Things that Stand in the Way of Success

Coaching women to effectively build and scale their online businesses over the years, I have seen a trend in some of the things that hold them back from truly reaching success. Because I choose to work with clients who truly have significant value to offer their own clients, I want to see them be successful and help those they work with. However, these common issues can hold them back from truly seeing that success.

Technology problems.

Many female entrepreneurs have solid, effective programs and services, but don’t put them out there because they feel like they don’t have the technology know-how to make the program perfect. If you are worried about the technology side of things, you have options. You can lean on a team like The Agency Side for things like that, or you can bootstrap projects yourself. In this instance, done is truly better than perfect. So put something together, gather a test group and start helping people meet their goals. As you get further along into your business, you can learn more or hire out when it comes to technology. Find someone who knows how to help you or put something simple together, then get out there and make people’s lives better.

Insecurity with individual outreach.

Sometimes I see clients who are afraid to reach out to individuals because they don’t want to seem salesy and slimy. Because network marketing is so prevalent on the web, this has become a real minefield. However, there is a way to reach out to individuals that is genuine and has their best interest in mind. An influencer who is willing to share your lead magnet with their audience, can bring in loads of qualified leads, that will eventually turn into your warm market. Without some individual outreach, you won’t be able to grow your warm market. And remember, if you are providing value, people won’t have a problem with signing up for an email list, or hearing about your offerings. So, be confident and reach out!

On a side note, if you are partnered with a network marketing organization, be sure you are adding value to those you are reaching out to, and not just looking for a sale. This makes the web a friendlier place for everyone.

Fear of lack of credibility.

Credibility is extremely important in today’s market, but the women I work with already have more than enough credibility to be out there serving clients. What’s sad is that there are so many out there with no background or training, offering all kinds of info and charging thousands for products, courses and coaching that are not actually going to help anyone. While there will always be someone out there who is smarter than you, you are more than equipped to help people with good programming and quality products. The key is to surround yourself with people who are more knowledgeable than you so that when you don’t know the answers, you have some place to go. You don’t have to buy the next online class, or spend tons of money on getting more prepared. You just need to start, and then surround yourself with people who have more experience and who are a few steps ahead of you. This way, you can use your knowledge as a base to serve clients, and you can continue to learn and grow by doing your own professional development and learning from those around you. Don’t let the fear of lack of credibility stand in the way of forward motion in your business.

If you are a female entrepreneur, specifically in the wellness industry, don’t let the fear of technology, individual outreach or lack of credibility keep you from truly growing your business. Go out there confidently, believing in your ability to deliver and the effectiveness of your product. Focus on providing value, outsource where you can, and remember that done is better than perfect.

Stop Trading Time for Money

I have said this several times before, but it is truly something I am passionate about: my goal is to equip and empower female entrepreneurs to accumulate significant income that they can re-circulate back into family, church and community. I absolutely believe that this is the way change in the world is going to occur.

Because of my mission, I am committed to helping women stop trading their time for money and begin to focus on scalable revenue streams. For me, this looked like trading my in-person, one-on-one personal training sessions for my online bootcamps that meet the needs of hundreds of women at a time. Building scalable revenue will not only lead to greater financial success, but it allows you to help more people with your program and services.

Often, entrepreneurs like myself have so many ideas that they don’t know what to do with them all. While this can lead to several revenue streams, it can also lead to too many revenue streams. Too many revenue streams can easily keep you distracted from pouring into the most profitable revenue streams for your business. That’s why a large part of my business coaching focuses on helping clients cast a vision for their business, set specific financial goals, and put plans in place to meet those goals.

I truly believe that we are surrounded by data but starved for insight. We need to look at what the numbers are telling us and begin to make informed decisions.

Here are a few steps you can take to build a profitable business model in 2017:

Assess and iterate.

Look at your current streams of revenue and ask yourself what is scalable and what is truly profitable. The programs, services and products that are scalable and profitable are where you need to focus your time and energy in 2017.

Understand your money mindset.

First, do you have specific income goals for your business? If not, you have to believe in your product and services enough to start requiring them to perform. The only way to do that is to set a specific financial goal. However, the goal you set is likely going to be the goal you reach. If you think small, you are going to see small returns. If you think big, you will see big returns. And, I don’t mean this in a frufru, manifesting kind of way. I do, however, mean that setting a big financial goal and then reverse engineering exactly what it will take to reach that goal, is extremely important to growing a successful business. The bigger the goal, the more you will need to look for ways to create scalable products and services, because you will simply run out of time otherwise. Many of you need to work on your money mindset in the year to come, because, the sky is truly the limit in terms of what can be earned through an intentional, focused business model.

Kill the darlings.

Once you’ve set your goal, it is time to kill some darlings. This is hard friends. For me, this meant stopping something I loved: training clients one-on-one. However, once you get rid of streams of income that are sucking attention away from the scalable and the profitable, you will begin to see huge returns. In addition, you’ve got to begin to focus on just a few things and quit jumping around in terms of offerings. Choose some viable, scalable revenue streams and stick with them, building them and improving them as you grow. Too many extremely qualified professionals jump around from project to project, never fully honing in on one thing. This is a recipe for disaster friends!

Take control of your business finances and be in the know.

The data is in the numbers. If you don’t know the numbers then you won’t be able to make informed, intentional decisions for your business. So many female entrepreneurs I meet don’t have a grasp on their business finances. It is critical you are updating and checking on your financial spreadsheet daily. It is critical you are able to see progress toward your financial goals. It is critical you know exactly where your money is coming from and where your money is going.

In addition, many business owners don’t intentionally invest their earnings. Instead, they spend what they earn. It is absolutely critical that you begin to learn about how to effectively invest your money, even when your business is small and in its beginning stages.

If you want to truly see exponential growth in your business, you are going to have to look at the data, kill some darlings and begin to focus on scalable income streams. This isn’t always easy, and might mean giving up some of the things you love. But ultimately, it will help you focus on what is really working for your business; allowing you to serve more people than you ever could previously, when you were trading time for money. If you cast your vision, set your goals, and put your plan in place, you will be amazed to see the growth in both your finances and influence over the coming year!

Client Spotlight: Sarah Cann

One reason I decided to coach female entrepreneurs is because I am truly committed to giving back to family, church and community. Research has shown that women are considerably more likely to recirculate their wealth into things that truly matter, which is why I have placed my focus there. Over the years, I have gotten to know so many strong, focused women, all of whom are truly making a mark on the world. Sarah Cann is one of those women and it has been an incredible privilege to work with her.

Sarah’s business has seen incredible growth in just 16 months and is built upon a foundation of excellent programming. She is a hard working mom, who makes no excuses; she gets things done.

I am sure you are going to love getting to know Sarah as much as I have!

Sarah is a certified personal trainer and nutrition consultant. Her passion for fitness grew after having her daughter, Mia, in 2011. As a way to challenge herself and lose her post-partum weight, Sarah decided to enter an NPC bikini competition. As she saw her own body transform, Sarah was compelled to empower other women to do the same. She started her in-person and online training business after earning her certifications, and has been growing it ever since.

Sarah runs online group programs, does one-on-one nutritional counseling, and creates individualized training plans for VIP clients. In addition, she has several programs you can purchase to do on your own, including: Strictly Barbell, Back to Fit, 30 Day Kickstart and 21 Day Shred.

Let’s chat with Sarah for a bit!

Sarah, how has working with Amanda and her team helped you grow your business?

Working with Amanda and her team has been wonderful!  I have learned long term strategies to successfully build my business over the last year and a half.  She and her team help me tremendously by taking care of the technology, design, & logistical side of my business.  This frees me up to focus my time on building relationships and serving my client’s needs.

What are some recent big wins you’ve experienced?

Many small businesses fail within the first year.  I am proud to say that I've built a success story in the first 16 months of my business.  I've been blessed to serve over 170 clients in 2016.  When I take a moment to think on that, my heart is so grateful.

What are you working on? What’s next for you?

The 30 Day Shred program has been my most successful online plan this year.  While all of my clients saw amazing results using this plan, I am thrilled to retire this program forever in 2016.  I say “thrilled" because I have developed a brand new plan for 2017.  The clients in my test groups got fantastic results!  I can't wait to share more details in these next few weeks!

Where can we find you?

Website: Sarah Cann Training

Instagram: @sarahcanntraining

Facebook: Sarah Cann Training

Be sure to check Sarah out! She is truly a rising star in the fitness industry and has big things ahead!

How I Grew My Online Bootcamp from 11 to over 300 in One Year

Through my Business Accelerator program, I work with several women running online fitness bootcamps.  Many of them will say things like, “I’ve just started my online bootcamps, and was only able to get 10 women signed up. I see how many are in your programs and don’t feel like I will ever get there.” Here’s the deal though: at this time last year, I ran a bootcamp with 11 women in it. I haven’t always had huge online fitness programs. However, over the last year, I’ve stepped up my marketing and programming and have seen huge returns on my investment. I currently have over 370 women in my online bootcamps, which is clearly significant growth from one year ago. While there is no magic pill to growth like this, with focus, intentionality and effective marketing, you can grow your online programs in the same way I have.

The one thing I encourage all fitness professionals in my programs to begin with, is an effective program. All of the marketing in the world will do you no good if you don’t have a program that works. I highly recommend you run a test group prior to any big launches. I ran a small test group last year, around this time. Throughout the duration of that group, I got daily feedback from the women going through my program. They gave me input on workouts, recipes and their results. I did one-on-one consults to get testimonials, and to tweek my program based on their feedback. That was an invaluable step to building what I believe to be the most effective fat loss program on the market today.

Once you’ve got your effective program together, you are going to need to dial in your marketing efforts. The single most important thing you can do to bring clients into your programs is use live video on a consistent basis. I did this throughout the year, and have seen tremendous results. Be sure to post several live videos showcasing client testimonials, your own results and calls to action. In addition, you will want to provide your followers with live video that has valuable content for them, while establishing you as an expert. This means that you won’t always be  selling on live video, but when you do, you will have already built trust with your audience.

This year I implemented an affiliate program that has grown my bootcamps exponentially. For those that have gone through my program and seen significant success, I offer them the opportunity to earn 50% for every referral they make to my programs. I truly believe in paying my affiliates well. Because of that, affiliates are more than willing to promote my programs, which gets me in front of entirely new audiences. If you have an outstanding program, and your clients have great results through that program, then it is absolutely worth your time to develop a strong affiliate program. In my Year Long Accelerator Program, I will be walking my clients through the specifics of setting up an affiliate program, and how to leverage affiliates to grow your online bootcamps.

Please know that it is normal, and okay to start small. Create excellent programs, tweak them based on client feedback so your programs bring clients maximum results. Utilize live video to connect with followers, letting them know about your programs and their success. Create a worthwhile affiliate program that will get you in front of new audiences. Continue to focus on solving your client’s pain points. Over time, with a lot of hustle and hard-work, you will see your programs grow. But, do not despise your small beginnings. Be faithful with the few who sign up for each program and intentional with your growth strategies. Over time you will be rocking bootcamps with hundreds of women who are committed to you and every program you offer!

Cutting through the Clutter with Your Online Marketing

If you’ve scrolled through Facebook or Instagram recently, you’ve probably noticed your feed is flooded with promotional posts. The use of these platforms for business purposes has significantly increased over the past couple of years, and I don’t foresee that slowing down anytime soon.

• How can you cut through that clutter as an entrepreneur and business owner?
• What actually works, and what gets passed over without a second glance?
• How can you be sure that people will see your posts and valuable content?

While there isn’t a perfect fix to promoting your products and services online, there are a few strategies that have proven effective, and a couple that have proven ineffective. Let me save you some time and share with you the tactics that are working and the tactics that are a complete waste of time!

What’s NOT Working

Static images with text on Facebook business pages

In the past you could create a great static poster with text and get a good response. However, that is no longer the case. The new algorithms on Facebook and Instagram have made these types of posts completely irrelevant. In fact, it is likely that no one will see them.

Google Ads

There is little to no return on investment with Google ads these days, so save your money and use it elsewhere! The price point is extremely high for what you get in return.

What IS Working

Facebook Ads

As of right now, Facebook ads are showing a good return on investment when you target them well. You can typically get a lot of bang for your buck with these, particularly on lead generators.

Facebook Live Video

Live Video has been extremely successful for both my business and my client’s businesses. Currently, the Facebook algorithm loves live video and prioritizes it over static images and posts with links. Facebook Live Videos can be done on both your personal page and your business page, Doing Facebook live videos from your business page will speak directly to your warm market. In addition, you can boost those videos for a relatively low cost, and bring in more qualified leads. Apart from live video and some valuable content, I don’t post anything else from my Facebook business page, because it simply won’t get seen.

Affiliate Programs

Affiliates are people who earn a percentage for their referrals to your products, services or programs. I recently started an affiliate program and have seen huge returns from it. Affiliate programs give you reach into areas you would not otherwise have reach. They get you in front of  entirely new audiences and give you immediate credibility: because that audience already trusts your affiliate. The other thing I love about affiliate programs is they help support people who have been loyal clients. There is nothing I love more than being able to run my business in a way that empowers other women to contribute to their family, church and community.

Influencer Shares to Build Your Email List

Influencer shares can be an effective way to grow your email list in a cluttered market. An influencer share is when someone with a significant following in your target market; shares your lead generator and points their followers to your business. A good way to utilize this strategy is to contact influencers with a similar market to yours and let them know about a valuable piece of content you’ve created (ebook, free challenge, etc) that you think might serve their audience well. If that influencer shares your freebie with their followers, you acquire new email sign ups, and can later share your paid programs with those email subscribers.

Lead Generators on Instagram

For the time being, posting a lead generator on Instagram is still working, although I do believe this is will be short lived. However, as of right now, this is still an effective way to grow your email list. I still use a personal Instagram account, as opposed to a business account, because I’ve found the engagement to be considerably higher that way. From now until the end of the year, I will be posting at least one lead generator to my Instagram account, daily.

Send Emails

Sending out emails is one of the best ways to cut through the clutter over the next few weeks. You do need to be careful with your email subjects, as gmail does have its own algorithm. However, a well crafted email can truly go a long way. It is important to regularly be providing your email lists with a good ratio of helpful content. You do not want to only send sales content. Currently,  I  send two emails per week that are not sales related, and one that is a direct call to action for a paid program. This way, people don’t get tired of my emails, and know they will find valuable content inside them.

Instagram Stories

I’ve already shared a good amount of information on Instagram stories, so I won’t belabor the point. Instagram stories are a phenomenal way to engage followers and build your know-like-trust factor.

Podcasts

I am kind of kicking myself for not following through on the podcast I had planned to start. However, if you’ve already started your own podcast, this is a phenomenal way to engage with a wider audience, while cutting through the clutter online. My recommendation for those that have not started a podcast is to do your best to be a guest on other podcasts that your target market listen to.

With all the noise we encounter each day in the online world, it is truly important the we focus our marketing efforts strategically.  We need to regularly solve our ideal client’s pain points, and offer them a consistent diet of extremely valuable content. There is so much out there that reeks of insincerity and greed. One of the most effective ways to cut through the noise is to implement the above strategies in an authentic and helpful way. This will not only bring in the qualified leads,  but will turn those leads into lifelong supporters of you and your business.

Client Spotlight: Kylie Larson

Happy Monday friends! Monday’s are all about showcasing one of the beautiful, talented, hard-working women that I am fortunate enough to work with. As a business coach for female entrepreneurs, the greatest success I can achieve is to see all of my clients achieve their own version of success. Which is why I am so excited to introduce you to Kylie Larson. She has been such a joy to work with, and I couldn’t be more proud of the way she has grown her business!

Kylie is a personal trainer, nutrition coach, and a yoga and group fitness instructor. She is passionate about motivating and inspiring others. Kylie offers, both in-person and online training programs and classes. She also offers nutrition coaching, where she helps take the guess work out of building a healthy nutrition plan. Her goal is to provide busy people with fun, and effective workouts in a safe and inspiring way.

Kylie, tell us a little bit about yourself and your current season of life.

I currently reside in Denver, Colorado with my husband and 4 year old son.  I’m passionate about all things fitness, but mostly teaching women how to implement strength training into their workouts: creating change from the inside out.

Tell us about your business.

I am a personal trainer, Precision Nutrition Level 1 Coach, yoga teacher and teacher trainer, and group fitness instructor.  I offer in-person classes, training and retreats, as well as online bootcamps, nutrition coaching and weight training programs.

How has working with Amanda and her team helped you grow your business?

Amanda’s team helped me to take action.  I knew I wanted to offer something online, but I didn’t know how to do it.  Her team allows me to do what I do best: create workouts, programs and meal plans, while they focus on my website development, automating lead generation and everything else that goes on behind the scenes.

What’s a recent big win we can help you celebrate?

I’ve sold out my last two online programs, and there are no signs of slowing down!!!

It has been so exciting to see Kylie grow the online side of her current business. She is a fantastic example of the success that comes from following a strategic plan, working hard, and serving your followers with excellent programming.

The Agency Side loved branding and designing Kylie’s beautiful new website, Kylie Fit Yoga. In addition, we recently completed her latest Holiday Maintain Don’t Gain program,  and are currently working on a kick-butt new strength training program, coming out soon!

Want to Connect with Kylie?

Kylie’s Website

Instagram: @kyliefityoga

Facebook: facebook.com/kyliefit

How to Use Instagram Stories Effectively

Over the past 3 years, I have had a love hate relationship with Instagram. Three years ago, I was truly loving it. I had built my following and was seeing some real engagement. Two years ago, I began seeing some huge returns from that following. Fast forward to about six months ago, when I was completely ready to give up on Instagram. I wasn’t loving the new algorithms and wasn’t seeing much ROI from the time I was spending on it. I couldn’t see my friends’ pictures and was tired of the perfectly curated feeds. However, over the last couple of months, since Instagram has added and updated Instagram stories, I am finding my love for it again.

Here’s a little background on Instagram stories.

A while back, Instagram was acquired by Facebook. Shortly thereafter, Facebook tried to acquire Snapchat as well. When Snapchat turned them down, Facebook did what they do best, and created their own version of Snapchat: Instagram Stories.

At the time, I had been using Snapchat and was really loving it. That platform really connects with millennials who value authenticity and transparency above a perfectly crafted, “fake” Instagram feed. However, Snapchat lacked user friendliness and a simple way to find and add followers.

So, I decided to try Instagram stories, since I had built a significant following there. As I began adding to my story daily, I started seeing over a thousand impressions on each post throughout the day. This had been a significant increase from what I had seen prior, due to the new algorithm that was negatively affecting still images on my normal feed. Because I was seeing so much engagement, I decided to go all in with Instagram Stories and have been impressed and encouraged by their latest round of updates.

Instagram Story Updates

• Recently Instagram has enabled you to mention other profiles in your story, similar to the way you tag people in a still shot in your feed. This is going to be key for female entrepreneurs looking for brand partnerships, building a following and reaching out to influencers. It is also a way to encourage your followers to support and get to know your clients and collaborators.
• I have also learned that Instagram recently began allowing you to place links in your story. While I don’t have this capability yet, I am guessing it is something they will roll out slowly in the coming months. This is ideal for creating leads through free early stage offers, or linking to your paid programs and goods. You can check to see if this is available to you by looking for the link at the bottom of your story pics and videos. In the meantime, I have seen huge growth in my email list, as I have simply shared about my early stage offers in my Story and encouraged followers to grab those offers through the link in my profile.
• Instagram has recently added the Boomerang feature, which makes your story just a bit more fun. I will admit, it’s not nearly as fun as Snapchat filters, but Cole loves to play with it, and it can add a small element of silliness to your story.
• Suggested People to Follow is also a great way to begin interacting with influencers and building relationships with potential clients and collaborators.

I fully believe that all female entrepreneurs need to begin working this platform into their social media strategy. This is an even more necessary tool for you if millennials are a part of your target market. This feature gives millennials a sneak peak into your life, allowing you to connect with them in a transparent way. I have had countless people tell me they found me through my Instagram feed, but got to know me through my Instagram Stories. This helps followers see that you are real, and then decide whether they like you. It also means you may lose a few followers along the way. I did! That’s totally okay, I ended up gaining more followers in the long run. Once you start using Instagram Stories, some people may find that you just aren’t their cup of tea, but using stories effectively will help you find your tribe and build your following with those who are truly qualified leads.

A few things to keep in mind:

• I have kept my account  a personal account, not a business account. While the business account does give you some great insights, I began to see my engagement drop once I switched to business. My theory here is that once you change your account over to business, Instagram is going to make you pay to play. I have experimented with both and have found far better results using my personal account.
• You don’t have to lead an amazing lifestyle to use Instagram Stories. Remember, Instagram Stories is all about being real, raw and honest. You don’t need everything to be perfectly curated. You don’t need to be doing something interesting to begin sharing your day on Instagram Stories. People want to see the normalness of your life, so show them what you actually do every day. You can always add in some new project teasers, helpful tips and brands you love, to ensure you are adding value to your followers’ lives and giving them a glimpse into what you have to offer.  You do not need to be a celebrity to use Instagram Stories well!

As of right now, I truly believe that this is going to be one of the most powerful platforms for female entrepreneurs to begin building and engaging an audience of qualified leads. Plus, it's just kind of fun to use!  As with everything Facebook related, things are subject to rapid change. However, it is worth spending some time on.

If you aren’t yet following me, I’d love to have you. My stories aren’t glamorous. They are surprisingly normal, filled with helpful tips for wellness professionals and female entrepreneurs, and completely real and honest. If that’s your thing, you can find me at @AmandaTress. I truly look forward to interacting with you there!

My Biggest, Most Expensive Mistake to Date

My Biggest, Most Expensive Mistake to Date

Today’s post is a little more vulnerable (and a lot longer) than I usually get. But, I believe that it is important for me to share my mistakes with you so that you can learn from them.

This past year I made one huge mistake that cost me, my team, and my business quite a bit. After lots of assessment, discussion and some sadness, we’ve made some changes and are hopeful as we move forward. This entrepreneurial life is not for the faint of heart, but with every trial comes an opportunity to grow. The last ten months have been one big opportunity for that to happen for me and my team.

Last February, Lindsey and I were thinking through what our clients’ main pain points were. We quickly realized they were not only in need of the strategy we’d been providing, but were also in need of done-for-you marketing services, design and back-end business support. We looked at the market and realized no one was providing a program that combined strategy and this type of services. So we created our 3 Month Program and our Elite Program. I went to town marketing these programs using the the lack of anything like this as one of my main selling points.

However, I quickly realized why no one else was providing a service like this one.

I soon realized that what we had offered was way too much for what we were charging. The creation of those two programs, specifically my Elite program, seemed like a perfect way to serve the female entrepreneurs I am so committed to, but it totally backfired.

Here’s where we went wrong:

I didn’t consider my margins.

Running three online businesses means that my time is extremely limited. Because of that, I can not spend hours on things that are not in my wheelhouse. The Elite program I created required significant time from both me and my team. While we brought in significant income each month from all three businesses, that money was going to pay staffers working on projects for Elite clients. I simply did not charge enough for what we were offering. While I considered what would be most helpful to my clients, I did not consider what the profit margin for those services would be on my end.

I didn’t set the right expectations with my Elite Clients.

While most clients were truly amazing and a complete joy to work with, I did not do a good job of letting them know what to expect. I didn’t set clear boundaries for communication time. I didn’t set clear expectations for project completion times. I didn’t set clear guidelines for the services the Agency Side would provide. This left me and my staffers carrying the heavy burden of quicker than normal turn around times, clients who expected us to immediately meet their marketing needs, and too many projects to complete in too little time.

I didn’t hire the right team.

The high demand created by my upper level programs meant I had to hire several new team members; some of whom were hired out of sheer desperation. Hiring out of desperation is a dangerous place to be and I quickly learned why. My team and I spent time interviewing, on-boarding and training new staffers, only to find out they weren’t the experts they claimed to be. I ended up having to fire several people, which really took a toll on me and wasted precious time for my business.

I didn’t require my Elite Clients to go through my Business Accelerator Program.

My Business Accelerator Program is designed to teach female entrepreneurs how to begin building a profitable, scalable business. During this month-long program, clients learn the basics of marketing, live-video, back-end business, and they work on creating scalable streams of income. In addition to that, they have 5 strategy calls where we work on a plan that is specific to them. This program completely lays the foundation for everything I do in all of my other programs. Because I let some Elite clients into the Elite program without going through my Accelerator, I had some who had not laid the groundwork they needed and didn’t understand the grind it takes to grow a profitable business. They had misconceptions about the Agency Side’s ability to create leads and profits, and were missing the basics when it came to running their own business.

I didn’t have the right systems in place.

With the added demand our Elite and 3 Month programs put on the Agency Side, and our expedited hiring process, we simply did not have the right systems in place to be successful. We were spinning our wheels on several fronts. My whole team was burned out. Bringing Brandon on has been a huge help, but not having systems in place before offering such a big program really hit us hard.

So what did all of this cost me?

• Thousands of dollars
• Hours of sleep
• Time with my family
• Relationships with team members and clients I had to let go
• My peace of mind, and a tiny bit of my sanity

Moving Forward

I am really excited about the new direction we are taking even though it’s come out of a huge failure.

Here’s what we are moving forward with:

• New systems that have made us more efficient. This means we are better able to serve our clients without overextending ourselves.

• A team of true rockstars. I am so happy with the quality of our staff. I am confident in my team’s ability to meet our client’s needs.

• A brand new Elite Program that is built on solving client pain points while keeping reasonable margins for my business. We will be sticking to services that are truly within our wheelhouse of strategy and design. I believe that we are the best at offering female entrepreneurs winning strategies. I am regularly amazed by the products our design team produces. So, we are going to focus more on those things.

• Hand selecting Elite clients and setting clear expectations for them from the beginning.

• Prices that better reflect the value we provide. I am still committed to providing services at a reasonable, accessible price, but have also taken into account the value of my time and my team’s time.

While the last 10 months have been humbling, I am thankful for the lessons I’ve learned and hope that my mistakes are ones you can learn from as well. I truly believe that failure only has the power you give it. It can either define your business and stop you in your tracks, or it can guide you into something better. Instead of stopping, assess the situation honestly, kill your sacred cows, and make the necessary sharp right turns to get your business back on track.

Tips for Achieving Financial Peace

Part of running a successful business is being wise with your finances. While I love fitness and empowering female entrepreneurs, I am equally passionate about helping women reach a point of financial peace. While there is a ton to learn about finances, there are a few guiding principles that can contribute to experiencing financial peace. We’ve got some practical things that have really helped us, but first, there are a few heart issues we need to deal with.

You’ve got cultivate a life of contentment

At the heart of most financial issues you’ll find a heart of discontentment. This can absolutely carry over into your business, especially when social media makes it seem like everyone is living the high life, making millions. If you see that your heart has grown discontent, then it’s time to start dealing with that before you make any big financial decisions: personally or professionally. Start a gratitude journal and reassess what you really value, so that you are in clear head and heart space when making decisions about your finances.

What You Have Does Not Define You

To really grow a business and move into financial peace, you need to stop equating your identity with what you have. When you allow things like your home, car and material possessions to become indicators of your self worth and success, you lose focus and make rash decisions. Those types of decisions lead to overwhelm, anxiety and a total lack of financial peace.

Tips to Achieving Financial Peace

Invest, save, then spend.

There is a biblical principle of living lean  for the first few years of your business. Once you’ve invested back into your business, saved a significant amount of money and given generously over the course of a few years, you can then begin to use profits to increase your standard of living. This is something we’ve practiced since beginning our business, almost three years ago. We have lived lean and downsized, so we can invest in our business and save well. Recirculating wealth into family, church and community is a core value of mine, so we have used what we’ve made to expand our team and give generously. This has truly contributed in a great way to our financial peace.

You don’t need to scale your life to match what you are making.

Just because you are making more money, doesn’t mean you have to immediately up your standard of living. Learning to delay gratification, allows you to build savings, so that you can invest in the things that truly matter to you, long term. You don’t need to go out and buy a bigger home, just because you can. You don’t need to get a fancy car, just because you can afford a bigger payment. Bigger means more responsibility, which ultimately undermines financial peace.

Find a great financial planner and stay in close contact with them.

A big reason we have a significant amount of financial peace is that we have a fantastic financial planner: one we truly trust and respect. When choosing a planner, be sure to find someone whose lifestyle in line with your values. You also want to make sure that you are working with someone who actually follows their own advice, and lives in a way that is comparable to how you want to live. Once you’ve found someone, make sure you are in regular contact with them, and that you are updating your portfolio and plans to fit your long-term goals.    

Create a budget, and make a plan for your finances.

A budget might seem limiting, but it is actually quite freeing. A budget is like a fence for your money. You can go anywhere you want within the limits of the fence, you have total freedom there. But, the fence keeps you safe, and in the right place. There is peace within the boundaries. In addition to having a budget, you want to make sure that you have some plans for the money you are earning. Without plans, you will likely blow money on unnecessary things. Having a plan makes saving, investing and giving a whole lot easier.

Build significant savings, personally and for your business.

We have worked hard to save for several months of our living expenses, and for several months of our operational business expenses. This requires a great deal of self-discipline, and goes hand in hand with not upping your standard of living when you start making more money. However, it is truly necessary for living in financial peace.

Make sure your assets are higher than your liabilities.

If you are currently living in debt, then it is time to make a plan to get out of debt. Having a bottom line that is in the black is so important for maintaining your financial peace. If you aren’t there yet, I highly recommend Dave Ramsey’s materials to help  you down the road to a positive balance.

Live within your means.

This seems like a no brainer, but it is truly a challenge in today’s world. When you are trying to keep up with the Jones’ it is so easy to creep up above your means. This is where discontentment comes into play, and we begin to crave more things, better things, to give us our identity. Living beneath your means requires delayed gratification and hard work, but it will truly lead to lasting financial peace.

Financial peace is totally possible and worth pursuing, but it does require some hard work and intentionality. Operating out of financial peace allows you to make sound decisions as your business grows, and enables you to give more to family, church and community.

Client Feature: Rachel King

Happy Monday friends! I love Monday’s because that’s when I introduce you to one of my amazing clients. These women are true powerhouses in their industries. Each of them working towards earning significant income to recirculate back into family, church and community.

Today’s featured entrepreneur is Rachel King. Rachel is an accountant with a love for wellness. She decided to turn her passion into a career, and became a health, financial, and accountability coach. Rachel’s passion is to help other women become “Financially Fit”. She is committed to helping her clients reach their full potential so that they feel confident and comfortable in their own skin.

How have you and your business grown working with Amanda and Lindsey?

I am so thankful to have met Amanda Tress and Lindsey Murray! Since I began working with Amanda in March, my businesses (fitness and finance) have taken off like never before. I’ve learned so much about putting systems in place and utilizing effective marketing strategies. I’ve been able to automate several areas of my business so that I am able to better focus on my clients.  

I was also fortunate enough to be able to attend a VIP Weekend, which was a huge success. Throughout the weekend we were encouraged to dream BIG and to set high goals. We were also given hands-on, practical steps to begin working towards those goals.  Having such successful women truly believe in you, goes a long way to helping you believe in yourself.

What are some major wins you’ve experienced that we can celebrate with you?

I launched my latest course, Budgeting Bootcamp, which has been an incredible success. Having both Amanda and Lindsey to help with strategy and product design, I was able to market my program, put together incredibly useful content, and offer my clients a beautifully done workbook. This has been my most successful product launch, by far. In addition to that launch, I’ve recently landed my first one-on-one Finance Success and Accountability client shortly after returning home from my VIP weekend. I am so excited to see things continue to grow from here.

Share a few fun facts about you!

• My favorite splurge is Starbucks (or any coffee house for that matter). I also love workout clothes, and makeup!

• I love wearing dresses, and basically live in them.

• My favorite colors are purple and mint green. BUT I usually buy neutrals. I’m not sure why!

What encouragement do you have for other female entrepreneurs?

Life is too short to live full of self-consciousness. That’s why I’m so passionate about empowering women to find their confidence and unleash their true potential through becoming “financially fit!"

Where can we find you?

Instagram

Website

Rachel is truly committed to growing her business and daily puts in the work required to do that; she is such a joy to work with. The future holds bright things for this strong woman, and I know that she will continue to provide the very best service to all of her current and future clients.

Can Money Buy Happiness?

Can money buy happiness? 

Will hitting a certain salary level, receiving a promotion, or reaching “millionaire” status make you happy?

In the entrepreneurial world, there are lots of opposing viewpoints on whether money can truly bring people happiness. 

Since our first year of marriage, Brandon and I have set and achieved some pretty big financial goals. We’ve been blessed with opportunities, worked incredibly hard and made some wise decisions along the way. But has making more money made us happier?

Eight years ago, Brandon and I lived in a 500 square foot apartment, had significant student loan debt and made minimum wage working 70 hours per week. We had very little money in the bank.

And we were happy.

Our first year of marriage was full of adventure, new friendships, fun employment opportunities and contentment.

Since then, we’ve been able to pay off our school loans, are building our second dream home, have gone on several family vacations and have been able to make some big purchases on items we’ve really wanted.

And we are happy.

….just as happy as we were in the 500 sq ft. apartment.

When asked, “Can money buy you happiness,” successful entrepreneur Marc Cuban responded:

“It’s creating a goal for yourself and accomplishing a goal and setting a dream, and living that dream through your effort that can make you feel a whole lot better about yourself [and happy].” He says. “It worked for me…”

I love this quote from Marc Cuban and would add the following to where I’ve landed on the money and happiness issue: “Inspiring and empowering other women to set and accomplish goals and fulfill their dreams, in addition to setting and accomplishing my personal goals, while staying balanced with family and career, is what truly makes me happy.”

Happiness comes in the form of living out your God given purpose with passion, intention and balance.

Through the years, I’ve discovered what makes me ‘happy’ is empowering women to do what inspires them. As a business coach, nothing gives me more joy, satisfaction, and happiness than watching another woman build a successful business.

Want to know what else makes me happy? A sense of balance.

I am no stranger to hard work, and will never preach a 40 hour work week. Most entrepreneurs work more than 40 hours a week, hustling to make things happen. However, there is no monetary value I could ever put on having the flexibility I have to work from anywhere and schedule things around the needs of my family. I love being able to go to Emma’s class to read in the middle of the day. I love creating workouts by the pool. I love being able to work from home, on my own terms. Having some balance fuels the flames of happiness in my life, in a big way.

Working excessive hours is an expense I can no longer afford. My focus is now on building passive or scalable income streams that allow me to get more bang for my buck in terms of time investment. I’ve also learned that if I am working in alignment with my core values and toward a purpose greater than my own wealth, happiness always follows. 

I am a firm believer in the fact that money doesn’t buy happiness…because I had happiness long before I had money. Living a life of balance and purpose though…that’s where happiness is easily found. 

The Realities of Burnout and Avoiding Fatigue

I am burned out. 

This often happens to me after the first quarter of each year when the health and wellness industry is booming. I hustle hard during that quarter and then crash just a little. 

Burnout can leave you feeling depleted, stressed and overwhelmed. Sherrie Bourg Carter says it perfectly: “Burnout is a cunning thief that robs the world of its best and its brightest by feeding on their energy, enthusiasm, and passion, transforming these positive qualities into exhaustion, frustration, and disillusionment. But the good news is that burnout is not a terminal condition.”

If you are feeling this way, my friend, you are not alone. We all go through this at some point or another on this entrepreneurial journey. So, when you find yourself at the intersection of burned out and giving up, here are a few tips to keep you moving forward. 

Revisit Your Why

When burnout starts to creep up on you, it’s so important you revisit your why. Going back to your purpose is critical to push through and find a better way.  Your why can help you re-prioritize, re-envision, and refocus when things get off track. So, be sure to keep your why in front of you and reference it often. 

Delegate

Delegation can be scary because in some ways you are giving up control…and let’s be honest, most of us entrepreneurial types don’t like to give up control. However, I have long said, “you can have control or you can have growth, but you can’t have both.” If you are holding on to the puppet strings too tightly, your hands will get tired. You’ve got to loosen your grip a little every now and then. 

A couple of tips for delegating:

• Make a list of everything you hate doing and figure out a way to have someone else do those things for you. Obviously, we can’t do this with everything, but it will give you a starting point!
• Focus on the essentials. We often get burned out because we are doing too many things that are truly not necessary. Cut out anything that isn’t essential. 
• Build a strong team. You will probably have to invest in a team to grow your business. Find the right people and then empower them to do their thing.

Take Daily Breaks

You need to give yourself a few mental breaks each day, even if it’s only for 10 minutes. Go outside and get some vitamin D. Take a quick walk around the office. Do a quick 10 minute yoga video. Spend 20 minutes reading a book…for fun. Turn on some music and dance with one of your kids. Relax and deep breathe for at least 10 minutes each day. This honestly will do wonders to keep you from burning out. 

Practice Daily Gratitude

Mindset is truly a game changer. When you are positive, focused and living out of an abundance mindset, you are able to accomplish so much more. Practicing gratitude is a simple way to get your mindset back on a positive track. It reminds you that nothing is truly as urgent as it seems and that there is so much good in your life. I try to come up with 2-3 things I am grateful for each day. Practice this for a couple of weeks and I guarantee you will see your mindset shift and the fog of burnout fade.

Start Something New and Challenge Yourself

Boredom can lead to burnout quickly. When you are running your own business, it is important to shake things up every now and then. It’s in our nature as entrepreneurs to thrive in challenging and innovative settings. So, when you feel the burnout coming on, it’s likely time to try something new. Create a new program, launch a new course, create a new product, get a new certification…disrupt the monotony and you’ll be able to avoid those overwhelming feelings of burnout. 

 Ask for Help

If you are an online entrepreneur, it’s easy to isolate yourself. When we believe we are in this thing all alone, burnout tends to hit harder. When you are feeling overwhelmed, ask for help. Get some advice from someone you trust. Go to someone older and wiser than you and ask for some encouragement and guidance. Hire a coach and ask them to lead you in the right direction. Don’t try to do this thing alone. The entrepreneurial life is best lived in community, with lots of support. When you are feeling burned out, get help!

Life isn’t easy. Building a business isn’t easy. Even the best of us get burned out. When you hustle hard, you fizzle out quickly. Do what you can to overcome burnout and take the time you need to reset. Your health and mental well being should be a top priority for you, so try implementing a few of these tips to either avoid burnout, or fight burnout when you start to feel it coming on!

I Almost Failed Algebra 2…Twice!

In high school I almost failed Algebra 2, twice. 

Seriously. 

I failed it once, took it again, worked super hard…and in April of my second year, had the exact same average I had the year before. So, I dropped the class so I wouldn’t fail it twice.

Despite my Algebra 2 struggles, I’ve been able to build more than one incredibly successful business. And, clearly, it’s not because I am the smartest girl on the block. Instead, it is because I truly know the power of a team. 

It always surprises me when clients ask me how I do it all. The truth is, I don’t do it all. In fact, so much of what actually gets done for my business is heavily reliant on the incredible team I’ve been able to build. I may not be able to solve linear equations, but I do know how to build an incredible team. Here are a few tips to building a team that make you look like the smartest girl around!

When to Grow Your Team

About 2 years ago, I knew my business was at a tipping point. I could no longer grow as a solopreneur and had to begin to consider hiring some team members. I’ve long said you can either have control, or you can have growth. I had some huge goals I wanted to meet and I knew I had to give up some control in order to see some growth. In true Amanda fashion, I didn’t just hire one team member…I hired three. 

There was definitely some fear in bringing others on. I was confident that I could grow the business, but the extra pressure of 3 more salaries weighed on me. In addition, giving up control is always a bit scary, so growing my team was not done without fear. 

When you find yourself at a tipping point with the potential for huge growth, it’s time to start considering adding team members. You don’t have to hire three at a time like I did, and you will likely have some fear in bringing someone else on. That’s okay, do it anyway. Finding the right team members will help you focus on moving your business forward, which is key to successfully growing your business. 

How to Hire a Team

Hire people who are smarter than you.

We’ve already established that I am not the smartest person in the world. And, while I have some clear strengths, I obviously have some weaknesses, too. This is why I hire people who are smarter than me and who are better than me at doing the things I either hate doing, or am terrible at. 

It is important you avoid hiring out of insecurity. If you are not okay with someone being better than you at something, then it probably isn’t the right time to hire. Again, you can either have control or growth. If you want growth, you are going to have to give up some control to your team members, which is why you are going to want to hire the very best possible team. 

This is truly how I’ve been able to build such successful businesses. My team is incredible. They are all experts at what they do. We hustle harder than any team out there. We lead the way with authority. We speak the language of excellence and confidence. My team delivers in exceptional ways every single day. That doesn’t happen by hiring people who are just okay at what they do. Hire smarter, better, more passionate than you…then let your team do their thing!

Ease into a full-time hire.

I completely understand that bringing someone on full-time can be intimidating if you’ve always worked alone. Not to mention, you can only learn so much from an interview. This is why I highly recommend you hire someone as an independent contractor for a 3 month probationary period. A probationary period will give you time to see how that person works as a part of your team, and it will also help you focus on growth so you can sustain that team member full-time.   

Use your team wisely. 

Once you hire a team, you need to fire yourself from everything that another team member can do. Your main job once your team is in place is to focus solely on the things only you can do. Don’t hire a team and then sit around doing administrative work. Delegate everything you possibly can, so that you can focus on revenue producing activities. 

Take risks.

There is absolutely some risk involved with hiring a team. There are plenty of things that can go wrong, and plenty of ways it can end up costing you money. However, when you have the right team in place, your growth will be truly exponential. There is really no better way to accelerate the growth of your business than to hire an exceptional team. This means you may have to take a few risks every now and then: hiring before you feel completely ready, or moving someone from a part-time position to a full time position. 

The entrepreneurial life is a risky one, but entrepreneurs by nature are risk takers. So, while you absolutely need to be wise, you will also need to take a few steps of faith in regards to hiring a team. 

I do not do it all. 

I am not the sharpest tool in the shed. 

But, my team is incredible. 

We all operate in the areas where we are strongest. 

We all deliver. 

We all hustle. 

We are all responsible for the growth of my businesses. 

If you are at a tipping point, it is likely time for you to consider making a hire or two. Build your team wisely and then equip them to work in their strengths. If you do that, the sky truly is the limit for you and your business. 

Balancing Your Personal and Business Finances

One of the things clients often ask me to speak about is budgeting and finances for both business and personal funds. So, here’s a peek into how we manage our finances and some tips for you to help you manage yours!

Brandon and I worked together in high school while listening to Dave Ramsey on cassette tape. As you can imagine, that had a profound impact on how we learned to handle our finances. We then worked our butts off to pay for Brandon’s last two years at a private university, while living as lean as we possibly could. 

Post college we obviously began to earn more, as we were both able to focus on our careers. However, I realized pretty quickly that while more money does not actually cause more problems, but the mismanagement of money does. 

Things were totally fine for us when we were still living lean, even though we had more money to spend. We didn’t really feel any financial pressure until we started to try and keep up with the Jones’s. That’s when things got a little more stressful and we decided to re-evaluate and do things a bit differently. 

One thing that keeps us focused financially is that Brandon checks on our financials daily. He does this for both of our businesses. He tracks everything, including our personal finances, in one place. 

Our business finances are broken down into specific revenue streams. We track the income for each revenue stream, along with the expenses for each revenue stream. This gives us our net income on a daily basis for each revenue stream in our business. (Net income = gross income-expenses)

We then take our net income and break it down further to use as our personal finances, after setting money aside for taxes and giving (we give from both the business net revenue and personal net revenue). 

Each month the specific numbers for our personal finances are different, since our net income is different month to month. However, whatever we bring in for the month, we break into the following percentages:

10% for tithing

We believe in giving on a personal level, and also give 10% each month from our business finances. It is absolutely critical you begin this practice early on in your business. It will not be easier to give when you are making more money. So, start with 10% of whatever you are making, even if it is only $10!

10% for fun money

This helps alleviate any guilt that might come with spending. It also allows us to live within our means, while still enjoying our lives. 

10% for investment

We invest mainly in IRA’s but do have some other investments. 

10% long term savings for spending

This goes towards things like a down payment on a home, a new vehicle or some of the bigger purchases we know we will eventually want to make. 

3% education for kids

This does not necessarily mean college funds since we are not certain our children will go the traditional college route. However, we do make an investment into a regular investment account that will go towards our children’s future, whatever that may look like. 

10% necessities and discretionary spending

This is self-explanatory. This money goes towards the things we need to buy each month, and any discretionary purchases we want to make!

47% additional savings

The rest of the money we bring in each month goes towards savings. 

We’ve learned that living simply to make intentional purchases later on is a less stressful way to live, instead of doing everything in our power to keep up with the Jones’s. We want to see our bottom line increase each month, not level out or decrease. This means we communicate regularly about our finances, check the numbers daily, and make intentional plans with every penny we bring in. 

To check out the specific spreadsheet we use for our finances, hop on over to my Facebook page and watch the live video!

Is your money mindset holding you back?

Money can be a difficult topic to discuss. Depending on how you were raised, your views around earning and using your money can either propel you towards greater wealth, or drastically hold you back. I truly believe that women earning significant income so they can recirculate money back into family, church and community is the most effective way to bring about change in the world. So I am committed to helping as many women as possible earn big so they can give big!

Over the years, I have worked with various female entrepreneurs who are killing it in their business and earning a significant income, yet still struggling to make ends meet. I’ve seen a trend among these women and their thinking when it comes to money. They regularly sabotage themselves and don’t handle their money wisely. These women have several misconceptions when it comes to money and it is holding them back from building a thriving business and truly making change in the world.

Misconceptions about money that could be sabotaging you.

Money is the root of all evil.

This regularly misquoted Bible verse is thrown around like confetti! The actual verse says THE LOVE of money is the root of all evil. When money becomes an idol in your life, every evil thing flows from there. However, money itself is amoral, and when in the hands of wise people, can be used for incredible good.

Money isn’t important.

Money is a necessity. Without it, you can’t live. You can act as though money is not all that important in life, but when you consider the requirements of daily living, it is absolutely a crucial piece of the puzzle. Wealth opens doors for you to give generously and make change in bigger ways. It isn’t the most important thing, but it is an important thing.

Having more money than you need means you are greedy.

I used to think this about several people we knew growing up. However, I’ve learned that significant wealth in the right hands can do incredible things for communities. Wealthy people can absolutely be greedy, but they can also be incredibly philanthropic. The heart is what is so important here. If you are someone who is able to detach yourself, your worth, and your happiness from money, then you will be able to live in wealth without falling into greed.

Money doesn’t grow on trees.

This scarcity type of mindset really communicates defeat. It resigns itself to thinking that there won’t be enough. While money doesn’t grow on trees, there are always new ways to earn money. Focusing on what is possible, and never feeling like there won’t be enough, or there won’t be a way, is critical to maintaining a healthy relationship with money.

If you’ve struggled with an unhealthy money mindset in the past, I recommend you work on reshaping that mindset so you can earn significant wealth to bless others. Money in the right hands can do immeasurable good. The women I am fortunate enough to work with are the types of women who will truly change the world by earning significant incomes. That is why I am so committed to helping them do just that!

If you would like to work with me through my business mentorship programs, the first step is setting up a FREE 20 minute consult. During our time together we will both be able to assess whether a working relationship will be a good fit, and then make a plan for moving forward. If you are a female entrepreneur who is serious about earning significant income and doing good, then I would love to work with you. Schedule your consult here!

The Power of Positivity

As a busy entrepreneur, you should be very strategic about who you surround yourself with, since those people will have a strong influence on your day-to-day life. One of the best decisions a female entrepreneur can make is to spend more time with positive people and less time with people who bring a lot of negativity. When asked what choices I’ve made that have made a huge impact on my career, choosing to surround myself with positive people is at the top of the list. I personally saw a huge turning point in my business and in my overall happiness and satisfaction in life when i intentionally decided to spend more time with positive, uplifting, empowering women and less time with negative women.

Sometimes you’ll hear these negative people referred to as “crabs,” referring to the fact that they keep pulling others down with their negativity. If you put a single crab in a barrel, it has the ability to climb out of the barrel and easily makes its way out. However, if you put many crabs in a barrel, when one starts to climb and escape, others will pull it back down into the barrel as they work to climb out, despite each crab being capable of escaping. The potential of the single crab is never realized because of the energy expended by the other crabs bringing each other back to the bottom of the barrel.

We female entrepreneurs should work to surround ourselves with positive people and to spend less time with friends, family, or colleagues who are crabs. Negative people often only see or focus on faults in others, while positive people will focus on strengths, helping you live up to your full potential, even if you can’t see that potential yourself. If you have negative people in your life, work to distance yourself from those people and their issues. Understand that it’s not about you and that stepping back from the relationship with this person will ultimately make your happier.

Take time to cultivate relationships with positive people who truly help you move forward in life. You need someone in your life who you can talk to about your business and your life, someone who shares your values. If you don’t have someone who you know you can go to to confide in, or learn from them, or be uplifted by them, you need to seek those people out. This person doesn’t have to be someone local; try video conferencing if you don’t live in close proximity. You can still have those close relationships and connections with people if they don’t live in your community.

It can be particularly difficult when the negative person in your life is a family member. When a family member isn’t supportive of you, it can be incredibly hurtful. Understand that you can’t change that family member, and that it doesn’t help to be constantly upset about their actions or words. Instead, work to accept the reality of who they are. It may help to have another family member to act as a buffer when you get together, someone who can balance the family dynamic and helps keep the mood more positive when you spend time together.

Letting go of negativity is incredibly important for your business, too. Your ability to stay optimistic is truly one of the biggest predictors of how successful your business will be. Negative entrepreneurs often like to focus on everything that’s going wrong in their life. These people often make themselves into the victim, complaining about everything that goes wrong in their lives on social media or other places.

Here’s the truth: your clients don’t want to work with someone who’s dramatic or negative. Your clients and prospects want to work with someone who is positive and uplifting. Just like you should minimize your interaction with negative people, potential clients can sense your negativity and may avoid working with you if you don’t have the right attitude. When you start to feel or think negative, do something that helps put you in a better mindset, like focusing on professional development, reading through thank yous from past clients, or simply thinking through all of the things that you’re thankful for. Focus on being positive yourself and you’ll start to see your business grow.

Prioritize spending time with positive people. Focusing on cultivating relationships with people who lift you up doesn’t mean that you don’t love a negative person. It simply means that you intentionally spend less time with that person and more time with those who challenge you to become a better person. Deciding to surround yourself with positive people will help you lead a happier life, and that optimism will help you be more positive in return, attracting more people to you and your business.

The 4 Levels of Legal Protection You Need for your Fitness Business

I am thrilled to share this guest blog post from my good friend and mentorship program client, Matt Dearden. I work with thousands of women who are ramping up fitness businesses, and I find this information to be extremely valuable. Read his post below regarding the 4 levels of legal protection you need for your fitness business I’ve been working with several great fitness businesses recently through my law firm, and there is one question that clients always ask without fail: how can I best shield myself from liability if one of my clients gets injured during a workout?  While it’s impossible to fully insulate yourself from all liability, you can definitely take steps to protect yourself.  Whether you train clients virtually, in person, or via DVD, there are four levels of protection that every fitness business owner should have in place:

1. Form an LLC.

It is important that you shield your personal assets from the debts and liabilities of your business, and forming a limited liability company (LLC) is a great way to do that.  In the eyes of the law, an LLC is a separate entity from you personally.  Therefore, if your LLC is sued in the future, only the assets of the LLC—and not your personal assets—are at risk.  Additional benefits of LLC’s include pass-through taxation (they are treated like sole-proprietorships), heightened credibility and minimal state compliance regulations.  In Ohio, an LLC is created by filing Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State.  The cost is only $125.

1. Utilize a great release.

As much as possible, require your clients to sign liability releases before participating in your programs.  In Ohio, a clear and unambiguous release that relieves your business from liability for its own negligence will generally be upheld by courts.  Moreover, a release of a cause of action for damages is ordinarily an absolute bar to a later lawsuit on any claim encompassed within the release.  To be enforceable, a good release should (1) clear and unequivocal in every way, (2) state exactly which person/entity is being released from liability (you should include both your business and you personally) and (3) clearly outline the claims that are barred in the future.  Courts in most jurisdictions tend to look favorably upon well-written releases, so do it right the first time!

1. Buy general liability insurance.

Every fitness business should buy general liability insurance.  These traditionally broad policies insure against the risk that the insured may cause injury to clients or other third parties.  You will need to check with a broker for quotes, but insurance for personal trainers and non-traditional fitness businesses is usually quite affordable.

1. Be nice.

This is the number one piece of advice I give my fitness business clients (and all my business clients).  The best protection you can give yourself is to be friendly and accommodating.  Even if you occasionally err, clients who like you will almost never sue you.

Please feel free to reach out to me at mdearden@deardenlawoffices.com if you want to discuss how to best manage risk in your fitness business.

**The above blog post is not legal advice and should not be construed as such.  Every business is different, so business owners should consult an attorney to determine which solutions might work best for them.

Million Dollars Per Quarter Goal and VIP Days

Every summer, Brandon and I sit down to create our goals for the fiscal year. I wanted to share one of my goals with all of you and communicate why it's so important to me. You'll hear my heart and purpose for my business this year, and learn about my million dollars per quarter goal.

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In the video, you'll hear why I believe it's important to develop a "Why" and goals that go beyond yourself, and how passionate I am about helping women channel significant wealth to their businesses to recirculate money to their family, church, and community.

Before you can set your goals for the year, you have to find your personal purpose.  I love teaching other women to give back which is an often missed step and so crucial to the success of any business. You can have material success but lack purpose. If you lack purpose you will not be happy. Financial goals are good and necessary, but they will not fulfill you. Success is far more about living your purpose and serving others.

So, how do you set up your fiscal year business goals while also focusing on others and a purpose that goes outside yourself?

Ask yourself the following questions:

What is your life's work? What do you stand for? What are you passionate about? What fires you up? What do you wake up in the morning to accomplish, and who do you truly want to help?

Take some time this afternoon and really pinpoint your purpose. We are on the earth to live out a purpose. What is your purpose as a woman and as an entrepreneur? What kind of leader do you want to be in the world and community and for your children? Your business is a vehicle to achieve your purpose. When you go through hardships what keeps you going?

If you're 100% clear on your purpose, you'll get out of your own way and you'll be energized to service your clients even when you hit up against challenges.

If you're having a hard time pinpointing the unique purpose that drives your business, I'm here to help. Feel free to contact me and I can help you articulate your passion to service others and the unique purpose that drives your business.

This year, I will be introducing a very exciting aspect to my business coaching and mentorship programs: VIP days. You will have the opportunity to spend the day at my home while we accelerate your business.

VIP days will include the following:

• Intensive branding and marketing training
• Business plan creation
• Professional branding photo shoot
• Website development
• Residual wealth strategy and creation
• Accounting and tax advice, and much more.

This is going to be a phenomenal way to take your business to the next level and I can't wait to work with several women through VIP days this year. If you would like information about VIP days, please fill out the form below:

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Can Money Buy Happiness?

Can money buy happiness?

We've all heard the saying, "money can't buy happiness." But do you really believe that to be true? Or do you think that once you hit a certain salary level, receive a promotion, or reach "millionaire" status, you will be happy? As a young professional still in my 20s, my career and financial situation has rapidly changed and grown. Since our first year of marriage (he was 20, and I was 22 when we got hitched), the hubs and I have set and achieved specific financial goals, and we've been extremely blessed through our short careers with raises, promotions, and the ability to pursue some fun projects via my self-employment. But has an increase in money correlated with an increase in our happiness?

Six years ago, Brandon and I lived in a 500 square foot apartment, had significant student loan debt, and made minimum wage working 70 hours per week. We had very little money in the bank.

And we were happy.

Our first year of marriage was full of adventures, new friendships, some fun employment opportunities, and contentment.

Due to the blessings of God, hard work, and some good decision-making, both of our salaries have tripled in 6 years. We've been able to pay off our school loans, build our dream home, install a pool, purchase nice cars, go on several vacations, and much more.

And we are happy.

However - I can say without a shadow of a doubt, that money and "things" is not what makes us happy.

Watch my most recent video with my honest perspective. FYI: I did have some technology issues while filming this video - bear with me. The message is one I want you to hear, so you may consider simply listening to the video versus watching since the audio doesn't match up the whole way through. XO

I love this quote from Billionaire, Mark Cuban, when the question was posed, "Can money buy you happiness."

“It’s creating a goal for yourself and accomplishing a goal and setting a dream, and living that dream through your effort that can make you feel a whole lot better about yourself [and happy],” he says. “It worked for me..."

I would add to Marc Cuban's quote and say the following about what truly makes me happy. "Inspiring and empowering other women to set and accomplish goals and fulfill their dreams, in addition to setting and accomplishing my personal goals while staying balanced with family and career is what truly makes me happy."

Through the years, I've discovered that what makes me "happy' is inspiring women to do what inspires them. As a business coach, nothing gives me more joy, satisfaction, and happiness in my life than watching a fellow mom ramp up a successful fitness business.

This past month I hit a financial milestone for business. However - was I any happier the day after I hit the goal versus the day before? No, not really. In fact, my lack of personal enthusiasm about hitting the financial milestone is what prompted me to re-post this blog from my fitness site. I consider myself to be extremely fortunate to have learned this valuable life lesson so early in my life and career - money truly cannot buy happiness.

You want to know what truly made me happy last week? Hearing that one of the women in my fitness business mentorship program was able to give in her 2 week notice and quit her job to pursue her passion for fitness full-time. Wow - nothing inspires me more than to help women pursue what inspires them.

Want to know what else makes me happy? A sense of balance.

For example, being able to go on a spontaneous play date with a business mentorship client to the park for a couple of hours this morning, sitting outside by the pool right now listening to professional development and writing this blog post for you, and having a feeling that my life is balanced versus jam-packed makes me happy.

There have been times of unrest and unhappiness in my life over the past 6 years. But what I've found is that most of those times are directly related to work stress and excessive work hours. I've had a tendency to say "yes" to far too many things. Last year at this time, life without balance cost me my health, family time, and my happiness.

Working excessive hours is an expense I can no longer afford. This year I decided to focus on residual/passive income and stop simply trading hours for dollars. It has made a world of difference for me, and I am able to be far more intentional about how I spend my time.

So, what makes you truly happy? I encourage you to think beyond the things that money can buy - and consider what makes you happy outside of "things." Do more of what makes you happy, seek to serve and inspire others, and find balance.

The Value of An Early Morning Routine

Are you an entrepreneur who seeks to be highly productive and manage time well? Perhaps you're a mom who works from home. There are unique challenges that accompany a work-from-home scenario and I am thrilled to share my best practices with you. I believe that it's valuable to have a very specific early morning routine. Watch my video about the value of an early morning routine.

After you watch the video, feel free to share your tips for "getting things done."