GSD Diaries with Angela Proffitt

As an entrepreneur, you know that growing your business is no easy task. But what if there was a way to make it a little bit easier? By focusing on your brand story, you can create a narrative that resonates with your target audience and draws them in. Not only will this help you attract new customers, but it can also help strengthen relationships with current ones. So how do you go about crafting a powerful brand story? 

Today’s guest, Michelle Knight, founder and CEO of Brandmerry will be sharing with us where you can begin with storytelling, even if you think you don’t really have a story, your brand story is everything!

Main Topics: - Where one can begin with the technique of storytelling if they are currently thinking to themselves, “I don’t really have a story.”- You are adamant about getting OFF of social media to build your email list/generate leads. -Examples as to how storytelling and emotional branding helped grow their business or achieve success.

Key Takeaways:- Why the act of storytelling is essential to creating a loyal customer base- How to get started with storytelling in your marketing- Why social media is NOT where you necessarily want to be to achieve optimal success 

More About Our Guest:

Michelle Knight is a mother, wife, world traveler and storyteller. She is also a Personal Brand Coach and Marketing Strategist and the founder of Brandmerry.com.

She works with female entrepreneurs to create an authentic, captivating and money-making brand through the power of story. Michelle supports women at various stages of their business who share one common goal - creating an authentic brand that allows them to show up as they are, build a loyal community and experience time, financial and location freedom as a result of their work.

 In just 9 months, Michelle launched her freedom-based business and left her 9 to 5, while raising a new baby. Just one year into her coaching business, Michelle created a 6-figure business and thriving community of women ready to share their story. 

Now she travels full-time with her family around the US and Europe and spends her time supporting women to achieve time, financial and location freedom.

Do you ever feel like you're always playing catch-up when it comes to your finances? You're not alone. A lot of entrepreneurs feel that way, especially when it comes to cash flow. It’s important to be strategic with your spending and make sure that you are always bringing in more revenue than you are spending. 

Our guest today, Andrea Jenson, CEO of The Cash Flow CFO, is going  to share with us all about why managing cash flow is so important, the most common mistakes business owners make and tips for helping business owners manage their cash flow. 

Main Topics:

- Why is managing cash flow so important

- The most common mistakes you see business owners making that keep them from growing- Tips for helping business owners manage their cash flow

Key Takeaways:

- Have a money vision that aligns your personal life with your business life.- Set up a budget framework/system so as to be empowered to scale your business with confidence and facts. - Pay attention to your money trends so as to avoid unexpected cash crunch when big expenses

If you're an entrepreneur, you know the importance of creativity in business. Creative ideas can help you stand out from the competition and attract customers. But how do you go about building a creative business on an online platform? 

Be open to new ideas and don't be afraid to try something different, let your creativity flow and encourage creativity in your team members.

Today’s guest, Christina Scalera, Owner & CEO of The Contract Shop will be sharing with us all about why you may want to consider an online store for your creative business and the top tips to make your creative business a success!

Main Topics:- Why service providers should consider an online store instead of the course model- The biggest mistakes creatives are making with their online shops- How to you avoid overwhelming shoppers in your digital shop

Key Takeaways:- Digital products can be much more efficient than offering courses to your clients- Your digital products can become the backbone of a marketing strategy that is 100% profitable from start to finish!- Digital shops give you the freedom to work from anywhere and wake up to consistent funds in your bank account. 

Are you thinking about publishing a book? The publishing industry can be confusing for authors who are trying to understand how it works and what they need to do in order to get their book published. It is important to keep in mind that the publishing landscape is constantly changing, so it is important to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and developments. 

This includes understanding the different types of publishers, how the submission process works, and what you can expect once your book is published. By knowing what to expect, you can make informed decisions about your publishing options and achieve the best possible outcome for your book. 

I’m so excited to share today’s guest, Rea Frey, CEO of Writeway, who will be sharing all about the publishing industry, tips for getting started when writing a book and some key things authors should keep in mind. 

Main Topics:

- What goes into a successful book proposal- What to know about the publishing industry before becoming a writer- Tips for getting started writing a book

Key Takeaways:

- Learning the ins and outs of the publishing world- Why a book proposal is important- Confidence is essential to enter into the publishing world as an author   

More About Our Guest:

Rea is the CEO of Writeway and the multi-published, award-winning bestselling author of three suspense novels and four nonfiction books. What started out as a simple writing coach side hustle based on referrals quickly scaled to a multiple six-figure business (Writeway) and landed 10 clients top literary agents and book deals in less than a year. Rea uses her 15 years in the publishing industry to simplify the information and offer in a straightforward way. Whether you want to write a book, sell a book, or promote a book, her company Writeway assists and guides in the process. Simply put, she is the expert of all things book writing and book publishing! Rea is also the co-host of The Writeway Podcast.

It's no secret that the business landscape is constantly changing. In times of uncertainty, it can be tough to know how to accelerate your business. However, with strategic and creative approaches, you can make sure your business stays ahead of the curve.

Today’s guest, Claus Raasted, founder of College of Extraordinary Experiences, is sharing with us all about how to be a true creative and innovate during tough times. 

Main Topics:

- Why senior creatives do role-play- How anyone be a true creative- How to innovate during tough times

Key Takeaways:

- Creativity happens through deep focus.- Being in a room with other creatives is crucial - Mistakes happen

As business owners and entrepreneurs, chances are you're always looking for new and innovative ways to grow your business. One strategy that can be very effective is launching a membership program. 

Membership programs allow your customers to become members to become a part of something bigger, sharpen their skills and receive exclusive benefits in return. There are many different ways to structure a membership program, so it's important to design one that fits your business needs and goals!

I’m so excited to have our guest, Lisa Prinic, Owner of Scaling Deep who will be sharing with us all about how to build a membership program for your business!

Main Topics:

- Why memberships are so popular and making a resurgence- How to overcome the 'obstacles' of starting a membership - How to design a membership model based on your zone of genius AND clients' desired results.

Key Takeaways:

- What makes a successful membership model so you can effectively evaluate whether it's a right fit for you as you grow your creative business?- How to determine the right place for a membership in your business.  

More About Our Guest:

​​Lisa helps impact-driven business owners dive deep into their unique value and business models to build sustainable & profitable brands. She helps them simplify & package their offers, increase their visibility with bolder messaging & strong positioning and scale with membership programs.

She is a trained business strategist and the host of the Scaling Deep Podcast.

Lisa is a results-oriented, deep thinker who has a knack for “seeing” the value of each business and turning that into a pipeline of ideal clients.

A staunch believer in business simplicity and intention, Lisa helps her clients accomplish their goals by focusing on what to do AND what to ignore.

Launching a business is no easy task, and funding it can be even harder. That's where crowdfunding comes in: by crowdfunding your business, you can pre-sell products or services to interested investors and get the startup cash you need. But before you launch your campaign, there are a few things you need to know. 

I’m excited to share guest, Dan Demsky, founder of Unbound Merino, who is sharing all his tips for how to get a product off the ground using crowdfunding and how it is possible to start a hyper successful business even if you are creative at heart.

Main Topics:

- How to get a product off-the-ground using crowdfunding- What it’s like to start and run a company with your best friends- How to scale a direct to consumer (D2C) business, and more!

Key Takeaways:

- It’s possible to still use crowdfunding to start, scale and gain serious traction.- It’s possible to start a hyper successful business even if you are creative at heart.- It’s possible to run a company with your friends without going insane. 

More About Our Guest:

Unbound Merino was created by three lifelong friends. We spent our high school days taking road trips across America to see our favorite bands. Every time we came home, all we could think about was saving enough money for the next big adventure.

It didn’t take long until we turned our sights on the rest of the world. Like many seasoned travelers, we were drawn to the incredible natural benefits of Merino wool. The fabric was perfectly suited for travel, but it was typically designed as high performance outdoor activewear, with flashy logos and unnecessary embellishments. Sure, it performed great on a hike, but we wanted something that did that and also looked great at a restaurant, in a museum, at a rock concert and out on the town.

After years of researching, designing, and prototyping - we partnered with industry leaders to create the most stylish, versatile and highest performing Merino wool clothing that’s made specifically for travel and everyday life.

Our purpose is to create simple, high performance clothing that is versatile enough for any occasion.

Today, Unbound Merino is worn by countless fellow travelers all over the world. Our clothing is designed to help pack and own less so you can focus your energy on the experiences that matter most. Our promise is freedom through simplicity.

As an entrepreneur, it's important to understand what your customer wants. After all, you're in business to serve them! But sometimes it can be challenging especially when they don’t always know what they need. 

There are some simple changes you can make to your messaging/branding/strategy that can have a big impact. Communicating with the brain's natural rules of decision making is a game changer when it comes to knowing your customer.

I’m so excited to share today’s guest, Melina Palmer, CEO of The Brainy Business who will be sharing with us all about how to know what your customer wants.

Main Topics:

- What is behavioral economics- The top 5 wording mistakes businesses make- Why behavioral economics should matter to businesses and individuals

Key Takeaways:

- The brain doesn't work the way you think it should (99% of decisions made by the subconscious)- Communicating with the brain's natural rules of decision making increases conversions and makes it easier for people to buy from you.- There are some simple changes to your messaging/branding/strategy you can make that don't have to cause a lot of money, but can have a big impact.

It's no secret that finding and training team members for your business can be challenging. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like there is enough time in the day to search, nevermind onboard someone. And then once you have your new team member trained the real test comes along when you see their performance. 

Placing team members in specific roles based on their personality type is the best way to ensure they will be successful. 

I’m so excited to share today’s guest, Hiliani Ellis, founder of Exceptional Admins who will share with us the top things to look for when searching for team members.

Main Topics:

- How working with an assistant is for the betterment of your business and life- Advice Hilani would give her younger self- How to discover your daily purpose

Key Takeaways:

- Easy to digest insight into working with an assistant. - Special tips to be a better boss/leader. - Reminder to work on your business, not in your business. 

More About Our Guest:

Hilani is a well-known ambassador for the administrative profession. Her depth of expertise stems from working for over a decade as an executive assistant. Her previous roles were anything but ordinary. It’s the dynamic job circumstances that helped Hilani build a unique foundation, atypical of traditional executive assistant roles. Later in her career, Hilani transitioned from her position as an executive assistant and launched a specialized headhunting and facilitating firm.

If you’ve been following me for a minute, you know that I am OBSESSED with saving time through calendar blocking and time management tools. Being present and focused on the task in front of you is so important!

As entrepreneurs we can find ourselves pulled in many different directions. But prioritizing tasks is the key to GSD! Calendar blocking provides you with the balance that is essential to running a successful business. 

Today’s guest, Leo Tumwattana, Co-founder & CEO of Sorted, an application that combines your tasks, calendar events and notes into a unified timeline so you can hyper-schedule your entire day in one place. He will be sharing with us all his top time saving tips!

Main Topics:

- How to main an efficient schedule- The definition of hyper-scheduling- Tips to calendar blocking

Key Takeaways:

- The ROI of task management isn't linear. You need to balance how much you focus on task management and actually doing the task.- We all have 24 hours in a day- Scheduling your day is the path to gaining more focus and reducing stress. 

More About Our Guest:

Leo is the Cofounder and CEO of Sorted. Before starting Sorted, Leo helped turn around a retail clothing company and took it public, did an MBA, worked as an executive at Louis Vuitton, took a sabbatical, traveled around, worked on a few startup ideas, and taught coding at General Assembly. That's where he met Harry, and together they cofounded Sorted.