The Road to Seven

“This is your business, and you can have your business do whatever the heck it is that you want.”

- Shelagh Cummins

During this episode of The Road to Seven, I want you to think about a very important question — one that applies to nearly every single entrepreneur and business owner out there.

The question is this: what are you currently tolerating in your business that you aren’t willing to put up with any longer?

There is a lot to be frustrated about when it comes to running a business. But that doesn’t mean that you have to tolerate it. As women, we often don’t receive the message that we don’t have to tolerate the things that frustrate us.  We’re often given the message that we just need to put up with things. But that definitely isn’t the case, especially when it comes to our businesses! 

You started your business because you wanted control over your life and destiny, so why should you settle for anything less?

Say it with me: you do not have to tolerate something that just doesn’t work for you!

So, let’s figure out what is holding you back in your business — and how you can make a shift for the better.

In‌ ‌this‌ ‌episode of the Road to Seven podcast,‌ ‌you’ll discover:‌ ‌

• Why we tend to tolerate things that we don’t need to — even when they keep us from fully loving our businesses 
• Why you shouldn’t accept a 24/7 hustle lifestyle just because you think that’s the way it’s supposed to be 
• 3 questions to help you pinpoint the parts of your life and business  that aren’t serving you

Highlights:‌ ‌

00:01  Intro

01:21  Back to school time

03:12  3 examples of tolerating 

05:21  Believe that something different is possible

06:09  Make the shifts

07:00  What are you tolerating?

08:20  What are you currently not doing?  

10:37  Discomfort is okay!

11:07  What should you stop doing?

12:53  Recap

Links:‌ ‌

To work with me and make your next power move, visit:

https://www.theroadtoseven.com/

   ‌

Stay Connected

Like what you’re hearing? Click here to subscribe in iTunes for more episodes to boost your Road to Seven today! I have more episodes with great tips and conversations with women that are revolutionizing the way we do business - don’t miss it! 

You can also join the Road To Seven Facebook group to meet other like-minded entrepreneurs who want to band together and help each other rise up.

I would be really grateful if you left a review on iTunes so that others can find and boost their business too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” I’d also love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below. Thank you!

Follow me!  

Instagram: @shelaghcummins  

Twitter: @shelaghcummins  

https://facebook.com/ShelaghCummins  

https://linkedin.com/in/shelaghcummins 

“I think there’s something to be said for doing one thing… and doing it really well.”

- Nathalie Butterfield

If you’re looking for a way to skyrocket your sales past 7 figures in your product-based business, then this is the episode for you!

My guest is Nathalie Butterfield, co-founder of the ‘feel good,’ eco-friendly, Toronto-based bag company Fluf. A former lawyer, Nathalie traded in court cases for pillowcases in 2005, when she co-founded a high-end pillow boutique, eventually shifting the focus of the business to reusable lunch bags and backpacks.

Fluf was born in a retail store, but found its footing in wholesale and e-commerce. Since its humble beginnings, Fluf has grown to become a multiple-7-figure company!

In this conversation, Nathalie shares the challenges that she faced in growing her start-up, how she finds and vets warehouses and factories, and how she perseveres when things get hard.

In‌ ‌this‌ ‌episode of the Road to Seven podcast,‌ ‌you’ll discover:‌

• How Nathalie and her partner used strong PR to get the word out about their niche product
• How Fluf made the leap from retail to wholesale
• Their ingenious solution for saving on international shipping and duty costs

About Nathalie Butterfield: Nathalie Butterfield is the co-founder of Fluf, creator of organic cotton, machine-washable, sustainable, 'feel good' bags. Nathalie and co-founder Terra Kushner founded Fluf in 2005, originally as a pillow boutique. While selling pillows exclusively, they also carved out a mission to make them sustainably — which led them down the path of designing and printing their own fabrics, and then creating reusable bags and lunch bags.
  

Highlights:‌ ‌

00:01  Intro

02:16  Meet Nathalie Butterfield

05:36  Jumping into retail

06:49  Spreading the word

07:47  Dealing with naysayers

09:38  Big challenges

13:23  Transitioning to wholesale

15:45  Selling internationally

17:41  Finding warehouses & factories

22:03  How to keep going

27:00  What Nathalie knows now

28:21  What’s next?

Links:‌ ‌

Nathalie Butterfield

https://ca.fluf.ca

Instagram: @flufbags

To work with me and make your next power move, visit:

https://www.theroadtoseven.com/

Stay Connected

Like what you’re hearing? Click here to subscribe in iTunes for more episodes to boost your Road to Seven today! I have more episodes with great tips and conversations with women that are revolutionizing the way we do business - don’t miss it!

You can also join the Road To Seven Facebook group to meet other like-minded entrepreneurs who want to band together and help each other rise up.

I would be really grateful if you left a review on iTunes so that others can find and boost their business too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” I’d also love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below. Thank you!

Follow me!

Instagram: @shelaghcummins

Twitter: @shelaghcummins

https://facebook.com/ShelaghCummins

https://linkedin.com/in/shelaghcummins

“The top line is absolutely important. But even more important is the bottom line in your business.”

- Shelagh Cummins

Is one of your goals this quarter or year to reach a new revenue goal? Then you’ll definitely want to press play! In this episode, I debunk some of the myths surrounding the importance of hitting that magic million in sales.

One myth is that crossing that seven-figure sales milestone is a sign that you’re running a strong, successful business. But that impressive top line doesn’t necessarily indicate a healthy bottom line!

While this podcast may be called The Road to Seven, not every business owner needs — or even wants — to hit the seven figure revenue mark. A six-figure business can absolutely be more profitable than a seven-figure business, once all costs and expenses have been calculated. In the most extreme cases, chasing the goal of seven figures can actually harm your business!

I’ll be busting this myth and more in this episode, so if you’ve got money on your mind this year, you’ll want to tune in and take some notes.

And whether your goal is to run a six-figure or a seven-figure business, the Road to Seven’s 9 Essential Profit Levers training is a vital tool to help you determine which levers you should be pulling right now! See the link below to access this free training!

In‌ ‌this‌ ‌episode of the Road to Seven podcast,‌ ‌you’ll discover:‌ ‌

• The most important numbers you should use to measure your effectiveness and profitability 
• How and where to allocate the profits in your company 
• How to achieve healthy growth that doesn’t burn out your team, quality, or fulfillment 

Highlights:‌ ‌

01:18  9 Essential Profit Levers

02:52  Revenue v. profit

04:56  Hidden stories behind launches

05:53  Where to put your profit

07:10  Watch your team’s capacity

08:56  Good growth & SOPs

10:25  Savings

11:37  The bigger picture

    ‌

Links:‌ ‌

9 Essential Profit Levers

https://cummins.kartra.com/page/R27Blueprint

To work with me and make your next power move, visit:

https://www.theroadtoseven.com/

   ‌

Stay Connected

Like what you’re hearing? Click here to subscribe in iTunes for more episodes to boost your Road to Seven today! I have more episodes with great tips and conversations with women that are revolutionizing the way we do business - don’t miss it! 

You can also join the Road To Seven Facebook group to meet other like-minded entrepreneurs who want to band together and help each other rise up.

I would be really grateful if you left a review on iTunes so that others can find and boost their business too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” I’d also love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below. Thank you!

Follow me!  

Instagram: @shelaghcummins  

Twitter: @shelaghcummins  

https://facebook.com/ShelaghCummins  

https://linkedin.com/in/shelaghcummins  

“What we’re balancing here is the value of your time versus the value of being on stage.”

- Shelagh Cummins

This episode is going to answer the following question once and for all: should you charge a fee for speaking?

As an entrepreneur, learning how to weigh the value of your time against the value of being on stage is one of the most impactful things you can do.

Your goal as a business owner is to get new eyes on you and your business, establish your thought leadership, and attract new leads. And one of the quickest ways to do that is standing on a stage and delivering incredible value!

Even if you’re NOT getting paid for your time.

When you share great content with an audience at an event that makes sense for your business, this provides an opportunity to see a positive impact on your business — one that may very well outweigh what that event can pay you to be on that stage.

Many events may not have the ability to pay large sums. By bringing tremendous value to their audience and inviting them into your community, you let your nurturing and marketing do the heavy lifting for you. 

I’m not saying don’t charge for speaking. I’m saying sometimes the value of the opportunity to be on a stage far outweighs what you can charge to speak. Press play to learn when to say “yes!” to unpaid opportunities!

In‌ ‌this‌ ‌episode of the Road to Seven podcast,‌ ‌you’ll discover:‌ ‌

• The benefits you can reap from being on stage — even when the opportunity is unpaid
• How to leverage an audience and what NOT to do while speaking
• My unpopular opinion about when you should (and shouldn’t) charge to speak

Highlights:‌ ‌

01:07  Finding your balance  

01:57  Benefits of speaking

03:18  How to build credibility on stage

04:31  What to charge & when not to

07:39  Audience, platform & opt-in

08:36  When does it make sense to charge?

11:03  The biggest differentiator

 ‌

Links:‌ ‌

To work with me and make your next power move, visit:

https://www.theroadtoseven.com/

   ‌

Stay Connected

Like what you’re hearing? Click here to subscribe in iTunes for more episodes to boost your Road to Seven today! I have more episodes with great tips and conversations with women that are revolutionizing the way we do business - don’t miss it! 

You can also join the Road To Seven Facebook group to meet other like-minded entrepreneurs who want to band together and help each other rise up.

I would be really grateful if you left a review on iTunes so that others can find and boost their business too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” I’d also love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below. Thank you!

Follow me!  

Instagram: @shelaghcummins  

Twitter: @shelaghcummins  

https://facebook.com/ShelaghCummins  

https://linkedin.com/in/shelaghcummins

“What is it about you and your business that you have set out to say ‘I want to be remembered for this’?”

- Hollie Hoadley

8 year ago, Hollie Hoadley was an Executive Assistant with a side hustle. Today, she runs Creative Solutions, a thriving six-figure marketing agency that delivers high-performing strategies that keep her clients salivating for more!

Hollie didn’t want to create a b2b or b2c business — instead, she built a business that she considers human-to-human.

“When it comes to truly niching down to a specific market, absolutely not. I’ll never do it,” Hollie says. “When you really think about it, there’s a whole bunch of humans behind your business — and there’s a whole bunch of humans you’re trying to sell to. They have a need, you happen to have the solution. All you have to do is pair it up!”

In‌ ‌this‌ ‌episode of the Road to Seven podcast,‌ ‌you’ll discover:‌

• How Hollie moved from EA to consultant to agency owner — and the challenges she faced along the way
• The potential danger of pigeon-holing yourself too strictly (no matter what your business coach says)
• How to deal with customers who won’t pay for services delivered by your team, rather than you

About Hollie Hoadley: Over the past 7 years, Hollie has built Creative Solutions to a six-figure marketing agency by bridging the gap between strategy and fulfillment in the world of marketing. She is a dad-joke-loving, 90s hip-hop-listening, self-proclaimed hustler with a huge heart and a work ethic to match.

Highlights:‌

2:03  Meet Hollie Hoadley

3:15  Hollie’s journey

6:56  Follow your gut 

8:15  Pigeon-holing

11:00  Human-to-human approach

13:05  Consulting to agency

17:56  Team delivery mindshift

25:37  Business-facing marketing

27:21  What she wishes she knew

Links:‌

Hollie Hoadley

https://www.needcs.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creativesolutionsHQ

Twitter: https://twitter.com/creativesolHQ

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/creativesolutionsHQ

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holliehoadley

To work with me and make your next power move, visit:

https://www.theroadtoseven.com/

Stay Connected

Like what you’re hearing? Click here to subscribe in iTunes for more episodes to boost your Road to Seven today! I have more episodes with great tips and conversations with women that are revolutionizing the way we do business - don’t miss it!

You can also join the Road To Seven Facebook group to meet other like-minded entrepreneurs who want to band together and help each other rise up.

I would be really grateful if you left a review on iTunes so that others can find and boost their business too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” I’d also love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below!

Follow me!

Instagram: @shelaghcummins

Twitter: @shelaghcummins

https://facebook.com/ShelaghCummins

https://linkedin.com/in/shelaghcummi

“Our job, as a leader, is to empower somebody to better handle and deal with the circumstances in their life.”

- Shelagh Cummins

No great business is built by one person alone. Developing a superstar team is a vital piece of the entrepreneurial puzzle, whether you’re bringing on contractors or employees.

But unless you’re very lucky, not every member of your team will perform perfectly right out of the gate. Sometimes, this can be solved through leadership… but sometimes, you need to let go.

In this episode, you’ll learn tips and strategies for dealing with both situations.

Setting quantifiable goals and expectations is the best way to assess the performance of your team — and figure out if they provide value.

If you keep someone on your payroll just because they’re facing challenges in their life, that may make you feel good — but it won’t do your business any favours. There are ways to offer support that won’t burn through your business’s budget!

Whether you’re just starting to hire or already have your dream team, the Road to Seven’s 9 Essential Profit Levers training is a vital tool to help you determine which levers you should be pulling right now! See the link below to access this free training!

In‌ ‌this‌ ‌episode of the Road to Seven podcast,‌ ‌you’ll discover:‌ ‌

• How to know when to take the difficult step of ending a business relationship as a leader 
• The difference between empowering an employee and enabling them — and why sometimes “goodbye and good luck” is the kinder choice 
• The importance of having KPIs for each role in your business (with examples)

Highlights:‌ ‌

01:13  Introduction & 9 Essential Profit Levers

03:20  Low-performing team members

04:26  “Extraneous circumstances”

05:53  Empowering v. enabling

07:33  Being liked isn’t the most important thing

08:39  Quantifiable expectations

10:33  KPI/JEP examples

13:22  The bottom 20%

14:00  Handling the hard conversation

16:08  Leadership

 ‌

Links:‌ ‌

9 Essential Profit Levers

https://cummins.kartra.com/page/R27Blueprint

To work with me and make your next power move, visit:

https://www.theroadtoseven.com/

Stay Connected

Like what you’re hearing? Click here to subscribe in iTunes for more episodes to boost your Road to Seven today! I have more episodes with great tips and conversations with women that are revolutionizing the way we do business - don’t miss it! 

You can also join the Road To Seven Facebook group to meet other like-minded entrepreneurs who want to band together and help each other rise up.

I would be really grateful if you left a review on iTunes so that others can find and boost their business too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” I’d also love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below. Thank you!

Follow me!  

Instagram: @shelaghcummins  

Twitter: @shelaghcummins  

https://facebook.com/ShelaghCummins  

https://linkedin.com/in/shelaghcummins

“This is YOUR business. You get to run this business the way it works for YOU.”

- Shelagh Cummins

Boundaries are not only an important part of mental wellness, but also help us from becoming stretched too thin in our professional lives. So, why do so many people have trouble maintaining their boundaries? 

Why is “no” such a challenging word to say?

Many people have this mindset that we need to do certain things in order to grow their businesses. The idea of having boundaries may not even occur to them! But when we say “yes” to the things we don’t want to do, we leave less space or time for the things we DO want to do — and it robs us of our energy, passion, and enthusiasm.

Having a hard “no” doesn’t limit your ability to grow your business. It enhances it. When you recognize and honour your hard “no”, you get to choose alternatives that bring you satisfaction and joy.

If you don’t like doing Facebook Lives, maybe you love spending time in your Facebook community and building relationships that way, instead.

If you aren’t comfortable selling high-ticket items, you can work on creating incredible add-ons to your lower-ticket offers.

Remember — there isn’t one way to build a business! And by honouring your own boundaries, you’ll experience a lot more enjoyment along the way.

In‌ ‌this‌ ‌episode of the Road to Seven podcast,‌ ‌you’ll discover:‌ ‌

• The importance of saying “no” to the opportunities in life that will not serve you — and how to recognize them 
• How to develop workarounds that create impact for your business in a more joyful way 
• Real-life examples of practical and effective workarounds that honour a hard “no” 

Highlights:‌ ‌

01:06  Introduction

01:56  Canada’s Wonderland & Instagram Reels

04:47  What are your hard “no”s?

05:38  Bring yourself joy through workarounds

07:54  Hit list story

09:46  8-session morning story

12:01  Educate your customers

13:05  Personal hard “no”s

15:06  Recap

   ‌

Links:‌ ‌

To work with me and make your next power move, visit:

https://www.theroadtoseven.com/

   ‌

Stay Connected

Like what you’re hearing? Click here to subscribe in iTunes for more episodes to boost your Road to Seven today! I have more episodes with great tips and conversations with women that are revolutionizing the way we do business - don’t miss it! 

You can also join the Road To Seven Facebook group to meet other like-minded entrepreneurs who want to band together and help each other rise up.

I would be really grateful if you left a review on iTunes so that others can find and boost their business too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” I’d also love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below. Thank you!

Follow me!  

Instagram: @shelaghcummins  

Twitter: @shelaghcummins  

https://facebook.com/ShelaghCummins  

https://linkedin.com/in/shelaghcummins

“Pricing and profitability are key.”

- Kizzy Parks

Kizzy Parks knows a little something about securing government contracts.

In fact, she’s landed over $50 million in government contracts — and also runs three separate consulting companies.

Through her business GovCon Winners, she teaches service-based small business owners how to secure their own government contracts, using her powerful CTC technique. 

If you’ve ever considered bidding on a government contract, you’re going to want to listen to this week’s episode of The Road to Seven first!

Kizzy and I dive deep on pricing, profitability, and the psychology and preparation behind nailing the perfect pitch. Press play to get started!

In‌ ‌this‌ ‌episode of the Road to Seven podcast,‌ ‌you’ll discover:‌ ‌

• The psychological reasons for incorporating your company when seeking government contracts 
• What to take into account when determining your pricing — and how to approach the pitch
• How Kizzy grew from a single government contract to $50 million and 3 consulting businesses

About Kizzy Parks: Kizzy Parks started K. Parks Consulting over a decade ago, and during that time earned a Ph.D. in psychology. Today, she owns and operates multiple businesses. Through GovCon Winners she helps service-based small business owners learn how to win profitable federal government contracts using her powerful CTC technique.  

Highlights:‌ ‌

02:19  Meet Kizzy Parks

04:18  Why get a psychology Ph.D.?

05:59  Incorporation

06:59  Pricing a government contract

08:14  The scaling phase

10:18  $4 million program pitch

13:36  Pricing & profitability

16:38  Why 3 consulting businesses?

17:18  Biggest challenges

18:49  Where to find contracts up for bid

19:50  Confidence

22:00  Key hires

24:40  Pandemic impact

25:36  Podcast & digital product

26:00  What Kizzy wishes she knew then

28:43  What’s next?

 ‌  

Links:‌ ‌

Kizzy Parks

https://www.govconwinners.com/7-mistakes-to-avoid-in-government-contracting 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kizzy 

https://www.facebook.com/DKP2007 

Twitter: @KizzyKPC

AdultFluent Podcast

https://anchor.fm/adultfluent 

To work with me and make your next power move, visit:

https://www.theroadtoseven.com/

“We all create our own reality. We all create the truth that we live.”

- Shelagh Cummins

Do you have a project you’ve been trying to finish lately, or a big goal you’ve been hoping to achieve… but aren’t quite able to find that momentum or spark of inspiration you need?

Then you won’t want to miss out on this episode!

Sometimes, we can find ourselves surrounded by all of the tools that we could possibly need in order to meet our own goals (training videos, a support network, all sorts of resources), but we still find ourselves held back by one thing: ourselves.

We can have the best intentions in the world, but still come up with endless reasons NOT to take the first steps to working towards our goals. 

The reason can be as small and simple as not wanting to put on your workout clothes — but it can have a major impact on your progress.

Our brains can build up incredible walls with the flimsiest of bricks!

But we can also use those same brains to knock those walls down.

In‌ ‌this‌ ‌episode of the Road to Seven podcast,‌ ‌you’ll discover:‌ ‌

• The psychology behind the excuses and reasons we create which keep us from achieving 
• A real-life example of removing a barrier and moving forward successfully
• One of your biggest secret weapons as an entrepreneur — and how to use it

About Guest:
  

Highlights:‌ ‌

01:13  The reasons we give ourselves

01:55  Workout story example

04:41  Excuses, not truths

05:57  Removing the barrier

07:13  Reasons & the psychology behind them

09:12  You CAN handle anything

10:30  Fact, reason, or excuse?

11:53  Your #1 goal & excuse

     ‌

Links:‌ ‌

To work with me and make your next power move, visit:

https://www.theroadtoseven.com/

   ‌

Stay Connected

Like what you’re hearing? Click here to subscribe in iTunes for more episodes to boost your Road to Seven today! I have more episodes with great tips and conversations with women that are revolutionizing the way we do business - don’t miss it! 

You can also join the Road To Seven Facebook group to meet other like-minded entrepreneurs who want to band together and help each other rise up.

I would be really grateful if you left a review on iTunes so that others can find and boost their business too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” I’d also love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below. Thank you!

Follow me!  

Instagram: @shelaghcummins  

Twitter: @shelaghcummins  

https://facebook.com/ShelaghCummins  

https://linkedin.com/in/shelaghcummins  

“Nobody puts Layne in the corner.”

- Layne

Layne, the founder and CEO of Auctionista, is changing the game when it comes to philanthropy.

And they’re doing it with STYLE.

The day that Layne discovered auctioneering is the same day that they were told that they could never make it in the job. But Layne didn’t let that stop them!  

After enrolling and graduating from auction school, Layne founded Auctionista, a live fundraising powerhouse that brings the power of philanthropy, humanity, energy, and entertainment to every event. Layne has worked at over 1000 successful events, raising millions of dollars for charities.

And every single opportunity has been through word of mouth.

Tune in for a fascinating (and entertaining) conversation about brand-building, strategic hiring practices, growing and scaling gracefully, the pandemic pivot, and resilience.

In‌ ‌this‌ ‌episode of the Road to Seven podcast,‌ ‌you’ll discover:‌ ‌

• How Layne made it through an uncomfortable educational experience in the midwest — and found the determination to push ahead
• How Layne built a successful brand and business perfectly aligned with their values and life’s mission, from side hustle to scale-up
• The strategic hiring process Layne uses to put together the perfect team — and the key hires that have made a huge impact

About Layne: Speaker, founder, and CEO of Auctionista, Layne ignites the power of philanthropy with their signature high-octane, live fundraising style. Layne’s performance combines philanthropy with entertainment, equaling full-on engagement as a Live Auction Performer and Emcee at every event.
  

Highlights:‌ ‌

02:58  Meet Layne

05:51  Bucking expectations

08:13  From side hustle to scale-up

09:48  Biggest challenges

11:35  Hiring practices & culture

14:05  Key hires

16:17  Pandemic effects & pivot

21:51  Resilience

25:56  What they wish they’d known

27:41  What’s next?

   ‌ 

Links:‌ ‌

Layne

https://auctionista.ca 

Instagram: @theauctionista

Twitter: @The_Auctionista

https://www.facebook.com/TheAuctionistaLayne 

To work with me and make your next power move, visit:

https://www.theroadtoseven.com/