The Russell Brunson Show

Episode: On The Brighter Side With Collette (Part 4 of 4)
Date: December 4, 2019
Host: Russell Brunson
Guest: Collette Brunson
Original Interviewer: Monica Tanner, from "On the Brighter Side" Podcast

Episode Overview

This episode concludes a four-part series featuring Collette Brunson, as interviewed by Monica Tanner. Offering a candid look behind the scenes of the Brunson family, Collette opens up about life as the wife of a high-profile entrepreneur, the blessings and challenges of living so publicly, their shared values around family and giving back, and her journey stepping into her own podcasting project. Throughout, the conversation is warm, down-to-earth, and filled with relatable advice for others navigating family life, entrepreneurship, and personal fulfillment.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Life in the Public Eye

• Constant Documentation:
  Collette discusses her adjustment to having much of her life shared online due to Russell’s social media and business activities.

  • She sometimes forgets how many people are watching until confronted by fans in public.

    “He just pulls [the camera] out and he's instastory everything until we go somewhere and he gets spotted or we are at an event and people are like, I just love Nora. And I'm like, ooh, okay, that… then the realization hits, like, there's a lot of people that are watching what we are doing.” (01:39)

  • There’s an awareness of needing to appear present, so it doesn’t look like Russell’s a “single dad.”

    “I need to be in some of those stories. I'm like, I am very involved. Make sure I look that way.” (01:58)

• Boundaries with Social Sharing:
  Both Monica and Collette relate to the occasional reluctance about sharing private moments online.

  “Are you ever just like, Russell, do not post that?” – Monica (02:13)
  “Sometimes, like, ooh, did you catch that? Who's gonna see this?” – Collette (02:29)

Russell Brunson: The Family Man

• Staying Grounded:
  Monica shares how Russell credits Collette for keeping him balanced and focused on family, despite his business passions.

  “He gets so passionate about things, and he could spend months at the office... but he said that you don’t really care about all of that stuff, and you just kind of love him for him, and you’ve created this home that he loves to be and this family where he loves to be a part of, and he considers that his greatest accomplishment.” – Monica (02:32)

• Collette’s Perspective:
  Collette feels “super blessed” that Russell is so involved with the family, highlighting his energy and commitment to being present at home despite a chaotic schedule.

  “He is such an energy, a ball of energy that keeps up. And I'm not kidding you. I mean, there's constant wrestling at the house. There's constant jumping and playing outside, but he is very aware of the time spent at home.” (03:22)

  She enjoys being the one to keep him grounded, “keep it real,” and reminds listeners that despite the fame, Russell is just a normal husband and dad.

  “Yeah, keep it real. Can you please take out the garbage?” (04:19)

Balancing Work and Family Life

• Creating a Home They Love:
  Collette notes the importance of building a home life that her husband wants to return to.

  “We've created this beautiful home to be able to enjoy. So I have to keep that in mind. Like, okay, let's give him a couple days at the house and then let's go.” (05:46)

• Blessings of Entrepreneurship:
  Collette cites her top blessings: being a mom, experiencing personal growth (seminars, events), and engaging in meaningful charity work.

  “My dream is always just to be... a mom and stay at home mom and be able to do things with my kids... I've been able to go to a lot of events such as Tony Robbins... to better myself.” (06:24) “I just feel so blessed to be able to help freely... it does give you a little bit of a comfort.” (07:14)

• Giving Back:
  Both Monica and Collette celebrate the Brunsons’ commitment to using success for good causes.

  “The money that he is able to make, he has so much power to do good with it... you guys do give stuff so generously to so many organizations.” – Monica (07:51)

Advice for Entrepreneurial Spouses

• Support Systems:
  Collette emphasizes the necessity of supportive friendships (“a village”) and positive communication.

  “Prayer and a lot of prayer. And then, you know what? I have an amazing village of friends and advice given through life coaches... I just love being able to talk to a certain group of friends every day and about our day. And we call it metal reporting...” (09:18) “Find a good support system. Find a good support system. Find a good support system and just get through it. Journal, Journal it.” (10:48)

• Normalize Struggles:
  She notes that ups and downs are part of life, and journaling can offer helpful perspective.

  “There's sometimes a lot of tears and there's sometimes a lot of frustration. But then to learn how to communicate that well… Journal it. Because it's really fun to go back and look and see and how you did do it.” (10:12/10:48)

Stepping into Her Own Project: Sharing Her Journey Podcast

• Why a Podcast? Collette describes being approached by friend Kirsten Brockner, inspired by a quote about the loss of women’s community when modern conveniences isolated them.

  “She came to me and she said, ‘I have this vision to start a podcast in bringing greater connection for women. Would you like to be a part of it?’” (12:22)

• Podcast Mission:
  The podcast aims to share women’s stories, especially those navigating similar challenges, for validation, openness, and connection.

  “It is sharing her journey, and it's just basically letting women tell their stories and so that people can feel validated in their own stories to generate more openness.” (12:53)

  • Collette teams up with Nicole Goggins and Kirsten Brockner for this project.

• Building Community:
  Inspired by the idea that isolation can lead to loneliness and even depression, they hope to recreate a “village” feel online.

  “They found that it was the absence in the community that kind of, you know, you just need the community to build relations.” (14:13)

• Where to Follow:

  “You can find us at sharingherjourney on Instagram and also on Facebook... and stay tuned for the launch party.” (15:36)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Visibility:

  “Until I realized he looked like a single dad. And then I'm like, you know what? I need to be in some of those stories. I'm like, I am very involved. Make sure I look that way.” – Collette (01:58)

• On Support:

  “I just feel like to navigate the ups and downs... just have good friends.” – Collette (09:40)

• On Normality:

  “If you just stripped everything away... it’s like any other family that lives in like any other town. Normal. Just totally normal people. But you do do a lot of wonderful things in the world.” – Monica (08:53)

• On Generosity:

  “Who can we help today? Can we put this money towards so and so? Or I’m already giving. I'm giving it away. And so I just feel so blessed to be able to help freely.” – Collette (07:14)

• On the Need for Community:

  “It was the absence in the community that kind of, you know, you just need the community to build relations.” – Collette (14:13)

Important Timestamps

• 01:16 – 02:32: Life in the public eye, and the challenges of social sharing.
• 02:32 – 05:29: Russell as a father and husband; Collette’s experience balancing family and visibility.
• 06:06 – 07:38: Biggest blessings of their lifestyle—kids, growth, giving back.
• 09:18 – 11:17: Advice to entrepreneurial spouses—support systems, community, and coping strategies.
• 12:22 – 15:58: Announcement and mission of “Sharing Her Journey” podcast, team formation, and launch information.

Final Thoughts & Episode Tone

This episode is a heartfelt conclusion to Collette’s story, characterized by candor, humor, and warmth. Both Monica and Collette model vulnerability as they talk about the joys and struggles of blending family life with entrepreneurial dreams. Listeners are left with a sense of the beautiful normalcy behind public personas, actionable advice for their own lives, and an invitation to join a new community of women sharing their stories.

Learn more or follow Collette’s new project:
Instagram/Facebook: @sharingherjourney
Stay tuned for launch updates and the upcoming podcast!