Why Your Business Feels Like Another Job and How To Fix It. Episode #71

Samuel: Hey world, welcome back to another awesome episode of Be Inspired Podcast, where we're inspiring you to live the abundant life you deserve. I got another awesome guest on the line, Joanna Sang, all the way in Australia. it's gonna be another amazing episode, alright? So you started the business because you wanted freedom, more control, more flexibility, maybe even more time with the people you love. But somewhere along the line. The business started controlling you. You're answering emails at night, managing social media, chasing invoices, putting out fires, doing things you probably shouldn't even be doing. And suddenly the business you built to create freedom has become the thing keeping you from it. So here's the question: Did you build a business or did you just build yourself another job? Today we're talking about. What it really takes to get out of the weeds, build systems, delegate with confidence, and create a business that supports your life instead of consuming it. So let's get into it. Joanna Zhang is an award-winning founder of Operation Genius and creator of the world's first fractional VA service, a revolutionary approach to operational support that gives entrepreneurs the flexibility, accountability, and expertise they need without overhead. of a full time or part time team. So Joan, welcome to the call.

Joanna Zhang: Thank you so much, Samuel. So glad to be here. ⁓ I'm sure that'll be a wonderful conversation to discover a lot of sparkles. Yeah.

Samuel: Yeah. Yeah, it's gonna be a fun conversation. She started her entrepreneurial journey, not as a consultant, but building a support team for her own business ventures. So she has a lot of real world experience and her own experience of building her team from herself. So let's go back to the beginning, ⁓ Joanna. did you see in entrepreneurs that made you realize they didn't necessarily need more motivation? But they needed more support.

Joanna Zhang: right. I I think when we actually starting the business, that a lot of time is actually a motivation ⁓ in our heart to kind of stimulate us to do something, right? ⁓ but when we actually literally step on this journey, there's a lot of other realities start to show up. But that's exactly what I went through because at that time when I start on my own as a self self-employed professional, like a financial planner, ⁓ first will feel like there was motivation I'm gonna do by myself, I have a freedom, all those sort of things, imagination. But the reality is this there's a lot of things I don't know. I'm not sure how to do it well, you know, like marketing or IT, a lot of operations side of things. I need to totally shift my own role from professional into a business owner. Let's say once once I step onto this entrepreneurship journey. Because of that, I I got to really started to need some support for my own business because there's a lot of things my in my profession is in financial plan. I love to talk to the client, figure out strategies. ⁓ there's a lot of other things I I ⁓ good at, right? So and I spent a lot of time and trying to fix it, ⁓ I just tear my hair out, to be honest, give me a lot of stress. That's how I ⁓ to work with the VA eight years ago because I really need help. But thing is at a time, see the couldn't find a model in the market that I needed someone for IT, someone for marketing, someone maybe for leads generation, someone for design. But I couldn't find a ⁓ a model that supports me at the time because I I I can't afford a full-time part-time stuff, to be honest, if I needed all those skills, right? ⁓ I was very fortunate I started to work with a partner at the time. ⁓ have a model, like they they actually providing the talents ⁓ the time I need. So I started to structure a team together that I can actually have help everyone focus on their own genius when they're happily doing those things, which I'm not good at. Also, I can customize the team based on my needs and budget from time to time. And that's how I literally went through the whole journey and figured out a solution and started to share with other business owners called Operations Genius. That's the business you you mentioned about where we won the award as a fractional VA service at the world first. Yeah, recognization. Yeah, so that's how I literally started. So I think a motivation to kick start, but to keep sustainable growth, definitely we needed all different kinds of support alongside us.

Samuel: And earlier you mentioned a shift that happened for you. Where did that shift come from and how did you recognize that you needed something more, you know?

Joanna Zhang: Well that that's just reality check to be honest. Because a lot of time when we start something, there was something in the imagination and the map that I think I wanted to do that and and one odd opportunity arise and then the conditions everything's met, right? ⁓ we make it kick start. ⁓ kick kick start, we a lot of reality things around us, you know, like the the ones I've been mentioning about the support, because when we literally start, we realize what are the challenges, hurdles there. all those challenges, hurdles become an opportunity. Now I look back at the time it was a huge challenge. ⁓ now I look back, it's a beautiful opportunity for us to grow in a way to shift. Because without those kind of ⁓ hake up or challenges, we wouldn't be able to think is there any other way around it to overcome that, right? So it if we are all in the comfort zone, there's r no room for us to grow. So basically I think the shift is coming from all the challenges life through throws to. Yeah, put us in. ⁓

Samuel: Yeah, everything that life throws at you, you either ⁓ you sink or you swim. You know, you're out in the open ocean. Are you gonna sink or swim?

Joanna Zhang: Yes. Exactly, exactly. We had to learn how to swim, right? Like we but regardless whether we don't have to become athletes straight away where we can find different ways to survive first and then learn the steps step by step based on our own pace. Yeah. But we got to make some changes. Mm.

Samuel: Yeah. So when you talk to an overwhelmed business owner, what's usually happening beneath the service for them?

Joanna Zhang: ⁓ when they overwhelm will happen if they need a service? Well w sorry, can you reframe your question?

Samuel: ⁓ no. So say ⁓ you talk to an overwhelmed business owner, what's usually happening underneath that they're not saying?

Joanna Zhang: ⁓ right. Basically a lot of overwhelmed business owners I come across, ⁓ maybe many of them around us as well. There's a few common patterns. group can be the ones who are really self-sufficient, to be honest. Like ⁓ I wasn't like that, so I had to really ask for help. ⁓ some people they're just so good at everything, you know? ⁓ they feel like I'm the best to do everything. ⁓ by working with another person, I had to train the other person. There's so much hassle. It's much quicker for me just to do everything. And it's very hard to find someone to meet my standard. You know, like so for that saying, it's hard for them to step out of the way to ask for help. And then at the same token, they're bearing all the burdens or carrying everything on their own shoulder until a certain point they can't carry anymore. That's what has caused overwhelm. So that's one thing. They're so good at it. There's one group. The other group can be it's like when someone jumped into the ocean, right? And they don't know how to really survive. They don't know what's the first step. And there's a lot of things around them and noise, and then they don't know where to start. It's probably like a clarity part. And they were trying all different things, you know, they're trying so hard, but they still can't really breathe on the water. So ⁓ I think for those group of people can be the clarity part. You know, like they need some direction, they need some professional help who has experienced the journey to step by step overcome the steps. another group, can be a kind of in between is that there can be a kind of trapped by the blessing. So they're kind of trapped by the previous experience. Like if someone they said, ⁓ I I really need help and I know my priorities and I tried, work with someone. But the the the result and the outcome is really like a crap. You know, like I had a really bad experience. Many people experienced it, including myself, you know, like we all had a bad experience. But somehow if they actually decided their past experience would determine the future, they will be reluctant to step into that again. Which ⁓ aga Again, you know, causing them going to the overwhelm situation again because they resist to step into that to try again. So that's common styles I've seen over the years. So maybe there are some others make yeah, but they're the main main pattern I recognize.

Samuel: So let's talk a little bit about it because what would you do in each situation? What would you talk to for the self sufficient person? What would you ⁓ to them or ⁓ points you would show to them to let them know they need your service?

Joanna Zhang: A lot of time, actually, it doesn't matter if our service or anyone else's service, right? ⁓ is facing their situations, definitely there'll be pain and suffer. As you know, like ⁓ let's say one by one, for example, the ones who are very self sufficient. It's one simple question is now we can just think now if you are that kind of person, if ⁓ day something happened to you. You want to go for holiday or you're sick or something that you for a certain period of time you can't attend to your business. What's gonna happen to your business? Just think about the outcome. About that. If something happened to you, we call it as a key person or the business, right? So I'm everything of my business. Without me, business can't run. And I'm the best of everything. You know, like think about that. And answer will tell you the next step. Right? ⁓ The second group for the ones who doesn't have a clarity. I think it's often like would you rather to paddle very struggle hardly like this all the time? you think if something in front of you so bright ⁓ and that's way you gotta go and it's much simpler to take the first step. Would you like to take that step after another step to clearly gradually show up your path? Would you rather that? Or you would rather to in the ocean keep paddling and not knowing the directions. Again. And that's your choice. You know, at the end of the day, we respect everyone's free will. It's your choice. And the third group is like, I wanted to tell a story. Someone once went to Taiwan. It's a beautiful city. and it's there's so many beautiful scenes, beautiful food over there, but his wallet got stolen. And still

Samuel: Yeah.

Joanna Zhang: His summary is Taiwan is all for place. Do you think that's the truth? Or that's the fact? I think I think it depends on how we differentiate the fact and the truth. The fact for us, for example, who may have experienced bad experience before, the fact is, yes, had some bad situations before. It did happen to me. But does it mean the truth is VA doesn't help?

Samuel: No, that's yeah.

Joanna Zhang: Other support can't help us at all? Is that the truth? I think differentiate that. Again, you will know the answer. Once again, all those questions, whatever your answer is, we're gonna be the one to bear the consequences with the answer. So now I leave everyone to think about this question.

Samuel: have you ever worked with a entrepreneur who was like incredibly successful on paper but completely exhausted behind the scenes?

Joanna Zhang: Yes. ⁓ definitely. Definitely.

Samuel: What is the biggest lesson you think you would you learn from that experience?

Joanna Zhang: depends on, I think, at the end of the day, what we're looking for. Like, if I I were that person, I start a business become because I want ⁓ a freedom, I want more freedom, right? I want more happiness, I want a more ⁓ a way of feeling of contributing. Yeah, I'm doing well. I'm doing so well, you know, I can do all of that. But at the same token, my consequences are bearing a lot of Burden at the same time. It's like a pros and cons, they they offset. And even sometimes the burden is heavier than the freedom outcome, right? So then if I face that kind of challenge again, I mean that situation, I will ask myself a question: is that something I really want? If it is, you if you're happy, go for it. You know, nothing wrong with it. There's no right around go to back. However, if that's that's the situation, it's not something you truly want. Probably there's a question mark again. What shall I do next to balance that? Again, that's your own choice.

Samuel: So you discussed the three different types of people, right? So they're all unique in their own way. They're all going through their own journey, right? So what do you think? Why do you think entrepreneurs become addicted to doing everything their self? Is it like control, trust, identity, ⁓ fare? Based on those three different people, what do you see most about it?

Joanna Zhang: Mm. Yes. ⁓ such a good question. Yeah, so so true, because every choice we make behind it, there is a life lesson for us to learn. R I believe so. Because whenever we we make some choices, there is a subconscious or even non-conscious driver driven thing for us to make that decision. For example, the DIY style. I think the main lesson it is control part. Because I was controlling freak too. I used to think my way is a highway. I can do the best at everything, right? then ⁓ d ⁓ the create a lot of conflicts between me and the team members because I thought this is the best way and why can't you follow that? Of course, keeping the standard is bo ⁓ depends on whether there's a boundary or expectation. If like we have expectation put everything we think is the best to another person A lot of time we may get disappointed, right? Because another person is another another soul. However, if that's our seventh standard, it's a boundary, we if we break that, it's not okay. Then we need to sustain the quality, of course. However, if that's the way I like then you have to be like precisely a hundred percent of this it's kind of like very hard excitation to be honest. Because when I let go of that I call it peakiness.

Samuel: Yeah.

Joanna Zhang: I was very picky. I was I'm wordled to be honest. I'm very precisely picky, right? And once I learned let go of those things, I realized things can have a limited possibility. My team members surprise me, want to let go of that part of expectation. And if my way is not always a highway, there's other paths we can go through. And often I come up with different results. So that's the lesson I've learned personally to let go of that high expectation. of the DIY style. Okay. So yeah, I think it's about control, leg of control, but layer by layer, whether you wanna to experience unlimited possibilities with others together. Or you just want to stick with that point that you think that's the best.

Samuel: Yeah, yeah. Yeah, and i I like that you said it's like in the subconscious as well too, because depending on what they've been through, ⁓ the entrepreneur themselves been through as far as like life, they believe that everything should be in in their control, you know? So it's just learning and growing the shift that you talked about earlier as well, to shift out of that mindset.

Joanna Zhang: Yeah. Yeah. But I in saying that I think it's important for the business owner as ourselves, like entrepreneur, we we need to control certain things. Like the directions, the cultures, the visions. That's very important for us to keep up uphill because that's the essence of who we are and what we do as a business. That's so crucial. However, a lot of details, how we organize, how to manifest, how to evolve. We can certainly we c work with others, right? Like together to co-create. So that will be ⁓ create a lot of element possibilities. Yeah, so that's that group. The second group for the clarity part ⁓ I think the main lesson is about ⁓ the word itself saying that the clarity. Because a lot of times I found a business owner a lot of time don't take actions. It's be not because sometimes they they lack of action. They a lot of them are very good at implementation executions, including myself. ⁓ years of my business, I tried different things, but I didn't have a clear directions and then I tried everything. ⁓ that's a good thing about it, is I had experience. But at same token, they're slowing down growth, right? Because I don't have the priority. Then I realize the strategy behind the implementation is so important. So I think to work with someone who has experience in certain fields. For example, if you need a support and who s actually have the support resources and who know how to convert idea into action plan, and that's a good example of working with someone together, right? To have the clarity, what's the next step? Action plan exactly one, two, three, to convert it from the brain into action like that. It's just an example. ⁓ and also recently we've launched a fractional C-suite advisory board because of that, because ⁓ are implementation partners, we can do things like that, right? However, I realize a lot of business owners hold back the steps is because the clarity is not there about next steps, what exactly you want to do. ⁓ they hold off the steps. not to take any actions. So we actually create this customized board to support business owners from time to time, focus on their current challenges and hurdles, and figure out the next step exactly for them to step out. So that's another supporting ⁓ you know resources for them to get clarity on the strategy part, then the action can be taken from the implementation partners like our plug and play team, VAT.

Samuel: Yeah.

Joanna Zhang: Right. So yeah, so that's for that part. I think in our life it's the same apply to in our life we don't have a clarity where we're going that actually restrict us in the comfort zone. And if you know, like if you want to really grow, if we have some guidance, they will help us to accelerate growth. Yeah, that's so that's for that group. Another one, the last one is for who can be trapped with a bad experience. I think the laugh lesson for it is it can be I experienced that too because I used to make some mistakes and a lot of time those mistakes give me a lot of burden. regardless how many good things I've done. My eyes always at the back as a ⁓ I made a mistake. You know? ⁓ wasn't like wicked mindset. I think the main thing is the victim mindset. I felt like I made a mistake. How did I go through this? How did it happen to me? Why, why, why? You know, like that kind of emotional trap. If I trap myself in the victim side, I wouldn't be able to get out of there. However, recently from my spiritual journey and ascension journey learning, I I've learned how to let go of that victim's mindset to face my previous experience. I kind of understand. How I experience those things and forgive myself to start with. At that time, that's the best I can do. I encountered that because I certain things I didn't know, right? I met someone, but instead of feeling as a victim, I shift into another side of what I can learn from this. So since I made that shift, started to form ⁓ charity into an opportunity, a growth opportunity.

Samuel: Yeah.

Joanna Zhang: I think it's a shift. Yeah, it depends on what we wanted to which side we want to stay on. Yeah, so I would say the third group can be that one. Because all those three groups I personally experience. that's how I shift ⁓ this side to the other side. And to really ⁓ myself and my business, my team members, my clients, everybody around me, we started to grow together.

Samuel: Right. I like how you talked about the victim mindset and learning how to forgive in yourself because that's a real big thing in entrepreneurship or just life in general, you know, because our past it our past is so consumed with ⁓ man, I messed up. But just having the compassion for yourself and forgiving and letting go could give you so much power. So thank you for sharing that because that's important as an entrepreneur. Like you're gonna

Joanna Zhang: Yes.

Samuel: mess some stuff up, you're you're learning, you're growing, but as long as you learn from your mistakes, you could keep growing.

Joanna Zhang: Yeah, hundred percent. But I think a lot of entrepreneurs, this one extreme is to maybe trap in the weaker ⁓ The other extreme, because I wanted the extreme too, ⁓ like ⁓ super resilient. Super resilient means I can do the same thing, bang, bang, bang, bang. Again, again, I don't I I'm I don't mind. I failed, whatever, you know, like ⁓ I was lacking revision at the time. I the same thing repeat a few times. So I've learned along the years that if I don't revisit just to boldly just go for it, I will still hit some walls, right? Of course, we learn different things. But however, if I exp after the soul awakening, to be honest with you, I'll become more aware. Before was like hitting the same things and then life throws the same lesson to me, I didn't aware what lesson I'm learning. So I'm hitting harder and harder and harder until I'm really bleeding. ⁓ Then ha ha, alright. ⁓ However, now after if we have awareness, whatever we experiencing, start to aware, try to think, okay, understand what exactly life is trying to teach us. Right? Revision and learned the lesson from there and then, we can start to spiral up instead of batching the whole point all the time. That's a true way in the past for us to start to be evolving. One way started to hit, revisit, a leg of weak mindset. Hate revisit. So that's a spiral journey. What should we start? Yes.

Samuel: You mentioned you you mentioned a little bit about your soul awakening, ⁓ on your journey. Like ⁓ led you to that on your entrepreneur journey and how did that ⁓ how did that come about for you?

Joanna Zhang: Yes. Okay. ⁓ that happened about three, four years ago. And that time I already ran my business for four or five years, ⁓ right? at that time, that's same as what I'm saying. I was bashing the same thing ⁓ so I was trying so hard on my business. And at that particular time I think a life gave me an opportunity, like put me into financial hardship, marriage breakdown, and business stagnant, like not clear what's happening. So a lot of things happening together. And at the same token, I felt like I'm here doing something, but I'm not sure. No clarity again. I'm not sure whether I'm on the right track. And at that particular divine timing, I get to know a spiritual mentor who has personally experienced the soul awakening herself, guided by the source. If you believe we have a soul and we have a higher wisdom, right? Or divine team, or whomever you call it, God, source, universe. ⁓ So that's what she wants through by herself. So that's how she actually started to help others to awaken on this journey. So after that journey, ⁓ that was a three days event. After that event I get to know my self mission, so power, so purpose. I started to have a clarity on the path I'm on. I also started to have a awareness started to open up. I'll put this way, I used to be doing like in the dark room. And I'm so brave hidden here, hidden there. I'm trying so hard, so resilient. But I'm s I felt like I was stuck in there, you know, like I have no way out. After the solo awakening is literally like light on the sky cracking through. There's a way for me to go out. I don't know what's the next word, but at least I know the way ⁓ Do you know to finish this game? Go to the next one. ⁓ literally what Soul Awakening helped me with. And I

Samuel: Yeah.

Joanna Zhang: That we can have a more awareness and consciousness, then I started to be on the soul ascension journey, which means constantly learn on this journey from spiritual realm and then tap into my emotion that embody it ⁓ practice to make a manifestation. Let's put it this way. Yeah, so it became totally different game. ⁓ used to just focus on physical realm, hitting here and there so hard, but now I know what's the root ⁓ I need to learn. And then I tap into the physical, like practice in the playground, to be honest. Like you know, I learned a lesson from spiritual and emotionally tap into understand and then do it. It become a true wisdom of myself. So that's the t whole transformation. And a business literally, like I mentioned, it became my playground. And it's to just to practice all the things I've learned in my life.

Samuel: I heard you said a lot of things and what I hear you saying is like spiritual success. in life depends on your soul alignment in spiritual realm as well. So without some kind of higher power believing, you believe that you won't get to the success that we're all looking for.

Joanna Zhang: ⁓ no, I didn't mean that. First of all, I think everyone has different definitions about success. Right? For me, I'm just talking about me, I'm not representing everybody else. For me, I was trying so hard for my business. I achieved a lot of things. inside of me, I wasn't fulfilled. And I realized that's the picture, right? What we want. ⁓ thought that's what I want. ⁓

Samuel: Okay.

Joanna Zhang: But I want to achieve that. I thought, ⁓ is that it? What's next? It's empty inside, you know what I mean? So then I realized there was something right. The success I was used to giving myself as a status quo, achieve ⁓ the status and how much money or social status recognition, whatever it is, that's not something ⁓ make me happy. I put this way. ⁓ it's It's pleasure, very pleasant, but very quick it disappeared. It's not true happiness sustainable days. Then I was looking for what's the true happiness inside of my heart? And one day actually my spiritual mentor asked me one question that totally shaped my intention of my business. She actually asked me why do you start your business? My very first answer from a cognition like a brain logical, it's a very good business model. know that. And she's ⁓ Think again I started tapping my emotions. I can certainly help a lot of people. I believe in that because it helped me. And she asked again think again. Why do you do your business exactly? Well, think about it. If I think the true reason is because of first two layers, I should be happy, right? Because I'm running a good model, you get recognition, I can help people. Why there's something still not aligned there? And then once she asked me again, I started to stop using my brain. I tapped into my heart and just one word split out of my mouth. It's so simple. That word is very simple, however, my action put me into the ears. Like I said, it's because of Unconditional love. And after I said that, my tears were dropped. I didn't plan anything, I didn't really act or whatever. It's just natural, simultaneously reaction. And then she said, There you go. You know, your soul knows the answer. Then I realized that many, many years I was doing something not aligned with my soul. Regardless of how much achieved outer, inner world was not truly happy. That's the moment I started to shift my intention. And guess what? The magic just happened. Before when I did business, I was very transactional. You know, because I if I seek in the numbers or the pipelines or revenues, whatever it is, I look at others like a dollar sign. ⁓ pipeline, pipeline, pipeline, deal, deal, deal, right? People can feel it. They're very transactional. But now once I know what I'm truly doing my business for. I started every conversation as literally with another soul. I don't talk about a business. I don't think about a business. I care about another person as a soul, right? Literally care, where are you now? What I can do. Do I have any resources to help you? A magic just happened. At the divine timing, when person had intention meets intention, right? That kind of person naturally shows up, they naturally ask for help. Then bang, there you go. That's what I have in my toolbox. There you go. Instead of go to everyone, come on, that's what I have. Go to need it, do we need it? If they don't need it, why? But I'm just being myself. Right? If you need it, that's what I have. And they become effortlessly flow. I'll put this way. And I'm I'm much more happier. Because in the conversation, I don't have a pressure in my brain says, you need another deal.

Samuel: Yeah.

Joanna Zhang: There's nothing like that. I'm just having conversation. Enjoy who I am. Enjoy the collaboration. Enjoy the co-creation. And if there's something there, it will naturally happen. If it's not timing yet, that's fine. At least you know there's something out there down the track you can use, right? That's about it. And and very relaxed and truly understand now what's the freedom means. The state in my heart, I'm always looking. I'm being myself, freely create, enjoy co-creation grow together. That's what I want in this business playground. ⁓ what they say. ⁓ then the ⁓ has a shift, the state has a shift, and the outcome ultimately reflects our inner world.

Samuel: Yeah. I know we took a deep dive into something else, but I appreciate you sharing. That's amazing because you're right, you know, finding your soul purpose and working from the soul is way different from chasing the emptiness of success, you know? so that's Thank you for sharing. What's the difference between ⁓

Joanna Zhang: Hmm. Thank you.

Samuel: being busy and actually being productive.

Joanna Zhang: ⁓ wow, such a good question. I used to be so busy. at the time I felt like ⁓ need to be busy to prove I'm valuable. You know, that's my belief at the time. ⁓ I don't do something, I feel guilty. ⁓ I didn't do something today. ⁓ I wasn't productive. I felt like, you know. ⁓ at the time I trapped myself in the busyness in a lot of things which is not truly productive. To be honest. Like, let's say if I put myself the whole day schedule, answering questions, rescheduling meetings, you know, ⁓ dealing with every details with the team and doing everything by myself, I look very busy. Of course, I'm very busy, right? I can do a lot of things. But at the end of the day, I feel very heavy I don't have a brain or space to create something, focus on the growth. I was like firefighter to catch react every single thing on my business. Yeah, I did a lot of things, but truly, is the business truly growing? I'm not sure. I was in that state before, you know, like but because I that energy management is very powerful. A lot of time powerful than time management. I don't mean time management, it's not good, it's not about that. Time management is a logical tool helping us to structure in a way. However, I started to focus on energy management means that I started to really look after my own well-being. Be aware my state. In during the day, we may feel I have the up and down, even during the day, right? Sometimes we suddenly have a clear brain space. I feel like the inspiration coming through. ⁓ I can do things just like that. super efficient. But sometimes if I feel really tired, I need a nap, I start to allow myself to nap. Because after nap, my my efficiency will be like super high. So I think once I saw a video that someone did a test ⁓ for a guy he's a professional. They I think they allow him only to sleep a few hours a day and doing some task for a few days and they have an outcome right And the next few days they let him to take a nap wherever he feels tired and do the things whenever he feels like the efficiency improves at least 45%. It's that kind of difference. So a lot of time when we're already drained and we're trying to push ourselves to do something, it's not really productive, to be honest. We're just giving ourselves peace of mind. I did something, even though I'm tired, I'm so good. But but the outcome is really not good, you know. Yeah, so now I let go of that guiltiness is that first of all, it's a it's a mindset shift, is that I started to believe my own value, even without doing anything. I'm have my existing value already. My existence, I already have a unique value, same as every single soul. By doing something is that wanna go with my state flow, I become super productive and efficient. Yeah, so I just go with that now. Follow my mana energy. And go with the floor. Yeah. Let me put this in.

Samuel: Your energy can be so important because those naps, those power naps in the middle of the day really help to refresh, rejuvenate you to get up and get more ideas.

Joanna Zhang: Yeah, that's so true. Another thing is that when we started to really allow us to leverage other helps and give us an opportunity to focus on I have a ⁓ our company has a vision, ⁓ analogy with the airplane because our mission and passion is to help business owner become the pilot of the the the airplane. Right. So often like if the air The the pilots get constantly distracted about customer service, about the airplane maintenance. Of course that this airplane can't fly really high fast towards the destination, right? So our mission and passion is to focus on that. For me as a business owner, that's the genius for us to focus on. And everything else, by working with others with the right support, then we can fly high together and send all those passengers who want us to help to the destination. So that's my analogy. Using the airplane. Yeah.

Samuel: So what's something business owners call necessary that you learn is actually just a habit that they have?

Joanna Zhang: ⁓ can you ask the question again? Sorry.

Samuel: Yeah, sure. What's something business owners call necessary that you've learned is actually just a habit that they may have.

Joanna Zhang: They think he's a necessary, but it's just a habit. Hmm. There be so many because every business owner's ⁓ we we always so we have our own habit to do different things. Right? I'm trying to think an example. Example, I put this way, like a social media, for example. I know social media need to be really authentic in our own view and time. However, some business owners probably at the initial stage they feel like, this needs to be just me. You know, I I feel like the other ⁓ of I've seen many posts that are not authentic. And even AI adair, when I see it, it's just Or is it just a MS image, you know, doesn't look like a real person or something, you know, that losing the authenticity. I I'm with that. However, if we think that we can't really leverage other help to help with our social media, then we will just feel like I'm the one who can do my social media the best. All right. I can drop the right good content, writing out, always my tone, and happy with that. I would say it's a habit in a way is because me put this way. Once did a test ⁓ or called marketing DNA with someone else. And I realized everyone will have our own way of output content. ⁓ For I used to ⁓ struggle create content. Some people may have tons of content, but they they they they struggle with something else. Maybe consistency output. For me, it's creating on content. So I realized by writing sometimes can be hard. by drafting something can be hard. However, the easiest way for me is to maybe record a two or three minute video. Just to at that moment, tap into the moment, down all the information, bam, share with it. And that becomes my way of sharing the messages or wisdom from my end. And that's one of the reasons I started to do podcasts too. Because I realized one of the ways can naturally start to talk. It's like yourself, like when you ask me questions. go into that zone of sharing what I have in me. So give me as example. I use this way, right to share, and then we repurpose the whole experience into different ways of other social media ⁓ to passing these messages through. So ⁓ There are different ways for us to first of all recognize our own flow and style. I think that's as a self-love is the very first step as a business owner, right? Recognize your own style. If you enjoy writing, you write it. But a lot of people like, I love to write, but I don't I I can't come up with a beautiful picture with it, but not with the AI, maybe you can. But again, with those hashtags, this and that, you know, that someone well ask for help. Someone else can do that for you, right? And some people say, So much content, but I just hope no time to post it. Again, leverage help. Someone else can help you to post it. So a lot of things is something that we think that's necessary for myself to do, it's not 100% necessary. We got to keep our essence and style uniquely, authentically as us, but there are ways we can leverage help to send this message out. Just example from social media.

Samuel: Yeah.

Joanna Zhang: But of course that applied to every other side of business. Well whatever we do. Like if if there's some some part of the business, it doesn't have to be me always there to guide it, to help, to structure, to manage it, to supervise. I can have someone else to look after that part and I can spare my space to think about something else for the next growth step, right? So it's let's put it this way.

Samuel: Mm-hmm.

Joanna Zhang: My soul name is Zokanaki. And the meaning of that, one source told me, I was just wowed. Because the name of my name is the power of teamwork will create ultimate journey of victory. There you go. Teamwork. no perfect person, but they can ⁓ a perfect team, right? We can build a perfect team together. ⁓ interesting by saying that. I always work with a group of people and now I understand because one of my soul power it is teamwork. And in my soul name, teamwork is playing a big part. I personally ⁓ got to experience the challenges and hurdles working with a group of people ⁓ figure out a solution. Now then I I have this treasure to share with others. Like light up other people's world. Then I understand that's what I'm here for. Yes.

Samuel: Okay. what's first thing an entrepreneur should remove from their plate if they want to create more freedom?

Joanna Zhang: I used to share, I always actually share this exercise with everybody around me, right? So either clients or audience or team members, we exercise to categorize our life into four categories: incompetence, competence, excellence, and genius. ⁓ Right. the very first step, ⁓ first to quickly explain: incompetence means something. We don't like to do it, we're not good at it. Competence is something we can do it, it could do it well, but we don't love that dearly. ⁓ excellence is something that we love to do and we can do it really well as well, very exciting. But genius is the part is uniquely us. Something can't be replaceable. And when we do it, we're naturally happy, energetic. Even without earning any money, we still wanted to do it. That's the genius. ideally, if we can start to delegate, it's layer by layer, start from incompetence to competence. The the the best thing is that at the end of the day, if you work on genius, that's the best stage, right? That's how that's why our business is called Operations Genius. So I would say recommend everyone to think about something on your plate as incompetence. Everyone may at a different stage of delegation. Whatever stage you are, think about the next layer you haven't done yet. So for example, if you're you haven't started delegation, first one is think about what are you not good at? And you don't like to do it. Whatever you do it, it's dreaming energy. It doesn't mean that we escape ⁓ improving those ⁓ We can always have a learning mindset to step by step grow in the areas, right? For example, I used to think I'm not good at IT, ⁓ can't do social media, but I'm really learning it. But it doesn't mean I have to be the one to do it. Right, so I can learn. I'm I'm not escaping, but by someone else who can do much better, use much less time, and they enjoy doing it. Why don't we work together as a team to make it happen? So that's the first layer. And if you once you finish that layer, you can think about competence, excellence, and genius. On my own delegation journey part during the past years, I'm now at a stage of delegating my excellence gradually into genius zone. I put it this way. my own journey. I because I personally experienced delegation layer by layer within my own organization. Mm. Mm.

Samuel: Yeah. Wow. So how do you okay, so you talk a lot about delegation and that being important, especially for somebody that don't wanna let it go. But how do you determine what should be automated or eliminated or kept ⁓ delegated like you said?

Joanna Zhang: If someone really don't want to let go

Samuel: Huh? Yeah. Can you hear me?

Joanna Zhang: Are you there? Are you frozen? ⁓ yeah yeah. yeah yeah, okay. So you mean if someone really don't want to let go, how can they start?

Samuel: No, so how do you determine, ⁓ what say you seen an entrepreneur and you're with them, how do you determine what they should automate, what they should delegate, eliminate, or be kept on the schedule?

Joanna Zhang: Good question. We actually help clients with the four different stages and your question you ask is the very first layer we help business owner. We call it hot potatoes. You know, because I believe every business owner at different stages, they have something on their plate. It's giving them ⁓ this it's something like a burden. Give you an example. One of our clients, ⁓ she's a podcast host as well, right? She's very good with the conversation, she record records so many episodes. because she was so efficient, recorded a lot, ⁓ she has a lot of backlog, haven't really been edited and although also put on social media. ⁓ she constantly producing the recording. At the same token, her output is piling up. For her at that particular moment. That's her hot potato. How we define it? Because they gave her stress. She felt like, I know it's there. I know I need to do it. I don't have a resource to do it as yet. But by thinking of it, by thinking of it, it's they give me a heavy feeling, you know, like ⁓ yeah. ⁓ if causing the physical and emotional burden, we call it hot potatoes. So we deal with those layers first. And after she engaged with our service, we started to create momentum helping her, you know, with output, editing, social media, adding in social media. After a couple of weeks, she said, I already have a space to breathe and to think and be creative. That's the magic moment. Because a lot of things sometimes everybody we can experience those periods with some hot potato on our hand. You know, we really wanted to struggle to get rid of it, but we don't know how to or where to start as yet. Start from there. Start from there. Because after that, you will have a room to breathe, at least. You can go back to your ⁓ calm and peaceful self and give yourself care to start to go to the next step. So that's the very first layer. And after that, we're helping them to create the momentum, them momentum, for example, the social media or least generations or CRM management or design, ⁓ whatever is. ⁓ So Even though when the business owner wants to go for a leave, you know, doing some having a meetings or having some time off, the business can still run. So that solved that problem with saying if the key person something happened to you, what's gonna happen? The business can still up and running. And the next step after that is to really look through the whole business if they wanted to to s systemize the business as a structure, to truly build assets for the business as a machine. So the business can run sustainability with a healthy balance. And the last layer is not the least, is that we constantly help business owners focus on the genius. Like I believe many business owners were here, like myself, journey is that I thought I want this, but it's not that. When we figure out what we truly want, when the business can run, right? So we can truly have the space of focus on our genius, contribute to this world to whichever way we want it to contribute for. Yeah. So that's the steps.

Samuel: That's nice. Okay. I could relate, you know, being able to get in there ⁓ and out what you need and have the system in place to get those things to create clarity in your life as far as like, all right, like you said, she was struggling with backlogs, you know, taking that and having them have clarity. That's awesome. So I got a few more questions for you. Three to be exact.

Joanna Zhang: Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Samuel: So what does success look like when you take revenue out of the question?

Joanna Zhang: That's a great point. You know, I used to think success, you know, like we we we have those vision board or a goal setting, ⁓ they're good tools to help us to visualize, right? But I I think after my spiritual journey, I learned one thing is about to embrace the unlimited possibilities. Because a lot of time I used to stagnant like put that exactly point. If I achieve that, that means I'm successful. I limited all the

Samuel: Yeah.

Joanna Zhang: possibility into that point and if that point can't reach, I'm not successful. I used to be like that. So they give me a lot of persistent struggle and the catch it's you know I just just want to be that. However now I learned because there are unlimited possibilities. I let go of that, let's say what you revenue, the number, whatever it is. ⁓ realize in our life there are many different ways can be treated as manifestation as outcome, right? Another connections, another opportunities, another way for us to really contribute back, another another way like we can really help ourselves, others grow. Everyone may have a different definition, as just an example. So once we actually started to change definition of success, there were so many things around us, I started to feel gratitude. There's so many little things I didn't realize. That's the good karma. You know, like If I used to just look at a dollar, I feel so disappointed. it doesn't show on the paper like that, right? ⁓ I I I neglect ⁓ those beautiful things, connections, moments, blessings, ⁓ gifts around me as a go come. So now ⁓ remove that little single point overall as holistic. Look at a success, what it is. Because the main thing is that I become happier. For me. ⁓ That's a true success. When I'm in the happy state, I'm being myself, I have a different energy and state to spread all more love out. You know, that created more good karma. So it's like engine. We started to look after our own engine, started to feel in our own cups, and when there's a flow, it just endlessly flow out. ⁓ just powerful. Infinite. kind of feeling. ⁓ So did I answer your question? ⁓

Samuel: Yeah, yeah, I sure did. So if an entrepreneur tells you I don't have time to build systems, what do you hear them really saying?

Joanna Zhang: A lot of times when we say I don't have time, because I did that too. If I think something is not important, I think I don't have time for that. It's it's for ourselves to ⁓ get away something. It's our own priority. Let me put this way. If I feel like I don't have ⁓ we always have time for something, I believe. ⁓ It's like is saying we always have stammered for For dessert. You know, like it's whether we really want it or not. ⁓ we really want it, ⁓ will prioritize that. ⁓ matter what, that's top one to go. So I think the question is not about time, it's about importance. How important you think it is in your life of doing that?

Samuel: Joanna, thank you so much for coming on the podcast and sharing your heart, sharing your wisdom, sharing sharing your knowledge. ⁓ thing you thought I would ask, but I didn't quite ask you?

Joanna Zhang: Think you ask a lot of questions. many podcasts. I think you're one of them asking many questions. And they are all very good questions to be honest with you. One question. You do so well. But can't think of any other questions. I think that's your your genius part. ⁓ also

Samuel: Thank you.

Joanna Zhang: Uh-huh. Is there something that you want me to share, but I haven't shared yet? I wanted to pause it. Is there something that

Samuel: You know that's funny, no one has never asked it back to me.

Joanna Zhang: We have mirror, right?

Samuel: So since you asked, what's something you wish every entrepreneur understand about the relationship between time and money?

Joanna Zhang: Well, I used to use time to change money. now I realize let's mention the energy management, right? And time management. Time is not absolute, it's relevant. Like depends on how we use time. During the one hour, what kind of state or energy we face it will determine the outcome. Right? So if we're in the high state and inspirational, energetic ⁓ lively just our ourselves imagine what we can do during that one hour. Probably it's not how many emails we answered, but that sparkle idea. We if you use money, maybe it's a million dollar idea, let's put it this way, right? So just to visualize importance. So we we used to treat our time thinking that more we do, ⁓ more outcome is there. But think about the quality itself. Will we contribute birth from that one hour? That will determine the wealth. Because I believe wealth is energy too. If the wealth is that the more we're giving out and creating value, the more is coming back. Imagine that one hour if you answer 50 emails with another ⁓ One great idea can help a lot more people. Which one is contributing more to this world? Let me put it this way. Which way you're actually truly sharing your love and creativity to this world, the wealth will come with that. That's what I believe for now. So there's another saying: don't do the job for $20 per hour anymore. Do the job maybe $200 or $2,000 value. type of work during that one hour. That's what we're truly probably good for the entrepreneur to focus on now because we're here to create a value, to add value. Get back to this work.

Samuel: Joanna, you summed it up pretty awesome. I couldn't even have said it better myself. So I just want to thank you for coming on here, sharing your expertise. How can people connect with you if they wanna connect with you for your services or anything like that?

Joanna Zhang: Right. ⁓ I think the easiest way to find me on LinkedIn. just to find me on LinkedIn. If you don't use LinkedIn, maybe you can find the Operations Genius on Facebook. Just follow us or send a message. ⁓ way, whichever channel you use. ⁓ I think yeah, you can find me there. Put my name Joanna Jiang. Or you I I found that ⁓ now Google has AI model as well. If Google my name, Joanna Jang, ⁓ Operations I'll be there. They will show you the contact details there as well. It's awesome. Yeah. Looking to connecting with any of you. Yeah.

Samuel: Yeah. Awesome. So thank you so much for coming on here. I I look forward to all your awesome success in the future. It was nice meeting you. Take care.

Joanna Zhang: Thank you so much. Thanks for this providing this space. Thank you.

Samuel: You're welcome. All right. Thank you all for joining in on Be Inspired Podcast where we're inspiring you to live the abundant life you deserve. So if Joanna said anything that with you ⁓ ⁓ on help you understand your business better, go ahead and let's have a conversation in the comment section. Connect with her. Comment on LinkedIn, comment on Instagram. Wherever you see this ⁓ episode, go ahead and share your views and what you learn from it. All right. So we'll see you on the next episode of Be Inspired Podcast, where we're inspiring you to live the abundant life you deserve. See you guys next week.

Joanna Zhang: Okay.