There are many concepts I will further develop into my futire products from the EPM Masterclass and by adding the certification to my appeal. I am very thankful for all the work put into creation of the class and its content.
How did EPM help you become successful?
Every new perspective is helpful in out growth.
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EPM came to my attention in 2020 after several natural and personal disasters left me destitute and needing to rebuild my career. It was hard to part with the $2000 I needed to enter the program, especially since I’ve taken several other high-priced business courses which didn’t help me much. But the EPM money-back guarantee sealed the deal. I get it back if I do all the steps and don’t succeed? Okay!
Despite being a sought-after self-publishing industry expert, blogger, podcaster, and consultant, I have not been able to engage as many authors as I’d like to the programs I know they need to succeed. Why? In retrospect, it was probably because I couldn’t articulate the cost-benefit solution in a way they understood.
The EPM literally gave me templates for sales copy and sales calls, saying the words out loud in a particular order, asking strategic questions along the way. Holy moly, was it uncomfortable to parrot words that were not mine. But it was the practice I needed, and with a few adjustments to put it into my voice, it worked perfectly. Only half-way through EPM, I was able to clearly and confidently articulate solutions to problems authors share, bundle my online courses, and create a group program around them. I sold two programs quickly as beta programs and now, half-way through, participants are beyond thrilled at their learning, progress, and results.
My focus for the EPM project was the Five-Star Book Launch Masterclass, which promises authors 20 or more five-star reviews when their book launches. Because I already have a good-sized audience and reputation, I used surveys and chatterboxing to sell all eight seats in the beta program at $997. I gave two authors half off because I really wanted them in it and I felt they’d give me the best feedback. Boom! $6000. And my intuition was correct. They have given me the best, most valuable feedback.
I was a little nervous about being able to afford the time I needed to succeed because I have a private client and also every year in November I spend a lot of time organizing, speaking, and promoting the San Francisco Writers Conference. Strangely, they canceled their February conference and didn’t make it virtual. I was incredibly disappointed but quickly filled the gap with a project of the heart that I’d been timid about before now.
Enter the Your Motorcycle Diaries travel writing workshop. It’s an eight-week workshop on the craft that includes my travel writing online course, a weekly story workshop, and peer feedback. To give a little background, I’ve been a motorcyclist almost all my life, and have worked as a moto-journalist, editor, author, and speaker in this niche, and have lived and traveled overseas extesively. The niche also spills over into the bigger adventure, overlanding, and power sports niches, and also into the women’s solo travel niche. So there is a lot of opportunity and I'm working toward making them real.
The Your Motorcycle Diaries mission is to finish at least one publishable story and along the way, learning how to structure and create more publishable stories. Four weeks into the program, 3 of the 15 writers have already met that goal and the others clearly will. It’s been awesome, as there are new writers in the group and (I am pleased to say) a handful of published writers who joined to hone their craft and test some of their more-challenging stories. I hope to continue my relationship with these writers via the Virtual Travel Writers Conference (VTWG) I started in March 2020 when the world shut down.
I announced the Your Motorcycle Diaries travel writing workshop in November 2020 at the virtual Women’s Motorcycle Conference, for which I was a speaker, in lieu of a speaker stipend. I sold the workshop to conference attendees for half-price at $99, and then for $197 after the conference ended. All combined, I sold 5 seats at $97 and 10 seats at $197, collecting $2146.80 from the 15 beta workshop participants. And, like I said, that wasn’t even my focus for EPM. But EPM had already given me a repeatable template and the confidence to state my offering in a way that both came from the heart and sold the program.
The motorcycle travel writers workshop has actually become the seed of a Big Idea I’m exploring that aligns perfectly with all that I do, summarized as Carla King @MissAdventuring: Adventures in Travel, Writing, and Publishing. My idea is to create an Adventure Writers Conference for writers and editors in the powersports niche: motorcycling, 4x4s, trawlers, and more. The magazine editors I've spoken with are all for it because they get the benefit of great, pre-edited stories for their magazines. They’re even jumping in to help me teach, articulating their guidelines and deconstructing their favorite stories for the online course segment of my program. In addition, two adventure and powersports events organizers are interested in tacking-on or even adding the writing program to their events. Industry influencers are jumping in with offers to co-host. The first event, which will be virtual, is on the calendar for September.
To say that the Live Your Message lifestyle is all coming together for me is an understatement. The opportunity to partner with organizations in the adventure travel world has been especially rewarding, and I am also working with the National Association of Memoir Writers and the Nonfiction Authors Association to co-host webinars, to sell publishing packages, and take part in their conferences.
All this activity working with writers and editors and adventure industry professionals fits my nomadic lifestyle. The first Adventure Writers Conference will be virtual, and there will always be a virtual component to what I hope will become a live event that moves around the world. Truly, I can offer AWC anywhere and partner with organizations everywhere. Right now I’ve got Chang Mai on my calendar for November.
Live Your Message, right? What a perfect description of what this has turned out to be—initiation into an infinite feedback loop where you do what you love to help people who help you help people live their dream and live your dream.
A heartfelt thank you, Marisa. and to the team you’ve gathered around you. The Live Your Message, Experience Product Masterclass journey you’ve created has guided me to success, to overcoming my challenges, and to waking up every day with the confidence that it is me who is in control of achieving the lifestyle of my dreams.
Carla King @MissAdventuring
Adventures in Travel, Writing and Publishing?
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What is your biggest takeaway from EPM?
Stick to the formula! There is a process. Follow the EPM process. Create my own process.
How did EPM help you become successful?
The templates for conversations were especially helpful, and gave me the confidence to co-create programs with the beta participants.
How has EPM and your success impacted your life?
Livin' the dream! Or close to it :-)
What has been the biggest change in your business?
Getting people to say yes to my programs.
What is now possible for you because of your Experience Product?
I appreciate the ability to make money, create partnerships, and making my life focused on travel and adventure once again... but this time with the tools to actually make a living as I live my dream.
Graduated!
Although I didn't hit mission accomplished, I did come out with a lot of know how, a complete 1:Many course to be promoted around, good people around, and a lesson learned! ????
I'm sharing this from the perspective of my clients: I was having the challenge of how to incorporate my abilities and intuition into my work as a counsellor. I joined Alexandra's Intuitive Counsellor Course and finally gained the confidence and encouragement I needed to be able to integrate more of my spirituality and inner knowing into my sessions with clients.
I always had a hard time selling services but EPM showed me another point of view of selling value. Now I talk with others with more ease. There is also a lot of examples of how to talk and guide the conversation. Now I am enjoying chatting.
Your GRADUATION Story
"After 2 years and spending tens of thousands of dollars on other programs, I had become fed up and discouraged. Every program I had done, wasn't fitting My Goals and My longings for what I wanted to do with my online course. And even worse, after spending all this time and energy, I had no voice with the coaches/creators as to what I WAS NEEDING FROM THEM. I felt like I was trapped in a one-size fits all never ending loop, and I gave up! I let my dream just lay fallow and moved on. But I always had this nagging sadness that I wasn't fulfilling what I am on this earth to do. All that was left was discouragement, and a true sense of despair and even a sense of embarrassment and shame for spending a lot of money that led me nowhere.
I joined EPM because I saw something different in Marissa's approach. I decided to give it my all, knowing that this course was guaranteed. The guarantee told me that Marissa actually wanted me to succeed, in order for her to succeed! I found hope as I discovered that there was a proven and established way to create a course that I COULD BE PROUD OF.
I took a leap of faith and dove into EPM with all my heart.
The result was profound! I found that not just Marissa, but also Coach Mel and even the GIDF coaches, Emily and Matthew were DEDICATED to my success - helping me to create my dream course for the people I knew needed and wanted to learn from what I have lived in my life. Even more, with the MVP mindset... I was encouraged to not throw a bunch of money at something before the process and course was proven."
Your MISSION ACCOMPLISHED Story
This is the most packed course for the price out there! The information and learning and coaching that I received was combined with what I WANTED to provide for my client's.
Even though there were 100's if not more students in the course with me, I always felt seen and known and heard individually by my coach.
And above and beyond the information, I felt led on and cheered in my journey to completing my course, in my way and for the people I am called to help.
On December 30, 2022, I hit mission accomplished with my first sale! The exhilaration and empowerment I felt was made all the more precious by the encouragement and applause I received from my coach and my fellow students.
Your FIRST SALE Story
My first chatterbox call was really discouraging....The sweet little woman who was on the call with me, loved what I had to offer and then told me that she was on disability and had no way to pay for it. Then, she asked if she could just keep calling me every week for free because she really liked what I had to offer! Wow! I was discouraged! Not only because I had not made the sale, but thinking that I was attracting the wrong niche of people in what I had to offer. But, because I had really come to learn the value in what I had to offer, I kept going....trying other ways to reach my target niche. And it worked! I went on to sign up a classful of clients who knew the value that my course has to offer and have been extremely satisfied with the delivery of my course so far.
Your PROVED MY IDEA Story
Within two weeks, I filled my course with the maximum number of students that I can reasonably serve with this MVP product. The momentum that I have received from the course and the encouragement of my students is propelling me to create my signature system and I am so excited for the future of my business. But even more so, I am truly excited for giving what I have learned to many, many more people. My goal is to reach thousands with this course and make a difference in many lives. I know that this is my calling and my future. Thank you, Marissa, Coach Mel, and Coaches Emily and Matthew for running this race with me. You truly have changed my dream into my reality.
Your MADE A WHOLE LOT MORE Story
"From one person asking for me to help her for free, to filling my class with paying students in just 2 weeks, I am now in the thick of providing my content and course to them. I am living my dream every day, creating my MVP week by week, pivoting when I need to with the insight I am gaining from my students. Tears well up in me as I say goodbye to Coach Mel. She has truly been the wind beneath my wings to bring me through this journey and I will be forever grateful to her and for Marissa and EPM for believing in MY DREAM and showing me how to give the world what I have to offer, what I was created to do with my life!
How's EPM and your success impacted your life?
I am so excited for the future. My son and husband are now involved in helping me with the admin. tasks of my business and they too, are sold on reaching thousands with this course. I am not able to take on new 1:1 clients now because I am so busy with my MVP, but now I have a place to invite them to receive what they so desperately want. It is so fulfilling to watch while my students are growing and learning and practicing the tools that I have learned through the sweat and tears of my own journey. I now am sure of what I was put on this earth to do and I am doing it!
What's your biggest takeaway from EPM?
Live Your Message - Only I can give my talent and message to the world and there are thousands of people that need and want to learn from what I have lived. Just keep going, step by step, even when you can't envision the big picture because your coaches can see it for you and will get you to mission accomplished and at some point along the way it will all come together for you.
What's now possible for you because of your Experience Product?
I am going to create a signature line of classes.. Wake Up! Your Tired Relationship with Yourself, Wake Up! Your Tired Relationship with Your Spouse, Wake Up! Your Tired Relationship with Your Kids. And I have my next book planned titled "The Resurrected Marriage" that will propel and supplement my next course.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Just my eternal gratitude and thankfulness for all you have given me. For understanding and hearing who I am and what I have to give and not creating another "one size fits all" course. The work each of you has done to be the light in the world that you were created to be, and valuing that process in me has forever changed my life and my work.
I was having a problem getting coaching clients and decided that I wanted to develop a course that would start addressing some of the primary problem of my target audience, By doing this, I could start having an impact helping women leaders and later offer opportunities for coaching support for their continued growth and expansion, should it be desired. I wasn't sure how to create this so I joined EPM. I learned the benefits of taking a MVP approach narrowing the focus and zeroing in on the most relatable problem women leaders experience. I chose Burnout. The teaching and coaching approach with milestones and building blocks to plan and create the MVP was awesome. I learned how to focus on the messaging (still evolving with this) and to take action to complete tasks for continued progress over perfection. I didn't realize that launching a course with the first modules done was not just a consideration, but preferable to get feedback and learn what is working. This was a major realization that would have stopped me from progress before. Coming from a perfectionist background, the approach taught in the course stretched my thinking and actions in positive ways resulting in me having a full blueprint and plan for my full course with confidence that it will succeed even though I only have a few modules completed.
Your MISSION ACCOMPLISHED Story
Got my first no. Price point was ok, and interested in general, but just not ready to buy yet. Put contact into CRM for future follow-up.
It feels like a blessing to have a proven foundation for success for online courses now. But even better is the reignited creativity, fun and passion to keep the courses growing. I can't believe how much fun, and addictive, getting all those ka-ching XPs were, and still are. Will have to find a way to keep them in my daily life LOL. But also highly impactful was the 2024 Game Plan Session with Marisa. Will do that after every New Year. Progress over Perfection' is one of the biggest takeaways. I'd probably still be looking for a perfect answer to a module 2 milestone LOL. But now 'Iterate Your Way to Awesome' is the nice practical counterbalance that allows growth, money and creativity to coexist. Now I have a product, and feel a calling, that are both aligned with my life and goals, and can be scaled successfully as it grows.
Can't wait for LYM Live in March.
Your MISSION ACCOMPLISHED Story
I started EPM with only a vague sense of what I could teach others and make a positive impact. Suffering from imposter syndrome, I never felt like I could charge for the advice and support I was just giving away and taking away my time for other things in life. I joined the Experience Product Masterclass and followed the process to really hone in on a niche and audience I felt I could provided value to and would be willing to pay for my 20+ years of lived experience in managing remote teams. I killed off a lot of darlings, and tried to keep the approach simple and high value to participants. I have taken three conversations all the way to asking for the sale. One is working back with their boss for development funds and the other two are socializing within their companies. No sale yet but it feels close and the feedback received has help me take a couple of 15 degree pivots as I continue to iterate to awesome. This is exactly the structure I needed to get out of my head and into the world. Thank you Marissa and Coach Jennifer!
Focus, organization, and embracing keep moving decisions to not allow me to block myself. I'm not there yet but can see a path to taking more control of my time and finances while sharing my knowledge. You don't have to have everything sorted out to just get started. The potential to open doors and new revenue streams so I can finally walk away from the job that I am no longer in love with and can't afford to leave.
I've had a long and successful career as an Information Technology consultant. I've been working entirely from home for the last 5 years, and I currently have a full-time project for the CDC which I am supporting. However, my consulting business model is "one on one at a time". I.e. the nature of my IT skillset (Project Manager, Scrum Master, Database Architect, Solution Architect, AWS Cloud Architect) means that I will have only one client at a time. And usually I am subcontracting thru a larger consulting company, which means I have to deal with the often annoying and sometimes incompetent senior management of that company. They are also marking me up, which means they are raking a percentage of my potential revenues off the top. And this model puts a hard cap on my annual income. No matter how skilled and experienced you are, there is a limit on the hourly rate you can charge. (My best year ever was 250K, but the average over the years has been between 150K and 200K).
So I wanted to "pivot" my business model, but I was having a hard time nailing down what the new business model should be. While I have lots of experience as a business person, very strong technical skills, excellent project management/time management skills, and excellent people management and communication skills, my "new" business was blue sky. I had LOTS of ideas, and I'd started various things, but I wasn't really getting any traction. The fact that I still have a full-time "day job" means that I only have 10 - 15 hours a week to spend on developing my new business, and I was experiencing Shiny Object Syndrom (SOS). "Squirrel!"
I really enjoy Tech (which is good since I've been working in the industry for 42 years), but that means that there are a large number of directions I COULD go with a new business. "Squirrel!". (I currently own 10 different domain names, for example).
I'm still working on the content of my product, and starting to stand it up in Experiencify. I have a strong sense of humor, so I'm planning on including very short snippets from iconic movies to surprise the students as well as make a point. For example, one of my modules is "Get Your Mind Right", and I have a couple of snippets from "Cool Hand Luke" that I'm going to work into one of the training within that module.
What is your biggest takeaway from EPM?
There are several important takeaways, but the biggest is probably the understanding and "feeling" that "marketing" my business is a service to potential customers/clients, it's no big thing, I'm actually pretty good at it, and I'm going to get even better at it over time.
How has EPM and your success impacted your life?
I'm satisfied with the progress I've made and gratified to make my first money with my new business. (I'm not overwhelmed with my performance, i.e. I "feel" like I should have made more progress during the last 3 months, but that won't stop me from continuing to take each "next step", and show up to do the work. ) I'm also pleased to have a clear path forward to stair-stepping my new business up over time.