Mehrnaz Bassiri

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[00:00] SPEAKER_02: It's VanCoovers Podcast on the Canada's Podcast Network.
[00:27] SPEAKER_01: Hello, this is Robert Smigel coming to today with VanCoovers Podcast, a member of the Canada's Podcast Network,
[00:33] SPEAKER_01: where we talk to the entrepreneurs who are making it happen here in Vancouver, British Columbia.
[00:38] SPEAKER_01: Six years ago, Marinaz Bessiri made the riskiest and most rewarding decision of her professional life.
[00:45] SPEAKER_01: She traded a career in biotech for K-12 education development.
[00:51] SPEAKER_01: Now, she's an award-winning entrepreneur, a writer, speaker, progress specialist, and the founder of My Grade Booster.
[00:59] SPEAKER_01: She has been featured at TEDx Chillalac on Global News Radio and in the Huffington Post.
[01:07] SPEAKER_01: Well Marinaz, welcome to the show.
[01:09] SPEAKER_01: Thanks for taking the time today to be here for all our listeners.
[01:13] SPEAKER_03: Thank you, Robert. I'm very excited to be here. Thank you for having me.
[01:17] SPEAKER_01: Great. Okay, I want you to tell us a little bit more about yourself, where you're from, and give us the details on your current business.
[01:25] SPEAKER_03: Absolutely. I was actually born in Iran and my parents moved around quite a bit when I was young.
[01:32] SPEAKER_03: So I've actually lived in a few cities in Japan, England, and Canada, and currently I live in North Vancouver, British Columbia, in Canada.
[01:42] SPEAKER_03: And I remember when I was young, my parents took education really seriously, and it was really important for them for me to do well and take education seriously as well.
[01:54] SPEAKER_03: So I remember these study sessions that I used to do with my mom where she would sit down. I was only like grade two or three, but she would sit down.
[02:04] SPEAKER_03: She would take my textbooks and ask me questions in math and English. It was mostly spelling.
[02:11] SPEAKER_03: And if I could answer her questions, she would move on to the next question. And if I did well on the quiz, I could go play.
[02:17] SPEAKER_03: But if I didn't know the answers, she would get me, she would explain the material, the concept, she would get me to practice a few times, and then she would re quiz me again until I understood it.
[02:31] SPEAKER_03: So when you're so small, you don't want to do that. You don't want to sit through those study sessions, but I did it.
[02:38] SPEAKER_03: And honestly, later on in my life, I realized how beneficial those were, because even though we moved around a lot, because I learned grit and perseverance through those study sessions, I was able to adjust really quickly, even though I didn't speak the local language in the places that we moved to.
[02:57] SPEAKER_03: And I did really well in my academic courses.
[03:02] SPEAKER_03: So fast forward to university years, I, because I was pretty much good in all my math and English, all my math and science courses, because I got top marks in school.
[03:14] SPEAKER_03: I did a bachelor's of science, and then I moved on from that to do masters at UBC University of British Columbia.
[03:23] SPEAKER_03: And it was during my master's years that my friends, my university friends, they approached me and they said, hey, can you tutor my sibling? They're in high school and they're not doing as well.
[03:36] SPEAKER_03: So I started to tutor on the side as I was getting my master's degree, and I realized just how much I liked, just how much I liked making impact and helping someone overcome academic struggles.
[03:47] SPEAKER_03: And I also realized that study skills are not something everybody has, and it's pretty challenging to know how to learn if you haven't been trained in it before.
[04:00] SPEAKER_03: So I helped students, and after graduating with my masters, I got into the biotech field in Vancouver, and I started to work as a scientist.
[04:10] SPEAKER_03: And on the side, I always kept my tutoring, but it was always a side gig. I never thought that I could make it into a full-time thing.
[04:19] SPEAKER_03: I never thought it could be a full-time gig. And even though I really liked it, whenever I brought it up to my friends or my parents, they would always say, why would you want to do a full-time?
[04:31] SPEAKER_03: You're not going to make any money. There's no money to be made in tutoring. You're making good money where you are. Just stay where you are. You're getting health benefits, all that jazz.
[04:41] SPEAKER_03: So I never actually got the courage to quit, even though I really wanted to, didn't get the courage to quit and pursue it full-time until in year 2008.
[04:55] SPEAKER_03: So in year 2008, unfortunately, my mom got diagnosed with this condition called MDS. It's short for my low-displastic syndrome, and it's a form of bone marrow cancer.
[05:12] SPEAKER_03: And the only hope for Cure was a bone marrow transplant. So I took some time off work. It was six weeks off work, and I helped her throughout through the transplant and during her recovery.
[05:25] SPEAKER_03: So after that, it became time for me to go back to work. It was just impossible. I had such a hard time adjusting back to work.
[05:37] SPEAKER_03: I guess it's because I'd seen just how fragile life is and how one minute you're there to doctors off this, getting a routine checkup, and then the next minute, you have a serious illness.
[05:52] SPEAKER_03: So that really changed my perspective, and because I had such a hard time adjusting back to work, I just kind of got out and I started to pursue tutoring full-time.
[06:04] SPEAKER_03: And fast forward seven years later, I'm a writer, I've published for Huffington Post, I was speaker, I've spoken at TEDx, and I founded my grade booster.
[06:18] SPEAKER_03: And my grade booster today has 40 mentors, 42 tutors who help students overcome their academic challenges.
[06:27] SPEAKER_01: Okay. Now for my grade booster, did you need financing to start your company, and how do you currently make money in the business now?
[06:37] SPEAKER_03: How do I make money in the business? There are three ways that I make money.
[06:43] SPEAKER_03: The first way is, so I hire mentors and tutors to work with students.
[06:50] SPEAKER_03: The second way is I personally take on three to four students every year, and the reason I do that is because I want to stay directly in touch with the curriculum and the changes in the school system.
[07:05] SPEAKER_03: And also the third way is, I speak at events, conferences, and also companies about progress, achieving success, and achieving goals.
[07:17] SPEAKER_01: Okay. What is the long-term vision, and what will your company look like in the future? Do you see the company expanding into other areas and where, beyond Vancouver, BC, or even Canada?
[07:30] SPEAKER_03: I've thought about this quite a bit, actually, and when I look at education the way other education institutes or tutoring companies have expanded is through franchising.
[07:44] SPEAKER_03: And when I think about it, it's so hard because the education system, method of assessment, and the curriculum is so different from one country to another country.
[07:59] SPEAKER_03: Not only that, even in Canada, we don't have a Ministry of Federal Ministry of Education.
[08:05] SPEAKER_03: So what that means is each province is responsible for their own assessment, their own curriculum, and their own education system, and it's so different.
[08:16] SPEAKER_03: So my great booster right now, we are able to give results to student within three months.
[08:22] SPEAKER_03: And I don't see how I can replicate this, this high quality over and over and over and over again, and keep this consistency and quality in other cities, other provinces, and other countries.
[08:37] SPEAKER_03: So for that reason, I'm not willing to risk quality, especially when it comes to education.
[08:44] SPEAKER_03: So for that reason, I won't be expanding, operating however, what I am doing is spreading the message that my great booster stands for through writing, through speaking about what I've learned, what I know about education, what I know about progress.
[09:03] SPEAKER_03: So that I can expand my great booster's message that way, to wider audience, so that I can encourage other people to have perseverance, to overcome challenges, and to learn from their mistakes.
[09:19] SPEAKER_01: Okay, well, we've learned a little bit about you, and we've learned a little bit about my great booster. We're going to talk about Vancouver now.
[09:26] SPEAKER_01: What are the biggest benefits for you, and being an entrepreneur here in Vancouver, BC, I want you to give us some of the good points about starting a company here, but I also want you to give us some of the tough things or challenges for our listeners so they can keep an eye for them.
[09:40] SPEAKER_03: Absolutely. Some of the good points that I come across is because there's a lot of entrepreneurship, there is also a lot of resources.
[09:50] SPEAKER_03: So the way I got started with my great booster is that I got accepted into Douglas College self-employment program.
[10:08] SPEAKER_03: I have no background in business or entrepreneurship. They help you to they have courses, you do mentorship through these self-employment programs that help you get started.
[10:20] SPEAKER_03: So I saw a lot of value in that going through the self-employment program.
[10:27] SPEAKER_03: The challenges that new entrepreneurs face in Vancouver is because Vancouver is number one, it's a small city compared to places like Toronto, Montreal, or even Calgary.
[10:41] SPEAKER_03: Vancouver doesn't have that much population.
[10:43] SPEAKER_03: So you're sort of competing for a smaller pool of customers, so that can be a little bit challenging.
[10:52] SPEAKER_03: And also because Vancouver is pricey in terms of rent and home ownership, and also it's hard to sort of get started with entrepreneurship because in the first few years, entrepreneurs don't really make that much money.
[11:10] SPEAKER_01: Right, takes a while to keep going. So Vancouver is tough on the cost of living to maintain or that runway of money you have stacked away to keep your business going.
[11:19] SPEAKER_03: That's right.
[11:20] SPEAKER_01: Okay, well we do some of our best work outside the office. Is there a place in the lower mainline close to where your liver work, where you like to go recharge or get inspired and think about ideas, or just think about your business, and does it change with the season considering all the rain we get here?
[11:40] SPEAKER_03: This sounds, this sounds a little bit morbid, but I actually go to North Vancouver Cemetery, and there's a reason for that.
[11:49] SPEAKER_03: There's a couple of reasons for that.
[11:51] SPEAKER_03: The first reason is because unfortunately after a transplant, my mom's cancer came back two years after, and she passed away.
[12:02] SPEAKER_03: So because she taught me grit, because she taught me perseverance, going to the cemetery makes me strength.
[12:10] SPEAKER_03: The second reason I do this is because when you have a bad day, it doesn't matter what kind of bad day you have, doesn't matter whether it's something you said something you didn't like or things are not going your way.
[12:22] SPEAKER_03: Whatever it may be, when you go to the cemetery, your whole perspective shifts 180 degrees, and you leave there feeling grateful for what you have because you still have control over your life.
[12:38] SPEAKER_03: So North Vancouver Cemetery is the place I go to sort of get inspired and keeps you reminded time is limited, right?
[12:47] SPEAKER_01: So make the most of it.
[12:50] SPEAKER_01: Okay, well, we have a lot of international listeners that have listened to this show.
[12:54] SPEAKER_01: So this next question I want you to speak to them.
[12:57] SPEAKER_01: If you were to start all over again and you just moved to your Vancouver B.C., but this time you don't know anyone knowing what you know now, what would you do and how would you go about starting all over again as an entrepreneur?
[13:12] SPEAKER_03: Honestly, when I started my grade booster,
[13:14] SPEAKER_03: I know anybody in business and what I found really helpful for me was small business B.C.
[13:24] SPEAKER_03: We have, so they're nonprofit and I found they had a lot of resources, anything from incorporating trade marking, anything they're very knowledgeable and they're able to sort of point you in their own business.
[13:38] SPEAKER_03: So I found the right direction.
[13:40] SPEAKER_03: I found them really helpful and also they run events as well workshops.
[13:45] SPEAKER_03: I also found women's, what are they called, women's enterprise center.
[13:54] SPEAKER_03: Women's enterprise center was really helpful as well.
[13:57] SPEAKER_03: And also future-per-neur.
[13:59] SPEAKER_03: Future-per-neur is more of a Canada wide thing and I found they were really helpful because they had mentorship programs and things like that that I could make use of.
[14:09] SPEAKER_03: And also meetups. Vancouver is full of great meetups that you can meet new entrepreneurs or even for friendship or a partnership.
[14:22] SPEAKER_01: Okay, let's talk a bit about your daily routine.
[14:24] SPEAKER_01: What does the first hour look like for you when you get up in the morning? Do you have a specific routine or a ritual that helps you get motivated to start your day?
[14:32] SPEAKER_03: I am currently, I am reading this book called The Artist's Way.
[14:39] SPEAKER_03: And as part of reading this book, I have to do these things called morning pages.
[14:45] SPEAKER_03: So I have to write three pages of whatever comes to my mind.
[14:50] SPEAKER_03: I just have to keep going until the three pages is done.
[14:54] SPEAKER_03: So that's how I am starting my day these days.
[14:57] SPEAKER_03: But before then, I normally do something physical like going to the gym or walking the dog or just getting organized, cleaning up.
[15:07] SPEAKER_03: It's something that kind of doesn't require me to use my brain that much so that it gives the time to sort of wake up and get ready for work.
[15:15] SPEAKER_01: Okay, now do you think entrepreneurs have to be weird or unique in a positive way or wired differently?
[15:28] SPEAKER_03: A lot of entrepreneurs say I was an entrepreneur even when I was a kid with all the lemonade stands or one of my friends,
[15:38] SPEAKER_03: she used to draw pictures and she would go door to door selling them for 25 cents a piece.
[15:45] SPEAKER_03: But looking at myself, I was a like that.
[15:49] SPEAKER_03: I was very quiet, I didn't speak to many people and I kept myself and here I am.
[15:57] SPEAKER_03: So the way I think about entrepreneurship is it's a switch.
[16:01] SPEAKER_03: And whether you're born with the switch on or at some point in your life, the switch goes on.
[16:07] SPEAKER_03: For me, it was the traumatic experience I had with my mom's illness that sort of turned on the switch for me.
[16:15] SPEAKER_03: For other people, it could be they're forced into entrepreneurship because they need to figure out how to support their families.
[16:21] SPEAKER_03: So and for others, the switch never goes on.
[16:25] SPEAKER_03: So I don't think there's anything special with entrepreneurs or anything.
[16:30] SPEAKER_03: It's just a switch, it's gone on and that's what they're pursuing with their lives.
[16:35] SPEAKER_01: Okay, you've already mentioned one book that you're reading but maybe some more examples or even audiobooks and can you recommend any books for listeners who are also aspiring entrepreneurs?
[16:46] SPEAKER_03: For sure.
[16:48] SPEAKER_03: So I really like the artist's way because I think cultivating my creativity also helps me in business as well.
[16:56] SPEAKER_03: So I really like to read books that allow me to nurture my creativity.
[17:01] SPEAKER_03: Other book I'm reading, I'm also reading the five was I just started this five.
[17:08] SPEAKER_03: Five rules, five second rule, five second rule by Robin, something Robin.
[17:19] SPEAKER_03: Mel Robbins.
[17:20] SPEAKER_01: Okay.
[17:21] SPEAKER_03: Yeah, and I find that pretty interesting as well.
[17:26] SPEAKER_03: And other things I'm reading is Dory Clark's books.
[17:29] SPEAKER_03: She talks about how to stand out.
[17:33] SPEAKER_03: She also wrote a book called Entrepreneurial You that I find really interesting.
[17:38] SPEAKER_03: So those are the books that I'm reading currently and I really enjoy.
[17:42] SPEAKER_01: Any online or offline tools that you use on a daily basis?
[17:46] SPEAKER_03: I use for online, I use Google Docs a lot just because I write quite a bit.
[17:55] SPEAKER_03: For offline, I use pen and paper.
[17:58] SPEAKER_03: I always have pen and paper with me because especially when I'm driving things just come in my mind that I just need to quickly drop down.
[18:06] SPEAKER_03: So I use a lot of good old pen and paper.
[18:10] SPEAKER_01: Okay, that's always a good stand by, isn't it?
[18:12] SPEAKER_01: No pen and paper.
[18:13] SPEAKER_01: Very useful.
[18:14] SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
[18:15] SPEAKER_01: Okay, well as we know, Vancouver Bridge Climbing is a very beautiful place.
[18:19] SPEAKER_01: We have everything here.
[18:20] SPEAKER_01: We have the mountains, lakes, streams, hiking trails, you name it.
[18:24] SPEAKER_02: Absolutely.
[18:25] SPEAKER_01: How do you balance work and how do you relax and not think about work?
[18:28] SPEAKER_01: And what are your favorite activities to do here at BCDU Ski?
[18:31] SPEAKER_01: Do you bike, kayak, golf, hike or simply go for a drive?
[18:35] SPEAKER_03: What I do is I play soccer.
[18:38] SPEAKER_03: So I play indoor soccer during the wintertime outdoor soccer during the summertime and that takes my mind completely off of work because I'm so focused on just playing.
[18:51] SPEAKER_03: I also do a lot of hiking.
[18:54] SPEAKER_03: I live in the North Shore and my partner and I would do a lot of hiking with our dog in the North Shore trails.
[19:02] SPEAKER_03: We also do kayaking.
[19:04] SPEAKER_03: There's deep cove here that we visit a lot for kayaking.
[19:09] SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I find North Vancouver is a really great place to get outside and so be in an outdoor environment.
[19:19] SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I mean you've got some amazing trails up there.
[19:22] SPEAKER_01: How about the Grime Square and you ever go up there?
[19:24] SPEAKER_03: We did the grind once and that wasn't off.
[19:27] SPEAKER_03: We kept going and going and going and then I thought we were done, right?
[19:31] SPEAKER_03: And then all of a sudden we come to the quarter mark and I'm like, what?
[19:36] SPEAKER_03: So yeah, I did it once and I think that was good enough for me.
[19:40] SPEAKER_01: If you were doing what you do now, what would you like to do for a profession?
[19:47] SPEAKER_02: I think I would want to be a professional soccer player.
[19:50] SPEAKER_02: I really like it. I really enjoy it.
[19:53] SPEAKER_01: That would be a lot of fun playing for a woman's team I guess and all women's team.
[19:57] SPEAKER_03: Yeah, for sure. And also I like eating a lot as well.
[20:01] SPEAKER_03: So I would love to be a judge in a cooking show where other contestants are competing with each other and I would be the judge tasting their food.
[20:11] SPEAKER_01: What kind of a job would you not like to do? Couldn't do it.
[20:15] SPEAKER_03: What kind of a job?
[20:22] SPEAKER_03: Honestly, it's the weirdest thing.
[20:24] SPEAKER_03: I don't feel like I've had a job for the last seven months since I've started my great booster and I don't think I could do a job where I would be calling it a job.
[20:33] SPEAKER_03: I feel like my great booster is so it's such a part of me.
[20:39] SPEAKER_03: It's just ingrained in my DNA that it's a lifestyle.
[20:42] SPEAKER_03: I don't see it as work. I don't see it as a job.
[20:46] SPEAKER_03: And if I was to see something as a job, I don't think I could do it.
[20:50] SPEAKER_01: In business, what is your favorite word, quote, or sentence that you like to use?
[20:59] SPEAKER_03: One award that I really like to use is journey.
[21:04] SPEAKER_03: So journey in business or journey life journey, whatever it is because it implies so many things like adventure, excitement unknown obstacles, challenges and most importantly growth.
[21:19] SPEAKER_03: So I really like the word journey.
[21:22] SPEAKER_01: What's your least favorite word or sentence you do not like to hear?
[21:27] SPEAKER_03: My least favorite word. I have a couple.
[21:32] SPEAKER_03: I don't like the words smart and talented.
[21:37] SPEAKER_03: And the reason for that is I hear a lot of kids say, you know, oh, she got top mark in math because she's smart.
[21:45] SPEAKER_03: Or when I did my TEDx, a lot of people would say, you're so talented in public speaking.
[21:51] SPEAKER_03: You look so comfortable in stage.
[21:54] SPEAKER_03: But the thing is, if you look at those people who others are calling smart and talented,
[22:00] SPEAKER_03: it's time to make TEDx. How much training, practice.
[22:05] SPEAKER_03: My voice was shaking during rehearsals and I had to learn how to control my breathing.
[22:10] SPEAKER_03: And there was so much time spent on it.
[22:14] SPEAKER_03: And that's why I looked so comfortable.
[22:16] SPEAKER_03: That's why it looks like it's natural.
[22:20] SPEAKER_03: So I don't like when people say talented because it's not talent.
[22:24] SPEAKER_03: I'm not talented in public speaking.
[22:27] SPEAKER_03: In fact, I had selective mutism since I was a child until I was 12.
[22:33] SPEAKER_03: And selective mutism is an extreme phobia of social settings.
[22:39] SPEAKER_03: So it impacts your ability to speak in social settings.
[22:43] SPEAKER_03: And speaking is definitely not a talent for me.
[22:47] SPEAKER_01: If you had to pick one or two words to describe yourself, what would it be and why?
[22:54] SPEAKER_03: I would describe myself as introverted because I need a lot of time alone.
[23:02] SPEAKER_03: I need a lot of time and solitude in order to regain my energy.
[23:08] SPEAKER_01: Okay. What keeps you up at night if anything?
[23:13] SPEAKER_03: I'm normally pretty, I'm a deep sleeper for most of the time.
[23:19] SPEAKER_03: I remember there's two weeks before my TEDx talk.
[23:23] SPEAKER_03: And for some reason, I mean, I think my body was really anxious and stressed out.
[23:29] SPEAKER_03: And that's how it was showing.
[23:30] SPEAKER_03: I started to chew on my cheeks.
[23:33] SPEAKER_03: And I would wake up in the morning time, my cheeks would be all inflamed and swollen.
[23:38] SPEAKER_03: And it would impact my ability to practice because they keep getting caught in my teeth.
[23:46] SPEAKER_03: And I was like, oh my god, I have this TEDx talk coming up in two weeks.
[23:51] SPEAKER_03: I can't even practice properly.
[23:54] SPEAKER_03: So at night times, what happened was at night times,
[24:00] SPEAKER_03: I focused so hard on keeping my jaw relaxed so that I wouldn't start chewing on my cheeks
[24:06] SPEAKER_03: so it could heal that I lost a few nights of sleep there.
[24:11] SPEAKER_03: But usually, normally, I'm a pretty deep sleeper.
[24:15] SPEAKER_01: Okay. I want you to give us the top three things on your inspired lifeless.
[24:18] SPEAKER_01: This could be whether or not you want to travel more, you want to write books, philanthropy, charity work,
[24:23] SPEAKER_01: or more speaking engagements, anything like that.
[24:28] SPEAKER_03: Three top.
[24:30] SPEAKER_03: I would say the first one is doing a TED talk on the main TED stage.
[24:36] SPEAKER_03: I would love to do that.
[24:39] SPEAKER_03: Second, so expanding my speaking from locally to nationally and internationally.
[24:47] SPEAKER_03: And lastly, this has nothing to do with work.
[24:52] SPEAKER_03: But I would love to try out these flying jet suits that have just come out.
[25:03] SPEAKER_03: They look like real life.
[25:06] SPEAKER_03: Iron man almost. It's so cool.
[25:09] SPEAKER_03: So I would love to try one of those.
[25:11] SPEAKER_01: They just came out.
[25:13] SPEAKER_01: Is it one of those ones with the big jet things, like the tanks on your back and everything?
[25:16] SPEAKER_01: Or is it something different?
[25:17] SPEAKER_03: No, it looks so cool.
[25:19] SPEAKER_03: Check it out online. They just came out of England.
[25:22] SPEAKER_03: And if you look at the video, it really looks like a real life.
[25:26] SPEAKER_03: Iron man.
[25:28] SPEAKER_01: Interesting.
[25:28] SPEAKER_01: Okay. I'm going to have to Google that one.
[25:30] SPEAKER_01: I'd like to check that out.
[25:31] SPEAKER_01: Okay. Do you have any advice that you may have received that you can pass on to entrepreneurs throughout BC?
[25:38] SPEAKER_03: Advice that I've received.
[25:41] SPEAKER_03: I heard a coach about a year and a half ago for a few months.
[25:49] SPEAKER_03: And what happened was whenever I, whenever I failed at something, whenever I got a rejection.
[25:59] SPEAKER_03: And I would tell her it was it was usually through texts.
[26:02] SPEAKER_03: So when I would write to her, she would say, you know, she would empathize with me.
[26:06] SPEAKER_03: And then she would always end it with onward.
[26:10] SPEAKER_03: And when I got into things, like I achieved something, I was excited.
[26:16] SPEAKER_03: I would text her and say, hey, I got into this or I achieved this.
[26:23] SPEAKER_03: She would be excited for me.
[26:24] SPEAKER_03: And then again, ended with onward.
[26:27] SPEAKER_03: So it doesn't matter whether I failed or succeeded.
[26:31] SPEAKER_03: She always ended it with onward.
[26:33] SPEAKER_03: So I guess the advice that I would have for others is the same.
[26:38] SPEAKER_03: Don't focus so much on the results, whether you fail or win.
[26:41] SPEAKER_03: It doesn't matter.
[26:42] SPEAKER_03: Just keep going.
[26:43] SPEAKER_03: Just keep pushing forward.
[26:46] SPEAKER_01: Okay, Mernaz, are you ready to have some fun?
[26:49] SPEAKER_03: Absolutely.
[26:50] SPEAKER_01: Okay, well, as you know, entrepreneurs are very, very busy.
[26:53] SPEAKER_01: People grow, always connected, whether it be with clients or whether it be with staff or just the outside world and everything that we deal with.
[27:01] SPEAKER_01: We're going to take you away with from all that.
[27:03] SPEAKER_01: There's a small tropical island just off of Fiji that only has one phone booth there.
[27:07] SPEAKER_01: There is no internet.
[27:08] SPEAKER_01: This place does exist.
[27:10] SPEAKER_01: We're going to drop you off there.
[27:12] SPEAKER_01: You won't have a computer or smartphone or tablet.
[27:14] SPEAKER_01: You can use the phone booth located there any time to call the boat and we'll come pick you up.
[27:19] SPEAKER_01: How long would you last before you made that call?
[27:22] SPEAKER_01: And what would you do while you were there?
[27:25] SPEAKER_03: The funny thing is I actually went on a 10-day sign-up meditation retreat last summer.
[27:33] SPEAKER_03: And they took away your technology and everything.
[27:37] SPEAKER_03: So you have no access to outside.
[27:39] SPEAKER_03: And I lasted 10 days.
[27:41] SPEAKER_03: I lasted the whole 10 days.
[27:43] SPEAKER_03: Not only that, actually the topic of my TEDx came from those 10 days.
[27:48] SPEAKER_03: So I definitely see the benefit of disconnecting completely and just focusing on being in the moment.
[27:58] SPEAKER_03: So I know I could last for 10 days minimum, but I would definitely try to last longer than that.
[28:04] SPEAKER_03: So I would probably shoot for a month.
[28:06] SPEAKER_01: One month.
[28:08] SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
[28:09] SPEAKER_01: That sounds good.
[28:10] SPEAKER_01: Okay, we're going to wrap things up.
[28:12] SPEAKER_01: How can our listeners get whole of you?
[28:13] SPEAKER_01: And is there anything you'd like to add before you leave us today?
[28:19] SPEAKER_03: Listeners can get a hold of me through my website.
[28:23] SPEAKER_03: It's www.mygradebooster.com.
[28:28] SPEAKER_03: Or my personal website www.thespelling of my name.
[28:33] SPEAKER_03: My name is on my grade booster's website.
[28:35] SPEAKER_03: So I think it's easier to go there and buy my spelling.
[28:39] SPEAKER_03: My name's spelling.
[28:40] SPEAKER_01: Okay.
[28:41] SPEAKER_03: And the last thing I have.
[28:46] SPEAKER_03: I would encourage the audience, the listeners, to notice their small wins.
[28:54] SPEAKER_03: Because these days, I mean, you listen to success stories of other people.
[28:58] SPEAKER_03: And you read about other people's success stories.
[29:00] SPEAKER_03: And it's hard to not feel discouraged about our own progress.
[29:06] SPEAKER_03: Because we feel like we're not making progress as fast as other people may be.
[29:13] SPEAKER_03: So I would encourage people to keep notice of their small wins.
[29:19] SPEAKER_03: Because most often, it's these small wins.
[29:23] SPEAKER_03: It's these incremental, incremental progresses that lead to transformative changes.
[29:29] SPEAKER_03: So they're very important.
[29:32] SPEAKER_01: Okay. Great.
[29:33] SPEAKER_01: Okay, Marnas.
[29:34] SPEAKER_01: Thank you for coming on the show.
[29:35] SPEAKER_01: I've learned a lot about you.
[29:36] SPEAKER_01: And I'm sure our listeners have as well.
[29:40] SPEAKER_03: Thank you so much, Robert.
[29:42] SPEAKER_03: Thank you for having me.
[29:43] SPEAKER_01: Okay.
[29:43] SPEAKER_01: We'll see you next time.
[29:45] SPEAKER_03: See you next time.
[29:48] SPEAKER_00: Hey there.
[29:49] SPEAKER_00: Thanks for taking the time today to listen to Vancouver's podcast on the Canada's podcast network.
[29:54] SPEAKER_00: We hope you enjoyed the show today.
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[30:00] SPEAKER_00: Then connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn at Amazon's podcast.
[30:05] SPEAKER_00: You can also check out what other entrepreneurs are doing across the country.
[30:09] SPEAKER_00: See you next time.
[30:25] Speaker UNKNOWN: Bye.