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Inspiration, Leadership, Motivation

Purposefully Plan Your Progress

By Juan V López @JuanVLopez · On December 20, 2016

LISTEN:

Learned a great insight from one of my entrepreneur buddies the other day that I wanna share with you guys…

I was asking her if she had any travel plans for 2017 and she told me she was going to take 2 weeks away from her business in March to attend a big NLP retreat (neuro-linguistic programming) so she could use it in her marketing and sales strategies.

It sounded really dope & I commended her for taking time away from work to learn and grow.

Then I had a slight revelation…

How many of us spend a lot of time planning big trips or vacations or simply time away from work?

We plan months in advance for time away from our daily duties…

I’ve totally done this before – heck, I’m doing it now.

But hearing her tell me about this 2-week retreat she was attending opened my eyes – she was Planning for her Progress.

She is being intentional about increasing her mental capacity.

Here’s why this is important:

How many of us end up pretty much being the same person at the end of the year as we were at the beginning of the year, in terms of our skills, abilities and aptitude?

For those of you who are not currently in school, we’re out of a formal learning environment. We don’t just get to show up to class and have someone lecture to us.

So, for many of us, daily life takes over. We go day in and day out with our job, our duties, our kids and our hobbies. We might indirectly learn some things along the way, yes, but we’re not intentional about our growth.

For those in school, yes, you’re being taught – but are you simply absorbing to regurgitate, or listening to understand? Are you being purposeful with your time?

Long story short:

If you DON’T want to be the same person on December 31, 2017 as you were on January 1, 2017, PLAN FOR YOUR PROGRESS!!!!!!!

Life will teach us lessons, naturally, but if there are skills or abilities you want to develop, SCHEDULE THEM INTO YOUR YEAR.

Take a week away from work and school, not to just play, but to grow and develop.

Go to conferences, read books, listen to podcasts, volunteer, get around people you want to eventually be like…

It sounds like a crazy sacrifice to leave paid work just to do unpaid work (or work that might cost you), but look at this as an INVESTMENT for your future.

Be intentional about how you invest into your intelligence.

I’m not telling you to NOT have fun. By all means, enjoy your life.

I’m asking you to be deliberate about your development.

So that when 2018 rolls around, your goals are totally different, your abilities are 10X’d, and your mind is next-leveled.

This is something I’m going to hold myself to moving forward and want to share with you so you can implement the concept appropriately in your life.

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Juan V López

Juan is a digital marketing & motivational specialist – with a unique perspective in both of these areas. As an avid marketer who's worked with some of the top wealth builders in the world and driven empowerment speaker who thrives on changing lives, Juan's sole purpose in life is to help others identify theirs.

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10 weeks on the job and already the best mother in 10 weeks on the job and already the best mother in the world 💗 Our son and I are so blessed.

Best mom / better wife 💍

Happy first Mother’s Day @kiki_chhay 🌺

#mothersday #dearmama
My baby is having my baby. Daddy got you. Daddy g My baby is having my baby.

Daddy got you. Daddy got mommy. For life ❤️🙏🏽 #FamiliaLopez

#maternity #babyontheway #blessed
Today marks the end of a chapter. We’ve closed Today marks the end of a chapter.

We’ve closed our doors for good as Winchell’s Donut House.

[No, COVID didn’t take us out 😅 Keep reading ...]

My wife & I acquired this donut shop in January 2019 and moved to Denver.

Man - these past 1.5 years have been a RIDE.

I didn’t know if we’d survive a few weeks in ... sales were dismal, cash on hand was low, bills were due and wages were coming soon for my 12 employees.

I was alone at the time (my wife hadn’t yet moved here from Reno). I remember going to church on Sunday and crying to God - “I need your help, Lord.”

My dad loaned me $5K and a $10K business loan came in just in time - I made payroll.

➡️ Entrepreneurs know what I’m talking about - those startup struggles 😩

Fast forward to now and we turned this thing ALL THE WAY around. People love our donuts, we sell a ton of sandwiches, the vibes are on point and our customer service is top notch.

Profits from this store have allowed me to purchase 1 investment real estate property and hopefully closing on a 2nd soon. I’ll be able to financially support my dad so he can retire this year.

Things turned ALL THE WAY around. Won’t He?! 🙏🏽

And now, we’re closing the doors.

Why?

Our vision when we moved to Denver was to learn the lay of the land, get accustomed to the people, analyze the market ... 

And eventually have our OWN business - not a franchise.

That day is now 1 week away 🥳

Next Monday July 27 we will officially open @wakeandbakedenver ‼️ (y’all go like the page if you’ve read this far ❤️)

Wake & Bake will be a breakfast heaven in a booming area. Donuts, kolaches, sandwiches, coffees, wraps, plus a ton of new foods my wife is creating 👸🏽

New floors, new display case, new equipment, fresh paint, new signage ... it’s going down this week. Y’all pray for me - I have a million things to get done these next 7 days 😂

But I’m so grateful.

I’m confident, I carry scars of survival & I’m ready - we’re ready.

COVID slowed us down but it was a speed bump. Full speed ahead baby 🏎💨

Execute my friends - nothing else matters! ⚡️💯

Ps, stay tuned for the grand GRAND opening in a few weeks🍩👨🏽‍🍳 #WakeandBake #MomandPopshop #grateful #ThanksBeToGod
Happy birthday to my business partner, best friend Happy birthday to my business partner, best friend and (future) baby momma. I’m so blessed. Aging finer & wiser each year! 🥂❤️👸🏽 #Leakana #babymomma #birthdaygirl #virgo
Spent my birthday makin’ bread & bakin’ bread Spent my birthday makin’ bread & bakin’ bread 🍩💰 PS, y’all wish happy birthday to @kiki_chhay too ... what’s mine is hers and what’s hers is hers 😅❤️ #30 #birthdayboy #gemini
At the point in my entrepreneurial journey where I At the point in my entrepreneurial journey where I legitimately don’t care about my public appearance 🦁 
No haircut in 6 months, ain’t planning one soon ... Kiki says I’m beautiful & that’s all that matters! 🤣#GoodMorningYall #NoTimeForGames #ImHereForTheMoney #entrepreneurship #hustle #longhairdontcare #curlyhair
Shoutout to my wife 👊🏽❤️👸🏽 “Good Shoutout to my wife 👊🏽❤️👸🏽 “Good shit Juan, you’re risking everything to chase the dream!” No, no my friend - WE are chasing the dream. WE have sacrificed. WE take risks every day. WE are busting our asses. WE are looking for our next venture. WE are building a future. Together.

Don’t get it twisted. Yeah, I work around the clock tryna set up my family for a better future, but my wife is right beside me. BESIDE ME.

Kiki is a fucking G. She left her family, friends & everything she knew in Reno to build this dream in Denver & grow this business with me. When there’s an emergency at the shop or with our families, her first response is “what can I do?” When I’m stressed, her answer is always “how can I help you?” She takes out trash, too. She scrubs, too. She leads our team, too. She runs up the money, too. She loses sleep, too. She does whatever it takes for us to succeed and grow in our professional lives & in our love.

I’m so grateful for this girl. A lot of couples go into business together and end up splitting up because the more time they spend with each other, the more they fight. They call it quits.

My lady & I argue too. We fight too. We’re going through the FIRE. But man, I can’t wait to see her every day after we get home from our store. It’s crazy - even though we’re in close proximity most of the time, I just miss being with her. She’s my favorite person in the world. Our love is growing stronger.

My girl is a fucking rider. Shit ain’t always rainbows. But we got each other’s backs.

It ain’t 50/50. It’s whoever needs to support the other more that day. We got it like that. We built love brick by brick.

She likes #GameofThrones, she likes #QueenoftheSouth, she likes the #Warriors, she likes #traveling and she likes #food. She likes me, too. And I’m forever grateful. 
Lets grow a ton of businesses together AND grow old together, Kiki 👴🏽👵🏾💰 INVEST INTO YOUR PARTNER ❤️👸🏽🔒 #Leakuan #KikiDoYouLoveMe #MsLopez #RideOrDie #couplegoals #marriage #marriedlife #businesspartner #ANDSTILL #rideordie #womanbusinessowner
“Congrats on chasing the dream!!!” This is wha “Congrats on chasing the dream!!!” This is what the dream looks like right now 🚮🚮🚮 Today it’s taking out the trash, later it’s scrubbing the fryer, later it’s mopping the bathroom, later it’s accounting, later it’s delivering, later it’s marketing, later it’s buying supplies ... it’s always something. “Chasing your dream” has gotten so romanticized these days. People try to dress it up like it’s a fantasy & life is perfect.

It’s fucking hard. It ain’t pretty.

It ain’t pretty when you have payroll-induced anxiety. It ain’t pretty when you have broken sleep because you can’t stop thinking about your business. It ain’t pretty when you’re arguing with your wife about business decisions. It ain’t pretty when every day seems to roll into the other & there’s never a break. It ain’t pretty when employees are asking you for raises, but you have equipment that needs repairs, and you’re still trying to renovate your business, but you still gotta pay rent ... tough decisions every day.

I’m so grateful to be in control of my fate & be on this path alongside my wife ... but don’t get it twisted - every day is a challenge.

If you’re truly on this journey to build and lead your own life, you know what I’m talking about. There’s no going back. You burned all the boats to living in comfort & security. These are the days when you live like few people do for a shot at a dream later in life. 
If you’re thinking about getting into this game, buckle up. It gets bumpy. Not everyone is a friend, every second matters, every penny counts & you’re gonna have to grow more than you ever thought. Shit gets ugly. But it’s all for the hope of a greater life. And that’s the dream we’re chasing. I got too much heart for this. They gone have to get used to me cuz I ain’t going ANYWHERE 😤😤😤#transparent #real #dreamchasers #trashman #entrepreneurship #smallbusiness #hustle #couplegoals
People pissed at billionaires for paying $0 in tax People pissed at billionaires for paying $0 in taxes. Pissed at CEOs for making 1000x what their employees do. Pissed at the rich for getting richer while they stay struggling... Don’t get pissed at the game. GET IN THE GAME. Make your mark from the inside. #donthatetheplayer #playtherightgame #wealthbuilding #entrepreneurship #empire #taxes
⬅️➡️ Why I went from 👨🏽‍💻 to 👨🏽‍🍳
.
I’ve accomplished some cool stuff in life, but to be side by side with my wife every day - building our dream together - that’s the best feeling ❤️👸🏽🆙💰 #marketing #entrepreneurship #letsgetthisbread #couplesgoals #marriagegoals #denver
👸🏽👴🏽 MOM&POP Sorry I’ve been MIA fo 👸🏽👴🏽 MOM&POP

Sorry I’ve been MIA for a while ... Kiki and I acquired a donut shop in Denver and moved here in January! 🍩

@kiki_chhay and I set 3 main goals in 2018: Flip our home, get married & get our own donut shop. Glory to God, we hit all 3.

I’m not gonna lie - it’s been hard. Moving to a new city, leaving everything we knew behind, building a network from scratch, ton of expenses, managing employees, taxes (WHY DOES DENVER HAVE SO MANY TAXES???), improving recipes, hiring/firing, shop renovations, bad surprises, shitty people ... this has been the most challenging year of my life.

Every day brings new headaches. But I’m grateful. My wife and I are aligned. We have a shared vision. We’re working toward the same goals. Our families & friends have our backs. This is the beginning of our empire.

We’ve got major plans for this place & looking for other ventures. We’re in a constant balance of planning for the future and taking care of today.

Much love to everyone who checked in on me after I stopped posting these last few months lol. I’ve been grinding. My priorities are clear. Imma put in work and make the moves necessary for my family and community to prosper.

That is my priority. Everything else is secondary ✌🏽 Get clear on what’s important to you and yours & make the sacrifices/moves/investments to make it happen ❤️👊🏽 #MomandPop #Leakuan #businessowners #Denver #donuts #donutshop #hustle
Build the habits NOW you want in the future 👊🏽 Drop a 💯 if you feel me 💰 #successhabits
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Claim it. It’s yours. You deserve it. Go get it. Claim it. It’s yours. You deserve it. Go get it. 👊🏽💯 #fridaymotivation
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-
Locked in heading into #2019 🔒🔒 -
Drop a 💯 if you feel me #2019goals
The things you will 100% regret in the future WON’T be your failures, embarrassments or missed shots.

It will be the missed opportunities, times you didn’t do something, and shots you didn’t shoot.

You will regret not trying. #truth
What’s your motto for 2019? 🤔🤔 LMK in the What’s your motto for 2019? 🤔🤔 LMK in the comments ⬇️⬇️ #40SecondFriday
Y’all thought we was done working in 2018??? 4 d Y’all thought we was done working in 2018??? 4 days left in the year - squeeze everything out of em ⚒😤🧰🔋 #earlymorning
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Who Is Juan?

Juan envisions a world where people are moved by their purpose to commit great acts daily, while maximizing their potential and developing their character.

He is an digital marketer, empowerment speaker and MBA. He is a son of 2 Mexican immigrants and a first-generation college student.

Juan spoke at TEDx University of Nevada in January 2015 and has spoken at more than 50 schools, events and organizations since then, ranging from elementary classrooms to business owners.

He is driven to change lives through perspective, power and perseverance.

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