Speaker 1: 0:00

Welcome to Cut the Tie podcast. I'm your host, thomas Helfrich, and if this is your first time here, I hope it is the first of many, because I'm on a mission to help you cut the tie to whatever it is holding you back in life from success that I hope you define yourself. And today I'm joined by Alice Kinsdova. Did I say it right?

Speaker 2: 0:17

Kinsdova yeah, there you go.

Speaker 1: 0:19

Kinsdova all right, I was practicing for a good 30 seconds before you got on. I'm doing well, thank you, and take a minute, introduce yourself. You're one of the youngest guests we've had Not that that matters, but I think it's pretty damn cool. But introduce yourself, and what it is you do.

Speaker 2: 0:36

For sure. So my name is Alice. As you guys heard, I'm 15 currently and I work with a couple different startups across different Texas spaces, so that includes one helping Amazon PPCs sell, and then another one is basically changing the life for realtors we're basically automating tenant screening and then another one is a YC company and we're actually helping emails now with changing up with their voices.

Speaker 1: 1:08

Oh wait. So talk to me about that a bit, peel that onion back a bit, tell me what that means.

Speaker 2: 1:14

For sure. So basically, I started off a couple years ago I would say 10 years old. I started off with e-commerce and it was a journey. I learned a lot, but it flopped, did not really work out because this was after the dropshipping phase happened. Everybody knew about this already, and then I decided I'm going to do something that has a bigger return. I'm someone who seeks more of like financial success, as that's one of my biggest motivations, and I would say that I started getting to startups and AI space, and that's where I am now working with a couple of different startups.

Speaker 1: 1:58

You are like you're 15. How did you get into this so fast?

Speaker 2: 2:03

Yeah, so obviously like nobody really wants to hire a 15-year-old for their startup.

Speaker 1: 2:08

Because I'm legal in some parts of the world.

Speaker 2: 2:11

Yeah, that's the thing. And plus, like I didn't really have any knowledge, I didn't have any knowledge to really bring any value to their startup. So basically the way I had to start it is just volunteer. So I volunteered with a couple of startups for a couple of years and that's exactly where it got me to now fully on working with multiple Amazing, so okay, so take a moment at 15, how do you define?

Speaker 1: 2:39

you said a little bit, but how do you define success?

Speaker 2: 2:44

You said a little bit, but how do you define success? For me, I would say success defines as in how far I really went and how much I learned. I guess the main thing is learning, and on that side is also the conversation on the side. But I would say the biggest thing is learning, because if you can learn something that nobody else can really learn at the same age as you, or even like people who are like in their 30s, 40s, a lot of people have, a way, different mindset and I just feel like success for me is to be different and just to learn as much as I can, because in that way I'm going to stand out that as well.

Speaker 1: 3:24

I love that, so okay, so take me through your journey a little bit. And what kind of you know the metaphoric tie you had to cut to achieve that success.

Speaker 2: 3:31

For sure. So it started off long time ago, probably in kindergarten. I always had that mindset of entrepreneurship and also it wasn't really I didn't. I wasn't never really born as an entrepreneur. Like no one really around me was an entrepreneur my parents, they're both not entrepreneurs. I didn't really have any friends who were, like you know, had huge businesses when growing up. So I just saw a lot of people like who were just they seem like they're very, very different.

Speaker 2: 4:03

I mean, I was always the person who just wanted to stand out and like have a Lamborghini in a penthouse and live in like some beautiful house in the mountains, and I seen many people do that which was like online, in person, and I think that really stood out to me. So then I decided that the way I could only get there is honestly just to bring as much as value as I can in this world. So I started off in kindergarten with lemonade stands and then after that I did my own e-commerce. That was when I was around 10 years old and then from there, a couple of years after, I started getting into startups and now I'm currently just leveling up and growing those startups as much as I can.

Speaker 1: 4:47

Are you still in school?

Speaker 2: 4:49

Yeah, I'm still currently in school in grade 10 right now.

Speaker 1: 4:54

That's crazy. So how do you find time for all that?

Speaker 2: 4:58

Mainly I just squeeze in as much as I can. I mean, a lot of people have many distractions, which includes like phones, tv shows. I really don't do any of that. I like to. I'm very. The best thing to do is I put timers for when I'm getting tasks done and I try my best to not get distracted until that timer is over and I mainly just squeeze all of them in. I do get enough sleep. A lot of people say that I probably just don't get enough sleep, but there are days where I might be running off a couple hours of sleep, but most of the time I actually have amazing sleep and even if I can, I try my best to sneak in a little bit of a workout.

Speaker 1: 5:38

You got to do that, you got to keep it balanced. I mean that's amazing. I can't imagine what you're going to accomplish when you're out of school. You know as you've I mean, as you've grown and you've realized some of the stuff you have to do right to achieve your success. Have you had any moments that you recall that have been like the fighting? So were you like ah, I'm not doing that again, or I'm going to start doing this.

Speaker 2: 6:02

Yeah, there was many, many moments. That includes in sales. I got a lot of experience in sales and like mainly marketing. I was never a technical person. I always came into this like game, just mainly on business development. There was many times where I couldn't really speak properly. I mean, I started, I grew up just knowing like mainly Russian and French and I really did not know like English that well. I was never really taught it properly, so I just had to go on my own and just try to learn it the best as possible and how to properly talk with people and through that I had to just go up to people like strangers and talk with them and I'd done a lot of cold calls my entire life which really helped that as well. So I would say there's many fallbacks where I would just mess up a lot with what I would, what I would say, and mainly it was mainly just communication who's?

Speaker 1: 7:05

uh, like you know, you have to have a support network in place for that. So you know, talk to me about how you do this at such a young age because I think anybody's younger or listening, or actually any point in life. You need a support system, but for you what? What's working?

Speaker 2: 7:17

right now it's working is like are you talking about, in a sense of um like with work?

Speaker 1: 7:23

well, parents or friends or anybody who kind of helps you enable this. You know, because it's it's a lot going on. You know it's all new. You know it's not like you have 45 years of experience, you got 15 and you're cutting through it. So how do you, you know, tell me about that a little bit on your journey and how you're, you know, leveraging your network?

Speaker 2: 7:40

Oh sure, yeah, so it's mainly my brother, my brother. He right now is five years older than me, he's in university, he's basically finishing his degree, and it all started off with my brother as he was walking down in the streets of downtown in Toronto and he's seen how many people are just walking around. They don't look happy, they're coming back from their jobs and it just looks like they're chasing for that Friday. They're chasing for that weekend. It just looks like they're chasing for that Friday. They're chasing for that weekend.

Speaker 2: 8:12

And he always told me these stories of like he wants to do something different. We want to finish our life with like just thinking that we changed something in this world and we did something different than everybody else. So it all started off with him. I had a little bit of that mindset because I was super young and then mainly my brother also started kind of getting into that. He was he's more on the self-improvement journey, not so much like chasing like financial success, he's more just like for him own self. But yeah, it's mainly just me and my brother. We support each other throughout any times. We always help each other, we work best, we give each other suggestions and that's the way we both improved and I'm very, very grateful for that.

Speaker 1: 8:56

That's amazing. I mean, you got to have that and it's great to have that kind of trusted mentor on your path ahead of you and you know and seeing it. It's fantastic Talk to me about you know how and what you're doing for startups that they find it so valuable already Like I'm really curious on that.

Speaker 2: 9:13

For sure. So with the couple of startups it's mainly different things, like it's usually sales. I like sales the most. Sales is the best way to really show the value. The other ones I mainly do marketing. So for the Amazon PPC tool so this is a tool which, how it takes all the algorithms with which what is working with Amazon sellers when they launch their ads and that implements it into making ad for an Amazon seller.

Speaker 2: 9:40

And the best thing I do is I love to make a lot of videos which provides value to Amazon sellers. I honestly try my best to make as many videos as I possibly can, and that also includes a lot of videos which provides value to Amazon sellers. I honestly try my best to make as many videos as I possibly can, and that also includes a lot of different strategies, which does include sales also doing a lot of cold outreach and it's a lot of trial and error because Amazon sellers they don't really have their information just laid out there. It's not just like you can't just search up an Amazon seller's name and you'll find their phone number, their email and everything Like you have to do a little bit of like in-depth search, which includes like going through a bunch of social medias where there's those huge influencers who are super involved in Amazon seller space and, looking through the people that they're with and that's the way you find, for example, leads in a way, if that makes sense.

Speaker 2: 10:35

And then a couple other ones is one of them is mainly sales. The tenant screening is mainly just sales. I mean realtors. They always have to answer their phones. So what I would say I learned a lot from these startups and I would say the only thing a startup really needs that's very, very valuable is that this might sound a little bit like generic, but this is like something someone actually has to understand and like hear that. Like.

Speaker 2: 11:02

First of all, it's the how can you reach your customers? If it's an easy way to reach your customers, if you could easily cold call them, they'll answer their phone. Like realtors, they always have to answer their phone then that's an easy end. If it's, for example and it also has to, also has to become like you have to make sure your tool brings value into their lives, it's super easy to tell them the value, like it can't be something here. I'm just going to give a little bit of like a complete summarize, because I'm kind of going off right now. But my brother first started off with making a customer support bot and this customer support bot it was super hard to sell. It was super hard to sell it was because it's hard to show the value right there. It because it's kind of like you might you might.

Speaker 2: 11:54

We might save you like some dollars, we might save you a little bit of money, but at the same time it's like not very clear and you don't actually know. But then with tools where it's like you get this value right away, like you screen a tenant in a couple seconds, like that, then that shows the value straight up. Right, does that make sense?

Speaker 1: 12:16

Yeah, it does. I'll be the best guy. I know so much already. I mean, I've met people way older than you that have way more experience, that don't know this much, so this is great. Don't interrupt, did you, please?

Speaker 2: 12:29

No worries, that's what I mainly learned. And with the other startup, that's with YC, we're fairly new. We got in like last year and we just finished building out the entire software and now I'm just focusing on making content. It's a step-by-step game with, uh like marketing. I'd say. You start something and then you also add in something which is like, for example, reaching out to journalists or even reaching out to, let's say, reaching out to influencers, having influencers post the product and doing a lot of that. It's marketing is all about bulk and it's very generic, because you can't just be like hey, I got you this, I got you 10 people. It's it comes with time. It's marketing is all about bulk and it's very generic, because you can't just be like hey, I got you this, I got you 10 people. It's it comes with time. It's super long-term sales. It's like hey, I called this many people, this many people, so they're interested, this is how much money. When it's the bank, it's super like clear.

Speaker 1: 13:21

It's yeah I like that. What do your friends say about all this? Are they doing the same? Or they just like they shake your head and just don't get it, or something about that?

Speaker 2: 13:51

doing like super like. They're also super motivated and yeah, I mean, usually I don't really have that much time to, like you know, hang out with my friends every single day, but I do see them once in a while and I just love to talk about, like, what have we learned throughout these past couple weeks or months and what's next I like it and you're good.

Speaker 1: 14:06

You got to forge your own path. Definitely make time for friends. What are you most grateful for already, in 15 years of?

Speaker 2: 14:14

life. I mean, I started off with computer. If I didn't have any technology, that would honestly be a really big disadvantage for everything I'm doing and I'm grateful for basically everything. I mean, that's one thing I really live by is gratitude, because I believe you have to like, basically being grateful is the same way as like happiness. If you're not grateful, you're not really going to be happy.

Speaker 1: 14:49

I love it. The mindset matters right, because things will happen in life. For sure, and you know at least I say this a lot things will happen to you or you can look at it, they're happening for you. You know they may suck in the moment it's finding the lessons in the life that will determine success to some degree, especially as you're defining it for yourself. Give some lessons for listeners. I mean, like you know, maybe it's a younger entrepreneur, maybe it's somebody who's you know my age. It just doesn't think they like what do you give them, Like what's the, what's the youthful advice you give somebody?

Speaker 2: 15:21

Yeah. So the youthful advice is honestly, don't procrastinate. And if you tell yourself that you're going to do this tomorrow, you're not going to do tomorrow, do tonight. And I love to tell myself that, because why not just do it tonight? Because the day will already pass, so what's the point of just not doing it? Procrastination is something that's super big and especially, it doesn't matter if you are making a business at 12 years old or 56 years old. You trying is what counts and that's going to lead, even if the business doesn't really work out. You're going to know a lot more than everybody else and you will definitely reach another level of confidence that a lot of people don't have.

Speaker 1: 16:07

I would agree. That's a big thing. You know, maybe fast forward five years. Who are you?

Speaker 2: 16:18

Yeah, that's a good question. I mean, in five years I would say I am, I'd be, I want to be someone who is definitely like 10 times more wiser than I am right now. I know like so much more and like I could talk to anybody and just like ramble about some super cool insights that they know about and honestly, I would just see myself as someone who knows a lot more and as well as more financial success Probably those two.

Speaker 1: 16:54

Diving into finance. I'm going to. You're going to remember this moment 30 years from now. You're like that guy told me that your definition of success will go away from money at some point. I promise you It'll be later, and when it does, you'll find happiness faster.

Speaker 2: 17:08

Yeah, that's true.

Speaker 1: 17:10

Who gives you inspiration?

Speaker 2: 17:13

I would say who gives me inspiration is probably I'm pretty sure his name is Paul Graham or Sam Altman one of those. They were both in YC and I'm pretty sure they're the owners and they are just. They're people who reach so much in life and people who just know so much about startups, specifically because I'm in the startup space and I love this. One thing one of them said it's that don't fall for tarpits. So that basically means is that a lot of startup ideas are actually a tarpit. There are startup ideas that don't work out and everybody tried them before. But it just it's something that won't work out and everybody first gets in the game thinking, oh, this is good, Nobody else has done this before. But you actually try the idea out and you realize why nobody else has done this, because it always fails. It's an example.

Speaker 1: 18:06

I was like, yeah, give me an example, like let me, because I think that's an important piece.

Speaker 2: 18:10

I never really thought of it that way, but really I'm pleased you have the example yeah, like an example is, for example, trying to like a social, like some social media app? There's so many social media apps and a lot of people try making new ones, but then they realize that it's a whole game that's just monopolized.

Speaker 1: 18:27

Yeah, well, it's also one that's uh, the the lift is incredibly expensive to get there, right. I mean it's like just a, unless it's very niche for a specific thing, then then probably could be. I always say that I've had a few customers who've tried this and I said it might just be easier to accomplish this through a Facebook group or something like that. Do you have like a must read book?

Speaker 2: 19:02

I really like that book and the reason why I like that book is because it gives you gives you a lot of tips with like more communication, because I think communication is one of the most important things in life. And it gives like tips, for example, like always mention someone's name, because the name is what everyone wants to hear, it's everyone's favorite word, and things like say everything where it brings value to the other person, everything, everything you say is what another person really, I guess, wants to hear. That goes to them. That makes sense yeah, it does.

Speaker 1: 19:33

No, I like that book too. It's a when you're reading like you were taken back to a different time, but yet the principles still are so applicable. Yeah, now you're only 15. So I asked this question to everybody. But if you could go back in time, when would you go back in time and what would you do differently?

Speaker 2: 19:50

I'd probably go back in time around maybe a little bit before 10. If I started off even earlier, maybe eight years old, even though I was kind of I wouldn't say starting off super early but I wish I started off more smarter and less weighed, like taking time, and I know it's hard because I am young and I don't really know that much. But if I had like, for example, someone who was a very, very successful business person in my family or someone that I knew and they kind of could have guided me the path where it's like, instead of starting off with this, start off with this, you'll learn more and this brings more value into the world, I feel like that would be very helpful and, yeah, probably just trying to invest into a mentor.

Speaker 1: 20:37

Yeah, that's an important one. It's hard to pick one because you're going to have a. Yeah, it's hard to pick one In a 15, the fact that you know you need one is good, but you just you need to pick the one that's got the right. You know the right value proposition. I'd say it that way because you know you don't want to overpay and you don't want to underpay, but you want to get value, and as long as the value is yeah.

Speaker 1: 21:02

Not too much. All right, if there's a question I should ask you today, and I didn't, what would that question have been and how do you answer it?

Speaker 2: 21:26

probably was. Hmm, that's a good question, but I would say you mainly asked me old questions, but maybe something a little bit more on mindset, like how does my brain really think, like how do I wake up in the morning, how do I start off my day? So, mainly on mindset, and the reason why I'd say that question is very important is because it's that's very important for someone who's like first starting off, because they don't really know how to start off their day and like what, what mind to get into. So the way to answer that question is I first start off with my morning, with I love to do like a very like a nice stretch.

Speaker 2: 22:00

I do a little bit of yoga, which takes me like five minutes, and I drink a lot of water because that really helps your brain start kind of activating, and I don't touch my phone the entire morning. Do not touch your phone the entire morning because that is going to trigger your dopamine levels and that will definitely mess up your entire brain for the rest of the day. So one thing is that I wake up, do like five minutes of yoga, drink a lot of water, like more than you think. You have to drink a lot, of a lot of water and then I go to work or work for a couple hours and I take a nice break and then eat some breakfast and then go back and that's the entire day. It's all about mindset and starting off your day, because those two are very important.

Speaker 1: 22:42

I agree. The longer you can not touch your phone, the better. It's very hard to do as you get older. I will tell you. Actually at any age. Listen, I love that you've come on here today and I want you to tell the world who should get a hold of you and how should they do that.

Speaker 2: 22:57

I would say that who should get help is anyone who is young and also kind of. They found some you know some successful ways that made them where they are and they could share some things that I don't know myself. I'd love to like talk with those people and you could always reach me at like LinkedIn. I always respond to my LinkedIn. I'm there like 24-7. I like that. Well, take some rest.

Speaker 1: 23:21

I'm there like 24-7. I like that. Well, take some rest. I'll be there 24-7. Thank you, alice. What is your LinkedIn? By the way, too?

Speaker 2: 23:29

Alice Ksenzova, so it's just going to be the same name. K-s-e-n-d-z-o-v-a there you go yeah.

Speaker 1: 23:37

Alice, thanks for coming on today, I appreciate it.

Speaker 2: 23:39

Thank you so much for having me, Thomas.

Speaker 1: 23:42

Listen, everybody who's made it this far. I hope you come back. This is the first time I'm coming to Cut the Tie podcast or YouTube channel. I hope you make it the first of many. Get out there, go cut a tie, go find success, but be sure to define that success yourself first. Have a great day.