Last week I shared with you more details of my entrepreneurial story than I’ve ever before shared publicly.
You learned that my first half-year in business I only made $830 but spent $23,026.81 to get there.
You learned that my first business actually failed!
And that when I stopped focusing on income and started playing the hot-or-cold game, things started to click.
Last week I didn’t finish sharing my full story, so that’s what I’m going to do today.
If you haven’t read the first part yet, read it here before you dive into today’s post.
I found my hot track.
As I said last week, admitting that my first business failed was a big step. It opened the door for me to realize that I loved technical work, project management, and helping people make their ideas happen.
That’s exactly where I focused when I launched jennyshih.com.
I offered VA services, project management, and coaching on making ideas actually happen. For the first time, I was ridiculously excited about my business.
So excited that I could talk about it all day long – something I definitely couldn’t do when I was a career coach.
I loved that I was using my superpowers, my gifts, and my 10 years of corporate experience to help entrepreneurs (my favorite people ever).
It felt like a fresh start.
With my first business, I launched classes, created products, and offered one-on-one services. I did these same things again under my new business umbrella.
I launched my business by offering VA work, project management, and coaching to make your ideas happen.
Within a few months of launching jennyshih.com, I realized I was still missing a piece. I didn’t know anything about business or marketing. No wonder why I was still feeling uncertain about how to make this all work!
Until then, I had learned about technology and writing and coaching. I also did a shit-ton of personal work, getting through my fears, doubts, insecurities, and mental crap. Seeing this glaring hole, I was primed and ready for this next step.
Everything started to shift when I learned about business and marketing.
Realizing that I was missing a HUGE piece of the puzzle, I searched for coaches to hire, classes to take, and programs to join. It was my missing piece. In the spring of 2011, I dove in head first to soak up every little bit of marketing know-how I could.
I saw how I needed to think about my business differently, talk about my business differently, and take action with a more strategic approach.
I tested my new knowledge with a product, an ebook called The Idea Juicer Kit. I sold 32 copies for $27. Although that’s not a ton of money, given my first product flop, this was a huge win!
Next, I created a 6 week program called Get Real: Make Your Ideas Actually Happen. I filled it with 6 participants at $229. Holy moly! I was finally getting somewhere!
While all of this was happening, I was also focused on blogging and sending newsletters weekly, growing my list, and busting my ass being of service on social media. All of these were paying off and people were starting to know my name.
Clients started finding me. Slowly, but they were coming.
Most importantly, I was loving my business!
I was excited to network.
I was excited to talk about my business.
I was excited to blog and write and experiment and try new things.
I was open and willing to learn new things and challenge my brain.
And I was happy to spend time being of service on social media.
I had never felt this much enthusiasm with my previous business. No wonder why it failed!
At the same time, not everything was hunky dory. We still were struggling financially. I was still watching my money very carefully. And I saw that I still had a huge mountain to climb.
I knew I needed to incorporate the lessons from my first business in order to be successful in this new one.
I set non-financial goals.
One of the things my first failed business taught me was that creating a plan with the big-picture financial goal in mind (meaning working off of a formula of X clients + Y classes + Z products = desired income) was not the way to find traction in business. Instead, I needed to focus exclusively on what breadcrumbs were right in front of me and what felt “hot” while setting other non-financial goals.
“Hot” was coaching and VA work and project management. I focused on finding a certain number of clients (not making a certain dollar amount).
I also new I needed to start list-building. I set the goal to reach 1000 subscribers by September 1st, six months after launching my website. (This was my second non-financial goal.)
To build my list, I did smart things, like being active on social media, guest posting, and promoting my free offer.
But because list-building isn’t always fun or sexy — although it is essential! — I used a few strategic and a few bribery tactics to keep me motivated.
I incentivized myself with things like a new sweater when a guest post went live. This may sound trivial, but remember that I hadn’t bought new clothes for 2 years, living on meager means since quitting my job. A new sweater was a really big deal!
I knew that if I submitted one guest post, I’d likely get 30-80 new subscribers and one paying client. That one client would more than pay for the new sweater, so it felt like a safe but enticing bribe.
I also told myself that if I hit 1000 subscribers in 6 months that I’d teach a class on exactly what I did and how I did it. For me, that was also a huge motivator.
Best of all, these tactics worked.
By September 1st, I hit my 1000 subscribers goal and prepared to teach the class How to Get Your First 1000 Subscribers. I sold 64 spots at $67.
I felt like I hit the jackpot. I was finally getting somewhere!
I spent 30 hours on the sales page and 30 more creating the content. I practiced my new marketing skills and pushed myself to be the best marketer I could be, and the results spoke of themselves.
I thought I was on track.
My list-building efforts were working.
My marketing skills were helping my sales.
And my dogged persistence was paying off.
Still, things didn’t always work out according to plan.
I did several other things that year that didn’t work.
I launched four more classes, and the sum of all of those class sales didn’t generate the revenue that my How to Get Your First 1000 Subscribers class did. (And that class didn’t really make that much money to begin with!)
I submitted guest posts that resulted in zero new subscribers.
I had dozens of coaching consults that totally flopped.
I held workshops in town and spoke to various local organizations. These all resulted in zero clients and zero interest.
Other failures happened, too. In once instance, I was solicited by a local business to help them with email marketing (which they were doing in all the wrong — and illegal — ways). I spent hours on the phone and in email exchanges with director of marketing plus went to their place of business to instruct his team on how things to do differently… all under the promise that they’d hire me. However, after all of my efforts, he confessed that they didn’t have a budget to pay me.
It was, however, because of all these failures, that I was learning what didn’t work. This is just as important as knowing what does work!
Click to TweetI needed the failures AND the wins to really understand how to make my business work.When 2011 ended, I stopped thinking about getting a job.
When the year came to a close, I wasn’t rich, but I was on my way to a much less stressful financial reality.
I no longer thought about getting a job.
The panic attacks about money waned.
And I could pay our household bills with a tad more ease.
If my jeans got a hole in them (and after two and a half years without new clothes, most of them had holes), I could purchase a new pair.
I didn’t freak out when the water heater broke or the bathroom sink started leaking. We had a little bit extra for emergencies.
It was looking like things were going to be okay. We weren’t ready to fund a big vacation, but I was able to finally breathe.
I knew I had to keep learning.
Just because I had gained traction, didn’t mean I stopped learning. In fact, now that I saw all that I had learned to get this far, making $35,721.98 that first year, I saw how much more I still needed to learn!
I continued to get coached regularly on my mindset, crappy thinking, fears, and doubts. I also coached myself (an assignment I give all of my clients who are coaches) to keep things in check.
For 2012, I decided to join a high-end mastermind program at a five-figure price tag. The financial commitment was terrifying, as I truly didn’t have the money to pay for it. But I knew I needed to up-level my business and keep reaching for my dreams.
I did something I never recommend to clients: I got a new credit card with 0% interest for 6 months just in case I couldn’t make the payments on the coaching program. I knew that I would not grow without more guidance and support, so I went all in.
I was as committed as ever, willing to try new things and fail miserably to make it happen.
I kept experimenting.
In 2012, in addition to getting coached (by two people, a business coach and a life coach!), I kept testing, trying, experimenting, and failing my way to success.
I turned my 2011 classes into downloadable products. My list-building program continued to sell. The others flopped.
I offered group coaching. This worked well for a few months but then turned “cold,” so I stopped.
I designed, marketed, and offered another new class. I challenged myself by marketing it with a free call (800+ new subscribers!), putting my improved copywriting to good use, and giving my students the best I had to offer. I sold 17 spots at $399. That was quite a win!
I experimented with new coaching packages.
I offered a new set of project management services to more experienced entrepreneurs.
I taught people how to implement systems in their businesses.
And I kept learning about business and marketing and copywriting and sales and everything I could think of. And I kept getting coached on my mindset.
I did all of this while continuing to follow hot trails, not chasing money.
18 months after launching my business, I hit 6 figures.
About a year and a half after launching jennyshih.com, I exceeded $100,000 in revenue.
Maybe you’ve heard me say this before; it’s 100% the truth.
But now you know that there was so much failure and many sacrifices that went into that big win.
A failed business.
A failed year of networking.
Many failed classes.
Failed products.
Failed marketing.
Plus…
Living bare-bones to make my business work.
Losing sleep over money worries.
Putting my health second since I couldn’t afford things like organic foods, acupuncture, or massage.
Foregoing new clothes, vacations, eating out and anything that wasn’t absolutely essential.
I also spent over $25,000 on additional classes, trainings, and coaching during this time in order to make it happen — and that did not include things like design work, website updates, and other administrative and professional support expenses.
Click to TweetNo matter how much failure business threw at me and no matter how much I had to sacrifice, I kept going. I refused to give up.The alternative – getting another job – wasn’t something I wanted to do. So I made sure it didn’t have to happen.
Success didn’t come easily, and it didn’t come for free. It came because I kept at it and made it happen out of sheer will.
I still follow the breadcrumbs.
After hitting 6 figures in my business, I saw how much I understood about business and marketing. I saw all that it took to get here. And I wanted to teach it to others.
I no longer wanted to be behind-the-scenes in other people’s businesses as their VA or project manager. I was ready for a more public role.
I transitioned my business model again.
I went from being a coach to helps you make your ideas happen, from being a VA, and from being a project manager, to being a coach who helps you get your business off the ground.
This was my new hot trail, and it had me so freaking excited.
I created new coaching packages. I offered new classes. And I recreated and relaunched Get Your First 1000 Subscribers so that it was ten times better than the original version.
Today, I continue to track my hot trail, follow the breadcrumbs, and put “fun” and “interesting” before an income goal.
Click to TweetBecause creating a business solely with income in mind — ignoring what makes you come alive — doesn’t work. At least not for me.Now you know the TRUTH.
Overnight successes rarely are that.
Big wins are easy to share online and sexy to read, but they’re almost never the full story.
Those stories leave out the failures, the oh-shit moments, the kitchen floor freak-outs, and the panic attacks.
Now you know my truth.
Yes, I now enjoy a multiple six-figure business and LOVE what I do. Yes, I currently work less than 20 hours a week. Yes, I have the luxury of travel, organic food, acupuncture, free time, and new clothes when I need them. BUT, it took dozens of failed experiments, relentless and unwavering determination, adamant refusal to quit, and several years to make it to this point.
I think you see this now.
Tell me what you think.
You’ve now ready my full story, and I’d love to hear from you!
How has your business journey been? Harder or easier than you expected?
Did you ever want to call it quits?
Are you absurdly determined like I was to make it work no matter what?
What’s your biggest take-away from the second half of my story?
I can’t wait to read your stories in the comments below!!
It’s not bee easy. I’ve had a few ups, and a lot of downs. A lot of failed experiments. But I never wanted to quit.
I’m going to make this work. I’m following my passion, and I’ve learned that that’s the only viable choice there is, for me.
That’s true commitment, and that’s what it takes!
Thank you for sharing with such openness and detail Jenny – there seems to be quite a thing online currently about sharing the behind the scenes truth of running an online business, but you’ve taken it to a whole other level of honesty. I appreciate that as it must still feel quite vulnerable, and admire you hugely for the journey you’ve taken and your persistence.
I particularly love the idea of following what’s ‘hot’ and am going to apply that more consciously myself. At this point I have a better understanding of what I am and am not prepared to do, and because I’m in a fortunate position in that I don’t have to earn a full time living from my biz {although I’d like to}, I can take it at a pace that works for me. When I was pushing myself and trying to do all the things you’re ‘supposed’ to do {some of which I hated but thought I had to suck it up because that’s how it’s done}, it made it that much harder to move forward. I find I’m settling now more into my own way of doing things, and find that as long as I stay in integrity with myself things go a lot more smoothly!
I love that you’re ready to honor what’s hot for you, Tara. I’m happy for you that you have buffer to build your business at your own pace. Jumping ship into a swirling ocean like I did isn’t for everyone, and I don’t always recommend the stress!
I love that you’re challenging the “supposed tos.” That’s a tricky one because I often see coaches say “I don’t want to market. It’s icky.” Yet we can’t really grow our businesses by hiding in our houses and not telling the world we even exist! At the same time, we have so much flexibility in HOW we market, and honoring that is key.
It definitely takes time to find your own way of doing things, and I love that you’re doing that. High-five!!
I was just as fascinated to read this part of the story.
Absolutely determined. I read your story and realize (admit) that I won’t have it perfect even after 12 months of hard work. And I know that things are starting to click. A year ago, I didn’t know about marketing, but now I do. Still: there will be things that work, and things that don’t. That’s ok.
Congrats on selling your first e-book at 27$. That’s 864$. That’s awesome! I self published a fiction book with IUniverse and sold about 140, and made about 280$. I spent 2 years and 6K. I didn’t do it for the money though, so I’m totally cool with that. I did, however, sell 17 in 4 hours at a book launch. I wasn’t even trying to sell, just sharing what I love — there’s a business lesson, isn’t it?
Thanks again for the wonderful posts.
Nathalie
That feeling of when things finally start to click, even just a little bit, is so HUGE! Because the spark of hope that got you to start your business has life in it again!
Congrats on selling your first book! That’s a huge accomplishment. Keep it up!!! Stoke that spark of hope – it will start a’blazin’ soon!
This is such a beautiful, honest vulnerable post jenny!
I haven’t had many stumbling blocks in my business (YET!) so no stories to share…
In fact it has taken off better than I had hoped, perhaps because psychology of persuasion is something people generally are excited to know and learn about.
Humans are obsessed with understanding how their brain works and perhaps equally obsessed with how they can use this knowledge to rule the minds and hearts of other humans.
BUT, I have no illusions that this might change some time in the future and I will take inspiration from you when that happens 🙂
Congratulations, Bushra! Some people definitely have a natural inclination to marketing and sales over others, and it could be that your background primed you for this well. I never thought I’d be a business owner and knew nothing about marketing; I had quite the learning curve to climb.
I hope things continue to go well for you!!
You and your story is big time inspiring.
I read the 2nd part this morning, and it touched a nerve.
Thank you for sharing your journey. To me, it re-affirms that success is possible even if you don’t always feel this way, going through a struggle du jour.
Thank you.
Yes yes yes, Marina!!! “Success is possible even if you don’t always feel this way.” Keep going and want it badly!
I love these posts Jenny! My own journey so far reminds me of daughter’s birth. While my second birthing experience was way faster it was incredibly intense. My daughter’s was long but manageable. Lots of time to breathe in between, dance, figuring out what feels good and makes progress. Hard work but fun and manageable so far – especially now with two kids. I couldn’t imagine birthing this business any different now 🙂
We all seem to get the journey we need with each time and each thing. Funny, isn’t it? 🙂
Thank you for sharing such an honest and truthful account. What I learned from this, there is no magic bullet, but persistence and a desire for success. Following some basics, dong the work and not working in a vacuum is essential. I have hope and with hope and optimism comes success. Thank you for sharing!
Colleen
That’s exactly right, Colleen! Strong desire, following the basics, holding hope and optimism right there with you even when things look bleak. Best to you on your journey!
Jenny, what an inspiring post!
“when I stopped focusing on income and started playing the hot-or-cold game, things started to click” YES! I’LL DO IT FOR NOW!
“I incentivized myself with things like a new sweater when a guest post went live” GREAT IDEA! I’LL COPY!
“Big wins are easy to share online and sexy to read, but they’re almost never the full story.Those stories leave out the failures, the oh-shit moments, the kitchen floor freak-outs, and the panic attacks.” Thank you for being so sincere. I appreciate much more your realistic point of view that the extremely optimistic “follow your dreams and you’ll have money” that is so common in coaching circles.
Best regards from Spain!
It’s my pleasure to share the truth of my journey. Everyone’s lessons and learnings are unique and we all grow in our own times. Best to you as you keep going!
Thank you, Jenny. We shall see – I’m putting on my brave hat and eager to be guided by you to what my biz becomes. I’m really curious about where my path will lead!!
I’m excited to be right there with you!!
Jenny,
Huge kudos for sharing this story! It’s beyond appreciated how you detail both the successes and challenges you had with your business. Far too often we only hear the success – and don’t get the real #s and honest story about both the personal and business struggles that go on behind the scenes.
My two biggest takeaways are to follow what’s HOT (combining both my own personal interests and what customers want) and even when you start to go uphill, things can go down hill for a minute – as evidenced from your first launch of Get Your First 1000 Subscribers.
However, I am curious about what steps you took to get yourself over the tipping point of the 100k mark and your consistent ability to stay there. Can you share another post on this topic?
Wishing you all the best on your business and new coaching program!!!
Great question, Malla, about hitting the 100k mark. Most of that is from growing a kick-ass coaching foundation for my business. Serving clients the best way I know how with my unique approach, style, and skills, all 1-1. (That’s exactly what I teach my clients in Make It Work). There was and is a mix of other things, like groups, classes, products, and affiliates, but the focus of my business has pretty much always been 1-1 coaching (which is now turing into Make It Work so I can help even more people build kick-ass 1-1 businesses).
WOW! Just reread part one and two.
The following the breadcrumbs analogy is so applicable to all of life.
I feel way more excited talking about my current business than any of my past attempts so I know I’m on the “getting warmer” track.
And I love hearing how failure led directly to your success and that it’s rarely a straight line for anyone!
I could seriously read this a thousand times for inspiration.
Thanks Jenny!!
xo
Carla
That’s exactly why I posted the whole dang thing, Carla! Because it is a journey of testing, failing, trying again, getting warmer, getting colder, testing again…. (and honestly, this never stops!). Keep following your hot trail!
I love you Jenny! Seriously, your honest description of business building just made my day–maybe even my week. My business has been evolving as I’m evolving. It’s amazing how each segment builds on the last one. I was a brand storytelling expert, but it ran cold (I was great at it but bored). I realized I actually wanted to get inside people’s stories to help them step up to their next level. I discovered I could find their superpower, then a whole system downloaded where I could find their life purpose. And next I realized it was all about identifying their true and false selves to get clarity.
My point being, the more I pursued what made me excited, the more miraculous shit happened. I’m still learning the marketing side and have yet to launch any products, other than a book I wrote in 2010. That’s why I follow your blog, luv. You’re on my list for courses worth shelling out on, once I can look at my credit card statement without cringing again. 😉
Keep sharing your awesomeness,
Shawn
It’s my pleasure to make your day, Shawn!! These business evolve just as we do, and to think we’re ever going to get it right “once and for all” is such a fairytale! 🙂
I love how you’re focusing on what feels right for you and watching the miraculous shit happen!! Keep it up!!
Jenny,
Great post – it’s been percolating in my mind for a few days! Call me simplistic b/c I know this was intended to make much bigger points (which it did), but what’s sticking with me is:
– I’ve been calling myself a coach when I am partly realizing that what I should be doing is helping people project manage difficult challenges in their life. Your transition from career coach to VA/PM and then back to a form of career coaching is interesting. On one hand its circular but would you say you needed to take the VA/PM path to inform your career coaching business now? I realize you aren’t doing corporate career coaching; but where you are now is a combination of the past lives, correct?
– Is your point that you have to go though this painful path to find the one that’s right for you, or are there ways to short cut this so there isn’t so much ‘crying on the kitchen floor’ (funny, this is what I did about 6 weeks after my first son was born after many sleepless nights 🙂
Everyone hears what they individually need to hear from any story. And the things you picked out were perfect for you!
To answer your questions…
1. “would you say you needed to take the VA/PM path to inform your career coaching business now? I realize you aren’t doing corporate career coaching; but where you are now is a combination of the past lives, correct?”
>> Absolutely! I take everything from my past experiences with me into what I do in my business and in my life. Even though I’m not a life coach, I most definitely “life coach” my clients when they get stuck! And even though i’m not a VA or a PM, I have great ideas, resources, etc., that I love to share with my clients. It all culminates into what I do and bring to my work.
2. “Is your point that you have to go though this painful path to find the one that’s right for you, or are there ways to short cut this so there isn’t so much ‘crying on the kitchen floor’?”
>> No! My point is that if you’re struggling, you’re not alone! Some people do have relatively easy success in business, but most don’t. Some people hit really hard times. The range is out there, and I want to normalize that. We each have our own experiences, but it’s important to know that we’re not the only ones struggling and we’re not alone.
I hope this helps!
Thanks Jenny. I don’t mean to be a naysayer but I’m struggling to find the inspiration in this story v the warning. I clearly hear ‘it will get better’; but it sounds like you went through two years of misery to get where you are today. And obviously you will need to continue to push and innovate to stay where you are. The journey matters as much (or more) than the result. Likely you would say it’s been worth it or you wouldn’t be sharing with us; but it seems this isn’t simply a message of inspiration; it’s also a picture of reality. Sometimes it’s helpful to know – sometimes it easier to move forward without knowing :). For me, where the choice isn’t just a sweater or not (ie can I pay my three kids’ preschool bills?) it isn’t simply a question of inspiration. It’s also a question of responsibilities. This article made me seriously wonder if I should be pressing forward v sucking it up and getting a job.
You make a very fair point, Rebecca. What some people view as inspiration, others see as a reality check. In sharing my stories, I wanted to tell the truth about my experiences so people know the whole story — not just the glamorous one. How each reader decides to interpret their story or relate it to their own experiences is entirely up to them. The question you pose for yourself is a fair one; and the decision is entirely up to you, what you value, and what’s important to you in your life.
OMG Jenny, your last posts were simply AMAZING. Of course we know that, in most cases, success doesn’t come quickly; but there are so many people out there who try and make you believe exactly this!
I’ve also been working like a horse for the past 1.5 years and am happy to say that I’m starting to see things come together too. I’ve got great ideas and am learning fast. Still, it is a long way to go and whenever brother doubt is trying to breathe down my neck next time, I will revisit your article. Thanks so much for sharing! 🙂
Sounds like you’re on track. That hard work does start to pay off if you keep at it long enough. Keep going, keep going, keep going. And remember that you’re not alone!! xo
Oh Jenny I love your honesty here. It is so helpful for people starting out to hear that failure is ok. More than OK – it’s required. People need to hear that people they look up to make lots of mistakes but just keep on trucking. I can tell you that the mistakes don’t stop at 7 figures of revenue either. I don’t know if you have read the statistic that an airplane (on average) is off course for 95% of it’s flight but it always gets there in the end. It’s what you do during the 5% that counts. You just have to know how to fail forward! Love this!
I totally hear you!! I was joking with my entrepreneur friends the other day that the lessons, the experimentation, the challenges, the growth mounts,… they never stop! Because we keep evolving and want to serve the world better, do more, be more… and to do that we have to keep going back through the challenges — just new ones!
Dear Jenny,
LOVED this post (and the one that preceded it). I think that what you’re doing is fabulous. Encouraging people to learn from their experiences and move forward is what life and learning is all about. In fact, I was delivering a talk this weekend on the academic research that supports these ideas at a State School Board meeting in OKC. After the talk I went out with some of the people who I met and told them about your work, so you may get some calls. Would love to connect on LinkedIN and stay in touch. Best, Dr. Ben Michaelis http://www.drbenmichaelis.com
Thank you, Ben!
So happy you shared this truth. It’s been fun to read, but more importantly inspirational. There’s a lesson about what it takes to succeed, and also in how to share oneself authentically with strength. You’re a lighthouse.
Thank you, Adam!
A life coach I have now worked with 3 times sent me a link to this article. Grateful to her for sharing and appreciative to you for your honesty. Currently, I am totally stuck in the muck so to speak. Deciding if its time to throw up my hands and do the blogging, speaking events connected to my business on the side while I revert back to what I was doing before starting my business. I am beginning to see the affects of financial strain on my soon-to-be-hubby, as he is the main financial provider. Before reading your articles (part 1 & 2), I knew there was a lot to weigh in making the decision. Those decisions are even clearer now although I am still unsure of the outcome. Many thanks
Sending you well wishes for your journey, whatever you decide, Keely! It’s a rough start for most people, but if you can make it to the other side, it’s really worth it. Though not everyone is able to go through the rough patch, so whatever you decide, you have my full respect and support! Good luck!
Great post! Thank you for sharing your journey, it is heartening.
omg. Kitchen floor freak outs. I thought I was the only one! Thank you for being willing to share that.
Oh you are most definitely not the only one!! You’re in good company, Molly! 🙂
THANK YOU for sharing this. It really helps to connect with people on the often challenging journey of online entrepreneurship. I am still fascinated/alarmed by how this journey seems to unearth every unresolved issue I have in terms of confidence. It really does help to read how you have gone through this and come out on the other side.
Starting a business is one of our biggest personal development projects! It brings up all of our “stuff,” that’s for sure! The important part is that we don’t shy away from the challenges, but instead lean in, learn, and grow.
I loved this Jenny. It feels like my story: Living WAY below my means, wearing clothes I was wearing when I was 12, spending tons of money on finding the right coaches to help me learn.
“Because creating a business solely with income in mind — ignoring what makes you come alive — doesn’t work. ” is why I quit my job. I had so much more fun helping people win dream admissions and jobs, even though my job had decent income. That decent income made me feel dead. I hated getting on the train, my superiors were exactly who I never wanted to be. I had to let it go. The check was not worth it.
And it’s exactly why even though my income is not through the roof now, I keep on learning and working slowly. I am convinced that, as a friend said, “The money will come till we get tired of it.” I am so glad I found you.
Glad to have you here, SK!
Thank you for sharing this Jenny! I am so glad you persevered to get where you are today and that you share it with us! Big hugs and thank you’s!
I’m pretty glad, too, Teodora! 🙂
Love love love your story!!!! I can relate to so much.
I started my essential oils biz with dōTERRA in July last year whilst I was on maternity leave. Instead of returning to work in Jan I quit my job. My ‘baby savings’ ran out last month and my biz is only making about $300/month…… Now I’m about to start casual teaching because I see it as ‘networking’ for my oils biz but also coz I need more money so I can do B School, maybe get a coach and just invest in my business. The reason why I’m doing doterra is because it gives me the opportunity to create my dream life using products I love whilst also helping others achieve their goals.
It’s kinda a catch 22 though, because I have to build my biz first, before I can coach other on building a biz online. Agh! I really want to go on a holiday so I have something to look forward to. I’ve only just started building my email list. I haven’t even sent an email to them apart from the free ebook that sends automatically. I need t learn how to write copy and redo my website. So much stuff to do. Not enough time to do it with a 17 month old. Although she has just started childcare 2 days a week so that is great.
I’m going to keep reading. I have a feeling I have a lot to learn from you. I’m so glad i came across your site.
So great to meet you, Anita! And I’m thrilled you found your way here and are enjoying the gobs of articles I have for you!
Starting a business, growing a business, knowing where to invest… and managing it all while also having a LIFE isn’t easy, that’s for sure.
If you haven’t already, you might enjoy my new podcast. It’s called Success On Your Terms and you can find it on iTunes and Stitcher. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/success-on-your-terms-jenny/id1185346750?mt=2 You might find some insights about balancing it all…
Again, welcome, and I’m so glad you’re here!
Oh I didn’t know about your podcast. Awesome! Thanks. I’ll check it out.
I am loving your podcast! Thank you for taking the time to create it. xx
Thank you for listening and so glad you’re enjoying it!
(P.S. I’d sooo appreciate a review on iTunes! It helps spread the word to more awesome women like you!)