Getting Vulnerable and Going Strong with WEOC

If you've ever found yourself doing all the right things and coming up short on your financial goals, you're not alone.  Today Amanda Klingenberger, owner of Linden Square, a Corporate gift company, discusses her frustration with her current sales method.  This is where I ask her to take a step back and assess her prospect's need or pain point.  We talk through how to: -- reach a financial goal with fewer clients (less small clients) -- start paying yourself -- bring on help once goals are reached 1. Create a list of prospects with contact information 2. Craft your "upfront contract" for phone calls and meetings 3. PRACTICE, daily SO EXCITED about this new target market. I love that these people are also accustomed to fundraising/ selling. They will be less intimidating to sell to and they will help you hone your skills. They will also naturally connect you to others in their network. People only listen when they hear themselves reflected in your discussion. It's that whole “what's in it for me or WIFM” complex.  Every human does it. Therefore, you must know and communicate the prospect's need or pain point and lead with that in every sales call and in your marketing.  Practicing an upfront contract is a sure bet to effortlessly close a sale and encourage repeat business.

Today we discuss imposter syndrome and how it may show up as procrastination or self-sabotage.  Here are three questions you can ask yourself to learn if you have experienced Imposter Syndrome: When given a compliment or recognition do you think of all the ways you don't measure up? You may say “Thanks.  I'm glad I look like I'm doing well. I'm not making the money I want to”  When hustling to achieve your financial target, have you given your good or service away for free?  Maybe someone may have had money in their hand and you physically push it away.  Another example is that you may mask your low prices with words such as “I want to stay humble” or “I don't want to get rich off this business.  I just want to help people.”    Have you ever downplayed your expertise or experience?  I know I have heard myself do this often.  I may say “Well, yes, I did an internship in London, England, but the company had high schoolers as interns alongside me.”  Meghan Britton, Owner of The Andrew Project, is having trouble getting started due to her imposter syndrome.  It's keeping her stuck and holding her back from the transition from blogger to business owner.  Listen in as I explain Imposter Syndrome and offer her suggestions on how to monetize.  We discuss: #imposterSyndrome and #procrastination Website #calltoaction The importance of building a community NOW to be primed and ready for her book launch Please consider sharing your story of sibling loss or ask a friend to share their story on the website. If you answered yes to any of the three questions we opened with in this podcast, I encourage you to get real with yourself.  Determine where your imposter syndrome may be keeping you from experiencing success.  Find a therapist and life coach and work through it.  It's possible and it's necessary.  And please consider sharing your story of sibling loss or ask a friend to share their story theandrewproject.online.  Keep an eye out for her wonderful children's book.

WEOC WBC coach and Sari Bari founder, Sarah Lace, walks Candice Munson, owner of Flourish & Flounce, through an analysis of her launch process and website to ensure she moves as much product as possible before she discounts.  If your business sells products, you may wonder how to best market NEW products:  Do you host a big launch or do you consistently offer new items to keep them coming back each week?  There are pros and cons to both techniques.  Your category and customer may drive you one way over the other.  During this call, the following topics are discussed --Determine your "shelf life" for each product --Develop relationships with your vendors --Create processes/ checklists: Launch, photoshoot, digital campaign --Add post mortem review after each collection closes --Consider the name of your collections -->change navigation bar on the website --Keep all images uniform in size and style --Utilize Shopify tools to reconnect with customers (see below Sarah's favorite tools) --Remove all "sold out" items Listening in on Sarah's coaching is one of my favorite pastimes.  She is chalk full of profit ensuring strategies.  Here are some of my take-a-ways from this coaching session: We provide links to Sarah's favorite Shopify tools in the show notes. Make sure to check them out.

Today I talk with Sarah Appleton, owner of Appleton Accounting, about how to brand and market her multiple income streams. I make clear that one customer may buy multiple products/services from us, but they don't come to us to solve all their needs.  We must keep the businesses and our marketing separate. Did you know that 45% of working Americans report having a side hustle? That amounts to roughly 70 million people. Even celebrities are getting in on the action, recognizing the value in diversifying income streams. Sarah Appleton-- How to brand multiple offerings Determine who your customer is and what they want Set goals on how to connect with them (networking vs billboard on social media Create a website that leaves no questions unanswered and easy way to BUY NOW --customer is coming to you for________ --these 1-3 ways is how you solve their problem Keep the health/clothing business separate from the accounting/ business consulting services. The customer is not looking for both at the same time. If you take anything away from this coaching session, I hope it is that it is imperative to talk directly to one customer problem at a time.  My favorite marketing method is Donald Miller's Creating a Story Brand.  Look him up. 

If you're like the rest of the WEOC WBC clients, you're ingesting hours of business coaching through blogs, vlogs, courses, and podcasts.  Without fail, we receive advice about niching down and targeting a specific type of customer.  Today, Cheri Hampton-Farmer, owner of Communicating Matters discloses that she isn't' really sure who her target audience is.  And once she determines and connects with them, how does she nurture a relationship with them? Cheri Hampton-Farmer, the owner of Communicating Matters Organization, asks Leslee A Hill, WEOC WBC Program Director, for coaching on finding her target audience. Leslee's advice: 1) When you're just starting your business, make an educated guess of who your target market is and go out and ask them a million questions about what they struggle with. 2) Network Intentionally. Go where your people are. Prior to arriving, do your homework on 3-5 prospects you know will be in attendance-- Who do you know who can introduce you to the prospect? What is noteworthy that you can bring up in conversation with them? Connect with table sponsors-- They are networking all the time. They will refer you if they understand who you want to be connected with. 3) Follow-up with these people after the event. You can send them a handwritten card, including your business card (that shows a photo of you). Connect with them on LinkedIn in a private message--DO NOT SELL TO THEM YET. Your are building your network at this stage. Continue to comment on their posts. Ask them to meet with you to further your conversation. BONUS: Ensure that your website has an opportunity to extend your conversation-- quiz, checklist, podcast. We buy from people we know, like, and trust. You need to be known. Get out there and start connecting ASAP. Without sales history, it is difficult to determine who will pay you and what exactly they want from you, but you have to start somewhere.  So make an educated guess and talk to them.  The Lean Start-Up method by Eric Ries encourages us to co-create with our customers. Once you know who your customer is and how they want to buy from you, go out and network.Follow-up with each person you meet at a networking event. Here's a bonus networking success tip for you: set up an opportunity to extend the conversation by providing a checklist, quiz, or blog. People buy from those they know like and trust. This extension of the conversation sets you up nicely to achieve all three.

Leslee discusses the SBA’s funding options including loans, grants, and investments.  

Learn from Jessica about opportunity zones, capital gains and reinvesting, and the importance of having knowledge and experts assist you.

Leslee Hill, Director of the Women’s Entrepreneurial Opportunity Center, and Cheri Lantz, the owner of GRN Covington, discuss the importance of focusing on your customer when selling your product or service. Cheri shares that when selling, listening to what motivates your customer to buy as well as knowing what their pain points consist of, gives you an edge.  Persistence and focusing on the follow-up are very important in the process.

Kelley Ambriole, Partner and Associate of Wilcox & Associates, talks with Leslee Hill, Director of the Women’s Entrepreneurial Opportunity Center, about why selling is difficult to do, defines the terms “upfront contract” and “head trash”, and follows up with why referrals are crucial to your business. They also role-play a typical sales scenario.

Tara Witham from American Family Insurance talks about the importance of taking one’s time when hiring (don’t compromise!) and how crucial it is to find a person to hire that compliments you.

Tamera Braun from Team Tamera talks about the importance of hiring a like-minded person and explains how she built her team and grew her business.

Tim Brown discusses how to build a team, lead a team, and how to network to find your first employee.

Tammy Allen, the Marketing Director of The NIIC, talks about the obstacles that go along with crowdfunding campaigns and how to manage a crowdfunding campaign successfully.

Michelle Gladieux discusses the importance of communicating with your team.  Her three tips include:  1.  Leaders need to keep learning 2.  Praise your team 3.  Learn what your employees think about working with you  

Lydia talks candidly about staying on-budget when creating your personal brand.  She suggests buying second-hand as well as buying pieces that pair well with other things that you already own.  

Christie discusses the importance of having a mission statement, the importance of continually learning about ourselves throughout our lives, and how Christie overcame obstacles in her life and learned what she was meant to do.  

Leslee discusses the importance of tying your image with your business’ brand by examining what you want to be known for, determining who you want to be, embracing what you have, and polishing your exterior.  

Julie Scher, of Midwest Film Factory, explains how she decided to move from the Newspaper business into film. I love that this gem is located in Auburn, IN.   

Anne Marie Labenberg, founder and owner of RAISE Consulting, talks with Leslee A Hill, Director of the Women's Entrepreneurial Opportunity Center, about the importance of having an accountability partner as a entrepreneur, the difference between a "wantrepreneur" and an "entrepreneur", and the temptation of working on the easy tasks first. 

Louise Still Jackson, founder of Elevation, sits down with Leslee A Hill, Director of the Women's Entrepreneurial Opportunity Center, to discuss event planning and fundraising for non-profits. She outlines important steps to consider when planning an event to give attendees the "WOW" factor.

Michelle Chambers For City Council Fort Wayne is the founder of Signing Closers LLC. She talks with @Leslee A Hill, Director of the Women's Entrepreneurial Opportunity Center about prioritizing her tasks, the importance of downtime, reassessing multi-tasking, and the challenges that go along with being a business owner. "It's not an easy road to tow, but it can be done". 

M Elizabeth Sutton, owner of The Narwhal and the Manatee, sits down with Leslee A Hill, Director of the Women's Entrepreneurial Opportunity Center, to discuss why she started her business, how she grew, and how she used her networking connections to grow her business. 

We know that it is incredibly difficult to start and operate a business. (That's why most close before 5 years of operation.) Listening to Emma Taylor-Metcalf, owner of Lyn-Maree's Boutique talk about starting another business while operating her first is just down right inspiring. 

Jen Edds is a rockstar that has taken over the podcast world by storm.  Jen discusses what it is like to leave a boring 9 to 5 job in order to do what she loves, podcasting. Jen provides many tips and tricks to her trade and they are helpful to anyone who would love to start a podcast.    For hilarious commentary and banter, tune into this episode! 

Listen to the hilarious interaction between Carmen Y. Hicks, owner of Hicks Caskets Monuments More, and Leslee A Hill, WEOC Director.   The ladies discuss: Phobia of dead people Gifted business Taking action when God opens doors for you

Indiana Stamp Co., Inc./ Strataflo Products owners, Olivia Beaver Warner and Tom Beaver, talk about walking through family generational changes. Our favorite take-a-ways: 1) Communication a) Transparency b) Honesty 2) Family Retreats 3) "You can't fire me, I'm your father" 4) Flowers grow in the valleys

Gretchen Fruchy Yoga talks with Leslee A Hill about: 1) Customer segmenting-- niche-ing down 2) Confidence in pricing 3) Breaking out of the mold-- teaching from home

It was so much fun receiving mentoring from Kellie-Dean Stanley, owner of Kids Wear. We learned how Kellie hires, expanded, and communicates with her team to ensure success over the past 9 years.

Ever considered blogging? Wondered how to monetize a blog? Erin Dove explains her journey in this episode of Getting Vulnerable and Going Strong.

The Women's Entrepreneurial Opportunity Center sits down with Pam Kessie, owner of Saving Grace Vintage to discuss:  *How she operates her business *How she supports local artists *Who she hires

Sharon Kuhn, The Center For Empathy LLC owner, sits down with Leslee Hill, Director of the Women's Entrepreneurial Opportunity Center, to discuss how she helps individuals and companies with emotional intelligence training. Sharon states "You are valuable, viable, unique, and irreplaceable".

Join Rebecca Fleetwood Hession of Fleetwood Hession Coaching - Badass Womens Council Podcast as she talks with Leslee A Hill, Director of the Women's Entrepreneurial Opportunity Center, about how she helps small to mid-size businesses find their purpose which helps them to be profitable and productive. She also discusses how entrepreneurs need to clear out their "head trash" in order to grow. She states, "Perfect is the enemy of progress".

Leslee A Hill, Director of the Women's Entrepreneurial Opportunity Center, sits down with Rachele Jordan, co-owner of Anytime Fitness Georgetown Square, to discuss why Rachele chose to operate a franchise and how she develops her team of employees.

Melissa Cordial Schenkel, Director of Corporate and Community Engagement for STAR Financial Bank, shares networking tips with Leslee A Hill, Director of the Women's Entrepreneurial Opportunity Center. The ladies discuss: *Research who may be at a networking event that you will be attending. *Have the mindset of helping others. *Don't be intimidated by the "cliques" *Build on the connections and interactions you make at each event

Leslee A Hill, Director of the Women's Entrepreneurial Opportunity Center, sits down with Angie Hibner of Respire Strategy to discuss how to pitch to both potential investors and customers.   Customers want to learn the solution to their struggles while investors want to know the unique value of the product, that due diligence is being followed, and that a test market has been utilized. 

The Women's Entrepreneurial Opportunity Center sits down with Sandi Baker Deardorf, owner of Sandi's Office Solutions, LLC, to discuss:   Why she started a Virtual business Benefits of hiring a Virtual Assistant Ensuring that her business stays virtual

The Women's Entrepreneurial Opportunity Center sits down with Toni Widman of Integrated Talent Solutions to discuss:  *The fears entrepreneurs have when opening a business *Advice for those starting a business *Tips for keeping one's business going strong  

Brandi Little, author and entrepreneur, sits down with Leslee A Hill, Director of the Women's Entrepreneurial Opportunity Center, to discuss her writing process as well as tips we can all use to become an author ourselves.

Noah Smith, President and CEO of Bod Financial Group talks with Leslee Hill, Director of the Women's Entrepreneurial Opportunity Center, about the process of buying a business and securing a loan.

Noah Smith, President and CEO of Bod Financial Group talks with Leslee Hill, Director of the Women's Entrepreneurial Opportunity Center, about the process of buying a business and securing a loan.

Elizabeth MacDonald, founder of The Verbal Edge, discusses the importance of communication with Leslee Hill, the Director of the Women’s Entrepreneurial Opportunity Center.

Leslee A Hill, Director of the Women's Entrepreneurial Opportunity Center, talks about the importance of spousal support as an entrepreneur. She candidly relays her own struggles and makes two suggestions on how to keep your spouse in the loop: set up quarterly meetings with your partner and meet with a counselor.

Leslee A Hill, Director of the Women's Entrepreneurial Opportunity Center, talks with Heather Hunley of Look Up Indiana, about anxiety and depression in entrepreneurs. They discuss the statistics of mental health, triggers such as social media that can affect our mental well-being, and give tips on how to fight both anxiety and depression.

Leslee A Hill, Director of the Women's Entrepreneurial Opportunity Center, talks with Andrew Lamping, the Founder and CEO of Cyclone Social, about how to use social media as a tool to make connections and build relationships. They also discuss the mental health aspect to social media and how to ignore negative comments on your posts.