Ilana

Like you said, I can't reveal it anywhere, but I can reveal it with my little safe space. But you somehow, let's talk for a second, 2008 is an incredible hard time to navigate, especially as a CEO. The buck stops here. You need to somehow go through all the decisions. How do you sleep at night? What do you do? What were some of the challenges?

Like you said, I can't reveal it anywhere, but I can reveal it with my little safe space. But you somehow, let's talk for a second, 2008 is an incredible hard time to navigate, especially as a CEO. The buck stops here. You need to somehow go through all the decisions. How do you sleep at night? What do you do? What were some of the challenges?

Right. I love that. I want to hear more because I think at the end of the day, it's that level of self-ownership that differentiates the great leaders because they will always look at what they can control.

Right. I love that. I want to hear more because I think at the end of the day, it's that level of self-ownership that differentiates the great leaders because they will always look at what they can control.

Wow. I think it's beautiful. The more we can get used to looking at ourselves and what we can control versus all the rest of the things, because there's always excuses. Like if you want a pile of excuses of why it's not going to work, there's always excuses. And if you're a very persuasive person, you can go on with excuses, but... At the end of the day, it's like, what can I do right now?

Wow. I think it's beautiful. The more we can get used to looking at ourselves and what we can control versus all the rest of the things, because there's always excuses. Like if you want a pile of excuses of why it's not going to work, there's always excuses. And if you're a very persuasive person, you can go on with excuses, but... At the end of the day, it's like, what can I do right now?

And what would I have done different? I love that. I wrote that down. So you're taking all this incredible insights and the things that let you lead at this level and decide to start full focus. First of all, what made you decide to leave the publishing industry altogether, I think? Well, you're an author, so you're not really leaving, but you're doing it in another way, I guess.

And what would I have done different? I love that. I wrote that down. So you're taking all this incredible insights and the things that let you lead at this level and decide to start full focus. First of all, what made you decide to leave the publishing industry altogether, I think? Well, you're an author, so you're not really leaving, but you're doing it in another way, I guess.

But then to start Full Focus. So talk to me a little bit about that time of decision, if you will.

But then to start Full Focus. So talk to me a little bit about that time of decision, if you will.

Wow.

Wow.

And I think that's interesting because you've seen personal brand before we talked about personal brand, before I personally understood personal brand. I was the person that will put my head down and just work my ass off. And this is all I could think of. And you somehow saw it. You saw that this is where you want to go and what you want to do. Talk to me a little bit about that too.

And I think that's interesting because you've seen personal brand before we talked about personal brand, before I personally understood personal brand. I was the person that will put my head down and just work my ass off. And this is all I could think of. And you somehow saw it. You saw that this is where you want to go and what you want to do. Talk to me a little bit about that too.

Walk us there. You have all these followers. You understand personal brands. So you already have a personal brand, which makes it a lot easier. And I think for our audience, a lot of times and our listeners, one of the things that I want you to get a lot out of this conversation is that being really intentional, strategic was where you want to go and start building that brand for yourself.

Walk us there. You have all these followers. You understand personal brands. So you already have a personal brand, which makes it a lot easier. And I think for our audience, a lot of times and our listeners, one of the things that I want you to get a lot out of this conversation is that being really intentional, strategic was where you want to go and start building that brand for yourself.

Because otherwise you... If you do, you always fall forward, right? You can always do the next things. If you don't have anything, you literally start from scratch. It's like so hard. But walk me through, Michael, you decide to not go rest and sit on the beach for some ungodly reason, but you decide to start another company with full focus.

Because otherwise you... If you do, you always fall forward, right? You can always do the next things. If you don't have anything, you literally start from scratch. It's like so hard. But walk me through, Michael, you decide to not go rest and sit on the beach for some ungodly reason, but you decide to start another company with full focus.

Walk me through why the passion and where did that come from?

Walk me through why the passion and where did that come from?