I have been really impressed with the EPM experience. The Facebook group was so supportive. The videos were inspiring and taught me a lot. I really learned a lot about myself and creating a digital course through the process. I thought I had a homerun project (and maybe I still do….everyone I talk to about it gets very excited and thinks it’s a great idea!) I wasn’t worried about selling it. I was more worried about creating it. And I think I let my fears of perfection and success get in my way. I never got around to creating the project, because I kept waiting for the videos that would tell me how to create it. I didn’t want to mess up and not have enough experiences. And even though I made the checklists for the Experience Escalation, I never felt like I had permission to start creating. I was keeping up really well with the class, the videos, the homework. I had a lot of trouble chatterboxing because I really couldn’t find anyone to talk to. With this pandemic, I just haven’t seen the people that I used to see and I’m not one who has ever called up people to talk on the phone. (I noticed that no one even talks to each other on planes any more....so I couldn't even meet people that way!) I messaged friends on Facebook about my survey and got 61 responses and 39 emails, which I was happy with because I hadn’t expected that many to respond. But then the survey lesson said to follow up with them, and I didn’t feel like I could follow up with them yet because I didn’t have the course even started. So I put it off, which was easy enough: it was holiday time. Then suddenly it was January and I was traveling with my son and there were quarantines and unexpected snafus and it was finally time to watch the last unit of videos but I still hadn’t started finding customers. I thought I could find a few. I was wrong. I DID write a series of emails and worked very hard on setting up a website, but I was afraid to put a price on my product because I recognized many of the names of the people on my email list and they were all homeschooling moms with no money who couldn’t afford or justify spending so much on a course. I watched the marketing videos again, I tweaked, I hemmed and hawed, and finally I sent out emails with the price. One person asked if she could take it later in the spring because she just started university classes and is swamped. And no one else responded. I fell into a big funk. All of my EPM classmates are hitting mission accomplished, and I realized I didn’t do enough to find people for my product. I don’t know how to find people. And then I realized I hadn’t watched the last unit so I sat down and binge-watched the last set of videos. I got to the last video and really appreciated how encouraging Marisa is. I’m not perfect, I’m learning, it’s a process, I will get somewhere. And then discovered I actually had enough points to graduate, which surprised me. So in summary, I learned a lot about myself and I am on a path somewhere. I realize I need a lot more help, but I am thankful to have come this far.
What is your biggest takeaway from EPM?
I don't need to have a perfect product to start, iterate your way to awesome, keep pedaling.
How has EPM and your success impacted your life?
EPM was super encouraging and motivating most of the time. I'm sorry to say that my lack of success has made me rather depressed, though, and I probably would not be having these feelings without going through EPM. You probably don't want to use that in your marketing materials, huh?
What has been the biggest change in your business?
I've taken the first steps, set up a website, and begun a Facebook page to begin interactions.
What is now possible for you because of your Experience Product?
It's possible I could make a successful product and then market it.