Business routines are challenging to build because there’s always that fear of missing out or making mistakes. Why isn’t there a size-fits-all routine we can all follow? Why should we ask ourselves questions instead of using to-do lists? Why is it important to always keep an eye on generating new leads?
In this episode, I talk about 3 questions I ask myself every day before I start working.
In the realm of making money, knowing what are you going to sell and how you are going to sell is extremely important. -Dana Malstaff
3 Things We Learned From This Episode
Focusing on driving income should be an everyday priority, but it gets complicated when there are no leads in the pipeline. This usually happens because we aren’t clear on what we sell and what problems we solve. It’s not enough to work on visibility. We have to know what our packages are and how we can bring value to people.
Subscription programs are rising in popularity, but it’s a model that works better for some than others. What’s the best way to test the waters before launching products? What are the two business models that work for subscriptions? What types of subscription businesses are more likely to succeed?
In this episode, Julie Ball talks about how she became a boss mom by building a subscription-based company.
Product discovery is a big reason why people like subscription boxes.
-Julie Ball
3 Things We Learned From This Episode
Build an audience before launching the product (09:40:08:40)
We buy from companies we feel connected to, and one of the best way to connect with potential clients is to give them a sneak peek inside our business. To do so, we can use email campaigns where we share our business journey, ask for feedback, etc. This gets us in front of people and helps us build trust before we invest any money in building our products.
Subscriptions programs have a unique draw (10:00-13:00)
People love subscription programs because there’s a joy of discovery. There’s always something new. Plus, once you set it up, you can forget about it and the packages will still arrive. However, if we want to start a business like this, we have to narrow down our niche.
Pick one business model and stick with it (15:50-17:30)
In the subscription space, we have to know what our business model is from the start. Should we go for subscriptions that are focused on brief periods of our clients’ lives, such as expecting a child? Should we focus on aspects of people’s lives that are unlikely to change, like motherhood or entrepreneurship? Figuring this out allows us to determine whether we need to focus more on retaining our current clients or chasing new ones.
Why create a product before we know whether our audience will like it? We need to engage with potential clients first and ask for feedback before launching our product. This way, we get to know what our clients really want without wasting money on developing products that won’t sell. Email campaigns are a great way to connect with potential clients and launch a pre-sale to gather the funds first.
Guest Bio
Julie Ball is the CEO of Sparkle Hustle Grow, speaker, and community builder, and author. She’s been featured in Forbes, Business Insider, Thrive Global, POPSUGAR, Mashable, and Buzzfeed. Julie ran an all female website design and development firm but wanted to make the switch to working from home and being there for her daughter, and this is how her online business was born. Today, she runs a subscription business for female entrepreneurs with the purpose of bringing positivity and words of encouragement to their lives.
Media appearances aren’t just for celebrities and big companies. Small businesses can leverage them as well. What are the first steps we should take towards exposure in the media? Are a few appearances enough to generate leads for years to come? How does the media cycle impact the number of times we need to be seen to stay relevant?
In this episode, Christina Nicholson shares why media appearances are superior to advertising and how we can leverage them.
You have to continue to put yourself out there because the cycle is always moving and changing.
-Christina Nicholson
3 Things We Learned From This Episode
Why it’s beneficial to make the transition from freelancer to business owner (13:00-14:00)
Being a freelancer and a business owner is almost the same thing, but people perceive these words differently. Plus, when we make the shift, we can add more people to our team who can help us out and free up our time.
How to leverage media appearances (17:37-19:20)
People assume that once they appear in the media everyone is going to see it and clients will flock to them. We still have to do our own PR and promote our appearances.
The importance of continually investing in media (24:01-25:08)
Like the stock market, we can’t just invest money, make a small win, and retire. We have to continue to invest in our PR efforts or we won’t get leads on a consistent basis. Our media appearances only stay relevant for so long, making it important to pursue and create new opportunities for exposure.
Earned media is different from advertising because our audience knows we're getting the coverage because of our value. Anyone can pay for ads, but it takes a certain level of skill and expertise to be featured on a major media outlet. This is why PR is so important for our businesses. It gives our audience clues about our value and what we can bring to the table.
What makes earned media different from advertising is our audience knowing that it’s because of our value that we get coverage. Anyone can pay for ads, but it takes a certain level of skill and expertise to be featured on a major media outlet, and this is why PR is so important for our businesses. It gives our audience clues about our value and how much we can bring to the table.
Guest Bio
Christina Nicholson is a former TV reporter and anchor who has worked in markets from New York City to Miami. She is still telling stories, but instead of doing it for a newscast, she's doing it to help businesses grow. With her business, Media Maven, she helps entrepreneurs reach thousands, even millions, of their ideal customers or clients in minutes instead of months through the power of media without spending big bucks on advertising. You can still see her in front of the camera as a host on Lifetime TV, in national commercials, and read her work online in Huff Post, Inc. Magazine, and Fast Company. Christina also has a local lifestyle and family blog, Christina All Day. She lives in South Florida with her husband and two young children.
Go to https://www.mediamavenandmore.com/ for more information, find her on Facebook http://Facebook.com/MediaMavenAndMore and follow @ChristinaAllDay on social media.
We often think of childbirth as a physical process, but it’s a lot about the mind too. How can we find the balance between mind and body to make labor less stressful? What can a doula teach us about birthing, motherhood and shifting our paradigms about labor? How can a better understanding of manifestation help us to guide our thoughts and actions into the life we want?
On this episode, Chelsea Alders shares on her journey to becoming a mother, a doula, and a business owner.
The more your brain tries to jump in and interrupt, the less your body and intuition will take over.
- Chelsea Alders
3 Things We Learned From This Episode
The universe manifests what you ask of it (14:47- 15:09)
What you think and what you say out loud is a lot of what will manifest for you. You’ll find that the universe often seems to do what you want. It's important that our actions line up with what we want in our lives.
Manifesting vs. gut instincts (16:17 - 16:49)
There’s always going to be a push-and-pull between creating our reality by manifesting it or following what our gut tells us we're capable of.
How we can breathe our pain away (17:15-19:08)
When we’re scared and stressed, our bodies contract, which makes labor so much harder. Hypnobirth leans on the fact that we’re more at ease when we breathe, which decentralizes the pain. When we offer breath to an ache, it eases it. Our bodies let go, and they can be in a space to do what they're meant to do.
We all have paradigms shaped by our experiences, and they can often be very limiting. The more well-rounded experiences we have, the more we expand our options and ideas about what works for us.
Guest Bio
Chelsea Alders is a mom of 3, owner of Sun Dreams Productions, a corporate entertainment and artist agency, running and coordinating entertainment for companies like Nordstrom, UGG Australia, Ted Baker, Bloomingdales, Neiman Marcus, Dillards, etc. She is the Co-owner of Om Mamas Blog, Owner of Om Mamas Doulas, and a Labor Doula, Placenta Specialist and licensed HypnoBirthing® Practitioner.
Go to https://www.ommamas.com/ for more information.
We love solving problems, but what happens when our clients need something else from us? Perhaps support or just someone who can listen to their problems? How can we identify ways to better serve our clients? When should we give advice and when should we just listen as a friend?
In this episode, I talk about when we’re needed as coaches and when we should just sit back and acknowledge our clients issues.
The answer is not always to solve the problem. Sometimes, the answer is to listen. -Dana Malstaff
3 Things We Learned From This Episode
How do we know if we’re helpful when our clients come to us? How do we identify if they need a solution or just someone who listens and supports them? One of the indicators of what clients need is how open they are to the idea of taking action. For example, consider a situation where we inform a client how to solve their problem but they ignore it. If they begin to vent, it’s probably a sign that they need our support, not business advice.
Negative experiences in our lives come with emotional scars, baggage, and other burdens. How can we unpack these things and overcome the emotional consequences of what we’ve faced? How do we bring a bit more confidence and bravery into our daily lives? How do we know when a fear is serious and needs to be addressed?
On this episode, founder of In-Courage Living and professional encourager, Sarah Humes, shares how she’s healed from the tragedies in her life and how she’s empowering people to live in freedom, confidence, and bravery every day.
Challenging circumstances come with emotional consequences.
-Sarah Humes
3 Things We Learned From This Episode
When fear stops us from doing everyday things like making dinner for our families or going after our goals, it’s time to look inward and perhaps talk to someone who can help us unpack all this. We all have fears, insecurities, and negative experiences that have shaped us, but we can also overcome them and start living brave and confident lives. Bravery isn’t about not being afraid— it’s about pushing through it. Confidence is security in who we are, and it doesn’t have to be based on what we look like or sound like. It’s just about what we believe our value is—and we are all valuable. Tapping into that makes us happier, helps with what we contribute to the world, and it heals us.
Guest Bio-
Sarah is a professional encourager and the founder of In-Courage Living. After struggling with anxiety and fear, In-Courage Living was born out of the desire to share her experiences with others to help them realize they they are strong. Over the past 5 years, she has taught small audiences and groups many different life skills to deal with life's little problems. Go to https://www.sarahrosehumes.com/ or find her on Facebook https://facebook.com/incourageliving.com or on Instagram @HumesSarah for more information.