Mahrukh Imtiaz  

Welcome to the spicy Chai podcast beautiful. Today’s guest is an Aneta Kuzma. And we talk about a lot of stuff. And she’s really badass. And I’m gonna go through all of that during the introduction today. But the main thing for you is three things we talked about is her journey as a podcaster. 

What did she learn? What were some of her struggles? What did she wish she knew before? Then we talked about her journey as a first time best selling author. What are some things she did? Well, what are some things she could have done better? And last but not the least, at the end of the episode, we talk about the struggles. 

Now we know as creators, we get to hear highlights so much. Everyone’s just talking about everything going well. But I asked her that though, to talk about everything she has struggled with and how she overcame that. So tune in. And now we’re gonna go into the episode for you to get all of that gold. All right. 

On to the episode. Welcome to the Spicy Chai Podcast. I’m Mahrukh Imtiaz. I host this podcast and still work a successful and fulfilling nine-to-five. My guests are content creators just a bit ahead of you, you will hear about their struggles and with learn from their mistakes so that you can avoid making them so grab a cup of Spicy Chai. And let’s get started. 

Today’s guest is Aneta Kuzma. She’s the CEO and founder of Vanessa Kuzma group. She’s a wellness consultant. But what’s more impressive is that she hosts a podcast, is active on LinkedIn. She just told me that she has a sold-out a retreat in Italy.

Mahrukh Imtiaz  

And okay, let me not stop there. She is an author of the best selling book Live The Width Of Your Life. And I have it right here with me. Those people who can’t see it does listening. But people who can who are going to watch this video can see I have the book right here, I actually follow this. And best of all, Aneta is a wonderful human being and someone I’m very proud to call my mentee, Welcome to the show Aneta 

Aneta Kuzma  

Thank you, Mahruhk. It’s so wonderful to be here. I love your podcast. And you know, I love you because you are such an amazing mentor to me. And I’ve learned so much from you. Personally, 

Mahrukh Imtiaz  

I appreciate that. I’ll make sure to send you that Venmo after for all.

Mahrukh Imtiaz  

For for those listening. Venmo is just a money transfer thing in case you’re not listening from the US. It’s such a cool app that I have just discovered, but anywho back to the show. So in that the tell us a bit about your story. What got you started? I know you were in corporate for so long, and you’re killing it in corporate as well, like, So why the change? Tell us more? 

Aneta Kuzma  

Yeah, yeah, I spent 25 years in the corporate world I saved for most of my life. I followed all the rules, the unwritten rules, in the written society rules of rules. A Yeah, what success looks like. And then I just got to a place in my life in my 40s I think probably because my kids were older, you know, my husband, and I have a family, we raise two girls. And so I felt like most of my life was like heads down, you just do what you’re going to do. And I had my career and bracing the family and and I forgot to mention that you do all of this while being a mom of two. So wow, badass here, buddy. Let’s continue. Yeah. And so I just got to a stage in my life where I said, you know, what? Is this it? Is this really what I want to do for the next 1520 years? And the answer was no. And so I set off on a place of self discovery, working with a coach myself to say, what do I want my life to look like? How do I design the next chapter to be the best one ever. And

Aneta Kuzma  

I spent about six months doing that and then spent about two years starting to put things into action. When I finally one day said okay, I’m courageous enough to step out to leave the full time gig, you know, the stability and security of a paycheck, and start my own coaching and consulting business. And that’s been almost four and a half years now. And I’ve never looked back it’s been the best one of the best decisions of my life. 

Mahrukh Imtiaz  

I love that and you mentioned so many good things in there. First, you mentioned that you realize something is off so you got help. Now not many people think like that. A lot of people are are in the mindset of I can do this myself. Nothing wrong with that, by the way, but they believe that you know what, I can do this myself. What made you feel like okay, I need a coach right now. And was that a good decision? 

Aneta Kuzma  

Oh, first of all, the best decision ever. We can’t do it alone. I’ve always been one that believed that if you need to do something there are people look to the people that are a few steps ahead of you look to the people who already have expertise in this area and who you can see that they’ve done it themselves. And that’s one of the reasons I hired you of course to help

Aneta Kuzma  

With my podcast, but also in coaching, I’ve always believed in saying this is look to the people that are doing it and get some help and amazing decision because in six months, I was able to do what I hadn’t been able to do up till that point by myself in my own life. 

Mahrukh Imtiaz  

I love that. So what I really liked about your answer is how you mentioned that you always knew that you needed the help. And it’s the best way to go about that. What created that mindset in you? How do you think you went about that? 

Aneta Kuzma  

Yeah, that’s a really good question. Probably I had great mentors. Even in the corporate world, I had leaders who were believed in coaching, who believed in helping and mentoring. And so I think always had that as an example, which is good. And then when I went to grad school, we spent a lot of time working through some of these things with in our classes, and spending time in reflection, working with, you know, my professors. And so I think I had examples, but I hired someone who I trusted, and that I already had a relationship with, because coaching is a very intimate relationship, intimate in the sense that you’re sharing, you are going to be vulnerable, you’re saying, I don’t have the answers myself, things that we don’t always feel very comfortable doing or saying. And so it was important to me to hire someone who I trusted, in addition to them having, you know, done it themselves and have the expertise. 

Mahrukh Imtiaz  

I think that’s that’s gold right there. Right? You have always went after people who are a few steps ahead of you, people who have done everything that you want to do. So you’re very, very clear on what you want to do. So that’s where I want to take us next. How did you know that after corporate wellness consulting, was it for you? 

Aneta Kuzma  

Yeah, it’s such a great question. I didn’t, I haven’t I think the the misnomer that people have is that the answer somehow comes to you downloaded. And then it’s so clear, and you just go through it, but in my own experience and working with So are you saying it’s not like that it’s not download? It’s not like that it’s downloaded in little bits? I think we’re given enough. But for me, it was we started, you know, first identifying what are my core values? Who am I? What are the things that are important? What are the skills that I already have that experiences that I have? What are the passions, the things that light me up. So I knew that wellness was something I was very passionate about, I practice meditation, I did yoga, throughout my corporate world, it was a way for me to be able to, to raise my children, you know, and to deal with some of the stress of being able to do it all. So I knew that that was helpful for me. So I, I started to just explore and pull on some of those threads. So I went through yoga teacher training to say, Hmm, this is interesting, I’m interested in it, I don’t know how I’m going to apply it or what I’m going to do with it. But I’m still going to take the step and trust that I’m going to get some answers. And so I felt my way into these things. And over time, it just starts to expand and you’re able to find some information, I would say try things and see if you like it, there are things that you think you should naturally be doing that you’re that we are good at. And we can even make really good money at. But if it doesn’t feel right, and it doesn’t something that lights you up, you don’t have to do it. Like that’s still really good information. And so I felt my way into these things. And I started broad and I started getting more specific. And now I feel like I’m expanding and diversifying even more. But under this umbrella of coaching and wellness, consulting, and just energy modalities that help people. 

Mahrukh Imtiaz  

I think that’s so well said, because one thing that I have always witnessed about you is you’re someone that makes decisions, whether they be good decisions, whether they be bad decisions, you don’t care, you just make those decisions. And I in my like years of solopreneur ship side hustling, I feel like that’s what the most important skills you can have is you just got to make the decision not worry about whether it’s a good one or a bad one. I think that’s what you did. Even when you didn’t know the answer. You were not stuck in analysis and paralysis. Is this good? Is this? No. Should I do this or not? You’re just like, Alright, let me just try yoga. Let me try this. Let me try that. And I bet there were some things that you were like, ooh, that’s not for me. You know, this is not my thing. But the reason you were able to move forward is because you were able to make those decisions and be like, this is for me, I do like this. I do enjoy this. I might not enjoy every part of it. But I enjoy doing this overall. And I love that and that’s something that I’m repeating for everyone listening is just when they’re in that they so much analysis paralysis happens when the easiest thing to do is just make a decision. And I think it was Tom bill you that said you’d rather go 90 miles an hour in the wrong direction than not make any decision because at least then you’re learning a lot faster. Would you agree with that? 

Aneta Kuzma  

 I would agree with that. I love that and also, it just brings to mind find that stagnation in, I always look to nature to get good answers in nature, if something is stagnant, it will die, right? We don’t want old water, we don’t want that. And so in our own life when we are stuck, I always tell someone, take one tiny little step, take a step to get off of where you are, now create a little bit of movement, create a little bit of motion. And maybe that goes to the Tom thing. Even if, if you go and you’re like, that didn’t like my word fire, right? Yeah, that’s information that’s good. You’re no longer stuck, you have more information. And I do believe in following the energy. We know when something lights us up, whether it’s at work, or personally or professionally, we feel it. And I do think that so much of the answers are there if we pay attention to them. 

Mahrukh Imtiaz  

I completely agree. I think all the answers are always within us. It’s just we need to like be able to trust ourselves. But the trust comes from taking action. You can’t trust yourself when you don’t take any action. When you do you start almost being like, Oh, I did this, I can do this. Completely agree. And I just kind of want to take a tangent right now. And ask you, well, you were doing all these, like, really awesome things. So you were calling in a corporate, you’re like that, wasn’t it for me. I’m gonna try my hands into coaching, you got to coach and all of that was working? Why did you decide to add podcasting to the mix? 

Aneta Kuzma  

Ah, I love people. Like, I think one of the things that I know about myself is I really love people. And I love people’s stories. I love intimate discussions, hearing what makes people tick. I love learning from other folks. And I just think that the pot podcast realm is so beautiful, because we get to have this intimate discussion. But with permission that we allow other people in, and I assume podcast, I love listening to so many podcasts, yours and others. And I always leave feeling better, more informed, more excited and engaged and inspired. And so I started my podcast because I’m like, you know, if I really believe in this theme, and I do in this brand of live the width of your life, I want to share stories of my clients of everyday people who are taking courageous action, who are deciding to step out in faith, even though when they’re fearful, right and make some new changes in their life. Because that’s how we get inspired. We know the celebrity stories, but it’s the everyday people who are choosing to do something that seems maybe a little unorthodox, or something that they didn’t even think was within them. That is really inspiring to all of us. And so I love being a part of that. So that’s why I decided to start the podcast. 

Mahrukh Imtiaz  

And you know, you’re absolutely right. It’s we’re so used to listen to celebrity stories, we don’t listen to the everyday life stories. But I in so many ways, there’s so much more relatable, right? Because going through the same things as I am, oh my God, and and they are also doing some badass things, right? It’s not like they’re doing some ordinary things. You’re like, how did this person do this? So how are they kind of doing all of this stuff that we all kind of want to do. And it kind of goes back to what you said earlier is always finding people two steps ahead. And that’s kind of what your podcast brings to people, right? It’s like, Here are people who are a couple of steps ahead of you, you don’t have to worry about looking at the Rihanna ‘s of the world or the Beyonce phase, you know, go Beyonce, but like, you know, you can just look at people who are just a couple of steps ahead and killing it, and actually happy in their life, which is a term that not many people can use confidently, right. And it’s a sad reality. But feeling that kind of happiness and peace in your life, while doing something that you love is very rare. 

Aneta Kuzma  

Yeah, it is. And it doesn’t need to be like that’s the thing is you can make little changes in your life that you know, daily choices that align to the values and the things that are most important. And that’s how you create more joy. That’s how you drive more happiness in life. And and I’ll say the other thing too, about podcasting. And you know, this is that, when we’re in this space, in this sort of safe container, we ask questions or probe a little bit deeper that we don’t normally do in everyday conversations. So I’ve talked to people that I’ve known for years, and I learned something new in their story. And then it’s almost like shame on me for never having asked the questions that would sort of elicit this type of a response. So it’s actually changed how I approach just my relationships with everybody and the types of questions I ask because when asked, people share, people are willing to share and talk about their experiences. We just don’t ask good enough questions sometimes in our everyday life. I love that. You mentioned that so much because it’s so true. And it’s something that I almost take for granted like being a podcast host it does make you a bet.

Mahrukh Imtiaz  

A listener, because you are now listening very intently to the other person versus being like, Oh, let me just talk about me. And I think you’re absolutely right. When you become a better listener, you start asking better questions, because you’re actually paying attention to what the other person is saying. And then your curiosity brain is just like firing. And you just kind of want to ask more and more questions that most people have questions about, right? It’s like, but you finally start tapping that part. And I agree, like I would give my podcast a lot of credit for that, too, is for me, out of nowhere, people are like, Oh, my God, you’re such a great conversationalist. Or I always feel really good when I talk to you. And it’s just for me, I always want to say it’s because of a podcast host. You know, it’s like, I almost want to say that, but like, you know, it’s just It’s true, though, right? Because it’s like, yeah, you start becoming more and more curious, you start becoming a better coach, you started becoming a better friend, you start becoming a better human. And you’re absolutely right. The people aspect is something that personally I have loved. I’ve met people that I would never think I would meet or be connected to, or been open to people like listening to me and telling me like you were one of them, how much you enjoy my podcast. And that’s something that I was like, Whoa, that happens. This, this world exists. And again, for people who are a bit more normal, and not celebrities, it’s a cool thing to have 1000 people listening to you. And it’s like having a roomful of 1000 people just right now. And it’s just, it’s crazy, if you think about it, so true. And I love that your word curiosity, because I do think that that that helps bring us to elevate our thinking or listening and our questioning to a whole other level when we just get to that place where we’re curious. Just love it. Love it. And so we’ve talked about all the like, things that have really worked with you for podcasting, right, like you really enjoyed it. Let’s get into like, what are some fears that you’ve had when you started your podcast? Like when you had your first recording session? Did you have any, were you a pro, tell us a bit more about that. 

Aneta Kuzma  

Now, it’s still evolving you know, I knew my motivation. And my intention was good. So that was probably what propelled me to just start, I gave myself about a month to figure it out, and to start all the logistical things. But I think I’m still working through my style, the interview questions. And also a big part of it is, the more you do it, the more comfortable you are to just be so fully present in the moment and trust that I get to edit this afterwards if I need to, or you know, being reassuring the guests that it’s okay, let’s allow this to be very conversational, because that’s what people want. Nobody wants to stream a scripted conversation. And I feel like, over time, the things that you and I have been working on is okay, how do you put the things in place that you need to in order to make sure people find your podcast? How do you set yourself up for success? How do you share that you’ve recorded the podcast so people can find it easily. So some of those things are things I’m still working through, obviously, with you, but also, you know, working through is just continue to increase viewership, and, and to make sure that the people find the topics and the different guests entertaining, and that they’re topics that are relevant, right. 

Mahrukh Imtiaz  

And thank you for mentioning all of that. Because a lot of times when people start a podcast or anything of that nature, they just kind of assumed that, you know, it’s all fun and games, right? Oh, yeah. Like, you know, it’s so easy just to get behind a mic record, and boom, next day, you’re gonna become famous, or you’re gonna make a million dollars in three months. And I think the reality is, and unfortunately, a lot of podcast coaches sell that, right. They sell that illusion, which I mean, from the beginning, I’ve been very, very honest. I’m like, this stuff is hard work this stuff, right? He takes time. Is it 100% worth it? For me? A hell yes. You know, but when you do it the right way. And everything you said was so spot on. And, you know, you were saying it, like you’re kind of on a journey, figuring it out, right? And that’s what it is. And I’m still figuring it out. And I’m two years in, right? And I’m just like, oh, maybe I want to do this more. Or maybe you know, when I pivot like this, or maybe I want to do that, and it makes your messaging clear to yourself. I don’t know if that happened to you. But for me, it happened. I’m like, Oh, this is what I want to target. This is what I want to talk about. And then I realized, Oh, this is always gonna happen. My podcast is always gonna evolve, and it’s going to help me evolve. But so many people get into it saying, oh, I should know exactly what it should be. I should know what my style should be. I should know what my interview questions should be. And I’m like the why. That’s the whole point of it is to discover what works for you. What works for your audience. And you know, a lot of times people take feedback, whether it be downloads or likes and stuff negatively. They’re like, Oh, you know, either it’s working really well for them or it’s not and I’m like, but it’s still feedback. It’s telling you it is

Mahrukh Imtiaz  

Something  is working or not. And if it’s not, that’s great feedback. Because you get to pivot, you get to work through it, you get to get better. I think all of it’s exciting for me too. Like if one of my podcast episodes just completely fails, I’ve never thought of it like, oh, that that shouldn’t what did it like? What happened? What brought what went wrong? I’m always like, Well, that was a fun, I’m recording. I wonder why it didn’t resonate, you know? So it’s, it’s just a cool feedback loop. And it’s just so important. Change your mindset around the numbers and the things because everyone’s listening. 

Mahrukh Imtiaz  

And it’s actually so interesting. I don’t know if this has happened to you. But sometimes the things that you feel like you’re recorded that suck, get the most downloads, and then it’s the vice versa thing you put so much effort in. Do you agree? 

Aneta Kuzma  

Yes, I totally agree. It’s always interesting to see what the responses and it’s exciting to be the ones that people really connect with. But before I started, something that I thought was kind of fun, and it talks about this evolution, is I went to all the podcasts that I listened to, like religiously, and I listened to their very first podcasts, and I listened. And I call it like, the first pancake. You know, the, anytime you make pancakes, the first one is, it’s not right, it’s long, it might be a little burned, it’s not, but you need to get through that in order to get better. And so going back and listening to all of these different podcast episodes, showed me the growth and the potential over time. And so I thought, okay, so that worked for all these other folks, it’s going to work for me too. And of course, I put something out those professional and, you know, use the equipment, like there’s table stakes, of course, but over time, you should expect that you get better. And you should expect that it’s fun. I mean, if fun. And if it’s not playful along the journey, people are going to know that they’re going to pick up on the energy or they won’t, and really do believe that. And so it has to be a sense of curiosity yourself throughout the process, and then using the signs using the data and making adjustments as needed. And also, I talked to my community, I survey my community that I was doing episodes initially every week, and they’re like, I love listening to him, and I want to listen to him. But I listened to six, seven, you know, total podcasts, I think, which is the average person listens to about seven. They said, you know, do it every other week, and do some solo episodes, they want to hear directly from me. So that is just really good information. And then I’ve been able to incorporate that based on their feedback. I love that. I love that and that you were able to just be like, 

Mahrukh Imtiaz  

Alright, cool. Let me let me switch it up versus like, should I should I not all that. I remember it being a quick conversation, and then you switch. And again, whether it works or not, you’ll find out. Right, right. It’s like you take the decision and you take the action, then you’re like, Alright, let’s see if this works. And if it does, great. And if it doesn’t all good. You said something really interesting there. You said that, you know, I kept asking my community for feedback. Do you mind diving into how you went around about doing that? 

Aneta Kuzma  

Yeah, when I first decided I was going to do a podcast, I surveyed them. And it was, you know, just like, hey, I want to launch a podcast. And I asked for the length of time that they liked for podcasts. Was that like a mailing list? Or was that like it was a group? Oh, it was through my email community. So in my newsletter, I send out every week, email community, these are the people that I connect with, I speak with all the time, and also my meditation group, I meet with a meditation group six days a week, every morning. So between them in my email community, I feel like those are my tribe, those are the people that are like I’ve selected in and I want to be part of this community. So I did a survey and it was like, length of time topics, you know, time of day, those types of things, things that were more logistical in nature one it was to inform them that this was coming, but to to also allow them to feel like they were part you know, part of the discussion and the process. And then after I did it for a while and went back out was like what do you think? And that was very helpful too. Because the in of course, there’s people reaching out just on their own that were like, Hey, do every other this is I love them all, but I can’t keep up with the weekly content. So that’s what I did. And that that seems to work for me with me for a lot of things that I do, as you mentioned, including my, my Italy retreat, which Yeah, and I didn’t even post it on social media. Like I didn’t even have to do that. I love that. 

Mahrukh Imtiaz  

Tell us more about that Italy retreat, totally taking a tangent, but we’re about it all.

Aneta Kuzma  

Um, so this September, I’m going to we’re going to go to Tuscany. And one of the things I made when I worked with my coach created a vision statement for my life, which is like, here’s what I want in my business, my personal life, and I love travel. I love good food. I love people. I love languages. I love culture, like all of that is so important to me. And I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to travel with my family

Aneta Kuzma  

And so I said I want to provide people under this sort of living the width of your life, this these experiences and I want to guide people and bring people that maybe wouldn’t do this on their own. And so it’s a retreat in Tuscany, I rented not one, but two villas, because so much interest that I had to get to houses. And they are exactly as I pictured in my mind, these beautiful historic villas with, you know, overlooking olive groves and vineyards, and we’re going to do daily yoga and meditation and breath work and coaching sessions, and then take excursions that really connect us to the earth to the people to the language, we’re gonna have a local chef come in and cook food that is all natural, that is, you know, farm to table and create this container of community where people can reflect and participate together and really grow. And so, yeah, it’s in September, and I am so excited, I reached out just to my small group of, you know, quote, active coaching clients, my meditation group, I didn’t even actually put it in the newsletter to the broader team. And it sold out in like, a week. So I love him. So, so blessed. Yeah, and so excited. 

Mahrukh Imtiaz  

I am so excited for you. And I think the the one thing that you always do is you always show up for them. So you don’t even have to reach out to your broader community, like, you know, via a book, you can you’re gonna create a book via your podcast, via your content, like, you know, your, you are showing up for your audience consistently, without really asking for anything back to be very honest, right. That’s why we create contents, like we’re giving them so much value, and it’s just a testament to how much work you’ve put in with them, and how much trust you’ve gained throughout the years. They’re like, Yeah, I’m in, please. Aneta that take me take me there. So that’s amazing. And I must have done it must have felt great. 

Aneta Kuzma  

It feels amazing. It’s so humbling. And I don’t take any of it for granted. I really don’t. And I do of course, because I know, people are trusting me, this is a big investment. It’s a big, you know, time commitment as well, like, it’s going to be one of these like, should be a once in a lifetime experience. And I really want to make it that for people. And, and that’s what I do. It’s why I do what I do. I mean, I I didn’t leave corporate to do anything, but to be able to serve and to be able to create, you know, beautiful experiences and content and, and help people transform in their lives through all the different ways that I do that. And, and that’s what keeps it so entertaining. And fun for me too, is just to say, how else can I grow? How else can I challenge myself so that I can bring all that knowledge and content back to my community? 

Mahrukh Imtiaz  

Yeah, I love that. And you know what we’ve spoken about, like, you know, your best selling book, we’ve talked about your podcast, doctor, your content, now you’re sold out retreat in Italy. And you know, a lot of people listening to this, they might believe that it’s all been up, up, up and all success for you. And you know, I’m all about being authentic and being like, No, you know what this journey hasn’t struggles and it can be hard. So would you mind sharing some of the struggles you go through on a daily basis, or some things that big that has happened that you would like to share with them just to kind of show them the reality of the other side as well?

Aneta Kuzma  

Oh, my gosh, yes, of course, you only see the right highlight. Yeah, lights, right. Yeah. You know, I write and I journal every single day. And so I’ve been tracking, even like from the time that I decided I was going to leave corporate to now. So it’s been like six years longer. And I write every morning. And going back, I will find you know, we have these like peaks and valleys. And I find so many of the same sort of mindset challenges or fears that we have that are very ingrained in us that have developed over many years that I have to work on all of the time. The reason I spend so much time in self care in my morning routines in the things that work for me, is because I need to, I need to challenge myself all the time to say that it’s not true. This thought is not true. This energy is not good. So I would say mindset, overcoming fears is consistent. I don’t see that ever going away. I mean, I think you know, maybe when I’m gone from this earth, then you know, it’ll cease. But I think that as long as we’re alive and we’re breathing, those are some of the things that can really bring us down. When I first started off, I I did a lot of work that was consulting that was still tight what I did at the bank, I did digital banking, consulting, not because that’s was what I wanted to do, but I knew that that was the bridge that I needed in order while I was still developing my coaching business and trying to get more experiences. And so that was something one of those things. Well, I could do this and I can make money and I’m good at it and I’m going to

Aneta Kuzma  

Pouring everything to that experience, but it’s not what lights me up. And so, you know, I did that while I was still developing and growing my business. And I think people need to know that that’s okay for you to do the things that you’re good at, if it’s not necessarily, you know, you can’t jump in day one and expect everything to be fully developed.

Aneta Kuzma  

What else I think the other thing too, is just being patient with yourself, you know, as an entrepreneur, you are moving from getting a paycheck every two weeks, or whatever it looks like. And so really focusing in on developing what I needed to run the business like a business. And so pulling in all the things that I remember from MBA school, and from my corporate career to say, you know, how do I create the right cash flow? How do I make sure that I don’t feel like I need to jump or go Do you know, go back to the corporate world, those are things that are really real. And I’ve tried to launch a group coaching program that nobody signed up for. So there are plenty of times you try to launch some part of it. There’s not it’s part of it, there’s not an interest and you go, okay, maybe it was the delivery, maybe it was the timing, maybe it was me, whatever it was, yeah, I can revisit that. And I’ve done a lot of I will say, I’ve done a lot. And I still continue to do, I’ve done a lot of pro bono work. Because I knew that that was going to be a way to develop my confidence, and then also get developed relationships so that I could turn this into a meaningful part of my business. And so there’s a lot of that that’s hard work. That’s not always easy. I did that during COVID. And that’s how I started doing wellness consulting for companies. I created content, program, a luncheon, learn that was free on building resilience, and empowering people to create routines, while we’re going through all of these macro conditions that were really scary and challenging. And I showed up, I reached out to the companies. And then as a result of doing that, with no money coming in from any of that time, then in the third quarter people reaching out and saying, Hey, we really enjoyed that. And we’d like to bring you back, can you do something different? And, and so those are all just things that sometimes you have to go through, and you have to test and learn and try and you have to stay steady and show up for yourself every single day. I love that there’s so much gold in everything you just said, 

Mahrukh Imtiaz  

Thank you for like saying that’s authentically, it’s so true. Because you’re right, you just kept showing up. Just like taking that pro bono work showing up reaching out. Again, people kind of see you as the best selling author or podcast host mom sold our retreat. But it’s so important to see that you’ve gone through a lot of mindset challenges, because doubt, for me at least it’s an everyday thing. Like every day one or the other thing there’s that I’m doubtful about. And I’ve been doing this for years, you know, and you’re like, oh, there’s something else that creeps in some person some comments and posts that you’re like, Oh, can I can I really do this? So it’s such a like, regular part of your day when you’re constantly challenging yourself. And a lot of people go like, Well, how do you do this? And you’re like, really, you just kind of keep going, you kind of keep showing up just like what you mentioned, you’d show up in different ways you show up in different areas. And like you said, a failed launch doesn’t say anything much more than that. It’s just feedback. Okay, this doesn’t work. Cool. Let me try a different way. Maybe it was me. Maybe it was mannered you maybe it wasn’t the right people, maybe it wasn’t the right time. It could be so many different things, people and a lot of times I’ve had my entrepreneur friends who have had a fatal fail launch, and then they’re just gonna be like, Oh, this isn’t for me. I’m done. And I’m just like, that’s just one failed launch. You know, how many failed launches? I’ve had? Like, you know,

Mahrukh Imtiaz  

I’m pretty sure I’ve had more failed launches and you the new successes you’ve had, like, you know, it’s just kind of like one of those things that you’re, you kind of almost have to wear as a badge of honor. Kind of like, yeah, I’ve done this.

Mahrukh Imtiaz  

I love that. Thank you for saying all of that. I do want to talk about your book, because I know that it’s something that you’re very proud of. It’s something I love. So tell me like with everything that was going on in your life, you know, your coaching, your consulting, your retreats, your podcast, you decide to add a book. You don’t start like you didn’t have enough going on, you know.

Mahrukh Imtiaz  

So tell me what was your thinking behind that? Why And What is this book done for you? 

Aneta Kuzma  

Oh my gosh. So I’ve always wanted to write a book. So I think from the youngest ages, like I say, I’m a self proclaimed nerd. I love to read I love to write I always wanted to write a book. I just didn’t know what I was going to write about. And I think it was became evident that I was definitely going to write nonfiction and in my adult life, and what I saw repeatedly with my clients, and was that many

Aneta Kuzma  

I’m read lots of self help books, we might we all have shelves full of books that we read, And we consume the information. But the challenge is that we don’t apply it. We take the free seminar, we go to these conferences, we don’t apply it. And yet, I know that when we take something that the information and we apply it every single day, even if it’s just a little bite sized piece, we get better every day. 1% better, right, like James clear, says, and in my own personal life, I every morning is part of my morning routine. I have books that right behind me that I pull, and I read I love to read from his daily stoic, I love from reading journey to the heart, you know, there are books that I read that it’s like one page that then I journal about, or I think about I reflect, and that always put a positive mindset in for me. And so because I was creating so much content all the time, and I was naturally creating content that I wanted to inspire people to uplift them. One day, I just said, my book is actually going to be a daily meditation. So it is live the width of your life 365 daily meditations and living with purpose, passion and peace. And because I wanted to be the book that people kept on their coffee table, when in the morning with their coffee, or next to their bed when they first wake up or go to bed. And you know, they read it, and they hear my little voice telling them something good, something inspiring. And so I created the book, each month has a different theme, January starting new beginnings dreaming again, February goes into like self service. So there’s a theme every day has a quote, it’s got a little post, you know, one page, and then there’s a challenge or a journal prompt, something that you can take action on that every day, if you follow along, by the end of the year, you will be transformed. You should be a different person, you will have gone through all these things. And you don’t have to read it every day, you can skip ahead. There’s some people that want to read it in one setting and now have come back. Some people just go hey, what’s today, you know, kind of almost like opening it up and saying what’s the message for today? It doesn’t matter. Because I do think that the right message finds the people at the right time. And so that’s why I wrote the book. And I was so pleased because it did launch in many categories at number one in

Aneta Kuzma  

Which felt amazing thing. And we did have a book launch that you were at. And you encouraged me to do that. Because that’s going back to the mindset stuff I didn’t want to brag about and everyone’s like, No, you wrote a book, you have to kind of promote it.

Mahrukh Imtiaz  

Yeah, yeah. And it’s that’s one of those things. When you’re doing so many different things in your life, you kind of almost don’t want to stop and celebrate you. Yeah, what is so like, ready to just move on to the next step? And I’m just like, nope, let’s pause, let’s celebrate this big milestone. And then we can do all the other things that life has for us. No, I remember first reading the book. And I was like, This is amazing. It’s like a journal. It really is. It’s like a daily journal. And it gives you the prompts, and it makes you feel good. It’s like, you know, almost like being on a calm app, you know, but it’s like, it’s like literally there. That’s how I always thought of it. So it’s on on my coffee table. And so tell me more like how do you think your podcast came into play with your book? How did you utilize your podcast with the book launch, 

Aneta Kuzma  

Definitely did a book launch on the podcast, on your phone, and you helped facilitate and coordinate all that, which was wonderful, because I invited people from yesterday and it was so amazing to see folks show up with their copy of the book and talk about their favorite this was in January. So talk about their favorite reading from that day, or something later on that they read and why and in hearing them read it, you know the words. It’s, it’s, um, I can’t even describe what it’s like to have somebody else read your words and to know you wrote them, but I also it, but I do know that I was like a vessel in the writing like it was. There’s always a muse or inspiration in anything that we create. But it just was amazing and beautiful. And so humbling. And like I said, just I don’t take any of that for granted. Yeah. 

Mahrukh Imtiaz  

And I remember like being at the book launch. And, you know, you just had this like, peaceful look. Like it was like, This is all my work that you know, it’s just it was like happy, glowing, peaceful look. And I was just like, you could tell you weren’t like this flow state. And almost like you were right. And there were times when you were like, oh, yeah, I wrote that. Like that was like a expression. But yeah, you did. And people were just talking about how much it has helped them already. And we were already only in January at that time. You know, and I mean, for me, I’m the kind of person who skips through pages all the time. So I still do that. But I still love being able to open the book, open in a certain page and just be like, Oh, I’m going to just read this today.

Mahrukh Imtiaz  

And it takes like five seconds, which is the best part. It’s not a big investment, which is, which is what I have really, really loved about it. So I am really, really enjoying the book. I enjoy listening to your podcast. So tell tell me more about what’s next for you. You’re doing so many crazy things. There’s the Italy retreat, doing all this cool stuff. What is next for Netta? 

Aneta Kuzma  

Yeah, what is next is definitely going to be creating a group program, a group class around live the width of your life, which really takes all of the things that I do for my one on one clients, the podcast, the book itself, and doing it in a way that’s digestible every week, there’s so much power in community, and when we’re able to gather together with other people, and be able to share, and so I’m finding it with one group already. And that’s something that I’ll be launching soon. So I do have resources that are available to your listeners, of course, and in ways that they can continue to work with me, but yeah, it’s um, I always say, you know, I’ve got a plan, but I was leave a little room for magic, because you never know what inspiration can come your way. And so yeah, and then imagine, allow that to come in. Yeah, absolutely. 

Mahrukh Imtiaz  

And, you know, like, that’s, that’s what I’ve loved about our relationship. And our conversation today is, you know, we are talking about the highlights, but we talk about the struggles, we talk about how it is always about sprinkling the magic showing up I think showing up is sprinkling that magic. And one of my friends Erin Baker, they always say it’s like planting magic beans, not planting seeds. I love that love that. And I was just like, that’s so true. Every time you show up, you showing up to my podcast as a guest, you know, you launching your book, you launching your podcast, you doing your retreat, you doubling the retreat numbers, all of that is sprinkling, sprinkling all of that even your pro bono work was sprinkling those magic beans, like I say, thanks to Erin Baker. But yeah, it’s, it’s one of those things that you just helped. And then out of nowhere, everything starts working well together, there’s always obviously lows, but everything just starts to come together. Because you’re just in the mindset of I can do this, I am here to succeed. And I’m here to help others and serve others. And when you come from a place of service, which is so clear in your work, the way you show up in your podcast, the way you show up on your book, The way you’ve done everything, you’ve come from a place of service, people can sense that energy. So thank you for showing up. And before I get to my final question, can you tell everyone listening today where they can find you? 

Aneta Kuzma  

Of course, of course. So the easiest way is to go to my website, and that’s anetakuzma.com/spicychai, I have a page dedicated for this community.

You can work with me, I have a lot of free resources and access to programs and services as well as the book and the podcast and anything else. All my social channels are the links are included there as well. So I think that’s probably the easiest way. And I know Mahrukh you’ll include that link in the show notes so people can get the right spelling for that. 

Mahrukh Imtiaz  

Yeah, absolutely. Awesome. All right. So final question for you today. If there was one piece of advice that you could give to Aneta when she was burnt out and corporate, ready to leave, and start her Wellness Consulting journey? What would that one piece of advice be for her? 

Aneta Kuzma  

What is it it’s even better than you can even think or imagine? Would you allow any of your fears or doubts to stop you from what is possible? And that I think is the prompt I think about all the time whenever it gets hard. I’m like if it gets even better than I can even think or imagine might drop 

Mahrukh Imtiaz  

I love it. Love it. Love that so much what if it’s better than you can ever imagine? All right, well, thank you so much for being a guest today. And I learned so much some of my main takeaways really were about showing up showing up authentically, we talked about the podcast, we talked about your book, we talked about your journey from corporate to a badass woman, mom, entrepreneur, everything. So thank you so much for everyone listening. If Aneta has inspired you today, definitely go check out that page where she has so many cool resources for you. And until next time, you got this beautiful, 

Mahrukh Imtiaz  

Well beautiful it is my hope that this podcast inspired you to create your own podcast. Remember, you don’t have to quit your nine to five to do it. And if you found value in this podcast, you’re gonna love my free training video on how you can get started today. DM me the word Spicy Chai on LinkedIn and I’ll send it over to you. until then lots of love from your favorite. You got this beautiful!