The Journey with Morgan DeBaun Morgan DeBaun

This week, Morgan DeBaun sits down with Melinda Sykes, a powerhouse in the salon franchise industry. Melinda opens up about her entrepreneurial journey, from staying in her 9-5 job longer than expected, to scaling her micro-empire of wax studios through franchising and acquisitions.

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In this episode:
00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:16 Diving into Franchising and Entrepreneurship
01:18 Melinda's Journey from Corporate to Entrepreneur
02:58 Launching the First Franchise Salon
04:18 Scaling and Expanding the Business
05:20 Balancing a Corporate Job and New Business
09:17 Operational Insights and Business Economics
15:27 Acquisitions and Future Plans
17:04 Insights on Business Acquisitions
17:39 Balancing Business and Personal Life
18:14 The Passion for Real Estate
19:29 Defining Financial Independence
24:46 Navigating Franchise Opportunities
30:03 Steps to Launching a Franchise
32:14 Resources for Aspiring Franchise Owners
33:54 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In the episode, Melinda Sykes shares her insights on what it takes to run a thriving studio or salon, from shaping the company culture to hiring a director of operations. She reveals how memberships have become the lifeline of her business, providing the cash flow necessary to sustain growth and operations.
Melinda delves into the complexities of being a franchisee, highlighting both the freedoms and restrictions that come with it. She also discusses her experience acquiring franchised businesses and offers practical advice on what the entire process looks like.
Morgan and Melinda highlight how entrepreneurs should understand their desired lifestyle so they can reverse engineer business efforts to align with financial goals that support that lifestyle. They also discuss the critical aspect of exit planning, even if an exit is not on the immediate horizon.
Tune in to hear Melinda's wealth of knowledge and gain actionable tips for your own entrepreneurial journey. Whether you're considering franchising or looking to grow your existing brick-and-mortar business, this episode is packed with valuable insights you won't want to miss. Don't forget to check out this episode on YouTube and subscribe to the channel there!

More from Melinda:
https://melindasykes.com/
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Produced by MicMoguls.

This week, Morgan DeBaun is joined by Black Paper Party co-founder Madia Willis to discuss all things retail success - from product development and licensing to navigating the seasonal product market.

Episode brought to you by:
Head to https://www.squarespace.com/JOURNEY to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code JOURNEY.
Go to Zocdoc.com/journey and download the Zocdoc app for free.
Visit BetterHelp.com/DEBAUN today to get 10% off your first month.
Subscribe to The Bossbabe Podcast on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite platform to level up your business.

In the episode, Madia reveals the process of transforming creative ideas into products that stand out on the shelves of major retailers. She discusses Black Paper Party's approach to capitalizing on trends and how the brand utilizes licensing to expand their product range and brand awareness.
Madia opens up about the challenges of a seasonal business, sharing how Black Paper Party handles uneven cash flow and a fluctuating team throughout the year. She also divulges what potential growth looks like for a company that is already featured in some of the biggest retailers, explaining that the goal now is saturation.
Morgan and Madia explore the dynamics of working with co-founders and the value of having a board to help in decision-making. They also address the difficulties Black-owned businesses have faced in the past few years, including being dropped by major retailers due to low sell-through rates.
This episode offers a valuable look at the inner workings of a thriving seasonal, product-based business! Tune in, and be sure to leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts to show your support of The Journey!

More from Madia:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/madiawillis
https://www.blackpaperparty.com/
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Produced by MicMoguls.com

This week on The Journey, Morgan DeBaun is spilling the tea on 7 habits that just might be holding you back from achieving your highest levels of success in business and life.

This episode is sponsored by:
Head to https://www.squarespace.com/JOURNEY to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code JOURNEY.
Visit BetterHelp.com/DEBAUN today to get 10% off your first month.
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Subscribe to The Bossbabe Podcast on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite platform to level up your business.

Want to try a new hobby? Take Morgan's Hobby Persona Quiz to find your perfect match: https://www.morgandebaun.com/hobby-persona

In the episode, Morgan breaks down the bad habits that many entrepreneurs get caught up in, from defaulting to one-hour meetings and not delegating enough, to overthinking and relying too heavily on goals. Plus she's talking self-care, boundaries, and why failure doesn't need to be avoided at all costs.
Take this episode as an opportunity to reflect on your own habits and find new levels of success in your business! Let Morgan know which habits you want to break by responding to the newsletter or commenting in her entrepreneurship channel on Instagram. And make sure you are subscribed to Morgan's YouTube channel to catch exclusive content coming soon!
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Produced by MicMoguls.com

This week on The Journey, Morgan DeBaun sits down with Brian Adamson, a seasoned real estate investment expert with over 15 years of experience in property investment. Brian is sharing his invaluable insights into why real estate can be a great investment option and what it takes to succeed in the business.

This episode is brought to you by:
Visit BetterHelp.com/DEBAUN today to get 10% off your first month.
Head to https://www.squarespace.com/JOURNEY to save 10% off your first purchase of a website
Get your own .BIO domain name for a low price at Porkbun! go to https://porkbun.com/TheJourney24
Subscribe to The Bossbabe Podcast on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite platform to level up your business.

Throughout the episode, Brian highlights the critical role that education and mentorship play in real estate investing. He emphasizes the importance of protecting your assets and making informed decisions when evaluating whether real estate is the right addition to your investment portfolio.
Morgan and Brian explore the factors behind considering this investment path, and provide a comprehensive look at what it takes to start and succeed in real estate investing. They also discuss the varied reasons different investors turn to real estate investment, as some may be more interested in the tax write-offs than the actual returns on their investments. Brian also breaks down the difference between investing for cash flow versus investing for equity.
As the episode wraps, Brian shares why he's a strong advocate for remote investing, explaining how investing in properties outside your immediate geographical area can open up new opportunities and diversify your investment portfolio.Whether you're a seasoned investor or just starting out, this episode is packed with actionable advice and thoughtful insights from a true expert in the real estate investment space.
Tune in, and be sure to let Morgan know your takeaways and any other questions you might have when it comes to investing in real estate!

More from Brian:
https://brianadamsonofficial.com/
https://www.instagram.com/brianadamsonofficial/
https://www.youtube.com/@brianadamsonofficial
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-adamson-5355ab75/
www.iflipebook.com

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Produced by AosseyCreative.

This week on The Journey, Morgan DeBaun sits down with the unapologetically authentic Luvvie Ajayi Jones. From launching her blog in 2003 to becoming a best-selling career author, Luvvie shares her incredible journey and the lessons learned along the way.
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Subscribe to The Bossbabe Podcast on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite platform to level up your business.
Luvvie opens up about the power of authenticity, advocating for a less filtered and overly planned approach to content creation. She discusses the complexities of speaking up, providing insights into her decision-making process on when and how to voice her truth.Morgan and Luvvie delve into social media engagement, exploring why posts about relationships and babies often garner more attention and what that means for content creators. They also discuss their intentional decisions to live outside of the hubs of New York and LA, finding balance away from the non-stop event circuit and public expectations of prominent figures.Luvvie highlights her transformation into a career author, celebrating the success of her first four books and hinting at more to come. She emphasizes the importance of diversifying voices in published thought leadership, and discusses how her program, Book Academy, is empowering more people - especially those outside the traditional white male demographic - to share their perspectives through books.Tune in for an inspiring conversation with Luvvie Ajayi Jones, and let Morgan know your takeaways from the episode by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. To catch Morgan's guest appearance on Luvvie's podcast, make sure you're subscribed to Professional Troublemaker with Luvvie Ajayi Jones!
More from Luvvie:
https://luvvie.org/
https://www.instagram.com/luvvie/
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Produced by AosseyCreative.

This week, Morgan DeBaun is joined by renowned holistic plastic surgeon, Dr. Tony Youn. Known for his innovative approach to beauty and wellness, Dr. Youn shares his philosophy on helping patients look and feel their best!

Want to try a new hobby? Take Morgan's Hobby Persona Quiz to find your perfect match: https://www.morgandebaun.com/hobby-persona

This episode is sponsored by:
Go to Zocdoc.com/journey and download the Zocdoc app for free.
Post your job for free at LinkedIn.Com/DIVINE
Visit BetterHelp.com/DEBAUN today to get 10% off your first month.
Subscribe to The Bossbabe Podcast on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite platform to level up your business.

Dr. Youn begins by recounting his early days in the high-pressure world of plastic surgery and what inspired him to pivot towards a practice that integrates natural and less invasive methods. He emphasizes the importance of being an informed consumer in an industry often dominated by pharmaceutical interests, which can overshadow the benefits of more natural treatments.
Throughout the episode, Morgan and Dr. Youn discuss popular treatments in the beauty enhancement world, shedding light on the effectiveness of collagen and different strategies to combat hair loss. They also explore the latest trends in holistic wellness, from LED treatments and infrared saunas to the effects of cold plunges.
As the conversation continues, they address the intriguing topic of celebrity enhancements, specifically the speculation around “BBL Drizzy” and whether rapper Drake has had any aesthetic procedures. They discuss the broader implications of public figures being dishonest about their beauty transformations, highlighting how misleading claims can impact societal beauty standards and individual self-esteem.
Tune in for a conversation aimed to help you look and feel your best! If you've tried any natural methods discussed by Dr. Youn and Morgan, let Morgan know in the comments how it worked for you!

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Produced by AosseyCreative.