward it. If something today lit a fire within you, sparked a new idea, or gave you the extra push forward, please don't keep it to yourself. Share this episode and podcast with a friend, colleague, or fellow high achiever. Be sure to subscribe, rate and review, and most importantly, connect with me, Jacqueline Schuminger, at leaptoyorsuccess.com. For coaching, community, and your next bold move. Keep leading with intention, keep building your network with purpose, and most of all, keep leaping because you are meant to be unstoppable.