What we discussed in the epsisode:

MARTIAL ARTS—HOW ELENA STARTED, AND HOW DOES IT BENEFIT HER? (01:54)

• Elena is a competitive shooter. During a tactical shooting course, she had to fight with opponents and ended up getting a stress fracture.
• She realized her weakness, and she wanted to stand a chance should she ever be in a situation that would require her to fight.
• Martial arts, in a way, feel very similar to the entrepreneurial world.
• It transformed her and taught her respect, confidence, strength, and control.

LIFE AND BUSINESS ARE LIKE MARTIAL ARTS, LIKE CHESS. YOU NEED TO BE CALCULATED ABOUT THE MOVES YOU MAKE. (08:05)

• In the beginning, it was all trial and error.
• You can’t afford to stumble. It goes way beyond the consequences for the next day.
• When you start doing things that are not within your standards, you also begin to give allowances and tolerate people.
• When you do, you let them in your world, and it can get polluted.
• When you hold yourself accountable, it’s easier to spot red flags.
• There is a lot at stake—investors, clients, time, respect, trust.

PART OF BUILDING AN EMPIRE IS KNOWING THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO LET IN, ESPECIALLY WITH SO MUCH AT STAKE. (12:00)

• Observe and analyze people; collect data.
• Ask yourself if they are really on your team.
• No one is perfect; people make mistakes that you can tolerate. But are these mistakes constant?
• Find people who can be tough on you to enhance your strengths, but steer you away from weaknesses.

ANOTHER CRUCIAL ASPECT IS ALLOCATING PRIORITIES. (18:04)

• Identify the end zones.
• Creative visions and ideas are important.
• Accept and embrace your weirdness, which can bring about brilliant ideas for change and innovation.
• Don’t put yourself in the same box as everyone, don’t put labels. Take advantage of your skills and talents.

WHY “EMPIRE?” (26:14)

• Elena mentions that she thinks of an empire as something bigger than a kingdom.
• How big can it go? What can it do and create? Can it build a legacy, something that will surpass you?
• If you have an empire and you’ve worked hard for it, challenges may hurt you, but they will not take you down.
• You have people to support you and people that are loyal to you.
• At the same time, you can help them and create jobs for them.
• It’s greedy to have something that can help people and not share it with them.

YOU CREATE AND FIND BALANCE AND HAPPINESS IN LIFE AND YOUR BUSINESS. (30:02)

• If you are still looking for an endpoint to what you are doing, then it probably means you are doing the wrong thing.
• If you are happy now, why would you need to get to a finish point?
• Happiness is working toward your goal and overcoming barriers; it’s not just a sensation.