The Humane Marketing Show. A podcast for a generation of marketers who care.

Shownotes and links for this episode can be found at http://sarahsantacroce.com/episode76

Many introverts also happen to be highly sensitive. We're empathic and intuitive, with an inclination to listen and think deeply. And for those of us at the high end of the sensitivity spectrum, we may be aware of subtleties in the environment that other people miss or even find ourselves affected by other's moods. So, how might we leverage these qualities to build a business in a way that works for us—rather than trying to follow the rules of the 80% who are NOT highly sensitive?

Heather Dominick is the founder of A Course in Business Miracles, a mentoring program for highly sensitive entrepreneurs (HSEs), and the creator of the Highly Sensitive Entrepreneurs Movement. She is the winner of the 2015 Best of Manhattan Coaching Award, and her 21-Day Discovery Series attracted 6K global registrants and earned the 2014 Stevie Award. Known for creating a community for true transformation, Heather has helped thousands of HSEs overcome limiting beliefs and build their business in a way that feels good and generates high-level financial success.

Today, Heather explains how she discovered that both she and her clients happen to be highly sensitive, discussing the overlap of introverts and HSEs in the Business Miracles community. She describes the aspects of being highly sensitive that enhance her business as well as the shadows of overwhelm and over-responsibility that sometimes hold her back. Heather also shares her 'focus on the work' approach to marketing with integrity and the energy management tools she uses to operate from a proactive place. Listen in for Heather's insight around the angst HSEs feel in trying to follow the rules of the other 80% and learn how to do business differently as a highly sensitive entrepreneur!

In this episode you'll learn…

• How Heather discovered that both she and her clients are highly sensitive.
• The overlap of introverts and the highly sensitive in Heather's community.
• Heather's insight on the spectrum of highly sensitive people.
• The angst HSEs feel in following the rules of 'the other 80%.'
• The commitment it takes for HSEs to do business differently.
• Heather's superpowers of intuition, deep listening, and a belief in justice.
• Heather's challenges around overwhelm, over-responsibility, and health.
• How we compare ourselves to other's expectations and our past/future selves.
• Heather's 'focus on the work' approach to marketing a service-based business.
• The energy management tools Heather uses to operate from a proactive place.
• How Heather leverages Asana to communicate with her team of ten.
• What introverts and highly sensitive people can learn from Diana Herself.

***

Become a VIP of my community

Be the first to know whenever I release a new podcast or host a special webinar for introverts. And as a welcome present get my '4-part Guide 'How Saying 'NO' Can Help You Grow! http://sarahsantacroce.com/sayno/

***

Other links and resources mentioned in this episode:

A Course in Business Miracles

Highly Sensitive Entrepreneur Quiz

Business Miracles on Facebook

Business Miracles on Twitter

Business Miracles Podcast

Heather on LinkedIn

Rotten Tomatoes

Dr. Elaine Aron

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain

Asana

Diana Herself: An Allegory of Awakening by Martha Beck

Sarah's Book List

How Saying 'No' Can Help You Grow

Thanks for listening !

Thanks so much for listening to this episode.

If you enjoyed it, I would be super grateful if you'd share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post.

And if you don't have it yet, get your free 4-step Guide on How to Say no to Grow. You'll be added to my list as well so I can share the latest episodes and other introvert related resources with you.

Also, please leave a review on iTunes. I'm told that they really matter so if you'd take a minute I'd appreciate it.

And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes or on Android to get notified for all my future shows.

Warmly

Welcome to the 13th muse on the Introvert Biz Growth podcast, the show where I talk to introverts who grow their business and make a difference.

I'm Sarah Santacroce, your host. If you're new here, then I want you to know that this is not the usual format of my regular episodes.

I post a new show every other Friday, and it's always a conversation with a fellow introverted entrepreneur who uses his or her introverted superpowers to make a difference.

These shows are edited by Tim, my professional podcast editors who also creates amazing shownotes pages.

 

But today's episode is a muse, unedited, raw content. No intro music. No bells and whistles.

I share these muses to make you think, to inspire you, to break the rules and to eventually invite you to the Gentle Business Revolution, when it's ready.

And today is the day! It's ready! The 1st part of the Gentle Business Revolution is ready!

And in today's muse I want to tell you more about it.

But I need to start at the beginning and give you some context.

 

So… I grew up in a peace & love environment called the Colombina, a community living experience co-owned by my parents and their friends. It was an apartment building with 6 apartments, each family had their own apartment, but we spent many hours in other people's houses, or in the common garden.  It was normal to me, but abnormal to everyone else. I remember my boyfriend at the time, I was 14, giving me weird looks when people would just walk into our front door and ask for salt or eggs that they were missing for their recipe. Again, it was normal to me, but as a teenager it was embarrassing.

I was taught early on that I was very privileged to be born in a society that has everything and that this privilege came with a responsibility: take care of our world and take care of those who are not as privileged as me. Once a week my parents invited a refugee to have lunch with us, and learn some German (my mother tongue).

The grownups also held monthly meetings to discuss current topics and take decisions together (who's in charge of the garden, should we invest in a new bike shed, would cat owners please clean up the kids' sand pit etc etc. Everything was decided in a very democratic way, notes were taken and people were held accountable. Yes, there was sometimes tension that even we kids noticed, but it really taught me that a community is very precious and everything can be figured out in a very civil way.

And no, there were no drugs involved and no, we didn't walk around naked, contrary to the beliefs of our elderly neighbors.

As early as kindergarten, I was a quiet leader. It started with our neighborhood kids club including my sister and the other 3 kids of the house, continued throughout the school years where I took over the leading role for projects and then became one of my main roles as an entrepreneur.

Over the past 12 years I have coached and mentored entrepreneurs and business owners, helped them get clarity and outside of the box thinking to achieve their marketing and business goals.

As an entrepreneur, I made the decision a few years ago, to specialize in helping my clients get clients on LinkedIn. It was a good decision and I don't regret it one moment. But I'm also a very curious person, and it has become clear to me 2 years ago that LinkedIn was not going to be all I do for the rest of my working life.

Which is why I started this podcast, The Introvert Biz Growth show, at the beginning of 2016. I had no business plan, just knew that I wanted to talk to fellow introverted entrepreneurs about how they are making a difference and grow their business.

Around the same time I turned 40 and had my 'mid-life unraveling' as Brené Brown likes to call it.

I did some personal work with a therapist and remember this one particular session where, in tears, I told her:

It's so f***ing hard to be different!

(Sorry, I don't usually swear, but this expression just needed the F word)

If I had to summarize my experience in business in one word, then 'different' would be it.

I always felt that I was different than everyone else out there. 

I felt that I was not tough enough.

I felt that I was not pushy enough in my marketing.

I felt that I did not belong.

I felt like I didn't have enough accolades next to my name.

I felt like I didn't have the same energy everyone else seemed to have.

I felt like I wasn't worthy charging those high rates I saw other people using.

And this fear held me hostage for many years…

Out of fear of being different or being rejected I changed who I was, tried to be like everyone else, just to fit in.

And then, in an epiphany moment, the term "Gentle Business Revolution" came to me.

All my life I had been a non-conformist, a rebel. I moved out to live in Paris for a year at 18, then never moved back home. I never went to university, it felt too confining. I had a tiny wedding with a small group of friends in Barcelona, the city where I met my husband while traveling. I had kids early, when everyone else was still in the rat-race… I then started my own business at age 30.

Over and over again I did things differently.

And yet, in business I seemed to just comply.

No more. I knew I could no longer wear the mask, fake it and apply everyone else's templates.

I was ready to be the leader of a paradigm shift in business and marketing.

With all the non-gentleness going on in the world right now, I think the time is right for a paradigm shift.

I guess to me the opposite of gentle is tough. Expressions that come up for me are "she's a tough business woman" and "business is tough". Or "it's business, not personal" or "it's just business".

All of them have nothing to do with being gentle.

I see it as my mission to prove that one can be successful in business by being gentle, not tough. By being personal, not 'just business'.

One of my subscribers recently sent me this sentence:

"Throughout the years, my experience of you has been that of a benign presence."

According to Wikipedia this is what 'benign' means:

gentle and kind.

Yes, that's who I want to be in business. Gentle and kind. Not tough. Gentle, kind and fair.

I also realized that I was done acting as a lone wolf.

As an introvert, I thought it was just my modus operandi. Until I joined a group of like-minded peers who shared similar goals and aspirations. It's when I realized how much I was missing these community values that were instilled to me by my parents.

There is magic that comes through groups that dates back to our ancestry in tribes who gathered around the fire to connect, debrief and enjoy the company of each other — it is like we are wired to work together and find our highest truths through these interactions.
- Leisa Peterson –

So I'm coming full circle.

And I'm so excited to introduce The Gentle Business Alliance.

The Gentle Business Alliance is a global community of women and men with common values who come together and support one another in all areas of life and business.

We have two main goals: living a meaningful life and making the world a better place (and we use our businesses to achieve the latter).

We believe when we thrive the world thrives and in order to do so, we must focus on the core aspects of our human experience — learning, growing, elevating and expanding together.

Our way of making an impact is by bringing more empathy and kindness to the business world. We are very much aligned with BCorp's tagline "a global movement of people using business as a force for good". We create win-win-win situations. Win for the world, win for the customer and win for ourselves. We are interested in creating sustainable businesses – not just to create wealth for ourselves, but to make an impact and make this world a better place.

Business is ready for a revolution, a gentle revolution.

 

Who is it for?

The Gentle Business Alliance is for you, online entrepreneur or business owner who is seeking to do business differently – in a more gentle way.

You believe in collective intelligence, community and helping each other grow.

Maybe you have been in business for a few years already, but are tired of the same old.

Maybe you're a new business owner, but see the power in the community.

You are looking for more meaning.

You are looking to grow your business to make a bigger impact, not just for yourself but for humanity.

You want to show up authentically.

You are so good at what you do…you just can't stand the pain of marketing and selling your services in this overcrowded online world where it seems everyone is judging everyone and we've completely lost track of what matters most: the human connection!

It's all just too hard and you are tired of being a lone wolf.

That's when you know that you are a good fit for The Gentle Business Alliance because you'll get permission to do business in a gentle way, your way.

 

In January of this year I launched the building block of The Gentle Business Revolution, a new kind of marketing program that I called Anxiety-Free Marketing. In the next Muse I'll tell you more about joining me for the 2nd beta test round of Anxiety-Free Marketing in May.

 

But back to January. 10 brave souls took me up on my invite and joined me on this journey. We spent 10 weeks together, we laughed, we cried, we co-created. And together we birthed the Gentle Business Alliance.

Whitaker Raymond was one of the participants and I'm excited to share this interview with him where he shares his experience.

 

Interview with Whit

 

 

 

So what does The Gentle Business Alliance include?

1. 2 monthly calls around different Marketing/Business topics. Facilitated by me, someone from the group or a guest speaker
2. Occasional guest speakers including members of the Alliance to discuss inspiring topics.
3. Facilitated communications and connections through a private (members only) community group on Mighty Networks.
4. Access to member-led conversations about business and personal topics for those interested in participating.
5. Access to the Anxiety-Free Marketing Online Video Course (8 modules, a value of $497)
6. Access to the live Anxiety-Free Marketing program in January or September, or both J (a value of $697)
7. A mousepad with the Anxiety-Free Mandala (priceless as my son Simon designed the Mandala ;-)

 

1. Access to my 14-Day LinkedIn Kick Start Toolkit (a value of $197)

 

1. Other bonus programs such as the Infinite Abundance Program by Leisa Peterson (valued at $297) and more to come

 

What will the monthly conversations be about?

A big focus of The Gentle Business Alliance is Anxiety-Free Marketing, because marketing is essential to grow our businesses – and therefore make a bigger impact and make this world a better place.

We'll cover Marketing topics such as:

• Sales Calls
• Video Marketing
• Affiliate Marketing with Integrity
• Listbuilding
• Webinars
• Group Programs
• Retreats
• Podcasting
• Emails
• Networking in Person

Drawing from my Conscious Marketing Mandala  — topics may also include:

• Passion
• Personal Power
• People
• Product and Services
• Pricing
• Promotion
• Partnership

 

We go beyond just business topics though – because besides having a successful business, all members of The Gentle Business Alliance truly care about creating meaningful lives for ourselves while also making the world a better place!

Together we'll also unpack life and world topics including:

• Sustainability
• Social Justice
• Abundance thinking
• The Serving Mindset
• Stewardship (compassion, generosity, gratitude)
• Our relationship with money
• How time & money are related
• The environmental impact of our business
• Love & joy as a marketing tool
• Fair Investing
• Health & Wellbeing
• Nurturing strong relationships
• Spirituality

 

What else will you get by participating in The Gentle Business Alliance?

Besides the more structured sessions you really belong to a global group of like-minded peers where you have the opportunity to be both a student and a teacher — giving and receiving help in uncovering hidden opportunities and generating powerful and meaningful ideas for your life and business.

As a result, this is the place where everyone is growing wiser and you will be challenged to grow, multiply and increase your impact in various ways.

 

How does it work?

The Alliance membership is on an annual basis — you can cancel at any time and refunds will not be given. It is an ongoing group.

Who else is in The Gentle Business Alliance?

The Alliance is a group of maximum 25 conscious entrepreneurs from all over the world.  Members of the Alliance come from a broad background of business types, sizes and growth stages. There is no discrimination depending on revenue in the Alliance.

What is the investment to be part of The Gentle Business Alliance?

The annual membership is $2000. You can pay on a yearly or quarterly basis (4 x $500), or monthly by request. Even if you pay quarterly, you are committed for the year.

When does it start?

Unofficially it already started because some of the Founding members will continue on in the Alliance. But officially I'll be talking to new members as of today. Enrollment is open until we hit 25 members.

Next steps

If your intuition & heart calls you to take your life and business to new heights and think the Gentle Business Alliance would help you do just that then I'd love to get on a call with you and answer your questions prior to moving forward.

I am also available to discuss the potential of my working with you as your coach outside of the Alliance through private coaching - subject to availability.

Membership into the Alliance is on an application basis for those who are new to my work so send me an email to request a time to talk and complete the questions beforehand.

My email is [email protected]

Do you want to be gentle, authentic AND successful in your marketing and business? Create a meaningful life & make the world a better place?

Then you are one of these people I want to surround myself with!

I can't wait to meet you

Warmly
Sarah

Shownotes and links for this episode can be found at http://sarahsantacroce.com/episode75

A big part of the allure of becoming an online entrepreneur is the freedom it affords us to work on our own terms and live the life we choose. Yet many of us introverts don’t take advantage of that freedom, instead becoming our own ‘horrible bosses.’ We create programs that leave us with little time to travel or spend time with our families, recreating the stress of the 9-to-5 we were trying to escape. So, how do you design programs around what you want your life to look like? What if you could take a lot of time off—and still run a very successful business?

Rebecca Tracey is the solopreneur behind The Uncaged Life, a venture that helps service-based business owners get clear on their brand message and design packages that sell. Rebecca is dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs as they learn what it takes to onboard and retain clients in the online world. She also runs a free online community of more than 10K solopreneurs, and Rebecca is a passionate advocate for building a business that lets you have a LIFE!

Today, Rebecca explains how she started her business from a camper van on a road trip and how it has evolved from one-on-one work to a biannual group program. She discusses her strength in executing on decisions without overthinking, sharing her ‘good enough is good enough’ philosophy around getting things done. Rebecca also offers insight on her fear of missing out as an introvert who avoids conference-style events and describes the AHA moment early in her business when she learned to follow her intuition. Listen in to understand why making sure a client is a good fit is key to marketing with integrity and learn how taking a lot of time off to travel contributes to Rebecca’s success!

Rebecca's favorite quote

"Good enough is good enough."

In this episode you’ll learn…

• How Rebecca started her business from a camper van on a road trip.
• How Rebecca helps service-based business owners define their niche.
• The evolution of Rebecca’s business from individual to group programs.
• The pros and cons of biannual launches vs. evergreen programming.
• Rebecca’s strength in executing on decisions without overthinking.
• Rebecca’s FOMO on deepening connections at conference-style events.
• The AHA moment when Rebecca learned to listen to her gut feeling.
• Why Rebecca believes taking time off contributes to her success.
• How Rebecca uses Boxer to build connections with colleagues + clients.
• The book that made Rebecca reflect on worrying about other’s opinions.
• Why Rebecca answers a prospect’s questions with a voice reply or video.
• Why making sure a client is a good fit is key to marketing with integrity.

***

Become a VIP of my community

Be the first to know whenever I release a new podcast or host a special webinar for introverts. And as a welcome present get my '4-part Guide 'How Saying 'NO' Can Help You Grow! http://sarahsantacroce.com/sayno/

***

Other links and resources mentioned in this episode:

The Uncaged Life

The Uncaged Life on Facebook

Rebecca’s Free Gift

Danielle LaPorte

Boxer

WhatsApp

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson

Sarah’s Book List

How Saying ‘No’ Can Help You Grow

Thanks for listening !

Thanks so much for listening to this episode.

If you enjoyed it, I would be super grateful if you'd share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post.

And if you don’t have it yet, get your free 4-step Guide on How to Say no to Grow. You'll be added to my list as well so I can share the latest episodes and other introvert related resources with you.

Also, please leave a review on iTunes. I'm told that they really matter so if you'd take a minute I'd appreciate it.

And finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes or on Android to get notified for all my future shows.

Warmly
Sarah

Welcome to the 12th muse on the Introvert Biz Growth podcast, the show where I talk to introverts who grow their business and make a difference.

I'm Sarah Santacroce, your host. If you're new here, then I want you to know that this is not the usual format of my regular episodes.

I post a new show every other Friday, and it's always a conversation with a fellow introverted entrepreneur who uses his or her introverted superpowers to make a difference.

These shows are edited by Tim, my professional podcast editors who also creates amazing shownotes pages.

 

But today's episode is a muse, unedited, raw content. No intro music. No bells and whistles.

I share these muses to make you think, to inspire you, to break the rules and to eventually invite you to the Gentle Business Revolution, when it's ready.

And it's almost ready. Tune in for the Muse in 2 weeks when I'm revealing what I've been working on all these months and open an invitation to the Gentle Business Alliance.

But today I want to talk about fear. Fear that's holding us back. Fear of rejection.

We all have it. It's just that some of us embrace the fear and do things anyways, and others are held hostage by the fear.

As conscious entrepreneurs, we truly care about our contributions to the world. So if people don't like what we share, it strongly affects us - more than others.

Me included. In the AF Marketing program I included an exercise that digs deep into our fear of rejection, as I think it started way before we became entrepreneurs. And I'd like to share that with you today:

If we want to clear the blocks around marketing and fear of rejection, we have to go back to the root. We have to go inward.

We have to look at our own personal story with rejection. So let me share that exercise with you and the questions btw are inspired by Lauren Sapala's book Firefly Magic, a book that I highly recommend.

I'll answer the questions from my perspective to serve as an example.

1. What are you most afraid of when being rejected?
   not being lovable

 

1. Can you relate the above fears to any memories in your childhood or youth?

Yes, growing up with an emotionally very distant dad. All my life I fought for his approval, his love. And it was holding me back for many years. Until I was able to let it go and forgive him.

1. Did these early rejections trigger some copying strategies that you are still using today? Like not trying out of fear of being rejected?

Yes, pretending that I didn't care. Or fighting harder to prove something to him. Doing more instead of being more.

 

I was dealing with this just recently as I was promoting my LinkedIn Social Serving Method course. Sign ups were not coming in and I felt that fear of rejection very deeply. I was ready to give up and just stick my head in the sand. Nobody likes what I'm doing. People are not ready for this different approach. So I'm just going to shut up and not talk about it anymore.

But then I realized that this is about way more than the number of participants for me. This is about the serving mindset, about coming from abundance instead of scarcity, this is about being more gentle in business.

So I took all my courage and continued to share about it. Showing up because it's important to me, it's aligned with my values. But at the same time I surrendered and accepted that a small group will be perfect. And I ended up with a small group of exactly my kind of people. People who get it.

And I'm so happy I did.

In order to make a difference you need to put yourself out there – with vulnerability. And the more people you reach, the more rejections you will get. It's the law of the universe.

Thanks for listening !

Thanks so much for listening to this muse. I hope this resonated with you. If you have any friends who might appreciate today's muse, why not share it with them.

Tune in for the Muse in 2 weeks when I'm revealing what I've been working on all these months and open an invitation to the Gentle Business Alliance.

And of course there's next week's interview as well.

Wishing you a wonderful week

Shownotes and links for this episode can be found at http://sarahsantacroce.com/episode74

No successful entrepreneur, introverted or otherwise, got where they are by themselves. Yet, asking for help makes many of us introverts uncomfortable. We make assumptions about how a would-be mentor or collaborator might respond to a request for support—and talk ourselves out of reaching out. How can we shift that mindset and get better at asking for help?

LaTisha Styles is a well-known millennial lifestyle and money expert dedicated to helping her clients take an existing skill and turn it into a thriving online business. Her signature programs support coaches in building an online presence and growing a robust client portfolio. LaTisha's work has been featured in Forbes, Fast Company and Business Insider, among many other publications.

Today, LaTisha shares her struggle with reaching out for help, explaining how that resistance forced her back into a 9 to 5. She describes the introvert-friendly system she developed to seek out new clients, the business model she uses to generate revenue through coaching and courses, and the way she employs Facebook and YouTube ads to drive traffic to her site. LaTisha speaks to her superpower around recognizing what's NOT being said in a sales call and offers her take on marketing with integrity, discussing how to get clear on who you can help and turn away clients who are not a good fit. Listen in for LaTisha's insight into why introverts are uncomfortable asking for help and learn how she is using journaling and meditation to get out of her head and become her best self!

In this episode you'll learn…

• How LaTisha got her start as a personal finance blogger.
• How resisting help forced LaTisha back into the workforce.
• LaTisha's introvert-friendly system of finding new clients.
• The benefits of LaTisha's FAQ video sales presentation.
• How LaTisha generates revenue via coaching and courses.
• How LaTisha uses Facebook and YouTube to drive traffic to her site.
• LaTisha's ability to recognize what's NOT being said in a sales call.
• LaTisha's ongoing challenge around reaching out for help.
• The current trend toward collaboration among entrepreneurs.
• How LaTisha leverages meditation to quiet internal chatter.
• How Tapping into Wealth helped LaTisha become her best self.
• The significance of getting clear on who you can help.

LaTisha's favorite quote

"Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision, and relentlessly drive it to completion." - Jack Welch

***

Become a VIP of my community

Be the first to know whenever I release a new podcast or host a special webinar for introverts. And as a welcome present get my '4-part Guide 'How Saying 'NO' Can Help You Grow! http://sarahsantacroce.com/sayno/

***

Other links and resources mentioned in this episode:

LaTisha's Website

LaTisha on Twitter

LaTisha on Facebook

LaTisha on LinkedIn

LaTisha's Free Gift

Zoom

ClickFunnels

Tapping into Wealth: How Emotional Freedom Techniques Can Help You Clear the Path to Making More Money by Margaret M. Lynch and Daylle Deanna Schwartz

Sarah's Book List

How Saying 'No' Can Help You Grow

Thanks for listening !

Thanks so much for listening to this episode.

If you enjoyed it, I would be super grateful if you'd share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post.

And if you don't have it yet, get your free 4-step Guide on How to Say no to Grow. You'll be added to my list as well so I can share the latest episodes and other introvert related resources with you.

Also, please leave a review on iTunes. I'm told that they really matter so if you'd take a minute I'd appreciate it.

And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes or on Android to get notified for all my future shows.

Warmly
Sarah

Welcome to the 11th muse on the Introvert Biz Growth podcast, the show where I talk to introverts who grow their business and make a difference.

I'm Sarah Santacroce, your host. If you're new here, then I want you to know that this is not the usual format of my regular episodes.

I post a new show every other Friday, and it's always a conversation with a fellow introverted entrepreneur who uses his or her introverted superpowers to make a difference.

These shows are edited by Tim, my professional podcast editors who also creates amazing shownotes pages.

 

But today's episode is a muse, unedited, raw content. No intro music. No bells and whistles.

I share these muses to make you think, to inspire you, to break the rules and to eventually invite you to the Gentle Business Revolution, when it's ready.

Today I have a real treat for you! A conversation with a Peak Performance Mindset Coach.

As you know in my new program, Anxiety-Free Marketing we're really digging into the inner work in order to find out what makes us tick, what are values are, our super powers.

But we also look at what's holding us back, what we're afraid of and anxious about! And a common theme for introverts is related to limiting beliefs. Why do we undersell ourselves? Why do we have imposter syndrome and constantly think someone else is doing better than us?

 

That's some of the great stuff we're talking about on today's muse episode. Let me introduce my guest to you.

 

Nina Cooke is a Peak Performance Mindset Coach, working with successful but stuck, business owners and experts who are frustrated because, inspite of all their hard work, they still aren't getting the results they want and deep down, know they're capable of.

 

Her superpower is DIGGING DEEP to find the root cause of why they're struggling. And then showing them how they can clear out their subconscious "gridlocks" to leverage their thinking to create more profits, freedom and success.

 

Nina has been featured in Forbes Magazine and on BBC Radio, and lives in England.

Find out more about her on her site at www.ninacooke.co.uk

Thanks for listening !

Thanks so much for listening to this muse. I'm just finish the first beta group for Anxiety-Free marketing now and I'll be ready to launch the Gentle Business Revolution this May, hopefully. So as we get closer I'll let you know how you can get involved. For now, just subscribe to the podcast to stay tuned.

That's it for this episode

Wishing you a wonderful week

 

 

Shownotes and links for this episode can be found at http://sarahsantacroce.com/episode73

You simply cannot read the label of the jar you're in! That's why it's important to leverage an outside voice to help you gain clarity and focus. Steve Woodruff serves as that voice for the introverted entrepreneur, helping you define your sweet spot and craft a message that allows you to stand out in a noisy world.

Steve is the founder and president of Clarity Fuel, a consulting firm dedicated to helping solopreneurs, startups, small businesses and large corporations define their offerings, target their ideal clients and articulate their differentiating message. Steve is also the author of Clarity Wins: Get Head, Get Referred, and coauthor of the Amazon bestseller UNSTUCK: 10 Proven Strategies for Breaking Through the Barriers to Small Business Growth.

Today, Steve shares his decision to build a business that reflects who he is and capitalizes on his strengths. He speaks to the themes in his new book, Clarity Wins, explaining how to define and embrace your 'pigeon hole.' Steve opens up about his high level of inwardness, discussing how it serves him in his business—yet also contributed to an extended battle with depression. Listen in for insight around employing an outside voice to help you define your sweet spot and get clear on your message, turning your clients into a referral sales force!

In this episode you'll learn…

• Steve's decision to build a business that is a reflection of who he is.
• How Susan Cain's work gave Steve permission to be an introvert.
• How Now, Discover Your Strengths helped Steve walk in his power.
• How Clarity Wins supports readers in defining their sweet spot.
• How clear words can turn customers into a referral sales force.
• The pros and cons of Steve's ability to analyze and distill information.
• How Clarity Fuel grew out of Steve's pharma matchmaking business.
• How Steve's dogged determination has contributed to his success.
• Steve's advice for introverts around employing a business coach.
• The significance of an outside voice in helping you achieve clarity.
• Why LinkedIn has proven to be Steve's most valuable social platform.
• Steve's affinity for asynchronous communication and scheduled calls.

Steve's favorite quote

"In our society, the ideal self is bold, gregarious, and comfortable in the spotlight. We like to think that we value individuality, but mostly we admire the type of individual who's comfortable 'putting himself out there."

***

Become a VIP of my community

Be the first to know whenever I release a new podcast or host a special webinar for introverts. And as a welcome present get my '4-part Guide 'How Saying 'NO' Can Help You Grow! http://sarahsantacroce.com/sayno/

***

Other links and resources mentioned in this episode:

Clarity Fuel

Steve on Twitter

Steve on Facebook

Steve on LinkedIn

Steve on YouTube

Clarity Wins: Get Heard. Get Referred. by Steve Woodruff

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain

Susan Cain's TED Talk: The Power of Introverts

Now, Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton

Whisky Nate on Instagram

Whisky with a View

Zoom

Skype

Social Serving on LinkedIn

Sarah's Book List

How Saying 'No' Can Help You Grow

Thanks for listening !

Thanks so much for listening to this episode.

If you enjoyed it, I would be super grateful if you'd share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post.

And if you don't have it yet, get your free 4-step Guide on How to Say no to Grow. You'll be added to my list as well so I can share the latest episodes and other introvert related resources with you.

Also, please leave a review on iTunes. I'm told that they really matter so if you'd take a minute I'd appreciate it.

And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes or on Android to get notified for all my future shows.

Warmly
Sarah

Welcome to the 10th muse on the Introvert Biz Growth podcast, the show where I talk to introverts who grow their business and make a difference.

I’m Sarah Santacroce, your host. If you’re new here, then I want you to know that this is not the usual format of my regular episodes.

I post a new show every other Friday, and it’s always a conversation with a fellow introverted entrepreneur who uses his or her introverted superpowers to make a difference.

These shows are edited by Tim, my professional podcast editors who also creates amazing shownotes pages.

But today’s episode is a muse, unedited, raw content. No intro music. No bells and whistles.

I share these muses to make you think, to inspire you, to break the rules and to eventually invite you to the Gentle Business Revolution, when it’s ready.

I talk a lot about Serving in my business.

Serving my clients, serving my community. I like that word so much that I transformed the common ‘Social Selling’ into Social Serving.

Because we don’t sell on Social Media. We create relationships. We serve our audience with great content. We connect with each other on a human level.

I’m sure you have been the victim of getting pitched immediately after accepting someone’s connection request on LinkedIn. Well, this person doesn’t understand that Social Serving Approach. They don’t realize that today’s consumer doesn’t want to be sold to. Today’s consumer wants to make their own decision when they are ready to buy. They will do in depth research, follow you for months and when they are ready, they will contact you and 57% of the buying decision is already made.

So as marketers and entrepreneurs we need to slow down the sale. We need to invest in relationships. Because the modern consumer also shops around. And he will much more likely buy from the person he has a personal connection with. Even if the price is higher. And this chance increases even more if the consumer shares the same values as the service provider. There’s an emotional attachment that is much stronger than just a price tag.

This applies to any kind of Social Platform. But as you know I specialize in LinkedIn.

And as of March 7th I’ll be hosting my LinkedIn Social Serving Method to an intimate group of entrepreneurs who want to learn this method to get more ideal clients on LinkedIn. This is a live online class in a group format. There are 4 90 minute calls, spread over 4 weeks.

We cover 3 parts:

1. What it takes to transform your LinkedIn Profile into a Client Magnet
2. The Content Strategy & ways to grow your network, grow your connections
3. All the ways I know to use the LinkedIn database to find more ideal clients for you

 

You can find out all the details at sarahsantacroce.com/socialserving

I’m also hosting a Q&A Zoom call on Friday, Feb 22nd if you’d like to find out if this is for you. Don’t expect an anonymous webinar, but a Zoom call where you’re on video and camera. A discussion between Human Beings.

I’d love to see you on that call – or on the program!

Check out the details at sarahsantacroce.com/socialserving

 

Thanks for listening !

Thanks so much for listening to this muse. A bit more promotional than usual. But hey, I don’t bother you with mattress & underwear ads, so I hope I have your support with this.

That’s it for this episode

Wishing you a wonderful week

Shownotes and links for this episode can be found at http://sarahsantacroce.com/episode72

Rob Goyette contends that his greatest strength as an introverted entrepreneur is simply acknowledging the fact that he is one. While some of us work to hide the fact that we are introverts, Rob finds that being vulnerable enough to ‘come out’ as an introvert lends to his authenticity and actually helps him land more clients!

Rob is a marketing and technology expert who supports coaches and small business owners in attracting and enrolling clients. He has served the coaching community since 2007, first working behind-the-scenes on Christian Mickelsen’s team and then launching his own business in 2014. Today, Rob runs a six-figure business helping clients market their services by reaching the right audience with the right offers at the right time.

On this episode of Introvert Biz Growth, Rob explains how his introversion led to the creation of his online business and shares the details of his top three income streams: info products, laser coaching and VIP weekends. He discusses the discomfort he feels in small group peer-to-peer settings, offering insight into the technique he uses to channel nervous energy. Rob also speaks to his decision to focus on doing his best work rather than allowing comparison to push him outside his comfort zone. Listen in to understand how Rob fosters confidence on video and learn how ‘coming out’ as an introvert can generate sales!

In this episode you’ll learn…

• How Rob’s introversion led him to build an internet marketing business.
• Rob’s innovative 15-minute laser coaching model.
• How Rob generates revenue through info products and VIP weekends.
• Why Rob is most uncomfortable in intimate, peer-to-peer settings.
• The three-finger technique Rob uses to channel nervous energy.
• The benefit of ‘coming out’ as an introverted entrepreneur.
• Why Rob decided against live events and product launches.
• Rob’s insight around comparison as ‘the theft of joy.’
• How Rob fosters confidence on video by treating it like an in-person meeting.
• Why video is crucial in building trust and rapport with potential clients.
• The daily rituals that give Rob a chance to be alone and recharge.
• How Rob gets an energy boost from The Adam Carolla Show.
• How Rob gained the confidence to sell his services for a premium.

Rob's favorite quote

"Succeeding as an introvert is as simple as realizing that you get most of your energy from being alone rather than being around others. Once you understand this, you can structure your life and business to get enough personal time to excel."

***

Become a VIP of my community

Be the first to know whenever I release a new podcast or host a special webinar for introverts. And as a welcome present get my '4-part Guide 'How Saying 'NO' Can Help You Grow! http://sarahsantacroce.com/sayno/

***

Other links and resources mentioned in this episode:

Rob’s Website

Rob on Facebook

Rob’s Free Report on Innovative Coaching Models

Christian Mickelsen

The Silva Method

Neil Patel on Digital Marketing in 2019

Video for Introverts

Reddit

The INFJ Personality Show EP079: INFJs Need More Sleep?

Automate Your Webinars

Fast Revenue Coaching

The Adam Carolla Show

Zoom

Sarah’s Book List

How Saying ‘No’ Can Help You Grow

Thanks for listening !

Thanks so much for listening to this episode.

If you enjoyed it, I would be super grateful if you'd share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post.

And if you don’t have it yet, get your free 4-step Guide on How to Say no to Grow. You'll be added to my list as well so I can share the latest episodes and other introvert related resources with you.

Also, please leave a review on iTunes. I'm told that they really matter so if you'd take a minute I'd appreciate it.

And finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes or on Android to get notified for all my future shows.

Warmly
Sarah

Welcome to the 9th muse on the Introvert Biz Growth podcast, the show where I talk to introverts who grow their business and make a difference.

I'm Sarah Santacroce, your host. If you're new here, then I want you to know that this is not the usual format of my regular episodes.

I post a new show every other Friday, and it's always a conversation with a fellow introverted entrepreneur who uses his or her introverted superpowers to make a difference.

These shows are edited by Tim, my professional podcast editors who also creates amazing shownotes pages.

 

But today's episode is a muse, unedited, raw content. No intro music. No bells and whistles.

I share these muses to make you think, to inspire you, to break the rules and to eventually invite you to the Gentle Business Revolution, when it's ready.

Today I thought I'd share the story about how I found my WHY. Or maybe how it found me. With the Beta-Group participants of the AF Marketing group we're talking a lot about meaning, purpose, why we do what we do. And let's be honest for a minute, it's not the same for everyone. Some people are very clear about their WHY, their mission. Others it takes them a bit more time. I was part of the others.

For 10 years, my business was just a means to an end. I started it because I wanted a flexible solution, so that I could also spend time with my boys, see them grow up. Then when I turned 40, 3 years ago, I read Simon Sinek's book, and this question about the WHY started to come up more and more. That's also when I started this podcast. It definitely gave me meaning. But it was more of a hobby. I still considered my LinkedIn Business as the breadwinner, and the work I did with Introverts more of a side-hustle. I thought that in my case my WHY was probably outside of work hours.

In parallel I did a lot of inner work, first with a therapist, then with a coach. And I dug up a lot of old stories. And then one day it hit me: I got this very clear message that I was supposed to reserve the domain name thegentlebusinessrevolution.com. I couldn't believe that it was available.

Let me explain. Doing this inner work a lot of the paths led me to my dad, who is and was a very important person in my life. Duh, he's my dad, right? But not only in a healthy way. My dad is a very smart, discreet, somewhat intimidating person. For all of his life he was a leader in socialist movements. He was representing the workers, fighting for justice, of course in a non-violent way. So entrepreneurs, business owners were somehow the enemy when growing up. So when journaling about all this, I realized two things:

1. What had kept my business to the next level, was this feeling of betraying my dad by allying myself with the other side, with the business owners.
2. And, I also realized that that's exactly my mission, my WHY: bring more kindness & empathy to the business world. And representing his number one value which is social justice. Doing business in a way that is fair, where all parties win, where we can make a difference.

So there you have it. That's how I found my WHY, or how it found me.

And again, if you had asked me 18 months ago I wouldn't have had a good answer… So if you don't know your WHY yet, I'd say don't stress out about it. I know that Simon Sinek has a course about finding your WHY. But quite honestly I don't know if you can just take a course about it. At least not if you're also doing the inner work at the same time. This stuff is usually hidden deep inside us.

As I mentioned before, we're working on this in the Anxiety-Free Marketing program because I truly believe that that's where we need to start if we want to market with authenticity.

I'll keep you posted when the program is ready for the public.

For now just allow and be open. You're exactly where you need to be at this moment

 

Thanks for listening !

Thanks so much for listening to this muse.

That's it for this episode

Wishing you a wonderful week