Many of us are educators around here. In our Skools, on YouTube, inside our products, and through the communities we build. So let’s talk about the difference between teaching, learning, and application. My 17 year old son had a problem. He didn’t think so… but his teacher parents definitely did 😂 He was burning through razors like crazy. Now, I’m sure his dad taught him how to shave. He learned the skill. Lesson complete, right? Not exactly. When we finally questioned why he needed new razors constantly, we discovered something hilarious: He thought the razor was “done” once it filled with hair. He didn’t know you were supposed to tap the hair out while shaving. That tiny missing piece was costing him razor after razor after razor. And honestly… this happens constantly in Skool communities, courses, YouTube tutorials, and products too. People can “learn” something without actually knowing how to implement it well in real life. That’s why great educators, coaches, and community builders don’t just teach. They check in during implementation. They troubleshoot. They look for friction points. They watch for the tiny misunderstandings people are embarrassed to ask about. Because often the problem is not motivation. It’s not laziness. It’s not intelligence. It’s simply that nobody checked what happened after the lesson ended. What’s something you learned the “wrong way” for way too long before someone finally corrected it? 😂

Time freedom and financial freedom don’t come from one big moment. They come from small, repeated decisions that feel almost invisible while you’re in them. And we don’t talk about the messy middle enough… You are showing up, but maybe not seeing huge results yet. You are working hard, but still questioning if it’s “working.” You want to quit… but something in you says don’t! These are the parts that require patience. But not passive patience (unfortunately). Active patience. The kind where you: -Refocus instead of spiral. -Simplify instead of adding more. -Build systems instead of relying on motivation. -Look at your past week and ask, "What actually moved things forward last week?" Because doing more is not the goal. Doing what works is our goal. If something isn’t working, don’t give up. Instead, get hyper curious. -Where is the friction? -Where are you overcomplicating things? -What can become repeatable? -How can AI help me? This is how you build something that lasts and eventually brings you time and financial freedom. You honestly don’t need a perfect plan. I certainly don't have one. But you do need a simple system you trust. It's the 12-week year for me. And then you NEED to stick with it long enough for it to work. If you’re in that messy middle right now…(who isn't) Let's talk about one thing you could simplify this week instead of adding more. ⬇️

As business people, we need to be tracking our income and expenses. I know that it's tough to get started, so I am committed to doing this with you every month. I will show you how to do it, and then we will do it together. I am handing you this spreadsheet so you can do your financial tracking, too! Get out of your head and just do it! Honestly, you will be glad that you did. Make a copy of this tracker 1. Set up Tab - Change the income and expenses category to the categories you see on your statement 2. Transaction Tab -Date -Category -Transaction amount 4. Check the Profit and Loss Report for your progress 5. Repeat at the beginning of next month The three screenshots you see here are my Profit/Loss Pages for January and February 2026 1. Amazon FBA $594.47 Net Profit 2. Amazon KDP $211.53 Net Profit 3. Skool $2250.04 Net Profit 4. Next month, I will start another spreadsheet and track Jan-Mar for all my other business expenses (i.e., website, Zoom, etc.). 5. One step at a time! We've got this! What questions do you have?

Step one is not a spreadsheet or tracking. It is separation of business money from personal money. Your business money should live in its own space. Its own bank account. Its own credit card. Its own inflow and outflow. When everything is mixed together, tracking and understanding the numbers feels heavy. When it is separate, you can open one or two accounts and see and track the truth. That is where clarity starts. This is also what lenders look for. When you apply for a loan through Kiva, they want to see that your business is real and organized. Separate accounts show that. It also opens the door to something bigger. You begin building a business credit profile alongside your personal credit profile. That means more options later. More flexibility. More confidence in your numbers. From here, tracking becomes more simple. 1. Pull your statements. 2. Look at what came in. 3. Look at what went out. 4. Understand your business your business numbers! If this feels like a lot, pause here.This one step is enough for now. ⬇️ Where are you right now with this? And if something feels stuck or confusing, tell me. We can make this simpler together.

I submitted my second Kiva application this morning, and I did it in half the time it took me last round. If you have not heard of Kiva, here is what makes it special. They offer 0% interest business loans, crowdfunded by everyday people who lend as little as 25 dollars at a time. No interest. No predatory terms. Just community supporting community. They say it takes money to make money, and that is true. But the kind of money matters. Debt at 20% interest can sink a small business before it ever has a chance to scale. A 0% interest loan, fully funded by people who believe in you, is a completely different kind of fuel. My first Kiva loan funded fully thanks to incredible matchers and lenders, and it helped me bring my men's mental health journals to life. This second one will help me scale what is now working. A few things I have learned along the way: -There are good ways to fund a business that do not involve giving away equity or drowning in interest. -Community-backed funding is real, and it works. Since 2005, Kiva has lent over 1.7 billion dollars to 4.3 million borrowers in 94 countries, with repayment rates around 96 percent. -The story you tell matters as much as the numbers. People lend to people. I worked through this application with Claude as my thinking partner, which cut my time in half. I used AI to help me find my voice, organize my thoughts, and draw out the details that make my story land. I highly recommend Claude if you are doing any kind of writing-heavy work. Have you ever lent on Kiva, or used 0% interest funding to grow something? Drop your story in the comments. And if you are curious how it works, ask me anything below.