Speaker 1: 0:30

I'm Annie Peguero. I'm the CEO of the Lions Garden Leadership Solutions. I'm the fear alchemist and I help leaders and high achievers shapeshift fear, self-doubt, imposter syndrome into clarity and confidence, so they can have the impact that they want to have in their business and in their lives.

Speaker 2: 0:49

I love that. Now go into a little bit of detail about what exactly it is that clients are coming to you for.

Speaker 1: 1:02

Sure, my clients are. They're high achievers, they're successful people and they're feeling like there's a disconnect between their vision and what's going on inside of them and what's happening in their actual leadership roles, in their business or even in their family, in their homes, and usually it's fear related whether it's imposter syndrome or dealing with past experiences of adversity or trauma that are really holding people back. And they come to me and I help them get closer to their fears so they can actually take action in their lives. Yeah, and overcome those fears right, because sometimes it's scary.

Speaker 2: 1:36

I'd like to know a background. How did you get started in your industry? Was that always in the cards for you, or how did that come to be?

Speaker 1: 1:42

Yeah, thanks for asking. No, definitely not. This is probably let's see my 25 years of professional mentoring and coaching. But it didn't start out in my own business. I was a federal law enforcement officer with the National Park Service. Well before that, I was a teacher. I worked in public schools, yeah, and the classroom it was like the walls were closing in on me. I'm like this is definitely not for me. So I got my master's in park and resource management and I worked for the National Park Service.

Speaker 1: 2:12

Some of the most beautiful places in the lower 48, all the big parks Yellowstone, yosemite those really great parks and I went to a wedding my coworker got married and at that wedding I met a Marine and I was like you know what? I'm resigning. I resigned for love and I moved all the way to a tiny island in the Far East Okinawa, japan, okay. And when I turned in that gun and badge, it was like handing over my identity. I had to completely reinvent myself. So I'm like what am I going to do? I tried to leave. Right, I was like I didn't sign up for this and I became a personal trainer. So I was a health and fitness coach back in 2011,. Like before, online coaching was a thing, yeah, and it was great for years, until I realized nobody wants these workouts and nutrition plans. You got that right.

Speaker 2: 3:14

I'm just kidding, I'm kidding.

Speaker 1: 3:15

I'm kidding, no, I do, I do. Well, it has everything to do with the way that we think right, yeah, and what's going on in our brains. So I shifted into success coaching, life coaching, and then in the last few years, specifically working with leaders, and I did a beautiful program at Georgetown School of Continuing Studies, an executive leadership coaching program, and that's what I'm doing now. It's very beautiful, wow.

Speaker 2: 3:40

That is incredible. Do you feel like maybe being a personal trainer and now being like a life coach kind of helped you get that discipline? Do you feel like maybe that kind of helped you?

Speaker 1: 3:48

Yeah, possibly, and I you know it's also blending all of the areas of our life together and recognizing that our health and fitness and our career and business, and just our motherhood and the way that we are as a spouse, if we are one those things don't live in a bubble Like it's. It's all connected and we're whole people, right, and I feel like there's so often fitness coaches and leadership coaches that put leadership in a bubble, right, and don't look at the rest of our lives.

Speaker 2: 4:23

And that's where I come in for sure, and what made you want to like zero in on those small businesses, because sometimes they need some help too and they get forgotten. So tell me what. What made you?

Speaker 1: 4:33

passionate about that? Sure, yeah, that's a great question. Just in working with hundreds of people, the biggest thing that connected everyone was fear. It was like, well, I want to do this but I'm afraid, and there was always some layer of what they were afraid of and where that fear came from. And specifically with small business owners whether it's, you know, fear of sharing their story or fear of the camera, fear of being seen it was just really close to my heart. So working with small business owners and I also work with larger business owners, nonprofits and military, but specifically business owners has been, um, just a just such a a connection that I have with with them, cause I was, you know, I am one, and I know how scary it was to get started back then.

Speaker 2: 5:27

Thanks for sharing that Um. And then for marketing strategies. What do you do to get your name out there? Are you online? Are you making any dance moves on TikTok?

Speaker 1: 5:34

videos? Definitely not. I'm not on TikTok. I'm definitely not on TikTok, but I am on Instagram, LinkedIn and you'll find me as Annie Peguero or the Lion's Garden. Most of everything is Annie Peguero, but my website is thelionsgardencom. Yeah, there's not going to be. I don't do the dancing.

Speaker 2: 5:56

I don't know why, but I could see you dancing. You strike me as like the dancer, but okay, so it's I, you know more face-to-camera videos.

Speaker 1: 6:05

I feel like, you know, the dancing thing doesn't really resonate with me. It works for some.

Speaker 2: 6:11

And there was a time where I'm like I got to dance, like I'm like.

Speaker 1: 6:13

I got to dance. I feel like I need to do that, and then I started, I did this reel where I kind of did this dance and then I'm like just kidding, and I had so many people message me and they're like Annie, we thought that you gave in.

Speaker 2: 6:29

We thought that you oh my gosh. We thought we lost you girl Just kidding.

Speaker 1: 6:31

Yeah, that's funny. Nobody's harassed that yeah.

Speaker 2: 6:33

And I know that you have a podcast. Talk to me about that. Will you talk about what the name of it is and why you started that? I'm curious. Yeah, thanks.

Speaker 1: 6:41

I think it was maybe 2017 or 2018. I started it and it's gone through many iterations and really this week I was like should I delete my old episodes? I was going to, I was thinking about it because they're so raw, they're so you know, but I'm like, no, why, why would I do that? I think it really shows the rawness and the the iterations and evolutions that we go through as a not only a business owner, but in life. So, yeah, my podcast is called the Lion's Garden and it really is about shape-shifting fear, and not just in business, but in all areas of our life.

Speaker 2: 7:23

Yeah, what is it about fear? You think that makes you want to combat that and help people overcome that. Did something happen to you? Maybe that was fear and you're like gosh. That's terrible. Surely there's people who also go through this, and I want to help them cope with this and find methods to overcome this. Yeah, for sure.

Speaker 1: 7:41

I'm going to kind of zoom in on a couple of words that you used, which are overcome and another word that you used, but I'm focused on the overcome, because I really don't believe that we overcome a fear right, and it's more about like getting super close to it and really allowing ourselves to feel it and eventually recognize it as something really beautiful in our lives. What's that Buddhist saying? Everything that happens is the best possible thing that can happen, and I really really believe that through trauma and tragedy, death, grief and joy and love and all of the beautiful things in our lives, and that fear can keep us paralyzed. I mean myself, I was relinquished at birth and given up for adoption. I went into foster care until I was three months old when my parents adopted me and I've had an incredible beautiful life. And if you know anything about adoptees, people are always saying you should be so grateful, oh, you should be so thankful. Well, yes, I am grateful and thankful. Grateful, oh, you should be so thankful. Well, yes, I am grateful and thankful. And there's a lot of other feelings and developmental trauma and all kinds of things that go along with being relinquished at birth by your mother.

Speaker 1: 9:05

So for me, it was about getting closer to that fear, to that self-doubt and that unworthiness that I had For so long. I just pushed aside. Oh, I'm good. I have loving parents and a beautiful life. Why would I focus on this? I might hurt someone in my family if I start talking about this, but when I became a mom, I knew that I needed to know my origin. I needed to know where I came from. I needed to know the circumstances around my adoption, and it wasn't so that I could have a relationship with my birth mother or my birth family. It was so I would know myself.

Speaker 1: 9:53

And getting closer to that fear created such a shift and completely shifted the trajectory of my life. I did a live video on Facebook in 2017 asking for help in finding my birth mother, and what I found in an hour and a half was not my birth mother, because she had passed away when she was, when I was 16 years old the same age that she was when she had me. Yes, but I found her nine brothers and sisters and 26 first cousins that all look exactly like me. So not having a single blood relative except my my two daughters and really struggling to have a connection with them because I had no blood relatives ever.

Speaker 1: 10:39

Yeah, leaning into that fear and that unknown and releasing attachment to the outcome, to what I might find, could have been more rejection, right, could have been real pain and trauma that I was going to bring up for somebody else and more for myself, but I knew that I was ready for it. You know I was ready for whatever I was going to find. So somebody might not have the same exact story as me, but certainly people can relate to feeling that fear and having feelings and thoughts placed upon them that other family members or society might say oh, you should feel this, right. But knowing that there's more layers and that fear really runs deep, so just asking people to get closer to it, identify the causes of it and sometimes it's not a pinpoint like this is where your fear comes from and that's okay too. It's just getting closer to it and recognizing that there is something beautiful that can come of it.

Speaker 2: 11:48

Absolutely Well said. Wow, that's an incredible journey there and I can't imagine like the self-discovery that you must have gone through and maybe some like shocking things, but like you're here and the fact that you like, have a positive outlook and you want to help others is so beautiful and I think you're in the right path here now.

Speaker 1: 12:05

Thanks so much.

Speaker 2: 12:06

Absolutely. I want to talk about mental health on that note, like for entrepreneurs, human beings in general, like having boundaries and trying to find ways to keep you what is the word Not? Refreshed, but sometimes, when you overwork, you have to take breaks in between to make sure that you're at your best for your clients and for yourself. Talk to me about what you're doing to keep yourself mentally healthy and like.

Speaker 1: 12:35

Yeah, what a great question, I feel like. Do you agree that there's so much focus these days on resilience? Yes, be resilient. Resilience is exhausting.

Speaker 2: 12:47

Yes, it is. It is exhausting.

Speaker 1: 12:49

And I just have to share that. I create a framework. It's called the brave framework, and R is about resilience and rest and taking risks, and you know that that element of rest it's not a luxury, right. It's not like, oh, I'll get my nails done or I'll go to the spa, like I mean I like to do that, just like anybody else. But it's really scheduling that intentional time to do nothing or to sit in silence and silence looks different for everyone, right, if it? If you have, like little ones running around or pets that you have to deal with, or whatever like just scheduling some time for yourself to breathe and to focus inward and bring in that element of awareness and really noticing, like, what's going on in your body, right, yeah, like resilience, yes, it is important, but rest is equally as important.

Speaker 2: 13:44

Yes, and I feel like sometimes like oh, you rest, like there's no time for that and it's just like don't overwork yourself Like you're going to like burn out.

Speaker 1: 13:52

I was at an event the other day and it was a beautiful event, and the question that the host asked was how do you winter, how do you spend your winter, how?

Speaker 2: 14:00

do you winter Okay?

Speaker 1: 14:04

I was like, oh, I love that, right, I'm like I'm like writing a book, so I'm like I'm writing. And so many of the entrepreneurs were like this is my busy season, I don't rest, there's no rest, like and they were serious, there really is no rest for them. And like I get it Like you're busy, there's, there's things going on, but we all know how important it is. Like burnout is real right, and fear of not getting the things done is a thing too that contributes to that cycle of constant busyness and this sense of urgency, Hello right.

Speaker 1: 14:52

So yeah, like a really big part of my coaching is helping people to recognize how important taking care of themselves and rest is oh, absolutely, yeah, no, I'm glad that you put that in your curriculum, because girl In my curriculum, yeah, in your curriculum or workshop, I don't know Totally. Yeah, your teachings.

Speaker 2: 15:03

Yeah, for sure.

Speaker 1: 15:04

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 15:04

And then, where do you see yourself in five years, or where do you hope to be as a person and with your business?

Speaker 1: 15:09

Oh, yeah, oh my gosh.

Speaker 2: 15:11

Okay, well, I'm grilling you today, yeah.

Speaker 1: 15:12

I love it Okay, so my 50th birthday is coming up in January.

Speaker 2: 15:17

Oh my gosh, Happy early birthday Thanks.

Speaker 1: 15:18

Yeah. So you know, I feel like things are really good, right, Like things are really good. My husband just retired from the Marine Corps after 23 years Congratulations. Our girls are doing great. They're healthy and strong and I think, just continuing to show up in my wholeness and being open to the shifts and the path that is next for me. So do I have like I want to do this, this and this. Not so much. I take that back. This book is getting published, right.

Speaker 1: 15:55

Tell me about this book that you're writing, the book is getting published. So, beyond that, I'm like, and I'm going to be open to allowing you know what happens in my life as long as I keep showing up, as long as I keep showing up, as I am not conforming to the dancey TikToks right and like just being there in my wholeness. So my book is called Fear Alchemy and it's about you know just everything that we talked about my own story plus the stories of others recognizing my brave framework and applying that in your life. Because, man, the more people I talk to, the more I see how people will spend entire lifetimes in fear, and you don't have to no absolutely not.

Speaker 2: 16:42

That's a powerful message. I love that. When is the book going to be coming out? Is it going to be next year? I guess that's the I hope so.

Speaker 1: 16:49

I hope so. Yeah, right now it's out um being reviewed by some literary agents, so I'm doing the traditional publishing route, so hoping to get picked up by a literary agent and get going on it. Amazing, we'll be rooting for you.

Speaker 2: 17:02

Thank you, if you put on all your socials and be like check out my book.

Speaker 1: 17:05

Thank, you Love it.

Speaker 2: 17:06

And then, what have been some challenges for you as an entrepreneur, like, first of all, do you work alone or do you have a team with you? I know Hubby is also part of the team.

Speaker 1: 17:16

Hubby's great yeah he's part of it. He's such a like practical, pragmatic thinker and I am the visionary right Like. I'm like, oh, I want to do this and that. He's like, hold on, this needs. Like, oh, I want to do this and that. And he's like hold on, this needs to happen first. That's a good balance. Yes, and I have a website designer and copywriter that I work closely with for brand strategy, but other than that, right now it's a team of me. I burned my whole business down in 2023 and completely rebuilt everything, so just this year feels so good. I've had really the best year of my whole entire business since 2011. Yeah, but it's me in my little studio in Nokesville and I do all of my coaching online.

Speaker 2: 18:08

Okay, yeah, I love that. That's incredible. I'm glad that you're in a place where you're just like. You know what I'm finally like where I'm meant to be. Everything's going good, like that's what we all want.

Speaker 2: 18:17

So when someone's able to achieve that dream, yeah, woo-hoo, yay, we love it. And now I want to talk about online. You have a free download on avoiding burnout, which is a topic we just talked about, using intentional marketing. Talk to me a little bit about that, and I love that you have that for people to just get that on there in case they're curious about that.

Speaker 1: 18:38

Oh, thank you for saying that.

Speaker 1: 18:39

It's on thelionsgardencom and you can also find in the link in my bio in Instagram. And yeah, there are two downloads Also. I'm glad that you mentioned that because for subscribers, I also include my brave framework. There's also mantras and action steps within that framework. Like it is gold and gold, and really people can be like, huh, do I really need this? I'm feeling pretty brave, and really people can be like, huh, do I really need this? I'm feeling pretty brave. There's always going to be right, like some hidden layer of fear or something that is holding people back. So I encourage you to go to thelionsgardencom download. There's actually three free downloads there. So, yeah, I would love to have people join my email subscription for that.

Speaker 2: 19:29

Thank you, and then is there anything that I have not touched on that maybe you want to get out there to our listeners, whether it's about yourself, your business, life in general, you have the floor.

Speaker 1: 19:41

Oh, my, wow, I love that. I think that, really, if, hearing my story, if people can look at themselves and recognize where they're holding themselves back, right, where maybe they're wanting to take action and they're like, oh, it's just not the right time, right, or I'm so busy I don't have time to do like X, y and Z that I've been putting off for the last 10 years, I just, I really encourage people to take that step and to do it. Messy and imperfect and just a complete disaster. Right Like, this studio is great, but you don't need a studio. Right, like, talk into your phone and start your podcast. Right, like, just do the thing that has been holding that you've, that you've been wanting to do but you've been held back to do.

Speaker 2: 20:34

Break that barrier.

Speaker 1: 20:35

The first step is getting started whether it's starting with your phone in a little dingy room but hey, as you get better, you're going to be like okay, let me see where I can go. Okay, you'll level up each time, yeah, and get support right Like you don't have to do this alone, and therapy is great, like I'm all for talk therapy, but sometimes therapy goes in these talk loops, right.

Speaker 1: 20:57

And it's just like talking and talking. That's why a coach is great, and I would love to work with people, but if I'm not their jam, that's fine too. I know that I'm not for everyone, but find yourself a coach that resonates with you and that you're vibing with, to help you kind of ask you the questions, to help you get closer to whatever is holding you back. Yeah, absolutely.

Speaker 2: 21:21

I'd like to ask you since you've had like many roles throughout your life, how have you been able to transition Like, what tips do you have? Maybe somebody's out there who's like I'm doing this, I'm an entrepreneur, but this is not exactly what I want to do. How did, how was she able to do that, Like three, four times? Like, how can I be like? Yeah, no, that's great.

Speaker 1: 21:38

So many yeah, I mean just so many changes, and I think that it was in the getting quiet right. It was in those times of nothingness and really burning it down and not doing anything, not consuming social media and listening to all of the things from the outside, I mean always wanting to create more than I consume and during times where I was not going to be creating right. I lost my mom in January of 2023.

Speaker 1: 22:18

And I'm like I can't create, I'm not going to do anything. And during that time I got so much closer to my own heart, to my own desires as an entrepreneur and it was really what I was saying in the beginning, that Buddhist saying of everything that happens is the best possible thing, that time of silence for me helped me to reinvent closer to my heart. So if you're, you know, if you're listening to this and you're like well, good for you, like I certainly couldn't do nothing, it's just finding those pockets where you can rest and where you can get quiet and allow your deepest desires and what's close to your heart to come through.

Speaker 2: 23:05

Yeah, I love it. Thanks, yeah, and now I'm curious what do you like to do when you're not coaching, when you're not helping people with their fears? What do you like to do to unwind for yourself?

Speaker 1: 23:17

Yeah, you'll always find me outside. I have a garden. I'm a mountain biker, triathlete, my family and I we do adventure races. Okay, what's that? Um, oh, it's when you have like this map and you have to find these points out in the in the woods and you get this little thing and you have to kind of beep it and kids love it.

Speaker 1: 23:37

They get so excited to beep the thing that sounds so cool, it's so fun, yeah, and it teaches you know again taking risks and being brave and knowing that we're not going to come in first but we're doing it together. Yeah, so you'll find me mostly outside.

Speaker 2: 23:53

That's such a good thing. Outside is so good, getting that sun. What is it? Vitamin D, absolutely Right. Love that, all right. So I'm going to wrap this up here. My final question is and I'm sure you might know a good mantra somewhere in your cabinet file in your brain Do you have a quote saying a mantra, anything that's inspired you or something that somebody's told you that you would like to leave for our audience?

Speaker 1: 24:16

Oh, yeah, really, I'll just close my eyes, take a deep breath and and really go windward into my whole chakra system and place I always place my hand, like on my stomach and on my heart and just quietly breathe in to that space, recognizing if I'm feeling any stuck energy or maybe any tightness or any sensations that are, you know, not feeling quite in the flow, and just sit in silence for a minute and breathe into that space and in my head, or sometimes out loud, I'll say I am whole, I am peaceful, I am ease, and then just taking another breath and then just kind of like swishing my hands down yeah, just taking away any stuck energy and then going on with my day.

Speaker 2: 25:12

My gosh, I love that. I feel like you should do like one of those live videos where it's like okay, that was beautiful. I'm like. I'm going to try that Do it.

Speaker 1: 25:19

That's amazing.

Speaker 2: 25:21

Well, thank you so much for sharing that and thank you so much for being here and offering us so much insight and a little bit about your incredible story, and just offering so much amazing insight, thanks so much for having me.