The REAL Truth About Business: Business Strategy for Service Based Entrepreneurs

Summary:

In this client spotlight episode, Michelle interviews Jena Paulo, a ClickUp consultant. They discuss Jena's journey from offering various services to specializing in project management using ClickUp. They also talk about the transition from the retainer model to the VIP day model, the importance of maintaining relationships, and Jena's experience working with another coach before returning to work with Michelle. Jena shares her expertise in utilizing ClickUp as an operational hub and building a relationship with ClickUp corporate. They also provide tips for getting started with ClickUp and highlight the versatility and power of the tool.

Takeaways

• Transitioning from various services to specializing in project management can lead to more sustainable and fulfilling work.
• Maintaining relationships with clients and coaches, even during breaks or when working with others, can lead to future opportunities.
• ClickUp can be used as an operational hub for businesses, providing a centralized location for tasks, projects, team communication, and more.
• Building a relationship with a software company, such as ClickUp, can lead to recognition and partnership opportunities.
• Getting started with ClickUp involves understanding the basics of the tool, such as organizational hierarchy, task creation, and task viewing.

About Jena:

Jena is a seasoned ClickUp consultant and business efficiency strategist, Jena Paulo specializes in transforming chaotic workflows into streamlined processes. With over 15 years of experience and having empowered over 200 companies, she excels in customizing ClickUp solutions to enhance productivity and operational clarity. Her mission is to help businesses unlock their full potential through innovative, tailored systems and insightful training. Jena turns operational complexity into simplicity and success.

Connect with her on IG

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Links:

Sunday Morning Brew

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Purpose of Client Spotlights

02:00 Jena's Background and ClickUp Consulting

03:07 Transition from Various Services to Project Management

06:30 Transition from Retainer Model to VIP Day Model

09:26 Taking a Break and Working with Another Coach

10:56 Maintaining Relationships and Returning to Work with Michelle

12:21 Pushing Jena's Growth and Coaching Relationship

17:22 Working with Larger Companies and Scaling the Business

19:17 Utilizing ClickUp as an Operational Hub

21:08 Building a Relationship with ClickUp Corporate

23:23 Nicheing into ClickUp and Providing Value

26:00 Getting Started with ClickUp and the Basics

27:53 The Versatility and Power of ClickUp

29:06 Where to Find Jena and Additional Resources

Summary

In this episode, Michelle discusses the importance of relationship marketing and its role in attracting and retaining customers. She compares relationship marketing to attraction marketing and highlights the benefits of combining both strategies. Michelle shares examples of relationship marketing, such as building communities and implementing loyalty programs. She also explores different approaches to attraction marketing beyond social media content creation. Michelle emphasizes the need to focus on what works for individual businesses and to analyze data to determine the most effective marketing strategy. She concludes by introducing her own approach to blending relationship marketing and attraction marketing through her email newsletter, The Sunday Morning Brew.

Takeaways

• Relationship marketing and attraction marketing are both important strategies for business success.
• Building strong relationships with customers can lead to increased loyalty and repeat business.
• Attraction marketing can go beyond social media content creation and include strategies like running masterclasses, collaborations, and sponsorships.
• Analyzing data and understanding what marketing strategies are working for your business is crucial.
• Blending relationship marketing and attraction marketing can create a powerful marketing strategy.

Links

Focused Visionary

Sunday Morning Brew

Lead Gen Bundle

If we haven't connected yet - I would LOVE to chat with you! Let's share a virtual cup of coffee and you can tell me all about you and your business.

Connect with me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/michelle_denio/

To learn more about customized 1:1 business growth support packages, visit our website or email [email protected]

Chapters

00:00

Introduction and Setting the Stage for 2024

02:20

Relationship Marketing vs. Attraction Marketing

05:10

The Power of Relationship Marketing

07:00

Examples of Relationship Marketing

08:25

Examples of Attraction Marketing

12:45

Alternative Approaches to Attraction Marketing

16:00

Building Relationships and Loyalty

19:10

The Role of Content in Relationship Marketing

20:09

Analyzing Data and Finding the Right Marketing Strategy

23:32

Lead Magnets and Blending Relationship Marketing with Attraction Marketing

25:55

Conclusion and Call to Action

In this episode, Michelle interviews a long time client of hers and spiritual mentor, Britt Chemla Jones to share her journey of business growth as well as share her incredible wisdom on how to live a more spiritual and mindful life.

Michelle and Britt talk about the impact of pushing boundaries and embracing discomfort.

This episode dives into the pivotal moment when Britt stepped out of her comfort zone, joined Michelle's mastermind, and the subsequent profound impact on her ventures.

Michelle shares the behind-the-scenes story of Britt's decision, emphasizing the positive outcomes that have catalyzed the growth and success of Britt's spiritual business.

Key Points:

1. Stepping Out of Comfort Zones: Explore the journey of Britt stepping out of her comfort zone and joining a mastermind, highlighting the courage it takes to embrace discomfort for transformative growth.
2. Mastermind Impact on Business: Gain insights into the profound impact the mastermind experience has had on Britt's spiritual business, shaping its trajectory and contributing to its success.
3. Courageous Decision-Making: Discover the role of courageous decision-making in business evolution, as Michelle and Britt discuss the pivotal moments that sparked positive transformation.
4. Collaborative Business Synergy: Uncover the collaborative synergy between Michelle and Britt, examining how their partnership has been a driving force behind pushing boundaries and achieving business milestones.

Focused Visionary

About Britt:

Britt is a Level 4 Reiki Master in the Usui-Tibetan tradition, whose journey in holistic healing spans over three decades. With a wealth of knowledge and expertise, Britt is not only a dedicated energy healer but also a masterful yoga and meditation teacher. Through the synergy of yoga movements, mindfulness practices, and energy healing, Britt guides and empowers her clients in their quest for balance and manifestation, through the harmonization of their chakras. Her dedication to facilitating personal growth and transformation makes her a trusted mentor and guide on the path to self-discovery and empowerment.

Join Britt's IG community: https://www.instagram.com/5dmanifesting/

Connect with Britt on IG: https://www.instagram.com/britt.chemla.jones/

In this episode, Michelle dives into the dynamic world of business trends, offering valuable insights and reflections on what to embrace and what to let go as we move into 2024. The discussion spans various aspects, from seasonal trends in individual businesses to broader industry shifts. Michelle emphasizes the importance of observing patterns, connecting with your audience, and adapting to the evolving landscape. Here are the key takeaways:

• Seasonal Trends in Your Business: Explore patterns in your business's seasons to identify trends in customer behavior. Analyze busy and slow periods to understand when and why people engage with your offerings.
• Overall Industry Trends: Michelle shares trends observed in the online business space, focusing on what's evolving and what's phasing out. The Live Launching Model - the declining popularity of live launches, citing exhaustion and changing buyer preferences.
• Shifts in Social Media Engagement: Michelle predicts a decrease in the effectiveness of static posts on social media platforms. Emphasis on dynamic content, including videos, carousel posts, and shorter, engaging formats.
• Transformation in Coaching Models: High-ticket coaching may be losing its appeal due to negative experiences and changing preferences. The rise of the VIP day model as a high-ticket offer with immediate results.
• Evolution in Marketing Strategies: A shift away from vanity metrics and mass marketing, focusing on genuine connections and real results. Community and relationship marketing emerge as powerful trends, emphasizing the importance of authentic connections.
• Embracing Lower Ticket Offers: Michelle encourages businesses to consider a diversified offer suite. Lower ticket offers gain prominence, allowing businesses to meet their audience where they are.
• Business Planning for the Future: Michelle introduces the "Keep and Let Go" exercise, urging listeners to evaluate practices and let go of what no longer serves their business. The cyclical nature of trends in business and the importance of staying fluid and adaptable.

Calls to Action:

1. Reflect on Your Business Trends: Evaluate the seasonal trends in your business and identify patterns in customer behavior.
2. Engage Your Audience: Start a conversation with your audience about the trends they're noticing in the online business space. Use this valuable feedback for future planning.
3. Diversify Your Offer Suite: Consider introducing lower ticket offers and explore the three-tiered offer suite approach to meet various audience needs.
4. Join the Conversation: Share your thoughts on evolving business trends on social media. Tag Michelle and invite your audience to share their insights as well.
5. Keep and Let Go Exercise: Implement the "Keep and Let Go" exercise for your business. Identify practices you want to retain and those you're ready to release in the upcoming year.

Focused Visionary

In this episode, Michelle dives into the intricacies of envisioning success for the upcoming year and explores the deeper aspects of vision casting, moving beyond the traditional concept of vision boards and material successes.

Here are the few of the key takeaways:

1. Connecting with Your Why: Vision casting goes beyond material desires; it's about understanding why you're in business and the impact you want to make on the world.
2. Seven-Layers Deep Exercise: Michelle introduces the seven-layer deep exercise, encouraging listeners to explore the profound emotional motivations behind their visions, creating a more meaningful connection.
3. Aligning Short-Term and Long-Term Goals: Understanding the importance of aligning short-term goals with the grander vision, Michelle shares insights from a client's experience with an agency and highlights the need for congruence.
4. Diversifying Beyond Current Business: Michelle challenges the notion that your current business must be the sole vehicle for achieving your vision, advocating for exploration of other opportunities that align with your long-term goals.
5. Non-Negotiables and Key Success Factors: Reflecting on the year, Michelle discusses the power of non-negotiables, emphasizing areas such as health and loyalty. She introduces the concept of non-financial key success factors, like community building and receiving raving testimonials.

Download your FREE worksheets

Focused Visionary

Sunday Morning Brew

In this episode, we are diving DEEP into the KEY data sources hiding in your business that are goldmines of information! Data is the secret sauce to understanding your business thoroughly, even if it might seem intimidating or dull at first.

In this episode we break it down into four key areas: financial, operations, sales and marketing, and clients.

Key Takeaways:

1. Data Analysis is Essential: Data might not be the most exciting aspect of your business, but it's the backbone of understanding your operations. It reveals exactly what's happening in your business and empowers you to make informed decisions.
2. Financial Insights: In the financial realm, Michelle recommends going beyond just the total revenue figure. Dive into detailed financial analysis to understand which offers are most profitable, what's driving recurring revenue, and how expenses and investments impact your bottom line.
3. Operations Optimization: For your operations, focus on processes, team management, and your schedule. Identify tasks that can be automated and areas where you're losing time, as time is directly tied to revenue.
4. Sales Conversion Rate: Analyze your sales process, conversion rates, and pipeline. Knowing how well your sales process is working is essential for scaling your business effectively.
5. Marketing Strategy: Examine your lead generation tactics, content effectiveness, and email marketing. Determine which leads to super fans, as well as those who engage with your content and become loyal followers.

Michelle emphasizes the importance of conducting this data analysis regularly to make proactive business decisions. She also hints at the benefits of easy-to-access data dashboards and their role in the upcoming Focus Visionary Mastermind.

In summary, don't underestimate the power of data analysis, as it can pave the way for a successful 2024. With the right insights, you'll be better equipped to build a robust strategy for the future of your business.

Note: For detailed data analysis and insights, be sure to grab the FREE worksheets.

Episode Mentions:

Episode 11 - Client's Road to Success with Nicole Cheri Oden

Links:

Focused Visionary

Sunday Morning Brew

In this episode, Michelle introduces a series for the month of November focused on preparing for 2024. She emphasizes the importance of reflection as a foundation for successful planning and encourages listeners to start by assessing themselves in various aspects of their lives, including personal successes, skills, strengths, celebrations, and areas of improvement.

Self-assessment is intended to boost confidence and provide internal validation.

Key Takeaways:

1. Reflecting on personal successes is essential, separate from business achievements, to celebrate individual accomplishments.
2. Identifying and evaluating dormant skills that can be utilized in different areas of life or business is crucial.
3. Recognizing and appreciating personal strengths, even those taken for granted, can instill confidence.
4. The self-assessment should also include celebrations, pushing one's comfort zone, and identifying areas for improvement.

Grab your free worksheets here: https://michelledenioconsulting.ck.page/2024prep

If we haven't connected yet - I would LOVE to chat with you! Let's share a virtual cup of coffee and you can tell me all about you and your business.

Connect with me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/michelle_denio/

To learn more about customized 1:1 business growth support packages, visit our website or email [email protected]

In this podcast episode, Michelle discusses the topic of accountability and why it often doesn't work as intended. She emphasizes the importance of setting realistic and specific accountability goals, rather than generic or fluffy ones.

Michelle also talks about the pitfalls of overcommitting and the pressure it can create, leading to a sense of resentment and ultimately, failure to follow through. She highlights the value of holding oneself accountable and suggests starting with one achievable goal, gradually adding more as progress is made.

Key Takeaways:

1. Accountability can be a powerful tool for achieving goals and maintaining focus, but it often fails when accountability goals are unrealistic or too generic.
2. Overcommitting can create unnecessary pressure and lead to a lack of follow-through, so it's essential to start with one achievable goal and gradually add more as progress is made.
3. Accountability doesn't have to be a long-term commitment; setting a specific timeframe for accountability goals can make them more manageable and effective.
4. The key to successful accountability is to focus on actions that genuinely move your business forward and have a clear strategy behind them.

If you have struggled with accountability in the past - this episode is a must listen for you.

If you are ready to hold yourself accountable and STOP setting fluffy goals and letting yourself off the hook - join the Focused Visionary Mastermind.

Focused Visionary

In this podcast episode, Michelle explores the often controversial topic of pricing in the online business world and offers a fresh perspective on the subject. She delves into two main aspects of pricing: factual data points and the influence of goals, vision, pricing strategies, and communicating value.

Key Takeaways:

1. Pricing Considerations for Profitability: To ensure profitability, it's crucial to consider five key factors: time, administrative costs, overhead, software and license costs, and the competitive market.
2. Time is a Critical Variable: Many service providers, especially solo entrepreneurs, often neglect tracking their time spent on tasks. Accurate time tracking is essential to determine the true cost of executing a product or offer.
3. Administrative Costs Matter: Administrative costs include expenses related to virtual assistants, team members, and software. It's important to calculate and include these costs in your pricing strategy.
4. Lifetime Value of a Client: Consider whether your pricing model should be focused on one-time projects with repeat business or a monthly retainer model with lifetime value. The approach should align with your business goals and strategies.
5. Raising Prices Isn't the Universal Solution: While price increases can be beneficial, it's not a one-size-fits-all solution. You need to evaluate your pricing structure holistically, considering factors beyond just raising prices.
6. Focus on Strategy and Alignment: The key to successful pricing is creating a strategy that aligns with your business goals and feels right for your business model.

Michelle emphasizes the importance of conducting thorough research, tracking time, and aligning pricing strategies with your vision to create a pricing structure that serves both your business and your clients effectively.

Focused Visionary

Rapid Fire Day

Sunday Morning Brew

If we haven't connected yet - I would LOVE to chat with you! Let's share a virtual cup of coffee and you can tell me all about you and your business.

Connect with me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/michelle_denio/

To learn more about customized 1:1 business growth support packages, visit our website or email [email protected]

In this episode of The Real Truth About Business, Michelle explores the concept of diversifying income within your business and beyond. She shares personal insights and actionable tips to help listeners embrace various income streams.

Summary:

In this episode, Michelle discusses the importance of diversifying your income, both within your business and through unrelated opportunities. She emphasizes that it's okay to explore multiple income streams to reduce risk, align with personal passions, and achieve your financial goals.

Key Takeaways:

1. Diversification Mitigates Risk: Diversifying your income across various sources reduces vulnerability to downturns or challenges in one area of your business.
2. Exploring Unrelated Income Streams: You're not confined to a single niche or revenue source. Michelle encourages listeners to consider diverse income opportunities, even if they seem unrelated to their current business. Passion and alignment are key.
3. Creating a Pie of Income Streams: Think of your income as slices of a pie, where each slice represents a different source of revenue. These "slices" can include your core business, related ventures, or entirely separate endeavors.
4. Balancing Your Revenue Pie: Determine the financial impact and contribution of each income stream to your overall revenue goal. Some streams may provide a significant portion of your income, while others offer supplementary support.
5. Aligning with Your Vision: Your income streams should align with your personal goals and values. It's essential to find a balance that allows you to achieve your financial objectives while enjoying what you do.

Remember that diversifying your income doesn't mean neglecting your core business. It means expanding your opportunities to create a more robust financial foundation and a more fulfilling entrepreneurial journey.

For more insights and to connect with Michelle, join her Sunday Morning Brew newsletter for strategic guidance and valuable tips to start your week right.

Rapid Fire Day

If we haven't connected yet - I would LOVE to chat with you! Let's share a virtual cup of coffee and you can tell me all about you and your business.

Connect with me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/michelle_denio/

To learn more about customized 1:1 business growth support packages, visit our website or email [email protected]