Dream Plan Action with Nicole Ralston

I know it's been a few months since I last released an episode - so much has happened since that last email!! And to cut to the chase, this is actually going to be my last podcast episode as I am closing my business ❤️ This year really demanded that my attention be spent at home. Many of our extended family members experienced major medical issues (my immediate family and I are all healthy, in case you're worried!). All these events really made me evaluate my current career - what career best supports our family right now? And unfortunately, the answer wasn't my business. After much discernment, I've realized that this chapter has come to a natural end. And while I'll continue supporting current clients through the end of 2024, I'll no longer be taking new clients. If you'd like to learn more about how I came to this decision - what thoughts and questions I specifically explored in my discernment - I share my decision-making process in this episode. And if you have any specific questions, please email me! hello@nicoleralston.com Thank you SO much for following me up to this point - running this business has been a dream come true, and it's all because of your encouragement and support. Coaching has truly changed my life, and I hope that your coaching practices and/or businesses continue to grow and thrive! 

In the last episode of this season, I'm explaining my podcasting strategy, why I recommend taking a break from marketing platforms, and how to see marketing platforms more as tools and not requirements. If you've been feeling overwhelmed by ALL the marketing channels you need to keep up with, I hope this episode offers you some relief! Because simplifying my marketing hasn't hurt my sales in the slightest. In fact, simplifying my marketing has actually INCREASED my sales. Listen to the episode to learn more.

The TLDR: As a coach re-launching your business, it's VITAL to host sales calls and not just rely on your sales page. It's not because you need to be on a call to push your client into a sale. Sales calls actually SERVE your 1:1 clients better because it gives them an opportunity to ask questions and get really clear on the plan for your 1:1 container. Listen to the episode to learn more! Sales Call Workshop interest form: https://forms.gle/meKB92X7J5tCWVQUA Get on my email list: https://mailchi.mp/nicoleralston/email-list Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicoleralston_/

As coaches, we know that mindset and emotional agility play a big role in reaching your goals - but it's also VITAL that you simply set appropriate goals in your business! Because yes - you may have the mindset tools and somatic tools to handle a lot, but it's unfair to yourself to set impossible goals. In today's episode of Scale With Heart: 70 Goal Setting and Avoidance Patterns, I teach you a simple technique for setting achievable goals that drive your business forward instead of ones that keep looping you back to the drawing board. I hope this episode helps you set achievable goals that drive you to take action quickly, stumble gracefully, and get back up again and again.

Simplifying your business sounds nice, but your brain might be screaming, "You need to do MORE to sell MORE!!!!" In today's episode, I help you shift those challenging thoughts so that you can create BETTER messaging, an UNPARALLELED coaching container, and sign more thrilled clients as a result. Simplifying your offers will help you scale faster because everything becomes higher QUALITY, not because of quantity, so let me help you talk your brain into getting on board!

I did something recently I never thought I would do - I returned to my old job. And it's been GREAT. Also, weirdly - I somehow have more free time than BEFORE I started working part-time. After sitting down and wondering why that is, I came up with 5 lessons that I've learned since leaving my old job. It's actually been a wonderful experience to return to my old life - a life in which I felt super burned out - and return with a fresh perspective. This is a bit of a different episode, but I'm so excited to share what I've learned and how I've grown both personally and professionally since starting my business. I hope this inspires you to take some time to reflect and glean wisdom from your own experiences! Interested in the free course I mentioned? You can still catch The Path to $100k by signing up for my mailing list here.

Yes, I do mean this in the most literal sense! In this episode, we will explore failure and what causes it. From there, I will give you 3 practical and actionable tips that you can implement RIGHT NOW to build a business that can't fail. If you've been feeling like you're business is never going to take off and you're stuck in an endless loop of “getting ready to launch,” I hope you find that the tips in this episode help you move forward.

As coaches, our main job is to help our clients achieve their goals. So it makes sense that we experience a lot of SHAME when we're unable to achieve our own goals - especially when it comes to running a coaching business. And we know nothing good happens when we're stuck in a shame spiral. So the proudest work I've done in my business is rebuilding my relationship with achievement and goal-setting into something healthier, and a healthy relationship with goal-setting is a productive one! And I'm sharing everything I've learned with you today. In this episode, I'll explain the 3 mistakes entrepreneurs make when it comes to setting goals for their business and what actions to take instead. I'm excited for this episode to give you both actionable tips and a different perspective on working towards a $100k year. I hope you can integrate these tips into your own goal-setting practice immediately!

I notice that when I'm in sales avoidance, I'm often looking for another coaching course or certification. I've since realized it's because I have this subconscious thought that tells me I'm not selling because I don't have enough experience or expertise, even though I've been coaching for YEARS at this point. If you're avoiding sales or marketing because you're worried about your coaching abilities, this episode is for you. I give you 3 exercises that help you observe your opinions on your ability, your thoughts about what you think coaching SHOULD be, and how to sit with the discomfort that naturally comes up in a coaching relationship. It's a quick but juicy episode with a lot of insight!

If you're committed to launching your business and finally getting it off the ground this year, you're in luck! In this episode, I walk you through 4 prompts to help you build a mindset committed to sales. Why sales? Because building your business REQUIRES more sales. Again - we're never over here trying to sleazily convince your clients to buy! Instead, these questions will help you reflect on your why, your goals for your personal life, and your mindset around time management. My goal in this episode is not only for you to not only sell more packages but to also develop a better sense of work-life balance in the new year.

I realized that a BIG reason my business wasn't taking off was because I was scared of burning out again. I was scared of working more hours, working harder, and giving away too much of my time because it always led to a bad place - a place where my life came second, and I was left feeling depressed and exhausted. But when I decided to recommit to my business in June, it became clear that I needed to learn a new way to hustle. Now that it's December, I'm excited to report that I've figured out how to hustle in a way that has resulted in more clients than I've ever had in my business and still allows me to sleep 8 hours a day, bake cookies, and read stories to my kids. I'm going to explain how I shifted both my mindset around hard work and how my actions have shifted as a result. I can't wait to hear your thoughts on this episode and what you plan to shift in your business!

I signed NO new clients through June. I honestly had given up on my business at that point and was really in a funk the first half of 2023. It wasn't looking pretty in my office come June. I was surrounded by notebooks with a lot of sad writing, and I really believed that maybe I wasn't meant to have a coaching business. Cut to today, and here I am 6 months later signing a client a week! I have more clients than I can take - but I'll take this problem over having none, lol. In this episode, I'm going to share what came out of my “come to Jesus moment” in June and how I changed EVERYTHING in my business to get to this point. I'm excited for you to leave this episode with 5 actionable items that will help you get your business in order! On that note, if you're interested in working with me in the new year, I'm actually cooking up a new offer and not taking any more clients at this time. BUT, if you're ready to finally get your business in gear and get out of your own rut, I encourage you to sign up for the waitlist now!

“Discovery” or “Connection Calls” puts your clients in an awkward position because there's a lot of (unintentional) convincing energy there. A lot of coaches feel uncomfortable making sales, so they see a discovery call as an opportunity to explain what coaching is. They hope that if clients just SEE what coaching is, the sales process will be easier and feel less awkward. Sales are going to feel awkward until YOU work through your sales mindset. The only reason you're not making sales as many sales as you could be is because it still makes YOU feel gross. Sales aren't inherently gross - they're neutral. In fact, my clients aren't phased by our sales conversations or when I discuss my prices. Sales is an expected part of our conversation, it is never shoehorned in awkwardly. And that's because **I** feel GREAT about my sales process - and so they do, too!! You CAN host a sales call that's EMPOWERING. One that never makes you feel like you're putting pressure on your clients to buy, even if you name it a “sales call.” Sales calls don't have to be sleazy, they don't require scripts, and they definitely don't need to address “objections.” If you change YOUR thoughts about sales calls and then finally embrace the sales process, you'll find that you have no problem booking or hosting sales calls. So, in this Instagram Live replay, I help you finally get rid of Discovery Calls for good and lean into hosting sales calls. You'll learn why it's better for you AND your clients. You can listen to the replay here to learn more!

If you're struggling to define what kind of service you offer, today's is for you! In this Instagram Live replay, I define coaching vs consulting, and then dive into the mindset blocks that cause coaches to question whether or not they should be consultants. I hope this helps you better define and share your services! If you'd like to develop your own 4-figure coaching package, and then learn how to sell it honestly and confidently, I encourage you to book a free marketing consultation at the link below. I look forward to helping you scale your coaching business!

I know many coaches struggle with their relationship to social media and Instagram. They hate feeling like they need to be on Instagram all the time, they don't like the way “likes” and their follower count makes them feel, and they definitely feel stressed out by sales posts. So in this episode, we're going to move beyond Instagram hacks and the algorithm (which only serve Instagram, the company) and instead focus on how to make social media that benefits your CLIENTS. When you focus on your clients' needs, content just flows and social media doesn't feel so heavy. So I hope this episode takes some of the tools from my sessions to help you reduce your stress levels, shift into client service, and start making content with ease!

If you're plagued by the thought, “Does my marketing make me look like a REAL coach?” let me give you a quick piece of advice - your marketing doesn't need to look "legit" to make sales. Branding can be a HUGE distraction at the beginning of your business because you don't need an aesthetic presence to make sales. You simply need content that addresses your clients' NEEDS. In this episode, I share the basic rules of crafting content that serves AND sells. So if you're stressing out about making your feed pretty, I hope this episode gives you some relief and encourages you to start helping your clients with what you have RIGHT NOW.

I get how HEAVY every post feels when you start marketing your business. “Is this post ‘right'? Did I say the right things to make a sale (without being skeezy???)? Is it good enough to go ‘viral'? Does it make me look like a REAL coach????” When you're posting from a place of scarcity (aka: putting SO much pressure on every post to make a sale or to validate your business), you start to take the focus off of your clients. And besides the fact that focusing on your clients feels better, serving your clients through your content is what ACTUALLY drives sales. In this episode, I outline my 3-step process for shifting out of scarcity and back into service - so you can start calling in ideal clients and start making consistent sales.

I constantly hear the phrase, “1:1 coaching doesn't scale,” throughout the coaching industry. That's simply not true. At ALL. In this episode, I break down the math (yay, math!) and explain how you can even scale by selling 1:1 coaching ONLY. I also share what your income will look like as you move from $10k to $100k, and why you should ignore most of the scaling advice you find online. I hope this episode gives you more practice advice and helps you shape a more effective sales strategy!

It's true - selling group coaching and selling courses is a SLOWER way to scale. There's so much wisdom, experience, and MONEY to be made if you start your business off with 1:1 coaching. In this episode, I'll explain why 1:1 coaching is not only better for your clients, but it's better for the longevity of your business, ESPECIALLY if you're a newer coach. I'm excited to offer you this more holistic picture of scaling, so pop your earbuds in and let's go!

I know how stressful the thought of even hosting an initial consult (aka: sales call) can be. I used to be terrified of them! Now, they're easily my favorite part of the coaching process - and my clients LOVE them. They walk away with so much clarity, whether or not they sign on to work with me (although almost 80% of them convert to a sale!). In this episode, I will share my big dos and don'ts for hosting a successful, stress-free sales call. You'll walk away with actionable tools to take into your initial consults so that your client feels empowered by the process …and you do too!

I used to have so much mind-drama about sharing my price, but my pricing has NEVER been a problem for my clients during their consult (aka: sales call). I've sold over a dozen $1k and $2500 offers, and no one has ever had any objections about the price. But I used to be so scared of sales calls for that reason and constantly question if I should be selling lower-ticket offers instead. Once I healed that thought though - “What if my clients can't afford it????” - I became so much more present and helpful on my initial consult, and my conversion rates (aka: the percentage of people that sign on during that call) SKYROCKETED. I now boast a >75% conversion rate on sales calls when the industry says 15% is high. In this episode, I'll help you heal your own pricing phobias with some simple strategies that you can implement today. Let your clients feel empowered by your prices! I love that my clients always walk away proud with the investment they've made in themselves :)

Coaches struggle with sales and marketing because they're not sure how it fits into their 1:1 coaching. In fact, they often view marketing and sales as a “necessary evil.” I think that all aspects of the client experience - marketing, sales, AND 1:1 coaching - should empower your client every step of the way. My clients constantly refer back to my marketing even after they sign on for 1:1 coaching. They LOVE my free consult (aka: sales call). I can't tell you how many clients tell me that that call changed their whole perspective on their business! I love every phase of my client experience because each phase serves them, whether or not I'm coaching them directly. In this episode, I'll explain how to build a seamless and empowering client experience from marketing to sales to 1:1 coaching.

Does marketing make you feel icky because you're not sure how to keep your posts “real and authentic?” In this episode, I explain why your marketing strategy might be inherently icky and how to shift your strategy into one that is more client-focused, one that dives deeper than surface-level branding. I believe that you can coach your clients through your marketing, and I teach you how to do that in this episode. Once you start marketing this way, your entire client process will feel much more grounded and cohesive with your actual 1:1 coaching.

I understand the urgency that comes with launching your coaching business - it feels like you need ALL the clients NOW. And this sends you into overdrive with your marketing (which always leads to burnout), or you end up so anxious and in your head about everything that you avoid marketing altogether. This is why it's so much more important to address your mindset BEFORE you even attempt any strategy. Having a healthy mindset will allow you to stay consistent with whatever strategy you decide to go with. Because at the end of the day, consistency is about mindset NOT about finding the perfect strategy.

Coaches early in their business often worry that they "can't explain what coaching is." If you struggle explaining coaching, this episode is for you. I explain what it is that you actually need to share in your marketing and why it's ultimately more helpful for clients. Our goal as coaches is to help our clients make progress - even through our marketing - and this technique will help you do just that.

Are you freaked out by promising your clients results? Are you confused about being a coach or consultant? And do you feel like you NEED to have a program, or worse, a magic formula in order to sell your coaching? If you're struggling with any of these thoughts, I'm going to quiet them down today by defining what coaching is and where its value lies. Once you feel confident in the value of coaching - and can articulate it well to your clients - you won't feel as confused or icky selling it!  If you found this episode helpful, I'd really appreciate your feedback - please shoot me an email! You can either email hello@nicoleralston.com or find a link in the show notes :)

Welcome back to the podcast, listeners! I'm back and back to coaching coaches. Yes, landing on my business niche has been somewhat of a roller coaster - because my mindset and emotions about my business were too. I'm going to share how I've arrived at a healthier state with my business - the thoughts I've shifted and the feelings I've processed to get there. If you're experienced niche drama as a coach, I hope my story will give you some relief! As well as some tips to relieve the niche drama for yourself.

There's this assumption that all your problems will disappear as soon as you start making five/six/seven'/a bazillion figures. Not only is that not true, but you can claim your happiness NOW. In this final episode of the season, Nicole gives you some exercises to start finding peace in your day-to-day so that you can enjoy your time now AND when you hit the 6-figure mark! If you need help managing your inconsistent income, you can book a sales call to learn how my simple financial system helps you plan for expenses AND pay yourself more.

We all go into entrepreneurship with a pre-conceived definition of success. If that definition goes unchecked, that's when we run into frustration, heartache, and burnout. This episode gives you a few simple exercises to start unpacking your own definitions of success. I hope this helps you let go of the parts that are no longer serving you! If you need help managing your inconsistent income, you can book a sales call to learn how my simple financial system helps you plan for expenses AND pay yourself more.

Most new entrepreneurs feel bad that they don't manage to build a 6-figure business in their first month. (I don't think I'm exaggerating that.) I know I talk about making 6-figures a lot this season, so I want to emphasize in this episode that that DOESN'T normally happen for entrepreneurs in their first year, let alone their first month. So instead of feeling like a failure, I dive into how to give yourself the time, space, and resources your business needs to EVENTUALLY hit the 6-figure mark - and not letting the speed at which you get there define the health or success of your business. If you need help managing your inconsistent income, you can book a sales call to learn how my simple financial system helps you plan for expenses AND pay yourself more.

As a business coach, I've heard so much moaning and groaning about “having to keep up a social media account.” In this episode, I make 2 things clear: 1) You don't HAVE to have a social media account to run a successful business, PERIOD. 2) If you decide to host a social media account, you need to stop treating it like a burden! Otherwise, it's never going to become the powerful marketing vehicle you hope it will. In this episode, I share how I've made peace with social media, and I hope it helps you find your own peace too. If you need help managing your inconsistent income, you can book a sales call to learn how my simple financial system helps you plan for expenses AND pay yourself more.

I used to struggle making space for self-care or my hobbies because they weren't “productive.” Now, I see those items as a VITAL part of my business! Making time for self-care, hobbies, and inspirational activities has actually helped me be MORE productive and grow this new business to make its first major custom order in less than a month, and continue to rise from there. I hope this episode helps you reframe your thoughts around what count as “work” so that you become more productive, less anxious, and more inspired in your day-to-day! If you need help managing your inconsistent income, you can book a sales call to learn how my simple financial system helps you plan for expenses AND pay yourself more.

This might sound silly, but one of the main things holding my clients back is that they don't actually want their big dream as much as they think they do. I know what you're thinking - “Huh? Of course I want 6 figures/to own my own creative business/to quit my job!” But I ALSO know you're thinking, “Well, yes I want that but I can't quit my job because of the stability/I don't think I'll actually be able to make 6 figures with my dream business/I don't think I'm a good enough artist to have my own business.” If you're caught between the tension of those two opposing thoughts, you'll also find yourself stuck growing your business. This episode will explain how to get you unstuck and moving forward so you can become the entrepreneur you always dreamed of! If you need help managing your inconsistent income, you can book a sales call to learn how my simple financial system helps you plan for expenses AND pay yourself more.

In today's episode, I dive more into the details of the launch of Paper and Rouge, and specifically why I decided to start with retail sales instead of online. I also share how I prioritized sales, marketing, and product development with limited time and why I made the choices I did. I hope that this helps you find focus in your own goal-setting! If you need help managing your inconsistent income, you can book a sales call to learn how my simple financial system helps you plan for expenses AND pay yourself more.

After years of coaching creatives, I finally decided to start my own stationery business called Paper and Rouge. After years of coaching creatives, I also learned a thing or two about launching a creative business, which I'm excited to share with you in this episode today. After only launching in January (and taking my first drawing class in February), I had my first major custom sale, and I'm already selling cards to a local retailer. It's taken both a huge leap of confidence and a lot of trust in my financial planning, and I'm excited to dive into the mindset shifts that allowed me to make this huge business moves. This is my most personal episode this season, so I hope you enjoy and find something valuable to take away! If you need help managing your inconsistent income, you can book a sales call to learn how my simple financial system helps you plan for expenses AND pay yourself more.

Most clients come to me when they're reaching the edge of burnout. Things are technically working well in their business - they're regularly hitting 4- or even 5-figure months - but they're trapped in this fear cycle, worried the next month won't bring in any revenue.   The first question I ask them is how much they're paying themselves. 9 times out of 10 the answer is that they're not. And as soon as we come up with a cash flow plan, it's amazing to see the burnout melt away.   The best part? You can do this yourself, right now!   So in this episode, Nicole will discuss why paying yourself a regular salary saves you from burnout, how to pay yourself a regular salary even if your monthly revenue is variable, and we'll also unpack the stories that get us into the habit of not paying yourself in the first place. This is a juicy episode full of tons of tips and heartfelt anecdotes that you won't want to miss!   If you need help managing your inconsistent income, you can book a sales call to learn how my simple financial system helps you plan for expenses AND pay yourself more.

Are you feeling like a failure because you make 4-figures one month and what feels like nothing the next month? First of all - you're not a failure; you're totally NORMAL. Secondly, this episode is for you! Nicole talks about how to analyze your business's cash flow so that you can better manage your money AND your time. If you're struggling to make sense of your books, this is an episode you won't want to miss!   If you need help managing your inconsistent income, you can book a sales call to learn how my simple financial system helps you plan for expenses AND pay yourself more.

At the beginning of your business, it's totally fine to set open-ended goals. If you're still doing that at the 5- or 6-figure mark though, you're probably finding yourself constantly coming up short and running into frustration and heartache. Today's episode is going to show you a clearer and more effective method of goal-setting that helps you finally hit the 6-figure level. I hope this episode also helps you own the expertise you've gained up until this point (or feel like an expert at any level!). If you need help creating a simple, effective, and time-saving 6-figure business plan, you can book a sales call to learn how my 1:1 coaching program can help you reach your business goals with clarity and ease [https://calendly.com/nicole-ralston/sales-call?month=2023-04]

Nicole talks about why staying stuck in a stress cycle not only leads to burnout but also prevents you from scaling your business to 6-figures. You'll learn what causes burnout, how to process stress (hint: it's not by achieving your big business goals!), and how self-care will help you hit your 6-figures more easily and quickly.   If you need help breaking the entrepreneurial burnout cycle, you can book a sales call to learn how my 1:1 coaching program supports both your business goals and your well-being [https://calendly.com/nicole-ralston/sales-call]

We can get so wrapped up in the “newness” of our businesses when we're first starting out that we may not stop to evaluate where we're putting our energy every day. I'm sure you can relate to this, but during my first year of business I found myself running on fumes sometimes in order to check the boxes of what I thought was important. In this episode I'll be sharing some of the lessons I've learned, especially recently, as I take a step back from social media and take inventory of how I'm marketing my business and splitting my time. We could all do with the reminder to make sure we're investing the same thoughtfulness in our personal lives as well, because neglecting to do so is contrary to why many of us start businesses in the first place: for that extra freedom. I hope you'll learn something from this episode and that together we can distribute our energy with more intention and compassion. Here are some things I've learned:   Anything that grows needs care and attention. A powerful question to ask is, “What do I want to nourish?” The importance of a monthly budget and knowing where my money is going. Ask yourself how to grow a fulfilling life, and how our business can support that; not the other way around. Viewing the business trajectory as an atlas rather than a singular path can help cut down on perfectionism. I don't want to get back on the content-making machine. Resources from this episode:   Are you interested in crafting a fulfilling, growth-oriented experience for your clients that scales? Take my free mini-course Build Your Foundational Framework Interested in working with me? Check out my Service Page Follow me on Instagram Meet my podcast editor Angelina at The Intentional Edit :) My intro music was produced by Moshun

I know I talk about intuition a lot on this podcast, but that's because intuition is interwoven with every part of our lives and businesses: every decision, every client, every financial move. In addition to those helpful pro-con lists, we all really need to be able to trust ourselves to know whether or not we're on the “right path” in our businesses. Today on the podcast, I'm having a dialogue with Sarah Noble of The Modern Day Intuitive, on how we can conceptualize our intuition and get to know our own intuition more intimately. I hope you'll enjoy this slightly different, open conversation, and the natural progression of our thoughts around what our unique purposes are in life.   Sarah Noble is here to inspire you to live into your dreams, your desires and your destiny. To create a life that is full of joy and laughter and possibilities, invoking the fire of your soul to remember why you are here, to bring forth the wisdom that lies dormant in your bones. Come dance in the space between the seen and the unseen worlds, and awaken the gifts of your intuition, your magic and your deepest desires.   Here are some things I've learned:   We can view our individual journeys as more of a map than a singular path. Zooming out to see the sum of our decisions and experiences gives us a better view of the whole rather than focusing on what the “perfect” path is.  It's all about learning more about yourself, your boundaries, and what your true desires are. We start to experience overwhelm when we find ourselves facing the unknown, but this is an opportunity to listen to yourself more. Working hard towards something that feels in alignment allows you to replenish yourself as opposed to constantly draining yourself in order to serve others. The more coherent we are internally, the more coherent our lives are.   Resources from this episode: Follow Sarah on Instagram: @themoderndayintuitive, https://www.instagram.com/themoderndayintuitive/ 'Embrace Your Magic' is a 3 month container, inspired by the ancient mystery schools, designed to awaken and ignite the magic that is already alive in your soul. Connect deeply with your dreams, desires and intuition through Earth Magic, Ceremony, Meditation, Journeying, Shamanic Initiations and Magical Activations, creating a life full of joy, laughter and possibilities: https://sarahnoble.com/embrace-your-magic/ Visit Sarah's website: https://sarahnoble.com/ Additional resources: Are you interested in crafting a fulfilling, growth-oriented experience for your clients that scales? Take my free mini-course Build Your Foundational Framework Interested in working with me? Check out my Service Page Follow me on Instagram Meet my podcast editor Angelina at The Intentional Edit :) My intro music was produced by Moshun

I used to have such a difficult time weaving in the selling portion into my social media content. Even though I felt authentic in my voice when I posted normally, any time I would try to sell my coaching services, I would feel so sleazy. I imagine you've also felt the same way before! Today I talk with Gelaine Santiago about overcoming that discomfort and narrowing down our audience when pitching our services. Gelaine shares her own entrepreneurship journey and how she transitioned from a broad, global fashion brand into a much more focused, and ultimately more successful, business uplifting Filipino artisans. Together, we talk about how to balance storytelling and selling in our bigger content strategies, and how to leverage our “why” by becoming crystal-clear on who we're speaking to in our marketing.   Gelaine Santiago is an award-winning entrepreneur, speaker, writer, and content marketing coach for BIPOC founders. As a marketing coach, Gelaine helps BIPOC founders show up unapologetically and sell authentically through content. She is also the co-founder and CEO of Cambio & Co. and Sinta & Co., two Filipino fashion brands that create sustainable livelihood for artisans in the Philippines and empower the diaspora to celebrate their heritage. Her work has been featured in major publications like Forbes, Cosmopolitan Magazine, and Huffington Post.   Here are some things I've learned:   How to leverage your story as a means to connect to your community while selling at the same time (“story-selling”) How to get detailed about who you're serving – what is their problem in one sentence? The more we understand ourselves, the more we can understand our ideal customers and feel aligned in that relationship. How we can empower ourselves and other minorities so they don't feel pressured to whitewash their message in order to be more “mainstream” If you're trying to speak to everybody, you're really speaking to nobody.   Resources from this episode: Follow Gelaine on Instagram: @gelainesantiago, https://www.instagram.com/gelainesantiago/ Get The Template: Find Your Fierce Customer Persona This isn't another generic customer avatar exercise. This is the same customer persona template Gelaine has used to grow dozens of purpose-driven brands, including her own 6-figure businesses: https://fiercefans.gelainesantiago.com/customer-persona-template  Visit Gelaine's website: https://www.gelainesantiago.com/   Additional resources: Are you interested in crafting a fulfilling, growth-oriented experience for your clients that scales? Take my free mini-course Build Your Foundational Framework Interested in working with me? Check out my Service Page Follow me on Instagram Meet my podcast editor Angelina at The Intentional Edit :) My intro music was produced by Moshun

Have you been feeling a bit underwhelmed by your closet? Been opting into those sweatpants a little too often lately? In this episode I'm chatting with Naana Badu on how to dress for success in your business. Naana Badu changes lives through style! As a Style Coach and Speaker for her styling and image consulting firm, Badu Basics, Naana coaches women of color to elevate their wardrobe to embody their bold, authentic style. With 15+ years as a management consultant, she's navigated corporate spaces and learned the power of authenticity and confidence. Naana calls Ghana and Brooklyn, NY home and is living her best life with her husband, Chenits. This is a fascinating episode where we dive into what makes our style so central to our sense of confidence and personal identity, as well as how we make the tough calls to organize our closets and let go of past versions of ourselves through clothing. We also dig deeper into the complexities of how women of color are perceived in the workplace, and how we all can redefine what “professionalism” means for the better.   Here are some things I've learned: People are not only looking AT you; they're looking UP to you. Embracing our style can allow us to purge old versions of ourselves and come into our own presence and evolution. At the end of the day, everyone wants to feel confident. What's going to make you feel the most confident in your wardrobe? Lessen the gap between your everyday dress choices and the way you go all out for “big” events. If your clothes are worn, stained, or ripped, let them go. If you haven't worn something in over two years, let it go.   Resources from this episode: Follow Naana on Instagram: @badubasics, www.instagram.com/badubasics Sign up for Naana's signature coaching program: The Style Elevation Experience is a virtual style coaching program for WOC leaders and industry experts entering big rooms that require bold, distinct style and a confident presence. www.badubasics.com/style-elevation-experience  Visit Naana's website: www.badubasics.com   Additional resources: Are you interested in crafting a fulfilling, growth-oriented experience for your clients that scales? Take my free mini-course Build Your Foundational Framework Interested in working with me? Check out my Service Page Follow me on Instagram Meet my podcast editor Angelina at The Intentional Edit :) My intro music was produced by Moshun

When we're first starting out in business, our problems usually boil down to finding our first clients, learning how to speak to our audience, finding our “why,”, etcetera. But as our businesses expand, we develop new, more complex problems, and the organization of our time and money becomes more difficult. This is typically when we are encouraged to “just get a VA,” and we might do that just because it feels like the next step. But is that really the best use of our time and money during this phase? I talk all about it with today's guest, Brianna King. Brianna is a coach and systems strategist who helps busy moms and business owners cultivate their resilience through systems and teaches them how to add them to their lives to prevent commonly made mistakes when goal setting. Graduate of the Courageous Living Coach Certification Program, Brianna's is passionate about helping others and inspiring them daily. This is such an eye-opening conversation and I can't wait for you to dive in with us.   Here are some things I've learned:   Outsourcing a new person makes you a manager, and as a manager, your workload doubles. You're not saving time or money when you have to train a new person and you don't have an existing system. Virtual assistants, (VAs), work best fitting into existing systems – for a higher rate, an online business manager (OBM) will come in to create and oversee those systems. A customer relationship manager (CRM), is your database of client information and communication. A project management platform (PM), is the place where you organize and delegate tasks related to a project. Sometimes we need to step back and see the bigger picture, trusting that the systems we implement will be more sustainable over time. As a beginner, it pays to be scrappy as you figure out what your workflow is. But as you become more booked, you can apply the data you've gathered to create more streamlined operations. Resources from this episode: Follow Brianna on Instagram: @briannakingcoaching, www.instagram.com/briannakingcoaching Want to know if you're ready for a VA? Grab Brianna's freebie Work with Brianna: www.brianna-king.com   Additional resources: Are you interested in crafting a fulfilling, growth-oriented experience for your clients that scales? Take my free mini-course Build Your Foundational Framework Interested in working with me? Check out my Service Page Follow me on Instagram Meet my podcast editor Angelina at The Intentional Edit :) My intro music was produced by Moshun

I hope everyone's hungry, because I'm welcoming the queen of food analogies and email strategy, Allison Carpio, to the show. Allison Carpio is an author, speaker, email + copy coach, and head chef at The Conversion Kitchen. She got fed up with all the fake scarcity and oppressive tactics in the email marketing world – especially from the bros and boss babes. Now, she helps her chefs (clients) cook up emails that sell without the sleaze. We have a beautiful conversation packed with nuggets of wisdom. We debunk the common misconceptions around email marketing, the mindset shifts needed to leverage email as a way to become intimate with your audience, and ways to get yourself out of the beginner's rut and just start emailing. Overall, it's clear that we need to let go of “shoulds” and start embracing our human imperfections when it comes to email. I'm sure ready to do that.   Here are some things I've learned: Email is the most intimate way to get to know someone. Just like cooking for someone!  And it should be fun – just like cooking for someone. Selling feels uncomfortable to so many entrepreneurs, partly because of many of the inauthentic urgency tactics that get circulated in the mainstream marketing world.  If you believe in what you're offering and you're proud of it, you don't have to be afraid of putting it in front of the people who want what you're selling. There's no need to be defensive about someone's potential objections to your offer. It's better to be patient for those who are actually ready. There's so much impact from email even if everyone isn't clicking or replying. This impact can't always be quantified but trust that it will nourish your relationships in the long run. Look for potential aligned partnerships to build your list out in the beginning. Give talks, host joint webinars, appear on podcasts. Always share your freebie. You actually don't need to craft an entire detailed newsletter every day. Casual feels more intimate and it takes less time. Double win.   Resources from this episode: Follow Allison on Instagram: @allisoncarpio, www.instagram.com/allisoncarpio Learn more about The Conversion Kitchen and grab Allison's free resource, Four Flavors of Emails That Sell   Additional resources: Are you interested in crafting a fulfilling, growth-oriented experience for your clients that scales? Take my free mini-course Build Your Foundational Framework Interested in working with me? Check out my Service Page here Follow me on Instagram Meet my podcast editor Angelina at The Intentional Edit :) My intro music was produced by Moshun

I promised you all we would be talking about pricing and money, and I'm here to deliver! Today I'm bringing back money coach Gina Knox. She helps entrepreneurs pay themselves more and then save six figures. I love Gina's empathy, her drive to get things done, and her ability to simplify this complex topic into some very straightforward action steps. When it comes to making money in our business, saving it, and spending it, it is crucial to get our systems set up quickly so that it can bring us the most joy, ease, and satisfaction in life. We have an enlightening conversation about healing generational trauma around money, and it feels wonderful to pass these insights on to all you listening. There are so many perfectionist tips out there on how to handle your finances, so I hope this episode gives you the permission you need to let that go. Grab your pen and paper and buckle in.   Here are some things I've learned: Before we can take actions surrounding our money, there are so many beliefs we must overcome; for example, it's common to assume we have to put off paying ourselves more, but this isn't true. Sales are not consistent for anybody. How do we design our finances so that we can get paid and save money anyway? There is an order of operations in managing personal finances and business finances. We must pay ourselves first, and several steps come after. Next, in this order, we save 3 months of expenses, pay off credit card debt, save for retirement, and begin investing in riskier assets. Embrace constraints and trust the process. If you know the box, you can think outside it.  You can't prioritize everything when it comes to money, or you'll be stuck moving too slowly. Knowledge over your finances is the ultimate superpower. It's the primary thing that will help you work through the fear.   Resources from this episode: Follow Gina on Instagram: @ginaknox, www.instagram.com/ginaknox Learn more about Gina Knox's coaching program 6 Figure Saver  Work with Gina one-on-one DISCLAIMER: The above link is an affiliate link. If you purchase a product or service through that link, I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you. Thanks for supporting these businesses and this podcast!   Additional resources: Are you interested in crafting a fulfilling, growth-oriented experience for your clients that scales? Take my free mini-course Build Your Foundational Framework Interested in working with me? Check out my Service Page here Follow me on Instagram Meet my podcast editor Angelina at The Intentional Edit :) My intro music was produced by Moshun

Hello, my dear Dream Plan Action listeners. You may have noticed a few things have changed about this podcast. Over the last year, it's become clear to me that the name of this podcast no longer aligns with my mission. So allow me to introduce you to the new title of this show: Scale With Heart. In this episode, I'm going to share with you some of the things that led me to this shift, as well as the exciting things coming up in my business with regards to my marketing and my offers. Be sure to expect the usual insightful solocasts and interviews. I'm excited to share this new leg of my journey with you, and thank you for supporting me so far. Cue the (new) music!   Here are some things I talk about: My current clients are really serious about growth, so I have to get serious about growth in order to support them. I didn't realize how many money blocks I had; I've always operated from a scarcity mindset. I'm a strong saver but it's not as easy for me to spend. I had to choose to invest in this podcast, for example! Not only do I pay for hosting, I decided to hire an editor to handle all of the time-consuming post-production tasks (if you yourself are looking for a podcast editor, reach out to my editor in the link below) DIY-ing everything as a business owner may save you money, but it will cost you so much time in the long run. My vision is to help my clients grow business rooted in healing, justice, and service. So learning skills that didn't directly align with this mission wouldn't be moving the needle for me. Repeat after me: Investing in my business isn't spending frivolously; it's a way to cultivate my future. Charging more and spending more go hand in hand; we must trust in our worthiness to receive that money and in our ability to produce an impactful return on those investments.   Resources from this episode:  DISCLAIMER: Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you. Thanks for supporting these businesses and this podcast! Check out the We Should All Be Millionaires book Learn more about Gina Knox's coaching program 6 Figure Saver  Meet my podcast editor Angelina at The Intentional Edit :) My new intro music was produced by Moshun   Additional resources: Are you interested in crafting a fulfilling, growth-oriented experience for your clients that scales? Take my free mini-course Build Your Foundational Framework Interested in working with me? Check out my Service Page here Follow me on Instagram

Today's guest is my writing coach and dear friend, Adi Sudarkoff. Adi is a master at connecting me back to my “why” when I'm feeling blocked in the creative process. It can be so frustrating when we're working so closely with our projects and we're feeling overwhelmed by options, that our central mission of doing that project becomes lost in the shuffle. Returning to that “why” makes it a lot easier to figure out exactly how to connect to our audience through whatever channel we've chosen. In this conversation we talk about some of the tools Adi uses to do just that, including human design, astrology, and writing practices, as well as the ways we can work to heal our own personal stories to create powerful, story-based business. We also spend some time breaking down the value of exchanging money, creating stability in our lives through business, and fighting against a scarcity mindset.   Here are some things I learned: Humans are a story-based species. We connect with each other and with ourselves through story, absorbing societal stories to create narratives about who we are. We all must work through the conditioning done to us by a white, capitalist, heteronormative, patriarchal society. Most people perpetuate very limiting stories about themselves based on what they've been told in the past. When you force yourself to be palatable, or “relatable” to everyone, you prevent yourself from actually saying anything. How can we be more intentionally inclusive and find the people who align with our purpose and goals? First, by embracing all parts of ourselves. We can get lost in the binary of “real” and “not real” in a hyperlogical culture. A better question to ask is, “Is this helpful?” Human design and astrology, like many other systems, give a snapshot of the archetypal energy that runs within you.   Resources from this episode:   Adi Sudarkoff's website Find Adi on Instagram at @adisudarkoff Read Lisa Cron's “Wired for Story” book  Read Priya Parker's “The Art of Gathering” book Read Jacob Goldstein's “Money:  A Made Up Story About A True Thing” book Read Natalie Goldberg's “Writing Down the Bones” book Additional resources:   Be sure to grab my free guide on crafting your mission statement!  Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicoleralston_/

Today I welcome Heather Javier of Be About It Health & Wellness on the podcast. Heather is the head coach, a mom of two, a wife, as well as a full-time scientist on top of everything. She is one of the most full-hearted individuals I've ever met, and as a client of my own, we work well together because both of us value heart-centered goals. Heather's coaching programs help clients build heart-centered habits that allow them to reclaim and invest their time in a way that helps them grow as individuals, business-owners, partners, and caregivers. This is a rich and compelling conversation, and I'm very excited to share it with you.   Here are some things I learned:   Asking the right questions and finding the right support is crucial in the beginning of your journey. She describes a “heart-sick” period when she was healthy on the outside and burnt out on the inside from a lack of boundaries and saying yes to everything. Embarking on a journey of healing our hearts requires us to ask honestly, “What do I need?”  What we feel impacts what we do, which impacts our habits; once women have a better sense of what their “why” is, they can start aligning their hustles. Starting with something as simple as sleep can fuel us to show up in all other aspects in a more profound way; rest is not recreation! It's important to sit down and intentionally assess your time; what tasks compete for your attention? What are the things you want to invest your energy into? What are the things you can delegate/automate? Identify your “golden hours”: when will you be in the flow of doing the things you have chosen?   Resources from this episode: Be About It's Time Is Mine workbook Be About It Health & Wellness website Find Heather on Instagram at @beaboutitcoach and @beaboutithealth   Additional resources: Be sure to grab my free guide on crafting your mission statement!  Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicoleralston_/

So you finally decided to start the business you've been dreaming of. You sit down, energized, at your computer, ready to make things happen. And suddenly you're filled with a sense of massive overwhelm. There are so many things to do, and it's impossible to know where to start first. Does this sound familiar at all? Well, I get it. I've been there many times. So in today's episode, I want to share with you the one thing that's actually holding you back from gaining momentum at the beginning of your business journey.   Here's what I discuss in this episode:   All you need to do is take a stance in your niche, and be willing to share that stance. Sometimes, gaining more education in a subject feels productive, but is actually procrastinating the more important task of sharing your message with your audience. Your stance won't be for everyone, and it shouldn't be; what you have to offer won't be for everyone. I believe some of our people-pleasing tendencies come from a patriarchal narrative that women should be mindful of everyone's feelings. I also believe that the capitalist mentality that “more is better” contributes to these tendencies. To me, the best courses or programs focus on one clearly-defined objective. Try this journal prompt: “I believe everyone should __” until you've encompassed your business values.     Resources from this episode: Be sure to grab my free guide on crafting your mission statement!  Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicoleralston_/   Additional resources: Dream Plan Launch application (direct link - https://forms.gle/8bZ8w6jd2gUeryAr7) Curious about music therapy? Check out my amazing client Christine's business ReSounding Resilience (direct link - https://www.resounding-resilience.com/)

In this episode I'm continuing my critique on Atomic Habits and habit-hacking in general. We've already talked about some of my issues regarding the way we usually go about building habits, so let's get a bit more specific here. What is a habit, actually? How do we integrate habits into our routines? What are simple tactics that will help us achieve our goals? Here's what I discuss in this episode: Many of these habit-hacking formulas don't even define habits right; they conflate habits with routines. It's unrealistic to expect a conscious act, like vigorous exercise, to become an unconscious habit. Because we can't expect it to be easy, we have to enjoy the process in order to build the routine. It has to become the opposite of unconscious; it has to be intentional and mindful. First, I figure out how much time I want to devote to a routine per week, and then I schedule it in. Second, I declare a WHY: it keeps me going when I don't feel like doing the thing. Lastly, I approach the act consciously, checking in on myself and noticing how my energy feels.  If you genuinely don't like doing something, stop doing it. Return to your why.   Resources from this episode: Be sure to grab my free guide on crafting your mission statement!  Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicoleralston_/