The Soulful Business Show™ with Cailen Ascher

All throughout October we're focusing on helping you activate your perfect-for-you clients so you can get clients + make money!

Why are we doing this? A few reasons:

1. You don't have a business if you don't have clients
2. Getting clients can feel really hard (but it doesn't have to be!)
3. This pandemic has taken a toll on our mindsets, and it's time to pump ourselves back up
4. It's my business' 5th birthday, and I can't think of a better way to celebrate <3

Ok, so let's get back to why I'm emailing you today...

There is something that you absolutely need to know in order to get clients.

When I tell you what it is, you're probably going to think, "Duh, Cailen!", but I can't tell you how many times I see women forgetting this key piece as they try to navigate the murky waters of building a business as a solopreneur.

Here it is.

YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT YOUR CLIENTS WANT.

Yes, it's as simple as that. If you want a thriving business with a waitlist of clients, you just need to tap into what they want.

But how often do we forget that?

We come up with a great idea for an offer or webinar or challenge — an idea that we think our clients want — only to put it out there and no one is interested. That sucks, right?!

Instead, find out what they want first. Survey your list, do a poll in a Facebook Group, ask them over the phone or via email. But don't create ANYTHING until you know what they say they want. It may be very different from what you think they want.

Here are a couple examples:

You're a health + wellness expert, and you think they want to know how to lose weight, but they want to know how to feel sexy again. At first glance, you might think that's pretty similar, but on closer inspection, you'll see that the marketing, messaging and program content would need to be vastly different.

You're a life coach, and you think your clients want to heal from a childhood trauma, but they want to overcome money blocks. Yes, to overcome money blocks, maybe they would have to heal that trauma first, (so you build that into your package) but that's not what they want. It's not the element that attracts them, even if it's something that they need.

Which brings me to my next point.

Remember the difference between WANTS and NEEDS.

Our clients have wants, desires, goals. They're shiny and bright and fun.

But often we're building programs (and marketing those programs) based on the needs that will give them those wants. The needs often require that they do work — the idea of which is no fun to them.

Instead, lead with the wants, the desires, the goals. The dessert!

And then sneak in the stuff they need to do to get the results they want. The spinach :-)

(Can you tell I'm a mom of 2 little kiddos? LOL)

Lastly, I want to remind you that next week we're hosting the Get Clients Challenge for anyone who is serious about getting clients and making money (which should be ALL of you, right?).

We kick off on Monday, October 12th, and for three days I'll be sharing my favorite, easy-to-implement strategies for getting clients — even if you're new in business!

Click here to register.

With love, Cailen

This month we've been looking at the foundational pieces that are necessary for business success.

Over the last few weeks, we've talked about the 3 Pillars of Success, and what it really takes to build a strong biz foundation. I gave you a behind-the-scenes look at the key components of my $50K launch and last week I shared a foundational mindset belief that can make or break your business.

And today, I want to add to the mix one final ingredient that is essential for long term business success.

You may be thinking I'm going to hit you with a flashy marketing strategy or a must-do money mindset meditation, but this final piece isn't a to-do that you can check off your list and be done with. It's something that needs to be cultivated year after year.

...And that is a supportive community.

I've talked about this topic (at length!) before, but I'm bringing it up again because it really is that important.

You NEED to have people in your corner who believe in you. You deserve that and your business needs that. You will not get very far if you operate in total isolation — your inner critic will get the best of you! (Perhaps you're already noticing that.)

When you surround yourself with people that "get you" and understand the ups and downs of building an online business, you feel less alone. You begin to realize that you're not doing anything wrong, and a lot of people feel exactly the same way you do. Plus, you get the benefit of the collective wisdom of the group. If you have a question or need some advice, chances are someone (or many someones) has an answer for you.

Business building is a roller coaster and one of the most powerful personal development journeys you can be on. Don't go it alone! There are tons of opportunities to ingratiate yourself into a supportive community of like-minded women, starting with our community right here :-)

To bring the very best of community + simple action steps together, on October 12th, we're kicking off the Get Clients Challenge, and for 3 days I'm going to be sharing my favorite, simple strategies for attracting high-end clients into your business, so we can do this work together!

If you are suffering from overwhelm, feeling alone on your business journey and finding yourself overthinking everything because you're scared you'll choose the "wrong thing", the Get Clients Challenge is for you.

During the challenge, all you have to do is follow the simple step-by-step plan I've laid out for you (alongside 1000s of other women doing the work right with you!), and you can look forward to results like…

• Developing a Wishlist of dozens of perfect-for-you prospects
• Booking consultation calls with hot leads who love what you offer
• Enrolling new clients who happily pay you and can't wait to work with you

I'm going to lay out the exact steps I teach to my private clients so you, too, can jumpstart your business and draw the right clients to you, all while being surrounded by an upbeat community of 1000s of women entrepreneurs just like you!

Basically, if you've been wishing that someone would just tell you what to do, here's your chance! We've run this challenge 2x before, and the participants always have so much fun and get great results :-)

Click here to join the *free* Get Clients Challenge!

With love, Cailen

P.S. By the end of the year, your business could look radically different if you sign-up for and show-up for the Get Clients Challenge. Imagine landing your first high-end clients and making an extra $1K, $3K or even $5K in revenue! And, all you have to do is register here for this *free* challenge to have access to all of that :-)

When you're starting a business, it's really easy to get overwhelmed. There is so much information out there — so many "right ways" to build a business.

Because of this, I see women get stuck in consumption mode. Devouring every freebie, webinar, and Facebook Live that might offer them a clear path. Signing up for course after course, hoping that something might get them unstuck and feeling confident in their path forward.

But you know what happens instead?

They get more overwhelmed! All that information leads to overthinking and feeling paralyzed that you might make the "wrong decision" and fail before you even really start.

As you try to build your business, the amount of information coming your way is probably hard to keep up with and leaves you wondering...

Should I create a course or offer 1x1? Should I market on Facebook or Instagram or both? Should I call myself a coach or a mentor? Should I finish my website or create a new opt-in? What about Facebook ads, should I be thinking about those? What's the best place to find clients? I've heard of closing on DM, will that work for me? And on, and on, and on…

Here's my advice. Don't over complicate it.

What I've come to realize is there is no singular "right way" to build a business, but there is a right way for you, your business and your family.

If you're reading this now, I'm guessing that the way I've built my business appeals to you — 3 day workweek, 6-figures in revenue, lots of time, energy and money for doing things I love with the people I love. If that's the case, I've got some really great news for you...you can stop looking everywhere else for the strategies.

I can help you build a business like that!

Next month we're opening up the doors to the Success Made Simple Accelerator, a 90-day live program that takes all the guesswork out of building and growing and successful business.

Inside the Accelerator, we'll help you lay a solid foundation for your business and teach you the exact steps to take to build a thriving business while working part-time hours, just as I have done.

The women who joined us for the last live round got amazing results like…

• Landing their first high-end client
• Making their first $1K, $3K and $5K in business
• Creating their signature high-ticket offer
• Setting up a 3-day workweek
• And more!

If you're interested and want to be the first to know when the doors officially open, join the waitlist here. As a waitlister, you'll also get access to an exclusive Early Bird Bonus that we're only offering to women who add their name to this list :-)

This program is the result of 12+ years of experience as an entrepreneur, $75,000+ that I've personally invested in coaching for myself and my business and listening and working with community members (like you!) to create the absolute best, most supportive, most straightforward business building program out there for new entrepreneurs who want a step-by-step plan to follow.

You don't have to keep spinning your wheels. Success can be simple and fun — really, it can!

With love, Cailen

P.S. If you're ready to take the guesswork out of building a thriving business, join the Success Made Simple Accelerator waitlist here.

Last week I hosted a one-day virtual retreat for the members of my Uplifted Mastermind. We spent the day goal setting, doing mindset work, and I gave them all a look inside my $50K launch. They all got a ton of value out of the launch foundations I shared with them, so I thought I would share that piece of the virtual retreat with you, too.

If you've been wondering what it takes to have a $50K+ launch of your signature offer, I cover all the nuts and bolts during this training.

With love, Cailen

I am so excited to introduce you to Belinda Gill. I've known Belinda for about 3+ years and have had the privilege of coaching her + having her inside many of my programs. Belinda is a Business Strategist + Mentor, and the founder of Better Than Busy. She works with her clients to help them tailor their business to the life they are living, and learn what they need to do in order to create an easeful and enjoyable business that is also extremely successful.

She works in her business just 10-12 hours per week, and despite all of the craziness of 2020, is celebrating her most successful year in business to date!

In this episode, Belinda shares:

• What foundations have helped her to have her best year ever in the midst of a global pandemic, social unrest, and homeschooling two small children.
• How she shifted from doing "all the things" to a more streamlined business model
• An inside look at her simplified funnel + client journey
• Her takeaways and results as a student inside Success Made Simple™ Accelerator

You can connect with Belinda Gill on Instagram and Facebook at @betterthanbusy, or on her website at http://betterthanbusy.com/.

I hope this episode inspires you to take a look at your own business foundations and where you can simplify your efforts. If you're ready to focus on those foundations, and would like a clear and simple step-by-step plan to follow, be sure to check out my Success Made Simple™ Accelerator. This 90-day group coaching experience will help you build the foundations of your business + set yourself up for simplified success. Click here to learn more + join the waitlist!

With love,Cailen

Happy September! I love this time of year <3 Fall is on the horizon, and I always feel that "back to school" energy which powers me through the final months of the year. (Even though this year back to school looks a bit different!)

With that boost of energy, I start thinking about what I'd like to accomplish next year — what goals I have for myself and the business, what financial milestones I'd like to reach, what I'd like to do for my family. In order to ensure all that I envision can happen, I know it's super important to shore-up the foundations of my business.

In order to build a thriving business that is joyful, easeful and abundant, there are 3 key foundational pillars that need to be considered — and, I'm going to lay those out for you today!

If you're reading this now, I know you started your business because you LOVE the work you do, and you love helping people through your services. I also know, from personal experience and from working with 100s of women, that there is a lot more that goes into running a successful business than just passion...though that's a great place to start.

For the entire month of September, I'm going to flesh out this concept of building a strong foundation for your business with client case studies, a $50K launch foundations training, a biz foundations masterclass, and I'll also dive into the role that mindset and community play in building a successful business.

There is so much good stuff coming your way this month, but today I want to share the 3 key pillars that establish a solid foundation for your business.

They are…

1. Priorities
2. People
3. Plan

These 3 pillars make up the foundation of both my own business and my Six-Figures Made Simple framework that I teach inside my coaching and programs. Let's take a closer look at each of them:

PRIORITIES

Whenever I work with a client, the first thing we establish are their priorities; and by that I mean their vision, their ideal schedule, their mindset and their goals. Yes, marketing and selling and landing clients are all vital (and we'll cover those in a moment), but that's not where we need to start. We start with priorities because this business you're building needs to be in service of those priorities. I see so many women build businesses that aren't aligned because they skipped this crucial foundational piece.

In my signature program, Success Made Simple Accelerator, the first thing we take you through are lessons that help you define your vision, get clarity about your goals, release mindset blocks and create a feel-good schedule that makes sense for you, your family and your business. Once you have your priorities in check, then building a business that honors your version of success gets so much easier!

PEOPLE

The next pillar of your business foundation is people, or more specifically, your people. This is all about getting super clear on your ideal client, learning how to speak her/his language and attracting high-end clients to your signature offer. Here, you also need to learn how to sell to your right person in a way that feels good for both you and them. Once you know who your ideal client is, what your high-ticket signature offer is and how to sell it, you've got the makings for a streamlined and profitable business that you can run in just 10-20 hours per week!

Inside Success Made Simple Accelerator, my team and I walk you step-by-step through these pillars to ensure that you are fully supported as you build the foundation of your successful business. Click here to be the first to know when doors open again!

PLAN

Successful businesses don't happen by accident, they happen because someone planned for them. Without a plan to follow, we are left guessing and making things up as we go. We are distracted by shiny objects and aren't truly sure if what we're doing will work out, or if we're moving in the wrong direction. Without a plan there is self-doubt, confusion and a lot of course correcting.

I love helping my clients take the guesswork out of building a successful business. I love sharing what's worked for me and my clients, and then walking women through those exact steps so that they, too, can create the success they've been dreaming about. When you have a plan, you feel confident and at ease. When you have a plan, you can stop stressing and start trusting, and that is what unlocks your highest potential.

Take a moment right now to ask yourself which of these pillars needs addressing in your business. Are you honoring your priorities? Are you speaking to your people? Do you have a plan you trust?

A quick way to check this is to simply ask yourself if you feel good about your life + business right now. Is it working for you and making you the money you desire? Are you working the hours that make sense for you + your family right now? Do you feel on track? Your gut will let you know instantly what the answer is.

If you're realizing that you have a bit of work to do on your business foundations, that's great! Don't beat yourself up about it, celebrate that you have this awareness to improve. That's the first step :-)

And, if you'd like my support with shoring up the foundations of your business, click here to add your name to the Success Made Simple Accelerator waitlist, and you'll be the first to hear when the doors open again.

Let's build your dream business with a rock solid foundation for success!

With love, Cailen

All month long we've been talking about Upleveling — what it is, why it's so hard, the role community plays in helping us expand + grow, and today, we're addressing the key ingredient that underlies ALL of this.

Without this in check we are doomed to repeat the same mistakes over and over again, think the same limiting thoughts and self-sabotage away any chance of success.

It's not your talent, your education, your skills or your passion. It's not where you were born or what your parents/teachers/community told you "should be" or couldn't be. None of that matters if you have THIS in check.

So what is the ONE THING that is so important it can literally make or break you?

::Drum roll please::

Your mindset.

Your mindset is how you think about yourself, your business, your abilities and the world. It underscores everything you do and to a large degree determines your trajectory in life.

Carol S. Dweck is a Stanford University psychologist who has studied the power of mindset for decades. She writes, "After thirty years, my research has shown that the view you adopt for yourself profoundly affects the way you lead your life. It can determine whether you become the person you want to be and whether you accomplish the things you value."

In her book, Dweck explains the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset — with a fixed mindset, we believe that our abilities and intelligence are fixed traits and cannot be changed or grown. This means we often feel stuck and discouraged because we feel things we desire are out of our reach. When we have a growth mindset, we understand that our talents can be developed through learning and persistence. This means we can continue to expand into who we desire to be, there is hope and we keep moving forward. Dweck notes how success in nearly every arena of life can be influenced by how we think about ourselves and our abilities, not by the abilities themselves.

Simply put, if you want to uplevel into the next best version of yourself, you have to get your mindset on board first. You just need to start thinking differently!

Easier said than done, right?

When you've been thinking one way for so long, how do you start to change your thought patterns?

Here are some of my favorite ways to uplevel my mindset…

1. Read personal development books. Some of my favorites are Leveraging the Universe, The Big Leap, Big Magic and Turning Pro.
2. Meditate. This is part of my daily routine. Every morning I sit for 10-20min and focus on my breath. It centers me, grounds me and helps me focus on what really matters.
3. Move your body. When I'm feeling low, one of the best ways I've found to boost my mindset is to move my body. A yoga pose or two or a 10min walk outside can do wonders!
4. Surround yourself with high-vibe people. I talked about the importance of community when it comes to upleveling last week in my email + podcast, but it's worth repeating here: according to the Department of Psychology at Harvard University, 95% of your success or failure in life is determined by the people you habitually associate with. Because of this link, I have a weekly call with two of my business besties, I invest in high-level masterminds, and I limit my time spent on social media.
5. Get in bed early. I love winding down at the end of the day to release any unwanted stress or worries. I head up to bed 30min early. Get in PJs, read, journal and maybe even do a facemask if I want some added pampering! Instead of carrying my worries to bed, I'm able to relax and let go.

When your mindset is aligned with the success that you're after, everything gets easier. Stress is quieted, anxiety is calmed and you start celebrating all the wins along the way.

I know that some of you have done quite a bit of mindset work already and have made significant strides with your business, but you have your sights set on more. If that's the place you're in right now, there's a next level I want to talk to you about…

If you're ready to step into the role of CEO, build predictable systems that make you money and bring in clients consistently, make 6-figures with ease and develop a small but mighty team to support you as you scale, I encourage you to check out my Uplifted Mastermind™.

This mastermind is designed for women who are established business owners making at least $2000/month who are ready to uplevel with my coaching, my team's support and in community with an intimate group of pace-setting women. Click here to book a call with me to talk about Uplifted Mastermind™.

I hope to chat with you very soon!

With love, Cailen

P.S. Today at 12pm ET I'm hosting a free masterclass called Six-Figures Made Simple where I'll show you exactly how I created a 6-figure business while working just 3 days a week. Click here to join me later today!

All month long we've been talking about Upleveling and the importance of stepping out of your comfort zone in order to make your dreams a reality.

For those of you who are ready, today I want to share with you the easiest way to release your limitations and expand your mindset + abilities. This is a simple thing that you may have even heard before, but I encourage you to TAKE ACTION on it so that it no longer holds you back.

Now, you've probably heard stuff like "you are the average of the 5 people who you spend the most time with", and perhaps you believe there's some truth to this — or maybe you roll your eyes. But, did you realize that according to the Department of Psychology at Harvard University 95% of your success or failure in life is determined by the people you habitually associate with?!

That means if you want to make your chances of success nearly foolproof, all you need to do is uplevel your community.

Beyond that, it's been proven that "people with multiple strong social networks have early access to valuable information, earn more money and receive more recognition" [University of Chicago, Booth School of Business].

How does that sound to you?

More money? Yes please! More recognition? Great!More access to valuable information? Definitely!

When we surround ourselves with positive, big-thinking, action-takers, we ourselves become more of those things. But if you spend most of your time working alone or with naysayers (no matter how well-intentioned they are!), you're making your journey unnecessarily difficult. And, you're diminishing your chances at success.

Sometimes we deny ourselves the chance to be surrounded by an uplifting community because we think we're not ready or that we need to be making more money before we invest in a program, coach or mastermind. But, as the stats I've shared above show, we have it backwards! Having a community's support behind you is the very thing that unlocks your success. So, please stop waiting to have more clients or be making more money before you invest in a community! It could change everything for you.

If you don't currently have a high-vibe community, no worries! Don't beat yourself up about that. It's an easy fix. Here are some things you can do to improve that!

• Say YES to that group program or coach you've been eyeing up (or simply take the first step by booking a call or doing some research about it)
• Research new communities or groups to be a part of (there are tons of virtual options!)
• Reconnect with old friends and past colleagues who you resonate with
• Build your own community with a free Facebook Group
• Be active and participate in the communities you are already a part of
• Reach out to women you admire for a virtual coffee date
• Invite your community to connect with you personally
• Attend virtual webinars, telesummits and retreats
• Join a mastermind of like-minded, pace-setting peers (like Uplifted™!)

Finding your community is the simplest, easiest way to uplevel (and have it stick)! Believe me, I know from personal experience.

Over the years, I have worked with 7 high-end coaches and been a part of 2 year long high-level masterminds. And, the best aspect of each of these experiences was the connections I made with other successful women. Those connections have resulted in tens of thousands of dollars in revenue, amazing friendships, awesome opportunities (like speaking gigs, podcast features, etc.) and an empowered mindset that has enabled me to continue to grow my business, even during tough times like we're all facing right now.

If you're ready to uplevel to the role of CEO and want to be a part of a high-vibe community as you do so, let's chat about what my Uplifted Mastermind™ could do for you and your business.

Click here to book a call with me. (Psst...this mastermind is for established women entrepreneurs who are making at least $2,000 per month. Thank you for honoring that!)

With love, Cailen

P.S. On Wednesday, August 26th at 12pm ET I'm hosting a live masterclass where I'll be sharing my Six-Figures Made Simple™ framework. If you want a step-by-step plan to make $100K while working flexible, part-time hours, click here to save your seat or visit http://cailenascher.com/masterclass.

Today on the podcast we have Karolina Rzadkowolska, an Alcohol-Free Life Coach who works with women to stop the self-sabotage and embrace their best life. She's a member of both my Success Made Simple Academy + Accelerator, and recently enrolled in my Uplifted™ Mastermind.

Karolina has experienced some amazing wins in her business over the last few months, including leaving her full-time job and receiving a book deal shortly after! In this episode, we dive into her entrepreneurial journey and how seeking help + finding a supportive community has made an impact on Karolina's growth.

Listen to this episode to learn...

• Why Karolina decided to participate in Dry January, and the impact it had on her health + mindset.
• How she turned a lifestyle change into a thriving business (and a book deal!)
• Karolina's experience inside the Success Made Simple Accelerator and why she decided to uplevel into the Uplifted™ Mastermind.

Are you ready to uplevel your own life + business? Join me, Karolina, and the rest of the women inside the Uplifted™ Mastermind for our next Fall 2020 cohort. Enrollment is now open! Find more details at http://cailenascher.com/mastermind

For the month of August, we're going to be talking about Upleveling — what it is, why it's so hard, and also the easiest way to do it (so there's no struggle or backsliding). Plus, next week on the podcast I'll be talking to one of my rockstar clients who beautifully embodies upleveling, and we'll hear her story, which includes a rapidly expanding business + quitting her full-time job!

Needless to say, we've got lots of good stuff in store for you this month. Buckle up!

To kick off the Uplevel conversation today, I want to talk about 2 things: (1) what Upleveling is and (2) why it's so friggin' hard!

You ready? Let's dive in…

What exactly does it mean to Uplevel?

To me, Uplevel means to reach for more; to reach beyond the limits of your comfort zone, knowing that as you dream bigger, think bigger and do bigger, you'll naturally expand your capacities to hold more love, success, joy, abundance and the like. A Google search says Upleveling is "to elevate beyond current capabilities or perceptions." Seems like we agree :-)

Now, let's get real...Upleveling sounds great, but it can be really uncomfortable. So uncomfortable in fact that we often (consciously or subconsciously) fight it, preferring to stay with the status quo or even continue with something painful instead of risking the growing pains of Upleveling.

As humans, it's been shown that when we're given the choice of a discomfort we know (staying exactly where we are, even if it sucks) or a discomfort we don't know (growth and Upleveling), we tend to choose the former.

Why exactly is Upleveling so hard for us?

Upleveling requires us to make shifts in habits, routines, behaviors, beliefs, relationships and values. Basically, it's asking you to deconstruct who you've been your whole life and explore new ways of being. That's tough!

And, the reason we feel this so acutely (and why New Year's resolutions don't stick, and we fall short of big goals) is because Upleveling stirs up cognitive dissonance. If that term is new to you, cognitive dissonance is "the mental discomfort that results from holding two conflicting beliefs, values or attitudes. People tend to seek consistency in their attitudes and perceptions, so this conflict causes feelings of unease or discomfort. This inconsistency between what people believe and how they behave motivates people to engage in actions that will help minimize feelings of discomfort" (VeryWellMind.com).

Basically, when we're attempting to Uplevel, we experience a boatload of cognitive dissonance because we're attempting to act in a way that is not congruent with our underlying beliefs. For example, let's say you're trying to take actions to get more clients and make more money, but your internal dialogue is saying "You're not good enough. No one will work with you. Making money is hard," and that feels terrible. No matter what you do, you internally feel like you're destined to fail, so you give up, shut down or self-sabotage to eliminate the cognitive dissonance going on inside your brain. It's a self-preservation mechanism.

But it doesn't have to be like that. The cool thing is now you know what is going on and why it's been so hard to Uplevel in the past, which is the first step toward making a change! Self-awareness is the first ingredient we need to begin the Upleveling process.

In the coming weeks, I'm going to share a lot more about Upleveling, including my favorite tips and tricks for making Upleveling as natural and easy as possible — or in psychology jargon, how to Uplevel with less (or no!) cognitive dissonance.

Despite it being hard, we are pulled toward Upleveling (or growth, expansion or personal development, whatever you want to call it) because ultimately it serves us and feels great. It's just the initial commitment that is so hard.

I think this quote sums all this up pretty nicely:

"You never change your life until you step out of your comfort zone; change begins at the end of your comfort zone."

― Roy T. Bennett

And, I'm sure you've realized by now, after you fully embrace the Uplevel, it feels fan-freakin-tastic!

One last thing…

I have a bit of homework for you as we move into this month of Upleveling. Choose 1 area of your life that you want to focus on and Uplevel this month. Maybe it's your business, your mindset, your health, or your relationship with your partner, most likely the first thing that popped into your mind is the one to go with!

After you do that, jump into the 3-Day Workweek Facebook Group, and share with me + the community what you've chosen to focus on so we can support you, and be sure to use #Uplevel.

Let's Uplevel together!

With love, Cailen

P.S. Want to effortlessly Uplevel with my support? The next round of my Uplifted Mastermind™ is now open for enrollment. You can find all the details + book a call with me here.