Seriously Though Podcast

Michael D Manjarrez & Alisa Manjarrez

Welcome to the Seriously Fam! Where modern professionals get serious about creating the life of their dreams and the wealth to go with it. Michael and Alisa are siblings who rarely fought as children, lived together for a short stint, and once even worked at the same office. They’re close. Now with Michael living in Fresno and Alisa living in LA, they use this podcast to chat about what they’re up to in work and life. Seriously though, Michael is a Wealth Adviser and Alisa is a Vision Producer. You can expect Michael to reveal tips to save, manage, and invest your money. Alisa will share best practices on getting clarity on your vision, creating a strategy, and making it happen! read less
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24. How to Find Your Spark and Create Your Path
06-05-2021
24. How to Find Your Spark and Create Your Path
We are all unique beings with unique skills and talents. At some point in your journey through life, someone might have urged you to “find your spark.” But what does this truly mean? Some discover their path early in their lives, while others continue to search in vain. We even doubt ourselves without realizing only we steer our lives. So create what you want to create — and that goes the same with our life journey. In this episode, Alisa talks about her journey toward becoming a Vision Producer. She delves into the story behind finding her spark and eliminating her “shoulds.” She also shares the meaning behind her company's name, The Happy Cactus, and what entrepreneurs can take away from it. If you want to know how you can find your spark, then this episode is for you. Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode Discover what being a vision producer is all about.Find out how getting stuck in the land of shoulds hinders your journey as an entrepreneur.Learn the idea behind being a happy cactus. Resources Beenspiration by GeraldinaMore from Alisa: Happy Cactus Club | @thehappycactusclubMore from Michael: @michaeldm Episode Highlights [00:52] The Impact of the Pandemic The pandemic has highlighted what is important to people.The important answers Alisa got in her conversations are spending time with family, making their home nice, and making sure their time is well-spent.People who have gotten the "entrepreneurship itch" have realized this is an excellent time to start a business. [01:35] Beenspiration It's a podcast all about entrepreneurship by Alisa's friend, Geraldina. Geraldina has a photo booth business in Florida and has an educational background.Geraldina asked the question, “What’s your spark?” to prepare for her interview. [02:13] Find Your Spark Alisa: “When I think about the word ‘spark,’ I think about what lights me up.” As a Vision Producer, Alisa’s job is all about helping people find their spark and do something with it.More than the discovery process, her job is action-based. If you want to eliminate your "shoulds", then you need to get super clear on what you want and what's important to you.What’s important to you? Find your spark! [03:41] Her Job as a Vision Producer Alisa: “If your brain feels like spaghetti, I'm the person that's gonna come and help you take all of your ideas noodle by noodle, and help either separate them or bring them all together.” Alisa is a vision producer at The Happy Cactus, helping women untangle ideas they have in their heads.People who have big visions often think they have too many, and nothing connects. However, many times, everything connects because of who we are. [04:26] Alisa’s Background About a year ago, she was in the corporate world and had been working in executive coaching for almost ten years.   She knew she wanted to be in that world and move up the ranks and eventually become an executive herself. But then, she started getting bored.She didn't want to become a full-time executive coach because there are a lot more things she wanted to do.Working with her coach, she started rediscovering things she loved doing in her career. She discovered it was working with visionary people. [05:26] Alisa’s Journey Toward Becoming a Visionary Producer Tune in to the full episode to find out about Alisa’s first visionary jobs!Throughout her career, she realized that she could help put pieces together for visionary people to make things happen.Her coach compared this to being a producer, which birthed the title, Vision Producer.Here, she brings back her marketing savvy from her corporate experience and thinks above the surface for visionary women. She helps them see the bigger picture.She uses all of her skills in her job to create her path and career.In the future, she would like to have her vision production agency and create other vision producers. [07:24] The Land of Shoulds Alisa: “There are a lot of shoulds that have stopped me along the way.” She always had identity crises because she realized her identity is not about following a specific path. Once she realized that she creates her journey, it gave her permission to continue to create as an entrepreneur.For her, entrepreneurship was not a big vision or choice. It was a realization of who she is.After getting laid off from her corporate job, she got to the point where she had to make it happen for herself. [08:32] The Happy Cactus Her company's name is The Happy Cactus because when she was stuck in her "shoulds," she thought about her cute bunny ear cactus.She owns one that she adored and wanted to post on Instagram. But as months went by, it started growing weird and sometimes ugly ears.One day, while looking outside her patio window, she saw the cactus out there taking all the sun. It’s growing weird ears whenever and however it wants.She realized that the cactus was happy doing what it wanted. And she wanted to be like that happy cactus, growing where she wants to grow and doing things her way.She named her company Happy Cactus as a reminder that there is no path she’s following as an entrepreneur. She’s creating her path as she goes. Alisa: “I was looking outside my patio window and I saw it (Alisa’s bunny cactus) out there in the sun taking it all and growing weird ears whenever it wanted, however it wanted and I thought, you know what? That cactus is so happy. I want to be like that happy cactus.” [10:02] Her Spark The idea of The Happy Cactus: you can be you, and being you is okay.Her spark is knowing that she can create what she wants to create.Everyone can be a happy cactus.Whenever you feel like the weight of the world is on you, remember that if you find your spark, you can create your own life and be happy. Enjoyed this Episode? If you did, make sure to subscribe and share it with your friends! Leave a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning in to the show, then don't forget to leave us a review. You can also share this with your friends. Find your spark, and help others create the life of their dreams and find their own spark! Have any questions? If you have questions for Michael or Alisa (or both of us), please submit them for “Serious Fam Q&A” at seriouslythoughpodcast@gmail.com or @seriouslythoughpod. For more episode updates, visit our website. You may also tune in on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or Spotify.
21. The Bachelor, Goal-Setting & Leaning into Your Strengths
03-02-2021
21. The Bachelor, Goal-Setting & Leaning into Your Strengths
In this episode, Alisa and Michael talk beer (and of course, wine), The Bachelor, and music. Seriously though, Alisa and Michael also share ideas on learning, growing, living in your strengths, and financial goal-setting as an important component of creating your own financial plan. Music Picks:Michael: Classical music all the way, but a bit of Muse here and there pumps him up.Alisa: Anything to slow her down, like Classical Chill on Apple Music or Minimalist Classical. Serious Talking Points: Alisa, thanks to their last episode and the help of her assistant, gained awareness and a realistic view of her money, hopes, and dreams.Financial goal-setting means aligning your dreams, your values, the most important things, with your money over a reasonable amount of time.What do you want to do with your money? What are you saving for? How much do you need to reach your goalsLong-term goals first. Start big, aim high! The intermediate and short term goals will present themselves as you continue to brainstorm.When pursuing your goals, course corrections are inevitable. Not to worry, keep moving forward!“If you aim for nothing, you will hit it everytime!”Join the Strengths Revolution: Imagine a society where your strengths are the focus, where they are fostered and where you could grow and thrive using your natural giftsOne study compared a city in China where people in the workplace focused on strengths to a city in the US where the focus was on weaknesses. Result: people in China were 30% more productive, they were happier and more fulfilled than in the US city. Knowing your strengths can help you grow in areas where you’re naturally gifted.Everyone has a different skill set and set of strengths. Find out what your natural talents are so can use them effectively in your career and life.Want to know your strengths for free? Try the High 5 Strengths Test.Something to look forward to: Alisa is creating a 3-month group experience for modern professionals to live, grow, and learn their strengths starting February 24. Sign up to get the latest info!  If you have questions for Michael or Alisa (or both of us), please submit them for “Serious Fam Q&A” at seriouslythoughpodcast@gmail.com or @seriouslythoughpod. More from Alisa: The Happy Cactus@thehappycactusclub More from Michael: @michaeldm
20. Create The Life Of Your Dreams & The Wealth To Go With It
29-01-2021
20. Create The Life Of Your Dreams & The Wealth To Go With It
Alisa and Michael welcome 2021 by ditching the old intro that included Le Croix (sorry, not sorry) and announcing they’re streaming live in their new Facebook group: Seriously Though | Facebook. The celebratory mood continues as they share how they spent their New Year’s. (Michael donned a suit and had some French champagne while Alisa and their mom bonded over Gilmore Girls and a bottle of Prosecco) Seriously though, this episode is all about how to create the life of your dreams and the wealth to go with it.  Serious Talking Points: Alisa takes a wealth assessment (join Seriously Though | Facebook for the link) to help her learn how to build wealth as an entrepreneur and she learned what type of team she needs to for her businessAlisa talks about using the Wheel of Life Exercise to begin creating the life of your dreams with Michael gladly participating in the activity and revealing which areas of his life he feels most and least satisfied Michael talks about the six areas of wealth you need to know to go along with the life of your dreams (Seriously Though Financial docs) If you have questions for Michael or Alisa (or both of us), you can reach us at seriouslythoughpodcast@gmail.com or @seriouslythoughpod.  Join Seriously Though | Facebook to watch us when we livestream and participate in our discussions and gain access to exclusive content. Follow Alisa @thehappycactusclub and Michael @michaeldm, too!
15. The Truths About Debt & Failure
05-08-2020
15. The Truths About Debt & Failure
Having debt doesn’t make you a failure. Failing doesn’t make you a failure. In this episode, we talk about getting comfortable with our shortcomings so we can learn from them and continue to move forward with our goals. First, what we’re watching on Netflix: Fastest Cars, The Single Wives, Indian Matchmaking, Love on the Spectrum, The Last Dance, The Office (still). Shoutouts: @debtfreesis, @touristyaf & @natnatpena from @thehappycactusclub! 3 Ways to Get Comfortable with Failure Serious Talking points: Michael says educational debt is worth the investment. Do you agree?How your friends and family view your debt and your failuresAlisa’s biggest failure in college and how it affected herThe importance of “balcony” people in your life to cheer you onHow to move forward with failure by acknowledging your fearEmbracing your inner child when it comes to debt and failureIf you want to give generously, you can’t give what you don’t haveKeeping your goals and purpose in mindHow to pay off debt Snowball method: pay your smallest balance off firstAvalanche method: pay your highest interest rate off firstSaving money by staying home! Social media picks:  Michael Jordan’s failures Becoming financially secure If you have questions for Michael or Alisa (or both of us), please submit them for “Serious Fam Q&A” at seriouslythoughpodcast@gmail.com or @seriouslythoughpod. More from Alisa: The Happy Cactus@thehappycactusclub@alisa.coach  More from Michael: Bolt Wealth Management @michaeldm