This is episode 140 of the Fearless Launching Show...and today we’re talking about natural gifts - how your life leaves clues...and you’ll meet a woman who’s life left clues along the way. All she did was show up, do what came naturally to her and now she’s running a business that’s exciting, totally aligned and doesn’t even require a “real” launch.
We talk about her work at high profile fashion brands like Kitson LA and Forever 21...plus how experiences there and a willingness to try new things opened up her excitement/obsession with social media.
Cut to today and she’s working for herself working with fashion brands and entrepreneurs...
Tracy Nour
Monthly trend forecast - http://www.shejustknows.com/trend-forecast/
Social media management - from someone who understands trends and attention... http://www.shejustknows.com/social-media/
So - have you ever thought to yourself or questioned what to launch next.
What should you launch?
Now - some people have their signature program and it feels like they simply keep pumping out new courses, products, off shoots of products, and seem to literally have a never ending library and things they want to create.
If you’re not like that, then you’re in good company.
Honestly, while I might know a lot about a lot of topics and want to make physical things and really have tons of ideas… the act of making stuff is not a simple 1, 2, 3 all the time.
It can take a lot of energy.
It can take a lot of time.
And you can face a lot of your personal demons just trying update a course. I know this for sure.
So what are your options?
We’ll explore a few different options that may be perfect for you if:
Highlights discussed are all listed on the show notes page: annesamoilov.com/139
Want to know the essentials of any launch? Check out my free launch workshop which brings it back to the basics. freelaunchworkshop.com
This is episode 138 of the Fearless Launching Show and today we’ve got Amanda Bruner co-owner of the Leather Quill Shoppe which specializes in leather hand made traveller’s notebooks named LeatherQuills ....in the house to talk about starting your online shop. She takes us from Etsy beginnings to her own self-hosted online shop... So if you’re thinking of selling your own hand made items or have an e-commerce business of any kind, today’s episode is for you!
Mandy first started her online shop experience on Etsy. It was easy to set up, she was able to sell digital planning templates right away...and she did a lot of experimenting when she got started.
Here’s what we discuss in today’s episode:
Mandy’s beginnings and her tips for getting started on Etsy and why she still has a mini shop on the platform.
Mandy’s simple and no-nonsense communication and promotion style.
What she’s learned having her own shop - everything from customer service
challenges to pricing to producing enough stock!
Her favorite way to promote her products.
What it’s like to work with her husband - who hand makes many of the products
along side her, including the fountain pens he makes by hand!
Check out the Leather Quill Shoppe store today and you’ll get 20% off just by putting in the code flsfriend - then you can send me the receipt for something extra to use inside!
leatherquillshoppe.com mandyjeanchic.com (diy, beauty, lifestyle) bathroom project that went viral -
alexis giostra -
Full show notes over at annesamoilov.com/138
Whether you’re first starting your coaching business, trying to figure out what your business will be or you know but you aren’t sure what to do with that information - today’s episode is for you.
Hillary shares her step by step process for really digging into what you do, what you know and who you are so you can figure out your purpose as a coach.
The great thing is she asks some key questions all business owners should be asking if they’re running online businesses...so I think you’ll love this.
If you love our chat, check out her upcoming 3-day challenge (yes 3 day challenge right here!):
Sign up for Hilary’s upcoming 3-day live challenge here: http://www.annesamoilov.com/ superpower-challenge
Find out about her upcoming interview series too here: http://www.annesamoilov.com/ btce-2017
How To Turn Teachable Moments + Your Experience Into A Full Coaching Practice (podcast)
The Art of Discovering What You Should Be Launching (video)
Read more over at http://www.annesamoilov.com/137
Want to learn more about launching and create a custom experience for your unique business? Fearless Launching starts in just a few weeks. Make sure to sign up for our upcoming free workshop here: freelaunchworkshop.com
Have a launch story of your own you’d like to share? Send me your pitch right here - support@annesamoilov.com and let me know a little bit more about you, your business, and what we can share together to the Fearless Launching community.
Launching can be a rough complex process...and it gets even more challenging when you’re trying to connect with an audience that typically likes to stay anonymous.
When I saw my good friend Kristoffer Carter launching his pilot program back in October 2016 called the New Sobriety, I knew two things.
A) That he would come on my show and talk about the launch ... because KC knows how to create an amazing experience.
B) He was launching something that I could see there might be some built in challenges around just by the mere topic.
So, today’s episode we talk about those things and also reveal what he did during his launch to make the first round a huge success and what he’s doing now to follow up on that. We cover:
How growing his community for this product & mission has differed and remained the same as any other “normal” launch.
What pricing lessons he learned during the launch and how he course corrected for some amazing results.
What the New Sobriety is all about and who it’s best suited for - the answer might surprise you.
KC’s “Linchpin Habit” strategy (he might not even see how genius this is!!).
Plus we dive into his launch numbers, and he tells us what’s in store for the
program going forward!
If you’d like to reach out to KC after today’s episode, make sure to contact him at thisepiclife.com
You can also find all the references we made over on the blog at annesamoilov.com/136 See you over there!
Are you preparing for a relaunch of your online course or digital project?
Maybe a challenge other online event you do on a regular basis?
Well I normally talk about the pieces you need to pull together to put your launch together, but what about DELIVERING what you promised?
Yes, marketing is important, but you’ve also got to be able to back it up with an amazing experience. It’s not enough to create a product that converts people to your customers or create content that converts people...you have to be excited, ready, and reaching to create something that can transform people’s lives too...
This week I go into 6 of the main areas you’ll need to start asking questions (and answering them) in order to refresh your online course.
Visit annesamoilov.com/135 for full show notes and a special download to go along with today's episode (plus one you can use for your next product relaunch.)
This is Episode 134 of the Fearless Launching Show. Today we’re talking about my step by step process for setting the right goals for your next launch.
Are you planning your launch?
Along with all the pieces you’ll need to “figure out” to execute a product launch, the one step I push all my students and myself to make are setting goals and making realistic revenue projections for the launch.
But how do you do set realistic goals if you’ve a) never launched and b) never sold anything before…
That’s what we’re going to be talking about in today’s episode of the Fearless Launching.
I’ll walk you through my 3 step process for setting launch goals that:
Let’s dive in because I want you to really think about this goal setting piece of your launch…
The first step is the most simple one but has a profound effect.
Read all the details, download your launch workbook and more over at annesamoilov.com/134
Let’s talk about how to use the Bullet Journaling system as a planning method to keep your business productivity high!
As any business owner knows, on a daily basis you can be hit with a multitude of tasks and information coming in from a variety of sources like your email, customers, employees, and even your own mind.
Add to that launches, promotions, and all that content creation…and you’ve got a recipe for entrepreneurial meltdown.
Want to avoid that meltdown?
So, one of the most important things a business owner can establish for themselves and their business is a system of organization to capture, process and execute on their daily tasks and incoming information. There are a lot of systems out there, some for those who prefer digital methods, and others for those who prefer analog pen and paper. Few systems, however, can bridge that gap, give you the flexibility to capture a variety of information in an organized way, and help you really get those important big picture items for your business done the way the bullet journal method can.
Full show notes with all resources mentioned over at: annesamoilov.com/133
When’s the last time you purchased an online program?
Sometime in the past year, you’ve been faced with the decision to buy, enroll or download some training course online or maybe you really wanted to go to a big event hosted by someone who really inspires you… and it bummed you out a little.
If you ever struggled to make a buying decision for a coach, an online course, a digital product, a real product, and know you’ll likely struggle with it again, you’ll want to listen to today’s episode.
Also - there’s huge value in getting clear about your on behaviors, turning the microscope on yourself in order to also see what your soon to be customers are going through as they decide to work or purchase from you!
Today’s episode will cover two topics -
Make sure to read the full show notes over at annesamoilov.com/132 and grab the resources I’ve provided you for you over there!
Pop Quiz...
What’s your communication strategy when you launch?
What do you communicate? Where do you communicate it? Where do you tell people about your launch? How often do you talk about launch leading up to the launch? Do you use email? Videos? Podcast?
Where you communicate, where you show up...matters.
And if you’re not watching the interaction and response during that time, you need to start doing it. Not only will you identify places you can drop, stop wasting time on, and focus more fully in the places where people are actually listening!
Today’s episode is all about having more conversations that sell and making sure you do the experimentation before you launch — so that your communication happens when, where, and exactly how often it needs to!
Make sure you listen to the episode and also sign up for the Launch Essentials Workshop to get started on your entire launch plan and strategy. http:// www.freelaunchworkshop.com
Links mentioned:
freelaunchworkshop.com
fearlesslaunching.com
Hilary Rushford - deanstreetsociety.com
Camila Prada - camilaprada.com
Miss Trenchcoat - strangecharmed.com
In today’s episode we’re talking about mistakes you may be making as a business owner that affect your business and all your product launches. These aren’t quick fix mistakes, but ones you can aim to get better at over time.
Take out your journal right now and make notes on anything that comes up for you personally. There’s no right or wrong way to approach these, only to work on shifting the way you handle launches, do business...and operate in the world.
Checklist vs. Decision Making: There are lots of appropriate places and instances where checklists are valuable and work. And they do get you part of the way there with launches. But a checklist will not tell you why people aren’t buying. A checklist won’t tell you if you’ve done enough customer research or sent enough emails or got the tone right in your sales page or webinar presentation. You need to be able to ask questions, have thoughtful conversations and make decisions.
Individual Tools vs. System: With the ever changing technology in our world, it’s no wonder that we’re always thinking about trying a new tool to. For example, process payments, manage tasks, house our products, deliver our products, promote our products. Truth is - the system of how you’re doing these things is more important than the specific tool. Learning how to pull together a set of tools into a working system is a better approach and why I teach a systems module in Fearless Launching. Grab my systems cheatsheet. Check show notes over at http://www.annesamoilov.com/130 for a link to that cheatsheet!
Changing Everything vs. Keeping What works: Doing a postmortem is one of those things that gets put off and literally put on the back burner as we get ready for our next thing. Plus - a good friend told me this about branding - that’s her area of expertise...that people get bored with their fonts/colors about the time that it’s gelling and makes sense with people! When it’s working - you’re likely going to get bored, but there’s no reason to throw out everything and can result in nothing working!!!
Support - Are you getting help? Processing what’s going to happen in your launch is invaluable. Absolutely no one I know who’s gone above the 7 figure launch or revenue level has done so without hiring help. No one. You have to be willing to get that support. And if you need help with the above items especially, then it might be time to get a coach, hiring a launching manager...
If you’d like to go into more of these topics, I’ve just created a brand new launch workshop for you which really speaks to the foundation you can build for all of your launches...I’m telling you first because I know you’ll want to jump on it fresh - while it’s hot off the presses.
Here’s what we’re going to cover in this workshop:
The one place you’re wasting the most time and that could be the cause of all your launch problems..
Why knowing how to set your launch goals, sets you up for bigger success
My secret shortcut to creating my launch plan - great if you HATE planning
The key phases in your launch and the exact action steps you can take today.
Just head over to http://www.annesamoilov.com/130 and it’ll be linked right there as well as on the sidebar on the blog.
That’s all for today - I hope you heard today’s message with love. I make these mistakes sometimes too - we’re human and we simply need a reminder every once in awhile!
Vicky Lashenko is the creator and host of a popular Facebook Live webshow called Mompreneur Show. She started the show back in 2016 and she just turned into a podcast!
I invited Vicky onto the show to talk about:
Read the full notes over at annesamoilov.com/129
Are you a coach, consultant, VA, graphic artist, copywriter or a service provider?
This episode will help you create the packages and services people will be running to buy from you.
If you’ve ever struggled putting together the right mix of your skills or figuring out which of your talents to include/exclude in your packages, today’s episode will fix you right up. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to make your current offerings better, Becca Tracey of the Uncaged Life has the answers.
Full show notes over at: annesamoilov.com/128
Want to learn how to build your audience online? Listen and learn from a woman who's been doing it steadily over the past several years.
Today we're talking to Carrie Green founder of the Female Entrepreneur Association...first it was a place to share the stories of other women building their businesses and now as a platform for inspiring women along their business and entrepreneurial journeys.
I thought it would be great to ask her some questions about her top strategies for building her business and community...
Carrie's book "She Means Business" comes out next week - so head over to Amazon now and pre-order it: annesamoilov.com/carrie
Have you ever hired a team or even one person to help you in your business?
No?
Maybe...you’ve been doing everything yourself in your business for some time now. Longer than you really should have.
But it’s not because you haven’t tried to find people to help you.
You’ve been on upwork.com, elance.com, and hiremymom.com, but you haven’t felt very “lucky” in your search for the right person or people yet.
First thing is this - hiring is not an easy process.
Second thing - you are not alone in struggling through that process.
Third thing - it IS something you have to do at some point if you want to grow beyond a “job-replacement” business. (believe me - I know this from personal experience!)
Every business owner gets to the point of hiring in different ways. Some people start finding help from the second they start their business. Some people start with interns. Others do everything as long as they possibly can...
That's what we're talking about on today's episode.
Full episode show notes located at: annesamoilov.com/126
This episode will give you some getting started advice you need to make sure you hire the right person for your Launch Manager.
As you know I’ve been managing launches for several years online and offline. Not only have I been involved with projects ranging from feature films, tv and video games but I’ve spent the past 6 years working as launch manager of some major online product launches.
People often tell you to hire a project manager - that will help.
But I get it when people meltdown, are unsure not only of -
In today’s podcast, I’ll talk to you about -
If you've ever wanted to work on launches, need to hire someone or aren't sure if you could use the help of a launch manager, this episode is a great starting point!
Full show notes and resources available at: annesamoilov.com/125
If I were to ask you, who’s your audience, how would you answer?
The people who share the stories of their audience, past customers, current customers like they are relatives or old friends?
This is the one system I'm focusing on because typically I'm great at listening, watching, learning who people are and connecting with them...but truth is I'm not doing as much as could with the information.
That’s all started to change and I’d like you to join me and improve your own approach to understanding your audience.
Let’s dive into figuring out how to gather, understand and USE all the information FOR our audience.
Head to the show notes to the survey I talked about AND to get your research tracker download:
http://www.annesamoilov.com/124
In today’s episode I’m going to talk you through how to choose the right tools to run your business… and we’re going to focus on the principles that will help you make any decision.
Warning - this isn’t a “who does what better”... or “you shouldn’t switch tools” or a “tools don’t make the launch” post…
Over the life of my business and I’m sure your’s as well, you’ll come across a lot of different solutions to help you do your work better, faster, easier...and ones that will cost you less money, more money…
My take on tools is simple…and I'm talking about it in depth....
Full show notes and resources mentioned over here: www.annesamoilov.com/123
What tools do you depend on to run your launches, manage your work and make your business organized!
Still haven’t planned out Q1 yet?
Didn’t attend a planning session or brainstorm or buy a planner or anything in November or December?
That’s okay - you’re not behind and you can still make a plan for an amazing quarter...even if it’s already started.
Here are 5 tips to making your plan and getting it going fast -
Full show notes at: http://www.annesamoilov.com/122
There's a funny thing about building a business...launching products, services, making money only....
Many times we'll be all about a revenue goal we want to hit or a number of subscribers we want to reach. How many people can we get to our webinars? What's our sales page conversion rate?
Are we so consumed by needing to reach the end result that we can't recognize the growth that happens in between.
This week - we wrap up the discussion of having a successful launch by talking about launching better, improving, and why that's JUST as important.
Full show notes over at annesamoilov.com