She's Off Script

For this episode, I’m sharing 4 ways I balance motherhood with entrepreneurship...especially in the landscape created by COVID-19.

Balancing motherhood with work in and outside the home has always been a challenge. We don’t often hear about what that challenge looks like from the perspective of mothers in the entrepreneurial space.⠀While I do get to choose my own hours, the pressure to succeed while wearing many hats in my business is immense.⠀With the school year now kicking off remotely, the challenge seems even greater.⠀So let's talk about it…How do we balance motherhood with running our businesses?

Before COVID, one of the first points on this list would have been to outsource. With COVID, outsourcing is not an option for us. With numbers continuing to rise in Texas, we are limiting our exposure to others.

Listen on Apple Podcasts

You’ll learn about:

* 4 ways I balance motherhood with entrepreneurship

Mentioned in this episode:

* Instagram: @shesoffscript

* Website: serwaaadjeipelle.com/the-podcast

In today’s episode, we meet my little sister, Abenaa Adjei. By day she’s a digital product and project manager and by side-hustling nights,  she is launching an online retail business in the midst of this pandemic.

You’ve probably seen the narrative floating around that this period in our history is the ideal time to launch a new business or learn a new skill.

While that’s not a possibility for everyone, Abenaa has been able to do just that with her downtime. She is days away from launching an online boutique for men and women's elevated basics.

During our conversation, she shared how she decided on which of her many ideas to implement. We talked about how she found all the information she needed to find wholesale vendors, how to take her product photography, how to market and so much more. The spoiler here is she found ALL the information for free online.

Please subscribe, rate, and review our show on iTunes. This will help spread the word about our podcast so the amazing stories we share can continue to inspire women looking to launch their own Off Script journeys.

Listen on Apple Podcasts

You’ll learn about:

* How to pick a business idea from your list

* Deciding on which online sources to trust

* Marketing your new business

* Being scrappy on a limited budget

Mentioned in this episode:

* Business Instagram: @abenaa.adjei

* Personal Instagram: @basicsetal

* Website: basicsetal.com

Do you ever wonder how people first discover your business or personal brand? When someone new pops into my DMs, I sometimes check how they found me.

I check because I need to know:

1.) How well my funnels are converting

2.) What content is resonating

3.) What I need to do more or less of

In this episode, I’m sharing 5 ways new customers are discovering businesses. Let's make sure you're showing up in the ways your potential clients will respond to.

In paying close attention, I have found there are 5 ways new people tend to find me and this has informed the things I spend my time on.⠀

Listen on Apple Podcasts

You’ll learn about:

* 5 ways new customers can find your business

Mentioned in this episode:

* Instagram: @shesoffscript

* Website: serwaaadjeipelle.com/the-podcast

In today’s episode, I share how my entrepreneurial journey is going 2 years after quitting my job.

I haven’t done an Off Script Update since episode 53 which was released in October of last year. So to refresh your memories, in these episodes, I share how my own personal business building journey is going.

Recently, I’ve been getting questions on how I’ve gotten to where I am and how long it’s taken for me to hit certain milestones.

As much as we’re told to run our own race, it’s human nature to want a road map or blueprint for how others have accomplished similar goals.

Given that the show is quickly approaching its 2-year anniversary and 100th episode, I thought it would be a good time to pause and share how things are going.

These types of episodes are difficult for me to put together because I’m forced to be introspective.

But it’s also a good exercise because I get to sift through my experiences and distill them into what I hope will be helpful lessons.

Listen on Apple Podcasts

You’ll learn about:

* How I've structured my business

* Mistakes I've made over the past 2 years

* My top 3 lessons

* How I'm balancing family and self-care with running a business

Mentioned in this episode:

* Instagram: @ShesOffScript

* Website: shesoffscript.com

As much as I love the look on my clients' faces when I bring them clarity or solve a problem for them, sometimes I feel uninspired. Sometimes I just don't want to do it! So how do you shake off the funk and get re-inspired to work on your business?

⠀

Don't be fooled by the smiles and the highlight reels on social media.

Entrepreneurship is a rollercoaster and there are times when we feel uninspired and don’t want to walk the path that many of us have created for ourselves. I know from experience that this can be a scary headspace to be in.

So let’s break down some of the ways I have been able to break out of that funk and spark creativity in my business

Here's the cliff notes version of what I share in the episode:

1.) Are your motivations extrinsic or intrinsic?

* If you are extrinsically motivated, your motivation is likely to fade.

* Find out if there's a personal and genuine connection to what you’re trying to get done.

2.) Revisit your vision and mission aka your why

* Focus on what matters

* Positive affirmations instead of giving in to your negative self-talk

3.) Break down your tasks into smaller steps

* Set a timer – Pomodoro

4.) Celebrate your wins and acknowledge how far you’ve come

* Reward yourself for things you accomplish BUT also give yourself consequences

5.) Surround yourself with inspiring people

* You Are the Sum of the Company You Keep

* Don’t fall into a comparison trap

Listen on Apple Podcasts

You’ll learn about:

* 5 Ways you can get re-inspired and spark creativity

Mentioned in this episode:

* Instagram: @shesoffscript

* Website: serwaaadjeipelle.com/the-podcast

In today’s episode, we meet the Toy Coach, Azhelle Wade. Azhelle teaches everyday people how to enter the toy industry as inventors and entrepreneurs.

She has spent over 10 years in the toy industry where she served as global product development and design manager at Toys “R” Us and has held other roles that taught her the ins and outs of costing, designing, and manufacturing.

During our conversation, Azhelle took us through her process for coming up with innovative toy ideas. She also gave us a roadmap for getting this idea to the point where we’re ready to pitch it to toy companies.

Before we hear the rest of our episode with Azhelle, I would love it if you could subscribe, rate, and review our show on iTunes. This will help spread the word about our podcast so amazing stories like Azhelle’s, can continue to inspire women looking to launch their own Off Script journies.

Please subscribe, rate, and review our show on iTunes. This will help spread the word about our podcast so the amazing stories we share can continue to inspire women looking to launch their own Off Script journeys.

Listen on Apple Podcasts

You’ll learn about:

* Key players in the toy industry

* How to invent a new toy idea

* Creating your prototype

* Getting ready to pitch your new toy

Mentioned in this episode:

* Business Instagram: @thetoycoach

* Website: thetoycoach.com

Not all entrepreneurs are CEOs.

Building a business that lasts, requires that your actions and mindset move from those an entrepreneur making moves to a that CEO executing for growth. ⠀

If the ousting of the founders of Uber and WeWork taught us anything, it’s that the skills it takes to start your business won’t take it to the next level. ⠀

So how do you know if you’re operating as a CEO or as an entrepreneur? ⠀

As a reminder, this series of episodes are recorded during our weekly Instagram live so from time to time, you may hear me responding to comments from the audience, or hear the voice of someone I’ve invited to come on live with me.

Here's the cliff notes version of what I share in the episode:

*

 Set aside time to work on your physical and mental health.

* Building a business can take a toll.

* A well-rested mind brings clarity.

*

Work ON your business vs. in your business.

* You’ve probably heard me say this before and I will say it again. When you first start your business, you wear many hats. Be aware of which hat you have on.

* You probably won’t be in a position to hire a CEO or a general manager right away but create an org chart so when the time comes, you know what to delegate.

*

Get intimate with your strategic plan

* Every leader needs a playbook. A strategic plan is a CEO playbook that should guide your vision, mission, goals, and actions over the long term. Every CEO needs one to reference.

*

Set aside time for a CEO day

Things to do during your CEO day:

* Take time to meet with your team and really LISTEN to their concerns and ideas [Management by Walking Around is a term coined by management guru Tom Peters.]

* Study your market trends, competitors, and find opportunities to collaborate.

* Think through your plans for growth? Will you build, buy, or partner?

* Look at your numbers. How much revenue are you generating? What are your costs and how can you get them down. Learn how to read a profit and loss statement.

Listen on Apple Podcasts

You’ll learn about:

* 3 Ways you can land your initial consulting clients.

Mentioned in this episode:

* Instagram: @shesoffscript

* Website: serwaaadjeipelle.com/the-podcast

While I was pregnant, I Googled every sign and symptom. At the time, it didn't dawn on me that the sites I visited weren't speaking to moms like me. When I recently came across SugaBerry, it clicked that this was the kind of community I had been searching for.

In today’s episode, we meet Actor, Tika Sumpter, and Business Executive, Thai Randolph. 3 1/2 years ago, while Tika was pregnant with her daughter Ella, she discovered there were no online communities that catered to black and brown moms.

She was determined to do something about that lack of representation and connected with Thai to bring her idea to life.

The founders plan on growing SugaBerry into a lifestyle brand and digital platform with a curated mix of editorial content, original audio, and video programming, a live event series, and product recommendations.

During our conversation, these ladies were so transparent about the challenges and unexpected upsides to launching during a pandemic. They also shared their experience with building a team, seeking funding, work-life balance and so much more!

Please subscribe, rate, and review our show on iTunes. This will help spread the word about our podcast so the amazing stories we share can continue to inspire women looking to launch their own Off Script journeys.

Listen on Apple Podcasts

You’ll learn about:

* Assessing a new business venture

* Finding a business partner

* Pivoting when faced with adversity

* Navigating the fundraising process

Mentioned in this episode:

* Business Instagram: @thesugaberries

* Personal Instagram:@tikasumpter and @thairandolph

* Website: sugaberry.com

Have you ever wondered how I got the courage to leave my 9-5 or how I find guests for the She's Off Script podcast?

For this episode, I’m answering all the personal, business, and podcast related questions you all submitted via Instagram.

I tend to get asked these some of these questions often so it was nice to get some answers out in a place those of you who are new to me can find them.

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Questions you asked:

Business

* Congrats on the success of your business! How did you find the courage to step out on your own, given that you have kids?

* I have a 9-5 and am trying to grow my business on the side. Any advice on how to schedule out my limited time so I’m more productive?

* I have so many ideas! How do I pick one?

* I’ve heard you talk about creating a freebie to draw more people in. Where do I start with creating my first freebie?

* I know I should start going live more but I’m nervous. How did you get comfortable with going live and putting yourself out there?

* How do I get people to see me as an expert?

* I’m seeing businesses close their doors next and right. How do I grow my business in this economy?

Personal

* Love your pictures! Who takes them?

* You have such a beautiful family! How are you balancing running your business and spending time with family in this season?

Podcast

* You have had some amazing women on your podcast. How are you find them all?

Mentioned in this episode:

* Instagram: @shesoffscript

* Website: serwaaadjeipelle.com/the-podcast

We just celebrated our 10-year wedding anniversary and I thought we would give you all insight into what my journey into entrepreneurship has been like from my husband, Brice Pellé ’s, perspective.

The impact on our spouses is a perspective we don't hear too much about in the entrepreneurial space. Although this episode only touches the tip of the iceberg, it should give you a starting point for conversations with your spouse.

Before I asked Brice some tough questions, we did a husband tag segment. If you follow Youtubers, these husband and boyfriend tags are pretty popular. If not, this is kind of like the newlywed game.

Here’s how it works…. We’ve each answered the same question on our own then we’ll hear each other’s answers for the first time as we’re recording. Let’s see how well we know each other after 10 years of being married and 14 years together.

Please subscribe, rate, and review our show on iTunes. This will help spread the word about our podcast so the amazing stories we share can continue to inspire women looking to launch their own Off Script journeys.

Listen on Apple Podcasts

You’ll learn about:

* Conversations to have with your spouse when you're considering entrepreneurship

* How to support a spouse who is running a business

* Advice from a millennial couple after 10 years of marriage.

Mentioned in this episode:

* Follow Brice on Twitter: @BricePelle