Annabelen Hemelgarn
Ignite Design
Profitability vs. Freedom: Why Your Business Systems Are Killing Your Time | Annabelen Hemelgarn
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"you're all you're thinking about taking away my profit that's going through my cash flow. I have to do it myself. They're not gonna do it as good as me. All these things are so limiting.
Key Takeaways
- ◆Profitability on paper doesn't equal success if you're sacrificing time with family and working unsustainable hours, because time is your biggest asset and you can't get it back.
- ◆The belief that no one can do it as good as you is pride mixed with fear, and you won't know if it's true until you actually try to delegate and let someone else prove themselves.
- ◆When clients claim they have a sales problem, it's usually a systems problem where they're not following up consistently, since it takes many conversations to stay top of mind when prospects are ready to buy.
- ◆Spend a full day feeding your AI brain who you are through repeated answers so it captures your voice accurately, because garbage in garbage out, and the AI will then tell your story the exact same way every time instead of the distortion that happens when humans retell it.
- ◆In lead generation workflows, let AI handle the volume of outreach and email warming that no single hire could match, then decide exactly where you personally take over to inject your identity and close the relationship.
- ◆Annabelen created a toolbox built on Claude that bundles marketing and executive assistant functions (calendar pulls, email scanning, daily briefs) specifically for early-stage founders without cash flow for full services, eliminating confusion about which AI tool to use and why.
- ◆The right processes in place directly relieve pressure, because typically the pressure you feel signals that your process is broken, not that you're broken.
Full transcript
Show
Chad Paris
Welcome to Process Over Pressure, the show for founders and operators who are building something real and need permission to believe in it matters. I'm Chad Paris. My guest today is Annabelen Hemelgarn She runs Ignite Design Online out of Ohio. And she has spent close to 15 years helping businesses go from a pile of disconnected tools to one clean system that actually runs. We sit in almost the same world, just coming at a little different. Maybe a little different angle. So this is gonna be a really, really, really a good one. Annabelen, welcome. Let's start where every honest business story starts. Not with all those wins that we can brag about, but let's start with the messy parts. What do you say?
Annabelen Hemelgarn
I think that's a great place to start. Thank you. Thank you so much for having me too, Chad.
Chad Paris
Well well, thank you for for being on. I am I am super excited about this show with you and really appreciate you hopping on. So tell people who you are. You know, they're they're tuning in, they're like, you know, we want to know more. So so tell us a little bit about yourself where we get started. I think that's important.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
All right, so I'm Anna belen Hemelgarn and I actually own two businesses. I own an agency as well as a energy kind of material supply kind of company. Energy audit brokerage as well. Anyway, and I don't know if you knew this, but in my past life I was an engineer and didn't want to work for corporate America and so I decided to start building businesses, had an entrepreneurial spirit. But what nobody told me when you're an entrepreneur, when at the very beginning, is how hard entrepreneurship really is, right? Honestly, everyone's like, you own your own business. Hey, that's awesome. And yeah, it's great, but they don't realize all the other stuff that rolls into having a business, right? And so what I took from owning the two businesses, the one that's at like a material supply and energy brokerage.
Chad Paris
Yeah. Sorry.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
And then the agency, I came from it from two points of views, right? one that is actually like a other business versus me in the agency side trying to figure out how in the world can I make it easier. I see both hats. I s I you know, I've worn all the hats actually. And so that's what I talk about when it's chaos, it's chaos, right? And my engineering mind is like, I can't stand it. I want a process, I want a s I want systems. But the problem is I didn't know what those systems were. And so that took years to build. And so now I'm just tell helping business owners with the systems that I created that worked for me. And I know it's gonna work for all of them.
Chad Paris
I love it. You know, you you we're we're a lot alike in that. I think that's what that's what maybe drawn us together is is both of us has been in corporate America and and we've worked for people and we've we've we sit we've kind of been sitting in the I don't say we're sitting in the stance because we're involved in it. But we've been on the inside of those corporates and and we and there's a there's a different dynamic in that and and we we talk about this but not probably into the depth, but there's some
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Mm-hmm.
Chad Paris
There's some messy things inside corporate America. And and not to say corporate America is bad. That's that's not the point I'm making here. It's it's that the reality is that when you're in when you're in working inside those and you have things that you want to, that you see is a deliberate problem, a situation. It's like, this is a terrible process. This is what's causing some some discomfort for everybody. And then you try to build those or fix those. Sometimes it's met with a very cautious ig upper upper team that's like, Well, you know, we want to move a lot slower and and it can be frustrating for people like us who see a problem. We can fix that overnight, but give me the rain to go do it. And that gets very frustrating.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Yes. Yes. I agree one hundred percent.
Chad Paris
And and so for us being able to now do it from an angle of this is what we do every day, like the fun part, what we really enjoy and and figuring out processes that are broken. And how do we how do we make help how we how do we help companies make it better and get better? it's funny, they'll listen they won't listen to their own people, but they'll listen to an outside consultant. Isn't it crazy? Yeah.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Right. Isn't that crazy? I thought the same thing. I'm like, how is that possible? Yeah. All the time.
Chad Paris
I know. You you you hire these you you hire these people, you pay a lot of money, but you don't listen to But you'll listen to someone who comes off the street and says, Hey, I can tell you what's wrong with your company And they're like, well, come on in, tell us, you know, it's like it it's it's true though.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Right.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Yes, exactly. It's one hundred percent true.
Chad Paris
So so one of the things that you said in our pre-call we were talking about that I wanted to circle back was and I think every owner needs to hear it. You said profitability does not mean success. And walk me through what you meant by that.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Well, I think what I was trying to get at is you can make, you know, your your books look like you are profitable. But the problem is success doesn't mean it's one category, it's the money coming in. There's a lot. And one of my biggest things that I want to keep control over or cherish is my time and my time management. And sometimes when you show that those numbers are great and the profitability is fantastic, that doesn't show how many hours you're putting in. how much you're sacrificing, how many things you're missing. And to me, you know, I'm I'm a mom, I'm a business owner. Those things matter. And guess what? Life is definitely not for granted. You can't take that for granted. And time is really our biggest asset. So for me, that's what I was saying in terms of success. Success to me is all of those. And if you don't have all of those, I don't see that as successful.
Chad Paris
You know, that's I I think I I wanna I wanna sit there in that there's just a second because I think you you're on to something. I think you're I think you're right on path is that you know, when when we think about being a business owner or a business owner, a and we're both business owners, you know, we we it's very easy, very easy, even in bigger companies, to get caught up in in, you know, the profitability. And and look, we all gotta be profitable. Like I'm that's not what we're saying here.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Sure.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
One hundred percent.
Chad Paris
But what happens a lot of time is is we we judge the success on a company based on the revenue or the dollars that are profitable. That that's what we judge a company on. It's just the way that's the standard, right? We all and and I'm not defeating that. But what we do, we do often miss is what is the the amount of time and the and the you know work that's going into doing that because there is a direct
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Mm-hmm. Right.
Chad Paris
return on an investment in that. It's your investment. It's your personal investment. It's your time. It's something that you are a human being and you do matter. And so I think that's I think that's good. and and so what what do you what do you find is is when you when you speak to business owners or it maybe even you, what what what's the trap out there that often happens where this isn't exact like maybe a story or that that this is what happens. How does it happen? It's easy to happen. But
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Correct. Right. Right. Right.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Mm-hmm.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Well, you know, it's easy to happen if you're building a business, honestly it's your baby, right? You really want it to succeed. And so sometimes, and I know this happened for me, I'm talking strictly for me, I didn't want to let go of the reins. And I felt like I had to be in it. And then almost like it's like a badge of honor. Hey, I did this, I did this, I did this. And guess what? As I've grown up and all that stuff, I'm like, now I'm like, no, I need to be be able to delegate. I need to be able to let it go and I need to let go of the control because what I was losing was my family. What I was losing was the time to do the things that I wanted to do. Right. And now that I have a team of people that I work with, it has changed so much because now I rely on someone, but more importantly now I also feel a little bit of not ownership but like thanksgiving.
Chad Paris
Yeah.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
almost 'cause I'm able to help now my employees and I know I'm helping their lives. So it's not about me anymore. It's almost like when I thought it w before it was always about me. Now I'm like it's more selfless. Now I'm like, hey, I'm affecting so many other people's lives because they're helping me build this amazing thing. Something I never thought about actually.
Chad Paris
Yeah.
Chad Paris
Yeah. You know, and I and I think there's there's people that are in a business today. I I matter of fact I don't think I know. And I think I think you're right. You know, it there's a there's a very hard it it's it's very hard for some. matter of fact, it's very hard for a lot of people to r give up the control, right? Because y you often hear this, you know, we we grew a lot of us grew up in a time where if you're gonna do it, you know, do it right and and and and and you and you're so much like, you know, it's yours. Like you you but
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Yeah.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Yep.
Chad Paris
Because listen, me being a single entrepreneur, I I'm I'm a business of one right now. You you start out and you're like, you know, I I need it to be successful so that I can feed my family. Like y you know, so you're you're working very hard to do that. And then you get to a place where business starts being really good. And then the you you often hear these comments and I've heard It's like, Well, I just I don't I don't I don't have time to go hire somebody or I don't I don't know what I'm looking for or I don't wanna and and if they do hire then they don't let them do their job.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Yeah. Very much so. Letting go of control is a huge issue for business owners.
Chad Paris
It and I Yeah, and I and I Yeah. Yeah. And so people sitting in that right now that may be listening and they're, you know, they're they're they're saying, yeah, this you're describing me, you know, here we go. You know, this is not a help to podcast, but I I think for people who who are sitting there and and two people that's talking right now who's been that not only in our own business, but on the corporate side of it, because it's not just small entrepreneurs. It's it this same problem exists in larger companies as well.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Right.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Right. Right.
Chad Paris
And and it often is crippling to a company. I mean, would you agree?
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Mm-hmm. one hundred percent. One hundred percent. They they're so afraid of losing their job or losing their whatever, so they don't let go of the reins. But what what's happening is they're killing themselves, right? Because they're just dedicating their whole life to this company. On the corporate side, that is it. actually it doesn't matter, even if you own your own company, you know, you're a slave.
Chad Paris
Yeah.
Chad Paris
Yeah. Yeah. And and I don't know about you, but I find very very often when I when I meet with a company and and and a lot of them are are, you know, small businesses, entrepreneurs. And I hear, you know, I I I I I talk to many owners and I'm and I'm and I'm sure you do too. And they're just exhausted. They're they're they're they're like, I'm I'm just I I have to do it all and I you know, it it can be very lonely being the the owner.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Yeah.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Yes.
Chad Paris
And a lot of it is by our design because we we don't allow other people to to run things. And so we we we become control freaks and and we kind of create that divide you know, demise ourselves. But you know, I I see it happen all the time and I love what I think you and I's approach is is like uncovering that is is fulfilling to business owners to say, Yeah, that's me and how do I fix it? And they don't know how to fix it sometimes.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Right.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Mm-hmm.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Right. Right. Yeah, and it's interesting. I was just having a c client conversation this morning and from the work that we've been doing, they're just like opening their eyes, like, my gosh, there's one, would have never been able to accomplish what you guys did. Two, now I have more freedom. And three, it happened so much faster than me trying to figure it out on my own. And I was able to save the time so that I can do what I need to do. Like those things. that you don't think about as you're owning your own business you're all you're thinking about taking away my profit that's going through my cash flow. I have to do it myself. They're not gonna do it as good as me. All these things are so limiting. And you have to understand there's so much knowledge that you can pull from so many resources that's just gonna help your business. They're the experts, you're not the expert. Stay in your lane and that's the hardest thing as a business owner.
Chad Paris
Man, you are you are not kidding. And and and it's and it's part of it is is you know there's a little bit of pride mixed into it. you know, it's mine, I built it, no one else is gonna do it as good as I can. Get it. That's that's that's a real fear. But you don't know that until you try. And so, you know, one of the things I had early on that was a great advice, and and and maybe it's cliche, but I think it's true is like
Annabelen Hemelgarn
one hundred percent.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Yep. Probably. Maybe.
Chad Paris
If you're not hiring people that could take your job, then what are you doing? Like that's what you should be hiring. You want quality people, right? And then when you hire them, you know you you you bring somebody in and you put them in this position and then they're they're exhausted and they're not happy because you're not allowing them to do what you hired them to do. And it's it's a it's a it's a process gap that I see and and I know you have some. discovery tools that you that you've created that are very helpful when you talk to clients. And what I what I find is is most of the time it's it's this process gap that, you know, for example, when I talk to business owners and I and we start uncovering these things, which is why I think it's important to have consultants like you and I who've been on the business side can look at that from that angle and say, you know, how do you handle this? Like, because you have to dig it out of them. They're not going to just go, well, here's a whole list of my problems. That's not how they're built.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Mm-hmm.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Right. Yeah. Mm-mm. Right. Yeah. Yeah. That's one of the one of my favorite parts of the tool that I created. I created a toolbox, an AI toolbox. but the one that I really love is when they develop when we develop your brain, your AI brain in the toolbox to be your voice, literally it makes you think as you're answering these questions. And
Chad Paris
You gotta dig it out, right?
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Sometimes it's easier when you're answering it to a bot or you're answering it to a computer. You can get those things out a lot easier than when you wanna explain it to somebody or admit to somebody, right? So that's one of the reasons why I did it that way, so that we can capture all that, but they don't feel vulnerable to somebody's judgment.
Chad Paris
Yeah. Yeah.
Chad Paris
I I love that. And I think that's such a, you know, a great angle when when we live in this, you know, we live in this both of us use AI and and and helping companies. I mean it's it's it's it it's a it's a great tool if you know how to use it, right? And I think that's the the the advantages is that we do spend a lot of time like trying to understand what the tool is and how it can work. And then lots of times it's it's where where you and I get to be creative is is that we may take multiple tools.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Right. Correct.
Chad Paris
and wire it together to make one great tool that does multiple things. And and that's what we're good at to help people. and so I tell I tell people all the time when they're when they're looking at AI and they get scared, you know, there's a lot of theory about AI and I mean it's all over the news, right? I mean we're talking about AI almost every single day. I don't think it's going anywhere. I think it's here to stay. So if we don't embrace it and say
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Uh-huh. Correct.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Mm. Right. Mm-hmm. Mm. Right.
Chad Paris
How can I leverage this? If it's gonna be it's like it's like sitting there and you got a Porsche in the c in the driveway, but you never drive it. Like why would you do that? Right. Like you have to yeah. You you have to embrace it, but I but I s I slowly cautious people, don't just start getting it without understanding what what you're trying to do. And that's that's the advantages of having people like you and me to be able to say, okay, you know, first, what are you trying to do?
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Right. Right. Yeah, exactly.
Chad Paris
'Cause that's gonna dictate what you need.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Yes. Exactly. And I always like to tell people that they have to be the human in the loop, right? You're not gonna get replaced by the the machine. You're gonna get replaced by the people who know how to use it. So use it to your best, find your strengths and use it to support you, but don't make it take over you.
Chad Paris
That's right.
Chad Paris
Yeah, what do you what do you see right now, just kinda going down that that hole, what do you see the mis most misuse of AI tools today, right now? I know it changes daily.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
it changes daily, but I think the biggest thing is people trust it too much, right? You gotta think of it. It's it's like the internet on steroids, right? 'Cause it has access to so much knowledge that it's just putting all the knowledge that it puts together into one place that you could just pull all this information. But the problem is it doesn't have the context, it doesn't have your brain, it doesn't have your experience. So you have to continually look at that information and fine tune it and make it yours and make it from your experience and what have you seen, right? You can't take things just at s face value. You have to start thinking for yourself. And that's the biggest thing I think.
Chad Paris
Yeah, you Yeah, I love that. And I think you're I think you're right. I think, you know if you always in the back of your mind keep understanding that it's it's not a human. It it never will be. It's a tool. You're the human. It it's it's it's very good. And it and it actually would it actually gets better every time you interact. But I think if you interact in a way that that you are the you're the you're the one in the room that makes the decisions. The AI doesn't make the decisions. If you're asking AI to make the decision it's it's it's gonna fail you. But if if
Annabelen Hemelgarn
No. It's not human. Right. Mm-hmm. It's pretty good. It's really good. Yeah.
Chad Paris
You have the thought, the the brain, the the the the understanding because you've walked the miles inside that company. You know where the pits are. It does it. It's just gonna give you a a very much it's it's designed to give you an overlay of a lot of different theories that are out there and condense them so you can look at it. And then you need to choose well, which theory do I wanna use or or how what's the angle that fits me and and
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Right. Right. Right.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Yes.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Right.
Chad Paris
Teach it that way rather than it being like, Okay, you tell me what to do here. Like if you're asking AI, I'm just using like Claude what to do, you're using it way wrong. Yeah.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Right. What to do? Yeah. Right. It's interesting, you know, I was just thinking of analogy, like a conductor in an orchestra, right? The conductor is the person that makes sure that all the pieces are coming together. This is coming in strong, this is coming in light, all of that, but they're the ones that's strategizing, they're the ones that's making it all happen, right? And I think that's how you have to think about it when you're using AI. You're now the conductor, you're the CEO of your company, even if you're just using it as a per on a personal side. It's still you doing that. So you just gotta think of it that way. I I thought that's a good example.
Chad Paris
I I I think that's a beautiful example. I think it's I think it's spot on. because it that that that is the way you gotta use it. So what what is what is right now? I mean, you you work with a lot of clients and you see it, like what is one of the biggest challenges that you're seeing with businesses right now? Like what is what is something that's kinda you know, maybe we share together like a couple of things that are like prevalent that people are listening, like, yeah, you know, that you're seeing.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Right. I think honestly, I I didn't think it is as much, but lately through the last few conversations I've had, there's still so much fear with AI. That they're gonna lose their selves, they're gonna lose their identity. and you know, a lot of businesses, well that's my whole that's my whole shtick. I'm it's my personal, it's I'm a person to person kind of company, you know? And I'm saying that's fine, be that person. But how much of your time. Remember we talked at the very beginning, time is our most valuable asset. How much of your time is being wasted on these menial tasks? Fix the menial tasks so that AI allow, you know, let AI do all those menial tasks so that you can be the superhuman. You can be the person that's doing the personal touches. Do whatever you have to do to take those rep repetitious stuff out so that you can be better at what you do.
Chad Paris
Yeah, that's that's man, that's so so an example would be, and and I always like to give people an example because they're like, Well, you know, I don't know what you mean, because just to be real. Like I think of it. I think of it. Let let's say and this may be a good one to start with. Let's say you are using AI for lead generation. Let's just throw that out there. I think a lot of people da I think a lot of people are dabbling in that. That's probably the first place they like to start, right? And so
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Sure.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Right.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Mm-hmm.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Yep.
Chad Paris
You know, y if if you're a company and you're using lead generation, well, well, first thing is you got to understand, well, who is your consumer? Because if you're a B2C, it's a different approach than a B2B, right? And and then let's say that leads are coming in or you're using AI tools to do that. Maybe it's an email outreach, you know, where the AI's, you know, basically answering emails and warming people up to come into your pipeline.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Right? One hundred percent.
Chad Paris
The human element is so important in that is because it needs to be a place in that. And and you decide where you take over and start and tell the personal touch of who you are. That's that's where you're exactly what you're talking about. You you could hire one person that couldn't do the amount of outreach that AI could do in 30 minutes. You couldn't hire enough people. That's a great tool to use.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Right. Right.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Yeah.
Chad Paris
If I'm just using this example, where where you're allowing that workflow to do that. But there is a place where the human element comes in and and and and says, this is who we are, this is what we do. And and and AI can be trained to do that if you feed it what you do so that it gets better and better at like like your personal story.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah, that's that's exactly it. That's that's the most powerful thing is to make sure you're feeding the AI who you are. Make sure you dictate that. You know, and that's why it's so important again, not going back to my toolbox, that's my most favorite part of the toolbox is it be you it captures your brain.
Chad Paris
Yeah.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
And actually there's an initial part and then I wanna go into it deeper where you spend a lot longer. Like I'm talking a day of answering things over and over, just so that the the AI really, really understands who you are. Because until then, it's not gonna you know, garbage in, garbage out, right? Put some good stuff in, it'll be great.
Chad Paris
No no no difference than it is that you standing in a boardroom and talking to all your directors. If you if you if you tell them this is what we're gonna do and it's not accurate, or it's not to the point, they're gonna you know, the human brain hears it. This is this is the difference in in AI, and I I just kinda thought about this as we talk about it. The human brain brings it in and then it goes through a processing and interprets what you said. So
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Yes.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Right.
Chad Paris
You may tell a story, you may tell a story one way and and the the person across from me, five of them may tell it a little bit different, may come to the very end, but it's a little bit different. AI is going to tell that story exactly the way you tell that story and make it even better. That's that that's the difference in and and and when you're a business owner thinking about why that tool could be powerful and how to use it, not taking away the human element, but just remembering that, you know.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Yeah. Mm-hmm. That's a great one. That's good.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Yeah.
Chad Paris
Remember those the old trick we used to do in school where they called it I think they called it phone call or whatever, where you start around the room and you tell something and it by the time it got to the end, it was completely different. Like that's that's that happens. It happens. Where AI is gonna tell the same story and by the time it gets to the very end, it's actually gonna be a better story than you actually could have ever thought of it. Yeah.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Yeah.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Yep. That happens, right?
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Right. But still pulling from the exact same right data points, right? Yeah. Yeah. No.
Chad Paris
Correct. Yeah. It's not going to veer off of those. It's its brain's not wired that way. And so, you know, I I I I use these analogies and I know you do too when I talk to people is try help them to understand where to put it in because frankly, they it's it's such a evolving tool that, you know, if you own a business, you don't have time to sit there and analyze what all it does. Like you there's not enough time. You already don't have enough time. So you surely can't sit there and evaluate what AI does. And that's where I think you come in.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Mm-mm. Right.
Chad Paris
Myself comes in as saying, okay, we're we're because we're in it every day. I mean, we see it across a lot of different companies and how they're using it.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Right. Right. Yeah. Like I said, you gotta stay in your lane and and leverage the people's other brains, right?
Chad Paris
a a hundred per a hundred percent. so what what is you know, you you kinda mentioned it at the beginning that, you know, you you just kinda going back, you you have an engineer background. I mean, you're you're an engineer by trade. I mean, it's it's it's always I love talking to engineers and they're because they're very analytical, right? They're very, you know, this is what they are. But you have this creative side about you too that's
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Mm-hmm.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Yeah. No. Yeah.
Chad Paris
Not like most engineers. I mean, let's just be honest. Most engineers are in this one, not in the creative side, but you got some creative building about you. So you have you have a gift of of kind of both, which I think's pretty pretty neat.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Yeah, I'm actually very blessed that I was able to do it. I know when I was growing up, you know, I am a Filipino parents and you know, they were all about math and science, math and science. So I never did anything creative, right? So when I got to college and started taking classes just for fun and that creativity came out, I thought, Wow, this is amazing, right? And I started doing a lot of graphic design and just drawing and things I never ever ever ever done did before, right? so I think that just
Chad Paris
Yeah.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
goes to show you that just because you're in one direction, I think this is in life. If you're going down a path of this way and you are open to opportunities, you might be surprised at what else you can do in life, right? I was open to the fact that I could check out some I took I started with calligraphy, if you can imagine. Just trying calligraphy because I never drew before and then started taking some drawing classes and then I went to design school and you know, all these things added up but only because I was open.
Chad Paris
Yeah.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
to the opportunities. And especially in this day and age, I think sometimes people are like, hey, I can't do anything. AI is going to take over my job. I'm not going to do anything. You have to be open. You have to be able to just look around and see what your strengths are, what are you interested in, and go from there. I think that's the only way we're going to be able to live in this age and, you know, find your niche, find your what you want to do. And I think more people are gonna be able to find what they're happy with if they're open to it.
Chad Paris
Yeah, I agree. I I I I totally agree with that. And I think we you know we you know th there's a there's a lot of culture that dynamics that that create that in us. I mean, you know, we're we're fighting a you know, we we're we're fighting a culture cultural existence along with a kind of a reality of where we sit at today. And you know, I think when you when you look at the landscape of
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Mm-hmm.
Chad Paris
You know, I use this as an example. People that grew up and you kinda mentioned to it where it was math and science. It was math and science. And that's what you were kind of created to do. It but but there's a lot of cultures that that that's exactly the way it is. And and there's nothing wrong with that. That's not what I'm I'm getting at. But then then there's reality of what you're made, your your your design, who you really are, like what what what I say, you know, God or whatever created you you're to to be. That's just who you are to be.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Mm-hmm.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Yes.
Chad Paris
that people struggle with that. And I think there's a lot of people in work and in business where they're still trying to do what what the kind of culture says that this is what you need to do versus what they're really meant to do. And I often and and I think that's why you hear people all the time and I hear it. You hear it's like, you know, I've been doing this all my life and I hate it. Like I hear that a lot.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Yes.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Mm-hmm. A lot. A lot.
Chad Paris
and it's sad, but it's it's true. It's it's true. And and so people that that are maybe listening or whatever that are struggling with that, I I I think you've in order to find roo to me, if you don't get true happiness and do what you're designed to do. Like you need to be doing what you're designed to do. You'll be way more fulfilled.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Yeah. And you'll actually find more success. If you're meant if you're doing what you were meant to do, you will find your success. So and fulfillment, purpose, all of it. Yeah.
Chad Paris
All of it. Yeah. so I wanna I wanna kinda just like you know, the last ten or so minutes that we that we have, just just talk a little bit about like you and and and and a little bit about your your your tool and you know, your approach when it comes to looking at a client. We've talked a little bit about it, but if you would I'd love to hear kinda
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Mm-hmm.
Chad Paris
A little bit more about the tool as far as our audience to be able to hear it and say, man, this is really cool. And so can you do you mind sharing a little bit about why you designed it and a little bit about kind of what it does?
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Yeah, like so I created a toolbox for my customers that are maybe starting out or don't have a lot of cash flow right now, they're just beginning, and they can't use my full services just yet, right? So this toolbox was really that's how it started was to create s a solution for people who are just trying to get started. And I used many, many tools and I've what I found was All those tools can be confusing and I don't know which to use and I don't know why to use it, right? So what we created with the toolbox is a bunch of tools for marketing and it actually then became also an executive assistant as well. It'll it'll pull in your calendar, it'll look at your emails and see what's most important and it'll give you a daily brief. So those are things are I personally love the best. And again, I created it so I could use it too. So as I create that's what happens and then it becomes the toolbox but it's super easy to understand and then it gives reasons why it does the things it does right it's built on Claude for now and depending on I'm I'm in AI all the time so I'm not I'm agnostic if I find something better I'll move it over to that so it's gonna ever evolve to be a better tool but the point was to create something easy to use. And then obviously, once you realize, I think the biggest thing is some people don't understand how AI can really help them. And this is going to show them some of the tools that AI can do. And then all of a sudden they're going to be like, hey, my goal is I hope that they find other things, other repetitious tasks that they need to take advantage of or need more better processes. And if that's the case, then we can be there to help them as well. So that is what that was the point of all of it. And it's an incredible tool. We're doing a soft launch on Friday, just so you know. and it's gonna be going out to the masses very, very soon. But we're definitely wanting to get as many people. I'll have a webinar. I don't know when this is going to be aired, but well I'll keep you in the loop and I'll let you have all the links. So whenever we have any of these calls or whatever, if anyone in your audience would love information, I'd be glad to give it to them.
Chad Paris
I love that. And I I think that's such a really, really, really great way for someone out there who are who maybe is like, I I really don't know, you know, I'm a small business or I'm I'm you I don't have a lot of cash flow, but or because it y listen, the the more AI tools you get it's expensive. I'm just it it can be. but this is a great way to to get it and get a little s get some get some help, get some time back, get some help back and and being able to do that. So
Annabelen Hemelgarn
It is.
Chad Paris
Yeah, we we will when we push this out, we'll have all the links and everybody can go and do that. And you know, we w Annabelen and I are talking too and it it may be a deal where where I'll have it on on my website too for people to to go and check out. But but I I I think it I think it's a I think one of the things I was looking for is this, I think it's a fascinating tool and I think it's it it meets people right where they are, gives them some relief, and it's a great way to
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Great.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Mm-hmm.
Chad Paris
to start using it to to maybe answer some questions rather than going out and buying a bunch of different tools that once you get them, you really don't know what to do with them. I mean, you're like, well, I don't know. I mean, I don't know how to use that. And next thing you know, you're in a rabbit hole. You're hours into one trying to make it work for you. And it's like, this is this is too much. Yeah. And it works for you. well th that I mean I love that. So yeah, we'll we'll definitely get that out. So as we as we kind of go toward the end, this is what I call the quick fire round.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Right. Right.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
It'll never work for him. Exactly. Yeah.
Chad Paris
And it's just basically four questions I ask and then you just answer whatever's on your your your your your your mind. It there's no wrong answer, it's just fun. So so so first one, here we go. just just first instinct, fire it out. So first instinct when a client says they have a sales problem.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Okay.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Okay. All right. Let's do it.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Okay.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Usually it's not a sales problem. Awesome. almost always it's a systems problem. They're actually probably not giving themselves credit on the sales side. The problem is they're not following up because at the this day and age we have so much bombarding us, it takes many, many conversations. And that's where people I think people really get misconstrued that they have a sales problem. It's not that they have a sales problem. They have to be on top of the person so that when they are ready. you're already top of mind. That's the issue, not necessarily the your sales.
Chad Paris
I agree. I call it process issue because it's typically it's not the sales, it's basically, you know, I find it often it's people like you're you're not even like your sales teams over here trying to speak something that's not even true to who you really are. Like there's this complete disconnect. Yeah. one tool you could not run your business without.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Yeah. Disconnect. Yeah.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Right now, Claude. That is my tool right now. Yeah.
Chad Paris
Yeah, it's great. It's great. It's great. best advice you ignored, and we're glad you did it.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
you know what? The best advice was to get help. And I ignored it, ignored it, ignored it. And now I if it wasn't for the fact that I had mentors, coaches, I surrounded myself with people, and I created a team. It's all takes a village and I wanted to do it all by myself. You cannot do it by yourself.
Chad Paris
Yeah.
Chad Paris
True. Yeah, it's great. Last one, and I ask everyone this, so this is not a new one. What does Process Over Pressure, which is my theme, what does that mean to you? Looks different for everybody.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
I think if you have the right press processes in place, the pressure is relieved. Honestly. That's what I think of when you say process beats pressure. That's what happens. When you have the right systems and the processes in place, that pressure is alleviated.
Chad Paris
I couldn't agree more. That's exactly the that's exactly the meaning behind it. Price the reason you feel pressure is because your process is broken typically. So so yeah. So as we end, how can people reach you? How can people find you? How can you know if there's they're listening to this and like, man, I want to know more, tell us how to get in touch with you.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
I love it. Yeah. Yeah. I love it.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Well, I'm on social media. You can get me at AI Freedom with Anna belen That's my Instagram handle. And you can get me at ignitedesignonline dot com. And then soon I'll be sending out the links for the toolbox. So those are the ways to get a hold of me. if you just wanna say toolbox and DM me, I'll know what you want to do and we'll start a conversation. I'm on everything.
Chad Paris
Fantastic. Fantastic. Well, it this has been awesome. I think it's been very helpful for people. I encourage you guys that are out there, try the try the try the toolbox. I I I don't I think it'd be something that's fun. I it's it's it's if I don't know the cost. I don't think it's gonna be a very expensive tool to try at the beginning. probably about the same avenue that it would be for, you know, you to go get any other tool. But try it. I think you would be I think you'll you'll use it and you'll enjoy it and it also will will help some clarity.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Yeah.
Annabelen Hemelgarn
Awesome. Thank you so very much for having me, Chad. I really appreciate it and I had a blast today.
Chad Paris
Awesome. Well, thank you. And again, as always, I'm Chad Paris. I own Stonefly Consulting, and this podcast is Process Over Pressure. See you next time.
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