Teacher Turned Entrepreneur

There are many ways to grow older, but one thing is certain: We’re all doing it, if we’re lucky. Very often choices about how and where to age are made under duress with the advent of an injury, illness or memory loss. Anyone who has been in that situation has probably wanted to turn to someone for help in sorting out the many confusing, often costly, options. David Greenwood, the founder and CEO of Owl Be There, has done the legwork and is sharing with franchisees his years of senior placement experience.

With 10,000 people turning 65 daily, the projected growth in senior population is exponential. Making the right choices at the right time is critical to building the kind of lives that we want for ourselves and our loved ones. Dignity, purpose, social and emotional connection and a sense of safety are all essential to quality of life – which is the cornerstone of Owl Be There’s approach to supporting later life transitions. He and his wife started the business in 2013 and since 2020 have been offering franchise opportunities, including ongoing and customized training to ensure a quick and successful launch.

Owl Be There franchise owners help seniors and their loved ones navigate through some of the most challenging times in their lives, providing essential guidance for choosing the best housing and care solutions based on medical needs, budget, and preferences. The company’s proven model supports a business that is built simultaneously on cultivating referral networks and managing families in crisis.

We are all at our most vulnerable when a loved one hits an aging milestone. The options can be overwhelming and decisions tough to make. That’s why Owl Be There franchisees need to have both the empathy and patience to support customers and the knowledge base and logistical expertise to help them execute the right plan.

Giving seniors a hopeful vision – and the roadmap to get them there – is a passion for David, who has a wealth of knowledge that he’s eager to share. The Owl Be There franchise fee is $54,400 and includes extensive training and resources. “We are a light in the darkness,” says David. “We can show people what to do when they don’t know where to turn or who to turn to.”

Here are key takeaways from the conversation:

• Owl Be There and its franchise model has come up with new ways of reaching out to and working with clients and their families, but one thing remains constant: The ongoing and growing need for support.

• Purpose, dignity and love are core ingredients to cultivating happiness as we age.

• Timing is everything: With the right forethought and decision-making, seniors can enjoy a great quality of life as they age.

• Owl Be There franchisees must be innately empathetic and patient with some level of leadership experience. With those qualifications and the tools, training and resources provided, franchise owners not only find their businesses thrive but that the work holds deep meaning.

Here’s a quick look into the episode:

• David explains his initial impetus for getting involved with senior living and ultimately leveraging his sales skill set in the elder care space.

• There is a crisis among seniors in need – a population that will continue to grow exponentially:

o The growth rate of the 65+ population is – and will continue to be – three times greater than the total population through 2030.

o More than 10,000 people are turning 65 each day.

o The aging population is going to grow from 40 million today to 70 million in 2030.

• Even those with mental or physical ailments can thrive as they age if provided the right living situation, social and emotional connections and opportunities for growth.

• Videoconferencing and virtual touring has become a standard since pandemic; not as personal as experiencing communities live, but a place to start with the opportunity for in-person visits when appropriate.

• Owl Be There franchisees learn quickly that they are building their business on two tracks: One focused on cultivating contacts and referrals and the other being prepared to jump into crisis intervention mode at any given time.

• Franchisees typically place about 20 customers into either assisted living, memory care or home care (at an average of $4,000 per person) in their first year with that number generally doubling by the end of year two, at which point most hire at least one part-time senior living assistant.

• Owl Be There franchisees must possess compassion, empathy and the ability to be manage through stressful situations. David finds that these intangible qualities often align with people who desire to operate their own business.

• The Owl Be There franchise fee is $54,400 and royalties start at a discounted 6%, eventually increasing to 8%. Inclusive of training and other additional fees, the all-in investment for a quick launch is between $85,000 to $98,000.

• Owl Be There’s signature differentiator is its highly customized training program, which includes experts who mentor franchisees on an ongoing basis in the following areas:

o Contracts and getting in the door to sign up additional local assisted livings.

o Customer lead generation.

o Logistics of family management and facilitation.

o Psychological support and reinforcement around decision-making.

o Account management and financial planning.

• Owl Be There offers franchisees a deep foundation right out of the gate, with national contracts in a number of states and marketing/sales tools at the ready.

• At the heart of Owl Be There is a deep commitment to crisis management and providing people who are vulnerable or unsure the resources and support they need to make the right choices.

About David:

As CEO of Owl Be There, David is committed to improving the lives of clients. His placement agency assists seniors in finding the best, most appropriate housing and care options in the Washington DC metro area, and search services are free to seniors who plan to pay privately for their housing and care. David brings a unique blend of senior care and financial planning expertise to Owl Be There. He has worked with thousands of seniors as a Senior Living Advisor, patient educator, a retirement planning professional, and as a long term care specialist. In addition, he has co-authored several books published by the Corporate Executive Board.

individualized monthly or bi-monthly newsletters written by community leaders that include ad space for local businesses.

Is There a Skill You Don't Realize You're Gifted With?

Successful business strategist, entrepreneur, artist, and speaker, Corrie joins me on today's podcast episode to talk to you about uncovering that unique ability in you AND appreciating it enough to turn it into business (and how).

Our apprehensions on converting our skills to business are often because of over-analysis. You want to know if it would convert to business, and if it does, whether it would sustain.

Not that the whole ideology is wrong, but it only overcomplicates things. As Corrie shares, the number one enemy of your business is the fear of failure.

Corrie and I dig into several entrepreneurial learnings, including how to overcome the fear of failure, accept them as learning opportunities, and continue to build on your skills to rake success. Corrie also talks about emerging out of a significant low in her life when she had to battle a miscarriage, divorce, and abusive relationship. Any experience in life only teaches you strength and equips you with the skills needed to navigate the next phases.

Learn how this powerful businesswoman sky-rocketed her business growth in just a year. Also, learn the details of her coaching program for offerings on launching your business idea and landing your first client!

Take a quick look at the episode.

[03:20] Corrie's journey as an artist, rising from working at restaurants, working on her family business as a graphic designer. She also discusses navigating personal challenges, including a miscarriage, an abusive relationship, divorce, and emerging from the trauma to succeed in life and business.

[07:57] Tough times teach you lessons that you can carry with you forever ahead in life.

[08:19] How Corrie helps entrepreneurs who don't know how to start a business to do it by figuring out how to monetize their natural talents, education, and experience to land their first paying client.

[9:32] The first step to start your business, as Corrie shares, is to stop over-analyzing everything and take action. Your number one failure is the fear of failure.

[10:41] "Entrepreneurs are literally professional failures." It sometimes takes many failures to garner success eventually.

[11:41] About Corrie's coaching program, the Validate Your Business Blueprint: It's a program that helps aspiring entrepreneurs with no idea of how to start their business generate and validate their business ideas, get a business education, learn about market research, pricing, operational systems, marketing, and sales. They are supported by a community of entrepreneurs who help them achieve success and build confidence.

[13:05] Why people have trouble realizing their gifts – because they think it's so easy to have the ability that anyone can build it. It's hard for them to believe someone would pay them for it.

[13:32] Corrie shares the example of an individual who started her entrepreneurial journey to provide time management coaching for businesses.

[15:02] Corrie provides a group coaching program and has a community that supports each other online.

[15:56] The benefits of being a part of an online community – idea exchange, validation, support, and business opportunities.

[16:58] Corrie's five-minute practice that gets her through even the most difficult days: gratitude practice.

[19:54] Advice for entrepreneurs who're stuck and unable to push to the next level:

1. [10:01] Look at your numbers, measure your KPIs.

2. [20:25] Look at yourself internally: ask yourself, why are you feeling frustrated or blocked?

[22:51] Where to connect with Corrie (Quiz + resources)

About Corrie

Corrie LoGiudice is a business strategist, coach and TEDx speaker who offers a complete business framework and assistance for people wanting to become entrepreneurs. She's been featured multiple times in the press, has amassed an audience of 40,000 people online, and has landed a TEDx speaking event within a year of her entrepreneurial journey. As Corrie shares, although the business might seem to have taken off suddenly, it was only possible because of years of hard work and dedication to her skills.

It can take a minute to find courage enough to start your own venture, especially if (like so many of us) you were raised to seek out a safe paycheck. Leslie Urbas, who shares her story on this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur, was fortunate to have a passion as her starting point. She had become a certified dietician because of her love of teaching people how to create optimal health and wellness. What was missing was a vehicle for sharing that knowledge – which she knew was not the military or government settings where she had been working.

Do you take the leap when you’ve got a toddler (and soon another on the way), no extended family nearby and a husband frequently away on Naval duty? The answer for Leslie, who had a moment of clarity in her daughter’s daycare parking lot, was “Yes.” It may not have made practical sense, but the time to go out on her own was now. As a result of that decision, Leslie today runs her own thriving wellness and performance coaching business, offering services as a dietician, diabetes educator and personal trainer – and she’s loving it!

Has the road been without bumps? Of course not. But Leslie has had the wisdom to understand a couple of critical components to running a successful, sustainable business – especially as the mom of two young children with a husband on active Naval duty.

• Recognize that entrepreneurism is a marathon that must be taken in stride.

• Give yourself grace – and permission simply to do the best that you can.

“It doesn’t’ have to look perfect,” says Leslie. “It just has to look right for us.” Taking this balanced approach, Leslie has been able to help her clients achieve their nutritional goals without dropping the ball on her myriad family responsibilities. She has also been able to cultivate a niche, focusing on people who want science-based education so they can maintain weight and health while also relishing the food, wine and travel they love.

Enjoy this lively conversation, which includes Leslie’s tips for answering the siren call to entrepreneurism and how to turn your passion into a growing business that feeds your soul.

Here are key takeaways from the conversation:

• Even though many of us are conditioned to go for the safe paycheck, more and more women are listening to their intuitive desire to create independent businesses.

• Coaching can be a powerful way to navigate shyness or stigma around sales and lead conversion – a comfort with which is crucial to business success!

• When hiring a coach, consider what exactly your needs are. Someone in your space may not provide the most benefit if your challenges lie in other aspects of the business.

• It was tremendously freeing for Leslie to recognize early on that as driven as she was to build her company, she was also a mom with non-negotiable constraints and responsibilities. It was critical to offer herself grace – and permission to put her kids in front of Sesame Street when necessary.

• It’s possible to grow your business organically through social media forums (such as Facebook groups), creative partnering with adjacent businesses that can provide referrals and appearances on podcasts whose audience includes your target clientele.

Here’s a quick look into the episode:

• (02:20): Leslie shares a bit about her unique path from certified dietician serving in the military to acting on the entrepreneurial tug she’d been feeling since college (but had resisted in favor of a steady paycheck).

• (03:30): Leslie quickly realized that the military and governmental settings in which she was practicing weren’t the right temperamental fit, i.e. Leslie was bored! An emotional epiphany in her daughter’s daycare parking lot set the stage for a new venture.

• (05:33): Leslie’s love for food and teaching people about food was clear. The piece she had to figure out was giving herself permission to take an entrepreneurial leap of faith.

• (05:35): Exactly why Leslie is passionate about nutrition education and her philosophy around food choices and their long-term impacts on well-being.

• (07:45): Hiring a coach was Step #1 for Leslie, who sought the wisdom of someone who knew about how to start businesses, especially in terms of growing sales.

• (09:22): How and why Leslie fired her first coach, who was down on her prospects. It opened the door for a seminar experience that changed the course of her venture. It was also an important lesson: Don’t be shy about finding the right coach for the right issue.

• (11:00): Balancing being a mom with very young children, a husband away on Naval duty and no extended family posed challenges. Leslie learned out of the gate that building her business was a marathon that she would have to take in stride.

• (13:50): About the structure of Leslie’s business, which includes:

o One-on-one coaching, her more intensive program of help.

o A three-month group program that provides ongoing support.

• (14:30): What distinguishes Leslie from many dieticians is her focus on educating people who love food, wine and travel on how to keep their weight under control and maintain optimal health without foregoing flexibility or pleasure.

• (16:00): Leslie’s client base has generally been built organically, through social media postings and partnering with travel agents. She has also found exposure through sharing her message on podcasts that reach her target audience.

• (17:28): Leslie’s Parting Advice: Provide knowledge that you know definitively fits and will work for your client. Just because something works for you doesn’t mean it will work for every individual’s set of needs. And if what you’re providing isn’t working for them, pass clients on to coaches who might make a better fit – and in turn will support you.

About Leslie:

Leslie is a professional nutritionist, dynamic dietitian, world-class wellness coach, high-performance personal trainer. As founder of the Ultimate Urbas world of Health & Wellness, she specializes in: Organizational Health & Wellness Advisory; 1:1 Personal Training & Nutrition Coaching; Group Fitness Training (for larger audiences); and Certified Diabetes Education.

Listen up for the story of a passionate entrepreneur who put his entrepreneurial desire atop a thriving career working 9-5 with other companies and garnered success for his ingenious thinking, fearlessness, and adoption of modern work practices. My guest is Jayesh Kasim, Co-Founder of the international franchising company Valenta BPO Franchise.

When Jayesh pivoted from his full-time job to chase his enthusiasm for doing something different, he calculated the franchising industry to be the least risky.

Starting with setting up a business that optimizes the backend processes for businesses using smart methods, Jayesh decided to start his own franchise business in 2018. Valenta BPO has offices in multiple countries today, including the US, UK, Canada, and New Zealand. Their business stands on three essential practices:

●      Working without human dependence: Because their work requires merely a repetitive digital transformation (like implementing bots and smarter digital transformation solutions), they can perform tasks with 100% accuracy and do it 24/7.

●      Keeping a client for life: Valenta BPO also provides a consulting-like service to look at a business process from start to end and figure out ways to do it better.

●      Providing resources to businesses that need it: Valenta BPO also provides its clients with the right resources at the right pricing point to succeed.

During our conversation, Jayesh also unpacks many knowledge points, including the specifics of their ideal customer, franchise candidate, competitors, and the basics of a franchise business.

Some other points to note:

●      This business is for someone who enjoys sales and business development and can reach out to other companies and solve their problems.

●      Valenta BPO offers franchisee onboarding through their online portal for an entire month, works with them until they crystallize the business plan, fine-tune it, and ensure ongoing support (even on meetings).

About Jayesh

Jayesh Kasim is the Co-Founder of Valenta BPO. Initially starting his professional life as an Engineer based in Queensland, Jayesh soon decided to follow his true passion into the Financial Services industry. His strong belief that quality and holistic financial advice should be accessible to all small businesses led him to build and grow several national award-winning financial services businesses.

For Leslie Josel, 2002 was the worst. Not only did her cherished father pass away, not only did her husband find himself out of work, not only did she have a double-mastectomy … to top it all off, her son received an ADHD diagnosis. “Any one of those things would put you in a fetal position,” says Leslie, “but when you’re a mom or parent, there’s no such thing”

So instead of burying herself under the covers, Leslie seized the moment to be fearless (because, really, what choice did she have?). That leap of faith clearly paid off because today she proudly runs a 17-year-old business that serves a community of 75,000 people. This certainly didn’t happen because she had it all figured out.

Leslie didn’t so much decide to start an entrepreneurial venture as she did answer an organic opportunity to serve. As she learned how to help her son navigate ADHD (something that was far more challenging in those early internet days, when online information was sparse), she shared systems that worked. First with a few friends of friends, but very soon as the pioneering CEO of an entire product- and service-based ecosystem devoted to all things ADHD.

There was no business plan or safety net – which was challenging for a risk-averse woman who liked planning and perfection. But by being bold – and open – Leslie carved out a niche for herself that now serves tens of thousands of parents, students and related ADHD professions with webinars, newsletters, a national advice column and books. She provides coaching services, speaks globally and works with other companies to develop transformational products to support kids with ADHD.

Not bad for a woman who started her venture under duress, staring into a deep well of grief and overwhelm. It’s no wonder that for the last five years, Leslie has been named by Global Gurus as one of the top 20 Time Management experts in the world. There are two things that keep this trailblazer on the right track: Leaning into fear and staying ever grateful for – and mindful of – the community she has built.

Check out this dynamo’s books or visit her website: Order Out of Chaos.

Here are key takeaways from the conversation:

• The upside of not having a choice: It’s an invitation to be fearless!

• Leslie felt free to “be bold” and grow her business organically, augmenting it as she picked up new systems, tricks and ideas for her son along the way.

• The thing you’re most fearful of doing is the thing you should be doing!

• Periods of market growth (as pandemic turned out to be for Leslie’s business) are a gift, but be mindful! It’s important to take a breath and keep track of your company’s inner workings, strengths, weaknesses and market opportunities.

• The Gifts of Imperfection: Being authentic has bonded Leslie with her customers, who also feel permission to drop their facades.

• Leslie never takes Order Out of Chaos or her customers for granted, always cultivating personal connections and follow-up for support anxious parents.

Here’s a quick look into the episode:

• (03:35): Leslie shares a bit of her backstory and route to entrepreneurism, which originated 17 years ago when her son was diagnosed with ADHD and the internet (in its infancy) had little to offer. She devised creative systems herself and the word spread quickly – local parents with children who had the same diagnosis organically came her way in search of help, and a start-up business was born.

• (04:40): Within two years, Leslie had taken her burgeoning business online and began building a virtual community that has today grown to become a global network of 75,000 parents, students and related professionals in search of products, programs, workshops, webinars and coaching to support neuro-diverse children.

• (08:10): Not having a carefully mapped business plan freed Leslie up to “be bold” and discover her path over time without rushing, which was powerful.

• (11:16): Not a risk-taker by nature, Leslie had two strategies for ameliorating:

o She got certified as a coach, so had that training onboard.

o She did (and still does) continuous “gut checks” with trusted clients and colleagues to be sure that she’s “community-centric” and not “Leslie-centric.”

• (13:00): About why – and how – Leslie has sustained her business for 17 years.

o She has been steady and methodical with growth.

o Pandemic provided a platform for Leslie to offer (affordable or free) help – which frazzled parents and educators embraced wholeheartedly.

o Lesson Learned: While things were growing by leaps and bounds the past two years, infrastructure and foundational business systems frayed. As a result, Leslie and her team now set aside three days for an annual inventory.

• (19:30): Keeping your company’s mission front-and-center. Leslie doesn’t undertake any task or interaction without reaffirming her team’s commitment to serving the community.

• (22:00): By staying constantly engaged with her community and accepting feedback as to what they need and want, Leslie has come to understand that she doesn’t have to have all the answers. She no longer feels the need to be perfect. To the contrary, she’s candid about mistakes and what she doesn’t know, which in turn has enabled her base of clients to be vulnerable and imperfect as well.

• (23:57): Leslie takes nothing for granted, continuing to make personal customer interaction an ongoing priority.

• (28:30): It’s never too late to get help! ADHD support can be quick and transformational even for kids who aren’t diagnosed until later in life.

• (29:15): What sets Leslie apart? She is completely immersed and still thoroughly engaged hands-on with Order Out of Chaos, which makes her accessible, relatable and deeply comforting to her clients.

About Leslie:

Leslie Josel, an ADHD-academic and parenting coach, is an award-winning entrepreneur, having founded Order Out of Chaos – a virtual company whose mission is to help parents guide their students to success in learning and in life - when her son was first diagnosed with ADHD. She is also the creator of the award-winning Academic Planner: A Tool for Time Management®, a planner that helps students develop time management skills, and the award-winning author of 3 books including the recently published, “How to Do it Now Because it’s Not Going Away: An Expert Guide to Getting Stuff Done.” (Lerner Publishing). A respected resource on ADHD and Executive Functioning, Leslie writes the weekly “Dear ADHD Family Coach®” column for ADDitude Magazine, the premiere magazine for adults and children with ADHD, speaks to audiences all over the world and has partnered with Samsill Corp. to release a line of student organizing products.

Do You Have a Dream but Are Scared to Chase It?

Do you feel you're too naive or incapable of leaving your current job and switching to an extraordinarily new career?

If you're anyone like Brooke Simonson or me, you know how painfully tough it is to leave your comfortable and appreciated job as a teacher and turn to entrepreneurship full-time.

You have everything most people desire from a job… money, flexibility, appreciation, and respect, but lack in something that’s the most important to you: passion.

Maybe you enjoyed your current job when you started, and maybe you enjoy it still. But like with anything else in life, that interest receded or changed for the better!

Now, although there are many reasons why you might feel compelled to remain where you are and continue to put up with the dissatisfying aspects of your job, the time will come when you'll have to make a change.

If not because of anything else, then this:

Imagine waking up one day having no idea what you did for the past ten years of your life… Would you allow yourself that path ever?

Now is the time to make the pivot. Leaving is better than staying, even if it means fighting your scariest beliefs and imposter syndrome.

We're talking about the same in today's episode of She Turned Entrepreneur. Brooke Simonson, Founder of The Health Investment, chats with me about her inspiring journey into health coaching and how she turned her part-time health and wellness indulgence into a full-on business!

Brooke grew up as the daughter of a teacher and a business owner. And as life had it, she chased both the professions at different phases of her life.

The episode digs into many lessons on weight management and entrepreneurship from Brooke's experience, including her three 'A' framework to wellness and overcoming imposter syndrome.

Here's a quick look into the episode. Jump to the sections if you'd like to hear them first:

[03:30] Brooke talks about turning entrepreneur after quitting her teaching job, which she’d been doing for 12 years. She shares growing up as the daughter of a teacher and a business owner and how it made her familiar with those two paths in life.

[08:41] The benefits of a Facebook group for entrepreneurs: a lesser feeling of loneliness and support from people like yourself, who’re on their entrepreneurial journey.

[10:44] About Brooke’s coaching program – Brooke discusses shifting from individual programs to group programs that allow more people to join in at any time. She also shares having a Facebook community where her coached members can chat and support each other.

[11:28] All Brooke’s clients are allowed into her Facebook group. Having a community of people having different lifestyle and diet choices makes you feel you aren’t alone in your journey. You are also supported whenever you feel exhausted or low.

[12:26] Brooke explains that most people come to her with a weight loss goal in mind and considering popular interest, she has niched down into sustainable weight loss coaching.

[13:49] The importance of being specific and niching down

[14:42] Brooke’s holistic three ‘A’ approach to wellness:

● Awareness – Of a nutrition strategy that will work for you. Understand research-backed habits that work for you. In this era of information overload, you hear different wellness lessons from different people every day and are confused about which would work best for you. In such cases, identify the principles behind the different methods, opt for evidence-based habits, and figure out what works for you.

● Attitude – Master your mindset

Rewire your brain to adopt a more gray thought pattern instead of just black and white.

● Accountability – Support and encouragement from other people make your journey enjoyable

Research shows that your odds of reaching any goal can improve by up to 95% if you're getting adequate support and accountability along the way.

[17:11] Brooke’s 10-year long journey to getting to a comfortable place with her health – She talks about learning through struggles, going all on her own, and figuring different methods and pointers as she progressed. She explains how and why she is at her happiest with her mental and physical health today.

[17:53] Some common misconceptions about weight loss – that there’s always a fancy ingredient to good health. As time progresses, we’ll see different products and practices around health and wellness come up and might find ourselves attracted to them. What we need to realize is that wellness is a skill you can master. You don't have to rely on external things to conquer it. You can internalize the process and figure out what works for you. “There's not a one size fits all, eating pattern, or set of habits that work for everyone.”

[20:03] How does it help to have a coach in your corner all along your wellness journey

[21:02] Simple tip that you can apply today to progress in your health and wellness journey – Choose one practice you can do right now for your wellness and do it for one week. It could be anything from drinking eight glasses of water a day or eating veggies.

[22:51] Where to connect with Brooke

About Brooke Simonson

Brooke Simonson is a Certified (Online) Nutrition Coach specializing in sustainable weight loss. She is a teacher turned entrepreneur who founded her successful coaching business The Health Investment.

How a Stay-at-Home Mom Found Franchise Gold in Her Own Backyard with Susan Schopp

It’s not a scenario unfamiliar to any woman who has ever gotten pregnant and seen an otherwise ideal work situation go south. When having children turned a job that Susan Schopp loved toxic, she got busy – and creative. With her early community journalism experience and a volunteer track record coordinating her neighborhood’s news sharing, she knew there was a need for a forum (this was pre-internet) and carved out a niche with a newsletter paid for entirely with local advertising dollars. Born out of her desire to balance an entrepreneurial challenge with her priorities as a stay-at-home mom, Susan’s idea has over time become the thriving franchise business model known today as Neighbors Choice.

As CEO, Susan knows how to bring homeowners’ association meetings to life, circulate information about recreational opportunities and issues of local concern. As she built out her knowledge base over the years, the possibilities for franchising her model were clear. But the timing wasn’t quite right, until empty-nesting left a little extra space in her daily calendar and the bandwidth to take on a new challenge. The result? The San Antonio-based entrepreneur fully launched Neighbors Choice in the fall of 2021. The initial franchise fee is $35,000 with subsequent investment dependent on how individual business owners choose to structure their workplace and what resources are already in place.

Susan’s secret sauce is the network she is growing, built on initial live trainings and an ongoing mentorship program that supports franchisees as they figure out things like marketing and advertising – areas of expertise that Susan has honed and perfected over 25 years of producing, printing and distributing micro-local publications for scores of homeowners’ associations, subdivisions and small communities throughout Texas. Interested in building community and bringing together voices and dreams in your own backyard? Neighbors Choice has the roadmap!

Here are key takeaways from the conversation:

• Many workplace environments turn toxic for women once they start having children.

• Franchising is a learn-as-you-go process, that includes a period not only of education about the nuts and bolts but also trial and error.

• Neighbors Choice offers a great business opportunity for people who appreciate the franchise model’s flexibility and who are actively interested in engaging with their communities and building a network for making positive change.

• A differentiator for Neighbors Choice is its emphasis on growing a network, including mentorship and ongoing support for franchisees as they build out their businesses.

• Susan offers her best advice: Stay positive! Keeping to that vision will loft you towards your goals!

Here’s a quick look into the episode:

• Susan shares her backstory, starting with an early job that she loved at a golf resort – until it became clear that having a baby prompted a toxic change of status.

• When her two children reached school age, Susan looked around for an entrepreneurial idea and found one in her literal backyard!

• How she franchised: for the first 20 years Susan prioritized family over business, which meant offering 9 AM to 3 PM “mom hours” for her and her staff members.

• The concept of franchising took hold when Susan’s empty nest provided both additional hours in the day and a yearning to take on a larger challenge.

• Timing is everything: Just as she was preparing to finalize her franchise documents, pandemic brought everything to a stand-still. It turned the year into an opportunity to “learn an amazing amount of stuff that there was just no way around.”

• Neighbors Choice makes a great business model (and opportunity) for stay-at-home moms who are interested in building community and promoting local communication.

• About the investment associated with the Neighbors Choice franchise: The initial fee is $35,000 with additional investment dependent on the systems franchisees have available and ready to go.

• Hands-on training is ideally live at the corporate office in San Antonio, where Neighbors Choice staff teach new franchisees every aspect of the business.

• Mentors are assigned to all new franchisees and guidance is provided for working with community members and advertisers, creating marketing campaigns and brainstorming revenue streams.

• Staying positive is for Susan a cornerstone of generating momentum and growing your optimal business.

About Susan:

Susan Schopp, a San Antonio native, started Neighborhood News in 1996 as a home-based business selling ads and publishing neighborhood newsletters for homeowners' associations. As CEO of Neighbors Choice, a franchisor offering opportunities in the 50 United States, with some exceptions, she has expanded her model for neighborhood newsletters committed to creating businesses that are a true partner in their communities. Susan’s brand helps neighborhoods of all sizes to stay better connected by producing and distributing individualized monthly or bi-monthly newsletters written by community leaders that include ad space for local businesses.

Professionals and industry experts find their way into the coaching industry because of their expertise.

Coaching offers these professionals an opportunity to turn their knowledge into a thriving business setting them on the path to entrepreneurship.

Expertise makes you a fantastic coach with the ability to almost guarantee results for your clients, but without systems and processes supporting your business, The chances of you sustaining as an entrepreneur are LOW.

The client experience is crucial and begins from the moment they encounter your brand. If done correctly, the relationship will continue well after you deliver on your services (#helloreferrals)

In today's episode of, She Turned Entrepreneur, we're talking about all things operations. To help me bring this episode to life, I'm interviewing Operations Consultant Nneka Roberts.

As the founder of Sage Simple Solutions, she brings her 20 years of experience building systems for global giants like IBM, Wells Fargo, and Assurant, to name a few. Nowadays, you can find her helping seven-figure digital entrepreneurs create smart, sexy workflows and systems and tools that make the ultimate client experience.

Here are the top takeaways from the conversation:

● Expertise in your field can only take you so far in business. The key to obtaining the dream lifestyle of more time and freedom Depends heavily on your ability to implement systems and processes that lead to predictable outcomes.

● "Your habits are your first set of systems," says Nneka. This is why before you decide to invest in a system or hire your first employee, you should have a clear understanding of your framework. Once that is done, you can create strategies and workflows based on your framework.

● In addition to systems in your business, it is essential for entrepreneurs to remain flexible and not be so rigid.

Here's a quick look into the episode:

● [00:03:20]Get to know Nneka Roberts and learn how she turned her expertise into a thriving business

● [00:04:05] Nneka is no stranger to the outline world here she shares how she launched her first company during the .com boom

● [00:06:28] Many industry experts want to know how to monetize their expertise - Nneka explains how she did it.

● [00:08:31] "Systems are an act of self-love" Nneka explains what that means and what every business owner can do to "love" themselves more

● [00:11:02]The 80/20% rule for systems - how to remove yourself from 80% of your business

● [00:12:27] Need a system in your business? Nneka shares her framework for:

Defining entry points

On-boarding clients

Delivering work

Off-boarding clients

● [00:18:08] Is it possible to create a system for work/life and balance - we think so. Tune in as Nneka explains how she makes time for work and play.

● [00:21:35] Advice for new entrepreneurs on getting organized, establishing routines, and creating boundaries in their business.

● [00:24:49] "Habits are your first set of systems" - listen as Nneka explains what this powerful statement means.

About Nneka and Sage Simple Solutions:

Nneka helps coaches and creatives free up their time to make more money and do the work they love by designing systems that flow as smooth as buttah on a hot biscuit.

It's rare to see an offer online so unique that they're in a category of their own. Yet, this is precisely what Louise Courville has done with her program Virtually FAMOUS accelerator, a six-step process for helping Digital CEOs go from obscurity to virtually FAMOUS.

Louise's entrepreneurial journey began in 1999 with an eyewear company providing glasses to the film and TV industry; however, she quickly discovered that her true passion was in sales and marketing.

As the host of Micro Marketing Podcast Louise, has over 680 episodes recorded- it's safe to say that she knows her stuff when it comes to marketing! While helping entrepreneurs build sales funnels, Louise recognized that most entrepreneurs needed a framework to set them apart from the competition, not a funnel.

Louise embarked on a new journey, never one to shy away from a challenge. Her Virtually FAMOUS framework builds her client's Intellectual Property into a process and signature framework.

Here are the top takeaways from the conversation::

● Why entrepreneurs should start with their framework - not a funnel for online success.

● How to apply Louise's six-step Virtually FAMOUS Framework to your business.

● Using your framework as a guide to support marketing and sales

● Common mistakes that entrepreneurs make when they're creating a framework

Here's a quick look into the episode:

● [00:03:11] Get to know Louise Courville and learn how this former Regional Sales Manager began her entrepreneurial journey in marketing

● [00:04:50] In 2015, Louise left Corporate America forever, Discover the value of knowing when to cut ties with an idea.

● [00:09:36] 65% of the population are visual learners - listen as Louise talks about the importance of visuals in your signature framework.

● [00:11:41] Your framework is the foundation for your business and should be memorable, portable, and repeatable—Louise shares online resources that make creating acronyms easier.

● [00:14:26] Your signature framework is more than a resource to make online marketing easier. It is also a credibility-building tool - Louise explains the various ways you can use your framework to create books, content, and much more.

● [00:16:07] Louise offers advice for entrepreneurs who aren't sure where to start when building out their processes, such as:

a. How to launch an ASK campaign

b. The importance of communities for entrepreneurs

c. How to avoid the most common mistakes entrepreneurs make when creating a framework.

● [00:18:06] Ready to become Virtually FAMOUS - here is how you can work with Louise.

● [00:20:12] Louise's advice for aspiring digital CEOs and the importance of understanding that "different is better than better" when positioning yourself online.

About Louise

Louise Courville helps Solopreneurs increase their influence and impact through her Virtually FAMOUS program. The program is designed to help solopreneurs develop a signature framework that puts them in a category by themselves.

A business without a powerful vision is like a river meeting the sea.

You realize there's a huge market of possibilities -- you see no end, no beginning in sight. You're either lost or are trapped in a loop of events that take you nowhere.

Ever had that moment?

It's hard to route for success with no clarity of vision.

In this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur, business success coach Lori sat with me to share why she decided to pivot from her full-time job to help freelancers discover their "why". She shares why you need to root into your vision to succeed in your venture.

Lori knows first-hand what it takes to set up a successful business. And no, she didn't discover that the first time.

It took her two failed businesses and considerable money before she realized how to put the pieces together and land the idea and vision behind her now thriving business, The Xennial Traveler.

Lori's words radiate so much positivity and hope that I'm sure you'll leave inspired. For the best part, Lori also shares how to allow yourself to be vulnerable and put your true self out there even when running a business.

Know what you want and reveal that authentically through your business. And you'll eventually have your business move firmly forward. Being human is the first step to achieving success.

Some other things we discuss:

● Acknowledge your mistakes. It doesn't make you look any less capable; it translates as your willingness to correct or do better.

● Automate and organize your business processes. You can't handle everything by yourself all the time.

● No challenge is permanent. With the needed effort, things will get better in the end.

Here's a quick look into the episode:

[03:20] The succession of events that led Lori to entrepreneurship and her 20-year career in the sales, marketing, and hospitality industry: Lori shares her experience working as the Director of Sales and Marketing in a company, her tilt towards entrepreneurship, two failed business ventures, and setting up her current business.

[06:44] Lori talks about her current business, Xennial Traveler, a coaching agency with a marketing side. She shares being a business success coach, helping entrepreneurs take their business off the ground, and establishing an online brand for themselves.

[08:43] Lori talks about her well laid-out program using which she helps entrepreneurs remove blocks in their belief system to run their business open-mindedly.

[11:16] How to put your fears and insecurities aside while operating your business online

[14:06] How to scale a remote business:

● Have a vision of what you want

● Know your processes, scale them in an understandable fashion.

● Set your processes in a way that allows you to be consistent and be able to step away from your business, no matter who's running it.

● Set up an effective automation strategy, so you don't have to go behind your business operations all the time.

● Take backward steps and plan for the future.

[17:27] Advice for nine-to-five working listeners who want to venture into entrepreneurship full-time

● Know that it will get better – "Just remind yourself that today is today and… (have) that vision in mind of what you're shooting for because it's gonna be hard."

[19:05] Book recommendations by Lori – The Obstacle Is The Way by Ryan Holiday, You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero.

[21:04] Where to connect with Lori

About Lori

Lori is a certified business and marketing coach who specializes in helping digital nomads to make money online. She is the Founder of Xennial Traveler, her coaching business for entrepreneurs that helps them remove any roadblocks to success, freedom, and abundance.