Entrepreneur's Enigma Podcast

This episode will be posted Tuesday Morning Eastern Time!

Entrepreneur's Enigma album art with stylized picture of guest Marc Smiler. Says: Behind the lens with Marc Smiler: Building A Creative Career From Gigs to Corporate.

🎬 New #EntrepreneursEnigma! Marc Smiler shares his journey from Philly jazz drummer to seasoned cinematographer & founder of Cinex Films. Hear his insights on creativity, entrepreneurship, and the art of storytelling. Listen now for inspiration! 🎥✨ #podcast #entrepreneurship

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— 🥂 Ready to rethink your business as an ASSET and future-proof your founder journey? Drop your biggest “ah-ha” from this thread below! #Entrepreneur #ExitStrategy #MindsetMatters

Full episode: entrepreneursenigma.com/stephaniehayes

10/ Connect with Stephanie on LinkedIn & check out her live podcast sessions for more real talk on wealth, exits, & founder life. (Also: She’s in Vancouver. Yes, it rains a lot. No, not ALL of Canada is snow. 😂)

9/ Want to dig deeper? Steph’s giving away her guide to the 9 types of business assets you can build, no matter your size: stephaniehayes.biz/9-types-of-a.... If you think “I have no assets”—you do. Promise.

8/ What’s behind it all? Self-awareness.
Knowing your strengths, what lights you up, what you dread—it’s the ultimate founder superpower. If you carry one thing into every meeting, every risk, every late night? Make it this.

7/ Diversification isn’t just for your investment portfolio. Founders NEED multiple buckets: consulting, products, services, even private equity plays—so you never have to panic when one income stream dries up. 💡

6/ Real talk: Sometimes, life forces your hand (unexpected diagnoses, burnout, family). That’s why Steph helps founders prep for multiple paths: sell, operational exit, or step away temporarily while still collecting the rewards. #Entrepreneurship

5/ Stephanie’s work is about options, not one-size-fits-all exits:
— “I want out, find a buyer!”
— “Maybe one day—how do I prep?”
— “I love my biz but want a different role.”
It’s OK to design your EXIT around your LIFE.

4/ You have more assets than you realize:
🧩 Frameworks, IP, & content
🤝 Partnerships
👥 Your audience
💼 Book of business
📦 Productized services
📝 Documented ops
Events, brand power, and more…
All of these crank up your valuation.

3/ The wakeup call: Traditional “grow at all costs” advice misses the mark. Instead of constantly chasing marketing tactics, start thinking: What can I build inside my biz that’s sellable? (Spoiler: There are more options than you think!)

2/ Stephanie’s journey? Classic entrepreneur. She came up in software & startups, dove into consulting, built businesses, got burned by life, rebuilt—and then realized: “I want to create assets, not just income.” THAT was a game-changer. 🔑

1/ Ever feel like your business is profitable, but you’re bored, stuck, or just…uninspired? Stephanie Hayes (@StephanieHays) has made a career out of helping entrepreneurs turn viable but “meh” businesses into wealth-building assets. 💸

Entrepreneur's Enigma album art with Stephanie Hayes (the guest) on the cover. Says "Entrepreneur's Enigma" in stylized logo text on the left and on the right it says "Stephanie Hayes Is Your No Nonsense, Yet Friendly, Canadian Business Architect.

🚀 Thread: Feeling Stuck As a Founder? Let's Talk Exit Strategy, Asset-Building & Redefining Success with Stephanie Hayes 👇

Key Tips New Podcasters Often Overlook for Success Discover essential insights for new podcasters to thrive and attract listeners with effective coaching strategies.

In case you missed it!

podcastmastery.coach/this-is-ofte...

#Podcasting #PodcastingTipsTricks #NewPodcasters

Coming up Tuesday on Entrepreneur's Enigma!

I talk with Stephanie Hayes about entrepreneurship and her journey.

This was a fun one!

#Podcast #StephanieHayes #Entrepreneurship #EntrepreneursEnigma

Coming up Tuesday on Entrepreneur's Enigma!

I talk with Stephanie Hayes about entrepreneurship and her journey.

This was a fun one!

#Podcast #StephanieHayes #Entrepreneurship #EntrepreneursEnigma

12/ Ready for more creative inspiration? Hit up 23journeyscreative.com & listen to Thato’s podcast. This is the real, honest grind—and the dream, one day at a time. 🫶🏾

11/ Thato hangs out on LinkedIn & Facebook (gotta go where the brides are!)—and shares lessons for anyone bold enough to step off the corporate treadmill.

10/ Advice to creatives: Build a support squad (shoutout to Mrs. Dadson, the financial brains!). Play to your strengths—and know when to bring in help. “We hired an editor so everyone can shine in their lane.”

9/ Secret weapon? Adaptability. “As an entrepreneur, you really don’t know what tomorrow will bring. Covid wiped out my event biz—but I pivoted into real estate photography & survived.”

8/ But it’s real talk too: “It’s not easy. There are high & low times. What keeps me up at night? Prepping for slow seasons & making sure we have enough in the bank.” 💸

7/ The best thing about being an entrepreneur? “Being my own boss. I get to make the rules, set the standard… I’m building a brand and a business for my family—maybe even something my kids will take over.”

6/ Fast-forward: 23 Journeys is booked year-round for weddings & events; clients come by referral; Thato’s podcast 23Journeys is inspiring other creatives. 🏆 And yes, he’s scooped local awards!

5/ So he took the leap. “Let me try doing a business again. This time I knew how business works—and I had my wife’s support (huge!).” 💪🏾

4/ But the dream of freedom won out. Grueling schedules kept him from his family. “I was never seeing my kids… corporate America chews people up & spits them out.”

3/ Solution: Learn from within. Thato spent 5 years in the marketing division at Verizon. “I learned about time management, receipts, accounting… working for corporate taught me a LOT.”

2/ Thato’s roots in entrepreneurship run deep. His dad—an economics prof—instilled “business, business, business” from day one. But early ventures? “I knew absolutely nothing about business… I wasn’t getting work, I was getting screwed over.” 🤦🏾‍♂️

1/ Ever wondered how creatives break free from corporate and build a thriving business? Meet Thato, award-winning photographer, creative storyteller & co-founder of 23 Journeys LLC.