From Fired to Fearless: Megan Ewing’s Entrepreneurial Rebirth

[00:00:00] Rich Bennett: Hey everyone. It's Rich Bennett. Can you believe it? This show is turning 10 this year. I am so grateful for each and every one of you who've tuned in, shared an episode, or even joined the conversation over the years. You are the reason that this podcast has grown into what it is today. Together, we shared laughs.

Tears and moments that truly matter. So I want to thank you for being part of this journey. Let's make the next 10 years even better. 

[00:00:34] Rich & Wendy: Coming 

to you from the Freedom Federal Credit Union Studios. Hartford County Living Presents conversations with Rich Bennett.

It's probably, that's okay. No, no, no. It's fine. The truth is,

[00:01:00] Rich Bennett: this 

young lady, um, cohost an episode with me a long time ago that we weren't able to publish because her and my other co-hosts at the time, Alicia, scared to live in hell. Uh, the young man that we were talking to and he just wouldn't open up. I have Megan Ewing on who is an, alright, let me make sure I get all of these right.

Number one, a mother. 

[00:01:26] Megan Ewing: Yep. 

[00:01:28] Rich Bennett: A wife. 

[00:01:29] Megan Ewing: Yep. 

[00:01:30] Rich Bennett: Entrepreneur. 

[00:01:31] Megan Ewing: Yep. 

[00:01:32] Rich Bennett: Author. 

[00:01:33] Megan Ewing: Yep. 

[00:01:34] Rich Bennett: Podcaster. 

[00:01:36] Megan Ewing: Yep. 

[00:01:39] Rich Bennett: Model. 

[00:01:41] Megan Ewing: I 

appreciate that one. 

[00:01:42] Rich Bennett: Well, 

you do you model your own clothes and everything, right?

[00:01:45] Megan Ewing: Yeah.

[00:01:45] Rich Bennett: Okay. Uh, what am I missing? 

[00:01:48] Megan Ewing: Um, I guess big thing is growth strategist. So I'm helping businesses grow, whether it's small businesses or.

I'm 

working with an international business to bring them to the US also. 

[00:02:00] Rich Bennett: Alright, so, good Lord. Megan, can you narrow it down to one title for that? We'll just 

[00:02:05] Megan Ewing: say 

[00:02:05] Rich Bennett: Growth Strategy. A growth strategist. I like that. Okay, so I, Megan and I have known each other for a while and I got on her because she never has come on the show to talk about her two books.

So the first one she wrote, let me make sure I get this. I wanna say what, three years ago, 

[00:02:24] Megan Ewing: two years ago? 2023. It was only two years ago. April 16th, 2023. Oh wow. 

[00:02:28] Rich Bennett: That was Think Big. Act. Bold. A Mindset Makeover for Women Entrepreneurs. The second one, which was probably released this 

[00:02:36] Megan Ewing: January, 

[00:02:37] Rich Bennett: this year, January of 2025.

A Blueprint for Breakthrough Success. Oh, I'm sorry. The think big act bold way. Mm-hmm. Of Blueprint for Breakthrough Success. So we're gonna be talking about them. Um, and those of you listening, especially young women, well, I dunno. Let's see. Just young women, even men. 

[00:02:58] Megan Ewing: Yeah. 

[00:03:00] Rich Bennett: Get these books. You can find 'em on Amazon.

They're definitely gonna help you grow. Um, which is the main thing. So that's what we're here to talk about, her books and how that she can help you. Yeah. How you doing, Megan? I'm good. I, I gotta ask first. Okay. The shirt. Yeah. It says Killing it. What's behind that? The meaning behind that. 

[00:03:19] Megan Ewing: I just saw it and liked it and bought it.

Oh, I thought it was something you think of with yourself. I know every, every time I wear this shirt, I get asked. They're like, oh, is that one of your shirts? Where can I buy it? I'm like, oh, everyone just thinks I do everything. This is not one of my shirts, but maybe I should redesign it and throw my logo on it.

And, uh, I was 

[00:03:38] Rich Bennett: gonna say, 'cause you got your shirts out there, right? Yes. I have shirts, hoodies, 

[00:03:41] Megan Ewing: and, 

[00:03:42] Rich Bennett: but you just don't wear 'em out? 

[00:03:44] Megan Ewing: Well,

it's whatever comes out of the drawer first. Okay. 

[00:03:50] Rich Bennett: Alright. So the, the first book, think Big. Act Bold. 

[00:03:54] Megan Ewing: Yes. 

[00:03:56] Rich Bennett: What made you decide to write that? 

[00:03:59] Megan Ewing: I decided to write the book, so when I went into writing the book, I was writing to myself. Okay. So it's all about mindset. And before you do anything, whether it's go to college, whether it's start a business, whether it's start a new job, you're, you have to get your mindset right.

Um, I was struggling a lot with imposter syndrome, so I wrote this book, it's very short chapters and it's all addressing different mindset issues that we all hit, right? And the tone. So why I say it's for women, it's for men and women, but the tone was who the book that I needed to read to get me through what I needed to get through.

Um, and I figured if I can write a book for myself, how many other people can it impact? Because everyone's going through the same things. Everyone has the same mindset issues. Um, so I wrote it for myself and then decided to, um, publish it, publish it, and have an impact on other people. And to kind of teach people like, you're not alone.

It's like, I'm writing this for me. So if I'm dealing with it. You're dealing with it, right? Like it doesn't have to be something we don't talk about. We can openly talk about it. 

[00:05:04] Rich Bennett: Alright, so for those of those people listening that don't know, explain what imposter syndrome is because somebody else that you and I were acquainted with mentioned something about imposter syndrome and how it's a good thing to have.

Well, that person's no longer active, so, okay. Yeah. 

[00:05:26] Megan Ewing: So imposter syndrome is just the belief that for me, the belief that you're not good enough. Like mm-hmm. If I want to start a business, then something in the back of my brain's gonna tell me, are you sure? Maybe you should just get a job. Maybe you should do this.

It's gonna be tough and it's gonna, like, everything in your head is gonna tell you, Hey, don't do it. Or I'm kind of doing it. And then the whole time in the back of my head, I'm telling myself, Hey, you're a fake, you're a phone, right? You don't know what you're talking about. You're no expert. When at the end of the day.

No one's really an expert. No. Like, we're all learning as we go. 

[00:06:01] Rich Bennett: Thank you. Thank you. That's something I always tell and I tell people, it's like the learning never stops, right? I mean, right now I'm, I'm back reading a book from 1928, the Law of Success. Okay. Sometimes you have to go back. Yep. In, in time. Uh, well, technically it is, but those books, a lot of those books hold true today.

Yeah. You know? Um, but I, it, it's with the imposter syndrome thing, um, I think a lot, I think everybody gets it once in a while. Yeah. But I love the fact that, that it, it, it, it, a lot of people get it because I, and correct me if I'm wrong, it's because they don't feel confident enough in what they're doing, but feel like they know it all.

[00:06:50] Megan Ewing: I agree with that. And I think the other thing is once you're, once it's business related. 

[00:06:54] Rich Bennett: Mm-hmm. 

[00:06:54] Megan Ewing: Putting a price on something on yourself is hard because we're taught that whatever job that you apply for, you're hoping and begging to get the job, and then they put your value. Mm-hmm. They put your title and you don't have to, you don't have to figure anything out because like I worked for the federal government, so I was in like the class system.

You don't, if they say this is the level you're on, that's the level you're on. You can't negotiate and change it once. You're kind of like getting in the door. Um, so it was hard for me once I decided to grow a business of putting a price and then it was like, well, what is the price? So I always undercharge, it's a flaw of mine.

It, I'm working on it, I 

[00:07:37] Rich Bennett: think. I think everybody does. Yeah. And the thing is, it's hard to put a price on what you, especially when you're a solopreneur on what you believe you are worth. Right. And then whatever you, whatever product or service you're pushing, what that's worth. And I think that's where a lot of entrepreneurs mess up.

They focus on the service and not themselves. Right. And you, I mean, yeah, granted, we're worthless. I mean, I'm not worthless. I mean, we're priceless. Good Lord. We're, we're priceless. But you still gotta, you still gotta deter and, and yeah. If you put, if you underbid yourself, it, it's not going to look good because then you gotta figure out, how do I raise those prices now?

Right. And still keep the current people. 

[00:08:31] Megan Ewing: Yep. 

[00:08:32] Rich Bennett: Um, it's a tricky situation. So what, when did you realize that you are better? Than what you were actually charging and start charging more for your services. 

[00:08:44] Megan Ewing: So I realized, I I was You good? Yeah. Got a itch. Um, but I realized that what I was doing was, okay, if I am, for instance, I had coaching clients.

Mm-hmm. So I was charging for that hour. Okay. What would I like to make in that hour? Great. So I was happy with that rate for that hour. Right. But I still wasn't being, I still wasn't successful. 'cause what I forgot was I've been a full-time entrepreneur for 10 years, so I need to price those 10 years uhhuh, not just the hour.

And once I started to realize that, that I'm pricing, that I read a lot, I watch a lot of podcasts. I'm educating myself every single day. Yep. That knowledge is a lot of. Things that I have that people aren't getting 

[00:09:27] Rich Bennett: mm-hmm. From 

[00:09:27] Megan Ewing: themselves. So I'm bringing 10 years of experience, 10 years of continual growth and putting it into an hour.

So I have to charge for more than just the hour. Otherwise, I'm gonna be working a whole lot of hours for nothing. 

[00:09:41] Rich Bennett: Well, the other thing is too, you, you have something that we all have and that's administrative cost. Yeah. And you gotta factor that in as well. Yep. Uh, well you mentioned something a while ago.

You said you worked for the federal government, or you did? I did. What? So that you let the federal government to start your own business? 

[00:09:58] Megan Ewing: I was fired from the federal government. Oh, shit. So I like to tell people I didn't like, there was no leap of faith. Right. I was pushed and I just, so it was a 

[00:10:07] Rich Bennett: blessing or maybe not while it happened, but yeah.

[00:10:12] Megan Ewing: So it was definitely a blessing. Um, but it was definitely a, a tough recovery of losing that because I was raised with the. Kind of the education of, Hey, we put you in a private high school, you're going to a four year college. Right. You're gonna get a degree and you're gonna get a good job. And in my family, federal government, that's the highest level.

That's good vacation. Mm-hmm. That's good retirement. That's, you know, it was everything. Yeah. So I did it and I did it at a young age. And, you know, everybody was proud. I got my federal job. Um, I loved the job, I hated the politics. And I ended up being fired. So after I kind of like recovered it, it was so bad.

The experience of me being fired. I worked in the federal courthouse, um, oh, I was late. So we took the commuter bus. Mm-hmm. Every, almost everybody in the office took the commuter bus. Well, we had to go through security just like every other person. I'm on the fourth floor office back by the window. So if you're running late and you're at security, you text someone upstairs, Hey, clock me in.

I'm at security. Right. And you might be four or five minutes late and it was just the standard office practice. 

[00:11:23] Rich Bennett: Yeah. 

[00:11:24] Megan Ewing: Knowing it wasn't the standard rules, like, um, so it was, seemed that it was me getting an example made out of me. Um, wow. So I ended up being fired for, they had videos and footage of me getting into the elevator at 7 0 3 when I clocked in at 7 0 1.

So I, it was less than 30 minutes, um, that I stole. And they waited until knowing I ride the commuter bus. They waited until like 11, 11 30 in the afternoon knowing the next commuter bus wasn't until four. What told me to pack. I had 10 minutes to pack up my office and I was escorted out a US marshal on each arm, like I was a criminal.

And this is like the federal courthouse, like we're not talking about small criminals in there. Yeah. And that day, once I kind of like looked back on it. The state of mind that that day put me in. I knew I could never allow someone to have that control over me. Yeah. And for me, I said the job, w the job did that to me.

So after that day, I was like, I'm not going back to work. I can't, I just can't. Holy. And I didn't, I started with paint night. I've done other things. I ran the photography business. We've done, um, I was doing paint night in multiple states, so it was by any means necessary. I was not getting a job. 

[00:12:43] Rich Bennett: Wait, did you say paint night?

Yeah, paint. Okay. Painting or like the restaurants and all. Yep. So I ran 

[00:12:49] Megan Ewing: it in, um, Hartford and Baltimore County and then Savannah, Georgia. I didn't know you were an artist too. I was not. Oh, okay. I did run a few events. Okay. Um, but yeah, I would hire artists to come in Okay. And then run the events for me. 

[00:13:05] Rich Bennett: I was gonna say, damn, you're surprising me with more stuff.

I'm not too 

[00:13:08] Megan Ewing: bad. I mean, there was some situations where I got thrown in with a call out or something. Right. And I had to make it work. But I, I don't think I would say I am an artist. 

[00:13:16] Rich Bennett: The thing that pisses me off with, with them firing you though, they, they knew you took the commuter bus. Mm-hmm. They all this stuff that, which correct me if I'm wrong, but you, whether it's local government, state government, federal government, they want, they, they always pushed the commuting thing.

[00:13:37] Megan Ewing: Right. 

[00:13:38] Rich Bennett: So all these things, which made you late, was stuff that they put into practice. 

[00:13:44] Megan Ewing: Yeah. Yeah. 'cause parking was $20 a day if I didn't commute. Good lord. And they didn't pay for that. 

[00:13:52] Rich Bennett: They didn't. They didn't pay for parking? 

[00:13:54] Megan Ewing: Nope. You had to park in a garage. Yeah. So it was commuter bus or, and it was fine.

Like, I chose to leave 'cause I was living in the city when I first got the job. Um, I chose to move back to Harvard County. So I get it like it was my choices. But, um, the whole dynamic of it was just really 

[00:14:16] Rich Bennett: Alright. I, I gotta have to ask you this then. Yeah. Now. Alright. Were you and Kevin married at the time when this happened?

No, we were dating. You were dating, okay. Yeah, we were 

[00:14:24] Megan Ewing: dating and living together, but not married. 

[00:14:26] Rich Bennett: How was this on your mental health when they fired you? 

[00:14:29] Megan Ewing: It was horrible. So I couldn't pack up my office. 

[00:14:33] Rich Bennett: Mm-hmm. 

[00:14:33] Megan Ewing: I had to walk, um, because I had, I was not allowed on the property, so it's not like I could sit on the front step and wait for my ride.

Um, I grabbed a few things that I could, God started walking. Called Kevin crying my eyes out, walking through the city, and I'm in a blur, like, I don't know anything that's going on around tunnel vision. Yeah, right. Um, and I was like, Hey, I just come up Orleans Street and eventually you'll see me and he's coming from Harvard County.

Oh, shit. So I ended up getting to Latrobe Homes, and that's where I was picked up. Wow. And he's like, why are you here? Like, why are you at the tr I'm like, I just walked. Like, what they, the feelings that I got, I had to run away from. Mm-hmm. And that's all I could do. And I don't, like, I wasn't thinking at all.

Like, I don't know the thoughts. I, I just was crying on the phone with him the whole time and like, Hey, just, I'm coming up Orleans. Like, if you're on Orleans, you'll find me. It's 

[00:15:34] Rich Bennett: probably a good thing it was in the middle of the day. 

[00:15:36] Megan Ewing: Oh yeah. Oh yeah. 

[00:15:38] Rich Bennett: I mean, 

[00:15:39] Megan Ewing: because I probably still would've walked that night just to get away and, yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. 

[00:15:43] Rich Bennett: My God, man. So did with that, I mean, that could drive you into depression big time. 

[00:15:51] Megan Ewing: Yeah. 

[00:15:52] Rich Bennett: And did it, 

[00:15:53] Megan Ewing: I don't know that I recognized what depression was. 

[00:15:56] Rich Bennett: Okay. 

[00:15:56] Megan Ewing: Until probably recently. So I do feel like in that moment, because I, you know, at that point I was very big on pleasing my mom. Oh. So now I knew I was her biggest disappointment because, oh God, the federal government was taught, that's what I was taught, that you get a federal job and you're set for life and you stay committed.

She worked, you know, one job her whole life and mm-hmm. And what I, when I had a business coach, they were like, you know, you also have to understand as parents who went through the Great Depression, they were taught, once you get somewhere good, you do not leave. Right. You stay committed. Um, and. That's what I was supposed to do.

So it took me, and we actually rode the commuter bus together. Took me Oh, Jesus. Two weeks to tell her. And I was like, oh, I was running late. I drove, oh, I, and I just, I wouldn't tell her. And, um, eventually I did. And it was like, just full disappointment, which I understood because her mindset was, yeah. I had everything set.

And now it was like, well, now what are you gonna do? Because I told, I was like, I'm not, I can't go into a job the way I'm feeling right now. Right. I'm no benefit to anyone until I heal from this. And, um, she didn't get it. But I had paint. I was doing paint night part-time, and that exploded. 

[00:17:16] Rich Bennett: Mm-hmm. Um, 

[00:17:17] Megan Ewing: so I ended up, my first year running paint night, I made three times my salary at the federal government.

Really? And now I had expenses. So like, it wasn't like I pocketed everything. Yeah. But for me to be able to do that told me like, Hey. Deal with the criticisms, deal with people telling you to get a real job, deal with all of that, because you just showed what you're capable of doing if you can't ignore the buzz.

[00:17:43] Rich Bennett: Damn. 

[00:17:44] Megan Ewing: So that was like, that was like my winning moment of, no, you, you can do this. You're not an artist and you're running a, an artist. Yeah. A company where people teach people how to paint. Like what are you doing? But it's working. 

[00:17:59] Rich Bennett: Wow. So how long were you doing that for? 

[00:18:02] Megan Ewing: I was with Paint Night until 2019, so about three years.

[00:18:08] Rich Bennett: Okay. 

[00:18:09] Megan Ewing: Um, and then with paint night, they, they grew so fast, so it was a Boston based company. Oh, okay. Yeah. They grew so fast that they didn't have the regulations in place that were needed. So it was similar to a franchise, but it's a licensee model. So I had a license to run paint nights in Baltimore. But for me, I stuck with Hartford and Baltimore County and then Savannah, Georgia, but they were giving out multiple licenses for Baltimore.

So then you'd have people pop up and do a restaurant right next to yours on the same night. So it got very oversaturated. Yeah. And I decided to leave, and then COVID hit. So COVID shut everything down. So it was like I left to focus on Kevin's photography business. Right. COVID hit. And then it was like I got out, I had a planned exit instead of, A lot of people actually just woke up and they had nothing.

Yeah, 

[00:19:05] Rich Bennett: nothing. All right. Wait a minute. Something I didn't realize. So for paint night, who's ever running it has, you have to have the licenses. 

[00:19:13] Megan Ewing: Yeah. So you have to have a license through the company paint night. To be able to run it in the industry because the, all of the events were run through their website.

Okay. Um, so we didn't all have our own individual websites. All of the ticket sales were run through their website and then we were given our cut. 

[00:19:30] Rich Bennett: Oh, because you're so if you would've done it on your own Right. Our new licenses. 

[00:19:35] Megan Ewing: Right. So I did it through the parent company. Oh, okay. 

[00:19:37] Rich Bennett: Gotcha. But then again, if you did it on your own, hell going to all these states and everything would've been 

[00:19:43] Megan Ewing: right.

And there was no way I would've seen the growth that I did. Yeah. So 

[00:19:47] Rich Bennett: quickly, I never realized there was companies out there that did that. 

[00:19:51] Megan Ewing: Yep. They're actually still, I mean, they're making it, I don't know how big of a comeback, but I have been seeing more events kind of going up and Wow. Kind of sparking up again.

[00:20:00] Rich Bennett: Alright, so COVID hits. Mm-hmm. And, and now Kevin does more than just the photography business Right before COVID. 

[00:20:08] Megan Ewing: Um, before COVID it was honestly mainly photography and photo booth. 

[00:20:14] Rich Bennett: Alright. So what'd you guys do? D because with COVID, a lot of people, and I hate the term thinking outside of the box. Yeah.

But you had to 

[00:20:25] Megan Ewing: Yep. 

[00:20:26] Rich Bennett: Uh, and the ones that that really thought well succeeded. So what did you guys do once COVID hit? Because I mean, you really can't, weddings were basically canceled. 

[00:20:38] Megan Ewing: Everything was, yeah. And for us, we're big. We always live with the motto of caring about the people before the profit.

Mm-hmm. Um, so our contracts clearly stated all of these weddings that got canceled, they weren't supposed to get any money back. Right. They pay their deposit. It was non-refundable. Mm-hmm. Our contract was perfect. 

[00:20:57] Rich Bennett: Right. 

[00:20:58] Megan Ewing: We sent everyone a refund. We refunded every single wedding, um, which I think led to the growth, but everything was shut down.

So it was, and then we're homeschooling three kids. So, oh God. It, it turned into like, we don't have any money, so first let's cut down the bills, contacted the gym, contacted everything else. And then it was, Hey, we can sit here and cry and be upset, or we can understand. I mean, no one knew how long COVID was gonna last.

Exactly. So it's like, okay, if our kids are home for a week and we have to homeschool, great. Okay, two weeks comes. Okay. Three weeks comes. And it turned into looking at it as a blessing instead of realizing I was never gonna have this amount of time with my kids. Mm-hmm. And the freedom of you could use COVID as an excuse to not go places.

True. So we enjoyed being home. Yeah. And we enjoyed being there. And then I, um, once things got tough financially, I, and I don't know who I spoke to, but they were like, Hey, the way you set up. Your LLC, you guys are employees of your LLC, you are entitled to unemployment. Oh shit. And I'm like, well, why didn't you guys tell me this when COVID started Right then.

I didn't realize 

[00:22:21] Rich Bennett: that though. Yeah. 

[00:22:21] Megan Ewing: So we are set up as a S corp and as S corp we are employees of our LLC. Right. Okay. So we were taking W2 paychecks. So since we had W2 paychecks you can apply for unemployment. So we were actually both approved. Um, and then they were doing like the $600 extra and everything.

So that got us through. And then we, I was just researching every grant, every loan, every piece of assistance. So we were able to get, um, some grants through. A small business, SBA. Right. And then the, we got a loan through SBA and then the loan was transitioned into a grant, so we didn't have to pay back any of that money.

So, 

[00:23:03] Rich Bennett: wow. We 

[00:23:04] Megan Ewing: were very, very, and like, it was minimal. It was, it got us through, it got our bills paid. We, it's getting you 

[00:23:10] Rich Bennett: through there, that's the thing. 

[00:23:11] Megan Ewing: Yeah. And it got us through while giving us time at home with our kids. Wow. So COVID for us was, once we figured out the resources that we had mm-hmm. Um, it was a huge blessing.

And it, the di I think the changes in the parent relationships with our kids will always be better because we had that time, we had that patience. Yeah. Where a lot of parents were trying to still go to work and wear a mask every day and come home stress and then having to homeschool or having to find somebody to watch their kids.

I actually, all of COVID, I had my nephew, so I watched him and he was a baby, so I'm like raising my nephew while my brothers work. So it was at the end of it, like I. Don't want COVID to ever happen again. Yeah. But the experience, I don't think any of us do, but the experience that we had personally with it, uh, I wouldn't have life changing.

I wouldn't have changed. 

[00:24:02] Rich Bennett: The good thing is you had three kids. Yeah. Because some people, if you were an only child, they anxiety and depression from that. Those kids that went to school then, was it, I was reading the study and I've mentioned it before, it's like they've lost three years of their life. Yep.

And you, when you three kids there, they can still get on each other's nerves. Yep. Do things together and all that. It's the ones that were by themselves that suffered a lot. Yeah. Now were they always homeschooled or just when COVID hit? Just 

[00:24:34] Megan Ewing: during COVID. Okay. So it was virtual. So we had Right one on one floor, one on the next floor, one on the other.

Our daughter was in preschool, so that was fun. Her learning on a tablet. Um, our middle son. Her, his teacher was absolutely incredible. Mm-hmm. Um, I mean we still have a good relationship to this day because what she did for the kids in her class virtually 

[00:24:56] Rich Bennett: Yeah. 

[00:24:57] Megan Ewing: Is unmatched to anything I've ever seen in my life.

[00:24:59] Rich Bennett: Wow. Wow. And your oldest at the time was in high school? 

[00:25:03] Megan Ewing: He was in middle school. 

[00:25:05] Rich Bennett: Oh, middle school. Yep. Okay. So he was 

[00:25:06] Megan Ewing: in eighth grade. So he lost kind of like his eighth grade year and then kind of went into high school. Almost like scary because Yeah, you haven't seen people for a while. But the funny thing for him, his, we joke about his COVID growth story.

So during CID, he actually got his braces off. He actually went from glasses to contacts. So he had like this big glow up and then went into high school more confident and more happy. So it was like, okay, I like your COVID story. 

[00:25:37] Rich Bennett: Ned. Did he play sports? Yes, he plays basketball. Okay. Uh, 'cause I was taken away from him too.

[00:25:43] Megan Ewing: Yeah. Yep. 

[00:25:44] Rich Bennett: God. Yeah. I hope we never go through that again. Never. Alright. So with the, the first book. Mm-hmm. Think big, act bold. Alright. You wrote that in, what'd you say? 2020 23. 2023. Yep. How long did it actually take you to write it? Because you were, you were writing to yourself. 

[00:26:03] Megan Ewing: Yeah. 

[00:26:04] Rich Bennett: So when you started writing to yourself to the time you decided to publish it, how long was that?

[00:26:11] Megan Ewing: I'd say about like nine to 10 months. 

[00:26:13] Rich Bennett: That's it. 

[00:26:13] Megan Ewing: So, well, I was writing to myself with the understanding that it would be a published book. 

[00:26:19] Rich Bennett: Okay. Okay. 

[00:26:20] Megan Ewing: Um, so it wasn't like a diary turn book. Right. So I knew what I was doing. Um, I knew what the end goal was. Mm-hmm. And then I knew I wanted it short. I wanted it.

I, I'll read, I read a lot, right? And I'll get into books and I'm like, can you just get to the point a little bit quicker? So that was like the point of this book where it's like, okay, you told me you talked about imposter syndrome. I know I got it. Fix it. Tell me how. 

[00:26:45] Rich Bennett: So is it like a guidebook then? 

[00:26:47] Megan Ewing: Yeah, so it, it addresses like probably the most popular mindset.

Okay. Issues and then just kind of gives guidance, tips on how to deal with it. How to deal with it when something comes up. Um, 'cause at the end of the day, a lot of people will say, oh, you have impostors and you're ignore it. Well, you can't ignore it. You can't ignore it. You have to work through your feelings.

And I think mm-hmm. We're told a lot to ignore. I was reading a book recently and it said, with children, you know, if they're crying about something, we're telling them, Hey, shut up. Hey, get over it. Hey this, hey that. But then they grow into adults that don't know how to deal with their feelings. 

[00:27:23] Rich Bennett: Yep. 

[00:27:24] Megan Ewing: So now there are adults walking around in relationships that they can't, like, keep together business relationships that they can't keep together because they get upset, easy, um, and are told to hide it.

[00:27:38] Rich Bennett: Do you cover stuff like that in the book? 

[00:27:40] Megan Ewing: A little bit. Okay. Um, more in, I think more in like the blueprint. So for me, like you said, like we're constant learners. Yeah. So the growth I've had in two years is like incredible just because of all of the knowledge that I fill in all the conversations, the books, the podcast.

Um, so I probably mention it more in here and then in the, then just kind of address the basics in the first book. 

[00:28:05] Rich Bennett: Alright. So with both of the books mm-hmm. Actually when you, the blueprint, how, when did you start writing that? After the first one was published, 

[00:28:16] Megan Ewing: I started writing that the beginning of 2024.

Okay. So this was published in 2023. April, 2023. And then I was like, I move on from things too quickly. So I didn't say that we, well, we had a great, like a great launch. Yeah. Um, it was Amazon, one of Amazon's best top sellers. Mm-hmm. I think it was, I think the highest I got was number 12. I was hoping for top 10.

That's awesome though. But no, I was super proud of myself 'cause it was my first release and I did it by myself. Um, and then I was like, I really liked the experience of writing the book. Mm-hmm. So I went on to feel, I felt the first book wasn't good enough. I felt, well if I'm just helping you with mindset, that that's a 

[00:28:58] Rich Bennett: sign of a good author right there.

[00:29:01] Megan Ewing: But I, I was like, they need more like, yeah. If I, if I helped, if this book fixes your mindset, well now what? So I made it my job to fix the now what? And that's what kind of prompted the second book. All right. 

[00:29:16] Rich Bennett: So with you and Kevin, because you guys were dating when you lost your job. Mm-hmm. You're doing all these different businesses.

And then when did you guys actually get married? 

[00:29:30] Megan Ewing: In 2015. 

[00:29:32] Rich Bennett: 2015. So you were already Well, yeah. You, so it was after you lost your job? Yes. Okay. And COVID hits, you guys are working from home basically. Well, not even working from home. You're home because you can't us home. Right. 

[00:29:48] Megan Ewing: Trying to figure out how we can work.

[00:29:50] Rich Bennett: So even though you, well, we already determined this is not just for women, this is for all types of entrepreneurs, right. With these books. Ha. How has it, do you think it's also made your marriage stronger as well? 

[00:30:08] Megan Ewing: Good question. And I think it's made it stronger because. Me writing something for myself 

[00:30:17] Rich Bennett: mm-hmm.

[00:30:18] Megan Ewing: Allowed me to really feel more confidence in me. So losing the, the ideal life that I was raised knowing Right. Um, was a kick in the face. Like, Hey, you not scum, but it was like, I was, I had so many negative thoughts about me because it was like all I had to do to make my parents happy was to have a federal job and stick with it.

Yeah. And have all this good retirement and good vacation, and I couldn't even do that. So now what? Mm-hmm. So I think the books put in a new confidence, and I think when you're happy with yourself and you're proud of yourself Yep. Every relationship around you is better. 

[00:30:57] Rich Bennett: Well, and I ask that because a couple of the things you were talking about.

It sounds like if, if a couple would read this together 

[00:31:04] Megan Ewing: Oh yeah, 

[00:31:04] Rich Bennett: it would definitely make 'em, make 'em stronger. 

[00:31:07] Megan Ewing: Yeah. 

[00:31:07] Rich Bennett: Uh, it's definitely made you stronger. Hell, people just, anybody follows you on social media can see that. Thank you. I mean, you've been kicking ass, which is a good thing. Um, the, the blueprint, why did you decide to write that as a follow up?

For the first one, 

[00:31:24] Megan Ewing: I felt I owed the people who read the first one. More guidance. 

[00:31:28] Rich Bennett: Okay. 

[00:31:28] Megan Ewing: So the blueprint is kind of takes, okay, we learned about mindset. Mm-hmm. We now know how to deal with imposter syndrome. We now know how to deal with certain lazy traits. We now, we can get past that, but what are you gonna do with your new mindset?

Mm-hmm. Just have a good mind. Um, so this was like, okay, now that we got our mindset together, now here's, and I base it off of kind of like my coaching structure. Here's how we're going to build the business. Mm-hmm. Here's the things that people aren't telling you. You're people will jump into a business and usually if you don't have some nest egg saved up, you're chasing money.

Mm-hmm. 

[00:32:03] Rich Bennett: And that 

[00:32:04] Megan Ewing: means you're gonna accept every client and you're gonna get more bad than good. You're gonna undervalue yourself and you're gonna end up hating business because you didn't get a business. You just gave yourself a job that's more demanding than the full-time job you had with someone else.

[00:32:19] Rich Bennett: I, you, you say you went, you went to college after high school, right? 

[00:32:23] Megan Ewing: Yes. 

[00:32:24] Rich Bennett: Alright. Did you major in psychology or business management? It had to be one or the other. 

[00:32:30] Megan Ewing: Funny story, I actually started as a MEChA mechanical engineer Major. 

[00:32:36] Rich Bennett: Huh? 

[00:32:38] Megan Ewing: What? I had a, um, internship on a PG. I was working with the test center there.

Okay. Oh wow. 

[00:32:45] Rich Bennett: And um, 

[00:32:46] Megan Ewing: I was doing like all different kind of testing and then I was like, okay, this seems cool and it's a federal job and it's gonna give me good things. And I spent three semesters in that degree. Maybe two semesters failed Chem 1 0 1 all three semesters and realized, yeah, engineering just isn't for me.

So I did a semester of social work and then I was like, my heart was fully in social work. 

[00:33:14] Rich Bennett: Right? 

[00:33:15] Megan Ewing: But I didn't see a success path with social work. 

[00:33:19] Rich Bennett: Okay. 

[00:33:19] Megan Ewing: Um, so then I was like, Hey, business it is. And that's what I ended up. I knew it had 

[00:33:24] Rich Bennett: to be one or the other. 

[00:33:25] Megan Ewing: Yeah. 

[00:33:26] Rich Bennett: Holy cow. Alright, so when you left your left, when they let you go, did you think you would be the person that you are today?

[00:33:39] Megan Ewing: Oh, never speaking in front of people, right? Like, no, I like to be the quiet person that no one knows exists. I mean, there's people in my high school who probably were in. Every single class uhhuh and don't know I exist. And that's just what, that's how I like to be. I didn't quiet. Yeah. I didn't want attention.

I didn't want anything. So this version of me is like, I couldn't, and I don't think most people who knew me growing up, they are like, uh, what? You're on book covers. Why? Like, that's not you. So no, this, this is not a version of me that I ever expected, but it's a version of me that I'm like, oh, this is the person who changes the world.

This is the person that, the quiet person. 

[00:34:30] Rich Bennett: Mm-hmm. 

[00:34:31] Megan Ewing: I would've had no impact. And everything that I do feels good. It's always to better someone else, um, whether paid or unpaid. So having that, it just keeps driving me to, Hey, get outta your comfort zone. You have to be a person you never imagined being because the world needs you.

[00:34:50] Rich Bennett: Oh, yeah. Now, with either of these books, are they in audible form as well? Yep. Tell me you did it. 

[00:34:57] Megan Ewing: Yeah. 

[00:34:59] Rich Bennett: Alright. Yes. Okay. 

[00:35:00] Megan Ewing: So I am like a avid d Iyer. Okay. I don't like paying for anything.

Hey, if you could do it, why not? I'm, I'm a professional. Figure it outer. So. Nope. I did everything same way. I published it all on, um, Amazon. I did the covers myself. I did all the formatting myself. 

[00:35:22] Rich Bennett: Wait a minute. Hold up. Wait a minute. I think you're lying a little bit there. I don't think you did the covers yourself.

Somebody had to take the photo. I, so I didn't take the photo. Okay. 

[00:35:31] Megan Ewing: Um, so my husband took the photo, I did all the design work. Good thing, you know, a photographer. Oh yeah. I mean, having, hi. I will have to say like, it's made things a lot easier. So if I have an event that I'm speaking at, having a photographer there to get pictures.

Yeah. Um, 'cause I'll be at events with multiple speakers and I'm the only one who gets pictures up because they didn't have a photographer. Or they're waiting for the hired photographer. Well, my photographer lives in my house, so I can say, uh, can I just get two pictures? Please, please, please. And you don't wanna piss off your wife, so you're gonna give the two, three pictures and get 'em go.

[00:36:08] Rich Bennett: How many, how many covers did you go through before you decided on both of these? Lemme rephrase that. This was my first cover. Yeah. 

[00:36:15] Megan Ewing: That was my first design. 

[00:36:17] Rich Bennett: That was your first one? Yep. Okay. And the second one? 

[00:36:19] Megan Ewing: The second one I had, I had the design kind of laid out because I had just redone the logo.

Okay. Um, I played with a few different pictures, but it was probably like two or three designs I had for the second one. Which you, 

[00:36:32] Rich Bennett: and you did it all yourself? Mm-hmm. Alright. So 

[00:36:36] Megan Ewing: Canva is a magical tool. 

[00:36:37] Rich Bennett: Yes, it is. But something on here, which, and a lot of people, a long time ago, people would say, this color throws off negative feeling, negative vibes.

I disagree. What may, how did you decide on the red? Because in all honesty, it kicks ass. 

[00:37:01] Megan Ewing: Yeah. 

[00:37:01] Rich Bennett: It, it's awesome. It, it, it's putting out a. No pun. Well, yeah, there is a pun intended. A bold statement. 

[00:37:08] Megan Ewing: Yeah. So the red came from, before I was working on my books, um, I was doing coaching. Mm-hmm. And my website, my logos, everything was pink with a little bit of brown in it.

Um, but it was pink. Mm-hmm. And what I realized in during that time was I wanted to still hide. So pink is a calm, it floats in the back. No one really notices it. It was a light pink, like it wasn't some neon pink and it kind of floats in the back. And no one really notices. It's cute, it looks pretty, but it's not a statement.

So then I was like, okay, well if I wanna get rid of pink, how do we do that? We'll take out the muting color and the muting color is white. So then red was born and I was like, Hey, if I'm, if I'm going to say, think big, act bold, I can't use. Do it right. Anything muted. So I was like, what is 

[00:38:04] Rich Bennett: castelle colors ain't gonna do it.

No. 

[00:38:05] Megan Ewing: So I was like, what's the boldest color out there? And I said, red and it can mean whatever. Kind of like, like you said, it can have a negative tone, but for me it's that statement of if you wear red or post in red, someone's gonna notice. Right. And a lot of people are gonna notice and then it's, I, I needed that.

And even though I was like scared of it mm-hmm. It was something I felt like, hey, if you're ready to transition into this next version of you, you have to let go of that fear. And, 

[00:38:41] Rich Bennett: and I think the negative part came from the accounting because you are always told you never wanna be in the red. Right. You always want to be in the green.

And if you watch accountants back then when you went in a negative vibe, what did they do? They switched to a red pen. Yep. The positive, they switched to a green pen. I don't know why they just didn't use blue or black, but I, I mean, I mean, think about school heared out, I guess. Huh? 

[00:39:05] Megan Ewing: Think about school. 

[00:39:07] Rich Bennett: Well, yeah, 

[00:39:08] Megan Ewing: they're using red.

If you get a bad grade, it's in red. That's true. Yeah. Like any movie, any cartoon you see, if it's about school and someone's getting an F it's a F in red with a big circle around it. 

[00:39:19] Rich Bennett: And Megan's changing that shit right now. She, Megan, it means something different. No, in all honesty, because it, it makes the book stand out.

Yeah. I mean, I mean, it's awesome and I do love the new logo. 

[00:39:30] Megan Ewing: Thank you. Well, the, the other weird aspect of it was when I wrote the first book, I wanted to be a book that I could see on a target shelf. 

[00:39:42] Rich Bennett: That's smart. 

[00:39:44] Megan Ewing: And, uh, my books aren't on target shelves, but yet, um, but I was like, my book cover has to, so I'll walk past and if I walk past in Target, I'm walking past the book section, I'm paying attention to what's there.

[00:39:57] Rich Bennett: Right. 

[00:39:58] Megan Ewing: And it has to be something that's gonna catch your eye. And you're not gonna walk past either one of these books and not, you don't have to buy it, but you're gonna glance and it's gonna stop you for at least a second. So that was like, my big thing is like, okay, would I stop if I saw this on a target shelf?

[00:40:15] Rich Bennett: Yeah. Which takes away that old saying of don't judge a book by its cover. 

[00:40:21] Megan Ewing: Oh, yeah. Well, you don't wanna 

[00:40:22] Rich Bennett: maybe not judge the book by its cover, but guarantee if that cover pops and stands out Yeah. That's the one you're going for first. 

[00:40:29] Megan Ewing: Yep. 

[00:40:29] Rich Bennett: You know, if it, if you would've just had nothing on there and just plain cover, think big, act bold, written on it.

It wouldn't have sold. The way it does is no. And the plane covers cell. Yeah. Hello Rich, 

[00:40:46] Megan Ewing: once you have a name. Yeah. So I'm a big fan of Mel Robbins and her books Oh, are Plain. The titles. Yeah. You know, it's just a title and she does bold colors. Um, but there's not a picture, there's not anything like that.

So it's, but she's built that. Her 

[00:41:00] Rich Bennett: names. Yeah. 

[00:41:01] Megan Ewing: So I was like, I had to perspective where I was of, I can't just throw a, a name on there. 

[00:41:10] Rich Bennett: You're listening to the Conversations with Rich Bennett. We'll be right back.

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25% off, and you're gonna love this even more. That rate is locked in for the lifetime of your sponsorship. So even if those levels go up five, 10 years from now, you're paying what you're paying now. That's it. So if you're looking for a strategic way to grow your business and reach the right people, let's talk.

Email me at richBennett@danben.com. That's d. A NBE n.com and let's make 2025 an unforgettable year for your brand and into the future. Okay. I was just gonna say, I know her pictures are on the back of the book and I was just looking. Okay, the second book, where's the picture on the back? 

[00:42:54] Megan Ewing: I don't know. I played with a picture on the back and I think, I don't know if it was like the, 

[00:43:05] Rich Bennett: well at least bar it's on, at least it's on the front.

[00:43:08] Megan Ewing: So that, I think I was like, I don't, 

[00:43:10] Rich Bennett: do 

[00:43:10] Megan Ewing: they really need two pictures of me and then I just took it off. 

[00:43:13] Rich Bennett: Well, you, your, you all, if you, if you go, when your third book comes out, Megan's gonna kick me under the table. Um, yeah, if you, because if you don't put your picture on the front, then you gotta have it on the back.

Right. Y'all, you, you are your brand. Why am I telling you this? You know that God. Alright, so you mentioned how you love to read. 

[00:43:37] Megan Ewing: Yeah. 

[00:43:39] Rich Bennett: Average, how many books you, you think you read a year?

[00:43:45] Megan Ewing: At least 25 plus. 

[00:43:48] Rich Bennett: Okay. And what is it you're reading? And now those of you listening, we're recording this. What is today's date? April 23rd. 

[00:43:54] Megan Ewing: April 23rd. 22nd maybe 23rd. 

[00:43:57] Rich Bennett: Okay. So what book are you reading now? 

[00:44:00] Megan Ewing: I am reading Mel Robbins, the Let Them Theory. 

[00:44:02] Rich Bennett: Okay, that's a 

[00:44:03] Megan Ewing: really 

[00:44:04] Rich Bennett: good one. What book really helped before you started writing this, excuse me, what book really helped you with your business mindset and everything, or books?

[00:44:16] Megan Ewing: Probably Robin Sharma, the 5:00 AM 5:00 AM Club and Traction, and I can't remember the author. Traction. Traction is like a big bus. It's, it's a boring business book. Um, it's harder to read. But the info in it was just incredible. 

[00:44:35] Rich Bennett: Did you learn something from it? Yeah. Then it wasn't boring. 

[00:44:38] Megan Ewing: Oh. I'm saying like, reading.

So Traction motivated me to write this because I was like, I wish more people would read Traction, but if they started on the first chapter, they're probably putting it down. 'cause it wasn't entertaining. Right. It was so informational. So I took a lot of the things I learned in Traction. 

[00:44:57] Rich Bennett: Yeah. 

[00:44:58] Megan Ewing: And made it more fun to read about.

[00:45:00] Rich Bennett: See, and I, I mean, I love the self-help books. I mean, if novels are, but I'd rather listen to a novel. 

[00:45:08] Megan Ewing: Okay. 

[00:45:09] Rich Bennett: But a self-help book, I'd rather sit there and turn the pages, guidebook, whatever you wanna call it. Because if you're reading it and learning from it, what are you doing with that book? You're highlighting things.

[00:45:22] Megan Ewing: Oh, I'm, I'm a, every book is for me. I just, I like the physical part of it. Oh yeah. Um. I wanna get into audio books and I have a tablet. I was like, oh, I'm gonna read books on my tablet. I'm like, I can't do that. No. I just like the papers. I tried. Yeah. I like the bookmark. I like, I like everything about it.

[00:45:40] Rich Bennett: Yeah. I tried doing it. I can't, when I'm listening, listening to a book, like I said, it's a novel. I've tried listening to self-help books. It ain't the same. 

[00:45:48] Megan Ewing: You're gonna miss something. Or, my thing is like, I've never tried listening to them, but I'm always so scared that the voice isn't going to be the voice I imagine when I'm reading it.

Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Like I am hearing like the author yell at me in some points or scold me or be like, Megan, I'm talking to you. And if the voice is like, well in this chapter, like, then it's like uhhuh. It takes away everything put, yeah. And I 

[00:46:15] Rich Bennett: think with, when it comes to the self-help books, I, I've all the ones I've listened to,

I can. There's maybe two where they told you have pen and paper and take notes. 

[00:46:34] Megan Ewing: Okay. 

[00:46:35] Rich Bennett: Um, be besides the books on tape, I mean, because those, I mean, you're always, I mean, who do I have? I forget the one guy's and Zigs always had zigs, Zig Ziglar's books on tapes. Yeah. Always still do some, although I don't have anything to play 'em on anymore, but, alright.

I wanna, I wanna talk about something else that, that you do, um, which I think is awesome. The vision boards. Yeah. Alright. Explain to everybody what that is and why it, it's because of you, even though I haven't been in a class or anything, but it's because of you that I do have a vision board in my office.

Okay. So explain to everybody about this. 

[00:47:22] Megan Ewing: Um, the vision board, I've been doing vision boards for eight years. Okay. It started in my basement. Um, and just inviting friends, Hey, everybody, bring a snack. What I learned about myself is I like to have people hold me accountable without telling them they're holding me accountable.

Mm-hmm. So if I invite a bunch of people over for a vision board, I'm gonna do my vision board. I'm not gonna put it off and say, oh, I can do it next week. So we did vision boards every year in our basement. Didn't really think much of it. It was personal for me, hanging it on my wall. And I started doing, I originally started doing them on canvas.

[00:48:00] Rich Bennett: Mm-hmm. 

[00:48:02] Megan Ewing: Because I was running paint night, so I had canvas turns into, that's my whole thought process of a vision board. A bi vision board for me is you're building your dream life. Yeah. So why would you build your dream life on a 50 cent piece of cardboard or poster board? You build it on a canvas because it's your dream life.

You are designing it. And it deserves to be on a wall and hung as art. So, well damn, I 

[00:48:30] Rich Bennett: gotta redo mine now. 

[00:48:32] Megan Ewing: So you don't have to, you can just mount it on a canvas. But to all my vision boards and people, 'cause when I talk budgets and things on the projects I'm working on, they're like, well, why don't you switch post board?

I'm like, no, no, no, never. No. Yeah, it's, it's always going to be canvas. Um, I like that. So I started doing public events last two years ago and my first one like sold out really quickly. It was amazing. The feedback was incredible. So I did a public one and I do 'em usually in December, right? Had one this past year and great turnout.

And then I decided to add a virtual option 'cause people from other places were like, well, I wanna come. And we had an international person come on. Nice. So it was like my first international vision board, which was absolutely incredible. And then someone had seen. I had put up pictures of the vision board night and the director at the Boys and Girls Club in Edgewood said, mm-hmm.

Hey, I'm doing a vision board event for my high school and middle schoolers. Do you have any supplies you can donate? And I said, Hey. And I know him personally. We've worked on other events together. So I was like, do you really wanna run this vision board event? And he was like, no. And I was like, can I? And he was like, well, what do you need?

I was like, nothing. He's like, what do you mean nothing? And I was like, no, I'm gonna bring everything right. All the supplies like you giving back. And he was like, well, what you know, you know, we don't have money. Yeah. And I'm like, no, gimme the space, gimme the kids. And I'll be there. 

[00:50:05] Rich Bennett: Yeah, that's good. 

[00:50:06] Megan Ewing: So I walk in and it's a bunch of teenage boys and I'm like, what did I just do?

Like they're going to look at me and laugh. They, they're not gonna take me serious. They loved it. I mean, they're asking, oh, how is mine? How is this? Yeah. Would you do this different? Would you do this different? And it was probably one of the most rewarding experiences. So I try to act before I let fear get in.

Mm-hmm. I've been to a few of like the Academy of Finance meetings with Edgewood High. So I reached out to Chuck Hunter there and I said, Hey, how do you feel about vision boards? How would you feel about having a vision board event? And I just left it at that. He's like, oh, that would be amazing. And I was like, okay, I'm gonna figure it out.

And I self-funded for Christmas. I asked family for gift cards for Amazon or Michael so I could just buy supplies. 'cause I was like, I don't need anything for Christmas. So we went in, we were gonna do a class of his, did the class. And he's getting feedback from students because they're pissed because I.

All these kids are walking around with vision boards and they didn't get to do one. Why didn't their class get to do one? 

[00:51:18] Rich Bennett: Oh, wow. So 

[00:51:19] Megan Ewing: he had kids asking their teachers for passes to come into my class. So he said, Megan, I, uh, we gotta do something about this. I said, let me go beg some more. Yeah. Um, so put a few posts up, um, got some funding and I said, Hey, I have enough for, he said he had 75 left.

And I was like, okay, I have, I got everything we need. So I did. And Kevin, of course, came and helped, took pictures, and we just did a takeover day. So I went in and I took OI was there the whole school day. Wow. Um, we had three different classes come in, worked out that two of the classes had a substitute that day.

So for them to get to do this was amazing. What he left out was, he didn't tell them they were doing vision boards. So they walk in and see me there and they're like. Oh, what are we doing? They loved it. I mean, it was, people were coming back to classes after to finish up. They were just so impactful. One boy had come up to me after and he was like, I had all these things in my head and I had no one to help me.

Mm-hmm. Put them, make them visual. And it was just an incredible feeling to where I was like, I wanna do this. So I knew I didn't wanna go the nonprofit route. So I was read, at that time, I was reading a book, I can't remember the name now, but it was about the founder of Tom's, the shoe company. Mm-hmm.

Where he does a buy one, get one model. So I was like, okay, if I run public events, I can price it to a point to where those, each ticket will actually cover one youth in the area, and then on top of adding, asking for sponsors. That's good. Um, so that's what helped fund the 75. And we did that, and that went amazing.

And then it was like, okay, I'm getting too many requests. So then I have 50, 50 more kids at Edgewood this year, and I just got a sponsorship. So those are all paid for. So I'll be scheduling that date. And then this summer I will actually be heading to Jamaica. What? And I will be teaching a vision board at a boxing camp in Jamaica.

No way. I'll be there for a week. That is awesome. So it's, I didn't, I underestimated the impact Yeah. That it had, because I just knew what it did for me and I, I don't know why I didn't think it would do that much for everyone else. And I didn't think of the impact on the youth. So, 

[00:53:53] Rich Bennett: wow. Everything happens for a reason.

Yeah. 

[00:53:55] Megan Ewing: So I'm looking forward to the growth of like, the Share the Vision initiative is what I've decided to name it. Um, I have a pending grant application with Hartford County to hopefully, if I receive what I ask for, it'll fund all of 2025. Right. Um, and that'll start me into the next school year. So the next role would be some type of partnership with the school system for at least like the seniors in the county.

Um, start with the seniors and then as if we go down and do juniors and all. Um, but I think it would be a super, super important for, especially seniors. I always start everything, of course, like with the vision board and the canvas, but I advise them to, hey. In middles or in elementary school, we're told we can do everything.

[00:54:41] Rich Bennett: Mm-hmm. You wanna 

[00:54:42] Megan Ewing: be a dolphin trainer? Yeah. You wanna be a doctor. Great. A lawyer. It didn't matter what you said to your parents in elementary school, they were supporting it. 

[00:54:49] Rich Bennett: Right. 

[00:54:49] Megan Ewing: So somewhere in middle and high school, they told you to be realistic. Yeah. And they talked you outta your dreams and not on purpose.

Like it's never ill willed. Um, so I always start the vision board events saying, Hey one, put everything away. Like I need, I need you here. Mm-hmm. Let's, let's have fun with this and go back to you in elementary school. So I don't care if you wanted to go to Paris, I don't care if you wanted to go to Australia.

That's the version of you I need right now. And once they really like, get into that, it's amazing what they put on their boards and the things that, the things that they truly want. Yeah. That they've told themselves. They're not allowed to have. 

[00:55:30] Rich Bennett: Have you ever contacted the person that fired you and told 'em, thank you.

[00:55:35] Megan Ewing: I have not. 

[00:55:36] Rich Bennett: You should. 

[00:55:39] Megan Ewing: I, I, I had,

I should. Um, and it, the funny thing, when I got fired, so my supervisor, who I had an amazing relationship with, she cried the day that they fired me. 'cause it wasn't, her decision was above her. Um, she would tell me things and I, I was young, I didn't understand what she was saying. And we would talk. And I worked in the case management division.

So basically I was the person between the judge and the defendants. Oh wow. In federal court. It's, at least in my division, it was a lot of criminal cases. Mm-hmm. A lot of gang cases. Um, and it was usually males between the ages of like 17 and 22. So they're calling and calling and calling. 'cause at this point their family stopped answering.

So they called the court, asked for updates. Um, my heart was heavily involved when. You are not supposed to have a heart there. Like, oh, you don't need to answer the calls just 'cause they're calling. Um, God, that had to be hard. I answered 'em anyway. So my supervisor would tell me like, you're bigger than this.

You're meant for something else. Like, don't. And I'm like, I'm got a federal job. Like, don't tell, like, mm-hmm this is the, the top tier. Like, what do you mean I'm bigger than this? And I never understood it. And then I did end up, um, I was trying to find her on Facebook or something and I probably should try harder because I was like, you told me the whole time I was working there that I was meant to be somewhere else, but you couldn't say more.

She's my boss. Right? Like, you can't say, Hey, leave this place. Um, but looking back it was like, thanks for believing in me because at that point I didn't have people who believed in me outside of. My path. 

[00:57:22] Rich Bennett: Right. 

[00:57:22] Megan Ewing: Because what else was like, I didn't know who, like I could have never predicted writing a book.

[00:57:28] Rich Bennett: Yeah. 

[00:57:28] Megan Ewing: I probably really wasn't even reading at that point as much. Definitely not as much as I am now. 

[00:57:35] Rich Bennett: Alright. So I don't, and I don't know if you can answer this or not, and I'm sure that you are for many people, and you may not know it, any idea how many people that you are their mentor? 

[00:57:52] Megan Ewing: No. 

[00:57:54] Rich Bennett: No. You know, there are some.

I know there are some, 

[00:57:57] Megan Ewing: and I know the people that I've worked with directly. 

[00:58:00] Rich Bennett: Mm-hmm. 

[00:58:01] Megan Ewing: But I hope, I never know. Ooh. Because if I never know, then I just keep working harder. And if I can impact people through social media, I never, I never have to know their name. Dang. 

[00:58:18] Rich Bennett: I like 

[00:58:19] Megan Ewing: that answer. Yeah. So this book is actually, and don't quote me a hundred percent, but I wanna say the Amazon Kindle version is in nine countries with, wow, I think it was eight sold in India.

[00:58:41] Rich Bennett: Really? 

[00:58:42] Megan Ewing: So these are people I'm mentoring and I will never know their name and never, never know the impact I have on their life. Yeah. Um, so knowing that I can do that without, you know, putting the tallies, like, oh yeah, this person, this person, this one with the share the vision, it's different. I, I do have specific goals.

Um, current, like for this year, it's a thousand kids, so we're at one 70. Um, 

[00:59:07] Rich Bennett: wow. So 

[00:59:08] Megan Ewing: we'll hit 200 when I finish with Edgewood and then with the summer camp, they usually have over a hundred kids. So I'll be well on my way because vision boards, I feel like they have a season. Yeah. And it's December, January.

And then with what I'm doing with the high schools, it would be kind of like the May. So I'll get that extra. And then of course the summer camp stuff. Mm-hmm. 

[00:59:29] Rich Bennett: So with the mentor part, who are some of your biggest mentors? 

[00:59:35] Megan Ewing: Biggest mentors? Um, I 

[00:59:36] Rich Bennett: worked closely, even if they don't know that they are your mentor, because Yeah.

Some mentors don't even realize well like you. Yeah. 

[00:59:46] Megan Ewing: Um, Robin Sharma is amazing. Mm-hmm. Um, his book was probably like that pivot of Oh, I can really do some amazing things. Yeah. So it's probably a lot of authors. Um, I actually hired my first coach over the summer. Will Toms, he owns co-founder of Rec Philly.

So. Saw him on a podcast. It sounds familiar. Um, super interesting story. But they have like a content creation studio, and I say it's like a content creation studio on steroids and it's memberships. They, they give resources and it, I mean, if you take a tour of it, it's, it's an incredible space that he's built there, him and his partner.

Right. Um, and he really opened up my eyes to value. Mm-hmm. So he just wasn't, he was one of those people who wasn't scared to tell me what mm-hmm. He thinks. Mm-hmm. And I get in, I feel like I've been like in a lot of rooms where people kind of like tiptoe or won't kind of like call me out and he had no fear of calling me out.

So I was like, I got a coaching client and this is what I charge. And he was like, are you kidding me? He was like, you should fire them. And I'm like, I got a coaching client. I'm not, no, it's monthly. We have a six month contract. Right. And no, and he's like a six month contract that's like one session cost.

And I'm like. You are gonna make me cry, but I needed, I needed that. 

[01:01:14] Rich Bennett: You need to hear that. Yeah. So that was like 

[01:01:16] Megan Ewing: last summer and that really kind of like gave me that just more confidence in what I was doing. 'cause what I had paid him, he was like, you paid me this Uhhuh, so why are you saying you're worth less than that?

And I was like, oh, don't do that. 

[01:01:35] Rich Bennett: I, I've always said, a, a good mentor will give you criticism, but it's constructive criticism and a lot of times they won't even realize it. Right. They don't realize it all. And I mean, I, there's, I have a few of 'em from even just local and the stuff I learned from 'em. Yeah.

It's just. Amazing. And it's, but anyways, I, I want to, I want to hit on something because we're looking at the time, so I want to hit on, man, I can't believe it's been an hour already. I wanna hit on something else too. What was it that made you guys decide to start the studio?

Or was it Kevin? 

[01:02:16] Megan Ewing: So it's, the funny thing about me and Kevin is it's usually always an US thing. Okay. So it's usually never like just one. Um, we partnered with Dr. Austin Hill. Awesome. Right. And I think there had been, like, he had been reaching out and we'd have like just meet up and talk about a few things here and there.

And there was always an interest in figuring out doing something together, but then we couldn't figure out what it was going to be. Right. Um, for Kevin, the studio, the passion behind the studio started because he had been in photography probably nine years now. And never had a studio, never had a studio space.

Really always shot outdoors. 

[01:03:01] Rich Bennett: Okay. 

[01:03:02] Megan Ewing: Part of the reason he always shot Shot Outdoors is because at his price point, you couldn't pay for a studio and make money off of your shoot. So you shoot outside and it's free. Right. And we wanted to help the Kevins uh 

[01:03:16] Rich Bennett: Oh, 

[01:03:16] Megan Ewing: wow. So all of the spaces in the studio is rentable.

We have the photography studio, the podcast studio, the workshop room. It's all rentable. So that way, and it's affordable to where you can pay our fee. Mm-hmm. Still make money. And it's a clean environment. It's, you know, it's everything that you need. We, like all the lighting for the photographers are included, the podcast equipment.

Um, so it was really, how can we help the Kevins. I like that. I love that. Of nine years ago, and 

[01:03:46] Rich Bennett: speaking of podcasts. Are you guys still doing yours or are you on hiatus? 

[01:03:51] Megan Ewing: We just did an episode for the first time in probably six months. Okay. Um, and it's just life. I hate to use the, the reading. It's more of a hobby now.

Like it's, yeah. Okay. But the, I enjoy it so much. Yeah. Oh, um, especially when it was, so I had my own, I had launched my podcast when I did my women's conference so I could interview all of the speakers and introduce them. Um, and then after that I just life. But when Kevin, and when Kevin and I started our podcast, it was just me and him.

So we weren't bringing on guests. And the problem is a lot of people see me and Kevin as always together, which is usually true, but we're always together and working on something. Right. So that hour that we would record was actually like. Our together time, the kids are at school, we're not worried about business, we're not answering emails, we're not answering phone calls.

So it like really gave like our relationship and marriage like just a closer knit uhhuh. Um, so it, it needs to come back. We have to, we have to create our, I don't know if you're gonna have time. We do. There's time 

[01:05:05] Rich Bennett: right now because I, well, first of all, RV or plane or train Jamaica? No. Well, no. I hope to God you ain't taking an RV to Jamaica.

RV to Jamaica. No. 'cause I have a funny feeling. You're gonna be going, you're gonna be touring the country a lot, speaking and everything. 

[01:05:23] Megan Ewing: That would be my dream. Um, I would, I. The person who hated speaking in front of rooms. I love to speak in front of rooms. Mm-hmm. I love to see the reactions on people's faces.

I love to see that, my words, because as much as I love writing the books and giving the books, I don't get emotional feedback. Right. Um, and I never will. Like it's in someone's hands. Someone could be reading the book and crying and I'll never know, but when I'm speaking in front of a room, different can get the feedback.

It's different. And even if you don't wanna gimme the feedback, I can see you tear up or I can see your face light up. Or the best thing is seeing someone take out their pen and write a note and I'm like, that's all I needed. Um, 

[01:06:11] Rich Bennett: wow. Something just hit me when you said that. Yeah. If they take out a pen and write a note, that's awesome.

But what if they're on their phone typing? They could be typing a note and you not even know. That's true. I was like, and I'm 

[01:06:22] Megan Ewing: like, why are you texting while I'm talking? Yeah. I'd be like, get 

[01:06:24] Rich Bennett: off your damn phone. What's wrong with you? I'm speaking here. I never even thought about or talking on their phone.

'cause a lot of people talk speak notes. 

[01:06:32] Megan Ewing: So I have to be more patient. If I see someone on their phone, they may just be taking notes. 

[01:06:36] Rich Bennett: That's what they're doing. 'cause you're good enough to that. That's what they're doing. Yeah. They're taking notes. They're not talking to, if they be talking to somebody while you're speaking, call me up 'cause I'm gonna whip somebody's ass.

Alright, those of you listening, think big, act bold and then a blueprint for Breakthrough Success. You can get 'em on Amazon when you purchase them and read them. Two things I need you to do. Number one, leave a full review, whether it be on Amazon Good Reads, um, and then purchase copies for other people that you think.

We'll benefit from this because you don't wanna give your copy away because you're going to keep going back to it. And if you need that motivation or whatever, it's gonna be right there. Before I get to my last question, tell everybody the websites and if there's anything else you'd like to add. 

[01:07:28] Megan Ewing: So the best website to reach me at is think big, act bold.com.

Um, that has all my service, all my contact information, um, information about Share the Vision if you feel empowered to support. There's a million ways to support. I have Amazon List. I have business sponsor list. If you just wanna send $10, you can just send $10 and that's all on the list. Okay. Um, I also keep it updated with the organizations that I'm partnering with, so you know where your money's going, you know where it's helping.

Um, if organizations would like me to come to an event, there's a form there. You can fill it out. I'll put you on the wait list. And as soon as funding comes in. I will be there. Um, there is no fees for the free events and great 

[01:08:11] Rich Bennett: for kids and on, I would say even business owners. What anybody, period. Yeah. So 

[01:08:15] Megan Ewing: tomorrow I'm partnered with the Chamber, Harford County Chamber of Commerce and we're doing one more specific to business owners.

Yeah. Um, and they're actually providing lunch and everything, so. Yeah, 

[01:08:25] Rich Bennett: I know. And I can't make it. Where's that gonna be at? Is it gonna be at the chamber? At the studio? Nope, we're gonna have it at Oh, okay. The studio. Okay. 

[01:08:33] Megan Ewing: We have better parking. 

[01:08:34] Rich Bennett: Uh,

she's not lying. Angela. They do. Anything 

[01:08:42] Megan Ewing: else you'd like to add? I don't. Well, I do. So I brought a copy of each for you. 

[01:08:49] Rich Bennett: Oh, thank you. 

[01:08:50] Megan Ewing: I brought a copy of each. Um, if you would like to do a giveaway for your listeners. 

[01:08:55] Rich Bennett: Oh, well wait a minute. Is this a hard cover? 

[01:08:57] Megan Ewing: Yeah. So you get to choose if you want the hard back or the soft back.

Um, 'cause I released it in both. 

[01:09:03] Rich Bennett: I didn't realize you could do that in KDP. 

[01:09:05] Megan Ewing: Yep. 

[01:09:08] Rich Bennett: Wow. I am learning where you're gonna, you, you know, you're gonna have to sign them. 

[01:09:12] Megan Ewing: Yep. I brought a sharpie. Okay. Good. Good. 

[01:09:15] Rich Bennett: Alright, so what is the next big thing for Megan Ewing? 

[01:09:22] Megan Ewing: The next big thing for Megan Ewing is that you 

[01:09:25] Rich Bennett: haven't mentioned.

[01:09:26] Megan Ewing: Oh, that I haven't mentioned? 

[01:09:28] Rich Bennett: Yeah. 'cause we know Jamaica's big

[01:09:33] Megan Ewing: outside of what I'm doing. I am working with a client to actually bring a free camp here. Um, it's an international client that has never done a camp in the us, only in Jamaica and Canada. And I, uh, it looks like for 2026 I will be bringing that. I won't say names 'cause we'll wait till it gets released.

What kind of camp? A boxing camp. 

[01:09:59] Rich Bennett: Oh. Oh shit. There isn't anything like that. The only box I can think of is it's a nonprofit for people with Parkinson's. 

[01:10:10] Megan Ewing: Yep. 

[01:10:11] Rich Bennett: Be and be. And Pox is great for kids. 

[01:10:13] Megan Ewing: A week long summer camp. Wow. Um, I had mentioned the issues to this organization that Harford County in general had been dealing with.

Mm-hmm. Um, between Joppa, Edgewood, it was just a rough year for the schools. And once my, he saw my passion, um, he offered to do a free camp and he doesn't do free camps, so Wow. We're working out all the details, but that'll be, that's exciting for me because I kids pull my heartstrings. So to be able to do that and at the caliber of what this man does, I just.

I couldn't imagine. Yeah. So we were hoping for this year, um, logistics got in the way and that is awesome. We are planning for next year. Wow, 

[01:11:02] Rich Bennett: man. So all of you man, there, I have a funny feeling you're gonna be busy as hell with the vision boards and the speaking. Yeah. Not just at the schools. 'cause I'm thinking of all, well you're doing it at the chamber, but everything, first of all, since I've met you, you weren't doing this.

No. I'm proud of you. Everything that you've been doing, you've been kicking ass. Thank you. I mean, that is awesome. That is very awesome. Um, and you're helping people. Yeah. Which is what I love even more. And with the, I have a funny feeling you are going to be heard throughout the world on other podcasts because I know of some other ones that you would be fantastic on.

Thank you. You know, it ain't gonna, it is. Shoot, it's just starting. 

[01:11:52] Megan Ewing: Yeah, and it just took me to kind of believe in it. So I have to get out from behind the closed doors. And it's hard to brag on yourself sometimes. Um, but it's not, it's not a bad thing to brag on yourself when you're impacting others for people.

[01:12:08] Rich Bennett: I was gonna say, is it bragging or is it teaching? 

[01:12:13] Megan Ewing: That's a very good way to point it. 

[01:12:16] Rich Bennett: And you're teaching a lot of people, so it ain't bragging. Megan, thanks a lot. Thank you. Or you just heard it from Megan. I have both of her books here Autographed. That's right. Both of them signed by Megan herself. And they're headed to someone that is listening.

So here's how to enter. I want to hear from you. Just head over to conversations with rich bennett.com. I. Slash voicemail and leave me a quick voice message. Tell me what you loved most about this episode, or if you'd rather email, you can send your message to rBennett@hartfordcountyliving.com. That's it.

No hoops to jump through. Just let me know what stood out to you, maybe something Megan said that hit home, something that made you think, or just what inspired you the most. I'll pick one winner at random and announce it on an upcoming episode, so get those messages in soon. Again, that's conversations with Rich bennett.com/voicemail, or email me at r bennet@hartfordcountyliving.com.

Good luck and I can't wait to hear what you think. Thank you for listening to the conversations with Rich Bennett. I hope you enjoyed today's episode and learn something from it as I did. If you'd like to hear more conversations like this, be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode.

And if you have a moment, I'd love it if you could leave a review. It helps us reach more listeners and share more incredible stories. Don't forget to connect with us on social media or visit our website at conversations with Rich bennett.com for updates, giveaways, and more. Until next time, take care. Be kind and keep the conversations going.