213: Resilience, Growth, and Community Building with Keyani Washington & Kenneth Gay

Also available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/byx1FJGPh0c

Jen Amos checks in with past guests from The Rosie Network, Keyani Washington and Kenneth Gay. Together, they share their experiences, challenges, and rewarding moments in helping military-connected entrepreneurs through the Service2CEO program. They share updates on their business endeavors, and they highlight the benefits of leveraging opportunities like podcasts for marketing purposes.

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• 153: "Put on your freaking shoes and walk." Keyani Washington's Journey From Hairstylist to Skin & Hair Wellness https://holdingdownthefortpodcast.com/episode/153
• 161: "You only get one life to live. Whatever brings you life and energy, do it." Dr. Kenneth Gay's complementary careers in the military and education https://holdingdownthefortpodcast.com/episode/161

Read our Monday, December 2nd, 2024 newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/98c0c4a5850e/holdingdownthefort

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Access our FREE PORTAL for bonus content, including a FREE subscription to the "Inside the Fort" podcast: https://holdingdownthefortpodcast.com/portal

Do you want to do more than “follow orders,” think outside of the box, and manifest your dreams? Then you’ve come to the right show! The award-winning podcast, Holding Down the Fort by US VetWealth, returns for Season 8 to highlight motivational stories of personal growth, financial awareness, and autonomy in our military community. The show is hosted by Jen Amos, a Gold Star daughter, Veteran Spouse, and Entrepreneur.

Our show continues its partnership with The Rosie Network by featuring Service2CEO Graduates every Monday! Read more - https://issuu.com/therosienetwork/docs/2024notablesmemag/24

We're also excited to be featuring replays of the "Take A Knee" Live Show with US VetWealth Founder & CEO Scott R. Tucker and Blue Water Advisors CEO Mike Wallace, which discusses career progression for military retirees. Tune in every Thursday!

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In the Fall of 2023, Jen Amos was sought after by InDependent to co-host the 8th annual InDependent Wellness Summit™. In August 2022, Jen Amos' work on the podcast was recognized by Disney Institute and she was hand-selected as the only non-Disney employee to moderate the first Military Spouse Employment panel for the Veterans Institute Summit. March 2022, former co-host Jenny Lynne has voted the 2022 Naval Station Norfolk Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year. November 2020, Jen Amos was awarded “Media Professional of the Year” at The Rosie Network Entrepreneur Awards! The show continued to collect award nominations in the following years. In September 2021, the show made the Final Slate in the 16th Annual People's Choice Podcast Awards for the Government & Organizations category. In November 2021, the show was an Award Finalist for the 5th Annual National Veteran & Military Spouse Entrepreneur Awards. December 2021, the show was a Golden Crane Podcast Awards Nominee. September 2022, the show was a Finalist for the 13th Annual Plutus Awards presented by Capital Group for “Best Military Personal Finance Content.”

Holding Down the Fort has also been featured in multiple media outlets including Military Entrepreneur (M.E.) Magazine, MOAA’s Never Stop Learning Podcast, The Leadership Void Podcast, Lessons Learned for Vets Podcast, Sisters in Service Podcast, Get 2 Vet, Blue Star Families of Dayton & Southwestern Ohio, Legacy Magazine, U.S. Veterans Magazine, The American MilSpouse, VeteranCrowd Network, It's a Military Life, VirtForce, Military Veteran Dad Podcast, and much more.

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Jen Amos 0:00

Music. Do you want to do more than follow orders? Think outside of the box and manifest your dreams? Then you've come to the right show. Welcome to the award winning podcast, holding down the fort by us that wealth. I'm your host, Jen Amos, a gold star, daughter, veteran, spouse and entrepreneur. For season nine, we continue our partnership with the Rosie network to highlight motivational stories of personal growth, financial awareness and autonomy in our military community. We're also excited to continue showcasing our partnership with blue water advisors. Now let's get started.

Speaker 1 6:10

Hot? It is hot out like hot in Alabama. They need to put something in no atmosphere to change that. But, yeah,

Jen Amos 6:24

yeah, we need to figure out, like, something, right? Yeah, I totally hear you. Like, like, our HVAC isn't working, but luckily we have portable ACS, so we have, like, like, I have one right here blasting pretty loudly right now. That's why I have my mic close to my mouth, so you wouldn't hear all I have three fans on. Like, I kid you not. It's just It's awful here. So I feel your pain. And of course, we're also excited to have Ken back to the show. Ken, welcome back. Same question to you. How's summer treating you?

Speaker 2 6:48

Hey, you know what I'm gonna say this Jen and Kiana, the summer has been going great. Living here in Houston, Texas, we, uh, recently I finished with hurricane, oh, boy. It's either boy or a door. I can't remember which one is, but I think it's hurricane Boyle, but anywho. So a lot of people were out of power here in the area. So I was out power close to a week. But I guess bonding time, because when my power came back on, my sister, my brother in law, my little baby nephew, that's five, and my young adult daughter, all at my home until their power came back on so very catching up with family. So I found myself as a power came on, disappearing a little bit more so I could let them enjoy the space here and the air by myself a lot. But other than that, summer has been great. Yeah,

Jen Amos 7:37

you're like, just come on over. I need company anyway. It's cooler here. Yeah, I have to tell you, summer is my least favorite season. Like, if anyone asks me, like, What's your least favorite season? It's summer for a million reasons. I won't get into it. It'll it'll take the entire conversation. But the weather is definitely part of it, like the heat, the humidity, the large insects that come with it, you know. So anyway, y'all know? Yeah, all right. Well, while we bear the heat, let's go ahead and catch up with you both. So just curious, another quick question for you, Kiani, like, what's keeping you busy or excited about life nowadays? Just like quick snapshot,

Speaker 1 8:21

basically, just tried to figure out a new thing as far as working with the cosmetology school. So I've been helping a lot of students. They just kind of contact me they have issues with their school, and so just trying to figure out how to incorporate that into my brand already, of what I do for consumers directly, but I think I mastered it, so hopefully we'll get some flows with I'm actually working closely with more schools. Wow,

Jen Amos 8:52

that's that's very exciting. I remember our first conversation and just the natural progression of your career in the cosmetology industry and how you go from braiding to hair products to you know, to now, your teaching is what it sounds like, or helping with the educational side of it. And so it's really amazing to see your progression in your business. There's a book I recently finished, in case anyone is curious. It's called Mastery by Robert Greene, and the premise of the book is to figure out your vocation. So vocation can also be known as a divine calling. And a divine calling isn't necessarily like a particular job title. It's more of like a feeling of certain skills that can translate in different spaces in different ways, and it sounds like you've been able to consistently, like, translate everything that you do, but luckily for you, it's in the same industry. It's in the same industry, yeah, yeah, that's amazing. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, thanks for sharing, and I'll have more questions to catch up here in a little bit. But Ken, same question to you, what keeps you busy and or excited about life nowadays?

Speaker 2 9:58

Okay? So. Couple quick things. First is just working through my business with Kenneth gay Education LLC, so I work with students, teachers, principals, counselors and even parents, just on social, emotional learning skills. I'm helping them work through issues with behavior as well as academics. Still in the military, so I'm in the reserve, so I recently promoted to Colonel about two months ago now, so I'm currently, right now, the chief observer controller trainer for my unit. So I'm responsible for about 80 soldiers where we provide quality feedback and military decision making process with units across the country, and working with Rosie network. So I'm the alumni lead, so I constantly work to make sure we find programs and different things. They help out our veterans. The only one new thing that I would add that probably hardly no one knows. They're gonna be like, Oh wow, when they hear this is that I'm actually back in school.

Oh wow,

because you never forget. You never can give up on learning. So even though I have a, I know, you know, I have a doctorate degree, hey, you still have to learn. So actually, right now, get my Master's in Counseling. So I'm working on two licensures, dual, which one is a licensed marriage and family therapist as well as professional counselor. Because I thought one day, hey, you know, I'm constantly working with educators as well as soldiers, and I'm like, I'm counseling already. I might as well get paid.

Yeah, might as well get credit for anything paid for

it so, you know. But I'm back in school, so that's been very interesting, getting back into the habit of writing five to 10 page papers or what have you. So they're really, they're work life and school balance and, you know, and the team wants to talk to fellow peers online. So the great thing about is online, so it's interesting listening to young adults as well as older adults who haven't been in school in a while, talking about the challenges as far as with work life balance. So it's been very interesting to hear people's stories. I

mean, what's balance anyway? It's like it's a myth. I like to say seasons. This is my season of being a workaholic. This is my season in rest. Like, what? What's balance? I'm curious what, what have you found for you so far? Ken, like, that makes you feel like, I don't want to use the word balance, but you have, like, a good handle on things. Yeah.

So people, and I almost, you know, I know people get on to they're like, Oh, thank you. Back at school. So my friends often and family members, the ones that know me close, know that I always try to make it a point to find things to do, like, at least once a week, I will stop and make sure that I go to the movies. I will make it a point to go spend time with, whether family or loved ones or friends, and at least once a month, on a weekend, I may travel in the eastern Texas area, drive down to Louisiana to hang out with friends or Dallas. So even though I'm doing work, I made it a point that is, you should never overwork yourself. Try to have balance. So even when I'm doing these things, I know some things are going to lag at times, but I try to communicate to individuals. Hey, might not be able to do it this time, but you know, couple weeks from now, I'll be able to catch up with you, and I just kind of try to keep a try to keep a running hog like a checklist, or the people that are important in my life, that making sure that I'm at least spending time with them and when I'm at least with them, even though they might not have the quantity of my time, trying to be intentional as far as with the quality, as far as putting my phone away and being present in the moment when I'm kind of dealing with people.

Yeah, that's good. I think that's incredibly admirable. It sounds like you are a man who loves movement and purpose and productivity while also like organization. It sounds like you know how to give your undivided attention to every aspect of your life. And I think it's very commendable. And I think you wanting to, you know, get into therapy is, to me, it seems like the natural next step for you, because of your this calm demeanor you give off, and the fact that you with, you know, military service members and students like, you know, not that they're different, really, I guess, but, you know, it's just like, it's just amazing, you know what you're doing, and I just commend you. And I mean, this is why I'm so grateful for my collaboration with the Rosie network. Is because I realized in the seasons of doing this show, I was like, like, I'm an entrepreneur. I need to be around other entrepreneurs. I need to know what they're doing, you know? I need to get that energy and that inspiration. And so, you know, people like you can. It adds to my many reasons of, like, I can do this too. So thank you for sharing that. Yeah, Kiani, I want to turn it over to you sort of same question. Like, I mean, I know you're focused on education right now, but do you feel like you have a lot going on? Or, like, what is, I guess that's the question I'm trying to ask. Is give us a snapshot of, like, a typical, an ideal, typical. How about that? I see, I know I have to be very mindful, because when people say typical schedule, it's never typical. So I'm like, Okay, I gotta choose my words, like, carefully here, but go ahead.

No. So you know? Well, you don't know, but my son will be turning two on August the first so Wow. He's all over, like, he's just everywhere, all things. He's just, like pushing the limits and all the stuff. So, you know, I try to make sure that I, of course, like do things with him, and then, you know, my husband and the other so it's like having to manage all that and still try to do business. And I thought about going to school. My professor wants my old professor wants me to and I'm like, I don't think that's good idea right now, but just trying to do more, as far as my son, because we're working with his speech He's not speaking right now. So we're, like, trying to do different things. So I have, like, speech therapy with him at least once or twice a month, and then his intervention counselor will come. And then it's like, I try to do extra stuff with him. Like I the VA here has a piano, so I'll take him up there. He likes just banging on the piano, so just trying to, like, do different things with him. So it's like trying to make sure that he has his ties set up. And then, you know, you got to make sure you have time for the husband, then you still got to make time to, like, do work in your business, work on your business, go network and talk to people and do stuff like that, so and then, like Ken, I try to make sure that it's a harder balance with, like, having children, husband and business, But I try to make sure I do something, even if it's like, I had a VA counselor I started with a couple years ago, and even though that issue was resolved, I just decided to keep her like I was like, just might as well keep going to therapy like, no need to stop. So she was like, every so often, I need you to just go like, I don't care where you go, you just need to, like, go. So sometimes I'll feel that you need to go. And so we went to Florida for about a week, me and my son, and so we just kind of relaxed. And, you know, I just enjoy everybody else, enjoying him, so I can enjoy my time to myself.

That's really just go play with him. Yeah, like, catch up with him. Yeah, like, go, I'm

gonna go do something else. So my typical is just really, like a lot of him, just him and, you know, house stuff, and just really trying to, you know, balance out working on the business, connecting with the schools. That's a whole headache in itself. Like, if people only knew this industry, like it's the, yeah, it's a lot. It's a lot.

Yeah. Well, thank you both for really, just like sharing the, you know, just the humanity of what it's like to do everything that you're doing, you know, with this common thread of trying to help military connected entrepreneurs and being entrepreneurs yourself. You know, kyani, I when we spoke, you had a lot of and then moments when you were sharing your story, so Amy, like latest and thens you want to share with us, to update us on your journey.

There were a few, and they really involve, like, cosmetology students. So I kind of connect. I don't even know how I really started, but just helping cosmetology students. And so they'll call me and they'll tell me, like, or they'll reach out, email, whatever, and then they'll say, I'm having this issue with school. So my thing is to listen to what they're saying and try to, like, help them work through it. But a lot of times that calls for me to have them to get in contact with the administrators of the school, and it's a whole rabbit hole that you go down, but it's crazy to win. It's like and then I have to have this conversation with this administrator that feels like they're doing the right thing. I'm gonna air quote it all, because they're not and then it just gets aggravating, because it's like, I'm being repetitive in my words, like having to, like, go down the same, you know? And then here comes another one, and they're like, Miss Keanu, and I'm like, Okay, let's and then there's another one that I'm like, miss you. Okay, okay, okay, so it's like, trying to coordinate with the leaders in this industry is like, I don't know it's, it's a headache, but they see things like, from one perspective, but there's another perspective. So when you try to tell them like this, so it's this, just it's frustrating, and it it continues to be like and then I had to do this, and then I had to talk to this bird, and then I had to do this to with this, and then I had to re talk about this that I already talked about 10 million times already, and I'm like, putting the same type of content. Like, every time somebody sees something that I put out on social media, it's same thing. Like, I'm saying I had this conversation with a student, then I had the conversation with administrator. It's like, the, I'm telling you guys the same thing, can we, like, stop with the, you know? Yeah,

it sounds like they have. Of a short, short memory span. They're like, goldfish, and they like, forget what you say every five seconds.

It's crazy. It's crazy. Like it, yeah, if I could, like, have let somebody do like, a day in the life of talking with a student and then talking with school administrators and then being the consumer on the other side, they would just be like, You know what? I'll figure it out on my own. Like, I don't even need to go to any place to get my hair done. I'll just figure it out. Like, yeah, yeah, but it's work that took me when I see that the light bulb comes on for the student or the light bulb comes on for the administrator, like, it's work date to go from there's a friction in the battle between the two, to where something is mentioned, it might not get fixed all at one time, but, like, something has mentioned and they're willing to work to move forward. But a lot of times I'm like, okay, and then I had to tell you this, and then I had to do this.

I was gonna say, When is the end? Then gonna, like, get to some milestone at one point. So I'm glad to hear that that light, when they have that light bulb moment, it's like, it's like a relief for you. I mean, it's not the end an uphill battle.

We've we made some, made some progress, you know? Yeah, moving forward. So those are really, like my and then the always, and then moments are the one with my two year old, like,

just on your that's just, that's just on repeat, that's just, that's

just on repeat, like, that will never, ever, that will never, yeah, change. He's a character, so, yeah,

oh, I bet, I bet. And I hear, I hear terrible twos is a notorious time. So I he's not

even two yet, and we've already started like, he does the craziest things, like he spits the liquid out of his mouth and like, on the floors, on the shirt, like, what my mom is, like, what is that? And I'm you've been the parent longer than me. You tell me, like, yeah.

So funny, yeah, so Ken, when I say, and then it goes back to Keanu story of, you know, when she was trying to on her entrepreneurial journey, she just had a lot of, I'm gonna say, speed bumps, a lot of obstacles. And so I want to turn that question over to you, especially since being promoted to Colonel, and, you know, running tenant education. And then also, like now studying, like when you were listening to Keanu stories, has a number of and then popped up in your head. Also, yeah,

every now and then I was gonna tell you, Look via chiani. Are peers with the rosy network, so I've seen her handsome so, so she's out. So at times we've had meetings. So I've had a chance to see him on a couple occasions via zoom. So always good to see him when he's with his mother. So obviously, I had a chance to quite a few times so, but I was going to just to kind of go into what you were just sharing, I guess, on the military side, on the Army Reserve side, I was very excited and gratitude, you know, having the opportunity to make the rank of colonel. So I've had the opportunity to kind of just work with a couple of great people and different units, and I just shortly, just share, I guess, one of the good missions that I had is that I had the opportunity to go to South Korea, particular mission with some soldiers. So I was there probably about a month and a half, close to two months, so I had a chance to work closely with some of our counterparts in South Korea. And so it's just very unique experiences. My first time going to South Korea. So it was very different from the food, just from the culture, and just learning so much and even some of the communication barriers. But it was very interesting that they had so many soldiers with the South Korean army. There are branches that actually at some point moved to America, whether been for high school or still in college, but they had an obligation to go back to their home country, you know, during the summer, and sometimes provide their military service. So some of them were actually going to be coming back to America, and some of them had never been to America. So it was just interesting, kind of just sharing different things about, you know, our different cultures, or what have you. So that was a unique experience. I've had the opportunity with my own business, Kenneth gay Education LLC, to work with a couple of different campuses. One of the greatest things I had to do was work with a couple of campuses. So one of the main ones probably with elementary school. So I was working with some students there were considering tier two or tier three students that generally have some behavior issues in class that awesomely affect their academics. So working with their teachers as well as them, I'm very, pretty much hands on with my business and even working with parents. And I can remember one day, one of the kids I was working with, he just happened to come into the office where I was at that day, because I'd be up there, you know, two or three days out the week, and he had the saddest little face, and he looked at me and he was like, dr, k, right? Maybe in the second grade. He's like, Dr gay. Can I? Can I eat my snack? And I'm looking at him and I'm saying, Okay, it's like, 2pm and you know, you shouldn't have us. You shouldn't even be in here first of all. But let. Sit down because I was just curious to see. Sorry I didn't say anything. So he pulls out the biggest lunch bar I've ever seen in my life, and I'm thinking to myself, immediately, I know goodwill that is not his Lunchable. So I didn't say the thing. Then he changed, can I? Can you? Can you open this for me? I'm thinking myself, well, I'm about to be complicit and open this Lunchable down. Oh, you know, you got it. Your backpack is so large, like a big lunch. Make Long story short, I was a physically, a short handed, so I just helped him out at the school. And me a bit. He was a second man. Been a third grade teacher. This during the bust this missile, and I heard her saying, Man, my lunch is gone today. I had a lunch in my room. Was it a Lunchable? She said, Yes. I just shook my head, Lord and mercy. So I told her about the lunch, but she had to laugh. And they probably had, like, 10 TVs just it made their day. They were kind of like one of those long days where, you know, sometimes teachers have some rough days, but they laughed about their problem for a good whole week. And I remember the next day, I haven't seen the student, and that same teacher had to be by saying, hey, so and so, Hey, what happened to that Lunchable that you had? He literally looked at me and said, What are you talking about? Dr gay, I didn't have a lunch,

so oh my gosh, he knows how to gaslight. Wow.

Yeah, I was just laughing. So eventually he owned up to it. But those are the things you know, not enjoy the job that is so funny that you know young people and students like you, you never be amazed at some of the things that they say, but they truly appreciate when they see that you're in the trenches and you're there for them. So experiences like that, as far as with the Rosie network, having a chance to work with wonder individual, which can be wonderful individuals such as yourself. Kiani, I get a chance to talk to her all the time and hear all the wonderful things she's doing. But like yourself, Jim, we appreciate your podcast because you're actually going to be talking to some of our services CEO alumni members, Ashley, tomorrow, so you're going to share with them during our mentor matters. Talk how important it is to make sure that you find mentors or find people, even if it's not in your industry or field that you can learn from and you're going to actually share with them the power and the leverage of utilizing podcasts, such as yourself. Because I'm amazed over the past year, you know, we have individuals that are interested in doing podcasts, and when the times come to do the podcast with you, I'm not sure. Oh

my goodness, yeah, so at least you

gotta have things to share that, hey, yeah, listen an opportunity, yes, for free, because you're not paying for this free airtime that you can actually have for your business. Yeah, we appreciate you, Jen, and you're going to be able to hopefully alleviate some of those fears that some of them may have, and they can actually see I can help their business.

Okay, so my question is, considering that you both went through the service CEO program, imagine being in their shoes, and they get invited to be on a podcast, and then they they just ghost me. Like, where, what do you think's going on their mind? Like, what do you think are the the fears? Like, if you can even imagine I'm just curious because I, I mean, I don't think I'm intimidating. Am I intimidating? I don't bite. I can't bite anyway, it's all virtual. So I guess I'm just curious to know if there is anything just so I can have some, like, some material, you know, for tomorrow. What if you guys can speculate? What do you think?

Do I start out first hearing.

I'll let you go,

if I had to say, I think when business oftentimes, some people think that whether they're selling a product or services, they feel that it has to be perfect, and they're so afraid to make a mistake and say the wrong thing. But you said something key, and I'm not sure if it was on before we started on here or not. But with storytelling, want to hear your story so it's not too many things that are new under the sun is no different than I have a pin here. So if all of us had the same, pretty much exact pin, why should somebody buy my pen? I mean, my story might very well be that, hey, I had to walk a mile a day when I was in school, and I couldn't afford any pens. So, you know, use a pencil. And the first time I had a pen, I cherished it so much that I, you know, once the ink ran out, I kept it with me. People were compelled to stories. And I think sometimes some of the alumni, they don't realize that you don't have to be perfect. People, when they're buying their products, a lot of times they're buying because of you, they're looking to you're representing your brand, and they want to know what it is about you and what's unique, because you never know someone may have gone through some of the same things that you're doing, and sometimes people like mistakes. One of the things I've learned too, I don't have to be perfect. I may political mistakes. I might fumble some things that I'm seeing right here. I wouldn't have you usually I don't have a, you know, I'm not into that. I probably do a class on, hey, how to make sure that you don't have any shiny or because anytime I've done anything like this, it's usually my mother or someone will always say, you take a rag and wipe over your face. So, yeah. So, you know. Those things careless. But uh, so even though things like that, you know, I never had a haircut or, you know, I don't know, white outfit, you'd be surprised. Some people are just because they're just no things are going to be there probably for infinity, not knowing that whatever you do, it shows growth. So I mean podcast now, and they look back later. People oftentimes want to be able to say, hey, you know what I remember when you were laughing or some such happen, and tell me about it, and I might work up a conversation help. But I would say the main thing, I think, is bringing it home is not trying to worry about being some probably thinking about being perfect and thinking about everything that can go wrong, as opposed to thinking about what can go right. So frame, I'm already look some of these constant class is already working a little bit. Now, the out in the outlook of all you know, looking at the perspective in a positive terms, having that positive mindset, that they actually see something positive, and even if something might not go the way it needs to be, that at the end of the day, they have the courage, and, if it's anything else, and the courage to actually get on camera and talk and share about your business.

Yeah, I appreciate you sharing that. Kiana, did you want to add anything to

that? I would pretty much probably say the same thing, just not understanding the value, really not realizing, I think, from a perspective of, like, if you just started, and like, understanding, like, marketing and advertising and how this is a free resource of that, and how you know it's already has its own platform, like just looking into the what it already has, and what they don't have to do to make their business be a certain way, because your platform already has it. Rosie already has it in general. I think they don't realize that all of those things, like the marketing, advertising and how this could, you know, be a whole different plateau to doing something else, just those realizations that, you know, this is a free resource that, you know, available to you. I don't think they, I don't think they think of it. I

mean, it, it could be that mentality that in the military, we get everything for free, so it's like, ah, you know, la di da. I don't want that, you know, it's like, it's just like a buffet pick what they want kind of thing, and maybe take it for granted. I don't know. I'm just speculating, but I do appreciate you know you both sharing that insight, and I definitely understand the whole idea of, like, oh, I shouldn't be on a media platform unless I have all my ducks in a row, unless, like, I 100% know my message. And I think that is the myth, I hope that our show breaks is that I've caught people at so many different parts of their journey, including myself, like, I mean, this show, like first started out with an emphasis on military spouses and and actually, I've been going down memory lane lately because I've been working on a new project, which everyone will find out later. But it requires, it requires me going back to, like old episodes, and it's like, it's interesting, because I guess I had first started out with, like, military spouses, and I just personally, for me, I loved witnessing the progress and the improvement and the refinement of of my own journey as a podcaster. I started five years ago, and I didn't think that I would be here 200 plus episodes later, right? You know, in partnership with the Rosie network, like being able to chat with you both about this journey. And the thing is, it's like, part of the success of an entrepreneur is like, I think it's about having that public, imperfect journey, because it, I think it adds to the growth, that adds to the accountability, and I think it adds to like, I think it just really humanizes you. And I'd like to believe that our story is part of our product. It's part of our brand, and because otherwise they can just find something cheaper elsewhere. Like, there's way too many opportunities to find cheaper options. But what I think people will buy, the reason they buy your product is because they bind to you, like, like you said earlier. Ken, so see, I do appreciate D share, and it's crazy because I've actually looked up a couple of people who in the earlier seasons, some of them are no longer in business. Some of them are aren't even on social media. Some of them have, like, skyrocketed. Some of them have really blown up their brands. And it's just that I think it's a beautiful thing, because I think that as humans, we're not we're not stagnant, we're not like just this one note, one dimensional of a being like we do grow, we do change. We're not the same as we were in school, you know, I mean, Ken, you know, you're back in school. So I guess I can't really say much there, but the point is that it's, I do appreciate this, hopefully, this encouragement, inspiration, to let people know that you know you're right where you need to be on your journey right now. And we'd love to capture that moment, and we hope that it's something you'll appreciate down the line. It's like, it's like going through a photo album of the past. You know? It's like, when does the on this day thing? You. And you're just like, oh, like you either are happy about it you're not, but nonetheless, it's nice to see, it's nice to get, like, a reference point of you know who you were then and who you are now. And there's a lot of wisdom and in looking back, I think, and yeah, and so, yeah, go ahead. Were you gonna say something

while I was thinking about it? Because you just jogged my memory. Because one of the things I love about your podcast is that you can go back and view so like Kiani and myself and some others, we pretty much have weekly meetings. So even listening to her podcast, when I say I was beyond inspired to hear her journey like has so much more respect for her and some of my fellow peers, yeah, when you see people and knowing the resilience and the grit that individuals have gone through, even when you do your snippets. I don't think people realize for those Hey, make sure service CEO program graduates you might want to get with Jim, because you all get some gyms, because you'll actually get some small snippets you can actually utilize, because I've actually utilized some of the podcast clips that you provided, several of the show wonderful. We used previews prior preview prior to the episode, because what it allowed me to do was to share more when I'm putting in for contracts and they want to know who you work with, a little bit about yourself. So instead of me just kind of just blabbering, I'm able to put in the clip, in those short clips, and those things have helped out, matter of fact, even one of the shirts. Because, actually, I was gifted this by one of the clients that I was working with. They were saying, Hey, I saw some, you know, I saw podcasts, and that led me to go look for some more. And I didn't realize, you all some other things. And I said, Oh, man, that'd be cool if he had a bright shirt, because I didn't actually have my name on any of my shirts. And they actually put it on in when they but, yeah, so from your podcast that I'm thinking about and that I've intentionally wore it so that they're perfectly like, hey, maybe inspire some other people to get Jen and Keoni and myself some other people some shirts to help. Yes, I was joking, but, uh, so those are those, those small things. Well, no, I'm not joking, but don't be not joking. But no. So those are the wonderful things. Because think about I'm at a shirt someone saw and said, Hey, you look nice. I want to get a brighter shirt for you. So they gifted that to me. But that would not have happened, because they see me work with them in person. But when they saw the podcast, they were actually Hey. So there are so many things that you can just utilize the podcast and share any of y'all do anything else, I would say this, sharing it with your children, like feeling just trying to grow up one day and he can see the wonderful things his mom did and have those memories for your parents and loved ones. So if you don't do it for anything else, at least you'll have something to be able to share with your family and loved ones about you. So when all those people say, I don't ever remember you having a business and say, well, go look at the clip. You're

like, here's evidence I am

doing. I was actually working.

Yeah, I appreciate you sharing that. And really, I say this to a lot of the guests, even when, before we start starting, I usually say, you know, it's my goal to create the content that you want to share, you know, because after the interview, I I chop up the content, so it's just featuring you, you know, like, I have enough of myself on camera. I'm fine. Like, I do enough. I'm good. I you know, like, I don't have any ego about this, but like, that's my, that's my goal is to be like, to me, the goal of a host is to bring out the best in you so that I can just make it about you. I can just chop up your content for you, and you can just run with it and see how, and hopefully give you the inspiration to do something similar yourself. You know, to know, like, oh, all it takes is I just talk on camera, and then I can chop that up for social media, like, that's it. It, yeah, it actually, it's, I mean, it's tedious. I'll say that it's, it's not as easy now, it's very tedious. And there are programs out there that try to make it easy, and I can definitely talk about that at the workshop. But nonetheless, it's the way that I see marketing is, it's like, it's like, each mark, each piece of marketing, is like, a little salesperson going out there for you, and like, just doing the little, the little drips, you know, and that's what I love about it is like, and you can use it over and over and over again, so that, you know, like Kiana, you don't have to keep in bending again and repeating again. You know about your situation. It's like, hey, just watch these videos. Just watch me answer these questions. And, you know, it's a way to duplicate yourself, is how I see it. And so that's why it's like, when people meet me for the first time, they're like, Oh, I feel like I know everything about you. And I'm like, I'm like, well, one like, wow. Like, thank you. But also it's like, Wow, I'm so glad to have leveraged marketing so that, like all of that, it did all the work for me, you know, it did all the work for me, so that people come to me and they feel comfortable with me already, you know, they feel comfortable. They feel like they know me. And I think that is the benefit of podcasting, like via audio and video. You know, that's why I think it's okay to not be perfect, because you're probably going to show up like this in person anyway. I mean, this is basically how I've been looking like all summer, because I don't want to put my hair down. Down. I'm like, This is what you're gonna get, you know, like, I just cannot do anything with my hair right now. I just keep sweating. And so it's awful, like, summer is not I just don't like summer, sorry, everyone. It's funny because it's gonna come out in the fall, and then people are like, Oh, it's actually chilly now, but, but anyway. Anyway, I digress. Thank you both for for sharing that and your insights on, you know, just sharing, speculating on why people don't, don't get on a podcast show, but and also hopefully inspiring people to want to be on a show. And, yeah, you know, like, like Scott and I, my husband and I see the rose network, and Stephanie Brown and and ebeth and Trisha, and everyone is family. We've, we've been part of the family for a very long time. And so I hope that there's that feeling of, of family, you know, like family when they come to the show. So, so I just, you know, we just need to keep, you know, getting them to warm up to the opportunity. Because, like, you both also said, it's free marketing, like, it's like, free, like, you're not hiring me to do your marketing, and yet, here we are. My team is doing your marketing for you. Like, what better I'm just saying, like, what's a better deal than that? Like, I'm

not better.

I'm not giving you a paycheck after the fact. I just my, my goal in life is if you like, at least on the show, is if you really like what we created and you share it like that fills up my heart. That means that, you know, we're doing something right, you know. And that's really my, my end goal here. So anyway, let's go ahead and shift gears here. Since we're let's talk a little bit more about the Rosie network. Now, I know we talked extensively of like, why they should attend attend this workshop, but let's talk about your roles specifically and what's been going on. So Kiani, for people who don't know, tell us your involvement with the Rosie network and what's been going on for you lately.

Um, so I am a chapter lead, so I actually facilitate the classes, and I do, like, one on one, so they get the entrepreneurial work 12 weeks, but it's eight modules, so they'll get their work, and so I'll send them their homework, and we'll go through it. We'll work through it with the presenters. I usually, you know, allow for them, like, let's schedule one on ones. Let's see where you at. Let's see we have going on. Are you okay? You know, just trying to be a bunch of things at once, like, their motivation, their mentor, their advisor, all of that in one. And just, really just pushing them to, like, you can do it. You can do it. You know, make sure, you know, if all of these things are in place, then you'll be able to do that. I did venture over to the kip north side for a little bit, and that was, it's actually very rewarding, because just to see, like, those little minds come up with some type of business or some little thing, I'll tell you one of the kids in particular, like, I just absolutely love him, but I'm gonna miss him because I went back to serve co side, but he came up with, like, the smallest little thing, like, he knows how to change a tire. So he's just, like, I was like, Come on, now and then he, wow,

I don't know how to change a tire.

And then, um, I think he's dead, or his brother, somebody taught him how to shovel snow, because he lives in one of those areas where it smells all the time. So he just like walks, so he takes upon himself to walk to the neighbor's house and shovel the snow, go let them know that he shovel the snow and they'll pay him for it after but he doesn't say, Hey, do you want me to shove

he just, he assumes the sale, wow, amazing, impressive.

But, you know, just coming up with new things for them, like new ideas, and not just, you know, kind of outside the box, and being able to communicate, not with just them, with with their parents. So just being able to actually be on both sides of it. I had opportunity to work closely with E beds on like a project with trying to work through how to recruit new people in to actually be a part of the program. So just actually being able to see so many sides of it, and I don't know at the time, when I did my interview, had a golf tournament, but being able to participate in, oh, my god, that was, like, mind blowing. Like, I was like, excited the whole time. Like, how are you excited to take somebody else's, you know, like you're there for them, like you're not actually golfing, you're just but just to be I was telling my mom, the experience of being in the room with our being in the space of the environment, with so many people that have reached heights that I can, like only imagine or strive for, like to see somebody hand you a black card, and I've never even seen the black card before. I'm like, Oh, this is a black card. Okay, so, but yeah, know that. You know, they they worked hard. They, you know, stuck with it, they focused. So just like Rosie giving me those opportunities to be in the role with certain people, and even like the new entrepreneurs, like being able to meet some of them, and being able one of the other things that we do, like we have the opportunity. To get on with each other's cohorts and do graduation practice and be there for the graduation so you actually get to see not just your cohorts business unfold, but you actually get to be a part and participate in other cohorts, and getting to know other cohorts unfold and like to see their finished product after we've gone through this, like, you do your pitch, and it's a practice, and then you're like, Oh, I think you need to tweak like that. And then to see them, like, go back and change it. And they're not my people that I've constantly have to say, Come on, come on, come on, come on. But other people, it really feels good, like, to just be able to work with not just my cohort, but other cohorts, and just sharing and helping each other, just all about, really, just helping the entrepreneur, you know, reach the the highest steps that they can through the program, is just still being able to continue to be there for them afterwards. Because I still communicate with some of mine through LinkedIn, and sometimes they'll, we'll just message or something like that. So it's just, it's just, I just like that opportunity of being able to be a part in so many different ways, and not just just one way. It gives you, like, the opportunity to be a part and adopt in a lot of different ways.

Yeah, I feel a lot of gratification coming from you in the way that you give to the Rosie network, and you give to these kids and the cohort members, and it just sounds like, in all this giving, there's, there's so much reward in that. And seeing, like, the light bulbs turn on, because I was going to say that sounds like a lot of work to, like, nudge people say, hey, try it again. Do it again. You know, like, just, like, just like what you do in in cosmetology. It's like, it seems like it seems like there's some parallels going on here, but it sounds to me, there's that light bulb moment that you get to witness that's like, okay, that's worth it. Like, that gives that gives me the high to, like, get back into it and keep at it.

Yes, it is. Yeah,

that's exactly it, yeah. Well, thanks for sharing. Let me turn it over to Ken. Let us know. What do you do with the Rosie network for people who don't know you, and how's it going?

Oh, definitely, I'm Ken. So at the Rosie network, I am the Alumni Chapter lead. So that what that basically means is when all of our services, CEO, alumni graduates finish from the great the great facilitators and chapter leads, such as Kiana and our other chapter leads when they actually really do the very hard job. So once they get a chance to go through and learn about their business, I get a chance to listen to their final pitch deck, be a part of their graduation and a wonderful celebration as they're excited and moving on, and from there, they get a chance to transition. And what I do is I provide information for them. So I'm kind of like a resource and a connector, trying to connect them with whether it be with opportunities where they might have pitch days that are along in their fields, that they can try to compete for, for cash, or whether it be for just additional resources, providing individuals that come in and speak. We've had people come in and speak on how to expand your brand, how to apply for grants, how to apply to get funding, whether you're going to be paying it back or for free, individuals such as yourself, subject matter experts that are coming in. So I have the wonderful opportunity to reach out to the alumni members, find out what are the things that they're interested in. I can remember a couple sessions ago we had chatgpt, so seeing how they can use chat, GPT, a few other AI sources that provide, whether it be with illustrations and other things, because many of our business owners are solopreneur so a lot of times, you're a little bit of everything. You're the custodian, you're the people, the Secretary, so you're the the fight. Look, you're the accountant, so you're a little bit of everything. So we try to provide things that provide all of our alumni chapter members, things that will help them to get along with their business, also providing meet us, for them to know that, hey, stay encouraged that even though you graduated the program. The great thing about our community is, is that you know, you have veterans, entrepreneurs and spouses of veterans, so we're all pretty much aware of some of the things and the nuances that we have to deal with. So you have those encouragements. One of the besides from working with your wonderful company, as far as with doing podcasts, we appreciate that. We also are partners with the Wounded Warrior Project. So we have several soldiers that you know that are getting off active duty and they don't know what they want to do. So a lot of them, or, you know, excuse me, some of them, are interested in entrepreneurship. So we're thankful to the Wounded Warrior Project, nonprofit organization, because they send a lot of individual referrals over to us. And upon graduating, the Wounded Warrior Project still provides opportunities for us. As a matter of fact, have a meeting with one of the representatives tomorrow. So a lot of times I spend time talking to representatives, whether it be from the SBA, from the Small Business Association, from bebop, for the Veteran Business Operations Center, and just communicating with them, with things that are out there, and providing them for our services. CEO graduates, I was going to ask you guys so they're like slightly. I was talking out. I was talking I was sitting. Here thinking, I said I learned something new every time, Jen, I was looking at you and Kiana, I noticed y'all both had like, headphone pieces. I was like, Oh man, I need to make sure you help you hear better. I say the next I need to make I don't know why. I just noticed that. I'm like, Oh

Lord. It's just yeah for me personally, it's just to hear better. But

I'm in the house by myself, so I guess, okay, so the noise,

yeah, that's another thing about my podcast show, is I am not, like, incredibly strict about quality. I mean, I think it's still quality, but, like, my editor does a really great job. I mean, I did mess up this one time, but he does a great job making the audio sound like studio sound. So thank you, Dennis, yeah. And so if I actually couldn't hear you and you're really choppier, was very airy or echoey, I would have said something. But it was, it was fine. That's, that's what the small talk is at the beginning is, so I can hear everyone's like audio. So fun facts,

that's good. I know for a fact at least one person is gonna watch this video. So I'm gonna say it ahead of time. Well, they'll probably, they'll see the clip ahead of time. They're gonna ask me, once they see this, Hey, were you supposed to I don't know. It ceases with me. I know one person gonna say, Hey, why you didn't have headphones on your mom, probably my daughter,

like, Oh, someone's gonna say something, you know, what? Yeah,

he's like that. That's the reason to be on a podcast, because even if you're someone that's always serious, he gives you something to laugh about, you know, and then it has people might see you in a different light, because some summer entrepreneurs might probably very well be, you know, introverts, yeah, we don't get a chance to really speak, but if you have, at least, you know, you just the smallest little things and people get a chance to see your personality and seeing that you're not kind of like a robot. But seeing your authentic self goes a long way. Yeah, yeah, we trying to sell it very hard to because

I'm just gonna say I was like, You're doing my job for me.

I know for a fact, I know plenty of entrepreneurs that have never been in the military that know about our program. You probably have a list of 1000 people ready to go, you know, get there, yeah? So, so veterans, keep that in mind. I'm so serious about that. We're so blessed to have these opportunities. Because I really at least 20 people, literally. Now me exaggerate with lovely harpoon Jen's podcast that are not veterans, because I have some people laugh. Say, Oh, I guess I need to go marry a veteran. I say,

I'll show you. I'll share a quick story. So I had this one lady, this was years ago. I tried to look her up. She's not online anymore, so for the many people I've looked up. So she really had to run it by her ex husband that she could be a guest on the show, because she's basically, like, she was an ex military spouse. She wanted to make sure it was like, okay, or like, they would they weren't divorced, they were like, separated. But she was that was like her in just that was trying her way to get into the show. And looking back. You know, you learn a lot looking back. And one of the things I learned was like, Yeah, I probably should have said no, because everything she talked about was, like, in no relation to serving the military community. She just had that connection. But she was really just promoting her business. And when I re listened to it, it's like, nothing was said there. I mean, she kind of was like, oh, yeah, this could be for military spouses. Like, it was kind of like it was kind of like that. It was just, like, trying to check it off her list. But she really wasn't, like, targeted. So, yeah, so you go back, and I look back at those interviews, I'm like, I mean, it's still, there's still ways to repurpose it. That's, that's one thing I'm learning too, which is another thing I could probably talk a lot about in the future, if anyone ever asked me about marketing. But yeah, just just looking back, it's like, yeah, maybe I was just a little too, too nice, and said yes to everyone to come on the show. And now, now the what the relief for me in partnering with the Rosie network is like, I know that everyone who goes to the rosy network is vetted, and I only i for the most part, I I prefer people who graduated the program, because you've been through something, you know, you've been through something with a cohort and so and you stuck it out, even if, for whatever reason, you end up like not pursuing that business, which is hard not to, because you'll have a pitch deck at the end of it. So it's you might as well try for a couple months. But you know, other than that, it's like, I love the quality of people that the Rosie network vets and and, most importantly, like takes through this journey, the service, the CEO program and and everything. So I don't know how I went down that rabbit hole, but what

are we talking about? The opportunity civilians would love to do.

Yes, they really, oh, yeah, I, let me tell you, because you know, I'm not like, I don't consider myself like a podcasting veteran, but I have been in the space for like five years, and there are people who will go through, you know, these media companies, like these PR companies, just to help them get on podcast shows, yeah, like, it's a whole business. I'll tell you that it's a whole business. There's a whole online there's like programs you can sign up for to do. US be found. And so that's saying that one, yeah, yeah. So that's what I love about the bubble we have here with the military community and and the thing is, like, it's reciprocal, like, just like what you were talking about County, like, what you give to the Rosie network, like you get a lot in gratification and whatever else you get from that. And I feel that way too, in the way that my husband, and I, like give to the Rose network and the military community as whole. So it's very, very mutual. And I'm just glad to have been born into this community and to even be with my husband and work in this space. Because, yeah, you know, you step outside into the civilian world, as I'm sure, you know, you all can relate to, and it's, it's a little different, you know, yeah, it's kind of like, you know, Doggy Dog. And it's very individualistic. It's very like, you know, it's, it's different here, there's, there's like, that sense of, there's that common sense of, you know, serving for the greater good, and thinking, you know, not less of yourself, but more of others, yeah. And I just love personally, for me, I just love that, you know, I love being associated with service oriented people, like, that's just me. So, yeah, well, I mean, I just want to make sure I'm being thorough here. Is there anything else that either of you want to share, whether it's about business or the Rosie network. Before I wrap up here, Kiani, let's start with you.

I will say, for anybody that is listening to this podcast, that if you have not signed up to participate in both Rosie network and on the podcast, you're missing out like you're wasting a free opportunity. And like Ken said, there's so many civilians that have to pay for a lot of these opportunities. And in our community, I'm finding more and more as I dig deeper into veteran and military type entrepreneurial stuff, there's so many resources available that we don't use, that civilians have to pay for it, and so, you know, take, take this opportunity. Don't miss out on this opportunity. If Ken or anybody else sends your name up, you know, and you get an email, respond back to Jen and just let her know, have a conversation with her before you just completely, just say, I don't want to do it. Like, yeah, you know, just, you know, respond to the email and just say, Hey, can we chat for a few minutes and get comfortable first, if that's what it takes. And then, you know, go from there. I promise you you won't regret it. And, you know, sign up for the Rosa network. Go to service the CEO, I will tell you, it's like nothing else you've ever done, any other entrepreneurial program you've done before. So it's worth it. They'll continue to support you no matter what. So

yeah, thank you for sharing that county. I do want to share that for this particular season that this episode is coming out, it's actually going to be a shorter season. Be normally, I try to go for 13 weeks, but there were some spots that weren't filled, and my mentality was like, Oh, great. I get to celebrate winter early. I got to celebrate holidays early. I have no complaints, just so you know. But more importantly, to anyone who you know, did get an email from us, or did get an email from me and invite, and you're you're hearing this interview, and you're kind of regretting that you didn't respond. You know that email is still there in your inbox. You can still reply and reach out, because usually, before I start every season, I do like, a mass email of all the people who hadn't responded yet. I kind of go up to, like, three tries. I try to, like, ping them three times till it's like, okay, they they're definitely just, like, pretending I don't exist, or I'm in their spam email, like, whatever. It's fine. It is. It's a numbers game. You know, that's what we learned in sales. You just got to go through the numbers. It's totally fine. It's just that, I feel like, for the entrepreneur, you rob yourself of a marketing opportunity that's doing because, again, I'm going to have a shorter season. I'm excited about it, but I would have gone the 13 weeks had more people reached out. I would have done that was my plan, you know, and that's what we've done for these last two seasons. But it's okay, because I have a whole other project for the show that I kind of taste earlier, that I'm not going to reveal now, but it's going to give me work on it. Good. Yeah. So Ken, same question to you in closing, any final thoughts you want to share about, you know, your business, or anything about the rose network before we go? Yeah,

I guess the final thoughts, first of all, I want to say, look, it's always wonderful to see Kiani. Look, we work together. And I'm not just saying it because she's on the podcast, but she's also a great leader. So I've had a chance here and talking the way she handles things. So not only she a great entrepreneur, great leader, great communicator, and she goes out her way to help fellow veterans going through the program, as well as our other lead facilitators. And very thankful for you and your husband providing this free opportunity for individuals and you know, thankful for. Stephanie Brown, our CEO of the Rosie network, and all the other staff members. And believe it or not, the Rosie network was actually one of the first individuals that provided me a opportunity to work because, you know, me and Kiana work with the rose network. We're working under our company, on our own company. So that's one of the things we appreciate with the Rosie network. And that was one of the things that they saw that when they had additional things out, like podcast, whatever it is, I was volunteering, and they saw individuals you know, willing to get out you know me, willing to get out there and put myself out there and talk and communicate. So even with that, you just never know the opportunities that they bring to you or what have you. And look, I was gonna say, Look, this isn't a dating show. But look, I've gone to several military with entrepreneurs and someone to bring up a you always have a good old veteran bring up a question. Then I have people saying, I always, I always hear somebody saying, I guess I need to marry me a veteran. It'd be like, you know, I'm not married like you know, I'm not married like you two. I always

kind of

like, oh, let me be honest. I don't know you like that. So I try to be like, Oh, let me just be quiet.

But yeah, so you never know. And for those that you are are seeing you, go, Look, you have plenty of people out there joking, but seriously, you got individuals that would love the opportunity, as far as with the benefits that we have as veterans. So please take advantage. Like Jen said, you have people that are actually paying people to try to get them on podcast. So you anytime you can have anything that can save your business some overhead, and you get in marketing, you get a chance to repurpose it. Like you said, you can't beat it. So I'm just very thankful just to be a part of this podcast program again, with holding down the fort. Yeah?

Well, yeah, no. Thank you both. It. It just fills me up to have these conversations. That's why, you know, we do it, and here we are, 200 plus episodes strong. So thank you both for helping out with that, for being on the show, and for contributing by encouraging a service as CEO graduates to be on the show. Because, like, I don't know what I would be doing without the Rosie network right now. I'm sure I'd probably be on one of those sites just trying to find guests still or on Instagram, searching like hashtags and trying to prospect people that way, which is what I actually that's actually that's actually how it started, like going through hashtags, fun fact, but I, I'm good. I don't want to do that anymore. Like, to me, the rose network feels like it feels like a relative. It feels like, you know people I can like, come to and trust and and know that like anyone you recommend my way, it's going to be a good conversation. So thank you both for being a part of that. Well, thank you awesome. Well, thank you again, Kiani and Ken for for joining me. I'm so glad that you two already knew each other like I thought in the back of my mind, I was like, do they know each other? So I'm glad. I think it made for a great conversation. And I hope that for our listeners, for anyone who still has my email in your inbox and unresponded, here's your chance for a limited time. No, I'm kidding. We'll be around for as long as the show's gonna be around. I'll probably respond your email. I'll likely respond your email, but yes, thank you both, and thank you to the Rose Network. Thank you to Stephanie and to the whole team. And yeah, thanks for just checking in with me, guys. I really appreciate it, and I think that's it. I never know how to conclude this. Yeah, thank you so much for being here. And to our listeners. Thank you for listening. We'll chat with you in the next episode, till the next time.

Hey there. This is your host, Jen Amos, thanks again for listening to today's episode of holding down the fort by us. Fetwell, visit holding downthefort podcast.com to access the full show notes of this episode, including resources mentioned and bonus content. Once again, the website is holding down the fort podcast.com Lastly, stay after the outro for a little something Extra. Thanks again and chat soon. Bye for now you

all right, everyone, thanks for joining me in the outro. This will be my second to last outro before the season finale. I mean, I don't think in the season finale I'll have an outro. I don't know. We'll find out. We'll find out when we get there. I still have a, I have a very like build as I go mentality. But yeah, this was a great conversation to reconnect with Kiani and Ken because they have been, as I mentioned already, they've been very pivotal in getting guests on the show. And you listened in on the hints as to why this is a shorter season. And my hope is, if you are a service to CEO graduate service to. CEO hope graduate. And maybe you did get that invitation to be a guest on the show, and maybe you just put it off, or you forgot about her life happened all the things, but you remember that you got that email from either Kiana or Ken or myself or someone from the Rosie network, and you have a business that you're proud of, and you want to talk about it. You want to promote it. Well, that's what the show is for. You know, holding down the fort. I have thoroughly enjoyed our partnership with the Rosie network. It's been a, you know, it's been, it's made my work easier as a podcaster that hosts an interview style show to have these vetted guests, you know, talk legitimately about, like, their military background, and also, like, their entrepreneurial journey, and it's all good stuff. So I just want to thank the rose network again for the collaboration, and thank you keani And Ken for, you know, really being behind the scenes and helping me, like corral some graduates to be on the show. And also, you know, obviously, to Trisha and to ebeth and to everyone that has been Stephanie Brown, obviously founder of the Rosie network, it takes a village. It takes a village to care for our military community and to promote them and to show the world you, the listener or the viewer on YouTube, the amazing things that our military connected people, our military service members, our military spouses, our military community is doing beyond the military you know, or alongside their military service, all good stuff. So thank you. Thank you to Kiani and Ken again. Check out their episodes. I'll put it in the show notes. I already mentioned it at the beginning, and with that, I will see you all in the season finale of season nine next week. So see you then bye for now. You