Getting Personal: Confidence, Competition, and Personal Growth with the eWN Trifecta

Kym Yancey [00:00:00]:

Someone said to me the other day, they were talking, he says, you know, there are, you know, all kinds of people who do the things that I do. I said, name them, name them. They couldn't put a name on anybody. I said, just that alone tells you it doesn't matter if they do the same thing you do. People don't know who it is.

Briana Dai [00:00:17]:

The whole LA thing and going after acting and coming to the whole realization, I think it was a combination of getting the clarity that I didn't want to, but also getting the rejection because it just perpetuated, I think, a long issue. Something that people probably absolutely don't know about me is not only was I not cool in grade school, but I was severely bullied.

Kym Yancey [00:00:41]:

One of the unique things is that whole period of time where you never taught on stage, where you were just— yeah, you were just the MC introducing people.

Sandra Yancey [00:00:50]:

You know, it goes back to a little bit of what you're talking about, just developing the confidence. You I really just didn't think once I went on the road, you know, and invited people to come to the conference, I didn't think they'd want to come to the conference and hear me talk or teach.

Briana Dai [00:01:15]:

Welcome back to another episode of She Means Millions.

Sandra Yancey [00:01:23]:

Millions.

Briana Dai [00:01:23]:

Today we're going to get a little personal.

Kym Yancey [00:01:27]:

We haven't been getting personal.

Briana Dai [00:01:28]:

A little more personal.

Kym Yancey [00:01:29]:

Okay. That's cool to know.

Briana Dai [00:01:31]:

Yeah. Yeah. So I want to know about your weirdest habit. Do you pick your nose or not?

Sandra Yancey [00:01:41]:

Oh my God.

Kym Yancey [00:01:44]:

Really? This isn't Jerry Springer.

Sandra Yancey [00:01:51]:

My weirdest habit. No, what is my weirdest habit?

Kym Yancey [00:01:57]:

I use clippers. I have some, some, uh, what do you call it, electric clippers for, for your nose.

Sandra Yancey [00:02:04]:

Yeah, your nose hairs.

Kym Yancey [00:02:05]:

Yeah, exactly.

Sandra Yancey [00:02:06]:

Yeah, I've used it on occasion too.

Kym Yancey [00:02:12]:

How about you?

Sandra Yancey [00:02:14]:

Yeah, you kick us off. What is your weirdest habit?

Kym Yancey [00:02:16]:

Yeah, do you pick your nose?

Sandra Yancey [00:02:18]:

Can we move off the nose picking conversation and talk about weird habits?

Briana Dai [00:02:23]:

Oh my goodness, don't we all all though. No. Um, let's see, weirdest habits. I don't know, I'm not weird.

Kym Yancey [00:02:32]:

Why is there silence in the room?

Sandra Yancey [00:02:35]:

I have a habit. I don't think it's weird, but people think it's weird, and that is I iron my sheets.

Briana Dai [00:02:40]:

That is weird. That is 100% weird. She irons— do you— do— will you get to benefit from the ironed sheets? Do you like notice if they're not ironed? Are they ever not ironed?

Kym Yancey [00:02:50]:

Well, it's mostly in the, the guest bedroom. Yeah. Mostly the guest room. She likes to prep it and have it look, you know, a real— she likes it to look real crisp, which I think is nice. I mean, you know, honestly, I'm just glad I don't have to iron them.

Sandra Yancey [00:03:04]:

Yeah, it's— it takes a hot minute, honestly. But all our guests say something about it.

Briana Dai [00:03:10]:

Yeah, those crisp sheets.

Sandra Yancey [00:03:12]:

Just the bed in general. Yeah, it's pretty luscious.

Briana Dai [00:03:15]:

Yeah, yeah, you really do the guest Bedroom, right? I wonder, you must feel like you're slumming it when you come sleep over at my house.

Sandra Yancey [00:03:23]:

No, I don't actually. I love those sheets. I've tried to find them because they're not cold and they're not hot. They're that perfect. I've talked about them, haven't I?

Briana Dai [00:03:30]:

They are also never ironed.

Sandra Yancey [00:03:32]:

Yeah, well, I know, but that's okay.

Briana Dai [00:03:36]:

Now that is an interesting one.

Sandra Yancey [00:03:39]:

Um, yeah, it's a little idiosyncrasy of mine. I don't know that you own an iron.

Briana Dai [00:03:45]:

I do.

Sandra Yancey [00:03:45]:

Oh, you do? I've never seen it.

Briana Dai [00:03:49]:

Do you know where it's at? I do. It's just out of reach. That's why you don't see it often, because Travis and his 6'4" self has it up on the top shelf. So I have to, like, get a stepping stool out.

Sandra Yancey [00:03:59]:

He just probably knows you're not using it. I mean, it's in the way.

Briana Dai [00:04:03]:

It's not true. The steamer setting on the dryer does a great job.

Sandra Yancey [00:04:08]:

I know you always have Tatiana's Where's Tatiana's clothes? I'm ironing them in the dryer.

Briana Dai [00:04:14]:

Yeah, yeah, you're de-wrinkling. Yeah, the wrinkle setting. But yeah, it doesn't give you that crisp, that crispness.

Kym Yancey [00:04:22]:

What's, what's something, Brianna, that people would be surprised to know or just simply don't know about you?

Briana Dai [00:04:30]:

You know what's really interesting is I can't tell you how many people, uh, that know me as an adult have said to me, you must have been a cheerleader. They think I was like a cool girl. I'm like, no, farthest from it. I was a total band nerd. So I think people are surprised.

Sandra Yancey [00:04:48]:

And in speech and debate.

Briana Dai [00:04:49]:

Yeah.

Sandra Yancey [00:04:49]:

And in speech and debate. You were the president of speech and debate your senior year. Mm-hmm.

Briana Dai [00:04:53]:

Yep. Yep. And a color guard girl. Color guard captain.

Sandra Yancey [00:04:57]:

Yeah.

Briana Dai [00:04:58]:

Yeah. So totally like the opposite of, of the cool girl, um, growing up. So people are oftentimes surprised by that. I think because I didn't peak in high school.

Sandra Yancey [00:05:07]:

Yeah, but there was something about you, because that star football player—

Briana Dai [00:05:11]:

okay, Mom—

Sandra Yancey [00:05:14]:

really tried to work his way— okay— to get your attention. And off we go. But, um, yeah, I mean, for being the, the nerd.

Briana Dai [00:05:25]:

Yeah, for sure.

Kym Yancey [00:05:28]:

Mhm.

Briana Dai [00:05:28]:

I don't know that I— people are oftentimes surprised that I wasn't cooler, like a cool kid in high school.

Kym Yancey [00:05:35]:

So this might be a good thing for each of us to do, is to tell— tell, okay, like things that I would know about you, people might be surprised to know, or about Brianna, you know what I'm saying? We say something about each of us.

Briana Dai [00:05:55]:

Oh yeah. So what do you think people would be surprised to know about me?

Kym Yancey [00:06:02]:

Um, I don't know if surprised to know, but I, but I'll just say, you know, that you're a competitor.

Sandra Yancey [00:06:09]:

That was what I was going to say.

Kym Yancey [00:06:11]:

You're a competitor.

Sandra Yancey [00:06:12]:

Fiercely competitive.

Kym Yancey [00:06:13]:

Yeah.

Sandra Yancey [00:06:14]:

But even in band, you had that one guy that was always challenging you for first chair, and one time you lost and you were like, that is never going to happen again. Yeah, right.

Kym Yancey [00:06:27]:

No, you're a competitor and you work at it. I remember, you know, on the color guard, how you practice and practice and practice and practice. Same thing with the saxophone, you know, just— but you're a competitor.

Sandra Yancey [00:06:38]:

And your presentations.

Kym Yancey [00:06:39]:

You have a level of excellence within your personal constitution as a person that you perform at a certain level, a level of excellence.

Briana Dai [00:06:49]:

That's true.

Kym Yancey [00:06:50]:

Yeah.

Sandra Yancey [00:06:51]:

Yeah, that's why that 1% thing became a— you only have a 1% chance to live. For me, it was like, she's always been a 1-percenter. I mean, she knows that. She knows what that means. Wow.

Kym Yancey [00:07:05]:

I, I think too that you've got, um, some unique courage. I mean, how old was she, 19, when she went to Los Angeles?

Sandra Yancey [00:07:15]:

18.

Kym Yancey [00:07:16]:

18. You know, you wanted to go out to LA, you wanted to, you know, get into the acting scene, that kind of thing. And you knew what you wanted and you went there and we had to give you the space. You know, emotionally we knew that the last thing that we wanted to have is a situation where you're saying, that's something I wanted to do and you guys didn't support me. You know what I'm saying? It's like, no, you aren't going to have that. You know what I mean? Like, go for it. And we had talked to you about, you look, you go to one of two places, you go to New York or you go to LA, but you know, that's where the action is. And you chose the LA route, you know? And so—

Sandra Yancey [00:07:52]:

Which I'm glad.

Kym Yancey [00:07:53]:

That was really hard for us.

Sandra Yancey [00:07:55]:

Oh yeah.

Kym Yancey [00:07:55]:

I mean, you know, we just had to say, you know, let go and give to God, quite frankly, because, you know, like we already knew it was gonna be a grind.

Sandra Yancey [00:08:04]:

But I was taking every speaking gig I could get in LA.

Briana Dai [00:08:06]:

You were?

Sandra Yancey [00:08:07]:

Just so I could say, I'm here anyway, so why don't I take you to dinner or something?

Kym Yancey [00:08:13]:

Yeah, so, so you're courageous and you— yeah, you know, and you experienced some things that told you— and you can speak to this better than we can— but, you know, something inside you at some point said, you know what, this is not the way I want to roll.

Briana Dai [00:08:28]:

Yeah, I don't feel—

Kym Yancey [00:08:29]:

in other words, let me say this, I didn't, I didn't feel like you gave up. I just felt like you had got clarity. Yeah, you got clarity. Yeah, on what matters to you. And sometimes you have to do the things that you think you want to do to discover it's not what you want to do. I mean, you know, you hear that with people who say, I got my law degree, but you know what, I wasn't fulfilled, or yeah, I became this and it's not ultimately what I wanted to do. You know what I mean?

Briana Dai [00:08:53]:

Yeah, I think— well, so with the whole LA thing and going after acting and coming to the whole realization, I think it was a combination of, of getting the clarity that I didn't want to, but also getting the rejection because it just perpetuated, I think, a long issue. Something that people probably absolutely don't know about me is not only was I not cool in grade school, but I was severely bullied in middle school. And I— it, it instilled in me at the age of probably 12, 13, severe, um, just a lack of confidence in my body image. I had major body image issues. And I think I, I think I, I struggle with body dysmorphia where I see myself differently than other people see me. And so, uh, not as much now, but definitely growing up, I definitely thought I was a big girl even when I wasn't. And like, in high school, I think I actually kind of got kind of cute in hindsight, looking back. But I didn't see myself as that because I saw myself as a middle school girl that was so bullied for being fat and, um, and not pretty.

Briana Dai [00:10:01]:

And so when I went to LA and I started to get all the rejection I— there were a couple of things I didn't like about that. Number one, the little confidence that I felt like I had cultivated was definitely shattered by all that rejection because it was very subjective. But the competitor in me also didn't like other people calling the shots. Like, I was used to the culture—

Sandra Yancey [00:10:21]:

so subjective too.

Briana Dai [00:10:22]:

It was so subjective.

Sandra Yancey [00:10:24]:

You'd get called back, you'd get called back, you felt like you had something, you know what I mean? Yeah.

Briana Dai [00:10:30]:

And then suddenly, up until that point, I was used to being the person that if I just worked the hardest I would get it, and that's just how it worked. Like, if I practiced flags and my rifles the hardest, I was gonna get color guard captain. If I practiced saxophone the hardest, I was gonna get the top band, I was gonna get the first chair, I was gonna get the solos. If I practiced this the hardest— but this was the first time in my life that it's like it didn't matter how much I practiced and how great I was, I could lose it because I was too short for the counterpart, or my, you know, whatever the case might have been, I was too curvy for whatever. And like, that kind of feedback was really killer, but it also was really clear that I had to have such a, like, strong passion for this that I was going to be willing to stick that out and let someone else tell me I was right for a role. And I just really— that just went against everything that I stood for, you know. I wanted to be able to call the shots. I really like the whole notion of if you work hard for something, it will pay off.

Briana Dai [00:11:30]:

And if I worked hard and I stayed at it, I probably would have over time. I just didn't want to spend that much time. It was really hard on me, that era. But yeah, body dysmorphia and confidence is always—

Kym Yancey [00:11:42]:

the camel's back for you, like, like, you know, I'm done.

Briana Dai [00:11:46]:

Yeah, yeah. I mean, probably, um, yeah, probably that last audition for me. I, I had gone through like a screen test. Like, I had gotten really far, and I ended up losing the role to an actress that's actually got famous from that role. Um, well, I don't know that she got famous for that role, but she became very well known through her role. Her name is Lucy Hale, and she was a very similar looking girl to me, but she was more petite than me. And I think that that really bothered me. They didn't flat out tell me I didn't get it because I wasn't small enough, but I internalized it as I wasn't petite enough, you know, because she had same kind of big eyes, brown hair, you know, similar look, round features, but was a very petite, cute girl.

Briana Dai [00:12:30]:

And so I felt inferior because I wasn't that. And so I think for me that was kind of the straw that broke the camel's back. I was like, I don't— this is not the place for me, you know, because I'm not gonna starve myself or go down that path. But I, I felt myself starting to be tempted to go to extreme measures, and that's not the type of person that I wanted to be.

Sandra Yancey [00:12:51]:

And Travis waited for you.

Briana Dai [00:12:52]:

He did, he did.

Sandra Yancey [00:12:54]:

He drove you out there so that you had your car and everything, and yeah, he waited for you.

Briana Dai [00:13:00]:

Yeah, and I think he actually even helped me realize that I was going down maybe a harmful path towards the way that I looked at myself, because I was with him. He had come out to LA to visit me, and I made a couple of negative comments about, you know, my curves, you know, like, oh my gosh, you know. And he's like, you used to love that about yourself. Like, what, what is this? You used to love that about you. And I was like, wow, you're right, I did. I did used to. And now this place, this environment is causing me to hate myself. And that's on a career path that I wanted to go down.

Briana Dai [00:13:37]:

I don't want a career path that I had to like sell my soul and hate myself in order to get to where I wanted to go. I just wanted to work hard and for it to pay off. And that's what I ultimately shifted a different direction, you know. And so that, I think, was my first, um, kind of moment of recognizing the difference between a dream and a calling, because that's when I recognized this was a dream of mine. I wanted— I dreamt of being an actress, but I don't feel called to go down this path anymore. And that's when I shifted, you know. But yeah, I, I am definitely competitive, you know, and I think I got that from y'all, to be honest.

Sandra Yancey [00:14:13]:

I remember when you were competing as a fitness model.

Briana Dai [00:14:16]:

Yeah.

Sandra Yancey [00:14:17]:

And we all went to Vegas for some event or something.

Briana Dai [00:14:21]:

Yeah.

Sandra Yancey [00:14:22]:

And you came and you packed your food, and I think the TSA took away your yogurt or something. We were going to these fabulous restaurants, and you were— I mean, when you set a goal on something, there was no steering you. Yeah. Away from that.

Briana Dai [00:14:39]:

I need to get that level of commitment back. But you know what it is, is I don't have— I was literally just thinking this. I was literally thinking to myself, you know what, I wonder if I signed up for a fitness competition a year from now, if that would give me the motivation to really get fit. But then also, that was a different lesson because those fitness competitors, you realize— I didn't— I did not realize those girls, that is not a healthy image on that stage.

Sandra Yancey [00:15:07]:

I mean, you have to do what you have to do, but I wouldn't want Tatiana watching you go through that. No, I wouldn't want her to get those messages.

Briana Dai [00:15:13]:

You're right.

Sandra Yancey [00:15:13]:

You look spectacular and everything, don't get me wrong, but it— I mean, and, and the way you deprived yourself of, of, um, on water, water on the day before, the week before, whatever. Oh yeah, so that you're, you know, you would—

Briana Dai [00:15:27]:

yeah, yeah, you do. You, you— the week of competition, you start to, uh, I think they call it— do they call it deplete? I think they do. I think that is the term, deplete. I think that is what they call it.

Sandra Yancey [00:15:39]:

And it's your first competition and you, you won.

Briana Dai [00:15:42]:

I placed. I I didn't win, but I placed top 5.

Sandra Yancey [00:15:45]:

Whatever, you had the medal.

Briana Dai [00:15:46]:

Yeah, you know what I mean?

Sandra Yancey [00:15:48]:

We were stunned. Yeah, but it just, it's just, it goes to your point about being competitive.

Briana Dai [00:15:53]:

If I'm gonna do something, I'm gonna go all the way. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Kym Yancey [00:15:57]:

That's, that is one thing I can say about you. I mean, if, if it is, when you're called to it, yeah, you're, uh, you're unstoppable. Yeah, that part of it. People may not know, maybe they do, you know.

Sandra Yancey [00:16:12]:

But the other thing that I really— I would say is, um, you, you have your style, but boy, do you know how to pull out various styles based on the clients that you serve. That it's not— it's not like you see Breonna's style on someone else, you see their style elevated. You know how to not bring just the things that you like. You know what I'm talking about? Yeah, sometimes people will dress you in the way they like versus really reading the client.

Kym Yancey [00:16:46]:

Yeah.

Sandra Yancey [00:16:46]:

And, um, I find that to be fascinating. I love looking at all your go-bys and what you glean from the clients, you know, to bring out their best.

Briana Dai [00:16:57]:

Yeah. No, brand photography is probably one of the favorite things that I, I get to do because it does bring in all those skills from my past life.

Sandra Yancey [00:17:06]:

And production, you need to have a sizzle reel on that that just shows the people and the style, how you styled them, and the repertoire of different looks is very powerful.

Briana Dai [00:17:16]:

Well, it goes to team because I don't do the styling, but I have a great team and great communication. I give them great direction so that he knows what to do.

Sandra Yancey [00:17:24]:

Yeah, but you give him the go-bys.

Briana Dai [00:17:26]:

I do give him the go-bys, and then he he takes that and he puts his spin on it. And sometimes his interpretations aren't completely aligned with what I give him, but it ends up working out, you know. And sometimes we, we have to work to, to find the look.

Kym Yancey [00:17:41]:

But, um, explain what go-bys are.

Briana Dai [00:17:44]:

Yeah, so when— excuse me— so when we do brand photography, we don't just show up to the photo shoot and like take pictures. We really prepare. And I know a lot of people prepare and they're like, yeah, I'm going to wear these outfits and I'm going to bring these props. But like, no, like we really nailed down exactly to a science every shot that we're taking and why we're taking it. So we know what shots— I need a banner photo, I need a wide shot, I need a hero shot that we can use for her, you know, her speaker headshot when she goes on stages. We need an upscale one and one that's a little bit more relaxed depending on the type of conference she's getting booked for. We need something for the podcast. Like we know everything that we need to shoot and then we plan the looks accordingly.

Briana Dai [00:18:30]:

So typically for a full day brand shoot, we plan 4 different image sets is what I call them. And I create go-bys for them, meaning this is what the team is gonna go by to create the look. So that way everybody that comes on set knows, the photographer knows this is the way the set is gonna look. This is the way the talent should be dressed. This is the goal of this shot. So we all are going by the same unified vision, and that way no one's confused around what to do. So oftentimes I'll send the go-bys to the photographer ahead of time, and he'll set up the set before we even get there because he saw, oh, this is the look that she's going for, for this first image set, you know. So we can all be prepared and really get the best out of it, which is, I think, a detail that most people don't get with brand photo shoots, you know.

Briana Dai [00:19:13]:

And they, they don't— you don't realize until you experience it that it really is another level. And the product, the end product is always tenfold. Yeah, for sure. Yeah.

Sandra Yancey [00:19:24]:

Do you feel like you're drowning in your business? Like you're doing everything and something has to give, but you're afraid it might be you? What if I told you there's a network of over 500,000 women entrepreneurs all dedicated to supporting each other? A network of women helping women. I'm Sandra Yancy. Founder of eWomen Network, and I'm inviting you to join us and become a member. ewomennetwork.com. We can't wait to meet you.

Kym Yancey [00:19:54]:

I also think you are a fast assimilator where you assimilate information, content, strategies quickly. You know, it's just something that I just noticed that You know, you just, you, you pick up on it, you identify with it, you are able to incorporate it into things if they fit in some way that enhances what you're working with, you know. So your assimilation skills, these are things most people wouldn't know unless they worked with you, if they were around you.

Briana Dai [00:20:27]:

Yeah.

Kym Yancey [00:20:28]:

Yeah.

Briana Dai [00:20:29]:

Well, I think assimilation, fast assimilation, is definitely a skill set that both of you are strong in. So it's interesting to get that compliment from you. I appreciate it. But I definitely think that the originators of that skill came from both of you. I mean, the way that you, Mom, are able to hear someone's business and then quickly assimilate, oh, this is your framework, this should be your value ladder, and this should be— we should build out a whole program around this word for your business. And you can just build that out for somebody in a matter of an hour. You know, that is like a skill I've never seen before. That is wild to witness that you do.

Kym Yancey [00:21:09]:

Yeah, you know, I've not seen you get stumped, Sandra.

Briana Dai [00:21:11]:

Yeah, you know, and you always get nervous going into those things, into those kinds of— what do we call those, um, um, intensives? Intensive business intensives. You always get nervous going into them, like, oh man, what if I get stumped, or what if I don't know, or what if I can't figure it out? You know, you do. You voice that to me behind the scenes. People wouldn't know that because you would never voice that to the client, right? But you never do end up getting some. You figure it out. It might take a little while to get there, but you always do, and it's really amazing.

Kym Yancey [00:21:39]:

Well, you know, I, I don't know if— I'm just gonna say most people don't realize that 25 years you have been going on tour every summer, you know, spring, every spring, every spring, you know, March, April, May, you know, June, etc., you know.

Sandra Yancey [00:21:58]:

Yeah.

Kym Yancey [00:21:59]:

And You're teaching and you're engaging, and you're, you know, and as I say, pressing the flesh, I mean, meaning hugs and, and atta girls with women in all these cities. So you're up front and close to women all over the country, North America, you know, and sharing stories, hearing what's on their mind, what's going on. I mean, you know, And to your point, Brianna, you talk about assimilation. I mean, she's the queen of it, you know what I'm saying? Taking all that down. So, so I think people don't have a deep enough perhaps sense of how deep you are in the marketplace in working with women the way you have. I mean, even when you're in corporate America, nothing had you up front and center like even the network. No, you know, going to the different cities, you're talking to someone in Calabasas and you're talking to someone in Chicago, you're talking to someone in Tampa, Florida. I mean, you know, you really understand what is going on with them.

Kym Yancey [00:23:05]:

That's a unique superpower of yours, very unique.

Briana Dai [00:23:09]:

Well, it's also cool because I got to go on tour with you a couple of times, and, uh, you have this phenomenal skill of reading the room. Because what's so beautiful about eWomen Network is that it— everyone operates under the same set of values, right? Everyone has the same system that they follow chapter to chapter. They're reading the same values and they have that same heart within the chapter. But every managing director kind of brings a different flavor, and the community that they cultivate at their local level is a reflection of the leader.

Sandra Yancey [00:23:45]:

Yep.

Briana Dai [00:23:45]:

You know, and so each chapter has a slightly different flavor. It's all the same ice cream store, but you've got all the different flavors in the ice cream store, you know what I mean? It's the same base, it's the same ingredients, but with just slightly different flavorings is how I kind of feel like E Women Network is at the chapter level. And you're able to go into each of those chapters and be able to really quickly read the room. I think coming back to the whole being able to assimilate, you know, and you can deliver the same message but tweak it just enough so that it lands right with the right group, you know, um, because you're able— you, you know how to connect with people and how to meet them where they're at. It's not about changing your message or changing who you are, right, by any means, but it is about being able to deliver your message in a way that actually can create an impact.

Sandra Yancey [00:24:34]:

Yeah, and the way I've been able to do it is that I, I'm there early. I don't just arrive to get on the stage. Yeah, you know, I get there at the informal networking. I'm walking around, I'm meeting people, I'm talking to them, I'm walking to all the different exhibitors, I'm asking them about their business, I'm listening to their language, and I'm looking for the themes of things to learn about the culture of the city. And, um, so that— and, and I, I ask them things that then they tell me stories, and then I can just know, I just know then so much about that audience when I get on that stage.

Briana Dai [00:25:14]:

It's powerful.

Kym Yancey [00:25:16]:

Yeah, I don't think you— I've not witnessed it. I don't think you can be stumped when it comes to understanding the challenges, the pain points, you know, the frustrations, you know, and, and the jubilation that women have in the marketplace like you do? I mean, really, that's a unique thing. Do you ever think about that?

Sandra Yancey [00:25:39]:

Well, I do, but I also think that I've been doing it for over 25 years. So, you know, I know what their pain points are because I've been there. You know, I know what, you know, makes their heart sing because I've had that too. You know, I know what, you know, I know what their blind spots are because I've had to work through my own. I know where, I know what will crack the code for them because I know what's cracked the code for me. I mean, we're really not that different, interestingly enough. There's a saying that says something to the effect of, we're all uniquely different in exactly the same way. There is a lot that, I don't care if it's a restaurant business or if it's an accounting firm, brick and mortar, or if you're working out of your home as a graphic designer, you know, or you are, you know, running a med spa or a dental office or, you know, whatever it might be, you own a store.

Sandra Yancey [00:26:42]:

I mean, I find that, you know, all of the fundamentals to running a business are pretty universal.

Briana Dai [00:26:49]:

Yeah.

Kym Yancey [00:26:51]:

Yeah. And one of the unique things is that whole period of time where you never taught on stage, where you were just the— yeah, you were just the emcee introducing people, you know.

Sandra Yancey [00:27:03]:

I think it goes back to a little bit of what you're talking about, just developing the confidence. I really just didn't think once I went on the road and invited people to come to the conference, I didn't think they'd wanna come to the conference and hear me talk or teach. I felt like they got their dose of me when I was visiting, and so why would I, isn't that funny?

Kym Yancey [00:27:23]:

[Speaker] Yeah, let me ask you, do you think that people understand the real reason why they need to, in our case, come to the eWomen Network International Conference in terms of what's in it for them? Do you think people—

Sandra Yancey [00:27:41]:

Well, I think there's a core set of them because there's some of them that have been coming for 20 years.

Kym Yancey [00:27:45]:

Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Sandra Yancey [00:27:46]:

You know, and, but I think once they come, I do think that they start to understand the value of getting out of their own backyard. I mean, you just have to get out of it. And people will say to me, you know, I have a local business. Why do I need to come to an international conference when I've got a local business? And that's because, you know, a good connection can come from any place. A good idea can come from anywhere. A great concept can be taught, you know, from a different place that you can then bring back and be first to market in your area, you know, to really excel and, explode your own business. And I do believe that our profile of member does get that more and more. I mean, we have an elevated community, no doubt about it.

Sandra Yancey [00:28:37]:

I mean, we're not the organization for hobbyists. You know, people always say, do you have a toe in your business or are you all in your business? Because we're perfect if you're all in. We're probably not the place for you if you're just kind of, you know, having fun with it. There's nothing wrong with that, but we're really serious about growing your business, right? And you're probably not going to be inspired by our conversation because we're really going to be pushing around, you know, what are you missing, what's in your blind spot, what are some of the new trends, what are some of the things that you— what has gotten stale, how do you need to hit the refresh button. Who are you surrounding yourself with? How do you need to elevate your circle? What does that really mean? What are you looking for? How do you tap into it? How do you build relationships? It's actually more giving than it is getting. There's a piece to just really understanding what it means to really wanna scale your business that some people just aren't interested in.

Briana Dai [00:29:43]:

Yeah, so what do you feel like— what do we feel like— what do you think people don't know about you?

Kym Yancey [00:29:51]:

Um, I'll tell you one, that in addition to my wonderful Brianna and Ryland, you know, my daughter and son, at 19 I was a proud father of a beautiful boy named Christopher who is now 51.

Sandra Yancey [00:30:06]:

Crazy, don't even bring it up.

Kym Yancey [00:30:09]:

So I have—

Sandra Yancey [00:30:10]:

crazy.

Kym Yancey [00:30:12]:

So my son Christopher—

Sandra Yancey [00:30:14]:

He's always going to be a young kid to me.

Kym Yancey [00:30:16]:

And I have two grandkids from him and his wife Amanda, Lily and Luke. Lily is now a freshman at Ohio State, for crying out loud. Extraordinary. That's a joy. It's a joy in my life. And while we're in Dallas, he's back in Ohio. He's got a company there called PermaEdge that he came up with that is this edging concrete product to keep pavers in place. It's incredible.

Sandra Yancey [00:30:43]:

This is incredible. Manufacturers it.

Kym Yancey [00:30:44]:

Yeah, I mean, the idea that putting it together, that the whole thing. So, so I think a lot of people, uh, probably don't know that, aren't aware of the role that he plays in our life too.

Sandra Yancey [00:30:54]:

Oh, very important role.

Kym Yancey [00:30:56]:

Come out to Dallas and we spend the week. Weekend.

Sandra Yancey [00:30:59]:

It's just gone on vacations together. Yeah, just part of the family.

Kym Yancey [00:31:03]:

And, um, uh, People have heard about my music career. You know, I never used to talk about it. I don't know if you remember, I never used to talk about how I was in a band. We were on Capitol Records and been on Soul Train. And, you know, I think if you're just now watching this and seeing this, you may not have known.

Sandra Yancey [00:31:22]:

Have a gold album, but, but not that many people got it. Got a record deal at 19. Yeah, I mean, come on, how many people really have have lived that life. It's pretty spectacular.

Kym Yancey [00:31:34]:

Yeah, it's, it's really, really special, especially in the rearview mirror when I look back on it, you know what I mean?

Sandra Yancey [00:31:39]:

Yeah.

Kym Yancey [00:31:40]:

Because, you know, so often when you're doing these kinds of things, you're, you're so involved in doing it that you're not really not processing how special it, how special it was, you know. You just, you're just doing it. In fact, you've heard me say before that when we got our gold album at Capitol Records, I'll never forget that the president of Capitol Records is there. We're all there taking a picture, and Capitol has a round building in Hollywood. It's very, very unique. It's iconic. And, um, you know, we were there, we took the picture, and the very next thing the band said— or the guys are saying, okay, now let's get on the platinum, let's go to the next level. And I realized, guys, we never went out to dinner, celebrated the gold album, we never went out to dinner, cracked some champagne, because how many people do you know that have a gold album?

Sandra Yancey [00:32:27]:

You know, there's a big lesson here though. One of One of the most beautiful stories, Kim, that you haven't shared in forever though, was when the president of Capitol Records came up to you and asked, because you were one of the songwriters. That's a very powerful, I think, business lesson.

Kym Yancey [00:32:44]:

It was a great business lesson. I mean, this is really good. So come in close, you know, because this really is a big deal. Because he said to me, he says, you know, we were just chatting and he says, you know, Kim, he says, people love an I Love You song.

Sandra Yancey [00:33:04]:

And you were talking about maybe doing a little bit more of the upbeat songs kind of thing when you were the ballad writer.

Kym Yancey [00:33:09]:

Yeah.

Sandra Yancey [00:33:10]:

And right, remember? And he was like, well, wait a minute here. That's when he says, don't forget, people love a good I Love You.

Kym Yancey [00:33:17]:

I Love You song. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, because I had a song I wrote called I Had a Choice, which has become the most listened to song by our group Sun. And if you— by the way, if you want to have some fun, just, just, just go to, you know, sun.band, and you'll get to see a whole thing on the band. Sun, S-U-N, dot band. Anyway, so he's— we're there with Capitol, and we were talking about that, Sandra, and he told me that, that no matter, um, how big the I Love You song of today is, you got to remember something, that tomorrow the world wants a new I Love You song. Yeah, you know, they want new. And it's a real major lesson for all of us in business is that when someone— because it's easy for you to say, oh, you know, Mary Jane does the same thing, she owns that space, or she's right, you know.

Kym Yancey [00:34:03]:

The world is constantly searching for new evolution. You're just constantly evolving, evolving, evolving. You know, people say that about us though. I, I've heard people say, boy, you guys are— even network is always doing something. You guys are always evolving, you know. You know, it's part of our makeup. It's part of our DNA. You know what I mean? You have to continue to bring a freshness, a newness, and just remember the world is looking for new.

Kym Yancey [00:34:32]:

Yeah, it's looking for new. And I tell people that even if someone— someone said to me the other day, they were talking, he says, you know, there are, you know, all kinds of people who do the things that I do. I said, name them. Name them. They couldn't— they couldn't put a name on anybody. I said that just that alone tells you it doesn't matter if they do the same thing you do. People don't know who it is. You can be the best guitar player in the world because if all you're doing is playing in your garage— yeah, you know what I'm saying?

Sandra Yancey [00:35:00]:

You're the best kept secret guitar player. And there's room for you. The world wants the new.

Kym Yancey [00:35:07]:

Yeah. And I think, you know, so, so often And, you know, people are just— you know, nothing beats sometimes when the person— a person gives you the right set of words that inspire you. Yeah, the right set of words to electrify your future, you know. And you just said it to you in the right tone at the right time.

Sandra Yancey [00:35:31]:

Yeah.

Kym Yancey [00:35:31]:

And you might have heard the words before, but this time you brought them into your being, you brought them into your The other thing that I think I want to say about you is I don't—

Sandra Yancey [00:35:41]:

I think people don't know how, uh, pivotal you are to the company. I think, I think, uh, they see you and I overwhelmingly, you know, on the stage, so to speak, or in front of the camera and that kind of thing. But you have been absolutely you know, the wind beneath my wings.

Kym Yancey [00:36:07]:

I've enjoyed flying with you.

Sandra Yancey [00:36:08]:

Yeah. I mean, the E-Women Network wouldn't be what it is if I hadn't had you with all of your branding expertise. And, you know, all of the things that you have done from a marketing perspective, you know, all those years before we had Brianna. Brianna just came in and brought in a whole nother dimension. You know, but I think people either don't know or maybe underestimate how critical you have been to the growth of the company and the, the relationships that you've created with sponsors. And that's a whole nother animal. We'll have to talk about that on a show one day, is just sponsors, how you get people, corporations, companies to fall in love with you and, and want to partner with you, not just spend money with you to throw their name up on a, on a website.

Briana Dai [00:36:59]:

Yeah, yeah, no, for sure. When you said getting people to fall in love with you, that is, I think, something that maybe, maybe people know about you, but I don't think people understand to the degree that, um, it's so fast. Anytime one of my friends gets the opportunity to talk to you, they're always like, wow, like, your dad, your dad is the nicest guy. He asked me the deepest questions. I just met the man and I feel like he just like opened up my soul, you know. So you just have this really incredible way of making people— people just love you. You just make people— and I think what it is is they love you because you make them feel important. And what's fascinating is I remember you telling me one time that one of the things that you admired the most about Papa or your dad, my Papa, was that he had a store back in the day in Ohio and people used to come in and he would take a minute and just like, how are you doing? And talking to them.

Briana Dai [00:38:05]:

And people would come and stand in line just to have a conversation with your dad because they felt so seen. And you were always so in awe of that. And what's so cool is I don't know that, you know, that you've adopted that, that you are that.

Kym Yancey [00:38:20]:

That's the ultimate compliment.

Briana Dai [00:38:22]:

Yeah.

Kym Yancey [00:38:23]:

Yeah.

Sandra Yancey [00:38:23]:

And I know that all the guys, all the young guys fall in love with you.

Briana Dai [00:38:27]:

All of them.

Sandra Yancey [00:38:28]:

I mean, all the— like, Ryland's friends and Travis's friends, and they're all like, he is so fly.

Briana Dai [00:38:34]:

Yeah.

Sandra Yancey [00:38:35]:

Yeah, it is.

Briana Dai [00:38:36]:

It's really fascinating.

Sandra Yancey [00:38:37]:

I want his wardrobe. Yeah.

Briana Dai [00:38:41]:

But I live with it every day, so I don't see it. Like, yeah, I know I have a great dad. Like, I know. But, but literally anybody that meets you that has the opportunity to sit down and have an eye-to-eye conversation just falls in love with you because of how you make them feel.

Kym Yancey [00:38:55]:

Yeah, you know, beautiful. Thank you.

Briana Dai [00:38:57]:

Yeah, it is.

Kym Yancey [00:38:59]:

It is.

Sandra Yancey [00:38:59]:

Yeah, I, you know, you're a great listener.

Kym Yancey [00:39:02]:

I, um, ran— you think most people know that I had an advertising agency for 15 years? No, you know, um, back in Ohio, we were the only agency in the country to handle two lotteries at the same time. We handled the Ohio Lottery and the D.C. Lottery at the same time. You know, it was a— that was a big deal.

Sandra Yancey [00:39:19]:

Big deal. But, um, no, just, just, I, I think over 200 awards of excellence and creativity and Businessman of the Year and—

Kym Yancey [00:39:32]:

yeah, yeah, working like crazy, you know. But I think um, like you going on stage, like introducing everybody for years, right, where you never were the keynote. I mean, think about that for a second. I mean, just think about this. Sandra would go to the cities and promote eWomen Network and the community and what we're doing and why she wants you to be a part of it and invite you to the conference. And in these cities, you know, women would buy tickets to the conference, and she personally filled up the conference. You personally felt the conference. And didn't feel, why would they want to hear from me? I mean, just, you know, think about that, Sandra, in terms of what—

Sandra Yancey [00:40:12]:

for years, actually.

Kym Yancey [00:40:13]:

Yeah, what you did—

Sandra Yancey [00:40:14]:

hired an MC. And then when people started to encourage me to get out there, I wasn't comfortable, so we went out together and it looked like the Donny and Marie Show, you know. And then eventually, yeah, it's been, it's been a, it's been a journey, you know. It's been an evolution.

Kym Yancey [00:40:30]:

And now So now when you're on stage teaching, I'll hear women say, I can't talk right now, Sandra's on stage teaching, I gotta get out there. You know what I mean? No, it is a powerful thing to see in the evolution of all that. But to my point though, was this—

Sandra Yancey [00:40:49]:

Iteration, iteration, iteration, right?

Kym Yancey [00:40:52]:

My point though is just like you didn't teach until years later, a member had sent— I remember members would send in information about themselves. They wanted to speak at the conference or some marketing idea. And I just noticed that all of their marketing materials were horrible, you know, just flat. They just— I couldn't get over what some people would send in. And that really became the birth of Celebrity Science. Yeah, because that wasn't in our plan either.

Sandra Yancey [00:41:20]:

No. So you're like, I got to help these women get packaged so that people will see them and want to put them on their stages. Right? And the next thing you know, we blew up a whole other division of the company just helping individual members, right, develop their own celebrity packaged in a way that looked like who they were.

Kym Yancey [00:41:42]:

Yeah. And one of the biggest thrills was when Brianna jumped in on Celebrity Science and brought her skill set to it. I mean, it was elevated. It was elevated. It was electrifying. You know what I mean? But I'm just saying, you know, you know what I mean? Like, it never entered my thought process that we would be doing literally agency stuff. That's right, targeted 100% for women, even though men do it too. Yeah, right.

Kym Yancey [00:42:09]:

But you know, our target, our main audience is female.

Sandra Yancey [00:42:14]:

That we can talk about celebrity science and branding too, can't we?

Briana Dai [00:42:18]:

Sure can. I think we should wrap it up with some rapid fire. Okay, so, uh, rapid fire. What's your go-to snack?

Sandra Yancey [00:42:26]:

Popcorn.

Kym Yancey [00:42:29]:

A nice chocolate chip cookie with some raisins in it.

Sandra Yancey [00:42:33]:

Yeah, he puts raisins in it. And cold glass of milk. Yours?

Briana Dai [00:42:39]:

Probably some cold grapes. I could tear up a whole thing of grapes. I know, it's a new thing for me. I'm newly obsessed with grapes. Uh, purple. Specifically purple grapes, whole thing, easy. Okay, how about your preference, phone call or text?

Sandra Yancey [00:42:58]:

Phone call.

Kym Yancey [00:43:00]:

Yeah, man, for the most part, phone call.

Briana Dai [00:43:03]:

Really?

Kym Yancey [00:43:03]:

Yeah, for the most part.

Briana Dai [00:43:05]:

I'm voice memo. I'll leave a 4-minute voice memo.

Sandra Yancey [00:43:10]:

Favorite movie of all time?

Briana Dai [00:43:11]:

Favorite movie of all time? Oh God, come back to me. I don't know.

Sandra Yancey [00:43:15]:

I know yours.

Briana Dai [00:43:16]:

I know yours too.

Kym Yancey [00:43:17]:

Yeah, you guys know mine.

Briana Dai [00:43:18]:

Yeah, Jurassic Park.

Sandra Yancey [00:43:19]:

Jurassic Park.

Kym Yancey [00:43:20]:

I love that. I get lost in that movie.

Briana Dai [00:43:22]:

Yeah.

Sandra Yancey [00:43:23]:

Bridges of Madison County.

Briana Dai [00:43:26]:

That's a good one. I feel like I always answer this one differently because I really don't know, but I do tend to always go back to— I, I do love The Devil Wears Prada.

Sandra Yancey [00:43:35]:

Oh, and it's coming out the next one.

Briana Dai [00:43:37]:

The next one's coming out.

Sandra Yancey [00:43:38]:

We have to do the opening. Are you gonna do it with all your girlfriends?

Briana Dai [00:43:40]:

I don't know.

Sandra Yancey [00:43:41]:

Okay, well, if you don't, we'll do it.

Briana Dai [00:43:45]:

Um, what's a rapid-fire question?

Kym Yancey [00:43:47]:

My rapid-fire question?

Sandra Yancey [00:43:49]:

Yeah.

Kym Yancey [00:43:50]:

Oh my gosh, best vacation you've ever had?

Briana Dai [00:43:57]:

Um, I mean, Europe for sure. Barcelona specifically.

Sandra Yancey [00:44:07]:

Yeah, mine would be Italy. Florence.

Kym Yancey [00:44:11]:

Yeah.

Sandra Yancey [00:44:12]:

Or Portofino. Maybe Portofino, a little over Florence.

Kym Yancey [00:44:16]:

Mine would have to be the year that we took the kids to Banff. Yeah. And we did snowmobiling through the Canadian glaciers.

Sandra Yancey [00:44:22]:

Yeah.

Kym Yancey [00:44:23]:

And, and dog sledding with the kids.

Sandra Yancey [00:44:25]:

That was pretty magical.

Briana Dai [00:44:26]:

That was, that was special for sure.

Sandra Yancey [00:44:28]:

Yeah.

Kym Yancey [00:44:28]:

We got to find all those pictures and put them in a book. I mean, it's just, it's just too much.

Sandra Yancey [00:44:33]:

Yeah.

Briana Dai [00:44:33]:

Yeah, for sure. I love it. Well, I love it. And also, I was actually surprised you didn't say Twizzlers.

Sandra Yancey [00:44:40]:

Whoa, yeah.

Briana Dai [00:44:41]:

Because you always have Twizzlers in your bag.

Sandra Yancey [00:44:43]:

I do always have Twizzlers.

Briana Dai [00:44:44]:

Always. This woman will be like, in the car on the way to the airport, she'll just pull out a Twizzler. Here, you want a Twizzler?

Sandra Yancey [00:44:52]:

Exactly, I do. I have them in my desk drawer right now.

Kym Yancey [00:44:56]:

Yeah.

Sandra Yancey [00:44:56]:

In fact, even when we do these luxurious trips.

Briana Dai [00:44:59]:

Yeah, you brought the Twizzlers.

Sandra Yancey [00:45:01]:

I bring Twizzlers.

Briana Dai [00:45:02]:

You brought Twizzlers to Europe and handed them out on the bus.

Kym Yancey [00:45:06]:

I did.

Sandra Yancey [00:45:07]:

You're— that's true. That is very true.

Briana Dai [00:45:11]:

Yeah, it is so funny.

Sandra Yancey [00:45:13]:

Strawberry Twizzlers specifically. Yep.

Briana Dai [00:45:17]:

So funny. Yeah, awesome. All right, y'all, well, this is a good episode, I feel, so why don't we wrap this one up? How about—

Kym Yancey [00:45:24]:

that's good.

Briana Dai [00:45:24]:

Yeah, how about we close that out?

Sandra Yancey [00:45:26]:

Love to talk about women and the fact that they don't just mean business, they