When we first start our own business, we have big dreams and grand plans, but we don’t really know if it will take off. Today we hear the inspiring story of Kelly Aaron, who shows us that with perseverance, adaptability, and a commitment to building relationships, success is within reach.

“Our biggest limit is self-imposed.” – Kelly Aaron

Kelly opened her first business over 20 years ago. Fueled by her passion for modern design and art, she curated museum exhibitions and facilitated the sale of rare pieces through esteemed auction houses. In 2016, Kelly founded Blueprint Lighting, a company that has since earned a reputation for crafting exquisite, modern fixtures.

Blueprint Lighting started from a lightbulb moment with a dismantled light fixture in a garage. The company embarked on a transformative journey from this spark of creativity that led to its present-day prominence. Here are 3 things you can learn from Kelly’s story.

“You have to be willing to go, I’m not fully in control of this, but even if I get the least out of it, I’m okay with that.” – Kelly Aaron

Kelly sheds light on the importance of planting seeds in our business and patiently nurturing their growth. We may not have control over how or when these seeds will flourish, or which opportunities will materialize, but we need to continue planting them. Because we never know what will come out of a favor we grant, or valuable offering we give or an email we send. Who knows? That rush order over Thanksgiving might lead to one of your biggest clients. Long Game listeners get a 30% discount on the website with the code LONGGAME30

Links from Today’s Episode:

Blueprint Lighting Website

Blueprint Lighting Instagram

The post Creativity, Collaboration, and Craftsmanship with Blueprint Lighting Founder, Kelly Aaron appeared first on Web Design | SEO Strategy | Kajabi Expert.

In this episode, we’re exploring the tools used by one of the biggest theme parks, Universal Studios. By studying their systems and processes, we can learn how to use the same tools in our own businesses and play the long game like a pro.

Here are some of the things Universal Studios does right to make sure their park is a success and guests enjoy every step of their experience:

“It’s good to notice the processes that the big guys utilize, and to know that you have the power to incorporate the same successful concepts into your own business.”
– Sandra Scaiano

By studying the proven methods of Universal Studios, you can unlock a treasure trove of insights and strategies that you can apply to your own business. From streamlining your processes to leveraging innovative technology, there’s a lot to learn from these successful companies. Don’t be intimidated by their size or resources; instead, use them as inspiration to take your own game to the next level. Remember, playing the long game is about consistent growth and improvement. By utilizing these tools already in your toolbox, you’re setting yourself up for success.

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Reaching 7-figures is the dream of many entrepreneurs and yet not many ever hit that goal. I want to open the door for you to see exactly how I helped one of my clients pivot from a brick-and-mortar idea to an online fully digital course that hit 7 figures in 3 years.

The Real Deal with Gladys DiTroia is an online weight loss program. It has changed the lives of thousands of women already. When I first started working with Gladys, she was in the same position many of you are in right now. Does working 7 days a week, maxed out at the number of clients you can help, struggling to get away from the one-to-one model of a coaching business, and burning out sound familiar?

“Create repeatable processes that allow room for comfort and a greater capacity to add new ideas.” -Gladys DiTroia

In this episode, you’ll get a better picture of what it means to scale. The amount of time and effort it requires to grow a 7-figure digital business will also be discussed.

Noteworthy ideas you don’t want to miss

As I’ve had multiple launches in progress simultaneously for different clients, there are tools that I’ve learned to use. The tools allowed me to stay on top of the launch process without blowing the timeline. With the number of moving parts going on for a launch, you have to have systems in place to be successful and maintain your sanity.

“You cannot handle scale without systems, and without understanding what your process is and what your goal is as well.” -Sandra Scaiano

Gladys helps women develop a lifestyle that allows them to lose weight. Also, keep the weight off, and she does it without fad diets. In her business, Gladys shares that “the fastest way to lose weight is slowly.” In generating 7-figures in sales the same rules apply. Systems are key to scaling any business. In this conversation, you can hear how when developing Gladys’ business each layer of success built on the previous and it was all by way of the systems we created and put in place. Great systems allow you to train others easily and scale to 7 figures and beyond.

Links from Today’s Episode:

Gladys’ Website

The Real Deal Instagram

The post Case Study: How She Reached 7-Figures With Her Course & Membership appeared first on Web Design | SEO Strategy | Kajabi Expert.

Breaking down big projects is one of the ways I help my clients. Today I share how I do this for all kinds of things. It helps me take action and make progress without feeling overwhelmed.

Just give me the 1 2 3.

The power of threes. You don’t have to believe me, there’s science behind it!

Here’s what you’ll learn:

How can you use the 1 2 3 approach?

What part of your product or service can be packaged in threes so your clients really see the transformation you provide?

I hope you’ll sign up to get my emails too! I’ll be sharing specifics on my next course and the tools I’m using.

What I’m Loving Now:

My iPad keyboard. It made life easy for me. I can be at the pool with my kids (which is good for them) and still get things done.

It’s been the best purchase to help me have a great summer with my family.

Links from Today’s Episode:

Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less

The post The Long Game is… 1 2 3 appeared first on Web Design | SEO Strategy | Kajabi Expert.

Taking what you’ve learned and building your success around is one of the best ways to further your business. We all have skills and expertise that we’ve developed in doing the “thing” that we do, whether you are a coach or a bakery owner.

Brand Agerbeck is a graphic facilitator and a visual thinking pioneer. She stumbled into becoming a graphic facilitator and has been able to turn her unique skills into a successful business. She is a published author, Ted Talk presenter, and is finding joy and fulfillment in teaching others how to harness the power of visual thinking.

In this episode, we’re discussing how Brandy was able to build a successful life and business by following the cues and listening to her intuition.

Brandy’s method of visual thinking and getting everything out on paper allowed her to visualize and see the 24 techniques that went into her book, which later evolved into 9 modules and one-day workshops. The key is allowing yourself the space to be messy and do what works for you without being contained to a shape and model that isn’t for you.

“Give yourself the time and space to be messy, and push stuff around and let the shape of your work emerge.” -Brandy Agerbeck

After listening to all the wisdom and experience in this episode with Brandy, take a look at where you are. What are your skill sets and processes that led to your path of success and enables you to do what you do? Look at your methods and start visually thinking where you were stuck and how you got unstuck, the steps you went through, and how you can meet the needs of others and plant seeds that grow a bigger and more fulfilling business.

“It’s almost like figuring out how to repackage your knowledge in multiple ways so that it can connect with people in different realms, so you can broaden your audience” -Sandra Scaiano

Links from Today’s Episode:

Episode 15, The Long Game is… Noticing

Brandy’s Website

Shape Your Thinking, Brandy Agerbeck TED Talk

Brandy’s book, The Idea Shapers

ENVISION: Visual Thinkers Virtual Expo

The post Building a Body of Work with Brandy Agerbeck appeared first on Web Design | SEO Strategy | Kajabi Expert.

I always put my clients and what I’ve committed to first in business, and I bet the same is true for you. So then, how do you make time to work on your own business when you have projects you want to complete? That’s what I’ll be talking about in today’s podcast.

I used the process of creating content on my own business with a course I’m working on now. Today, I’m going to reflect on how this is different from working with clients. For instance, progress on your own projects might be a little slower than when you work with clients.

Here are some of the things that I do to help keep the workflow moving and what I do to keep progressing with it:

I talk about how using the same language in multiple places in your marketing can reinforce these ideas to your customer.

When you work on your own projects for your business, remember:

I believe that as entrepreneurs, we all have to spend time moving closer to our vision for the future. One way I’m doing this is by taking some time off in July and August.

I also discuss:

Links from Today’s Episode:

The Long Game is… Boundaries

The Long Game is… Mercurial Energy with Shauna Angel Blue

The post The Long Game Is. . . Working on Your Business appeared first on Web Design | SEO Strategy | Kajabi Expert.

One thing that’s consistent these days is that we should expect life to change. If you want to keep on top of current trends—and your own business—without getting left behind, it’s important to stay focused on the things that matter most.

For today’s episode, I invited the ultimate “Systems Woman,” Brittany Dixon of Brittany & Co., to the podcast. Brittany and I discuss how organizing helps businesses to always be on track and share several tips to be more productive.

Why we love being organized.

Brittany explains how she discovered her knack for organization. She also provides useful tips on how to organize better, which can be applied both to your home and your businesses.

In this episode we also discuss:

How do you run a full-time business and still have time for a personal life?

Brittany explains why working smarter, not harder isn’t just a mantra. It’s the way to a successful business and life. She shares a ton of great info – you’ll want to take notes!

If there’s one key takeaway I got from today’s show, it’s this: Make sure you’re doing it smart. As Brittany says, “I don’t want to just teach systems, I want people to think in systems. It’s ongoing; it’s never-ending.”

Link from Today’s Episode:

Work Smarter Not Harder Masterclass

Brittany’s Website

Brittany’s Facebook

Trello

Kajabi

Dubsado

The post The Long Game is . . . Working Smarter Not Harder appeared first on Web Design | SEO Strategy | Kajabi Expert.

We’re almost into the final quarter of the year! Are you where you want to be? If not (and even if you are), today’s episode offers a 3-part “pep talk” to get you back on track with your planning and goals so you can end the year strong.

In today’s episode, I’ll share three mini pep talks (some of which I also give to myself when I need them) around key actions to close out 2020 successfully. 

Some of the points I cover today:

It’s important to start NOW to plan for the end of the year. This is for you not to feel overwhelmed or like you’re falling behind as the year closes.

Set up the right systems and rhythm by following these steps now — so then you can actually enjoy time interacting with your audience.

Links from Today’s Episode:

Dubsado

Bench

Canva

Kajabi

The post Close Out 2020 On A High Note appeared first on Web Design | SEO Strategy | Kajabi Expert.

The Long Game philosophy is about what works. There’s too much to do and not enough time. I hear this from clients all the time. Creating systems is how I turn the chaos into calm.

Systems are the secret to scale.

The only way to do more and make more without going crazy is to implement them. I’m going into detail about what works. If systems aren’t your superpower (we can’t all be good at everything) don’t stress. I’m going to make this easy for you.

Why you should care about systems?

• They allow you to automate the things that you don’t have to do yourself.

• Using it gives you a path; you can see the way forward.

• It will save you money! Unorganized costs you time and money.

• The better your process, the better experience for your clients.

• Duplication. This is the key to scaling.

I am fascinated by the way large corporations use them. I share some of my favorite examples.

Systems are the habits of business.

Like all good habits, you have to commit to them. Here are some examples that apply to almost any small business. Use the details from this podcast to inspire your own versions.

• Onboarding systems. Wow, your clients from day one.

• Content system. This is going to make your life so much easier!

• A system for systems. I know this sounds meta, but it makes things so much better.

Don’t miss my how-to create a process explanation. In theory, it can sound overwhelming, but if you focus on each step, you’ll quickly see how easy it really is.

Tools and Resources

• Dubsado

• Kajabi

• Trello

A growing business is going to bring new challenges. I like to think of it as a nudge from the universe that it’s time to implement systems so you can keep the momentum and continue to scale.

The post THE LONG GAME is… Systems appeared first on Web Design | SEO Strategy | Kajabi Expert.

This is my first Year in Review post.

I love reading what other entrepreneurs share and thought it would be good to document my own progress.

It all starts with the Word of the Year for me. 2019’s word was ‘Systems’. I let this guide me through my year. It’s what I really needed for my business.

System 1: start working in 90-day sets.

I worked with my business coach and small women entrepreneurs Mastermind group for the entire year (actually continuing on for 2020).

It’s easier to think short-term and to goal set with what needs to be done, now. Previous to this approach, I’d set some lofty goals without any timeframe of accountability to achieve them. Things dragged on. Now I’m much more deliberate about starting and finishing.

Fruits of my 90-Day Labor:

System 2: Implementing a back-end system for my business.

My biz software of choice is Dubsado. It’s a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) that systematizes certain aspects of my client relationships.

With being a solo-preneur, the running of the business falls on me including the creative parts. I was a mess with billing, client on-boarding was a time suck, and there was no centralized place where I was able to access client information. Dubsado allowed me to clean all this up and automate parts of my process. Top features for me:

– Invoicing: At the start of a project I set up invoices, they send on schedule and clients pay online. In the Dubsado dashboard, I can see open invoices at a glance (and know if something needs attention), view an income tracker, and set financial goals. I was able to get rid of Quickbooks (it was a glorified invoicing service for me) and now stay on track with my billing.

– Scheduler: Dubsado debuted with a scheduler last year. It allows me to have appointments booked right into my calendar. It syncs all my calendars and provides a link to use on my website or send it to clients directly. Got rid of Acuity with this one.

– Forms: Everything I need from clients for projects I put into various forms. I’ve thought out my process and set things up ahead of time. At the start of a project, I send few forms to the client portal, and they provide all the information that I need. The forms are pdf fillable, clients can enter their info right on the page and save it. This has streamlined my on-boarding and project processes saving me time and making it easy for clients to do. I have had a number of clients this year comment on how organized my onboarding process is.

I even had one client who remarked she “enjoyed” the form filling. That’s what I’m striving for, ease and flow.

System 3: Getting an online bookkeeper.

I LOVE Bench! I started working with them last January and they did my whole previous years’ books (what a relief) then worked monthly all through 2019.

This was huge for me. Think you know how much you are making? Believe me, you don’t, unless you have your books sorted out properly. Numbers are for real!

This system took such a load off my shoulders. It shows me everything: how much I’ve made, how much I’ve spent, how much I paid myself, and more.

I reapplied for business insurance this year and the company evaluates and requests a financial statement. I was able to into Bench, pull a report, and send off a pdf with ease. Its access to this type of information takes the stress level down!

System 4: A new website.

Have you been to my website lately? I felt it was really important for me to revamp my presentation. My offers had refined and I had a new brand logo and photos that represent who I am. With my website redesign I lived one of my business tenets: 

Websites are malleable. The more you work in your business, the better you refine your offers, your voice, and the overall brand.

I have been guilty of helping others grow their brand but not giving enough to my own. 2019 I reclaimed some space for my brand and started to put out for myself what I know I have inside of me.

The other thing I did was add videos to my website. On my homepage and each of my main offer pages, I created a quick video of me talking it through.

Additional brand tenets that I implemented is, just go out and be you! We have heard it all about ‘be authentic’, on the other hand, we rarely go out and do it. We are getting caught up in what do I say, what do I look like. These videos for me were something I brainstormed and shot in a day. Can I revisit them, of course, but for now and for the ‘getting the project over the finish line’, they work. It’s me talking about my philosophy, my approach. I’m not overly made up (I’ve got beach hair). I’m coming to the video the way that I show up every day on Zoom to work with clients. This is how I am and this is what I say.

These videos, although not perfect, have prompted more booked calls on my site than I had in the past.

I’ve got more ideas for my website to build in, but it goes to show you can work in phases and that hitting a mark of done (phase 1) can be better than perfect.

Therefore, pull it together and put it out there, then refine it.

System 5: I launched a membership site!

Woo Hoo what a feat! I have decided to shift my membership site structure.

This project has been the single best learning experience of the year for me.

For one, it refined my Kajabi skills and processes. Kajabi is the best software for courses and memberships. I have created a customized process for building membership sites (and courses) using Kajabi that my clients and mastermind friends have benefitted from.

I have been studying membership models for the past two years. I’m in a number of membership sites, have taken a few key courses in support of membership strategy, including Stu McLaren’s Tribe Membership Course, and believe these models can be a great extension of the business.

A definite direction I am moving in further for 2020.

Having my own has taught me more about what I want to offer in a membership site and what my community really wants. This insight is what working ‘in’ your business is all about.

System 6: I brought on a VA (Virtual Assistant).

This system is my favorite of all. Despite the fact that I’m still in the beginning stages and training – think about telling someone all about your business, teaching, and assigning tasks that you need them to do first. The time investment and effort are worth it though as in my vision for 2020, and her support is going to help me reach my goals.

So what do all these systems mean?
It means that I can help more entrepreneurs to build their businesses.
That I can grow my own business.
And that Words of the Year can be a great guide.

Choose them wisely.

I’ve got my 2020 Word of the Year all lined up.

I hope you take some time to reflect on all you have done this year as well. And be sure to pat yourself on the back. None of this stuff is easy. It takes time and clarity to move through.

Here’s to those things for you in the New Year!
xo

Disclaimer: This blog post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission to fund my Lipton Green Tea with Citrus drinking habits if you use these links. You will not be charged extra, and you’ll keep me supplied in caffeine. It’s a win for everyone, really.

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