In this episode of “Authentic Conversations with Entrepreneurs” I spoke with Tyshon Phillips, Systems Empowerment Coach & founder of Golden Admin LLC. Tyshon shared her journey to and through entrepreneurship – how she took the leap & listened within and outside of herself to ‘reframe her story’ and find growth in her business.
Katherine Morales: Hey, everyone. Thanks so much for being here on Authentic Conversations with Entrepreneurs. I’m so thrilled to have Tyshon Phillips here. She is a Systems Empowerment Coach and founder of Golden Admin. This is our 19th episode. Thank you so much for being here, Tyshon, and we’re talking about “Reframe Your Story.” In each episode, I’ll just explain what an authentic conversation is. It is how it sounds. It’s about authenticity. It’s about really exploring the journey that entrepreneurs take in business, the journey that most people don’t talk about.
I define authenticity as the Good & Growing™ that lives within all of us. So on this show, you can expect to hear about the growing journey. Maybe it’s good now, but it’s been growing at some point. It takes courage and vulnerability to show up on this show, so I thank you, Tyshon, for being here. And I want to just kick it off by asking, Reframe Your Story, where did this come from? When did you first hear this message in your business journey?
Tyshon Phillips: Yes. Thank you so much for having me here to share this, first of all. But I want to say growing up, I was always told what to do and how to do it, so I never really learned how to think for myself. Even though I was in toxic situations and it was painted as normal, I didn’t really feel the need to say, “Okay, I’m going to do something different and follow my heart.” I really identified this when I was working in my last corporate job as an Operations Support Manager. It was so many times where I kept experiencing the burnouts and overworking myself and doing it like, “Okay. Well, this is what it takes. This is what they say I have to do. This is what success is.”
I really had a moment one day where I just was like, “You know what? This isn’t for me.” I was okay with quitting. I didn’t have anything figured out. That was the decision I made to say, “Okay, I’m going to follow my heart. I’m going to just do what feels right even if I’m confused,” because I definitely felt like I was confused. But then again, I felt like I knew that’s exactly what I had to do. So taking that leap and walking away, not having a plan, it was the very first step of saying, “Okay, now I have to figure it out,” and that’s exactly what I did. I had to rewrite my story there like, “Okay. What does normal feels like for you?”
At first, I thought, “Okay, let’s just find another job that’s not so stressful.” And every time I attempted to apply for a job, I would really get the shakes or my anxiety would really kick in. I’m like, “Okay, body, I hear you, I hear you. I’ll just take a step back.” So then I had another talk with myself and said, “Okay, let’s focus on starting your business and using that as your priority, and if you need to supplement income, then you’ll look for a job. So that way, you won’t continue to put your goals on a back burner, because you are here for a purpose and you’re not fulfilling that and that’s why you’re not completely satisfied in these positions with the benefits and the normal productivity.”
So I took that leap and just started my own business. And even with that, it was a lot of trial and error. I still had to go through the phase of taking the advice that I wanted and what felt like it was in alignment with my story compared to just listening to everyone just because they were successful. And even with the word successful, I had to redefine what success meant for me. A lot of this stuff, everything I learned now, I didn’t know then, everything that I thought. I know the type of life I wanted, but the picture is a little bit different from what I actually experienced and learned more, and I can rewrite the right story for me. It’s not necessarily just pulling stuff out the air, but it’s like, okay, I had a taste of this and I want more, so this is kind of like the life I want to live. So each step of the way, I had to do more and more of that and strengthen that muscle.
Katherine Morales: I love that. Yeah, I love defining what success is for you. I think that’s a question that, I think it’s part of the business plan when you start a business, and it evolves. As your life changes, it might change where your priorities are. I think you described the leap so well. And I felt what it is, that risk, but all the heart that goes into it, so that’s beautiful. You’re just begging for me to ask. Okay. So far in your entrepreneurial journey, what has been the biggest surprise and what has been the greatest comfort?
Tyshon Phillips: It’s probably the same answer, because for me, I was the antisocial type and I always wanted to do things on my own. How I lean into community to also find myself, that was the biggest surprising comfort at the same time. Because one of the things I did early on in my journey was join a self-care holistic community, a holistic self-care coaching community, and the support I get from the sisterhood there, it helps me talk about the things that I didn’t even know that I dug under the rug. So, taking those steps to really acknowledge things and understand that it’s okay to have these thoughts and tap into my feelings, my true feelings, and do it unapologetically in saying that.
Because when we live our life a certain way, especially if your parents have been telling you to do something for a long time, it was uncomfortable for me to go against certain things that I’ve been taught, because now I had to admit that something was wrong and I needed to change it. It was kind of hard for me. And I also had admit to myself the things that I thought I wanted, I was actually wrong, or maybe it changed. So having community to lean on and using that to grow in both my personal development and business development, that was a surprise for me, but it was the greatest thing in the world. That’s one of my necessities now.
Katherine Morales: I love that the surprise was also your comfort. I know you said it was the same response, but I think you may have understood community, but I did not hear that. And that’s beautiful, because I feel like one of the things they say about entrepreneurship is it can get real lonely. Especially if you’re an online business, it’s easy to just be you and the computer and virtual meetings, especially since COVID. Even though we’re getting back to, we probably learned to operate online. So reaching out to community and developing community, it makes so much sense of how it’s helped feed your soul. I always say there’s places you go in business to build business, get leads, and there’s places you go to fill your cup. And if you find one that does both, hold onto it.
Tyshon Phillips: I like that you say that. I found a few that does both. It’s like, get all of it.
Katherine Morales: Yeah, it’s beautiful. I know we’ve connected off of LinkedIn, but we’re both so active on LinkedIn. Is that community on LinkedIn, or how have you leaned into LinkedIn to build your business?
Tyshon Phillips: Yeah, that community is separate. The one for my self-care is separate. However, LinkedIn, I think it did encourage me to tap into my true story more as I’m sharing more of my story, because now I’m comfortable with sharing my story because this is a community that I trust with being vulnerable like that. So getting the good feedback and the support that I needed, it encouraged me to share more of my story, and that attracts the people who resonate with it. I started just talking about the things that I wish I could have heard when I was in that space and bringing awareness to the things that was going on in my head that I kind of ignored but I was screaming at me to let it all out, so I started having what I call empowering conversations every Wednesday on LinkedIn audio.
My intentions was just that, to get my story out, talk to the people, see what’s going on, see what’s on their mind. When anyone comes visit, I always say, “Come to the stage. Share what’s on your heart,” because that’s what I really want to know. I want it to be real and in the moment conversations. The feedback and the attraction I got from that was so beautiful because it was so real, and I felt so fulfilled hearing the other women come to me, whether they come to the stage or actually come to my direct messages and share how that conversation empowered them. It was so amazing to hear that and I was like, “Wow, I really appreciate this. I want to do more of this.”
It was so beautiful that I adjusted my packages to support the women who were coming to me, pretty much asking for the help or telling me that I did something to help them. So I’m like, okay, I know high ticket is the way to go and that’s going to help me work less hours and this, but let me just change it a little. Because I asked God for a sign, and for a while, I was just praying for clarity. “Send me a sign and tell me what to do, show me what to do and I’ll do it. I think it’s this-
Katherine Morales: An answer.
Tyshon Phillips: – but I could be wrong.” And I said, “I’m not going to ignore the sign if these people are coming to me for help and I know I have the tools to help them. Because they sound like they have the potential, but they just reminded me of myself when I was lost and I was trying to ignore the things and I wanted to believe the beliefs that society was telling me. So I said, “I want to help them. Whether I charge them or not, I’m going to help them, but let me create a package because it’s more than just them.” It’s always someone else. It’s always multiple people. I changed up my whole services and that’s how I created the Systems Empowerment Coaching package, because before, I was just looking to do implementation or business system management. Now, okay, the coaching is calling me, so let me tap into.
Katherine Morales: And I will answer.
Tyshon Phillips: Yes.
Katherine Morales: Well, I love how you talk about in reframing your story, you hear your story. And it’s easy to assume it’s all internal, it’s in your mind, it’s you. But as an authentic brand strategist, the way I talk about authenticity is actually the in and out. So it’s, yes, the inner voice, the inner desires, beliefs, all of that, your story, your experiences, but I love how you also talk about the alignment between the in and out feeling, because we don’t operate in our own inner world.
Reframing your story, it lives out on a stage, on audio, and how you have taken in the outer environment and listened and adjusted and really found greater harmony and happiness with that, it’s just beautiful. It’s beautiful. I think we’d be remiss if I didn’t ask a little bit more, what exactly do you do, and especially as a Systems Empowerment Coach?
Tyshon Phillips: Yeah, that’s the thing I started off. My background is systems, systems building, like business systems. I build up systems or I do things to help you streamline your workflow and include tech inside of that to make things more efficient for you. That’s my background.
Katherine Morales: Like the operations of the business?
Tyshon Phillips: Yes. As a Systems Empowerment Coach, I take those skills and I help my entrepreneur clients to build out these systems in a business, but I also consider their life goals as well. So it’s like, you don’t have to run a business and achieve your goals in one area and sacrifice your sanity in the other area. You can do it all and continue to maintain your sanity. The answer to everything, as I look back and realize how I did it, I realized it was always a system, and I didn’t even know I was doing this. I had to reach out to the people who I worked with before, ask them for feedback, because I was looking into more speaking engagements.
I said, “I want to talk about empowering more, so how have I ever empowered you?” And the feedback that I got from that was like, “Oh, wow! Really?”, when they was saying how I helped them in their life even though I was their boss at work. I was like, okay, I’m going to tap more into this, because all I thought I was doing, just being more organized at home so I can be a better employee, but this was really a lifestyle that I created and I can help someone else do that same thing. Even though I’m helping you set up your business systems, we start with the goals that you want for your life.
We start by securing that vision first and helping you, even though we are going to acknowledge your circumstances, but we’re not going to let that define you or what you want for your life. You can live the life that you have now, but set it up and create the life that you want, and that’s how it all really starts. We create a system of you living that life that you desire to live and not just let your business take over.
Katherine Morales: And so you work exclusively with mompreneurs or…
Tyshon Phillips: No, I work with mompreneurs, coaches and consultants. Mostly women, though.
Katherine Morales: And are you a mompreneur?
Tyshon Phillips: Yes, I am. That’s one of the things for me that’s keeping it on the topic. When my daughter says stuff out loud and I question it like, “Where does she get that from?”, I always look at myself first. There are so many situations where she would say something where I hear a limited belief in my head and be like, “Oh, I must be saying that out loud or demonstrating that behavior.” So those are perfect opportunities for me to check myself and say, “Okay, what are you demonstrating for her to see this, and what part of what she just said resonates with your internal beliefs?” That’s always an eye-opener for me as well.
Katherine Morales: Yeah, like a quick check. I love that. I love that you hit on limiting beliefs. For our viewers or listeners who may be in a place in their business, maybe they just started the business, maybe they’re thinking about starting a business but they’re stuck in their own story, they’re stuck in a limiting belief, what advice would you offer to them if they want to reframe their story? Where should they start?
Tyshon Phillips: I would say acknowledge the story and even the limiting beliefs that you’re telling yourself. Acknowledge it all and think about how the stories played out in your past. Where you are today, you had to accomplish something to get there. Even if you don’t identify it, either someone was watching you and saw how you was doing it and they asked for help, maybe that was inspiring to someone, but you have a story to tell. And you can either sit back and let your circumstances tell it for you or other people, how they see it, or you can take control and say, “This happened, this happened, this happened, and I’m also here and I’m also still pushing and I’m also doing it. I’m also thinking about all this stuff. I’m aware of it.”
Because a lot of us, things will happen and we’re not even aware of it. So the fact that you understand what happened in your life and understand what you had to go through, that’s a beautiful place to start. Write it all out, talk about it, and just like I said, you will attract the right person who needs to hear it. You’re thinking that you need to be here to get started, but someone is struggling to get to where you are now.
Katherine Morales: Amen. I literally got goosebumps. You’re singing my tune. I love it. Yeah, and I want to put up your website here because you’re making me think of it, goldenadmin.tech. But what I love about this is the word that I thought of, you talk knowledge, but really it’s about honoring your journey. And what I thought of and I’m going to ask you, but to me, the golden made total sense then, because it’s at least for yourself, and you tell me if this is a journey for your clients too, but it’s like you’re honoring these golden moments. Even in the rough, if it’s been a rough journey or whatever, you’re saying, “Really acknowledge the golden parts too.” Is that how you got to Golden Admin? I always was curious about that.
Tyshon Phillips: I was thinking more of, it’s similar, but it’s like it’s turning those roadblocks into a goldmine. So it’s like we take our situations and think that they’re supposed to hold us back. Like I would say, “I want to do this, but I can’t afford it.” But that want is still there, but you can change the “I can’t afford it” part. It’s like taking the same situation that would usually hold you back or you was taught that was someone else’s limitation, but you’re taking the same limitation and reframing it to say, “Okay, this is a goldmine that I can sit on, because this is part of my story and this is what makes it golden. That’s what makes me golden.”
Katherine Morales: I love that.
Tyshon Phillips: So it was just kind of that reframing.
Katherine Morales: Yeah. Well, I talk about the inner spark inside and the fire, and it’s similar. I almost feel like you’re saying there’s a goldmine within you, just yours to accept.
Tyshon Phillips: Absolutely. Absolutely. Everyone, and that’s what makes it so beautiful, everyone is different. It drives me crazy when people say they see something, especially on social media, and say, “Okay, I need to be like that, and that’s my idea of success.” They wait to start a business to have everything that they see the person who’s flaunting it, but you never understand what that person had to go to, to get to that point. Otherwise, we’d all have a restaurant.
Katherine Morales: If we could see the black stage of others, the world would be so different, right?
Tyshon Phillips: Right. So it’s like, just take your story and that’s what that’s really going to light the fire in you. And when you show bright, you will attract people who are in the dark looking for their brightness, right?
Katherine Morales: Yes, yes. I love it. Okay, so if someone wants to connect with you on social, they should find you here on LinkedIn, right?
Tyshon Phillips: Yes. Tyshon Phillips at LinkedIn, or also my business page, Golden Admin on LinkedIn as well.
Katherine Morales: Wonderful, wonderful. I know that you wanted to share something too, so I’m going to put that up, but talk a little bit about why you’re offering a survey and what they can get out of that.
Tyshon Phillips: This is something that I was afraid of before. Every time I shared before, every time I asked for feedback, I was always shocked by the results. Because I used to think that, “Oh, I didn’t accomplish that much, but let me just get here from the testimonies. Let me just ask for feedback.” But the feedback that I actually get, it was like, “Oh my gosh, I really empowered this person.” And just watching the transformation from how the other person explained it, I was like, “I want to do more of this,” so that’s how I create better content. That’s how I understand what my audience needs. That’s how I’m able to teach you what you need to hear. So I would really appreciate it if everyone took the time out to do just a quick two-minute survey to help me. Let me know how I did and give me advice on areas that I can improve in.
Yes. Also, in addition to this, I would offer a free consultation, so you will get that free one-on-one time with me just out of doing the survey as well.
Katherine Morales: What a gift. Literally, I just love that that’s also living true to reframing your story, that it’s a community. You want to listen back as much as you’re talking. I told you, it’s the first time I’ve ever had a guest say, “Give me feedback on my interview.” But it’s beautiful, because it sends such a message to who you are and the way a story and an experience as an entrepreneur lives. There’s honestly too many businesses that just want to talk, talk, talk. But I say all the time, “You got to listen back,” so it’s beautiful. Yeah, what a gift to get time with you too. Systems are what run our lives, or the lack thereof. It can be total chaos.
Tyshon Phillips: Right. You can always create everything as a system, and you’re right, systems is what run our lives. It’s just that we can control it. Because even the things that you don’t have control of, you have a system of not controlling it, so it’s like life is a system.
Katherine Morales: Exactly. There is a system, whether you’re managing it or not.
Tyshon Phillips: Right. So it’s like, might as well get ahead of it and create one that works for you and not against you.
Katherine Morales: I love it, and I will be sharing this link after the recording as well when it’s posted. And I’ll just say too, it’ll be on my website, inflectionpointcomms.com with this recording. But thank you so much. I truly hope our viewers and listeners take advantage of that, because you are such a gift, Tyshon. I’m so thrilled we’ve met. I want to thank you so much for being here, and as I said at the top, it takes courage and vulnerability to just speak the truth about your journey, the ups and downs, the bumps. What I love most is how it is about learning. It is about trial and error. It’s not about a straight, linear, upward path. So thank you so much for being willing to share that and talk about it, and for what you’ve been doing in your empowerment hours to weekly give that time. It’s just admirable, so thank you.
Tyshon Phillips: Thank you so much for having me. I love talking to you. I always felt like from day one, we was in alignment with each other.
Katherine Morales: Yeah, yeah, yeah, definitely, and that won’t stop. That continues. Well, and I hope you all enjoyed this interview and will join us next time on August 17th, same time, 1:30 PM Eastern Time. I’ll be talking to visual brand strategist, Danielle Ramos. I’ve known her for years and it should be a wonderful discussion, or conversation, I should say. Thank you all, and thank you, Tyshon.
Tyshon Phillips: Thank you.
Katherine Morales: Bye.
