Small Town Wealth Small Town Wealth

Is your life characterized by tension? Are you experiencing difficulties in life to the point where being vulnerability feels like an impossibility?
Shawn McMann is here to help you, and help the world. He is a yoga teacher and entrepreneur. He is the mind, body and spirit behind Bullet Athletic Club Yoga, an online platform that allows you to connect with all that yoga has offered Shawn, and all it can offer you. Shawn regularly contributes to a blog where you can learn many of the things we learned today.
Shawn began his working life working as a railway labourer. As a young person, he did what most of us do in our 20's: He got lost. Though he did have the opportunity to travel and create meaningful friendships, he eventually found himself sucked into the vortex of alcohol abuse and dependence. To add to these issues came not one, but two cancer diagnoses. It began with him being diagnosed, and then his Mom was diagnosed less than two weeks later. She would eventually succumb to her battle. Shawn was left without any constructive way to cope and his partying turned into full fledged medicating with alcohol. He was consumed by survivors guilt and grief.
Through all this struggle though has emerged a spirit of transformation of the mind, body and willing spirit. Shawn is a direct example of how change is possible even from some of the most adverse experiences and struggles. He was led to the world of yoga where he became an instructor and a total devotee to the process. He is now committed to making a difference in the community while finding himself day after day.
In this chat, we talk about substance abuse and the dynamics that drive it. We talk about survivors guilt and an illness's effect on family relations. We talk about emerging from the fray of your past experiences and into a space where vulnerability guides your own transformation. For Shawn, yoga was a guide to the richness of life and the appreciation of both the beautiful, and tragic.
We're tremendously thankful for Shawn and his wisdom, and we're grateful for the opportunity to share it with you.



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The beautiful part of a broad-based podcast is you get a ton of "firsts"!
Sam Plovie has become a great friend to our whole podcasting group. She is Sproing's very first podcasting client and working with her as proven to be a mutually beneficial relationship that we cherish.
Sam is a powerhouse of a person who specializes in leading and guiding clients using Feng Shui, Chinese Astrology, Face Reading, Qi Men Dun Jia, as well as other mediums in the metaphysical world. She has over 10 years of consulting experience in this field and has a passion for taking what people are good at and amplifying these unique qualities in order to enhance their lives. From designing optimal workflows for professionals all the way to helping design your new kitchen, Sam has a vast expanse of expertise to guide you to a better, more fulfilling life.
In this episode we break down the metaphysical world, which was a bit foreign even to us at the time! We chat about Sam's rebel streak and how it's led to a unique and authentic value proposition for her and her clients. This break in tradition is something we can all learn from. We also explore spirituality, vulnerability and the fragility of life. There's a wealth of useful information in this episode that transcends the worlds of business and spirituality.
Sam is a beautiful soul and we were so excited to be able to pick her brain for you guys!

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The man with the plan.
Meet Real Rousseau, Partner & Business Strategist for Sproing Creative in Vernon, BC.
Real began his career as an engineer in the forestry industry. These skills eventually took him to New Zealand where he led a sizeable program for a large forestry company. It was here that Real helped develop a software system to optimize the foresting of steep terrain. The software was brought to Australia thereafter, and further along came the opportunity to bring the software to North America... back home for Real.
From leading a team of 150 employees all the way to managing the sales force back home, Real would then get the entrepreneurial itch. He became licensed in property management and then moved on to the broker side of real estate sales. After several years of mentoring and managing Realtors in Vernon, Real realized there were broader horizons. The coaching described led to connections with other professionals with marketing experience... finally, Sproing was born.
Sproing is a one-stop-shop marketing agency. It began with photography and website services, and has grown to include various other marketing pieces such as digital media marketing, graphic design, video production, and most recently, podcast production. Real networked with us at Small Town Wealth to eventually begin the podcast program!
This conversation evolved into more than just Real's origin story. We delve into entrepreneurship, client care, personal development, and being adaptable in business. We also talk about developing a personal core vision, the value of being outdoors and finding your way in a complex world.
This was a collaborative chat that we thoroughly enjoyed!

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Have you asked yourself lately if your goals and desires are consistent with what you actually desire in this world? Do you wonder if there is deeper meaning and context required to realize the most ambitious of goals?
Enter Andrew Allen! Andrew is a Canadian singer-songwriter that currently resides in our beautiful small city of Vernon. He has carved out a storied and diverse career in the music industry that has spanned well over a decade in length (and growing!). Andrew's song "I Wanna Be Your Christmas" was his first hit, cracking the top 10 in Canada in 2009. Andrew then released his biggest single entitled "Loving You Tonight" in 2010 that sold over 100,000 copies worldwide during his stint with Epic Records. With many more singles since then, Andrew has had the pleasure of performing with some of the worlds biggest artists such as Bruno Mars, One Republic, Carly Rae Jepson, Barenaked Ladies, Train... and many more.
Andrew takes us on an unfettered journey into the many aspects of the music industry, led by his own experience and perspectives. We delve into the difference between performers and songwriters. We explore the sometimes ruthless components of the music world. We are immersed in the wisdom that comes from years of balancing a growing family and a burgeoning career. We dive into the many transitions that Andrew has undergone during his storied love-affair with music.
Beyond all that, we're educated on the importance of why fame and fortune should only be secondary goals in whatever you pursue.. and that love, meaning and dedication are real pillars to enduring ambition.

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What is the intrinsic makeup of an entrepreneur? What does it mean to bet on yourself, and also in this case your partner, to the fullest extent?
Jesse and Ashley Hammer are here to inform the uninformed and give us a snapshot into life as entrepreneurs. Jesse and Ashley are a dynamic duo in a world of uncertainty, driven by the power of mutual love, support and admiration. Between the two of them exists three different enterprises: Compass Energies Inc, Streamline Business Strategies and Botany Box.
We of course explore the inner workings of these companies and what inspired their beginners, but this episode is about much more than that. Jesse and Ashley come from humble yet very different backgrounds and have forged a true partnership in both life and business. To be a good business partner requires a certain amount of skill, but being a good partner in life requires the greatest degree of strength, understanding and compassion that we as humans can expend. These two so clearly care for each other and this bond they share is undoubtedly the driving force behind the aversion to certainty that being an entrepreneur demands.
We're grateful to Jesse and Ashley for sharing their wisdom with us and the audience. We felt more daring and confident within minutes of finishing our conversation with them!

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There are some people that embody tenacity and inspiration in equal amounts. Brad Marsh is one of these people.
Brad is the owner/operator of Global West Real Estate Group, an organization that encompasses many aspects of the real estate world from residential sales all the way to commercial transactions. Brad is Shelby's managing broker at RE/MAX Vernon, which was the source of inspiration bringing Brad into the studio.
From humble beginnings in strata property management, Brad eventually moved into consulting for commercial property transactions. Success was had even amongst the mistakes as a youngster, and Brad would later enter the real estate sales industry as a managing broker. He's since expanded his portfolio of brokerages which manages well over 150 agents and growing. However...
Brad is far from just a business man. In this episode he opens up about his history of illness and his current relationship to these perceived hardships. What results from this conversation is a deep feeling of gratitude inspired by the perspectives that Brad has gained grappling with hardship and adversity. He also talks about his love of travel and the importance of making time for the things most important to you. Brad has been a mentor to Shelby and this conversation makes it abundantly clear why this is the case.
Everyone needs a Brad in their life!

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