Never Quit On a Bad Day: Phebe Trotman's Inspirational Shift from Soccer to Network Marketing

And then it continues, and you may not see that impact right away.

However, it is a huge impact and it continues to impact other people.

SPEAKER_00: What's up, my friend, and welcome to Grit Grace Inspiration.

I'm your host, Kevin Lowe.

Twenty years ago, I awoke from a life-saving surgery only to find that I was left completely blind.

And since that day, I've learned a lot about life, a lot about living, and a lot about myself.

And here on this podcast, I want to share those insights with you.

Because, friend, if you are still searching for your purpose, still trying to understand why, or still left searching for that next right path to take, well, consider this to be your stepping stone to get you from where you are to where you want to be.

What's up and welcome back into the podcast?

You are joining me for episode number 227.

So if you've been around the podcast for more than a week or two, you know that I've been pushing the newsletter really hard, trying to get you to get on the list, to take this podcast to the next level by becoming a great grace and inspiration insider, which that means you get to receive my weekly midweek pick-me-up.

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Do that by heading over to Graceinspiration.com slash insider or check out the link inside of today's show notes.

So on tap for today, I am chilling in the studio with a woman named Phoebe Trotman.

Phoebe is absolutely awesome.

She is a woman who I met for the first time and immediately knew, oh my gosh, I gotta have her on the show because I love her energy.

I love the smile in her voice as she just shares her story.

Her story is really interesting from parents from Barbados who would move to America and then ultimately move to Canada, where Phoebe grew up.

A big part of Phoebe's story is soccer.

And she's one of those who reminds me that sometimes it's more than just a sport.

It's more than just an activity.

It's more than something that just children do.

No, it's life.

Because Phoebe Trotman found life in the sport of soccer.

And oh my gosh, was it a match made in heaven?

Because Phoebe Trotman would go on to become a highly, highly decorated soccer player to the likes of so many different awards that I won't even begin to rattle them off.

But I'm talking big time.

But what's amazing though about Phoebe is the fact that she finally realized that maybe it was time for her to spread her wings.

And she figured out that she didn't have to separate it.

Separate her life playing soccer from maybe a new chapter in her life.

Maybe she could take the lessons she had learned in all of those years playing soccer and put them into action in business.

And well, darn it, that is what Phoebe has done.

And she's not just stopped there, no, she's become a published author with her amazing book that you will get to hear all about.

It's called Never Quit on a Bad Day.

So if you are ready to be inspired, if you are ready, just smile as you listen to a woman whose sunny disposition just radiates through her voice.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, this is the podcast for you.

I cannot wait to introduce you to today's cast.

Here is my interview with Phoebe Drop.

SPEAKER_01: So the saying never quit on a bad day, what it means to me is to keep going.

We know, like with life, there are a lot of curveballs, there's a lot of bumps in the road on your journey to wherever and whatever you're looking to accomplish in life.

And so never quit on a bad day means just to keep going, to keep pushing forward, to embrace the challenges, knowing that they're helping you grow and they're to help you become who you're destined to be in terms of a person and pushing through it.

So every time I hear the saying, I think of the saying, I see the same, it just for me it's a reminder to keep moving forward step by step.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I love it so much.

Where do you feel like that type of mindset comes from?

Because that's not a mindset that everybody has.

SPEAKER_01: True enough.

Well, I think the mindset has come over years and years of uh life, really, in some ways.

Because I mean, I heard that saying a long, long time ago.

And and when I look back over life, that has been sort of an underlying motto for me, whereas, you know, there are have been challenges, which I'm sure everybody can, you know, nod their head when you say, Have you had setbacks along your way to accomplishing goals and dreams?

And I think everyone can kind of nod their head with that.

And so with having that, and just I'm a big believer in personal growth and personal development and just realizing how when I look back over some of those setbacks, they were actually setups for new things.

And it really did push me forward in in a lot of ways.

Sometimes it was very uncomfortable.

A lot of times it was very uncomfortable, but it did help me move forward and grow into the person who I am now.

And had I not had some of those struggles and challenges and detours, if you will, I'm not sure what life would look like.

And so when you take time, I think as people, if we can look back over those challenges and kind of look for what was the lesson in them or what happened as a result of that challenge, or who did we grow into as a result of that challenge, it does prepare us for challenges and just to realize really and truly how strong we are.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I absolutely love that so much.

Now, talk to me about soccer, because soccer obviously is a big part of your story.

And so I'm kind of curious to know where did the love, the passion for playing soccer begin.

SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it started really because my older brother, so my older brother's four years older, and he played soccer first.

And so I was kind of the little sister that ended up going to all his games with my parents.

You know, I was there on the sideline, kind of sometimes playing in the playground, a lot of times with a soccer ball on the sideline as well, too.

And so I asked my parents, I was like, I want to play too.

And so I started off playing at uh five years old.

I actually played on all boys' team to start, and I just fell in love with it.

I think it was the competition.

I have, you know, as I said, an older brother, I have a lot of older cousins.

And so I was used to playing and being competitive in all different sports and games and things like that.

And so here was a chance for me to continue on with that competitive edge and just I loved it.

And from there, it just kind of became what I did and I continued playing, and I've still play to this day as well.

It's just something that I enjoy doing.

Really, this the sport and really the teamwork as well, too, and just having a chance, the connections.

And, you know, I look back again over the journey as an athlete, and there's so many life skills that you learn as an athlete that just translates into life.

And I think with the saying never put on a bad day, that really is a part of my journey as an athlete too.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I love that.

Now, for soccer, I mean, because you correct me if I'm wrong, I mean, you I know you live in Canada, so I'm assuming things are a little bit different, but but I mean, you went pro with soccer, correct?

SPEAKER_01: I did, yeah.

So at the time, the highest league was considered semi-pro at that time.

So yeah, I had an amazing opportunity to play.

I actually played the league was in Canada as well as in the United States.

And so I did go down and play one season down in Colorado, and then I continued my pro career up here in Vancouver.

And I'm just grateful for the opportunity to be able to, you know, continue to do something that is just so much, I get so much enjoyment out of it.

And and I still, you know, I just think I'm thinking of playing right now, and I just have a smile on my face because it is a it's a really fun sport and a chance to just connect with your teammates and you have a common goal to win the game, and everyone's working together to accomplish it.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, absolutely.

That that's incredible.

Now, I have to ask, and since you kind of got it from your brother, did your brother continue playing?

SPEAKER_01: He did.

So he played for several years.

He and then he ended up transitioning to basketball.

And that's another sport, you know, growing up.

We were big, big soccer players, but we watched a lot of basketball.

So he ended up playing basketball in high school, and then after that, he just kind of plays recreationally.

So he didn't go as far as I did, but he definitely set the the tone for me in terms of wanting to do it and just keep going with it.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I love it so much.

Now, now talk to me a little bit about family and and the impact family has had on your life.

Obviously, we talked about your brother.

What about like your parents?

SPEAKER_01: Yeah, you know what?

I'm so grateful to my parents because I was blessed to have two incredible parents who just poured into us.

You know, they were big believers in personal growth and development as well.

And so they just really were there to, they supported us in anything and everything.

So they really encouraged us to go after our dreams.

My mom actually stayed home with my brother and I.

Um, they made a decision that she was going to stay home.

She had a home business, and so she was able to stay home with us for um, you know, those kind of early years in terms of growing up.

And so I'm just thankful for that because they really did set the foundation for us to believe in big dreams and go after those dreams.

My parents originally from Barbados and they left Barbados and moved to the United States first, and then they moved to Canada.

And so they did all that because they they had big dreams as well.

And so they really did lead by example in terms of what it means to dream a dream and go after it and really, you know, push through even when there are those challenging times, and even though when there are those difficult days, they're big believers, their faith is very strong to them.

And so that foundation is there for us as well, too.

And so it's, you know, I'm I'm very, I'm very fortunate, I'm very grateful because they have been there every step of the way.

Now, my dad did pass 12 years ago, but I do know he, you know, he's up in heaven and I feel his presence with everything.

And I even with the release of the book, I could hear him cheering because he was the dad who was very well known at the soccer field because he had a very deep voice, he had a Bajan accent, and he cheered a lot.

And so I uh could hear him cheering loudly as I released this book and just he's still there, you know, supporting us in everything that we do is too.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah.

Oh my goodness.

Now, just out of my own curiosity, what would bring your parents to move from Barbados all the way to Canada?

I mean, I'm like island to cold.

SPEAKER_01: I know, right?

I do joke with them.

I was like, really?

I mean, I'm okay if you guys left, but you couldn't have picked like Florida or California or somewhere a little bit warmer.

Oh my goodness.

Yeah.

So no, they actually uh moved, my dad moved first to Oregon for school, and then my mom joined him.

And so they were gym in Oregon for several years.

My brother was actually born down in Portland, and then they had some family friends from Bible college that were in Vancouver.

And so then they decided to move up to Vancouver, which, mind you, is kind of the mildest temperature in Canada.

So they did choose wisely from that standpoint.

But some of those rainy and cold uh winters, I'm still like, oh, you know what?

It might have been okay to be like Florida or yeah, California, Texas, Arizona, somewhere a little bit warmer.

But I am definitely grateful that they did uh they did choose Canada and Vancouver because it is a beautiful place.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, absolutely.

I love that so much.

Now, talking about when you when you're playing soccer for all this time into adulthood, now are you working at the same time or is soccer your sole profession?

SPEAKER_01: Yeah, great question.

So at the time when I I have worked right through.

So when I was playing professionalslash semi-pro again at the time, that was the highest league here in in North America to participate in.

And so we were, we got like a subsidy, but it really wasn't enough to live on, if you will.

So I was actually working full-time.

There were a few players who were working full-time while we played.

So it was busy.

It was hectic.

I mean, I worked a little bit when I was in university too.

I when I was playing soccer at university level, I did have a part-time job.

So it's nothing new to me to have to juggle multiple commitments and calendars and time schedules.

And so when I was playing, you know, pro, that's sort of what I did too.

The one season when I didn't was when I was actually playing down in Colorado.

That time I didn't, I just kind of enjoyed just playing.

And mostly because I was down in the state, so I actually wasn't able to work.

So soccer was the sole focus for that season, which was a lot of fun.

And even while working and juggling the calendar, it was full, but it was, you know, stuff that I enjoyed doing in terms of my playing.

And so it just it was just something that I made happen.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, absolutely.

Now, what would eventually lead you to step away from soccer full time and pursue other endeavors?

SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's a great question.

I actually talked about it a little bit in the book because, you know, with the saying you never quit on a bad day, I was laughing when I was writing the book because I could hear people, you know, hearing the title and being like, well, wait, what do you mean, never quit anything?

And of course not.

And so I didn't there are times when you need to quit or transition.

And I did explain that a little bit in the book.

And so there's times when you do need to quit something, you do need to transition.

And in terms of me from deciding to retire, it really came on a day where, you know, I had we had a good game.

We were in our preseason, and and so I say this and explain the story in more detail.

But the shorter version is I just I knew that I had other priorities and other goals.

And so, with that, you know, having a full-time playing career and working full-time, there were a lot of events, family events and things that I missed over my, you know, career as a as a soccer player.

And I'm fine with it.

I mean, at that time, my my priority was playing and I had commitments there, and my family was great, they understood.

However, I just realized there was that part of me that was like, I want to be at all those events.

I really want to just be able to be present and be there.

And also, I had just started because sort of my journey as an entrepreneur as well, too.

So I had a big life change as well with deciding to uh build a business.

And so that was really important to me.

And when I looked forward at kind of my future and what I wanted it to look like, I realized that I still had a love for soccer.

I knew I was gonna still play, it was just gonna be other things kind of took that priority.

And that's what I always encourage people when you're coming to those crossroads and you're making those decisions, you want to make it on a good day.

And so when I decided to retire, it wasn't emotional.

It wasn't emotional in the sense it wasn't a negative emotions.

I wasn't frustrated, I wasn't angry, I wasn't upset, I wasn't quitting from that standpoint.

I was transitioning and moving on to something new.

And I felt a sense of peace.

I knew I had had accomplished a lot of goals within my career, hitting a lot of highlights, a lot of key moments that I wanted to achieve.

And I had done all that.

And I just got to this place where I was like, you know what?

I'm excited to do that in another area of my life in terms of my career now as an entrepreneur.

And so that was the deciding.

And I kind of simmered on it a little bit.

And then I realized, you know what?

No, I feel okay with the decision.

And again, I was transitioning on to something new.

It wasn't I was just quitting, I was moving forward into kind of the next chapter, if you will, of my uh life.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, absolutely.

So I'm anxious to hear about what type of career you really got into because I'm thinking to myself, though, it's one thing to decide, okay, we're gonna make make the change, we're gonna do this.

It's another thing to not regret that change, especially leaving something as kind of exciting as the world of soccer to the world of entrepreneurship.

What was the transition like?

What did you go do?

Did you ever regret it?

SPEAKER_01: Yeah, no, you know what?

I didn't because I continue to play.

So it wasn't uh a decision to just stop playing completely.

It was a decision to still play, but play in a different capacity and in a different league.

So the league that we I was playing in was, you know, it was called the W League.

It was, you know, you're training four to five times a week and you have games or one or two games.

So it is a full-time commitment.

And so what I did was I decided to step down and retire from that team.

And I just played like a competitive league type of atmosphere, you're playing twice a week.

So that was the decision I made there.

So yeah, no regrets.

I feel like it was the right time.

Also, soccer is a very physical game.

So my body and you know, we got to a point where I was like, whoa, I'm sore all the time.

So it was also a decision in that way as well, too.

And then because I was starting this career in terms of building an online business, I knew it was going to take a lot of focus and I was excited for it.

I really was excited for this kind of next step.

And so I was transitioning from, you know, full-time career, if you will, soccer and working full-time into this full-time business and looking to learn and grow in in terms of that capacity.

So no regrets.

I think I know it was the right time, and I felt that sense of peace and calmness, and I knew that I had made my mark in terms of um with that team, and that was something that was really important to me as well.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I love it.

I love it.

Now, online business starting that, what type of online business did you get into?

SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so it was a network marketing company, and so I would was working full-time at a computer company while I was work playing soccer, and uh I was really uninspired at my job.

It was kind of one of those things where I'm so thankful the timing of it, because it was something I could just come in, put my head down, do my work, and then I'd leave from there and pretty much go straight to soccer training.

So I had started like just wanting to learn more.

And again, as I mentioned, begging personal development.

And so I learned about the concept of passive residual income.

And for those of you listening, if you're not familiar, it just means we're passive residual income.

Essentially, you can work once and you get paid over and over again.

So it could be, you know, in the sense of real estate investing or royalties or dividends, and there's a lot of different ways.

So I'd started learning about this, and I was doing all this stuff kind of on the side while I was, you know, working and playing.

I had a friend had actually introduced me to company, just a really cool follow-up service.

And I had started a coaching company for soccer while we were, I was playing, and we started using this service for our coaching business and just to say thank you and you know, send cards to the kids that came to our camps and clinics and got a really positive response, and there was an opportunity with this company.

And so I was exploring the opportunity and I just had such positive feedback that I was like, you know what, this is kind of neat.

And so I started dabbling in it a little bit, if you will.

And then my full-time job, uh, the company unfortunately went bankrupt.

And I was told we were everyone was being laid off, which was a huge moment in terms of like crossroads, because at that time, when I was told that we were going to be laid off, it was like a roller coaster of emotions.

On the one hand, you know, it was like, oh, I don't have to go to work tomorrow, you know, that's great.

On the other hand, it's like, well, what next?

And so I had looked at kind of, and I always encourage people to do this like, look forward and into your life and what do you want it to look like?

And when I did this at that time, I knew I wanted to have flexibility.

I wanted to be there for my friends and family.

I knew I wanted to be able to travel and be able to still, you know, have an income and that passive residual income.

And when I looked at this business in a little bit more detail, I realized it would allow me to do that.

And so I got started with them.

And and we because I was laid off and that was kind of the focus, it was like, okay, let's go forward with this business.

And I'm still with the company now, 17 years later.

And yeah, it's been an incredible journey, a lot of ups and downs.

And again, that's where that never quit on a bad day saying came in as as well as an entrepreneur, because there are a lot of bumps in the road.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, absolutely.

I love it.

I love it.

Now, now talk to me a little bit about the network marketing aspect, because I know that I'm not the only one who hears that and immediately like kind of gives like, eh, network marketing, sleazy.

Like, we all have that Facebook friend who is into every form of I would call network marketing pyramid scheme, something that he's trying to sell, something new every week.

And it's just like, ugh, talk to me about that because I don't get that vibe from you at all.

You don't come across as a sleazy salesperson in any way, shape, or form.

And so I'm thinking to myself, there's gotta be something different that I'm missing.

SPEAKER_01: Oh, thank you.

I appreciate that.

And for anyone who has gotten that friend, I'm using air quotes right now, but that person who has reached out to you and tried to pitch you something that you didn't ask to hear about, that you don't want to hear, I apologize on behalf of that person.

Because yeah, I completely understand your reservations and hesitations and the emotions that that come up when people hear the term network marketing, which is so unfortunate.

I understand why they feel like that because there's so many incredible aspects of network marketing when done correctly.

And when I say when done correctly, I mean it can be a solution for a lot of people.

It's not the only solution.

For a people.

There's lots of different avenues and opportunities out there, and people need to find something that makes sense for them.

So I do get pitched a lot of from, you know, so I understand that when you're saying, you know, the sleazy, someone just throws this thing at you.

And that's not the right way to do it.

And unfortunately, I think sometimes people's excitement gets the better of them and they just want to share because they're so excited.

And sometimes it comes across pushy and it doesn't, it's not well received.

And I that's why I say I apologize if someone has done that to you.

Unfortunately, there's, you know, a lot of people who did it the back end way where they pretended to reach out and then they they're pitching you something else, you know.

And so those that when I hear that, it just it does make me cringe too, because I feel that.

And I've I still get that as well, too.

And so, but there are a lot of great things about network marketing.

And so, you know, some of the highlights of the team, getting to work with amazing people, like positive people, people who have goals and dreams and and you know, are are working towards accomplishing those in the personal development side of it.

You know, a lot of companies, they're really big on the mindset and helping you create, you know, strengthen your mindset, whether you are looking, you know, and of course, yes, the income, whether you want to make a couple extra hundred dollars to be able to pay down some debt or take family on vacation or have, you know, some fun money, play money, or you want to make a full-time career income out of it.

There's an everything in between.

And so I'm a really big believer in that.

I want to help the profession have a better reputation in that, letting people know that it is a great profession when done properly, just like anything, right?

When like anything.

So there's there's great people involved in network marketing.

And there's some people who, you know, again, there might just be way too excited, way too and just didn't not sure how to go about it and and and haven't really learned how to do it as a professional.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I love it.

I have one more question, like in regards to this.

Of course.

I'm just kind of curious.

Like, so we hear people talk about, like, even if if it's a legit thing, people be like, oh, it's a pyramid scheme.

How do you, if you're somebody interested in network marketing, how do you determine like what is legit network marketing opportunity?

What is something more like a pyramid scheme?

Like, is there any things that you can offer, like tactics to somebody to like look for?

SPEAKER_01: For sure.

Yeah.

And I I mean, I'm definitely not the expert in, so even though I've been involved in network marketing for a lot of years, I always say you want to do your own due diligence.

And so, yeah, you know, unfortunately, network marketing has gotten this bad rap of being a pyramid scheme, if you will.

There are some companies out there that maybe they aren't, they may not be set up properly because a legitimate network marketing company, there's a few things.

It has to have a product or service.

So I always tell people too, if you're gonna represent something, you want to promote something that you believe in first and foremost, because if you don't, people will feel that and sense that.

And so, you know, I had been pitched a lot of companies over the years, and you know, some of them great companies, it just didn't align with me.

It wasn't something that I wanted to share with other people.

So I might be a consumer of it and support a friend by purchasing their product, again, if it's something that connects with you and something that you can use.

So, number one, a legitimate network marketing company is gonna have a legitimate product or service that people can use.

And I think that's important that people look at too.

If you're gonna represent something, is there a need for that product or service in the marketplace?

Is it competitively priced in the marketplace?

Does it make sense that people would want to purchase this product or service from you?

Another big thing to look at in terms of a legitimate network marketing company is you should be able to out-earn the person who introduced you to it.

So network marketing, just think of it this way: rather than a company spend all this money on billboards and TV commercials and radio commercials, they're not going that traditional business route.

Instead, they're allowing people the opportunity to partner up with this company, if you will, and share it.

So instead of uh, you know, seeing a billboard, you're hearing about it from a friend or family member or, you know, someone you know.

And then you can choose to partner up with the company, you can choose to purchase product, you can choose to become an affiliate or distributor, if you will.

And when you do that and you bring business into the company, the company essentially is sharing those profits with you.

However, the reason I say you should be able to out-earn the person who introduced you, because if you are not able to, then you want to, you might want to look at it a little bit more detail because that could be a sign that it might not be something legitimate in the sense that if you're the one doing the work, you should be the one that's getting paid, right?

So, you know, and that's one of those things where yes, the person who introduced you, they they still might make a little bit.

However, if you're the one that's putting in all the work and effort, that you should be able to out-earn the person who introduced you.

So, for example, like in my case, I out earn the person who introduced me because I put in a lot of work, a lot of effort.

I've built up, you know, a incredible team of people who are using the product and as well as people who chose to get started.

The other thing that I just think is important, look at the leadership, right?

Because you are partnering with a company.

So you want to look at the leadership of that company.

Are they moving?

You know, are they ethical?

Do they act with integrity?

Do you that you share a vision with them, right?

Or you want to make sure you're going in a direction that aligns with what you're looking for as well, too.

So there's a lot of things you want to look for in a company, but the biggest thing, again, is just make sure you're partnering up with a company that has, you know, whether it's a track record of success, whether you see the vision for where they're headed, and then they have a product or service that you believe in because you want to have a story to share as well, too.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah.

I love that so much, so much.

Now, your success in business.

Do you contribute any of the skills, the mindset taken from soccer that you maybe even subconsciously implement into work?

SPEAKER_01: I do.

I do.

I'm so grateful for sport in general because I have learned a lot through being an athlete and being on the soccer field and other sports that I've participated in, in the sense, I mean, the first one that pops to mind teamwork, especially in being in, you know, a network marketing business where it's all about a team.

It's helping, you know, working together towards a common goal.

Now, the difference, you know, in terms of uh, let's say network marketing is you're gonna have people you're working with that are gonna have the individual goals.

As I said, some people are just looking to earn a little bit of extra money part-time.

Some people are looking to retire from what they're currently doing in terms of their traditional job and career.

So it's helping that person and still working together with an overarching common goal of moving forward in life.

And so I'm definitely grateful for teamwork.

Time management has been huge, as I shared, you know, working while playing soccer takes a lot of organization.

And so that's definitely helped.

And just there's a long list I could share of things, but I would say resiliency and bouncing back.

And because, you know, it hasn't always been a cakewalk in terms of my soccer career.

There have been disappointments and frustrations.

And I share this as well, too.

Part of the motivation for writing the book was because I was inducted into the Coquitam Sports Hall of Fame, and one of the interviewers asked me a question of like, what has sport given me?

And I shared some of those life skills that sport has given me that's translated over into life and the business world.

However, there was also a lot of highs in terms of like awards and national championships and MVPs and league awards and things like that.

However, the only reason I was able to have those highs was because of pushing through the lows, you know, getting cut from a team, sitting on the bench, not, you know, recovering after an injury, not getting as much playing time as I wanted to.

And so pushing through those allowed me to have some of those successes.

And it's the same thing in the business world because there are a lot of times where, you know, I wanted my business to move faster, or someone said they were gonna, you know, get started and then they didn't, or they got started and then they disappeared, or, you know, I wasn't as focused and I had to go back to myself because at the end of the day, as an athlete, it it starts with you.

And as an entrepreneur, it starts with you in the sense of being committed, having that vision and following through on the commitment and doing the things even when you don't want to do those things because you know ultimately that's going to help you.

And that's a lot from the soccer field, because there were times where I was out, you know, practicing on my own time, early morning practices or after school, just in the garage and in the backyard with a soccer ball.

On times I didn't necessarily want to, but I knew if I wanted to get the goals in terms of making teams and being a starter player and things like that, I have to put in that work, and it's the same thing in life.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah, truly.

That's you know, so amazing.

It's you know, it's one of the like the powerful things I think about life, how we we can look at our life of chapters, and I feel like the mistake we can make is we look at those chapters as separate parts of our life.

But really, where the magic happens is when we're able to blend the chapters together, to take the lessons that have been learned, the insights that have been gained, and use those to make the next chapter even better.

SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.

So powerful.

And it's so true.

Because when you, you know, life is a journey.

And when you look at some of the stuff that everyone's gone through, look at the stuff you've gone through, and to turn it and to learn from it and to grow and to move forward and to inspire other people, that's powerful.

And I say it's such a ripple effect, right?

Because it's not just one person that you impact when you inspire someone to make a change or move forward from a life lesson.

It impacts everyone that they come in contact with as well too.

And then it continues, and you may not see that impact right away.

However, it is a huge impact and it continues to impact other people.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, absolutely.

In that regard, that's kind of my perfect segue into a book.

In amongst all that you've got going on in life, you decide to write a book.

Talk to me about that.

SPEAKER_01: I did.

And it's so interesting because honestly, Kevin, if we had this conversation last year, this time, and you said, okay, next year, around this time, you know, we're gonna be on a podcast, we're gonna be chatting, and you have a book.

I would have laughed.

I absolutely would have been like, no, wrong person.

You mean Phoebe Trotman, right?

Like I would sadly because it wasn't like, I mean, I am very, I have a vision for where I want to go and and the impact and and touching lives and helping people.

And and a book really wasn't on that list of ways to do it.

Really, it really wasn't.

I know there's some people that that is like a burning desire on their heart to write a book.

It really wasn't.

And so, and I had had a few people over the years who were like, you should write a book.

And I was always like, ha ha, yeah, maybe, you know, no, but really, I was like, no, it's it's not for me.

And so it's so surreal, even to be like looking at it and just be like, wow.

And really the idea for the book.

I mean, I have to, I'm so grateful again.

I this is a key point for people listening in, surround yourself with awesome people.

It's so important in terms of life.

And I was visiting two good friends of mine at their home, and they're very successful entrepreneurs in another online business, and we're just chatting about like what's next.

And and uh I had shared with them that it has been on my heart for many, many years to create something to help and inspire people.

I've been inspired and touched by so many people over my journey, some from close mentorship, some from just reading their book or YouTube or podcasts, et cetera.

And so I wanted to create something.

I didn't know what it looked like, but I just said, God place it on my heart that one day and we'll see what it'll be.

And they were like, you should write a book.

And I, you know, I kind of did the chuckles, like, eh, you know, I don't know.

And so they kind of spun it on me and they said, because one of the things I'd shared with them earlier that day, I said to them how in my journey to hit in in our network marketing company, we have different ranks and promotions and things like that.

And one of I said set a goal to hit the top of the top rank, if you will, in our company with my amazing team.

And we went to work and we and we made it happen.

And one of the main motivations for me doing that is just because I wanted to show people that you could be a single female, you could be, you know, I'm a black woman, I've said you could be a black woman, you could be a minority, you could be from another country, like so many things that you might think could be stumbling blocks, but you can still do it.

And so that was my whole motivation for hitting the the top rank in the our company.

And so they kind of spun it on me and they said, you know, well, just the same reason you were so inspired to hit the top rank is the reason you should write a book because it's not for you, it's for the people that you it can touch and help and impact and to show people they can do it too and for the you know, the lives that you can impact with the book.

And so when they when they spun it on me like that, then I was like, okay, maybe, maybe.

I still wasn't a hundred percent in, but I did, uh I was a little more open to it because I did feel like if it can help people, then I'm I'm open to it.

So two things though, I I said, I'm like, it has to be able to help people and I have to be inspired to buy it.

And so in simmering that night, praying about it, kind of like, okay, well, what kind of book would I write?

And and then the saying never quit on a bad day, began it just it that hit me.

And then I said, you know, and I do this thing with God, I call it like my open the door, close the door.

And so I was like, okay, God, if you oh, open the door, if never quit on a bad day, if that URL is available, then that's a sign you're saying move forward.

If it's not available, well, you know what?

I I tried.

There we go.

So I went home and I did, I looked it up and never quit on a bad day was available.

So I was like, oh boy, okay, so we're we're gonna be moving forward.

That was an open door, and then uh then just went to work.

I shared it with another close friend because my vision kind of grew from there.

I knew it was gonna be a collection of short stories, and I had always wanted to combine kind of my my athletic background and business and into something.

And so at first I was actually gonna do short stories with athletes and entrepreneurs.

And then in kind of simmering on a bit more, then I was like, well, you know what?

It's actually kind of even though everyone can benefit it from it, it could be two books.

And then it was like, oh, but then I want to do women's and couples.

And so, you know, and then I shared that idea with a friend, a mentor of mine, and she was like, Oh my gosh, I love it.

And and then so here we are now with Never Quit on a Bad Day.

It's gonna be a book series, first one's done.

Then there's a workbook already finished as well, too.

And then starting on the second book in the series, or I guess it's kind of the third, if you will, but uh already starting on the third one.

SPEAKER_00: Wow, wow, wow.

That is so amazing.

First, though, I have to say I love that deal that you have with God about open doors, closed doors.

If one door opens, okay, then I'll keep going.

I love that so much.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Now, this book, the first book, who is this one for?

SPEAKER_01: You know, it's really for anyone who's ever had a goal or dream and felt that they got a little bump in the road.

They, you know, they knew where they were headed, they're going after it, and something, a challenge came up.

It really, even though the book is Thriving Entrepreneurs Edition, the stories in the book are not necessarily business stories.

They're really stories of someone having a goal and going after that goal and feeling frustrated, feeling challenged by it, feeling discouraged or disheartened.

And so in the book, there's nine contributors, and so they share what I asked them, you know, what was the day you wanted to quit?

Whether it was quit on a goal, a business, a dream, you know, what was it?

And so all the stories are very different.

All the people who I asked to share have different backgrounds and different stories to share.

And so it really is for anyone who just needs a little bit more encouragement, who has a dream, who has a goal, and uh they know what they want to do and they might just need a little bit of cheerleading, a little bit of a reminder on how resilient they really are.

In the book, at the end of every chapter, there's a little section called Reflections on Resilience.

And it really is for the reader to go through some a short exercise and just to do some reflection of their own, because I do believe that we are all extremely resilient people.

Sometimes we just need a little bit of a reminder.

So, in those reflections on resilience exercises, they're designed to help the reader really remember how resilient they are so that you can keep moving forward towards your goals and dreams.

SPEAKER_00: I don't know if anybody else found themselves with their hand automatically raising, like we were in a classroom, like, yes, please, that is me.

I need the book because I'm like two hands in the air.

Yes, please, amen.

Where can we buy?

You know, that is, I mean, you you pretty much summed it up.

I mean, completely.

And in the thought that, hey, I'm not the only one who's felt like this.

Totally.

SPEAKER_01: And we need we need that reminder, right?

That's another important thing.

Thank you for sharing that because sometimes we can feel like we're the only one who's going through a challenge or a bump, or you know, we're the only one who's feeling really discouraged because this happened or that happened.

And you're not alone in it.

You really aren't.

There's so many people going through stuff.

And I do believe that, and this was kind of one of the reasons I did want to write this book, is because I truly believe that when we start sharing more of the struggles, the challenges, people realize they're not alone.

And when you can see someone who's been through something and they got to the other side, it just gives you that hope, that little glimmer of light that you can do it too.

You can keep moving forward.

And in those little exercises, they're really designed to help give you an idea of something that can help you when you're going through challenge so that you can move forward too.

Because as we know, Kevin, life is going to continue to throw us curveballs.

That is part of life.

But it's how we respond to those curveballs.

It's how we move forward.

We might get knocked down, but how do we get back up?

Why do we get back up?

And when we get back up, can we share how we got back up to someone else so that when they go through something, it may not be the same thing.

It probably won't be the same thing, but they may be able to apply the same strategy or tip or thought process so that they can get back up too.

SPEAKER_00: And can you see now why the two of us connected?

Because I literally was like, I think she's just doing a commercial for the podcast.

Oh no, she's talking about her book.

You know, like, like the same exact type of mindset, the same exact type of mission.

And I love it so much.

I love your story so much.

I love what you're doing, what your mission is.

So powerful, so powerful.

Thank you for being here.

And and most importantly, where can we find your book at?

SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.

Well, first, I want to say a massive thank you to you, Kevin, because right away when I saw the name of your podcast, it was like my heart just right away.

I was so excited to connect with you because I, as you said, like it we're just so in line with our mission of what we want to share with the world.

And I'm just so honored and excited and thankful and grateful for you for everything that you're doing to inspire and touch people's lives and just give them encouragement and hope to move forward.

So yeah, just massive kudos to you.

The book is available on Amazon, so it's available in all the Amazon marketplace.

So wherever you're listening in from, you can hop on Amazon and you can get it.

You just put in Never Quit on a Bad Day.

I do also want to let everyone know, too, that if you go to the website, so if you go to my website, neverquit onabadday.com, when you get there, if you enter your email, you can actually get a free chapter of the book from the book.

And it does include the reflections on resilience in that chapter as well, too.

So if you're in a position to buy, sure, you can get the whole book on Amazon.

If you're not in a position to buy, grab the free chapter.

The chapter that it chose is all about belief.

And I chose that for a specific reason because belief is so important.

And for some people, you may be struggling with belief right now.

And then you can borrow our belief because you have greatness inside of you.

And um I just want everyone to have that chapter.

So you can go to neverquitonabadday.com and you can get that chapter for free.

The other thing in all the chapters, so there's a reflection on resilience, there's also a QR code that you can scan and you can watch a short video from the contributor.

So all the contributors recorded a short video of encouragement.

And in that free chapter, you have that QR code too.

It literally is the chapter from the book.

So, because in that chapter that I that I'm giving away is the video of encouragement.

There's such an incredible story that contributor shares that I want everybody to hear.

So I encourage you, go to neverquitonabadday.com, at least get the free chapter.

If you're ready to go for the whole book, you can go to grab it on Amazon.

SPEAKER_00: Amazing, amazing.

You are absolutely incredible.

I will be sure that all of the links to the book on Amazon, to your website, all the things are inside of today's show notes.

So that is easy for anybody to find who's interested.

Scroll down, check out today's show notes for all of those links.

Phoebe, thank you so much for being here today.

It is uh means the world to me to get to just spend some time with you, getting to share your story with my audience.

You're an amazing, amazing woman.

And I can tell that like this is only the beginning.

SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much, Kevin.

I have been smiling this entire time, literally since I first saw your podcast name.

I've been smiling at our communications.

And just keep doing what you're doing.

You're touching and blessing so many people.

I am so grateful and honored for your time and just for all that you're doing to continue to inspire and encourage people.

SPEAKER_00: Ah, thank you so much.

And for you, my listener, my hope is that you are smiling.

My hope is that you are feeling a little bit more inspired, a little bit more empowered, motivated that you know what?

If you don't like where you are today, that's okay because you can make a change.

You can make a move, you can do a little shakedown on the soccer field, you can get off the soccer field and into the business.

You can get out of the business and onto the field.

It's your life, it's your choice.

Don't stay stuck.

Get out there, do the thing, and make this life the life that you want to live.

My name is Kevin Little.

If this is Grace of Inspiration, get out there and take on the day.