Automated Transcription
Richard Matthews
Welcome back to the HERO Show.
My name is Richard Matthews
And I’m on the line with Artisha.
Are you there, Artisha?
Artisha Bolding
I’m here.
Richard Matthews
Awesome. Glad to have you here.
Artisha is a Georgia-based author
And empowerment coach.
Artisha T. Bolding, and you’re the head
Of T Bold Media Group.
Known for your loud belly laughs and your love
Of the truth. You spent the last decade
Providing relationship and spiritual advice
To clients, friends, and even groups of teenagers.
What I want to start with is tell me:
What it is that you’re known for now?
Why do people come to you?
Why do they hire you to speak
Or hire you as a coach? What is it
That you’re known for?
Artisha Bolding
I am known for my big mouth
And my big heart, Richard. Folks are drawn
To me and they want to bring me
Into their groups, events, and things like that,
Because they know that I’m an open book.
I love to share my story. And people connect
With genuineness; storytelling. Not some—
I hate to say it—but not just a proud
Puffed-up stuffed shirt, but someone
Who relates to people and who really enjoys
Seeing people take the next steps
To achieve their goals.
Richard Matthews
Absolutely. Makes a lot of sense.
You help people achieve their goals
From speaking and coaching.
Is that correct?
Artisha Bolding
That is. What I mainly do in my business;
I’m also a fellow podcaster, like yourself.
What I talk about a lot is people that are dealing
With career changers. People that may be dealing
With tumultuous relationships. Those are really
My two kind of niche topics that I deal with.
Along with people looking to become authors
Theirself. I’m a new author, actually,
That is a brand new space for me.
It’s really been fun.
Richard Matthews
Awesome. I want to find out your story.
How you got there. How did you end up
As a coach and a speaker? We talking,
In this podcast about your origin story.
How every hero has their origin story,
Where you started to realize that you were different
That maybe you had superpowers, and maybe
You could use them to help other people.
How did that happen for you? How did you become
An entrepreneur in the speaking and coaching space?
Artisha Bolding
We know that, in hindsight, we can say,
“It was kind of there all along.” But what really
Catapulted me into this was about 16 months ago.
This was Mother’s Day weekend. I was rushed
To the hospital, because I was actually going
Simultaneously into respiratory failure
And congestive heart failure. Out of nowhere.
No medical history or anything like that.
It was super crazy. But in that very scary moment,
It allowed me some time to really be still
And gain clarity to say, “First of all, I definitely
Thought that that was the end.” I was just thankful.
I felt like when the doctors and nurses revived me,
I felt like God was giving me a chance
Just to say goodbye to everyone. What I found out
That I had a purpose that I had been neglecting
The whole time. And so that was my moment.
Really be still to get the shift that I needed,
And to launch out and help others. I know
That purpose is my life and business motto
Is conquering great things through power,
Passion, and purpose. And we all have power
Within us. Because that power is being willing
To help and serve someone else. That is what
I am all about.
Richard Matthews
That’s really awesome that you were able
To come back from something like that.
Not everyone has the same luck
Or same providence. I guess looking out
For you that you can come at us that’s really scary.
I’ve noticed, hit that point in my life
Where you start having people in your life
That are—they have respiratory failure
Or heart failure, or people are starting
To pass away and it’s not a fun place to be in life.
But you realize that it really crystallizes
That life is short, and if you’re going
To do something with it, leave a legacy.
You got to do it now.
Artisha Bolding
That’s exactly right. It was really a trip
For me, because I was just in my late 30s.
I was just going—just headed past my 38th birthday.
No idea that this would be my story.
But literally, Richard, on that
Hospital bed, I begin to affirm myself and say,
“If it’s meant for me to make it out of here;
I’m not going to do life like I’ve done it.”
Thankfully, my husband, he’s been fully supportive
Of me. I’m a full-time entrepreneur now,
Because prior to that, you wouldn’t believe it.
But the amount of lipstick and eyeshadow
That I love, you wouldn’t believe that I was actually
Working in the warehouse of a nuclear power plant
On a construction site. I spent years just chasing
Money. Working 60 plus hours a week,
But it was totally soulless and no one
Was really benefiting from my life. It was
A mere existence and it, again, in those
Still moments, I realized, “I have to do
Something different. This is not
What I was purposed and meant for in life.”
Richard Matthews
Makes a lot of sense. Over that journey
Of the last 16 months, I’m curious. Have you
Discovered your superpower yet? What is it you do
Or you build or you offer that really helps
Solve problems for other people?
If you can nail it down and say,
“This is the thing I used to help slay people’s villains.”
What would you say your superpower is?
Artisha Bolding
I would definitely say that my superpower
Is helping folks gain clarity, and what I call
“Break up the darkness in their lives
To burst with light.” Just shining your light
In the world because we all have it.
I firmly believe that we are most powerful
When we feel our birth given assignment
And purpose. Because I certainly believe
That we all have one. If I was to say what it is
That I actually help folks do: gaining that clarity,
And really maximizing their personal
And spiritual growth and development.
Richard Matthews
I’m curious, when you help someone achieve
Clarity. What does that do for them?
Clarity of the thing. It’s like when you clean off
The mirror now you can see your face in it.
You’ve got a clear picture. What’s the end result
Of having clarity?
Artisha Bolding
Helping folks decide. Everyone is not going
To be Bill Gates. Everyone’s not going
To be Oprah or Mark Zuckerberg.
But what is the impact that you can have
In your community? The sphere of influence
That you already have? How can you do
The most good for the most folks that you
Can touch? We all are already naturally good
At some things. We all already have
A natural knack and talent for some things.
Honing in on that and getting people
To be willing and brave to admit. What it is
That they, 1: really want out of life.
And 2: what it is that they really enjoy doing.
Usually, within that there’s a sweet spot of:
This is what I should offer, whether it is a book
Or a podcast or encouragement. In the form
Of something, even on social media.
Programming folks to narrow those things down.
Richard Matthews
It makes a lot of sense. Knowing what they
Should be spending their time on. What they should
Actually be putting their effort and stuff in
If they’re going to build a legacy.
Artisha Bolding
Yes. I always like folks, even when I was in college,
Growing up. Folks that—you should write a book,
Just because I’ve always been the person
That wants to encourage and help someone
Look at that silver lining, so to speak.
When I finally came out with my book last year,
Which is full of affirmations and daily things
Like that, that you can journal down.
So many people came out of the woodwork.
Even people—my neighbors, and people
At my local church saying that they wanted
To write a book. Here, lately those were my first
Little pool of clients. It was just really
The sweetest thing how it all came together.
Richard Matthews
That’s awesome. I want to move on
To the other side of your superpower.
If your superpower is helping people
Achieve clarity, then there’s always the other side
Of that which is your fatal flaw. Fatal flaw,
Like Superman has his kryptonite. Or Batman
He’s not actually a superhero. He’s just got
To dedicate himself to being smart and resourceful.
What is something that has held your business back
From where you think it could be? More importantly,
What have you been doing to rectify that?
So other people who might suffer
From something similar can can learn from you.
Artisha Bolding
I love this question. It has to be perfectionism,
Because, and it’s something that I help clients …
But then I still fall in it myself. I reread,
And re-edit, and overthink things so much.
Perfectionism, what has to be my fatal flaw
Or my kryptonite. What I’ve been working on
Is something that I absolutely recommend
To anyone who is listening: Know who is in
Your circle of friends. I rely on a very good
Personal friend of mine, who I let look
Over my material and content so that
I’m not beating my head against the wall
Of what I’m putting out and overly complicating things.
A sounding board and that person to say,
“This is a good idea. This isn’t.” I say to people,
“Look right there in your backyard.
You have resources who can help you get out
Of your funk and overcome that kryptonite.”
Richard Matthews
That makes a lot of sense.
A good friend of mine told me
That perfectionism is the lowest standard
You can hold yourself to, because it’s unattainable.
It’s not a reality.
Artisha Bolding
Yes.
Richard Matthews
If you’re holding yourself to something
That can’t be done, then you’re holding yourself
To nothing. It’s—
Artisha Bolding
… there.
Richard Matthews
Essentially, it’s the lowest standard,
Artisha Bolding
Can I steal that?
Richard Matthews
You can hold all of your work to, is perfection.
Absolutely. For me, it was a good
Mental framework for understanding
Because I suffered from the same thing.
I always wanted things to be perfect. You realize,
You can’t really have it perfect. The much
Better standard is what is something.
What’s the minimum viable product or
How can I get this to ship and still get
The results that people want?
That’s how I overcome the same issue.
Artisha Bolding
Yes, because it winds up just stressing
Us out. Because we always have a deadline.
We always have a delivery date
And milestones that we want to hit. When we get
Into that, look at analysis paralysis,
Then we just kind of mess up the whole deal.
Absolutely right.
Richard Matthews
Awesome. I want to talk about your common
Enemy. Common enemy, I like to think of it
Like this. It’s the thing that you’re fighting against.
Anytime that you bring on a new client
Or you’re standing in front of an audience.
There’s something that’s holding them back.
That they are fighting against. Mindsets
Or something like that. That if you could just wave
Your magic wand and make that go away,
They’d get better results faster and better.
What is that thing that you’re fighting against?
Artisha Bolding
It will have to be that self-doubt, or that nagging
Inner critic. We are our own worst critic.
We think no matter how much level of success
We receive; what we achieve is still that little voice
In the back that says, “Are you sure? Do you think
People are really gonna listen to this?
You don’t know if you’re going to be well received.”
If I go wave a magic wand and get rid of that
In myself, and in the clients that I help,
That will be the one thing, definitely the self-doubt.
Richard Matthews
How do you go about help?
Obviously, we don’t have a magic wand.
How do you help people overcome that self-doubt
To achieve the clarity and the stuff
They’re looking to do?
Artisha Bolding
What I do is I have mapping exercises
That I help clients go through. I also remind them
To celebrate the achievements that they’ve had
Already. And if they’re in a dark place,
Or valley, if you will. I always have to point
Them to, “Guess what, this is not the first time
That you may have had a misstep,”
Or, “This is not the first time that you’ve had
This head trash,” as I call it. I didn’t invent
That term. I’m just talking them through that
And saying, “We got through this before.
Let’s move. Let’s not procrastinate
And lesson: ignore; silence that inner critic.”
Richard Matthews
Absolutely.
If your common enemy is the thing
You’re fighting against. The driving force
Is the thing you’re fighting for. Spider Man
Fights to save New York. Or Batman fights
To save Gotham. Or Google fights to index
And categorize all the world’s information.
What is it that you’re fighting for in your clients,
In your audience’s lives?
Artisha Bolding
I am fighting to help people avoid
That hospital bed experience that I have.
Because I really believe that we often spend
So much time chasing dollars, we all often
Spend time in selfish pursuits. If we’re willing
To become those servant leaders,
Even if we only have 5 or 10 followers,
It doesn’t have to be a thousand.
Fighting against the time that we waste
In selfish pursuits. Being willing to go after
Our own greatness, which is essentially
Helping others and willing to impact others
For good. That’s my whole spiel.
That’s what I’m fighting for.
Richard Matthews
Sounds a little bit like helping people have
The no regrets living. When you’re 80 years old,
Sitting on your bed and your family’s around you.
And you’re seeing the bright lights.
You’re thinking back did I actually live
The life I wanted to live?
Artisha Bolding
Yes, absolutely. We want to have time well spent,
Versus time wasted. Because you look
At material things. You look at a bank account.
That’s not a real accomplishment.
Someone who wants to come to your bedside
Or to your funeral service, when that happens,
Not rushing that though, just to say that
This person made a difference in my life.
Because we all can make a difference.
We just have to decide what that difference
Is going to be for someone.
Richard Matthews
Absolutely. People like you and I are looking
To have a large difference. On lots of people.
Leveraged impact which is what we’re working on.
I want to talk something a little bit
More practical. I call this the heroes tool belt.
Maybe you got a big magical hammer like Thor.
Or bulletproof vest like your neighborhood
Police officer. Or maybe you just really love
How Evernote helps you organize your thoughts
And your feelings and whatnot. I’m curious,
On a practical level, what are some
Of the tools you use to do the work
You do with your clients
Or manage your business
That really help you grow and keep on track?
Artisha Bolding
I hate to even say this, but Google Analytics:
My best friend. That is what has helped me,
Personally, in my business to … the content
That we put online. The time of posting
And the types of things. For instance, can I share
A secret, is that okay?
Richard Matthews
Secrets are allowed.
Artisha Bolding
I found out, and all of my personal friends
Call me a relationship guru even though
I don’t necessarily market myself as that.
But hands down, the more popular
And most popular things that I post,
Always having to do with relationships.
Folks want to know, how to keep a happy home.
How to have that fiery date-life and things
Like that. It’s always interesting to find
Those things out. When I’m working
With aspiring authors or folks who are launching
A website. My very best friend just launched
A website about 30 days ago.
In French, nonetheless. That’s one thing
That I say, “S-E-O with the Google Analytics.”
Big tool for me.
Richard Matthews
It really helps you see what messages
Are hitting home and what to double down on
If that makes sense.
Artisha Bolding
Yes. Then, what to get rid of
Or not spend a lot of time doing.
Richard Matthews
You’re using Google Analytics as a cannon
Or a measure for engagement. What’s the kind
Of content that my audience wants
To see and needs more of.
Artisha Bolding
Exactly. Then for others who are aspiring
To do a podcast like you and I have,
Or authors. Google is online, but going back
To old school tactics, the having my words
At a loss right now, but having a little group
That you can run things by. Do your own
Personal surveys, in the backyard.
Having groups to say, “This hit home
For me,” or, “I wasn’t interested in this
At all.” Before we put something out.
Before we invest a lot of time and money
And that things like that are helpful as well.
Richard Matthews
It makes a lot of sense.
Speaker
Music is by Purple Planet Music. Visit https://www.purple-planet.com/
Richard Matthews
I’m talking about your own personal heroes.
Frodo had Gandalf. Luke had Obi Wan.
Robert Kiyosaki had his Rich Dad. Who were
Some of your heroes? Were they real life mentors?
Were they speakers or authors; peers who were just
A few years ahead of you? How important
Were they to what you’ve accomplished
So far in the last 18 months?
Artisha Bolding
Absolutely. In the past few years, there are
Two standouts. These are actually real life people.
The first would have to be my godfather.
I call him my spiritual dad. He had such
A chaotic life growing up, Richard. The home life
Was just crazy. Not a lot of resources
And financial means, and he shares that.
And now he runs several businesses and nonprofits.
He’s been hugely successful and has never hidden
His humble beginnings. And is never afraid
To share his story. He’s been a huge inspiration
To me and the other and that’s …
That’s my godfather. Then, the other
Young lady who is a big personality
On Facebook, actually. The founder of
Wife Talk Inc., is Treshelle Williams. She has built
A sizable online presence, just reaching out
To wives like herself, who are looking—
Through difficulty and trial to eliminate
Divorce as an option. Except when it’s
Really literally unsafe to do so. She’s a former
College professor, so completely new
Career change for her. She’s very inspiring
To me. Reaching our own peer group of wives.
Richard Matthews
It’s a cool message too. Because a lot of people,
I’m not sure how this happened,
But over the last hundred years or so,
Marriage became a thing that was convenience
And about feelings. Instead of being a commitment
That you make with someone.
That’s a powerful message.
Artisha Bolding
Yes, absolutely. And again, same thing,
Dealing with that relationship niche,
Which is really huge right now.
Those are definitely two personal heroes of mine.
Richard Matthews
They say the only two constants
Are death and taxes, but it’s actually:
Relationships, death, and taxes.
Everyone has a relationships.
Artisha Bolding
That’s absolutely right.
Richard Matthews
So, let’s bring it home for our listeners
A little bit and talk about your guiding principles.
Top one or two principles or actions you use
On a daily basis that you think contribute
To the success and influence you have built up
Over the last couple of years. Maybe something
You wish you’d known when you started out
On this journey?
Artisha Bolding
I will definitely say, top one for sure is,
And I may have said this a little bit earlier,
But I can’t stress that enough.
Everyone is capable of greatness. I wish
I had known earlier in life and really understood
That it doesn’t have to be on such a grand scale.
It can start right in your community.
The local boys and girls club, your neighbor,
Your local church, things like that. We all
Are capable of doing great things. If we take
The time to do—if we take the time to reach out
And help someone else. The other one
Would absolutely have to be my belief
That our unique assignment and working in that.
Staying on track with that; fulfilling our purpose,
Once we’re clear about it, is when we are
Our most powerful. Those absolutely top two for me.
Richard Matthews
I love that second one too. If you know
What you’re supposed to be doing
And you actually do it, you have it.
It almost feels like the universe is lining up
To help you get it done.
Artisha Bolding
Literally, yes. Some of us are fortunate enough
To be able to do that as our
Entrepreneurship pursuit, or do a full time
For a living. I also like to encourage folks
That your specific purpose may not be
What is actually paying the bills right now.
It may not be your nine to five. And that’s okay too.
As long as you carve out time to flow into that,
Like you said, you’ll feel the alignment
Of the universe. You’ll feel that energy
Feeding into your soul, and there’s nothing
That can stop you after that.
Richard Matthews
Absolutely. That brings me to the last thing
We do on the show. I call this
The Hero Challenge. It’s a simple challenge
We do on every episode. It’s basically this:
Do you have someone in your life
Or in your network that you think
Has a cool entrepreneurial story? Who are they?
First names are fine. And why do you think
They should come share their story
With our audience on the show?
Artisha Bolding
I’m so glad you asked. Absolutely.
This is a friend of mine and as she calls it,
Business besty her name is Samira Jones.
She’s out of Washington DC. Her business is
The Game Changer Life. She does live events,
But she is a phenomenal coach. She helps people
Strategize and achieve their goals every day.
I was actually just at a conference with her
Last month. Richard, when I tell you
Like on fire life change. You should
Definitely speak with Samira Jones.
Richard Matthews
Awesome. We’ll reach out after the show
And see if we can get contact information.
Love to have her on the show. At this point,
Thank you so much for coming on.
It’s been wonderful having a conversation
With you. Where can people find you
If they want to either hire you
For speaking engagements, pick up a copy
Of your book, maybe talk to you
About coaching. And secondly, I think probably
More importantly, who are
The ideal type of people to reach out?
Artisha Bolding
The ideal type of people to reach out
To me are going to be career changers.
Are going to be aspiring authors,
And entrepreneurs. Those are the three folks
That I feel like I can help best. Folks can find me
Easiest on my website which is https://tboldmedia.com/
All of my social network information is there.
On Facebook and Instagram is @artishabolding
The books are there and all of
The encouragement, motivation resources.
They’re on https://tboldmedia.com/
And I would love to hear from folks.
Richard Matthews
And that’s T just the letter T.
So https://tboldmedia.com/
Artisha Bolding
That’s correct. Yes.
Richard Matthews
Awesome. If you’re in that spot,
If you’re listening to this show and you are looking
At a career change, or looking to be an aspiring author.
Definitely reach out to Artisha.
Obviously, she’s doing some cool stuff here.
Thank you so much for coming on the show.
Artisha, do you have any parting words
Of wisdom for our audience?
Artisha Bolding
Thanks also for having me, Richard.
I just want to encourage folks to not listen
To that nagging inner self critic or getting rid
Of that head trash, and be willing
To uncover your own superpower
Because there is a hero in all of us.
Richard Matthews
Awesome. Thank you so much
For coming on the show Artisha.
I really appreciate it.
Artisha Bolding
Thank you so much for having me.
