Podcast episode 04: Author and Entrepreneur Edmond Abramyan on Getting Wired For Success
“Who am I to write such a book? It might seem that anyone who believes that they can write a book on psychology, philosophy, and entrepreneurship must think themselves to be the embodiment of happiness, wisdom, and success; that they have all the answers and everything in their life figured out. This isn’t exactly the case though. I’m far from perfect. I’ve simply realized I cannot lie to myself, and so I continue to learn and grow every day. The arrangement of challenges that have manifested for me to overcome have taught me valuable lessons, and I consider myself quite fortunate for the opportunity. This book is my best effort to pass some of those lessons on, not from a place above anyone, but from a modest place, where my faults have left valuable memories. This is the path I’ve chosen for myself though, and it’s the path I’m choosing to share with others. It’s the path of the warrior, where one aims to overcome themselves regularly. This path, for me, is a work in progress. It’s a daily discipline. Ideas and philosophies will change, and I’m open to the growth—as we all should be.”
Transcript
00:00:59:20 - 00:01:02:19
Genevra:
Hi Ed, thanks for joining me today. How are you?
Edmond:
I'm wonderful. Thank you. Thank you for having me on.
00:01:06:22 - 00:01:38:20
Genevra:
So I wanted to get you on my show because I'm a big fan of you personally and professionally. So it means a lot that you're here today. Let's start with your book. You have a book out and it's called Wired for Success. Do you want to start with telling everyone a little bit about your book and what made you want to write this book?
00:01:39:14 - 00:02:24:22
Edmond:
Yeah, definitely. Basically, I wanted to write the book because I had some things to say and I didn't really have a platform to say it on and social media just wasn't cutting it. So I had to kind of organize my thoughts and put them together and something that I decided would be a book. The book, Wired for Success, brings together philosophy and entrepreneurship to debunk some of the myths that are underlying the common sense of our culture these days when it comes to money and success and just making it in business as an entrepreneur.
00:02:26:16 - 00:03:02:06
Edmond:
And yeah, basically I bring together some practical philosophies using, you know, Eastern philosophies and stoicism and, you know, pick some things up from Western psychology as well. And pretty much just talk about the importance of self-awareness and how our businesses are really a reflection of us, as, you know, as people and how we can create a better business by becoming, you know, more as a human.
00:03:02:10 - 00:03:31:06
Genevra:
Did you mention that phrase in the book that the our businesses are a reflection of us? Did you mention that in the book? Yeah. And because, as you know, I've just started rereading the new version and I read that and just went, Oh, this is just too true. It's too much of a reality check. Yeah. So I loved that you that you said that.
00:03:31:14 - 00:03:39:03
Genevra:
Tell us a little bit about your background story and how that led you to writing the book.
00:03:40:21 - 00:04:07:08
Edmond:
Yeah, definitely. I started my first business in e-commerce and then expand into wholesale and distribution when I was 21, maybe about ten, 11 years ago now. And, you know, business was going great. A few years into it. I was making more money than I ever had before. I made enough to actually leave my job. And, you know, everything looked really good.
00:04:07:09 - 00:04:33:18
Edmond:
You know, I was buying all the things I wanted, doing all the things I wanted to do, spending my time how I wanted. But, somewhere deep down, things just weren't, you know, registering as how I thought they should. I think things looked great on paper, you know, things from the outside. Everyone, you know, looking at me and I had this aura of, you know, success.
00:04:33:18 - 00:05:05:20
Edmond:
But really inside, I wasn't I wasn't feeling like a success. And it took a a pretty major accident. I had a pretty bad fall at an international jujitsu tournament, and I tore my shoulder and it required some intensive surgery. And, you know, during the recovery process of that surgery, that's when things really started to click. And I was sitting up in bed just a couple of days after the surgery because I couldn't lay down.
00:05:05:20 - 00:05:40:09
Edmond:
Things were just it was just so painful to to fully go horizontal. So I was kind of just like sitting up my arm was in a sling and, you know, I had my window cracked open with nice breeze coming in and I had heard all, of course, passing by. I still remember this like it was last week. And, you know, all these realizations just kept hitting me and I realized how even though I was taking ownership in, you know, the business aspects of my life, there were a lot of other aspects of my life that I was neglecting.
00:05:40:23 - 00:06:03:23
Edmond:
And that was one of the biggest realizations that hit me that day was just taking complete ownership of your entire life, not just your business, but really, you know, your interpersonal relationships, your you know, your real desires. Deep down, like what you actually want out of life. And I don't think I had actually ever stopped to ask myself that question before.
00:06:04:12 - 00:06:21:22
Edmond:
And, you know, those are those are important things that we should all really consider, especially, you know, on this path of entrepreneurship when there's so many options available to us. We got to really kind of buckle down and decide what we really want for ourselves.
00:06:22:05 - 00:06:50:19
Genevra:
Thank you. What I like about that part of your story and I just wanted to praise you because I guess when you said that you weren't feeling like a success inside other people may just look for a bigger or better goal, whereas you sort of stopped, and went: current process is not working. This sounds like you started asking yourself smarter questions at that point.
00:06:52:16 - 00:06:56:05
Genevra:
So I like that. I just wanted to acknowledge that.
00:06:57:07 - 00:07:07:11
Edmond:
Thank you. Thank you. Yeah, I think I think that's a common thing. And I guess maybe I was lucky to realize that within myself that more wasn't going to cut it.
00:07:10:02 - 00:07:33:04
Edmond:
I think that's a very common thing. You know, once we get that rush of accomplishing something or finishing something that we look for the next thing. And, you know, while that's great, it keeps us moving forward and progressing, developing and, you know, reaching other goals that we had in mind. For us, I think some reflection is is important as well.
00:07:34:05 - 00:07:42:06
Genevra:
I feel like because I recently went through that and some of that can be about having too much attachment to the outcome.
00:07:43:03 - 00:07:43:13
Edmond:
Yeah.
00:07:44:10 - 00:08:18:14
Genevra:
You know, I, yeah, I just went through it very recently and again, that is really about just loving the process. And speaking of that, you know, you and I both followed Gary Vee and he always talks about loving the journey, loving the process. And I bring him up because I just thought I would the you know, for some background story, just explain how we connected.
00:08:20:05 - 00:08:41:10
Genevra:
I think it was in a writing group and I had said something that very typically Gary Vee would say, and you obviously picked up on that and you commented and just from that, you know that little interaction and we're here now and that was was that one or two years ago would be two years ago at least.
00:08:42:02 - 00:08:45:06
Edmond:
Got at least, at least two years ago at and just.
00:08:45:06 - 00:09:10:16
Genevra:
From that little comment. So thank you, Gary, for connecting us. Yeah, I really love that. And also so then afterwards, when I asked you a little bit more about, you know, what you were doing and what you were working on, and you told me about your book and and I had the privilege to read a very early draft of your book.
00:09:11:07 - 00:09:44:22
Genevra:
So to see you at that point and to see now is just incredible to me. And I also I wanted to ask you, so when you were getting I was one of, I guess, one of your beta readers and you know what what kind of what kind of feedback did you get from your beta readers? This is now the writer and me just being curious about this process and how much value is there in that process.
00:09:45:19 - 00:10:16:05
Edmond:
And beta readers? Oh, I think tremendous value as writers. I think we can even as businesspeople, I think we can sometimes get caught up in our own ideas, in our own head, and working on one particular project for such an extended period of time. We it's there's no doubt going to be some sort of narrow view once there once you're in there so long.
00:10:16:05 - 00:10:52:11
Edmond:
Right. And and I think having that outside perspective helps a lot. You as well as some other people provided some feedback that that really shaped the book to what it is today. And I'm utterly grateful for that. I don't think it would have turned out the way it did if I hadn't reached out to you and people like you to help out with that and yeah, it's it's it's such a great resource and especially the day we're living in with, you know, the digital age where we can connect with people from all around the world and, you know, get help like that.
00:10:53:01 - 00:11:05:10
Edmond:
I think it's something that, you know, everybody should do, whether it's in writing and business and whatever field it's in, whatever field your end, it's another person's perspective can always help.
00:11:06:11 - 00:11:29:13
Genevra:
Yeah. And, you know, I hope it's okay to mention this, but when I did read that first draft, I was like, but what about Ed? What about what about you? Because you were dropping in all of these amazing philosophies and backing those up. But I was trying to establish a connection to you.
00:11:29:13 - 00:11:56:06
Genevra:
And when I started rereading the new version and I got to that paragraph, I've got it here in my notes, where you write: who am I to write such a book? And that whole paragraph, which I'm going to link to somewhere because I love it. It just made me smile and I was just like, Yeah, he put in...
00:11:57:11 - 00:12:22:20
Genevra:
And I was just so happy because it really because that's one of my first questions as a reader of self-help and personal development. I'm like, what are, you know, like accreditation is a big word, but what gives them the authority, I guess, to write this book? And it does sound a bit judgy, but it's just a first question that I have when I pick up a book in that genre.
00:12:28:15 - 00:12:28:20
Genevra:
So it made me smile.
00:12:32:00 - 00:13:02:13
Edmond:
Thank you. I think it's something it's a reasonable thing to ask, right? You know, if this person is telling me all these things, you know what? What qualifies them to say these things? So it's it's a reasonable thing to bring up and I think that the thing that makes how do I phrase this? I think the thing that makes it okay is that each person has their own perspective and their own, you know, journey that they've gone through.
00:13:02:13 - 00:13:25:17
Edmond:
And if I'm circling back to the whole reflection thing again, if the person does kind of sit back and reflect on those past, whether it's successes or failures or whatever it may be, those experiences, there's something to pass on to another person that is on a similar journey and I think that's where that's where the little golden nugget can be found.
00:13:26:17 - 00:13:44:07
Genevra:
Totally. We need to talk about your decision not to narrate on the audiobook. Well, well, was that or that a time or expense thing? What happened there? Like, listen to your voice. It's like one of my favorite mobster voices ever.
00:13:44:17 - 00:13:45:00
Edmond:
Trying.
00:13:45:09 - 00:13:46:11
Genevra:
To write your book.
00:13:47:12 - 00:14:05:07
Edmond:
Thank you. Thank you. I think. I think I just found somebody that was better than me and, you know, got them involved. That's that's. I guess it's the business side of me. I, I like to spot talent. And when I see that talent, you know, I like to bring them on board to the team and, you know, see what we could do together.
00:14:06:08 - 00:14:11:08
Genevra:
He does have a very--I've forgotten his name. Very nice.
00:14:12:16 - 00:14:13:00
Edmond:
Mark Sundahl, yeah he's great.
00:14:13:14 - 00:14:35:01
Genevra:
Very nice and very professional. But I was like, yeah, nah I'd rather listen to it in your voice, but, you know, whatever, it gets the text out and I get it. I totally get it, you know? And I have to say, I'm going to add one of my favorite mobster voices just in case in the future. I happened to interview Robert DeNiro and then, you know, it could get a little bit.
00:14:35:21 - 00:14:36:05
Genevra:
Yeah.
00:14:37:03 - 00:14:44:15
Edmond:
And I don't think I have anything on Robert DeNiro. Not his mobster voice, that is.
00:14:47:24 - 00:15:25:02
Genevra:
Okay, so can we talk about procrastination? Because, you know, I at the time that we first connected, I had an, an unpublished fiction manuscript. Right. And now I still have an unpublished fiction manuscript. And, you know, they're just choices that I, you know, I really want to get on the traditional publishing path. And you obviously explored all of that.
00:15:25:02 - 00:15:40:20
Genevra:
So I want to talk about, okay, let's maybe talk about traditional versus self-publishing, Like just what were some of the deciding factors for you?
00:15:42:18 - 00:16:04:20
Edmond:
So I guess maybe we should back up and I can explain what route I took. So I was looking into the traditional publishing route, just like you were in the beginning. And I realized that a lot of the major companies, they, you know, even if they accept you or when they accept you, they have a whole list of demands.
00:16:04:20 - 00:16:35:21
Edmond:
And being a new author, you kind of have no leverage. You have to give in to those demands and, you know, take what you can get. And one of the biggest things was the rights to the material, the rights to the book, the audio book and everything else that comes out from it. And, you know, being in business, I kind of didn't see the value of giving away those rights for what I was getting back in return, not from what I understood.
00:16:35:21 - 00:17:04:05
Edmond:
I could be terribly mistaken, but from what I understood. These companies don't really promote your book the same way they would promote, you know, an author that's been around for a while that's been working with them for a while. So I decided to take another route. The other option that I came across was the self-publishing, and I realized from the little bit of research that I did, there is a certain stigma to that.
00:17:04:06 - 00:17:33:00
Edmond:
The self-publishing category or publishing route, and that was one of lack of credibility. So what I did is I kind of thought about it and I looked into what it takes to start a publishing company, and it really wasn't as difficult as one might think. So that's the route I took. I decided to just start my own publishing company, traditional publishing company.
00:17:33:00 - 00:17:39:21
Edmond:
So now the book is traditionally published and I still own all the rights.
00:17:39:22 - 00:18:07:01
Genevra:
It doesn't surprise me that you went that way, like with the taking ownership. You know, it just I remember that time when I was just feeling a bit a bit low and you were like, just do some fucking push ups, like just do 50 push ups in the morning. I was like, I'm going to need more than that.
00:18:07:01 - 00:18:25:16
Genevra:
But you know what? I'll just go with it and yeah, I've always liked that, you know, that own it attitude that you have. Which brings me to the question, do you see yourself as a life or business coach?
00:18:26:10 - 00:19:02:04
Edmond:
You know, I really don't like the term coach just the way that it's been thrown around in the last several years. There are people that call me their coach. I've been called coach mentor. I do like the term mentor a little bit better just because, you know, I, I don't see myself as as a I mean, really, I see myself just as another human being with some, you know, experience that I could pass on to another person and some knowledge that I've gathered due to this experience.
00:19:02:04 - 00:19:13:12
Edmond:
But yeah, I guess to answer your question, I just see myself as a as another human being that, you know, may or may not have something for someone else.
00:19:13:12 - 00:19:45:15
Genevra:
Yeah. I mean, having that book and the title of it Wired for Success does put you in kind of automatically puts you in the business coach category, which is okay. But yeah, I do agree that it does get thrown around a lot. But, you know, then I guess when you're when you're putting out your content, that kind of speaks for itself and the audience decides, you know, could.
00:19:45:15 - 00:19:45:24
Edmond:
Right.
00:19:46:12 - 00:20:17:15
Genevra:
Is this guy a coach material, you know, that kind of thing. But yeah, I wanted to I did want to ask that. I'm glad I did. I can we talk about martial arts? Because you had said that it can give you a sense of who you really are. Can you elaborate on that? Yeah. Can you elaborate on that?
00:20:18:19 - 00:21:02:09
Edmond:
Sure. So I practice a particular discipline of martial arts called Brazilian jiu jitsu. And in jiu jitsu, Jiu jitsu is one of the only one of the few martial arts where you can actually spar with your partner and, you know, be putting in 100% effort and not always hurt your your partner or get hurt in the process. And being in that type of experience, you really are exposed to your limitations, your wherewithal, what you know, what you don't know, what you're capable of.
00:21:03:00 - 00:21:27:24
Edmond:
And I think being in a position like that, you can't run from yourself. You know, if you're sparring with your partner and you guys are wrestling and you know, you're out of breath, you want to give up, but you know, you actually haven't lost yet. You know, there's that voice in the back of your head that says, oh, you know, I should I should just give up, you know, I'm tired or whatever.
00:21:27:24 - 00:21:51:19
Edmond:
But really, you know that, you know, deep down there's there's more, you know, you can push yourself more. And I think that martial arts really gives you that opportunity. You know, there's a phrase that we use when we say the mats, we'll never lie to you. You really get to see and that's where that you know, that which you said comes comes back to what you said.
00:21:52:17 - 00:22:10:08
Edmond:
You know, the mats will never lie to you. You know, once you step foot on those mats, you really get an idea of where you are and both how far you've come and how far you have to go when you look around you as well. Look at the partners who training with and how much there is to learn.
00:22:11:09 - 00:22:27:22
Genevra:
See, is that another way of saying that the the training in the culture with martial arts just kind of seeps into daily life practices. Like there's a nice overlap there.
00:22:27:22 - 00:22:55:14
Edmond:
Yeah, Yeah, absolutely. It's I can relate it to business as well. You know, I like to in my book, I actually talk about how our businesses are our vehicles in the dojo, which is the marketplace, and I kind of make those references and it's really a sure fire way to see, you know, what skills you've developed and how well you play with other people.
00:22:55:14 - 00:23:21:11
Edmond:
And, you know, when you're out there, you know, you're pitching your offers. So you're, you know, trying to gather leads. You really get that again, that that notion of being on the mat, of being in the dojo and really trying to implement your techniques, your skills, your methods, and to see what what results you can get.
00:23:21:11 - 00:23:38:17
Genevra:
And I think the closest that I have felt that way recently is waking up in the morning realizing there's no coffee left and going right, Who am I going to kill my path to get this coffee? Sorry, I'm just trying to relate.
00:23:41:09 - 00:23:58:17
Edmond:
[Laughs] Any physical activity, even those push ups, you know, I'm sure there was a point in the back of your head, you're like, I don't know if I can do another one, but, you know, maybe one of those days, you did find the strength within yourself to push out, you know?
00:23:58:24 - 00:24:25:23
Genevra:
Yeah. Yeah. It does create that energy shift that you didn't even realize that you needed to to have. Can we talk about the highs and lows of this book Journey for you? I was going to say, after it was released, but really, at any point - let's talk about that.
00:24:25:23 - 00:24:50:07
Edmond:
Well, I mean, throughout the whole path, I, I should say that I never really considered myself a writer before writing this book. You know, I was in business for at the time, I think eight years, seven years. And that's what I had known my whole life, you know, marketing and sales, you know, product development, research and development. And I never really considered myself a writer.
00:24:50:13 - 00:25:14:17
Edmond:
But there I am writing a book, and I got to say, throughout the journey, it was it was really difficult. There was a lot of challenges. There was there was tons of procrastination, you know, as as you brought up that so commonly experienced on this path, you're dealing with things like writer's block and you know, all that other stuff.
00:25:15:04 - 00:25:44:04
Edmond:
And I think what really made it click was the identity. As you see, I never I just said like I never considered myself a writer up until writing a book. Well, what what made the biggest shift to go from the down to the up on this up and down journey here was seeing myself as actually a writer, seeing myself as a professional writer, even though I hadn't published anything yet.
00:25:44:04 - 00:26:13:08
Edmond:
But hey, I'm. I am sitting down and spending my days, you know, organizing my thoughts, creating drafts, editing, doing all that stuff. And hey, that's what writers do. So once that clicked in my head that, Hey, I actually am a writer, the procrastination and all all of the the insecurities that come with sharing your work and putting your thoughts on paper, all of that stuff slowly started to melt away.
00:26:13:20 - 00:26:36:11
Edmond:
And yeah, I think identity is is a powerful thing to consider on any path of any shift in lifestyle. You know, if you're trying to change something in your life, I think it's very important to change the way you see yourself along with what your actions are.
00:26:38:04 - 00:27:22:13
Genevra:
I love that you said identity because that's a big theme in the premise of this show. In in my first episode, I, you know, talk about my struggles with my identity. I've just got a sub question off that. You know how they say that, you know, you shouldn't really define yourself by what you do. You know, is that it depends kind of question like, what do you think about that?
00:27:22:13 - 00:27:54:16
Genevra:
Well, can I just quickly say I love I love you know, because I'm a romantic and I would love to just shout it out from the rooftops. I'm a writer. I'm a writer. But, you know, again, that attachment to the outcome, I'm just curious if that can possibly be detrimental if.
00:27:54:16 - 00:27:54:22
Edmond:
You.
00:27:55:09 - 00:27:59:05
Genevra:
Tied too much of that to your overall identity.
00:28:01:03 - 00:28:37:08
Edmond:
Right. I think it's important to remember that whether we're writing a book, whether we're creating a business, you know, coaching people, mentoring people, whatever it is we're doing, those are just roles we play in society, right? I mean, these are masks that we're putting on and entertaining ourselves and others, but it's not really who we are. And I think if we attach too much significance to these roles, you know what happens when that book flops?
00:28:37:20 - 00:29:05:06
Edmond:
You know what happens to you as a person? You have tied your entire identity to being a writer. And, you know, it turns out that you need more practice writing, you know? So I think it's very careful. We need to be very careful what we attach our identity to. And, you know, when we are even attaching ourselves to the firm ideas of who we are, quote unquote, I think it's important that we remember that.
00:29:05:22 - 00:29:23:18
Edmond:
The fact that, you know, this is just the mask I'm putting on, you know, it is just the role I'm playing in, you know, society, you know, whether it's to deliver value or to entertain myself or to entertain others, whatever it is, it's just the mask I'm putting on.
00:29:23:18 - 00:29:50:15
Genevra:
I really like that you said that because if we value connection, right, you know, and you are putting yourself out there with a role that you're playing, then that is a a very quick way to establish connection with another person because there's, you know, particular aspects that they're going to be drawn to in that role that you're playing.
00:29:51:02 - 00:30:02:18
Genevra:
But if you're just showing up as an unidentified human being, it's going to make connection really difficult. So that's yeah, a really good point.
00:30:02:18 - 00:30:31:17
Edmond:
Right? Right. And it's it's also important that we're staying authentic to those walls We're playing to. Right. Like, I can't go around and say I'm a doctor, right? I mean, I could call myself a doctor all I want unless I'm practicing medicine, you know, I'm just I'm lying to myself. So it it's important that we stay authentic to those roles and how we actually present ourselves in those roles.
00:30:31:17 - 00:30:37:08
Genevra:
You could go around saying that you're part of the Mafia, though. I'm just saying. Because you're halfway there.
00:30:39:05 - 00:30:40:07
Edmond:
I got the voice right.
00:31:39:19 - 00:31:40:23
Genevra:
Now you're in L.A.?
00:31:42:12 - 00:31:43:17
Edmond:
Yes, Yes, I.
00:31:43:17 - 00:31:56:15
Genevra:
Got that right. Yep. I'm. You just you just had a heatwave with something, and I was going to temporarily call the episode, sweat it out loud
00:31:56:15 - 00:32:07:05
Edmond:
Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was actually about 100, 110 degrees for, like, two weeks straight, which is pretty hot for me and where I'm from.
00:32:07:20 - 00:32:08:24
Genevra:
So you survived that?
00:32:10:10 - 00:32:12:18
Edmond:
How I did. I did, yeah, for the most part.
00:32:13:05 - 00:32:36:24
Genevra:
Yeah. How attached are you? I mean, I then I've spent, like very minimal time in L.A., Just stayed in a hotel room most of the time, just passing through. So I didn't really experience L.A. culture. How attached are you to the lifestyle over there?
00:32:36:24 - 00:33:05:14
Edmond:
I don't know if I'd say I'm attached. I think I value the relationships I have here. I do think Los Angeles is a beautiful place. You know, you got the beach just 30 minutes away. You know, you got mountain forests, 30 minutes in the other direction. So I think it's a beautiful place to live. And I like I said, I have a lot of, you know, a nice home base that I've developed here, but I wouldn't say I'm attached.
00:33:05:14 - 00:33:18:07
Edmond:
You know, I've spent quite quite some time traveling and, you know, I've I've experienced life in other places more or less. I mean, not to the extent, obviously, of Los Angeles, but.
00:33:18:22 - 00:33:21:03
Genevra:
Could you see yourself living somewhere else.
00:33:23:24 - 00:33:46:07
Edmond:
Or. I can, Yeah, I can. I can. I can see that happening. There would have to be some sort of reason for me to to want to move away from, you know, my family and the relationships I have here. But I'm not against it. If, you know, things align to come up that way or not.
00:33:46:07 - 00:34:10:10
Genevra:
I really like that as a general statement in life, when you're talking to people and you can just pick a I'm not against it, like it just puts you on this. You know, you don't close yourself in to anything. I think I might use that more in in future. I'm not against it. So. Well, I was going with that question was I was curious if you were living somewhere else.
00:34:10:10 - 00:34:20:07
Genevra:
Do you think that you you still would have written this book or do you think this book was destiny for you?
00:34:20:07 - 00:34:47:09
Edmond:
That's a really good question. I know I'm not I'm not entirely certain because it is the experiences I had here living in Los Angeles, you know, having the business that I did, being in the family guided, having the little friendships that I have that kind of molded and chiseled my perspective to be the way it is to sit down and actually write that book.
00:34:47:19 - 00:35:13:14
Edmond:
Now, if I was living somewhere else, you know, that would give me an entirely different set of experiences and relationships. And so would be very hard for me to answer that question of, you know, would that book still come about anything if it did, when it come out, come about the same way, you know. So, yeah, that's a that's a difficult question for me to give a thought answer to because I really, I don't know.
00:35:14:13 - 00:35:41:16
Genevra:
Knowing a little bit about that, your answer doesn't surprise me. It's in line with your general philosophy. I, I tend to agree, even though I'm not in your body. But I do think that I feel like a book would always have happened with you. I feel like you were always going to write a book regardless. So there's. Yeah, yeah.
00:35:41:16 - 00:36:16:14
Edmond:
It could very well have been. You know, I carry the idea that, you know, we're as human beings, we're malleable. Like I said, you know, we're, we're always putting on these masks and playing these roles. Well, what's to stop, you know, me or you or anyone listening from taking off the mask they're wearing right now and deciding they want to be a different person, you know, deciding that, you know, they are going to start this business or write that book, be a more sociable person or, you know, have a, you know, enter a new relationship or whatever it is.
00:36:16:23 - 00:36:38:19
Edmond:
You know, it's it's all a matter of just making that decision, cutting off the other objects that the other options and, you know, just moving forward, having the courage to move forward and do what you decide I'm doing. And so that's yeah, that's to kind of put put some sprinkling on what you're saying.
00:36:39:21 - 00:37:01:12
Genevra:
So when you were writing this book, you were you said you had your lessons that you wanted to pass on to people. And then as part of writing the book, you're obviously analyzing your life and drawing in other philosophies. In that process, though, did you find out more things about yourself that
00:37:02:21 - 00:37:06:11
Genevra:
That you hadn't planned on writing about?
00:37:06:24 - 00:37:34:11
Edmond:
Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. That was you know, I often talk about both in my book and my writing and, you know, to have people on mentoring that entrepreneurship is a path to self-actualization. And, you know, you really get to see a lot of yourself. It gives you a lot of self-awareness at the same time, right. And the book was just the same way.
00:37:34:21 - 00:38:04:02
Edmond:
You know, I'm sure other authors can agree to this. Maybe, maybe yourself, you know, when you're in there writing the book, it's just like doing the push ups. It's just like, you know, wrestling with your sparring partner in a martial arts class. You know, when you're sitting there thinking that you can't write anymore or that you have nothing else to say, and then all of a sudden you get this, you know, bursts of inspiration and, you know, next thing you know, there's like 14 pages that have just been written.
00:38:04:13 - 00:38:21:19
Edmond:
And it's like, Well, where did that come from? I thought I was done for the day. And, you know, it's it's things like that with that really helped me get to see a side of myself, that writer's side of myself that I hadn't seen before up until that point.
00:38:21:19 - 00:38:54:00
Genevra:
Yeah, I love that. I can definitely relate to that because there is also a level of patience in the writing process just, you know, if you show up to write and nothing's coming, just even being okay with that. Rather, if you stop and get frustrated that there's no results, then you are putting up a bit of luck in putting up a wall to to your Yeah, you're flowers inspirations.
00:38:54:00 - 00:39:12:13
Genevra:
So I love hearing stuff like that and I love hearing about other various like I love hearing about what the writing process looks like for different writers.
00:39:12:13 - 00:39:33:23
Edmond:
Yeah, I think for me it was, it was I mean, there was a lot of that, right? Like getting getting that feeling of being stuck. But just like you said, I think it's that acceptance really helps with that because once you accept that, you kind of take away some of the blocks that you're putting in front of yourself because we're doing it to ourselves, right?
00:39:34:05 - 00:40:02:01
Edmond:
It's not like somebody is coming and stopping us from writing. While we may think that they are really it's just in our imagination and really owning that coming back circle to the ownership, being owning that we are the ones doing this to ourselves, it helps with that. And kind of circling back to what you were saying, being too attached to the outcome, you know, once we kind of let loose and just, you know, have fun with it.
00:40:02:01 - 00:40:15:05
Edmond:
But a lot of good things come about in that in that state of suspense. You know, when you're when you're just doing something for the sake of doing it, not for the sake of getting something back. Yeah.
00:40:15:15 - 00:40:49:09
Genevra:
Yeah. I'm trying to remember where I read this particular in your book. It might have been in the introduction, you were saying that you were observing yourself, observing yourself, and then you were like, Well, how many other observers are there? It was that it was at the beginning, it was in the introduction, and I'm like, What the fuck, I need more coffee to actually, because then I really visualize observers watching observers.
00:40:49:09 - 00:41:05:03
Genevra:
I'm like, When are you going with this? And it just made me it just made me laugh. But I just I love the added it and I was just like, This is so crazy. Who's that in the introduction that.
00:41:06:07 - 00:41:08:13
Edmond:
It's right in the start? So it's chapter one.
00:41:08:20 - 00:41:40:02
Genevra:
Chapter one. Yeah. I'm just like, I'm just having a laugh and yeah, I wanted to mention that because I was like, I actually need more caffeine to be able to process this, this line of thought. Going back to the life coach role, or, business coach.. What what do you do really well when you're offering guidance to others?
00:41:40:02 - 00:42:12:10
Edmond:
So right now what I'm actually doing is I'm helping creative people, creative professionals, I guess we can call this group of people so really gather themselves together and build a productive asset that can actually happen to supply them with a dependable stream of income. You know, oftentimes a lot of these creative people, they tend to get stuck or find something new to jump.
00:42:12:10 - 00:42:17:16
Genevra:
[Laughs] Who are those people? Do you know where you can find those people? Do you know anyone like that?
00:42:18:10 - 00:42:20:19
Edmond:
I can say I was one of them at one point.
00:42:20:21 - 00:42:23:02
Genevra:
Yeah, I was making a--
00:42:23:02 - 00:42:23:15
Edmond:
Yeah, Yeah.
00:42:23:20 - 00:42:25:13
Genevra:
silly dig at myself. Yeah.
00:42:25:21 - 00:42:59:00
Edmond:
Yeah. I think it's a, it's a common thing that we all go through and you know, once you, once you go through it a few times I think you learn the tools, techniques and the perspective that can get you out of that zone and back into getting that wheel spinning. And I think to answer your question, I think that's what I'm really good at, is helping people see that that perspective and just giving them a few of the tools and methods that I have picked up along the way myself to help them get things done without having to keep starting over.
00:43:00:08 - 00:43:26:15
Genevra:
And I think I've said this to you before, I am in definite need of your services. But I feel like I've got to do--you know, the podcast is new - I gotta do one thing at a time, but I definitely struggle with that. So there would be a lot of creatives out there that would be needing that particular guidance.
00:43:26:15 - 00:43:43:07
Genevra:
So thanks for clarifying. Yeah, you have something for our listeners to help promote your book, is that right? You have something special you want to offer?
00:43:44:19 - 00:44:07:00
Edmond:
Yeah, I am offering a free chapter of the book. If they just go to the website, which is businesslifetactics.com, they'll see, you know, a form that they can fill out to get a free chapter of the book. And I particularly think it's a really important chapter, and that's one of the reasons why I wanted to give that specific one away.
00:44:07:22 - 00:44:38:22
Edmond:
It's, it's the chapter on money called Demystifying Money. So in that chapter, I talk a lot about what this tool money is and how we should approach it in our daily lives. And some things that we can, some perspectives we can embody to actually start making more of it and being happier with what we have.
00:44:40:05 - 00:45:32:24
Genevra:
I like that chapter. There was some I want to use the word depressing, but it was there was some line of thoughts in there that were just a bit bit confronting because the thoughts you had about retirement. But you're working towards isn't necessarily what you what you need, is it as a human? And I'm just waiting and going, Holy shit, this I need to, you know, it made me want to take ownership and make sure that I wasn't working towards something that society is making me believe that I need not, you know, and I'm not really honoring what is important to me.
00:45:33:18 - 00:45:37:15
Genevra:
So the good chapter, right?
00:45:37:15 - 00:46:01:22
Edmond:
Yeah, I think I you, you hit the nail on the head as they say. Yeah. That's, that's really the of that chapter is that I am kind of confrontational in that chapter and I'm really blunt because of the fact that there is a lot of that programing of, you know, this is how you need to live your life, you need to do this, you need to do that.
00:46:02:05 - 00:46:25:05
Edmond:
You know that, that not like it's like a set template that everyone should follow. But, you know, once you know, someone can step back and have that self reflective moment like, like you just mentioned, you did and really think like, hey, is this what I want or is this what I've been told I should want? I think that's a very liberating place to be.
00:46:25:13 - 00:46:40:11
Genevra:
Well, I think was a long time coming for me. I think it's like I feel like it's already a great asset to my show. So I just want to thank you for your time. I'm super appreciative that you're here.
00:46:42:01 - 00:46:50:00
Edmond:
Well, thank you for having me. I was a lot of fun and I was looking forward to this and I'm glad we got to do this after that whole heat wave went away.
00:46:51:12 - 00:47:08:13
Genevra:
Totally. And thanks to, you know, putting up with my squirmy parts as I try to get used to this totally new area of hosting and and all of that. So thanks for bearing with me through the process.
00:47:09:03 - 00:47:25:17
Edmond:
Thank you for bearing with me. I'm totally new to this podcast stuff myself, so I think you did great and this was a very incredible experience for me and I'm sure a lot of the listeners out there as well.
00:47:25:17 - 00:47:40:19
Genevra:
Thank you again. I think we both did great and it's a great book. I'm so proud of you. It's I'm just just your journey and it's just been awesome connecting with you and sharing this with you. So thank you again.
00:47:42:01 - 00:47:43:00
Edmond:
Thank you. Thank you.
