Welcome to Inclusion Bites, your sanctuary for bold conversations that spark change. I'm Joanne Lockwood, your guide on this journey of exploration into the heart of inclusion, belonging, and societal transformation. Ever wondered what it truly takes to create a world where everyone not only belongs but thrives? You're not alone. Join me as we uncover the unseen, challenge the status quo, and share stories that resonate deep within. Ready to dive in? Whether you're sipping your morning coffee or winding down after a long day, let's connect, reflect, and inspire action together. Don't forget, you can be part of the conversation too. Reach out to jo.Lockwood@seechangehappen.co.uk to share your insights or to join me on the show. So adjust your earbuds and settle in.

It's time to ignite the spark of inclusion with Inclusion Bites.

Today is episode 158 with the title confidence, balance, and success. And I have the absolute honor and privilege to welcome James R Elliott. Hello. James is a transformational coach, an international speaker with over twenty four years of helping business leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals build thriving businesses whilst maintaining freedom and their personal fulfillment. When I asked James to describe his superpower, he said it is empowering people to unlock their potential and take action towards a confident, balanced, and successful life. So, James, welcome to the show.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Joanne. Appreciate it.

That's a pleasure. We'll chat just now. And, you're, I believe, in from Toronto in Canada?

Yes. I am. Yep. Born and raised here. Traveled to the world, but born and raised right here at home. Yeah.

You're across the border behind the Northern Wall. Yeah. Of,

Exactly. The Northern Trump Wall.

The United States Of Trump at the moment. Yeah.

We we are. We're behind you that Northern Trump the invisible perhaps Trump wall, but it's there.

So, James, it's great to have you on. I'm I'm pleased you've given up your time today. Your work revolves around, confidence is a balance and helping others, because you wanna help them create their life they love. So what inspired you? What got you into this? What's your experience?

My life, a life of a lot of lessons and learning. You may not wish for my life, but but it I love it. And it's been great ups and downs, failures. And I no longer believe in failure. It's just only growth and learnings and feedback. You win or you learn really is, is, is my thoughts. So depending how far back you want me to go. Long story.

Well, I'll start with the start with the corporate world. And then we come back to the childhood too, but the, the corporate world learned, learned a lot there working for companies like IBM, Novell, which is the Microsoft, the 1980s and, and Lenovo, the computer company. Working for years and years there as well. A variety of roles, all dealing with people, all touching people, all helping people. In fact a lot of my career it was my role to support and empower our resellers our business partners to do well. In variety of ways and when they did well they sold more of our products Thus, we did well in myself. You know, I was compensated on how well they did. So it was in my best interest to make sure that a lot of our business partners, some very, very small mom and pop shops, multi, multi, multimillion dollar.

Like I said, some of the $50.60, dollars 60, dollars 70 million quarters, some quarters, depending where I was working with. And I, I always had a combination of mom and pop shops who were very proud to when he hit his first million, this one gentleman very, and I was proud of him too. Very proud. I've had, like I said, companies with $30.35, dollars 40,000,000 quotas that we're working on. Coming from there, learning a lot, learning a great deal, but also learning, you know, how I don't wanna run my business. Learning great leaders, not so great leaders, great cultures, not so great cultures. It it was a fantastic lesson that way when I started my own business eleven years ago, helping people. A business is small and large.