Today I interview, an investor, author, public speaker, lifestyle influencer, and empire builder, Elena Cardone.   The Queen of her Empire, Elena has designed, constructed and protected a life outside of the ordinary. She has inspired a legion of followers to create their own empires – lives that are truly fulfilling and beyond the average. She counts her current job as her most important one – Chief Family Officer, where she is loving mother, fierce wife and loyal friend. Hosting her podcast series Women in Power, Elena interviews and speaks with other influential women about a variety of topics – social media, business, health, children, education, government, entrepreneurship, travel, beauty, fashion… and yes, sex! Bestselling author of the book Build An Empire and an in-demand speaker, Elena has traveled the globe sharing her insight, wit and experiences building an empire and creating an extraordinary 10X life for herself, husband and family. The architect behind many of Grant Cardone Enterprises’ ventures, Elena is an experienced businesswoman, entrepreneur and investor with her and Grant’s influence felt with Cardone Capital which is closing in on 10,000 units under management with a real estate portfolio valued at $1.5 Billion. In this episode, Elena dives deep into her background and explains how she fell into abusive alcohol and drug use. One day, Elena woke up and realized that she needed to get it together. Elena speaks about her ability to change and why it’s so essential to have a full schedule, especially during the quarantine. Stay tuned as Elena explains the difference between haters and naysayers and why your opinion is the only one that matters. // E P I S O D E   S P ON S O R S  PureForm Omega Plant Based Oils (Best Alternative to Fish Oil): http://www.purelifescience.com Use ben4 for $4.00 off. [00:30] About Elena Cardone Growing up in New Orleans, Elena had an excellent childhood. After a traumatic fire, Elena lost her childhood best friend. The very next day, she was sent back to school. Elena had no time to acknowledge or process her feelings. So, Elena decided to start self-medicating. Elena dove into alcohol and drugs. Fortunately, Elena never became a drug addict or an alcoholic. At seventeen, Elena left New Orleans and flew to Los Angeles to become an actress and a model. Elena lost eight friends before the age of seventeen. One day Elena woke up and realized that she couldn’t use her friend’s death as an excuse to drink and use drugs. [07:00] About the Ability to Change Elena has the ability to experience change. She isn’t fixed to ideas of how things are supposed to be. Every time Elena has a fixed idea, she has gotten herself into trouble. Early on, Elena had an idea that her relationship was supposed to look a certain way. However, she realized that she needed to let go of that idea and think about why she ever thought it. Then, Elena realized she didn’t need to look to her husband for her own happiness. If Elena was 100% happy, she understood that it would make her relationship evolve. Start looking at your beliefs – are they yours or did they come from someone else? Are you willing to solve your own problem? [12:20] The Importance of Health in Building an Empire You have to generate energy when building an empire. Energy is valuable – you can’t rely on someone else to give you energy. You have to produce your own! Elena takes control of her body – if she didn’t, she would sleep all day. Get Elena’s book, Build an Empire. [16:15] Why We Need a Full Schedule Elena has to have a full calendar. When the quarantine started, Elena doubled her workload. A full schedule keeps her so busy that she just keeps going and doesn’t have time to get introverted or depressed. It’s hard to get stressed when someone is working on a full schedule. We only have so much time – stay busy! When we aren’t busy, the game becomes to attack each other. [19:20] The Difference Between Haters and Naysayers     A na