Overcoming the Odds: Despite early setbacks—including having their truck and equipment stolen—they persevered and rebuilt.

0:00This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Run a business and not thinking about podcasting? Think again, more Americans listen to podcasts than add supported streaming music from Spotify and Pandora. And as the number one podcaster, iHeart's twice as large as the next two combined, learn how podcasting can help your business, call 844-844-iHeart. On the serving pancakes podcast, conversations about volleyball go beyond the court. Today we have a little best friend compatibility test. Hey, how long have we been best friends? This is the day we met. As the league won volleyball season heads towards its final stretch, there's no better time to tune in. You'll hear unfiltered analysis behind the scene stories and conversations with leaders making an impact across the sport. Whether you're following the final push of love season or just love the game, serving pancakes brings you closer to the action and the people shaping the future of volleyball. Open your free iHeart radio app, search serving pancakes, and listen now. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports. Welcome to my show. I'm Richon McDonald, the host of Money Making Conversations Masterclass, where we encourage people to stop reading other people's success stories

1:02and start planning your own. Now, you don't want to miss an episode, so please take a moment right now to follow or subscribe to Money Making Conversations Masterclass. It's free. You can follow me on iHeart Radio app, Spotify, Apple Podcast, or wherever you listen to your podcast. New Money Making Conversations Masterclass episodes drop daily. I want to keep you on alert, because my guests provide tips on how you can uplift your community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice, or how to be a successful entrepreneur. Now, let's get this podcast started. My guest is the CEO of Family Lawn Services, a landscape company that excels in providing top tier lawn care solutions, it's specifically tailored for both residential and commercial properties. Please welcome the Money Making Conversation Masterclass, Mila, love it. How you doing, Mila? Hey, Richon, I'm good, how are you? Would I be wrong and say you've been out in the yard all day? I'd say it's absolutely worthy.

2:03I see some kinds of scenes. Oh, you've been out in the scenes, okay? All right, Dave, sunshine or rainy day? This doesn't matter. It's a good day with you, huh? Right, sometimes I get out there when it needs a lady's touch, but I leave it up to the guy. Well, good. Let's talk about being CEO, and also I want to talk about it when I was going through your bio, Mila, it will mention something about being a serial entrepreneur. What does that mean when you say a serial entrepreneur? I mean, I run multiple businesses. Okay. Of course, you can't only have one stream of income. Mm-hmm. So landscaping is my top priority, but also mortgage menders, and Georgia for commercial and residential properties. I'm a consultant on business setup and how to properly structure your business. Right.

3:04So a lot of the time, our people wasn't talk that. So I feel like it's my duty to sell the world, teach them how to properly structure their businesses so that they can thrive and won't have to continue to use personal money for business purposes. Well, let me ask you this, because a lot of people come to me, and because I, first of all, I love the fact that you mentioned multiple streams of income, because I talk about that all the time on money making come to say it's a master class there. You know, I say there are 24 hours in a day learn to take advantage of each hour, and I'm assuming that's what you're doing with these multiple streams of income format, because it's not based in a 40 hour work week, correct? Correct. So how do you, how do you manage? I heard a husband in your bio, I heard kids in your bio. I hear the multiple streams of income, CEO. How are you doing all this, Meela? Oh, I'm meditating. Honestly, I'm meditating.

4:05Some days, I honestly don't know how I'm doing it. But I know that it's a bigger goal. Right. It's bigger than me. So my body is pretty much taking its own control and just doing it. I'll call the people that I need, put people in places to help me when needed. I appreciate all my support. But yeah, meditation is my number one go to. Now, I've never done meditating. I've never talked about meditating on the show. I've talked about stretching. I've talked about yoga, I guess, but meditation. Talk to me about that because it sounds like something that people need to, when they hit that stress point, some type of meditation needs to be in everybody's life. I believe a slow down button or moment to be able to, you know, I guess they say decompress. Talk about meditation. Yes, that's very important. Like I said, I do multiple things. So I have small children under what, seven and four.

5:10So I got children. I have puppies and everything. Everybody needs something at one time. So when I feel myself getting a little too much pressure, a little too overwhelmed, I shut everything down. No phone, no computer, no kids, nobody. I sit in the room, put on frequency files, off of Pandora, and I just breathe in and breathe out. At that moment, everything that's on my mind, I let it go. If nothing I feel about it right now, let me take these 10 minutes to just really regroup. Because mentally, you can't function properly with so many things hitting you at one time. That's how I feel about it. Well, I like that. I like that. I know that everybody has a way of dealing with stress. That's a stress moment right there when you're meditating, when you're decompressing, you're finding a zone where, okay, look, before I say something wrong, do something wrong,

6:13you know, stop. And at that control, I admire the fact that you know your breaking point, or nearing your breaking point. I'm assuming that's what you're trying to avoid, correct? Correct, correct. And I actually learned that after my last son, something personal about me, I had postpartum depression. I had to really dig into my mental to understand what is going on, why is this happening, why do I feel pressure, darkness, sadness, everything is going on at one time. And that's when I started meditating. I started digging into past traumas, all along writing things down, getting these things out. So I could understand when is my breaking point and what do I need to do when I'm reaching it? Let me ask you this because I want to really, I think it's important as we delve into this because of the fact that, you know, as African-Americans,

7:15we don't talk about mental health. We tend to shy away from those systems that made so we are not perfect. And we all know we live in a highly stressful environment because of the color of our skin. So what did you turn to? What did you find that on this moment? Was she your husband? What did you go to realize, you know, I need help? I think what happened was my son got really, my younger son was really, really sick. And it, I mean, everything just hit at one time and it really hurt. It felt really heavy. I'm like, I'm just gonna run away, leave all this alone, just run away. I left the house, I said, and I thought about it. I'm like, okay, can you really leave your children by their sales? Can you leave them to not be raised by a mother? Mm-hmm.

8:16No, can't do that. That's not an option. So I started reading. Started reading about the importance of your mental health. I didn't have insurance at the time, so I didn't have a doctor, I could go to the started reading. And then I started journaling, writing things out because everything that I was reading was saying you have to get out these past traumas in order for you to move forward. So I said, okay, everything that ever happened in the past, I have to completely and ultimately let it go. Let it out, let it go. Mm-hmm. I don't know or understand why it may happen, but it doesn't matter because it doesn't affect who I am today. Right, right. And I think it's important as entrepreneurs, people who get into business that, you know, we all want to line at the door when you open your door. We all want an email box full when you have a business,

9:18but sometimes it doesn't happen like that. You have down moments, those stress moments, those stress points that pop up. Now, you've been an entrepreneur in the family lawn service. Now, I got to ask you this, is it a seasonal period for lawn service? When I first, when we first started, we thought it was. Okay, you talked like maybe the summertime is when it's like, you busy, busy. In my mind, you know, in this, you know, like, I'm just saying, like, May to September is, if you got lawn service company, you busy. And then all of a sudden, when the days get cold, in my mind, you start shutting down, and you have to make sure you save money from your summer activity. You're telling me that's not how it really works, correct? Correct. Talk to him. Okay, so it's seasonal. Yeah, you make more money during the summertime.

10:18You would think that at first. But as your reposition gets out there, people understand what you do, under respect, the quality of work you do. You have referrals that's referring you to other people. Then the winter time can be just as busy as the summertime. So all these differences, we're not doing as many properties as we would normally do. Right. Right. Okay, so let's talk about, you know, yeah, I'm a guy, you know, who thinks he knows lawn service, okay? They all do. You know, I'm going to let that, I know, I know about nutsage and crab grass. And I know about the cloveers. And you know, I got my, you know, I got my weeding feed or the weed that won't harm you, the spray that won't harm your grass but the harm the weeds. So I'm like, I'm, I guess I'm, I know enough to be dangerous, Meela.

11:19Okay. Okay. Okay, okay, go. Now, I call you as a lawn service. What do I need to be? Because I brought you on the show because first of all, like I said, I know enough to be dangerous but I need you to make my yard last. To avoid that ugliness, because I don't want to be the neighbor who has the bad looking yard in the, in the neighborhood. Okay. So when I call you, what, in any particular questions, I should be asking you as a family lawn service. Yes. Okay. So when you initially call a landscape company, it depends on what kind of services you looking for. Now, you have lawn maintenance. Okay, cool. Is lawn maintenance cutting your grass? Yes. Okay. Okay. If you, if the hedges are included, we'll trim the bushes as well. Okay. Now, let me ask you this. Let me ask you this. So, so, you know, I'm just using my yards as an example.

12:19I'm not going to get too descriptive. Okay. But now I do have the hedges. And then sometimes, you know, you walk and I got these little limbs probably need to be cut back. I guess, would you call that trimming? Trimming. Okay. Okay. So hedging, we call trimming. Okay. So hedging, we call trimming. Okay. Okay. So hedging, we call trimming as well. That's, you know, hedges you walk around the pathway, you, they look like they're a little fat. You know, look like they need to be, you know, trimmed back a little bit. Yeah. Knock off the tile. No, knock off the tile. Now, that's a skill, though. Now, I hired the wrong person one time and I almost lost all my hedges. Okay. How do I know the right person to get out there that won't help me cry? Because I cried. I cried. I walked out there. I saw this guy and I went, I have made a major mistake. You know, he cut my, he cut my hedges so bad that he left and didn't even ask for no money.

13:20Not that, not that I would have paid him. But no, he knew, he knew he had messed up that bad. I wouldn't, I'ma tell you something, it was just a moment for me in my yard because you know, that's where I get relaxed. You know, your yard is where you get relaxed. You come home and you feel good. You walking into your heart. And I hired this guy. He was, he left a little note in my mailbox, right? Okay. You laughing at me now because you said, Reshawn, that's sign number one. Mailbox, no update, we're about to go to break. So, I can finish this story, Beela, because you laughing at me now, because you know I'm making some mistakes, I've made some mistakes. Now, I'm not making those mistakes anymore. Okay. Okay. Beela, she's a serial entrepreneur. She's the CEO of Family Launch Services. Now, she doesn't go out there cutting her grass, but she knows and tells everybody what to do. She lives a life of acquisition. The rest of those people out there working in the sun, you call her,

14:20she'll keep me in the sun. We'll be right back with Family Launch Services CEO, Beela, love it. Please don't go anywhere. We'll be right back with more money making conversations, masterclass. Now, I need for you to do me a favor. Right now, you'll follow or subscribe to Money Making Conversation. It's free. And you can find it on the iHeartRadio app, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Please do me that favor. Follow or subscribe, Money Making Conversations. Run a business and not thinking about podcasting? Think again. More Americans listen to podcasts than add supported streaming music from Spotify and Pandora. And as the number one podcaster, iHeart's twice as large as the next two combined. So whatever your customers listen to, they'll hear your message. Plus, only iHeart can extend your message to audiences across broadcast radio. Think podcasting can help your business. Think iHeart. Streaming, radio, and podcasting. Call 844-844-iHeart to get started. That's 844-844-iHeart.

15:20On the serving pancakes podcast, conversations about volleyball go beyond the court. Today, we have a little best friend compatibility test. Yay! How long have we been best friends for? This is a Daily Met. As the league won volleyball season heads towards its final stretch, there's no better time to tune in. We really are like Ian and Yang, vodka and tequila. You'll hear unfiltered analysis behind-the-scenes stories and conversations with leaders making an impact across the sport. Today, we have Logan Lennicke. I feel like our fan base in general is very connected, just like a comforting feeling getting to play at home. Whether you're following the final push of love season or just love the game, serving pancakes brings you closer to the action and the people shaping the future of volleyball. Jordan, Thomson, had that microphone on. Got to make mistakes or cussed at our coach like my time. Open your free iHeart radio app, search serving pancakes and listen now. This has been serving pancakes and we'll catch you on the flip side. Okay. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports.

16:22Welcome back to Money Making Conversation Masterclass hosted by me Rashan McDonald. Money Making Conversation Masterclass continues online at moneymakingconversations.com and follow Money Making Conversation Masterclass on Facebook, X, and Instagram. I guess is the CEO of family lawn services. Meela Loving. Meela Oswas laughing at me. Chuckling. I say Chuckling. When I told her how I got my lawn service, somebody left a note in my mailbox, you know, trusting me, seeing my heart this person to do lawn services manicure. Unless you used to wear a manicure. That's what you say on his note, Meela. Okay. He did lawn manicures. Okay. Came in and destroyed my head. It's so bad that when I went inside and came back out, he was gone. And I never saw him again, Meela.

17:22So that's a testimony to how bad he did my yard. So with that being said, what did I do wrong? I'm so sorry for laughing. I'm so sorry. I'm afraid of it. But first, first I say a note and you get me a lot. No, sorry. No, sorry. Even when I started the landscape company, we never open a body mailbox. So the business part on the side or on the front. Because you know it's a federal office. It's a federal office. You know, we're in preschool. You want to be my boyfriend? Yes. I know. No. No. No. Sorry. You should not have allowed him to do anything to your bushes. Last question, you need to check the resources. Right. Well, you know, I, but you know,

18:22sometimes it goes thing is like, even if I call the people, you know, I didn't know where to look. I was in a hurry. I'm gonna use that excuse. I was in a hurry. You know, what could somebody do wrong? You know, and I discovered that they, if they don't know what they doing, they out there, you let somebody damage something that if you, if you do it wrong, then guess what? You have to physically replace the edges, which I wind up doing. So, so he may have left without me paying him, but he left a bill. Right. And what made you feel that was an area of business that you could be successful in? Honestly, it was just the hope to be able to lead something to our children. Okay. My husband said, I want to cut grade. Okay. That's that's really, that's an understanding. What was he doing prior to lawn service? We

19:24were both working at retail stores. I was the assistant manager at Walgreens and the manager at Walgreens. Okay. So y'all had successful jobs with with medical health care plans and y'all independently thought y'all were going business together to do lawn service. I'm just trying to figure out why lawn service did you go through a list of opportunities for business options? Why lawn service? Because your husband said, let's cut grass. He went and got a couple of lawn mows, couple of weed eaters. He knew somebody. Give us some backstory. Yeah. Literally. He used to cut grass with his brother when they were, you know, he cut the neighbor's grass and seemed like that. But outside of that, I've never seen him cut grass until we got a house of our own. Right. And he cuts a grain. So basically, you're telling me that

20:29you know, like, he's interested in talking about me. Like, I didn't, you know, I didn't, my mom always cooked. But then as I got older, I felt a little bit cooking in baking because I started to do it myself. So are you saying that when you got a house, it kind of triggered maybe an entrance because he was he really like really jazzing up y'all y'all like really killing the weeds and doing the hedges and all that stuff. Yeah, yeah, he started, he started on our grass or our grass. Wow. And then so, so how do you start hiring people for your company? How do you do that process? I guess I want to say me like, no, you said, look, we're sure I handled the paperwork. They do the task. He's by himself. He's told you, you have successful jobs. Y'all not leaving, you know, y'all not leaving jobs is not that that people are companies that people don't know very familiar jobs. What did people say?

21:30Your family members say to you, people you know, tell you you're quitting two jobs as managers, system managers to cut grass. Well, originally, I didn't quit. Okay, okay, use, okay, you played it, played it, played it smart. You quit, you cut grass, I'm just keeping up, I'm keeping up for the hour with job. That's what you said, right? So we, you know, get it rolling, right? When I'm glad we did because any business have losses, right? I first see then somebody stole the truck, the equipment, everything. Literally stole everything we had. Okay, you know, that happened to the guy who's cutting my grass too. So, you know, he came to me one day, and he said, Reshore, I got some bad news. My truck at all my equipment was stolen. So, how did it happen in your situation? You know, because he literally said, you know, when

22:30he did was parked in front of somebody's house, he walked inside and he came back and everything was gone. Yeah, and the way it happened, our truck was parked in the driveway. In your drive way. In the driveway. And what type of truck was it? What type of truck was it? It was the white. I'll never forget it. It was like the 2005, 2006 white Dodge Ram. Mm hmm. So theater. To keep all your equipment in the back. Mm hmm. Yeah, yeah, put the small equipment on the bed, put the one lawn more on the trailer. I walked outside. I'm about to go to work. And I'm like, Hey, when you're trucking? He said, it's outside. I'll say, but when you park it, it's not playing. I'm not going to play with you. I'm not going to play with you. I parked the car right outside. I said, Oh, okay, well, you come

23:34look, because I don't see show. No, it was not out there. Blue everything up. Blue everything up had to start completely out. He wanted to quit. And I was like, now we're going to get nobody that much power because we still need to leave something to these children. Right. At that time, we had one. We still need to leave something to this kid. So we kept going. How did you recover from that? How did you recover from that? Did you have to get alone? Did you start one lawn more? Because you and she didn't share his cover your equipment. Did they cover the vehicle that was stolen? The equipment was not covered. Right. The vehicle was covered. So we were able to get another truck with no problem. We didn't have to get equipment. Wow. So we belong for the equipment. Wow. We talked about me. Love it. She's the CEO of family lawn

24:36services. Meila, how can one get in touch with you? 860 9158. One more time. 846 zero 9158. And what is your website? The website is family lawn services dot com. Let me ask you this as we close out this interview. What do you think for your company is your strongest strength as a company when you come to lawn service abilities, both residential and commercial? Hands down, I would say the quality of work. My boys are out there showing out and I'm grateful to them. So you're telling me, Roshan McDonald, if you call family lawn services. And you want somebody to do the hedges, you know, get them all nice and round or square it off, you know, trim back the trees. I should be calling you. Absolutely. You should be calling me because I'm not going to mess up your

25:39bushes. Perfect round. However you like them. Well, I would tell you something. That's that's a skill. That is something I can't do. I've seen it done wrong. So I've had tears in my eyes when it was done wrong. But more importantly, you know, you know, this is a great interview from a standpoint of honesty. You talked about in the meditation, you talked about being a serial entrepreneur, multiple streams of income, you talked about stress, you talk about overcoming the odds of walking away, both you and your husband walking away from a full-time jobs, being smart enough to know that as you enter into the independent entrepreneur space, want you to keep working and one should venture into that task. And then all it then all at the top of it when all was stolen from you. You didn't quit. That is real important advice that everybody needs to hear. And I really appreciate you coming on money making conversation masterclass. Thank you, Meela.

26:39Go, Mr. McDonald for having me. I really enjoyed it. Thank you for listening to this episode. Now I need for you to do me a favor. Right now to follow or subscribe to money making conversation. It's free. And you can find it on the I heart radio app Spotify Apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Please do me that favor. Follow or subscribe money making conversations. Keep winning. On the serving pancakes podcast conversations about volleyball go beyond the court. Today we have a little best friend compatibility. Okay. How long have we been best friends? So today we met as the league one volleyball season heads towards its final stretch. There's no better time to tune in. You'll hear unfiltered analysis behind the scene stories and conversations with leaders making an impact across the sport, whether you're following the final push of love season or just love the game. Serving pancakes brings you closer to the action and the people shaping the future of volleyball. Open your free I heart radio app search serving pancakes and listen now presented by capital one founding partner of I heart women sports. This is an I heart podcast guaranteed

27:42human.