Speaker 1: 0:30

So the name of my business is Connecting Lane, my name is Anthony Lane, and the type of services that I provide? I provide coaching services, transformational coaching services, to be exact, to get either you to the next level, either personally or professionally, to the next level of your life. When I say personally, that is people who are working towards in their business, but they're working with their family life, their family dynamics.

Speaker 2: 0:58

Yes.

Speaker 1: 0:59

They don't know how to separate the two. And then on the business side, people that are in business already, either for themselves or for organization, trying to get up to the next leadership role.

Speaker 2: 1:08

All right, I'd like to dive in a little bit and I'd like to know why it is important for you and for, I guess, your clients or CEOs, companies, to be able to set boundaries and make time for themselves and having these skills that you offer, why it's important for them to have those skills.

Speaker 1: 1:27

Okay, well, I can speak personally on that, because when I was trying to, I'm retired military for 22 years and I was trying to climb the ranks and focus on my family at the same time.

Speaker 1: 1:41

But when I found myself trying to spend time with my family, I was at work. When I was trying to climb the ladder, I was thinking about family and a lot of times that failed. And I have a lot of friends who have been owning you know a lot of very. They have some very good businesses and they're they were doing the exact same thing trying to focus on family while they're at work, or trying to focus on work when they have family or cheerleading practice or whatever it is, and you're distracted by being on your phone because you're trying to do so many things and really not get anything done at the same time. So it's hurting both families. It's hurting your work family, it's hurting your personal life, family. So that's why it's extremely important to me to help people, to assist people to develop those skills and those techniques that are important to me. To help people to assist people to develop those skills and those techniques that are important to them to do whatever you know. Take the next step.

Speaker 2: 2:41

Yeah, no. Thank you for sharing that. I'd like to know a little bit about yourself, your background, what got you started in this industry, where did you start off and how it's led you to where you are today.

Speaker 1: 2:52

Okay and how it's led you to where you are today, okay, so actually when I was in the military, I helped people in many different ways. I'm a natural people's person and I can be in any type of setting and just start up a conversation and just be just like we're having now, just natural and organic, and it just flows. The transformation part started. I was involved in the first Gulf War and it's just some things that happened that I had to keep my calm and my cool, just had to keep my composure, or a lot of people were going to get hurt or pass. And then, after I figured that out I was 20 years old when I figured that out I was how do you say? Thrust into the limelight. I was thrust into a transformation that has stuck with me forever. I know how to be serious and I know how to have a lot of fun, be extremely serious and a lot of fun.

Speaker 2: 3:57

And.

Speaker 1: 3:57

I snap of a second.

Speaker 2: 3:58

Wow, I'd say that's a big skill.

Speaker 1: 4:01

Some people can't do that, it is.

Speaker 2: 4:03

I wouldn't know how to be like wait can I, I don't know, and malfunction. So that's cool that you have that. Yeah, I love it. So tell me a little bit. I want to know a little bit more. What led you to this. Why did you decide that you wanted to help other people, and was there a career shift that happened, and how did you go about it?

Speaker 1: 4:25

Did you have any mentors or coaches that helped you along the way? I had a few mentors through my life, but the main thing that got me into this work was when I retired. I worked for the federal government for two or three years and then State Department. I'm like this I'm an instructor, I'm helping, and but this is not. There's more to life that I can offer. And I kept asking myself there's more, there's more I can do. And then once I figured it out, that's what led me and I did some John Maxwell training. I did some NLP training neuro-linguistic programming.

Speaker 1: 5:09

That's a mouthful right there, it is it is, and so those are some of the things that really led me into coaching, knowing my why and just trying to figure everything out for myself.

Speaker 2: 5:22

Okay, I love that, and now tell me about the specific services that you offer and when are people coming to you. What are some of the issues that people come to you for and how you've helped them resolve that, or help them find the answers to those things, and how you've helped them resolve that or help them find the answers to those things.

Speaker 1: 5:37

So some of the particular things that they come to me, some life issues they come to me about hey, I call myself a life mastery coach also Help you master your life and whether you had problems in your past. So people they come to me with, they have problems in their past or issues in their past, yeah, and they're trying to work past that and try to say, okay, you know what. This is a stumbling block, but it's not a block altogether. On a professional side. You know what? It's still professional. On a leadership side. They say you know what?

Speaker 1: 6:12

I know that I can be a better leader. How can I be a better leader? How can I come into, you know, stay in my organization and say, all right, I want to offer more value to the people that work for me and that I work for. So what? How can I do this? And we sit down and go through some skills and we go through their energy level. I do an assessment to figure out where their energy is, wow. And so they're like, oh yeah, because if you come into the workplace and you think you're positive but you're speaking negatively or you're doing things that are not so kosher with yourself and just into your individuals that are either working with you or working for you. Yeah, then that you know that's not good, yeah. And a lot of individuals do not know how to separate that person that professional life when they had a bad night with their partner or whatever they lost their football game.

Speaker 2: 7:14

Now they're cranky the next day and they need to keep that under control.

Speaker 1: 7:17

They're cranky the next day. And yeah, they're trying to keep it under control. Yeah, so yeah.

Speaker 2: 7:22

Wow.

Speaker 1: 7:23

And so I do energy assessments, I do a lot of different assessments to meet the individual where they are. Yeah, love that individual where they are yeah, love that.

Speaker 2: 7:34

I saw online that the type of services that you have it's the one-on-one coaching, workshops and seminars, group coaching, online courses and masterminds and retreats and even corporate coaching. I think that is really cool. Could you talk to me about the workshops and also the retreats? I feel like that's quite interesting and I'd like to hear more about that.

Speaker 1: 7:56

So the workshops and workshop seminars and retreats. So let's start off with the latter, the retreats For small businesses and for small business owners, and they just want to up their game and get around other like-minded individuals. We'll go away One. It's a tax write-off.

Speaker 1: 8:17

Perfect Two it is fun. And three, I want to remove people from their current environment, from their current distractions in life, to put them in a place to where, one, they feel safe. And two, that they can sit down and relax, like your podcast, and where we can just sit down, relax, have a casual conversation and just move on. Yeah, the workshops and seminars I find out what the organization needs and what they're looking for and where they trying to. You know where they want to move, to know where they want to move to and I I have programs that are already in place but I craft those programs designed just for that particular organization. Okay, and the one-on-one and the one-on-one and the group coaching when I meet with individuals, sometimes they want to. When I take them on a deep dive and they're like you know what? I don't want to have this conversation around other individuals.

Speaker 1: 9:17

So, we need to have this one-on-one and then, within a group setting, is where we can all have a like-minded conversation. Agree to disagree, disagree to agree, as long as people are open-minded to see other ways to get things done. Yeah, because there's more than they say. There's more than one way to skin a cat, and if people are open-minded even if they're not open-minded they might walk away and say you know what, let me think of it this way or that way, as long as it works for me, I don't have to let them know.

Speaker 2: 9:55

Yeah, Because a lot of people do that. Yes, absolutely. Would you say that for some individuals it's hard to implement change or maybe they're not as open to new ideas? Talk to me about how you help those types of individuals or walk them through something like that, Because I know some people are just like no, I've been doing it this way, why do I need to change it? How do you help that mindset? You know?

Speaker 1: 10:15

Oh, wow, yeah, so when you, I give them a lot of different scenarios where they're like okay. Um well, anthony, you know I've been doing it this way for so long.

Speaker 2: 10:28

Okay.

Speaker 1: 10:29

And how has that worked for you? Like, maybe it hasn't. So I give them different ways to To look at the same thing that they have been doing, give them different avenues that they can possibly go by and possibly look at. And you know, sometimes they make a change and sometimes they don't. I'm not looking for a right away change. First of all, it's not for me. It's for them to make the change that they really want to make themselves yeah. And for them to make the change that they really want to make themselves yeah. And for them to make that change. And if they don't want to, then I'll say okay, where did you start this thought at? Where did it start?

Speaker 1: 11:11

I had to do this work myself before I even. I'm a strong believer do the work before you preach it, yeah. And I found out a lot of my things that I'm currently doing now comes from my parents, my foundation, my church, the people that surrounded me, when I really didn't have any input growing up. And once I start making those small incremental changes in myself, then my mindset start to shift. There's nothing wrong with me, there's nothing wrong with me. There's nothing wrong with any individual. But it's when we're seeking constant change and constant improvement in ourself. That is where the change comes from. So once they are ready, then they start seeing different ways of getting things done.

Speaker 2: 11:57

Yeah, and hopefully they are open to that, because if they are coming to you, that means they're seeing that, that because if they are coming to you, that means they're seeing that the way that they've been doing it is maybe not working and they're like looking for that guidance. So that first step is going to you. That means they do want to make a change too, right, but maybe it's not as easy. So thank you for touching on that. I'd like to talk about marketing and how you're going about that. Is it more word of mouth? Are you putting posts online as an entrepreneur, business owner, how are you getting the word out there about the type of services that you have and how you've helped other clients? Or maybe share testimonials or something?

Speaker 1: 12:32

So I had a call yesterday with a coaching client and we were just talking casually and she was having some issues with you know, getting a strong relationship that she really wanted to have. And I just been working with her for about a year and I've always told her to relax. Don't put your personal biases on the guy that you're trying to date, just relax. And then all of a sudden she calls me and say, anthony, I finally met the guy you told me to relax and give up dating and I did and he just appeared.

Speaker 2: 13:08

It's funny, how that works.

Speaker 1: 13:09

It's very funny how that works, and and she took my advice it was she was one of those that she didn't want to do it at first and then, when she changed her mindset, she put everything to the side and it just came to it. Just start it. It worked for her. And I forgot the first part of the question.

Speaker 2: 13:29

It was just how, as an entrepreneur, a business owner, you're getting the word out there and like are you putting posts on social media? Are you going out there talking to people, going to social networking events, or just how you're getting your name out there?

Speaker 1: 13:43

So I am doing a lot of networking. I have a big networking event on this right. It's not mine, it's another individual's doing a lot of networking, a lot of word of mouth, just talking to people and and for people to see the transformation that's happening in my life. And also I do a lot of marketing on LinkedIn and Instagram. I'm doing a little bit on TikTok. Tiktok is really not my area, but it is reaching the right individuals, Because my main thing I just want to put the word out there that where you are, you don't have to stay where you are.

Speaker 1: 14:22

You know, if you just make those small incremental changes, like you said, mindset, you can do the right thing for yourself, and so those are the main platforms. I was at a at a birthday party last night and it's funny I did a, a modeling event this past weekend for to find a cure for cancer, and one of my friends saw me on Facebook and he was like hey, everyone, this is Anthony, Get his autograph before he blows up. I'm like, even if I blow up, I'm still going to be the same person, and you know that. He was like yeah, yeah, yeah, but I still want your autograph. Yeah, I love that that's cool and so, but then that conversation about modeling transformed over into my coaching. So it's just. Everything is like I said. My name and my business is Connecting Lane. Everything that we do is connected in some way or another.

Speaker 2: 15:12

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 15:13

And I just make sure that there are so many ways to reach individuals whether it is print video, uh, this podcast, when I post this video, um, just so many different ways. As long as I live the life and people see that I'm living a life, I'm not a fraud. If you saw me behind doors, it would be the exact same thing.

Speaker 2: 15:37

Love. That that's a good, it's a good good, um, I guess mantra or saying to have like authentically, like being yourself, like whether it's in front of the camera or in person or whatever it's you, and a lot of people like that. They, they want to know who the real person is because sometimes it's maybe shock when they like meet you and you're like oh, you're not like the person that was online. You seem nicer, but you're mean in person. You know what I'm saying, something like that.

Speaker 1: 16:04

So that's it's like cat, cat fishing and coaching. Yeah, oh, you seem so authentic, but you're actually. You're a jerk yeah, you're mean.

Speaker 2: 16:11

No, I don't want to work, I'm trying to not be mean, and you're mean too, so this is not gonna work. No, just kidding. I don't know, I'm just throwing out random things, but that's cool. And where do you see yourself in the next five years as a person and with your business?

Speaker 1: 16:24

So, as a person, um, I see myself growing even more. My goal is to change 1%. I'll make 1% adjustments in my life every single year. I don't want to make drastic changes, you know, like New Year's resolution. Oh, I'm going to lose a thousand pounds by you know.

Speaker 2: 16:45

February 1st.

Speaker 1: 16:48

And by January 3rd you're stopped and so I don't want to. I make small incremental changes and so in five years I just see myself helping even more people and being on the stage speaking to a vast amount of people, and just this. Whenever I have an opportunity to just really speak and just really speak authentically and sometimes, you know, I speak kind of crazy, just you know I let the old self come out and I'm like Anthony, that's no longer you. So calm down, sir, calm down.

Speaker 2: 17:27

That's funny. Well, nothing sounds crazy right now.

Speaker 1: 17:30

Right.

Speaker 2: 17:30

But old Anthony has not come now. No, no, no, no.

Speaker 1: 17:34

I have those personal conversations with myself saying you know, that's not who you want to be.

Speaker 2: 17:38

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 17:39

Who do you really want to be? And then I make that adjustment.

Speaker 2: 17:42

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 17:43

And so in five years, ten years, I just want to be a better version than myself. Yeah, and that is actually the person that I want to be, is my future self.

Speaker 2: 17:58

Yes, absolutely Um. Are you currently like on your own or do you have a team Are?

Speaker 1: 18:01

you doing everything yourself? How? How is that? I'm currently on my own, um, I do not have a team, and eventually I will bring other coaches in up under me and other team players up under me. Other coaches in up under me and other team players up under me. That's if they want to um and I. Just it's I. I have come to realization a long time ago. It's, it's not about me. It's never been about me. Just like you have a gift to speak to a vast amount of people, but it's not about you. You're not in front of a camera. You're in front, but it's your back, so you're not really not in front.

Speaker 2: 18:35

Yes, correct.

Speaker 1: 18:36

So you're sharing your gift with a lot of individuals and that's one of the blessings that you have and that's one of the blessings that I have. You know, went to share it and went to say OK yeah it's not about me.

Speaker 2: 18:48

Exactly no, you're right. I would like to ask have you had any situations where people have been adamant about there's certain ways that they interact with others and maybe they see things that are kind of like well, it's not really me, it's this team member. Do you then say, bring in that team member and we'll have a conversation together? Or do you talk to them privately? Or can it go many ways, because I know some people are like I swear it's not me, it's this certain team member or this, or how would you go about a situation like that? Because oftentimes I think about that Like, maybe it isn't them and maybe it is that. Like, maybe it isn't them and maybe it is like, how do you fix a situation like that?

Speaker 1: 19:40

Well, first, I my term is not fixing it's like what is it about? Cause it's usually about the reflection that that person is giving that you see something in yourself and you don't like about yourself. So you're like oh wow, I went to a conference one time and a person was speaking on stage and I'm like dude, I can't stand how he talks. He's just so arrogant. Oh, anthony, he's doing something that you want to do. You're just not doing it. He's brave, he's not arrogant. She's brave, she's not arrogant. They're doing something that you want to do. So what is it about this person that you really don't like that you see in yourself? I have them do a self-reflection on why. Because there has to be something within you that you see in yourself that you're just not doing.

Speaker 2: 20:23

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 20:24

And then once I say what they? But you can never put the blame on someone else.

Speaker 2: 20:28

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 20:29

You have to look at yourself.

Speaker 2: 20:31

Yes.

Speaker 1: 20:32

On why you're doing this or why you're doing that.

Speaker 2: 20:34

Or thinking that.

Speaker 1: 20:35

Or thinking that.

Speaker 2: 20:36

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 20:37

And where did that thought come from? It usually comes from somewhere else. It's not originating from you.

Speaker 2: 20:44

No, wow, I'm glad I asked that question, because that is a tough one right.

Speaker 1: 20:47

It is.

Speaker 2: 20:48

You can't really put the blame on someone else. You got to look within yourself, like you said, and that's kind of a hard thing to do sometimes, right?

Speaker 1: 20:54

It is, but I give them the tools, give each individual the tools to say, okay, we have to, well, we don't have to do anything, but it's suggested that you just take a look and say, all right, if it is me, what a part of me that I don't like about this individual or about this situation, and where did I get that from? And how can I make that adjustment within myself?

Speaker 2: 21:24

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 21:25

And then show up to that individual, because if I walk in here with a crappy attitude, this interview will be over already, because now I'm reflecting on me like, oh, she thinks she's this, she got her podcast, but no, I have to come in here with a positive attitude and my attitude will reflect on you. And so in the workplace, if you come coming to work with a negative Nancy or negative Billy attitude, then that is going to reflect on the individuals around you.

Speaker 2: 21:57

So true. Yeah, thank you for sharing that. I think that's very insightful. Thank you, and I'm glad that you're here on the podcast so we can learn from this. Or maybe we never even thought of it like that and maybe this will resonate with somebody who's listening on the podcast or something, so that's great. Yeah, maybe this will resonate with somebody who's listening on the podcast or something, so that's great. Is there?

Speaker 1: 22:19

anything that I have not touched on that you would like to share with our listeners in regards to yourself, your business, your workshops, anything. So some of the things that I want to that I like to bring attention to is I am readily accessible. My calendar is a little full, but I do make time for individuals, whether it is a hour coaching conversation, discovery call or it is a 30-minute coaching discovery call, whether it is something personal or professional that we can both work on together and to know that it's not cookie cutter coaching, a cookie cutter conversation.

Speaker 2: 22:53

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 22:53

Usually my coaching sessions don't even feel like a coaching conversation. It just feels like we're sitting here, two individuals having a conversation about X, y, z, yeah, on how to. How can you elevate yourself to get to where you really want to go. People can connect with me on LinkedIn. I'm under Anthony Lane. My face is on there, so you see my face. It's the same. I'm not catfishing.

Speaker 2: 23:23

Catfishing.

Speaker 1: 23:24

Using a picture from 10 years ago, a glamour shot when I had hair. Oh no, I haven't had hair in a very long time.

Speaker 2: 23:29

That's all right.

Speaker 1: 23:31

And that's one way and I am. I do have workshops that are going on, workshops and masterminds that are going on, and they can connect with me with those. Also, my Web site is on on my LinkedIn profile. But mainly I am here to help people to connect with what they really want, for them to step into their life, purpose, personally and professionally, to know that, hey, I can make these changes also.

Speaker 1: 24:00

Yeah absolutely, especially when people are going into this manifesting thing. I can manifest this, I can manifest that, this, I can manifest that. But if you don't have the mindset to manifest what you want in your life, for example, you might say, oh, I want a million dollars, but if you have a $100 mindset, you'll never get it.

Speaker 2: 24:23

Kind of got to be realistic about it too right.

Speaker 1: 24:27

You have to be well. You can be unrealistic in the world of manifestation, as long as you believe it.

Speaker 2: 24:32

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 24:32

Because we've all had individuals in our life to where they tell themselves lies and they believe the lies and their lies come to fruition. They happen because they believe it. It's the same thing as manifesting. So if you believe in exactly what you want and your mindset is correct, then, it can happen.

Speaker 2: 24:52

Okay, and then I guess maybe just put in the work.

Speaker 1: 24:55

And they have to put oh, yes, yes, Put in the work. Yeah, they have to put in the work.

Speaker 2: 24:58

Yeah, cool, love that. On a lighter note, when you're not coaching and running your business, what are some of the things that you like to do to unwind, or that you like to do to relax and just unwind?

Speaker 1: 25:15

It's hard to believe a lot when I tell people this. So my joy is enjoying life and I can drive down the street behind a garbage truck and people don't like that smell.

Speaker 2: 25:28

No.

Speaker 1: 25:28

I have the ability to smell that garbage truck. A lot of people don't have the sense of smell, and so I enjoy life. Whatever comes my way, I'm going to enjoy it.

Speaker 2: 25:38

Wow.

Speaker 1: 25:39

And so I can sit there and watch kids play soccer. I can sit there and watch adults play soccer or football or whatever. I'm just going to enjoy myself. It doesn't matter where I am, what I'm doing.

Speaker 2: 25:53

Find the joy in those simple things.

Speaker 1: 25:55

I'm going to find joy in the simple things. That's the best way to put it.

Speaker 2: 25:57

Yeah, I love that. No, that's great Because oftentimes, like maybe we're just something is in our head that blocks us from enjoying just the little things, or we just don't sit down, like they say, and smell the flowers or whatever. So I think that is an important thing, that oftentimes we forget about Like I'm on this podcast today.

Speaker 2: 26:15

I'm getting to interview a lot of people. I need to sit down and enjoy that I get to talk to. So many people hear about their stories and not only do I get to hear them, but other people also get to take those lessons and insights and learn from them.

Speaker 1: 26:27

So, yeah.

Speaker 1: 26:28

Yeah, and it is. You know, even with this podcast, you know it didn't start off to where you had this beautiful scenery. You start off with a vision inside your head and everything start working with you slowly but surely. Vision inside your head and everything start working with you slowly but surely. And for me, I woke up this morning and the sun was rising over the trees and I was like I am so grateful that I'm able to see the beautiful sunrise and on November 1st it'll be the first, a new moon, and so now the sky is all black. I get to see the stars and the other planets, you know, depending on where I am. So it's just a small things like that. Yeah, that I just find great joy in and working with each individual that I come in contact with. I'm like I can take away something from that, something positive.

Speaker 2: 27:21

Very nice, I love that. And now my final question. I like to ask everybody this but do you have anything that anybody has ever told you, or maybe a song lyric, a saying that has resonated with you in any way, that you would like to share with our listeners so they can use for inspiration?

Speaker 1: 27:38

I said it on my way here. Her name is Abraham Hicks and she is a law of attraction person and and her thing, is Everything is working out for me.

Speaker 1: 27:54

So, regardless, when my world is crumbling, it feels like my world is crumbling around me. Everything is working out for me. Tears like I'm bawling, crying, I'm like before I say why me? I say everything is working out for me. It doesn't feel good saying it, but I still say it and I believe it. Everything is working out for me and no matter what it usually there's like, on my way here I ran to a couple. I didn't have accidents, but I saw some couple of car accidents and trucks and blah, blah, blah. If I would have been ahead on time then I would have been that car accident, I would have been whatever incident that is going on and I say everything is working out for me.

Speaker 2: 28:47

Wow.

Speaker 1: 28:48

So just believe everything is working out for you, for the individuals that are listening, it's working out for them. Yeah, it don't seem like it, but it is.

Speaker 2: 28:58

Yep. Well, thank you so much for sharing that and all your insight. We really appreciate you making time to be here and just sharing the journey.

Speaker 1: 29:05

Thank you so much.