From Shark Tank to Success with Rachael Ferguson

#72 - Rachael Ferguson (EDITED)

Thu, Jun 13, 2024 2:51PM • 37:31

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

business, debt, rachel, day, years, people, money, sinks, life, podcast, retreat, love, pay, feel, daughter, lovely, work, today, agree, health

00:01

Do you want to live a life of freedom and adventure? Are you wanting more than the daily grind? Me too. Welcome to the Emma level show, a place where we talk about living a life you love now, I'm your host Emma level, and my number one value is freedom. I've spent the last 14 years running a business and traveling the world. And now I take my husband and toddler along for the adventure to it's possible and I know you can create a life doing what you truly love as well. This podcast will inspire, motivate and encourage you to go after your dreams to create a life you love until you get now don't wait for a time and or someday in the future. I'll be sharing episodes weekly about how I harmonize business travel and self care. I'll also bring on incredible guests to share their journeys, wins the challenges and how they're creating a life they love. Let's jump in and get dreaming. This is a space for you to manifest a life you love.

01:03

I would like to acknowledge and recognize Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first peoples of this place now known as Australia. I am grateful for the continuing care of the land waterways and skies where I work live. Listen, learn and play. From here on you can bear country and from wherever you are listening. I pay my respects to the elders past and present.

01:25

Hello and welcome to today's episode I'm excited to introduce you to Rachel Ferguson, a sports podiatrist and CEO of sinks body, which is an award winning Australian foot care company dedicated to keeping people on their feet. After launching sinks body on Shark Tank in 2015 and securing investment from Andrew banks, Rachel expanded the product range to over 50 items and they're now available in major pharmacies like chemist one warehouse and Terry White Kmart. She also hosts the soul wellness podcast offering health and wellness advice from global experts and athletes, a frequent speaker at seminars and in the media, Rachel discusses podiatry, general health and entrepreneurship. And in 2023, she launched a new company sinks body, New Zealand and is actively pursuing international expansion. I was so fortunate to meet Rachel at the AWS mompreneur awards and see her speak and she has such wisdom and business acumen to share and I can't wait for you to listen.

02:27

Welcome to the podcast, Rachel Ferguson.

02:31

Welcome to the podcast. Rachel Ferguson. Thank you so much for having me, Emma. It's a pleasure to be here. This is a long, long time coming. I think I tried to get you on my last podcast, the last podcast ended.

02:46

Oh, my next podcast and we're up to about 60 episodes. And we've got you. Yay. Oh my gosh, you've already done 60 episodes, that one comes out of probably the 70. So I'm not gonna say what? No, because I can never keep track. But yeah, we released 60 on Fridays. So yeah, because we're doing two amazing. So yeah, yeah, that's great. Yeah, double timing it, which is lovely. And it's as you know, podcasting is fun. But let's, let's get a little bit about Rachel, in your words.

03:17

Okay, so I am a podiatrist, a mom of two. So I say both because I've managed to weave motherhood and work together because I think it's so important. And as many entrepreneurs will know, like, there is no balance, you do not have balance, you just try your best. So I feel like I started as a podiatrist did all that had my own clinic, which I love treating patients, then I started creating products and developing products. And that took me on a different journey. And now I am running my company since body from home, and I get to do that travel the world, and also be a mom to my two kids. And I love that. Ah, awesome. And when How old were they when did you start their business or as you're working as a podiatrist? Yes, I was a full time podiatrist. But when my daughter was three, she's now 16 when she was three years old, I opened my first podiatry clinic. And I also started things body at the same time. So it was you know, then what followed was seven years of craziness because trying to juggle two businesses and a toddler priorities were just really, really all over the show. And it took me a while to figure a lot of that journey out. I'm really glad you said that about business. I'm glad you brought up the MacBook because when I first met you was that I was mompreneur and you were speaker. Yeah. That's right. You were actually my favorite speaker of the day. Last one. Why were you lost? So much good stuff to say in such a powerful story, hence why I was like you to get on the podcast. Thank you, Emma. That's lovely. Yeah, it's like you shared really practical advice and it's really interesting.

05:00

cuz To be honest, sometimes I don't connect with product,

05:05

business stories because I'm a service based business. And so sometimes I feel like a lot of the big stories we hear, we will get to it as well. Things that like go on Shark Tank, typically a product businesses and some people think of a business product, or what do you sell? And so we do see those stories featured. And, you know, so sometimes I'm like, I want some role models of service based businesses. I feel like I was able to understand, and I was actually excited by your journey, and you share more than just yeah, like, I made a product and it grew and then sold it and blah, blah. Yeah, like, oh, I don't understand like that. So much in between isn't there and I think people only see the shining highlight reels, you know, the things that are on social media, you know, the wins the you know, that businesses doing amazing guns, but they have no idea what goes on behind the scenes. What did you I guess, did have well, you had a service based business, but also from, like, yes, like a shopfront to see kind of like, all the different types of businesses, that was probably my first biggest mistake in business. And I think having your finger in too many pies, and, you know, spreading yourself far too thin just ends up being cut, you know, just a nightmare, because you're not winning in any area of life. And that's what I found for the first seven years, like, as much as I love, I'm such an optimist, and I love being positive. But it was really hard during those first seven years, I'm trying to get, you know, be connecting with people, as a podiatrist who are trading very hands on, you know, 2030 patients, sometimes in a day, then I'd stay up all night and develop my products, you know, build that business, you know, do email marketing, trying to learn how to build websites, and, you know, critique what these you know, people were telling you, because sometimes you you had to learn all this from scratch, you don't know, you know, you don't know what you don't know. So, and that was my biggest thing about building the business. I was like, I'm gonna get my hands dirty and do everything myself first, which is a great thing to do. I think I would say from my journey, I don't know what you think. But like, it's hard to know where the line is of when to stop doing that, and needs to be at home where you need to go to the next level and not do everything yourself and invest in your business and invest in support. Yes, if you're doing it on your own, no one's sitting there telling you and I definitely think I stayed on my own for longer than I needed to or got like more ad hoc support, I didn't get that like, ongoing auto handing over the outsourcing. Yes, I could not agree more. It's really scary. And I think when you're in that stage of your business, for most startups, there's usually a cash flow problem. So hiring other people and bringing them in is also a bit of an issue because you're like, ah, in my situation, we didn't pay ourselves a wage for seven years, like we were just worked in the business, because we were obviously a product based business. So you have to get patents and trademarks and manufacturing equipment, and it costs a huge amount of money. So there was no way we paid ourselves for seven years, we had to pay other people. But we certainly didn't pay ourselves. And that was part of my problem, because I was working in my clinic to earn a wage and then building this business that I was so passionate about, but not being able to get a lot of things off the ground, because they didn't have the help. And I think that is a huge transition for a lot of companies, when you realize that hang on a second, I'm getting in my own way, like I need other people who are going to do this job 10 times better than I could ever do it. And you know what, you know, I can still catch myself sometimes now going on, and I'll just take this and do it, and then I'll sit with it for a while and be like, you know, I've taken way too long like that, you know, I could have easily given that to one of my team members. And you know, they wouldn't have nailed that. Whereas it's taken me a whole lot longer. Because, you know, we're not always have the same skill set. Know, and you you might have been able to learn how to do it at the time. But like, there comes a point where Sure, that's fine when there's no money but somebody Yeah, it definitely can. Even things that you've set up a process that you've set up or something that you've created, and then someone swans in and does it in what it is so liberating when you realize and recognize that you can trust and you can hand it over. But I love that you said 10 times because as you were speaking, I was like the books that I would like it's my Book of the Year is 10x is easier than 2x. And then the first book together, which was it's Dan Sullivan and Benjamin Hardy who basically should be an all my show notes because I feel like I'm mentioning them every time. But it's who not how Yes. And we think for so long that we've got to be the who and I think also it's something that's coming up for me a lot in reflecting upon my business journey, as we talked about off air and writing a book and so you're going back through the trenches, but even when you speak right when you spoke that day, you have to tell the story of it.

09:49

I felt like I operated in the black you know I used to say the green but without debt and was so scared because I'd had personal debt, didn't understand how to take on debt debt in the B

10:00

Isn't it's not that I want to advocate for that, but like, maybe we'll jump to your Shark Tank story about, like, getting investment or what that looks like. Because, you know, I don't know, it's just, it's just like, that's totally next level. And for some, like, I'm listening to this watching a show about a cake shop, and the guy just freely says, I gotta win this show, because I'm like, I'm in a lot of debt to set up my shop. And that's just accepted. Whereas Yeah,

10:27

it's very scary for me to think about. Yeah, so

10:31

I completely agree. And like, so when I was 27, and I had my three year old daughter, and myself and my friend decided, right, we're going all in, we're doing this, it felt less scary, because we were doing it together. But you know, we invested our own money in the beginning, then when that dried out, we got an investment from family, then when that dried up,

10:50

you know, we were obviously credit cards debt. And that's not what how you want to start a business. But if you take on those, you want to take a risk on yourself, you have to invest. And so that's how we ended up on Shark Tank. I mean, we were probably at that point, maybe $100,000 in debt.

11:09

And we were like, okay, so we want to go to the next level. What does that look like? Several look like? So I think we've both had enough putting in money right now. How do we make this easier for ourselves? And that's why we did go on Shark Tank in the beginning.

11:21

It's like, how did it go? Yeah. Well, it was it's been Would you believe it's been 10 years this year? So a decade later? I'm having lunch with the shark with Yes. Theory shop. Yes, we are. Just last week I was in Sydney, we had dinner. And he is still the best decision that I ever made. And I'll say that, because he's a very, very wise man, obviously, very successful, always gives amazing advice. But what I loved, you know, the most over that, you know, is that even when he rocked up to dinner, he had pages of plenty of notes that he'd pulled out of some show that he'd been like, he'd been in a conference. And he had them all highlighted for me of things to read, you know, he's just such a good influence and mentor, and you need people like that in your corner. Absolutely. It's priceless. Like you can't, it's not the kind of thing that you can pay for, I think, yes, you can get mentors, but to have a genuine connection with someone when you actually care about them. And their success is very important. So I definitely got that out of from Andrew. But in that stage of our business, when we're in debt, you know, we could have been, like many other business stories that just went under, you know, just forgot about it, you know, put out of the down to our house and moved on, that could have happened. And so when we got that investment from Andrew, it was great to get the cash flow, it paid off all our debt, but then hang on a second, we're back to square one again, right. So we then ended up finding ourselves couple years later in debt again. So we will probably when my business partner left, we would have been probably still about 50,000 in debt, I think in a credit card. And I had this huge vision for the business, but we were going on different paths. And as she exited I you know, that's when I went through probably my biggest shift in my life. And I grew so much, because I hit rock bottom. And I think sometimes you have to hit rock bottom, to see a way forward. And I try and tell this a lot to people when they come to their business stories that we are. So in reactive mode, often we're putting out fires everywhere, we're just trying to stay afloat, like whether it's home life, sleep, kids business. And sometimes you have to find the quiet, to figure out the way forward because there's so much noise around us, you know, our phones are beeping all the time, technology, Netflix, like everyone wants a piece of you. And if you do not take the space away and give yourself time to reflect and think you won't know what to do. So I read a book called the Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod, I think I would have told you about it that day in that talk, because it's had such a profound impact on my life. But I read that book, and I decided, well, you know what, I've got no time. So I might as well just make time to do this. And I woke up every day at five o'clock in the morning. And I did his rituals, which was basically meditate, you know, practice gratitude, write five, you know, five things you're grateful for, do a bit of exercise. And at the time, I didn't have a full hour, so I just did what I could. And if that was just 10 Push ups on the floor, then I just did 10 Push Ups didn't matter. But the whole idea was getting your endorphins flowing. And he also made you drink a glass of water before you did any of that, right. So all of a sudden I'm waking up, I'm drinking water, I'm meditating, I'm doing a bit of exercise, I'm getting my brain in the right space. And within a few days, honestly, like things just shifted. And all of a sudden all these ideas came to me and that is how I came up with the idea to have all my brands to have like see we weren't just from an insole brand all of a sudden things lace, which was our notice shoe laces, sinks plus our compression range, our gel range things jelly and then we just have kept adding to that over the years. And it was in that moment that I thought okay, this is what I want to do now. I'm going to need more money to go make this happen. So I had to go back to Andrew. It's okay. We're already in debt. I get it. But this is my plan forward. This is what I

15:00

Want to do? Can I borrow another $100,000? And this is what I'm going to do. And he said, Yeah, okay. And I said I would pay them back. I think it was over the 12 months. So, Yep, got the money went and did it all. And I think I paid him back within three months. And we have never been in debt since 2018. So we've been a very healthy company, very profitable. And and we've just made really good decisions. And I completely appreciate what you say about debt in business because there is healthy debt. There is unhealthy debt. And when you're swimming in debt, it's very hard to get ahead. So I've just always made sure that you know, we have good cash flow and we make good decisions and we spend our money wisely and, and working on my own mindset as the leader of the company to make sure that money is something I talk about all the time. I read books on money all the time, it is not something that I just shy away from.

15:51

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17:04

Well, I think you know, I said I've wanted to have you on for a long time. And it's probably really good timing. I felt like crying when you were talking because like to be seen and to be good. And you do hear the success story or we hear the disaster story like, you know, and I remember listening to Prophet first book, which

17:24

he was talking about, someone would just be like, oh, yeah, we've got a million dollar line of credit.

17:30

And I'm like, always $100,000 line of credit even that was like, you know, our tax bill. That was like, I couldn't even Yes. And I have had my credit card go up to 50k. Yeah. And it's, it can be crippling Yeah. And it can feel like you're drowning.

17:49

You can see a way forward. And you have to have a trust point, because you could just declare at that point. And then it's like, Who do I turn to? How do I get help, but to feel alone, and to think that you're the only one and you just suck at this? No, it's not. But then to understand, like, it's that understanding. And it's something that I'm talking a lot about at the moment and learning a lot about it's like business and debt and personal debt or business finance and personal when it when you come from being a sole trader, being

18:22

on your own freelance style to then going into, say, a trust or a company style. It's different as well. And just know, one year they have this, like small business workshop things, but no one sits you down. It's like accounting what I want. I did accounting when I was at uni, not applicable to a lot of what I do.

18:41

I completely agree with you. And it is hard. Like, you know, you can be doing all these amazing things in business and having money in the bank and putting everything aside. And all of a sudden, like you said, you get that tax bill, and then you look at it, and it's great getting money. But you also have to pay a bass and new tax, and it's very easy to get behind on any of that.

18:58

So businesses need lots of good strategies. And if you can't lead with someone who's filling their own cup, you know, if you're not putting investing into yourself, you cannot lead a company. That's my thought process. When what every time yeah, a lot of it's a like, like I said, I ran my business for the first 10 years where it was like, if I have money or when I have money, I'll do X. And it was like at that 10 year mark where I was, if I don't invest in myself, and if I don't put some money into this, especially in the visual identity, say, reflecting where the businesses I'm asking people to spend 1000s on me, but I'm not spending 1000s to call them in it was just like this epiphany type moment. Not there's a line obviously because I know I've seen other businesses I'm sure we both seen come in and go. Just drop. Drop 50k on. Yes. The very shiny things. Yeah, I do agree with having done the work like you have a viable minimum viable product. minimal, minimal, viable

20:00

offer that you're able to like, yep, this will bring in money. But if I want to bring in more money, or I want to bring in the type of client, the type of money that I want, I'm gonna show up appropriately and have the things in place. Also to like, if you have a sale, if you don't have a sale system or processing, you can just literally said I'm trying to sell. I was testing just before we got on the call my book launch tickets. Yeah, yeah, we have to test those things. And we have someone to help us set those systems what I do, because I yeah, not detail oriented, no. 100%. And you need to because you just don't want it to flop at the end of the day. That's, you know, if someone goes to purchase a ticket and they can't like that's, you know, I mean, we've all been there are different ways. I didn't get a thank you email, or when I got the other day, someone bought my retreat, very expensive item. Wonderful, lovely luxury. Hey, I'm just letting you know, my thank you email says Sri Lanka, New South Wales.

20:57

So we changed that last week, you know, yep, you're definitely like, it's, you know, I'm a human, and that's fine. But you're just like, Ah, okay, yeah, let's have some somebody else because I know I'm not the best. Yes, I'm the one who creates the thing.

21:14

That, that, that alone has probably been one of my biggest flaws has taken me a long time to move past like that I can do everything best. And it's just because sometimes it's easier. Like it might be easier. Just to give you an example, one of one of our staff members is away today. And I should have actually passed our live chat on to someone else in my in our office. But I decided I know I'm just going to jump on there myself. So next minute, you know, responding to customers. And now later, in full on conversations with them, I'm thinking, I have so many more important things to do. However, it is actually really good to get in those shoes again and speak to the people because that is how you know what the problems are. So I'll always say that to people. I don't do it every single day. But every now and then I still will jump in and respond to customers on emails and get right in there. Because I think it is important as an owner to. Yeah, and there's that line of like, you're never going to be up in your ivory tower. So knowing you can, but it's a question of like, Yes, I can reply to the live chat. Is that the best use of my time? Is that isn't it? So put minute by Okay, yeah, I can do this for half an hour as research or as you know, or get literally there's nobody else on today. Awesome. I know the back end, I can pop that email out or all my, my AAA had to run out to an emergency. It's okay. I can push send on the email today. Today, today only. Not every day. And then what I loved again, in those books that I mentioned who not how and

22:44

Texas ease into x is that thing where they go? Even the people that you bring in the team then get to a point where they're like, I can no longer manage? Yes. And actually they've done their lane of expertise. And we're finding that at the moment and like, yeah, it's not really you shouldn't be faffing about in my email system and my website back end, because I need you managing my projects and my calendar and me. So let's hand that over to someone else. We just need to train them. And actually, probably they can do it. They could probably pick it up. Even without us like I try my training videos like 55 minutes long.

23:23

Clearly, I'm not the best person to explain. It's good. But then then once you've done it that that little bit of in That's a misunderstanding, too, I'm sure you've found is that

23:36

bringing people in? Sometimes it's handing over. It's not just throwing the ball and running. Yes, like Yes. Okay, let's teach you the rules of the game. Yeah. For the ball. more effort you put in, the more you get out of it. Absolutely. And so how this like, you know, let's skip to a question, we'll come back.

23:57

My question to people and you've got older children, now you've got a business that cynic is entering a new stage of maturity or more growth.

24:06

What does living a life you love look like? Now?

24:11

That's a really good question. So I think for me, it's about like I said, I don't think at the stage that I'm at that there is a huge balance. But I think I need to make sure because I travel a lot for work. And I love doing what I do. I need to make sure I'm there enough for my kids. Like, that's probably my biggest thing. So when I'm home, I'll try and you know, drop my daughter at school, save her taking the bus, you know, those sorts of things, or pick her up if it's going to be easier. And I just I love spending time with my family. So I just try and make sure I really prioritize that time because it's such a borrowed time, you know, they're only young for so long. And also my friends, my family, and also myself, like I definitely prioritize my health. I've noticed that, you know, even though I figured it out in 2017 that the reason why my life was not going the way

25:00

I wanted it to was I wasn't doing anything for myself, like, I'd stopped exercising, I stopped eating well, I wasn't, you know, growing, and I know my values and my values are very strong and health and wellness, but also in growth as well. So I need to be reading books I need to be learning, I need to be stimulated, so I make sure I feel those values. Because then I can be the best mother, best wife, the best friend, family member, you know what I mean, when you're filling your own cup, which I think too many times we think it's selfish, and I don't think it is, I think it's just being the best version of you. And I agree, when you said that balancing at the start.

25:37

That's such a mean, it could, potentially, but I think it's like kind of reframing what the word balance means. Because balance scales in for people who are listening, I'm doing my hands up and down, scales go up and down. So sometimes it is a bit more life is a bit more travel or anything, it's a bit more kids, or it is a bit more business, things understanding that it'll go like ebb and flow, as opposed to, I'm going to do 30% of my time on the business. I'm gonna get into my time with the children. We've spent this. It's just if you aim to have it like, all same level all the time. I think that's where the failure. Yeah, I agree, because you feel like you're failing at everything.

26:18

Whereas now I can say, after being in business for so long, like 13 years now, that in the early days, I used to hold a lot of guilt, as I'm sure you do with little ones when you're trying to build a business. But as my children have got older now 16 and 10. They both tell me a lot, especially my daughter being 16 how proud she is of me how she loves what I do, how it's given her insight into, you know, they learned from watching, right, so, and I used to have so much guilt around that. And it was actually a business coach told me many years ago, she said, and especially because my son used to sit in my bed, and then I was trying to get him back into his bed. And she said, You know what? It's such a short time in their life. But she remembered when she used to travel a lot for work, that one day her daughter came home and said, You know what, Mom? Today, the boys at school, were talking about how their dads travel for work. And I said, Yeah, well, my mom travels for work to an art and she was so proud of her mom. And when she told me that story, I just because my kids were smaller than they couldn't really talk about it. I use that to really focus on you know what I'm teaching them, I'm teaching my daughter that she can do anything she wants, she can have a family, she can have a career, she doesn't have to choose between them, she doesn't have enough to have any of them, she doesn't worry. And then my son, I'm teaching him that women can have everything and he also doesn't need to go work hard, he might want to stay home and raise his family while his partner goes out and work. So yeah, there's a choice to there's a choice for everyone. And I think teaching our kids reactions is very important. Absolutely. And it's I just think this homes for without going too much on the high horse. But it's like the fact that you and I are even having this discussion. Two guys on a podcast and having this discussion.

27:57

But no, like, you know, the question, were like, who's got the kids and you will turn around and go? Who does have kids? Yes. Oh my god. It's like, I don't know, the father. Or the other co parent, the parent, the other person. Yeah, grandparent, the world grandparents, who they love and adore the childcare center, who I pay who are professionals, to the nanny, educate anybody else? Like anybody else so that I can be here doing the thing that I need to or want to be doing? And I love? You know, yeah, we had Mother's Day the other day and at kindy they asked them what do you do with your money? And Finn, right? I like drawing, playing with cars, or going on planes are bless him. And only three is he three? We've been on a plane the day before? Oh my god. Yeah, it's noise. The time with cars, it would be because usually somebody else is there to play with cars or now. Yeah, any grandpa's there? No, mum. No. But if no one else is there. I'm allowed to play cards. Yes. That is so cute. That's what they that's their normal. Like, that's, that's our family's normal. And it's not for everyone. But I don't, you know, they're just going to have a different way. And if they start saying, hey, I need you here more, or I miss you or, I don't know showing other signs. Okay, well, we can address that. But, you know, my dad traveled a lot when I was a child and we didn't question it. And I remember being pretty mean to my mother and she had to go away.

29:30

Apologize.

29:32

But yeah, it definitely went a lot. And then which inspired me which is just a normal part of our lives. So as you say, it's, it's um, I love that that you're role modeling to them and I've seen your daughter on your socials at events with you. Yes. And being involved and it's just, it's just this is this is your life. This is what work looks like for you and it's gonna keep changing like

29:58

we have there's no

30:00

One way Never has there been but that whole nine to five type thing. Yeah, it just looks so different. It does. And you know what, if you think about it, this is what I say to my kids, sometimes to when when you do work a nine to five job in an office or you have to commute, you're often gone super early, and you're back super late. You don't get to take them to activities, you don't get to pick them up from school, you don't get to go into school, if they're having an assembly or you know, something where they need you. Like, their gifts. And that's that's part of a trade off of working from home or having your own business or working around a life that suits you. Yeah, making it work for you. And there's always a time like he said, We got to navigate that. And so what are a couple of things we'll wrap up soon. But what a couple of things that you do, like you said mentioned writing, reading books, like what are some of the things that you like doing, or you? Yeah, I have a coach. And I've always had coaches for years. And at the moment, I'm doing the Tony Robbins Mastery program, which I'm loving. So that's definitely something for me, even though it's it's life, and wealth and business. So it's kind of like everything combined. And I'm really enjoying that whole process has started last September. So I'm just sort of halfway through now. And I find that that brings a lot out of me because it makes me question a lot of things in my life that I want. You know, what, what's life gonna look like in five years? 10 years? What you know, and what do I want for my business as well as my family. But I also know like, after having two kids, two of my kids have autoimmune diseases. My daughter, celiac, and my son was diagnosed type one diabetic just 12 months ago. So for me, like, the biggest priority is health, like health is number one, because if you do not feel well, then everything else crumbles around you. So definitely, I'm very, very focused on health for me for my family.

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And I love exercising. So I love exercising, and I love socializing. So all those combined, I feel like that I'm happy. I love it. I like I've written down the book. So I'll put that in the show notes. I've been reading the artists way, which also had morning practice. And then a friend does this 21 minutes of morning magic. So she does a live 6am. Yeah. And you know, it's such silly little beliefs and barriers. Because what's at 6am? I was like, well, not that I can't, but I'd like to not wake up at that time, or at the same time that I'm with my son. So I kind of commit to that time. And then it really clicked last week that I was like, Oh, it's on Facebook. And it's recorded. Like, I can do it at 730. Yes, nine, or one of the ladies apparently does it at 7pm. Or like, like, oh, I still do the 21 minutes of magic. It's just when and that's meditation, a little bit of yoga movement, a little bit of journaling. Yeah, it's so important. It really is changing life changing when you get into a good practice of doing it. And you can. So I've always been a journal. I don't know about you, but have you because you're a writer. Yeah, journals, too. I've got journals from when I was 1012. Like all the way through my whole high school years.

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It is really funny to go back over. So earnest sometimes like Oh, God. But you know what, it's so important that I've encouraged both my kids to keep them they try but they don't really stick to it. But it's such a good practice. Because when you're feeling anxious or worried about something, and you get it out on paper, it's out away, you know, and so it's very, very good practice to have any journaling. Great, you know, gratitude, mindfulness, I think it's so important. Yes. And I loved what you said, when you were talking about that when you started the morning, you know, the Miracle Morning, because I think sometimes people do they're like, well, the only way you're gonna be successful is if you have a morning practice, we all have different times of the day. And maybe it is just setting a habit. And that could be great. But maybe that that set up for the day is just a glass of water, like slapping your arms around a few times, yeah, stretches like, I think I get stuck into that too, of like, exercise has to take me an hour. Yeah, or a walk has to be an hour, I don't have an hour I can't go for as opposed to, if I walked around the block for five minutes, it'd be better than Yes, sitting here all day. You know what so true. And the age that your son is now I remember that stage. So that was the time that I was going through that, you know, trying to do it. I just didn't have the time every single day. So if I only had 10 minutes, I would just do one minute of all those things. Yeah. And then when you had the more time you do it, and you know, if you do three days out of five, great or one day out of a week, then it's better than a meal. And you can be a little bit kind to ourselves. Yes. And it changes, right. Like at the moment I can get up at 530 and go to a 6am class and come back before the kids wake up for school and get them ready. So for me that works now, but it might not work in two years or a year. You've just got to do what stage you're in. Yes, yes.

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I feel like I just needed this call for me today. I'm not gonna release it. Yes. Oh my god.

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hot seats. I don't know about you, it's my own personal coach that you will get to know it's great. I love it. I love talking about this stuff. I think it's really important and even if it just helps one person focus on a challenge that they have, and know that they're not alone. I think that's

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so many gems today and I so appreciate the honesty because I think that honesty and that people have been there before you. Like you said with Andrew like people who share openly like that, please more of that in business in a safe container. Yes, more of that because a lot of people you just are flying blind. 100% agree. Thank you, Rachel. I love seeing your journey and subtle plug. I've got the sinks, shoe wipes.

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I'm not I'm not a paid, I'm not affiliated. I got them at a conference bag, add them in a little sample one and then write to

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use them all the time taking carry with me and I'm like, I feel a bit. I don't know. grotty? Yes, get away my shoes, and they work on my Birkenstocks too, because I've got this

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stuff and these feel fresh and presentable again.

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Love it. How do I connect with you? You can find me on Instagram, our Rachel Ferguson and Al also at sinks body and I also have my own podcast that we're just launching in about a week and a half called Soul wellness. And we're gonna have lots of chats about health and wellness because that's really what a huge driving forces for me so you can also follow along on there. We're gonna put it all in the show notes. Thank you. No worries. So glad because it's that Yes. Amazing. Thanks, Emma.

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Thank you for listening. Lovely one. I hope this has inspired you to dream big and start creating a life you love today. If you love what you're hearing, don't forget to follow and rate on Spotify and rate review and subscribe on iTunes. It helps other awesome people to find this podcast and get motivated and inspired as well. Want to stay connected comm and join the live a life you love group on Facebook, or connect with me on Instagram. Emma level.au The same as my website. But all the details are in the show notes lovely. I'll see you next episode for more inspiration, motivation and freedom seeking Now go out there and live a life you love