Lessons in Business Leadership

Akua Konadu  

What does leadership look like to you as an independent business owner? Whether that looks like speaking on a stage running a mentorship program, or simply just supporting your clients, you are a leader. Today’s episode on the independent business podcast, we sat down with Lilia Mati who is a coach for speakers and creative educators to talk about business leadership. Laelia shares with us her journey as an independent business owner, what stepping into leadership to cultivate a thriving community looks like and what it truly means to lead by example, and stick to your values. If you are looking for more ways to invest in yourself as a leader, then this episode is for you. Hey, everyone, this is your host, Akua konadu. And you’re listening to the independent business podcast, more people than ever are working for themselves and building profitable businesses in the process. So on this show, I get to sit down with some of the most influential authors, entrepreneurs and creators to break down the science of self made success so that you can achieve it too.

Akua Konadu  

Hello, hello, Laylee. How are we doing today?

Laylee Emadi  

Hey, friend, I’m good. How are you? Good. So

Akua Konadu  

excited to have you on because this episode has been long overdue. And so I’m really, really excited just to be talking about business leadership, because I think you know, you have played a big part in my business journey. And I think so many people in our community as well. And you also just had a successful, successful round two of the creative educator conference where your girl was the emcee. And it was truly such a blast. But you have been stepping into this role of leadership. I felt like you’d be the perfect person to talk about it. So thank you so much for being here.

Laylee Emadi  

Thank you for having me. And thank you for being the best emcee ever.

Akua Konadu  

Oh, my gosh, you’re welcome. Okay, so let’s get into it. So let’s talk about your entrepreneurial journey. Like, where did you get stuck? How did you get started, to where you are now to where you are essentially just building these amazing, inclusive communities. Oh,

Laylee Emadi  

my gosh, okay, I’m going to try to do the short version of the story because I feel like everybody gets so bored hearing like people’s backgrounds. But I’m also nosy. So I always like to hear other people’s entrepreneurial journeys as well. So I actually I started my business 10 years ago, I started in the entrepreneurial space 10 years ago, officially, I was a high school teacher and dance director and curriculum designer for our district. And I started doing photography as like a side hustle part time, career. And then when I moved full time into photography, I really started to kind of toy with all the different paths I could take within entrepreneurship. And so of course, education ended up being just like a natural progression for me of speaking and creating classes and workshops, and then eventually digital products. And now, of course, my conferences and things like that. So it was a very natural progression within the entrepreneurial space. But I realized looking back that I kind of always was an entrepreneur in some way shape, or form, as a creative as a dancer growing up, I would do choreography, and do guest instruction and, you know, do private lessons and things like that. And those were always like, side hustles without even acknowledging that they were side hustles so I think most entrepreneurs are like that we have like that entrepreneurial spirit. And, you know, kicking it back even further I am I have a daughter of immigrants, we actually I was born in another country. And so watching my parents, you know, from the standpoint of, of the immigrant journey, and that, that passion and and the sacrifice, and just the hard work that has to go into them building their lives here in America, I think really lent itself to my entrepreneurial journey as an adult now without even thinking about it. So all that to say it’s kind of been a lifelong journey in some way, shape, or form. And then like, officially for the past decade, in the creative space, as a photographer, and educator now, I call myself like a retired photographer, I just get to do it for fun, which is great. And now just as an educator and a coach for other educators.

Akua Konadu  

I love that so much, because so many areas where I can relate obviously, as you know, like, I’m first generation as well, my parents immigrated to the US and like it’s true, when you see how they had to work and be scrappy, and figure things out to be able to support you and provide a life for you. And you totally move a lot differently. You know, growing up and so I absolutely love that because I do I do think that shapes like obviously, who you are as a person, but also to how you lead in your business. And so another thing that I’m really curious about is, you know, leadership looks so different than entrepreneurship, but I feel like there’s a lot of us who are like I really want to step into leadership, I really want to become more of a leader in the community, you know, lean into my gifts. How did you essentially realize what your gifts were?

Laylee Emadi  

Yeah, I mean, I think that for anybody who’s feeling like I would love to become a leader in my in my community, I would challenge that statement with switching the statement to I am a leader in my community. Do I think that most independent business owners, without knowing it, or with knowing it are actually in leadership positions within their community just by owning their own businesses? Sometimes I know that, especially for those who have, maybe, maybe they’re not brick and mortar, they’ve maybe feel like, oh, I don’t have that leadership position. But I remember when I was a photographer, and I was doing weddings, seniors, portraits, dancers, I still considered myself a leader in the industry. And I carried myself as such, like, I tried to get involved within my community. And I think that’s where I would say, starting to find those strengths would be, what ways do I feel good getting involved in my community, showing up with representing my company, my business, my independent business, and being able to give back to my community in a way that feels aligned with the values of my business? How can I show myself as a leader, how can I step into that leadership, while still serving my community? Whether it be local, virtual, I think just kind of broadening the horizon of what is leadership? What does it look like in the industry and in the community that I’m a part of already?

Akua Konadu  

Oh, I love that so much. I think, again, like I am a leader, you’re already a leader. And I think that’s something that’s really important as business owners to remember, like you’re leading your clients every day, right? Whether you have or if you have a team to you’re leading your team every day. And I think it just goes to show that like, leadership looks so different for everybody. And so I think a lot of times in our industry, we see a lot of these successful business owners, they’re up on stages, you know, right, and they’re very visible. And it can easily make us feel like that, it’s that we’re not the same, but it’s like you are the same leadership looks different for everybody. And so I think, just as people are speaking on stages, and it’s like those very big moments that are so visible, like, it’s also in the small moments, too. And those are the true moments that really matter, I think in terms of business leadership. And so I think, to your point of just already saying that I am a leader, but then also to putting people first how can I serve the people that are already coming to me that already value? What I have to offer? How can I serve them before anything else? And I think that instantly puts us in a leadership position. And so one thing I’m really curious about as a business owner, especially like I said, like you like I said, You are a very well known leader in the industry. I mean, you have played so you played a big role into my business journey, I think, you know, you have to have the creative educator conference, you just have always created just spaces for business owners to gather and just to be themselves. And so a question that I have is like, what does leadership mean to you? Like, what are things that you have learned as an independent business owner as as a leader? Okay,

Laylee Emadi  

I love that, because I feel like there are two things I can talk about here. One is creating those spaces, like you mentioned, like giving people a space to actually show up in their own leadership and also in serving as a leader and then to the things that I’ve learned in terms of like, what makes a good leader and what makes me feel like I have that roller, I’ve been able to step into that role. And I think the the thing that ties it all together is that I’ve kind of approached everything in my business, like you mentioned about putting people first, that’s how I’ve, I’ve kind of approached everything was from a very service based, I guess, service based environment. So while I was a service based business owner and a service based business, even when I’ve expanded into things like digital products, and things that are not necessarily like a one to one service, I’ve never let go of that being the intent behind everything that I do. And so I think the best leaders are the ones who actually come at it from a point of service. And not a point of, like you said, taking those stages and having the spotlight on them. I think the thing that has made a lot of my community growth, really successful and made the communities within it thrive. And all of the members within those communities help each other and be really invested in our communities has been that I shine the spotlight on as many of them as possible, without taking the spotlight for myself whenever I can. So it’s really been about cultivating spaces where I feel like as the quote unquote leader of that community, I am creating space for other people to really show up fully as themselves and to take that stage and to take that whether it’s a real stage or you know, the hypothetical stage, you know, the theoretical of, of the spotlight and be able to kind of really shine in their own element and feel seen and understood and feel like they’re really put above any kind of profit or any kind of, you know, like end goal for myself. The goal has been community growth, an opportunity for leaders to kind of step into their own.

Akua Konadu  

Oh, I love that so much a question too, that I really want to ask because I feel like when we hear about community, we don’t necessarily see or understand how that can lead to business growth. And I do feel like you are a prime example of that. As somebody who really does put people over prophet who really does put community first before, you know and obviously sales are important in business, you know that, but you obviously with your values you live them out through and through it is woven in everything that you do in your business, whether it is your digital products, whether it is an event that people are gathering for whether, you know, it is a webinar, whatever it is that you do, like your values are through and through where you can see it and feel it. And so, have you seen, I want to send you ask you, what are why have you seen essentially, from putting your values first putting Community First, what does that look like in your business?

Laylee Emadi  

I think it’s so interesting, because initially, you may not see any ROI on that. And that can be kind of the hardest thing. So I just wanted to like start with that disclaimer of I had this conversation recently actually with you and a couple of our other friends who are in the in the creative space about how our values are so important. But it can be really hard to follow through with those values, it’s easy to set a value and to say that this is something that’s really important and integral to my, my values, my ethics, the things that really I want to like call the pillars of my business, it’s easy to say them and set them, it’s a lot harder to follow through on them, especially when you’re not seeing an immediate return when you’re not seeing an immediate ROI. But I will say after a decade in this business, the things that I didn’t see right off the bat, I am now seeing coming in tenfold. So for example, the one that we talk about all the time, as you and I is inclusivity and diversity, you know, having that dei the equity, being able to really follow through on the things that we’re we’re putting out on Instagram, for example, you’re putting out on social media that you call yourself an ally, but at the end of the day, where do your dollars go? Are you able to say no to things that are potential, you know, revenue drivers to be able to stand behind the values and the ethics that you’ve put forward? Sometimes that’s difficult. But what I’ve seen personally in my community is that for every no that I’ve had to say, because something doesn’t align with my values, tenfold, it comes back to me with the people who do show up feeling included, they feel like that extra step that I’ve taken for inclusivity in my business, and in my communities and in my leadership has been allowed them to really fully show up and feel seen and understood enough for them to invest in our community. And they’re bringing in 10 of their friends. So that’s the ROI that I would say you can look forward to seeing is that whenever you’re staying true to whatever value it is that you set for yourself, as a leader, as a community leader, you’re going to see your community get, you know, kind of formed around those values, even though it might take a minute to actually see it in the end.

Akua Konadu  

Yes, I love that so much because it’s true, like the community that you have built. And I’m not saying it to be overdramatic, or cheesy. It’s pure magic. You know what I mean? It truly is, I mean, everybody is in there, and just so much love so much support. And like every is like how can I help you with your business? Right? Like people are sitting down strategizing where, you know, where breakthroughs in businesses are happening because of these intimate moments. And it truly is because you’re meeting people where you’re at. And it’s true, guys, like, you have absolutely given up opportunities that have, like, you know what I mean? Blown up your business, you know what I mean? And so but you have absolute because it didn’t align with your values, have said, You know what, this isn’t serving me. But it’s true, like how it’s come back. And it’s been beautiful to even see that journey of how much it’s come back. Because literally what the universe has provided you is something that I think many of us could have never imagined. And so I think it’s to your point, it is so so easy to say these are my values, but we don’t talk about that enough that it is really, really, really difficult. When that moment comes to actually implement your values, are you going to implement them? And it’s not to say it in a shameful way. But I think again, that’s where we have to really do that gut check of like, Where does my values truly lie? Like, how am I aligning myself? How are the people in my community, like do all of our values? Are they the same? And so I think that’s something that’s just such an important, important things that we have to do internally that internal work and just really ask ourselves, like, Where does my value? Where’s my value truly at? Like, where am I spending my dollars? And I think that’s such such a good reminder, it’s such an important thing. Another question I want to add to that is for many people who are struggling to truly implement their values, like what advice do you have for business owners,

Laylee Emadi  

I would say get as clear as you can possibly get with yourself in terms of like taking a moment to really be as self aware as possible, and as honest with yourself as possible about what is important to you, and really create ways to honor those boundaries of okay, these are the things that are important to me now, how can I implement ways to stay true to those things? So for example, going off the same example of like inclusivity Yes, it’s important to me. So what are some ways that I have implemented in my business that are processes like I know it sounds interesting to say, you know, set these set these intent Jen set these values and then create real ways, not just like hypotheticals in your mind of like, oh, well, if this happens, I’ll do this. But what are actual processes that you could put into place that are black and white. So an example for me when I’m a speaker, and I’m a coach for speakers, so every single time I get an inquiry to speak, if I get an offer to speak, whether I’ve pitched that, or it’s, it’s, you know, somebody is pitching me to come on their stage, I have a script that I actually share with my coaching students, and with my, with my speaking students, where I say, here’s the script, it’s like two sentences. And it essentially asks the person who is offering me that speaking engagement, I would love to know, I’d love to see your speaker lineup, because I mean, I’m ad libbing it here now. But it’s like already written out in a script that I can copy and paste, where it says, like, I want to know who’s speaking because diversity and inclusivity is extremely important. It’s a, it’s a pillar of my of my business. And I want to be able to make sure that I can represent this event well that I can promote this event well, and that I feel that there is, you know, sufficient representation and diversity on your stage before I commit and sign a contract saying, I’m going to show up to your community. And whenever I get that, that response, I mean, that’s where the process has come into play, right? If there is diversity, if there’s representation there, great, awesome, I’ve done my due diligence, and I can move forward and sign the contract, feeling really good about it, because it aligns with my values and the values of my business and my leadership. But if it comes back, and there’s insufficient or no diversity, then I can of course, go from there with the rest of my process. So using this example, I want to give people like a real clear idea of what is a process look like? So that would be step one of the process is like having that question that script there. Part two is knowing what is what is the script for yes, or no, like, if it comes back, and there’s nothing there that that I feel comfortable moving forward with, you’ve got to have in your process, what that next step will be, so that you can remove that discomfort. And that stress that comes of having to come up with a with a response. Like on the fly, you’ve got that laid out where it’s like, okay, there is not sufficient diversity here. So what can I do, I can offer this this pitch this host resources, I can say, let me help you source speakers of color, let me help you fill in these gaps for your audience, so that your audience feels like they’re being represented. Again, you guys I’m using this as an example, you can do this process with anything that is a value of your like of your business, but just having a really clear cut process of like, then what will you do? If they say yes? Or what will you do? If they say no? Then the next step, okay, you sent them the resources, they either want them or they don’t. So then what are you going to do? Are you going to say, like y’all show up anyway, and betray your values, because honestly, that could be easier, or are you going to stick to your values, stick to your script, stick to the processes that you’ve taken the time to be self aware enough to create an advance and send them a very polite, but firm decline of that opportunity, which, again, it is harder in the short term, but in the long run, it ends up being easier because you’ve stayed aligned to your brand values to your business values and ethics. And again, this can be used with any kind of example, I’m just using this one because it’s like, top of mind for me, but and it’s also kind of a difficult, it’s a difficult conversation to have sometimes. And so I want people to understand that no matter how difficult the conversation, or how firm the value is, getting your processes in line is is invaluable.

Akua Konadu  

invaluable. That is that was just pure gold. Because I didn’t even think of that. Right? How can you implement your values? Look at your systems that are in place currently? And do they align with your values? I think that’s such an to your point, it removes the stress of having to have these hard conversations, when you sit and and prepare yourself and fill fulfill those gaps in those systems, right. Like, I think that’s such an important thing, like look at your process, look at your flow, and essentially just be like, Okay, does this align with my values? Yes or no? Okay, where can I fill in those gaps of like, How can I approach these situations and prepare myself to have these harder conversations? And I think it then, because I think a lot of us, I think there’s no shame in it. I think a lot of us as business owners, we struggle with confrontation, right? Like if a client doesn’t like something, right, I think there’s something that you can just carry on in so many different capacities in your business, whether you’re a client doesn’t like something or you know, they’re asking for a discount, like it’s all uncomfortable. So how can you within your process and your values, merge them together to where like, you’re not stressed about these things? Because these things are gonna happen in business. I’m pretty sure like, even as an educator like, same thing. I mean, you prep me for that, you know what I mean? Where I have implemented some of these techniques where I’m like, okay, these are the things that truly mean a lot to me. So if I’m going to be speaking or doing anything else, my business this is what it these are the things that need to happen in order for me to say yes to that and it is true He’s such a huge, huge game changer where I feel more confident as my own advocate, you know, as a business owner. And I think that’s just so important that you have to be your own advocate not, nobody’s here to save you. I think somebody else said that earlier in a previous episode of like, nobody’s here to saving your business. And it’s so true, like you’re the one that has to stand up. You’re the one that has to speak for yourself. And that’s just such an important important key. So I love that so much. What are ways that independent business owners can lean into leadership? Yeah,

Laylee Emadi  

I mean, I think like, like we were talking about before, I feel like showing up even when it’s uncomfortable, I think is number one. So making sure that like I said, we consider ourselves leaders within our communities, maybe we just consider ourselves potential leaders, making that mindset shift of I Am A Leader, and what would a leader do? So I always like to say, if you’re not sure where to start, I always like to think about, if I were already a leader, what would I be doing right now? If I were already in a leadership position? Where would I be showing up? What types of things would I be offering to my audience? What types of things would I be offering to the community, and then go from there and actually take the time to create those things, and make them a reality. So taking yourself out of the equation and looking at it, like a third party, I think really helps show people where to kind of show up in the position that they want to fill.

Akua Konadu  

Oh, I love that so much. That’s very, very impactful. And I think again, one thing I’m learning too even about just like my own journey, as an independent business owner, and leaning more into my leadership skills, like, it’s a very humbling experience, where I feel like I’m always in a constant state of learning. And I find that very beautiful, right? Because I think a lot of the times, and when you see people in leadership positions you think people always have it figured out and none of us do. Sometimes I’m like, What am I doing, but I think it’s such a beautiful thing of like, that’s leaning into that just being so uncomfortable. And I’ve just realized that like, as a leader, as you’re leaning more into your leadership gifts, it’s extremely uncomfortable. But that’s like the beauty in that and being just open to learning and just always being a student, I think is just such an important thing. And you just your answer just totally reminded me of that. Another question that I want to ask is, I think people feel like they you have to have a big audience in order to be a leader. And so let’s talk about that. Like, how do you feel about that? Because I don’t think so. What are your thoughts?

Laylee Emadi  

Yeah, I love this. I love this question. I love this conversation, because it’s honestly something that I used to really struggle with as somebody who doesn’t have a massive following. Obviously, like my audience size has grown over the years, I’ve been in the industry for a long time. But I’m still like, in terms of if you want to talk numbers, my numbers are still smaller than a lot of thought leaders and a lot of community leaders that are out there. And I have never really struggled to fill my community events to feel like I’m making an impact or a difference. Because I think true leadership to me boils down to like, what is the one person that I’m trying to help? Who am I trying to impact? Who am I trying to reach? And am I making that happen? Like, have I seen that those people have been reached have been helped have found a home within my community? And if the answer is yes, then I don’t really care if I have 100,000 people following me or 100 people following me, because I think that once you start to really step into your leadership and step into whatever that looks like for you, if it looks like thought leadership, if it looks like community, community building or community growth, if it looks like speaking or, or, you know, mentoring or coaching, whatever that looks like for you, setting the intention of what what am I trying to actually accomplish for people? We’ve already talked about people over profit, we’ve already talked about being a service based leader, like what does that look like? And I’m able to make that work with the number of followers I have, I guarantee that it doesn’t matter how many followers you have, you can absolutely make that difference and that impact. I don’t think there’s anything wrong for striving to grow your audience in order to continue to make your impact grow and, and obviously scale as well. But I think once you start doing the work, you see that like that is such a secondary thought process. I have not really given it thought in years because as I’ve created these in person events, virtual events, and I’m looking out into the audience of actual faces of actual human beings, it truly kind of dissipates that comparison and that impostor syndrome, that I think I carried with me in the first like five, six, maybe even seven years of, of business ownership and of having my own independent businesses. But when I started showing up as a community leader and seeing those actual human beings being impacted, it really really does dissipate the rest of those negative feelings and the vanity metric bricks that come along with it.

Akua Konadu  

Oh my gosh, I love that so much. I think I think just as a business owner, I think that just offers people so much relief, like you can lead no matter where you are at. And as somebody who has attended your events, always happy to invest in your events, I never ever once think about, oh, yeah, this person has this many followers. Oh, yeah, they’re like, You know what I mean, I’d never ever once think about that at all, I just know how you have made me feel as a business owner on a regular basis whenever I attend your events, or when anything that you have to offer anytime I’ve invested. And I remember to we talked about this, I did tell you this, like when honey book, we had our Partner Summit, and your name was brought up at a table. And again, like your values came up of how much people loved you and essentially was like providing that good quality education, how you show up for people how you see people. And I think that again, it just goes to show you want people to say, like, what are people saying about you when you’re not in the room, right like, and that was a prime example of that of how you live things out through and through and how you just showed up in leadership. And I think that’s such a beautiful thing of again, like you don’t have to have a big audience, you can lead with where you’re at just I think, again, being more self aware and leaning into your gifts, and seeing what that can look like for you.

Laylee Emadi  

Honestly, that reminds me so much of of another point in the same regard, which is I want people to think about like, who is a mentor who is a leader that you look up to in your life. And I want you to think about like, are the leaders that you look up to in your everyday life? Are they Instagram famous people? Or are those just like people you enjoy following? are the leaders that you look up to in your life? Are they teachers that you’ve had, like, actual educational teachers that you’ve had? Are they family members, or friends of family members? Are they people who have over the years really impacted your life are those people the people that have a million followers on Instagram are the people who in real life have invested their time, energy, heart and mind into you in some way, shape or form? Likely, more likely than not? Those are the people who you feel so much more connected to than the big accounts that you follow online. So I think putting that into the perspective of like, who are the people who have made a difference for you, and who you look up to as a leader, I think helps so much comfort, comfort, those of us who maybe struggle with our like, quote unquote, numbers, and letting that stand in your way that should encourage you like, my high school teacher from, you know, gosh, many, many, many, many, many years ago, I still think of them as one of the most influential leaders in my life, you know, people who are in college again, decades ago. Those are the leaders that I think about who have been the most influential for me, not the massive accounts that I follow on the internet, who I can barely keep up with on Instagram anymore.

Akua Konadu  

Oh my gosh, I love that so much. And it just puts things into perspective. That’s so true. Like, who are you following? So I think it’s very easy when you see people that have these larger followings bigger audiences that you instantly peg them in your mind as a leader. I think how many times in the industry have we seen people where this conversation is happening all the time, and just being transparent, where, you know, people are like, Oh, my gosh, I’ve looked up to this person, I love them, follow them on social media consume all their products and services. And then when they finally meet them, they are heavily disappointed, almost in a sense, jaded about just everything about them that whole interaction. And and you know, and of course having empathy, right? Like, I totally understand, like you had your mind set up, and you already in your mind picture that this person was going to be this way. And there weren’t it’s, again, speaks to the fact that we’re all human. But it’s like, again, are they actually leader like, really think about the people in your life? And maybe they are a leader, but they’re just not the leader that for you, right? Like how who are the people that have actually made an impact in your life shown up in your daily life on a day to day basis, virtually in person, however, that looks like and I think that’s just such a good way to keep us grounded as entrepreneurs and just realizing that we’re all human at the end of the day. Yeah, absolutely. How do you invest in yourself as a leader?

Laylee Emadi  

Oh, gosh, I am like, I’m a huge huge proponent of of investing in yourself continually. For me, I do a lot I do as much coaching as I can, in whatever regard is, is kind of like feeling like my weak spot at the time. So I have as a speaking coach, myself, I have my own speaker coach as well. So I invest in coaching in that respect, I love in person events whenever I can attend them, you know, and that that can be difficult for a lot of people I know that in person is not always feasible for everybody. So I understand that but that’s something that for me has been really invaluable and that I’ll continue to do at least one a year if not more, depending on what I can make work. I love investing in myself by listening to podcasts like this one. I mean truly, getting as much wisdom and as much knowledge as I can through things like podcasts and books and you know, kicking it old school like read a book Look, you guys, like it’s hard and I get it, these are all things that take time, right? But investing your time, I think is even more precious than investing your, your money and your you know, anything else. So I think whatever you can do to kind of pull out specific time to feed into whatever you want to do as a leader, I think is a beautiful thing. So finding thought leaders who resonate with you and taking in their content. And then also like investing time into creating your own, and not just getting stuck in the cycle of consuming constantly, but also carving out the time to create. So for me, the way that I carve out that time is by creating opportunities to retreat. So I know that sounds funny like to retreat, but it’s like not just going on retreats that I necessarily like pay a coach for, but creating my own retreat, where I go off and for a week, I have the time to create versus consume. So that to me is a huge investment. Because typically it will be something that I leave my home for, you know, and being able to invest that kind of time and resource into myself, I think is something that I would recommend for every leader.

Akua Konadu  

Oh my gosh, I love that. So, so much, again, like making that time to consume that content, but also making that time to execute. I think, again, to your point, a lot of us are so guilty of this, where we will find ourselves just consuming content as much as we can, because I also think is coming from a place of being comfortable, right? Because now you’re like, oh, shoot, now I have to implement it. And it’s the most uncomfortable thing to do as a business owner execution. I know so many business owners struggle with that. And it’s a very uncomfortable thing. But again, like you’re doing these things to propel you forward, not only just as a business owner, but just as a person like Right, like just overall just becoming a more aligned, well rounded person with your values and how you want to show up in your life relationships in business. So this conversation has been amazing. And just so impactful lately, and I just appreciate you so much for your transparency. So the question we always love to close out with is what do you think is the biggest differentiator between the businesses that succeed and the ones that fail? Oh, my gosh, I

Laylee Emadi  

love this question so much. And there’s like so many answers, right? I think for me, the biggest differentiator is being willing to try to test to get curious to really experiment to let yourself experiment with new things and really lean into the entrepreneurial spirit that got you started in the first place. I think so often, we as entrepreneurs, who as we get more established over the years, especially in leadership, we tend to lean on those processes that we took so much time to create and cultivate, but at the end of the day, allowing ourselves the freedom to see Where can this lead that’s new, and what can we test out that’s different. I think that’s what sets us up for like, really big opportunities that wouldn’t have shown themselves otherwise. And being able to really grow along with that over the years creates longevity that you think comes from stability, but I think comes from being able to experiment and really try and test new things.

Akua Konadu  

I love that so much staying curious, experiment, lean into that because it’s true. Like, I think I’ve heard so many successful business owners say this as well. And I think it’s like you just don’t become attached to the results again, but those things don’t define you. You use those results to propel you forward. And that is just such such a key advice. So thank you so much lately for coming on the show. And for those who want to connect with you. Where can they find you?

Laylee Emadi  

Yeah, you guys can find me at Layli mighty.com. Or I spent a lot of time on Instagram probably more than I should at lately underscore Imani and I love love love connecting with people. So please feel free to hop in my DMs or my inbox anytime. And she’ll

Akua Konadu  

answer y’all. She’s always in her DMs to her point she’s a lot of my goodness, thank you so much lately for coming on the show and for those listening until next time. That ends our episode of The Independent Business podcasts. Everything we’ve discussed today can be found at [email protected]. Head to our website to access for show notes, relevant links and all the resources that you need to level up. And if you’ve enjoyed today’s episode, be sure to subscribe to the podcast to make sure you never miss our future content. Drop us a review and leave our guests some love on social and thank you again for listening