Building resilience and financial freedom

Interview Summary

Redefining Success: Joy Over Materialism (00:00)

Jasper challenges conventional success metrics, emphasizing fulfillment and joy over titles, money, or possessions—especially for entrepreneurs seeking purpose-driven lives.

The Entrepreneurial Journey: From Corporate to Freedom (02:07)

Jasper shares his leap from corporate life into entrepreneurship, inspired by his father’s advice and his own curiosity.

Financial Planning: Preparing for Entrepreneurial Challenges (07:02)

From saving money to defining your lifestyle, Jasper outlines key financial strategies to prepare for the unpredictability of self-employment.

Mindset and Money: Overcoming Barriers (22:10)

Limiting beliefs about money often stem from childhood. Jasper urges entrepreneurs to examine their mindset as much as their finances.

Finding Balance: Rest and Boundaries (26:02)

Entrepreneurship can be consuming. Jasper encourages setting boundaries, learning when to rest, and protecting your time and energy.

Transcript

Digital Entrepreneur

You're listening to Joy of Business, a collection of audio essays, timely discussions, and stories featured on digitalentrepreneur.com.

That was a clip from Jasper Smith, founder of The #BuildWealth Movement. In our conversation, Jasper shares how important financial literacy is to building a successful business.

Keep listening to hear how he navigated his leap from corporate life, the lessons he learned from his entrepreneurial father, and why rest, financial strategy, and self-awareness are non-negotiable tools for longevity in business.

Digital Entrepreneur (00:00)

Hey Jasper, welcome. I'm so looking forward to having this conversation with you. Just to start us off, I am so curious, what does joy is the new success mean to you?

Jasper Smith (00:10)

It means you're pleased or maybe somewhat fulfilled with the work that you're doing currently. And I know success a lot of times is material things and money and the house and the car. But for a lot of people, they have jobs and they're miserable. But society has put them on a pedestal.

They're deemed to be successful and they're they're miserable and I have I had a conversation two days ago and A client is just I'm burnt out. I want to quit my job. I want to go elsewhere I was like, don't have any you wake up every day and you're miserable but you have to go to the job because it you know supports your lifestyle and I think a lot of times we we tend to lose that joy along somewhere along the path and I think from like an entrepreneurial standpoint like I get a chance to like I wake up and I'm excited every day and it's challenging don't get don't get me wrong, but I am pleased with the work that I continue to do the work that I haven't yet that I've yet to do and For me if somebody's like are you happy the answer would be yes now am I satisfied with where I met no and now I don't know if I'll ever reach that that limit just because of how I think but I think people need to tend, they tend to wanna match success to material versus, you know, what's really going on this side in terms of what I do each day, is it fulfilling and do I get any joy and happiness out of the work that I get to do every day?

Digital Entrepreneur (01:35)

Yeah, that self-reflection component is so key and it really gets to the heart of what it means to be an entrepreneur. So many people who become entrepreneurs are rejecting a certain path. They're wanting to embrace a better way of life, a better, more sustainable way of doing business. And I know that you have personal experience navigating this very issue. I was hoping you could speak a little to your own personal journey, going from the nine to five and going in and out of your entrepreneurial endeavors.

Jasper Smith (02:07)

Yeah, yeah, it's I always wanted to climb the corporate ladder like that was the fascination in college and I would see you know guys in suits and I was like that looks cool Then you get out of college you realize they have they lied to me or they withheld a lot of information about what it takes to climb said ladder and

Think also I supply is take a step back. My father was an entrepreneur So there's there's my example in my house father still around to this day still married to my mom going on almost 54 years and So I have this foundation of what it's like to like what the family structure can look like When you're an entrepreneur and so my dad I remember when I got my job offer Even before I graduated college. I had to offer like a semester beforehand and he said to me he said go in, learn everything that you can, and maybe at some point you're gonna realize they're never gonna pay you what you're worth. I'm like, I'm 21 years old, and this dude has already planted this seed in my head, like, hey son, just letting you know, you can learn a lot on somebody's dime, you can get life. I was in financial services, he said, get all the licenses, do everything you can on their dime but at some point it may shift. And I said, I don't know what you're talking about old man. So I'm just going, I'm gonna go do this thing. but, but work the job, started taking industry licenses. They paid for all this. Like I was doing what he said, do what you gotta do. And then I had some experiences and that's when that seed started to grow. I don't know if I'm gonna stick around, maybe not forever.

And so I started looking and considering what else could I be doing? You know, there's some risk involved. We don't have the steady paycheck, maybe the benefits. And so I had some conversations with two of the managers I was reporting to at the time. And I simply asked their opinions about what I should do because I was I was a part of this was 2008. So the market is down. I a financial firm. Layoffs are pending.

Again pivotal moment in my life. What do you do young now? I'm 22, right? Talk to both of the managers and one is like, you know, young no family no kids Give it a shot. Like you never want to be that old guy who says what if I would have tried I was like, hey, kind of you know lean in that way the other manager opposite side of the continuum.

Look man, you're young, I was new to California. He was like, you have no network. It's gonna be a struggle. Not saying you can't do it, it's just there's a better alternative or an easier route. If you get a job, save some money, build your network, then jump out and be an entrepreneur. And then I called my dad. So my dad, I tell him the story. He says, so what you wanna do and whatever you decide, support you and hung up the phone. That was it. So I'm 22, know, got to make a real grown up. I got to be a man now. Right. So I said, man, this is this is crazy. And again, my dad just saying, you know, I'll support you with whatever you decide. So I took the I took the plunge. Right. I jumped right into financial planning at 22 years old. And I was

I was excited. I'm still excited to this day having stayed in the industry for almost 20 years, but I had no clue how to run a practice, how to sit. I was just, let me give it a shot and see what happens. And so I think it was my curiosity led me to make that decision. And I think as you probably engage with a lot of entrepreneurs, our curiosity is what keeps us around. It's hard.

We know it's hard, we hear the stories, but I also, back to the question around what joy looks like, the happiest people I've met in terms of fulfillment are entrepreneurs. My dad being one of them. Some mentors that I have, they talk about working the nine to five, and it's not that you have to be 100 % entrepreneur to be a successful entrepreneur.

So that's one of those myths that I always thought is either all or nothing. So at 22, I just jumped. Cause I was like, I'll figure out how to swim. Somebody out there me a life preserve. I can tread water for a while. But we still have this, there's this battle of like, is it all or nothing? The answer is it's up to you to decide. You have to decide, am I willing to risk something but also be mindful that I have obligations or maybe I have a lifestyle I want to live. So for me, was like, it's just me, I'm 22, I'm jumping all in, I'll figure it out. Some people don't subscribe to that school of thought. I just knew with my personality, that's what I needed.

the entrepreneurial world Was what I needed to kind of keep pushing me because I would have become this complacent, you know, corporate person who wouldn't have been fulfilled. It might have, you know, I might've felt good some days looking at my bank account looking great, but I just wouldn't have been happy. And I kept seeing that common thread of you thought this is what you wanted and then you realized when you got there, this isn't it. And talking to enough people.

Digital Entrepreneur (07:02)

Yeah, and you talked about how as the son of an entrepreneur, you saw what happiness and success and fulfillment could look like. So I think so many entrepreneurs are looking for mentors and you had the mentor in your form of your father. What kind of impact did that have on you beyond shifting your idea of what your life could be outside of the corporate world, did he have any other kind of impact in how he modeled being a father, being an entrepreneur?

Jasper Smith (07:30)

Yeah, It's priceless to have that. And I still have it. Like the fact that can just, hey dad. And I mean, dude, it is the coolest thing when you can just pick up that phone and you're like, hey man, here's what I'm up against. He was a physician. Like he's not in financial services. I should also say my brother's an entrepreneur, runs his own. He's a general contractor. So we're all in different industries, but they're common threads to entrepreneurship and having him as a sounding board, it's priceless man, it's hey man, my dad was very critical in what did you do in the situation, right? There's always external forces, but he's very self-reflective. What did I do to maybe put myself in this situation or maybe this conversation with a client or potential client went left?

But why did it go that way? And so he would always kind of challenge me to say, you've got to think about what did you do in that situation? You're not always going to get it right. You're going to have a bad day. You're going to respond. It's not going to work. That comes with it. But are you learning yourself throughout this process? If I have a big talk, hey, man, can I run my, let me tell you what I'm trying to do with this. And he would just sit and listen, just having that ear.

I can just talk and then he would just, all right, here's what I think. Take it or leave it. He always said, take it or leave it. I'm not in your industry, but what are you trying to, he would just grill me with questions that again had me to or forced me to go back and think, all right, I like that idea. Like I have a big presentation coming up next week and I, as soon as I booked the gig, I called him and said, here's my idea for my talk. He was like, try this as an opener.

It's great to have him. I think about what's life gonna be like after he's gone. It ain't gonna be the same. I still get some of that from other mentors, but it's like, this is my dad. This dude helped create me now he's seeing his seed. He has two seeds, two out of the three of us were entrepreneurs. So in reveling his ability to provide guidance, but then to the second part of your question was, he made time for the family when he could.

Right, so I'm the youngest, so his business was at a level where he could be more available. My brother's the middle. Pops was in growth mode. So my brother talks about how Pops missed a lot of his stuff. And as an adult, my brother, that was one of the reasons he wanted to be an entrepreneur, so he could be more present in his kids' lives. And he is, so he has two kids. And he's like, Pops missed a lot of stuff. I don't want to do that to my kids. But I understand that I have to work my ass off. Like I have to put in the time. And so he internalized it as I need to do this so I can be more present with my kids. For me was like, I'm just excited to have this ability to make a larger impact. But also love the flexibility that I have with my scheduling and my time. And so, you know, like

Couple days ago, daughter turned three and we just drove out to the coast to go to the beach.

My wife and I both had meetings. We did calls while she was in the house, packed up, went and had a nice lunch, hung out at the beach. I took a call on the beach. They were like, it's windy. Yeah, I'm gonna stay on mute.

That speaks to me in terms of fulfillment, in terms of I can be present with my family. My daughter, she's three now, but she understands that we have to do something. And sometimes we have to make some sacrifices and be on meetings when we don't want to. But look at where we are taking said meeting. I'm not stuck in the office. I get to choose.

how I need to conduct business on a daily basis. And I love having that sense of control. I'm kind of in the driver's seat as it relates to my career success or lack thereof. And I love it.

Digital Entrepreneur (11:13)

That's amazing. having that flexibility, having that autonomy, I know is so important to you and so important to the kind of life you want to build for yourself and your family. And a lot of people, I think, aspire to that as they begin their journey. I know you face plenty of challenges. there any lessons that you can share that would help aspiring entrepreneurs prepare for the realities of starting and running a business?

Jasper Smith (11:38)

Yeah save some money and whatever number you think you need, increase it by 10 or 20%. The more you can extend, they call it the runway, the better. You have absolutely no clue how things are gonna play out. I do financial planning for people. The plan never works out like we drum it up. just never, too many variables will come into play, but I would do my best to have readily accessible cash, not in a retirement account in an investment account, not in a bucket or jar at your house, just put it in a bank account and really just do some basic number crunching. How much does it take for you to live? And I mean, live the you want to live right now. Lump in a few vacations and travel, lump in all the stuff you like doing and just figure out, can I sustain that while I build and do I have enough money? So assuming I got zero clients.

Could I could I live Once you get to that number that will also give you the confidence to continue down the path because you're not worried about the money So you hear a lot of entrepreneurs who like I got fired But I got to pay out or I was working in tech got some stock I cashed those out that supported me so they they have like having that bucket of money Just frees you up to continue to grind and work each day and you're not yeah You want to get clients and all that and customers, but if it doesn't happen you can still survive so would definitely say thinking about your personal finances, saving some money prior to the leap is beneficial. And as whether you go all in or part time, at some point you're have to have that conversation of do I stay at work and keep this job? Do I go 100 % entrepreneur? Or how can I, do I want to manage both worlds solely up to the individual? The other thing I would remind people of is you might lose some friends in this journey. your personal life gets heavily impacted when you go down this road. I mean, you know, I was the fun guy when I, you know, working a regular job, you go to happy hours, you're at the vacations, you go to everybody's wedding, you're at all the funerals, you do all the things, right? When you're an entrepreneur you gotta start making some tough decisions, And you gotta get good at saying no.

Early on people in their mind. They're still on that I get paid every two weeks I get paid every two weeks when you make that shift an entrepreneur to the entrepreneur You don't have that luxury sometimes, but you're still in that mindset. I'm go to happy hour it's a little quick weekend. Get away. somebody's in town. Let's go to the show If you're coming out of pocket for all those things like you used to used to when you had that nice paying, you know job you have to slowly start to dial that back and you really have to assess is it in my best interest to being this social. Now being social is a part of the business and you need to be seen and being out, I get that. But if you're just out just because, you have to start analyzing what is a priority in your life. And so personally, in California, my family's from North Carolina, most of my friends are on the East Coast or in the South.

I had to at some point just stop taking those flights. Like, look, nobody's sponsoring this flight. Now I always have some place to stay, right, when I'm going home. But who's food? If I want to drink a little bit, if I want to buy something. So you start adding up these costs, you're like, man.

That's eaten into my runway money. So I think it's partly you getting comfortable with this new way of life, but then also educating and informing those who are closest to you about how they need to support you on this journey. Some will not. Some will never understand why you do what you do. And that's okay.

Don't expect them to see your vision because it's your vision.

See ya.

Digital Entrepreneur (15:16)

And yeah, and you said that you're on a mission to disrupt generational poverty, to empower individuals through financial education. Can you tell us a little bit about how that emerged as part of your mission with your work? And how do you go about doing that work?

Jasper Smith (15:34)

Yeah, was, I think I had just, I wasn't working at the time, And I had time. I had time just to think about what I was doing, how I was doing it. And at the time, Twitter was kind of blowing up and I would just read articles across the internet and I was stamped the hashtag build wealth on there. That's how it started. Just I'm reading stuff. I think more people might find some of this stuff interesting. Let me just start to share it. So I did that probably for, a whole year. Like every day I would just read an article, no, just hashtag build wealth and the article link. I did that for a whole year. So I'm just, I'm consuming so much information about money and finance and like all the things.

And having worked in the industry, I was engaging with people who just didn't understand why they should talk to me or somebody like me. And then it slowly kind of formed into this. I think people have just a jacked up relationship with money, which is why they avoid me. So now so now this kind of brings into play the behavioral finance aspect of of my my career and I became kind of obsessed with, what's going on inside your head? Like why, don't you want to do better? Like nobody dreams about being poor or struggling and yet we struggle. And so there were all these things that I was questioning, but I'm like, I don't think people have, know, maybe they don't have the ability or they don't believe they have the ability to do better. And I think just that belief alone, they don't even believe. I don't believe I can learn how to invest. don't believe I can retire. I don't believe I can really leave a legacy. And so now I started to kind of delve into that world of I have to work to help improve people's relationship with money. And it starts with a conversation. So we're a consumer based society or world and people are just like, what are you selling today? Well, I got what you want, but let's hit the pause button. Why are we here today? So you took the meeting, thank you. I can help, I have solutions, I'm licensed. You get through all that, but I really wanna get to the core of why you continue to struggle or have struggles as it relates to your money. Where did it start? Tell me the root cause. And a lot of people, honestly, I've never gone that deep. It's just we were offered solutions or we take action and then we may or may not get the results we want. So it's always this take action, there's some result, action result. I'm like, hey, let's go all the way back. Let's talk about the root. So was there a childhood experience, right? And then most families don't talk about money openly. now that became the theme. Your family never talked about it.

Ah, you don't even know this is like a normal thing for wealthy families. So you have to start with the conversation. And so I just kept seeing that as a common thread. It didn't matter where they grew up, how they grew up. If there wasn't a conversation to some degree around money, finances, planning, it wasn't happening. They didn't even understand that it was the thing they should be doing to this day.

I didn't know I should do that. So you've gone through school You've been well off into your career and people will say I never knew that about credit I Mean the things people have taught said man we gotta I gotta do I gotta educate a little bit more people just need some education and so people you know I don't use the word or I don't use it a lot anymore. Financial literacy. think there's enough information to for us to be literate in whatever it is. I think people at some point realize that the information is there, but they're not following through or executing on the plan. So we can go to a YouTube university. We can go to the free webinars, the workshops, and we can read period, you know, articles and everything.

So what do we do with all this information? And what I kept seeing was we're always throwing a solution at people. You can throw a solution. It may or may not work for you. But until you start to personalize the strategy, it's just going to be noise. And so part of the movement was let's help you.

Customize a strategy That's gonna get you from you know a to b or get you across that bridge. Whatever that goal is How do I help you to get there wherever there might be and I started just questioning people Around these things and it was just this common thread Nobody had just sat down to talk about the root and I think we can get to the root or the meat of the issue The solution just pops up out of the solution is already there. But people weren't understanding why and they didn't understand the the the the urgency, right? It's just we keep waiting. For what? And that's still a question that I ask a lot of people like, I'm going get back to you when or it's not a good time. When is a good time? What is more important than taking care of this? Because we've seen the connections of.

I say it's kind of this three-legged stool where there's your mental health, your physical health, and your financial. Now, from a societal standpoint, we kind of understand that the physical health, which is why most employers offer health insurance. So they understand the importance of health. know, mental health has kind of had its day in the sun where now a lot of organizations are offering access to therapists. You're like, your mental health is important. You're like, wow.

Now financial's been there the whole time, but nobody pushes you to it. It's just there in hopes that you click the link and call the person. But there isn't this concerted effort to say, you know, if you take care of this, it helps with the other two and vice versa. And so when people talk about like wellness,

I always jump in and say, who's talking about financial wellness? I always jump in. Well, physical, mental, get that those are givens. But we're talking about your entire health, your wellness plan. Financial has to be there or else the plan isn't complete.

Digital Entrepreneur (21:21)

Absolutely. And you were speaking earlier about a kind of resistance, a mindset issue around dealing with money matters and how that often starts within early on within the family. And I imagine that some of the issues around like silence or shame related to money are not only happening with your clients, but also with entrepreneurs.

And perhaps some of your clients are entrepreneurs. So I'm wondering if you could talk a little bit about some of the mindset issues or practical strategies, kind of going into some specifics about what have you seen really needs to be addressed? What have you seen really needs to be overcome in order for people to really achieve their success on that journey of being an entrepreneur?

Jasper Smith (22:11)

Yeah, one of the things is you need to ask for help sooner rather than later. So we have this tendency to I can figure it out. I'm smart, I'm talented. And then you waste all this time and money trying to do it yourself. And so when you when I've talked to wealthier people, you can read their stories like at some point when they kind of released some of the reins. They flourished. So I've been trying to figure this out.

Could just call somebody and they could have taken they they're the expert here And so a lot of times we have this tendency to waste a lot of time trying to figure things out as opposed to going to the experts so, yeah, maybe it's an investment they have to make, but it was like how much time and energy and stress that this person saved them by making said investment. So that's one piece.

The other thing, I kind of say this a lot too, there's been this hustle culture, if you will, right? I'll sleep when I'm dead type of thing. And I used to say that when I was younger, but you have to learn how to rest. And rest doesn't always mean sleep, but it's okay to unplug.

You have the times when you know that you're on. You have to figure out when you work at your best. So if you're the early morning person, cool. If you're the late night, cool. If you're the middle of the day, it's just like exercise and figure out when you need to do it. But then do it. And so as an entrepreneur, you also gotta figure out when are you on, when do you know you're in your bag? Like you're in the zone. That's when you wanna be engaging with people.

So I tend to not do super early mornings because of how I operate in the morning. I can wake up and get it going. I'd rather not. You know, so late night, I'm like, I can make it happen. But then, you know, getting married and having a child. then it disrupts all of that, you know, way of life that, you know, it was just you. So you start to continue to figure out how do.

I stay rested or recharge my batteries so I can be present, so I can be my best self in these engagements. And in really understanding.

You, if you know you're tired, yes sometimes you gotta push through, because you're always gonna be tired, but there are some days you gotta say, know what, screw it, close, shut off all your notifications, close the laptop, put your phone on silent, turn it off, and I guarantee you this always happens. You won't miss anything. I learned that some things just aren't that important. I don't apologize anymore. I'm sorry for being late. No, I'm not sorry. I'm just late. I don't even put, apologize in email and I cringe when I see people. Oh, my apologies for being late. You're not sorry.

Digital Entrepreneur (24:41)

think it's what you're pointing to is really knowing yourself, knowing your capabilities and your capacity so that you can put boundaries around, you know, and to protect your limits so that you can really go and shoot for that goal, for that success that you're dreaming about. And I think that that aspect of mindset is so important and really complements the advice that you're giving as well about, you know, like really dig into the nuts and bolts of your finances. Because I think those two things go hand in hand in order to build the right foundation for being a successful entrepreneur.

Jasper Smith (24:55)

Yeah.

You said a key word the boundaries piece a lot of you heard that of the book the four-hour workweek I Read that I was like ain't no way but Tim did it I mean Tim It ain't that important you could be anywhere in the world But but what it taught me was it's okay to do that and so having those boundaries is also how you keep your sanity. Because entrepreneurship, it will drive you crazy and have you wanting to quit. And it's okay to quit, but quit and do what, right? So if you're gonna quit, quit and do what?

Digital Entrepreneur (25:37)

You have it.

Yeah, and what keeps you motivated? I mean, you've been doing this for almost 20 years, as you said. I'm sure there have been lots of ups and downs. How do you keep your eye on the broader vision that you're trying to make for the world? And how do you keep yourself in the game?

Jasper Smith (25:55)

Yeah.

I a lot of deep thinking and meditation. And my meditation is fairly short. I call it my 15 minutes of quiet time or my 15 minute siesta. Throughout the day, I just sit for like 15 minutes. I either sit in silence wherever I'm at, if I can be in a quiet place or put the headphones on, listen to ocean sounds or green noise. It's something that I can get lost in my thoughts. That's one of the ways that I kind of at any point in the day can kind of remind myself, again, you chose this life. So it's always this self, I chose this life, so therefore I have to be able to deal with what happens on a daily basis. The other thing too, I still have this curiosity that it's just not gonna be satisfied by solely being a kind of corporate warrior, right? So I need to always have that foot in this entrepreneurial space. But let me also say this too, You could be an intrapreneur, right? So people always feel like I gotta jump out, start my own business. No, if you're in an organization that supports what you're trying to do, and you hear it all the time, like people who, like a Google. Google, they leverage their expertise internally, and they don't let you go. They keep compensating you, they pay you well. They tell you, this is gonna be Google's thing, but we'll pay you. But they stay inside, right? So certain companies want to, harness and cultivate that entrepreneurial spirit, but within the structure of an enterprise. That works for people too. I just haven't found that inside of enterprise. And maybe it's because I'm in a different industry, right? So part of it for me is I have this curiosity of, I got these ideas that I need to push out to the world, because I need to know will they work? Now I see examples of how it works in certain communities but I'm a black guy. I'm an African American like in my community there aren't enough examples. People still don't believe that you need a financial planner. I don't make enough money. What does that mean? You have a job that means there's money there's income that needs to be managed. Maybe it's not on the high profile scale but you need a basic foundational financial plan. So I still think there's this opportunity for me to still serve a I can't just quit on that like that drives me every day and My income limit my income earning potential is unlimited, right? So yes, there's the risk of I don't have the steady cash flow like I would love but I Will get paid what I'm worth because I asked for what I want right I That keeps me going man, like it's infinite

Digital Entrepreneur (28:29)

Yeah, yeah. And I think that's really key

because you talked about entrepreneurs really need to know and understand risk. And there's the risk of forging your own path and what you have to lose, but then there's the opportunity cost of doing nothing, staying in your nine to five, staying in that zone that is uncomfortable, but...

Jasper Smith (28:58)

Mm-hmm.

Digital Entrepreneur (28:59)

well known, you know, it's comfortable because it's known, but it's uncomfortable because it's not satisfying. And so I think you really speak to this point that like, risk is not just about the financial aspects, but it's also about what are you deciding your life can be?

Jasper Smith (29:16)

Here's something else too this this part happens a lot so what if you had an idea and you didn't do it and Then you saw somebody else bring it to market How would you feel that also keeps me up and I've had ideas and then you see it on TV on the you're like my god, that was my idea No, it wasn't You were just talking about it. They made it happen

If I saw somebody else do it, that means I know it's possible, which means now I gotta figure out what's my special sauce. And I think that's what we're all kind of searching for

Digital Entrepreneur (29:48)

Yeah, no, it makes sense. And I actually have just one last question for you. At Digital Entrepreneur, we're big on reconnecting entrepreneurs with the joy of business. When things get hard, what helps you get back to feeling joy in life and in business?

Jasper Smith (29:52)

Yeah.

I work out for my physical health, but running, running has become.

Running does a lot for me like physically is great, but it's the mental that it really serves So so sometimes I listen to podcasts listen to audiobooks Sometimes I run with nothing but my thoughts you have to find that thing that you can like kind of just space out. That's positive, right? Yeah, you can have a drink, do your cannabis thing. You can do other things and substances, but those aren't gonna be healthy. So I have a healthier alternative that also helps me kind of sort through all the noise in my head. running is one of those things that has become my thing that really helps me to kind of continue on this journey. And I would recommend any entrepreneur to find out what that thing is for them. Sometimes they're just sitting outside, sitting outside in nature and just looking at the sky and just daydreaming. But you have to do some of that work because if you don't hit that pause button occasionally, you'll go crazy, literally. You will literally go crazy because you're not taking that time to self-reflect or just to rest.

I think one of things I'll also say, surround yourself with people who support you. And you want to have the people who are adding and multiplying your efforts. If people are dividing or subtracting, might want to limit your interactions. They call them the energy vampire. There's a whole, like you just got some of this stuff you got cut out and you got to cut it out for your sanity. Yeah. Their feelings might be hurt. Yes, it could be family and or friends you've had. If they can't understand where you're trying to go, I don't think they're a real friend of yours. And so my core, my core group understands me. And yes, early on it's like, what are you doing? But you know, close to 20 years in the game, like, dude, you ain't, you haven't changed. I'm on a mission. Yeah.

I don't expect you to see my vision because it's mine. I don't expect somebody else to see my vision for how I think this thing needs to play out. So don't, don't expect the world to understand it, but you gotta keep pushing to tell the world this is the vision that I see. Watch what happens if it comes to reality.

Then they get you fired up. I remember a digital entrepreneur was starting it was just an idea. I didn't even know you then I knew the other one who now has a baby like so like so here we are today like it was just an idea. This thing this thing is on and popping all across the world. I'm like, damn, I remember it was like over starting this thing. OK, let's see how it works.

Digital Entrepreneur (32:17)

Yeah. Yeah. It's so true.

Yeah, we're so lucky and so grateful to have you as this amazing voice sharing your experiences, sharing your personal stories. mean, it takes a lot, I think, to do that self-reflection that you talk about being so important and to be mindful and to really incorporate, know, to incorporate rest, to incorporate moments of reflection.

So yeah, I'm really grateful that you're modeling all of that. And I thank you for taking the time to chat with us today, to share those personal stories, share those experiences, and share those lessons. Everything from the practical advice where it's the hard talk about money to making sure that you have the right mindset and the right approach to money and to life and to business, those three legs of the stool that you were talking about.

I think a really great reminder is for anyone going into the entrepreneurship journey.

Jasper Smith (33:26)

I think we need to have these real conversations versus the cookie cutter. it's all good. It's all bad. No, it's all of the things all the time every single day. So we don't get away from all the things that happen in our real lives, our professional lives. At some point, you'll figure out what you need to do, because I still listen to a lot of lot of podcasts and read articles about entrepreneurs from all industries. And it just reminds me.

They too have this vision and they are gonna do their darnedest to see if they can bring it to light. I'm no different.

Digital Entrepreneur (33:56)

And I thank you so much for your time today, Jasper. And all the best of luck with your continued work in this important field. Thank you so much.

Jasper Smith (34:04)

Yeah, I appreciate you for having me