Teacher Turned Entrepreneur: Recent Episodes
Dori Stewart
Ready to take that leap of faith and finally chase those dreams of yours? It's not always easy to stay motivated when you're balancing a teaching career, family, and home life, but that's exactly what we're here to help you do. I'm your host, Dori Stewart, and this is the Teacher Turned Entrepreneur Podcast. Around here, we like to talk about our collective and sometimes crazy experiences as entrepreneurs, teachers, and women who do it all. If you've been looking for more in life than grading papers and conferences, this is for you!
I've been called the teacher turned entrepreneur. After spending 11 years in the classroom, I left to start a business that I grew into a multi-million dollar brand. It doesn’t matter where you’re currently at; having someone cheering you on makes a world of difference to get to the head of the class. I love that I can bring that to you here. If you’re ready to build the life you’ve been dreaming of, stay tuned as we dig deep into what it takes to turn teachers into true entrepreneurs!
We’ve all scrolled through social media in search of gurus when in fact – as Dori Stewart’s guest on this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur reminds us – a deep knowing and wisdom actually reside within us. It’s just a matter of nurturing it along! Amanda Parker is a speaker, writer and transformational business coach whose heart-centered approach builds leadership vision rooted in her clients’ most authentic selves. She explains how she came to uncover her coaching model and offers tips for anyone looking to cultivate more self-confidence. It starts with trusting our own instincts and uncovering that inner voice! You’ll come away from this episode with actionable steps you can take to start bolstering self-confidence, including an invitation to do the inner work to identify – then weed out – the people and things that are draining rather than life-giving. And if you’re in a New Year’s mood for some goal-setting, then you’ll want to take note of Amanda’s best practices! “It’s not always about setting and hitting a goal, although that can be very attractive and enticing,” she says. “It’s often about how you want to be showing up in the world and factors that will help you get to that place.”
Stay tuned for Amanda’s upcoming Master Mind course, featuring inspiration from changemakers doing deep work in the world, by visiting this link.
If you enjoyed this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur, click here to hear past shows and leave comments!
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· If you’re passionate about something but feeling disconnected, it might be time to explore and figure out.
· A certain measure of naivete can be helpful when you’re swinging for the bleachers with a new entrepreneurial dream!
· Career impact starts with uncovering and celebrating your most organic, authentic gifts!
· Heart-centered leadership is about learning to look within for inspiration and internally generated self-confidence.
· Compare and despair! Stay focused on and trust your own unique inner wisdom.
· Self-help gurus and education are great, but over-subscribing can be a signal that you’re getting too far away from your instincts and true north.
· New Year’s Inventory: Take a moment to visualize who you want to be in the 12 months ahead and really identifying the things that make you feel healthy and grounded in life.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· Not a Straight Path: Amanda’s pause and decision to hop off the advertising track to go all in on her love of animals and wildlife conservation.
· Feeling passionate about her work but stuck and disengaged, Amanda set about identifying what drives people to do good work – and love it.
· Amanda’s entrepreneurship journey started in the leadership space, where she worked with a coach to build programs to support leadership excellence.
· The Courage Factory grew out of a deep passion for humanizing the workplace and has grown into helping people connect with their dreams and the path to get there.
· Amanda has more recently shifted away from leadership development to the deeper inner work that enable us to bring our gifts to the world.
· Tips for Entrepreneurs in Search of Confidence:
o Do that deep inner work! Get to know who you are apart from external measures.
o Embrace the values and goals that define you and your entrepreneurial drive.
o Follow what gives you energy – the things that light you up – and drop what’s draining.
o Trust yourself and listen to that inner voice.
o Make the mistakes and move forward!
· Why it’s important to distinguish between self-improvement and using outside resources to distract from what else might be going on or in need of attention.
· Goal-Setting for the New Year: It’s all about transformation and giving yourself the space to think about who you’ve become over the past 12 months – and who you wish to be going forward!
Putting your family’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in place may be a little painful at the outset, but the benefits you’ll reap over the long run are undeniable. Productivity Coach Heather Steinker has figured out through trial and error a reliable, replicable roadmap for organizing every aspect of our lives. And with that knowledge comes power! If you can predict it, you can control it. But not without a reliable and comprehensive system, which is where Heather’s online Chaos Control System binder and companion boot camp come into play.
As this mompreneur has experienced firsthand as a single mother of three, breaking down all the components of life administration can seem pretty overwhelming. But that’s where Heather’s Chaos ‘n Cookies system flexes its muscle, breaking down things like financial planning, household maintenance, children’s needs and even gift-giving history into bite-sized SOPs. The overview brings clarity and peace of mind in knowing that – no matter what curve balls life throws your way – you’ll have a system that’s both nimble and resilient. “It might take some investment in the beginning,” says Heather, “but your mindset and momentum will be much better and more positive (in the long run) if you know everything is in place.”
Sammy Handler is living the dream! She has transformed her passion for art (which started with painting doodles on friends’ shoes in high school) into a growing commercial enterprise. As she explains to Host Dori Stewart on this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur, this 26-year-old dynamo has taken her colorful vision and packaged it in a huge array of ways that have caught the eye of everyone from new moms (who love her bibs and baby blankets) to kids (who devour her personalized accessories) to college students (who are decking out their dorms) to corporate marketers (ever on the prowl for cool new promotional items). Sammy has straightforward advice to offer that will embolden people of all ages to figure out what they love and then work out how to make it “blow up” the way her KicksBySammy custom designs have done. When it comes to scaling her business, we’re learning how this young entrepreneur has gone about identifying collaborators who align with her values and integrated a meaningful charitable element into the model. Sammy has some especially helpful advice for young aspiring entrepreneurs about taking advantage of university resources and building that all-important network! Most of all, you’ll come away inspired to check out Sammy’s art, which is visible not only all over social media but also on eye-catching public murals in Miami and Chicago. Click here if you want a peek at her one-of-a-kind feast for the senses!
If you enjoyed this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur, click here to hear past shows and leave comments!
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
· How Sammy turned her passion for art into a business, from painting shoes for high school friends to blowing up on social media to providing promotional products for large corporations.
· Expect the Unexpected: Groundbreaking businesses are often built on ideas that no one has ever tried – or thought possible. So go ahead. Explore!
· The old saying proves true once again: Find something you love doing, then figure out how to make money doing it. The formula works!
· How did Sammy turn her side hustle into a full-blown enterprise? She got practical about ways to scale her product to connect with the masses.
· Analysis Paralysis: It’s easy to get bogged down in market research, production systems and planning. Meanwhile, a competitor might be poised to overtake you!
· Don’t overthink! Your market is always going to evolve and change over time.
· Sammy’s Biggest Challenge: Juggling the many moving parts involved in running a business from the ground up. She’s the driver behind:
o Social media
o Design
o Finance
o PR
· It’s your baby! Sammy is learning (and asking other entrepreneurs about) how to entrust responsibility to others – a necessary next step in her company’s growth.
· Look for clients and collaborators who:
o Understand and embrace your work.
o Share your mission and align with your values.
o Have a following that meshes well with your own.
· How Sammy has gone about identifying her collaborators:
o Networking with others in the art world.
o Getting her artwork noticed (including public installations).
· Some of Sammy’s Top-Selling Products are Baby-Centered:
o Blankets
o Towels
o Burp clothes
o Bibs
o Pillows
· Kids and adults alike love the personalization that Sammy offers, which is why she’s constantly researching and open to new ideas for creating bespoke content.
· The Charitable Element: In tribute to her grandmother, who died of pancreatic cancer, Sammy donates a portion of sales proceeds each year to the Lustgarten Foundation. She also offers a buy-a-gift and give-a-gift campaign that supports holiday toy drives and DIY painting activities live on Instagram.
· Advice for Young Aspiring Entrepreneurs:
o Start networking early. It’s so important!
o Your college has an entrepreneurial center (probably at their business school) so check it out while you can!
o Start asap to enter contests, pursue grants and get feedback.
o Leverage resources and knowledge banks. You don’t know it all!
o After graduation, keep extending your circle of collaborators and mentors.
o Don’t be shy. Reach out via social media, LinkedIn or any other way you can think of. People are willing to talk to you – if you ask!
Finding your authentic voice is important for any entrepreneur, but especially so when it comes to creating content. And that’s why Nicole Kepic, a popular copywriter who helps coaches and course creators elevate their sales pages, has been able to separate herself from the pack. As a seasoned pro who for years worked in the corporate sector, helping market some of the biggest household brands, she was able to seamlessly convert her side hustle as a freelance content provider into a full-time business. It starts, she tells Host Dori Stewart on this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur, with knowing your client’s goals and defining the message in a catchy, relatable style. “You just have to know your own personality and skill set,” says Nicole, who encourages new writers or those of us with writer’s block to keep it natural. She also recommends ditching the self-judgment and limiting beliefs. You’ll learn some great tips for identifying the audience you want to serve and brainstorming the kind of compelling copy that attracts eyeballs and closes deals – without ever coming off as a hard sell. Is it magic? Nope. Says Nicole: “You can be really friendly and conversational and still be professional and trusted.” Your writing roadmap starts here!
If you enjoyed this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur, click here to hear past shows and leave comments!
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
· That’s just what you did: How Nicole started out as a 9-to-5 copywriter on a traditional corporate path … until what started as a modest side hustle became much more!
· What if the clients don’t come? How Nicole overcame the initial fears and self-doubt that entrepreneurs commonly experience when first starting out.
· Defining and differentiating herself has been key to Nicole’s success.
· Word of Advice: Don’t try to be all things to all people. Scaling down and focusing your offerings will make your portfolio sharper and business easier to manage.
· The importance of narrowing your offerings, enabling repeatable processes that are time- and sanity-savers.
· Advice for Entrepreneurs with Writer’s Block:
o Go easy on yourself. You’re probably better than you think!
o Keep it natural and write the way you speak.
o Try to be relatable and conversational with your message.
· Is writing your superpower? Nicole has tips for wordsmiths looking to start a business:
o Keep it clean, crisp and clear.
o Don’t let flowery or clever writing interfere with getting your point across.
· Getting ready to work with a copywriter? Here’s how to prep:
o Get clear on your audience, who you’re serving and the service you wish to provide.
o Define the message you want to communicate so it doesn’t get watered down or lost in translation.
· How she stands out: Nicole’s long experience with well-known brands is a big asset, but it’s her friendly, approachable writing style that truly distinguishes her from the pack.
· Want to retain clients? Make the user experience seamless and enjoyable!
· Are You An Introvert? Nicole is, and she has surprised herself with a writing style that is light, fun and low-key – but still gets serious sales results!
Jocelyn Kelly Reid’s coaching methodology brings together abundance and intuitive healing around money – in a unique combo platter that has transformed her clients’ lives! Combining energetics and a deeply feminine sensibility, Dori Stewart’s guest on this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur is sharing the framework she offers women who are ready to allow themselves to receive and grow financially. It all starts, says Jocelyn, with understanding our unique histories and the stories we tell ourselves based on our individual families, financial histories and traumas. Whether your background is one of wealth, poverty or somewhere in-between, Jocelyn is all about working with women who want to transcend life circumstances to make big impact and big money.
You’ll come away from this episode with a new perspective on the interplay between growth and openness and the ways in which the universe delivers when we practice healthy – and abundant – patterns of thought. Jocelyn shares insights on money’s four energetic areas (and how to work with them) as well as advice for any would-be entrepreneurs who want to be well-prepared before making the leap. Hint: It starts with getting the right support in place! “If you’re not enjoying the process,” says Jocelyn, “you’re not enjoying your life.” So true. Are you ready to step into being Queen? Here’s an invitation to expand your emotional repertoire and invite abundance on every level!
If necessity is the mother of invention, then chaos might just be a very close cousin. In the midst of raising three young children, juggling home schooling, household priorities and a freelance career Leah Stine decided, “Why not?” and started her own company. If you’ve ever noticed that being super-busy tends to make you more and more efficient, that was definitely the case here! Host Dori Stewart explores the path that Leah took in carving out her niche as a writer specializing in collateral for podcasts and how all the daily juggling and craziness of busy family life somehow always works out. You’ll enjoy hearing about this unique entrepreneur’s journey and just in case home school teacher, mom, spouse, community member and business owner weren’t enough, Leah has recently added author to her resume with the release of her charming children’s book, "A Boy and His Butterfly." Enjoy this fun conversation. It’ll inspire you to follow your passion and think about the many ways that you can repurpose content to market your brand via social media and other channels. For anyone toying with the idea of starting a blog, Leah advises: “Don’t overthink it!’ There’s no better time to start than now!
If you enjoyed this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur, click here to hear past shows and leave comments!
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Not getting the work promised or the conditions advertised? Maybe it’s time to start building your own business on the side!
· Launching a business in the midst of panic and chaos can be done. Sometimes you just have to dive in!
· Feeling bored or stagnant? It might be time to refocus and relaunch!
· If you go to the effort of writing a blog post, remember it can be repackaged in myriad ways for all kinds of social media channels. Don’t leave valuable content on the table!
· Have you noticed that sometimes the busier you are the more organized you are? It’s a focus thing!
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· Moving from a business degree to the rigors of home schooling, Leah branched out on her own when the marketing work she was doing fell short.
· How Leah transitioned away from the real estate clients she was serving with social media posts, blogging and newsletters into a focus on her passion for writing.
· How and why creating her own business has worked better for Leah.
· Niching Down to Podcasts: The self-development journey Leah took in defining her marketplace and brand.
· Advice for Podcasters Interested in Creating Blogs:
o If you want to write a blog, just do it!
o Make an outline with main bullet points.
o Don’t overthink it!
· Ways to Repurpose Blogs:
o Email marketing.
o Social media posts.
o Audiograms, videograms.
o Infographics.
o Pull quotes.
· Every Day is Different: Leah reflects on juggling her business and home schooling, household and other priorities. She embraces her scrambled schedule. It works!
Need an understanding financial advisor for your business but need help finding someone fit? Our guest for today's episode, Tammy Trenta, noticed the lack of entrepreneur-focussed financial planners long ago; that's why, stepping on to what would be a 27-plus-year-long financial career, she made business owners her niche client base. Now, as the founder and CEO of Family Financial, she empowers business owners to keep more of what they earn by helping them smartly spend on taxes and adopt continual wealth generation practices.
Having founded a retail business after careful thought years ago, Tammy understands the passion behind business ventures. Also, as someone who grew up in the 70s and 80s to entrepreneur-teacher parents who'd filed for bankruptcy, she feels what money could mean to families. She swears by the lessons from her journey to understand her clients!
Through her personal stories of trials, errors, and successes, you'll learn powerful advice to make wins in yours. As someone who set foot into business building single-handedly while most of her peers worked full-time jobs, Tammy also expresses why a mentor would've made her journey much easier. Learning from someone with experience traveling your path makes the journey a whole lot easier, doesn't it? Tammy is doing her best to fill this gap for others by offering her best advice to people who need it. For more about her mentorship availability, hit her up on LinkedIn. And stay tuned for advice you've never heard before on filing taxes as a sole proprietor in the nascent stages of your business – these won't just help you grow but grow sustainably!
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
Have a kind eye for the situations behind people’s unhealthy, irrational, or erratic behaviors? On this episode of the Teacher Turned Entrepreneur Podcast, meet Heather Kent, a fellow teacher who turned her ability to see through the traumatic experiences and complex stories behind her students’ behavior into actual psychological help for youth and adults navigating trauma. It all began after she got a sense of the dramatic number of student funerals she had to attend over her years as a teacher. Trauma breeds awfulness. She saw children from socioeconomically challenged communities come to schools with ongoing personal struggles all over their heads – “come to school, check all that at the door, sit down and be ready to learn” – and be judged for their abnormal behaviors! Would you call that remotely rational?
In her experience working with human rights clubs and going on international humanitarian trips with her students, Heather witnessed the transformative power of hope. The experiences helped them discover what they wanted to do in their lives and walk in hope. Over time, the desire to reinvent young adult minds lost in lamenting loops made her dedicate herself to trauma-based work. It’s been a long journey – from pursuing a Master’s in Psychology to working with youth mental agencies to starting a private practice, but in the end, she’s living her purpose!
You’ll learn about Heather’s work with individuals, groups, and organizations to create safe spaces for people to become aware of their blind spots, be trauma-informed, and get the help of therapy to thrive. She shares the lessons from her teaching journey that have helped her become a good therapist and advises fellow teachers to choose a professional journey of their interest. Remember, Heather’s journey had nothing to do with entrepreneurship when it began. She gradually unearthed it. So, fret not if you’re not there yet; just make sure to connect with your purpose!
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
It sounds mad to give away all your hard-earned expertise in one go … especially at a time when every business owner is opting for a subscription model! But operating in this manner is marketing of its own kind: especially if you’re a teacher whose job for years has been helping students “learn” and “apply”. As teacher-entrepreneur Adalina East joins host Dori on this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur, you’ll get a chance to hear about a unique business model around transformational healing services that involve “teaching” the exact methodologies that retrain our brains to create profound change.
During her brief multi-country stint with the UN, offering teaching help to different communities, Adalina developed a passion for understanding people’s needs. Desiring to serve from a better position, she got multiple master’s degrees in counseling, therapy, and neuroscience, and after her return to the US, decided to fuse her psychology and neuro health knowledge with her teaching expertise to help people learn the time-tested ways to help themselves mentally, and process and manage any trauma they’re dealing with.
Stay tuned for a variety of tips on self-therapy from trauma, prioritizing self-care and holistic well-being and find out how Adalina can help you. She has programs for anyone seeking help – utilize her free social media therapy posts, one-on-one coaching, or group mentorship programs, whatever works for you! If you’re a teacher hoping to turn entrepreneur, wait for the end moments of the conversation where Adalina shares practical advice from her journey doing the same!
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
What do you do once you’ve unlocked the key to your freedom from an all-consuming job and are loving the newfound flexibility and contentment? You find a way to help your fellow women entrepreneurs too! After Tina decided to opt out of the stress of her 12-hour-long nurse job to get more time at home with her child, she stepped into entrepreneurship and formed her own staffing company for nurses. The interesting part? She was just 25! A young entrepreneur, Tina Rains saw explosive growth for her business, which expanded to eight offices across the country and reaped multi-million dollars in profits. But that was until she decided to sell it and pivot to non-profit work. Tina became an advocate for women and children trapped in human trafficking and abuse and has been actively involved in the cause for the last 6 years. She’s also led an international movement of women, raising funds and awareness for the same. The new chapter of Tina’s life also made her a teacher through the John Maxwell program, and she decided to utilize her tools and learning to help other women build successful businesses through her coaching business, Masterpiece Women!
What made her entrepreneurial journey such a massive success at just 25 years old? What tools and resources did she use to get there? What led her to turn to entrepreneurship eventually? She reveals it all in her conversation with Dori on this episode of the Teacher Turned Entrepreneur podcast.
Through her Masterpiece Women Podcast, Events and Membership Community, Tina provides women with the tools, resources, and continuous support to thrive as leaders, entrepreneurs, and world changers. The community has Live and members-only Live Q & A Calls with Tina and other Masterpiece Women Leaders and a whole bunch of connection, collaboration, and communication resources for entrepreneurial success. The entrepreneurial journey can be a lonely ride, and communities like these keep you away from that feeling by empowering you at every step of your journey!
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
What do you do when you realize that fifteen years of your prosperous and inspiring career as a doctor doesn’t seem to rid you of your itch for fulfillment? You go on a purpose hunt and discover what your life was designed to create! A decade and a half into medical practice, Dr. Alexandra Stockwell thought she’d feel content in life, since she’d now paid off her student loans and was in a financially sound place. But it wasn’t until her career exploration over the years led her to become an intimate marriage expert that she finally found her forte!
Ever felt the desire to drop everything else and make a living off helping people? That was where Alexandra was mentally when she’d finally figured out what to do with her career. She was motivated in the way a teacher would be and wanted to use her talents to grow and become more skillful in serving others. The result is the coaching practice that she established in 2013 and grew gradually into a business in 2017! Offering everything from audios and short courses to 5-figure exclusive private one-on-one sessions, Alexandra has resources for anyone struggling with their marriage! But her journey, like anyone else's, wasn't easy. You know when you feel like someone else has the solutions to your problems, and you can’t seem to know anything at all? She was there too. She fought the feeling and realized that all others had was information and inspiration. That your journey is always yours. It isn’t anyone else’s to dictate!
You’ll learn to trust yourself for your business decisions as much as your life decisions and remove shame out of the equation from the journey to your dream career. Alexandra also has tips for tuning your time and mindset toward your business goals while managing your home and children!
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
Who knew that “a total lovely mistake” would wind up leading Lindsay Rando to co-found what is today a thriving boutique franchise? How did she find her way to co-founding Bobbles & Lace? By connecting the dots between things she has loved forever: People, fashion, unique expressions of personality and fun! All those ingredients together equal a marriage of affordability, high fashion and a truly unique shopping experience. It only made sense to take this “recipe for success,” which includes eight locations and counting in hot-spots around the Northeast, and offer it more broadly as a franchising opportunity. It’s a great model for entrepreneurs like Lindsay, a busy mom with her eye on multiple balls, to scale a successful business with minimal up-front costs and a strong local anchor to manage new locations.
The best part of Lindsay’s franchise vision is the way it embraces individuality – the hallmark of any memorable retail experience. Owners are encouraged to bring their own personalities and let their individual fashion sensibilities fly, but they’ve also got the benefit of support: A step-by-step playbook to help get a thriving boutique up and running. Lindsay has made the mistakes, so you don’t have to! And when you do have to navigate the inevitable missteps or when one of those balls drop? Forget being perfect, advises this 25-year veteran business dynamo. “You have to learn to be very forgiving of yourself,” says Lindsay, “and be okay with being okay.”
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Sometimes finding your passion project – the business of your dreams – means connecting the dots (and they may be dots that go all the way back to childhood)!
· Franchising offers a great model for relatively low-cost, low-stress scalability.
· Customer experience is everything when it comes to attracting and retaining patrons.
· If you’ve got a solid, enthusiastic team in your home office, you’re putting your best foot forward when it comes to introducing franchise opportunities.
· Feel like you’re dropping balls? You might try being okay with not being okay in all ways for all things at all times!
· Getting no’s and making mistakes? Guess what? Be forgiving of yourself and then just keep on going!
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
Big, wild dreams are the stuff of entrepreneurial home runs but – as our guest on this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur explains – dreams alone are not enough. Heather Smith, an interactive storytelling pioneer, could never have gotten her transformational video platform off the ground without a clear focus on exactly the need she was filling and the tenacity to make her idea a reality. Based on her experience curating immersive storytelling exhibits, Heather deeply understood the power of multidimensional interviews to capture the historic experience of Holocaust survivors. Convinced that in fact everyone has a worthwhile story to tell and share, she got to work on StoryFile, a cutting-edge technology that enables us to record our personal histories via custom formats in a cloud-based environment that makes memories accessible to friends, family and colleagues now and in perpetuity.
Heather walks Host Dori Stewart through her evolution into the role of tech entrepreneur, a journey she is not sugar-coating. Purpose, passion, financial resources and lots of emotional support were essential when it came to taking this long, iterative odyssey. Says Heather: Innovation take times, patience, stamina – and a team to keep you motivated and moving forward even on the toughest days. StoryFile’s technology wasn’t an obvious slam-dunk out of the gate, but Heather never lost sight of the mission. As a result, we now have a platform that removes the boundaries of time and space, leveraging video as a gateway to all kinds of conversations with all kinds of individuals, whenever and wherever we want. Heather has literally brought a vision to life!
If you enjoyed this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur, click here to hear past shows and leave comments!
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· From “wild idea” to thriving business: People sometimes need time to catch up with your creative vision. Build that expectation into your timeline!
· It’s okay to iterate! You don’t have to wait for perfection to launch your platform.
· Never underestimate the importance of having a supportive team in it with you for the long haul!
· Excitement and a “wow” idea will take you only so far. Does what you have to offer fill an actual need?
· Launching a big thing: It’s stressful and tiring – but so exhilarating! Prepare yourself for a crazy, but deeply gratifying, ride!
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
Stuck in sales avoidance? Here’s your ticket out! On this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur we’re hearing from someone who knows how to turn the least sales-y of people into pitching powerhouses! Annie Ruggles, Founder & Dean of the Non-Sleazy Sales Academy, shares with Host Dori Roberts, the stumbling blocks that all too frequently stall our businesses:
o Underpricing.
o Over-babbling.
o Never asking.
o Assuming marketing will get you over the finish line.
If you’re someone for whom marketing is the comfort zone (or a safe place to hide!), this is your invitation to look at sales in an entirely new way. It’s about customer service and, above all, just being YOU. Annie shares valuable tips to make what you’re selling more accessible to whomever is buying – whether through pricing transparency or just learning to be quiet and give them the space they need to consider what you’ve got to offer! At the end of the day, says Annie, we can buff up our images and tinker with our websites all we want. But if we don’t find a way to connect authentically with would-be clients, it’s hard to get out of first gear. “Marketing is a pathway to more,” she says, “but if you don’t ask you don’t get! So ask!”
Loving what Annie has to say? Head on over to her podcast, Too Legitimate to Quit, or check out her fabulous Master Class!
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Is your solo venture thriving because of a superpower that you’ve figured out? You may be well-positioned to coach and teach others how to deploy savvy skill!
· Sales is an ethics and values game. If you’re bringing on people who don’t share that, your brand is going to start to evolve past you – and not necessarily in the right way.
· You can care for people and charge for that service simultaneously. It’s to be expected!
· Think sales is all about being pushy? Shift that mindset. It’s about customer service!
· If you don’t feel comfortable with sales, look for a different guru, tactic or school of thought. There are all kinds of approaches to suit every style.
· Marketing may seem comparably shiny and fun, but sales has to be a major leg of your business’s stool.
· Your job on a sales call is to listen – not to talk! How else can you know what the customer really needs?
· Your venture is about who you are – so bring that authentic self into the sales process!
· Stop trying to be affordable and focus instead on being accessible.
· Are you dodging discomfort by waiting on customers? That’s sales avoidance!
· Put your prices out there! If you leave it to your customers’ imagination, they very likely will just click through to someone else’s website offering.
· Anyone who is teaching you to sell from their own vantage point is not teaching you how to sell successfully by leveraging your true self.
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
Amber Gray, Founder & CEO of Trusty Oak, has positioned herself brilliantly at the intersection of all things Virtual Assistant. This episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur highlights how the right pairing can be a game-changer for entrepreneur and VA alike! These collaborations offer a win-win, giving both parties the flexibility to optimize and shine. If you’ve got organizational, marketing or development skills to showcase, then you may be perfectly situated to work with Amber, whose agency trains VAs to industry standard, facilitates placement with clients and provides a community of support while navigating the job. And if, on the other side, you’re a small business owner longing for help, Trusty Oak is the perfect route to securing an assistant who will be accountable, reliable and up-to-speed on best practices.
You’ll learn in this conversation with Host Dori Stewart about how Amber came to carve out this niche seven years ago, what lies ahead for VAs in the face of a rocky economy (a relatively sunny forecast!) and what you can do as an entrepreneur to maximize your VA experience. “It’s all about all of us getting more efficient with our work,” she says. If you’ve got practical tools that you’ve picked up as a teacher, office worker, store manager or in some other life capacity, you may be perfectly suited to lighten the load for a busy independent business. And if you’re busily growing a new enterprise, then Amber knows exactly how to identify the best resource to lighten your load and move your dream into overdrive!
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Feeling stymied or like you’re in a dead-end at work? That may be your invitation to explore something bigger or entirely new!
· A huge Trusty Oak value-add is the pre-vetting it does to ensure contractors are up to industry standards.
· Do you have the skill set to be a VA? You’d be surprised at the range of jobs that prepare you well for exactly this kind of project management-oriented work!
· Freelancing requires an investment of time out of the gate, so remove whatever stressors you can (such as personal debt) to give yourself a good runway.
· Virtual Assistants are somewhat recession-proof as a cost-effective substitute when entrepreneurs need to downsize full-time staff.
· If you’re pretty sure you could use help from a VA, try time tracking for a week or two to really identify the specific tasks you’d like to offload.
· Nimble entrepreneurs are able to adapt to changing economic times, so don’t be afraid to assess and evolve as your business requirements change!
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
What are you waiting for to start building your purpose-driven life? The best time to start is now. You cannot afford not to start; when you know you’re being guided, every minute you wait you’re delaying a breakthrough.
Staci Wallace is a business strategist, 8x author, online growth& optimization specialist, keynote speaker, and the CEO and Co-Founder of the Fueled by Fire Mastery Program and Elite Masterminds. She helps CEOs, thought leaders, and entrepreneurs build purpose-driven, highly profitable lives and businesses they love.
Staci narrates her entrepreneurial journey that she started at age 16 and how her family and a childhood disease influenced her. She talks about her failures, successes, and learnings, and how she now helps women connect with their purposes and build purpose-driven lives.
Listen in to learn how to build a value and principle-driven life that’s unshakable by storms and failures.
Here are the top takeaways from the conversation:
· How Staci turned her pain and trauma into a purpose-driven life.
· How to achieve abundance by allowing yourself to make a monumental shift in your life.
· The power of shifting and starting now to achieve a breakthrough even at the risk of failure.
· How she allowed God to work on her ego and started helping women connect with their purpose.
· How to have a principle-driven life/business that is unshakable by storms and failures.
· Learn how to conquer the negative voices inside your head and achieve your best life.
· Tap into an otherworldly abundance experience by giving space to pause and listen.
Connect with Staci:
Instagram |LinkedIn | Facebook I Website
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
What a shame that the power of relationship building isn't taught in business school. It's a learn-as-you-go type of thing that keeps many entrepreneurs up a night trying to figure out the million-dollar question, "How do I get more clients and more sales."
Laura Meyer has been in the business world for over 20 years, and she's seen it all. From franchising her portrait studio concept to owning dozens of studios in her area, her marketing expertise expands far beyond the reach of a textbook. She has lived and breathed marketing for more than two decades.
So what is the secret to Laura's success? If you guessed relationship marketing, then you are correct.
"I have experienced so much struggle in my entrepreneurship experience, the highest highs and lowest of lows. If I can make [another entrepreneur's] path easier or flatten the learning curve, I find that very rewarding" -Laura Meyer
Laura is now a business coach and consultant, and she's on a mission to help others build the relationships they need to succeed in business. Laura also certifies sales and marketing professionals and provides them with the tools they need to turn their expertise into a high-ticket consulting offer.
Laura opens up her vault of business knowledge to Dori Stewart in this episode of the Teacher Turned Entrepreneur Podcast and discusses how building relationships is the key to success in business. Some of the treasures you will take away from this discussion are how Laura pivoted her entrepreneurship journey into thriving coaching and consulting firm, the importance of relationship marketing, and how you can apply what Laura has learned in your own business.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
● Professionals with sales and marketing backgrounds, such as teachers, can pivot their knowledge into a high-ticket consulting offer.
● Entrepreneurs set sail into their ventures, thinking the trip would be smooth sailing. Unfortunately, this is not the case; Laura explains how her methodology takes the entrepreneurship journey and breaks it down into a step-by-step process to success.
● Have you ever considered a career as a consultant? Laura provides an overview of her methodology and certification program for sales and marketing professionals.
● Are you tossing and turning at night, wondering how to get more clients or how to turn a conversation into a sale? Laura Meyer has the answer for you, relationship marketing.
● The heart and soul of your marketing strategy shouldn't focus on increasing your bottom line but on providing value.
● Do you think relationship-building can't be done successfully online? Tune in as Laura dispels this myth with a real-world example that you could implement into your business today.
Here's a quick look into the episode:
● Through 20 years of entrepreneurship, Laura Meyer turned her expertise in sales and marketing into a high-ticket consulting business. Now she teaches others how to do the same.
● An explanation of the four types of marketing available to entrepreneurs and small business owners and the pros and cons of each.
● How Relationship Marketing is different from other types of marketing and the importance of social capital in your business.
● Entrepreneurship is anything but linear. How do you manage the ups and downs? Laura Meyer has some advice she wants to share with you.
● What makes Laura's social media marketing strategy so irresistible that potential clients reach out to her! Laura gives us an inside look at how she can get in front of her ideal clients using relationship marketing.
● Have you underestimated the power of Relationship Marketing? Tune in to discover why so many entrepreneurs don't realize the importance of this lost art.
● What is the difference between paid media and earned media?
Paid media is advertising through various platforms, such as TV, radio, or print. Earned media is when you get free publicity for your business from outlets such as news stories, blog posts, social media, and referrals through relationships.
Paid media is a great way to get in front of your target audience, but it can be expensive. Earned media is a more cost-effective way to reach your target audience, but it can be more difficult to obtain.
● Are you interested in becoming a natural relationship builder? Pre-order Laura's new book Win-Win. In Win-Win, you'll learn how to use relationships to enhance your business. This book is ideal for you if you're an entrepreneur just starting out or more experienced in the field. Win-Win will take you through the process of:
Establishing credibility in your industry
Strategies for increasing your visibility in the marketplace and then finally
Developing a community of collaborators, audience members, and clients who become part of your ecosystem
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
How are you breaking through the noise and getting your message out there? Did you know you can do PR for your business on your own? To get your PR right, you have to first make your business findable with organic content.
Lee Caraher is the founder and CEO of Double Forte, a successful national public relations, content marketing, and social media firm. Double Forte works with beloved consumer, technology, and wine brands. She is a highly sought-after communications expert known for her business acumen and insights.
She narrates how she started her business out of need and how she has sustained it for 20 years through downturns and business model changes. She explains how to improve communication as a leader by being specific and sharing appreciation feedback with employees.
Listen in to learn the best PR practices to take to improve your business visibility both online and offline.
Here are the top takeaways from the conversation:
· The downturns and business model change that Lee has faced in her business of 20 years.
· How to sustain a business for a long time by staying innovative and relevant in the market.
· Strategies to help you master the process of hiring right and keeping people for longer.
· The difference between millennials and GenXers and how it shows up at the workplace.
· How to be more efficient by being specific and appreciative in your communication as a leader.
· The right PR steps to take to improve your business visibility online and offline.
· LinkedIn best practices to keep you engaged and your business visible to your audience.
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
Do you want to scale your side hustle into a full-time business? To become a successful full-time business owner, you have to shift from an employee to a CEO mindset and continue to strengthen that mindset.
Richelle Jessey is a business and mindset coach for coaches. She helps corporate women turn their service-based side hustles into full-time online businesses.
Richelle describes her journey to becoming a certified coach and how she pivoted from a leadership coaching business to helping women start and scale their side hustles. She also explains how she helps her clients identify their why and create their future selves to keep them motivated.
Listen in to learn the importance of getting specific with your marketing messaging to attract the audience you want to serve.
Here are the top takeaways from the conversation:
· How trusting the journey allowed Richelle to pivot into a coaching business.
· How to shift from an employee to a CEO mindset where you’re the strategic leader for your business.
· The inner work to help you build a stronger mindset that can overcome business challenges.
· How to identify your why and create your future self to achieve that why.
· The advantages of going through coaching training and certification to become a coach.
· Find what you’re passionate about to establish your coaching business around.
· The qualities and qualifications to look for in a coach before hiring one.
· How to get specific with your marketing to better target the audience you want to serve.
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
What do you do when you’re a triple-threat entrepreneur? You develop a three-pronged business model that showcases all your talents, which is exactly what Mandi Graziano has done. As she explains to Host Dori Stewart on this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur, with a little time management it has been possible to juggle a thriving sales coaching practice with a buying role at a major hospitality sourcing platform and speaking engagements to highlight her bestselling book, "Sales Tales: The Hustle, Humor, and Lessons from a Life in Sales." It’s a lot, but Mandi was bitten early by the entrepreneurial bug and has never looked back!
On this episode you’ll learn about the biggest challenges Mandi’s coaching clients face and how any sales process can be tweaked to create the optimal Business Bedside Manner™. It’s all about build deeper relationships with your customers, vendors and community. Mandi also reminds us about the importance of scheduling breaks into our busy days in order to refresh and cultivate clarity – something she does on her backyard swing. “There’s so much noise that we let in our brains all the time,” she says. “But if you just give yourself 10 minutes of silence, it’s an explosion of ideas!”
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Time management is an art! If you have difficulty switching between creative and admin. tasks, try using the "time bucket" methodology.
· Scheduling breaks is a critical part of effective time management if you want to make the most of your mind power.
· Need help daydreaming? Consider spending some time on a swing set!
· We experience noise constantly. Give your brain a break. Silence – even for just a few minutes – is a powerful creative tool.
· Books like Mandi’s "Sales Tales: The Hustle, Humor, and Lessons from a Life in Sales" have something to teach all of us, since selling of one kind or another is part of life!
· Want to support women’s enterprises? Check out The W Marketplace, a fantastic resource for women-owned products and services!
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
Host Dori Stewart’s guest on this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur has succeeded in a man’s world by embracing her feminine power. After years of trying to compete in a male-dominated landscaping industry, Monique Allen redefined her brand by leaning into her uniquely feminine perspective. As CEO & Creative Director at The Garden Continuum, she has grown a seven-figure business based on a culture that was authentic to her and aligned with her values.
When she first put her hands in the soil nearly four decades ago, Monique just knew: “I felt alive ... It was just primal. That was the spark.” The daughter of entrepreneurial immigrant parents, starting her own business was a natural progression for Monique, who was determined to turn her passion into a “legitimate” enterprise. She did exactly that and much more by developing an entire methodology beautifully expressed in her book, “Stop Landscaping, Start Life-Scaping.”
Monique shares tips for creating space, overcoming friction and staying relevant in a man’s world while embracing a feminine perspective. And she makes no apologies!
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· If you regard it as a “real job” but others do not, you can create legitimacy by putting an entrepreneurial structure around the venture – whatever it might be!
· Passion is a key ingredient – the spark that starts a business – but on its own is not enough to sustain and grow that business. For that, look to your differentiators and create a method.
· You have to start out with a “big, fluffy” dream! But that vision must then be honed and defined by a roadmap and actions steps to follow.
· Growing a business is a regenerative process, much like cultivating a garden. It requires a constant infusion of life and adaptation to changing conditions.
· Don’t apologize! You have earned the right to be confident, so don’t be shy about leaning in and claiming exactly what you want and need.
· Are you a brand ambassador? Every business venture needs one, but the mantle has to fit and be authentic to who you really are.
· Are you in a male-dominated sector, trying to compete by being one of the guys? It may be time to embrace the feminine and give that valuable perspective a voice at the table.
· If you’re running into friction, try this mindset shift: Embrace the people who are bugging you the most. It opens a path to resolution through compassion rather than resentment.
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
Community is the most powerful of renewable resources – especially for women entrepreneurs, for whom “hive mind” is a source of inspiration, ideas and bravery. With that in mind, Fabienne Fredrickson, author, TedX speaker and founder of Boldheart, developed a unique platform that offers women who want to level up an online route to clarity, replicable systems and a peer support network like none other. As she explains to Host Dori Stewart on this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur, it’s a recipe that includes a multi-faceted roadmap for female-led businesses looking to grow and scale.
Fabienne shares her story and the ideas that formed the foundation for her proprietary Boldheart Business Program, which is built on predictability and connection. “There is this deep level of self-belief that happens that you don’t get when you’re working at home in isolation, by yourself,” says Fabienne. If you’ve ever felt self-conscious about your “black sheep” tendency not to fit into a cooker-cutter mold, this conversation will shine a whole new light. In fact, coloring outside the lines is encouraged in the Boldheart community. Fabienne explains why having a village of support is crucial when it comes to striding boldly forward. Is it time for you to connect with an intentional community of generous women – peers traveling the same entrepreneurial road you are and ready to help you realize your dreams?
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· If you’re spending so much time away from family that they never see you, it’s time to make a change of systems so that you can work smarter, not harder.
· Data indicate that women entrepreneurs do better in a community. Do you have that network of support?
· We all need a culture of care, especially if we have a sense of being “black sheep” for questioning received wisdom.
· Accidental communities (think school potlucks or office happy hours) are not the same as intentional communities based on commonly held personal interests and goals.
· Isolation breeds self-doubt, especially among women!
· How can we have it all? It starts with locating your values and then finding the right cultural, professional and practical fit. Your business your way, your life your way!
· What is it to have a BoldHeart? To search yourself honestly, and act bravely.
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
See if you can follow this: Toni Bache’s successful business coaching platform derives from … her personal success building a coaching business. She left her corporate career not after years of creating spreadsheets, generating sophisticated marketing materials and executing a phased launch – no! “Just do it” was her mantra, and it definitely panned out. As she explains on this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur, Toni launched her company fully understanding that it would be an iterative process. Her initial clients – who today are her biggest fans – eagerly partnered to help this Australian dynamo develop a membership model that today offers two tiers service based on well-defined client need and a sustained revenue stream. “With a membership you launch once and then they just keep paying you month after month after month,” says Toni. “There’s no drop dead where you get all the money one month and then nothing the next.”
Toni shares her tips for aspiring entrepreneurs (especially those interested in establishing a membership model) and highlights mistakes to avoid. She also shares the story of how putting together an essay for Medium (which you can read here) was a total gamechanger, bringing her exposure and a jumping off point for becoming a successful online business by sharing with others the methods that have made hers such a success. It’s a great formula – one that any of us can replicate and tailor to our own particular offering or brand. Forget about perfect. Flops and stumbles are part of the process, says Toni. And if you’re feeling stuck? She’s got some the tools and support to get you moving forward!
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Have something to say? Publish it on Medium or some other forum! It’s a great way to attract clients and build your brand.
· You’ve hit on your big idea and are ready to go into business. Don’t get stuck in the weeds with planning and perfecting. Just launch! You can do it cheaply and simply, then augment and adjust as time goes along.
· The membership model locks in recurring and predictable revenue, which is incredibly stabilizing for entrepreneurs.
· Memberships also offer incredible flexibility and freedom to tailor your service offerings to your own strengths as well as the needs of your target audience.
· It’s okay to tweak things as you go and be transparent with clients when some component of your program isn’t quite working – either for them or for you.
· Don’t let fear of failure become greater than your drive to success.
· Those clients who are willing to work with you during a soft launch – even through the adjustments and occasional misses – will likely become your most loyal members and ardent advocates!
· It’s got to be about more than the money. Make sure what you’re offering lights you up!
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
Lights! Camera! Action! On this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur we’re getting a sneak peek into what it means to produce a big, screen-worthy life. It starts with vision and surrounding ourselves with positive energy, says Lillian Victoria – who is herself the definition of positive energy! She shares the story of her emergence from false beliefs, childhood phantoms and a career in entertainment that wasn’t the right fit to claim her authentic voice. Today, as a mindset mentor for entrepreneurs, her dreams and coaching practice are devoted to helping others do the same. She’s all-in on launching solo ventures as a way to live the life we want. And isn’t that the goal? “No one can take away your story, your brand, your experience,” she says, “and no one can create your vision better than you yourself!”
This lively conversation covers the elements of Lillian’s approach to building a successful life – by acting as our own writers, producers, directors and headlining stars. It all starts with mindset and actively seeking out people who bring light and big ideas, an abundant approach to life that mirrors our own values and deepest beliefs. It might be hard, says Lillian, but that sometimes means parting ways with people who are toxic because “it’s easier to work on yourself than to change the whole world!” Your journey starts with owning your story, staying accountable and keeping mentally and physically healthy so you can weather those inevitable bumps in the road. “You’ve got to be your own best friend and trust yourself that you’re figuring it out,” urges Lillian. “Every idea or intuition that flashes through your mind, write it down. It’s there for a reason!”
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· When you’re self-made, no one can take that away from you. It’s 100% yours to grow, nurture and shape to your own standards.
· No matter where we’re heading, we can’t lead unless we’ve done the work to grow. Our experiences – good or bad – are what give rise to understanding and insights.
· Accountability – even in the face of naysayers – is a critical component of success.
· Ever wondered why entrepreneurs are so high energy? It’s probably because of the daily thrill they enjoy in executing on their vision!
· Sometimes stepping into your own gift sometimes requires stepping into your own, even at the risk of losing relationships that are counter-productive.
· Fear can actually be a powerful driver when harnessed and leveraged in healthy ways.
· Be Prepared: Entrepreneurialism can be a very lonely road. It’s okay. You’ll get there.
· Ready to claim your story? You’re the maker of the big-screen feature that is your life!
· Everyone has their own definition of success, but the common thread is simple: Living life on our own terms.
· Remember self-care because when we’re not mentally and physically healthy, it trickles down and impacts everyone around us!
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
Renée Dineen describes her previous self as “almost gluttonous” about devouring the next thing in front of her. Sitting in those quiet, in-between spaces? Definitely not for her! As she shares with Host Dori Stewart on this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur, a high-powered corporate job that had become her identity was fueling an addiction to action that served neither her nor her family. The scenario felt familiar and comfortable since, as the daughter of an entrepreneurial mom, being driven and mono-focused was something she understood intrinsically. But was it what Renée wanted her two kids to remember about growing up? This soul-searching question not only inspired a total change of pace, it has developed into an entire practice providing busy professional women with a platform to pause and bring intention to their lives. As a coach and author, Renée’s passion is unmistakable. She offers a full menu of thought leadership, thought-provoking content, online and live corporate workshops as well as transformational retreats in Costa Rica.
You’ll learn on this episode about the fears Renée had to conquer before making the leap into entrepreneurship as well as about the introspective journey she took from million-dollar biotech exec to self-sustaining business owner (and evangelist for sitting in the quiet places). She shares tips on how to make what she calls a “lifestyle career move” and what you can do to get started creating a landscape that reflects your core values, ambitions and dreams.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Don’t see the job for you? Create the job your company or organization doesn’t yet know it needs – then fill it!
· It’s impossible to overestimate the pull of our identities, which at a deep level we reflexively cling to – even when it’s time to embrace transformational change.
· Something to Consider: If you’re an entrepreneurial mom, that’s great. But bring mindfulness to the time it takes from family and whether they still felt seen by you.
· Following the Call: Here are Four Things to Consider Before Making a Lifestyle Career Move.
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
Could there be a more powerful combo than an entrepreneurial spirit, vision and a woman’s determination? In the case of Ashleigh Wilson, CEO & Founder of the first-ever elevator auditing and management software, the answer is an unequivocal: No! As she explains on this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur, this dynamo has developed an innovative, industry-changing software-as-a-service platform – and she made it happen without any technology experience whatsoever. How did she do it? She walks Host Dori Stewart through the process, starting with a gut instinct that something was wrong with the elevator service industry in which she had worked since right out of college. Instead of rising through the ranks of a sector she thought could do and be much better, Ashleigh used her native problem-solving skills to look for a solution to empower customers and vendors alike. And AuditMate was born!
You’ll get a fascinating peak into the elevator and escalator industry and find out why creating a data-driven auditing capability has been transformational in terms of leveling the playing field – which is a core value for Ashleigh. She is all about daring to speak up and joining with other women (especially entrepreneurs!) to be brave and make change. “Women walk the world in a different way. We’re problem-solvers and we go about it quietly,” says Ashleigh. “But, look, if you’re having a problem, someone else is likely having that problem. If you’re frustrated with something, someone else is likely frustrated with it as well.” There’s power in remembering that!
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Is your body communicating something? Is your moral compass telling you something isn’t right? You may want to heed the feeling and zoom in for a closer look.
· Burnout is real. If it’s at all possible, consider taking time off just to sit on the couch and ponder your life, health and priorities.
· Any long-term contract (could be with phone service, insurance carrier or servicing your car) can be vulnerable to mismanagement. Regular audits can be money-savers!
· If you see something that isn’t right or can be done better, be the changemaker! You can elevate standards if you make it a mission!
· In need of some industry or business credibility? Reach out to your network and ask for a public endorsement or vote of confidence. Women are eager to support other women!
· Here’s how you manifest: By finding someone who believes in your dream – even if it’s “only” you – and then waving your banner continually until you’ve made it so!
· Need to fall in love with your business again? Try taking a deep dive into different departments and finding new ways of looking at the venture.
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
If you are obsessed with your Instagram “likes” and posting constantly because you’ve heard that’s what your business requires, think again. Host Dori Stewart’s guest on this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur is busting some of the biggest social media marketing myths out there. Anjum Bhandari, founder of Business and Beyond, has developed a hugely effective methodology for converting content into actual revenue. She spills secrets about what works and doesn’t work, why “vanity metrics” are a waste of time and how even the most introverted among us (including Anjum herself!) can become masters of video content and presentation.
You’ll learn the most important things to bear in mind when it comes to creating your Instagram marketing campaigns and common mistakes that are easy to avoid. Anjum also walks us through exactly how she honed the expertise that makes her coaching practice so unique and effective for business owners. And if you’re looking for some practical tools and actionable tips for managing social media, this is the interview you’ve been waiting for – and your first step towards generating content that will leave a powerful impression out in the digital world!
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Not happy where you are? You can brainstorm your way to an entrepreneurial alternative that offers the freedom to design a situation that truly works for you.
· If you feel that you’re ready to launch your coaching business, consider starting one-to-one initially.
· Before you start creating your online course, ask yourself: Do I have the confidence and experience? Or should I perhaps practice my craft and learn more through experience before launching a paid program?
· Evergreen Content is King! Trends come and go quickly, so when it comes to generating social media, focus on topics and information that will remain relevant regardless.
· Do we have to post daily on social media channels? No! Consistency and quality are far more influential than quantity (especially of the irrelevant variety).
· Memorization is key! Whatever the length of your video or livestream, having a script (or at least clear talking points) will bring you peace of mind and confidence.
· Remember: Every time you put yourself out front, you become just a little more comfortable with it – and smoother, as well!
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
It took a minute but Ciara Stockeland quickly figured out that what she did as a franchisor for boutique owners set the stage for what she does now: Advising entrepreneurs. On this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur we learn how Ciara – a lifelong business owner (going all the way back to her teens!) – has used the skills she acquired through developing her various ventures as a springboard to help anyone selling anything to anyone anywhere. Host Dori Stewart invites this dynamic coach and mentor to share top tips for getting unstuck, defying the fear of trying something new and building out the resources necessary to launch a successful next chapter.
You’ll get a front-row seat on Ciara’s journey from starting a single boutique selling discounted designer clothing to developing a full-blown franchise with stores across the Midwest – and how every hard-won lesson has culminated in tools to help other create and sustain their own business models from the bottom floor up. Not just systems but systems designed specifically to support the unique needs of small enterprises. Whether you’re struggling with inventory management or trying to figure out why – despite your best marketing efforts – the numbers still aren’t adding up, this episode offers actionable tips and valuable perspectives that will help you take your business to that next level.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Did you know that entrepreneurism is something you can actually study in college today? It is!
· Feeling lost and marooned on the couch? It’s time to put your researcher cap on!
· If you’re interested in the coaching space, consider what you’ve learned in the school of hard knocks that you wish you would have known back when you got started.
· Very often in entrepreneurship we start out with one thing in mind and then, in listening to our customers, move towards a very different place then originally envisioned.
· Starting over is a lot easier when we build in resiliency, so always be building that network, cultivating curiosity and looking for resources to support your development.
· Don’t let a bird in the hand deter you! Whatever you’re doing, consider whether it’s time to close up shop and move on to something that might be different – and better!
· Don’t be afraid to launch a B- product. Try it, test it and pivot towards A+.
· It’s not necessarily the marketing! Whatever your social media presence, if your numbers don’t add up your inventory-based business can’t thrive.
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
Ready to launch but still stuck in “what if’s”? On this episode of Teacher Turned Teacher we’re hearing from Caley Adams, founder and creative director of the NYC-based design and branding firm Wildes District. She has tips to share for anyone feeling ready to go but … not quite there! Once she realized that the market needed a design business geared specifically toward emerging women’s and e-commerce brands, Caley went about identifying her niche and establishing her individual style. Caley shares with us a few of the tools that were important to getting her business fully off the ground, including letting others know she was taking the plunge (great for accountability) and accepting that there would be bumps along the way (which requires grace).
You’ll enjoy hearing about the latest trends in design, the ways in which post-pandemic branding reflects a more playful, bold esthetic and why it’s so important to claim your own voice – no matter what anybody else in your space is projecting. A new mom, Caley reflects on some of the accommodations she has made as well as the reasons running Wildes District has been such a gamechanger, even on those days when being an entrepreneur feels hard. And if you start to feel worn down? There are resources to tap, say Caley, so go ahead and reach out. You’re not alone! “There are always these little ledges and challenges you have to scale, but once you do it,” says Caley, “it doesn’t feel like anything dramatically different. It’s just the thought of it that can really get in your head!”
If you enjoyed this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur, click here to hear past shows and leave comments!
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· When you look around the table, are you the only woman? You may be looking at a potential specialty gap that your entrepreneurial service could fill!
· The e-commerce marketplace is so crowded and noisy. Claim your own distinct voice. Put your message out there boldly – even if it’s different from everyone else’s!
· Have fun! The trend is towards more color and pizazz coming out of a long couple of years that have been uncertain and monochromatic in many ways.
· Feeling stuck, isolated or challenged by a particular circumstance? Don’t forget to reach out and connect with other women who have been there. Support is there, if you look!
· Accountability is important, so let others know when you strike out on your venture.
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
On this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur we’re visiting with a Leadership and Mentoring rock star – with European flair. For more than two decades, Mahima Klinge has worked with thousands of people globally to develop what she calls “The Mahima Mindset.” And what is that exactly? It’s a game-changing framework for clarifying and putting purpose behind your vision, the product of her own extensive travels, introspection and learnings from others.
Among the tactical advice Mahima shares with Host Dori Stewart are some great tips for setting the right priorities and learning to say no. She’s also teaching how to effectively manage our workload by overcoming exhaustion, distraction and lack of confidence. An international best-selling author and mindset trainer, Mahima pinches herself every day not only because she is living her best life but because she is giving others the tools to do the same. Enjoy her advice and insights, your first steps towards getting unstuck!
Ready to get started on the journey to your most authentic life? Click here to access the special free membership that Mahima is offering Teacher Turned Entrepreneur listeners, including her 21-Day Challenge, Reprogram Your Mind in 7 Days and a free copy of "A Rebel's Guide to Inner Peace."
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Feeling spiritually or emotionally stuck? Take a pause and find your reawakening!
· It’s possible to rewire our brains through self-awareness, questioning and introspection about our values, from the inside out.
· Here’s a thought: Very often when we make a clear decision, the universe hears the call and responds accordingly.
· At the end of the day, meditation is simply about self-love.
· Nothing will change on the outside until you’re in touch with what’s not working on the inside – and have resolved to do something about it.
· Change starts with the decision that your thoughts, feelings and experience matters.
· Anything that someone else can do, you can do too. It’s only your mindset that separates you from your passion!
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
When it comes to that elusive dream – having it all – Sharita Humphrey is a walking example of how it can be done! Through grit and the determination to educate herself, she went from homeless, broke, single mother to financial coach and mentor working on behalf of the federal government. She is sharing with us on this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur the step-by-step approach she took to battle her way out of financial illiteracy and into the driver’s seat not only as a businesswoman but as an evangelist bringing knowledge to others in her community and beyond. “I’m a trailblazer and I’m going to teach people what I know,” she told her mother when she opted out of a stable government job to pursue her entrepreneurial dream.
Sharita shares with Host Dori Stewart her passionate call to action: However much you’re struggling with debt or other money-related stress, you can learn to do better. It’s just a matter of taking that first step. You’ll learn on this episode how Sharita went about educating herself and the role her Dream 100 List played in getting there, as well as how she is spreading her knowledge by working with the U.S. Department of State as a Speaking Expert for Entrepreneurs on Financial Literacy. Want to hear more about all that Sharita has learned? You can find all sorts of great insights at StartUp Nation, where she is a regular contributor!
If you enjoyed this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur, click here to hear past shows and leave comments!
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· When it comes to finances, is your head buried in the sand? You can take command of your money and thrive, one step at a time – starting with education.
· You can change the trajectory of your life! It’s about looking for opportunity in even the most dire setback and grasping for growth wherever it can be found.
· Have you written up your Dream 100 List? Come up with the dream team of influencers, mentors and other potential partners with whom you want to connect.
· Common Denominator: The most consistent thing among entrepreneurs is that they were all willing to take a chance!
· Getting financially healthy is about more than you. Your kids are watching – and learning!
· Just getting started and tight on money? Think about what skills you have to offer and see about bartering with people who have something you need in exchange.
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
For the gifted storyteller featured on this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur, the doors to autonomy and empowerment opened with the launch of her Open Book Company. Part of the pandemic-inspired Great Registration, Kim Marsh had had enough of applying for (and not getting) writing jobs. So she created her own, launching a freelance business that showcases her communications skills and the broad base of knowledge she accumulated working in the nonprofit education and corporate sector. She has found the perfect niche: “So many people are so busy doing their thing and having amazing impact that they don’t necessarily have the time to write about it and tell others.” That’s where Kim comes in! Both as an author and a coach, she’s open to every kind of writing assignment, from memoirs to blog posts to corporate bios.
In addition to ghostwriting, Kim also hosts writing circles and offers one-to-one coaching for aspiring authors and entrepreneurs. Wedding vows. Podcast scripts. Social media snippets. It doesn’t matter. Kim creates space, accountability and encouragement – no matter what you’re working on. Running her own show wasn’t born of an entrepreneurial dream so much as Kim’s decision to embrace what the universe was offering – an invitation to freedom! All the rejections from would-be employers were overwhelming and disheartening at the time, but today Kim clearly sees that she would never have uncovered a calling or started the independent business she loves had she not run into obstacles and dead ends. What “no” is out there, waiting for YOU to come up with a way to say, “Yes”?!
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Do you love telling stories? Communications might be your thing and in the Age of Information there’s lots of need for content!
· Applying for jobs. Lack of control. The rejections. Waiting for the gold star. An independent business can mean saying goodbye to all of the above!
· Living our dreams doesn’t always start with … a dream. Sometimes the thing we don’t even know we want is born of necessity and the obstacles that shape our path.
· Have a book inside you but can’t seem to get started? Writing circles are a great way to find a supportive community to help motivate you and prioritize your project.
· Accountability can be a powerful motivator. It’s a tool to help you show up for yourself and progress (while also showing up for others).
· If you’ve got negative voices in your head, don’t let them discourage you. All writers experience self-doubt. It’s normal! Just keep on going!
· When it comes to satisfaction and success (in business and in life), there’s a very strong correlation with authenticity and listening to your own instincts!
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
Do you know your own mind? That’s a literal question this guest. Saskia Seeling left her native Germany in search of her truest self and found along the way inspiring meditation tools for transformation, especially when it comes to taming overwhelm. Today she brings to the women she coaches a whole new approach to mindset, vision and action. By nurturing the “self” through radical self-love, Saskia invites the fullest expression of feminine power – the most powerful of entrepreneurial fuel!
You’ll learn on this episode about the way in which Saskia supports her clients and techniques we can all use to unlock empowerment. It starts with quieting the noise – no small feat in a world of online chatter, constant deadlines, family obligation and social expectation. For Saskia the journey started with finally understanding (and embracing) a basic fact: She’s not perfect. She’ll never be perfect. And that’s perfectly okay! So if you’re feeling overwhelmed, consider carving out space for a female-oriented business mentor with a plan. Saskia’s actionable tips and deep knowledge of meditation will steady and energize you, whatever the journey ahead!
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Many (maybe most!) entrepreneurs do not follow a straight trajectory. It’s a process of self-discovery and clarity.
· Unknowns are okay! Stay tuned into yourself and signs will emerge and point the way!
· Are you listening for feedback? Other people can help you figure out what you need to know and what opportunities await!
· It’s okay to start small. You needn’t uncover your life’s purpose in one go!
· Check in with your nervous system. Is it in survival mode? Fight or Flight! Meditation is a great way to bring your body back into alignment.
· Hearing lots of chatter in your head? That’s okay. Acknowledge it and then get quiet inside your body.
· Taking action is the first step towards identifying purpose. Even when you’re not sure where the next step will lead!
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
Burned out, her marriage in tatters, Sophia LePage had to decide: Was she going to commit to her soul or continue to follow society’s lead? It took courage but ultimately it felt like there was no choice but for Sophia to definitively break with what had been an inauthentic life path. Departing London to study yoga, shamanism and Feminine Embodiment, Sophia uncovered her truest nature and a calling that had been there all along. Today she is dedicated to helping other women – especially those who, like her, have perfectionistic tendencies – to realign with their truest selves.
Sophia reflects on common stumbling blocks faced by highly competent women as well as the techniques she deploys to help clients reconnect with their bodies and stay centered in their hearts. She also offers advice to women on the brink of change. Whether you’re feeling the tug to travel to a foreign land or simply to get quiet in the comfort of your own home, Sophia urges all of us to be brave, claim our innate femininity and embrace our unique perspectives. Your entrepreneurial – and personal – journey starts with a simple question, says Sophia: “What’s the best, most aligned way to get right with – and truly live for – yourself?”
If you enjoyed this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur, click here to hear past shows and leave comments!
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Living your truth means pausing to ask: What does my soul truly want for me?
· For many, travel offers clarity and opportunity when we’ve lost our way.
· When it feels like your life doesn’t make sense, try connecting the dots. You may have picked up valuable skills and insights along the way without fully realizing it!
· Are you perfectionistic? An overachiever? Ask yourself: Are you doing it for someone else or yourself?
· Entrepreneurial growth occurs when we break the “shoulds” and stop chasing validation.
· Your menstrual cycle is real. Ignoring the body’s rhythm and need for rest at certain times of the month can impede productivity and pleasure overall.
· Change is a gradual process. Step #2 will become clear after you’ve taken step #1.
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
For businesses seeking operational efficiency and clarity, there’s probably no better resource than KrystalClear Virtual – the brainchild of a young mom who wanted to take control of her schedule by working online. Together with her team, Krystal Booker brings overwhelmed business owners order out of chaos – virtually! Her agency offers a range of practical support to help offload tasks as simple as answering phones or as complex as designing ongoing social media strategy and implementation. The result? Increased productivity, scalability and – most of all – the peace of mind that allows even the busiest of entrepreneurs to focus on what they do best.
How did Krystal get started? Well, there was no master plan. As she explains on this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur, she simply sat down and considered the skills she had acquired as a dental assistant, a mom and elsewhere through the course of her life. She looked for opportunities to educate herself and was willing to start small. Most of all, she wasn’t shy about looking for help. “There’s power in your network. There’s power in the ask,” says this creative, busy Mompreneur. “Go out there and make yourself known. Show up in ways that you feel confident in showing up and you’re going to find the clients that are meant to work with you!” And if you’ve already launched your venture and feel swamped? Consider this: A virtual assistant can automate systems, save you time and prevent costly mistakes!
If you enjoyed this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur, click here to hear past shows and leave comments!
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Want control of your life and schedule? Entrepreneurialism is mom-friendly!
· CEOs often don’t really know what’s missing or in what areas they could most use help.
· Get to the Root: If you want to save time and money, dig deep to find the bottlenecks.
· In order to get to your big picture, consider getting help from someone able to detach.
· Consult with an automation expert sooner than later. It minimizes human error and unnecessary expense in the long run.
· You are time. You are money. Operations support frees you to focus on your core mission.
· Interested in becoming a VA? Sit down and list out your skill sets as a start!
· Wondering how to generate client interest? Leads are as close as your own contact list. But you have to be willing to put the word out there and ask for help!
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
Coaching has exploded in popularity over recent years, but what is it that makes the best of them stand out from the pack? This guest eloquently cuts to the core mission at the heart of the most effective coaching: Holding space. “It’s not something you do,” says Taryn Watts, a life coach whose training methodology is inspiring a generation of coaches. “It’s something you become.” Her Mind Rebel™ Academy offers a framework to unlock self-awareness and establish the clarity required to minimize projections and other coaching pitfalls.
One of many things that sets Mind Rebel™ apart is its seal of approval from the International Coaching Federation. Taryn has brought an entrepreneurial skill set to the very interior, sacred work of helping her students dig deep – so that they can go on to coach others who wish to do the same. “As a coach you’re only as willing to go in deep with another as you are willing to go in deep with yourself,” says Taryn. One small step after another, she has built a thriving platform in service of others – which has always been her primary calling. Learn about Taryn’s unique training program methodology as well as some common misconceptions about what it means to be a life coach. At its heart, says this mom of two, the work is about opening up room for clients to uncover what resides within us all: Inner wisdom and compassion.
If you enjoyed this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur, click here to hear past shows and leave comments!
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Going from 9-to-5 doesn’t have to happen overnight. Remember: Baby steps work!
· Do you need a plan? Clarity usually starts with an “aha” about your passion or priorities.
· Focus like a laser on each opportunity to serve and the momentum (additional clients, more $$) will follow!
· If there is a drumbeat in your life – something people are asking for because of a skill you possess – maybe it’s time to figure out whether it’s your calling.
· The magic of coaching? It creates dedicated spaces that enables people to unpack issues and look within for answers.
· The truest, most integrity-filled joy comes from a quiet place deep within that we have to uncover for ourselves (And of course support from a coach always helps!).
· One of the gifts of becoming a coach is a commitment to living the examined life. It’s not always easy, but it’s incredibly rewarding.
· Want to distinguish yourself? Keep your eyes in your own lane! It doesn’t matter who else is out there or where you stand. Just focus on your individual passion and practice.
· Accreditation Matters: Coaching has exploded and isn’t currently regulated, which is why it’s good to look for people with credentials from bodies like the International Coaching Federation (ICF).
· You don’t have to figure it all out. Entrepreneurial journeys start with that first step. Then another!
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
We’ve all had them – those days when it seems like we’re running in circles, trying to drive business while doing endless tasks again and again. On this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur you’ll learn about the powerful ways in which an online manager and other support systems can optimize your world. Arijana Ilibasic, founder of Scale & Simplify, is giving us all kinds of tips for identifying tasks we’re doing repeatedly and automating them with systems you might have no idea exists. She shares important advice for harried entrepreneurs trying to figure out whether they need to delegate and, if so, to what kind of assistant or other resource.
We’re most able to scale efficiently when we’ve got processes and support systems in place but, warns Arijana, it’s all about ensuring the right fit. She’s got a list of important elements to consider before choosing a partner and she urges us to take our time! This is about finding the right fit based on a clear understanding of our strengths, skills and what we enjoy. From there the goal is to outsource things that are labor-intensive and time-consuming. You’ll enjoy hearing the excitement Arijana feels about having found this niche and all the great tools available for entrepreneurs. Want to free yourself up to focus on clients and revenue generation? Here’s a great place to start!
Ready for the Arijana’s free Ultimate Delegation Cheatsheet? You can find out what to outsource and to whom by downloading this and other handy resources here.
If you enjoyed this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur, click here to hear past shows and leave comments!
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· It’s not where you start out but the clues you uncover along the way. You’re not alone if you didn’t have a dream job growing up or even right out of school. Trial and error works!
· Are you a coach (or independent business owner of some other kind) juggling too many things? There’s a reason that online and virtual managers have flourished, especially since pandemic.
· Time trackers like Clockify and Toggl are a great tool for figuring out what tasks are most time-consuming and labor-intensive.
· Check out an app like Zapier (which you can get started with for free) to automate things like spreadsheets, documents, surveys and marketing/communications apps.
· Before hiring an online assistant or other outsourced team member, take stock of the traits and abilities that will make a good match. You’re looking for a partner – not a pal!
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
Do you feel overwhelmed and like too many things are stacked up against you? That was certainly the case for Serita Valmond. Happily, as she shares on this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur, this certified life coach and healer found a way to turn it all around. Struck by a drunk driver, reeling with the sudden loss of her mother, bogged down in a relationship that wasn’t good for her and struggling to be the caretaker she wanted to be for her kids – Serita fought back against hardship by advocating for herself. She’s here to share with us the transformational alternative therapies that got her to the other side of pain.
Having had enough of conventional medical doctors who let her down, dismissed her pain and dosed her with medications that didn’t work, Serita set about exploring modalities that in just a few months’ time radically shifted her mental, physical and emotional health. She treated herself through self-education and the help of empathetic, skilled healers. Her holistic approach included nutrition, stress management techniques, physical exercise. It amounted to a wholesale life change – and there has been no looking back! Since emerging from pain and frustration, Serita has earned certifications as a life coach, pain management and reiki healer. Through her energy and commitment she is inspiring others to battle challenges with tools for self-care and optimal wellness. There is light ahead, if – as Serita points out – we believe!
If you enjoyed this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur, click here to hear past shows and leave comments!
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· If a doctor’s opinion doesn’t sit well with you, remember that it’s your prerogative to go elsewhere and seek out other options.
· When the experts fall short, take things into your own hands. You can be your own chief investigator in charge of health, well-being and any other aspect of your life.
· Have you suffered a huge life challenge, and learned as a result? Your hard-won experience can be harnessed to serve others as a specialized life coach.
· The demographic most likely to suffer chronic pain includes women and people of color – who are also chronically underserved when it comes to accessing alternative healing.
· Practitioners of alternative healing methods make it a priority to understand holistically what’s going on (rather than checking the box as often happens in conventional medicine practices).
· Want to bring down the stress? Breath work and meditation are two great starting points. Check out free online resources or look for coaches that can provide the foundation.
· Did you know that stress erodes nutrition? Take a moment to breathe so your body can actually absorb and put to work that healthy food you’re eating!
· Trust what your body tells you. No one else knows what it feels like to be living your experience.
· Keep the faith. Healing is not an overnight process!
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
Just like a savings account, parents who invest in personal health see long-term dividends that will pay off for their children. That’s why Nicola Mercer has devoted her coaching practice to providing the tools we all need to establish optimal lifestyle choices. She has taken her passion and translated it into a platform to help women honor the Five Pillars – Movement, Nutrition, Sleep, Stress and Mindset – that shape our quality of life.
You’ll come away from this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur with actionable insights from a professional who took an unexpected mid-career layoff as an opportunity to reinvent her life. It didn’t take long for Nicola to realize that the constraints, politics and lack of control she’d adapted to over 20+ years in the corporate workplace weren’t what she wanted for the next chapter of her life. With actionable tips to help us locate the commitment necessary to build new habits into our lives, Nicola helps us get clarity on what our hearts desire and create realistic, achievable goals. Even if we’re only taking small steps, we’re all capable of getting there!
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Layoffs are scary – especially when they’re completely out of the blue and you’re an older woman and breadwinner. Take a deep breath. You’ll find your way!
· Once we get past the insecurity, setbacks can be looked at as an invitation to venture into new territory where very often hidden treasure is buried!
· Fitness is about a lot more than diet and weight management. A holistic approach also incorporates mindset, sleep and stress levels.
· Do diet and fitness goals feel overwhelming? To establish new habits, identify the “why” and break down the “ask” into bite-sized pieces.
· Piggybacking is a powerful strategy. Reinforce one small thing that you’re doing right by expanding it slightly and making it a conscious habit.
· Do you know clearly what you want to do? No rush. But your entrepreneurial vision is critical – and will uplift you on the most trying days (and there will be those days …).
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
Many of Barb Garrison’s clients show up initially with their “pants on fire,” but her 16 years of coaching women through transitional times of life have made her an expert at taking those flames, taming them and then turning them into fuel for a next adventure. With her emphasis on career and money breakthroughs, she helps her clients uncover dreams and set the stage for an entrepreneurial launch – without blowing up the paying day job prematurely!
You’ll learn on this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur a number of actionable tips to get you from career burnout to a brand new vision and thoughts about branding and marketing tools to get you there. Barb’s passion for her coaching work is unmistakable, as is her commitment to drilling down on the emotions, self-limiting beliefs and false assumptions so personal to each of us. It takes patience and commitment to create clarity, but expert guidance from a seasoned, intuitive coach like Barb will get you there – with surprises along the way! “To watch people grow and change?” she says, “The distance they’ve covered in the time we’ve known each other is remarkable and very inspiring!”
If you’d like more of Barb’s wisdom, click here for her free weekly email Monday Morning Leap, which offers short audio and video tools, tips and advice. You can also take her Internal Burnout Quiz for a closer look at your life and career.
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous Teacher Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Are you wrestling with a physical ailment of some kind? Consider that mind-body connection and the possibility that chronic stress is a contributor.
· Are you looking for positive reinforcement that your workplace isn’t ever going to provide? It’s important to do a clear-eyed assessment.
· Starting your venture without any other source of income is stressful. Consider making it work where you are temporarily, while putting the longer-term foundation for your business in place.
· Are you trapped by how well you do your paying job? You may be getting praise and rewards, but is there something else that would be more meaningful?
· Be careful about buying into false assumptions and ill-founded fears. Do a systematic inventory with an open mind. What we believe by default isn’t always true!
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
If you’re that mom who feels guilty drawing boundaries, Host Dori Stewart’s guest on this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur has a different perspective to share. Embrace limits, create space for your own passion and disregard those negative tapes in your head trying to tell you to do otherwise. Beverly Price, founder of Nastava artisan jewelry, was a single mother navigating corporate conformism when she realized that her world could be more colorful and that her daughters would be better served if she committed to following her bliss. And the world is definitely more beautiful for it – thanks to her intuitive, custom designs!
As a “women’s empowerment cheerleader,” Beverly makes it her business to help others who are walking a road similar to hers, helping them pursue life’s opportunities and gifts. Launching new ventures is challenging on many levels, which is why it’s important to have a system of support. That starts with Beverly, who believes “it’s important that we develop a toolkit not only to help us cope but help us thrive as entrepreneurs, even when things are tough,” she says.
You’ll learn from Beverly about her Top Tips for Aspiring Entrepreneurs as well as practical ideas for tackling some of the stumbling blocks she faced while getting her jewelry designs established in the online marketplace. And as for that elusive work-life balance? Beverly has raised kids, cared for her aging parents and built a supportive community for herself – and she didn’t do it by saying yes to everyone all the time! “You have to be okay with making tough decisions,” she advises, “(Otherwise) I would have been in such a frazzled state that I didn’t have anything to give to my children or my job.” So true. And what better way to celebrate than with one of Beverly’s radiant one-of-a-kind creations?!
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous Teacher Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Do you have a hobby that speaks to you? That’s a passion – and may be fertile ground for an entrepreneurial venture of some sort!
· Do you ever feel like your light has been dimmed? Are you in an environment that feels conventional even colorless? Statement jewelry can feel like a jolt of creative energy!
· Want to take a risk? The first task is to question old tapes in your head that don’t serve.
· Entrepreneurism can be challenging. That’s why it’s critical to take time for affirmations and build a robust network of support.
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
What do you do when you’ve got the corporate job of your dreams, but it’s not enough? For Dovile Sinke – a successful professional in Switzerland who nonetheless felt something was missing – it was an invitation to reconsider (and re-order) life priorities. Taking a chance on living her dreams, today Dovile and her family are enjoying travel, freedom and a quality of life that wouldn’t have been possible without that willingness to take the risk!
Dovile didn’t know exactly how her entrepreneurial impulse would take shape, so she started out by doing homework: Assessing the skills she had to offer, searching what niches might work for her in the marketplace and connecting with anyone who able to help her see the path forward. The result? Three online businesses, including coaching other women who want to cut a similarly intentional, independent path. On this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur, you’ll find out how to repackage your skills, differentiate what you have to offer and focus on four key elements for success. “Everything is learnable,” says Dovile. And she’s right!
Are self-limiting beliefs bogging you down? Dovile has thoughts on how to redirect them! It all starts with staying open and cultivating your network. She also reminds us that reaching out with authenticity isn’t spammy or sales-y. It’s planting today seeds that will very likely come to fruition in the future in the form of an engagement, referral or partnership. It’s a step-by-step journey!
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous Teacher Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· If you’ve nailed down the conventional dream job and it feels like something is missing, maybe it’s time to look at what else is whispering to you …
· What are your self-limiting beliefs? You have the power to acknowledge them – and then move towards your dream anyway!
· Identify the skills you have and look for ways to enhance them.
· Everything is learnable – and can be learned incrementally, along the way.
· What you offer needn’t be perfect. It will inevitably evolve and change along your learning curve.
· Business is all about the network you build and connections you make.
· Don’t make marketing your last stop! Active selling is essential. It’s not too “sales-y” to approach and connect with potential clients.
· Invest in people. They are your most critical resource.
· Remember: No one is thinking that much about your situation. So make decisions that are authentic to you and your needs – not some standard you think you have to meet!
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· Dovile shares a look back at the well-paying corporate career of her dreams and why it wasn’t enough to keep her from making the leap into a more entrepreneurial space.
· Four years ago, with a desire for more freedom and ability to travel, Dovile quit her job to start an online journey that today includes three businesses and consulting.
· Transition Fears: It was only after years of contemplation that Dovile determined that she had to make a big (and risky) change. Her self-limiting thoughts included:
o There’s nothing for me to do online.
o I lack the skills necessary.
o How will anyone trust me enough to buy my service?
o Maybe the venture should wait until after I have kids.
· Dovile’s advice for women looking to re-package their skills:
o Start out by freelancing in whatever realm you have experience.
o Once into the entrepreneurial space, other ideas will emerge.
o Look at the needs of people who are pressed for time. What service can you offer? Content management? Writing? Editing? Administrative?
o Stay open and talk to people about your experience and what you’re doing!
· Advice for new entrepreneurs looking to differentiate themselves:
o Remember what business is all about: Building relationships.
o Being authentic is Step #1 when it comes to making those first connections.
o Be unique!
o Put yourself out there fearlessly and let people know what you have to offer!
· Dovile’s Top Four Elements for a Successful Business:
o Identify your niche.
o Having something to offer.
o Marketing that offer.
o Selling the offer.
· If you are genuinely trying to help someone, you are giving genuine value. Even if you don’t make a sale today, that person may become a client or partner down the line.
· Just Do It: Dovile urges would-be entrepreneurs to follow the call!
· Advice for Working Moms:
o Listen to your own heart and go with what’s right for you – not what society or anyone else dictates.
o Define the number of work-plays hours and balance of time that works for you.
o Reach out and ask for help. Support of some kind is essential, whether from a nanny, a partner or co-ops with friends.
o You don’t have to be Supermom. Let go of the pressure and guilt!
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
We often dream up our businesses based on a passion or an innate talent, only to realize afterward that we’re neck-deep in back-end details for which we’re not prepared. Enter Brittany Dixon, organizer extraordinaire. A productivity coach and host of The Productivity Podcast, she is on a mission to help creative business owners work smarter, not harder! On this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur we are learning how Brittany found her calling and the systems she has put in place to support her own successful business – systems she’s sharing with others through her group and one-to-one coaching, courses, podcast and growing community. The goal is simple: To create support systems that free us up to stay in the “zone of genius.”
You’ll learn from Brittany some concrete tips for identifying process breakdowns, optimizing through automation and outsourcing essential functions as you scale. If your entrepreneurial dreams are being slowed down by common stumbling blocks like digital clutter, difficulty with time management or back-end admin processes then this is the conversation for you! It’s all about quieting the noise so you can focus on what fuels your best ideas and clearest thoughts. With tools like her BCO Method and ROAD to Scalability, Brittany brings actionable frameworks that will resonate with any entrepreneur tempted to say “yes” to everything only to be left scrambling to keep up with all the moving parts that result! Getting organized needn’t be overwhelming, thanks to Brittany’s step-by-step approach. “We’ve got some pretty well-oiled systems in place,” she says, “and once you’ve got those systems in place you don’t need as many people to manage it.”
Want to learn more about Brittany and the tools, templates and accountability she provides? Check out this link for her Productivity Community and much more.
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous Teacher Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Never discount side hustles – whose momentum often turns them into the main event!
· Have you identified your Superpower? Everyone has one and it’s the natural point of entry for would-be entrepreneurs looking to leverage their innate talents!
· Stay focused on the big picture! It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the day-to-day, so why not let an expert establish systems and expedite your basic back-end processes?
· It’s okay to say no. When it comes to our businesses, every opportunity can be exciting but additional, time-consuming back-end management has to be factored in.
· Calendar everything! That means family/self-care priorities as well as business imperatives and daily routines that keep the whole life-work enterprise afloat.
· Digital Clutter doesn’t develop into a problem overnight – nor can it be magically erased! It takes time and a strategy.
· Less is More: Having a structure for online folders is important, but keep it simple and manageable. An over-engineered system can defeat the purpose and prevent filing.
· Hiring contractors is easier than ever! So consider keeping it simple by outsourcing rather than scaling full-time staff.
· Before considering automation, be sure that your processes are operating smoothly. When you automate broken pieces, you’re creating broken systems.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· As so often is the case, Brittany got active as an entrepreneur after she was let go from her 9-to-5 – “best thing that ever happened.” She was working in the catering and event space with young twin girls when she decided to add a side hustle as a home organizer that in the course of a year turned into her full-time gig.
· After reading "Ordinary Superpowers: Unleash the Full Potential of Your Most Natural Talents," Brittany realized that her “little” side hustle had tremendous potential!
· From its inception in 2017, Brittany’s business has grown exponentially based on her ever deeper understanding of the “back end stuff” that was keeping online businesses, consultants, coaches and others from growing their enterprises.
· The kinds of things Brittany helps clients figure out:
o Time management.
o Productivity.
o Email and digital file organization.
o Client onboarding.
o Assembling and running a team.
· Brittany works with her clients via:
o Her Productivity Podcast.
o Her Productivity Pod community.
o Group coaching through her Hustle to Flow program, including materials and group calls.
o One-to-one coaching/consulting that pinpoints and overhauls business pain points.
· The things that tend to be the biggest client stumbling blocks:
o Time management is a consistent baseline issue because of all the moving parts.
o Client processes: Ensuring smooth onboarding, offboarding and overall management of relationships.
o Digital Clutter: Cutting through the avalanche of data coming in and going out.
· Brittany’s Top Tips for Mapping Effective Time Management Systems:
o Lifestyle By Design: What are your goals for family time? Figure out commitments to kids, spouse, self-care, then put then on the calendar!
o Business By Design: You can’t say yes to everything. Beyond the things you want to do are all the ancillary functions that also require time and attention – things like marketing, admin, back-end email management require scheduling.
o Routines By Design: Establishing personal best practices sets you up for flow and rhythm in all realms. So calendar your priorities, then stick to them!
· For Digital Clutter, which is a scourge familiar to all entrepreneurs, Brittany deploys her BCO Framework to manage files, time blocking, strategy and other functions:
o Business Development: How you’re growing the business.
o Client Services: Everything you’re providing your customer base.
o Operations: All the admin that supports the whole enterprise.
· Strategies for cleaning up BCO backlogs and data:
o Set up a folder structure and start dragging files where they need to be.
o Sort different functions into categories that make the big picture clearer.
o Beware: Don’t overwhelm yourself with too many sub-file folders!
· How Brittany runs her own business:
o She has only contractors; not FTEs and no plans to onboard any.
o An online business manager keeps Brittany on track with strategy and processes.
o A podcast manager takes care of her production and support.
o A bookkeeper takes care of accounting.
o A booker promotes Brittany’s appearances as a podcast guest.
· About Brittany’s ROAD to Scalability:
o Recognize: Evaluate what’s working and what isn’t.
o Optimize: Ensure that systems offer ROI, are standardized and streamlined.
o Automation: Are the tasks you do on a routine basis integrated into systems?
o Documentation: Keep roadmaps for back-end processes that anyone who joins the team can easily follow or replicate.
· Brittany’s Recommended Reading:
"Ordinary Superpowers: Unleash the Full Potential of Your Most Natural Talents," by Mark Henson.
o "The 5 Second Rule: Transform Your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage," by Mel Robbins.
Are you ready to find your true calling and walk away from your teaching job once and for all?
It is your time to get a solid grasp on the potential opportunities available to you so you can get started on your entrepreneurial journey and change your life!
Download your copy of this free, valuable PDF resource and access 20 different descriptive business ideas that are perfect for a teacher turning entrepreneur.
The Teacher’s Guide to Finding Your Perfect Business Idea (without going back to college)
Soul wisdom isn’t something we’re taught in school. To the contrary! A lot of us are schooled from earliest days to silo our talents and passions, disconnecting what we love from how we live. On this episode of Teacher Turned Entrepreneur we are learning from Regyna Curtis that our life purpose needn’t be divorced from our life force. An author and mentor who has herself navigated a route to blending different talents, she is here to offer us actionable tips for locating the source of our burnout and ways to foster that elusive work-life balance we all seek.
Regyna believes that our strengths marry best with our most authentic selves. That’s when we’re dialed into how we receive information, how we express engagement and how we support our most creative selves. It’s a process that Regyna has cultivate in her practice, named for the combination of two Sanskrit words: Ātman (ɑ tmən) which can be translated as inner self, spirit or soul, and Maitrī (m ah ee tree), which can be translated to mean things like benevolence, good will and loving kindness.
Regyna had to journey through a corporate career in education and travel before ultimately circling back to meld her most intrinsic talents (art, spirituality and sacred practice) with her entrepreneurial bent. Today she is actively supporting and empowering individuals seeking deeper exploration into who they are and how they can most authentically show up in the world. It’s a unique knowing available to all of us – if we’re willing to pause, reflect and commit to aligning our actions with confidence and clarity.
Click here to learn more about Regyna’s practice offerings or to book a discovery call. You might also enjoy checking out her “intuitive artwork” at this link for her Etsy store.
Please click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous Teacher Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· If entrepreneurism is beckoning, look for ways to incorporate it into other things that you love to do. Education, the arts, travel, sports or you-name-it.
· Most of us are trained to silo our interests and talents. Are there ways that you can bring all the unique elements of who you are into synergy?
· Remember the concept of homeostasis from biology? It’s applicable in life as well, defined as a tendency towards a thriving life – which is what we find when we bring all parts of ourselves into what we do in life.
· Struggling with work-life balance? Try looking from the inside-out. Where you locate your deepest drivers, you will likely find the most soulful and fulfilling outlets.
· Trying to figure something/anything out? Bring awareness. And here’s a great tip for getting started: Set an alarm to remind you daily to take a moment, pause, think.
· What kind of learner are you? It’s important to communicate with ourselves through means that connect with our intuitive natures.
· Things that made us happy as kids can resonate powerfully, reconnecting us with ourselves. Did you like coloring? Color! Was nature magical? Take a moment outdoors.
· If you’re going to serve your community well, you have to be happy!
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· Regyna’s entrepreneurial flair emerged early, starting with dominating as “the boss” anytime she and her sister played Office (complete with matching desks). Her inner businesswoman went underground for a while, however, while Regyna pursued arts and education — which were also very important to her.
· Working in a highly corporate environment eventually prompted Regyna to seek outlets for her individuality, which included becoming a Reiki master and adding spiritual practices and art into the mix.
· The Covid shutdown (which froze the education-travel space in which she worked) became an invitation for Regyna to go all-in with her current venture.
· Regyna’s focus is on helping her clients create a sustainable eco-system for life and business, including strategies to combat burnout and investigate (potentially profitable) practices that are compelling on a spiritual or creative level.
· Inside-out questions that Regyna examines with her clients:
o What are your ways of knowing? How do you receive information?
o What are your ways of being? How do you express that information?
o How do you process and integrate new information?
o How do we set up systems and structures to support you in shining your light and doing what you do best?
· Regyna shares case studies of two women she has worked with – one of whom needed practices to help her find her voice through dreams and words and another who sought to explore her connection with nature and maximize the power of seasons in new and satisfying ways.
· Actionable tips for those struggling with work-life balance:
o #1 Bring awareness into your current environment, without focusing solely on the negative.
o #2 Tune in to what you are experiencing in your day-to-day external environment.
o #3 Look for patterns without judgment. It’s important to bring a deep sense of compassion in holding up a mirror to our lives.
· Regyna was liberated by realizing that being boxed into a corporate mold did not serve her higher purpose in life. She flourished after honoring her need to express herself, with warmth and creativity.
· When we are giving, giving, giving on all fronts (at work and at home) burnout is inevitable, as well as disconnection from our life force. Engagement, says Regyna, is the way to restore all the pieces to our life puzzles.
Transcript: Welcome back to another episode of the She Turned Entrepreneur Podcast. Today, I have some exciting announcements to make, so you should stick around for it. My first announcement is that this is officially the 100th episode of the She Turned Entrepreneur podcast! First, thank you for sticking around and being a part of this community. Knowing that you are listening on the other end keeps me motivated to do this job, and I'm so happy that you chose to make me a part of your day and a part of your life.
This milestone has pushed me to do a lot of reflection on the past episodes of this podcast. Not only have I had the exciting opportunity to interview 100 amazing women entrepreneurs, but I have also developed new relationships with some of the best people out there. It is truly amazing how speaking into a microphone has given me more than just a platform but also a network and community of people with shared interests and good intentions. I feel humbled to have you as a listener, to continue having amazing guests on this show, and to be a part of the podcast community.
As you can imagine, I have learned a lot from interviewing 100 entrepreneurs. The value of knowledge that these women have brought to us is invaluable, and if you are just listening for the first time, you should definitely go check out our previous episodes. But, to give some of that goodness away, there are 5 pieces of advice that came up repeatedly throughout my interviews, and I want to share them with you today.
The best time to start your business is now. You will never be ready. You just have to start. The perfect time does not exist, so don't let it get in the way of chasing your dreams!
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Believe in yourself and your ability to figure it out. You have to take a chance on yourself even if nobody else does. Be your biggest supporter and trust that you have the capacity to make things work.
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Failure is just part of the process, and the thing that you are fearful of is the thing that you should really be doing. Face your fears head-on, and when you fail, take it as a learning opportunity and use the lessons learned to nail your next attempt.
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Don't compare yourself to others. Keep the blinders on and pave your own way. Own your own journey. Comparison is truly the thief of joy. Remember that we are all unique with our own unique journeys, so don't be afraid to own your authenticity.
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Finally, if you can dream it, you can make it a reality. Go for it. And, of course, I'll be cheering you along the whole way!
My second exciting announcement for today is that this podcast is officially rebranding its name from She Turned Entrepreneur to Teacher Turned Entrepreneur. Before you freak out, the podcast's purpose will not change, which is to encourage women to achieve their goals of entrepreneurship by sharing the stories of women entrepreneurs. However, the title of the podcast will become Teacher Turned Entrepreneur, and this title is fundamental to my passion.
As you know, I love showcasing women from various backgrounds and industries to inspire you on the many possibilities in entrepreneurship. As a business coach to teachers, this rebrand will bring more focus to my audience of former teachers who are launching and growing an online business.
I am passionate about helping women, especially teachers, become entrepreneurs because I am a Teacher Turned Entrepreneur myself. This shift in my career has had the biggest impact on my life. I went from high school engineering teacher for 11 years to building a multi-million-dollar brand. If I had stayed in my teaching job, I never would have been able to reach over a million students. More than anything, I understand that making such a big change in your career can be daunting, and teachers might even feel limited in their business options. But the truth is that there are so many options for teachers to start a business, and that is because teachers make natural entrepreneurs. Here are a few reasons why:
They are natural and are used to sharing knowledge and skills with others.
Entrepreneurship is all about the exchange of a product or service for money. In this case, your knowledge and skill are the product. Now, it becomes my job to teach you the nuances of marketing this product to a larger audience.
- They are trained, problem solvers.
You have likely heard someone say that a good business solves a problem. Teachers are trained to be problem solvers; whatever specific entrepreneurial path you choose, this ability will be crucial to its success.
- They are passionate and love learning.
Nobody knows everything about something, and you must be open to learning to be a good entrepreneur. Teachers spend their entire time learning and teaching others to learn. Bringing that skill into entrepreneurship means that not only will they be open to adopting the best strategy for their business, but they will be invested in creating content that is targeted at helping their customers learn.
- Like entrepreneurs, teachers are skilled at serving others.
Being able to keep your customers happy is an important part of entrepreneurship; luckily, teachers are very good at serving people. They serve their students, their students' families, the school administration, and their community. They know how to meet the set standard and keep people satisfied, so transitioning into entrepreneurship is like stepping into another familiar territory.
I believe everyone has a passion that can become a business, and I have dedicated my life to helping new and aspiring entrepreneurs launch and grow their businesses. To some teachers, starting a new business is a path out of the classroom; to others, it is just a side hustle. I have been in your shoes; I taught in a classroom for eleven years before setting out on my own, and that makes me your qualified guide to entrepreneurship. Whether through my one-on-one coaching, VIP days, or Membership program for entrepreneurs called the A+ Entrepreneurs, I am always here to help.
You can visit my website at teacherturnedentrepreneur.com to download my free guide on how teachers can use their knowledge and experience to create a profitable side hustle or business to help you out of the classroom and into the financial freedom you've been looking for.
Self-care as a concept is everywhere. But what does it really mean? Is it about taking a day off to go to the spa? Devoting yourself to yoga, meditation and bubble baths? Kristi Sullivan, an author and specialist in Human Design, believes that self-care is found in the small daily pause, the moments of mindfulness and self-awareness that we sprinkle throughout the day. Being in alignment with our truest natures prepares the way for growth and opportunity. “We know that doing the right kind of work with the right people at the right time is important to helping us feel vibrant,” says Kristi. “We become like a magnet and that magnet – when it’s vibrant – starts to attract other opportunities.”
Kristi’s focus on Human Design grew out of her passion for wellness and personal development. It’s a system rooted in ancient traditions that honor the unique personality types defined by a range of factors (including birthdate, lived experience and energy centers). Understanding our individual Human Designs provides us with valuable insights that reveal our essential natures and turn innate gifts into superpowers. You’ll learn about the five personality types as well as the importance of doing the work to heal wounds that do not serve us in our present life pursuits. Entrepreneurial vision requires more than hard work and grit, says Kristi. There are psycho-spiritual elements that, if left untended, can block opportunity and ultimately lead to burnout. Does your business plan include self-care as a priority? If not, maybe it should!
Click here to find Kristi’s new book, “Stop Overworking and Start Overflowing: 25 Ways to Transform Your Life Using Human Design.” You might also be interested in downloading her free 7 Steps to Create Your Personalized Self-Care Plan at this link.
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· What is Human Design? It’s a theory that melds different philosophical tools and traditions to help us align our personalities with our innate energies.
· We may look relatively similar as humans, but “under the hood” each of has a different combination of elements that make up our individual operating systems.
· Depending on your energy type, you may be someone who requires breaks in the day in order to recharge and perform at your best.
· It’s critical to stay open and say “yes,” but to the right things! Keep a calendar that reflects discernment and choices that align with your most authentic Self.
· Purposeful moments lead us down the path of self-care. Sprinkle pauses, even those of only a few minutes, throughout the day. It will bring clarity and prevent burnout.
· When we take care of ourselves, we experience flow. Think of cars, for which regular oil changes are non-negotiable. Honoring moments of mindfulness keeps us tip-top.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· Kristi’s background in marketing for small businesses as well as a passion for health and wellness evolved in 2020 into a full-time entrepreneurial leap.
· The Human Design System developed as a practice to help individuals uncover their own unique blueprint, which in turn enables us to build businesses in bespoke ways.
· Our unique blueprints are based on multiple factors:
o Our birthdate.
o Teachings from Kabbalah, I Ching, Vedic and Astrological philosophies.
· Kristi’s process with clients:
o Identify energy type: There are five types, each of which may be impacted by conditioning and upbringing.
o The five types include:
§ Manifestors
§ Generators
§ Manifesting Generators
§ Projectors
§ Reflectors
· Generators and Manifesting Generators constitute 70% of people. They are fueled by tasks and goals – if the work is a good fit!
· Human Design is not so much a prescription as an operating manual to help us understand how we run energetically. Once we’re dialed into what’s magnetic for us, we’re at our most vibrant and able to attract positivity.
· More about Types:
o Generators: The Sacral Energy chakra is a central driver and energizer.
o Manifestors: Theirs is a Non-Sacral Energy that doesn’t derive life force from work. They often require more downtime to recharge throughout the day.
· How saying “yes” to opportunity opened Kristi up to what ultimately became a book and speaking engagements.
· Focusing on self-care and integrating mindfulness practices into her clients’ priorities is central to Kristi’s practice.
· Kristi’s Actionable Tips for Integrating Self-Care:
o Honor yourself and the fact that you are unique in what you need to feel optimal.
o Weave pauses and breaks into every day.
o In those quiet moments, take note of what feels nourishing throughout the day.
o Giving constantly to others will inevitably lead to burnout, so make yourself a priority in whatever ways – large or small – that work for you.
· Self-care doesn’t have to mean an entire spa day. Kristi believes just the act of regularly pausing for a few moments at a time – without fail – reinforces our connection to Self.
· Deep interior work, including healing of old wounds, is a key element of self-care. By clearing old energy that does not serve we step into our fullest power and prosperity.
Small businesses need to establish their profile and build community good will. That’s where Susan Liberatore, owner of Visions2Images, comes in. On this episode, we learn about the full-service marketing magic she uses to raise visibility through social media channels, email campaigns, website content and so much more. Established franchisors may have big umbrella branding, but independently owned businesses need that personal touch. Customization based on location and target audience is key. Susie has created signature systems and processes that generate and convert leads and bring to life the stories that make every franchise unique.
In addition to working with franchisees, Susie is increasingly bringing her dynamic, creative approach to franchisors, who are invested in giving their teams the tools necessary to develop roots, an identity and local presence. In the end, it’s all about really getting integrated into the neighborhood. Advises Susie: “Get involved in everything you can, as often as you can.” That can look like volunteer efforts, an affiliation with the Chamber of Commerce or sponsoring a local event of some type. Then get going with the social media posts that will amplify what your franchise is about and why your core mission and goals are compelling. You don’t have to shine on every single platform. TikTok isn’t for everyone! Just choose a couple that feel like a natural fit for your target market and let your own unique, authentic personality shine!
Interested in some of Susie’s favorite resources? This link will introduce you to a variety! And you can find out more about her branding and design offerings here.
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Going down the wrong path? It’s all information – and more than okay to change lanes!
· The best career choices are the ones that resonate with who we truly are.
· Franchises may be under a corporate umbrella, but they are in actuality small local businesses – run by folks in our own neighborhoods!
· Franchisees may have certain franchisor guidelines to follow, but that shouldn’t discourage anyone from launching a bespoke local marketing campaign. It’s not hard.
· Want to raise your profile locally? Start finding and cultivating your tribe! Get involved with local civic, volunteer, athletic or other events.
· The more people you meet the better – and don’t forget always to link to new friends and colleagues via social media!
· Just because you’re working under a corporate umbrella doesn’t mean you can’t have your own voice.
· Not all social media platforms are a fit! Don’t be afraid to identify those that work with your brand and voice, then focus on being consistent and creative.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· Photographer. Dancer. Susie knew early that she had a creative bent, which is probably why pursuing college and a teaching credential turned into a brief detour on the way to uncovering her passion for graphic design – and all its related marketing facets.
· A stint in a corporate environment opened Susie’s eyes to a gap that she could fill by creating a niche marketing agency that evolved into its focus on helping franchisees.
· About the services that Visions2Images provides:
o Brand creation.
o Graphic design.
o Website design.
o Social media content.
o Email campaigns.
o Lead generation and conversion.
· Even if franchisor approval is required for local marketing campaigns, the process doesn’t have to be complicated or onerous. Not at all!
· Advice for franchisees seeking to raise their profile:
o Get involved with everything you can!
o Participate in the Chamber of Commerce.
o Join volunteer activities.
o Update social media regularly to link with your new local contacts!
· It’s key to develop your personality and create posts that reflect your unique brand and community ties.
· Susie is partnering increasingly with new and emerging franchisors, who are in a position to support their local franchisees as they get established.
· Best practices for leveraging social media:
o Be authentic.
o Share core values, mission and other facets that distinguish your business.
o Build out a story about the business’s history, purpose and engagement.
o You don’t have to be on every social media platform! Find the ones that work best for you and double down! Focus on where your audience is located.
· Balancing it all as a single mom, Susie’s best advice is:
o Take some deep breaths, meditate and otherwise give your mind a break.
o Be intentional in prioritizing time with kids.
o Outsource tasks where necessary to make it all work.
· Susie’s biggest motivators: Sales and growth, her son and providing for her contractors.
· What Comes Next? Susie has no definite plans but she anticipates:
o A continued trend towards partnering with more franchisors to help them create scalable marketing plans.
o Building out a software product.
o Staying open to opportunities!
About Susie:
After more than a decade in the creative field, Susie realized that corporations were missing out on creativity, so she developed signature systems and processes that work and convert for franchises. Franchise owners come to Visions2images for full-service marketing because they feel that they are missing out on local marketing opportunities. Her firm helps local franchise businesses get visible and generate leads in a variety of ways.
Looking to hit the open road? That was the case for Jacqui Money and her husband, who have moved into a Tiny House and are loving the adventure! You’ll learn on this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur how this enterprising native of South Africa developed a niche practice providing automated back-office solutions for small businesses. Leveraging a range of platforms, Jacqui helps clients develop systems that can do on their own what a decade ago required the assembly of an entire team. Entrepreneurs — especially solopreneurs and most especially introverts — are loving this one-stop approach to putting processes in place to manage all manner of customer management, marketing, scheduling and other functions, both streamlining tasks and minimizing costs.
Jacqui shares exactly what services she provides and her approach to bringing clients along. She has learned in building out her own business a lesson that is applicable for all business owners: Invite feedback. She took her own onboarding process from clunky and ineffective to a series of seamless steps that her clients fully embrace and enjoy. How? By making adjustments based on input and observations she solicited all along the way!
The episode wraps with Three Top Tips that will smooth the path for any entrepreneur looking to optimize and automate systems as well as some compelling reading recommendations you’ll want to check out. Finally, Jacqui is reminding: Don’t delay. Go for it. Launch your entrepreneurial journey! It won’t be perfect, but there will be abundant opportunities to refine and improve all along the way!
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Are you an introvert? Automation may be your new best friend. With systems in place, there’s no need to build a team or manage people!
· Attention Solopreneurs: Clear your plate through outsourcing tasks and systems.
· Engaging a solutions architect puts your business on the fast track to automation.
· Is there an area where you’re consistently hitting a stumbling block? Consult your clients. Their feedback will identify the genesis and potential solutions.
· Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Get started and incorporate updates and changes as needed along the way.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· About Jacqui’s background and current adventure: A native of South Africa who, along with her husband, several years ago moved off the grid into a Tiny House (they are loving it!). To do so meant figuring out an income that was location independent.
· Jacqui’s practice is focused on designing custom solutions for back-end problems, automating systems so solopreneurs don’t have to hire a team.
· Jacqui found her niche by herself being an entrepreneur who needed back-end business support but didn’t want to hire a team of people. Once she discovered the benefits of custom build-outs that are a simple, cost-effective substitute for staff, she felt compelled to spread the word!
· About the benefits that Jacqui provides:
o A complete mapping of the client journey, from first contact through off-boarding.
o An assessment of — and plan to optimize — tools already in play.
o Deployment of automated systems to streamline functions and minimize costs/hiring.
· Jacqui’s target audience: Online businesses, solopreneurs, coaches and consultants.
· All about VIP Days: Jacqui’s one-stop, holistic approach to building out systems quickly.
· Onboarding Clients Like a Pro: Inspired by Jacqui’s experience with clients who weren’t getting with the program, she developed a mapping system based on their feedback about the challenges. It was a game-changer! Clients today love her process!
· Jacqui’s three best pieces of advice for entrepreneurs chasing their dreams:
o Put systems in place.
o Write your SOPs now — even if you’re not planning on hiring anyone or employing a huge team.
o Don’t wait for perfection. Just get started and adjust based on feedback.
· Jacqui’s Recommended Reading:
o "The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level," by Gay Hendricks.
o "Traction: A Startup Guide to Getting Customers," by Gabriel Weinberg and Justin Mares.
o "Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones," by James Clear.
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So, you’re longing to launch your own venture but don’t know how to get started? Health and Business coach Shannon Petteruti has the answers and is sharing them on this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur. Step 1: Locate your passion. Having that vision will make even the toughest tasks and longest days a labor of love. Step 2: Habit. Habit. Habit. Establish foundational practices — then stick to them! It’s all about staying focused, which instills the confidence to take those necessary chances that are key to growth.
This dynamic entrepreneur has done it herself and knows what it takes to launch a successful enterprise. If we’re not taking risks we’re not moving forward, says Shannon, “You have to believe in who you are and then just put those pieces in place.” And when some of those pieces don’t work, that’s just fine too. Do a post-mortem and move on. It’s all part of the process!
Shannon offers advice for aspiring entrepreneurs as well as actionable ideas about habits that will serve any business from inception through development and maturity. The work is endless but the rewards tremendous. “It’s just so fun. I love having your thoughts, your input and your work 20 hours a day all going to your outcome and not someone else you’re working for,” says Shannon, also the author of "IV Vitamin Regulations: Your Guide for USP 797 Pharmacy Compliance." Join us for a lively chat with a coach will inspire you to kick procrastination to the curb! It all starts with the non-negotiable!
Inspired by Shannon’s energy and ideas? You might want to book a discovery call to find out more. Just click here.
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Why is going it alone so much fun? All the effort comes back directly to benefit our own venture (and not someone else’s).
· Take each task as it comes and complete it. Keep the focus! You’ll get to the fun stuff eventually and be in a place to really enjoy it because your house is in order!
· Create goals and a checklist. Then institute the habit of consistently checking things off.
· Efforts are going to fail, but that can easily be turned into an opportunity. Do the post mortem, then do better next time!
· There’s nothing like the independence in owning your own business, but you don’t have to go it alone. Seek advice and encouragement from a coach or some other supportive resource.
· Envision who you are, then methodically institute habits to put the pieces in place.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· About the journey Shannon has taken from her childhood in New Jersey to a business degree in college to motherhood, which is where her entrepreneurial flair emerged.
· Shannon has just launched two new offshoots:
o Formalizing her business coaching commitment.
o Authoring a book on 797 pharmacy regulations ("IV Vitamin Regulations: Your Guide for USP 797 Pharmacy Compliance") as well as a course that decodes the regulations and requirements for small business owners seeking compliance.
· Shannon’s focus is primarily (but not exclusively) on women with health-related businesses. Many are nurse-practitioners going out on their own.
· Advice for small businesses in their formative stages:
o Keep the focus one week out — and no more.
o Drill down on the most pressing among the million things that need to be done.
o Block non-negotiable time for tasks — and then execute accordingly.
o Kick procrastination to the curb! If it needs to be done sooner or later, make it sooner! Especially if it’s something you don’t want to do. You’ll feel better immediately!
· How Shannon works with clients:
o She coaches exclusively one-to-one.
o The process is enhanced by its interactive and intimate nature.
· Shannon’s Best Advice for Staying Motivated On Those Inevitable Long Days:
o It’s all about habits. Put in place rituals around writing up goals and marching through that to-do list.
o Don’t rely on motivation. It can come and go. Grit is what’s often required on the daily.
· Shannon’s Biggest Lesson Learned: Look at failures in a positive light. They are your friend!
· Advice for rising entrepreneurs:
o Figure out what you’re passionate about so that those 14-hour days (at least mostly) feel like a labor of love.
o Consider starting a side hustle while getting your venture off the ground.
o Seek advice and support through a coach or your network.
· Recommended Reading:
o "Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones," by James Clear.
Grit. That’s what Deborah Smith cultivated while growing up on a farm in Australia. And it turns out to have been just the right grounding for this entrepreneur, who went on to be the first in her family to graduate college and eventually to found a boutique investment bank dedicated to serving women. How did she break through in a highly competitive, male-dominated sector? One step at a time, always putting her very best foot forward. On this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur we’re learning how to prepare for and assume a seat at the table. Advice from this Deborah, who is a trusted advisor on issues of real estate investment and capitalization:
o Always do your homework.
o Project confidence.
o Speak up! (Or you’ll never be heard.)
o Don’t be afraid to push.
o Don’t take no for an answer.
The journey to build Center Cap, which Deborah co-founded 13 years ago, has offered all kinds of growing edges. At every turn she and her partners have responded to challenge methodically — and fearlessly. There has been no Plan B. Just a vision and commitment to making it all work, including the work-life balance. “Nothing good is ever easy,” says Deborah. “There are no short cuts.”
It helps that Center Cap’s workplace culture is dominated by a female ethos: Nurturing, positive, encouraging. It enables women, who can tend to be hesitant, to step into confidence and take risks they might not otherwise take. Explains Deborah: “When you have that kind of support network, I think it fundamentally changes how you are in your daily, and particularly professional, life.” Learn how this pioneer in the female-led investment banking space juggles her high-profile job and family (one task at a time) and avoids overwhelm (by not looking at the whole to do list, but breaking it down into bite sized pieces). “We spend too much time thinking about all the machinations and all the things that can go wrong. The ‘what ifs,’ ” she says. “Just stop! Go with it and trust that you will figure it out.”
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Female energy is real! Women offer a different, more collaborative environment — a zone of safety and support that enables top performance.
· Safe, inclusive workplaces correlate with productive risk-taking and growth.
· Entrepreneurial ventures require the flexibility to evolve and adapt as conditions on the ground change.
· Ignorance is not bliss. But it’s part of building a business for the first time and figuring out systems along the way. It takes tenacity!
· Trust yourself and just get started. One by one, you’ll navigate any obstacles.
· What’s the worst thing that can happen? Someone doesn’t like your idea? Okay. Move on! It’s fine.
· Look for opportunities! Do your due diligence and be the most prepped person in the room! It’s the best way to compensate for any shortcomings.
· If you’re not talking, no one is listening!
· Whatever you take on, determine that you will be the best you can possibly be.
· Don’t look at the length of your to do-list. Just focus on the next right thing.
· Do the easiest tasks on your list first — the items for which no one will cut you slack.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· Deborah, who grew up on a dairy farm in Australia, was the first in her family to attend college, after which she immediately went into investment banking without really knowing what it was all about. Working for traditional financial services firms, she rather quickly found herself transferred to the U.S., where she has been ever since.
· The three women partners behind the vision for The Center Cap Group, which was founded 13 years ago, come from traditional investment banking backgrounds which they’ve repurposed to fit their unique vision.
· What Deborah believes women bring to the table that sets them apart:
o A different perspective.
o A nurturing, collaborative approach.
o The ability to celebrate each other’s wins and support each other in losses.
o A high level of trust.
· Workplace cultures that provide safety enable women — who can tend to be wary of risk — to push the envelope and extend beyond their comfort zones.
· Center Cap’s early years called upon everyone to wear multiple hats while establishing credibility and trusted advisor status within the wider real estate investment community.
· Deborah believes the reason many small businesses fail to survive is a lack of adaptability and readiness to bring onboard the tools necessary to succeed.
· What tenacity looks like — and why it’s so critical for entrepreneurs!
· Advice for women working in or running businesses in a male-dominated field:
o Merit trumps everything else. If you’re good at your job, you own it.
o Be confident in who you are because, if you’re not, no one else will be.
o Take charge of what you’re doing.
o If you want something, push. Don’t take no for an answer.
o If you have an idea, step up and take the lead!The worst thing that will happen is that someone responds negatively.
o Be forceful. If you hesitate, others will fill the gap.
· How to shine in a meeting? Do your due diligence:
o Understand who is in the room.
o Understand what the topics are.
o Look for the angles where you can contribute.
· One step at a time and do your utmost best at every step along the way!
· Deborah’s trick for keeping it all together? Break everything — including home and family — into bite-size pieces. Don’t look at the length of the list!
· Work-life balance demands exceptional multi-tasking. Manage the low-hanging fruit first! It’s immediate gratification (and people will be harder on you if you drop the easy tasks)!
· An avid reader, Deborah’s Recommended Reading includes:
o "Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance," by Angela Duckworth.
o "Room on the Broom: A Push, Pull and Slide Book," by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. (A staple of her children’s library)
o "What Confucius Didn't Say," by Tom Pallant.
· Things change: 25 years ago Deborah eschewed anything English-related, but today she’s an avid reader who also generates articles and various other kinds of content.
About Deborah:
Deborah is Co-Founder and CEO of The CenterCap Group, LLC and heads the firm’s Strategic Capital and M&A and Execution efforts. Prior to forming The CenterCap Group, LLC, she was Co-Head of M&A and a Senior Managing Director with CB Richard Ellis Investors. Deborah joined CBREI in July 2007 to co-head the build out of the firm's M&A efforts and led the firm’s negotiation and acquisition of a majority interest in Wood Partners (one of the largest multifamily developers in the United States) in 2008. From 1998-2007, Ms. Smith worked on mergers and acquisitions with Lehman Brothers, Wachovia Securities and Morgan Stanley. Deborah has been involved in more than $100 billion of mergers, acquisitions and restructuring transactions. Ms. Smith has a Bachelor of Economics, with honors, and a Bachelor of Law, with honors, from the University of Sydney.
Why is it that so many of us default to “Yes,” even when we’re depleted and at wit’s end? My guest on this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur is highlighting ways in which stressed-out moms can do a reset to refresh not only their spirits but the lives of those around them. Kelly Bermingham, founder of The Motherhood Mentorship Program, shares insights that improve quality of life with a minimum of muss and fuss – because who has time for that?
At the heart of her program is Kelly’s belief that we need to stop pretending and throw off societal expectations that are inauthentic. It’s okay – unavoidable really – if we can’t be all things to all people at all times. We can create a mold for ourselves that matches what truly matters most, if we commit to doing the work of getting honest and defining exactly what those core values are. Kelly, who has been both a mom and a career educator, is on a mission to help women on the run tune into their inner knowing. And, on the practical side, she also helps them create simple, practical life systems so they can stress less and enjoy the journey more.
A veteran of 22 years as an educator with a track record as a direct sales entrepreneur, Kelly has traversed midlife and is here to send a message back to women just starting to navigate the insane sprint that life can be when we’re juggling jobs, kids, relationships and the daily challenge to keep the domestic machine chugging along on time. She shares how she developed her online course and why the one-to-one coaching element is so fulfilling. The episode wraps with some great recommended reading and a shout-out for the importance of improving and supporting education in our communities and across the nation.
Are you a stressed mama? If so, you’re not alone. Click here to join The Motherhood and learn more about Kelly and her amazing platform!
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Personal losses can serve as an invitation to reconsider – and reset – core priorities.
· Don’t wait until midlife to confront those midlife crisis questions. Start asking now!
· The Power of No: It may not come easily, but women must find ways to set boundaries.
· Just starting out? Google research is your friend. There are abundant free resources out there for aspiring entrepreneurs of all kinds.
· The online hivemind can be a rich source of support and information. Have a question about growing your business? Put it out to your social media community.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· Kelly shares the path she took into a career in technical education and eventually an entrepreneurial venture in direct sales to make some extra $$.
· A series of losses within a short timeframe prompted Kelly to reconsider her life and very intentionally prioritize around the things most important to her and her family.
· Kelly grew a practice around her observation that women were under intensive – and unrealistic – pressure to do it all and be everything.
· Kelly shares some practices that help women in The Motherhood get clarity:
o Define your core values to determine what kind of life you want to live.
o Identify where your hours are going and how it aligns with your mission.
o Come up with simple systems that protect time and improve quality of life.
o Develop a self-care practice that integrates quiet moments throughout the day.
· The biggest stressors women are facing:
o Work.
o Maintaining the home.
· The single most effective thing women can do to relieve stress? Learn to set boundaries and to say no when necessary.
· About how Kelly developed her program:
o She networked and asked questions of women who had already established businesses.
o She grew her venture organically, through online research and posting on social media channels.
o Drawing from her own life, strengths and limits, Kelly developed an online course that busy women could tackle in increments.
o She added a one-to-one element to personalize her coaching.
o The process of self-reflection – and learning – was and is ongoing.
· What’s next for Kelly? Finding a way to advocate for kids by helping to improve our troubled educational system, which she had a front-row seat as a teacher.
· Recommended Reading:
o "Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are So You Can Become Who You Were Meant To Be," by Rachel Hollis.
Donna Dube, founder of Productivity Plus, is one of the lucky ones who has found her “Zone of Genius” and made the most of it. The mother of two teen-agers has a thriving practice helping high-level entrepreneurs bring their goals to life. What differentiates her from other business coaches? Her passion for the metrics. Donna has never met a spreadsheet she didn’t like and looking at Google analytics makes her heart skip a beat – in a good way!
On this episode, Donna is walking us through the strategies she uses to help business leaders go beyond defining their vision to measuring for actual progress along the way to achieving success. She also introduces suggestions to get us past any hesitation or intimidation about the numbers, including tracking tools, time audit exercises and the SAP Method to Streamline, Assign or Pause projects based on their relative merits.
You’ll come away from this conversation feeling motivated to face down the data because, as Donna points out, it’s not that scary and in fact (once we remove the mental block) can be fun (not to mention hugely informative)! And don’t forget to schedule that family hour or yoga class into your day. There’s an app for that – and just about every other business function you can think of – so no more excuses. This productivity guru will motivate you to get organized and reap the rewards!
Want to check out Donna’s amazing Productivity Tracker? Click here to give it a free test drive. You can also schedule a complimentary discovery call or click here to download her free manual, "10 KPIs You Can Measure Today."
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Do you take pride in your incomparable ability to organize or mastermind a spreadsheet? It’s a valuable skill set known as project management!
· If you aren’t creating measurable goals, there’s no way to know how your business is truly doing.
· Looking at data does not have to be scary! Think of it as gathering answers to questions.
· Once you start showing positive results on your dashboard, it’s exciting! You’ll look forward to reading your own metrics!
· If you’ve got the entrepreneurial bug, go for it. But start small and make a plan!
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· Donna started out as a nurse working 12-hour shifts in the ICU, then pivoted to online project management after the birth of her kids.
· About finding her “Zone of Genius” in data, analysis and fostering efficiencies of all kinds!
· About Donna’s process and how she works with her clients:
o A one-on-one project-based approach.
o Articulate the high-level vision for the next six to 12 months.
o Identify which projects are top priority within that timeframe.
o Establish metrics to determine whether goals are on track.
o Set up a dashboard to monitor and analyze business outcomes.
· Data is an ally that can provide key indicators like:
o How are people getting to your website?
o What actions are they taking when they get there?
· Donna shares a fascinating anecdote about how she leveraged Google analytics to help her client figure out which of her social media channels were actually generating business conversions and how.
· About the SAP Method and how it can be applied to increase efficiencies.
· Donna shares actionable tips:
o When it comes to tracking metrics, start small. No more than a dozen at a time.
o Identify which information will be most helpful in advancing the business.
o Build a simple spreadsheet to help track indicators month over month.
o Check out tools that will help automate the tracking process.
o Free tools include: Google analytics, Google Data Studio.
· About the elusive work-life balance: Donna believes in setting clear boundaries and then sticking to them, including calendaring family time and “me” time.
· Words of wisdom for women pondering an entrepreneurial venture:
o If you’ve got the itch, go for it!
o But have a plan!
o Start small. It can begin as a side hustle.
Did you learn growing up that it’s important to have it all figured out – with no room for trial and error? That’s the corporate model and very familiar. But Adele Wang, our guest on this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur, asks the simple question: “Do you enjoy it?” For many, the innovative spirit of entrepreneurism feels like a far better fit. But making the move can be a challenge, especially since not knowing what comes next is part of the process. Giving ourselves permission is the first step – and not always an easy one.
Adele offers guidance and support to clients in transition, walking with them through unsettled feelings. It’s a gift she uncovered through a similar process of her own. Growing up in a conservative home that defined success by conventional measures, it took a dark passage to embolden Adele to the kind of spiritual awakening and authenticity that she believes we all deserve. She came through that crucible and found on the other side her talents as a mentor, speaker and inspiration to women who want to veer in a completely new direction. It takes bravery, a willingness to challenge the status quo – and the ability to sit with some discomfort!
You’ll learn from Adele about key things to consider when envisioning a new life pursuit as well as how to manage stress and fears associated with the inevitable risks. And most of all? Adele urges us to find ways to stay relaxed. Minds and bodies that are cramped and constrained aren’t free to flow or conjure heartfelt, creative ideas.
You can click here to learn more about Adele and her classes as they become available.
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Suffering depression? Struggling in relationships or with unmet needs? Welcome to your invitation to reassess – and locate your authentic life force.
· A lot of independent business owners have gone through “the eye of the needle” and come to a spiritual awakening that freed them to pursue their truth.
· Finding out what you want to do is a big part of determining who you’re going to be.
· Figuring out your career path is a lot like dating: A process of trial and error (and luck!).
· Adele’s No. 1 Suggestion: Stop figuring it out. Start trying.
· It’s okay to be seen just trying things – however imperfect the fit or outcome!
· Try to be: More curious. Less critical!
· If you’re really wanting to transform, focus on staying relaxed so ideas can flow.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· Coming from an academic and corporate home, Adele didn’t have a particularly high opinion of entrepreneurs (who were perceived as people who couldn’t get a job!).
· After 33 years in which she had done all “the right things,” Adele recognized that she was miserable and struggling to make it work only worsened matters.
· What Adele came to understand: How to live a life worth living isn’t necessarily limited to the conventional formulas (i.e. work hard = success).
· If – like many of us – you haven’t grown up around small business people or independent operators, you have to investigate. Determine for yourself what genuinely drives you and might inspire a journey.
· Things to consider when figuring out what your entrepreneurial venture might look like:
o What kind of business do you want to own?
o Do you prefer a large team or a solopreneur structure?
o How much contact do you want to have with people and what kind?
o Do you want to sell a product? A service?
o Are you more of a teacher? More of a cheerleader?
· Adele is more interested in where her clients “naturally bloom” than in crafting business plans, sales sheets or marketing collateral.
· Rather than coming up with endless rubrics and spreadsheets, just take a step and see what happens. Each effort yields valuable information to shape the next.
· There are different archetypes for serving, including:
o Teacher – information and guidance.
o Coach – solidarity and collaboration.
o Sage – bigger picture and more generalized observation.
· About the women with whom Adele typically works:
o More than half come out of corporate backgrounds, but want something more.
o She helps clients transition through uncertainty about what next.
o Her coaching embraces challenges to the status quo.
o She sits with clients in their discomfort, part of coming into something new.
· Personal growth and an identity shift are a necessary part of bridging between a corporate career and the entrepreneurial ventures we wish to undertake.
· Feeling vulnerable about stepping away from a secure corporate structure? You don’t have to perform for anyone (and probably no one is noticing anyway!).
· Individual Value-Add: Information is out there in abundance. The wisdom that coaches, mentors and guides offer is specific and very personal to each client’s situation.
About Adele:
Adele is a leading mentor for professionals struggling with stress and craving lives of more purpose, meaning, and connection. As a spiritual teacher, speaker, and energy healer, she has helped hundreds of leaders around the world reduce anxiety and attract more fulfilling careers and relationships. She is a frequent speaker on consciousness, business psychology, and personal development. As the host of the “All Things Human” podcast, Adele is the only wisdom teacher who combines the power of storytelling with mindset, embodiment and spiritual practices to help people create success at a time when there’s more change and uncertainty than ever. She has an MS in Industrial Relations and a BA in Economics from the University of Wisconsin. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her family, a puppy, and two cats.
With 1.1 million followers on TikTok, it’s an unlikely story that just 10 years ago Rachel Pedersen, our guest on this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur, was a single mother on food stamps without a plan. But by taking one modest side hustle at $15 dollars an hour she started down a career path that just a few years later earned her the label “Queen of Social Media.” It’s an inspiring story with a message you won’t want to miss. (Hint: Don’t hold back!)
Rachel today mentors millions of followers and online clients, offering hard-won insights and strategies for reaching target audiences. Where some might be stingy with sharing trade secrets, she believes in sharing. Why? Because that abundance always comes back around! She loves working with women who want to grow their businesses to six figures and beyond (which Rachel has done many times over) and reminds us: “We’re all just figuring stuff out as we go.”
You’ll also appreciate Rachel’s invaluable advice about how to shut out the online trolls who only serve to bring us down with a few key steps to eliminate their negativity and noise. It’s not as hard as you might think and will go a long way towards reinforcing your self-confidence – as well as sanity! Enjoy hearing about this Minnesota mother of three’s journey and the inspiration she has found in authors like Dan Sullivan, whose work can be found here.
Most exciting of all? Rachel has a brand new book that covers all the bases with great tricks and tips for driving your own niche online presence. Click here to learn more about and purchase "Unfiltered: Proven Strategies to Start and Grow Your Business by Not Following the Rules."
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Side hustles are no joke. Some turn into multi-million dollar ventures! Why not yours?
· If you’ve got an idea, dip a toe in while working your day job.
· Are your competitors your foes? They don’t have to be. An abundant mindset serves all.
· Business ownership has inevitable ups and downs. So really celebrate those ups!
· Afraid to give your secret sauce away? Sharing your resources will most likely only attract more interest and engagement from prospective clients.
· Feeling stressed? Worn down or vulnerable in any way? Skip the comments entirely.
· When it comes to our physical appearances, online mean girls (and guys) are inevitable, but that doesn’t mean we have to pay attention. Stick with what fits and feels best to you!
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· Introducing Rachel! Her story starts with unexpectedly becoming a single mom a decade ago – not according to plan. Food stamps, welfare and training as a hair stylist followed until one day … She happened into a $15 per hour digital media side hustle.
· Seven years ago Rachel went all-in on her digital marketing business, which today has annual revenue ranging into seven figures, “which is wild!”
· Three years ago Rachel’s team turned its focus towards building its own internal digital presence and brand – which has manifested today with 1.9 million global followers.
· How the “Queen of Media” is helping other female entrepreneurs launch and boost their brands by leveraging social channels:
o An online course called Social Media United (formerly Social Media University) that caters largely to social media managers (the competition!).
o One-to-one mentoring services.
· Don’t hold back! Rachel’s research shows that the entrepreneurs who grow fastest also happen to be those who are most generous in sharing their resources and insights.
· Four reasons to share freely your intellectual capital and experience:
o #1: It showcases your depth of knowledge and expertise.
o #2: It serves people – which is pure good will.
o #3: It creates word of mouth.
o #4: Today’s freebie seekers are tomorrow’s prospective coaching clients.
· Eliminate the Negative! Rachel’s tips for minimizing online noise and trolling:
o Acknowledge that you’re human. Things can penetrate and sting.
o Remember: You don’t need to read every comment. Limit your exposure.
o Remember: Only people who live life fairly negatively are taking time out to spread toxic thoughts.
o Remember: When you’re overwhelmed or not feeling great for whatever reason, just skip the comments. You’re already sensitive and prone to feeling down.
· Rachel’s advice for boosting self-confidence? She believes it’s something built over time. There’s no one self-help book, exercise or meditation. It comes from doing each task.
· About "Unfiltered: Proven Strategies to Start and Grow Your Business by Not Following the Rules," Rachel’s account of learning lessons the hard way about things like boundaries, scope creep and other hard-to-anticipate business challenges.
About Rachel:
Known as the “Queen of Social Media,” Rachel is a Social Media Strategist and TikTok Expert who helps busy people with big dreams to build thriving business WITHOUT sacrificing their family, friends or their sanity. She teaches business owners how to grow their online presence or become social media managers for others. She specializes in combining social media tactics with sustainable, long-term strategies to build profitable businesses that actually create an impact.
Rebecca Wiener McGregor, CEO of Whole Life Happy, regularly gets goosebumps when she thinks about the work she does. She loves it that much. “There is no cell in me that doesn’t believe in the power of the mind and hypnosis because our beautiful brains are designed to heal,” says this advocate for the power of letting go. As the author of "Loving Her: 10 Loving Standards to Call Forward the Wealthy Woman Inside You" explains on this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur, the combination of a natural entrepreneurial spirit and lucky exposure to hypnotism 18 years ago set Rebecca up perfectly to exercise her gifts.
And when it comes to gifts, it’s our duty to embrace them, celebrate them and claim them. Do that, says Rebecca, and watch the door slam shut on Impostor Syndrome. Through her coaching Rebecca’s clients learn to shift into an abundant mindset that generates not only wealth but authentic delight. Getting there, of course, may require that we first uncover and send packing old memories and messages that do not serve. Using her hypnosis training, Rebecca helps clients release whatever traumas are keeping them stuck emotionally and physically. The best part of her work? Seeing the freedom clients experience in letting go.
Enjoy learning about the road Rebecca took after finding hypnosis (“It was like an instant passion that set a flame in me to help people!”) and helpful tips for aspiring entrepreneurs who want to minimize stress while moving towards business (and personal) success.
Want to hear more about what Rebecca has to say on a range of relatable topics? Click here to listen to her podcast, Fear is a MFer. She also offers a free download of her guidebook, "8 Money Mindset Shifts to Unlock Wealth+Abundance." Or visit this link to schedule a free discovery call.
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Feeling stuck or anxious? Ask a friend to take the lead in exploring something new.
· Building a business is consuming and often stressful. But remember: You get to choose your standards, with whom and how you work. YOU are the boss!
· All work and no recognition can dull your shine. Injecting fun into your work is a must!
· If you’re holding onto something heavy, remind yourself that levity lies beyond letting go.
· Feeling stuck? Remind yourself to have faith and confidence in your gifts!
· When we’re fully in touch with our gifts, it deprives Impostor Syndrome of the oxygen it needs to thrive and bring us down.
· Writing down and celebrating our successes every single day reinforces them!
· You don’t have to quit your day job right out of the gate. Consider viewing that paycheck as an Angel Investor, funding your new venture.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· Rebecca has always felt like an entrepreneur, hungry to become a business owner.
· Motivated to understand and be of help to others who faced traumas, as she had experienced in her family growing up, Rebecca studied psychology but felt it didn’t penetrate deeply enough.
· Being introduced to hypnotism was an eye-opener that presented a win-win opportunity to combine Rebecca’s interest in psychological healing with entrepreneurism.
· Finding the hypnotism training healed her own anxiety, Rebecca’s desire to help others (and build her business) was ignited.
· The two tracks around which Rebecca’s business is structured:
o One-on-one private work to release trauma, panic, rage and stuck feelings.
o Business strategy and mindset coaching, especially around money issues – the focus of her membership-based course, Extraordinary Wealth.
· It’s extremely important to Rebecca to nurture a sisterhood of women who have released limitations on their ability to create wealth and a joyful life.
· Because working in the transformation field can often be heavy, Rebecca makes a point of cultivating levity and celebrating the lightness that comes from letting go of grief, pain and self-limiting beliefs.
· When it comes to sales and advancing their businesses, Rebecca’s clients get most stuck in unconscious childhood patterns and negative messages such as:
o We’re unworthy.
o We don’t matter.
o We’re not here for our own pleasure.
o We’re not smart.
o We’re not good.
· To move past blocks, it’s important to ask:
o How much success can I actually have?
o How much success do I actually deserve?
o Can someone like me, with a history like mine, actually grow up and be successful?
o What if those around me will like me less if I’m successful?
o Am I just chasing what other people have or desire?
· Rebecca’s coaching helps clients amplify love and move through fear by:
o Constantly mirroring the importance of releasing judgment.
o Letting go of personal blocks, which inevitably show up in business as well.
o Finding ways to eradicate beliefs that move clients farther away from their vision.
· Rebecca’s hypnotherapeutic treatments are about:
o Looking at old memories and reframing them.
o Bringing acceptance into the frame.
o Neutralizing memories to break the connection between them and emotional and physical responses.
· The breakthroughs that Rebecca witnesses are constantly nourishing, exciting and rewarding. Watching clients release pain and take back their power, freedom and responsibility regularly gives her goosebumps.
· Embrace your skill set and claim full confidence. It will vanquish Impostor Syndrome!
· Celebrating wins is key to building confidence and a radiant sense of self.
· Rebecca’s advice for aspiring entrepreneurs:
o Let your job, if you have one, be your Angel Investor.
o You don’t have to leave your job in order to pursue something else.
o Forgoing steady income can trigger feelings of scarcity that can be very counterproductive to the bigger goal and journey.
o One of the biggest stressors people launching businesses experience: Panic about cash flow. You don’t have to set yourself up for that!
· Recommended Reading:
o "The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom," by Miguel Ruiz. About unleashing our innate ability in moving forward to create heaven on earth, a space that looks the way we want it to look.
About Rebecca:
Rebecca is a hypnotist + mindset coach and creator of the Whole Life Happy Method. Rebecca helps visionary women leaders, coaches and healers to break through their limits to have, do and be more – all without sacrificing their passion or true purpose. What sets her apart is her ability to connect to her clients on a deep spiritual level to uncover and release their blocks, and step into the truth of their purpose.
Meet our Sponsor: Want to use the best income growth strategies from top entrepreneurs and CEOs, including Ellen herself?
You can binge listen to past income reports on Cubicle to CEO today PLUS receive free access to “your first $10K month” masterclass and a bonus workbook by going to our special link, https://zen.ai/sheceo
On this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur we’re meeting a holistic health and wellness coach whose passion for all things integrative is unmistakable. Emily Ruth relishes the opportunity she has to share with her clients the many practices she has discovered that work together to create optimal health. And it all starts with simply slowing down, taking a pause – however brief!
Emily was 15 years into her career as an imaging technician when her personal health struggles opened a window onto an approach to medical ailments that departed completely from the standard western model. She has since studied deeply – and applied within her own life – the tenets of holistic healing, which is focused on cultivating wellness, not medicating illness.
You’ll learn about some of the early pitfalls into which Emily stumbled while getting her business up and running as well as an interesting tip to keep in mind if you’re thinking about quitting your day job in favor of making an entrepreneurial leap. For Emily, who found the transition daunting out of the gate, having a coach to serve as her trusted adviser made a huge difference throughout the process. Don’t be afraid, says our guest, to reach out for help!
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Even if you’ve invested in a lot of training and feel obligated to continue on a particular career path, it’s important to stay alert. Your true passion may come into view.
· Do your homework. Women’s fertility and sexual health needn’t be a mystery.
· Try slowing down. Clock what’s really going on physically and emotionally.
· When life gets intense, it’s our small daily practices that help us steady our course.
· Feeling like your business is untethered? Guidance from a steady, grounded, authentic coach can be a gamechanger.
· Slow and steady wins the race. Don’t be distracted (or derailed) by social media and other internet noise.
· It’s important to set goals, but also to be fluid with the timeline for reaching them.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· Having made a considerable investment in her education, Emily spent 15 years working in medical imaging despite the fact that she wasn’t loving it.
· When she was introduced to fertility charting, Emily was immediately drawn into the world of holistic healing and, ultimately, her work as a women’s wellness coach.
· How Emily reaches out to clients:
o Through in-person and virtual networking.
o Giving online workshops as well as live at community centers, health food stores and gyms.
o Podcast guest appearances.
· What Emily’s coaching program typically looks like:
o One-on-one meetups almost every week for a full year.
o The lengthy timeline allows clients to dig into ingrained patterns and learn about important holistic tools, like fertility charting.
o Most clients reach their goals within six months, but the second half of the program serves to solidify new habits and future goals
· Who doesn’t need coaching? People who wake up daily feeling … wonderful and like they’re meeting all their personal health and wellness goals.
· Emily’s coaching focuses on helping clients discern the needs their bodies are communicating and how to track measurable results to the solutions they adopt.
· Actionable tips for entrepreneurs looking for more holistic balance:
o Take a step, even a very small one, to notice how you feel.
o Get curious about whatever does or doesn’t come up.
o Give yourself time to explore!
· Emily’s definition of self-care is all about pressing the pause button. The act of nurturing yourself is an act of love:
o Are you nourishing yourself? Drinking enough water?
o Putting yourself to bed on time?
o Integrating moments of calm into the daily drumbeat?
o Getting enough sunlight?
· Emily shares early challenges she encountered while launching her business:
o Internet pitches that overpromised client base growth. Costly and ineffective.
o Pandemic precipitated a hard stop on Emily’s imaging career and a wholesale shift of identity that wasn’t the smoothest. Finding a coach was her secret sauce!
· Advice for those contemplating a step away from their 9-to-5 job:
o Think twice. Maybe it makes sense to hang onto a salary while simultaneously planning and executing your launch.
o Give yourself patience, and grace.
o Have goals, but don’t be super-attached to the timeline for reaching them.
· Recommended Reading:
§ "Taking Charge of Your Fertility: The Definitive Guide to Natural Birth Control, Pregnancy Achievement, and Reproductive Health," by Toni Weschler. A must-have for women who want to understand their bodies.
About Emily:
Emily is a holistic healing coach who helps clients design a plan to slow down, prioritize mental and physical health and learn to trust their bodies while on the way to achieving big goals! She harnesses inner resources to heal the body outside the confines of traditional medicine.
Meet our Sponsor: Want to use the best income growth strategies from top entrepreneurs and CEOs, including Ellen herself?
You can binge listen to past income reports on Cubicle to CEO today PLUS receive free access to “your first $10K month” masterclass and a bonus workbook by going to our special link, https://zen.ai/sheceo
Looking for work that doesn’t involve a cubicle? Hounds Town USA may be just the thing – a way to spend every day loving dogs and sharing that passion with others. For Jackie Bondanza, CEO of the growing franchise, it has definitely been a recipe for happiness. Originally envisioned by a founder of the NYPD canine unit, these are doggie daycares unlike any other. Their ethos is built around a deep expertise and understanding of what it takes to care for and bring out the best in man’s best friends.
Family-owned and operated, Hounds Town USA franchise owners receive training that goes above and beyond what franchisees can typically expect. “Heart is important in everything we do … It’s incredible to see all the mutual hard work move into a place of incredible satisfaction for the franchisee once they open,” says Jackie, who left her career in publishing after discovering (and marrying the founder of) her local Hounds Town USA store. She hasn’t looked back since!
The franchise, which has stores across the U.S., provides a six-day intensive, hands-on immersion followed up post-opening with onsite training that is ongoing and ensures the safety and well-being of pets and caregivers alike. “We’re moving into the space of a grown-up business, but we never want to lose the core focus, which is the solid relationship we have with our franchisees and our investment in their success,” says Jackie.
But ultimately everything at Hounds Town USA revolves around what’s best for dogs, which is also why the franchise has established a nonprofit to support local rescue shelters with hands-on help. If you’re interested in bringing superior doggie day care, boarding, grooming and spa services to your community, this may be the opportunity for you!
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Hounds Town USA’s dog care is rooted in its founder’s deep expertise in canine training.
· Breeders of the Pack: Dogs at Hounds Town USA are placed in groups based on their fundamental animal need to interact and play together.
· The story of how Jackie came to become – quite literally – married to Hounds Town USA proves it: You never know what a new day might bring!
· Some of Hounds Town USA’s most successful franchisees were once entry-level
“pooper-scoopers” in the business.
· Feeling burned out on the corporate job? Working with dogs is a fantastic antidote!
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· About how Hounds Town USA is the brainchild of a founding member of the New York Police Department’s canine unit looking to put his skills to use in a second career.
· Overnight boarding and daycare for dogs two decades ago, when Houndstown got started, wasn’t a thing. But it’s a concept that quickly caught on.
· Hounds Town USA offers a variety of services, including:
o Fully interactive daycare that focuses on placing dogs in playgroups.
o A curated experience based in understanding the canine pack mentality.
o Boarding.
o Grooming and spa services.
· Key Differentiator: Hounds Town USA has built its ethic around founder Michael Gould’s deep understanding of canine needs and training techniques.
· A decade ago, Jackie was a book editor and writer with a long commute when she stopped by one of Hounds Town USA’s first stores on Long Island – and was smitten, both by the business model and by the founder, whom she went on to marry!
· What the ideal Hounds Town USA franchisee looks like:
o Loves and appreciates dogs, of course.
o Has customer service chops: The ability to forge relationships with customers and be the community face of the franchise.
o Sales-oriented, extroverted people tend to thrive. It’s a referral-based business that includes event sponsorship and civic involvement.
o Some level of leadership or management experience (a lot of employees are young people who need mentoring and guidance).
· Franchise Startup Costs: Between $400,000 to $650,000 to get a store fully built out, which covers all the initial franchise, marketing and launch fees. Owners are required to have $150,000 in liquid assets and a $500,000 net worth.
· Hounds Town USA training looks like:
o More than 100 hours of modules in three or four phases.
o County headquarters oversee training on marketing, customer service and the early stages of getting the business poised to open.
o Once about 80% of initial construction is complete, franchisees attend a six-day intensive, hands-on training (live business seminars and immersion) at the franchise’s headquarters in New York.
o Once an opening day is set, a team from corporate HQ schedules a 10-day onsite visit, including three days of pre-opening training and staff support.
o Training includes a heavy emphasis on both kennel management and pet/employee safety.
o Training Phase 3 includes another visit about six or eight weeks post-opening to provide an additional day or two of support and refresher training.
o Ongoing weekly phone calls regularly address any issues that come.
· Jackie highlights Hounds Town USA’s nonprofit, which works hands-on to offer support for animal rescue efforts.
To learn more about Hounds Town USA or other franchise opportunities, click here to set up a call.
Here’s something to know about coaching: You don’t have to be the expert in all things. Lee Chaix McDonough, the founder of Coach with Clarity, sees visible relief on the faces of her clients when she shares this news. “You are the expert in building nurturing relationships. You are the expert in asking powerful questions,” she says. But you do not have to be the knower of all things, so lean into that grace!
On this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur, Lee is sharing the framework she has evolved to support the people who aspire to do the supporting: Coaches. She provides an International Coaching Association certification program that deepens self-knowledge and helps coaches systematically tap into their strengths and inner resources. “You learn as you do,” says the best-selling author of "ACT On Your Business: Braving the storms of entrepreneurship and creating success through meaning, mindset, and mindfulness"
You’ll learn about Lee’s Coach with Clarity framework, which focuses both on coaching practices and craft as well as small-business elements such as marketing, sales and growing a one-to-many model. Lee explains that her certification process is “one of multiple paths to coming to be a proficient coach. It’s really important that each individual find the path that will work for them.” Perhaps the Coach with Clarity path is the one meant for you!
Click here to learn more about Lee’s best-seller, "ACT On Your Business: Braving the storms of entrepreneurship and creating success through meaning, mindset, and mindfulness."
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Training is a great way to pivot or augment a coaching practice. Even coaches need coaching!
· Interested in accreditation? Not only do coaching certificates confer a great knowledge base, they also provide a lab for us to learn about ourselves along the way.
· The job of a coach is not to tell clients what to do, but rather to provide a container for them to discover and feel supported in pursuing the path that’s right for them.
· The coach’s work is to identify and facilitate clients’ direction – not define them.
· It’s the going not the getting there: Remember that coaching is about the process.
· Prefer coaching one-on-one? That’s just fine! Scaling to bigger groups isn’t for everyone.
· Nerves happen – to coaches as well as clients. Calling it out diffuses it!
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· A social worker and public health professional by training, Lee worked with a broad array of clients through years of relocations while her husband was in the Air Force. She ultimately felt called to do something other than social work, from which she’d taken a break, but didn’t know what that would look like.
· Lee’s decision to get certified as a coach grew out of watching her husband grapple with launching a dental practice – and all the small-business/entrepreneurial elements involved. She saw first-hand the need for support.
· Once her practice was launched, Lee started getting inquiries from clients who wanted to learn the ropes of coaching themselves – a training niche that she has handily filled!
· Lee launched her training and accreditation program right in the midst of pandemic, which was a chaotic time but also a moment in which people were seeking connection.
· Traits that make a good fit for Lee’s program:
o People who are curious.
o People with open minds.
o People who have the ability to hold space for others to figure out their thoughts.
· You don’t have to be the ultimate expert in all things as a coach. People are seeking help, an extension of experience and knowledge – not a steamroller.
· Lee’s advice for aspiring coaches:
o Pause to take stock of your interior landscape and core values.
o Coaching is an expression of who we are, so self-understanding is key.
o Helpers and healers (traits common among many coaches) need to be wary of basing self-worth on how well they are serving others.
· There are myriad paths to developing a coaching practice – and not all of them require scaling or moving away from one-to-one work.
· What Lee’s certification program teaches:
o Fundamental ICF coaching skills and practices.
o Specific techniques and tactics.
o The rules of the road (so you know when to break them!).
· About Lee’s podcast, a little bit of everything about what it takes to be both a successful coach and to run a sustainable business. It explores:
o The craft of coaching and how to build relationships when things get sticky.
o Business elements: marketing, sales, one-to-many programs.
o Live coaching calls.
o Expert guests speaking on various topics.
About Lee:
Lee helps clients connect with a deeper, more aligned form coaching — and to build a successful coaching business in the process. She is an ICF-certified business coach, creator of the Coach with Clarity® framework, a licensed clinical social worker, host of the Coach with Clarity podcast, and author of the #1 bestselling book, ACT on Your Business. Having helped hundreds of coaches tap into their wisdom and serve clients in truly life-changing ways, Lee offers resource that develop both the skill set and mindset to ultimately transform the lives of their clients.
No one defines resilience like Bevin Farrand, whose husband died unexpectedly just after her 40th birthday. Left with two young children to raise and a mountain of grief to navigate, this inspiring mom grew her digital consulting business while at the same time launching Take the DAMN Trip, a framework designed to help us live our best lives – not tomorrow, but today.
As a speaker and coach, Bevin is all about grounding. Entrepreneurial dreams are a starting place but, without a solid foundation, they are all too likely to stall. That’s where coaching can break down the task at hand. In the case of starting a business, it means getting really clear about both the vision and the “why” behind it. And that clarity, says Bevin, is what keeps us moving forward through even the toughest of times – something she knows plenty about.
The tips, perspectives and tools come fast and furious in this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur, so buckle up and enjoy the ride. Bevin is sharing hard-won wisdom and down-to-earth tactics that are applicable to business, yes, but equally so to life! “None of us has the luxury of waiting,” says Bevin. So why not get started now?
Ready to Do the DAMN Thing? You can get instant access to the secrets that unlock Bevin’s powerful framework and get started with training by clicking here.
Click here to join others who are ready to Take the DAMN Trip! Feeling anxious or overwhelmed? Bevin also offers a free centering meditation here.
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Have you ever been fired? Maybe more than once? It could be an invitation to become your own boss!
· Take stock: Look at all the things that have been hard and all the things that have been wonderful in life. Then try applying the DAMN framework.
· Come up with a framework or methodology to differentiate and make your business more memorable.
· If our “why” is well-defined, it’s far easier to move through challenging passages.
· Get completely clear on your “what” and “why” the “how” will take care of itself!
· There’s a difference between permission and support. When we have clarity of purpose, we don’t need permission.
· We don’t have to have a fully baked plan in order to have a manifesto, but we DO have to be all-in committed to ride out the inevitable bumps and U-turns.
· Don’t look at the top of the mountain. Just look at the first tree. To get past overwhelm, just move your feet, one step after the other.
· The perfect mindset and moment will never arrive. So just get started!
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· Bevin had a false start with an unsuccessful entrepreneurial venture earlier in her career, but after being laid off for the third time in 2019 she put a stake in the ground, leveraging her digital marketing skills to start her own business.
· Not long after she launched her business, Collaborate.Work, Bevin’s husband died completely unexpectedly. She was suddenly the solo mom of two young children.
· Bevin’s Take the DAMN Trip movement – which is all about going for it and pursuing our dreams – grew organically out of watching her husband’s life cut short.
· Take the DAMN Trip has grown exponentially since 2020, resonating across demographics.
· The DAMN Framework includes four powerful, yet simple, mindset shifts:
o D - Decide and Declare.
o A - Attend Your Own Party.
o M - Moments not Minutes.
o N - Now is the Time!
· Bevin believes that when we shift our mindset (with help from her DAMN methodology), it’s impossible to “unsee” what needs to happen in our lives.
· Although she candidly admits that what she’s teaching isn’t completely unique, Bevin does underscore the DAMN framework that is personal and very specific to her coaching.
· Bevin helps her clients get clear on:
o The “Yes” – What are you ‘all in’ on?
o The “Why” – What fuels optimal health in all the key pillars:
§ Financial
§ Emotional
§ Mental
§ Social
§ Physical
§ Spiritual
· The first critical piece of Bevin’s DAMN program: Figure out a vivid, foundational manifesto.
· A big stumbling block many entrepreneurs are vulnerable to: Shiny Object Syndrome. It’s all to too easy to get distracted and lose the thread of the original vision.
· Bevin emphasizes getting grounded in reality with conscious declarations that widen confidence, clarity and momentum over time and in a layered way.
· Once you create a clear, confident frame, the need for permission becomes irrelevant. You’re not responsible for other people’s feelings or reactions.
· Bevin shares her PAD method:
o Pause: Get present.
o Acknowledge: Identify how you’re feeling.
o Do: Get into action!
· Bevin starts by asking all her clients how committed they are, which matters when it comes to inevitable stressors and bumps (which can especially unsettle new entrepreneurs).
· Tips for New Entrepreneurs:
o Step 1: Go broad before going deep. Don’t edit dreams!
o Step 2: is to get specific. What are your “why” and “how”?
o Step 3: Stick with it. Building a business or practice takes time.
o Step 4: Give yourself some grace!
· Feeling stuck? Bevin recommends getting started with 15-minute micro-actions that over time build momentum.
· What’s next for Bevin:
o Nurturing along her book project.
o Expanding and sharing the DAMN framework beyond the entrepreneurial space.
About Bevin:
As CEO and Founder of Collaborate.Work, Bevin partners with small businesses and entrepreneurs to execute launches and strategy, taking their businesses to 6- and 7-figure. She is also the visionary behind Take the DAMN Trip, a movement dedicated to the mission of fully living in the now. A Certified Advanced Transformative coach, Bevin has trained with some of the top coaches and trainers in the world, including Richard Bandler, Pransky & Associates and Paul McKenna. She also completed an exclusive apprenticeship with world-renowned coach, Michael Neill.
Hundreds of millions of Americans are overweight and at risk for life-shortening conditions like diabetes and heart disease. So one thing we know out of the gate about F45 fitness studio franchises is … there’s definitely a market need! And, as Jackie Mendes explains on this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur, the highly successful Australian export has a formula that sets franchise owners up for success from Day 1.
A regional sales vice president with F45, Jackie has devoted a 20-year career to fostering the most cutting-edge, creative and – most of all – fun workouts possible. The fitness industry is all about acquisition and retention, which this unique franchise model supports through a detailed step-by-step playbook and training/mentorship that extends throughout the life of the business.
Learn why you might make an ideal F45 franchisee, including what it takes to get started and why it’s a great entrepreneurial fit for people who have a heart for building community and improving quality of life. There’s nothing like pulling together as a team, which is why F45’s low-cost setup, high-profit model is so compelling and has caught fire across the world!
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· F45 growth has rocketed in its first decade of business, with some 3,300 franchises launched globally.
· Because it deploys multiple joints and muscles simultaneously, the F45 exercise model is highly time-efficient.
· A rolling schedule of classes maximizes client access to facilities.
· Fitness, hospitality, healthcare and entertainment are the trifecta that motivates people to join and keep coming back to F45 studios!
· The F45 process is highly detailed and replicable, which bolsters success. It’s also a living agenda that is constantly evolving and improving based on current on-the-ground conditions and best practices.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· F45 is a studio boutique fitness concept based on functional training (the “F”) and the length of workout (45 minutes).
· Since the Australian business model emerged in 2012, year-over-year growth of franchises has been exponential and today includes 3,300 studios worldwide.
· Functional fitness focuses on movements that occur in everyday life, emphasizing foundational elements that support quality of life in athletics and daily living.
· Cross-functional training increases “bang for your buck” in terms of the amount of fitness garnered through a quick 45-minute workout.
· Customers can book classes pretty much every hour of the day.
· The two key performance indicators (KPIs) at F45 are: Acquisition and Retention.
· A Day in the Life of an F45 Franchise Owner:
o Hands-off owners tend to focus on overseeing the growth and vision of the studio rather than operations.
o Owner-operators are involved every day, maintaining a community profile through class participation and interactions, tracking and tweaking marketing and sales efforts and making cross-promotional appearances that drive business.
o Overseeing the recruitment and retention of talented staff.
o Maintaining facilities and supplies.
· F45 differentiators include:
o A heavy emphasis on community.
o Open, brightly lit, welcoming studio designs.
o Workouts that each have their own unique name, brand and personality.
o A focus on teamwork, bonding and pulling together.
· Franchise owners will ideally:
o Have a big heart for community and interacting with people.
o Have at least $100,000 in liquid financial resources (financing help available).
o Some sales or marketing experience (but these can also be taught).
o Business ownership skills (such as accounting, retail or team management).
· F45 Training and Support includes:
o An immersive two-week training in Austin based on a detailed agenda covering everything you need to know about the business.
o An intranet platform that features a step-by-step process covering:
§ Site selection.
§ Lease negotiations.
§ Pre-construction and build-out phases.
§ Pre-sales support to ensure cash-positive member commitments from Day 1.
§ Post-Grand Opening mentors with deep industry experience who help owners and managers monitor KPIs and reach their goals through the entire life of the franchise.
To learn more about F45 Training or other franchise opportunities, click here to set up a call.
How satisfying is it for Kay Kirkman to host her popular podcast, The GenX Career Show? Beyond! This dynamic career coach has come full circle after being fired early in her career from a dream job working in radio. The experience dashed her confidence and dead-ended her in a series of meaningless jobs. Have you been there? Once she realized how uniquely equipped she was to empathize with people (especially GenXers) in a similar situation, Kay was on her way to launching the coaching practice and podcast following she delights in today.
On this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur, we hear about how Kay launched her successful practice, including the inevitable bumps along the way. She learned first-hand how challenging it can be to find the right kind of training and support while navigating a business model for herself. In a world rich with internet resources, it’s a huge time-saver (and sanity-saver) to find a mentor, program and/or community that aligns with your entrepreneurial goals and stage of development.
You’ll learn all about Kay’s four-step coaching process, including how she helps clients uncover their core clarity, focus and inspiration – plus actionable tips for first steps to take when making the transition into entrepreneurship. Kay believes that everyone on the planet deserves to find and perform work they enjoy each and every day. When employees are happy at work, stress levels go down while quality of relationships, productivity and overall job satisfaction go up, up, up. Is it time for you to claim your dream?
Kay’s podcast The GenX Career Show is a great way to get to know her warm, practical approach to building the career you desire. Click here to tune in! You can also click here to download her free Dream Job Discovery List or here to schedule a courtesy discovery call.
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Been fired or laid off? It could be your invitation to become an entrepreneur!
· If you’re working jobs for which you are over-qualified or about which you don’t care, it’s worth asking yourself whether you’re hiding out rather than risking failure.
· It’s far easier to dial in your ideal client when you are authentically connected with the message you bring and the experience you (and they) share.
· Courses on startup strategy aren’t for everyone, so be sure that the content is relevant for your particular business and stage of development.
· You’re always learning – even when making mistakes and having to backtrack. It’s all valuable knowledge.
· Click here if you’d like to learn more about the Disc Profile behavior assessment that Kay uses in her practice.
· Without a coach or process, it’s easy to bump up against a roadblocks and drift.
· When launching a coaching practice, resist the urge to compare yourself with others!
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· Kay had no intention of becoming an entrepreneur – until she was fired from her dream job in radio and derailed from her career vision.
· Having her confidence crushed left Kay vulnerable to a cycle of jobs about which she didn’t care, which felt safer than the risk of being fired again from something she loved.
· Kay’s practice is centered on several key questions:
o Are you doing something you care about?
o Do you have a dream job?
o If you’re not where you want to be, what’s holding you back?
o What will it take to find your true path?
· About how Kay evolved her coaching business:
o While she didn’t have entrepreneurial models within her family, she did have parents who had demonstrated what it is to work an independent “side hustle.”
o Without a coach or mentor, Kay stumbled into a variety of paid online courses that didn’t really fit her model or stage of business development.
o Figuring out where to find the right resources and information was a challenge.
· It’s tremendously helpful to start out by finding a mentor or coach who has made a journey similar to the one you want to undertake.
· Kay explains the four-step process she uses to help her clients:
o Step #1: Deploy a Disc Profile behavior assessment to clarify traits and tendencies.
o Step #2: Frame an ideal job scenario. No limits! Dream big! The goal is to get to that thing that lights you up.
o Step #3: Move towards milestones, which usually means bumping up against doubts, fears and other mindset issues that arise outside our comfort zones.
o Step #4: Evaluate what’s working, not working and where to double-down on formulas and tactics that are landing well and advancing goals.
· Beyond her four-step process, Kay offers accountability coaching and detailed medium-term plans on which to execute.
· Kay connects with her clients through her podcast, making guest appearances and networking through public forums.
· Kay’s Top Tips for Aspiring Coaches:
o Find your tribe – whether a mentor or community.
o Be patient with the process.
o Don’t compare yourself with other coaches. Run your own race!
o Study your craft.
o Being knowledgeable about your area of expertise boosts confidence.
About Kay:
Kay Kirkman is a successful podcast host, speaker, trainer life and career coach. She helps professionals get clear on what they want so that they can finally do work that they enjoy and ultimately thrive in their careers and at home.
Sometimes you have to create the thing you want, which in Ryann Dowdy’s case was a community of strong, generous, savvy and like-minded women. As a longtime sales executive, she decided to make a switch to coaching other women in their careers only to find that the most powerful part of her work was in the blossoming connections it yielded. As she explains on this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur, Ryann had commenced one entrepreneurial journey only to uncover her true passion just adjacent. And thus was born, a membership platform that offers aspirational women a safe place to build out their dreams.
Based on “psycho-graphics, not demographics,” Be In The Room members aren’t a good fit because of the college they attended, promotion they received or CV that they’ve polished. It’s instead about mindset and the richness and support prospective members are able to offer one another. Ryann outlines some of the many ways in which women are networking, the priority placed on maintaining the group’s integrity and plans for future forums to support growth.
We’re also learning about some of the ingredients key to evolving a nurturing community, whatever your affinity or goal. Ryann has learned that her value-add doesn’t have to be front-and-center at all times because, as she’s discovered, the magic often occurs when members are allowed to step forward and engage directly with one another. It’s all part of creating a safe space where women feel free to be their truest selves, says Ryann.
The Be In The Room platform offers a mix of open access and members-only resources, so spend some time exploring what’s available at this link. Various benefits include a private virtual community, peer-led education and masterclasses, a membership directory for networking and priority access to retreats, conferences and other events.
Eager to get connected? Click here to book an application discovery call with Ryann.
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· The last two years have transformed what it means to become an entrepreneur.
· A range of affordable online tools available today put startup ventures within reach.
· Connecting with like-minded fellow travelers will ignite your dreams!
· Pause to consider: Do the members of your interest/support groups all look the same?
· It’s extremely energizing to incorporate diverse points of view within your landscape.
· Are you growing a community? Remember that there’s power in backing off and letting others chime in and banter with one another. It strengthens the fabric!
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· About Ryann’s journey from 15 years of working in advertising sales, working her way up to a national director of sales role and ultimately deciding she needed to make a change.
· Making the Leap: Ryann had launched a sales training program and built a community of 7,000 aspiring women entrepreneurs when the lightbulb went off. There was a need for a safe, empowering community. Be In The Room was born!
· Ryann’s primary passion is for facilitating long-term relationships of the kind she was seeing among women in her training and Facebook forums.
· Be In The Room was conceived as a platform to foster empowerment and community among women through education, events, speakers, Slack and other channels.
· Integrity is central to Be In The Room, which means that personal marketing information isn’t shared and codes of conduct are enforced.
· Ryann anticipates that at some point the larger Be In The Room umbrella will be broken down into smaller groups based on niche affinity groups.
· Membership in Ryann’s group is based on mindset – not occupation or resume. It’s an organization that speaks to women who have felt perhaps out of step or been told they’re “too much” in some way.
· Prior to admitting members, Ryann speaks individually to each and every woman who is interested in engaging with Be In The Room.
· Ryann places a priority on diversity within Be In The Room to ensure myriad points of view based on differing lived experiences.
· Membership options include $3,500 annually or $300 per month.
· Be In The Room resources include:
o Special guests speaker events.
o A podcast.
o Retreats.
o Slack Groups.
· Ryann’s tips for entrepreneurs trying to improve the quality of their communities:
o Be open and flexible.
o Don’t try to control all the moving parts.
o Your value-add function doesn’t have to be constantly center stage.
o Let other members of your community have a face and voice.
o Have fun! That can look like allowing spontaneous exchanges in which relationships develop and community flourishes.
About Ryann:
As an expert in sales, Ryann has created a Facebook community of over 7,000 women looking to follow their dreams of starting a profitable business. Women began joining her first sales training program not only for the incredible knowledge and results they found within the program, but also for the amazing community of empowered women she was on a mission to create. Today, Ryann’s mission is to create a safe space for every woman who has ever been told she's too much, too picky, too loud, too ANYTHING to come together and be fearlessly themselves. Because when women connect, work together and harness power into ONE common mission – they are invincible.
Sandi Wake, franchise owner at CarePatrol, had no interest in running her own business. Or so she thought, until someone introduced to her the concept of a franchise. Once familiar with the CarePatrol model, she felt called to the mission, helping families navigate and transition into the right senior community situation. She might have hesitated to become an overnight entrepreneur – had she not been reassured by the guidance her franchise family would provide.
The beauty of franchise models is their shared resources and best practices. Just exiting a 30-year career in manufacturing, Sandi wasn’t in an entrepreneurial mindset but she was definitely open to learning. Nothing more is required for CarePatrol franchisees, who receive ongoing training, project management and IT resources as well as a robust community. Sandi benefits on a daily basis from the tips and advice shared among 150 franchise owners around the U.S., who meet live at conferences and also via Zoom. They are there to help each other figure out the best ways to establish relationships within local elder communities, how to leverage social media and grow both the business and staff.
Best of all, Sandi has been able to help hundreds of families around Grand Rapids, MI, move through what is often a stressful and scary time. At no charge to her clients, she and her CarePatrol team determine needs, available resources and possible living situations. They are also there to tour and help compare communities (who provide the funding for this free service). Are you someone with a big heart? If so, CarePatrol is an opportunity to give to others, employ others and build a meaningful career for yourself!
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Some of CarePatrol’s features: Modest investment, ability to work independently, helping people through a difficult life transition.
· From a personal point of view, there is great reward in CarePatrol’s mission.
· Are you a good fit for a CarePatrol franchise? Do your research and go with your heart!
· Doing well by doing good: CarePatrol supports others while also generating income.
· Families do not pay for the support and services provided by CarePatrol, which is funded through the adjacent elder care community.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· After 30 years with a manufacturing organization, Sandi’s job was eliminated in a corporate acquisition. What next?
· A friend introduced the idea of a franchise, which seemed unlikely given that she’d never had any interest in working for herself. CarePatrol, however, piqued Sandi’s interest.
· Working with older folks in transition is incredibly rewarding!
· A day in the life of a CarePatrol franchisee:
o No two days are alike.
o Every day tends to be busy!
o You’re wearing a lot of hats, which can include:
§ Working with elder communities to get partnerships in place.
§ Cultivating referral sources.
§ Answering the phone in order always to be available for families.
§ Accounting.
§ As the franchise grows: HR functions such as hiring and training.
· As her franchise has grown Sandi has migrated more towards an administrative function with a staff of three working with families to come up with the right placements as well as an admin and an individual dedicated to maintaining community contacts/referrals.
· CarePatrol Differentiators:
o The system in place is solid and replicable.
o Substantial ongoing support (including onsite) is provided for new franchises.
o Tools include both organizational databases and marketing collateral.
o An IT department is available to facilitate systems.
· The power of the franchise network: Sandi has derived a lot of satisfaction not only from the practical advice available at conferences, but also the support, insights and friendship she has found over meals and Zoom calls with colleagues.
· CarePatrol has about 150 franchisees around the country and they all have big hearts!
· Developing relationships is at the core of the CarePatrol model, which includes:
o Defining clients’ wants and needs.
o Determining financial requirements and constraints.
o Taking families to tour various communities.
o Acting as a go-between to buffer families from direct marketing by facilities.
o High-touch customer service.
· CarePatrol is a service paid for by the community of providers rather than the families in search of elder care.
To learn more about CarePatrol or other franchise opportunities, click here to set up a call.
Zencastr is an all-in-one podcast production suite that gives you studio quality audio and video without needing all the technical know-how. It records each guest locally, then uploads the crystal clear audio and video right into the suite so you have high-quality raw materials to work with.
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Burnout isn’t an overnight phenomenon. It compounds slowly – often imperceptibly – over time and when it shows up can often be crippling. That’s where Elizabeth Collins – aka “The Burnout Witch” – comes in. On this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur we hear about her journey from an education and early career in western-based health care to an evolving eastern practice that includes acupuncture and tarot cards. It’s a very specific niche that Elizabeth fully owns, and she coaches others in the integrative and functional medicine space to do the same!
Entrepreneurship starts with knowing ourselves, our values and the value we bring to the world, so much of Elizabeth’s practice is devoted to establishing that clear sense of self and boundaries. She uses values exercises (links for which are provided) and also offers key strategies for staving off encroaching burnout. Something as simple as a coffee mug that makes you smile can serve a protective function.
Without intentionality, our bodies and spirits are subject to burnout. So whether we come to entrepreneurialism deliberately or, like Elizabeth, through a somewhat meandering path, it’s critically important that we protect our core beliefs. “It took me a long time to learn who I am in order to know what I need in my business,” she says. Once our mission is clearly defined, we’re freed up to bring our best – and truest – selves to the fore!
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Entrepreneurship can be something you land on by chance rather than by design.
· Do you have burnout? There are therapies to help you recover.
· If you’ve tried to meditate without success, it may be your brain is stuck in overwhelm.
· Set intentional boundaries that recognize intrusion and minimize burnout.
· The Power of a Coffee Mug: Creating a safe space helps fend off burnout.
· Answering texts at midnight? It’s perfectly normal to have standard business hours. In fact, your clients will respect you for it.
· Ready to live into your values? Here’s a step-by-step Values Exercise.
· Here’s a social media tip: If creating content exhausts you, consider tagging screen shots of work you endorse and adding your own take on why it’s worthwhile.
· Whatever product, skill or service you offer is uniquely your own – so brand it that way!
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· Elizabeth’s early experience working within the traditional western health care framework morphed into an interest in alternative integrative techniques for sustained wellness.
· Acupuncturists are de facto entrepreneurs because they constitute a small sector without well-defined platforms.
· About the blend of functional medicine, acupuncture and coaching that Elizabeth offers.
· A closer look at burnout:
o Prevention looks like:
§ Modulating diet.
§ Integrating exercise.
§ Meditation.
§ Curating a safe, comfortable environment.
o Treatment looks like:
§ Finding ways to undo damage that shuts down brain function.
§ Addressing underlying physiological and emotional imbalances.
§ Assessing vitamin and mineral levels.
§ Putting in place modest, small steps towards meditation.
· How to distinguish the difference between burnout vs. general fatigue vs. depression:
o Depression feels like a weighted blanket, tamping down everything.
o Burnout tends to be more situational and tied to identifiable responses to things like the constant pinging of your email.
· The challenges in jumping from a medical career into an entrepreneurial orientation:
o Acupuncture practices aren’t prevalent so there was no ready template.
o Elizabeth’s studies didn’t include any business training.
o It was all too easy to follow “accepted” business practices that were out of alignment with Elizabeth’s values and interests.
o Boundaries had to be set around things like business hours.
· Elizabeth and Dori talk about the importance of establishing personal core values and parameters around things like networking and social media.
· The more Elizabeth has embraced her very specific niche and mix of east-west orientation, the more successful she has been with her brand.
· Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs and coaches in the wellness space:
o Do a values exercise to establish priorities.
o Get very clear about who you are and the boundaries you want to set.
o Know deeply that what you offer the world is 100% unique.
· Recommended Reading:
o "The Bouncebackability Factor: End Burnout, Gain Resilience, and Change the World," by Caitlyn Donovan. And click here for a link for her free downloadable values exercise.
o "Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience," by Brene Brown. And here’s a link for her two-part values exercise.
About Elizabeth:
Elizabeth was a full time Emergency Medical Technician prior to obtaining her Master’s degree from the Finger Lakes School of Acupuncture and Oriental medicine in Seneca Falls, New York. She is trained in both Chinese and Japanese styles of acupuncture. She completed an internship at the world renowned Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Hangzhou, P.R. China, and has comprehensive training in Zheng Gu Tui Na bodywork from Tom Bisio, L.Ac. in New York City. Additionally, she studied the treatment of acute and chronic pain at the EASTMedicine Seminar Series at the University of Westminster, London, UK. With experience in both Western and Eastern spheres, she is committed to bringing a well-rounded, holistic approach to each patient encounter.
Zencastr is an all-in-one podcast production suite that gives you studio quality audio and video without needing all the technical know-how. It records each guest locally, then uploads the crystal clear audio and video right into the suite so you have high-quality raw materials to work with.
Visit https://zen.ai/sheturnedentrepreneur and use Promo Code: sheturnedentrepreneur to receive 30% off a Zencastr Professional account.
It makes sense that from early on Nicole Laino aspired to become an actor. She was born curious about human behavior and how identities work. Lucky for us, she is sharing her journey on this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur, from pursuing entertainment to Wall Street project management to ultimately integrating her many talents to found Peak-Performance Coaching.
Nicole helps ambitious women dig deep and break free from long-standing, embedded patterns that do not serve. “Your subconscious finds cunning and creative ways that seem very productive and plausible for you to stay right where you are,” she says. It’s all too easy to fall into this addictive trap, in which all manner of “legitimate” excuses keep us from uncovering our truest desire, sense of purpose and agency.
Tapping into her own entrepreneurial experience founding a software startup, Nicole understands exactly where talented women can tend to bog down. She’s sharing actionable tips for breaking that cycle as well as tools for finding flow. What does that mean? It’s about getting quiet and digging deep in order to “open the floodgates” of creativity and productivity. You may want to change your business in some way, but this kind of coaching also changes lives. Nicole is inviting us to let ourselves be exceptional!
Interested in learning more about Nicole’s Human Design Chart? Click here. And you can find her Limitless Entrepreneur Podcast here.
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Don’t think your passion can pay? Yes, it can! You just need to figure it out.
· Do you tend to separate your right- and left-brain talents? Integrating different creative energies and aptitudes yields powerful entrepreneurial results.
· Have you invited your creative side out to play? Drop the filter and say “yes”!
· Feeling stuck? Consider the possibility that you’re energetically blocked. There’s help!
· Want something more than a horoscope or Myers-Brigg result? Try Human Design!
· Feeling gridlocked? Slow down and allow some mental white space.
· Investigate with curiosity whatever feelings you’re harboring. Why are they there?
· Remember: We’re often more comfortable sticking with the known, even when it’s counter-productive.
· Recommended Reading: "The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level," by Gay Hendricks.
· Putting other people’s needs above your own? Ask why! (Coaching can really help …)
· What’s Next for Nicole?
o Doing more of what she loves, which is coaching women.
o A book is starting to take shape!
o Her podcast provides strategy and practical tools for building a business + the energetic and mindset elements that are a big piece of the puzzle.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· Nicole shares her journey from aspiring actor to Wall Street project manager, the bumps along the way and ultimately her surrender to an intuition that was there all along.
· By welcoming in her creative side, Nicole got clues to the future she could make.
· Nicole’s Clients: Entrepreneurs, service providers, creative people who have the strategy and structure but are energetically blocked.
· We’ve convinced ourselves that we need to be more, but Nicole is all about helping her clients see that they are enough right now.
· Two reasons women often have difficulty accepting their truest essence:
o They strive to do so much that they override their own innate value and contributions to teams.
o Their central nervous systems shut down, locked in disempowering narratives.
· Feeling stuck? Here are some actionable tips to help you get back in the flow:
o Slow down and allow your feelings as well as some psychic space!
o Use Human Design to figure out who you are and how to operate.
o Really look at your feelings and be intentional about opening emotional flow.
o Refrain from self-criticism, which can be an addictive response to feeling.
· The familiar feels safe, but that in no way means its healthy or serves your purpose.
· About the “Safe Zone,” that place our subconscious uses to keep us comfortable. Growth beyond our protective boundaries is where true comfort lies.
· Self-sabotage is tricky and often elusive. Coaching can really help uncover covert patterns and defaults.
About Nicole:
Nicole Laino is a startup Founder, Business Strategist & Peak Performance Coach. She's also a Rapid Relief Technique & NLP Practitioner, the host of the Limitless Entrepreneur Podcast, and a self-proclaimed "Type-A Hippie". She helps ambitious women harness their feminine energy and break free from subconscious patterns of perfectionism and over-analyzing so they can sell and serve at their highest level - without burning out.
Zencastr is an all-in-one podcast production suite that gives you studio quality audio and video without needing all the technical know-how. It records each guest locally, then uploads the crystal clear audio and video right into the suite so you have high-quality raw materials to work with.
Visit https://zen.ai/sheturnedentrepreneur and use Promo Code: sheturnedentrepreneur to receive 30% off a Zencastr Professional account.
As the pandemic proved, whatever trends come and go, basic home services are as perennial as the change of seasons. Which is why demand is constant for Mr. Sparky electricians! Franchise Development Manager Shae Ananda shares the many reasons women in particular should consider becoming owners.
You needn’t have any electrical certification to put together a thriving business (or net the huge revenue Mr. Sparky franchisees report). That’s where the Authority Brands family and amazing systems for supporting home services come in. New owners receive tons of onsite and online training, including a 206-point checklist and an award-winning portal with 250 modules about everything from the latest technologies to customer relations to employee training and retention.
What Mr.Sparky franchise owners need? A passion for building businesses and working with people. Because of the detail-oriented nature of the work and the fact that electrical work requires more brains than brawn, this is a realm in which women can excel. In fact, Mr. Sparky’s leadership believes this so much so that they are offering a discount on initial franchise fees for interested female entrepreneurs. Does this “spark” your interest? Time to check it out!
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Have a successful home service? Maybe you should join the Authority Brands family!
· Being part of a brand family provides access to a robust referral network.
· Mr. Sparky franchisees can grow their territories or broaden their portfolio of services.
· Franchises by their nature shift and grow, which is why it’s important to have ongoing one-to-one coaching support to anticipate the road ahead.
· Mr. Sparky offers a special franchise fee discount for women owners!
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· Shae shares the origin story for Mr. Sparky, which was initially founded in 1996 and grew to become the largest electrical service provider in the entire U.S. The company went on to join the Authority Brands family, which offers 12 different home services franchises.
· Shared resources is part of the power of Authority Brands, which is fueled by hundreds and hundreds of franchises and benefits from economies of scale when it comes to marketing and sales.
· Mr. Sparky Differentiators:
o Being a member of the Authority Brands family.
o Gross revenue: An average of $3.3 million per franchise owner in 2021!
o A single franchise owner (with multiple territories) grossed $49+ million in 2021.
o The business model is very scalable.
o Frequent referrals among complementary Authority Brands services.
o Cross-business among home services enables potential empire building.
o Mr. Sparky’s model emphasizes service, professionalism and transparency.
o All electricians are background checked and drug tested.
o On-time service and satisfaction guaranteed.
· You do not need to be a licensed electrician. Mr. Sparky’s has the tools and resources necessary to get anyone started building their business.
· Ideal Mr. Sparky franchisees are:
o Passionate about and excited by the idea of growing a business.
o Eager for an opportunity to show appreciation for tradespeople.
o Engaged with and able to encourage as well as manage teams.
o Intuitive in sales and how to present solutions as services (rather than upsales).
o Ready to follow the formula and work within the system.
o Open-minded and excited to embrace new technology and opportunities.
· Women make tremendous Mr. Sparky owners! Why? The work is:
o Detail-oriented.
o More about brains than brawn.
o Collaborative.
o Strategic and outward facing.
· About training and support for franchise owners:
o Onboarding includes a 206 point checklist that is rolled out over 90 days.
o Ongoing hands-on support and mentoring.
o One-week boot camp in Phoenix for face-time with leadership.
o An online training platform called “Success Academy” that has more than 250 modules to guide both electrical training as well as aspects of the business such as recruiting, retention, new technologies and systems.
o One-on-one training with business coaches as the business evolves and grows.
· The Mr. Sparky franchise fee is $33,000 for a territory of 200,000 people. There is a discount for women owners! Initial overall investments are generally between $81,000 and $191,000. It depends on what equipment is already on hand, marketing allocations and local leasing, real estate and other overhead costs.
· Final Thoughts About Mr. Sparky:
o Home services franchises are a reliable evergreen investment.
o With only 43 owners thus far, it’s a tight and very supportive network.
o Top leadership is 100% accessible and invested in its people.
To learn more about Mr. Sparky or other franchise opportunities, click here to set up a call.
Zencastr is an all-in-one podcast production suite that gives you studio quality audio and video without needing all the technical know-how. It records each guest locally, then uploads the crystal clear audio and video right into the suite so you have high-quality raw materials to work with.
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This episode of She Turned Entrepreneur features a young woman who has figured out how to do creative, rewarding, remunerative work – all while on the road exploring at large. An intrepid traveler since her teens, Samantha Burmeister founded Nomad Copy Agency to leverage her writing and marketing skills while at the same time enjoying her freedom.
Nomad writers are pros when it comes to generating all the copy that we often find so hard to come up with for ourselves. The conversational tone and engaging phrases that will sell us best sometimes need to come from someone other than, well, ourselves. That’s where Samantha and her team can step in and lighten your load. They’ll work with you to bring your business’s personality to life with bright, compelling content for websites, ad campaigns, email sales blasts or other marketing collateral.
Samantha shares some terrific tips for getting unstuck as well as advice for entrepreneurs DIYing their own copy. It can be done! Start by trying to separate yourself from your company’s entity. Have fun! Finding your brand’s voice means uncovering the heart of whatever service or product you’re trying to sell. Remember, as Samantha says, “practice makes progress.” So don’t get discouraged. And if you aspire to write professionally yourself, this episode also offers helpful suggestions to get you started on that journey.
On a tight deadline? Click here to book a discovery call with Samantha to explore her “Done in a Day” option.
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Too much on your plate? Having a business manager can be a real game-changer.
· For creatives, finding a way to work on the road is a hugely liberating gift!
· It’s hard to write copy selling ourselves. Why struggle with it when you can outsource?
· You and your company do not have the same persona. Have fun defining your business’s brand and voice as separate from your own.
· Persuasive writing takes a conversational tone, which is far more lively and compelling.
· Having a tough day? Fix your gaze on the bright future you’re trying to build!
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· After a traditional academic and career start, Samantha was eventually in a position to pursue the entrepreneurial life she had first discovered through reading "The 4-Hour Work Week," by Tim Ferriss.
· Combining Dreams: Samantha’s goal was to figure out a way to make a living while still enjoying the life of travel and adventure that she desired.
· Creative professions are especially well-suited to a lifestyle on the road. Samantha can invite inspiration to strike at whatever time and in whichever time zone.
· About the Nomad Copy Agency model:
o Focuses primarily on professional services (accountants, consultants, business coaches).
o Provides colorful, persuasive web, email and other marketing content so that company principles can focus on what they do best.
o Works hand-in-hand to help automate sales and marketing processes.
· Tips for entrepreneurs struggling to generate copy:
o Discover your brand voice before you start writing.
o Discriminate between your and your company’s personas. They are distinct.
o What would your company say about itself (versus what would you say about your company)?
o Step outside yourself and speak to your target audience in a conversational way.
· For aspiring copy writers:
o Practice makes progress.
o Virtual Assistant and Online Business Manager jobs offer a great arena to sharpen writing skills.
o Samantha is not a big fan of Upwork and Fiverr as a place to get started.
o Consider offering your services for free while getting established.
o Put the intention out there!
· What keeps Samantha going on the tough days:
o She gets a lot pleasure bringing copy to life.
o The team effort is energizing.
o Keeping an eye on big-picture future goal helps!
· Recommended Reading (Samantha tries to devour at least one a week!):
o "Will," by Will Smith and Mark Manson.
o "Shantaram," by Gregory David Roberts.
About Samantha:
Samantha founded Nomad Copy Agency as a sales and conversion-focused copywriting agency. Her team works with established businesses to help them amplify their messaging online to boost their bottom line.
Zencastr is an all-in-one podcast production suite that gives you studio quality audio and video without needing all the technical know-how. It records each guest locally, then uploads the crystal clear audio and video right into the suite so you have high-quality raw materials to work with.
Visit https://zen.ai/sheturnedentrepreneur and use Promo Code: sheturnedentrepreneur to receive 30% off a Zencastr Professional account.
Sometimes in life we’re called upon to bet on ourselves (even against all odds), which is exactly what Yassin Hall did 17 years ago when she rose up from her lowest ebb to open her own Amazon online store. It changed the trajectory of her whole life! The best-selling author and self-made millionaire shares her triumphant story on this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur.
Reeling from a divorce and the demands of four children with learning differences and other needs, Yassin had her back to the wall. Rather than collapse, she got busy advocating – for her family and for herself. She took a gamble by signing on to become one of the earliest sellers on the Amazon platform (where Black women still only constitute 1% of store owners). Not only did she figure out the pitfalls and strategies to guarantee her store’s success, she also devised a method to break through to her autistic daughter, who now runs a million-dollar business of her own. Yassin up-leveled her life and has gone on to teach thousands of women – a majority of them single mothers – how they can do the same.
Her B.O.S.S. (Build on Self-Motivated Success) Class teaches students how to launch, build and grow wealth by opening an Amazon store. The online giant only approves individuals to open a single store per lifetime, which means it’s crucial to get the recipe right. Yassin and her team (all women and all graduates of Yassin’s program) provide comprehensive tools and ongoing support to keep new entrepreneurs on course. They also equip sellers interested in creating a presence on eBay and Walmart.
As Yassin likes to say, she’s changing lives one Amazon seller at a time. The goal is to get one million women online and financially independent. It’s a program based in Yassin’s deep empathy and the hard-won practical know-how she has acquired over nearly two decades of making money and making positive change!
You can click here to learn more about The B.O.S.S. Class or check out all Yassin’s best-selling books at this link.
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· When your back is against the wall, do what’s in front of you.
· Sometimes you have to take a leap, in spite of fear and the unknown.
· If someone says you’re unable to do something, you don’t have to listen.
· What special skill do you have to share or teach? Create a platform!
· Even the best systems break down. Prepare mentally for glitches.
· When you’re forced to take downtime in your business, don’t get frustrated. Redirect and make the most of it by doing other relevant tasks!
· Believing in a power higher than yourself sustains through inevitable downturns.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· About Yassin’s winding journey from the Caribbean to the U.S. to stepping away from her IT job in order to support her children, who had learning differences. In the midst of divorce and a series of tremendous lows, she took a risk and bet on herself by taking a business opportunity selling on Amazon.
· The Amazon model for sales proved a lifeline for Yassin when her child care responsibilities required a level of support that made a traditional 9-to-5 job impossible.
· Through teaching her 14-year-old daughter, whose attention span and memory were extremely limited, how to manage Amazon sales Yassin had a realization: She could teach anyone to do it! And the B.O.S.S. Class was born!
· Today Yassin’s daughter with autism, who was dismissed by public schools as a lost cause, is a self-made millionaire thanks to her mastery of Amazon sales.
· Today Yassin is showing other women how to leverage Amazon and make millions on their own! She has graduated some 10,000 women – many of whom are single parents empowered to work for themselves.
· The most common block that holds women back from achieving success? Fear – of both risk and the unknown!
· B.O.S.S. Patience: What it takes to manage through a third-party platform’s limitations and flaws. Mental preparedness and a plan to fill downtime are key.
· Are there people unsuited to working Yassin’s program? Yes! Those who are:
o Close-minded and un-coachable.
o Negative.
o Argumentative.
o Impatient.
o Controlling.
· Yassin’s Top Tip: Consistency is key. Stick with your baby and no turning back!
About Yassin:
As seen on Forbes, Business Insider, CBS, PBS, Bravo TV, FOX, Upscale Magazine and more, Yassin is Chief Executive Officer of B.O.S.S Class. She teaches entrepreneurs how to master Amazon, Walmart, eBay & other e-commerce platforms and build a profitable business.
Zencastr is an all-in-one podcast production suite that gives you studio quality audio and video without needing all the technical know-how. It records each guest locally, then uploads the crystal clear audio and video right into the suite so you have high-quality raw materials to work with.
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Can you imagine how rewarding it would be to see the franchisees you’ve supported and nurtured build transformational, life-changing businesses? That’s been the privilege of Alison Mairet, who shares on this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur her experience as a Regional Developer for JAN-PRO Cleaning Systems Midwest.
Along with her husband, Alison is the owner of a “master franchise” that includes 85 independent cleaning companies. They provide training, marketing, sales expertise and back-office support for fledgling JAN-PRO franchises – and it’s tremendously rewarding on a number of levels. Ready to step off the corporate treadmill after 16 years of an engineering career, Alison did her homework before deciding to throw her lot in with JAN-PRO. What were the differentiators that sold her? The brand’s well-established reputation, the community of quality owner-operators and the recession-proof nature of the cleaning sector. Technology may evolve and situations (like a pandemic!) may arise, but hands-on janitorial services aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Learn how Alison and her husband support their franchisees with coaching and consulting in the Kansas City, MO, region. In addition to providing the JAN-PRO playbook, they also help owners learn the ropes from on-the-job cleaning tricks to accounting to customer relations. If you’ve got a strong work ethic, you’ve got what it takes! Alison has enjoyed watching people (often families) from all backgrounds and walks of life launch their JAN-PRO businesses with such success that over time they’re purchasing their first homes and sending their children to college.
Please click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Do your research. Once you’re comfortable with a franchise opportunity, you’ll be better positioned to persuade a spouse or partner to join you in taking a risk!
· The Regional Developer’s Role: An intermediary level of management for franchisees.
· Word of mouth is so important – as powerful in its own way as social media.
· Do Your Homework: Research brands, their reputations and leadership carefully before considering a franchise purchase.
· Make inquiries among current franchisees. How they respond can be a telltale indicator!
· Why a franchise instead of going it alone? The systems and coaching save entrepreneurs hours of learning by trial and error.
· In a changing economy, it’s a safe bet to focus on servicing inelastic consumer demands.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· Although she’d always felt a tug to do something on her own, Alison spent the first 16 years of her career employed as an engineer before being introduced to the franchising concept and ultimately to the opportunity with JAN-PRO.
· What drew Alison to JAN-PRO:
o The tried-and-true track record.
o Scalable.
o Flexible to suit whatever individual goals.
o Recurring business model.
o Attractive for resale.
o A lot of income potential!
· What it means to be a Regional Developer (a role offered at only 10% of franchise brands):
o Responsible for a defined city or geographical area.
o Provides marketing and sales services for the local franchise base.
o Supported by JAN-PRO corporate.
o Performs some invoicing and collection functions.
o Receives a percentage of franchise sales and pays a percentage of royalties.
· Alison and her husband are currently overseeing 85 unique franchise businesses.
· There is always room to grow and manage additional franchises.
· One of the big deciding factors for Alison when it came to going with JAN-PRO? The responsiveness, kindness and enthusiasm she found when seeking info from current business owners in the brand family.
· JAN-PRO Differentiators:
o The people behind it – respectful, collaborative, integral.
o Excellent initial training on all facets of the business.
o Online portals for ongoing training and support
o Comprehensive field support and step-by-step guidance for setting up the books.
· Buying a franchise versus going it alone: Pre-existing systems and coaching are huge.
· Training for new JAN-PRO franchisees includes:
o At-home training modules.
o In-person after-hours evening classes.
o Monthly check-in meetings for ongoing support.
o Walkthroughs of job sites to help with team cleaning and time-saving tricks.
· The local support a Regional Developer can provide is a uniquely valuable service.
· No longer doing the actual cleaning, Alison’s team includes sales, marketing and back-office support for other franchise owners.
· National brands offer opportunities to bid jobs like centralized billing that wouldn’t be an option for an independent operator.
· The Ideal JAN-PRO Franchisee:
o A hard worker with a strong work ethic.
o Wants to participate hands-on.
o Have some client-facing ability (which Regional Developers can help develop).
o Honesty.
o No cleaning background required.
· The JAN-PRO model work for longtime locals as well as newer arrivals just starting out.
· It’s tremendously gratifying to see franchise owners grow their stake, enabling the purchase of a home or the means to put children through college.
· Technology might enhance cleaning somewhat, but the basic need will remain and the human element isn’t likely to be replaced anytime soon.
· Groupthink and a shared knowledge base is invaluable in starting up and maintaining a business. Franchises offer that framework and resource.
Zencastr is an all-in-one podcast production suite that gives you studio quality audio and video without needing all the technical know-how. It records each guest locally, then uploads the crystal clear audio and video right into the suite so you have high-quality raw materials to work with.
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You never know where your passion will take you! On this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur we meet an artist whose designs are wildly popular among those in the dance world, even though she herself is not. Tasha Sattler has developed a unique niche for jewelry designs that are expressions of beauty as well as calling cards of a sort. Her clients are collaborators and her collaborations are providing points of entry into ever larger international markets.
In addition to dazzling dancers with her Rhythm Jewellery designs, Tasha also creates bespoke marketing and commemorative objects for universities, car dealerships and other enterprises. We learn about the path she took to conjuring a creative, thriving business from an idea that started germinating as far back as her after-school job. Tasha provides practical tips for solopreneurs trying to find their footing as well as busy moms dedicated to giving their best on the job and at home.
The episode wraps up with a great reading recommendation and compelling summary of a philosophy that Tasha has embraced from Day 1: Approach every relationship – whether business or personal – with the intention of giving value. “It’s not what you’re going to get out of it,” says Tasha. “Provide value to relationships and by providing value eventually your relationships and business will start to thrive!”
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· You don’t have to be a specialist to create a niche business tailored to a specialty.
· When establishing a business, look for ways in which to elicit direct feedback from your target market in developing your product or service.
· Finding and sticking with a niche is a tried-and-true business strategy.
· Looking to differentiate? Consider a collaboration, which is both fun and a great promotional tool.
· It’s contagious: When you undervalue your work, it undervalues the work of others in your niche as well. So don’t undersell yourself!
· It’s better to set your price high and adjust downward than to start out too low.
· Giving quality and value to customers results in thousand-fold returns.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· How a part-time afterschool job combined with Tasha’s artistic bent inspired a creative journey that took her from living in Asia to goldsmithing school to on-the-job training with custom design, repair and manufacturing and ultimately to her solopreneur venture, Rhythm Jewellery.
· Tasha explains how she came to focus on dancers as her target market.
· Other markets to which Tasha offers bespoke creations:
o Car dealerships
o Universities
· Defining her niche has given Tasha a leg up in terms of marketing and branding identification.
· Tasha’s designs first appeared in Canada but have taken off in markets as far away as Australia and among companies working with huge names in the dance world.
· Tips for turning a passion into a profitable business:
o Don’t be too hard on yourself!
o Don’t compare yourself to others and their progress.
o Don’t undervalue your work!
o Not everyone is going to like what you produce or your price point. It’s okay!
· How Tasha creates a work-life balance:
o She makes a concerted effort to compartmentalize.
o When it’s family time, it’s family time. Ditto work.
o Having a plan and sticking with it helps keep guilt in check.
o When all else fails, a glass of wine also helps!
· Recommended Reading:
o "Go-Givers Sell More," by Bob Burg and John David Mann. Shares a simple business philosophy and orientation that has worked beautifully for Tasha.
About Tasha:
Tasha is a goldsmith by trade and she is finally branching out into her own line of jewelry. Everything she makes is made of high quality gold, copper and sterling silver – nothing is plated. Every piece is one of a kind and created by hand. Most of the jewelry you'll see in Tasha's Collection is different from what she does for jewelry designers and professional jewelers – in that it is a lot funkier with better quality but without the high end price tag.
Zencastr is an all-in-one podcast production suite that gives you studio quality audio and video without needing all the technical know-how. It records each guest locally, then uploads the crystal clear audio and video right into the suite so you have high-quality raw materials to work with.
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Sometimes the best things are also the scariest, as Danielle Barich can attest. She shares on this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur how she charted a big dream and made it happen by breaking it down into manageable steps. The process took intentionality and some bravery, but here’s the outcome: Danielle today is living in Paris, where she’s doing what she loves to do.
A creative and sensory strategist, Danielle consults primarily with boutiques and other businesses in the hospitality space as well as beauty products and services. She explains in this episode exactly what it means to have a sensory strategy – including the experience itself and how to use compelling design and marketing tools to bring it to life.
Picking up and moving to Paris wasn’t easy. There were moments that were hard and exhausting and discouraging. But navigating that reality also imparted a clear lesson: “It’s okay to be both thrilled and the most scared you’ve ever been in your life,” says Danielle. “And at the same time just to embrace the fear and know it’s going to be okay.”
Want to level up your sensory strategy? Or maybe just ask a question about Paris? You can book a complimentary discovery call with Danielle here.
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Think about any of your early experiences with small businesses. Did you get a behind-the-scenes look at how books were kept, marketing was generated, employees hired? All of these are skills transferrable to your personal entrepreneurial launch.
· Bringing mindfulness to your brand and connecting it with rich sensory experiences engages target audiences like nothing else can.
· You don’t have to win the lottery. Big dreams can be broken into bite-size pieces that make them less intimidating and more manageable.
· You can fail many times and still be moving forward. Look at the down times as an education.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· About Danielle’s background and how her education in fashion and communications equipped her with valuable skill sets, in addition to those she picked up in event planning and other small businesses.
· At 23, Danielle started her first venture as a wedding planner and in short order was transitioning to consulting to help small (often women-run) businesses run better.
· Sensory Strategy and what it means in a pandemic world. Without bricks-and-mortar, the online competition was fierce. How to cultivate emotional connections and loyalty among customers.
· Examples of Sensory Marketing:
o Examining and getting intentional about packaging and branding design elements like color and key words. What sensory reactions do they evoke?
o Create content that tells compelling, evocative stories.
o Video is a great vehicle for showing texture and describing how something smells, sounds or feels.
o Other possibilities lie in branded items distributed through various channels or partners.
· Danielle’s ideal clients are in the hospitality sector, such as boutique hotels, restaurants and also beauty products/services in both digital and physical spaces.
· Moving to Paris gave Danielle a major shift and opportunity to leverage and incorporate all kinds of heightened sensory experiences.
· Sensory experience entails mindfulness and a holistic approach to business that ultimately creates a rich signature that will resonate with customers’ identities.
· Danielle’s portfolio of international businesses is expanding rapidly. She’s also long dreamed of opening a lingerie brand, which is ramping up to launch in the future.
· Advice for listeners who dream of ditching their day jobs:
o Danielle got some great ideas from "The Four-Hour Work Week: Escape the 9-5, Live Anywhere and Join the New Rich," by Tim Ferris:
§ Chart your dreams.
§ Research what each would cost to get started.
§ Figure out what would be required to achieve your goal.
o Once you’ve identified the parameters of a dream, look for incremental steps to move you towards that goal.
· One thing that never changes: Nothing stays the same. Last year was a terrible one for Danielle business-wise and this year has been great!
About Danielle:
Danielle is a brand and sensory strategist specializing in luxury brand strategy and sensory brand experience. Danielle works with established brands, agencies and small businesses through contract, project work and private consulting. As a Brand Strategist, Danielle works with brands in the luxury, fashion, lifestyle and home space refining brand DNA, marketing strategy as well as web3 strategy for brands looking to enter the space in an authentic and value-driven way. As a Sensory Strategist, Danielle works with brands in the retail, e-commerce and hospitality industry, helping them elevate their brands by integrating a sensory experience throughout their brand touch points and consumer journey.
Connect with Danielle!
Website | LinkedIn | Instagram
Zencastr is an all-in-one podcast production suite that gives you studio quality audio and video without needing all the technical know-how. It records each guest locally, then uploads the crystal clear audio and video right into the suite so you have high-quality raw materials to work with.
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More than 70% of households have a pet, which explains why there is a $100 billion – with a “b” – industry offering related services. What the co-founder of the franchise featured on this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur saw 18 years ago was simple: “We knew the business could be so much more than what it was,” says Amy Reed, whose vision for a multi-service, mobile pet service option is today a thriving franchise opportunity.
Pet sitters, walkers and groomers all in one, Woofies offer a 360-degree answer to pet care needs – many of which represent recurring business. Along with her co-founder Leslie Barron, Amy recognized early on the level of intimacy and trust involved. Pet owners are handing over security codes, keys and access to their homes, not to mention their beloved pets. That’s why Woofies franchises maintain a gold standard of customer service and reliability.
Another reason to become the owner of a Woofies franchise? All the furry friends! The model is adaptable, allowing owners to match their pet sitters with compatible pets and create ongoing relationships with the dogs that they groom. Franchise owners also receive a clear road map that speeds the process and prevents costly startup mistakes. Their intensive two-week training at headquarters in Ashburn, VA, covers every aspect of the business, from customer relations management and other tech systems to scheduling, hiring and marketing.
It’s pandemic-resistant. Recession-resistant. A member of the venerable Authority Brands family. The mobile nature of the business limits overhead and your van itself acts as a rolling billboard. Franchisees also have the fun of joining a community of pet-lovers, sponsoring popular “Yappy Hours” and other fun events. Establishing the Woofies model took time and a lot of trial and error. If you want to combine a love of animals and entrepreneurialism, you might be the perfect franchisee. Amy and Leslie learned the hard way – so that you don’t have to!
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Shoot for the stars! If you see a niche that could be so much more, think big about how you might grow and expand a business sector with new services or a twist.
· People say you’re crazy to quit your corporate job? Could mean you’re exactly on track!
· Authority Brands is a powerful parent company for home-related franchise services.
· The franchise model affords a nice balance between entrepreneurial independence and guardrails to build in success.
· Want a marketing twofer? Mobile services out of vans double as rolling advertisements.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· Woofies came to be in 2004 – the brainchild of two neighbors looking for pet care in an industry that was sparse.
· Seeing a need and having a passion, Amy and her co-founder Leslie Barron quit their corporate jobs and dove into reinventing pet care.
· They started walking dogs seven days a week and building a reputation, family by family, for being trustworthy and reliable. Customers who were relocating wanted to know how to find a similar service in their new zip codes.
· A Decision Point: How to grow the business – with more corporate locations or a franchise model?
· In 2018, Woofies launched its first franchise and in 2022 became part of the Authority Brands family, which is taking Woofies from a local to national profile.
· What Woofies provides:
o Dog walking (a great recurring revenue stream)
o Pet sitting (in-house or overnight at a sitter’s house)
o Grooming (another great recurring revenue stream)
· Woofies Differentiator: Pet sitting is not usually offered by services providing grooming or dog walking. But Amy has found that the three elements are all mutually reinforcing and synergistic. The more involvement, the deeper the bond with pet owners.
· Ideal Franchisees:
o #1: Understand and share a passion for pets.
o #2: Have some amount of business acumen and the operational ability to coordinate and maximize various Woofies services.
o #3: Know customer service and how to manage human resources.
o #4: Value community, service, charity events and marketing through good will!
· What it looks like to join the Woofies family:
o A two-week training at headquarters in Ashburn, VA.
o Hands-on help learning customer relations management systems, scheduling and live practice with new client consults.
o “We try to make it as comprehensive and hands-on as possible!”
o Subsequent to training, there are weekly and monthly follow-up calls and supplemental field support.
o Franchise owners are the ultimate customer, so the Woofies ethic is all about tending to their success and satisfaction first.
· Why being part of the Authority Brands family was pivotal: Amy and her partner wanted access to the most sophisticated resources possible to support franchisees.
· The franchise model offers a balance between entrepreneurial independence and the know-how and experience acquired over time in developing the brand.
· Initial Investment: The one-time franchise fee is $48,500, which is included in overall startup costs that run between $115,000-$200,000 (somewhat dependent on whether the franchisee works from home the first year). The mobile nature of the business reduces overhead while the van itself acts as a marketing tool. Royalties are 6.5% with a 1% brand marketing fee.
· Interested in owning a Woofies franchise? Here’s the baseline:
o A net worth of at least $350,000-$400,000.
o Liquid capital of $70,000-$80,000.
· About the vans: Most people don’t buy them outright. There is a lease option through Authority Brands.
· The best part of being a Woofies franchisee? Hands down the interaction with pets. Being able to create your own independent business is icing on the cake!
· It’s an incredible time to be part of the $100 billion pet industry!
To learn more about Woofies or other franchise opportunities, click here to set up a call.
Zencastr is an all-in-one podcast production suite that gives you studio quality audio and video without needing all the technical know-how. It records each guest locally, then uploads the crystal clear audio and video right into the suite so you have high-quality raw materials to work with.
Visit https://zen.ai/sheturnedentrepreneur and use Promo Code: sheturnedentrepreneur to receive 30% off a Zencastr Professional account.
An entrepreneurial success story? We’ll drink to that! On this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur we learn how wine expert Nia Ruth traded in a job that was fine for a venture that lit her up inside. What started out as a hobby turned into something more as Nia built her knowledge base with college-level courses and traveled the world, exploring vineyards of all kinds. She also became a columnist on the subject for San Diego Magazine, offered advice via social media and, well, before long she had de facto started a wine consulting business!
Nia Ruth Wine, an experiential wine club, was born of pure exhilaration. Featuring premium boutique wines that you won’t find at any grocery store, Nia revels in selecting a range of unique varietals from small producers to be delivered right to her members’ doorsteps each month. Virtual monthly tastings provide a platform for enthusiasts to come together, get acquainted and learn the stories behind each of the featured wines.
It’s a win-win-win! Not only do members discover a whole new frontier, the winemakers welcome the exposure to customers who might otherwise never have known about them. To make the trifecta complete, Nia incorporates her PhD studies and previous career as a social welfare consultant in an incredibly positive way: Each month $1 per membership goes to the featured winemakers, who are then free to donate proceeds to the nonprofit of their choice.
Nia of course has had her share of challenges along the way, but she shares with us some great tips (for instance, podcasts can be a great source of educational information and how-to tricks for learning startup tools). She’s encouraging us to trust what feels good and skip what doesn’t. Says Nia: Just try! If you fail, fail quickly. Then get back up again!
Click here to join Nia’s wine club and expand your knowledge base, refine your palate, meet small producers and discover your favorite wines!
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Even if you’ve got a PhD and career in progress, it’s possible to make an about-face.
· Finding a niche and then filling it is a fantastic entrepreneurial formula.
· That “little” hobby of yours? Could it be a business? Time to think creatively!
· Trying to figure out how to market? Podcasts are a great learning resource!
· If you’ve got an idea, don’t be afraid. Give it a try. Make a modest investment.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· Starting out on a pre-determined, academic path that led to a PhD and consulting in the social work space, Nia’s growing interest in wine over time organically evolved from a hobby into a passion into a venture she couldn’t resist.
· Nia explains how she got the idea for her unique and experiential wine club.
· An entrepreneurial venture made sense on a number of levels:
o As a way to leverage the deep wine expertise she had acquired.
o As an opportunity to introduce people to wines they would otherwise never find.
o For the flexibility and freedom with lifestyle choices it would afford.
· A Day in the Life:
o Danielle starts first thing by responding to email, refreshing social media and generating content for postings.
o After that? It’s often wine tastings and outreach to wineries.
· About how Nia’s wine club works:
o Each month members receive three bottles of wine, specially chosen to represent a variety of grapes, regions and styles.
o Wines are delivered right to your door.
o The wines come from boutique vineyards with which Nia has a relationship (nothing you could find at the grocery store).
o The club includes a live online forum through which members can get to know each other and the featured vintners, who share the stories behind their wines.
o Nia provides materials to help members get comfortable with the language around wine, which emboldens them to share their opinions!
· A big part of Nia’s mission is to support small wineries by introducing them to people all around the country who would otherwise never be exposed.
· Nia has built her background in social welfare into her business model by setting aside $1 per member each month for the featured winery to donate to a favorite nonprofit.
· About Bumps in the Road. Nia’s biggest challenges have been:
o No marketing background, which put her on a steep learning curve.
o No roadmap as to what comes next as the business evolves and develops.
· Advice for entrepreneurs starting out:
o If you have an idea, don’t be afraid. Just give it a try!
o Trust your gut and do what feels right, even if it means saying no.
· Recommended Resources:
o Podcast: Marketing Made Easy with Amy Porterfield. Great practical tips.
o Podcast: Entrepreneurs on Fire. Inspirational stories!
o Podcast: Nia is a fan of Dori and She Turned Entrepreneur.
About Nia:
Nia is a wine-loving psychologist turned Wine Expert and Wine Club Founder. While completing her PhD in psychology research at NYU and working for several years consulting in the social welfare space, she fell completely in love with wine. She took her first introductory wine course at San Diego State University in 2018, and has since completed her WSET levels 2 and 3, started blogging about wine, become the wine columnist at San Diego Magazine and traveled far and wide visiting vineyards throughout Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, South Africa, Morocco, Croatia, Israel, Mexico and across the U.S.
Connect with Nia!
Website | Instagram | Blog
Zencastr is an all-in-one podcast production suite that gives you studio quality audio and video without needing all the technical know-how. It records each guest locally, then uploads the crystal clear audio and video right into the suite so you have high-quality raw materials to work with.
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For many, taking that initial leap and giving up the steady paycheck is enough to keep entrepreneurial impulses in a holding pattern. Not so for Stacia Aashna, a life coach and certified hypnotherapist who took the pandemic as an opportunity to make the break. She quit her corporate sales job because “it was worth it to give up the comfort of a salary and a paycheck to build my dream.” On this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur we learn about the power of hypnotherapy and what it means to commit 100% to that thing that makes your heart sing.
Having developed a thriving practice on the side, it felt like a privilege to go all-in on serving people with results that were transformational. Stacia blends various modalities in order to achieve long-lasting results. Her focus includes:
· Inner Child Healing
· Therapeutic Imagery
· NLP
· IFS (Internal Family Systems)
· Age Regression Therapy
· Mindfulness
· Hypnosis
· Breathwork
· Journaling
The goal is to help people who are stuck in behaviors or mindsets that do not serve. Danielle facilitates personal healing, working through the negativity that can keep us from pursuing our best lives. It has been a joyful experience to devote herself full-time to coaching and hypnotherapeutic work, but Stacia cautions that launching a business doesn’t come without bumps. She offers important advice about how to navigate the challenges any startup venture will face. “The entrepreneurial journey is not an easy upward slope,” she says. “It’s okay if it’s not always great. That’s going to happen.”
If you’d like to know more about the community Stacia is building and the tools that are available, click here to sign up for her newsletter, a master class or one-to-one coaching session.
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Pandemic for many people proved an inflection point and opportunity to pursue freedom.
· Afraid to give up your day job? You’re in good company. Every entrepreneur hesitates before making the leap!
· Hypnotherapy can be very effective for people stuck in a negative behavior or mindset.
· The subconscious is powerful and cannot be overruled by hypnotherapeutic suggestion.
· Marketing through education may not reap immediate rewards, but it generates long-term good will, interest and commitment.
· Is something inside you trying to be heard? Listen to those entrepreneurial whispers!
· If you’re feeling overwhelmed, hire a coach to help you set up key startup systems!
· Community and mentors are essential to building a successful venture. Don’t go it alone!
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· Stacia dipped a toe into several entrepreneurial projects in her 20s as well as sales work in the corporate sector with her life coaching and hypnotherapy practice as a side hustle.
· In the midst of pandemic, Stacia dared to quit her steady paycheck and take a leap to “build a dream.” Approaching her mid-30s she was fully an entrepreneur.
· The more she worked with clients, the more Stacia felt called to serve and wanted to up her game accordingly.
· About what Stacia offers her clients:
o One-on-one hypnosis sessions for everything from healing trauma to smoking cessation.
o A six-month coach training program that combines life coaching, hypnotherapy and a therapy model known as Internal Family Systems.
· Debunking Myths about Hypnotherapy:
o It’s NOT a form of mind control or parlor trick.
o All hypnosis is self-hypnosis.
o Our subconscious protects us from straying into territory that feels unsafe.
o Licensed hypnotherapists are bound by a very specific code of ethics.
· Stacia shares one of her success stories: A woman who had struggled with a life-long stuttering issue that resolved through their hypnotherapy sessions.
· Other conditions and situations that Stacia treats:
o Childhood trauma
o Insomnia
o Smoking cessation (made easy!)
· Marketing strategies Stacia deploys to reaching out to clients through education:
o Daily posts on social media, long-form pieces and videos.
o Sister Circles: Relaxation exercises in a supportive space.
o Podcast appearances.
o Master classes and group presentations.
o Pro bono offerings for those who need an introduction to the practice.
· Giving back is very important to Stacia, who grew up without a lot of resources.
· Entrepreneurial Obstacles:
o Decoupling from old narratives that do not serve.
o Finding 100% resolve and confidence.
o Getting past the safety and community provided by a corporate job.
o Establishing the practical tools for running an independent business.
· On the Horizon: Stacia is focused on building out her team and creating a robust, holistic online program to expand her reach.
· Advice for listeners at the start of their entrepreneurial journey:
o Follow your heart, listen to your gut and trust yourself.
o Actively seek out community and mentors with valuable tools to offer.
o Be patient. There will be days and weeks that are challenging.
o Trust the process!
· Recommended Reading:
o "The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level," by Gay Hendricks. A practical and inspiring guide for people looking to align with their purpose.
About Stacia:
Stacia is a Life Coach, a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist, Past Life Regression Therapist and a Registered Yoga Teacher. She graduated from the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, where she studied hypnotherapy, neurolinguistic programming and life coaching. She received her degree in Clinical Hypnotherapy from the American Council for Hypnotherapy Examiners (ACHE), as well as the International Hypnosis Federation (IHF). Stacia is a Past Life Regression Therapist and a Registered Yoga Teacher with a specialty in working with victims of trauma. In addition, she is certified in the Covington Method for treatment of anxiety through the Hypnosis Institute International School, and she is trained in the Gottman Method for couples therapy. Stacia has over ten years of experience working in the field and doing therapeutic work. Through her work, she utilizes proven techniques including: therapeutic imagery, meditation, inner child work, regression therapy, neurolinguistic programming, breathwork and yoga. Stacia is available for individual sessions as well as group settings.
Connect with Stacia!
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Blog
Zencastr is an all-in-one podcast production suite that gives you studio quality audio and video without needing all the technical know-how. It records each guest locally, then uploads the crystal clear audio and video right into the suite so you have high-quality raw materials to work with.
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Are you one of those people who love real estate, would love to invest but don’t know how to get in the game? The HomeVestors franchise network may be just the point of entry you need and for more reasons than you might imagine. As featured on this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur, the Dallas-based cash home buying network offers differentiators that make it an industry standout with some 1,200 franchisees across 170 U.S. markets. Tanice Myers, a franchise owner in Spokane, WA, shares her journey from tech sales to real estate entrepreneur and Lauren Midgley, Franchise Growth Director at HomeVestors, highlights the many benefits of affiliating with “We buy ugly homes” brand.
Franchisees buy homes in distress, “as is” and for cash, offering sellers a gentle and stress-free alternative to marketing their problem homes. The model provides HomeVestors owners a full complement of training tools and support, including intensive field support from knowledgeable Development Agents, lead generation and access to preferred lenders willing to finance up to 100% of purchase and repairs. Additionally, the franchise network itself is a tremendous resource and source of support for entrepreneurs just starting out.
Could you be a good fit? Lauren shares some of the characteristics (like empathy and people skills) that make for ideal franchise owners. Women tend to do great and real estate experience is in no way a requirement.
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Branding is everything! Mascots and catchy logos go a long way toward visibility!
· Developing a reputation and profile is gold when it comes to differentiating.
· When it comes to franchises, competitors are up against a proven system that gives customers confidence.
· At the end of the day, sales is more about you than what it is you’re selling!
· Franchise models offer a network of resources and shared experience that is unavailable to independent businesses.
· Have your eye on a franchise opportunity, but lack the core skill set? Consider hiring someone with the expertise to help you establish the business.
· Franchise models offer a great way to take an entrepreneurial risk while benefiting from the support of a tried-and-true network and system.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· About Lauren’s franchising background as well as her work as an author and professional speaker specializing in business coaching for small businesses.
· About Tanice’s experience prior to becoming a HomeVestor franchisee, including 23 years of technology sales at the enterprise level. She loved it but was in search of something different, and especially something with a real estate bent.
· What is HomeVestors? They buy houses in ugly situations! Formed in 1996, the company purchases properties from owners who want a fast sale and instant cash.
· HomeVestors has about 1,200 franchisees in 170 markets across the country with 125,000 homes acquired over the past two decades. They are the No. 1 cash homebuyer.
· A day in the life of a HomeVestor franchisee looks like:
o It’s variable!
o You can be an independent/individual owner or grow a team.
o Initially it’s about taking phone calls and generating leads on “ugly homes.”
o Field work to understand the market and scout properties.
o Milestones and timelines are an important component of successful operations.
· Real estate decisions are made at the franchisee level, so individual owners choose whether to flip, hold or rent properties.
· About the competition: Lauren says there’s lots – and HomeVestors doesn’t mind. It pushes both franchise owners and the company as a whole to look for differentiators and push themselves to build upon and leverage brand recognition and reputation.
· About the training and support HomeVestors provides franchise owners:
o A weeklong training in Dallas that includes new franchise owners and veteran staff.
o Virtual training.
o Two annual conference events for all franchise owners.
o Weekly podcasts and other support materials.
· HomeVestors’ Differentiators:
o Development Agents who mentor new franchisees in the field and ensure their success.
o The network of HomeVestors is a huge investment resource that franchisees can access for advice on a range of real estate issues.
o Lead generation through top-of-mind, highly visible branding and advertising.
o Preferred lenders that work closely with franchisees and are willing to lend 100% of the house purchase as well as repairs.
· Who is the ideal HomeVestors franchisee?
o A people person who can enter a seller’s home and be empathetic,
o A creative problem-solver.
o A go-getter.
o A strong sales background isn’t necessary so much as people skills.
o Only about 50% of franchisees have a real estate background.
o Women do particularly well in the real estate space because of their ability to connect well with people.
· Initial Franchise Fees: Associate Level $39,000 is and Full Level is $80,000. Ongoing monthly fees and transaction fees based on volume and royalties based on level. The recommended amount of liquid net worth is $90,000-$100,000. The biggest operating expense is advertising.
· Advice from Tanice: If real estate is something you want to do, don’t hold yourself back!
· Advice from Lauren: If you’re looking to build wealth and enjoy flexibility, believe in yourself enough to get out of your comfort zone and take an entrepreneurial risk!
To learn more about HomeVestors or other franchise opportunities, click here to set up a call.
Zencastr is an all-in-one podcast production suite that gives you studio quality audio and video without needing all the technical know-how. It records each guest locally, then uploads the crystal clear audio and video right into the suite so you have high-quality raw materials to work with.
Visit https://zen.ai/sheturnedentrepreneur and use Promo Code: sheturnedentrepreneur to receive 30% off a Zencastr Professional account.
Once she figured out that being the next “Oprah” wasn’t for her, Allie Martin quickly moved onto the right fast-track. A “visibility expert” who knows the public relations business inside and out, she found her niche by understanding what she did best and how her particular skill sets could be leveraged to help raise people’s profiles. As president of Fame and Fortune Brand Management, Allie is especially committed to helping female entrepreneurs find an authentic voice. On this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur we learn why it’s so important – and pays such recurring dividends – to foster a media presence. Not only does it raise your brand’s profile, it also provides you multiple opportunities to repurpose whatever exposure across all kinds of additional platforms. Turn your appearance on a morning show into a YouTube clip, promote an upcoming feature story on your LinkedIn profile or put together a blog post about your behind-the-scenes interview experience.
Fame and Fortune Brand Management offers an array of tools to help raise your profile – from crafting your company’s story to pitching media outlets, scheduling interviews and researching background materials to provide journalists. Lucky for us, Allie is also sharing DIY options for those on a budget. She walks us through things to bear in mind when promoting our businesses and tips for prepping for interviews and taming any nerves! Wherever you are in your entrepreneurial journey, you have a story to tell!
Want to hear more from Allie? Check out Selfish, her podcast about the practice and importance of self-care through the eyes of entrepreneurs.
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· That career that has always been your dream? It’s okay to discover you need something different; something that in reality feels like a better fit.
· Are you going a mile a minute? Perhaps you need to outsource your public relations function to professionals who can shape your story and market your pitch.
· You don’t want to give an interview that seems canned or memorized, but careful preparation will yield confident, relaxed, composed responses.
· You did a great interview? Don’t be shy! Repurpose it for promotion in other contexts, like a blog post or podcast appearance, Tweet or LinkedIn comment.
· Tell your story! Regardless what sector you’re in or the type of venture you’re launching, it’s critical to create a narrative that defines your brand.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· Allie started out with plans to become the next “Oprah,” but in fairly short order figured out that public relations was a better fit for her temperament and native skill set.
· One of Allie’s passions is telling stories – especially those of women entrepreneurs!
· The tools that Fame and Fortune Brand Management offers:
o Identifying media outlets.
o Researching and writing pitches.
o Creating narratives.
o Branding and profile building.
o Positioning as an industry expert.
o Setting up interviews with high-profile media.
· Journalists are always riding trends, which talented PR professionals know how to capture and package in the service of their clients.
· Tips for listeners who are DIY publicists:
o Craft several concise “elevator pitches” that summarize your professional insight or expertise.
o Create a list of talking points.
o Offer suggested questions that journalists might ask.
o Provide background, stats and recent research to help journalists do their jobs.
· Allie’s Tips for Nervous Interview Subjects:
o Research interviewers to understand the style and tone of their podcasts, articles, etc.
o Write out how you would answer a variety of questions.
o Read the answers you’ve composed, listening to yourself and feeling what’s awkward and not.
o Record yourself to see objectively how you sound.
o Practice brings comfort! You don’t want to be canned, but rehearsing sets up a desirable level of familiarity and fluency with any given topic.
· What is the ultimate goal when you secure media exposure?
o Always plan to offer a compelling Call to Action – a further resource, giveaway or other interactive opportunity that will drive web traffic.
o Actionable tips that can be accessed and added to through other post-interview follow-up – especially at social media platforms like Instagram or Facebook.
o Leverage interviews as a vehicle for promoting your business in other forums – through a podcast or a behind-the-scenes blog post or a YouTube video.
o The more you promote and circulate pieces in which you’re featured, the more desirable you are to journalists in pursuit of “clicks” and traffic.
· About Allie’s podcast, Selfish, which focuses on entrepreneurs and how they can best manage all-important self-care in a chaotic world.
· Recommended Reading:
o "Obsessed: Building a Brand People Love from Day One," by Emily Heyward.
About Allie:
Allie Hembree Martin is a visibility expert and entrepreneur with an award-winning podcast, Selfish. She has been leading the charge in digital visibility since 2019 when she started her company Fame and Fortune. She loves helping people find success in their own journeys because she knows that feeling - the thrill of bringing your dream to life!
Connect with Allie!
Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Podcast
Zencastr is an all-in-one podcast production suite that gives you studio quality audio and video without needing all the technical know-how. It records each guest locally, then uploads the crystal clear audio and video right into the suite so you have high-quality raw materials to work with.
Visit https://zen.ai/sheturnedentrepreneur and use Promo Code: sheturnedentrepreneur to receive 30% off a Zencastr Professional account.
Sometimes we need to become the help we wish we could find. That was the case for Leslie Rochelle, an intuitive leadership coach and mentor who came up in a male-dominated energy industry that lacked female role models. Rather than shy away from executive opportunity, Leslie instead leaned into the challenge by seeking out the tools necessary to step into her full power. She went on an adventure, blending personal development with spirituality with an array of leadership insights. Today she shares the foundational truths she acquired by coaching women in pursuit of their most authentic, self-confident voices. She supports new as well as mid-career leaders alike, unlocking inner knowing and guiding their journey along the path from Good to Great to Exceptional to Phenomenal.
Leslie’s coaching includes leadership audits, one-to-one mentoring, printable eBooks and guides. But most of all this is a program based in seeing women who feel exhausted or overwhelmed – women experiencing what Leslie herself has struggled with so intimately. She helps us figure out the “whys” that motivate us and spiritual pillars that nourish our dreams. Are we trying to prove something? Be seen? Substitute hustle for heart flow? Leslie’s coaching is all about answering deep questions. The process transitions women leaders into a place of power, a steady knowing and sense of clarity that fuels both life and career. It’s okay to feel burned out. The question is: What do you intend to do about it?
Learn more about Leslie’s coaching platform and read testimonials about her work here.
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Sometimes the change you must make has nothing to do with what’s going on externally. It’s all about investigating your own internal equation.
· It’s okay occasionally to close the door, have a little cry and then get going again.
· Our ability to shine depends in large part on connecting with our “heart space” – and a deep knowing that is beyond logical, rational thought.
· The ability to empathize and be authentic is your superpower!
· Spirituality can be a critical tool for defining purpose and focusing energy.
· Look for the lesson in everything. There’s always one in there somewhere!
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· Leslie has spent more than a decade in the heavily male-dominated corporate energy sector.
· A leadership role that came over the transom proved a huge stretch, particularly because Leslie was trying to adapt without any available female role models in whose steps she could follow.
· Trying to conform with a highly driven, intense, unrelenting corporate ethos ultimately left Leslie burned out and depleted.
· To come back from her total exhaustion, Leslie embarked on a path towards more self-awareness and serenity. Once she’d explored and mastered many modalities, she felt called to offer other women the kind of support she herself could have used.
· Leslie has changed roles within the energy conglomerate, but is still onsite and able to help women coming up behind her in various corporate roles.
· Through her coaching, Leslie offers corporate clients a framework to discover:
o Who they are at a “soul level.”
o Where their true desire lies and what it will take to get there.
o Strategies for improving corporate performance and decision-making.
· Thoughtful reflection and deep introspection are foundational: Many people struggle to get out of their logical minds and into the intuitive “heart space” that makes us human.
· Tips for (Re)defining Leadership:
o Always start with clarity as to why you want to be in any given leadership role.
o Ask yourself the tough “why” questions:
§ Do you want this role because it’s a next step on a preordained path?
§ Do you want this role out of an ego-driven desire for power or control?
§ Do you want a more impactful role or opportunity to change and inspire?
o Continue drilling down on questions that will uncover a source of feeling.
· Feeling overwhelmed or intimidated?
o Recognize what sets you apart. What’s your personal value-add and place to shine?
o Figure out what you can do or offer that no one else can.
o Your differentiators are your superpowers, including an ability to connect personally with colleagues.
· Leaders must always bear in mind that their most valuable assets are people – a resource that is best leveraged through empathy and honesty.
· Leslie has juggled multiple impressive roles but also recognizes that she can’t run perpetually in sixth gear. She knows how to step back, re-center and downshift to cruise more comfortably in fourth gear.
· Spirituality is one of Leslie key foundational pillars.
· Reading recommendations for aspiring leaders:
o "Dare to Lead," by Brene Brown.
o "Leaders Eat Less," by Simon Sinek.
About Leslie:
Leslie is an Intuitive Leadership Coach & Mentor with a specific focus on leaders new to the leadership space whether that be corporate or entrepreneurial. She supports a multi-billion dollar company and has become the go-to support for new & emerging female leaders. Leslie is an active mentor, mentee & facilitator. Her vast experience & knowledge in overcoming personal obstacles to become her ideal leader allows her to support her clients in a meaningful way. Through a variety of disciplines best described as a lovely combination of life and leadership coaching, personal development, NLP and Time Line Therapy beautifully sprinkled with aspects of spirituality. The benefits experienced by her clients are an increase in self-awareness, confidence and leadership impact that results in ease & flow in their lives & careers.
Connect with Leslie!
Website | LinkedIn
Zencastr is an all-in-one podcast production suite that gives you studio quality audio and video without needing all the technical know-how. It records each guest locally, then uploads the crystal clear audio and video right into the suite so you have high-quality raw materials to work with.
Visit https://zen.ai/sheturnedentrepreneur and use Promo Code: sheturnedentrepreneur to receive 30% off a Zencastr Professional account.
Having children turned out to be an invitation for Jaya Aiyar to revisit a childhood passion that had been pushed aside by her career in tech project management: Art! Inspired to share her love of all things creative, Jaya came up with a totally unique franchise concept: She is the founder and CEO of Créatif, a branded art studio tailored for today’s data-driven world. It’s a place where parents and children, groups of all types and sizes, can get in touch with the joy of painting a ceramic piece or working with an unfinished piece of wood. People have been known to refer to the Créatif esthetic – blond woods, clean lines and pastel colors – as an “Apple Store for Kids.” It’s a community space where art meets technology!
Jaya shares the details behind the unusual suite of proprietary tools Créatif provides franchisees, including intensive ongoing support that enables them to hit the ground running.
In addition to onsite training and help with maketing, franchise owners receive access to software that streamlines store operations, tracks customer analytics, manages customer relationships and accelerates productivity. There are also hundreds of online video art lessons, step-by-step guides and sample images. Even the most art-challenged of entrepreneurs are set up for success. It’s all about having a passion for people – and for sharing happiness. If you’re looking for a franchise opportunity that is family-friendly, offers great hours and brings joy every day, Créatif may be what you’ve been looking for!
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Is your “secret” passion also the gateway to potential entrepreneurial magic?
· Regardless the type of business, tech-driven elements can broaden opportunity and ways for potential clients or customers to engage.
· Keep in mind from the start: Potential long-term revenue streams and opportunities for replicating experiences that generate income.
· The top franchisors prioritize training and support because their corporate success correlates directly with the outcomes experienced by their franchise startup owners.
· Regardless the type of franchise, having the right mix of personality traits and marketing strengths usually matters more than any special business expertise or experience.
· Creativity is a happy business! Créatif customers come in a good mood and are predisposed to have fun. Which makes the job itself fun!
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· How Jaya went from doing art with her kids to making art the center of a unique franchise model.
· A key differentiator: Créatif incorporates technology within the art space in a completely fresh and unique way.
· Créatif deploys a tech-driven model that includes guided imagery and a purpose-driven studio software suite that builds in consistency.
· Créatif franchisees have multiple different revenue streams to leverage:
o Walk-in business (with pottery, canvas, unfinished wood and other options).
o Birthday parties
o Summer camps
o Corporate events
o Virtual classes
o Paint gifts sets
o eGift cards
o Senior-junior joint art classes
o Subscription-based membership
· Training and support for new Créatif franchisees consists of:
o National partnering to create studio sites.
o Contracting referrals for design/execution.
o A comprehensive operations manual.
o Onsite and online training components.
o Hands-on oversight on an ongoing basis.
o Procedural lists.
o Marketing materials and support.
· Are you a potential Créatif franchisee? You needn’t be an art pro. Just someone who:
o Is social and can communicate enthusiasm for art.
o Enjoys working with kids and families.
o Aspires to excellence and improving each day.
o Holds a positive mindset suited to entrepreneurial highs and lows.
o Has the ability to market, partner, network and get the word out.
· Initial franchise fee: $45,000, which covers the training component. Total all-in generally ranges from $184,000-$308,000 to get a studio of about 800 square feet up and running.
· Créatif offers an amazing work-life balance as well as a business model that is all about generating happiness for customers and franchise owners alike!
To learn more about Creatif or other franchise opportunities, click here to set up a call.
Zencastr is an all-in-one podcast production suite that gives you studio quality audio and video without needing all the technical know-how. It records each guest locally, then uploads the crystal clear audio and video right into the suite so you have high-quality raw materials to work with.
Visit https://zen.ai/sheturnedentrepreneur and use Promo Code: sheturnedentrepreneur to receive 30% off a Zencastr Professional account.
The vision is there. The passion, too! But where are you going to find the time to launch your new business – especially when so many logistics stand in the way? Jeannine Thompson, CEO of FireLaunch, has been there and explains on this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur how she once wished for a resource like … well … her! As a nurse transitioning out of high-stress burnout towards her dream of helping others as a coach, the path seemed straightforward. But, as we all know, a lot of variables go into getting any kind of venture up and running. Mastering all the necessary technologies, platforms and systems can be paralyzing. If you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed, this is the show for you!
FireLaunch offers entrepreneurs – especially women in the coaching space – the full complement of tools to get their practices up and running. Fast! In under three months, you’ll go from articulating your vision to witnessing it all coming to life. Jeannine and her team take care of all the things that can really bog us down, both technologically and creatively. Among the services they offer: Logo design, website content, email marketing templates, lead generation, social media management and more. You’ll enjoy learning why you don’t have to figure it all out for yourself. Jeannine is here to provide the very service she once so badly wished for – and could not find – when she was trying to get her coaching business established. She’s the knowledgeable and savvy friend you want in your corner!
Click here if you’d like to book a free discovery call with Jeannine to discuss your business goals and how FireLaunch can help you achieve them!
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Sometimes the seeds of the business you’re meant to launch are hidden in a need you yourself have been unable to fill with what’s currently available.
· If your offering isn’t already out there, stay the course. You can create your own category of business!
· It’s okay to pivot. Sometimes you have to go through things that don’t work out in order to reach the thing that does.
· Technology can be a huge time sink. You don’t have to wrestle with – or learn – it all.
· Self-doubt and Imposter Syndrome are common among many of us just starting out, which is why it’s so important to have a pro in our corner! Inertia can otherwise set in.
· Another plus in asking for support? Your business will grow exponentially faster.
· Find yourself stuck in first gear? Try writing down daily goals (or just a single goal) the night before and then commit – right from the start of the day – to getting the job done.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· As a stressed-out nurse with a sleep disorder who knew she needed to make a change, Jeannine started researching options for using her skill set in an entrepreneurial way.
· Health coaching made sense on every level. It was a process that involved a huge (if creative) learning curve and opportunity to explore what Jeannine did and didn’t enjoy.
· Technology over time started to become overwhelming and Jeannine just wanted a friend – someone who could come over and help her identify what was important, tools that were useful and how to access them. She wanted something she couldn’t find – and her new coaching niche was born!
· The way Jeannine works to help coaching businesses launch:
o First she elicits the dream – what is it that you want to build?
o Within a matter of weeks, Jeannine and her team provide the plan and take care of all the start-up necessities: logo, branding, website copy, lead magnet creation, building out email marketing templates and CRM, social media content.
o Skills that might take years to assimilate are immediately unleashed.
o No need to reinvent the wheel or waste hours figuring things out.
· An added bonus to using Jeannine’s holistic approach: You don’t have to rely on a piecemeal network of untested freelancers to fill holes in your startup framework.
· Jeannine’s model is based on that of a project manager (or even a general contractor) orchestrating the various elements that ultimately come together to create your dream.
· Weekly one-on-one meetings ensure that the vision is being realized and that the entrepreneur has ample opportunity to participate and weigh in with feedback.
· FireLaunch provides its startup service to all kinds of companies, but Jeannine is especially knowledgeable about the coaching industry and frequently works with women in the space (with whom she empathizes, having been there herself).
· The biggest challenges that confront would-be entrepreneurs:
o Lack of time and constrained resources.
o Figuring out the right technologies.
o Imposter Syndrome.
· Jeannine’s Best Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs:
o Don’t try to do it all on your own.
o Doing it without help doesn’t save money in the long run.
o Don’t let things you hate doing (which for Jeannine was figuring out technology) sap the joy out of the original vision and passion.
o Get rid of the tasks you don’t like doing in order to preserve excitement and momentum.
· About Goal-setting:
o Don’t limit yourself to so-called “realistic” goals.
o Dream big and go for things that really excite you, even if in little steps.
o Write it all down! Codify in black and white what you intend to do, daily and beyond. It helps to set goals for your day the night before.
· What’s the key to chasing dreams on our own terms? Jeannine believes:
o We need to condition ourselves to dream bigger than we have in the past.
o Think big! It’s a matter of striding forward confidently.
o If we take one step at a time, the path forward will always open up to greet us.
· Recommended Reading:
o "Awaken the Giant Within: How to Take Immediate Control of Your Mental, Emotional, Physical and Financial Destiny!" By Tony Robbins. An author whose work speaks to her, which is why Jeannine makes it a point to reread often.
o "Designing Your Life: Build a Life that Works for You," by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans. It’s a great book for brainstorming and creating a go-forward framework.
Zencastr is an all-in-one podcast production suite that gives you studio quality audio and video without needing all the technical know-how. It records each guest locally, then uploads the crystal clear audio and video right into the suite so you have high-quality raw materials to work with.
Visit https://zen.ai/sheturnedentrepreneur and use Promo Code: sheturnedentrepreneur to receive 30% off a Zencastr Professional account.
Do you ever feel stuck or like you can’t get out of your own way? Lisa Moore, Founder and CEO of Success Tangent, has a suggestion for you: Change up your mindset. This episode of She Turned Entrepreneur is focused on subtle – and not so subtle – shifts we can make in the ways we talk to ourselves or assess business challenges. Lisa and her team at Success Tangent teach solopreneurs, entrepreneurs and small business people of all kinds new approaches to stubborn challenges, whether looking at business development as an iterative process or taking a time-out with watercolors as a neurological channel to creative problem-solving.
Lisa offers a unique methodology based on industrial and organizational psychology research she compiled while completing a master’s degree at Harvard. Her special sauce is the ability to distill metrics and abstract concepts into actionable steps towards realizable goals. She also empowers entrepreneurs at all stages to give themselves a break, step back and really assess strengths, weaknesses and available resources. A path forward is always there – if you deploy that all-important growth mindset. Leveraging her “people operations” skills, Lisa is here to share innovative new strategies designed to help us achieve our goals, both professionally and personally.
You’ll appreciate Lisa’s Top Tips for aspiring entrepreneurs as well as practical strategies for anyone experiencing overwhelm or burnout.
Ready to change your mindset? Get started by booking a free 30-minute consultation here with the code: NewYearNewYou. You can also sign up for Lisa’s newsletter by clicking here. Lisa is also offering newsletter subscribers a free download of her guide, Criticism: Why It Hurts and What to Do About It.
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Did you fall into your niche? Or were you led? Probably some of both!
· Entrepreneurs and small businesses need marketing services at affordable price points.
· Want more traction? Acknowledge strengths, define weaknesses, create an action plan.
· A lot of what solopreneurs and entrepreneurs do is iterative, incorporating real-time adjustments as information becomes available.
· Key Advice: Simply try to be a better version of yourself tomorrow than you were today.
· Feeling stuck? Find a creative hobby that can transport you away from business temporarily into a more peaceful, mindful, connected realm.
· Networks and outside opinions can be helpful, but remember that your journey is uniquely your own and not a template of anyone else’s.
· Don’t beat yourself up! If you’re trying, you are succeeding!
· Understand that there will be fallow seasons. It’s just a law of nature that some periods bear more fruit than others.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· About Lisa’s “people operations” background in the corporate sector, a return to graduate school and research into “growth mindset” that translated seamlessly as a methodology for businesses negotiating pandemic times.
· While data-driven decision-making is important, Lisa brings a different element with educational content that trains and provides workplace cultures with tools to support a “growth mindset” approach to both evaluations and growth strategy.
· “Mindset” coaching is similar to life coaching, with workshops and trainings available to foster integration.
· Success Tangent’s client base primarily caters to solopreneurs and small businesses that need help getting traction.
· Top Tips for Entrepreneurs:
o Metrics can be discouraging, but remember that they aren’t qualitative.
o Widen the lens you use to evaluate your performance and measure success.
o Recognize what you’re doing well and where you need improvement – then create an action plan that breaks it all down.
o Things that don’t work still have value. Business success is incremental and can require many iterations in order to get the formula right.
· Advice for entrepreneurs who are feeling overwhelmed:
o Step back and take a break.
o There can be a law of diminishing returns at play, so know when to stop.
o Regroup! Step away and do something creative to cleanse the mind.
o Make a list of what’s going well and what isn’t. Then articulate actionable steps to try, execute, adjust, then try again.
o Experimentation over time generally moves every problem towards resolution.
o Don’t succumb to negative self-talk or defeatism. If you’re trying, you’re succeeding.
o Remember: You’re only in competition with yourself.
o Little setbacks are not the end of the world. Keep perspective!
· Neurology tells us: It’s important to let our brains have a rest, recharge and regenerate.
Zencastr is an all-in-one podcast production suite that gives you studio quality audio and video without needing all the technical know-how. It records each guest locally, then uploads the crystal clear audio and video right into the suite so you have high-quality raw materials to work with.
Visit https://zen.ai/sheturnedentrepreneur and use Promo Code: sheturnedentrepreneur to receive 30% off a Zencastr Professional account.
Question: What could be better than the universal happy food? Answer: Selling it to others and watching your service make their day! That’s the mandate for franchisees at Ice Cream Emergency, a mobile ice cream parlor business focused on bringing smiles and delight. This episode of She Turned Entrepreneur features Debra Arrato, a seasoned entrepreneur who pushed through her fear to go for that one business she really, really wanted to start. Her dream today can be seen in the whimsical décor, cheerful music and joyful banter you’ll find at any of six regional mobile Ice Cream Emergency locations – and counting!
You’ll learn about Ice Cream Emergency’s fascinating business model. Unlike the mom and pop ice cream trucks that circulate on a wing and a prayer, Debra’s franchisees work on a pre-paid, pre-booked basis. Catering to a base of clients in the corporate and school sectors, bookings are established well in advance, down to the amount of ice cream and toppings, staffing and length of time at any given venue. These mobile joy palaces are also great at weddings and other large social events, where guests eagerly come aboard to be served by “scoopologists” wearing scrubs, treating “patients” to fun background music and a lighthearted décor that harkens back to the old black-and-white tile ice cream parlor floors of yesteryear.
For Debra it has all been the realization of a dream – one she pursued in spite of some initial hesitation. Now she is growing the Ice Cream Emergency family, inviting people who thrive on bringing smiles to explore the possibility of opening a franchise of their own. This episode takes you through the step-by-step startup process (no special expertise required!) and provides details about the kinds of ongoing support franchisees receive. “It’s so simple, so fun and so profitable,” says Debra. “It kind of checks all the boxes.”
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Gift baskets. Chocolate fountain rentals. Photobooth rentals. They were all profitable but none were what Debra’s inner ice cream lover really wanted. Sometimes you have to listen to what makes your heart sing. Debra did, and hasn’t looked back!
· Personal touches like whimsical interior design or playful uniforms can take good ideas to next-level.
· Feeling fearful? Push through. Your dream is waiting on the other side!
· Looking for a franchise opportunity? Size matters! It can be really nice to work with smaller businesses whose founders are accessible and keep red tape to a minimum.
· Flat royalty fees remove the disincentives to earning more/thus paying more.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· A little bit about Debra, her background in the corporate sector, decision to stay home to raise her kids and how she developed a number of highly successful businesses.
· Determined not to miss out on her dream of owning an ice cream parlor, Debra took the plunge – but with a twist. Her husband suggested going mobile with the idea.
· The theme “Saving lives one scoop at a time” is a guiding force and differentiator for Ice Cream Emergency, whose staff dress in scrubs and invite their “patients” to enjoy an ice cream parlor-on-wheels experience. It’s a mobile medical breakthrough!
· The franchises all showcase not only fun, but value. Huge servings at reasonable prices.
· What Ice Cream Emergency franchisees need:
o The desire to put smiles on people’s faces.
o A keen, high-energy, sincere focus on each customer.
· About the Ice Cream Emergency business model:
o It’s pre-paid ice cream catering, not a vendor.
o Pre-paid and pre-booked, franchisees know and can plan for the number of guests, selected packages, staffing needs and timing.
o The target audience is the corporate sector and schools.
o Incidences of repeat business are extremely high.
o About 100 guests per hour typically cycle through the mobile truck.
o No cash and no collections. Entirely pre-paid.
o Franchisees are able to stage two, three and even four events in a day.
· About Ice Cream Emergency training and support:
o Starts out with Ice Institute, a three-day onsite training at headquarters.
o Topics covered include everything from scooping skills to back office operations to how to drive the van.
o Franchise startup support includes pre-marketing, help with a grand opening, ongoing live visits from Ice Cream Emergency advisers.
· Are you the ideal Ice Cream Emergency franchisee?
o Women do especially well with the concept of a business in a bus.
o It’s a great alternative for people looking to make a break from a stifling corporate situation and start something of their own.
o No specific skills are required. Everything is learnable and everyone is trainable.
· The Initial investment: $30,000 for a 10-year license under the Ice Cream Emergency franchising umbrella. All-in startup costs are about $200,000, including about $50,000 in liquid capital. Financing help is available.
· Closing thought: Debra explains that Ice Cream Emergency is a business that can be run part-time, full-time or as a passive investment. Franchisees determine how much they want to work and how much they want to earn and the financial plan and goals are calculated from there.
· Flat fees ensure that sales incentives are unencumbered and exciting, rather than a percentage dollar burden.
To learn more about Ice Cream Emergency or other franchise opportunities, click here to set up a call.
Naketa Thigpen was doing exactly what she was trained to do – using her gifts as a psychotherapist and social worker to heal trauma and change lives. The problem was that this work she loved – no matter how meaningful – wasn’t sustainable. She was missing her own life, preoccupied constantly by the demands of her job. When the elementary school-aged daughter Naketa thought she was providing for on every level shared one night that her mom was mostly “awesome for everybody else,” that was it. The time had come to be “intentionally selfish.”
Over the decade since, Naketa has built a powerful program that has been life-giving not only for her clients but for Naketa herself. Founded with her husband, the Thigpro Balance and Relationship Management Institute is a premier personal development company that supports power couples who desire to live fully and authentically. She’s especially tuned into entrepreneurial women looking for breakthrough success in every phase of life, from the bedroom to the boardroom.
“Old” Naketa might have stayed on in the social work system while slowly being drained of every last drop of energy, but “new” Naketa believes in boundaries and self-nourishment, making space for the right relationships. She shares with us the importance of casting off things (like obsessive social media attachment) that do not serve. We also hear on this episode about the very personal journey Naketa has been on, coming into her own and developing an impactful practice – including plenty of mistakes and humbling moments along the way.
So if you’re in a job that feels like a bad relationship, i.e. un-reciprocal, exhausting, even abusive – then consider breaking up. There is work that you are meant to do – and to love!
If you’d like to hear more from Naketa, check out her Balance Boldly for Ambitious Women in Business podcast. You can also book a one-to-one “joy activation” appointment or check out other services offered at ThigPro by clicking here.
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· It’s possible to be doing something you’re really great at and that you love doing but not be “in love” with it.
· Visions are fantastic – but having a solid roadmap will spare you mistakes!
· Consider your job as you would a relationship. Is it reciprocal? Is it sustaining you?
· If your self-care isn’t selfish, you’re doing it wrong!
· Don’t let social media be the boss of you. Trying to feed the beast will only drain and deplete you of the joyful life you’re supposed to be living (and posting) about.
· You have the right to determine the quality and depth of connections in your life, differentiating between “parking lot” relationships and the ones you invite into your home.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· Courage, boldness and being “completely pissed off” were what drove Naketa to adapt her long list of social work credentials and experiences to a bigger calling.
· Naketa’s practice is all about helping people thrive – not just survive – in life.
· The mental health system – which Naketa worked with in a number of different capacities – was dysfunctional, self-defeating and exhausting.
· A turning point: When Naketa’s daughter – about eight years old at the time – said she was “really awesome” but for everyone else. The long hours and life’s blood that was going into her demanding social work career was no longer sustainable.
· Because of systemic issues, the social work Naketa trained to provide turned out to be far more reactive than preventative, as it was intended to be.
· Becoming Intentionally Selfish: Naketa has redefined selfish as a personal, intimate gift to yourself to do the important work of forgiveness and trauma release.
· The difference between the “old” Naketa and the “new” Naketa is her decision not to be controlled by external influences of little importance (such as being constantly reactive to social media or sacrificing sleep and quality of life to put in untenably long hours).
· In 2019, Naketa’s website, which was being chronically hacked, had to be temporarily shut down. Because of pandemic and a major health challenge that put her out of commission for much of 2021, the basic placeholder landing page was never updated. And guess what? Her clients – new and old – figured out how to navigate to Naketa’s appointments page and her business last year was more robust than ever. The moral of the story? The latest and greatest tech platforms are nice, but not make or break. So when necessary give yourself a break from the constant updating and posting.
· Another differentiator between “old” and “new” Naketa: She stays in her lane. If she’s asked for a service that’s not truly in her wheelhouse, she happily provides referrals rather than trying to be all things to all people.
· Learn all about Naketa’s amazing Unbound Brilliance Lab for married women entrepreneurs ready for success in life and business.
· The past 11 years have been full of priceless, painful lessons – as well as small miracles that Naketa was “lucky enough to endure.”
About Naketa Thigpen:
Motivated by the alignment of work/life (and Love), Naketa co-founded ThigPro, a global personal development company, with her husband in 2011. The company’s focus is on integrating foundational psychotherapeutic and trauma recovery experience with the human behavior, mindfulness, mental well-being and relationship tools that are core staples of personal and leadership development programs.
What do you do when you’ve exceeded your wildest dreams? In the case of Elena Armijo, who grew up in Texas dreaming of an opera career, you get honest. She was traveling the world and performing at the top of her game, and yet feeling totally depleted, overwhelmed and unhappy. It was time to take a fearless inventory – which Elena did with the help of a life coach. Through the process of uncovering Elena’s most authentic skills and interests they also uncovered the fact that coaching was her calling. It’s been eight years now and she hasn’t looked back!
Today Elena’s successful practice focuses on bringing her creative perspective to some decidedly non-creative fields, like tech or finance. She works with high-achieving leaders who are feeling stuck or in need of career redirection. Using a range of modalities, Elena helps reignite passion and focus clients on the journey ahead. Solopreneurs especially benefit from team support – but first have to blow up the myths about going it alone.
You’ll hear Elena’s top tips for anyone feeling burned out or constantly overwhelmed, starting with the simple act of pausing, taking a breath. Her unique approach to coaching not only incorporates a deep connection with creativity and empathy but also invites us to explore the kind of sustained commitment that is truly transformational. In an exciting new development, Elena has formed the C-Suite Collective, a group of coaches and other healers working in a range of modalities to foster not only optimal performance but also a holistic sense of fulfillment, connection and integration over the long term, within the workplace and beyond.
Elena has poured all the high-octane smarts and creativity that drove her international opera career into a powerful coaching methodology uniquely her own. Click here if you’d like to learn more about this entrepreneurial dynamo and the C-Suite Collective online network she has brought to life. You can also find Elena’s podcast, In a Manner of Speaking, here.
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Even when you’ve captured the gold and managed to reach your ultimate dream status, it’s important to listen if a voice in your head says it’s no longer the right fit.
· Stay open. You can’t predict where wisdom will show up – from whom, how or at what moment!
· Is fear a secret driver in your life? Coaching can help to unblock false beliefs and uncover assumptions that do not serve.
· You are not necessarily predisposed to coach in an area where you have previous career experience. To the contrary, coaches are often more effective (and less bogged down by personal history) working with people in completely different professions.
· Feeling overwhelmed? Slow way, way down. You can’t uncover problems until you secure a little quiet amidst the noise.
· Solopreneurs should not operate solo. Assemble a team of trusted advisors, paid and unpaid, who can support and extend your goals. Don’t go it alone!
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· How Elena became a licensed appraiser at the age of 17 – an entrepreneurial stroke of genius on her father’s part that has resonated in her ventures ever since.
· Even in the pursuit of her opera career, Elena brought a good dollop of pragmatism, acquiring a teaching credential as a backup should her singing not pay the bills.
· With her career soaring, Elena was on the road for 10 months of the year. She was seeing the world and living out her fantasy – until burnout set in. It was time to reassess and ultimately to make a change course.
· While working with a coach, trying to figure out her next professional steps, Elena fell in love with the industry itself. That was eight years ago and she’s been loving her coaching career ever since.
· When fate comes knocking: About the unexpected encounter with a life coach that (despite her initial skepticism) unblocked and opened an entirely new path forward.
· What drew Elena to coaching (not what you might assume).
· Elena fell in love foremost with coaching methodology, the logical framework within which to exercise empathy and unblock limiting beliefs.
· Elena has uncovered a gift for coaching professionals in non-creative industries, to whom she brings a completely different perspective that often has been missing.
· The common points of entry for Elena’s coaching clients:
o I’m unhappy and have to shift something – now!
o A toxic culture.
o A chronic work-life balance issue.
o A sense that something bigger is out there but not fully in focus.
· Elena delights in her clients’ “aha” moments, which offer so much “spaciousness” and “joy.” It’s transformational.
· Actionable tips for entrepreneurs who feel undervalued, overwhelmed or unfulfilled:
o Slow way down. Take a deep breath. Show up late or cancel a meeting. Look three weeks out and commit to one full day off – no matter what.
o Find a supportive resource. Don’t let cost or time be a deterrent to finding a coach or mentor. There are all kinds of models and price points.
o Change the narrative! Recognize that no one gets anywhere all alone.
· The ways in which Elena works:
o Mostly one-to-one coaching.
o Workshops or group coaching with companies.
· The C-Suite Collective is a boutique agency offering the services of a variety of coaches and healers working in different modalities. They also offer deliberative and committed programming in support of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and other workplace issues.
· Enjoy Elena’s podcast: In a Manner of Speaking.
About Elena:
Elena is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) and Certified Dare To Lead Facilitator (CDTLF) who has a strong track record of enabling clients to create and pursue the lives they want. She offers in-depth and customized executive programs for high performers at the top of their respective fields – from CEOs, to professional athletes, policy-focused individual, entertainers and artists. Through a strong partnership, these clients have been able to create and achieve the professional and personal milestones they once perceived unattainable.
There is nothing quite so personal and deeply significant as finding the right caretakers for a loved one. That’s why trust and compassion are central values at HomeWell, the featured franchise on this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur. Kristina McGarvey, Franchise Development Director, explains how the national provider of in-home health care has evolved to fill a niche that, at one point or another, all of us will likely need to fill.
Founded in 1996 as the brainchild of a single person who wanted to elevate standards of care, HomeWell has grown its platform and best practices over decades, culminating in 2018 with expansion to a franchise model that has taken off nationwide. HomeWell currently has 100+ locations in communities large and small. Having a health care background isn’t required, so many of the most successful business are run by people with diverse backgrounds – with the common denominator being a caring heart.
What is it that attracts clients and referrals? HomeWell offers the best of both worlds when it comes to the very personal choice of care management. It’s a franchise model that is based in measurable standards and resources that only an established, thoroughly developed brand can bring. At the same time, each independently owned business provides a sense of intimacy and personalization that clients and their families feel they can trust.
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Some of the most successful franchise models are disruptive. Do you offer change?
· Know and highlight your differentiators.
· Be prepared to shift and modulate goals at each stage of your business’s development.
· Taking a high-touch, highly localized approach is key to establishing an important triad for franchises: roots, referrals and a stellar reputation.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· How it all got started – the evolution of HomeWell from a single caretaker’s business in 1996 to the launch in 2002 of a gold standard provider of caregiving services to the 2018 expansion into a venture-backed franchise model that over its first few years has seen exponential growth.
· All about how HomeWell has grown by being a disrupter!
· There are currently more than 100 HomeWell locations and 54 franchise owners.
· HomeWell’s differentiators:
o As a business, HomeWell is very community-focused.
o As a franchisor, HomeWell offers high-touch, in-depth training customized to ensure each business becomes the #1 choice for clients and referrals.
· Franchises typically progress through several stages, including:
o Stage 1: Business coaching and help with building and managing a team.
o Stage 2: Getting established.
o Stage 3: Compounding growth and extending the business’s reach.
· Home care is unlike any other industry in that people prefer a credible brand with premium services, but at the same time want the kind of personal touch that only independent, local businesses can provide. HomeWell delivers the best of both.
· What makes the ideal HomeWell franchisee?
o You needn’t have health care experience. They will educate you!
o Many of HomeWell’s top performers come from traditional corporate backgrounds, but have harbored a desire to try their own venture.
o Having a caring heart is an essential ingredient for success.
o Successful franchisors are generally tenacious, have grit and ambitious goals for their independent venture.
o They appreciate the opportunity to plug into a pre-existing system that offers tools for scalable, measurable business growth.
· Franchise fee and startup investment:
o Initial buy-in: $49,000
o About $100,000 of working capital to get established (with more expensive markets sometimes ranging up to $150,000).
· Compassionate caregiving is in high demand nationwide, which offers tremendous opportunity to anyone looking to grow a well-supported and resourced local business that will touch the hearts and lives of others.
To learn more about HomeWell Care Services or other franchise opportunities, click here to set up a call.
Rashmi Schramm was on a predictable (and highly successful) track. A family physician with a thriving practice for more than two decades, she shares on this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur what inspired her to pivot in a new direction that has proved no less potent when it comes to healing and changing lives. She explains why coaching and in particular mindfulness meditation have made a perfect alternative and complement to her family medicine practice. What’s the secret to her success?
Rashmi started small and understood that there would be adjustments along the way. That said, what she promised herself from the start was always to over-deliver, which explains why her business has grown exponentially. She remains a healer, but her playing field has shifted and broadened in ways she could never have imagined had she continued with her stressful work and the constraints of traditional western medicine.
You won’t want to miss Rashmi’s 4C’s – which are applicable to launching a startup, but ultimately will uplift and focus us in whatever our pursuit, personal or professional. Would you like to try some free meditation and/or sign up for Rashmi’s newsletter? Click here.
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Entrepreneurial journeys are often iterative and do not follow a straight trajectory.
· Research has shown that people who practice self-compassion have a higher level of vibrancy and fulfillment in their lives.
· Coaching is very different from therapy, offering a spectrum of targeted support.
· Always over-deliver! The secret to the exponential growth of Rashmi’s practice has been working tirelessly to provide far more than her clients expect.
· Want to be an entrepreneur? Just start – no matter how messy. Let go of perfectionism!
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· Rashmi moved to the U.S. from India at age 12. Programmed to find security, she chose medicine as her career path and she was a family physician for more than 20 years.
· The preventative aspect of medicine and mindfulness were always a subtext during the years she was practicing medicine. Rashmi was trying to find ways of marrying integrative practices with the more rigid structure and constraints of western medicine.
· At the beginning of 2020, Rashmi founded Optimal Wellness and quickly, organically felt a shift in focus from coaching to more of an emphasis on mindfulness meditation.
· Lean Into Doing Things Your Own Way: Rashmi’s coaching and meditation practice attracts people who desire realignment of life/professional priorities – a situation that she herself has experienced and navigated.
· Rashmi’s 4C’s for De-Stressing:
o Consciousness: Bringing awareness by taking a pause, however brief.
o Compassion: Share with yourself the kind of loving kindness you give to others.
o Clarity: Tap resources for insight, whether a coach or book or podcast.
o Community: Actively focus on cultivating connections with others.
· Finding the Best Coach for You:
o Distinguish between therapy and coaching, and which is indicated at this time.
o Do a discovery call to see if a prospective coach feels like a good fit.
· Where Rashmi has found her target client base:
o Social media is important but not her primary source.
o By offering affordable packages that invite prospective coaching and meditation clients to give Rashmi’s offering a try – which usually yields repeat visits.
· Rashmi’s “why” is what keeps her motivated: Going back to her physician’s roots, she gets great satisfaction from helping people heal (and without drugs or other medical interventions).
· Looking ahead, Rashmi plans:
o To do more of the face-to-face that she (and select partners) offered recently at a reasonably-priced small-group retreat.
o To expand and make more robust the Optimal Wellness online platform.
· Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs:
o Take action, however messy!
o Start small with micro-changes while in transition.
o Let go of perfectionism in favor of self-compassion
About Rashmi:
Rashmi practiced as a board certified family physician for 21 years. During that time, she saw first-hand how detrimental the effects of stress can be in our lives. Her own stressors played a big part in her journey, which included chronic lethargy, anxiety, debilitating migraines and insomnia in her early 30’s, when she was a mom to young kids working a stressful, demanding job. She pivoted to become a coach and meditation teacher, founding Optimal Wellness, a meditation coaching program helping groups and individuals live more meaningful lives.
Are you clear on your motivation? This guest challenges us all to figure out the drivers behind our business aspirations. For Michelle Leotta, it’s the determination to give her two young sons a rich upbringing and access to a college education. What’s your motivation? Knowing the answer to this question could make the difference between jumpstarting your entrepreneurial venture and remaining a hobbyist, stalled in first gear.
Michelle developed her She's Got Power platform following her own personal journey to wellness. It was ultimately a lucky combination of preparation and timing that catapulted her into a midcareer change of direction. Frustrated with dismissive doctors who didn’t understand a range of persistent symptoms, Michelle became a sleuth and figured out on her own that she was suffering fallout out from burnout. The tools she acquired in order to heal were transformational – knowledge that she enjoyed sharing informally with family and friends. But an unexpected layoff from her corporate advertising job in 2008 opened the door on a whole new world of opportunity. It was quite a surprise!
Completely bought into the W2 paycheck lifestyle, Michelle was definitely an accidental entrepreneur. But she has never looked back, starting her business with straightforward one-to-one coaching and expanding over time into robust mentoring programs for fellow coaches just starting out. She’s also a high-profile voice thanks to her blogging and the social media communities she has built on Facebook, Instagram and elsewhere. This episode of She Turned Entrepreneur features lots of actionable tips and food for thought as you move forward with your own unique startup venture!
You can learn more about Michelle’s course on health coaching here.
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Being laid off can also be viewed as being given an opportunity to pursue your dream!
· Great Tip: Be an early adopter of emerging social media opportunities (like blogging or podcasting). It’s much easier to raise your profile because competition is less fierce.
· Start small, coaching one-to-one. Elaborate online programs or subscriptions aren’t necessary right out of the gate.
· Find a Niche: It’s important to know yourself and what makes you uniquely suited to your target audience.
· Jumpstart your business by getting clear about your motivation, which could be anything from getting food on the table to taking an extravagant vacation.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· How a health crisis with a constellation of undiagnosed symptoms spurred Michelle to take matters into her own hands. Knowing she was not “just fine,” as myriad doctors had told her dismissively, she was determined to figure out her own wellness.
· Although she’d gotten a credential and was advising friends and family, Michelle might never have started her coaching business had she not been laid off during the recession in 2008.
· Although Michelle had a wealth of marketing and advertising know-how from her previous corporate job, bootstrapping resources are a lot more limited!
· Michelle’s avenues for promoting her business:
o Podcasts
o Blogging
o Facebook groups
· Michelle’s business model is two-pronged:
o Working one-to-one with private individual clients.
o Mentoring new coaches just starting out.
· Don’t get caught in the online course trap. Anything that Michelle has scaled first started small and then built from there. She advises: If you jump out prematurely, you’ll fall flat.
· The health coaching field is somewhat “the wild west” in that the levels of training and certification can vary wildly.
· Tap Into Your Story: Understand your own narrative to better connect with the types of people who will work well with your style, perspective and knowledge base. For example, Michelle works really well with women suffering burnout and chronic stress because, of course, she has been there.
· Michelle’s Top Tips for Stressed Entrepreneurs:
o Balance has to come first if you want a sustainable business.
o Prioritizing health is part of your job as an entrepreneur. Coffee and cigarettes are not a long-term wellness protocol!
· Michelle’s Recommended Reading:
o Any books on personal development (and yoga) written by Stephen Cope.
· Figure out your motivation! If you’re not really, truly motivated to earn it’s easy to get stuck in a hobby place, which is fine – unless you aspire for your business to be more.
About Michelle:
Michelle’s story of burnout recovery has been featured on ABC, CBS, NPR and the inspiring documentary “Lemonade.” Since 2009 she’s been a practicing, certified health coach and mentor for her fellow coaches. Michelle is a presenter at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, partner of Primal Health Coach Institute and the creator of Healthy Profit University.
Franchise hours can be unforgiving, with dawn-to-dusk schedules that turn family time into a rare occasion. That wasn’t going to work for the founders of Scramblers, the restaurant chain whose director of franchising is featured on this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur. Kelly Buerk is here to share the history of a growing franchise that keeps its promise: You can build a successful restaurant without letting it gobble up time with loved ones. In fact, the foundational vision revolves around a commitment to protecting time for Little League coaching and birthdays.
What’s the formula? It’s always a good idea to identify what you do best and focus there, which is what the visionaries behind Scramblers did For starters, their breakfast- and lunch-only menus are perennial crowd-pleasers and also relatively easy to manage. They also took their time and fine-tuned their formula before finally saying yes to prospective franchisees. Today the business is mature and growing throughout Ohio, drawing interest from entrepreneurs who want the fun of running a restaurant without the backbreakingly long hours and complicated operations. Learn how Scramblers differs from other breakfast and lunch spots and what franchisees receive in the way of ongoing training and support. Listen in to learn more about this family-friendly opportunity. It’s a brand that will brighten your day!
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous She Turned Entrepreneur episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Looking for a family-friendly franchise? Scramblers was literally built around the founders’ desire to coach Little League teams and be home for dinner in the evening.
· Because their hours are limited to 6:30a-3p, Scramblers franchises are typically owner-operated and require only a single manager.
· Even for those franchisees who prefer to outsource the operation, Scramblers encourages active engagement with the business – mainly because it’s fun!
· The Scramblers brand is on full display at the company’s newly updated website, which features gift cards, online ordering options, photos and a new Scramblers app!
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· All about Scramblers, a 30-year-old restaurant chain that started in Toledo, Ohio, and has grown ever since, cultivating a niche by catering to breakfast and lunch only.
· Scramblers’ growth began organically because its formula just worked; over time fans of the enterprise wanted to tap the magic by securing franchise opportunities.
· The founders weren’t in a rush to franchise, taking their time (15 years) and considering the option methodically before opening up to include more than a dozen new outlets.
· Scramblers is a family affair – which is something that franchisees love! Not only does the business support family-friendly values, its leadership team features a lot of people (including Kelly) whose last name is Buerk.
· What a Scramblers franchise looks like:
o They are typically owner-operated with a single manager working 6:30a-3p.
o No night-shift staff necessary.
o Hostesses, cooks, dishwashers are all part-time staff.
o Some franchisees prefer to remain owner-investors only, hiring managers to run the operation or a consortium of locations.
· How Scramblers differs from competitors:
o The overall requirements: Breakfast- and lunch-only; low overhead costs and limited staffing requirements.
o The franchise overall is large and experienced enough to know what work and doesn’t, but small enough that customization is possible and franchisees have a voice that’s heard.
o Scramblers culture is a family culture, with an annual conference and camaraderie that extends throughout the year.
· Scramblers training and support includes:
o An intensive two- to four-week training onsite in Columbus, where the franchise is based.
o The 360-degree training covers everything from how to hire a manager down to how to cook up the perfect pancake or omelet.
o Franchise leadership serves as a constant informational resource and dispatches senior staff to check in every 90 days with franchisees, thus ensuring they are well advised and supported – and are also maintaining standards.
o Corporate calls and the annual conference cement relationships and branding.
· The ideal Scramblers franchisee is:
o Passionate about customer service.
o Enjoys being part of a community.
o Puts a priority on quality and best restaurant practices.
o Envisions building their Scramblers into a home-town favorite.
o Doesn’t mind putting in the work, but also values a work-life balance.
· The initial Scramblers franchise fee is $40,000 with total startup costs averaging $500,000 (more or less, depending on geography, wages, etc.).
To learn more about Scramblers or other franchise opportunities, click here to set up a call.
It’s sometimes at our lowest moments that transformational doors open. But you have to stay open and willing, which is what our guest on this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur did – with amazing results. Rebecca Packard’s career as an Emergency Medical Technician was right on track, serving people in need just as she had always planned. But after 15 years, her body and psyche had other plans. Overnight this dynamic, empowered mother of two found herself sidelined on the couch, crippled by pain and anxiety. Her world grew smaller and smaller as specialist after specialist failed to locate the source of her ailments.
How did Rebecca dig herself out? Through curiosity and a willingness to seek help in the form of alternative therapies. Five years later, she is an international speaker and healer whose thriving practice treats people (most especially entrepreneurs!) through a number of different psycho-spiritual and body-work modalities.
Learn about Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) and Emotional Code, Angelic Reiki and other tips for coming back from the kind of post-traumatic stress (PTSD) that threatened to take over Rebecca’s life. She also has suggestions for simple ways that we can head trouble off before it spins out of control, through being intentional and using methods like tapping to calm our nervous systems when the world’s worries crowd in. Rebecca teaches us a simple method for breaking free of fight-or-flight stress.
Would you like to create calm in chaos? Click here to get started with a look at the many resources Rebecca has to offer at her website.
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Sometimes out of great challenge comes great insight – and transformation.
· Keeping an open mind pays off. Rebecca had no way of knowing that her decision to seek alternative medical treatment would result in a complete career shift.
· Redefinition can be a good thing. Rebecca’s life goal was to help people, but it turned out that being an EMT was just the start of that journey.
· Pandemic has forced many people to pivot, sometimes reluctantly. Rebecca is here to say: Keep the faith. Good things lie beyond even the darkest of times!
· Did you know that entrepreneurs hold pain and trauma in predictable parts of the body?
· Is your business bleeding into everything? Create a disciplined calendar, including blocks devoted exclusively to family and self-care – then adhere to it!
· The more we practice self-soothing methods like tapping, the more our nervous systems start to integrate a sense of calm and well-being, even in moments of high anxiety.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· All about Rebecca’s circuitous journey, which started with a 15-year career as an Emergency Medical Technician that was humming along – until it came to a total halt.
· As the result of crippling PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), Rebecca went overnight from being an active, ambitious professional in the service space to completely couch-bound (outside of doctors’ appointments three to five times a week).
· Rebecca was down but not out. She rallied to find recovery tools, including an introduction to EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) and Emotion Code. Where pain and medications didn’t work, these alternative therapies freed her from inherited emotion that had locked her up.
· Amazed and impressed by her results, there was no turning back for Rebecca. With her husband’s encouragement, she embarked on a journey through the healing space.
· Rebecca was felt beyond bleak, but by taking one step forward at a time she came to a place where the suffering and loss not only made sense but in time proved helpful in the healing she now affords others.
· How Rebecca’s Sessions Work:
o They are conducted over Zoom.
o Together you do a “gathering clearing” to settle into an open space.
o Angelic Reiki is the first healing tool Rebecca deploys.
o Emotion Code comes next, incorporating kinesiology and Chinese medicine to track emotions that are causing mental and physical pain.
o Release occurs in myriad ways and multiple efforts, depending on the individual.
· Actionable healing tips for entrepreneurs:
o Tip #1: Schedule your life, including personal and family time. Then stick to it.
o Tip #2: Don’t be afraid to get help. Ask fellow entrepreneurs who have been there and can help you ease stress and anxiety through their shared experience.
o Tip #3: Find a mentor who is a good fit.
· Actionable tips for calming yourself down on those go-go-go days:
o Tip #1: Start off your day by both affirming yourself and consciously letting go of control. Remind yourself: Things will unfold today exactly as they should!
o Tip #2: Place your index finger on your clavicle, then lay the other four fingers down next to it. Tap the meaty spot between your middle and ring fingers in moments of stress or overwhelm and your whole nervous system will calm down!
· Recommended Reading:
o "The Entrepreneur Roller Coaster: Why Now Is the Time to #Join the Ride," by Darren Hardy.
About Rebecca:
A leading accredited preventative trauma care teacher and educator, self-help instructor, Youtuber, Podcaster, speaker and Live Happy ambassador, Rebecca works with entrepreneurs and service-focused individuals to scale, adapt and pivot for whole life wellness and success. She is trained in disciplines including: Emotion Code, Body Code, EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques or Tapping), Says Who Method, Ho’oponopono, Advanced Ho’oponopono, Yoga, Meditation, Crystal healing, Angelic Reiki and other techniques. She has also had a 15-year career as an Emergency Medical Technician.
Even when we’ve grabbed the gold ring, it’s possible to feel like something is missing. That was the case for Dr. Michelle Quirk, a pediatrician whose career and life were firing on all pistons … and yet. She felt burned out and boxed in. On this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur we learn how, step by step, the founder of Mindful Marathon, a coaching practice devoted to aspiring runners, hit her stride!
Michelle didn’t want to abandon her medical practice, but still had to face the fact that it wasn’t bringing her enough of what she wanted. For anyone else who has experienced this gnawing feeling, she has some advice: First, take a pause. Spend some time with yourself. In Michelle’s case, she cleared space for taking long runs. And before she knew it? Michelle had completed her first marathon and gotten clarity about this much: She was passionate about running!
Knowing what you love is the entrepreneur’s first challenge. What Michelle did next was equally important, however. She looked for a sounding board, in her case a fellow physician who had found a way to add a new venture while keeping her medical practice going at the same time. It was an “aha” for Michelle, who envisioned Mindful Marathon for the first time. Today she’s got a thriving practice, coaching one-to-one and in small groups, offering a virtual race series, designing training plans and running retreats.
Whatever your goal – running a marathon or building a business – Michelle will inspire you with her story, resources and simple tips for shifting from stuck to full steam ahead!
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· You don’t have to run a marathon. Just lace up your shoes and start with five minutes!
· As was the case for Michelle, entrepreneurial ventures offer an opportunity to reimagine or reinvent our identities.
· If you undertake an entrepreneurial venture, some people will ask if you’ve lost your mind. But you will also find plenty of cheerleaders. Stick with the latter!
· Have a passion? With time and patience, you can find a way to turn it into a business.
· Burnout Remedy: Take a step back and spend some time with yourself.
· If you’re feeling stuck, don’t hesitate to seek counsel from a friend, a therapist or coach.
· Are you a new runner? Start low and go slow. Find a pace that’s comfortable for you!
· If you stay consistent you will get there – in running, in business, in life!
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· Michelle’s evolution from being a kid who hated running to being a periodic runner in her young adult years to becoming a devotee when she discovered the restorative nature of running as part of a self-care plan during a particularly stressful period of life.
· At the peak of her career as a young pediatrician, Michelle hit a patch where she was training but felt like she needed something more. The decision to run her first marathon proved transformational.
· Michelle hasn’t quit medicine so much as folded it into her coaching enterprise and overall identity. She felt the desire to get out of the box and try something new.
· Mindful Marathon offers one-to-one coaching, group programs for beginners, a virtual race series, training plans and running retreats.
· Creating a Niche: Michelle followed her passion and evolved it organically, which afforded her time and space to find ways to marry medicine with running.
· Michelle has been able to maintain a medical practice and a coaching practice by setting up dedicated work hours for both.
· When she felt stuck on a treadmill, literally and metaphorically, Michelle got intentional. She took time to pause and be with herself, which she did while out on long runs that ultimately helped her get clarity about her purpose and the direction she needed to go.
· Confiding in a fellow physician who had started a coaching practice in addition to her medical practice proved a gamechanger for Michelle, for whom it opened up a new path.
· Tips for Wannabe Runners:
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Wherever you are in terms of conditioning, get moving.
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Start low and go slow.
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Find a “conversational” pace that’s comfortable for you.
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Leave your technology at home and just be present to how you feel.
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Try run-walk intervals to build up stamina.
· Even though we live in a “compare and despair” social media culture, Michelle urges runners at whatever level not to get caught up in trying to keep up with anyone else.
· Recommended Reading:
o "The Miracle Equation: The Two Decisions That Move Your Biggest Goals from Possible, to Probable, to Inevitable," by Hal Elrod.
o "The EntreMD Method: A Proven Roadmap for Doctors Who Want to Live Life and Practice Medicine on Their Terms," by Nneka Unachukwu.
About Michelle:
In the midst of a lively career in pediatrics, Dr. Michelle Quirk discovered that running could change her life. She embraced the sport by becoming a certified run coach with the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA), a local Girls on the Run coach, and a Disney World-loving marathoner. She founded Mindful Marathon to help make running easy and fun for busy professionals. For anyone thinking that running is too hard or that they can’t be runners, Michelle is ready to help transform you into a runner. She develops customized training plans for every type of runner—new, old, somewhere in between—and fits those training plans into busy lives, helping her athletes find their edge and achieve their goals.
Thinking about starting a cryotherapy business? How about becoming a franchisee for an already established brand that’s passionate about health and wellness?
Julie Shanebrook is the founder and CEO of ChillRx Cryotherapy. Cryotherapy is a treatment where the body is briefly exposed to very cold temperatures in order to promote healing and other therapeutic results.
Julie explains how her own journey with chronic back pain and how finding healing in cryotherapy led her to start her business in 2015. She describes a day in the life of a cryotherapy franchisee, the services they offer to their franchisees, and the requirements you would need to invest.
Listen in to learn the importance of being open-minded, diverse, and passionate about your field to be successful in it.
Here are the top takeaways from the conversation:
· How pain became the starting point of Julie’s business ChillRx Cryotherapy.
· A productive day in the life of a cryotherapy franchisee.
· The current cryotherapy competition plus the advantage of working with a smaller passionate brand.
· The comprehensive training cryotherapy franchisees receive before starting.
· The key requirements you need to become a cryotherapy franchisee with ChillRx Cryotherapy.
· The investment you need to have a successful ChillRx Cryotherapy business.
· Services offered at ChillRx Cryotherapy and the income streams accessible to franchisees.
To learn more about ChillRx or other franchise opportunities, click here to set up a call.
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Coming out of the Army, where her unique combo skill set was in high demand, Dr. Michele Pfannenstiel had a mountain to climb. The CEO of Dirigo Food Safety knew her veterinary training and regulatory expertise were valuable commodities, but her target market was reluctant, and growth was slow. The gamechanger? Hiring a life coach. Suddenly Michele had the perfect complement to her core consulting competencies – a set of tools to transform the mindsets of the prospects and clients who needed her help.
On this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur, Michele shares the story of how she won over resistant dairy and produce farmers, ranchers and artisanal food producers with a two-pronged approach to understanding and ultimately meeting regulatory standards. It was at first a tough sell, but by keeping focused on each next profit-generating step, Michele developed a highly successful program. Her Food Safety University provides an all-in-one platform featuring resources for creating compliance plans, training and documentation. And by bringing in the coaching element, Michele helps her clients integrate food safety as a habit, not an afterthought.
Michele’s business plan revolves around being constantly aware of her key indicators, whether lagging or leading. Learn how she uses self-coaching techniques to keep things flowing in the right direction. Michele also shares with us a series of concrete steps to take if your venture is stuck in first gear. Get ready to take notes as this triple-threat entrepreneur downloads all kinds of wisdom and … ahem … food for thought.
Click here if you’d like to check out Michele’s Food Safety University platform. She’s also offering a free step-by-step guide to food safety management that will ensure you pass your audit with flying colors. If you’d like to book an introductory call with Michele, click here.
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· You never know where an entrepreneurial opportunity might show up, so put your skill set out there!
· Sometimes you have to invest up-front to educate your market and create the niche your business fills.
· If you have to convince a prospect that there is value in the service you provide, then they don’t align with your values. Cut them loose!
· Michele’s business turned a corner when she sought out life coaching.
· Your No. 1 asset is your brain, so keep close tabs on how well it’s functioning.
· The faster you make decisions, the more money you will make.
· Always be looking for your next best profit-making step.
· Every piece of marketing content you generate should include an ask
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· Michele shares her unusual career path from a veterinary degree to serving in the Army, where she specialized in food inspection.
· A personal interest in feeding her family from farm-to-table sources spurred Michele’s interaction with farmers “flummoxed” by food safety regulations. Before she knew it, she was organically growing a business designing tailored regulatory plans.
· A boot camp for veterans turbocharged Michele’s transition to entrepreneurism.
· The biggest barrier to Michele’s business was the initial resistance farmers had to regulatory laws that do nothing for the bottom line. It wasn’t lucrative to spend time educating them to the necessity, but that was the first hurdle she had to clear.
· When she integrated coaching into her consulting business, food manufacturers were able not only to deploy a food safety plan but also make the mindset adjustments necessary to maintaining a robust program long-term.
· Advice for entrepreneurs who want to make a quantum leap:
o Ask yourself: What’s the next most profit-generating step I can create?
o Don’t wait for confidence or motivation. Just get going!
o Stop assuming that you have to feel good to perform profit-making actions!
o Identify your leading and lagging indicators. They reveal how well your brain is working and whether you’re positioned to make the next right decision.
§ Lagging Indicators: Bank accounts and sales figures.
§ Leading Indicators: Commitment to journaling and creating awareness about thoughts, feelings, nervous system responses and how the universe is supporting your mission. All four elements must be in balance.
o The way out of being stuck is making decisions. The faster you make them, the more money you will make.
o Don’t bog down trying to perfect collateral or other non-profit-generating tasks. And if you’re generating content, make sure to always include an ask!
About Michele:
Known by many as Dr. P., Michele earned her BA from Wellesley College and her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Georgia. She served as a veterinarian in the US Army Veterinary Corps serving at Ft. Monmouth, NJ, and the US Military Academy at West Point. After fulfilling her active duty commitment, Michele settled with her family in Southern Maine. In addition to her work with Farmer Veteran Coalition, since 2012 Michele has been the principal at Dirigo Food Safety, a consulting business that helps small farms and food producers navigate food safety and implement systems that can help them grow their businesses. She is also the founder of Food Safety University, a platform for regulatory plan development.
Connect with Michele!
Website | LinkedIn | Podcast
As often happens for entrepreneurs – especially women wearing many hats – Elizabeth Harris didn’t go immediately all-in on starting her own business. But a constant stream of people asking for her advice on diet and wellness ultimately tipped the balance: It was time to go a next step with her passion and earn a master’s degree in nutrition, healthspan and longevity. Today Elizabeth is a registered dietician, showing women how to throw off the yoke of “diet culture.”
Deploying an “intuitive eating” philosophy that rejects all the constant weighing, measuring and restriction that typically define diets, Elizabeth teaches women to listen to their bodies. All those harsh labels for food – good, bad, healthy, junk? Her coaching is about throwing them out, replacing shame and self-judgment with kindness and self-care. It can be scary to defy a $72 billion-dollar diet industry whose products and programs are, at best, a quick fix. But the results are incredibly gratifying. Elizabeth feels constantly inspired by the “aha” moments she witnesses as her clients transform their mindsets around food. The focus shifts away from self-control and yo-yo willpower to honoring the cues our bodies give about true hunger and satiety. With her evidence-based approach, Elizabeth harnesses the power of mindfulness.
If you’ve got a passion that burns even half as brightly as Elizabeth’s does, it’s not too late to start an entrepreneurial venture of your own. She was a financial marketing professional, as well as mom of three, long before deciding to become a dietician and coach. Her verdict? “I invested the time, the money, and the energy in myself … and, wow, was it worth it!”
This episode of the She Turned Entrepreneur podcast features top tips for getting started with an intuitive eating approach as well as excellent advice for anyone gearing up to launch a business.
Are you ready to break up with dieting? If so, please click on this link for Elizabeth's free five-day course. Lots of resources to get you started on a truly sustainable wellness journey!
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· It’s okay to come a bit later to a passion project – as did Elizabeth with great success!
· If people keep seeking your advice, that’s a clue. You have something to offer!
· The goal of Intuitive Eating is to listen to the body’s cues and approach food from a perspective of nurturing self-care rather than self-control or self-reproach.
· Shifting the focus from weight to well-being enables Elizabeth’s clients to get off the yo-yo dieting merry-go-round.
· Data clearly show that our widespread cultural pre-occupation with diet and weight has not yielded healthy results.
· The diet industry is a $72 billion business – with very low rates of success.
· When it comes to your kids, do your best to neutralize food.
· Freeing her clients from the tyranny of food and helping them befriend their own bodies is the thing that fuels Elizabeth’s practice.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· Elizabeth came to entrepreneurship by melding interests and goals: her degree as a dietician and desire for the flexibility that running her own business affords her family.
· It took about a decade of sustained interest in food, nutrition and wellness before Elizabeth finally committed 100% to starting her own business.
· Elizabeth’s fully virtual practice offers women (either one-to-one or in small groups) a roadmap for getting off the dieting treadmill by shifting to intuitive eating.
· What is intuitive eating? It’s a way of looking at food through a lens of self-care rather than self-control; trusting our bodies and healing our relationship with food.
· Elizabeth’s coaching provides an alternative to the rules and restrictions around diet, an approach that focuses on what our individual bodies truly need and desire.
· Rejecting “diet culture” can be exciting, but also overwhelming when our default is to constant measurement and tight control around food.
· Elizabeth’s Top Tips for Intuitive Eating:
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Accept that diets don’t work. People don’t fail diets; diets fail people.
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Pay close attention to how your body feels. Connect with the cues it provides to your level of hunger and satiety.
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Watch your language. Resist “good/bad” or “healthy/unhealthy” labels that marginalize certain foods, producing stress, guilt and other negative emotions.
· Elizabeth’s coaching method derives from an evidence-based approach developed by the authors of "Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Program That Works."
· Children all-too-easily absorb toxic messages that divorce them from their own bodies.
· Elizabeth’s Top Tips for Aspiring Entrepreneurs:
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If you’ve got a passion, it’s never too late to turn it into a business.
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Make sure you’ve got a support system to minimize some of the loneliness that can crop up with a solo venture.
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Invest in tools for success: Classes, coaching and systems.
· Elizabeth’s favorite part of coaching is seeing the transformational results.
· Interested in a free five-day course? Click here to find out all about it!
About Elizabeth:
Elizabeth helps women who are tired of feeling guilt, stress or frustration about their eating habits instead choose nourishing foods and build lifelong healthful habits so they can never diet again. Her coaching promotes wellness choices that leave clients feeling good about themselves and energized, ready to show up fully and live their best lives!
Connect with Elizabeth!
Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Blog | Instagram
The most successful ventures start with a niche that needs to be filled. What was missing for Genevieve Weeks, CEO of Tutu School, was a creative, expressive space for infants and toddlers to enjoy movement. This episode of the She Turned Entrepreneur podcast highlights the whimsical boutique ballet school concept Genevieve has conjured to the delight of parents and their very young children alike. But what makes her recipe truly magical is its replicability – a formula that has launched successful Tutu School franchises around the U.S. and Canada.
With a robust online platform and ongoing training modules, the Tutu School business model offers a community of support for new owners. With an initial franchise fee of $42,000, it’s a compelling opportunity, especially for moms who appreciate the flexibility to manage operations remotely. Although Genevieve was at one time a professional dancer, franchisors needn’t have any special expertise. All that’s required is an entrepreneurial flair! The Tutu School platform provides the rest:
· Tools to carefully vet and train teachers in the art of being “magic makers.”
· Ongoing education and support through Twirl, a powerful online platform that provides a range of guides, video master classes, proprietary software and other tools.
· Help with website development, scheduling systems and advertising campaigns.
· Templates for communications, social media, marketing and branding messages.
· A powerful community of support among franchisees nationwide.
Since founding her first studio in San Francisco, Genevieve has seen her vision come alive in the faces of delighted baby dancers, who are developing social and motor skills while having fun. Every day brings opportunities to shape young lives with invaluable early exposure to the joy of movement, creativity and music. It’s hard to imagine a more uplifting franchise mission!
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· An entrepreneurial instinct kicked in for Genevieve when she realized that there was a niche to be filled in providing ballet education to very young children.
· Genevieve is a big believer in focusing narrowly on one thing and then excelling at it.
· The vast majority of franchise owners are moms who appreciate that Tutu Schools can be run flexibly and remotely, accommodating family schedules.
· “Magic makers” – carefully vetted and trained teachers – are at the heart of each Tutu School franchise.
· Tutu Schools differentiate themselves with a curriculum, space and focus solely on very young children.
· The ideal Tutu School franchisee can be … anyone! The only absolute requirement is an entrepreneurial spirit.
· It’s time to address the relative imbalance among women franchisees (30% of the market) and franchisors (only 10% of the market)!
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· About Genevieve’s vision and how she got started developing the Tutu School model.
· A day in the life of a franchisee:
o Outreach to parents of students.
o Hiring and training “magic making” dance teachers.
o Managing and supporting the curriculum and those teaching it.
· Tutu School is (so far) a very unique franchise opportunity without market competitors.
· The franchise model incorporates relationships with other local dance schools to which Tutu graduates can be referred down the line.
· Training and support are central to Genevieve’s franchise concept, including programs and tools that are continually evolving:
o Twirl, an internal platform that houses guides, online courses and a forum to connect with other owners.
o A master teacher who continually rolls out training videos.
o Branding support, including communications templates, social media content, team guidelines for consistent messaging and marketing.
· Tutu School franchises are a great fit for the entrepreneur who could start a dance school on their own – but would rather take advantage of an established brand with a ready-made system of support and community.
· The franchise fee is $42,000 with an overall initial investment totaling between $80,000-$150,000 – depending on the market/location/cost of space.
· Evangelizing for Franchising: Genevieve is all-in on the benefits of this kind of model, which offers both autonomy and community, ownership and opportunities, especially for women, beyond food or fitness concepts.
To learn more about Tutu School or other franchise opportunities, click here to set up a call.
How do you stay positive when the world around you seems so negative? To achieve success, you must learn to find your inner light and stay positive in yourself and your business.
Karen Pepe is a positivity coach who teaches solopreneurs strategies to create a positive mindset, self-confidence, and resilience to achieve their business goals. She uses her knowledge to boost people up as a positivity coach so they can see their potential.
Karen explains the events that led her to discover her gift and start a business in coaching, speaking, and motivation. Having a morning routine where you affirm your achievements daily and do small scary things that help you get out of your comfort zone will help you build your self-confidence in business.
Listen in to learn how to focus on finding and building your strengths and pivot when you need to instead of getting stuck in the past.
Here are the top takeaways from the conversation:
· How to leverage your gift and start anew in business.
· How not to allow negativity happening in the world and around you to stop you from achieving success.
· How to find your strength and inner light to shine in business.
· Have a morning routine where you affirm your achievements to boost your self-esteem.
· Find and do one scary thing out of your comfort zone to boost your confidence.
· How to stop defining your worth in monetary value as an entrepreneur.
· Tips on how to balance work and family life as a mompreneur.
· Find your strengths and focus on building them and pivot when you need to.
· Keep the right and supportive people in your life to help you stay positive in business.
About Karen
Karen Pepe is a positivity coach who teaches solopreneurs strategies to create a positive mindset, self-confidence, and resilience to achieve their business goals.
Connect with Karen:
Instagram |Facebook | Website
Did you know that you can start a successful business without a website? Yes, with the right strategy, you can use platforms like Instagram to organically grow your business.
Mira Chotalia worked as a UX designer, designing mobile apps and websites before her fascination with the human mind led her to coaching. She has a background in psychology and now helps people make a mind-body connection and achieve desired outcomes.
She explains how she grew her coaching business to over 300 clients on Instagram organically and without a website. Websites are not as effective for business owners today, especially when it’s in a highly competitive niche. When it comes to building a business on a social media platform, it is important to consider where most of your traffic is coming from.
If you’re looking to grow your business on Instagram and without a website, then you can’t afford to miss this episode!
Here are the top takeaways from the conversation:
· How to find the root cause of diseases and mindset issues through a mind-body connection.
· The mindset puzzle needed to be solved to help you get to your desired results.
· How to grow a business on Instagram to more than 300 clients organically.
· Think of a platform with the lowest barrier entry when in a highly competitive niche.
· High traffic platforms for businesses that are not websites.
· The importance of having a system and delegating tasks.
· How to schedule work and personal life for balance as a work from home entrepreneur.
· The powerful evening routine that will transform your results.
· Three major steps to take if you want to start a business in coaching.
About Mira Chotalia
Mira is a health and wellness coach and keynote speaker who helps high-achieving work from home 9-5ers hit their big goals while living a balanced life.
Connect with Mira
Have you ever thought of becoming a franchisee of an education company? To operate a community-minded brand that is focused on offering value and being the best in the community?
Jim and Diane Wilson are both franchisees and franchise development directors at Tutor Doctor. They have been with Tutor Doctor since 2008 and have through innovation survived both the recession and the pandemic. They grew their community-minded franchise through building relationships, recruiting the best, and providing outstanding customer service.
Jim and Diane explain how they’ve been able to differentiate their business from others in the business, plus how they approach tutor recruitment to only hire the best of the best.
Listen in to learn about the Tutor Doctor franchise, the investment you’d have to make, and the benefits you can reap from it.
Here are the top takeaways from the conversation:
● A day in the life of a franchisee – building relationships, recruiting, customer service, and consulting.
● How Tutor Doctor expanded the business from 2% virtual to 100% virtual during the pandemic.
● The value of hiring the best in the industry as a way to differentiate your business.
● How to approach recruitment and achieve a win-win scenario for you and your employees.
● The importance of continuous training for education franchise employees.
● Why community-minded personalities become the highest performing franchisees.
● The Tutor Doctor investment, franchise fee, and the benefits of the investment.
To learn more about Tutor Doctor or other franchise opportunities, click here to set up a call.
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The trajectory from young art student to certified online business manager might not have been straight, but sometimes that’s exactly the point. As Devin Lee explains on this episode of the She Turned Entrepreneur podcast, the journeys we take often provide exactly the education we need to uncover our true vocation in life. For Devin, it was all about finding the right mix of independence and structure, creativity and practicality, logistics and intuition. Her perfect fit didn’t materialize without some false starts and a little serendipity.
As a certified online business manager (OBM), Devin provides a hybrid combination of virtual assistant and business coaching services. She takes tasks off the hands of creative business owners who would otherwise find themselves lost in the weeds. Whether it’s refining schedules, setting up systems for customer management and lead generation, brainstorming marketing materials or building out business plans, Devin wears multiple hats in a virtual workplace that, as a result of pandemic, is fully here to stay. Perhaps her favorite tool of the trade? Quarterly planning, which affords business owners an all-important opportunity to step back from the day-to-day and assess their mission, progress, team and systems.
Devin highlights some of the more common entrepreneurial pitfalls (like over-scheduling or the belief that more commitments equate with better outcomes) and also lays out some of the foundational building blocks for launching a venture (try to prepare by saving, sharpen your mindset and prep a website and other business basics). It’s exciting when you see someone doing exactly what they were meant to do – and loving it. That perfectly describes Devin, who shares resources for anyone who might be interested seeking accreditation in the burgeoning field of online business management.
If you’re an entrepreneur who would like to feel more streamlined and confident next quarter, click here to learn about Devin’s Quarterly Planning Intensive.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Finding just the right niche for our skills and interests can take a few tries. Don’t give up!
· Even when you’re in a job you like, stay open to other possibilities. Devin would never have found her passion for being an OBM had she not been open to the suggestion.
· OBMs manage logistics, freeing up entrepreneurs to do the creative visioning.
· Devin’s general rule of thumb is that business owners are ready for an OBM once their company is generating about $10k per month in revenue.
· Quarterly reviews afford business owners a chance to catch their breath and review where things are. Devin believes that taking a day off every 90 days to plan for the three months ahead can be invaluable to maintaining steady, robust growth.
· When it comes to time management, sometimes the key question is what are you NOT going to do this week or this month? Apps don’t always = time savings.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· (03:00): In her early years Devin was very focused on art, but her college education still included business skills that appealed to her more logistical side. Post-college she launched into the corporate world followed by a stint as a Montessori teacher, but neither were quite the right fit.
· (05:20): Professional organizing finally felt like the right mix of entrepreneurial independence, creativity and skills but the nature of the work was unpredictable so, as a side hustle, Devin became a Virtual Assistant.
· (06:20): It was one of Devin’s VA clients who introduced her to what would become the perfect match for Devin’s skill set and interests: Online Business Manager. Especially once Covid hit and her organizing business was necessarily on hold, the path was clear: She got certification, re-branded and launched her business with immediate success.
· (09:10): Devin defines what an Online Business Manager does – which she views as a cross between Virtual Assistant (taking on and executing tasks) and Business Coaching (helping to shape and create an entrepreneur’s vision).
· (10:10): Among other things she does for her clients:
o Line up Virtual Assistants.
o Vision business roadmaps.
o Put Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and other systems in place.
o Manage logistical tasks that might otherwise bog down business owners.
· (11:31): Most clients decide the time is right to hire an OBM when things are going so well that the momentum starts to feel overwhelming, draining attention away from the creative and visionary aspects of building a venture. In general businesses that are generating revenue of about $10k a month have reached that stage.
· (13:00): It’s easy to get wrapped up in the day-to-day, but Devin believes it’s critically important for business owners to step back regularly to assess the mission, the team, the platforms and the way forward. Regular 90-day reviews can be a game-changer.
· (15:45): Time Management: Being busy does not inherently make us more productive. Devin encourages clients to look at their relationship with time differently, scrutinizing any tendency to over-commit and over-schedule.
· (19:00): About the wisdom of being realistic when it comes to priorities and the number of hours in a day. Calibrating projects and goals appropriately reduces frustration.
· (21:00): Interested in becoming an Online Business Manager? Here are tips for how to get started:
o Check out the international International Association of Business Managers.
o There are numerous Facebook groups that offer support and information.
o Consider dipping a toe in by becoming a Virtual Assistant first.
o Devin highly recommends certification, which she found hugely educational.
o When you’re ready, just jump in!
· (23:00): Tips for listeners pondering the leap from corporate paycheck to entrepreneurial risk:
o Try if possible to give yourself a runaway (ideally a period of a few months) to hunker down before taking the plunge.
o Bank some money.
o Build out a website and other business platforms.
o In addition to getting a business plan in place, get in the right mindset – positive, excited and ready to face the fear!
· (24:18): Recommended Reading:
o "Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less," by Greg McKeown
o "The 12-Week Year," by Brian P. Moran, Michael Lennington.
About Devin:
Devin Lee is a Certified Online Business Manager. She takes the dreams of visionaries who thrive on ideas and puts them into an actionable plan. She loves to outline the ultimate customer journey for clients’ businesses, find the holes and obstacles, and then patch them up. She loves elevating business owners to the next level and watching a newly well-oiled business do its thing. And she loves to teach overwhelmed entrepreneurs how to change their relationship to time. In her spare time, Devin roller skates, listens to podcasts, studies Enneagram, explores the best places to eat Sushi in Portland, and makes new friends.
Connect with Devin!
Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram
Sometimes you have to start before you’re ready and learn along the way. For Melanie Wood, the plunge into entrepreneurism was simultaneously about rebelling against an unhappy work situation and recognizing a workplace gap she knew she could fill. An international leadership speaker, as well as best-selling author, Melanie developed her expertise by watching, listening and then organically evolving tools and programs that enhance communications in all kinds of environments, both live and virtual!
Whether managers, executives or simply members of a team – many of us struggle with getting our messages across – something Melanie intuitively knew she could help others to do better. So she took the leap and started Speaking Styles, an approach that turns even the most shy and tentative among us into natural storytellers and self-confident public speakers.
Although she saw trendlines that suggested more and more business would be done online, Melanie could never have predicted the global pandemic that has turbocharged her company’s growth. Based in Australia, she has been able to jump in and put at ease clients who have had no choice but to “appear” on screens – whether a live Insta feed or a corporate Zoom presentation. Feel jittery whenever you have to speak publicly? Melanie offers nerve-soothing suggestions such as:
o Simply acknowledge that you’re afraid.
o Create a worst case scenario and then envision the tools you might use to respond to even the most embarrassing communications gaffe.
o Remember that there are many people out there, most of them silent, who are actually interested in and touched by what you have to say.
With her empathetic style and creative approach, Melanie walks us through how shewent fromherself being petrified of public speaking to creating safe spaces in which even the shyest among us are able to find courage and an authentic, effective voice.
You can watch Melanie in action with video content posted here or download her free guide, “Become the Butterfly: 15 Steps to Make Your Public Speaking a Success.” If you’d like to speak directly with Melanie, you can also book a free consultation.
Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous episodes.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Rebel against authority? There are ways to use that tendency to your advantage!
· Sometimes you just have to take a leap, even if you don’t have a Plan B in place.
· When once-in-a-life events (like pandemic) occur, look for and seize opportunities.
· The HeartMath Instituteoffers tools for managing breath and regulating our hearts, which connect directly with our brains and how we process situations.
· Melanie offers a reminder that 90% of people never “like” or comment on content we post – many of whom are interested in what we have to say or offer.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· (03:30): About Melanie’s background, including a management career ladder that proved unfulfilling, and how the journey ultimately led her to carve out an entrepreneurial niche.
· (07:22): Launching without a Plan B: Melanie quit her job without having all the details worked out for a next step. She just knew she was done and meant for something better.
· (08:08): Melanie developed her communications and facilitation programs organically, based on opportunities first with friends and then as a contract employee.
· (09:57): The business today has evolved to feature:
o One-on-one coaching.
o Group programs for business owners seeking more authentic communications.
o A membership community built around cultivating effective communications.
· (11:24): The pandemic shift to online video communications has fueled significant growth in Melanie’s business and a broader platform through which to spread her message virtually.
· (14:20): What it means to speak from the heart. Melanie emphasizes the importance of authenticity and really seeing people for who they are, bringing humanity and compassion for the workplace struggles so many of us experience.
· (15:10): Melanie took a course through the HeartMath Institute to learn techniques she shares with others to help them process emotions and stress with heart-centered breathing.
· (18:25): How to help people who suffer anxiety navigate – and accept – their fears in a world where speaking live on video is increasingly unavoidable. Melanie believes the starting point is to accept worst case scenarios – the worst possible feelings of rejection or embarrassment – and then create coping strategies.
· (22:25): Remember that 90% of viewers/listeners may not comment or interact, but if you keep showing up many will reach out and contact you when they’re ready.
· (23:15): What Melanie wishes she knew way back when:
o You’ve got to take the first step and risk. Don’t wait until you have everything prepared and perfectly aligned. That day likely will never come.
o Focus initially on one offering and develop from there.
o Start posting on social media and showing up right away.
o Don’t be afraid to seek help, whether a coach, a course or YouTube videos.
o Consider joining an online group or participating in networking events.
About Melanie:
Melanie is an International Female Leadership Speaker, Best-selling Author and Founder/Owner of Speaking Styles, an organization that works with Business Owners, Entrepreneurs, Managers and Leaders to step up, step out and lead with speaking and communication.
This episode of the She Turned Entrepreneur Podcast features a product so irresistible that Shark Tank ate it up. Sharon Mettra, franchise development at Press Waffle, shares the story of how this family-owned business, founded in 2016, evolved from a food truck to a rapidly expanding national franchise. It all starts with the waffle – a Belgian waffle, unlike anything you’ve tasted at Denny’s or IHOP. Today they are a draw at food halls featuring artisanal offerings (and a rapidly expanding menu) in former big-box spaces and other bricks-and-mortar spaces.
The franchise model, overseen by millennial founder Bryan Lewis, takes a fresh approach in terms of collaboration and accommodation to variables such as location and hours. Having returned to fully family-owned status, the company supports new franchisees with a two-part training module featuring a week of coaching at headquarters in Dallas followed by a week of onsite support from seasoned veterans who know how to roll out the business, whether owner-operated or run by a trusted team.
The all-in cost ranges between $250,000-$300,000, generally inclusive of the $35,000 franchise fee. Sharon has been in the franchise space for some time and has enjoyed seeing this new enterprise take off. With locations already based throughout the Midwest, Press Waffle is expanding rapidly.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Press Waffle is 100% under family ownership and operation.
· The Belgian waffle is unique in the U.S. market (although Sharon has seen competitors start to pop up).
· Most of the profit thus far has come from the “indulgent” food category but standard meals are being integrated into the menu.
· Training includes two modules: One at the home office in Dallas and a follow-up onsite.
· The toughest part of the process is learning how to properly cook the Belgian waffle.
· Currently the majority of Press Waffle outlets are located in the Midwest region.
· The franchise’s founder, a millennial, likes to “color outside the lines” and is excited to establish a fluid new iteration of the franchise model.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· Sharon shares the sweet tale of Press Waffle’s success, starting as a food truck that grew into a franchise entity located mostly at food halls, which are usually former big-box spaces transformed into a mix of artisanal restaurants and boutique food experiences.
· Most recently Press Waffle has expanded into bricks-and-mortar standalones, which has allowed for an expansion of offerings, including alcohol at some locations.
· Although Shark Tank’s Barbara Corcoran made an initial $300k investment, Press Waffle is today fully under the family’s control.
· Press Waffle’s onboarding/training process consists of:
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A seven-day onsite visit in Dallas, including up to three team members.
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For those owners who prefer to stay in the background, the franchise trains managers/surrogates.
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Following training, Press Waffle staff come onsite to help franchisees with setup and troubleshooting.
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Support is ongoing throughout the franchise’s lifecycle.
· Sharon says learning to produce Belgian waffles to standard is the toughest part.
· Typically the franchise runs with about 10 full-time staff.
· What makes for an ideal Press Waffle franchisee:
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Individuals who would like to build a long-term partnership and relationship.
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People with a passion for the brand and growing it.
· The start-up investment: The franchise fee is $35,000. Overall buildout is generally $250,000-$300,000, depending on square footage.
· Some of Press Waffle’s unique franchise attributes:
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Royalties are based on a daily sales scale, starting at 2%.
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As an investment in giving back, vendors are locally sourced wherever possible.
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There is proprietary flexibility in setting hours of operation based on culture, location and other factors.
Sarah Ariaudo has worked in oncology, treating patients, and managing cancer centers for over two decades. Her job required her to travel every 11-12 weeks, causing stress that slowly showed up as health issues. As a high-performing, ambitious woman, the thought of slowing down also felt uncomfortable. So, when her company underwent a massive reorganization, Sarah decided to take the opportunity to branch out and start her own consulting firm – and crushed it! In just four years, her company grew to a high SIX-FIGURE consulting services organization.
But her entrepreneurial story only began there...
After Sarah took a year-long break upon becoming a mom, she realized her life lacked a work-life boundary. The thought of balance and mental space became so strong that it took the form of a business idea, and Sarah started another company; but this time, she shifted her focus from consulting and implementations to mindfulness and mental well-being. Sarah’s new business centered around bringing mindfulness into cancer centers.
She joins me for this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur to narrate her inspiring journey as a passionate entrepreneur who is convinced about the importance of giving your mind the space it needs to grow.
Sarah and I dive into many other things, including:
Why you need to dedicate time for self-care: You must recharge and relax so you can bounce back as an entrepreneur. When you are positive and energetic, you’re able to transmit it to your employees too.
Why you must learn to say no: Prioritizing your time is important. If you keep saying yes to every work that pops up, how would you give yourself the time to pause, reflect, and re-charge?
How to gain confidence during speaking events: Slow down, formulate your thoughts, and be yourself while you speak. Your intention isn’t to please people; it is to speak your mind truthfully and completely.
Why you must follow your gut: Until you believe in yourself, no one else will. If your gut says yes, go for it. No second thoughts.
And more!
Tune in to She Turned Entrepreneur to learn all about it.
About Sarah
Sarah Ariaudo is a speaker, facilitator, author and entrepreneur. She is the Founder of Mindful Based Healing LLC, where she helps cancer patients balance mentally and emotionally.
Connect with Sarah!
Website | LinkedIn
"[A] system isn't something you bring to the business. It's something you derive from the process of building the business."
― Michael E. Gerber, The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It
My next guest Skye Barbour knew that entrepreneurship wouldn't be easy at an early age. Watching her father run a business was inspiring but realizing that company affairs left little time for anything else didn't appeal to Skye. Instead of diving into the waters of entrepreneurship, Skye tested The water by fast-tracking her career at large-scale retail operations. After nine years of service, Skye knew it was time to jump into the deep end and swim the waters of entrepreneurship just like her father and grandparents had done before her.
Luckily the waters were a lot different than they were when her grandparents and father had swum them. Thanks to technology Skye's innovation and determination, this dynamic entrepreneur built a thriving Coaching Business on the belief Business owners" could have more time, more money, and the freedom to lead business their way."
Here's a quick look into this episode:
● [00:03:20] Get to know Skye Barbour
● [00:04:00] After nine years on the fast-tracked Skye left her corporate retail career, she shares her experiences with us.
● [00:05:36] The motivation for entrepreneurship is different for everyone - Skye knew that entrepreneurship would allow her to be a present mother while providing financial security, but the path wasn't always smooth - find out how Skye overcame hurdles.
● [00:06:31] Searching for the perfect business idea? Skye shares her process and tips for listeners who may be having trouble launching.
● [00:11:49] Sometimes, getting uncomfortable is necessary to create change. Listen as Skye shares the valleys of her career that led to the peak of happiness.
● [00:14:47] The juggling act of business growth and development Skye shares how we can drop the act and start focusing on what matters
● [00:16:37] Are you a Delegator, Director, or Maxed Out Doer? Skye breaks down the possible freedom blocks that could be holding you back in your business.
● [00:18:42] Interested in how the Full Freedom Framework works? Here it is.
● [00:21:07] How to time track and what entrepreneurs think they should spend their time on versus what drives business and sales.
● [00:24:47] How to recognize freedom blocks and why the excuse of being busy could be costing millions in lost revenue.
About Skye Barbour:
Skye Barbour is an international business coach best, selling author, farmer's wife, and mom of two boys with 15 years of corporate experience. Skye takes clients through a practical and personal development journey, helping ambitious entrepreneurs build six and seven-figure businesses.
Website| Instagram| Facebook Group for Business Owners
Stephanie A. Wynn isn’t messing around. On this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur she explains what her first book was designed to be: Everything she had looked for – and couldn’t find – in the early days of pursuing her own entrepreneurial dreams. Fortunately for us, she and her co-author Jeffrey White have compiled all that and more in "Readi- Set Go!: A Simple Guide to Establishing A Successful Small Business."
Inspired by her entrepreneurial grandfather, Stephanie feels in her bones what it means to create a sustainable business. She is a coach whose focus is on helping other coaches, consultants, teachers and speakers of all kinds write and promote books that will define their brands. Stephanie knows how to navigate the territory and exactly how much dedication is required. It’s not dissimilar from the passion for gardening she also took from her grandfather. The process requires faith, affirmation and diligence. Stephanie advises doing a lot of research, figuring out a concrete plan to which you’re going to be accountable and establishing the growth mindset you’ll need on the inevitable tough days.
Stephanie doesn’t mince words when it comes to determining whether you’re ready. Basically, she says, If you’re not prepared to put in a ton of effort and time, then don’t waste your money! But if you’ve got the passion and the belief in yourself to match, then Stephanie’s got some great suggestions to share for building the runway you need. She also offers an important recommendation. “Work while you wait,” i.e. keep your day job while you sock away savings in anticipation of that day when the time to fly is right.
At work on upcoming books, including one about the successful battle she has waged against Crohn’s Disease, you’ll be energized by the focus, excitement and palpable drive Stephanie emanates. She is here to help other authors find their target audiences and do the spade work – the tough, disciplined execution – necessary to achieve their dreams. “We want overnight microwaveable success,” says Stephanie. “We want these things just to fall out of the sky … but even the wealthiest entrepreneurs put in the work, the effort the time.”
It may be a rollercoaster, but if you’re truly passionate and committed, says Stephanie, you’ll wake up every day with grace and ready to take on the world. She also shares some affirmations to help get you into the right frame of mind!
Please check out Stephanie’s book, "Readi- Set Go!: A Simple Guide to Establishing A Successful Small Business." You might also enjoy her podcast, available here. Or download her free Ideal Reader Avatar Guide here.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· When you finally have in hand the book that you’re ready to promote, Stephanie recommends first identifying exactly the audience to which you want to speak.
· Branding and brand are not the same thing:
o Brand is external. It’s how you show up in front of your audience.
o Branding is internal. It’s the strategy you deploy to position yourself and inspire stakeholders within the marketplace.
· The starting point for any entrepreneurial venture? A founder who 100% believes.
· Identifying your target audience is a critical piece of the entrepreneurial puzzle.
· You need a strategic business and marketing plan – as well as a commitment to executing it through resources, discipline and accountability.
· It’s smart to start out using a day job to fund your purpose and your passion.
· Three key ingredients for entrepreneurial success: Investment, effort and time. And if you’re not willing to commit the effort and time, then don’t waste your money!
· When it comes time to level up, make sure the right team and systems are in place.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· Stephanie has a background in financial services, which was initially inspired by her grandfather’s entrepreneurial flair and ability to support a huge extended family.
· All about gardening – another passion Stephanie inherited from her grandfather – and how putting her hands in the soil rejuvenates and inspires her on many levels.
· Stephanie’s branding, marketing and business development company helps aspiring and emerging authors – in particular those who are coaches, consultants, teachers and speakers with a book to share.
· Identifying the audience to which you want to promote:
o Who are they?
o Where are they?
o Are they on or offline?
o Have you built the brand that will be your springboard to exposure?
· Stephanie gives the overview of branding versus brand – and what it means to entrepreneurs trying to establish themselves and win exposure.
· Stephanie’s tips for aspiring entrepreneurs:
o #1: You must have a growth mindset and believe unconditionally in yourself.
o #2: You’ve got to be clear on your audience: Who are they? Who is most likely to be interested in what you’re selling?
o #3: You need a solid plan! What’s your strategic marketing approach for 30, 60, 90 days and beyond – and what’s it going to cost?
o #4: Execute! You’ve defined your playing field and approach. Now it’s time to onboard the tools, determine what needs to be outsourced and how to hold yourself accountable to meeting milestones week by week.
· Why Stephanie breaks down her goals in 30-day increments. She uses the month of October as a period of inventory, when she assesses where she is and what concrete goals are prioritized for the year ahead.
· Stephanie offers both one-to-one and group coaching.
· About "Readi- Set Go!: A Simple Guide to Establishing A Successful Small Business."
· Advice for entrepreneurs on the precipice and the questions to ask:
o Is this something the world really needs?
o Do I believe in it 100%?
o How will this impact me and my family?
o Have I created a viable plan?
· Don’t skip the research, the planning
· Stephanie offers some affirmations to wrap up the show.
About Stephanie:
Stephanie A. Wynn, Author, Branding, Marketing and Business Development Strategist ,and Crohn’s Survivor is a native Floridian, Stephanie has owned several successful businesses in the past, establishing her first business at the age of 23. In addition to being an entrepreneur, Stephanie has worked for one of the largest financial institutions, JP Morgan Chase and former broker dealer INVEST Financial, working side by side with successful financial advisors and business savvy investors.
Connect with Stephanie!
Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Blog | Podcast
This episode of She Turned Entrepreneur features a franchise niche that is as inelastic as they come: Home Healthcare. Jamie Lavigne, franchise development manager for Homewatch CareGivers, walks us through the model and what makes for an ideal business owner. It’s an industry unlike any other, given the level of trust, intimacy and adaptability required. The work may not always be easy, says Jamie, but it’s always meaningful.
Homewatch CareGiver franchises have recently seen a 11% increase in business year over year, not only because of Covid impacts but also as the result of an aging population. And because this is not strictly an elder care business, the customer base also includes post-operative patients of all ages as well as people with mental disabilities or mobility challenges.
Homewatch’s heavy emphasis on training fosters retention and provides resources that enable aids to focus on their true mission – caregiving – which, as Jamie points out, is not a skill that can be taught. It’s the passion and generosity of spirit that should be central to anyone who enters this fulfilling, but challenging space.
Jamie walks us through the business model, what the franchise provides in terms of ongoing support, the biggest obstacles and most desirable skills for would-be owners. The model offers engagement in either or both of two capacities: As an outward-facing community resource manager or, for those who prefer to stick closer to the back office, as an operations manager. Jamie shares the skill sets required and explains the differentiators that prepare Homewatch franchisees for long-term support while riding a tidal wave of demand. The franchise owner’s biggest challenge is hiring and retaining staff who understand the mission and are ready to embrace Homewatch’s gold-standard training. Put the right team in place, says Jamie, and get ready for exponential growth.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Homewatch CareGivers grew slowly and methodically over many years before moving to a national franchise model.
· A huge challenge within the home health caregiving industry is retention, which Homewatch addresses through extensive and ongoing training/support.
· Recipe for Success: Providing support first and foremost to franchise employees, who represent the business and build relationships.
· Homewatch franchise all-in costs vary in part based on size of territory and local tax/insurance rates.
· Home health care is recession-proof and ecommerce-proof, especially as the population ages and needs become more acute nationwide.
· Home health care isn’t always easy, but it is always rewarding!
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· Jamie shares the “origin story” for Homewatch CareGivers, founded by a military veteran in 1974 as a pet sitting business that quickly morphed into general caregiving and,16 years later, into a franchise model that eventually went nationwide.
· Today Homewatch is part of Authority Brands, which is an umbrella for a total of 12 franchises.
· A day in the life of a Homewatch franchisee can involve either or both of two roles:
o A Community outreach coordinator, who is constantly building relationships within the community at three major levels:
§ Healthcare continuum: Identifying the best local medical resources.
§ Ancillary businesses: Repair, home maintenance and other support.
§ Brand ambassador, making home visits and building general trust and respect within the community at large.
o An operations manager, who on a day-to-day basis is:
§ Answering/returning calls.
§ Scheduling visits.
§ Recruiting and retaining qualified home health care staff.
· Jamie explains Homewatch’s primary differentiators, which are primarily inhouse:
o It’s among the oldest, most established brands nationally.
o Care to Stay: A program that Homewatch has instituted to support franchisees in promoting all-important caregiver staffing and retention.
§ The program boosts retention to 30-40% (well above the average in the home health care business).
§ Homewatch supports 12 hours of ongoing training and development each year, including access to 2400 Homewatch Care University courses.
§ Operational training for franchisees that extends a full year.
· What Homewatch looks for in ideal franchise owners:
o #1 hands down: Passion for people.
o Ability to problem-solve on the fly.
o Leadership skills.
o Sales ability is a big plus.
o Solid financials: at least $80,000 liquid and net worth of about $350,000.
· About the franchise fee: $49,500. Overall cost ranges from $92,000-$164,000, depending on the size of territory and insurance/tax rates locally.
· Rounded up, Jamie suggests prospective owners be prepared to float a $200,000 worst-case-scenario investment if it doesn’t take off like a rocket ship.
· Home health care is resilient as far as recession and economic trends. It’s also fairly simple: Managing caregivers and clients.
· It’s not always easy, but extremely scalable and rewarding.
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Some people chase their passions. But some wait for their passions to chase them.
If you asked Amy Jorgensen about her tryst with energy work and human design sometime back, she would probably look at you in wonder, asking why you even thought about it in the first place.
Following the conventional college education path to the most enthralling job as a pilot in the Air Force, Amy was raising the bar for women wanting to pursue their dreams fearlessly.
But the job slowly started affecting her personal life… as a mother now, she realized she couldn’t dedicate enough time for her kids. That's when the idea of building her own business first hit her. She started her own business with her husband and slowly grew it into a full-time venture.
It all went well, until she lost her husband. And then she lost her daughter, within four years of his passing.
Years of effort trying to fix her broken life through therapy and medicines, and she realized it wasn't helping her…
But to her blessing (and ours too), energy work practices found her. At her lowest, feeling lost and empty, it aligned her with her purpose and passion.
The new sense of awakening grew inside her every day, imparting her strength, wisdom, and knowledge to guide others going through hardships in life.
Amy's eyes sparkle with a genuine embrace for the practice. She remarks, "your body is overall an energy system first, and it's physical after", and means every word she says.
My conversation with Amy feels no less than energy therapy. Of the many valuable bits of information she shares, the one I will always remember is where she asks us not to "shove ourselves into boxes". The practice of human design teaches us that we're uniquely designed.
Here's a quick look into the episode.
[03:23] Taking a traditional college-job path, Amy started as a pilot in the Air Force. But the job was taking a toll on her personal life - she wasn’t able to dedicate her time to her kids. That’s where the thought of her first business came over - Amy and her husband started a business of dehydrated food mixes.
[04:29] Emerging out of a tragic sequence of events: While Amy and her husband had turned to entrepreneurship full-time, her world came crashing down when her husband took his life. As she tried to regain herself back, she lost her daughter three to four years later.
[05:15] The following years saw Amy trying hard to find herself, as she seemed to have lost everything, but no matter the therapy or medication, nothing was working out – until she discovered energy therapy.
[06:46] Lessons from her failed businesses: Amy explains why it’s important to never look back at your failures with fear. Your failures are learning opportunities and have happened for a reason. You’re never the same person you were before it happened.
[08:58] Amy explains how her business provides energy work services for people. The most important service she offers is Human Design, largely mistaken for astrology but broader than that.
[11:05] Amy uses Human Design to teach people why they needn’t try to fit themselves into a box because it worked for another person. If you’re a go-getter, chase that path. If you’re someone who aligns with waiting for an opportunity, that’s good too.
[13:26] Amy talks about Soul-Centered Academy’s one-on-one coaching program that helps people align with their energy using energy healing tools. She also talks about her free training EVERY Monday and other freebies designed to make energy clearance accessible for everyone.
[16:18] Amy’s idea of socializing: Amy explains she believes in offering value to others on social media and pitching yourself when you see someone who needs your help. Amy also doesn’t go about asking people to promote her services. She also talks about the importance of sharing your knowledge and making it accessible to people so they can benefit from you and know what you’re capable of helping them achieve.
[19:50] Are you planning on leaving your corporate job to fulfil your dream of starting a business? Amy would ask you to chase a path that works for you: does it work for you to keep your job while growing your side hustle? Go ahead and do it. Does it work for you to dive headfirst into the new opportunity? Go for it. Discover what works for you; go against the flow.
[22:04] Where to connect with Amy
About Amy
Amy Jorgenson is the Founder of Soul-Centered Academy, her coaching business where she helps people remove blockages in their energies and live a life of purpose.
Connect with Amy!
Website
This is a warning - step away from the energy drinks and pour the 32 oz of coffee down the sink.
Feeling sluggish and chronically fatigued isn't normal, but we've written off these symptoms and others as the price we pay as entrepreneurs and high achievers. We have normalized not feeling well, and the results have been disastrous.
On May 28, 2019, the World Health Organization recognized burnout as an occupational phenomenon. So isn't it counterintuitive that even when we leave Corporate America, we operate our businesses with the same tactics that lead to burnout?
Here to help me unpack this question and other questions about health is Eva Vennari, Founder of the Elevate Institute, a cutting-edge health coaching firm specializing in mineral balancing.
If you have found yourself daily binging on caffeinated drinks, tossing and turning at night from insomnia, and feeling like something is wrong but being told by doctors that it's all in your head. In that case, this might be the episode that changes everything for you.
In today's episode, Eva will share the different ways our bodies communicate with us and how we can slow down and listen.
Here are the top takeaways from this conversation:
● High performers and corporate ladder climbers need to know about the quality of life versus preserving life.
● The private conversation that we will all have to have with ourselves eventually
● Symptoms that we ignore that alert us of our bodies being off track
● How does our health impact every area of our life?
Here's a quick look into the episode:
● [00:03:25] Get to know Eva Vennari and learn more about mineral balancing
● [00:05:37]The discord that took this natural-born healer into health-coaching
● [00:06:52] What could cause someone to feel unhealthy while being told by doctors that nothing is wrong with them? Eva shares her Story and insights From her lived experience.
● [00:09:12] Quality of life versus preserving life and why every entrepreneur needs to know the difference
● [00:10:53]The Art of Health Coaching and how Eva helps burnt out Corporate Climbers and Entrepreneurs
● [00:13:00] The private conversation that every achiever must have with themselves
● [00:19:42]Eva walks us through her framework and shares her favorite success story along with actionable tips for listeners who are feeling chronically tired
● [00:23:37] Connect with Eva and her exclusive gift for listeners of the She Turned Entrepreneur Podcast
About Eva Vennari:
Eva Vennari is the founder and CEO of The Elevate Institute, a cutting-edge health coaching firm specializing in empowering driven professionals to take charge of their bodies and health. She is the Creator of REVEAL Optimal Health Intensive that lets you understand precisely what your body needs to heal and rejuvenate so you can continue bringing your vision to the world.
Connect:
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The idea of marketing as a solo entrepreneur is daunting- what should I focus on first? What makes the most significant impact? Is It posh marketing materials, live streams that build authority, or content that raises curiosity?
The overwhelm is probably the reason that so many marketing courses go unfinished. It is easy for Solopreneurs to fall into analysis paralysis as so many areas of your business are fighting for your attention.
In this episode, I speak to Allison Nelson, a Marketing Maven who offers her clients a step-by-step solution to help them Fast Track To Five Figures with simple and effective marketing strategies.
Here's a quick look into the episode:
● Get to know business strategist Allison Nelson and discover how her Empowered and free no-BS organic marketing program helps solo entrepreneurs.
● How did this Marketing Maven turn her "Naptime Hustle" into a six-figure business?
● What differentiates the marketing needs of new entrepreneurs from their seasoned counterparts? Allison explains as she walks us through her Fast Track to Four Figures Framework.
● Are you struggling with Content Marketing? - Allison shares how to create killer content for service-based professionals and what needs to be included in every piece of content.
● How to create content that provides value and sells your services.
● Allison shares a life lesson that became one of her most powerful selling assets.
● Three things to simplify your business and save you time.
● Think polished marketing materials always result in a return on your investment? Allison explains why this isn't always true.
● Listen as Alison and I discuss the power of authenticity and how your life values influence your business.
● Three tips for time-starved startups that you can use to market your services right now!
● How to connect with Allison Nelson
About:
Allison Nelson is the founder and CEO of Allison Nelson Business Strategies and creator of Fast Track To Four Figures. Her mission is to empower female entrepreneurs on how to build long-lasting businesses that will give them financial freedom confidently.
When she and her husband started Handyman Matters back in 2004, Colette Bell had no thought of becoming a national brand. But that’s what happened to the Denver-based couple in 2019, when Ace Hardware acquired their thriving independent franchise business. As you’ll hear on this episode of the She Turned Entrepreneur podcast, the Bells and their lucky franchisees have been on a turbocharged ascension. Best of all, Ace chose to leave home office management in the hands of its founders – a wise choice! With their legacy systems of training and implementation, the Bells have facilitated a seamless transition.
It has been a huge rebrand but Colette had all the right protocols and instincts in place. Their owner-operator model ensures franchise owners who are committed to growing their businesses full-time. Their onboarding process includes a multi-phased training that leaves franchisees ready to roll (with ongoing support) in just over 12 weeks. And their commitment to community encourages doing well by doing good. It all adds up to valuable repeat business and solid returns. Ace Handyman Services saw 41% unit economic growth last year and the number of franchises has rocketed, nearly doubling to 111 territories in 2021 with about 30 more anticipated by the end of 2023.
There haven’t been many silver linings in pandemic, but Colette’s teams were ready to lend a hand when people suddenly locked down in their homes began to notice all kinds of deferred projects that Ace’s skilled craftsmen were ready to address. And if you’re wondering whether you need to have contracting skills in order to run an Ace franchise, the answer is definitely no. The model teams up skilled craftsmen with franchise owners who bring the admin. and customer service know-how. “This is more than just making widgets,” says Colette. “We are a very high-touch business. We go into people’s homes and hopefully make them better.”
Another interesting thing to note: Colette has found that women make fantastic Ace Handyman franchise owners. Their ability to multi-task, connect with homeowners and manage with a light touch makes a great fit. It’s a business model that is also working for millennials, retirees, corporate refugees and veterans – all of whom make up the successful ranks of Ace Handyman franchises.
The standards are straightforward: Integrity, fair wages, community spirit and professionalism. “We’re looking for people who want more than to run a great business. We want people who are going to make a positive impact in their community,” says Colette.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Having your franchise acquired by a corporate like Ace Hardware is like having your car completely repainted and updated. For Colette, her husband and their franchisees it has been nothing less than an American dream.
· The owner-operator model is designed to ensure a full-time commitment of time and resources on the part of franchisees.
· The Ace model is based in large part on a robust network that generates a lot of business, including referrals from real estate agents, home inspection companies, lawn care companies, carpet cleaners’ companies and local Ace retail outlets.
· The Ace Handyman onboarding process is comprehensive. Knowledge of construction is not required.
· Colette has found that women, still in the minority, make fantastic Ace Handyman franchise owners.
· Franchise owners saw an average 41% increase in unit economics last year over 2020, which was also a great year despite lockdown.
· The franchise system’s growth: An additional 61 territories in 2020 and 111 territories in 2021. The projection for this year is 140 territories.
· The franchise model is like buying a home – you can do it on your own or do what to Colette makes far more sense: Find an expert (like Dori) to show the way!
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· Colette explains the evolution of Handyman Matters, the franchise she and her husband had built up over 22 years, to a wholly owned subsidiary of Ace Hardware that put all their franchisees on the map in a bigger way overnight.
· It was gravy that in addition to the powerful re-branding, Ace Hardware corporate opted to let the Denver-based Handyman Matters home office continue managing the concern.
· Ace/Handyman use an owner-operator model developed because staff are full-time W2 craftsmen who want to work somewhere where they are appreciated, fairly compensated and have an opportunity for growth – all of which can’t happen without singularly focused franchise management.
· All about networking and the role it plays locally in driving referrals from ancillary businesses. It’s an ongoing effort that Ace supports by onboarding franchisees with a list of 33 different trades in which to cultivate contacts.
· Why the Ace model focuses on short-term handyman-oriented projects (hint: recurring business is a great revenue driver).
· The Ace Handyman onboarding process provides help with:
o Recruiting and training qualified craftspeople.
o Twelve weeks of data, videos and other information hosted by an onboarding specialist.
o Support tools for learning about project management.
o A one-week live and “hands-on” Ace Handyman University, where franchisees learn everything to date and more.
o Field trainers follow up to ensure in real-time that franchisees roll out their businesses quickly – usually within two weeks.
o A final visit occurs at about 60 days to assess and implement any necessary course corrections.
· The Ace franchise community skews more masculine, which Colette would love to change. But women, she says, generally make up 50% of their Top 10 performing businesses. Why?
o They excel at the requisite multi-tasking.
o Women customers love a female-owned handyman business.
o Craftsmen who have never worked with a woman boss before find it a complementary relationship, marrying customer service and skills.
· The ideal Ace Handyman franchise owner may come from any walk of life:
o Corporate refugee looking to transition.
o Retirees.
o Married couples (as well as single people).
o Millennials who want something entrepreneurial.
o Military veterans.
· What all Ace Handyman franchisees have in common, however, is the desire to run a good, solid business and make a positive difference in their community.
· With respect to Covid, the acquisition of Handyman Matters was timely. People were stuck at home and looking for a trusted brand to help manage projects.
· The franchise system is growing exponentially with a $60,000 fee that covers the acquisition of a territory, defined by zip codes that optimally cover 70,000 households.
· Additional elements like marketing generally cost an additional $38,000 – for an estimated $150,000 all in.
· Possible vehicles for funding a franchise:
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A Small Business Administration $150k express loan.
-
A 401K rollover.
-
A home equity line.
About Colette:
Colette understands the hard work, dedication and challenges that one has to overcome to build a successful franchise. She has been a franchisor for nearly 20 years and has been involved in starting up and operating formerly Handyman Matters and now Ace Handyman Services. The acquisition to Ace Hardware on September 4, 2019 will be a tremendous improvement to not only our franchise system, but the handyman industry as a whole.
Opt-out Of Others’ Validation and Take Ownership of Your Life
What if your dream of starting your own business hit you very early on in life? And you decided not to pursue it, fearing you might not make it. After all, ‘the others’ told you that you shouldn’t.
But your dream never faded away.
Fast-forward to a decade later, you have a stable job, a comfortable lifestyle, and can spare enough money to relaunch your business idea. But ‘the others’? They’re not convinced yet.
Perhaps they’re right; it’s risky. But should it matter to you what the others think if you know, they don’t understand you well enough?
Do they know how your dream continues to bug you or how much you’re capable of achieving? Do they know what brings you joy, what lights you up?
People-pleasing is scary, uncomfortable, and so much a part of human existence. We’re tempted to believe that to put ourselves first is selfish, but is it really?
As an Asian woman residing in the UK, it was nerve-wracking for Ambila Nath to leave her full-time job and start her own coaching business - at a time when not so many people were pursuing that path.
After a decade of working as a management consultant, Ambila decided to pursue her dream of becoming a coach.
The rest is history.
Ambila is now a thriving spiritual business coach, regarded by her clients as ‘The Girl Next Door of Spirituality’. She helps business owners frustrated with their business journey through one-on-one coaching to help them cross every entrepreneurial hurdle with ease. Hear her story on the She Turned Entrepreneur podcast today.
Here's a quick look into the episode:
[03:18] Ambila Nath’s desire to have her own business came as young as 19. As she dug deeper into it, she saw the spirituality realm open up to her and launched her coaching business, investing her time entirely into spiritual coaching, tarot readings, and palmistry.
[05:10] Ambila Nath shares the challenge of leaving her corporate job and venturing into coaching when there weren’t so many people doing it. She shares sailing through all the judgement because of her desire to make a difference in people’s lives.
[06:28] Do not let others’ opinions of you affect you. Here are a few things you could keep in mind if you’re just embarking on the journey:
[07:13] Believe in yourself, completely. You know you better than anyone else.
[07:21] Connect with people who uplift you, empower you in your new venture. They might not know you 100%, but they would trust you enough and support you in your cause.
[08:29] Don’t be afraid to ask people if you don’t know something. There are a ton of social media groups and communities filled with people who would heartily help you in your journey.
[09:23] People-pleasing: We are accustomed to seeking another person’s opinion to validate our confidence in our work. But the world doesn’t work that way. You have to be your best advocate, trust your years of struggle, get over your fears and doubts, and never give up on your dreams.
[11:15] People-pleasing isn’t a cultural thing. It’s ingrained in our subconscious - we tend always to put other people first. Putting yourself first is considered selfishness. Until you recognize the pattern, you’ll be caught up in constant guilt.
[12:10] About Ambila Nath’s coaching program and ideal client: Ambila Nath works with entrepreneurs and business owners who feel stuck, frustrated in their business and unable to make enough money to get to where they want to in life. She helps them align with their energy, shift their mindset, and incorporate daily, positive habits to lift their business growth and help it reflect confidence.
[13:23] Ambila Nath’s tips for dealing with frustration in business:
Breathe, step back. Let go of the urgency of ‘finding a solution’ or getting your business rolling.
Once you’ve given yourself the space, use your freshly gained sight to think why you started the business, whether it was because of a product or service in particular or the business as a whole, whether you relate with your products and services, whether your business is giving you joy. Analyze carefully how you should tweak your goals and business flow to suit your larger goals.
Manage your time effectively.
[16:28] Ambila Nath works with clients one-on-one, but is also in the developmental stages of a group. She believes that one-on-one coaching removes any communication barriers and allows honesty and transparency between her clients and herself.
[17:37] Are you planning on leaving your corporate job to fulfil your dream of starting a business? Here are a few tips from Ambila Nath:
[17:40] Look at your finances. Consider if you have the savings to support yourself and your new business.
[18:10 Get yourself a coach. It would save you years of learning how to set up and run your business. Find an authentic coach.
[19:07] If you cannot find a coach, follow the others in your industry who’ve mastered your chosen path, enroll in their free masterclasses, and dig up the internet for resources to learn from.
[20:10] Take complete control of your journey. Do not let anyone, even your coach, decide your future steps. They’re there to guide you, not determine your path.
[21:06] Where to connect with Ambila Nath
About Ambila Nath
Ambila Nath is known by her clients as ‘The Girl Next Door of Spirituality’.
She is a serial entrepreneur, certified coach, spiritual teacher, international speaker and an avid follower of her passions. Ambila chased her dreams and left her corporate job to start her own business, and lives the life of her calling today.
Connect with Ambila!
Website | Instagram | Facebook
If you are a parent, you know about the joy you feel when you watch your child achieve a difficult feat. We watch in awe as our children take their first steps, say their first words, or walk across their first stage in a cap and gown.
But have you ever considered that our children feel the same way about us? As parents, guardians, and caregivers, children look to us to show them what is possible. So isn't it wonderful when they can watch us accomplish a challenging feat like launching our business?
In this episode, I interviewed Dr. Karen Kaufman, a Board Certified Allergist Immunologist by day and Superhero by night. Not all superheroes wear capes -sometimes they wear military combat boots and lab coats.
In January of 2020, Dr.Kaufman added another superpower to her arsenal - Entrepreneur by establishing Kaufman Allergy & Asthma Center.
In this interview, she shares her experience, the benefits of entrepreneurship, and advice for entrepreneurs on the fence.
Here are the top takeaways from this conversation:
● Do it messy - If you're waiting for A perfect time to start a business, you'll be waiting forever.
● Build a network of peers from whom you can draw inspiration and advice when you need it. Dr. Kaufman shares how her network became her sounding board in this interview.
● There are so many benefits to investing in Business Coaching. Tune is as she shares her experience.
Here's a quick look into the episode:
● [00:03:30] Get to know Dr. Karen Kaufman
● [00:04:51] How did the military influence Dr. Kaufman's career trajectory?
● [00:05:51] We've all second-guessed ourselves as we embark on this journey of entrepreneurship. Listen to our guest shares her inspiring journey built on her need to serve her clients.
● [00:08:30] How do you begin the process of opening a brick and mortar business during a pandemic? Dr. Kaufman shares her process.
● [00:11:10] The value of investing in Business Coaching led to a ROI of 350 clients! Dr. Kaufman shares the secrets to a successful launch.
● [00:13:00] Launching during Covid while homeschooling? Listen as we share the importance of support.
● [00:19:38] Despite building delays and staffing challenges, Dr. Kaufman shares how being an entrepreneur has made her happier in every area of her life.
About Dr. Karen Kaufman
Dr. Karen Kaufman is an award-winning allergist-immunologist. She completed her internship and residency in the Internal Medicine Navy Medical Center in San Diego, California, and a fellowship at Louisiana State University.
Connect with Dr. Karen Kaufman:
Website| Instagram| Facebook
Sometimes what we really need most is a non-negotiable nudge. That was the case for Alexandria Cox, a digital marketing specialist who had known for years that she wanted to be an entrepreneur. When she was hit with a pandemic layoff, the siren call grew too loud to ignore. This episode of the She Turned Entrepreneur podcast features Alexandria’s journey to building a successful consultancy that turns women’s business ideas into money-making realities.
It took Alexandria a minute but in time she found just the right niche, focusing on coaches in the health and wellness space. Her skill set is the perfect complement for entrepreneurs who are feeling overwhelmed, or perhaps stuck. Alexandria’s tool kit offers everything from one-to-one brainstorming and business road mapping to sales funnel development and lead generation, marketing collateral and a new online course about cultivating that all-important customer base.
Alexandria’s main goal is to lift your idea beyond abstract plan to a “minimally viable business,” which means income generating out of the gate. With a special affinity for Black women business owners, Alexandria brings a unique background that includes an understanding of mindset manifestation, the Law of Attraction, and the psychological implications of “generational trauma that isn’t easy to wash away.”
You’ll enjoy hearing about Alexandria’s entrepreneurial journey. She also shares some very clever tips related to market research, lead cultivation and social media – tools to support the outcome you desire for the business of your dreams!
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Sometimes a bad break (like being laid off) is exactly the nudge you need.
· Many entrepreneurs have the idea and the know-how but lack the technical skills to support the business (i.e., marketing, lead generation and other systems). Coaching of the kind Alexandria provides bridges that gap.
· Finding a niche, as Alexandria has done within the health and wellness space, generates focus and a clear path forward.
· Pacing and self-knowledge are key for entrepreneurs who want to avoid burnout.
· Tips and tricks for getting around business challenges, dealing with introverted tendencies, and gathering market research in unconventional ways.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· (03:25): Alexandria recalls the entrepreneurial bug that bit her early and inspired several early ventures.
· (05:00): A pandemic layoff gave Alexandria the nudge she needed to take her consulting practice to market, helping people build businesses from scratch.
· (07:47): Alexandria provides her clients a framework for their entrepreneurial pursuits based on one-to-one assessment and their personal narratives. She offers different approaches to getting to the goal of a “minimally viable business.”
· (11:28): Among Alexandria’s offerings:
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Creating sales funnels, sales pitching, and marketing collateral.
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One-on-one coaching.
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Business mapping: figuring out the elements of a business that works.
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Discovering and then narrowing options within business models.
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The “Easy Yes Discovery Funnel System,” a pilot online course to help clients build out a steady base for their business.
· (15:00): Alexandria’s niche is working primarily with coaches in the health and wellness sector, providing critical technical support, platforms, and marketing tools.
· (18:34): A bit about Alexandria’s branding and what it means exactly for her to “be the peanut butter to your business-building jelly!”
· (20:05): Alexandria’s Top Three Tips for aspiring entrepreneurs:
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Always do your market research. Knowing who you want to work with and where they are is incredibly important.
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Start with the end in mind. Building out a course right out of the gate isn’t as effective as creating offerings that are available right away.
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Posting on social media is important but getting out and interacting live in various forums is even more critical. Providing a minimal amount of free support or material can pay huge dividends via word-of-mouth referrals.
· (25:20): There is powerful data available within Amazon customer reviews, which can inform all kinds of ideas for marketing to the buyer’s journey. They will tell you everything you need to know about how to market to and create products for a given demographic.
About Alexandria:
Alexandria is a marketing strategist who provides a clear sales/marketing plan of action for coaches and related professionals within the health and wellness sector. She is excited to be sharing The Generosity Method™ with hundreds of women every month and is also the founder of Lead Panda, an all-in-one software for coaches and course creators.
Connect with Alexandria!
Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Blog
There are many ways to grow older, but one thing is certain: We’re all doing it, if we’re lucky. Very often choices about how and where to age are made under duress with the advent of an injury, illness or memory loss. Anyone who has been in that situation has probably wanted to turn to someone for help in sorting out the many confusing, often costly, options. David Greenwood, the founder and CEO of Owl Be There, has done the legwork and is sharing with franchisees his years of senior placement experience.
With 10,000 people turning 65 daily, the projected growth in senior population is exponential. Making the right choices at the right time is critical to building the kind of lives that we want for ourselves and our loved ones. Dignity, purpose, social and emotional connection and a sense of safety are all essential to quality of life – which is the cornerstone of Owl Be There’s approach to supporting later life transitions. He and his wife started the business in 2013 and since 2020 have been offering franchise opportunities, including ongoing and customized training to ensure a quick and successful launch.
Owl Be There franchise owners help seniors and their loved ones navigate through some of the most challenging times in their lives, providing essential guidance for choosing the best housing and care solutions based on medical needs, budget, and preferences. The company’s proven model supports a business that is built simultaneously on cultivating referral networks and managing families in crisis.
We are all at our most vulnerable when a loved one hits an aging milestone. The options can be overwhelming and decisions tough to make. That’s why Owl Be There franchisees need to have both the empathy and patience to support customers and the knowledge base and logistical expertise to help them execute the right plan.
Giving seniors a hopeful vision – and the roadmap to get them there – is a passion for David, who has a wealth of knowledge that he’s eager to share. The Owl Be There franchise fee is $54,400 and includes extensive training and resources. “We are a light in the darkness,” says David. “We can show people what to do when they don’t know where to turn or who to turn to.”
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Owl Be There and its franchise model has come up with new ways of reaching out to and working with clients and their families, but one thing remains constant: The ongoing and growing need for support.
· Purpose, dignity and love are core ingredients to cultivating happiness as we age.
· Timing is everything: With the right forethought and decision-making, seniors can enjoy a great quality of life as they age.
· Owl Be There franchisees must be innately empathetic and patient with some level of leadership experience. With those qualifications and the tools, training and resources provided, franchise owners not only find their businesses thrive but that the work holds deep meaning.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· David explains his initial impetus for getting involved with senior living and ultimately leveraging his sales skill set in the elder care space.
· There is a crisis among seniors in need – a population that will continue to grow exponentially:
o The growth rate of the 65+ population is – and will continue to be – three times greater than the total population through 2030.
o More than 10,000 people are turning 65 each day.
o The aging population is going to grow from 40 million today to 70 million in 2030.
· Even those with mental or physical ailments can thrive as they age if provided the right living situation, social and emotional connections and opportunities for growth.
· Videoconferencing and virtual touring has become a standard since pandemic; not as personal as experiencing communities live, but a place to start with the opportunity for in-person visits when appropriate.
· Owl Be There franchisees learn quickly that they are building their business on two tracks: One focused on cultivating contacts and referrals and the other being prepared to jump into crisis intervention mode at any given time.
· Franchisees typically place about 20 customers into either assisted living, memory care or home care (at an average of $4,000 per person) in their first year with that number generally doubling by the end of year two, at which point most hire at least one part-time senior living assistant.
· Owl Be There franchisees must possess compassion, empathy and the ability to be manage through stressful situations. David finds that these intangible qualities often align with people who desire to operate their own business.
· The Owl Be There franchise fee is $54,400 and royalties start at a discounted 6%, eventually increasing to 8%. Inclusive of training and other additional fees, the all-in investment for a quick launch is between $85,000 to $98,000.
· Owl Be There’s signature differentiator is its highly customized training program, which includes experts who mentor franchisees on an ongoing basis in the following areas:
o Contracts and getting in the door to sign up additional local assisted livings.
o Customer lead generation.
o Logistics of family management and facilitation.
o Psychological support and reinforcement around decision-making.
o Account management and financial planning.
· Owl Be There offers franchisees a deep foundation right out of the gate, with national contracts in a number of states and marketing/sales tools at the ready.
· At the heart of Owl Be There is a deep commitment to crisis management and providing people who are vulnerable or unsure the resources and support they need to make the right choices.
About David:
As CEO of Owl Be There, David is committed to improving the lives of clients. His placement agency assists seniors in finding the best, most appropriate housing and care options in the Washington DC metro area, and search services are free to seniors who plan to pay privately for their housing and care. David brings a unique blend of senior care and financial planning expertise to Owl Be There. He has worked with thousands of seniors as a Senior Living Advisor, patient educator, a retirement planning professional, and as a long term care specialist. In addition, he has co-authored several books published by the Corporate Executive Board.
individualized monthly or bi-monthly newsletters written by community leaders that include ad space for local businesses.
Is There a Skill You Don't Realize You're Gifted With?
Successful business strategist, entrepreneur, artist, and speaker, Corrie joins me on today's podcast episode to talk to you about uncovering that unique ability in you AND appreciating it enough to turn it into business (and how).
Our apprehensions on converting our skills to business are often because of over-analysis. You want to know if it would convert to business, and if it does, whether it would sustain.
Not that the whole ideology is wrong, but it only overcomplicates things. As Corrie shares, the number one enemy of your business is the fear of failure.
Corrie and I dig into several entrepreneurial learnings, including how to overcome the fear of failure, accept them as learning opportunities, and continue to build on your skills to rake success. Corrie also talks about emerging out of a significant low in her life when she had to battle a miscarriage, divorce, and abusive relationship. Any experience in life only teaches you strength and equips you with the skills needed to navigate the next phases.
Learn how this powerful businesswoman sky-rocketed her business growth in just a year. Also, learn the details of her coaching program for offerings on launching your business idea and landing your first client!
Take a quick look at the episode.
[03:20] Corrie's journey as an artist, rising from working at restaurants, working on her family business as a graphic designer. She also discusses navigating personal challenges, including a miscarriage, an abusive relationship, divorce, and emerging from the trauma to succeed in life and business.
[07:57] Tough times teach you lessons that you can carry with you forever ahead in life.
[08:19] How Corrie helps entrepreneurs who don't know how to start a business to do it by figuring out how to monetize their natural talents, education, and experience to land their first paying client.
[9:32] The first step to start your business, as Corrie shares, is to stop over-analyzing everything and take action. Your number one failure is the fear of failure.
[10:41] "Entrepreneurs are literally professional failures." It sometimes takes many failures to garner success eventually.
[11:41] About Corrie's coaching program, the Validate Your Business Blueprint: It's a program that helps aspiring entrepreneurs with no idea of how to start their business generate and validate their business ideas, get a business education, learn about market research, pricing, operational systems, marketing, and sales. They are supported by a community of entrepreneurs who help them achieve success and build confidence.
[13:05] Why people have trouble realizing their gifts – because they think it's so easy to have the ability that anyone can build it. It's hard for them to believe someone would pay them for it.
[13:32] Corrie shares the example of an individual who started her entrepreneurial journey to provide time management coaching for businesses.
[15:02] Corrie provides a group coaching program and has a community that supports each other online.
[15:56] The benefits of being a part of an online community – idea exchange, validation, support, and business opportunities.
[16:58] Corrie's five-minute practice that gets her through even the most difficult days: gratitude practice.
[19:54] Advice for entrepreneurs who're stuck and unable to push to the next level:
[10:01] Look at your numbers, measure your KPIs.
[20:25] Look at yourself internally: ask yourself, why are you feeling frustrated or blocked?
[22:51] Where to connect with Corrie (Quiz + resources)
About Corrie
Corrie LoGiudice is a business strategist, coach and TEDx speaker who offers a complete business framework and assistance for people wanting to become entrepreneurs. She's been featured multiple times in the press, has amassed an audience of 40,000 people online, and has landed a TEDx speaking event within a year of her entrepreneurial journey. As Corrie shares, although the business might seem to have taken off suddenly, it was only possible because of years of hard work and dedication to her skills.
Connect with Corrie!
Website
It can take a minute to find courage enough to start your own venture, especially if (like so many of us) you were raised to seek out a safe paycheck. Leslie Urbas, who shares her story on this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur, was fortunate to have a passion as her starting point. She had become a certified dietician because of her love of teaching people how to create optimal health and wellness. What was missing was a vehicle for sharing that knowledge – which she knew was not the military or government settings where she had been working.
Do you take the leap when you’ve got a toddler (and soon another on the way), no extended family nearby and a husband frequently away on Naval duty? The answer for Leslie, who had a moment of clarity in her daughter’s daycare parking lot, was “Yes.” It may not have made practical sense, but the time to go out on her own was now. As a result of that decision, Leslie today runs her own thriving wellness and performance coaching business, offering services as a dietician, diabetes educator and personal trainer – and she’s loving it!
Has the road been without bumps? Of course not. But Leslie has had the wisdom to understand a couple of critical components to running a successful, sustainable business – especially as the mom of two young children with a husband on active Naval duty.
· Recognize that entrepreneurism is a marathon that must be taken in stride.
· Give yourself grace – and permission simply to do the best that you can.
“It doesn’t’ have to look perfect,” says Leslie. “It just has to look right for us.” Taking this balanced approach, Leslie has been able to help her clients achieve their nutritional goals without dropping the ball on her myriad family responsibilities. She has also been able to cultivate a niche, focusing on people who want science-based education so they can maintain weight and health while also relishing the food, wine and travel they love.
Enjoy this lively conversation, which includes Leslie’s tips for answering the siren call to entrepreneurism and how to turn your passion into a growing business that feeds your soul.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Even though many of us are conditioned to go for the safe paycheck, more and more women are listening to their intuitive desire to create independent businesses.
· Coaching can be a powerful way to navigate shyness or stigma around sales and lead conversion – a comfort with which is crucial to business success!
· When hiring a coach, consider what exactly your needs are. Someone in your space may not provide the most benefit if your challenges lie in other aspects of the business.
· It was tremendously freeing for Leslie to recognize early on that as driven as she was to build her company, she was also a mom with non-negotiable constraints and responsibilities. It was critical to offer herself grace – and permission to put her kids in front of Sesame Street when necessary.
· It’s possible to grow your business organically through social media forums (such as Facebook groups), creative partnering with adjacent businesses that can provide referrals and appearances on podcasts whose audience includes your target clientele.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· (02:20): Leslie shares a bit about her unique path from certified dietician serving in the military to acting on the entrepreneurial tug she’d been feeling since college (but had resisted in favor of a steady paycheck).
· (03:30): Leslie quickly realized that the military and governmental settings in which she was practicing weren’t the right temperamental fit, i.e. Leslie was bored! An emotional epiphany in her daughter’s daycare parking lot set the stage for a new venture.
· (05:33): Leslie’s love for food and teaching people about food was clear. The piece she had to figure out was giving herself permission to take an entrepreneurial leap of faith.
· (05:35): Exactly why Leslie is passionate about nutrition education and her philosophy around food choices and their long-term impacts on well-being.
· (07:45): Hiring a coach was Step #1 for Leslie, who sought the wisdom of someone who knew about how to start businesses, especially in terms of growing sales.
· (09:22): How and why Leslie fired her first coach, who was down on her prospects. It opened the door for a seminar experience that changed the course of her venture. It was also an important lesson: Don’t be shy about finding the right coach for the right issue.
· (11:00): Balancing being a mom with very young children, a husband away on Naval duty and no extended family posed challenges. Leslie learned out of the gate that building her business was a marathon that she would have to take in stride.
· (13:50): About the structure of Leslie’s business, which includes:
o One-on-one coaching, her more intensive program of help.
o A three-month group program that provides ongoing support.
· (14:30): What distinguishes Leslie from many dieticians is her focus on educating people who love food, wine and travel on how to keep their weight under control and maintain optimal health without foregoing flexibility or pleasure.
· (16:00): Leslie’s client base has generally been built organically, through social media postings and partnering with travel agents. She has also found exposure through sharing her message on podcasts that reach her target audience.
· (17:28): Leslie’s Parting Advice: Provide knowledge that you know definitively fits and will work for your client. Just because something works for you doesn’t mean it will work for every individual’s set of needs. And if what you’re providing isn’t working for them, pass clients on to coaches who might make a better fit – and in turn will support you.
About Leslie:
Leslie is a professional nutritionist, dynamic dietitian, world-class wellness coach, high-performance personal trainer. As founder of the Ultimate Urbas world of Health & Wellness, she specializes in: Organizational Health & Wellness Advisory; 1:1 Personal Training & Nutrition Coaching; Group Fitness Training (for larger audiences); and Certified Diabetes Education.
Connect with Leslie!
Website | YouTube| Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn
Listen up for the story of a passionate entrepreneur who put his entrepreneurial desire atop a thriving career working 9-5 with other companies and garnered success for his ingenious thinking, fearlessness, and adoption of modern work practices. My guest is Jayesh Kasim, Co-Founder of the international franchising company Valenta BPO Franchise.
When Jayesh pivoted from his full-time job to chase his enthusiasm for doing something different, he calculated the franchising industry to be the least risky.
Starting with setting up a business that optimizes the backend processes for businesses using smart methods, Jayesh decided to start his own franchise business in 2018. Valenta BPO has offices in multiple countries today, including the US, UK, Canada, and New Zealand. Their business stands on three essential practices:
● Working without human dependence: Because their work requires merely a repetitive digital transformation (like implementing bots and smarter digital transformation solutions), they can perform tasks with 100% accuracy and do it 24/7.
● Keeping a client for life: Valenta BPO also provides a consulting-like service to look at a business process from start to end and figure out ways to do it better.
● Providing resources to businesses that need it: Valenta BPO also provides its clients with the right resources at the right pricing point to succeed.
During our conversation, Jayesh also unpacks many knowledge points, including the specifics of their ideal customer, franchise candidate, competitors, and the basics of a franchise business.
Some other points to note:
● This business is for someone who enjoys sales and business development and can reach out to other companies and solve their problems.
● Valenta BPO offers franchisee onboarding through their online portal for an entire month, works with them until they crystallize the business plan, fine-tune it, and ensure ongoing support (even on meetings).
About Jayesh
Jayesh Kasim is the Co-Founder of Valenta BPO. Initially starting his professional life as an Engineer based in Queensland, Jayesh soon decided to follow his true passion into the Financial Services industry. His strong belief that quality and holistic financial advice should be accessible to all small businesses led him to build and grow several national award-winning financial services businesses.
Connect with Jayesh!
Website | LinkedIn
For Leslie Josel, 2002 was the worst. Not only did her cherished father pass away, not only did her husband find himself out of work, not only did she have a double-mastectomy … to top it all off, her son received an ADHD diagnosis. “Any one of those things would put you in a fetal position,” says Leslie, “but when you’re a mom or parent, there’s no such thing”
So instead of burying herself under the covers, Leslie seized the moment to be fearless (because, really, what choice did she have?). That leap of faith clearly paid off because today she proudly runs a 17-year-old business that serves a community of 75,000 people. This certainly didn’t happen because she had it all figured out.
Leslie didn’t so much decide to start an entrepreneurial venture as she did answer an organic opportunity to serve. As she learned how to help her son navigate ADHD (something that was far more challenging in those early internet days, when online information was sparse), she shared systems that worked. First with a few friends of friends, but very soon as the pioneering CEO of an entire product- and service-based ecosystem devoted to all things ADHD.
There was no business plan or safety net – which was challenging for a risk-averse woman who liked planning and perfection. But by being bold – and open – Leslie carved out a niche for herself that now serves tens of thousands of parents, students and related ADHD professions with webinars, newsletters, a national advice column and books. She provides coaching services, speaks globally and works with other companies to develop transformational products to support kids with ADHD.
Not bad for a woman who started her venture under duress, staring into a deep well of grief and overwhelm. It’s no wonder that for the last five years, Leslie has been named by Global Gurus as one of the top 20 Time Management experts in the world. There are two things that keep this trailblazer on the right track: Leaning into fear and staying ever grateful for – and mindful of – the community she has built.
Check out this dynamo’s books or visit her website: Order Out of Chaos.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· The upside of not having a choice: It’s an invitation to be fearless!
· Leslie felt free to “be bold” and grow her business organically, augmenting it as she picked up new systems, tricks and ideas for her son along the way.
· The thing you’re most fearful of doing is the thing you should be doing!
· Periods of market growth (as pandemic turned out to be for Leslie’s business) are a gift, but be mindful! It’s important to take a breath and keep track of your company’s inner workings, strengths, weaknesses and market opportunities.
· The Gifts of Imperfection: Being authentic has bonded Leslie with her customers, who also feel permission to drop their facades.
· Leslie never takes Order Out of Chaos or her customers for granted, always cultivating personal connections and follow-up for support anxious parents.
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· (03:35): Leslie shares a bit of her backstory and route to entrepreneurism, which originated 17 years ago when her son was diagnosed with ADHD and the internet (in its infancy) had little to offer. She devised creative systems herself and the word spread quickly – local parents with children who had the same diagnosis organically came her way in search of help, and a start-up business was born.
· (04:40): Within two years, Leslie had taken her burgeoning business online and began building a virtual community that has today grown to become a global network of 75,000 parents, students and related professionals in search of products, programs, workshops, webinars and coaching to support neuro-diverse children.
· (08:10): Not having a carefully mapped business plan freed Leslie up to “be bold” and discover her path over time without rushing, which was powerful.
· (11:16): Not a risk-taker by nature, Leslie had two strategies for ameliorating:
o She got certified as a coach, so had that training onboard.
o She did (and still does) continuous “gut checks” with trusted clients and colleagues to be sure that she’s “community-centric” and not “Leslie-centric.”
· (13:00): About why – and how – Leslie has sustained her business for 17 years.
o She has been steady and methodical with growth.
o Pandemic provided a platform for Leslie to offer (affordable or free) help – which frazzled parents and educators embraced wholeheartedly.
o Lesson Learned: While things were growing by leaps and bounds the past two years, infrastructure and foundational business systems frayed. As a result, Leslie and her team now set aside three days for an annual inventory.
· (19:30): Keeping your company’s mission front-and-center. Leslie doesn’t undertake any task or interaction without reaffirming her team’s commitment to serving the community.
· (22:00): By staying constantly engaged with her community and accepting feedback as to what they need and want, Leslie has come to understand that she doesn’t have to have all the answers. She no longer feels the need to be perfect. To the contrary, she’s candid about mistakes and what she doesn’t know, which in turn has enabled her base of clients to be vulnerable and imperfect as well.
· (23:57): Leslie takes nothing for granted, continuing to make personal customer interaction an ongoing priority.
· (28:30): It’s never too late to get help! ADHD support can be quick and transformational even for kids who aren’t diagnosed until later in life.
· (29:15): What sets Leslie apart? She is completely immersed and still thoroughly engaged hands-on with Order Out of Chaos, which makes her accessible, relatable and deeply comforting to her clients.
About Leslie:
Leslie Josel, an ADHD-academic and parenting coach, is an award-winning entrepreneur, having founded Order Out of Chaos – a virtual company whose mission is to help parents guide their students to success in learning and in life - when her son was first diagnosed with ADHD.She is also the creator of the award-winning Academic Planner: A Tool for Time Management®, a planner that helps students develop time management skills, and the award-winning author of 3 books including the recently published, “How to Do it Now Because it’s Not Going Away: An Expert Guide to Getting Stuff Done.” (Lerner Publishing). A respected resource on ADHD and Executive Functioning, Leslie writes the weekly “Dear ADHD Family Coach®” column for ADDitude Magazine, the premiere magazine for adults and children with ADHD, speaks to audiences all over the world and has partnered with Samsill Corp. to release a line of student organizing products.
Connect with Leslie!
Website | Advice Column| Blog | Facebook | YouTube
Do You Have a Dream but Are Scared to Chase It?
Do you feel you're too naive or incapable of leaving your current job and switching to an extraordinarily new career?
If you're anyone like Brooke Simonson or me, you know how painfully tough it is to leave your comfortable and appreciated job as a teacher and turn to entrepreneurship full-time.
You have everything most people desire from a job… money, flexibility, appreciation, and respect, but lack in something that’s the most important to you: passion.
Maybe you enjoyed your current job when you started, and maybe you enjoy it still. But like with anything else in life, that interest receded or changed for the better!
Now, although there are many reasons why you might feel compelled to remain where you are and continue to put up with the dissatisfying aspects of your job, the time will come when you'll have to make a change.
If not because of anything else, then this:
Imagine waking up one day having no idea what you did for the past ten years of your life… Would you allow yourself that path ever?
Now is the time to make the pivot. Leaving is better than staying, even if it means fighting your scariest beliefs and imposter syndrome.
We're talking about the same in today's episode of She Turned Entrepreneur. Brooke Simonson, Founder of The Health Investment, chats with me about her inspiring journey into health coaching and how she turned her part-time health and wellness indulgence into a full-on business!
Brooke grew up as the daughter of a teacher and a business owner. And as life had it, she chased both the professions at different phases of her life.
The episode digs into many lessons on weight management and entrepreneurship from Brooke's experience, including her three 'A' framework to wellness and overcoming imposter syndrome.
Here's a quick look into the episode. Jump to the sections if you'd like to hear them first:
[03:30] Brooke talks about turning entrepreneur after quitting her teaching job, which she’d been doing for 12 years. She shares growing up as the daughter of a teacher and a business owner and how it made her familiar with those two paths in life.
[08:41] The benefits of a Facebook group for entrepreneurs: a lesser feeling of loneliness and support from people like yourself, who’re on their entrepreneurial journey.
[10:44] About Brooke’s coaching program – Brooke discusses shifting from individual programs to group programs that allow more people to join in at any time. She also shares having a Facebook community where her coached members can chat and support each other.
[11:28] All Brooke’s clients are allowed into her Facebook group. Having a community of people having different lifestyle and diet choices makes you feel you aren’t alone in your journey. You are also supported whenever you feel exhausted or low.
[12:26] Brooke explains that most people come to her with a weight loss goal in mind and considering popular interest, she has niched down into sustainable weight loss coaching.
[13:49] The importance of being specific and niching down
[14:42] Brooke’s holistic three ‘A’ approach to wellness:
● Awareness – Of a nutrition strategy that will work for you. Understand research-backed habits that work for you. In this era of information overload, you hear different wellness lessons from different people every day and are confused about which would work best for you. In such cases, identify the principles behind the different methods, opt for evidence-based habits, and figure out what works for you.
● Attitude – Master your mindset
Rewire your brain to adopt a more gray thought pattern instead of just black and white.
● Accountability – Support and encouragement from other people make your journey enjoyable
Research shows that your odds of reaching any goal can improve by up to 95% if you're getting adequate support and accountability along the way.
[17:11] Brooke’s 10-year long journey to getting to a comfortable place with her health – She talks about learning through struggles, going all on her own, and figuring different methods and pointers as she progressed. She explains how and why she is at her happiest with her mental and physical health today.
[17:53] Some common misconceptions about weight loss – that there’s always a fancy ingredient to good health. As time progresses, we’ll see different products and practices around health and wellness come up and might find ourselves attracted to them. What we need to realize is that wellness is a skill you can master. You don't have to rely on external things to conquer it. You can internalize the process and figure out what works for you. “There's not a one size fits all, eating pattern, or set of habits that work for everyone.”
[20:03] How does it help to have a coach in your corner all along your wellness journey
[21:02] Simple tip that you can apply today to progress in your health and wellness journey – Choose one practice you can do right now for your wellness and do it for one week. It could be anything from drinking eight glasses of water a day or eating veggies.
[22:51] Where to connect with Brooke
About Brooke Simonson
Brooke Simonson is a Certified (Online) Nutrition Coach specializing in sustainable weight loss. She is a teacher turned entrepreneur who founded her successful coaching business The Health Investment.
Connect with Brooke!
Website | Instagram | LinkedIn
How a Stay-at-Home Mom Found Franchise Gold in Her Own Backyard with Susan Schopp
It’s not a scenario unfamiliar to any woman who has ever gotten pregnant and seen an otherwise ideal work situation go south. When having children turned a job that Susan Schopp loved toxic, she got busy – and creative. With her early community journalism experience and a volunteer track record coordinating her neighborhood’s news sharing, she knew there was a need for a forum (this was pre-internet) and carved out a niche with a newsletter paid for entirely with local advertising dollars. Born out of her desire to balance an entrepreneurial challenge with her priorities as a stay-at-home mom, Susan’s idea has over time become the thriving franchise business model known today as Neighbors Choice.
As CEO, Susan knows how to bring homeowners’ association meetings to life, circulate information about recreational opportunities and issues of local concern. As she built out her knowledge base over the years, the possibilities for franchising her model were clear. But the timing wasn’t quite right, until empty-nesting left a little extra space in her daily calendar and the bandwidth to take on a new challenge. The result? The San Antonio-based entrepreneur fully launched Neighbors Choice in the fall of 2021. The initial franchise fee is $35,000 with subsequent investment dependent on how individual business owners choose to structure their workplace and what resources are already in place.
Susan’s secret sauce is the network she is growing, built on initial live trainings and an ongoing mentorship program that supports franchisees as they figure out things like marketing and advertising – areas of expertise that Susan has honed and perfected over 25 years of producing, printing and distributing micro-local publications for scores of homeowners’ associations, subdivisions and small communities throughout Texas. Interested in building community and bringing together voices and dreams in your own backyard? Neighbors Choice has the roadmap!
Here are key takeaways from the conversation:
· Many workplace environments turn toxic for women once they start having children.
· Franchising is a learn-as-you-go process, that includes a period not only of education about the nuts and bolts but also trial and error.
· Neighbors Choice offers a great business opportunity for people who appreciate the franchise model’s flexibility and who are actively interested in engaging with their communities and building a network for making positive change.
· A differentiator for Neighbors Choice is its emphasis on growing a network, including mentorship and ongoing support for franchisees as they build out their businesses.
· Susan offers her best advice: Stay positive! Keeping to that vision will loft you towards your goals!
Here’s a quick look into the episode:
· Susan shares her backstory, starting with an early job that she loved at a golf resort – until it became clear that having a baby prompted a toxic change of status.
· When her two children reached school age, Susan looked around for an entrepreneurial idea and found one in her literal backyard!
· How she franchised: for the first 20 years Susan prioritized family over business, which meant offering 9 AM to 3 PM “mom hours” for her and her staff members.
· The concept of franchising took hold when Susan’s empty nest provided both additional hours in the day and a yearning to take on a larger challenge.
· Timing is everything: Just as she was preparing to finalize her franchise documents, pandemic brought everything to a stand-still. It turned the year into an opportunity to “learn an amazing amount of stuff that there was just no way around.”
· Neighbors Choice makes a great business model (and opportunity) for stay-at-home moms who are interested in building community and promoting local communication.
· About the investment associated with the Neighbors Choice franchise: The initial fee is $35,000 with additional investment dependent on the systems franchisees have available and ready to go.
· Hands-on training is ideally live at the corporate office in San Antonio, where Neighbors Choice staff teach new franchisees every aspect of the business.
· Mentors are assigned to all new franchisees and guidance is provided for working with community members and advertisers, creating marketing campaigns and brainstorming revenue streams.
· Staying positive is for Susan a cornerstone of generating momentum and growing your optimal business.
About Susan:
Susan Schopp, a San Antonio native, started Neighborhood News in 1996 as a home-based business selling ads and publishing neighborhood newsletters for homeowners' associations. As CEO of Neighbors Choice, a franchisor offering opportunities in the 50 United States, with some exceptions, she has expanded her model for neighborhood newsletters committed to creating businesses that are a true partner in their communities. Susan’s brand helps neighborhoods of all sizes to stay better connected by producing and distributing individualized monthly or bi-monthly newsletters written by community leaders that include ad space for local businesses.
Connect with Susan!
Professionals and industry experts find their way into the coaching industry because of their expertise.
Coaching offers these professionals an opportunity to turn their knowledge into a thriving business setting them on the path to entrepreneurship.
Expertise makes you a fantastic coach with the ability to almost guarantee results for your clients, but without systems and processes supporting your business, The chances of you sustaining as an entrepreneur are LOW.
The client experience is crucial and begins from the moment they encounter your brand. If done correctly, the relationship will continue well after you deliver on your services (#helloreferrals)
In today's episode of, She Turned Entrepreneur, we're talking about all things operations. To help me bring this episode to life, I'm interviewing Operations Consultant Nneka Roberts.
As the founder of Sage Simple Solutions, she brings her 20 years of experience building systems for global giants like IBM, Wells Fargo, and Assurant, to name a few. Nowadays, you can find her helping seven-figure digital entrepreneurs create smart, sexy workflows and systems and tools that make the ultimate client experience.
Here are the top takeaways from the conversation:
● Expertise in your field can only take you so far in business. The key to obtaining the dream lifestyle of more time and freedom Depends heavily on your ability to implement systems and processes that lead to predictable outcomes.
● "Your habits are your first set of systems," says Nneka. This is why before you decide to invest in a system or hire your first employee, you should have a clear understanding of your framework. Once that is done, you can create strategies and workflows based on your framework.
● In addition to systems in your business, it is essential for entrepreneurs to remain flexible and not be so rigid.
Here's a quick look into the episode:
● [00:03:20]Get to know Nneka Roberts and learn how she turned her expertise into a thriving business
● [00:04:05] Nneka is no stranger to the outline world here she shares how she launched her first company during the .com boom
● [00:06:28] Many industry experts want to know how to monetize their expertise - Nneka explains how she did it.
● [00:08:31] "Systems are an act of self-love" Nneka explains what that means and what every business owner can do to "love" themselves more
● [00:11:02]The 80/20% rule for systems - how to remove yourself from 80% of your business
● [00:12:27] Need a system in your business? Nneka shares her framework for:
● Defining entry points
● On-boarding clients
● Delivering work
● Off-boarding clients
● [00:18:08] Is it possible to create a system for work/life and balance - we think so. Tune in as Nneka explains how she makes time for work and play.
● [00:21:35] Advice for new entrepreneurs on getting organized, establishing routines, and creating boundaries in their business.
● [00:24:49] "Habits are your first set of systems" - listen as Nneka explains what this powerful statement means.
About Nneka and Sage Simple Solutions:
Nnekahelps coaches and creatives free up their time to make more money and do the work they love by designing systems that flow as smooth as buttah on a hot biscuit.
Connect with Nneka:
Website| Facebook| Instagram
It's rare to see an offer online so unique that they're in a category of their own. Yet, this is precisely what Louise Courville has done with her program Virtually FAMOUS accelerator, a six-step process for helping Digital CEOs go from obscurity to virtually FAMOUS.
Louise's entrepreneurial journey began in 1999 with an eyewear company providing glasses to the film and TV industry; however, she quickly discovered that her true passion was in sales and marketing.
As the host of Micro Marketing Podcast Louise, has over 680 episodes recorded- it's safe to say that she knows her stuff when it comes to marketing! While helping entrepreneurs build sales funnels, Louise recognized that most entrepreneurs needed a framework to set them apart from the competition, not a funnel.
Louise embarked on a new journey, never one to shy away from a challenge. Her Virtually FAMOUS framework builds her client's Intellectual Property into a process and signature framework.
Here are the top takeaways from the conversation:
● Why entrepreneurs should start with their framework - not a funnel for online success.
● How to apply Louise's six-step Virtually FAMOUS Framework to your business.
● Using your framework as a guide to support marketing and sales
● Common mistakes that entrepreneurs make when they're creating a framework
Here's a quick look into the episode:
● [00:03:11] Get to know Louise Courville and learn how this former Regional Sales Manager began her entrepreneurial journey in marketing
● [00:04:50] In 2015, Louise left Corporate America forever, Discover the value of knowing when to cut ties with an idea.
● [00:09:36] 65% of the population are visual learners - listen as Louise talks about the importance of visuals in your signature framework.
● [00:11:41] Your framework is the foundation for your business and should be memorable, portable, and repeatable—Louise shares online resources that make creating acronyms easier.
● [00:14:26] Your signature framework is more than a resource to make online marketing easier. It is also a credibility-building tool - Louise explains the various ways you can use your framework to create books, content, and much more.
● [00:16:07] Louise offers advice for entrepreneurs who aren't sure where to start when building out their processes, such as:
How to launch an ASK campaign
The importance of communities for entrepreneurs
How to avoid the most common mistakes entrepreneurs make when creating a framework.
● [00:18:06] Ready to become Virtually FAMOUS - here is how you can work with Louise.
● [00:20:12] Louise's advice for aspiring digital CEOs and the importance of understanding that "different is better than better" when positioning yourself online.
About Louise
Louise Courville helps Solopreneurs increase their influence and impact through her VirtuallyFAMOUS program. The program is designed to help solopreneurs develop a signature framework that puts them in a category by themselves.
Connect with Louise!
Website | Podcast | Facebook | Linkedin
A business without a powerful vision is like a river meeting the sea.
You realize there's a huge market of possibilities -- you see no end, no beginning in sight. You're either lost or are trapped in a loop of events that take you nowhere.
Ever had that moment?
It's hard to route for success with no clarity of vision.
In this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur, business success coach Lori sat with me to share why she decided to pivot from her full-time job to help freelancers discover their "why". She shares why you need to root into your vision to succeed in your venture.
Lori knows first-hand what it takes to set up a successful business. And no, she didn't discover that the first time.
It took her two failed businesses and considerable money before she realized how to put the pieces together and land the idea and vision behind her now thriving business, The Xennial Traveler.
Lori's words radiate so much positivity and hope that I'm sure you'll leave inspired. For the best part, Lori also shares how to allow yourself to be vulnerable and put your true self out there even when running a business.
Know what you want and reveal that authentically through your business. And you'll eventually have your business move firmly forward. Being human is the first step to achieving success.
Some other things we discuss:
● Acknowledge your mistakes. It doesn't make you look any less capable; it translates as your willingness to correct or do better.
● Automate and organize your business processes. You can't handle everything by yourself all the time.
● No challenge is permanent. With the needed effort, things will get better in the end.
Here's a quick look into the episode:
[03:20] The succession of events that led Lori to entrepreneurship and her 20-year career in the sales, marketing, and hospitality industry: Lori shares her experience working as the Director of Sales and Marketing in a company, her tilt towards entrepreneurship, two failed business ventures, and setting up her current business.
[06:44] Lori talks about her current business, Xennial Traveler, a coaching agency with a marketing side. She shares being a business success coach, helping entrepreneurs take their business off the ground, and establishing an online brand for themselves.
[08:43] Lori talks about her well laid-out program using which she helps entrepreneurs remove blocks in their belief system to run their business open-mindedly.
[11:16] How to put your fears and insecurities aside while operating your business online
[14:06] How to scale a remote business:
● Have a vision of what you want
● Know your processes, scale them in an understandable fashion.
● Set your processes in a way that allows you to be consistent and be able to step away from your business, no matter who's running it.
● Set up an effective automation strategy, so you don't have to go behind your business operations all the time.
● Take backward steps and plan for the future.
[17:27] Advice for nine-to-five working listeners who want to venture into entrepreneurship full-time
● Know that it will get better – "Just remind yourself that today is today and… (have) that vision in mind of what you're shooting for because it's gonna be hard."
[19:05] Book recommendations by Lori – The Obstacle Is The Way by Ryan Holiday, You Are A Badassby Jen Sincero.
[21:04] Where to connect with Lori
About Lori
Lori is a certified business and marketing coach who specializes in helping digital nomads to make money online. She is the Founder of Xennial Traveler, her coaching business for entrepreneurs that helps them remove any roadblocks to success, freedom, and abundance.
Connect with Lori!
Website | Twitter | Facebook
Elaine Turso has it (almost) all figured out – and fortunately for us, she’s sharing!
A successful business coach and launch strategist, Elaine is that savvy cheerleader we all want and need in our corner. She takes start-up dreams from conception to execution, with down-to-earth insights, guidance and practical tips for getting the right building blocks in place. Elaine is the first to say that she took “the long way” in learning how to launch a thriving venture, but that’s okay! All those stumbles and teachable moments? They’re now rich fodder for helping her lucky clients.
As Chief Visionary Partner at her newest venture, INsource It Marketing Agency, Elaine supports aspiring entrepreneurs as well as those ready to take their business to the next level. She offers help at every stage: From identifying your passion to choosing the right venture to showcase it; from setting up infrastructure (branding, social media, content and web design) to learning when it’s time to say no to opportunity and put family first. Elaine has made the mistakes, so you don’t have to.
Taking that final leap into the unknown can be ferociously scary, but with Elaine’s warmth, creativity and concrete strategies smooth the way. She knows what it takes to develop your start-up and ensure that it takes flight (sustaining itself as something more than a side hustle).
Among the services Elaine provides:
· One-to-one coaching
· Master classes
· A video vault full of tutorials
· Office Hours, where she’s live and accessible
· Networking and “Done for You” services
· Her unique “Speedy Launch System”
Overwhelm is a real thing. It’s all too easy to get bogged down (which is why even the most seasoned and successful entrepreneurs retain coaches). Elaine knows what it takes to break through, starting with joy – the essential ingredient. She shares entrepreneurial tips and tricks as well as a compelling reminder: The magic happens outside our comfort zones. There’s no reward without risk, and there’s no risk that can’t be mitigated with the kind of support and services Elaine has built out especially for women who are going for it – like you!
Click here to schedule a strategy session with Elaine.
Here are the top takeaways from the conversation:
● Elaine’s career narrative boils down to following her bliss, starting in high school with a scrapbooking service that morphed into a thriving solo portrait photography studio that morphed into an entrepreneurial pull to help other people with their businesses.
● The first question to ask in all ventures: Does it bring you joy? If not, Elaine says forget it!
● Administrative, advertising, branding, content. Start-up ventures bring an endless to-do list of tasks that can drain essential energy and take up psychic space. Coaching and launch support frees you to focus on your core business needs.
● Don’t sacrifice time with family and friends. You can’t get those memories back.
● Tips for entrepreneurs without borders: Set some! Implement office hours, create an inviolable work zone where only business-related activity occurs and learn to say no when it’s time to put family first. Are you a people pleaser? Elaine advises: Get over it!
● Making the leap from a steady job into the entrepreneurial unknown takes courage (and ideally a pre-existing revenue stream or cash cushion). But nothing happens without risk.
● Remember: It’s outside your comfort zone that the magic happens.
Here's a quick look into the episode.
[02:05] Elaine shares her backstory, from how her start-up journey began with a pull toward the entrepreneurial dating back to high school and evolving organically from there.
[03:50] Elaine’s intuitive coaching style starts with identifying key words – emotional responses that signal where her clients need to go deeper. She focuses on authenticity, bringing honesty and clarity to foundational values. “If it doesn’t bring you joy,” says Elaine. “Don’t do it.”
[06:30] Coaching isn’t for neophytes only. Elaine – like a lot of established entrepreneurs – has not one, but two coaches advising her. She appreciates the differing feedback and finds it constantly adds dimension to her own professional development.
[06:48] Elaine shares one of the most common ditches that entrepreneurs drive into: Imitating others with a cookie-cutter approach that only shuts down originality and creativity. Also: Customers will 100% smell that lack of identity and personality!
[10:03] Elaine uses a hybrid model that incorporates both one-on-one coaching and supplementary group sessions twice a week, affording clients lots of access. She also offers “done for you” services, from website building to graphic design; things that are not in you “Zone of Genius.” One other component she loves is serving as a connector among client-entrepreneurs with complementary talents, skills and needs.
[12:54] Elaine’s newest venture, INsource It Marketing Agency, offers clients a single point person to manage key elements and details. Businesses at all stages of maturity demand resources for branding, locating support personnel, boosting social media, developing content – all things that Elaine is already networked into and ready to provide!
[14:27] About empty-nesting and Elaine’s evolving role, migrating from mom to friend. It’s beautiful to watch her twentysomething kids blossom, but there’s no handbook! Much like good fences make good neighbors, Elaine believes good boundaries makes for good relationships with adult children.
[17:55] Finding the balance: Elaine shares hard-won lessons from her photography business, which she too often put first. She sacrificed some irreplaceable family memories before finally learning to say no – not easy for a people-pleaser. She implemented office hours and time-blocked vacations – then stuck with the plan. Another helpful tip: Set up a work zone and then limit business-related activity to that space so it doesn’t bleed into all parts of your home life.
[22:57] Taking the leap: Elaine advises starting your venture as a side hustle, building a revenue stream that will eventually afford you an offramp to quit your corporate job. You’ll know when the time is right because your regular job will start to get in the way of your start-up venture. “You don’t have to know the ‘how.’ You just have to know the ‘why,’ ” says Elaine.
[25:52] Elaine and Dori wrap up musing on their shared passion for the classic TV series “Friends.” It’s their go-to comfort show and a favorite way to unwind.
About Elaine:
Elaine is an intuitive Business Coach and Mentor, who helps other coaches, consultants and service-based professionals create the framework to launch highly successful, profitable businesses – including signature offerings, high-ticket programs, or companion products. She is also an author and recently launched INsource It Marketing Agency, a full-service strategic implementation agency.
Connect with Elaine!
Website | Podcast| Blog | Facebook | Instagram
Our entrepreneurial journey is like an artist commissioned to paint a portrait -The first stroke on the canvas will not make sense to anyone but the artist. The outsider looking at the canvas sees lines and colors, but the outcome isn't clear. They are tempted to direct the artist and give advice, but every painter must learn to trust their process. For many ambitious women, our gifts and talents are instinctual. Throughout our lives and careers, well-meaning parents and teachers want to guide us, but like the outsider looking at the canvas, they cannot visualize the completed portrait that will become our lives as we can.
Trusting the process is something that has served Clarissa Castillo-Ramsey, PsyD. well. Clarissa is an artist and coach who has been designing the canvas of her career for the last 30 years.
Clarissa's canvas included many colors at the beginning of her career as she explored different paths. At 30, this vibrant coach went back to school to study Organizational Psychology, leading to an 11-year career as an Internal Coach. During the pandemic, Clarissa decided to Paint Her Path with a broader brush adding Coach, Entrepreneur, and author Painting Your Path: 21 Interviews with Extraordinary Women to her canvas.
As the founder of Clarissa Studio, this creative soul is helping overwhelmed high-achieving women transition into full-time passion-driven entrepreneurship.
In this interview, we discuss how our childhood messages become our belief system, the power of trusting our creative process, and the steps for painting your path as an entrepreneur.
Here is a quick look into the episode.
● [00:02:12] Get to know Clarissa Castillo-Ramsey, PsyD. background and learn how early childhood messages impacted her career choices.
● [00:04:10] What did Clarissa know early in her career as a Corporate Coach that prepared her to launch her business and how the pandemic signaled that it was time to turn towards entrepreneurship
● [00:05:55] Clarissa's advice for passion-driven individuals who are ready to pivot into full-time entrepreneurship.
● [00:07:55] Visualization is a powerful tool that you can use to envision your future -Clarissa shares effective visualization practices.
● [00:08:17] Life can pull us further away from the women we were destined to become Clarissa shows us how to get quiet enough to take inventory and reconnect to what sparks joy.
● [00:10:14] How does Clarissa help her passion-driven clients plan their Corporate Exit Strategy? - Here, she shares her Signature Painting Your Path Framework, which includes: connecting to your authentic vision, advice for replacing your full-time income, staying consistent with daily goals, and the importance of having a growth mindset.
● [00:18:56] Eager to connect with Clarissa? Here she shares information about her Masterclasses, Summits, Podcast, and Coaching.
About Clarissa:
Clarissa Castillo-Ramsey, PsyD, is on a mission to help women embrace their talents, skills, and intuition.
Connect With Clarissa:
Website | Instagram
Olivia Brooke shimmers with the joy of taking her passion and turning it into a profession.
A psychic who coaches women committed to unlocking their potential, Olivia’s own journey exemplifies the power of committing to ourselves and the lives we deserve.
The mother of four, who was at one time both a day care provider and a highly successful multi-level marketer, knows what it feels like to have our identities subsumed by the role. No matter how much we love our kids, we all need to maintain and nurture our essential selves. With her healing energy and intuitive guidance, Olivia holds space for exactly that!
She shares with us the path she took to finding her calling; a journey she could not have undertaken without bringing a few key ingredients: hunger, curiosity, openness, and resilience. She launched her entrepreneurial venture during pandemic lockdown and hasn’t looked back. Hear how she navigated her way to the world of psychic energy and educated herself as a healer.
Olivia’s focus is on women, with whom she shares the empathetic bond of motherhood and a gut-level understanding of what it is to struggle (as she did through a divorce and trying to support her family financially). She also knows what it is to celebrate and prevail. Olivia shares insights about how to release thoughts that do not serve as well as tools for moving towards gratitude and away from pain. Very often we get stuck in childhood wounding that needs attention and healing, or perhaps stymied by relationships that are toxic and lack boundaries.
But we can create a new story!
Olivia shares thoughts about the importance of taking personal responsibility for our lives and loving ourselves into a greater sense of self-worth. It starts with taking a stand for ourselves and envisioning – then daring to go for – that entrepreneurial dream we want to grow. Olivia knows how to show the way.
And remember: failures and setback are just an invitation to grow. Olivia has learned how to shift energy by welcoming life lessons, even the tough ones, which she believes are the universe’s way of pointing us in the right direction. We’re all on unique paths, which is why Olivia’s coaching is anything but routine. She listens, intuits, and works collaboratively with women who desire to live their best lives.
I hope you enjoyed this conversation about healing. You can schedule a free introductory call with Olivia by clicking here.
Here are the top takeaways from the conversation:
● The road to self-actualization is sometimes winding, but never without possibility if we stay open.
● Becoming a psychic meant fully seeing and embracing the learning Olivia had been doing (without realizing it) throughout the course of her life to date.
● Olivia works with women to identify beliefs, thoughts and behavior patterns thatare holding them back from living their best lives.
● It’s all too easy for moms to lose their ability to dream, given the constant calling to put the needs of others before their own.
● If we choose it, we can work towards empowerment, recreating our identities and writing our own stories every day.
● Stop telling yourself all the reasons you can’t! You can absolutely make a leap to something entrepreneurial. It just takes courage, resilience, and openness to growth along the way.
● Self-forgiveness is part of feminine flow and important to recognize as a strategy, however different it might be from aggressive masculine energy.
Here's a quick look into the episode.
[02:10] Olivia details her journey from college student to day care provider to top 6% multi-level marketer within the health and wellness industry. Most recently, she has started an entrepreneurial venture that has taken her into a completely different realm.
[09:30] About how Olivia structures her business within the context of the energy healing industry – what she does and how she serves her clients both online and potentially through in-person retreats.
[12:15] Olivia finds that every woman has a unique set of issues and process for working them through, which makes the journey open-ended. Far from formulaic, she taps into and allows energy to lead the way. No two paths are the same.
[13:30] Olivia offers actionable steps for women looking to cultivate more self-love on a deep level, with the courage to let go of things that do not serve and the resolve to invest in themselves.
[16:38] The “I love you” exercise is a powerful tool for change and emotional connection if we commit to doing it every single day with our eyes literally a portal to our souls and next steps.
[20:00] When it comes to building a business, it’s impossible to stay motivated if we box ourselves in with hyper-expectations. There must be some measure of flow and grace for those days when we’re just not fully on our game and need a break. It’s okay to acknowledge our humanity!
[21:30] Olivia shares thoughts about adapting our lifestyles to a start-up enterprise; finding what works with our family’s rhythm is crucial. And remember: no good comes from beating ourselves up when things temporarily derail. We can always revamp and create whatever we want!
[23:40] Self-forgiveness is a critical element to successfully building a business and life. Olivia believes that feminine energy is part of a strategy for advancing your business.
[25:00] Because Dori and Olivia have a shared love of “dad jokes,” the episode ends with a laugh.
About Olivia:
Olivia is a mom, psychic and a healer who helps women business owners create lives full of passion and fulfilment. She lives in Windsor, CA.
Connect with Olivia!
Website | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn
You Can Have Both Freedom and Flexibility in Your Life
They say you must choose between freedom or flexibility.
You either have the career of your dreams and make a lot of money, or you have a flexible job that leaves you enough time for everything else. But as it turns out, it isn't always the case.
Arianna Vernier is a teacher-turned-entrepreneur, just like me, who built her own VA coaching business to help mothers and teachers like herself quit their full-time jobs to step into a life of more freedom and flexibility.
Arianna discovered the VA job after she had her first child. After realizing how she could make the same (and more) of the income she made as a full-time teacher by working at the comfort of her home as a VA (and half the hours), she decided to venture into it full-time. And in just a short period, she had replaced her teaching income completely.
In today's episode, she speaks with me about the exact journey that took her from a full-time employee to a financially independent entrepreneur.
A striking point of my conversation with Arianna is how teachers can make excellent VAs. Not something most of us would have thought about.
You're equipped to learn things quicker, better, and more thoroughly than perhaps any other person as a teacher. So, if you're considering a VA business, we have much to offer you in this discussion, including the kind of tasks you will have to do and how to get started.
Also, if you're considering hiring VAs for your business, we have advice for you too!
In short, you'll learn:
● How to find clients as a VA
● How to find a VA for your business
● How to use time-blocking to set dedicated time aside for your work and kids
● Why you don't need an experienced VA, just someone who vibes with you
● How to break your larger goals into smaller pieces
Here's a quick look into the episode. Jump to these sections if you'd like to hear them first:
[03:31] From teacher to a virtual assistant to now an entrepreneur: How Arianna's journey had her hop jobs and gather experiences. She also shares what she feels about being an entrepreneur.
[06:32] The best part about freelancing, according to Arianna – being able to spend enough time with her children
[07:42] Arianna talks about how she discovered the job of freelancing VAs pre-pandemic in 2019
[08:37] How Arianna helps moms and teachers build their VA business – the details of her business. She talks about the free workshop offered to raise awareness among teachers and mothers about virtual assistant jobs, her podcast, and the official classes available on her website.
[09:39] The kind of work a VA does, including administration, managing and scheduling meetings, managing social media and clients.
[10:32] Advice for people who want to find a VA for themselves –
Join a Facebook group that's in your business niche. People there will be able to recommend you to someone they've personally worked with – referrals are an excellent way to go.
You needn't necessarily look for people who are experienced; you just have to find someone who vibes with you, understands you, and fully believes in the mission behind your business.
Teachers make excellent VAs because they learn on their feet quickly.
[12:39] Why Arianna doesn't recommend working with third-party websites for finding VAs – you don't always get what you want
[13:23] Handling different things as an entrepreneur –
Break your day into chunks and incorporate your kids however you can.
Use time-blocking.
Be flexible with your time – When your kids get used to your workflow, they won't be disturbed too.
[16:47] The first steps for listeners getting into this – Start backwards, design your goal, break it into bite-sized pieces.
[18:10] Why you need to get into Facebook groups and interact with people if you're looking to get into the VA business
[18:55] Book recommendations by Arianna – Believe Bigger by Marshawn Evans Daniels
[19:50] Where to connect with Arianna
About Arianna
Arianna Vernier is a teacher-turned-VA-turned- entrepreneur. She helps mothers and teachers quit their nine-to-five by showing them the opportunities in the VA industry and offering online classes and free resources. Her podcast, Ditch the Classroom, offers business strategies, tactical tips, and free resources you can implement into your business and life today so that you can finally replace your income while working from home.
Connect with Arianna!
Website | Podcast
Traversing the Entrepreneurial Path Confidently
The idea of becoming a successful entrepreneur is enticing.
Think about it — no schedule, no commute, no boss looking over your shoulder. All you need is an idea and the determination to see it through.
Easier said than done.
What if you have a secure-paying job already? The trade-off between security and flexibility would be even scarier. How do you decide to let go of something that has been supporting you, even if it wasn't the most healthy environment?
Maybe you'll face disappointments. Sometimes, those that you cannot imagine facing.
But the key in every case is to discover your strengths.
In this episode, I'm joined by Tammy Johnston, CEO at KSA Business. Tammy talks about her personal experience as a C-suite executive and entrepreneur and the lessons learned during the journey, including identifying your strengths and using them to grow your company.
Tammy shares how and what she coaches entrepreneurs about growing, scaling, and expanding your business and team. She stresses the importance of team building, identifying your strengths, and networking and why they're irreplaceable in your journey, especially if you're a solopreneur.
You'll also learn first-hand about Tammy's programs and classes available.
Here's a quick look into the episode.
[03:37] How Tammy's journey led her to entrepreneurship: She shares working in financial services and other different companies for several years before feeling overwhelmed and anxious and deciding to build a business independently. She also talks about her love for financial services and how it inspired her entrepreneurial mind.
[07:32] Advice for people who're quitting their jobs to start their own business, from a secure employee mindset: Even if you make an expensive mistake, forgive yourself, slow down.
[11:25] How Tammy's business helps entrepreneurs: providing constant support and accountability, live and interactive courses, and every necessary information and motivation
[14:35] The best part about running your business, according to Tammy: getting together for the exchange of ideas. It's fun and always leads to a better decision.
[16:31] COVID has put a break to in-person communication but has definitely removed geographical boundaries for working together.
[17:39] Advice for people running their business currently (in the early stages of entrepreneurship and team-building) –
Discover where your strength lies. There are essentially two types of people who start a business: people who're already experienced in content management, and networking, can generate ideas and are comfortable with sales, and those who can better help you with developing the systems to turn your ideas into business.
Build a diverse team.
Hold regular meetings with both agreeable and disagreeable people to assess and evaluate different ideas and how implementable those are.
[21:38] Networking is about building work relationships, trust, gathering resources and developing long-term friendships.
[27:22] The vast majority of people are generous and want to spread good in the world. They're reciprocating and often need just a little help, like, a time commitment to help grow their business.
[29:46] Advice on building your staff and how otherwise to grow your business as a solopreneur
Create an organizational chart.
Map out job descriptions.
[33:29] Why it's essential to build your business' backend strong enough to handle more work if it suddenly arises and what happens if you act otherwise
[37:00] Connect with Tammy
About Tammy
Tammy Johnston is the CEO of KSA Business, where she helps entrepreneurs build a better world using their innovative ideas and services. As someone with extensive experience in the finance industry, Tammy coaches solopreneurs and small business owners on growing their businesses.
Connect with Tammy!
Website | LinkedIn | Facebook
Are You a Go-Getter?
Being able to stand in a room of people and perform is not easy. For most, this may be the scariest thing they have to do in a day.
But those who defy that fear learn to get over any challenge in life.
Heather Jean never wanted to be a life coach. Hers is one of those few stories you might have heard of where people step into their dream career by chance as if they were called to it. Without ever giving it a thought, she'd been coaching people all her life, talking about navigating personal life, balancing time, and building confidence.
It was when COVID hit that she started to reassess her skills and potential. After 25 years of working as a consultant, she decided to go all-in on her coaching business. She realized how she'd amassed a wealth of knowledge and confidence as a cabaret performer and was qualified to help other women prosper in their lives too.
A serial go-getter, Heather founded Coaching Through Cabaret and has been working full-time on it to date. She teaches women to understand and connect with their deeper selves to follow their intuitions, emotions, and passions.
Heather is unapologetically herself and gives only the advice you can take. If you're a woman who's recently pivoted to entrepreneurship full-time, you'd want to give this episode a listen.
Here are the top takeaways from the conversation:
● How to use profiling tools to understand your, your clients', and others' preferences and how we connect and adapt.
● Why you need to pay attention to your intuition
● Why you need to be unapologetically you
● How to master your confidence journey
Here's a quick look into the episode.
[03:38] Heather's background and her journey founding Confidence Through Cabaret
[07:46] Coaching from home: the challenges adapting to Zoom calls and online coaching amid the pandemic. Heather explains that a lot of profiling tools needed to be used to understand people, adapt and connect with them, and how she had to stuff down her feelings in the period.
[09:49] Heather shares how she decided what she wanted to do with her life and her decision to chase confidence-building. Heather believes accepting yourself and your beliefs are the first steps in your confidence journey.
[12:58] What Heather teaches women about confidence – being unapologetically you, understanding that you deserve to take up space, and pushing out of your comfort zones by a little.
[17:39] Heather's business model, masterclasses offered, member site, Facebook community and how it all stands on the power of the collaboration
[20:52] About Heather's podcast
[22:22] How it all comes back to a full circle when people join Heather's membership groups and programs when they identify with her energy – Heather explains about visibility blocks, values, and withholding beliefs.
[25:15] Heather's advice for women quitting working full-time to finally chase their dream career in entrepreneurship –
Understand your why
Open up and be able to access your vulnerability
Get over the perfectionist attitude
Be willing to start in small steps
[28:40] Where to connect with Heather
About Heather
Heather is the co-pioneer of Confidence Through Cabaret. Her mission is to inspire and illuminate your journey towards greater confidence throughout your life.
Connect with Heather!
Website | Podcast | Facebook | Instagram
Don’t let your past define you, let it refine you.
Many modalities fostered Kate’s personal healing, all of which have contributed important elements to the coaching toolkit she now shares with others. She melds the wisdom of sacred practices and the powerful science behind Neural Linguistic Programming to help clients clear the roadblocks – both conscious and unconscious – that prevent them from living their biggest, truest lives. She holds sacred space for and fully sees the people with whom she works, often before they are fully able to see themselves.
Learn how Covid19 offered Kate the silence in which to hear her deepest intuition and why that pause resulted in a new career trajectory devoted to helping people – even in the most stressful of circumstances – develop resiliency and self-compassion. She breaks down the elements behind FORGIVE, an acronym that neatly summarizes all the factors Kate believes are necessary to come fully and authentically into ourselves, both as individuals and entrepreneurs.
Kate’s method has proven especially liberating for those who are hungry to discover the entrepreneur inside but have felt stuck or sidelined by fear. With her deep personal experience and empathy, Kate is uniquely equipped to guide clients into the light of their own brilliance. It’s not about fixing our beautiful, perfectly imperfect selves or getting stuck in the wounds we have suffered. Rather, her coaching focuses on embracing our personal stories, clearing self-talk and messages that do not serve and aligning hearts and souls – allowing us to soar!
Building a business is tough, but you’re not alone! The universe is waiting to deliver abundance, and Kate offers tools (one-to-one coaching, best-selling books, and online platforms) to help get you there. Thanks to her unique blend of business and psycho-spiritual acumen, Kate knows how to help us connect with and unleash the entrepreneur inside who is waiting to shine.
To book a free 30-minute discovery call with Kate, click here.
Here is a quick look into the episode.
[02:32] A bit about Kate and her entrepreneurial trajectory as a mental health advocate, especially in light of pandemic stress. Her passion is for helping people locate their most resilient and self-compassionate selves.
[03:34] Understanding and working through trauma, which Kate herself has navigated, is central to the sacred space she holds for clients finding their way to resolution.
[04:22] When she embarked on her career in social services Kate quickly realized that she hadn’t yet found her niche. She first had to travel inward and do her own trauma work to deal with the pieces that were missing and keeping her from “truly showing up in the world.”
[05:03] Among the modalities Kate explored on her journey to healing: Reiki, Shamanism, Quantum Touch Healing, EMDR, Neural Linguistic Programming and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
[05:29] All the work she did and modalities she tried have shaped Kate’s entrepreneurial vision – allowing her to step back and open herself to working in the areas that she knows, based on personally experience, promote the most ease and flow. – “My heart and my soul’s purpose … is to bring love and joy and most of all that sacredness of connection of heart and soul together.”
[05:56] About the self-forgiveness for which people yearn and how elusive it can be without an experienced traveler to help guide the journey.
[06:40] Kate offers advice for would-be entrepreneurs seeking to pivot and step fully into their own power:
o Most importantly: Clear limiting beliefs.
o Work through things like imposter syndrome, financial insecurity, and fear.
o This work requires bravery and a commitment to going back and doing the emotional work. Kate found "Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway," by Susan Jeffers immensely helpful in this regard.
o When you trust the universe to provide, it will supply the catalysts necessary.
o Gratitude is another key ingredient to advancing your vision.
[10:00] Covid19 offered Kate the opportunity to experience silence and listen to that inner whisper of intuition. She accepted that she is perfectly imperfect, just like everyone else. – “We fall but we pick ourselves back up and doors open. It’s beautiful.”
[10:42] Who are the people most helped by Kate’s coaching? Her ideal clients are those who are feeling afraid, sitting on the edge but wanting to take a plunge despite the unknown. Whether male or female, Kate’s practice is about holding sacred space in which people can play big and step into their greatness. Every hardship can be reframed as an opportunity. – “Your mess can be the medicine for someone else’s soul to help them rise up and reach the great heights that they’re here for.”
[13:20] Kate explains her principal focus, which is supporting people who have reached a point in their lives where they want something more and are looking to figure out (and work through) whatever traumas or blocks might be in their path. – “(There is) greatness in finding that authenticity, transparency and genuine need and desire to be the gift (you) desired to be given as a child.”
[15:17] Kate explains FORGIVE and how it applies in an entrepreneurial context:
o F: Find the freedom to experience emotions and let them wash through you.
o O: Open your heart, trusting that the universe will provide.
o Receive: Accept it! Your body is aching to release the disorder in your mind if you allow it to open and clear those beliefs that do not serve.
o G: Give yourself the honoring, love, self-compassion, and gratitude that resonate deeply as worthiness emanating from within.
o I: Intuition is your truest compass, allowing you to be what you need to be in any given moment.
o V: Value yourself enough to prioritize things that are worthy of your intention, including setting boundaries (which is critical to entrepreneurial vision).
o E: Empathize with yourself so that you can hold empathy for others. Putting yourself in someone else’s shoes enables your enterprise to grow and thrive.
[18:28] An introduction to Kate’s writing:
o "Ignite Possibilities," (released May 2021)
o "Ignite the Hunger in You: How to Develop Your Greatness and Ignite Humanity," (Released December 2021, co-author Les Brown)
[20:20] Kate shares thoughts on the process of authoring a book, whether for personal catharsis or business objectives. – “Don’t let your past define you. Let it refine you!”
[22:22] There are several ways (links below) to learn more about Kate and her work, including free resources and space to start telling your own life story. – “Find that true love within yourself because only you can give yourself love and then you attract it in all areas of your life and abundance just follows suit.”
About Kate Vrastak:
Kate is an Ontario, Canada-based mental health advocate and founder of Sacred Roots Coaching. She is also a motivational speaker and author of two best-selling books with a passion for supporting healing, helping entrepreneurs discover their most authentic selves and eradicating the stigma surrounding suicide. She specializes in trauma, recovery and holding sacred space for others who, like her, are committed to nurturing gratitude, wholeness, and purpose.
Connect with Kate!
Website | Instagram
The human brain is proven magic.
It can tell you stories and help you feel any emotion – you could feel like a victim or a superhuman, depending on how well you've understood and trained your mind.
Maybe all you need is a little bit of mindset magic.
Meet Mindi Huebner, NLP Practitioner, Clinical Hypnotherapist and Mindset Mastery Coach who teaches entrepreneurs to release negative feelings and freely chase their dreams. Mindi has been a coach for over 24 years now and even has her own secret formula to help her clients develop a positive mindset.
She sits with me to wrap her thoughts around her entrepreneurial journey, the lessons learned from it, mindset hacks, and the need to require your brain to align with your calling.
Most importantly, she teaches the power of 'mental rehearsals', which she uses to describe mental check-ins. She explains how a self-health check helps you analyze your life's trajectory, see where you're standing and where you need to be, recentering yourself to your passion, and ease your entrepreneurial journey.
Take with yourself a little bit of Mindi's positivity and aura today. Tune in!
Here's a quick look into the episode.
[01:53] Mindi explains what she means by ‘rewiring your brain’ and why she believes the words ‘I am’ are the most powerful in the universe. As she explains, releasing your limiting beliefs helps you align with your soul’s purpose. In her words, “Your brain wants to keep you in the known because that seems less scary than the unknown. And it will delete, distort and generalize based on what you believe.”
[06:43] Have mental check-ins with yourself. Understand how you’re feeling, where you are right now. It will help you make conscious decisions in life and work.
[10:16] Entrepreneurship needn’t be bumpy and hard for everyone. It’s possible to discover ease in your entrepreneurial journey.
[15:06] Your body will let you know when it’s exhausted. You need to catch the sign to not beat yourself up.
[21:04] How guilt gets trapped inside your body and what you can do to get over it
[23:08] How mental rehearsal can help you gain confidence as an entrepreneur
[24:45] Why it helps to have a well-formed outcome: your brain doesn’t know the difference between the real and imagined
[26:44] Being optimistic and bringing your positive energy into beliefs and conversations
[29:11] Where to connect with Mindi
About Mindi
Mindi Huebner is a mindset mastery coach and clinical hypnotherapist. She has been an entrepreneur for over 24 years and has created her own formula, Unlock Your Magic, using NLP to rewire your brain for success.
Connect with Mindi!
Website | LinkedIn | Facebook
The marketing industry has been evolving rapidly over the last decade or so.
If you are able to successfully animate, articulate and deliver information as well as effectively communicate a brand message, you have a very marketable skill and can launch yourself into any career you choose.
As Erin Pennings, my brilliant B2B copywriter guest, explains, copywriting has survived the test of time. A successful career in it could reap more rewards than you might even imagine.
Successful marketing is always incomplete without the right words.
No matter the industry, your business needs crisp, engaging copy that entices your audience and seals your reputation in the market.
If you do not believe me, imagine this – imagine bumping into a potential customer unexpectedly. You speak of your work, your services, and the next thing you know is they are asking for your website address.
Now, what if… you don't have a website? Or maybe you aren't confident about how it looks? ('Not professional enough'?)
Maybe you thought your website could wait, but you also don’t want to miss out on this opportunity.
Here you are -- spiraling in a negative thought pattern.
Perhaps, you could still manage to land the offer, but wouldn't you agree it kept you spinning for a bit?
Today's conversation is dedicated to the listeners who want to learn about or succeed in the copy marketing world.
I am delighted to introduce Erin Pennings, Founder of CopySnacks, a boutique B2B copywriting microagency, as my guest for today's episode. She talks about building a successful marketing career, polishing your copywriting skills, and why the market space is forever hungry for copy-crazy hands. She also digs into some neatly developed copy fundamentals, including the definitive need for writing binge-worthy headlines!
Most important of all the points we discuss is leading as a shining mompreneur amid the responsibilities of everyday life. Learn to show up consistently for your passion and other tips to help you achieve the same!
Here is a quick look into the episode.
[03:36] From interning as a creator for art courses for a museum to running tours, Erin has always been a marketer. She's even worked with a graphic design agency and a PR firm. She narrates her story from there to becoming a copywriter.
[10:55] Writing for your own requirement is probably the hardest thing in the world, according to Erin. It's easy to dodge a personal project and go for client projects.
[12:32] How Erin coined the name of her business – CopySnacks
[14:45] Erin shares the common mistakes people make with their website copy: The headline – it's essential to have a headline that hooks your readers in a matter of just a few seconds
[16:57] Your website is your source of confidence. Not having it done the way you'd like could incite negative feelings in your minds when it comes to pitching for work or showcasing your services. Your website also adds to your credibility.
[19:54] List of copywriting services Erin offers today
[21:48] A well-written email is a way of communicating with your network; it makes sure you keep your customers.
[22:30] It's essential to have a solid network of people. When networking, it is helpful to remember that it's easier to contact someone who's just a step ahead of you than someone who's levels above you.
[25:51] Why authenticity will be the marketing trend for 2022 and beyond – people are tired of being sold to.
[27:13] Erin's advice for you – If you're uncertain of giving your dream a go, or are even just curious about it, give it a try. Make the leap; who knows maybe, things will all seem to fall into place?
[28:52] Advice for mompreneurs – invest in a good day-care for your kids, try bringing in someone to deep clean your house once a month at least, show up at your work desk consistently.
[31:15] Erin's book recommendation for you – Building A Story Brand by Donald Miller
[32:10] Where to connect with Erin
About Erin Pennings
Erin Pennings is a B2B Copywriter with over fifteen years of marketing-copywriting experience. She is the Founder of the CopySnacks copywriting agency.
Connect with Erin!
Website | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn
Defying Age Myths
As we enthusiastically welcome an incoming annus mirabilis (a wonderful new year, I mean), we clear our minds of any fog to observe an important lesson – it’s never too late to start over.
And this applies to every aspect of life, including your business.
Maybe it’s time to refocus your career path. And it doesn’t matter how old you are. If your passion calls you, there’s no reason why anything, let alone your age, should keep you from moving forward.
My guest for the show today is Janice, a Certified Health Coach, Personal Trainer, and Motivational Speaker. Realizing the downsides and the mental stress caused, Janice left her full-time job in frontline health care after serving for over three decades. She turned entrepreneur with her health coaching business and now helps people improve their wellness by optimizing their nutrition, health, and mindset plans.
Janice sits with me in this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur to narrate her inspiring journey defying any odds to chase her passion. She talks about the events that led her to the path, the lessons learned, and her new business.
We dig into the importance of fighting your fear of venturing out in the new. Janice explains how to build your business in slow, simple steps, not taking major actions to avoid unnecessary risks, finding strength in yourself, and understanding the subtle signs that life sends you to get closer to your dream.
Here's a quick look into the episode.
[03:38] Janice’s backstory working as a frontline healthcare worker to becoming a health coach and transformational speaker. She shares how and why she bid adieu to sick care to join health care.
[06:20] The beginning stages of Janice’s business, as she shares were challenging and all about learning and getting the mindset right. She went ahead in slow, thoughtful steps.
[08:53] You needn’t go all-in on your business at once. Take time to think about what brings you joy and what you really want to do in life.
[09:17] You needn’t be afraid of the unknown. Learn to train your mind to be open to exploration. You develop a fear of things because of your subconscious brain’s efforts to protect you.
[10:29] What it’s like to work with Janice
[14:43] Three things that helped Janice grow her business to the extent she has today – business courses, Facebook groups, and accountability partners.
[16:55] “If you’ve helped yourself, you have the strength to do that.”
[17:38] There are signs in your life telling you about which direction you need to head. Listen to them.
[19:00] How to balance your family and business – talk to your family about how passionate you are about your work, practice gratitude every day.
[21:36] Janice's advice for you – You are never too old to begin anything.
[22:35]Janice’s advice is to make a difference in your life so you can make a difference in someone else’s life and take the chain forward.
[23:39] Don’t let go of an opportunity out of fear, especially if you’re sitting on a great idea. If you don’t grab the opportunity, someone else will.
[24:30] Janice’s book recommendation – The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
[25:30] Where to connect with Janice
About Janice
Janice is a Certified Health Coach, Personal Trainer, and Motivational Speaker who left her job as a frontline healthcare worker to become a full-time entrepreneur.
Connect with Janice!
Website | Instagram | Facebook
How Tiny Things Create Transformative Changes
Ever thought about how the greatest of achievements could stem from simple, often ignored ideas?
What you’ll hear today is the story of an impressive stationery line built out of a tiny thought of making kid-friendly thank you notes that encourage children to create art, practice writing, and learn the humble yet powerful lesson of gratitude.
Ashley Campbell, my guest for the show today, does not just curate the products her company sells, but has instead designed and patented the product that is now being praised by parents and children all over the world.
She is the Founder of the Coral and Blue Paper Company, a patented and trademarked line of stationery that’s designed to make thank you notes easier for kids to do.
An idea that seeded out of her family’s long-held tradition of giving thanks, Ashley saw the immense potential in turning the idea into a business when she discovered that the stationery that her kids really needed did not exist. There were other products out there, but not the kind of notes that would provide kids with the necessary design support that she saw a need for.
Ashley developed her design and thus created the key – to unlocking an innovative, immersive small business idea.
Today, she sits with me to explain how she did that to become a product designer and entrepreneur as a stay-at-home mom and her thoughts on patenting, innovating, and creating something remarkable out of a thing that could seem very little at the beginning.
Of the many emotions and lessons shared during our conversation was the idea of spreading joy to the community through work. Ashley shares how her company has helped children in Africa overcome trauma, battle PTSD, and experience subtle joys using her thank you notes and how they’re using it to express their most sincere emotions on paper.
Here's a quick look into the episode.
[03:35] Meet Ashley Campbell, product designer and entrepreneur, and learn why she decided to build a business that makes stationery for kids.
[06:58] How to get your kids to sit down and just start writing – don’t tell them what you’re going to make them do, arrange the environment, the markers, paper, and all necessary stationery, to get them to start writing.
[08:54] How to protect and patent your design/ product as a business owner: reference: US Patent and Trademark Office
[010:19] Ashley explains her sales structure and what is driving most of her sales
[012:47] Ashley’s thoughts on giving back to the community through her company and how her thank you notes are helping as trauma therapy for children in Africa
[15:35] Ashley talks about her children’s response to her business and the different ways in which they’re using the thank you cards to express their love, concern, and gratitude to people, including thanking those who’re providing their service in different ways.
[18:03] The ups and downs of Ashley’s entrepreneurial journey, in particular, the challenges of being a stay-at-home entrepreneur mom.
[19:27] How does Ashley balance work and personal life as a mompreneur? (and her advice on limiting time spent on social media) She also explains how the Planoly app helps plan her social media usage.
[24:12] Ashley’s book recommendation for you: The Seven Habits Of Highly Effective Peopleby Stephen R. Covey
[24:38] A peek into Ashley’s next milestones and why she wants to pull back and get back to the basics
[27:48] Why starting with small batch production can be helpful for your business
[29:07] Where to connect with Ashley
About Ashley Campbell
Ashley Campbell is the Founder and Product Designer at Coral and Blue Paper Company, a stationery manufacturing company that designs and sells thank you notes for children.
Connect with Ashley!
Website | LinkedIn
Have you ever thought about starting your day with intention?
I know it sounds a lot like goal-setting.
And it IS just that… minus the chaos.
Intention-setting involves defining your most urgent goals for the day. It's about picking your top 3 goals out of, maybe, 20?
Today's guest teaches you to prioritize yourself by effectively setting your intentions and achieving a delicate balance in life and work.
Meet Liz Bigger, burnout coach for entrepreneurs, owners, business leaders, and managers and Founder of the Burnout Solver program that helps people bust worry and overcome burnout.
Liz dug her way into the world of coaching (and holistic wellness) while on a journey to heal herself from Leaky Gut Syndrome. She reinvented herself over the years while also growing her wellness and coaching business.
In this episode, she sits with me to share the most important lessons about coaching, wellness, and entrepreneurship that she's gathered from her years of experience. She explains the irreplaceable importance of communication skills, setting boundaries, defining your intentions, and finding discipline and motivation as a coach and entrepreneur!
Of the many things discussed, one that has me captivated, is Liz's fundamental morning ritual. She shares how and why planning your mornings the right way has an unimaginable influence on the rest of your day.
Here's a quick look into the episode.
[02:31] The entrepreneurial spirit, quilting, and dealing with her health issues.
[05:03] Liz shares about realizing the benefits of meditation and using energy medicine and sound therapy to heal your gut and how that led her into the holistic healing journey.
[07:42] The rewards of being a coach
[09:41] How coaching works for Liz and the huge importance of communication in coaching. She says, "If you know how to communicate effectively, it clears out a lot of your conversations that only need to happen once now instead of 10 times."
[15:36] The importance of prioritizing yourself and self-care practices that you could implement in your everyday lives.
[17:36] Liz's tip #1 for you: Set boundaries for your day. Define your hours of work and spare time for yourself and your family.
[19:52] Liz's tip #2 for you: Have the perfect morning ritual, especially if you're an entrepreneur. Set your intention for the day, maybe even write it down.
[22:35] Entrepreneurship as a beautiful, double-edged sword: Being an entrepreneur, you have complete control of your time, meaning you have to dig deep to draw the line between motivation and discipline.
[24:14] How to create a to-do list that doesn't overwhelm you: pick your top 3 things to do for the day instead of 20, find out your most urgent list of to-dos.
[30:11] Where to connect with Liz
About Elizabeth Bigger
Elizabeth Bigger is an author, burnout coach, and entrepreneur with an inspiring journey into entrepreneurship. She loves to help others to achieve the goals that allow them to live their best life. She specializes in lifestyle changes necessary due to burnout and has recently leaned into the need for coaching on dating by popular demand.
Connect with Liz!
Website | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn
Are you one of those people who wants to change the world?
Some of us fail miserably in fulfilling our highly ambitious resolutions in life.
As the initial upsurge of enthusiasm that causes us to chase the most challenging of things dies out, we're left with multiple excuses not to push past hurdles and remain in the 'state of comfort' that we've always been in.
You may feel that the problem is you are not trying hard enough. But it isn't. It's not you; it's not that you're not fighting; it's your goal setting that's at fault.
And just as every other problem in life has a remedy, there's one for this too… and it's setting intentional habits.
Today, join me in an incredible conversation with Christian Corley Anderson on the She Turned Entrepreneur Podcast about using habits to power your dreams. Christian is the Owner-Operator at Be Free Fitness. She's a people person who dedicates her time to helping individuals grow, both in life and at work.
In a candid conversation, Christian takes us through her beautiful journey of getting over body health and image issues by moving in small steps to get healthy. She also shares her process of overcoming obstacles using the power of self-motivation, habits, and consistency.
So, if you're someone who believes in aiming for the most challenging goals, this episode will teach you the power of moving in small steps and how they snowball over time to help you discover your true purpose.
Here's a quick look into the episode. Jump to the sections if you'd like to hear them first:
[02:26] Meet Christian, and hear her journey through entrepreneurship
[05:21] Pushing through adversity using the power of resilience. Christian explains how her passion for transforming the lives of people like herself pushed her through tough times and helped her overcome uncertainty.
[07:03] The role of Christian's family in helping her overcome fear to chase her purpose
[08:21] The power of habits in helping you keep up with every important aspect or activity of your life
[010:27] What you can do when feeling down to regain your inspiration and encouragement – "I'm a big advocate for 'baby steps equal huge leaps over time'."
[011:57] The books that inspired Christian to do more in life: The High 5 Habit by Mel Robbins, Boundary Boss by Terri Cole, Eat Smarterby Shawn Stevenson
[13:22] All about Christian's podcast (Fighting to Be Free) and how it helps women navigate their wellness journeys
[14:17] Christian's tip #1: Set habits because those are what help you overcome the stress during those times when it's hard to push through.
[14:49] Christian's tip #2: Find balance in your life and work and step out of the pressure for a few mins when you think you can't balance it.
[15:14] Christian's tip #3: Deep, restorative breathing is an essential part of our lives and helps our mind and body keep composure at any time.
[15:29] Christian's tip #4: Exercise is super-important to help you feel physically, and mentally confident.
[15:37] Are you chasing your dreams on your own terms? Here's what Christian has to say to you to help you in your journey.
[19:22] The next big steps for Christian in her business!
[20:21] Where to connect with Christian.
About Christian Corley Anderson
Christian Corley Anderson is the Owner at Be Free Fitness. She helps women learn to love themselves again through healthy eating, exercise, and a community of like-minded women.
Building on dreams that matter
It all starts with a dream… one that has you mapping the next big route to its doors… that gets you to gather any and every bit of information necessary to keep you in line with it.
This time, we're revealing one that was listed in the records since high school.
Ever since she can remember, Furtesha Woods wanted to be an entrepreneur. The dream was hazy at the beginning, with her vaguely wishing to side with the finance industry, but eventually showed up as a vision of educating and empowering families about financial freedom.
Deciding to branch out of the traditional career pathway of college education, Furtesha explored various individual courses she deemed fit for an instructor of family finances. In a career that fiercely exploded over the years, Furtesha roped in the licenses in insurance, legal, and real estate and became a realtor gathering over 17 years of experience helping clients navigate their home-owning requirements. In addition, Furtesha acquired an accounting degree and is an advocate of imparting financial literacy to families, children, and anyone who needs it.
To explain her infectious energy would be difficult, but as she suggests, it's the outcome of her impatience and urge to do the next big thing.
My conversation with Furtesha was a breath of fresh air for multiple reasons, including her rawness in explaining the pain of change. She narrated her experience juggling two full-time jobs, educating people about finances, and putting all her expertise into action, but still choosing to do it all by herself for 14 years… that's over a decade!
Furtesha explains how her business sky-rocketed since she stopped resisting change, explored new spaces and spent time on things that demanded her most attention. Despite calculated and uncalculated risks, she ventured into brokerage by growing her team and has since never looked back.
If there's one thing I was to highlight from our conversation, it would be Furtesha's willingness to chase her passion… and courage to dive into spaces that seemed off-reach. Here are some lessons you'll learn today:
Why you are better with a team than by yourself
Why the real estate business space is unbreakable and evergreen
How to stay present in life
Also, here's a quick look into the episode. Jump to the sections if you'd like to hear them first:
[03:40] Meet Furtesha Woods, Owner and Broker at Woods Realty
[05:32] Why starting her own brokerage was Furtesha's entry to a more financially free space
[07:34] On gathering the courage to get into brokerage despite the challenges
[010:18] How Furtesha's priorities have shifted once she's staffed, recruited, and expanded her workspace to bring in more people
[012:58] Why it's never a bad time to step into the real estate business
[15:33] The big B-word of balance and how Furtesha implements it as a mom, wife, entrepreneur, and working individual: practicing mindfulness, setting priorities, and being present.
[19:44] Furtesha's podcast and how it offers marketing to grow her business
[23:21] Furtesha's resource recommendations for you: Books – Go-Giverby Bob Burg, What I Know For Sure by Oprah Winfrey
[25:04] Where can you find Furtesha online?
About Furtesha Woods
Furtesha Woods is the Founder and Broker at Woods Realty, an independently owned and operated realtor services business. Furtesha was born and raised in the Nashville area. Her accounting degree and 20 years of finance experience helped her to launch her real estate career and now seventeen years later, her joy and happiness comes from helping families become homeowners.
Taking A Deep Dive into The Podcast Sphere
Now more than ever, we are seeing a rapid rise in the number of people entering the podcasting space. The categories, varieties, and themes have all hence fiercely multiplied over the past decade.
Health. Wellness. Films. Entertainment. Life Coaching. Or even podcasting. You name it; Apple Podcasts has it.
Podcasts are the best way of marketing yourself and your brand authentically. And being a guest on others’ shows is one way to get that done right.
Sounds too good to be true, right?
Today’s guest set up a lucrative career by offering premium podcast guest services to entrepreneurs wanting to market themselves through podcasts. She is a soaring entrepreneur, ex-VA, and podcasting geek. Her genius is everything you need to fight imposter syndrome, inhibitions and pitch yourself effectively as an aspiring guest influencer!
Meet Kristin Molenaar, CEO and Founder at YesBoss Virtual Agency, a digital agency that helps entrepreneurs elevate their visibility and influence as a podcast guest, so they can scale their business without becoming a full-time marketer. Kristin founded her agency after learning the benefits of direct marketing via podcasts through her personal experience as a guest on different shows.
In this episode, Kristin candidly breaks down her journey into becoming an entrepreneur, starting from failed multiple ventures as a VA and trying to become a guest on podcasts. She touches on her decision to start an agency and how her team helped her land the first (and almost unbelievable) podcast guesting opportunity!
Atop everything is Kristin’s advice for entrepreneurs wanting to make their way into successful podcasts, including how to just show up for the event. You’ll take away many valuable insights from the conversation, including:
How to fight imposter syndrome
Influencer power
Nurturing a lasting relationship with podcast hosts
The best way to figure out if the aforementioned works? The episode itself. It is proof of Kristina’s confidence and ability to show up as the personality that she is, even while signing up to be a guest on She Turned Entrepreneur.
A quick look into the episode:
[03:09] Meet Kristin Molenaar, CEO at Yes Boss Virtual Agency
[03:47] What is podcast guesting?
[05:53] Kristin's first step into public speaking and how it related to being a podcast guest.
[06:05] Fighting imposter syndrome by allowing her team to step in for her and how Kristin landed the idea of making podcast guest booking.
[09:26] How to uncomplicate things for yourself as an entrepreneur: With reference to Greg McKeown's book, Essentialism, Kristin explains that you need to learn how to monetize and market what you do.
[10:22] Why entrepreneurs crave freedom first and the finances later.
[11:40] Why you need to put yourself in front of people who would benefit from your skills or services – "I would be generous with my knowledge and my time and my resources with the person in front of me. And what ended up happening is those people ended up sending referrals to me."
[13:32] Podcast guesting is all about networking, collaborating and exchanging skills and value
[17:20] Kristin's advice for entrepreneurs searching for the right podcast to be a guest.
[20:01] General advice from Kristin if you're looking to guest on podcasts: Get out of self-doubt and get started on your path. Think of podcast guesting as an opportunity to connect – your job as a guest is just to show up, connect with the host in a meaningful way, and be in the moment.
[21:38] There are three conversations that you want to think about having on a podcast interview – the first is your transformation story. "Being able to articulate why you are both relatable and inspirational.”
[22:31] The second kind of conversation on a podcast is case studies.
[23:30] The third kind of conversation to have on a podcast is your methodology.
[30:04] How Kristin's agency helps entrepreneurs by taking up all administrative things, including done-for-you services like managing podcast guests, scheduling, PR prep, and teaching your team how to pitch for you.
[33:44] Where to find Kristin
About Kristin Molenaar
Kristin Molenaar is the CEO of YesBoss Virtual Agency. She helps entrepreneurs elevate their visibility and influence as a podcast guest so they can scale their business without becoming a full-time marketer!
How Important Is It to Choose the Right Business Partner?
A dream of starting a business is a dream of a better future.
Though the process of getting your business started is often full of errors, you can avoid them by equipping yourself with the right information.
ONE irreplaceable aspect is finding the right people to partner or team up with.
And I know it's a tough call to make... especially when you have your family and acquaintances, you'd be obviously drawn to bring in. But as you might well know, growing your business requires you to find a team that would move it forward, genuinely invest in it, and be honest and reliable. And finding someone who matches all these criteria is a rarer-than-the-rarest sight.
Mom, attorney, investment property owner and entrepreneur, Krista Crawley joins me in this episode to share the lessons she learned from quitting her full-time job as an attorney, losing her first business due to the fraud done by her manager, finding the business idea that matched with her personality, skills, and interest, and living a life she loves.
Krista stresses the importance of doing the necessary research before starting your business, including a thorough understanding of the market, your team, and business profitability.
What's the most inspiring about Krista's career is her ability to pull herself back up even when everything started falling, which she attributes to following her intuition and being determined.
I'm amazed by her personality and aura… I mean… When was the last time you heard someone pursue a career in so many different industries in parallel?
I'm sure you'll enjoy the conversation as much as I did!
Here are a few highlights from the episode.
● The metrics to consider when doing market research for your business
● The right way to choose your business partner
● Why it's essential to always be on the lookout for the "next big thing" in life and career
Also, if you want to take a quick look into the episode, here's a sneak peek:
[03:25] Krista's story: How she went from attorney to full-time entrepreneur.
[17:22] Krista's investment property, love of design, and opportunity to host Jen Hatmaker, American best-selling author, speaker, and blogger.
[20:53] Risk-taking: Why Krista decided to move forward with her business despite the challenges.
[21:17] Krista talks about her childhood and explains how it led her to develop a scarcity mindset in the later stages of life.
[25:44] What kept Krista going during her tough days with the business?
[26:43]Why Krista believes in just doing "the next right thing" (as inspired by Glennon Doyle) -- "You don't need to worry about that decision today. That's tomorrow's decision."
[28:00] How Krista sets boundaries at work and home to have quality time for each despite having a busy family and her mantra of "quality over quantity."
[31:31] Krista talks about the legacy she's leaving her kids and how she teaches them that there's no difference between what a man and a woman can accomplish
[35:39] Krista's three pieces of business advice for you
[42:52] Krista's upcoming projects and plans for the future
About Krista:
Krista is a mom, attorney, investment property owner and an entrepreneur.
Is there even such a thing as social media overwhelm?
Social media overwhelm is a legitimate concern that most entrepreneurs (like me) face in our journeys.
We find it a scary struggle putting ourselves out there for people to see, think, analyze and engage.
Despite this, brands, businesses, and entrepreneurs spend scores of money marketing themselves, their products, or services to their target audiences.
…AND it's undoubtedly worth the effort
There are two reasons:
ONE, social media marketing is HERE TO STAY (and is already the primary source of generating leads for many businesses).
And TWO, when used in the right manner, social media marketing can offer perks you never thought you could achieve (which includes showing yourself authentically to people at large).
So yes, by not making use of what’s available through these platforms, we’re missing out on a lot of opportunities.
The advantages of social media for entrepreneurs and businesses are many. But most importantly, it saves you time. Why pitch to individual leads when you can instead market to your target population all at once?
So where do we start? How do we discover what it takes to be a successful social media marketer?
This episode answers those questions for you. Rebecca Hoover, my guest for this podcast episode, is an expert social media marketing specialist with a background in business management.
In this episode you'll learn actionable strategies and processes to set up, launch, and grow your social media profile and find new customers for your business.
Rebecca offers tips for entrepreneurs wanting to level up their social media engagement and find customers for their business. And if you're marketing on a local level, you would benefit from her tips to keep away social media overwhelm and stay on the top of technological advancements!
Curious?
Jump to these sections of the episode to take a glance at the talking points:
● [03:46] Rebecca's path to becoming a social media marketing specialist, her background in business management, and why she says running events are like the "mini version of running a business".
● [06:38] Social media strategies for finding new customers for a brand -- 1) Using paid advertising to expand your business across geographies, 2) Creating organic content with clear calls-to-action, 3) Creating a separate website for franchising to keep it away from the main website.
● [09:12] Rebecca's advice of strategies for individual entrepreneurs and franchisees marketing on a local level -- post behind-the-scenes of product making or photos of past jobs with clients or before-after photos of your product (whichever is relevant), make the best first impression to your leads and respond to reviews and comments actively.
● [11:37] How to battle the overwhelm of social media -- pick what platforms you're comfortable with or hire or outsource someone to manage them for you.
● [12:43] How to schedule (or batch) your social media
● [13:25] Why it works best to be real and relatable on social media
● [14:06] The two challenges Rebecca faces with social media -- getting people to really see the value you provide and tracking and making improvements
● [15:40] How to stay on top of the changing technology
● [17:00] Rebecca's advice for becoming a successful social media marketer
● [17:56] How to connect with Rebecca
About Rebecca:
Rebecca Hoover is a Social Media and Marketing Specialist for an international franchise company in the education sector. She has been working in the franchising industry since 2015 by supporting franchisees in marketing, social media and business operations. In addition to her support role, she also runs and manages the national social media pages for those four brands through content creation, paid advertising, and engaging with followers and potential leads.
Were You Born to Chase A Career Different from What You've Chosen?
Some things just come naturally to us.
Plain. Simple. Effortless doings.
But for some, it takes another person to point it out to realize that it's indeed a skill they're gifted with.
Maybe they knew it before but never thought of it as bankable expertise.
Or maybe it became so much a part of them that it ceased to be work and became a recreation instead.
Whatever the case be, let's imagine that you just discovered what that ability is for you. What'll be your next step?
Would you fret, or would you listen… to that voice that says build on it?
Today, I’m talking to someone who listened to that voice.
A former military spouse and career legal professional turned entrepreneur; Angela bid adieu to her career in law to traverse a life of her calling -- as a travel advisor.
Because she had traveled extensively with the military in the past, she had the knowledge and experiences to offer her friends and family, who would, in genuine amazement, suggest she get associated with the travel industry. (Talk about experiences!)
But how do you think she felt about it then?
Still, weighing the opportunities and options in hand, Angela realized how doable and dependable that path could be, especially as someone good at it!
Today, she teaches by example to her daughters the beauty of being defining your own success. She shows them the immense potential they have in the world that they've yet to explore.
Plus, she has the life she could only dream of in the past.
And that means more time with her family, less time stressing, and more time doing what she loves doing -- traveling.
In this episode, Angela sits with me to narrate her awe-spiring journey into becoming an entrepreneur and travel advisor with Beautiful Travel Tomorrow. She helps people plan, organize, and finalize their travels for Disney, Universal, Florida beach vacations, and beyond.
You'll learn:
Why your skills ARE essential and valuable
How to choose what career path you'd like to have
How to become a travel agent or advisor
The perks of being in the travel industry (and what you need to sustain in it)
Here are some noteworthy moments from today:
● [03:42] Angela's reasons and route to becoming a travel advisor. "I just realized that I wanted to do something that was a little more upbeat and happier, it's more fun than the legal industry. And I wanted to be able to spend more time with my family. [...] And because we had traveled so much with the military, I had found myself helping friends and family with their trips. And they would often mention you should be a Travel Advisor or you should be a travel agent."
● [08:38] Upcoming trends in the travel industry and how the pandemic has called a lot of people to see more of the world
● [11:57] Angela speaks about her two daughters, who are enrolled in a conservatory ballet program (pre-professional ballerinas -- how cool!).
● [12:30] The most gratifying parts of being an entrepreneur for Angela -- helping her daughters learn what makes them happy, exploring online learning, and showing them that they can connect with people anywhere in the world at any time, and that the world has endless opportunities in store for them.
● [14:36] How does Angela get in the right mindset every day with everything else going on around?
● [17:36] Angela speaks about starting her upcoming podcast titled the Good Enough Mompreneurs, for which she's anticipating a January launch and her reasons for starting it -- including supporting mompreneurs and female entrepreneurs getting on track with their dreams. She also shares how Rick Mulready's podcast encouraged her to start hers.
● [18:54] Why you need to realize your worth and your talents
● [19:27] What if you could just believe in yourself and your ability to do amazing things?
● [20:29] Golden tips from Angela -- #1 Find out what it is that you really want.
● [20:52] Golden tips from Angela -- #2 Assess what your values are -- what is important to you? What are you good at?
● [21:05] Golden tips from Angela -- #3 Value what other people say you're good at. Do not doubt.
● [21:42] How you can connect with Angela
About Angela:
Angela is a travel agent and owner of Beautiful Tomorrow Travel, a travel agency for trips to Disney, Universal, Florida beach vacations, and beyond. Before she got into the travel industry, Angela worked in the legal industry for over two decades.
Successful businesses help people.
Yes, they make money for their owners...but most importantly, they solve a problem or satisfy a need and do it in a way that's helpful to the people using them.
In fact, that is exactly how you can determine if a business is successful or not -- by knowing if it’s indeed helpful to the people who use it.
So what can we do to make sure our business is genuinely helpful?
Learn first-hand from Heather Wilson, Founder of Heather's Pure Romance, as we speak about setting the ground for a business to thrive and how to help people along the way.
You'll also learn:
How to discover if there's a market for your business.
Why there’s no substitute for hard work. If you want to set a business that sustains, you need to put in the effort.
How to manage time and schedule events to strike the right balance with your work and personal space.
The importance of being transparent and honest about your mistakes with your kids.
How to set up a business that thrives.
What is your idea of a successful business model?
I'm always excited to see how the business space has something unique to offer to people. Today's guest adds to that uniqueness quotient by not only introducing a brilliant business model but also using a standalone approach to marketing.
Every entrepreneur has an idea...
But as you might well know, honing your business idea into reality takes more than just ideating... It takes immeasurable analysis and planning, loads of preparation, and openness to adapting to opportunities.
In a world where everyone speaks of ‘just-doing-it’, you’ll rarely find a person who opens up about weighing the pros and cons of your business idea before going all-in.
Simply put, entrepreneurship is a triad -- of three values -- passion, purpose, and progress. For over 20 years, Jenn Colby jostled against her job and business -- all the while investing in her skills and garnering the knowledge necessary to keep them moving. And now? Her business, Howling Wolf Farm, is UP and running STRONG, and Jenn is happily invested ALL DAY in what feels like recreation (in her own words -- yes!!).
She joins me in this episode to talk about her phenomenal journey as an entrepreneur, the tips and principles that kept her running through time, and what it took her to get to where she is today!
In the pilot episode, hear me voice my entrepreneurial journey -- learn how Dori Stewart, the teacher, turned Dori Stewart, the entrepreneur!
Listen as Dori introduces this new weekly business podcast that shares the stories of inspirational women who have left their 9 to 5 jobs for a life of entrepreneurship.