Ep. 54 The Stern Truth: Two Styles. One Mission. Unstoppable Growth with Alison and David Setton

In this unique episode, I sit down with a dynamic duo, Alison and David Setton, who are not just business partners but life partners as well. 

For over 10 years, I've watched both of them navigate their entrepreneurial journeys, and now they've joined forces in financial services with an ambitious vision to build an agency of 100 associates.

Alison shares her move from engineering to financial services. Admittedly, she said she wasn’t naturally entrepreneurial. Eventually, she “caught” that fervor from David.

David himself opens up about his struggles with ADHD, feelings of "not being good enough," and how gratitude and meditation have become essential tools for success. David also shared, with raw honesty, the emotional toll of entrepreneurship and how he's learned to get back up quickly after setbacks.

Their golden nuggets are powerful: Alison emphasizes giving first without expecting reciprocation. David's advice? When you get knocked down, take immediate action. 

Their different strengths create the perfect and unstoppable balance in the partnership. Alison is analytical and steady; David is visionary and action-oriented. A great match all around. 

You’ll find the beautiful messiness of entrepreneurship in this episode, from the self-doubt to different money backgrounds to the power of having someone who believes in you. If you're wondering whether you need a partner in business or just someone to support you, this episode will give you pause for thought.

Connect with David and Alison here:

Email: david@settongroup.ca, alison@settongroup.ca 

Website: www.settongroup.ca 

We have a new group program for business owners coming in January called the ONtrepreneur Inner Circle. This program includes ongoing masterminding, mentorship, coaching, accountability, and encouragement to step up your game and achieve your goals. If you’re interested, reach out to me at marshall@marshallstern.net. 

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I encourage you to reach out with feedback, topic suggestions, and share your own entrepreneurial challenges.

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Transcript

[00:00:00] Marshall Stern: All right, my friends. Welcome to 2026 and the first episode this year of the Stern Truth Business Unfiltered. Before we get into today's special interview, this sit down, just want to quickly remind you, we have the ONtrepreneur Inner Circle. That is beginning in just a couple short weeks. If you are interested in joining a small group of other entrepreneurs on the journey, we will be meeting weekly.

[00:00:27] It's ongoing. Come in and spend as much time with us as you would like. Get coaching, get mentorship, mastermind on topics with other peers, entrepreneurs who get it, topics that affect us on a daily basis and help encourage us, encourage each other, and hold each other accountable. It's going to be an amazing, amazing, high impactful group.

[00:00:48] So reach out to me. Details are in the show notes now. In today's episode, we sit down with this amazing, amazing duo, this power duo, this power couple. They are partners not only in business but in life as well. So sit back, grab a pad of paper and pen because you are going to meet Alison and David. Two incredible entrepreneurs enjoy.

[00:01:14] Hi, I'm Marshall Stern and I've spent over 35 years leading and growing multiple small businesses. I know firsthand the struggles of entrepreneurship, feeling isolated, lonely, overwhelmed, and feeling like you have to do it all by yourself. I've been through multiple recessions, and I have felt the highs and the lows.

[00:01:33] I've been there, and I get it. This podcast is here to change that. Every week I will bring you straight talking advice, real world strategies, and honest conversations about what it takes to succeed in business without the fluff, the gimmicks, or the sugarcoated. If you're ready to stop spinning your wheels and start making real progress, then you are in the right place.

[00:01:57] This is the Stern Truth. All right, everyone. Welcome back to another episode of The Stern Truth Business Unfiltered. And I'm so excited because I have not one but two people here today with me on. I don't know if it's my left or my right, whichever way you guys are seeing it. First time, first time, Alison and David, first time we've had this on the Stern truth.

[00:02:20] Welcome. 

[00:02:21] Alison Setton: Thank you. I'm Alison. 

[00:02:24] David Setton: I'm David. 

[00:02:24] Marshall Stern: If you guys weren't sure.

[00:02:25] David Setton: Thank you, Marshall, for having us. 

[00:02:26] Marshall Stern: So Alison and David for our listeners are partners in business. And in love. So why don't we, oh, isn't that sweet? So I've known both of you over 10 years. Yeah. I think we started, right? We kind of, yeah, we met.

[00:02:42] Tell us a little bit about, I guess maybe Alison, your journey, well, both of you. Like what, what your business is for the listeners, and then how you both got into it. 

[00:02:52] David Setton: Go ahead, Alison. You go. 

[00:02:53] Alison Setton: Okay. So we're in financial services. We're passionate about helping people save, protect, grow, and pass on wealth generationally.

[00:03:03] And I never saw myself in financial services. Never. But like many of your guests who are entrepreneurs, it was maybe an accidental or a, a second career. And it was actually David who nudged me to give this a try after we had our daughter, Hannah. So that was 14 years ago. 

[00:03:26] David Setton: My turn. You know, I joined Alison two years ago.

[00:03:30] Always thought of myself as an entrepreneur, always been entrepreneurial. Grew up in a family business. Working with my father up until the point we got married. Then I was 17 years as a real estate agent. But during that time, you know, I was watching Alison grow her business for 14 years in the financial industry, and I saw what she was doing.

[00:03:54] I saw all the good she was doing, and I, I couldn't stay away. I really thought that if we worked together and we got into the same role boat. We were always kind of going to the same direction, but when you're in the same boat together, I think it's a different feeling and it's much easier to work together if you're both working in the same industry.

[00:04:17] I was referring all my clients to her as a realtor, but I wanted to make a bigger impact. I think the financial industry is life changing. If you can help someone with their money, when you think about what money means, it's what you value. You know, and I, I just think we can make a big impact together.

[00:04:36] So when Alison describes what we do. I think we're in a life changing industry where we can really change lives. We really want to help our community and we really want to make a big impact. And I think to do that, we're going to have to grow a big agency together. And I think with my help,  we can do that.

[00:04:56] Marshall Stern: Yeah, I like that. So I was at, for our listeners, I was at Alison and David, you just guys moved into a new beautiful office space. I was at one of the networking functions that you hosted the other day or last week. Going to another one coming up and great community that was there. I know you're talking about building, building the business more associates.

[00:05:18] What does, what does the future look like for your company? 

[00:05:23] Alison Setton: You go first. 

[00:05:23] David Setton: Well, I see ourselves – you came to our office, we have an entire mezzanine floor that's just ripe to be taken over.  I think we could hold 30 agents on this floor. I think, I don't know what the maximum capacity is. What the load is.

[00:05:41] Marshall Stern: Okay. 

[00:05:42] David Setton: I think that the floor itself could hold at least 30, with lots of space to grow. I think when you work as a team, you know, and, and you can inspire other people to take action, I think entrepreneurship is all about action. So if we can ins, and that's the biggest challenge I think of entrepreneurship also, is inspiring people to overcome their fears, to overcome that feeling of discomfort.

[00:06:04] If we can get. 30 people. I honestly think we're going to need a hundred, quite frankly. 

[00:06:10] We're going to need to license a hundred. I think we're going to end up with 10 of these, or hopefully 10 of these. A combination of the two of us where we can get a little bit of that entrepreneurism a little bit.

[00:06:23] Alison's very technical. She, she knows the products inside and out. She's very caring. She's very good with client work. I think if we could combine the two of us and instill that into a hundred people, we'll end up with 10 leaders in this industry. 

[00:06:38] Marshall Stern: Right? Yeah, I like that. I like that. So I love the vision. What, okay. What would be, so Alison, how long have you been. So you said 14 years? 

[00:06:48] Alison Setton: 14. Just over 14 years. Yeah. 

[00:06:51] Marshall Stern: What, what's it, what's it like working with this guy? 

[00:06:54] Alison Setton: Well, I did, I brought it on myself. You know, I, I came into the financial industry and I thought, great. I was an engineer before I did an MBA. So I thought, okay, this should be pretty easy.

[00:07:06] It's going to be numbers, right? I love numbers. And then realize, of course, it's all about people and I love people too. So that's what's kept me in, kept it interesting. But it was a big learning curve for me, and I was not entrepreneurial. When I, when I started everything entrepreneurial, I've observed and kind of caught from David and, and I really think entrepreneurship is caught, not taught.

[00:07:32] David Setton: Tell that story about when, when I first got licensed with a realtor. Tell that story. 

[00:07:37] Alison Setton: Okay. As an example, how non entrepreneurial I was. You know, the day David started real estate, we, you know, we were newly married. I was off work with our daughter and he, he got licensed as a realtor and he was going off to his first day as a realtor and he came out dressed, you know, like a realtor, really sharp.

[00:07:56] And I said, so what are you going to do? Like I really didn't know like what you physically do. I was used to going into an office. You're kind of told what to do and you do it right. Right. And he said, he looked at me like I was crazy. He is like, what are you talking about? I'm going to get on the phone. Of course.

[00:08:14] And it was like this little light bulb was like, oh, I never thought of that. You know, like that's how non-entrepreneurial I was. And there, there's a place for that in financial services. We need people that are analytical, that are caring, that are like to do the creative problem solving. That's my comfort zone.

[00:08:33] But of course, you know, as many of your guests have said, you have to get out of your comfort zone. To be successful, to be self-employed or be entrepreneurial. I did that to the best of my ability. But, you know, I, I knew that I needed someone else on my team that was different and David and I could not be more different.

[00:08:54] He's totally entrepreneurial, action oriented, big vision and, you know, challenges people and I'm trying to keep them feeling comfortable and safe. So I knew, I always knew that we would be an incredible team, but I had to wait for him to run the course of real estate to kind of, to see it, you have to see it for yourself, right?

[00:09:14] Marshall Stern: Yeah, no, for sure. 

[00:09:15] Alison Setton: So that's, that's how we started working together. He finally got to the point in his life where he wanted to, wanted to change and wanted to make a difference. And I said, I've got an idea for you. 

[00:09:27] David Setton: It was actually more so very emotional when I, I remember when I decided to join Alison, we were up at a place called Sundance Ranch.

[00:09:35] My daughter loves to ride horses, and we were, we were up there and I was crying. Actually. I, I came to Alison crying. I said, I need to change. I said, I'm, I'm not happy doing what I'm doing. I see what you're doing. I, I think we need to join forces, you know? I was, I was, I had a lot of money trauma growing up.

[00:09:56]  So that's why I really believe in the financial industry in general and how it changes lives, because a lot of that trauma can be avoided. You know, but personally, I saw my father go through a lot of ups and downs in business and, you know, it impacts you, you know, as a young person and it frames how you see the world.

[00:10:19] I used to see money as a, from a very scarcity lens. I'd always want to hold on tight to it. I wouldn't want to spend money on myself. I would try to, as soon as I made a commission as a resume here, Alison, take it, invest it, grow it. Let's not, you know, spend it on me, put it into a fund and, and, and grow it.

[00:10:41] So I think this industry,  t's all about your mindset around money. It's about how you, how you, what you value, and, and if you can reprogram that, you can really change the way you see the world. 

[00:10:54] Alison Setton: Yeah.  

[00:10:56] Marshall Stern: I love, I love that

[00:10:56] Alison Setton: Money's never about money. And, and I think that's also the beauty of teamwork.

[00:11:02] Dave and I come from very different money programming. I grew up middle class, kind of learned how to earn money and spend money and, and spending was like a weekend activity. Let's go to the mall. I mean, I was an eighties kid, so that's what you did anyway, but let's go to the mall and, you know, have some – enjoy our money.

[00:11:20] I never learned how to invest, or, or even doing an MBA, I didn't learn personal finance. And so I think if, if you come from these very different backgrounds. And your life partners, you're, you're set up to for disaster, right. You're, you're going to butt heads. 

[00:11:36] David Setton: Oh yeah. We used to fight a lot about money.

[00:11:39] You know, that was the other advantage of Alison joining the financial industry. You know, I kind of came more to the middle in terms of spending and Alison came more to the middle in terms of maybe not spending as much. 

[00:11:52] You know, and, and being a little bit more conservative, putting aside money for our future.

[00:11:56] So it was kind of interesting how getting your license in this industry, can it, it can also save marriages. I, not that we would've gotten divorced. I never divorced this woman. She's, she's my, my favorite woman. 

[00:12:08] Alison Setton: Money can cause a lot of cost and friction. And, you know, being, being in the financial industry, you're a bit of a counselor as well, and you, you draw from your own experiences to empathize with what other people are going through.

[00:12:20] Marshall Stern: So, okay. That's all nice. That's all the good, you know, the beautiful stuff. Let's talk about like, let's get really. Let's get serious now. Alright. The truth. The truth, the Stern Ttruth. Okay? What, for both of you, this is actually a question probably for both of you, because you've been in the industry for, you know, two different lengths of times.

[00:12:37] But even Dave, going back to the real estate, here's the question. because real estate, financial services, it's your own business. Both of them, you're, it's your own business. What's been the most challenging for each of you cheering your entrepreneurial journey? Our listeners are,  from what I can tell, from what I think, because I don't know specifically who they are, they're entrepreneurs, they're business owners or people who want to get into business and they're at different stages of their business.

[00:13:04] And then we know it's ups and downs. Okay. Tell us some of the downs, the challenges. 

[00:13:11] David Setton: Do you want to go first, Alison? 

[00:13:12] Alison Setton: Sure. Well, I think, no question rejection, that's most people's biggest fear. And no matter what industry you're in, you've got to turn over some stones. You got to put yourself out there.

[00:13:25] You're going to get people that say, no thank you, or maybe just no. Why don't you just get a job? You know, so you're, you're going to get rejection. You're going to get people who care about you in their bid to protect you, try to encourage you to quit. So this can undermine your confidence and, I think that's one of the biggest challenges is you have to believe so strongly in what you're doing, that no one.

[00:13:55] Can shake your, your belief and your confidence, and it definitely helps. It was critical for me having David to when I went home and said like, this happened or is this weird? And you know, just someone to normalize it and someone who gets it.  was, was incredible, but I think that was one of the biggest challenges and I think taking action, like doing the hard things.

[00:14:18] And Dave really coached me on that. You know, I, I would say I got all this stuff done, all this busy work. It was really fun. I did lots of analysis and he said, but did you make this call? Did you call that person? You've been avoiding calling? And I was like, you know, so yeah. Having, having someone to make you do the hard stuff.

[00:14:39] Marshall Stern: Well, and, and I just want to jump in there before David goes, because you're married to, you have a mentor right beside you. 

[00:14:45] Alison Setton: Yeah. Yeah. 

[00:14:46] Marshall Stern: You go home, right. And, that's so huge because so many people, so many business owners. Their spouses or significant others or friends don't get what they do. Because they have a nine to five job, so they don't have someone to go to.

[00:14:59] They have to go reach out, you know? And, to someone like myself or to another mentor or someone, or other people who. Find, find people who are like business groups, which I always recommend get involved. You know, like 

[00:15:12] Alison Setton: Essential. 

[00:15:13] Marshall Stern: You know, like the group that we're part of be around other entrepreneurs.

[00:15:16] Alison Setton: Essential. 

[00:15:17] Marshall Stern: Yeah. Yeah. 

[00:15:18] Alison Setton: It's so, so important. 

[00:15:20] Marshall Stern: Yeah, 

[00:15:21] Alison Setton: Because if you don't protect what's between here and here, then you're going to be brought. Like if you have to protect your mindset and grow your mindset, and I think you can only do it if you're an entrepreneur. You have to be around other people who walk that path or who are walking that path because your, your biggest obstacle, even more than the rejection, but related to rejection, your biggest obstacle is yourself.

[00:15:47] And the mind percent that you'll play with yourself. The justification, the excuses and taking a hundred percent responsibility, like that lesson in itself is really tough. And, and I always say, if you cannot, you cannot take responsibility or credit for your success unless you take responsibility for your failure.

[00:16:04] Marshall Stern: Yeah. Yeah. 

[00:16:05] Alison Setton: And I think that's a big lesson. 

[00:16:08] Marshall Stern: Yeah. No, a hundred percent. But that, what I love was like the taking action, the way you explained it, Alison, like most people wouldn't, if they don't take action, they'd go home, tell their significant other, oh, I do this with, and, and the significant other would say, oh, that's okay.

[00:16:22] That's okay. That's great. Yeah. No, that's fine. That's fine. Just keep doing that. Don't worry. If you don't want to do it, don't do it. Yeah, yeah. Whereas David said, hey, no, what do you do it. Okay. Your turn. David? 

[00:16:33] David Setton: My turn. Your, your question was the biggest challenge. You know, both, both entrepreneurial as a realtor and now in finance.

[00:16:39] For me. For me,  I've always struggled even as in school. You know, I've, I've always had this feeling that I wasn't good enough, you know? Because I have a DHD maybe a bit milder than some, but I, I do struggle. It took me longer to learn in school, you know, I, I really struggled in school and I, and I.

[00:17:03] The teachers would say, well, why can't you just do, like, it wasn't known, a ADHD, these different neurodiverse, these neurodiversities. They weren't known back when I, you know, that, in that, at that time. And it was a, like, I would get reports, you know, he, he's causing trouble in school. He's, he's a rebel, you know?

[00:17:21] He is shocker, he loud. He is disrupting the class. I was always getting into trouble in school. I was in the hallway, you know, you know, send you out into the hallway, but they didn't understand all these, these neurodiversities at the time. So then I, I started to think, well, maybe I'm just not good enough, you know?

[00:17:38] And even into adulthood. I, I didn't understand that I, until we had our daughter who also has ADHD, I didn't know what was wrong with me, you know? And, and therefore I think I would always question and doubt myself as an entrepreneur, you know? And I would second guess and, and I would lack faith.

[00:18:00] I think that's the, when Alison talks about belief, I think. Those words, belief and faith are critical to entrepreneurship. Without that, you're, you're basically going nowhere because as an entrepreneur, it's not like anyone's telling you what to do. It's not like, you know, what's going to happen every day is so.

[00:18:20] Different. I mean, you can establish good habits and discipline and all those things that are required to be an entrepreneur, but things come up. Things happen, you know, failures happen. You, you anticipate something happening and it just doesn't happen. How, how you want it to, and then the question is how quickly do you get back on that horse?

[00:18:37] Or do you continue to beat yourself up and, and get into a hole? And then, and then do you, do you start to blame others, the situation? Or do you get back up? How quickly can you get back up? You know, those are the things that I think I've watched Alison do. She gets back up quickly. It doesn't phase her.

[00:18:59] She, she blocks out the, the, these things that happen to her, these things that don't go well.

[00:19:06] Alison Setton: For better or for worse.

[00:19:06] David Setton: And she, no, but I think there, you learn from it and then you get back up. And, and I used to sit in this hole and, and say, well, why aren't I good enough? Why, why can I not do this? Why can that person do this?

[00:19:19] I can't do it. You know? And now what I do every morning, I wake up, I, I thank God, I thank the Jewish community. I thank my wife, you know, being married to this beautiful woman. Smart. I'm so grateful, you know, for everything I have. I think if you can frame your morning that way, you wake up and you're like, you're ready to hit whatever's going to come at you, you know, nothing phases you at that point because, because you're already set for success because you, your, your mind is in that place of, gratitude, you know?

[00:19:56] So I think I've learned over the years to ignore that not good enough thing that's spinning in my head. And instead think about what I am grateful for and, and what, what's possible, you know? And I think human beings can do anything they put their mind to. If I can do it, I think anyone can, because.

[00:20:16] I've had some struggles, you know, in my life. 

[00:20:19] Marshall Stern: Wow. 

[00:20:19] Alison Setton: It’s true. He meditates every morning.

[00:20:26] David Setton: I meditate, I do, you know, because of this chemistry in my head, I think I have to do everything. 

[00:20:26] Marshall Stern: Right. No, but, but honestly, and this is why I love this podcast, because,  and I really want to just acknowledge, David, you for,  the transparency and the honesty.

[00:20:36] Because especially from a guy, it's very rare for like, men just don't talk about this stuff. Right? I mean, women a lot more so, and –  

[00:20:47] David Setton: I'm pretty feminine. 

[00:20:51] Marshall Stern: I I'm not going there. But, but seriously, I just want to, I just want to, I want to acknowledge that because that's what this, this podcast is all about it, is what the listeners want to hear.

[00:21:01] They don't want to hear all the, the fluff about this and about that, and success is success and whatnot. But there's the dark side too, right? And there's like the getting up and, and, and especially like in David's case, like, so you know David, right? That you have to do, like Al you have to do extra. 

[00:21:18] In order to prime yourself and to be ready. And whereas someone else doesn't. But honestly everyone and a lot of people get stuck in the valley. 

[00:21:28] Alison Setton: Yes. Yeah, 

[00:21:30] Marshall Stern: Right. Just had another interview with someone and we talked a lot about the same thing and it's all about it. I go, I'm going to repeat it again. It's, I remember, Ben Affleck when he won for Argo, best actor for Argo, and he got up there and he said, in life, you're going to get knocked down, but you got to get up.

[00:21:47] And the fact that the two of you have each other to help each other get up, you know, spouses partners should be able to do that anyways. But you both are doing it. You have one vision together. Both in life and in business, and, and I love that. How do you, here's the famous question for couples in business-

[00:22:10] Alison Setton: How do we stand each other all the time?

[00:22:12] Marshall Stern: Well, there's that part. How do you separate? Oh, that's tough. 

[00:22:16] Alison Setton: It's tough. Yeah. I think, well, for one thing that helps is we're both very different. So that helps because we're not stepping on each other's toes and we genuinely respect. Each other's strengths and gifts? I don't know that we do separate.

[00:22:34] All that. Well, I think we do. 

[00:22:36] David Setton: We're we're awful at it. 

[00:22:37] Alison Setton: Yeah, we we're, we're observing being better about Shabbat. We've seen the, the need for Shabbat and we're, I think we take time out and we kind of cue each other. We're not talking about business and we'll forget, no, let's not talk about business like it's.

[00:22:52] We work on it. But I think we're both excited about what we do, so that helps.  but you can bring each other down or you can lift each other up, right? So we always have to be really careful of that. But I think we came to an acceptance that our, our work and our life and our family, it's, it's one ball of wax.

[00:23:14] Like there's no such thing as balance. And I think we both accept that. And I think one other thing that's helped is before, when we were both self-employed, it me as having a practice and Dave having real estate, we were competing. We would, we would. Con be in conflict more because I have a client tonight, or I'm going out to this event tonight.

[00:23:34] No, I've got a client. And real estate would always win out because there's always a time urgency. Right. And it was like, we're both naturally competitive to begin with, but then you throw that kind of competition for time and resources in and it, it,  it was harder. Now that we're both working together, it's, I find it so much easier.

[00:23:57] David Setton: Agreed. What was the question? Repeat the question. 

[00:24:01] Marshall Stern: I don't even remember what the question was. No, it was all about how you separate the separating. 

[00:24:05] David Setton: Oh yeah. I don't think we do. Yeah, I definitely don't think we do, and I think it's a challenge sometimes. Like I think Alison and I, again, we're so different and I think I need more time than Alison does, or Alison maybe doesn't recognize when she needs time.

[00:24:24] And, but I definitely know that I need recovery time. Like I'm, I'm getting more mentally tough though. Again, I think from the example Alison has set, she's very mentally tough.  I don't think I'm as mentally tough. I find socializing. I find, you know, talking in front of people, working all day at something that may be analytical and my brain isn't as designed for it as Alison's is.

[00:24:53] I sometimes, I'm very, very tired at the end of the day. Alison said to me the other day, you got to get over this. Like, do you not like work? You trying to get over working hard? You're supposed to work hard, you know, I don’t know. It's not very supportive. So, but, but, I think, I think, you know, it's one thing to work hard, but I always think we have to work hard at the right things.

[00:25:15] Alison Setton: Yeah. That same famous counter, and then I'm like, auugh.

[00:25:17] David Setton: No, because, because I know that, again, because of my wiring and my chemistry in my brain and because maybe I'm more emotional. And I get tired, emotionally tired and mentally tired more quickly than Alison. I really recognize that I need to focus my energy on, on the most important things, not the urgent, but the most important things.

[00:25:38] Like right now we have a vision and I am like a racehorse with these blinders on. And I'm not looking side to side. I'm looking at 10 candidates to get licensed in the next 30 days. 

[00:25:51] 10. All I'm thinking is 10, I, this number 10 is just repeating over and over and ahead in, in my head. 

[00:25:57] And I can't stop thinking about it. I'm like, who's the next person we're going to meet with? Right. That's the possible candidate. That's all I want is 10, and Alison is analyzing funds and I, I just don't have the mental capacity to do all of that. Where Alison can shift, I think, well, maybe not so easily, but it's one, 

[00:26:17] Alison Setton: I kind have a broad focus.

[00:26:19] Dave has a, a narrow beam. Right. So it's, yeah. You need both. I think it's- 

[00:26:23] David Setton: It's brain chemistry. I think it's all it, it's related to how we're wired and I think it's not that one is better than the other. It's that you need both. 

[00:26:30] Marshall Stern: You need both. Well, can you, can you imagine if, if you were both, two David's or two Alisons? 

[00:26:35] David Setton: Yeah. Nothing would happen probably. Well, for me would happen. Nothing would happen. Well, you need such a good planner, you know? 

[00:26:43] Alison Setton: But I mean, I think for my skillset, I can build a great practice, but I'm never going to be able to scale. And I didn't leave engineering to build, build my own job.

[00:26:51] Like I, I left engineering because I saw the potential to scale something and scale a business. But I needed that skillset, working with me to remind me about. How to take the action to scale. And I think that's why David is such an essential part of the team. because his job is to help us scale and duplicate as opposed to just building a, a practice.

[00:27:14] David Setton: But we're so good at attracting clients, but I want to attract people with grit. I want to attract people that are dissatisfied, that want to make an impact, they want to make a change. You know? People that have some of this entrepreneurial spirit we're talking about and that, that are willing to have some faith in themselves.

[00:27:31] Take responsibility for their lives and do something, you know? Do something meaningful. 

[00:27:37] Marshall Stern: Well, and I, and I can tell you like just,  I think I'm a good judge of character and just from everything you're saying and what I heard you say a few weeks ago or last week, I mean, you're going to do it, you're going to achieve it.

[00:27:47] Whether you get the 10 in the next 30 days, or those 10 come from all your actions that you've taken now and they actually yeah. Start trickling in January or February. 

[00:27:57] David Setton: Marshall. It's happening. It's happening. Okay. It's, it's happening every day. It's happening. 

[00:27:58] Marshall Stern: It's happening. Okay. It's amazing. Okay.

[00:28:02] David Setton: Marshall It's happening when you put something out there into the universe. Yes. Everyone talks this hair, this fairy tale. I don't know if it's hairy fairy. No, it works. Airy fairy. But I think, I really believe if you put something out there, your thoughts are powerful. If you, if you focus. Your energy on something, you attract it into your life.

[00:28:20] There's tons of stories about that. Yeah. There is that law of attraction and I believe that's true and I think believing it is part of it. But every day I'm seeing signs of these 10 coming. You know, I sat down with someone yesterday from Russia. We, we got someone coded in our industry last week, Friday.

[00:28:40] We, have another person sent me a message from the networking group you came to.  I have someone that wants to look at your industry. You know, it's happening. 

[00:28:50] Alison Setton: I think the other thing is, two things that are important for entrepreneurs is one, you have to have faith in other people as well.

[00:28:57] David Setton: Yeah. You've taught me that. 

[00:28:58] Alison Setton: Really? 

[00:28:59] David Setton: Yeah. 

[00:29:00] Alison Setton: Okay. But having faith in other people. And then the second part is giving up control. That's the part I have trouble with. So both of those and, and, I can't remember what I was going to say, but yeah, I think that's been a huge, um. Lesson is to success. Oh, having, having faith in people as well as your vision.

[00:29:19] Yeah. 

[00:29:20] Marshall Stern: Well, no, I love that. And yeah, I mean, the, the thing is like, having a vision is, is obviously great and, and not, I'm not into like these huge, like, big audacious goals. 

[00:29:29] Alison Setton: No, just, 

[00:29:30] Marshall Stern: But just a good vision. A strong vision. And I, I hear what you're saying. Law of universe and all that and, and putting it out there.

[00:29:37] And yes, you'll get the 10, but here's the, here's the one thing, and I want every, for everyone else to, to listen to this for a moment as well.  I, I always say there's something, there's a, there's what I call outcome goals and process goals, okay? Outcome goals. You don't have a hundred percent control over.

[00:29:54] David Setton: Correct. 

[00:29:55] Marshall Stern: Yeah. It's the vision. You don't have a hundred percent control. So in this case, and I'm not saying David, you're going to get it because you're more determined, like you're just like a dog with a bone, you're going to get it. But an outcome goal is the tell. Most people, and I know David, you actually have the plan and your, and you're working the plan and you're executing.

[00:30:12] A lot of people don't. They say, okay, I'm going to get those 10 associates or 10 high energy leaders, associates. In the next 30 days, and then they'll do something here. They'll do a little bit there. Okay. They'll do it there. Then they get tired and whatever, and it's like, then they'll stop and it's like, okay, I never achieved it.

[00:30:29] Alison Setton: Yeah. 

[00:30:30] Marshall Stern: The process goals is what you have full control over, and that's the direct outreach, that's building relationships, that's getting out there, that's pushing, 

[00:30:38] David Setton: That's what we're doing. 

[00:30:39] Marshall Stern: So That's what you're doing.

[00:30:40] So Brian Scudamore like the 1-800-GOT-JUNK story. He had his five year painted picture.

[00:30:45] He had his vision and he,  I don’t know if you know the story, but he had 30 locations. That was his book, big, I believe it was 30 locations. He had the one and he went 30 locations. He failed, he failed, he had his painted picture. He surrounded himself with people who, who bought into his vision and they came up.

[00:31:05] You know, people who were smarter than him. And I think he ended up with 29. That was a big, that was a great failure. That was a great, that was a great failure, right? Yeah. 29 cities instead of 30. And now they're like, they're like, whatever. So, yeah, but if he didn't have that painted picture, if he didn't have that vision, it wouldn't have happened.

[00:31:23] And if he didn't take the actions and build the team, it wouldn't have happened. 

[00:31:29] Alison Setton: Yeah. 

[00:31:29] Marshall Stern: He wouldn't have failed by one location. So even if, all I'm saying is, even if David, even if you guys get. Nine out of the 10th. I know the 10th you're going to get 10. You're not going to settle for anything less. But even if you get nine, but the 10th happens to come in January 2nd and then the 11th and the 12th or the 13th.

[00:31:47] It's all because of what you're doing now. This is more for our listeners than you, because you're going to do it. It's planting the seeds now and going for it and being consistent. 

[00:31:56] David Setton: You know, Marshall, you know what I'm going to say? When we get the 10, the next month. We're looking for another 10 candidates in the next 30 days.

[00:32:04] Alison Setton: You know, we know that you need momentum in business, right? And the reason we want 10 is because your colleagues, if we can have a cohort of 10 candidates that we're training together They're going to be a support system for one another. Right? They're, they're, if they want to complain about Dave and Alison, they're not going to come to us.

[00:32:22] They're going to want to talk to one another so they can be study buddies. Be each other's shoulder to cry on. Right. So that's, I think, really important. We're building that support network within the agency. And getting that momentum. And, and Dave's point, like we know we probably have to go through a hundred people to find the 10 rock stars, right?

[00:32:43] Because that's just the nature of entrepreneur, whether it's real estate, any business. People need to try it on, see if it works, see if it fits. And not everyone's going to stick with it. 

[00:32:54] Marshall Stern: Well I just want to say one thing, and this is like, because there's a golden nugget out of all this for our listeners, and I'm going to, before we close out, I want you guys to give yours.

[00:33:01] So my late father used to always say, if you go to like one seminar. What? There wasn't podcasts back in the eighties. But like, cassette tapes or whatever. Yeah. Yeah. And if you can just take one golden nugget. It's been worth it. So I want each of you to give your gold nugget to entrepreneurs listening, business owners listening, our listeners in a second.

[00:33:19] But I want them to take something from this, and that's if our listeners can listen to how the two of you are showing up and what the two of you are all about, and the passion and the energy, the two of you. And especially nothing like the vision that David's talking about. And it's like nothing. He will not settle for anything less that ambition.

[00:33:42] If you want something that bad, if you want it bad enough, you have to do the work and go for it. And the two of, you're fortunate that you have each other to sort of push each other and, and probably at times calm each other and redirect each other. 

[00:33:59] And for most of our listeners, they don't have that, so I highly recommend they get someone like that.

[00:34:05] It doesn't have to be a coach or a mentor. It could be a friend who's in business. It can be part of a business group or an accountability group, but it's so important and the two of you're very fortunate. I'm, I'm fortunate to being able to have you guys on this podcast, but before we go, I would like to know, I'll go Alison first.

[00:34:23] Golden Nugget you'd like to share with our, our listeners. 

[00:34:26] Alison Setton: I think, for me you have to be willin to give. First, I think if you, I just have this, we talked about faith. I just have this belief that if I give so much, I think this is very Jewish. You give upfront, you give till it hurts, right? If you give your services, your time, your health, that the universe will just respond and you will also get where you want to go by giving.

[00:34:53]  And I think Dave and I, we talk about that a lot and to the point where, you know, when there's people that are just taking or selling? It's almost untenable. We really, and I'm not saying we're great or anything, but I think as an- 

[00:35:08] David Setton: We are great. 

[00:35:09] Alison Setton: As an entrepreneur. I'm not trying to toot our own.

[00:35:11] I'm just saying like, if you go out and you give and there's a business plan and a solid backing, like you've got, you know, the financials are there, but if you give first, you will get where you want to go by helping others get where they want to go. And I think that was, the biggest lesson because as an employee, you're paid for your time.

[00:35:31] As an entrepreneur, you're paid for your value. So you have to give that value and the price is due upfront and in full. You got to give first and then you have to have the faith to know that by doing that, it will come back to you. 

[00:35:46] Marshall Stern: I love that. Yeah. Well, I mean, I, uh. Yeah, Dave. It's hard to top that one, but yeah, I love that compli- back up.

[00:35:57] No, how can you, let's compliment it because that's give first.  

[00:36:00] David Setton: I think that's awesome. 

[00:36:01] Marshall Stern: Yeah. How would you say that?

[00:36:02] David Setton: Marshall, when I look at my wife, I, I would say that's what I've learned from her. 

[00:36:09] Marshall Stern: Yeah. 

[00:36:10] David Setton: The biggest, the biggest lesson I've learned from Alison is this idea of giving value upfront and giving first, and giving, so you just can't give anymore.

[00:36:18] And it's something I've struggled with. I, I don't think I'm a taker necessarily. But I, I shouldn't expect it, but I, I almost expect reciprocation. And you can't accept some, expect someone to reciprocate. You give without that expectation. And I think that that's something I've struggled with.

[00:36:38] Alison is better when it comes to that. She doesn't expect it. I think my nugget goes back. To my biggest challenge, which has been able, which is being able to get back up quickly after a setback. Yeah, that's something I've struggled with the most and I think that's something that I've gotten better at.

[00:37:00] Like now I remember as a real estate agent, when I would get knocked down, I would, for example, I'd have a past client come back to me. I helped them buy a house and they wanted to sell the house now, and then they'd go with another realtor after interviewing me and another realtor. This is after I've gone to Costco to buy them a rug, to furnish their house, to stage it.

[00:37:19] I'm not resentful. No, I'm joking. No, but I remember like these, these things, I would get knocked down. Like I would be out for a week or two in, in this hole. You know now when I get knocked down, like I'm back up. Like before the end of the day. I'm like, okay, what's next? What are we going to do next? What are we going to try next?

[00:37:36] How are we going to adjust? And yeah, and slightly adjust our approach so that the next time we have a better chance of, not that it's not going to happen again, it probably will, it more, more than likely will. That we can mitigate the chances of it happening. Maybe it'll probably just happen in a different way.

[00:37:55] Alison Setton: Yeah, but you've worked 

[00:37:56] Marshall Stern: I love that. 

[00:37:57] David Setton: I've worked so hard on just getting back up. 

[00:38:00] Marshall Stern: Yeah. Quickly. I love that. And it's resilience. 

[00:38:03] David Setton: Resilience. But I'll tell you, Marshall, the best way to get back up quickly, this is something I've learned when you get knocked down. Take action right away. Do something, yeah.

[00:38:14] Something small that gets you back focused on some on, on an, on a path where you're focused again on what you can do and you stop thinking about the things that went wrong.  And what you didn't do.You know? Yeah. Think of what you can do right now and do it right away so that. You get back up quickly.

[00:38:34] Alison Setton: Make a phone call or something.

[00:38:35] David Setton: Make a phone call, get on the phone, schedule a meeting, do something, you know? So you're, you're back in a positive mindset where there's the, the potential again for, for something positive to happen. 

[00:38:46] Marshall Stern: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, I love that. And like Tony Robbins, I think talks about changing your physiological state.

[00:38:52] David Setton: Yeah. 

[00:38:52] Marshall Stern: So it might just be as, as easy as putting on a song that like from the eighties because we're from the eighties. Right? Yeah. You know, and that's, 

[00:38:59] Alison Setton: and Marshall, I just want to make sure I, I want to acknowledge you for attitude. Not just for today, but 10 years ago, you know, when you were driving your signs, your car, the Soul, Kia Soul with the, you know, the branded.

[00:39:13] And so I kind of recognized you and I walked into Starbucks one day and I didn't know you yet. It was BTT days and I overheard you talking to a young person. You are a giver. I, I recognize that right away you are mentoring this young person with so much care and empathy. I was like. That's the kind of person I would want talking to my kid when they're older.

[00:39:34] You know, like I was so impressed and it always stuck with me. And over the years when we've had interactions, you've always been so supportive and so giving to the community, not just your clients, but to the whole community and to entrepreneurs. So I just really want to acknowledge and thank you. 

[00:39:51] Marshall Stern: Thank you.

[00:39:51] Alison Setton: All the work you do. And, yeah, so. Thank you and- 

[00:39:56] David Setton: And Marshall, feel free for this next networking event that you're speaking at to bring people that you care about. Invite, invite your audience, people that you care about, you know? 

[00:40:09] Marshall Stern: Okay, I, I appreciate that and I appreciate the Alison, the comments.

[00:40:11] And I, I do, I don't remember who I was talking to, but I do remember, and I remember meeting David. Yeah. And then actually we had copied the, the three of us talking with John Maxwell that a little long later. 

[00:40:20] Alison Setton: Yeah. 

[00:40:20] Marshall Stern: Okay. So if people want to get in touch with you, whether it's to associate or just to just pick your brain and, 

[00:40:29] Because the interesting thing about this episode is like, it's like two in one. It is two in one. But it's like, so, but you're so the two of you, and it's amazing. You're so different. And, and I could just see the synergy. No, you're so different. But the synergy and, and so it's like. Our listeners are getting two completely different challenges, two completely different personalities, which is awesome.

[00:40:52] So they so let, they, I could put, if they want to get in touch with you, what's the best way? 

[00:40:59] Alison Setton: Yeah. By our website. 

[00:41:00] David Setton: Yeah, we have a website. 

[00:41:01] Marshall Stern: A website, okay. 

[00:41:02] David Setton: There's a ton of videos on there. It is called setton group.ca. S-E-T-T-O-N group.ca. 

[00:41:10] Marshall Stern: Perfect. 

[00:41:10] David Setton: There's a ton of content on there. I've actually filmed myself because I have a short attention span.

[00:41:15] All my videos are one minute long and I've done a lot of videos on mindset and ADHD entrepreneurship. 

[00:41:23] Marshall Stern: I've watched a lot of them. 

[00:41:24] David Setton: What's that? Have you watched them? 

[00:41:27] Marshall Stern: Are these ones that you repair on Instagram? I've watched them. 

[00:41:30] David Setton: Yeah. Yeah. So you, you could, they're all over the Setton Group website. For good or for bad, settongroup.ca. 

[00:41:34] Alison Setton: And our events. 

[00:41:39] David Setton: Yeah, our events are- 

[00:41:40] Alison Setton: Including the one you're speaking at. 

[00:41:41] David Setton: You could register. Yeah, you can register for our events there. They're all free. Our events, we don't charge. 

[00:41:47] Marshall Stern: Perfect. Yeah. That's awesome. 

[00:41:48] Okay. No, thank you so much. The two of you. This has been actually just amazing. 

[00:41:52] David Setton: Thank you, Marshall. 

[00:41:53] Marshall Stern: You guys have made my day and…

[00:41:55] David Setton: That's fun. 

[00:41:56] Alison Setton: Likewise.

[00:41:57] Marshall Stern: I'll see you guys at your next event in December for sure. 

[00:42:00] David Setton: Good. 

[00:42:00] Alison Setton: Perfect. 

[00:42:01] Marshall Stern: And thank you, just to thank you for the everything that you do and just the energy and the, the givingness and you've given a lot to this podcast, so I appreciate it.

[00:42:11] David Setton: Oh, thanks Marshall. I hope we added value. 

[00:42:13] Marshall Stern: Absolutely. Absolutely. So that's it guys. Gang, everyone, I want to hear the feedback from this episode. Like, come on. There's so much here in the golden nuggets. So, you know, review, like, but comment and share, share, share, share. People need to, to hear the messages that both Alison and David have given, the golden nuggets.

[00:42:35] So thank you both. Thank all of you and we'll see you again next week in another episode of the Star Truth Business Unfiltered. 

[00:42:45] Thank you so much for tuning in to the Stern Truth. If you found today's episode helpful, we would love to hear from you. Please like, share and leave us a review. Also, if you'd like to be a guest in an upcoming episode or join us in one of our Moment Accountability Group sessions, simply email me to marshall@marshallstern.net. 

[00:43:05] That's marshall@marshallstern.net. And don't forget to hit the subscribe button so you never miss an episode. Until next time, keep pushing forward and leading with confidence.