In this podcast episode, Kymone Hinds interviews a business coach and former politician, Deon Stokes. Stokes shares her journey from working as a server at Olive Garden to becoming a successful business coach, emphasizing the importance of early work experiences. She discusses the stigma surrounding business coaching and her focus on helping individuals start businesses from scratch. Stokes also talks about her experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, her formula for success, and how she selects individuals to work with. The episode concludes with a discussion of Deon's ambition planner and how it helps individuals stay organized and focused on their goals.

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Visit Deon Stoke’s website: http://theambitionbrand.com/

Show Notes

00:00 Intro to Podcast

(00:02:14) The impact of serving at Olive Garden

Deon Stokes shares how her experience serving at Olive Garden for seven years shaped her skills in serving individuals, meeting their needs, and understanding different expectations.

(00:04:14) Lessons learned from unmet expectations

Deon discusses how her experience at Olive Garden taught her about unmet expectations and how it has helped her excel in her current business.

(00:05:43) The value of personalization and attention to detail

Deon explains how her ability to remember details and personalize her interactions with clients, learned from her time at Olive Garden, has been a valuable skill in her business coaching career.

(00:07:46) The click of girls that ride for me

Discussion about the desire for a supportive community and the importance of having people who believe in your dreams.

(00:08:34) Starting a business with $0

Sharing experiences of starting a business with no money and the success stories of individuals who achieved significant growth.

(00:10:19) From politician to business coach

Stokes talks about her career transition from politics to becoming a business coach, including the enjoyment of being a political manager and the decision to retire from politics.

(00:15:59) Loss of Clients and Personal Tragedy

Stokes discusses the loss of all their clients between March 13th and March 31st due to the COVID-19 pandemic and how it was a personal tragedy for them.

(00:19:46) Formula to Success: Preparation + Opportunity

The speaker reveals the formula to success as "preparation plus opportunity equals success" and emphasizes the importance of being prepared for opportunities to achieve success.

(00:22:41) Target Audience and Importance of Targeting

Stokes talks about the importance of having a target audience and the misconception that targeting is wrong, highlighting the need to identify and cater to a specific group of people.

(00:22:53) The target market for the ambition planner

Deon Stokes talks about how she selects individuals to be a part of her coaching program based on their dedication to organization and their interest in starting a business.

(00:24:23) Why the Ambition Planner is for women

Deon explains why her planner is specifically designed for women, as they have unique needs and challenges when it comes to balancing multiple responsibilities.

(00:28:07) Evaluating a business idea

Deon discusses how she evaluates whether a business idea is viable, focusing on the willingness of the individual to adapt and make adjustments based on market research and trends.

(00:30:04) Importance of Failure

The importance of failure and the need to keep moving and pivoting in business.

(00:30:52) Being Willing to Pivot

The significance of setting goals, evaluating progress, and being willing to pivot in business.

(00:33:18) Concept of Failure

The concept of a failure report and the value of learning from failures to avoid repeating them.

(00:36:59) The Big Frog and Time Audit

Deon discusses the importance of prioritizing tasks, specifically the "big frog" task, and conducting a time audit to understand how time is spent.

(00:39:48) Understanding Ambition

Deon explains her perspective on ambition, distinguishing between selfish ambitions and ambitions that serve others, and encourages listeners to embrace wise and selfless ambition.

(00:42:15) Increasing Sales and Following God's Guidance

Deon shares her experience of launching and selling thousands of planners worldwide, emphasizing the importance of listening to God's guidance, not denying one's talents, and doing things for the glory of God.

(00:44:59) The planner and where to get it

Deon talks about the planner and where it can be obtained, both in physical and digital versions. Connecting with Deon on social media

(00:45:40) Deon shares her social media handles and encourages listeners to reach out to her on various platforms.

(00:46:48) Taking action and bringing business ideas to life

The importance of taking action and not just being inspired is emphasized, along with the advice to get a business coach and bring business ideas to life.