I tend to be opposed to putting things in boxes, and to me, the concept of ‘failure’ is potentially another box. Is failure really failure? Or is it just an ‘obstacle’ or a ‘learning experience?’ Or maybe, is failure simply representative of the fact that you’re out in the world doing things? In this episode, we’re going to ‘unpack the box of failure’ with Justin Skinner. In our conversation, we talk about the differences between ‘failures’ vs. ‘obstacles’ vs. ‘normalcy,’ the importance of detaching the idea of failure from self-worth, why failure is relative, and how to leverage failure as a form of (healthy) motivation. We also discuss the concepts of failure and the importance of giving ourselves grace specifically as it applies to those of us who are entrepreneurs and self-employed. Justin grew up in Springfield, Missouri, on a dairy farm just north of the city limits. He is the oldest of four children and married to Kendra Joy Skinner. They currently live in Springfield with their little Morkie-Poo Daisy. Justin played collegiate baseball at Crowder JUCO and Drury University and is inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. Soon after college (and getting fired from a job) Justin and Kendra started their own business in Springfield. Together, they also began investing in real estate and running short-term rentals. Justin is the author of Professional Failure: Using the Gift of Failure to Better Yourself and Those Around You. And be sure to subscribe to The Self-Employed Life in Apple Podcasts or follow us on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts so you don’t miss an episode. Everything you need can all be found at jeffreyshaw.com.  Justin Skinner, thank you so much for being here!   Remember, you might be in business FOR yourself but you are not in business BY yourself. Be your best self. Be proud and keep changing the world.     Guest Contact – Justin Skinner on Twitter (@JustinCSkinner) Justin Skinner on Instagram (@JusticCSkinner) Professional-Failure.com Professional Failure Book Contact Jeffrey –   JeffreyShaw.com Books by Jeffrey Shaw Business Coaching for Entrepreneurs The Self-Employed Summit Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share!     Valuable complimentary resources to help you –   The Self-Employed Business Institute — You know you're really good at what you do. You're talented, you have a skill set. The problem is you're probably in a field where there is no business education. This is common amongst self-employed people! And, there's no business education out there for us! You also know that being self-employed is unique and you need better strategies, coaching, support, and accountability. The Self-Employed Business Institute, a five-month online education is exactly what you need. Check it out! Take The Self-Employed Assessment! — Ever feel like you're all over the place? Or frustrated it seems like you have everything you need for your business success but it's somehow not coming together? Take this short quiz to discover the biggest hidden gap that’s keeping you from having a thriving Self-Employed Ecosystem. You’ll find out what part of your business needs attention and you'll also get a few laser-focused insights to help you start closing that gap. Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! — Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email you a few suggestions to improve your brand message to attract more of your ideal customers. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO!   Host Jeffrey Shaw is a Small Business Consultant, Brand Management Consultant, Business Coach for Entrepreneurs, Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker and author of LINGO and The Self Employed Life (May 2021). Supporting self-employed business owners with business and