The Nitty-Gritty:

* How a conversation at a networking event planted a seed for Abundance Practice Building founder Allison Puryear* What the first business coaching program Allison led looked like* Why she knew this opportunity was the right thing to pursue* How Abundance Practice Building has grown and evolved since that first group

I’d like to introduce you to Shannon Paris.

Today, Shannon is our Director of Product for What Works. But when I hired her, I was hiring a community manager.

I’d known Shannon for over 10 years. She and I had co-managed a Borders Books and Music until she left to join a company as a visual merchandiser in the fair trade industry.

When she was looking for a new gig, I knew she was the right person for the job.

But, I’d be lying if I said it didn’t take some convincing on her part!

Shannon had never been a community manager before.

She didn’t know what the job entailed and she wasn’t necessarily steeped in the culture of the internet.

What Shannon had, though, was extreme people skills. She’s a master of friendly matchmaking, professional networking, and team member buy-in. I also knew she was detail-oriented, focused on helping people feel like they belonged, and excellent at having difficult conversations.

In other words, I knew Shannon was the perfect community manager.

Luckily, she trusted me enough to take the job. Not only does she make What Works Network members feel at home, connect them to resources, and help them turn their challenges into posts that get our whole community talking, she also makes The What Works Network hum like a well-oiled machine.

I could see the seed of a community manager well before Shannon saw it herself and bloomed in the position.

That’s the funny thing about some seeds we plant as small business owners: sometimes it takes someone else to tell us something is starting to grow!

That was the case with Allison Puryear.

Allison is now the founder of Abundance Practice Building. But before founding this business, she had 3 private therapy practices in 3 different states.

Then, someone started to show her the seed she’d been planting all along: Allison was really good at building private practices.

The peer pressure started to mount and she couldn’t escape it anymore. It was time to bloom!

In this conversation, Allison and I talk about how she created her first group business development program, where she found her first clients, and how she evolved the group from that point. We also discuss how her business has grown into what it is today, including a high-touch mastermind and a membership community.

Do you have a story about planting a seed in your business?

Have you run a small experiment and watched it transform your business? Have you taken a small step and put yourself on a whole new path? I’d love to hear your story.

Share it with us on Instagram using the hashtag #explorewhatworks and tag me, @tara_mcmullin. We’ll be sharing your stories throughout the month! And, you’ll be entered to win a free lifetime membership to The What Works Network. For full rules and giveaway instructions,

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