Pivot Like a Pro with Romey Sifontes

0:00I bought a trailer oh because I was like I know I was like what0:05I was like okay it's like I got one so like this is my business now like I know I can do this and that's the thing it's0:10like you take the small steps but then sometimes you have to take that big step to Anchor you into that next thing0:15because I could have like you know rented a truck and drove down here but it was I was like if I go ahead and buy0:21it then that means the next five people I'm ready to go because like I'm about to do this and then I'm gonna talk about0:26it and then I'm gonna show it and then the next five people that call me I'm like I'm fully equipped like what do you need what do you want me to pull up0:33I don't know [Music]0:45what's up guys welcome back to rich in real life I'm your host Jessica Hurley0:52and I'm here with another incredible guest and I cannot wait for you to hear this story and meet this woman she is0:59someone I'd like to call a friend she is the founder of design water a she is an1:06incredible creative and someone that I just truly admire and I feel like really1:12mirrors so much of this journey for me that is um the hardest and the most difficult1:18Parts when it comes to the perseverance and the risks high risk High reward that1:23is required of successful entrepreneurship especially when deep dreams are involved uh like the the1:30dreams that we have when we lose sleep at night and so I love to story and I truly love this woman and she's also the1:37creative designer behind our woman our annual women's event Innovative income and so many other incredible events so1:43you have to meet her you have to hear this story so without further Ado I want to introduce you guys to Romy sofontas1:49hi hello great hype woman yes1:56so welcome to the table how do you feel good it's crazy considering the fact2:02that like I didn't know you last year um just like the journey that we've had2:08together and I've had personally um literally how much can change within a year like I feel like every aspect of2:14my life is different everything that's why we got the table I guess that's what we're talking about this y'all have to2:20hear this story and so I want to crack open first uh what is design water and2:26what do you do yes so we are A Creative Design Studio in the heart of New Orleans2:31um so we offer Design Services for events for restaurants for airbnbs we also have a space so that you can rent2:37our space get Custom Design Services use it for your content for your events and then we offer rentals to Unique Vintage2:44funky pieces of furniture and rentals to use for your events so this ain't no2:50play play I want to be clear the space that she's talking about in the heart of New Orleans how big is this2:55um 11 000 square feet hey this is big business this big business y'all um and3:01I'm so proud to witness it because it sounds like uh as we're talking about on3:07the show that it sounds like something that has come natural for you and it just was so easy and I got a chance to3:12witness the journey and it was not that's the opposite of what it was and so I want to start with something that I3:19truly admire about you so I can really help people understand at your core who you are and just one of the most3:25incredible traits that I witnessed in you over and over and over again and it is your ability to drown out the noise and3:33trust yourself you got that muscle worked girl if it was on the exterior it3:38would be fine and refined you hear me like you're the muscle that you use to3:43trust yourself I have seen in action over and over and over again and it's even one that I struggle with I know3:50it's necessary in entrepreneurship but I even I still have to go seek other people and get people to bless or3:57validate my idea at times before I go take some massive risk and just in the last year that I've known you in the4:03story that I know to be true about you um that is something that I feel like it is a muscle you have mastered and4:10trusting yourself in your inner voice where in the hell did you get that from yeah4:17um well see so I would say like throughout my whole life like I've been super strong-willed and just independent4:23and exercise that muscle here and there throughout growing up but the point that was like my biggest oh we gotta Buckle4:30the up and go like I was waiting for the to come out because that's how you roll4:37um was when I lived in Tampa and I was working full-time I just got my MBA and4:43my goal was always to move to San Francisco and work in Tech like that was my goal and that was crystal clear crystal clear4:49um that was that was a goal um especially you know with all these like large companies and I was just like what4:55is that how do you get into that industry like that's a skill that I feel like I could do so I'm gonna do it5:00and you know after I finished my MBA you know I was interviewing doing remote interviewing got a job at a startup like5:07I did the thing it's here now yes it's here it's my chapter I'm gonna move you5:13know I've been in the Southeast my whole life lived in Nashville in Tampa and so now it's time to do something different away from my network away from friends5:19family everything I've known like that's what I wanted I wanted to be by myself and do that5:25um got to the airport it was the year of like that huge hurricane I don't even know which one Irma yes yep because that5:31was when you had just had cam um I'm at the airport delay delay delay5:36like all my flights have been delayed mind you I broke my lease got rid of all my furniture when I got the job sold it5:42yeah on Craigslist because Facebook Marketplace wasn't popping back then5:53so like I had a week to get rid of everything break my lease get my together and like go so I'm at the5:58airport flights were delayed for a day I spent the night in the airport like with my bag6:05um and you're like it's all it's all good my new life oh yeah no not I mean it was just like okay it's a storm you6:10know yep now I knew that when I got to San Francisco I have nowhere to stay so I had to find somewhere to stay and6:17then I knew no one so my plan was to just get an Airbnb when I got there and I had one week to find somewhere to stay6:22before my new job I got a call from them finally got a flight we're about to board I got a call from6:28the founder of the company and they had lost their funding why6:33the it's so volatile in um startup industry like that's you know it's not abnormal but for that to be your first6:40experience and I was like at that moment I was like do I stay or do I go like I'm6:46about to move to the most expensive city in the U.S with nowhere to stay and now no job like and I have nothing here yeah6:53I can't be like let me crash at your place for a week like let me just get settled no like I still hadn't even booked the Airbnb so that's cool now but7:02it probably wasn't there no that was back when it was still like oh you know we're not sure about this yeah we're not7:08sure about this um and so you know like I mean I was crying I knew I wasn't gonna stay like I7:13mean I had all the thoughts but like I knew I wasn't gonna say I knew I was going but I called my parents and I was just like just to let you know I don't7:19have my job but I'm so they're like so are you gonna stay and I was like no like I had always wanted to go so like why7:26would I stop now like I'll figure it out and um at that point7:32I knew like betting on myself that like I had to do that I had to do that because I needed to change what was7:37currently going on in my situation and so I got out there7:42um got my Airbnb started working at Cheesecake Factory immediately because I had to like you know waitress get7:48something because I was getting on my life savings to get an apartment out there um started working at Cheesecake Factory7:53cup applying and I landed my next you know job in Tech while out there um and then that's led me to like the8:01career I had which then led me to my passion so it's like had I not gone to San Francisco no just let me happen hold8:08on I want to speak on this for a second because you said after you got your MBA you went and worked at the Cheesecake Factory now hold please because if there8:15ain't some more things you could do this humbling than that it ain't too many more I remember8:21um when I got my degree and I was like who's paying me six figures like I got my degree and I8:28was like out the gate what we doing and my first job was a bottle girl I was a8:34damn bottle girl because I was like I was applying everything but it was like oh it's just a degree like you got a8:40degree you're 21 years old like I don't you you're not useful here yeah and I'm like what I remember like serving these8:47bottles in underwear shorts and I'm like this can't be life this can't be life and so the humble8:53humbling experience so then go get an MBA and work at Cheesecake Factory oh8:58and I was also walking dogs like I was babysitting like I had to do everything I mean it's like 2500 for an apartment I9:04put first month last month in the apartment like I was saving for that and so I was like doing everything like I9:09was hustling yeah sometimes the survival mode works and sometimes it eats Us Alive yeah9:17okay so this thing leads you there's a really cool part of the story that I9:22love is that you commit three or four months working this job at Cheesecake Factory you get a job in Tech you've now9:29committed to the thing you're in the city that you always wanted to be in it was way harder than it should have been with an MBA9:35um really quick what happens uh a week after you start your job9:41I start my job and a week later is the holiday party9:46and that's where I met my husband so I was like okay God I see what you're9:52doing you didn't bring me out here for what I thought I was coming for there was actually something else that was going to be part of my life that would9:57change my life um as well and with that came like a lot of lessons that needed to be learned10:04relationships will grow you yeah and it also grew me as an entrepreneur too like everything was like lining up the skills10:10that I needed the grit to take the risk you know the relationship like the losing your pride to do something you10:16may not want to do for a little while like all of that was leading up for like what this purpose was I wasn't sure what10:22it was yet I was just like in search you know to find it and move on it but so10:27the grit doesn't stop there because most of you would be listening or watching and thinking like you got the job in10:33Tech good five figures right six figures six figure salary over six figure salary10:39um that that should be the end of y'all I thought it would but you're not like10:45that and they'll figure that out eventually you're not like that so what happened yes I mean at first I10:52was like I love this job like I loved it you know I was getting to travel the world I spent a third of my year in India I was traveling to Sydney10:59Australia it's like everything that I wanted in a career I had done and I needed to do that for me and I did it11:07but then after a few years I was like was this really what I wanted was this11:14really it like like was this it like I feel I feel like I exercised the muscle and11:19like proved to myself that I could do what I needed to do right but that thing inside of me like knew11:25that like that wasn't it like I was just I was not happy like I did not want to do that anymore but then you got to look11:32at like what all you did to get there and then to realize that it's not the thing you went through something similar11:37you have all the things and it's like I'm I'm this ain't it it's like it's not11:42it um and then part of you like carries that guilt like I don't want to give this up you know one for the safety the security11:49but then it's like what I did to get here yeah and then I look ungrateful yeah who am I people would die to be in11:55my position what am I doing yeah and um there were parts of it that I did like you know but I knew that wasn't it12:02so I started my business on the side and I did it on the side for a while until12:08the point where I literally could not anymore because I had too much work too many clients overwork myself way too12:15crazy yeah doing both for almost two years while working full-time traveling12:20and all that stuff um and then we moved to New Orleans right12:26at the start of coven hmm yeah so you are virtually well you're12:32working for Tech yeah you are you've started your business in this design company where you are and these are12:38really not like I really want to uh take what Romy does and make it clear to the next level these are like Beyond12:45instagramable spaces like she creates spaces that her her brand has a look12:50like when you walk into a space you're like Romy did this you can tell it just makes it12:57oh there's got to be it just makes you feel like Wild and Free and expressive and fun and13:05like you create you curate these spaces that create a Vibe Like A vibe like that every time I've been in a space that13:11you've touched it feels like it brings my soul to life like sometimes I'm like I'm rich I feel like a hot girl I'm this13:18I'm that I could be confident in this case I'm a queen like you just create these spaces that make me like the13:23versions of myself that I love come to life you are like you just curate these incredible experiences and so now which13:30is people let's highlight this for a second this is a service based business so there's no this requires you all the13:38time every time so you're working full-time and then it's service based business on the side but I don't get to13:43like make a phone call make something happen I'm showing up physically yes for all of this yes I'm doing the build the13:50physical installation the creative part like meeting with the client like all of13:55that um so it's not a scalable business it's not an outsourced business I am the14:01business everybody wants to be the business but they don't talk about what comes with it14:07yeah as the business when you are the brand and the person and the CEO and the14:12hiring director and the the Visionary and the the finance direct the all the14:19things like what what is scalable about that yeah it's so hard and so now you're14:25in this pivotal moment which I think so many of us are find ourselves in is we don't hear the story enough it's like14:31having a great full-time job you know people talk carry talk so much in14:37the you know it's draining you and it's taken away from you and it's it's killing your creative spirit and all14:42these things but you had an incredible six-figure full-time job and then you have this thing you loved which was not14:49making you the same amount of money was not replacing your income no but you're passionate about it yeah but it doesn't14:54seem scalable no it doesn't seem scalable I'm not making anything from it because I was strategically putting15:00every single penny that I earned back in into it to help eventually make it15:06scalable but at the time it was like why am I doing this you're like why aren't you taking a salary like why aren't you know15:11I was like because I know that I can't keep going like this I need to be putting it back into it because15:16eventually this has to change and thank God I did that because that's what allowed me to then acquire the building15:22at some point you know by just like pouring back into the business to make it better stronger more resilient better15:27client experience like all of that and you worked that yeah to be clear you worked that yeah but you're in the15:33middle of this pivotal decision and you go on this whim of trusting your gut again15:39what was this so this is what led me to you you know I was at the point in my business so you15:45know all the things they say are like your most stressful things that you do in life it's like starting a business making a move15:52getting married having a baby yeah so it's like I was doing all of those except having a baby so I had just moved15:59across the country with just a suitcase like newlywed then we bought a house16:05started my business and covet hit like at the same like little couple16:11months oh hell no yeah got it so you talk about like world just like completely shook up as far as16:19everything just like the way you think you operate I mean everything was happening at once and I was doing both16:27jobs and like so I guess lost I was just like I need someone like this is all so new like I'm16:34I'm working myself till two three four in the morning crying myself to sleep16:39for like three hours to wake up you know to do it again and I was like I need16:45help like I remember crying in the shower and I was just like how do you get a mentor like what is that how do16:51people do that how do you find a mentor I will do anything for a mentor to just like talk to someone a friend anybody who has done16:57something similar like who I can talk about my business to I had no one to talk about my business to because minding I was keeping it under wraps for17:04a while because people are so opinionated because people are so opinionated and because I didn't want people to downplay what I was doing17:11because of what I had just done in my career a lot of people were banking on me to do that I did it and I didn't want17:17to let them down so that's why I did both for so long wow yeah so you know17:23how they say like oh how's your little side business going and I'm like um it's actually huge but no one knows17:29like I'm just I'm just designing a few things here and there yeah yeah because I I wanted it you know to be like okay17:34well like that makes sense why you would do that um so just like so alone in that way and um17:43I was on Instagram doing research for real estate investing and came across Christina Aguilera's17:50page and she happened to be shouting out Innovative income in her stories um18:00where can I push this money around exactly and then it's like oh and stuff on the inside you gotta do got it oh18:07what is this what is this yeah um so she she shouted out Innovative18:13income like I hit the page I see you and Megan and I'm like oh they're cute and18:19yeah yeah they're right um and so I listened to one podcast18:24episode and it was the mask we were as women and18:30I feel like I was wearing all of them that's me okay that's me yeah then you18:35go the next one and I was like oh that one too and I was like oh okay I got a lot of masks on right now18:41um and but you shouted out the event like Innovative income in the beginning18:47and it was in and there that was like I didn't even research it I was just like you know what she just said this I was18:54just in the shower talking about how I needed to be around a group of women who have been through something similar bought my ticket to Tampa19:00and didn't know a soul in the room didn't know you I wasn't even following you on Instagram or Megan19:05um and again just like took that leap of faith because I was like I know I need to do something different like this has19:11to change and um when you're so aligned with what you19:17know you need like one thing was all I needed to get me there so I bought the19:23ticket booked my hotel and then I get to the event I didn't know anybody19:30maybe I'll go pitch in a mastermind um but we're crying all weekend crying19:35all weekend and you know you're sitting by girls like I never met you know I met one19:42person I was just like this is so new like I found my one girl and we set beside each other the whole time19:49um and then you know you're always talking about the Mastermind and I knew then as soon as you dropped it like as19:55soon as you mentioned it I was like that's exactly what I need to do um and like I don't spend money like20:00that like you really don't no no at all no I told you I haven't been to the mom for years20:06at all you do not spend money on yourself no no um20:11and I was like that's got to be it like it has to be it has to be it like this20:17is exactly what I need um and so again and then at the end of the event I came up to you and I was20:23like hey I don't know you my name's Romy like but I'm gonna be in your Mastermind20:29and I was like this girl's energy it was just your energy I was like I don't know who you are20:35and you were just so you told me all about your business all about your life all about your personal life and what20:41you had been through and what what Tampa meant to you and I was like mm-hmm and it wasn't pretty what you haven't meant20:47to you wasn't pretty Tampa was ugly ugly to you Tampa treated you like and I was like you came back to the place you20:53despised for this event yes so I hadn't been back to Tampa so when I lived in Tampa it was like some stuff going on21:00that I needed to leave so Not only was I doing that for my career and you know because that's I'd always wanted to be21:06in San Francisco I was like I have to get out of Tampa and I had not been back to Tampa until21:12um that event yeah so when you when you were talking about the event on the podcast and you're like oh it's in Tampa Florida and I was like21:18of all the places of all the places I got to go back to Tampa to do this but21:24I did it and listen I trusted you I don't I don't know why but the thing21:31though you trusted us but you've always trusted you I trusted me first yeah you have had21:38Megan and I will talk about you for years to come because you have had you have always had everything you needed21:44all you needed was exactly what you said you just needed people around you to21:49support you're crazy you were like I'm a little bit crazy yeah and I deeply21:56believe in myself yeah here's what I'm gonna do and I've already decided but please feel free to insert yourself and22:01we were the group that was like no do that and you were like okay I was just checking I just wanted some people to cheer me on while I was doing it and22:08we get we had your back and you did it and then everything that you needed to refine the experience we gave you what22:14we had and you are the queen of execution you are like give it to me22:20give it to me straight and I'm gonna do it right now yes and the things that I have seen you done do so much so I have22:26to tell the story because it's the funniest thing romy's ever done so romy's in our Mastermind last year22:32um and we we uh challenge the ladies to do a22:38um we have a three-day event a in-person retreatment in uh weeks before we are like you're gonna do a pitch we're gonna22:45do business casual attire you're gonna do a pitch we're gonna record it and you're gonna pitch your business idea or22:51concept or uh Next Level to us as if we're your ideal client so if we're if22:57you're ideal client of the hotel or a a corporate business or a investment firm23:03or whatever it is but you're gonna pretend where your dream plan you're going to pitch us we have no idea what people are coming to the thing with but23:08we're thinking they're coming with something that is involved in their business and we're going to pick a winner23:13y'all this is the funniest I've ever had happen to me before so Romy comes to our23:19two events ago to Innovative income to seek Community Connection and some23:25mentorship ends up in The Mastermind well leading up to our very last event we didn't have a budget for design23:33so Megan and I have the I've had the audacity for the last four Innovative incomes to like23:41makeshift a lot of our design work so much so that it actually is like the23:47last thing that we do that we just kind of throw together the last minute and just hope that nobody will notice23:54and so Robin comes to this Mastermind with a presentation as she's like so23:59y'all are my dream clients Innovative income is my dream client and then tells us everything that she can do24:06which we already knew knew and shows all her like exceptional work and then goes into why we're the problem24:12and does this presentation where she had took screenshots of where and like all of our design work you could see like24:18the cord hanging out like like the cord of the light hanging out or like where24:24something was malfunctioning or like like called us out it was like y'all are the talent you have no business doing24:30your own design work in this big event with 200 women and you're gonna unpack them in your design work looks like24:38the way you saw this I was like the way you called us out I was like24:43you right you 100 right like this at the level we're trying to scale this thing can't look like this it doesn't look24:49like how it feels it felt great it looked terrible it looked terrible you said it mediocre Not Me Maybe I'll grab24:57this that is not our Forte and so we always had these Visions but we threw them together last minute and it was25:03like two people that yeah no we're both Visionaries we can't do anything like that well it's like how25:09do you want that event to feel like what do you want those guests to experience when you're there but also the long-term25:14effect of it too that's all your marketing for the next year you got all your content you got 200 people taking pictures of your content for you talking25:21about your stuff on the internet yes so you're letting not just you and that event down you're letting that whole network down to also bring more people25:28to you so that's like those add-on effects from something by like investing in event design especially nowadays it's25:34expected like you can't have them without it but you're not just thinking about okay what's my event design budget25:39it's what is my marketing advertising PR networking budget all of this because this is this stuff is going to live25:45forever until your next event and like you need more people talking about it excited to share it like feeling themselves in it and then you want25:52people on their best level to go out and tell their friends and then to also sign up for what you're doing at the end too25:57they got to buy into the whole experience y'all heard that right that's what you were doing as in the presentation you26:03were like missed opportunity missed opportunity missed opportunity like if someone was a type in this last year's26:08event and this came up and I was like oh like I was like oh we messed this26:14up like I saw it so clear and then fast forward we got a chance to work with you26:20this year at an event of income January 2022 and women26:25spoke about it they felt it one of the best feelings I'll ever experience was26:31one the night before coming down and seeing you work because you pulled an all-nighter you psycho26:37um but coming down the next morning before everyone came now we came down on26:42our PJs and we got to see the stage and to feel it felt like what it was supposed to26:48feel like before anyone opened their mouth that was the crazy part yeah like I was like you're gonna walk in this26:53room and you're gonna know exactly what you're getting without either one of us opening your mouth so you had the26:58perfect Vibe and then when we came back downstairs makeup on ready 10 minutes before show start I'm watching everyone27:05outside and all these curated spaces that you've created these um what do you what do you call them like sweet photo27:11ops photo ops thank you brand activation oh my bad brand activations that's what27:16it was doing it was activating because I walk out and women are already laughing27:21taking photos they're happy they're doing Boomerang walks they're they're27:27feeling themselves and I'm like holy crap without music playing without anyone talking you set the tone already27:35it was like a whole vibe was set before anyone opened their mouth and I was like oh27:40that's why yeah can you imagine if none of that was in the hallway right so you had the closed doors and then you had27:46200 people just in the hallway not knowing each other so it creates that connection in that Community too like you're moving around27:53hey can you hold my phone and like come in on this and yeah it just it creates an experience for your guests27:59um that they can remember and feel with them outside of just you know the content of the people speaking so that28:06was super cool to see I'm good and that was my first event it was so good yeah that was my first28:13event because I've been only in Interiors up until that point and um knew and I wanted to switch to the event28:19industry and that was when I met you six months before that so I just had to give a timeline I want to zoom in on this timeline because how quickly Romy made28:26this happen I want somebody to be listening to this and realize when you are aligned and you have a28:33vision because I am a true believer that God will give you a vision and then28:38you'll push it aside but it's really a preview into what is and you just have to like take the small steps and allow28:46the things to come and when I met you six months before that you just said I28:51want to switch from interior design to event design big event design and then now you pitched us and we were sold we28:58were like done say less we look like idiots fix it please Jesus um and then you do our event bring this29:04thing to life six months later and then a snowball what happened29:12one thing before that is when I pitched you and then you said yes29:18I bought a trailer oh because I was like I know I was like what I was like okay29:24it's like I got one so like this is my business now like I know I can do this and that's the thing it's like you take the small steps but then sometimes you29:30have to take that big step to Anchor you into that next thing because I could have like you know rented a truck and29:37drove down here but it was I was like if I go ahead and buy it then that means the next five people I'm ready to go29:42because like I'm about to do this and then I'm gonna talk about it and then I'm gonna show it and then the next five people that call me I'm like I'm fully29:48equipped like what do you need when do you want me to pull up um and so that big step is what allowed29:54me to like then take it into full force after Innovative income this is so big because I just we just30:01did this on another episode check this episode out with Joshua Monday uh we talked about30:06like starting having a business idea starting and having to sell or pitch it30:13with nothing in tow like like pitch that you can do something and know that you30:18can do it yeah but you may not have any resources so you pitched and I'm not saying you30:24lied you pitched an idea knowing you were perfectly aligned to do this but did not have the trail you were in30:31New Orleans so you're like I'm gonna get this stuff to you yeah I don't know how but I got it I promise and in being so30:40aligned and deeply in belief with yourself that if you if I could just get this yes30:45I can handle the rest just get me over this one hump get me over this one hop30:51and I can handle the rest yeah and you're fully committed that's like it's just such an act of like fate like faith30:57without worry like just give me this one yes and I'm it's a wrap it's a wrap and31:03you jumped in yeah you jumped in yeah I love that thank you31:09thank you so yeah I mean that was a whole vibe booked a couple more like huge event clients like did a couple31:15restaurants in New Orleans and just like one thing like led to another and then I'm doing all these events31:22right so I'm acquiring all this inventory meanwhile it's in my house and like storage units like I'm maxed out like you can't get to the kitchen31:28without jumping over for throne chairs like what are we doing here this can't be my life yes and so I'm moving in and31:35out um and so at that point I was like I'd always wanted this but I knew I was31:42going to need a space like I knew I was going to need where am I going to keep all this equipment where am I going to keep all this equipment I knew I needed31:47to hire people I was like I can't have you come into my bedroom to work with me like I need people in and out building31:53stuff like I was building things in my backyard set up like a spray tent under my gazebo like I was just like doing it31:59all over the place um but I knew I needed something in order to scale like I had too much work32:04that I could physically upkeep at the scale that I was operating at32:10um so another big bet within the works my biggest bet yet your biggest bet your32:16biggest bet and let's hold on let's talk about this because it was it was a vision and you said it at Innovative32:21income you said it on stage at the event that you curated the vibe we brought you on stage because it was the first time I32:27had heard it come out of your mouth yeah you got on stage and said something else psycho and I was like where are we32:33going with this and you were like say what did you say so this is my first event that I had32:39designed right first event just bought my trailer just in my first event I stood on that stage and I was like32:45I will have a building in every major city in the U.S all y'all will want to come to my space32:51and then design it cool you can take your content you can record your podcast there like this will be all over every city in the US I'm going to start New32:58Orleans and grow it I'm going to purchase it this year and I was like Wow and that was January33:0420th this year 2022 that was this year what is it we're in August okay so eight33:11months later go ahead crazy crazy crazy that I love but crazy go33:17ahead crazy tell them so yeah six months later I closed on a33:231.2 million dollar property for my business I get the chills every time you tell33:30this oh talk about a transformation within a year and like the amount of scale I Met33:36You in July of 2021. yes it is August 2022. yes and you have since started a business33:44sold it to several major events like sure like major events yeah yeah33:51purchase a 1.2 million dollar building 11 000 square feet to host events to33:57build my team build your team to house your equipment and to do these major rentals34:05in a year you want to talk about imperfect action yes yes and when you got back from this34:11event how quickly did you move we're looking at August this is a finished product you've closed we know34:18this January you get back from Innovative income the next day like I drove home we drove34:24home from Tampa with the trailer all night um because it's a nine hour drive without a trailer yeah I got a trailer34:30on my pathfinder which is Yuma made to drive a trailer like you're the queen of making happen I swear this girl put34:37up at like midnight with a trailer and dropped the back open and all everything for the event was in it and then didn't34:43you tell us that like you had painted a piece of equipment in your backyard and it rained four times four times and you34:49had to repaint it four times yes like I live in New Orleans it rains every day it's just like here and so I don't have the space so I like34:56spray paint it you know with my air gun and then it would rain and I'm trying to like move them all inside the house we35:01did like six eight by four foot panels for your stage yeah so you painted it35:07four times four times and I was like oh this ain't scalable and y'all and y'all35:12making seven sales calls talking about this ain't gonna work like I really want y'all to hear this35:18because the resistance the things that tried to pull you out of this yet the way that you were like the35:26decision is our for you what I've witnessed is when the decision is already made it don't matter what gets35:31in your way like entrepreneurs we don't know no like we don't know no we don't know there's not a way we know like no I35:38just figured something else out or I'm just gonna push it through until I get through and then next time I'll make it35:44better we learn by doing we learn by doing yes and you be pushing boy you'd35:50be pushing the envelope I'd be like Rome are you still there like yeah but you be showing up like this is for me and I35:57don't care and here's the even crazy part like you know people will be like it's gonna work it's gonna work because36:03I don't know nothing else now you've had other options you've worked in Tech you've seen36:09Steve had things but how does this make you feel that makes you know36:16that you're like ain't nothing else the business or like that this is the36:22thing this is the thing because my level of impact I knew was only going36:28to reach so far by myself and the way I operate but with the extension of my talent and now spaces I can reach more36:35people in a way that like I would never be able to do by myself36:40so when I started the business I called it Define your dwelling I started with Interiors like the whole point of it was36:47to Define what people wanted out of their space and to see their change36:52that's why I Define on you know yeah I have it tatted on me so that's staying there forever36:58um so it's called the find your dwelling because the whole point was like to take ownership of your space and how you want to feel and what you want to get out of37:04it and how that can change your life and so I felt so strongly about that but I was like I can only touch my clients by doing it37:11this way if I do it at events how many hundreds of thousands of companies of brands of places37:18can I now affect through like how I want to change people's like perspective and and liveliness and you know engagement37:24through design like that was a purpose um and then also I'm good at it and I37:31was like you're damn good at it say it again I'm real good at it and um I knew like I want to do something like I was37:37excited about I felt good about I was good at and it just comes so naturally for me and the reason why I know that37:42like I'm committed to it is because I did that for two years without taking a penny from it so it's like37:47would you do something that you love with no pay for free for two years it's like our bodies are designed to keep us37:54comfortable and the fact that I was committed to it and I still am today that's how I know I'm committed because38:00I wouldn't do nothing for free nothing I wouldn't do nothing for free except for this and that's how I know I love it38:06I appreciate you talking about this so much that part right there because38:11this is so glorifying like business ownership entrepreneurship this is so damn glorified and it has its perks I38:19promise but the reality is there are it is few and far between that people pop38:24something up and in six months it goes viral and they become multi-millionaires it is a series of trial and error38:30sacrifice usually Time After Time paying other people38:36before you pay yourself or not paying yourself at all or just a series of burn and turning income and just having38:43enough to pay your bills like owners draw who when where like the the when38:49and if the business does it's exceedingly well everyone is paid and you've even put money aside for growth38:55and or emergencies both of those categories being separate then and only then can I have an owner's draw like you39:02better love this you better love the hell out of this you better love this so much that you're gonna cry on the floor and get up the next day and39:09do it all over again in fear in doubt in like a knowing uncertainty like you39:16better find the willingness when all the signs are read yes oh burning red39:22high-risk high-risk yeah no reward no potential here nothing here turn around39:27go the other way no no um so but that's also why like39:33sometimes I'm scared to to share it because like my vision's so strong and I'm like I don't want any other opinions39:39to come in here mess me up or throw me off or like tell me I'm crazy because I already know it is but you call that the internal mute39:45button yeah yeah you just gotta commit to it yourself and another thing with39:50taking risk is like you have to be okay with the risk like what is the risk oh the rest is like I could go bankrupt39:56like I could do that like what is that okay am I gonna be okay when I get there like you have to commit to it40:02that's the whole point of the risk and like that's where people like oh do we take the risk but like the risk is actually what scares you so if you can40:09commit to it and be like okay this is the worst thing that will happen will I be okay can I get out of that situation40:14yes so I mean if we get there okay like we'll figure it out40:20um but that protection mechanism like keeps you back but that's the thing I'm just like it's okay like you literally40:25are let's talk about these burning Reds for a minute you find this building in New Orleans driving down the street40:32and you're like okay this is brand new realm for you and you're like okay I40:38have to come to a come up I don't have a million dollars yeah no we don't have a million dollars we don't we don't take a salary from this business no so I'm not40:45taking a salary from the business that I love I am working it tooth and nail yeah40:50I see this building I want it I need to come up with a business plan and Pitch myself to a bank40:57and the signs are burning red what happens you know on Shark Tank I was telling you41:03this on Shark Tank where they like pitched their business and they're like you're way overvaluing your business like what are you doing like you're41:08insane that was me I was like listen I know we don't have you know a lot of stuff but like this this this this will41:14happen like I had to pitch myself like I was pulling out all stops like that thing was like 50 pages like market41:21research analysis one year five year ten year 15 25 year projections hiring plan41:26operations back in what are your future expenses going to be all that um so I knew I had to come stacked with41:34the with the stats and the data something to support me knowing like you're gonna look at my Revenue last year I didn't break 100K in revenue and41:40I'm pitching you asking for a million dollars wow so I don't have the proof that this41:45is a viable business no I'm making this up and I need you to believe me yeah41:51I'm the proof um and also creative financing too41:56um I leverage career financing so small business loan like that standard right42:01SBA loan um but because I worked in corporate before I built up my 401k42:08um and there's a program where you can convert your 401k into your business's42:14401k and then you're able to leverage that for real estate investment purchases for your business or for42:21business expenses love that so I had to find a strategy to even come up with a 10 because I still had to put 10 down42:27yeah yeah they're not going to do the whole thing for you got to be leveraged in some points they can take your life if you don't pay correct take your whole42:33life yeah so um I had to come up with a creative financing strategy even for my 1042:38percent so found that did all the paperwork months of paperwork like to like convert42:43everything I had to switch my business from LLC to a C Corp in order to make that transaction like a lot of stuff42:49but I was like okay I've heard this is possible before so I'm going to figure out the way to do it like actually you know what who I heard it42:56from I saw a video um Irv official like I don't know him43:02yeah like he made a video at one point it was like you can uh did you know like43:08you can use your personal 401K for your business 401k and I was I thought that's all I heard I was like all right I'm43:13looking for properties we got43:20ta he made a video and I was like it's possible it's out there someone's done it before so that's all I need like that's all I need if this is possible43:26and it can be possible for me too um so yeah then I like research it found a company to help me make that43:31transition make sure everything's like legal this is all new it's all new yeah you're literally43:37figuring this out as you know yeah as you go same time like maintaining all the other like clients and projects and43:42on the road like all that's still going but then we're undergoing like this is like massive um legal change and structure taxes43:49loans all kinds of stuff to get this property um so I had to do all that work to come43:54up with you know here's my 10 here's my business plan the First Bank was like hot like immediately no like they laughed they laughed they were like uh44:01be in business for five more years um I was like touche but all I heard was44:09everything they pointed out in my business plan on what was lacking and I was like I'm about to add all this stuff and I have an answer for every single44:15one of those questions now and I'm just going to point it out what to fix thank you yeah like thank you this is new that44:22I mean of course you know I thought I could do it on the first try but a little bit of Humble Pie what you need44:27but I'm like okay those are actually good points like I do need to figure this this this this this this out44:33um so I refined the business plan and reworked it pitched the Second Bank like you give me half44:39um and you're not taking it no I need the big building like they're they're I'm44:44not buying it out the back I'm not settling for Less no they were like you know we can get you out of New Orleans proper you know it'll be half the price44:50and I'm like no I need the foot traffic this is why if I have the foot traffic XYZ this amount of people visit the French Quarter like this will help my44:56business that's the type of creativity I need like I was going off I was like I will not be out in the boonies of Louisiana which is like 10 minutes45:03outside of New Orleans you can get outside New Orleans and it's like people aren't walking around you know so45:08like I was like this is why it has to be the big one I know it's more expensive I know it's higher risk but the reward will be so much greater yes so I had to45:15refine the business plan went to the Second Bank they said no um especially for the type of property I wanted45:20um it was a 150 year old historic huge mansion in New Orleans like you know how cool those look but they are high risk45:26yeah yeah there's a lot yeah going on Katrina all types of hurricanes all kinds of stuff going on so it's a huge45:32project um but the third one like took everything from the second one but the third one they're like45:39coming in hot like Not only was I heated from the first two yeah but not having45:44audacity to tell me no yes yes um and like I just I felt so strongly45:49about it because all this work was coming in I was like I have to have this at scale Not only was it like oh I want to do this I was like I have to do this45:56in order to maintain operations in my sanity in my home like right that was it was dependent everything was at risk46:02yeah yeah I think yes relationship personal health got cancer yep like46:07literally working ourselves in debt doing um just the silliest of stuff but the business plan would help alleviate that46:13with the acquisition of a building so it wasn't an option like it was not an option um so I was like okay how many banks46:20will it take I don't care because if I do it for 5 000 of them one of them will say yes so just like when will I get it46:25I don't care but like I'm gonna keep doing it forever till I get one so you have to just like commit to what46:32could that outcome be you're going to get the no's you're going to get the things going against you but it's like46:37if I do it five thousand times one of them's got to say yes what if I'm gonna say it yeah so there's not enough people46:43in in this game anymore that have that level of resilience46:48you weren't even pressed that was a crazy part I remember like doing these group calls with you and like we're46:54keeping tabs on this and we're like hey Romy how's the bitching going oh another47:00bank told me no and we're like are you okay you're like oh yeah yeah47:05I'm just gonna make some adjustments yeah we were like oh47:11engulfed in this you were like I'm not taking no for an answer it's not even an option you're doing it until I get there yeah you're like is is this the right47:18time like it's the right Vision but it's at the right time and I was like yes it's the right time like47:26thank you God for proving me wrong I I love to see it but you have to be so47:31stupidly committed to your outcome stupidly like of course like logic logic47:37in the in the standard sense would would tell you it doesn't make sense but when you're stupidly committed47:43um but it doesn't matter we're just talking about this in entrepreneurship there's logic and there's magic yeah and it's47:49like there's a point where they Collide and you have to allow them to collide like if you go all logic good luck47:55you'll burn yourself to the ground you go all magic eventually the numbers the numbers got to make sense but there's48:00this beautiful place in the Middle where they meet and you can come up with some of the best ever yes and so Third48:06Bank says yes yes and you acquire this building yes48:11and then the life life should go as planned and everything should be beautiful and you should be preparing48:17this building for its grand opening As You Are but life catches up with you right you48:25get cancer you had started this healing Journey and all this comes up hmm48:33to to get on the phone with you and hear that I got the building but I'm having surgery48:38yeah I found out I got the offer accepted and that I had cancer like48:44it was like the same day or next day yeah yeah and it had to be surgically removed immediately immediately yeah and48:52you were doing an event yes I was traveling to Atlanta that week for an event and they were like can you48:58come in tomorrow for this surgery I'm not too attendant of it to design an49:04event yes I had a huge event to design in Atlanta the next day you know 250049:11people yeah 25 how many 30 000 30 000 people just kidding 30 00049:16people designed for this event and they're like you have cancer you need to come in for surgery tomorrow and you're like49:23I understand I also need to postpone that oh yeah and so you postponed it yeah postpone it49:30you know I had projects line up after that too so I had to commit to that one and then you know postpone the next ones because I had to have surgery the day I49:36came back you know from that event and then I had surgery for a couple days and we left for our next retreat49:42and so meanwhile you just closed on a building you have a certain amount of due diligence and period to like inspect49:48the out of that property find everything wrong with it and so here I am like49:53under meds like had you know had surgery like just finished event going to The Mastermind Retreat like I can't even be49:58physical like fit physically there to like not take care of50:04all the negotiations inspections and all that stuff um so that was a hard time but that Retreat if I didn't go on that Retreat50:10it would have been way worse like if I stayed like I knew I needed that so that I could heal and like gain some peace50:16and some clarity to to carry myself through it carry yourself through it I want to talk about50:22this for a second because there's not there's gonna be a lot of people listening to this where there's never50:28going to be an appropriate time for you to focus on these things and you especially if you're listening to this50:34we're talking about acquiring a 1.2 million dollar building a design business that is you're counting on to50:39float fixing this building you have just had surgery from cancer you have to now50:45inspect this building you have a mountain of all incredibly important50:52things that need to be prioritized and someone someone is in US is like50:58prioritize your healing I'm sorry but in my in my other brain I could totally51:04hear it like you like I don't have time I don't have time to cry I don't have time to fix things I don't I don't51:10have time to do internal work later no later yeah and I hear this all the time51:15where people are like I want to do it but I don't have time to be sad I don't I don't have time to to cry I don't have51:21time and I'm gonna let you tell your version of this but I'm always going to tell it51:28this way you either do it when the opportunity comes or you'll do it when51:34you wish you would have done it sooner it will literally chase you down and you will have you will be forced to do it51:39because you will be so incredibly uncomfortable in your own skin and you won't have a choice51:45how did you know that you were like amidst all this okay fine I'm gonna do this yeah51:51I'm gonna do this yeah I'm gonna focus on myself right now yeah we're gonna do breath work right now51:57um meanwhile um phone's blowing up everything's on fire everything's on fire and at this52:02point I'm still Consulting too for like my job that actually pays me because I need money to come in exactly52:08because we gotta you know fix this building up um so I knew it's like when the risk of how52:16you have operated you have to determine like there's risk in stepping away from it to work on yourself right I think52:23that's the thing it's like if I step away what will happen this can't happen without me I will miss something very important yeah so it's like risky to do52:30that but it's like for me the risk was greater to stay the same because I had like I had cancer at this52:37point now my body is shutting down like the risks to stay the same is greater52:42than what may happen you know and um it was the same thing like when I chose to go to Innovative income for the first52:48time it's like the risk of me staying in this state is very dangerous so yeah it's risky to go but you have to weigh52:55like which one is more important at that time and so the quicker you do it the more everything else will flow so I'm53:01like man I should have been did this because after doing that and going through that journey and just having that Clarity and53:08like learning about yourself it enables you to then move more freely in business and then to have deals flow to you and53:14like you're out there grinding trying to do all this stuff and not heal like once you do it things start to make sense and53:20then it's like oh I can manage this thank God I healed because that's what's allowed me to like manage This and like53:26have this going right now um because if I hadn't it would be looking very different very different53:33and so I 100 believe that like the sooner you do it the better the sooner53:38you commit to knowing that like you ain't yeah that's the biggest part it's like the pride you can't like we53:43cannot go there at all at all and that was the hardest part in my relationship with myself like the I was telling53:49myself and in my business it's like you are not the answer with how you are right now so if you want all of these53:58things to change if you want your relationship your mental health your physical health and your business to change who you are right now cannot do54:05that so who you are like has to change in order to affect all these other things so I think that's why I was like54:10I cannot put this on hold because what I've done to myself and my health like it's showing up it's54:17just showing up yeah literally if you've ever read the book Emotion Code there's books on this everywhere but the book of54:22motion code like that is the Last Frontier is the physical exertion of your body showing you that54:30internally you're you the internal part of your body can no longer stand to withhold the emotion that you're54:36hoarding and so now you've got these external effects and you on top of that you're54:42exhausted you're burned out we could see it in you every time we saw you I mean you were pulling all-nighters left and right we didn't even know when you were54:47sleeping when you were wet we knew like we were like this poor girl and like not in in that sense but like there's just54:54how do we get you to prioritize yourself and we're thinking when we put business and and decision making and55:00assertiveness and in our independence and all these things first that eventually will work ourselves up to55:05this place where we'll be free enough that we can make better decisions right when it doesn't come yeah that's what55:11you think it will do it's like let me just serve all these other external things that will then make my life55:16easier and then and only then yeah then and only then55:22um but that was wrong so I'm so glad I learned it now versus later what did you say and that55:29that came from that breath work session because I love when you say this I think this is so funny so that was my last week to get all55:37my stuff in for the building so you know you have that due diligence period where you have to come correct with like55:43everything you find in it in order to try to negotiate down and so that was the week of our Retreat and so I could55:49have stayed another week you know I'm calling contractors to have you know at least 10 people in there every day trying to look at different stuff55:56um and had five days left until everything was done and off the table and it was56:01like do I go to this or do I continue to try to get another 50k 25k like that's huge you know huge56:09um but I had to just call it I was like you know what at this point it is what it is56:14and I know I'm getting this building regardless I'm gonna take it no matter how much work it needs like when I think56:19about my life 5 10 15 years another another 25k doesn't matter at that point right because what this is going to56:25allow me to do like it is what it is at this point I'm exhausted I cannot do this for another56:31week but when we got to Sedona and we did that breath work I'd never done breath work before beautiful experience56:37um the rest that I had in that breath work I said I feel like I just rested for me56:43and all my ancestors like my body almost shut down like I was barely breathing56:48like I thought it was almost as if I was like dead while alive like when I did that yes yeah like I could not feel my56:56body like I could not feel my breath I was like am I dying57:02but I can I just I surrendered that was our word for the surrender like I let that happen and it's just like my body57:08almost just like became so slow and the rest that I got like restored me from like everything the past year everything57:16like how tired I was I had never felt so rested and so after that breath worked and I57:21got to the place exhausted but then we did the breath where I was like I feel like I've been sleeping for years like I felt great like it was crazy57:29um that's insane57:34I was watching you during that time and thinking I couldn't be as strong as you57:40were because you were so committed you were like I'm here now I'm committed I'm in like I'm I'm listening I'm attentive57:46I'm resting I'm thinking I would be in such a mental chaos if I would you57:51but then I was like I understand what's going on we had no phone service there was no you couldn't get like we were in57:57a place that required us to literally shut down and realize like it's bigger than you girls it's bigger58:04than you like I can hear the voice ladies it's bigger than you none of this matters and while it does matter but I58:11was watching you and I'm like the mental strength and courage that is requiring58:16of you to put all these wildly important things to rest for you to really put yourself first in58:23a moment of time where it is the least convenient it was so admirable I was like girl this is going to pay off58:29tenfold and what did you tell me the other night about just like it didn't58:35change this being hard it just changed how you perceive it exactly it's always going to be hard58:42it's like choose your hard type thing it's always going to be hard so there's always an out that it's so easy to have58:48the out there's always going to be something and that doesn't change at all but now the way that it affects you and58:55it's not going to ruin your day and you're not going to take it home and then you're not going to wear it on your body like that's the most important part59:01you're not going to wear it in your body and wear it in your face and wear it in your reactions now I can just separate59:06the two and be like I am not this chaos this pain this trauma I'm not my exhaustion like I am exhausted but like59:13I don't have to live in this space anymore now I'm able to59:19have perspective and see into it and then still continue with what I need to do yeah regardless because it's always59:26going to be hard so it's always like oh it's so hard all the time like we're just like gonna live there like no like that's what it is but that's why you59:32have to have that community of people around you who get it and I think that was the hard part is like this isn't59:37relatable to other people like I can't talk about like if you feel like you don't have people59:43who understand where you're at and where you're coming from that was super important to have in that time it's ridiculously important like if59:51you don't have people that can be your damage control when you are in that negative thought spiral because it will59:57come you will be convinced at one time that you are not made for this yeah and to1:00:02have the people that are out that are around you that are not as close to the problem and can see you for who you are1:00:08is probably the most undervalued uh tool in the toolkit of success in1:00:17business ownership is having the people around you that they can be a mirror reflection of you because they're not as1:00:24close the only the difference between you and them is that they're not as close to the problem as you are so they don't feel what you feel but they can1:00:30see you as the best version of you they just don't feel the fear that you feel in that moment so they can they can1:00:35self-reflect for you that is the most undervalued thing I think for sure is all of us having each other yeah yeah1:00:42absolutely so I am so incredibly proud of you I had to1:00:48have you on the show because we just talked about all this and this is what you've done in Under 12 months1:00:55and so before you tell people where they can stalk you and learn more what can we1:01:00expect let's let's let's time travel let's go have some time for a bit if you did that in a year what can we expect1:01:06over the next year for design water what are we gonna see my face I got that face like I'm about1:01:13to you up again no no no we're okay so with the space1:01:21um we'll be able to host events we're going to have content rooms that you can rent out by the day by the hour by the1:01:27weekend by the week like whatever you need content creators yes yeah so they will be pre-designed spaces but then you1:01:33can also use our Design Services to Custom Design those so if you want to come in and shoot something host something we are also the design service1:01:39provider and the rentals provider so it's all in one done for you service Custom Design1:01:45um with that we will also expand to a couple like satellite locations like I have my eye on Nashville that's where I'm from Tampa Miami that's where my1:01:51husband's from but we will like expand out into other cities too so that you can like have think of it like wework1:01:57like oh do you all have a wework here it's gonna be like oh do you all have a design water Studio here that's the place to go for your content like it1:02:04will be known kind of like that um so it's just a hub for all things like Creative Design1:02:12I love this for you and when I tell you what you say will be what you say will be because I know that1:02:19to be true about you I have seen nothing less so I cannot wait to shoot my content design in design water yes I1:02:26cannot wait to do this grand opening in New Orleans because it's coming soon and1:02:31uh let these people know where they can learn more where they can stalk you where they can follow this journey1:02:36because I promise you I've watched it for the last 11 months and it's been one of the most exciting movies I've gotten1:02:42to be a part of and watch and witness so tell them where they can continue to watch this yes we like to move fast and1:02:48we like to move big um so design Water Co is our Instagram handle and then designwaterco.com1:02:55so hit me up there follow the journey um I'm getting told I need to show my1:03:00face more and do you see the space why would you not want to see this face it's not all about the business I'm gonna be1:03:07present um you know talking about all the exciting things we're doing I'm also growing my team yep so if you're looking1:03:13for some work hit me up hello hello somebody yes if you want to travel to different cities do event installations1:03:18with me like that's the type of like flexibility I'm looking for about growing the team growing our spaces growing our footprint and growing our1:03:24services um and I'm super excited because I'm so aligned now you are so aligned and I1:03:30cannot wait to watch and just get to sit on the sideline and celebrate thank you congrats thank you and thank you for1:03:37showing your face on this show I'm so proud of you yes so I never even had a personal Instagram in my life I only1:03:42made one for the business literally less than a year ago yeah so here we are again yeah1:03:48we're outside we're outside we outside so thank you Romy for coming to rich in1:03:54real life I love to watch you curate this life rich in real life these experiences for others and your brand1:04:01and just express your design that helps us express ourselves so thank you for coming thank you1:04:09[Music]English (auto-generated)AllFrom Rich in Real Life with Jessica HurleyConversationListenableLiveRecently uploadedWatched

Pivot Like a Pro with Romey Sifontes

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