How to Spark Your Light: Jaclyn Gallo - Spark Your Light Studios

SPEAKER_00 0:04

This is the Beyond the Story Podcast, a show that goes way beyond the story. And now, Sebastian Fr. Jacqueline, welcome to the show.

SPEAKER_01 0:26

Thanks so much for having me here.

SPEAKER_00 0:27

Hey, thanks for being here. We connected through a mutual connection, Shirley Lopez, the one and only Shirley Lopez. And uh she said, Sebastian, I think you need to meet this individual. I met her in an event. She's looking to get booked on podcasts and would be a great connect for you. So she was exactly right. So great to uh connect with you. The power of offline networking. Shirley's in my BI group. So offline stuff does still happen these days, even though we're so hyper connected uh uh online. So great to connect. And again, thanks for uh thanks for being on the show.

SPEAKER_01 1:01

Yeah, great to be here.

SPEAKER_00 1:02

So I want to talk about we were chatting before the interview here about how you got started, and it's quite the interesting story on how you were able to navigate and kind of figure things out. And and um I want to unpack that a little bit. But before we do, let's let's just for context, let's help our listeners better understand a little bit more about you and your backstory and what really brought you to present day with what you're doing with your coaching business.

SPEAKER_01 1:25

Yeah. So I'll start present day and then I'll go back in the high-level overview, and then we can unpack whatever you think would be great to unpack. So um, I'm a life coach, keynote speaker, two-time bestselling author. And uh my main focus is helping women create lives that spark the light inside of them. I get this feeling when I'm doing things in my life that are exciting and fulfilling to me, where I feel like the inside of me is lit up and there are sparks truly flying. And I want everyone to feel that way in their lives. And so that's my main mission through my work. And lots of it is a personal growth related, career related, business related, whatever it is that people really want to pursue that sparks them. Um, and the way I got here is because I was in a corporate internship my summer between junior and senior year of college that didn't spark the light inside of me. And I was really confused because I thought that it would. You know how we make these plans for our life where we think we know how we're gonna feel in a future moment, but then we're living the future moment and it's not what we thought it was going to be. And then we feel so confused because our whole life plan was contingent around that thing. And so that's what happened to me. I thought that my dream was to do marketing for a big company and then I was doing it. And I said, Is this it? And I remember I would drive home every day. It was a 30-minute drive, and I wouldn't play the radio. I would just be quiet with myself because I felt so confused and I wanted to figure out what the heck is going on. And one day I had a very clear, strong inner voice that came through and said, You need to start a business. You're just not gonna feel that spark. And I didn't know that the term was spark at the time. That's what I call it today. But I knew that I wouldn't feel fulfilled without something of my own that I was working towards. I've just always been super ambitious and driven. And I think a big part of it too is that growing up, my dad told me about how when he was younger, he really wanted to start a business and his dad talked him out of it. And it was one of his life regrets. So I think that impacted me too, feeling like I don't want to have regrets. I want to learn from what my dad's teaching me. And so, anyways, I tried to start a bunch of businesses. They all failed. It was a period of about two and a half years of just complete falling flat on my face, feeling so much shame, feeling like maybe I just didn't have what it takes. Maybe I would be happier if I took a job. That was a constant thought because I was so unhappy in this process of failing and putting myself out there. And I was so low after those failures that I went to the library in the self-help section and I just started picking out books because I felt like even if I went and got a job and tried to turn my life around, I was in a pretty low state. And I just knew that until I saw what was going on inside, I probably wouldn't do well anywhere in anything. And I just fell in love with the power that we have to create our own lives. And I learned about how failure can be a blessing in disguise. And I learned about the power of our mindset and I started sharing it and sharing it led to other people wanting to hear about it, which led to speaking, which led to coaching, and the rest is kind of history.

SPEAKER_00 4:34

Love it. What were some of the books you you picked out in the in the library?

SPEAKER_01 4:38

Oh, good question. Um, I read The Secret. That was probably one of the first books I ever read that was personal growth related. Um, I read uh Rachel Hollis, Girl Wash Your Face.

SPEAKER_00 4:50

Great book.

SPEAKER_01 4:51

Uh, it was. Um, I read The One Thing by Gary Keller. Have you ever read that?

SPEAKER_00 4:56

Uh I have not, but I've heard about it.

SPEAKER_01 4:58

It really helped me. That book really was a really a good book for business or career. Um, but it really helped me figure out what I wanted to do with my life. That was a really profound one. I read Simon Cynic, just you know, a lot of the like intro, personal development, and that reading interest really has has not um faded. I continue to read a lot and listen to a lot of audiobooks.

SPEAKER_00 5:20

Simon's great. He really is. Um, so what would you say if you had to pick one one thing, like one differentiator, one thing that really stuck out through that whole process that really helped you step into all of Jacqueline? What would you say that is?

SPEAKER_01 5:38

Yeah, I remember the moment so clearly. I don't know what book it was. I wish I remembered. Like I was reading a book, can't tell you what it was, but I remember in the book the question asked was, What is working in your life right now? And I remember reading the question, and my first thought was nothing. That's why I'm reading this book. And I forced myself to answer the question. I forced myself to sit there. I couldn't read another sentence until I answered. And so I really looked at what I was doing and all my failed business ventures. And when I asked myself what was working, the one thing that stood out was I was speaking at colleges at sororities, and I was talking about my struggle with an eating disorder in college and this wellness journey that I had gone on. And that was what inspired my One Business idea, which was an app that I built that later failed. And I was doing this as a marketing tool. So I would go to these sororities, I would share my story. It was basically a keynote, what I didn't know what a keynote was at the time. It was really impactful. Here are the lessons I learned. And then at the end, I would say, if you want to sign up for my app, here's how to do so. And so I never got paid, I just did it for free. And I did it like crazy. I think I did 66 talks in a semester. Like I was insane. How many can I possibly get on my calendar to grow my app? And when I looked back at what was working, all of a sudden I had like a floodgate vision of all of the Instagram messages. It was like so many messages after the talk about how it really helped them, how it changed their life, how they realized that they have an eating disorder and they're gonna go get professional help, or how they are gonna change their relationship with their body and all of these really powerful, profound things. And I thought that's one thing that's working. I didn't make money from it, but it's it's working. And that's actually how I decided to start speaking. I had that idea in my mind, and then one thing leads to another. I saw Facebook ad about how you could get paid to speak, which I thought was profound. I'm like, oh, well, I didn't know that you could get paid to do that. And so that's really when so much in my life changed was starting to focus on what was working instead of what wasn't. And it's really hard to see what is working when you're stuck in a time where it feels like so much is going wrong. But when you learn to look at what is going right, so many doors open.

SPEAKER_00 7:55

It reminds me of Tony Robbins' quote you know, what what's wrong is always available, so is what is right. I uh that's a huge category, specifically for females of you know, of um I have my friend Brittany created a brand that absolutely exploded. Um I think it's called beet beet binge eating, something that pertains to that, but it absolutely exploded. And it it it was rooted from her experience of having an eating disorder, and it just absolutely just became just this gigantic, you know. So that's when you mentioned that, I was like, Oh, totally that happening. Because I remember interviewing her and I'm like, how'd this all start? And she's like, I just got vulnerable after I was able to heal and figure out a solution. And then I'm like, if I if I figured it out, I gotta I gotta teach other people. And my goodness. Um are you do you still work with women specifically now? Is that how you is that the your your like your ideal avatar of who you work with?

SPEAKER_01 8:50

Yeah, my my ideal avatar is definitely women. Um, it's mostly women who are very driven and uh trying to figure out like either they're building a business or they're trying to figure out their next steps in their career, or try usually they come to me with a goal, to be honest. Like, I really want to do this. And try to work through some of the things that are holding them back or just help them uh light that fire so they can go a little faster or enjoy the journey more. That's another big one.

SPEAKER_00 9:17

Sure. Yeah, I I was um at an event last week in in Dallas, and the speaker said uh a lot of us spend time chasing money, but very very few of us spend time chasing a life. I thought some food for thought on there because you know the the money comes and goes. And then once you've got it, then what? There's always this next phase of well, now, now what? I heard a stat not too long ago. I don't know if you've ever heard this before, but if you exit your company and you don't have a game plan put together for what's next, you have a 90% chance of depression. I was like, what imagine you exit for a hundred million, you're like, I'm good, yeah, cool. When you get to when you're done traveling and done buying all the stuff, yeah, then what? And I was like, gosh, these are all just such gems and gifts um that that I've been able to learn, you know, before, you know, wherever it is that I'm going and headed, um, you know, business and success wise. And I'm so so grateful for that. It's like, man, imagine being able to be told early on in your career, hey, listen, don't chase the money, chase a life. And so, you know, I I and I tried, I've been trying to do that for for a decade now, to the best of my ability. Because I heard a speaker say one time at an event and it totally ruined me that, and that was um, if you want a lifestyle, you've got to have a lifestyle business. And I was like, huh. Like, yeah, you got to build your life around your business, not your business around your life. And I was like, oh snap. And I live that now, you know, and uh, but it's a you you it's something we have to go and create.

SPEAKER_01 10:51

Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 10:53

So, what's your favorite part of coaching people?

SPEAKER_01 10:57

My favorite part. I think it's helping people see things that are possible for them that they can't see themselves. I just think that's incredible. Like, oh like seeing their eyes open wider, and like I never realized that that would be possible for me or that I could do that.

unknown 11:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:18

Do you do you ever help people work through something and then like you didn't think it was a big deal, and they just are like they don't stop about it. They're like, holy cow, I mean, it's it's it was that that was their one thing, you know, it was like they're there, they're that was the shift that happened, but you didn't see it as that that that you know much of a of a gigantic deal. Um, those are humbling moments, at least in my experience, you know.

SPEAKER_01 11:40

Absolutely. Even like podcasts, like get a message from a listener, like this one thing you said, like changed my entire life. And it's like, oh wow, like it's amazing. I didn't have any, I just kind of was randomly sharing some, you know, thought I had.

SPEAKER_00 11:54

Sure. Well, we get to do that. I mean, that's that's all part of this process. And you know, the word impact is a little overused these days. Of course, everyone wants to make an impact. And and I've tried to find new words for coach, impact, journey. It's words that are, you know, I know again, I'm a coach too, but um, but being able to to not only take what we know and bring it back to the work that we get to be able to do, but watch people uh shift, I think, is incredible. People ask me, why are you doing what you do? I'm like, because I've seen what people are able to step. There were people are able to step into a completely different version of themselves because they made a decision to hire a coach, because they made a decision to start a podcast. And it's you know, it's when you get to a point where people feel like uh what you have to do, what what what you do has very little to do with coaching and everything to do with like uh you know what you're able to pour into people's lives on there. And I think that's just the way, you know, that's why we're called to do what we do. Yeah, is that you know, we're this is I always say God's in the business of blowing minds, and I and I firmly believe that, uh, in ours included, even being the facilitators of it sometimes, uh, on there. Um, so what are you excited about for the rest of 2023? Time we're recording this, my gosh, it's August of 2023, which is just wild in and of itself. But uh, what are you excited for for the rest of the year?

SPEAKER_01 13:19

Yeah, there's something that I haven't even said out loud on my own podcast, but I think I'll say it here. Um, I'm building an in-person podcast studio that I'm really excited about. So that's probably my big focus. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:31

I love that. So is that going to be just for your show?

SPEAKER_01 13:34

Yeah, just for my show. I know my husband's like, well, well, you should probably like rent it out for other people's shows. You can like make some money on it. Like, no, no, just for my show, but I want to have more of my guests in person and yeah, just be able to have a more um a better experience for me.

SPEAKER_00 13:48

You gotta manage people when you do that. I originally did was thought I did this is I'm on this is my third studio that I'm in now.

SPEAKER_01 13:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:54

Um, and um I would just go and find executive suites that were really cool and quiet, and I could convert them into a studio. Um, and I kind of really found home in the one that I'm at right now. But originally people were like, You want to you should rent it out. And I was like, I've been thinking about it, but I'm like, then I gotta manage people.

SPEAKER_01 14:09

Yeah, yeah. I don't want to do that.

SPEAKER_00 14:11

It's becoming a thing on here, but then that's the thing. I come in here and I'm like, I don't want anybody in here.

SPEAKER_01 14:15

Yeah, totally.

SPEAKER_00 14:17

Yeah, that's um I've been trying to be more, I think 2020, you know, ruined us with the whole remote thing. And again, I'm all about remote meetings. Um, but that there's something to be said with an in-person interview where you know the energy shift is significantly different because you're in person, you know, the ability to connect is is different as well, too. Um, and just you know, to be able to look around and be like, mine is a lot of fun. But you can also listen, virtual talks are always going to be a thing, they always have been a thing, but they're even more of a thing now. So you've been able to facilitate talks from in there, you know, all of your meetings and Zoom calls, and like that's what I've found to be able to like my podcast setup is my I can pretty much do anything I need to do here. So what a time to be alive, huh?

SPEAKER_01 15:04

Yeah, love it.

SPEAKER_00 15:05

Are you reading any good books right now?

SPEAKER_01 15:07

Oh, um, I'm reading uh a book that I have no idea where I got this recommendation, but I have this list of books that people have recommended a book to me. And if it's someone that I think is great and they recommend it, I just add it to the list. And then what I it's hundreds of books at this point. What I do is okay, I finished a book. I'm gonna pick up another one. Unless there's like a top of mind book that I want to read, I'll just scroll through the list and look at the titles and um see if I can find one that like screams out to me. So um this one is called um everything you want by Derek. I'm gonna Google it. I'm like blanking on the exact oh, you know what? It's on my list, probably. I'll pull up my list. Here we go. The super, super, super long list. Anything you want. That's what it's called.

SPEAKER_00 15:56

And his name is anything, everything. I mean close enough.

SPEAKER_01 16:00

Similar, similar. Derek Silvers. It's a really short read, super easy to digest. And um, he's the founder of a company that was called C D Baby that sold for I think it was like 40 million or something. Um, and he shares all the lessons that he learned in building the business. It's it's it's a good book.

SPEAKER_00 16:23

I'd recommend cool. Have you read any of Joe Dispens's stuff?

SPEAKER_01 16:27

I have. Um, I really like breaking the habit of being yourself.

SPEAKER_00 16:30

I'm I'm halfway through it. I've been halfway through it all year. That's a big book.

SPEAKER_01 16:33

It's a it's it's it's it's dense. It takes a lot of energy to read it.

SPEAKER_00 16:37

Yes, it does. Yes, it does.

SPEAKER_01 16:39

You feel like tired after like you've learned so much.

SPEAKER_00 16:43

Yeah. Um, I'm reading another one called Calling in the One. Somebody told me to pick it up.

SPEAKER_01 16:48

I like that.

SPEAKER_00 16:49

Seven, yeah, it's a seven-week uh that I've been on month seven here of reading it, but it takes as long as it takes, ladies and gentlemen. But the idea is the seven weeks are to prepare yourself and making sure that you are the person you need to be in order to meet your person.

SPEAKER_01 17:04

I love that. I think that's so powerful.

SPEAKER_00 17:06

I'm still reading and I'm still single, so we're still remaining hopeful, ladies and gentlemen. Uh, I have to force myself uh to read. I'm a big daily reader. I mean, not daily reader, as in I read every day, but like, you know, things that you read once a day. Are you familiar with the daily stoic?

SPEAKER_01 17:21

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 17:22

Yeah, that's like my daily. Um, there's another one uh for entrepreneurs. I'm forgetting the name's slipping my mind right now, but I love those daily um uh, you know, once a day, you got something to look forward to, but also um reflect on too. I actually went to that bookstore uh a couple of months ago, Ryan Holiday's bookstore, the painted porch, and uh it's not in Austin, Texas, it's in Bathstrop, Texas, which is like 30 minutes outside of Austin, this teeny tiny little town. But um, yeah, totally quaint. Exactly how you would envision a nice, quaint, you know, small town bookstore with cats, lots of cats. So I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 17:57

I don't know. I'm I'm I'm not a huge cat person, but I don't think I would mind it.

SPEAKER_00 18:00

It was okay. They kind of kept to themselves, and that was, but if you're not a cat person, you're like, oh, this book I'm not like grossed out, I just don't have any cats.

SPEAKER_01 18:08

You know what I mean? Like, I think cats are cute and sweet, right?

SPEAKER_00 18:11

Right. They're like, that's a nice cat. I'm moving on now. Moving out, yeah. Uh well, good stuff. Well, it's been so great to to to learn more about you and your story. And uh, it's clear that you I love hearing stories of people that have at least figured out uh so far what you know your calling is and what we're put on this planet to be able to do, and how we're able to take our gifts and put them into play and and really use them for for the betterment of just the world in general. And I think coaching really uh allows for that um in its truest form on there. So great work figuring it out and really getting in your lane. It's it's you you know how how people show up, uh whether or not they can figure it out or not. And and if they've uh you know, they're on they're on they're in their their their lane um and and doing it. So keep up the great work. Want to encourage you to to to do that. I'm stoked to be connected with you here and uh look forward to staying staying connected and uh seeing what we can come up with. It's always you know, the craziest things happen from just a podcast interview. You just never really know. You look back and you're like, remember that one time you're on my podcast? That's when we first met. We ended up this, that, and the other. You introduced me to this person, and that happened. So um just excited for uh you know, for uh what we don't know that we don't know. Um any final thoughts for our listeners, Jacqueline?

SPEAKER_01 19:33

Um, I was thinking when you were saying about like the impact of like one little thing or the impact of your work. And I was thinking about how if I could just do one thing for people, like if I had if if there was some like genie that came down and said you can only have like one impact, what would it be? I'm like a hundred percent certain on what mine would be, and it would be help people not give up because I feel like the only reason that I am where I am today is because I didn't quit. But there were so many times where I wanted to, when I failed multiple times, when I felt like I was making progress too slow, when I was embarrassed and just felt so much shame, or when I spent more money than I had, and you know, all these issues that have come up along the way. So I just want to say if you're listening and you have a dream, please keep going because the only thing that separates people who achieve their biggest dreams and people who don't is that the people who achieve their dreams, they just keep going and eventually they get there. And your failures are like GPS directions to exactly where you want to go. So just embrace them and get on the map, go with three directions. If there's a road close, listen to whatever the GPS says and keep going. And eventually you will get there.

SPEAKER_00 20:43

Phenomenal final thoughts and advice as well. Take those failures, use them as your GPS. Wow, never heard it like that before. Jaclyn, it's been an absolute pleasure. Thank you for the work that you're doing and thanks for your time today.

SPEAKER_01 20:55

Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 20:56

Until next time, friends. Thanks so much for tuning in to this episode of the Beyond the Story Podcast. Be sure to appreciate it. If you haven't done so already, make sure you're subscribed to the show. This way you'll get updates as new episodes become available. If you feel so inclined, please leave us a review. Signing off from the podcast, LaunchLab.com studios. We'll talk to you next time.