The Self-Employed Life Jeffrey Shaw

What does it really take to live an unconventional life - the life that we live as self-employed business owners?  We’re going to explore that today with our guest, Mike Fata. Mike shares his inspiring journey of overcoming adversity and achieving success while prioritizing his mental and physical health. During our conversation, Mike delves into the topic of self-doubt and the difference between Impostor Syndrome and general self-doubts. He explains how self-doubt can hold us back and prevent us from achieving our full potential. Finally, we touch on the importance of being present and fully engaged in the moment, whether in business or in life. Mike reminds us that if we're constantly thinking about ‘the game’ while we're playing, we'll never truly be ‘good’ at the game. I know that my conversation with Mike Fata will give valuable insights into the mindset, habits, and strategies necessary for success in living an unconventional life as a self-employed business owner.
 
With over 25 years of experience in natural health, Mike Fata is an aspiring author, keynote speaker, and a mentor to entrepreneurs in the natural products industry. Mike co-founded Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods in 1998 and served as its Chairman of the Board and CEO until 2016. He guided the company through a strategic sale to Tilray for $419 million in 2019. He completed his third nine-figure exit deal in February 2022 as Chairman of the Board of Sol Cuisine. Mike is currently the CEO of Fata & Associates, Chairman of the Board of Nuts For Cheese, and Global Growth Advisor for Mid-Day Squares. He is also a lifetime member and past chairman of the Canadian Health Food Association and Young Presidents Organization. When he's not busy with work, Mike enjoys homeschooling his children, organic farming, and coaching and mentoring entrepreneurs. In 2021 Mike launched www.fatafleishman.org, a free mass mentorship toolbox for CPG entrepreneurs. He hosts the Founder to Mentor podcast, which connects listeners with world-class founder mentors to inspire personal and professional growth. Mike’s new book Grow: 12 Unconventional Lessons for Becoming and Unstoppable Entrepreneur releases in March 2023.
 
And be sure to subscribe to The Self-Employed Life in Apple Podcasts or follow us on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts so you don’t miss an episode.


Everything you need can all be found at jeffreyshaw.com.
 
Mike Fata, thank you so much for being here!



Remember, you might be in business FOR yourself but you are not in business BY yourself.
Be your best self. Be proud and keep changing the world.
 
Guest Contact –
www.MikeFata.ca Grow: 12 Unconventional Lessons for Becoming an Unstoppable Entrepreneur by Mike Fata Mike Fata on LinkedIn (ln/themikefata) Mike Fata on Instagram (@themikefata) Mike Fata on Twitter (@themikefata)
Contact Jeffrey –
Website Books Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share!  

 Valuable complimentary resources to help you –  
The Self-Employed Business Institute- You know you're really good at what you do. You're talented, you have a skill set. The problem is you're probably in a field where there is no business education. This is common amongst self-employed people! And, there's no business education out there for us! You also know that being self-employed is unique and you need better strategies, coaching, support, and accountability. The Self-Employed Business Institute, a five-month online education is exactly what you need. Check it out! Take The Self-Employed Assessment! Ever feel like you're all over the place? Or frustrated it seems like you have everything you need for your business success but it's somehow not coming together? Take this short quiz to discover the biggest hidden gap that’s keeping you from having a thriving Self-Employed Ecosystem. You’ll find out what part of your business needs attention and yo

Consistency leads to success which requires some discipline but discipline needs to be without criticism. In this episode, learn about three weekly practices to keep yourself accountable and be sure you're moving your business forward at all times.

 

Contact Jeffrey –

Self-Employed Newsletter
Website
Books
Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share!
Take the Self-Doubt Survey
 

Valuable resources to help you –

The Self-Employed Business Institute You know you're really good at what you do. You're talented, you have a skill set. The problem is you're probably in a field where there is no business education. This is common amongst self-employed people! And, there's no business education out there for us! You also know that being self-employed is unique and you need better strategies, coaching, support, and accountability. The Self-Employed Business Institute, a five-month online education is exactly what you need. Check it out!
 

Take The Self-Employed Assessment! Ever feel like you're all over the place? Or frustrated it seems like you have everything you need for your business success but it's somehow not coming together? Take this short quiz to discover the biggest hidden gap that’s keeping you from having a thriving Self-Employed Ecosystem. You’ll find out what part of your business needs attention and you'll also get a few laser-focused insights to help you start closing that gap.
 

Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email you a few suggestions to improve your brand message to attract more of your ideal customers. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO!
 

 

Host Jeffrey Shaw is a Small Business Coach, Brand Management Consultant, Business Coach for Entrepreneurs, Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker and author of LINGO and The Self Employed Life (May 2021). Supporting self-employed business owners with business and personal development strategies they need to create sustainable success.

We all know the phrase “it’s the journey, not the destination,” but how often do we really audit our lives to see how well we’re doing in all areas of life that lead to really enjoying the journey every day? In today’s episode, I speak to Cary Jack, a bio-hacking expert and creator of The Happy Hustle, about avoiding entrepreneurial burnout and finding balance in life. Cary encourages listeners to find joy in the journey and avoid glorifying “hustle culture”. Cary stresses that balance is the key to happiness and suggests that finding a sense of Blissful Balance should be a priority for everyone, not just self-employed business owners. This episode is a must-listen for anyone who wants to avoid burnout and find happiness in their work and life.
Cary Jack is a lifestyle entrepreneur, author, podcast host, professional actor/model, biohacker, eco-warrior, martial artist, and humanitarian striving to make a positive impact on this planet. He split time growing up on the beaches of Sarasota, Florida, and in the mountains of Red Lodge, Montana where he first learned the art of a balanced lifestyle. As a digital marketing specialist, Cary Jack has personally worked with many world-class entrepreneurs such as Russell Brunson, Lewis Howes, Rory Vaden, and John Lee Dumas. Cary Jack is the founder of The Happy Hustle, whose mission is to educate, inspire, and entertain, while reminding you to enjoy the journey, not just the destination, as you Happy Hustle for a life of passion and purpose.
 
And be sure to subscribe to The Self-Employed Life in Apple Podcasts or follow us on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts so you don’t miss an episode.
 
Everything you need can all be found at jeffreyshaw.com.
 
Cary Jack, thank you so much for being here!



Remember, you might be in business FOR yourself but you are not in business BY yourself.
Be your best self. Be proud and keep changing the world.



Guest Contact –
CaryJack.com The Happy Hustle by Cary Jack The Happy Hustle Podcast Cary Jack on LinkedIn (/in/cary-jack-kendzior) Cary Jack on Facebook (/SirCaryJack) Cary Jack on Instagram (@cary__jack) Cary Jack on Twitter (@thehappyhustle)
Contact Jeffrey –
SelfEmployedNewsletter.com Website Books Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share! Valuable complimentary resources to help you –
 
The Self-Employed Business Institute- You know you're really good at what you do. You're talented, you have a skill set. The problem is you're probably in a field where there is no business education. This is common amongst self-employed people! And, there's no business education out there for us! You also know that being self-employed is unique and you need better strategies, coaching, support, and accountability. The Self-Employed Business Institute, a five-month online education is exactly what you need. Check it ou Take The Self-Employed Assessment! Ever feel like you're all over the place? Or frustrated it seems like you have everything you need for your business success but it's somehow not coming together? Take this short quiz to discover the biggest hidden gap that’s keeping you from having a thriving Self-Employed Ecosystem. You’ll find out what part of your business needs attention and you'll also get a few laser-focused insights to help you start closing that gap. Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email you a few suggestions to improve your brand message to attract more of your ideal customers. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO!
Host Jeffrey Shaw is a Small Business Consultant, Brand Management Consultant, Business Coach for Entr

It's amazing what we can continue to learn after years, even decades of being in business. I recently made a pretty big decision in my business and in making that decision became clear on three business lessons that I believe will serve you as well.

 

Contact Jeffrey –

Self-Employed Newsletter
Website
Books
Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share!
Take the Self-Doubt Survey
 

Valuable resources to help you –

The Self-Employed Business Institute You know you're really good at what you do. You're talented, you have a skill set. The problem is you're probably in a field where there is no business education. This is common amongst self-employed people! And, there's no business education out there for us! You also know that being self-employed is unique and you need better strategies, coaching, support, and accountability. The Self-Employed Business Institute, a five-month online education is exactly what you need. Check it out!
 

Take The Self-Employed Assessment! Ever feel like you're all over the place? Or frustrated it seems like you have everything you need for your business success but it's somehow not coming together? Take this short quiz to discover the biggest hidden gap that’s keeping you from having a thriving Self-Employed Ecosystem. You’ll find out what part of your business needs attention and you'll also get a few laser-focused insights to help you start closing that gap.
 

Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email you a few suggestions to improve your brand message to attract more of your ideal customers. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO!
 

 

Host Jeffrey Shaw is a Small Business Coach, Brand Management Consultant, Business Coach for Entrepreneurs, Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker and author of LINGO and The Self Employed Life (May 2021). Supporting self-employed business owners with business and personal development strategies they need to create sustainable success.

 

Everyone experiences highs and lows in life.  Owning your own business might make those highs and lows a bit more significant, and probably more frequent. I often find myself saying, “Phew! That was a rough hour!” But the next hour might be great. That’s how significantly quick the swings can be when you’re running your own business.  So what do we do with these highs and lows?  Can we learn to manage them a bit? To explore this question, I spoke with Steven Izen, the founder and CEO of Lokai and Elements of Balance. Steven turned a low point in his life into a successful business that has donated millions to charity. In our conversation, he shares how he achieves balance across all areas of his life. As self-employed business owners, we can all benefit from Steven's reminder to stay humble during good times and hopeful during bad ones.
 
Steven Izen is the Founder & CEO of Lokai, the iconic bracelet brand that inspires its community to find balance in life and has donated $10 million dollars to charity. He is also the Founder & CEO of Elements of Balance, a functional beverage brand that uses clinically-effective levels of adaptogens to support energy, focus, calm and sleep. Steven currently serves as the youngest member on the national board of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 List for Retail and Ecommerce in 2017, and was the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards Finalist in 2016. Steven graduated Cum Laude from Cornell in 2013. When not working Steven finds his own balance spending time with his family & friends, running, and cycling.

 
And be sure to subscribe to The Self-Employed Life in Apple Podcasts or follow us on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts so you don’t miss an episode.
 
Everything you need can all be found at jeffreyshaw.com.
 
Steven Izen, thank you so much for being here!


Remember, you might be in business FOR yourself but you are not in business BY yourself.
Be your best self. Be proud and keep changing the world.


Guest Contact –
Lokai.com Steven Izen on LinkedIn (in/steven-izen-5620323b/) Steven Izen on Instagram (@stevenizen) Steven Izen on Twitter (@stevenizen) Live Lokai on Instagram (@livelokai)
Contact Jeffrey –
SelfEmployedNewsletter.com
Website Books Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share!  
 
Valuable complimentary resources to help you –
 
The Self-Employed Business Institute- You know you're really good at what you do. You're talented, you have a skill set. The problem is you're probably in a field where there is no business education. This is common amongst self-employed people! And, there's no business education out there for us! You also know that being self-employed is unique and you need better strategies, coaching, support, and accountability. The Self-Employed Business Institute, a five-month online education is exactly what you need. Check it ou Take The Self-Employed Assessment! Ever feel like you're all over the place? Or frustrated it seems like you have everything you need for your business success but it's somehow not coming together? Take this short quiz to discover the biggest hidden gap that’s keeping you from having a thriving Self-Employed Ecosystem. You’ll find out what part of your business needs attention and you'll also get a few laser-focused insights to help you start closing that gap. Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email you a few suggestions to improve your brand message to attract more of your ideal customers. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO!
Host Jeffrey Shaw is a Small Business Consultant, Bran

To be self-employed, we need to be visionaries.  Our ideas guide us and lead us to do big things. It’s also important to ground the visions in evidence-based action steps.  Today we’re talking about the science side of business – an evidence-based approach to achieving exceptional outcomes. Today I speak to Christina Curtis about her new book, Choosing Greatness. She explains that our brains keep us on autopilot because they are designed to conserve energy. High-achieving people can choose whether or not to follow those patterns, and Christina gives us strategies to lean into the strengths of our patterns and interrupt them when they don’t serve us. As Christina says, the more self-aware we are about the brain activities that are behind the scenes, the more we can choose how we want to engage with our habits instead of letting them run the show.
Christina Curtis is the Founder of Curtis Leadership Consulting based in Denver, Colorado. A thought leader on motivation and goal attainment, she regularly contributes to the Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and Psychology Today. As an accredited Master Coach with International Coaching Federation—a designation held by only 1 percent of business coaches worldwide—Christina’s clients include Fortune 500 executives and leaders. In her new book CHOOSING GREATNESS: DEFINING YOUR FUTURE SUCCESS ONE CHOICE AT A TIME, Christina shares the science behind the choices we make that lead to greatness and success. Christina has a master’s in organizational psychology from the University of London and a bachelor’s degree from Queens University.
 
And be sure to subscribe to The Self-Employed Life in Apple Podcasts or follow us on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts so you don’t miss an episode.
Everything you need can all be found at jeffreyshaw.com.
 
Christina Curtis, thank you so much for being here!


Remember, you might be in business FOR yourself but you are not in business BY yourself.
Be your best self. Be proud and keep changing the world.



Guest Contact –
CurtisLeadership.com Choosing Greatness by Christina Curtis Christina Curtis on LinkedIn (in/christina-curtis-2204b64/) Christina Curtis on Instagram (@christinacurtisofficial) Christina Curtis on Twitter (@curtis_coaching)
Contact Jeffrey –
SelfEmployedNewsletter.com Website Books Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share! Valuable complimentary resources to help you –
 
The Self-Employed Business Institute- You know you're really good at what you do. You're talented, you have a skill set. The problem is you're probably in a field where there is no business education. This is common amongst self-employed people! And, there's no business education out there for us! You also know that being self-employed is unique and you need better strategies, coaching, support, and accountability. The Self-Employed Business Institute, a five-month online education is exactly what you need. Check it out! Take The Self-Employed Assessment! Ever feel like you're all over the place? Or frustrated it seems like you have everything you need for your business success but it's somehow not coming together? Take this short quiz to discover the biggest hidden gap that’s keeping you from having a thriving Self-Employed Ecosystem. You’ll find out what part of your business needs attention and you'll also get a few laser-focused insights to help you start closing that gap. Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email you a few suggestions to improve your brand message to attract more of your ideal customers. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO!
Host Jeffre