I’ve seen some people refer to you as a self made success? In what ways is that true or not true?
Unless you were born with a golden spoon in your mouth, I think everyone that is successful as an entrepreneur is self-made. It takes grit, dedication and belief to be a success as a new entrepreneur. However, as much as it is self-made and ideas must come from the entrepreneur, we can never do it on our own. I have had some of the greatest teachers and mentors in my career that have helped me get to where I am today. I can bring in an example from 2004, before social media was even a thing. I started working with Perry Marshall, the godfather of Google ads, and learned everything about Google ads, copywriting, and how to leverage the new digital world. I am ahead of the game today because I leveraged other people’s knowledge, invested in myself, and turned it into my own ideas.
You make it all look easy. So what does it take for someone to have the kind of success you have?
Thank you for that, however, most only see the tip of the iceberg as you know. One thing I have learned in the last 15 years being an entrepreneur is resilience and knowing that unless I quit, I can never fail. I’ve always had a motto that I may not be as smart or as experienced as my competitor, but I will always win because I will outwork them every time. I set goals for myself each day to hit and if I don’t hit them, I don’t go to sleep.
At what point do you feel like you really crossed over from trying to doing?
When I first started my company, I called over 3,000 leads and didn’t make a single sale- not one! So I met with my mentor and asked him what I was doing wrong, and he said, “You are putting $$ signs on people’s forehead instead of truly caring and helping them solve their problems- so until you stop selling them and go into helping them, you will continue to struggle”. He was right, I went back and started to care about the people on the other side of the phone; thought about their problems and asked questions that truly moved them. With this change in consciousness, my business took off. I became a person of service rather than a person of selling.
Did you ever fake it till you made it?
Early on in the marketing space everyone was taking pictures in front of cars or hotels and pretending that was their success- I couldn’t stomach it. I come from a family that engrained integrity into my being. Authenticity and honesty always rang as some of my highest values that have followed me into business. Even when we lost everything in 2008- I had to share it, because that story is what made me relatable and what helped my business and brand thrive.
What are some things you did or a few times in your business where things just got easier after you made a change?
Systematize and automate- hiring the right people for the position and investing in my company foundation.
Is success for you more about money or time? Having more of which one makes you feel more successful?
Money for me has never been a means to an end, it’s been a means to many things. I used to work for the money, now I allow it to work for me. My time is so precious that I would rather have quality time than money, however I’ve been able to find the balance of making enough money and having quality time. My team is my lifeline to this.
You have some pretty well-known, even famous clients. What, if anything, have you learned from working with them?
Yes, and I only work with those that are consciously making a difference in the world with their work and because of that I am selective. Celebrities or high-end people like this are amazing to work with and share their ideas so openly. There is no separation with them, because we both have a mission and we both respect it.
As an American living outside the US for years now, what is your opinion about the state of things back home in the states?
Nothing in the media over the last two months has concerned me more than how people react to it. My optimism about the future potential of humanity has been usurped by the realization of how degenerate we are, as a collective, in maintaining our sovereign mind. It was so easy to hijack the global consciousness in 2020 and nothing seems to be changing in 2021, for the majority that I can see. I’m curiously waiting to see which tune the puppet masters will make people move with next. It seems that there is always something new on the horizon to keep everyone occupied and distracted from what really matters. It’s time to keep our minds focused, stay connected to nature, and get our heads out of the propaganda.
What’s next for you and your family?
Each of my Unstoppable Family members have companies. Brian, my husband, just launched his Unstoppable Beard Product and my daughter, Hanalei’s fashion company, released a new collection this spring. She’s also writing a new book to inspire girls and kids her age.
We are on a mission to truly crack open the minds of family and what is possible. We have such a connected energy and respect for one another. We hold each other accountable for the difference we want to make, all while staying focused on what truly matters; selflove, giving back, respecting nature, and gratitude for what the creator provides. I feel that our message can help inspire others to truly live their best life.
Rhonda Swan is the CEO of the Unstoppable Branding Agency and is best known for getting herself as well as her clients featured in Top Tier Publications such as ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, FORBES, Entrepreneur, INC., Success, Business Insider and Buzz-Feed to name a few.
In addition, Swan is the host of her own talk show and the author of several bestselling books including her latest an anthology book Women Gone Wild: The Feminine Guide to Fearless Living that is a number 1 bestselling book in multiple categories and recently featured in USA Today. Women Gone Wild has turned into a movement with its own events and an up-and-coming tv network.
Rhonda and her husband Brian are considered the unstoppable family with their daughter Hanalei living in Bali with plenty of art, surfing and living life on their own terms.
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