The Scaling Lounge: Business Strategy • Operations • Team

When you are a coach or DFY service provider working with smaller groups of people, it can be  really tempting to move towards passive revenue generation opportunities.

For the love, DON’T.

The main problem with this advice?

It’s being doled out by people who are motivated to sell you straight up LIES.

Today we’re taking on three of the biggest offenders we’re hearing, and debunking them all the way down to their deceptive origins – and then offering you a bit of sound advice instead. 

Quick overview of what we cover:

• The main reason why passive products will NEVER solve your ‘time for dollars’ problem
• Why a very specific segment of the market is no longer buying courses
• Why ‘if you build it, they will come’ is – at best – terribly untrue 
• What you need to demonstrate for 6-12 months before even considering passive revenue products
• The ONLY thing that solves a revenue ceiling problem 
• Why passive revenue is never…actually…passive (womp womp)
• The absolute hardest thing to sell right now (and what to do if you’re in the midst of launching this)
• The biggest way the market has shifted between 2021 and now (and how to use your own data to predict your success with weathering this change)
• The relevance of your audience size (and the best ways to build, borrow, buy, or bedazzle your own)
• What you yearly earnings need to be to even consider passive revenue models
• The first thing to work on, starting NOW, if you know you absolutely want to add passive revenue generation…eventually

RESOURCES: 

• Click here to apply for a Growth Strategy Call
• Click here to apply for a Soulpreneur revenue-based scholarship
• Learn about Adriane's Partnership Model 1:1 Consulting

LET’S CONNECT: 

• Connect with Adriane on LinkedIn @adrianegalea
• Follow Adriane on Instagram @adrianegalea
• Visit the website: soulpreneur.co

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Loved this episode? If you leave a review or share it with your friends on social, my team will send you a copy of one of our favorite business resources! Take a screenshot and email it over to us at support@soulpreneur.co or DM it to @thescalinglounge!

Today’s episode concludes a fascinating and FUN series of conversations with the women of  Terzakis and Associates by bringing this mother/daughter duo together to speak candidly about what has made their micro-small business consulting firm work…and what hasn’t.

They beautifully describe the intentional work it took to cultivate a productive symbiosis between Susan’s strategist mind (always finding a way to land and drawing excitement in figuring it out as she went) and Jessica’s empirical nature reminding her to “Hang on, there may be a better way than just ‘being okay at the end of the day.'"

Much to our benefit, they offer their journey towards forming the ultimate Visionary/Integrator partnership here as a hand held out to inspire those of us seeking to find that special business someone, too. 

Friends, this is one not to be missed!

Quick overview of what we cover:

• How Susan – with her impressive business background, experience, and foresight – actively encourages Jessica’s “lasso” for her ideas
• How Jessica – with her impressive fact-finding/operational talent – actively protects Susan’s space to dream big
• How they were able to transform their early working environment (chaotic whiplash, lighting off Jessica’s fact-finder radar like crazy and causing Susan immense overwhelm) into the extraordinary dynamic they have now
• Their unique approach to counteract the periods of inertia that all businesses experience
• Why they believe it’s healthy to ‘Thelma and Louise some stuff’ to alleviate boredom (not to flirt with risk, but to seek opportunity and deepen their experiences as businesswomen)
• Why “How can I be my subcontractor’s best client?” is the smartest POV to get the most out of your relationship with contractors – for you both
• What led to this mic drop moment: “Those are thieves in the night sent by ego - don’t let it take more from you than what it already has.”

RESOURCES: 

• Listen to Part 1 of this series HERE, and part 2 HERE
• Click here to apply for a Growth Strategy Call
• Click here to apply for a Soulpreneur revenue-based scholarship

LET’S CONNECT: 

• Connect with Adriane on LinkedIn @adrianegalea
• Follow Adriane on Instagram @adrianegalea
• Visit the website: soulpreneur.co

CONNECT WITH SUSAN + JESSICA: 

• Connect with Terzakis & Associates on Facebook  
• Visit their website: terzakisandassociates.com/
• Download the eBook: 7 Things to Stop Doing So You Can Grow Your Business

ABOUT TERZAKIS & ASSOCIATES:
Susan and Jessica Terzakis are Women Owned Small Businesses (WOSB) champions and the mother-daughter duo at the heart of Terzakis & Associates, a micro-small business advising firm. 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Loved this episode? If you leave a review or share it with your friends on social, my team will send you a copy of one of our favorite business resources! Take a screenshot and email it over to us at support@soulpreneur.co or DM it to @thescalinglounge!

Jessica Terzakis – the ‘Integrator’ half of the dynamic mother+daughter duo that run Terzakis and Associates – jumps into the conversation today about how she was able to shed her W2 mentality as a master-educated high-school teacher and fully embrace her new COO identity in all things entrepreneurship.

Jessica details her beginnings as task-master extraordinaire to where she is now, performing as a bonafide business strategist responsible for creating new revenue opportunities and growing their brand.

If you’ve ever wondered exactly how your business could be transformed by bringing on a COO or business partner (or maybe you’re just curious as to what it’s really like to work with your mother) – then this is the episode for you! 

Quick overview of what we cover:

• Why “You can do whatever you want with your time!” was initially too much freedom for Jessica’s W2 trained employee-brain (and how long it took her to shed that mindset)
• The meaning behind why she started calling her mom ‘Susan’ 
• The lightbulb moment Jessica had when her mom casually remarked, “You sure ask a lot of questions”
• How Jessica was able to put her love of learning design to use to help explore new revenue opportunities
• How they use the Kolbe-A assessment and the Unique Brilliance Quadrant to help mentor both their team and their business clients
• Why learning how to present your ideas and opportunities to your COO is just as important as the idea itself to get it off the ground
• Which kinds of mother/daughter business duos work in Jessica’s opinion (and which don’t!)
• How long it took her to find bottlenecks in the business and create the plans that broke through them 
• Why sustainability in business can’t come at the cost of your sanity and happiness

RESOURCES: 

• Click here to apply for a Growth Strategy Call
• Click here to apply for a Soulpreneur revenue-based scholarship

LET’S CONNECT: 

• Connect with Adriane on LinkedIn @adrianegalea
• Follow Adriane on Instagram @adrianegalea
• Visit the website: soulpreneur.co

CONNECT WITH JESSICA: 

• Connect with Terzakis & Associates on Facebook  
• Visit Jessica’s website: terzakisandassociates.com/
• Download the eBook: 7 Things to Stop Doing So You Can Grow Your Business

ABOUT JESSICA:
Jessica Terzakis is the master of creating new revenue streams for entrepreneurs like you. For the past 7 years, Jessica has dedicated herself to supporting clients in crafting lucrative courses, programs, trainings, and communities that break free from the limitations of one-on-one client work. As a former teacher, Jessica brings her exceptional teaching and presentation skills to the table, having been featured on premier podcasts and graced countless in-person and virtual stages, all while leading her own transformative virtual training program, where she shows entrepreneurs just like you how to infuse their businesses with multiple revenue streams.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Loved this episode? If you leave a review or share it with your friends on social, my team will send you a copy of one of our favorite business resources! Take a screenshot and email it over to us at support@soulprene

Susan Terzakis, CEO and founder of Terzakis and Associates, spends her days advocating for woman- and family-owned small businesses as an advisory specialist.

Essentially, she is a micro-small business champion, and someone you’ll have the pleasure of learning from, simply by listening to her think through her ideas.

When I tell you this episode – part 1, speaking to the “visionary” half of a dynamic mother/daughter duo –  is chock full of business lesson after business lesson after business lesson...

Well, be forewarned to keep your listening ears ON and your backtrack thumb at the ready!

There is just so much wisdom in what she has to say and how she says it. 

Quick overview of what we cover:

• Why Susan believes (so passionately!) that having a healthy small business community means... you have a healthy community (i.e. - one cannot survive without the other)
• The turning point when she decided she was done representing others and really wanted her own voice to be heard
• Why she describes the first couple years in business as the time when she effectively created “A really nice job, one where I only got paid when I worked” – and how she evolved into the CEO she is today
• Why she feels that small business is an essential pathway for women to achieve financial independence and agency
• How she was able to break her daughter’s “W2 habits,” and what happened for her to say, “I knew in that moment, I had a full partner…” **chills**
• Her strategy to counteract the “costly and dangerous” groupthink behavior she sees so often in family-owned businesses
• Why emotional intelligence is so important to have when successfully running a family business, including knowing deeply, “I am not my business.”

RESOURCES: 

• Click here to apply for a Growth Strategy Call
• Click here to apply for a Soulpreneur revenue-based scholarship

LET’S CONNECT: 

• Connect with Adriane on LinkedIn @adrianegalea
• Follow Adriane on Instagram @adrianegalea
• Visit the website: soulpreneur.co

CONNECT WITH SUSAN: 

• Connect with Terzakis & Associates on Facebook  
• Visit Susan's website: terzakisandassociates.com/
• Download the eBook: 7 Things to Stop Doing So You Can Grow Your Business

ABOUT SUSAN:
Susan Terzakis has experienced an exceptionally successful career in public service and private organizational development, strategy, and senior leadership over the last +27 years. In 2014, Susan founded Terzakis & Associates, a small business advising firm, which is an advocate for micro-small businesses, she is a Women Owned Small Businesses (WOSB) champion, Veteran and family owned small business advisory specialist. 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Loved this episode? If you leave a review or share it with your friends on social, my team will send you a copy of one of our favorite business resources! Take a screenshot and email it over to us at support@soulpreneur.co or DM it to @thescalinglounge!

Making 5 figures each month as a service provider can feel extremely unattainable – but that doesn’t mean it can’t be done. In fact, there are many ways to bring in $20k (or more!) each month.

The trick is being able to leverage your time as a solopreneur…

This episode lays out three clear paths towards making consistent 5-figure months – getting you that much closer to doing more of the work that brings you joy…and helping you to avoid the time-sucking pitfalls that can trap you along the way. 

Quick overview of what we cover:

• Why it’s a rookie mistake to build out your product suite 
• Why it’s an even rookie-er mistake to chase passive income before you’re established
• Why going ‘mini-agency’ in lieu of ‘full agency’ is a lucrative and logical shortcut 
• What usually happens when you go really narrow/niche on what you’re selling
• How to conceptualize a ‘VIP day’ (and why it’s a super straightforward way to bring in cash)
• How to position yourself towards a much more sophisticated buyer (and how to know when you’re advanced enough in your craft + messaging to deliver on this)
• How to be a total total rockstar and capitalize productivity rates by combining all three of these paths 

RESOURCES: 

• Click here to apply for a Growth Strategy Call
• Click here to apply for a Soulpreneur revenue-based scholarship
• Learn about Adriane's Partnership Model 1:1 Consulting

LET’S CONNECT: 

• Connect with Adriane on LinkedIn @adrianegalea
• Follow Adriane on Instagram @adrianegalea
• Visit the website: soulpreneur.co

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Loved this episode? If you leave a review or share it with your friends on social, my team will send you a copy of one of our favorite business resources! Take a screenshot and email it over to us at support@soulpreneur.co or DM it to @thescalinglounge!

Since starting this podcast, we have received hundreds of pitches. Out of those hundreds, we have only said yes to ONE pitch – because the rest have... fallen flat.

In this episode, Adriane isn't holding back with the four primary reasons most pitches don't land – and at least one of these things you're probably doing because you think it's helping your pitch.

If you're looking  to land guest podcast spots, this is the episode that will help you with what to do... and what not to do.

Quick overview of what we cover:

• How to apply what we're talking about to ANY medium you might be looking to pitch – stages, digital or print media, etc
• The type of energy you definitely DON'T want to lead with (but probably are)
• What almost every pitch fails to do that's very likely leading you to an automatic no
• The most basic effort you need to make before pitching 
• The 4 B's of generating visibility and leads – and which one guesting on podcasts fits into
• How you can spin the exact same content, but differently for each show to strengthen your pitch tenfold 
• Why it's never about you when you pitch – it is always about them
• Why it's important to understand that most producers (of podcasts, events, etc) are getting more pitches than they can say yes to

RESOURCES: 

• Click here to apply for a Growth Strategy Call
• Click here to apply for a Soulpreneur revenue-based scholarship

LET’S CONNECT: 

• Connect with Adriane on LinkedIn @adrianegalea
• Follow Adriane on Instagram @adrianegalea
• Visit the website: soulpreneur.co

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Loved this episode? If you leave a review or share it with your friends on social, my team will send you a copy of one of our favorite business resources! Take a screenshot and email it over to us at support@soulpreneur.co or DM it to @thescalinglounge!

Frequency. Resonance. Alignment. Manifestation. Visualization. Quantum Leaps?!

Okay, so these terms might not be what jump out at you as the kind of things that millionaires value, but rest assured, they are very much discussed in 7-figure circles.

Today’s episode brings together two very special occasions – Adriane’s Birthday AND the 100th episode of this podcast! 🎉

Milestones are a great time to shake things up – and Part 2 gets all into the messy, woo-laden methodology needed to retrain your brain into believing that ‘being a millionaire’ is already yours.

Quick overview of what we cover:

• A crash course in quantum physics, chemistry, and astrophysics 
• Why ‘woo’ is really just ‘mindset,’ and vice versa
• Why you’re seeing the term “quantum leap” show up everywhere in business now (and what it actually means)
• What the things you notice about what others have (that you don’t) tell you and how to channel this observation into positive action
• Why no successful, balanced person will ever judge you for wanting more – and why they’ll only encourage you to do THIS
• Practical steps you can take to create alignment between what you want and who you are
• The actual time is takes to realistically break behavior patterns and retrain your brain

PS - Adriane wants one thing for her bday, and it’s for YOU to leave a 5⭐️ review and share this episode…but only if you loved it as much as we loved making it for you!

✨ LISTEN TO PART ONE OF THE SERIES HERE ✨

RESOURCES: 

• Click here to apply for a Growth Strategy Call
• Click here to apply for a Soulpreneur revenue-based scholarship

LET’S CONNECT: 

• Connect with Adriane on LinkedIn @adrianegalea
• Follow Adriane on Instagram @adrianegalea
• Visit the website: soulpreneur.co

Mindset work and manifestation practices (like, actual scientifically-credible manifestation practices) are powerful tools when you have “become a millionaire” on your life’s vision board. 

Here’s where things can get a little messy, though. And that’s because…

Doing hard work isn’t always going to get you the thing you want – especially if that thing includes ‘break 7-figures’ – and even more so if attempted under the guise of “fake it until you make it.” 

Which is, unfortunately, a lot of what manifesting + mindset work gets (incorrectly) boiled down to.

As we lead up to the BIG 100th episode, join Adriane for her signature take on manifestation and “millionaire mindset” work - it’s unlike any you’ve ever heard. Included are some very practical steps you can start taking action on today, plus a few outside-the-box thoughts to chew on along the way.

Quick overview of what we cover:

• If you want to change your reality, you need to start with your brain
• How to ‘find the story in your data’ to achieve the thing you desire
• What changes for you when you go from being interested in something… to being committed to it
• Doing the hard work doesn’t get you the thing you want – doing the right thing does (and coaches / courses / mentors / biz investments are best used to help figure out those ‘right things’)
• If you’ve been plateaued, it’s not because the decisions you’re making have been wrong – you’ve just not been ready to make them
• If you can’t seem to figure (*gestures wildly*) all this out, it’s most likely not an intelligence problem…it’s a self-image problem
• How to get back on track if your gut instincts about success have been overshadowed by a compulsion to show up and look a certain way 

✨ LISTEN TO PART TWO OF THE SERIES HERE ✨

RESOURCES: 

• Click here to apply for a Growth Strategy Call
• Click here to apply for a Soulpreneur revenue-based scholarship

LET’S CONNECT: 

• Connect with Adriane on LinkedIn @adrianegalea
• Follow Adriane on Instagram @adrianegalea
• Visit the website: soulpreneur.co

“Thanks for coming to my TED talk,” says every hopeful public speaker ever…

But have you ever wondered what goes into appearing on an actual TED stage?

The loss of both of his parents at a young age attached a sense of urgency to how Steve Corney views – and values – leaving a legacy behind for those that love us. 

The way in which he combined this very personal experience with his professional expertise as a digital learning expert – one who truly understands the power that audio + video recordings hold –  is a powerful and transformative lesson for anyone looking to leverage their impact and expand their brand into public speaking.

In part 2 of our ‘Building Your Business with Speaking’ series, Steve  details exactly how he prepared for, executed, and ultimately landed a coveted spot in an upcoming TEDx event!

Plus – stay tuned to the end of today’s episode to find out how to get your hands on the public speaking assets that Steve and Adriane are cooking up!

Quick overview of what we cover:

• Forget about your greenroom requests – nailing a TEDx spot is more about following the rules and guidelines set forth by the event and way less about who you think you are (in other words, “Don’t make it easy for them to say ‘no’ to you!)
• How to prioritize these important elements of the audition: keeping to time, linking your story/topic to the event's theme, avoiding a trauma dump on the audience, holding the crowd’s attention
• How to use clues from the application to choose a universally applicable topic
• Why commercializing any aspect of your talk is a huge red flag (remember, TEDx is about Big Ideas not Big Money)
• Steve’s incredulity that 50% of those auditioning with him committed this major faux pas
• The most important aspects of nailing public speaking when you’ve gotten very reliant on video editing
• The importance of branding as a public speaker – plus, the checklist we recommend for the minimum needed to step up to the public speaker plate... and be taken seriously 

CHECK OUT STEVE + ADRIANE'S PROJECT: 

• Click here to join the FREE Speaker Growth Networking Facebook community
• Click here to get our guide on Pitching, Auditioning for, and Landing a TEDx Talk
• Follow us on Instagram: @speakergrowthhub

RESOURCES: 

• Click here to apply for a Growth Strategy Call
• Click here to apply for a Soulpreneur revenue-based scholarship

LET’S CONNECT: 

• Connect with Adriane on LinkedIn @adrianegalea
• Follow Adriane on Instagram @adrianegalea
• Visit the website: soulpreneur.co

CONNECT W/ STEVE: 

• Follow Steve on Instagram: @steve_corney
• Connect with Steve on LinkedIn: @thisisstevecorney 

Speaking and communication (and possessing the presentation skills to do both effectively), make up both the original and final frontiers of brand growth.

In part 1 of a two-part series, Adriane + Steve reunite to discuss how they pulled the rug out from under their up-until-recent collab plans, in lieu of some unexpected, yet compelling detours: a series of live events that Adriane is planning, and Steve's upcoming TEDx talk!

This episode covers how each approach public speaking and the essential ingredients needed to make an audience go from, "Cool story, bruh," to "Damnnnnn...tell me more!"

Quick overview of what we cover:

• A pulse check on the course-creation and coaching industry as it stands now, and how potential clients can be uniquely accessed via public speaking
• How Steve has blended his learning design and facilitator backgrounds into a deep understanding of using his speaker voice 
• Why effective and impactful public speaking goes WAY beyond 'intro...body...conclusion' frameworks
• The venues where it's better to feed off the audience and 'wing it' vs. the places where that strategy will run you straight into the ground
• How to best utilize speaking coaches, voice exercises...and Dr. Suess to sharpen your presentation skills
• The one thing to be super clear on for everything else to fall into place
• The important distinctions between keynotes, "lunch-and-learns," and TEDx talks
• How the mundane makes us human -- and why that's sometimes a more powerful reminder than life-changing anecdotes
• How to sense your audience's 'enough point' (aka, the critical precipice where a lot of stories (and storytellers) go wrong)
• Why great presenters speak from the scars and not from the wounds
• Can't wait for part 2?? DM "TEDx" to @adrianegalea on IG for an exclusive sneak peek!

CHECK OUT STEVE + ADRIANE'S PROJECT: 

• Click here to join the FREE Speaker Growth Networking Facebook community
• Click here to get our guide on Pitching, Auditioning for, and Landing a TEDx Talk
• Follow us on Instagram: @speakergrowthhub

RESOURCES: 

• Click here to apply for a Growth Strategy Call
• Click here to apply for a Soulpreneur revenue-based scholarship

LET’S CONNECT: 

• Connect with Adriane on LinkedIn @adrianegalea
• Follow Adriane on Instagram @adrianegalea
• Visit the website: soulpreneur.co

CONNECT W/ STEVE: 

• Follow Steve on Instagram: @steve_corney
• Concect with Steve on LinkedIn: @thisisstevecorney 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Loved this episode? If you leave a review or share it with your friends on social, my team will send you a copy of one of our favorite business resources! Take a screenshot and email it over to us at support@soulpreneur.co or DM it to @thescalinglounge!

It's no secret that 2023 was a doozy for a lot of people. If you want to set yourself up to have a more lucrative, more profitable, more impactful year in 2024, I've compiled a list of 7 things I'd argue you NEED to be aware of this year. (One of them... I'm really not happy to admit!)

Quick overview of what we cover:

• Why the lead time to convert clients is taking longer and will continue to take longer unless you do this ONE thing
• The possibilities of AI outpacing [insert your industry here] and how to keep yourself relevant and in demand
• The 3 things you MUST be able to do to create converting content moving forward
• The biggest regrets I have around the way I've developed my businesses over the last few years – that I'm going to prioritize in 2024
• How there is a lot of grey area around the way people are actually talking about profit margins
• The biggest asset I'd encourage you to develop this year if you ever want to grow a BIG business or be able to pivot in the future
• Why I believe there's one thing that's going to dominate (again) this year that will likely be your #1 propeller of growth
• My assignment to you to take yourself outside of your comfort zone and challenge yourself to do this at least once per quarter

RESOURCES: 

• Click here to apply for a Growth Strategy Call
• Click here to apply for a Soulpreneur revenue-based scholarship

LET’S CONNECT: 

• Connect with Adriane on LinkedIn @adrianegalea
• Follow Adriane on Instagram @adrianegalea
• Visit the website: soulpreneur.co

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Loved this episode? If you leave a review or share it with your friends on social, my team will send you a copy of one of our favorite business resources! Take a screenshot and email it over to us at support@soulpreneur.co or DM it to @thescalinglounge!

So many people have recently been sharing with me that they've been stuck at a certain revenue level for months, if not years now.

Revenue plateaus are extremely common, not just in the earlier stages of business, but all throughout their lifecycle. And I want to talk today about how you can break through your revenue plateau if this is something you're experiencing.

Note: the URL I spoke to download the private podcast was incorrect if you'd like to access it 🙈 It is actually soulpreneur.co/secret!

Quick overview of what we cover:

• Why scaling is kind of like breaking your business because you have to shatter the ceiling you've hit
• Which revenue levels you're mostly likely to hit a plateau at
• The difference between scaling, skating, or structuring and how I've been in a "structuring" phase
• Why every person, based on their own expertise, will give you a different solution you NEED to focus on in order to scale... and how they're all kind of right, but it misses the actual point
• How the 7 Pillars of Scaling always relate back to your plateau or bottleneck
• How operational capacity works kind of like adding additional stories onto your house
• The power off systems and how they will *aaaalmost* always solve your plateau or bottleneck

RESOURCES: 

• Click here to access the private Scale Your Service podcast to learn what you can do TODAY to break through your time-for-dollars ceiling
• Click here to apply for a Growth Strategy Call
• Click here to apply for a Soulpreneur revenue-based scholarship

EPISODES MENTIONED: 

• Episode 68 - Passive Income Series Part 1: The Most Important Things to Know Before You Start (That No One Tells You)
• Episode 84 - 7 Key Areas of Excellence to Get to 7 Figures (The 7 Pillars of Scaling)

LET’S CONNECT: 

• Connect with Adriane on LinkedIn @adrianegalea
• Follow Adriane on Instagram @adrianegalea
• Visit the website: soulpreneur.co

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Loved this episode? If you leave a review or share it with your friends on social, my team will send you a copy of one of our favorite business resources! Take a screenshot and email it over to us at support@soulpreneur.co or DM it to @thescalinglounge!

Welcome baaaack, Scaling Loungers! After a holiday hiatus, it feels so good to be back behind the mic and chatting to you again about all things business. 

Today we're easing back down the road with an update on what's happened since the last episode – and how I navigated some tricky times (like most service business owners – especially coaches – in 2023)

The biggest topic of conversation is certainly about a BIG change I've made to my overall business model – both in sunsetting a large component of my business and in taking on a completely new structure for working with clients. 

Everyone has looked at me cross-eyed when I've told them what I'm doing, but nothing has felt better. So let's get to it!

Quick overview of what we cover:

• How 2023 was... messy... for a lot of business owners
• Navigating tough times and cash flow conundrums 
• When to know it's time to let things go and move on and my non-sciency but tried-and-true barometer for making decisions
• The pricing struggle that's real
• Why I'm embracing partnership and taking on a (risky) change in my business model
• Why the thing everyone has said I'm crazy to do is absolutely what feels the best to me

RESOURCES: 

• Click here to apply for a Growth Strategy Call
• Click here to apply for a Soulpreneur revenue-based scholarship

LET’S CONNECT: 

• Connect with Adriane on LinkedIn @adrianegalea
• Follow Adriane on Instagram @adrianegalea
• Visit the website: soulpreneur.co

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Loved this episode? If you leave a review or share it with your friends on social, my team will send you a copy of one of our favorite business resources! Take a screenshot and email it over to us at support@soulpreneur.co or DM it to @thescalinglounge!

The word “scaling” is thrown around a lot, and I want to talk about what this means and what this looks like if you are a service provider – so if you’re a web designer, copywriter, interior decorator, astrology chart reader, accountant, lawyer, and I’d also add consultant to this list. 

We’re going to be covering the six ways you could scale your business as a service provider, which includes moving to an agency model, outsourcing SOME of the work in more of a mini-agency model, developing a retainer model, going e-commerce by creating a template shop, or transitioning into coaching or course creation. 

I’m also going to go into my perspective on when the right time to make one of these shifts would be, things you need to keep in mind about scaling, and how to not burn yourself out with whatever you choose to do.

Quick overview of what we cover: 

• The six pivots you can make as a service provider to create scalability
• The pros and cons of each model and making intentional decisions based on what you want so you don't burn out
• How to know when it's the right time to start thinking about scaling
• Common misconceptions around scaling you should know

RESOURCES: 

• Click here to join Sustainable Growth Lab
• Click here to get on the waitlist for the January 2024 cohort of Scalable Foundations Accelerator
• Register for Predictably Profitable, the free training for 6+ figure service-based business owners

LET’S CONNECT: 

• Book a call to work with Soulpreneur to grow your business
• Follow Soulpreneur: @soulpreneur_co
• Follow Adriane @adrianegalea
• Visit the website: soulpreneur.co

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Loved this episode? If you leave a review or share it with your friends on social, my team will send you a copy of one of our favorite business resources! Take a screenshot and email it over to us at support@soulpreneur.co or DM it to @soulpreneur_co

Signing high-ticket clients FAST - every service-based biz owner's dream, right?

And, it is possible. There are, in fact, effective ways to speed up the buying process – even when closing high-ticket clients.  But what no one is talking about is how engaging in these kinds of short-cuts only tee you up for another set of challenges down the line.

What will always be true is this: the only thing that speeds up the buying process is better marketing. This episode gets into the workarounds that circumvent this truth, and why they are hardly worth it in the long run.

Quick overview of what we cover:

• What high ticket prospective buyers expect from your sales process that low-ticket buyers don’t 
• Why fine-tuning your messaging, audience familiarity, and the way you communicate is the slowest of the fastest ways to convert prospective buyers -  but always the way in which they’ll feel safest investing with you
• Why aiming for higher sales call volume almost always leads to less sales
• How to do less sales calls with more qualified buyers using friction points in your sales process (which almost always leads to more sales) 
• Why closing the sales either comes from better marketing prior to the call…or a shady distortion of NLP techniques during it
• The three things every prospective buyer should know about you before getting on the phone
• Why higher quality clients who don’t burn you out, only come from higher quality leads in the first place
• Why fast closes will increase your attrition rate (the people who fall off/stop paying you)
• How high attrition rates lead to biz instability, inconsistent revenue, lower retention and referral rates, and…need we say more?
• One more time for the ones in the back: the only thing that speeds up the buying process is better marketing 😇

RESOURCES: 

• Click here to join Sustainable Growth Lab
• Click here to get on the waitlist for the January 2024 cohort of Scalable Foundations Accelerator
• Register for Predictably Profitable, the free training for 6+ figure service-based business owners

LET’S CONNECT: 

• Book a call to work with Soulpreneur to grow your business
• Follow Soulpreneur: @soulpreneur_co
• Follow Adriane @adrianegalea
• Visit the website: soulpreneur.co

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Loved this episode? If you leave a review or share it with your friends on social, my team will send you a copy of one of our favorite business resources! Take a screenshot and email it over to us at support@soulpreneur.co or DM it to @soulpreneur_co

This episode was first published at soulpreneur.co/093

Energetic Business Coach, Kari Russell, thrives off of helping women truly dig deep – and then feel safe in that vulnerable space – while getting in touch with the parts of themselves that many public-facing entrepreneurs work for years trying to mask. 

An expert in authentic self-expression, Kari’s own journey into goal-setting and leadership coaching has taken a path familiar to most small biz owners (up, down, and all around), along with a few unexpected detours (discovering the value of triggering herself with spicy romances to the extent that she now uses the genre as a medium to provoke her clients in the same way).

Let’s just say, when our convo reached the ‘spicy romance’ point, we – ahem – lingered there until we both felt well satisfied. 😉

Quick overview of what we cover:

• Kari’s time as a goal coach at Lululemon and how that ignited her lifelong passion for goal-setting work
• The importance (especially for women entrepreneurs) of releasing shame, guilt, masks and the masks we wear as we build and market businesses
• How Kari was finally able to step into her truest self-expression and self-acceptance, using Human Design 
• How she reconciled the startling personal realization that Human Design better served her as a tool of self-understanding with her professional identity of being a Human Design expert/coach – and what happened to the biz connected to it
• Her beautiful way of speaking about how her business expanded during COVID lockdown – a time when many, many people experienced extreme hardship 
• How she manages her extroverted nature working in a (mostly) virtual space and her go-to tools for self-regulation when she starts to idle uncomfortably high
• Why paying attention to our bodies’ reactions (and how our brains judge those reactions!) can teach us a LOT about the truth of ourselves. 
• The moments of personal inauthenticity Kari views as huge gifts of awareness of where we need to do more work 
• The connection, freedom, and impact Kari hopes to leave as her legacy gift in doing ‘business better’ and why it’s all grounded in S-EX

RESOURCES: 

• Click here to join Sustainable Growth Lab
• Click here to get on the waitlist for the January 2024 cohort of Scalable Foundations Accelerator
• Click here to register for the free training for 6+ figure service-based business owners

CONNECT WITH KARI:

• Click here to connect with Kari on Instagram: @iamkarirussell

Kari Russell is a Leadership and Energetic Business Coach, global leader in Self-Expression and host of the S-EX Talk Podcast. She is married with 2 children and lives in a small country town in Ontario, Canada where you’ll find her tanning on her deck reading spicy romance novels in the summer or submerged in her hot tub in the winter (while also reading spicy romance novels). Kari’s work focuses on fusing the psyche and the somatic to guide her clients in confronting and alchemizing their shadows and leveraging their authenticity to own who the f*ck they are in their branding and content to make a massive impact and build their business their way!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Loved this episode? If you leave a review or share it with your friends on social, my team will send you a copy of one of our favorite business resources! Take a screenshot and email it over to us at support@soulpreneur.co or DM it to @sustainablescaling

BOO! Today’s episode is a rundown of the spOoOOokiest things that can happen when you’re trying to grow your business. We’re talking ghosts…trolls (and not the cute kind)...and maybe the scariest of all – the myriad ways one can be rejected. 

Basically all the twists and turns that can sometimes feel like you’ve entered a haunted mansion of funhouse mirrors that all seem to deliver back an image of YOU as the potential scarefest source. (Spoiler alert - it’s almost always not about you, and what’s more, we’ve ALL been there.)

Quick overview of what we cover:

• The perfect response to the “I need to talk this over with my partner” clients to avoid getting ghosted
• How to plan for the clients who stop paying and/or cancel their contracts that keeps integrity intact for you both
• How to decide between ‘bless and release’ or ‘block that bish’ when handling unfair refund requests
• Why a ‘rejection is protection’ mantra safeguards your tender heart when public roasts come typing after you
• Why trolls on your ads actually illuminate a path towards growth most business owners miss
• What to do if you’ve invested in something that, frankly…sucks
• Plus - a mini-masterclass on the best step to take when you’re running out of money and have no clients on the horizon 
• 6 questions to ask yourself to discover if mindset is the cause of your Sunday (thru Sat)  Scaries

EPISODES REFERENCED:

• Episode 59 —> Realigning Your Business to Stay in Personal Integrity and Finding Energetic Business Success with Christine Michelle
•  Episode 39—> 4 Things to Know About Your Audience to Make Way More Sales

RESOURCES: 

• Click here to join Sustainable Growth Lab
• Click here to get on the waitlist for the January 2024 cohort of Scalable Foundations Accelerator
• Register for Predictably Profitable, the free training for 6+ figure service-based business owners

LET’S CONNECT: 

• Book a call to work with Soulpreneur to grow your business
• Follow Soulpreneur: @soulpreneur_co
• Follow Adriane @adrianegalea
• Visit the website: soulpreneur.co

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Loved this episode? If you leave a review or share it with your friends on social, my team will send you a copy of one of our favorite business resources! Take a screenshot and email it over to us at support@soulpreneur.co or DM it to @soulpreneur_co

This episode was first published at soulpreneur.co/091

Every business relies on sales and marketing to grow, period. Sometimes it’s as simple as saying “suck it up and find time to make it happen” and then sometimes…there’s more nuance involved.

A recurring theme that comes up with my clients that gives me pause for how many other small business owners are probably living through it too is the struggle to find time to market and/or sell in their businesses. 

In this episode, we break down the best strategy to use – because whether you’re just starting out or you’re making 6+ figures consistently, there’s always room for improvement in facing challenges like this that like to reappear again and again. 

Quick overview of what we cover:

• The one stage of business where you must simply (and we say this with ❤️)  “suck it up and make time”
• How to find the balance between serving existing clients and finding new ones
• What to do if you’re stuck in the pattern of “sign new client → cease all other sales+marketing efforts”
• How to know when it’s time to systemise, hire+delegate, automate, or contract out tasks
• How to reconcile the aspects of sales + marketing that don’t feel good to you

RESOURCES: 

• Click here to join Sustainable Growth Lab
• Click here to get on the waitlist for the January 2024 cohort of Scalable Foundations Accelerator
• Register for Predictably Profitable, the free training for 6+ figure service-based business owners

LET’S CONNECT: 

• Book a call to work with Soulpreneur to grow your business
• Follow Soulpreneur: @soulpreneur_co
• Follow Adriane @adrianegalea
• Visit the website: soulpreneur.co

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Loved this episode? If you leave a review or share it with your friends on social, my team will send you a copy of one of our favorite business resources! Take a screenshot and email it over to us at support@soulpreneur.co or DM it to @soulpreneur_co

This episode was first published at soulpreneur.co/090

The fact is, most businesses don’t get off the ground. Which begs the question - why does it work for some and not for others? 

Well, the bigger your business gets, the more complicated it becomes, and the more complicated your life as a business owner becomes, as well. And while almost everybody sets out wanting a seven-figure business – most people aren't willing to do the work that it takes to get there. 

In order to grow and scale, you must uncomplicate as much as humanly possible. Start here: putting in the work to develop excellence in the seven key areas required to grow a healthy, sustainable business that's working for you. 

Quick overview of what we cover:

• Why you’re better off applying for jobs than running a business if sales + marketing makes you uncomfortable
• Why the type of mindset work necessary to get your brain on board with growing a 7-figure business has nothing to do with manifestation or journaling and everything to do with mirrors
• How to tame your limiting ego and feed you expansive ego
• How you’re delivering your product matters as much as its quality
• What a healthy business is reliant upon (spoiler alert: it’s NOT you)
• Why great team members are necessary for increasing the impact your business has (rather than for the great work they do)
• Why developing a solid operational capacity is the key between functioning at the level you want to be known for, and then doing it at scale
• How to maneuver away from hiring ‘babysitters’ for your business and find awesome ‘co-parents’ instead
• Why so many business owners who are good at making money stink at keeping it (or spending it wisely)
• The two true boss strategy moves of serious CEOs
• PLUS - exciting FREE BONUS - click here if you would like Adriane's personalized business strategy take on where your business might be stalled out!

RESOURCES: 

• Click here to join Sustainable Growth Lab
• Click here to work with Adriane and the Soulpreneur Agency

LET’S CONNECT: 

• Book a call to work with Soulpreneur to grow your business
• Follow Soulpreneur: @soulpreneur_co
• Follow Adriane @adrianegalea
• Visit the website: soulpreneur.co

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Loved this episode? If you leave a review or share it with your friends on social, my team will send you a copy of one of our favorite business resources! Take a screenshot and email it over to us at support@soulpreneur.co or DM it to @soulpreneur_co

This episode was first published at soulpreneur.co/089

When it comes to the transference of knowledge to the learners in your programs and events, being a good facilitator is just as important (if not more so!) as being an expert in your field. The trick is, many experts feel like they’re doing a great job at facilitation when, in fact, they’re….not.

Today we’re reviewing the mistakes you don’t even know you’re making when you’re ‘unconsciously competent’ at your craft. Engagement is such an important part of whether or not your learners are achieving the outcomes you’ve promised them - a HUGE factor in their decision to stick with you for the long-game. 

Listen in as Steve Corney walks us through an elevated learner engagement strategy designed to increase participation in events like you’ve never seen before –  the holy grail that every course designer is after. 

Quick overview of what we cover:

• What to do when you ask for audience participation/engagement and it’s a no-go
• Why it’s short-sighted to assume that authority and thought leadership and unique perspective outweigh facilitator ability 
• How to decide when to deliver content statically vs dynamically
• Why how you make your future learners feel in the beginning MATTERS a ton (your knowledge alone won’t cut it if you’re trying to sell something)
• How to use learner feedback to know whether you’re nailing the balance of expertise vs. facilitation
• The best vehicle to deliver info to prevent zoom fatigue 
• How to use ‘signposting’ in your event to deliver a pitch with integrity
• What you can fall back on when your facilitator magic runs out
• The number one sign that gives away peak engagement
• The most strategic balance between teaching and engaging 

CHECK OUT STEVE + ADRIANE'S PROJECT: 

• Click here to get on the waitlist for our program launch
• Follow us: @servicedrivenscaling

LISTEN TO MORE EPISODES WITH STEVE:

• Episode 45, How Bro Marketers Have Destroyed Digital Learning 
• Episode 55, Marketing With Integrity in a Post-Bropocalypse World 
• Episode 63, The 5 Elements of a Successful Digital Sales Event Funnel, Part 1
• Episode 73, Trust Isn't Enough to Sell Courses or Group Coaching Programs...
• Episode 74, Delivering Outcomes With Mad Respect...
• Make More Money + Sales with your Established Course or Coaching: Episode 76, part 1;  Episode 78, part 2; Episode 80, part 3

RESOURCES: 

• Click here to join Adriane’s $7 Marketing Strategy Membership
• Click here to get on the waitlist for Sustainable Growth Lab
• Click here to work with Adriane and the Soulpreneur Agency
• Book a call with Soulpreneur to grow your business

CONNECT W/ STEVE: 

• Instagram: @steve_corney
• LinkedIn: @thisisstevecorney