Podcast Summary: "Live Coaching With Morgan: Why Laci Doesn't Need to Leave Her 9-to-5"

Podcast Information:

• Title: The Journey with Morgan DeBaun
• Host: Morgan DeBaun, Founder & CEO of Blavity Inc.
• Episode: Live Coaching With Morgan: Why Laci Doesn't Need to Leave Her 9-to-5
• Release Date: March 4, 2025
• Description: A live advising episode featuring two guests, Christy and Lacey, who seek guidance on balancing their professional ambitions with personal lives, including relationships and entrepreneurship.

1. Introduction

In this episode of The Journey Podcast, Morgan DeBaun conducts live coaching sessions with two high-achieving women, Christy and Lacey. The focus is on navigating the challenges of transitioning from a stable 9-to-5 job to full-time entrepreneurship while maintaining personal well-being and relationships.

2. Live Advising Session with Christy

a. Christy's Background and Challenges

• Christy's Role: Talent sourcer in the big tech industry, operating under the brand "Get Me Hired Christy."
• Aspiration: Transitioning to full-time entrepreneurship to help job seekers build their personal brands and prepare for interviews.
• Current Dilemma: Balancing a stable full-time job with the desire to expand her side hustle, fearing the loss of industry knowledge and professional growth if she leaves her day job.

b. Key Discussion Points

• Impact vs. Stability: Christy feels that her side hustle has the potential for greater societal impact but is constrained by her full-time job.

  "I feel like there's more impact that you could make if you had more time to invest in your personal business." – Morgan DeBaun [04:12]

• Brand Partnerships: Her primary revenue comes from brand partnerships, which include a mix of lead generation, brand awareness, and tool signups.

• Dependency on Full-Time Job: Morgan highlights the unintended consequences of leaving a stable job, such as losing access to industry trends and professional networks.

c. Advice and Insights

• Investing Side Hustle Revenue: Morgan advises Christy to reinvest profits from her side hustle into the business to build sustainability without quitting her day job.

  "Any profit and revenue you make goes back into the side hustle to build those systems..." – Morgan DeBaun [10:29]

• Transition Strategy: Instead of leaving her job, Christy can continue to grow her side hustle by refining her brand to appeal more to B2B audiences, thereby attracting more lucrative brand deals.

• Brand Repositioning: Morgan suggests rebranding her side hustle under a more generic name to diversify her customer base and reduce dependency on her personal brand.

  "What most influencers get wrong is that they build their brand around their personal brand..." – Morgan DeBaun [16:04]

d. Key Takeaways for Christy

• Maintain Job Stability: Keep the full-time job to preserve industry knowledge and financial stability.
• Reinvest Earnings: Use side hustle profits to automate and scale the business.
• Rebrand for B2B Focus: Shift her brand to cater more to businesses and hiring managers to enhance revenue opportunities.

3. Live Advising Session with Christy on Dating

a. Christy's Dating Challenges

• Issue: High-achieving women like Christy often struggle with dating, as potential partners may feel intimidated by their professional success and personal accomplishments.
• Specific Problem: Men perceive her as having "too much going on," leading to relationships that focus more on her career than personal connection.

b. Key Discussion Points

• Balancing Professional and Personal Life: Christy finds it difficult to engage in romantic conversations without them devolving into discussions about work.

  "I find myself running into these issues of... I'm doing too much for the guy or I got too much going on." – Christy [19:11]

• Attracting the Right Partner: Importance of showcasing personal, softer sides to attract partners interested in a balanced relationship.

c. Advice and Insights

• Cultivate Feminine Energy: Morgan advises Christy to embrace activities that highlight her softer, more nurturing side, such as yoga, salsa dancing, and self-pampering.

  "I want you to do yoga. I want you to go do salsa dancing. I want you to, like, pamper yourself..." – Morgan DeBaun [25:13]

• Limit Work Talk: Encourage Christy to shift conversations away from work to foster deeper personal connections.

  "You gotta stop talking about work." – Morgan DeBaun [23:05]

• Diversify Dating Pool: Morgan recommends dating different types of men, including entrepreneurs, divorced men, and those with children, to find a compatible partner.

  "I would encourage you to date different types of men. Date men who are entrepreneurs. Date men who maybe are divorced." – Morgan DeBaun [27:40]

• Signature Look: Morgan emphasizes the importance of developing a unique personal style to stand out and attract the right attention.

  "What most influencers get wrong is that they build their brand around their personal brand..." – Morgan DeBaun [16:04]

d. Key Takeaways for Christy

• Embrace Softness: Integrate more feminine activities into daily life to attract nurturing partners.
• Personal Branding: Develop a distinctive personal style to enhance visibility and attractiveness.
• Healthy Boundaries: Focus on receiving support and partnership rather than always providing assistance.

4. Live Advising Session with Lacey

a. Lacey's Background and Challenges

• Current Role: Nearly 20 years in municipal government, recently transitioned to human resources.
• Aspirations: Considering moving from municipal government to the private sector or entrepreneurship.
• Personal Life: Single mother of a 14-year-old, caregiver for her mother.

b. Key Discussion Points

• Career Crossroads: Lacey feels an "itch" to pursue entrepreneurship but is uncertain about leaving her stable government job.

  "I am itching again, you know. And so is it like, do I choose to try to go to the entrepreneurship route and not take on another role?" – Lacey [33:00]

• Passion vs. Practicality: Wants to engage more in her passion for fashion but struggles with self-doubt and second-guessing.

  "I'm a person that will second guess the heck out of something. And so me doing that, it makes me stop." – Lacey [34:37]

• Land Development: Exploring opportunities to develop inherited land to build generational wealth.

  "I'm going to build a duplex near a college in Thailand. And so that's another thing that I'm doing." – Lacey [51:57]

c. Advice and Insights

• Maintain Stability: Morgan advises Lacey to retain her stable government job while gradually pursuing passions, emphasizing the importance of financial and personal stability.

  "If money was of no obstacle... you can try something new. But for now I got some responsibilities to take care of." – Morgan DeBaun [36:30]

• Align Passions with Business: Encourage Lacey to monetize activities she loves, such as fashion, to ensure the side hustle remains enjoyable and sustainable.

  "Make money on the side doing something that you love, that you would do for free." – Morgan DeBaun [41:56]

• Content Consistency: Suggests Lacey create consistent, easy-to-produce content to build her personal brand without overwhelming effort.

  "Do not do a double triple text. Did you get my last. None of it. They don't get none of that." – Morgan DeBaun [29:36]

• Signature Niche: Helps Lacey identify her unique strengths and interests, such as fashion styling, to carve out a distinctive niche in her entrepreneurial endeavors.

  "What is going to be unique to Lacey's unique skill set and thing that that women specifically are going to be like? I want to be the Bose." – Morgan DeBaun [49:02]

d. Key Takeaways for Lacey

• Balanced Approach: Continue with her stable job while methodically developing her passions into profitable ventures.
• Leverage Existing Skills: Utilize her expertise in fashion and personal branding to create engaging and sustainable content.
• Strategic Side Hustle Development: Focus on business activities that align with her interests to maintain motivation and reduce burnout.

5. Conclusion

Morgan DeBaun effectively guides both Christy and Lacey through their respective challenges, emphasizing the importance of balancing stability with growth, reinvesting in side hustles, and aligning personal passions with professional goals. Additionally, Morgan provides actionable advice on personal relationships, encouraging a balance between professional ambition and personal fulfillment.

Notable Quotes:

• Morgan DeBaun on Reinvesting Side Hustle Profits:

  "Any profit and revenue you make goes back into the side hustle to build those systems..." – [10:29]

• Morgan DeBaun on Feminine Energy in Dating:

  "I want you to do yoga. I want you to go do salsa dancing. I want you to, like, pamper yourself..." – [25:13]

• Morgan DeBaun on Aligning Passions with Business:

  "Make money on the side doing something that you love, that you would do for free." – [41:56]

This episode serves as a valuable resource for high-achieving women contemplating the transition from secure employment to full-time entrepreneurship, offering practical strategies and emotional support to navigate both professional and personal landscapes.