"I have been providing live educational trainings for business owners for the past 10 years. I was Director of Workshops for a non-profit and worked with hundreds of struggling entrepreneurs. I tried offering live online workshops as part of my business since I had created the workshop program for the non-profit I thought I could easily do it for myself.
It was almost impossible to compete with my self as a volunteer offering free workshops and as a business owner asking to be paid. So no real success there. However, I did have a fairly strong coaching practice doing 1:1. So last summer I launched my personal Accelerated Financial Game Plan (as a 1:1 program) to help entrepreneurs begin their financial recovery from the COVID hit on their businesses. Each of my clients reported getting the results they were going for. I knew I could deliver these results to others but also knew I could not realistically do more 1:1 - my time was maxed out.
I've ALWAYS wanted to do an online course (live or evergreen - I didn't care) and I have definitely had the THUD factor on more than one occasion. I had just about given up completely and was feeling like I was just not up to the task. It was so much work and I simply didn't know how to do it. And then...
EPM. I knew I could commit to 12 weeks of intense work and was looking forward to some real help from someone who had been down the path before me and truly desired to be my guide. THANK YOU Marisa Murgatroyd. Your kind guidance, deep understanding of what we were going to experience and your expertise made such a huge difference. I trusted the process (more importantly... I trusted you!) and did the work. I kept showing up even when I was feeling discouraged (and you always seemed to know just what to say that made a difference for me).
Just as I was getting ready to cross the finish line I tripped. I only made 3 sales which was not enough for mission accomplished. Frankly, I felt crushed. My program was starting in two days and I could not see how I was going to be able get to my goal. I needed at least 2 mores sales. So again, I showed up. I didn't feel I could spare the time but I kept the agreements I had made with myself. Do the work. Trust the process.
And then Marisa said something in her laser coaching that Monday. ""Ask the question - how?"" So I decided to just keep up the efforts to make another sale all the while asking myself ""how can I make it work for someone who signs up late?"" What happened is that one of my registrants for the course saw one of my sales posts and said ""tell me more."" She had already gotten a powerful a-ha moment in our first course module (she saw she was leaving money on the table from untapped opportunities) and she trusted me to be her guide. I upsold her to 1:1 coaching to accelerate her results. Win for her! Win for me! I hit mission accomplished and beyond. Whoo Hoo. "
What is your biggest takeaway from EPM?
Perfection is not a requirement to deliver amazing and valuable content to those I would help. A minimum viable product has immense value. Learning what my clients need and want is a powerful way to serve them.
How did EPM help you become successful?
I was already successful. EPM just helped me to level up my game so that I can serve more and make more money too.
How has EPM and your success impacted your life?
The activities needed to create my online course in a short period of time required that I move forward towards the targets even when missteps left me feeling like I was not going to "happen for me." There was so much consistent encouragement from Marisa and other EPMer's to keep going... no matter what. The program is filled with insight, great tools and strategies and plenty of support for the way entrepreneurs feel when things get tough. This program really allowed me to confront some things I have been afraid of (one, that what I had to offer was not good enough or ready for delivery). I had made a commitment to not quit no matter what. At the very end I had not made enough sales to hit mission accomplished. Rather than letting it stop me, I just kept looking for a way to make another one or two sales. Kept marketing and chatterboxing. It worked. OMG... it worked. I hit mission accomplished and beyond.
What has been the biggest change in your business?
The journey with EPM has allowed me to understand my audience in whole new ways. This is going to be huge for them and for me. I'm here to bring my gifts to them but I need to know what they value. That is now more clear than ever before.
What is now possible for you because of your Experience Product?
This is a supplemental revenue stream for me. I would like to travel 2 months out of each year. I know I can design my revenue strategies around that goal with an online course.