How I found my path to healing after the death of my husband.

Tracy Boone is a Breakthrough Specialist – International Speaker – Author – Sales Team  Expert – Child and Family Advocate.

For over two decades, she has managed, operated and owned three 40,000 square foot multi-million-dollar fitness facilities in Denver, Colorado.  She was married to Reid Boone, A Champion athlete that co-owned and operated the business with her family until tragedy struck in 2012 when her husband died of Cruetzfield-Jacobs disease. Her son, Elijah, was only six years old at the time.

She and her young son have co-founded a non-profit, Elijah’s Path to Healing Foundation, whose mission is providing paths to healing through community, relationships and partnerships for the widows and fatherless using a faith-based model. Her personal mission is to unite lives to make a difference. They are raising funds for a 5th wheel and F450 truck so they can travel across the country to help families who have lost a parent in schools and equine facilities.

Her passion is to empower people to overcome adversity and Create Heroes in their own life story. Tracy holds the following designations: Certified Fitness Trainer, Specialist in Fitness Nutrition and TRX Team Training Camp Certified Coach. She has certifications in Faith Based Equine Assisted Philosophy and Faith Alliance Against Slavery and Trafficking. She is an Ordained Pastor and holds a Doctorate in Christian Counseling and Psychology from Carolina University of Theology.

Tracy’s two books are titled “I Can Finish Well” and “Elijah’s Hope,
Who Am I?”

If you would ask her, she would say her most important titles are Mother and
Child of God and being an advocate for families who have lost a parent.

Who here today is here to learn how to overcome obstacles in their own work and life?

http://www.icanfinishwell.com 

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SINGLE MOM CEO
TRACY BOONE
EPISODE 7 TRANSCRIPT

hahara Wright:    Hi everyone, and welcome Single Mom CEO. I'm so happy to be here. I'm with you guys. Once again, I am Shahara Wright, and today we have with us Tracy Boone, um, another single mom and I just, this is a rarity, in that I just met Tracey and we had a really good conversation and I said, Hey, I got to have you on this show. So I'm so glad that she agreed and took the time to be here. So thank you so much Tracey.

Tracy Boone:      Oh, Oh, really enjoy the meeting. You and I felt like I knew you forever already.

Shahara Wright:     Yes. So we're having a little bit of technical difficulties. You guys is kind of freezing up a little bit, but, um, we're gonna get through this one way or another, so we're going to make that happen. Um, so anyway, Tracey, um, why don't you introduce yourself, tell everyone about you and, and what you do.

Tracy Boone:     Um, my name is Tracy Boone. I actually am the CEO and founder and executive director of Elijah's Path to Healing foundation and a lot of hats just in that. Um, and I'm a single mom. I'm a widow of almost seven years,  as of December 23rd. And I had at the time, he was six years old when we lost my late husband Reed Boone. And so we've had about a seven year journey.  I had a three large gym fitness facilities here in Denver, Colorado. So we're from Denver, Colorado, and we love horses and we are bringing healing and hope to families across the country and hopefully around the world eventually. Um, and just starting a television program to coming up here, um, starting in Thanksgiving day. So, um, things are progressing very quickly. Yeah. So we have a weekly television program now starting, um, on the now network and yeah, in about four weeks less. I'm a mom of a very big 13 year old. Yeah. I love it. He has no sense of, um, uh, let's just say he's a very huge dreamer and I love that. So, um, anyway, that's me.

Shahara Wright:     No, that's a lot. Congratulations on the television show. I'm so happy for you. And so I know one of the first questions I asked you, um, when we first spoke, and I know everybody wants to know is how did you kind of move from doing the gyms to a question work? Um, you know, it with, uh, families who widowed families.

Tracy Boone:     Well, you know, when you have some huge trauma or grief, something like this happens, happen to you. One of the things that you do find out very quickly that if you use what you've been through to help others, it actually really helps you. Um, it helps others. But this just so that the ones that use this to help others really do well, but the ones that haven't made it. Um, and in what we have been through, so it doesn't even seem like an option to us. It's just like a call that we have on our life and that we've answered, you know. But, um, we went from the gym industry, you know, gyms are very busy and they're very hard. It's very hard, intense business. And we had three 40,000 square foot facilities here with over 15,000 members and a hundred employees. And it was just a big animal.

Tracy Boone:     And you know, I'm a faith girl and I just really believe with all my heart that God led me out of that and into what we're doing now. Um, he brought a Jewish man to by my facility, so I was like, well, that's pretty awesome. And he bought my facilities. Um, you know, it just, it was getting harder and harder to do by myself and my son. You know, one of the challenges that I was really under was my business was so busy being just me that my son suffering and I had to make a change and he had to be homeschooled for a bunch of different reasons. And, um, I had to make a change. I had to make a hard decision and that's what we did. So I made it. I chose him.

Shahara Wright:     Yes, yes. That's what we do, right? As single moms, we choose our kids. And, you know, one of the themes I think that all of us have is that, you know, we've decided to build our businesses around our kids. And I think that's the most awesome thing. I think, um, that we can do, we can choose to do that.

Tracy Boone:    Yeah. And the one thing I did learn coming from that experience, I know what I don't want, right. Coming out of that into this, and now I can shape this foundation since we're the founders, right. I can make it look like a doable situation and I know what I don't want, which is huge. You know, to know what you don't want is really important.

Shahara Wright:    So I think it's a big deal. I think it really is. And I think, um, being able to say, you know what, I really don't want that. And so I'm not going to do that. I think there was a hard lesson for me to learn, um, literally like I would know I don't want that. But I would think, well, I've got gotta do it anyway, even though I don't want to; no, you don't.

Tracy Boone:    Oh, right. Oh, I have a choice. That's great. Yeah. So, yeah, but I mean it, you know, it's, it's the coolest thing is be able to do something with this and to be an example for your kid, you know, to say, look, we can create something from nothing. Right. Right. And really make a difference. It's been such an amazing journey. And he and I were just filming the other day and he's just the personality anyway. And he just, you know, I said, son, why do you want to do this? And he said, you know what? I want to do this because it's kind of like a sneeze. You just got to get it out. He goes, there's just something in me, the test.

Tracy Boone:     Okay. I mean, we could, yes. For three years. So it's been a lot of developments and things and nouns are to move, which is really fun. But to be able to be an example and to show him that you can make decisions and choices in your life and shape your life the way you'd like to see it. Right. Um, so that's, that's one of the things I wanted to share is it's we are a true example to our kids. And the one thing I have made I'm very diligent in my life is to make sure he knows that he counts. He's number one number and in my life, and I have to be very focused on that. If I'm not focused on that, it gets away from me and then all of a sudden I'm seeing some behaviors that I'm not loving. Right. So it's very, you know, when you're, you, you, you, I'm sure you get that.

Shahara Wright:     Absolutely. Absolutely. I think it's important, you know, that we figure out kind of that balance. Um, because I know, um, for me, sometimes I'm like, OK, I, there are things that I need to do that, like I just need to do and I just can't focus on you right now. Um, and being able to set that expectation like, Hey, you know, mommy has to focus here, but as soon as I'm done with that, we'll, you know, get back to, you know, whatever else. Yeah.

Tracy Boone:     Right. Yeah, sure. You acknowledge them and say, Hey, you're on the radar, you know, let me get these things done.  But it has to be sacred. I mean, you know, when you have your, a significant other there, you kind of can slow, but when it's just you, you have to really be diligent with your time. And that's, I think that's one of my books. I think that is my most valuable asset is my time. Yeah. And when somebody infringes on it, I'm, I'm, you know, I'm not very nice.

Shahara Wright:     I'm not very nice there. Yes, I know. I know. And that's the best way to get on my bad side is wasting my time. Um, yeah. That's just not going to happen for you yet.

Tracy Boone:    Yeah, you too? And I've got a few people say, Hey, what is this thing about your time? I said, try and be a single mom and you'll find out real quick.

Shahara Wright:     I mean, I don't think a lot of, I think that's something that doesn't get appreciated as much because when you're by yourself, um, you know, your schedule is everything. And so, you know, you are having to be not just where somebody has in your business, but wearing so many hats at home, um, in that you, you know, you've got so many hats that you have to like really pay attention to how you're scheduling your time and where it goes. Um, because if you don't, um, you know, balls get dropped and that's the last thing we want to see happen. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. So you said something, Tracey, that I think is amazing because I always say this is something that I can never do because I don't have any patients at all whatsoever. Um, but you homeschool your son. Um, so I want to know how in the world do you make that happen? Um, cause I can't even imagine just my brain is like not even allowing me to go there.

Tracy Boone:     Well, you know, and honestly the, the, the, the kids can go to school and do great in school. It's, I think it's an amazing thing. First of all, I want to say that I think it's an awesome thing if they can do that. Um, my son, unfortunately when we were in the school system after my husband died, he was just struggling really hard. And you know, we found out later that he had an interruption in his nervous system, the development, his nervous system from wow. So that was why he was struggling so hard in school. I mean, I saw my son's hall art. Yeah, well his behaviors were, and they weren't matching up and I just, as a mom, you just know that something isn't right. But you know, he needed me and I was running the facilities working, I can't even tell you how many hours a day. And my son looked at me and they looked at me at the school and I knew that he was in the wrong place and I had to make a choice again. I chose him and you know, God always makes a way when you choose, when you do the right thing and you listen. And I just knew in my heart it was the right thing.

Tracy Boone:     Well the lean on and homeschooling. So I kind of took their path and said, Hey, show me how you do this quickly. Because I don't have a lot of what time. And so they coached me and had me homeschooling in no time. And I got be, I get to witness some of the coolest things and my kid learn and grow as an art. And you have to learn how to go. I mean, I go to, I go to conventions like well, I think to prepare myself on how to do this, but again, it's, it's just, it's the hand that I've been dealt when my son needed me. And I know that anybody listening that if your son or daughter needed you and this was the Avenue, you'd figure it out. You know? And if they don't need it, great. But if they do, you'll do it. You know? That's just what moms do. We do what our kids need and it all seems to work out right. So that's how you do it. I never saw myself homeschooling, however, it's a miracle. Um, but it is, like I said, one of the most, I think I will always treasure the time there was, you know, there's moments where I won't, but yeah. Yeah.

Shahara Wright:    No, I love it. I really do. So let's talk about, you know, the, the nonprofit organization and, you know, I, I definitely understand, um, you know, just from, you know, being on boards, being a lawyer that's set up nonprofits, you know, kind of being around how difficult that is. And I think in some ways it's more difficult than starting your own business. Um, so how are you kind of finding the time and the ability to get the message out about what you do, uh, so that you can assist other families?
Tracey Boone:                                                You know? Um, I have an amazing, at owning gyms, you really learn how to set up your community. You know, you go out and you find people and you let them know. So I've kind of, I spent the last quarter of a century doing that other in a different arena. So it's kind of a natural thing for me. Oh. So it's a lot of collecting emails. And I know a lot of people, I'm already, because of what I do and who I know. And, um, but you know, I, like I said, I'm a faith girl and when you're called to do something, you show up and God shows up and things happen. Um, you know, I had no idea within that other than a couple of weeks ago I'd be doing a television show. So who was obviously taking this to a whole new level and they have 30 million followers. So that kind of solves a lot of problems for me.

Tracy Boone:     But you know, in the first few years you're, you're in the development stage and you're real, this is a, this is a worldwide global. Yeah, thanks. So it takes time to really develop and say, what is the need and how are we going to solve it? And that takes a lot of time to do enough and now right behind me and the last year, it's been about finding the right people to be in the right place. And now we're just, you know, again, we're at kind of at that leap off point right now. And so we're just getting the word out through that, through Facebook, through, um, just communications like that. Just word of mouth. And I know so many of these people, but we do equine assisted philosophy. And what that is, you know, when I last read the hospice, um, therapist handed me a stack of brochures and just some therapy for your son and yourself.

Tracy Boone:      Right? And so I went through a brochure. I couldn't imagine myself the office after that, but I ran across a brochure with men on a horse. But you know what, that got them out. And it ended up being just this amazing journey. I'm now certified in it and I now have the facilities across the United States to, to have access to which opens up a whole other door. Cause all those people know people and you know, it's amazing how many people know breathing people and they need help. So, you know, it's just kind of spreads like wildfire. When you solve a problem, it seems to spread. That's true. That's true. And that's so great. So in terms of, you know, you know, finding time for you in the midst of homeschooling and getting your, you know, nonprofit off the ground and all the other wonderful things that you do.

Tracy Boone:      How do you find time for you? Well, you know, that is again, the air arena that I was in for so long. I was a trainer, a personal trainer, and I had to listen to my own voice. And it was a process because this is the stuff I know. Um, you know, I had to really look at my schedule and what I need. I'm up at 5:00 AM I do my workout, I watch, um, inspirational things and I spend my time, um, with God in the morning. And then at 6:30 a.m., I have a conference, zoom call. All the people very, very diligent with that. But if I don't get my workout in, I'm just off. So I've learned what works for me, what does, and I've had to be really diligent with it and just say, what do I need and then I need put it in place and then I don't need to move. And it's just a lot of the things that I've already, but I used to, did I actually teach people, so yeah.

Tracy Boone:     I actually have a prayer call that I do all the widows and the fatherless kids out there. So from 6:30 a.m. to 7 a.m. we have a prayer call that everybody calls in to the zoom and we pray over them, we minister to them and that's what I do. So I have to be ready and on my game at six 30 to seven. Right. And then, you off my day goes. But I just make sure I how that time in the morning and it's very important. And then, you know, once a week I really try to just have a time where I can just go off and be by myself and just kind of refreshing cause that's me. I'm a person that if I go off and just have just quiet time for myself, then that's, that's really helpful for myself. So that's what I try to do. Um, and sometimes I do really well at it, another time, the times, I don't know, one the weeks I don't, it's not a great thing, so I've got to be diligent with it.

Shahara Wright:     That's good. That's good.

Tracy Boone:      And you know, honestly horses are big for me. Yeah. So if I go pet on a horse, they're good.

Shahara Wright:    Yeah. You, you get to enjoy that and it's good that you can kind of combine what you do and give yourself self-care, um, in that. So, um, you know, what do you find like is your biggest struggle.

Tracy Boone:     You know, as you're trying to manage all these things, what do you find like is the most difficult thing that you have? The advantage? No, I think, um, what I feel very spread thin. I think my anxiety goes up and I think that's something that I'm really working on right now because you know, when you just feel like, Oh my goodness, I've got to get to that though, that, that and you start getting overwhelmed instead of just being okay in the moment I'm good. Um, I feel like my anxiety level raises and then that's not great for anybody. Right. And then, you know, thinking of the horse, you know, I'm going to do a lot of these analogies with the show and all that, but with a horse, they are the ultimate, um, prey animal. So they respond to your emotions. Well, think about your child.

Tracy Boone:    They are, they are the ultimate prey human right. They will respond to you correctly and accurately if you watch their emotions, if you watch their body language, if you watch and pay attention to what you're doing. And so that's something that I'm just really being, I'm really heightened in right now. I'm just watching and I'm just watching how, to me, if I was in an arena, what would I be really evaluating about myself? Because, you know, just to be in, Oh my God. And to um, think for self-care. If you're in the moment and you just breathe and you take things one thing at a time and just keep that piece down at peace within you and just relax and just say this, the person with the most peace wins and Rudy Giuliani said that, you know, during nine 11, that's how we did it. The person that had the most peace won in every, all the arenas. And I just think that's really important because nobody wins when you're heightened like that. And so that's one of the biggest challenges I'm facing right now with everything going on is I've just got to slow things down one thing at a time. Keep my anxiety, be, be real, present about my, and mindful of my anxiety and, and cause that's what I do. I just kind of get a little heightened when there's too much going on. Right. That's me.

Shahara Wright:     I do the same thing. I do the same thing. Yes. And this sneaks up on you because you think you got it all and it's like, wait, what happened? Yes. I totally get it. I totally get it. So thank you so much Tracey for, you know, giving us your insight and your thoughts. I know I'm you guys, we have a little bit of technical difficulty, but hopefully you got the gist of everything that Tracey was saying. Um, we, um, definitely enjoy having you here. So tell everyone how they can connect with you. Um, get in touch with the organization. How can we support you? W what, what can we do?

Tracy Boone:    Always donating is a great thing, especially now because we're starting a telecom the gym program, so it costs money. But, um, you know, my website is, I, you know, if you can remember this, I wrote a book called I can finish well. Um, and the website is http://www.icanfinishwell.com  and then on there you can see a tab called foundation. Um, and I'm can give a free gift. Kind of a really neat thing from, um, my husband. If you want to text at 26786 the word heroic. My husband wrote a piece called, um, the power from within. He was a champion athlete and it was a one, it's just an amazing piece. So if that's something that they want to do, um, it's a free, a free gift from us. Um, I give it to everybody I talk to cause it's just an amazing piece and everybody gets something from.

Shahara Wright:     Nice. Thank you so much and we'll definitely have um, links and the information for you guys as well. So, um, as you're watching this, you'll, you'll have it all available to you on our blog, um, on YouTube and Facebook and everything like that. So thank you so much Tracey, for being here and sharing your story. Um, I look forward to watching your television show and I also look forward to for us, you know, to connect more. Um, so thank you so much for sharing your, your time with us.

Tracy Boone:    I definitely have, yeah, our show too. So actually this is going to be, I look forward to getting to know you even more.

Shahara Wright:    Awesome. Okay. You guys. Well, that's it for Single Mom CEO this week. Thank you so much you guys for being here. Um, I look forward to seeing you next time we talk. Make sure you connect with us on Facebook on, and we'll get your, we have everything for us, but you can go to single moms, CEO one, I think it's single moms, CEO success on Facebook. Um, and YouTube is, um, Shahar, right? So YouTube.  Um, and again, you know, I'm going to make sure that you have all the links so you don't have to remember everything, but make sure you go there and do it. All right? And we'll see you next time. Bye. Bye.