What I Would Do If I Was Starting from Scratch
Episode Summary:
I'm so excited about today’s podcast episode, it is the first of a two part series! So what will I be chatting about? I was thinking if I was starting my business from scratch, making my first $5K, what would I do differently? Then what would I change from there when I knew it was time to scale? This episode is all about that first $5K. I'm sharing how I decided I wanted to be a coach, what I did to fully book my first offer, and some of the mistakes I made so that hopefully you can avoid them. This episode can be helpful to you if you’re just starting out or if you’re getting ready to introduce a new income stream to your already thriving business!
Topics Discussed:
Anna’s best advice for making your first $5,000 with a new income stream
Why Anna chose coaching and mentorship as her career and how you can choose your niche
The importance of separating your journey from your clients’ to always feel congruent
Creating a solid framework vs. a flexible framework based on your type of offer
Getting visible in a way that works with your personality to feel confident selling
The impact of just starting instead of waiting for things to be more “perfect”
Episode Resources:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google | Stitcher
-
Anna Rapp (00:00):
Hi friends, <laugh>, this is the first episode I'm recording in the new year. I batch ahead of time. So I know it's not the new year when you're listening to this, but I'm hoping that if your new year has been up to a bumpy or a rough start, you're gonna give yourself permission to start fresh now. Let this be your new year. I was talking to one of my mastermind girls and she was like, man, I just need a fresh start. The start of the year was Rocky and I gave that permission to her. And so I just wanna give that permission to you too, right? Maybe even take a big deep breath in, big open mouth, exhale and take a few of the deepest breaths you've taken today. Have you taken some deep breaths today? Can you relax your shoulders so that they are more distant from your ear lobes?
Anna Rapp (00:46):
Can you maybe give them a little roll? Can you loosen your jaw? It's safe for you to take this time with me to think bigger picture. We're so in day-to-day survival mode that it can be hard to take a minute to think bigger picture, to be proactive to vision, but that's really where the money making happens, right? Okay, I'm so excited about this two part series. I had an idea for you on and it's really like what I would do if I was starting my business from scratch, making my first 5K and then the second one, I wanna do what I was do. What would I do if I was scaling from scratch over? And basically it's what I did except for a little bit more efficient and maybe skipping some of the mistakes I made. So I hope this is really useful for you and just the reminder that, you know, this applies to so many people.
Anna Rapp (01:32):
Number one, if you're not making any money online and you really are starting from scratch, but also if you are making money online and you're looking to grow in scale, because anytime we create a new income stream in our business, we really are dropping our ego and starting from scratch again, right? Whether maybe it's we're creating a new offer within our business, maybe we're launching a second business, maybe we're changing our business model massively. Maybe we are kind of going through a personal rebirth and so we're, we're creating our business in a way. But I do think there are so many times for fresh starts and every time God the universe asks us to do a fresh start, I really feel like we need to drop our ego and be willing to have this same perspective that I'm gonna share with you today.
Anna Rapp (02:16):
I was reminded of this because something that I'm a newbie in right now, you guys know last year I got my certification so I can teach yoga, sculpt and bar classes, fitness now at a local gym. And I really am doing a lot of these principles that I'm preaching, which is like really diving in really being able to, you know, do work for free at the beginning as you're getting experience. And so I just wanna say like I practice what I preach here too, and I just think we always need to be willing to be a newbie again. Okay? So here's my best advice for making your first $5,000 in a fresh income stream or with a fresh offer or with a fresh audience, whatever is fresh for you. And that's really what I think we should focus on, right? We're so obsessed with like six figure years and beyond, which I think is great, but like when we're starting new income streams, we just first need to focus on our first $5,000 in that income stream, right?
Anna Rapp (03:11):
So here's what you need to do. If you wanna make your first 5K in an income stream in a way that's ethical, even if you have a day job, even if you are pregnant or facing some challenges, it's totally possible. So what I did is I started a coaching business and I'm so grateful for of all the ways you can make money online, there are so many good ways in the mastermind I run about half the ladies are coaching, half of them are done for you babes, website, designers, accountants, et cetera. I think they're both great, but for me it was a no-brainer to start a coaching business. Number one, it has zero up for cost, right? Just a lot of costs when it comes to building your confidence and believing that you're worthy of charging people to sit with you on a zoom call and caring for them deeply and helping them solve a problem to the best of your ability.
Anna Rapp (04:00):
Something you've probably done your whole life but you've never really gotten paid well for. And so it's just a mind bender that is a lot of the work of the beginning is confidence, right? And for me, I didn't even call it coaching. I called myself, what did I say, mentor or something related. But you can call yourself a teacher, a strategist, a consultant, right? For me, as a former therapist, it literally felt <laugh> very bad to call myself a fluffy coach because the coaching industry is unregulated. And seven years ago it had much less of a name for itself. But now I got over myself and I love the term, right? But really I called myself a mentor and that helped. So what you wanna do, no matter what business you pick, is decide your niece niche or message and what's the one problem you want to market to, even though you can help people with so many things and so many offers, whether it's career, business, finances, relationship marriage, infertility, social media, like you have to pick one that you're feeling the most qualified and confident that people will pay you for.
Anna Rapp (05:07):
And you have to really focus on that for 90 days. And everything changed when I decided, okay, for 90 days I'm gonna pick one message and I'm gonna get consistent af with this message. I would say really for three or four months before that I was really swirling around and you know, serving different clients, serving different messages, really doing a lot of things, right? I was like doing my therapy day job, I was also doing some life coaching. I was also doing some business coaching, right? Like I was really dabbling and that's the moment where I really decided, okay, I really wanna stop the therapy, I wanna stop the life coaching and I wanna go in on business coaching. Because for me, I really noticed that of all the clients that I was serving, my business coaching clients were the women that were the most ambitious <laugh> and the women that wanted to talk about money.
Anna Rapp (05:54):
And there was just something inside me that really, really loved that woman that wanted more, that wanted these goals that were basically impossible, right? And I just think there's something beautiful about that. So whatever it is that make your pro con list, but really picking one clear audience member for your offer and really marketing that for 90 days and just remembering, like I say, like it's just really the on-ramp, your marketing and your messaging. You could always serve other people on the side, but when it comes to what you're getting really visible on just picking one problem to solve one ideal client, one offer, one message, that's really all you need to get to six figures, let alone 5K, right? And just reminding yourself, maybe even close your eyes right now for this next offer, for this new income stream, I can get to six figures on one offer, one audience, one message.
Anna Rapp (06:57):
And really while we're at it, one way to get visible and one sales strategy, right? Obviously as you grow in scale, sure you can diversify that if you'd like, but you don't have to be visible on 19 social media platforms to sign clients to get you to six figures, right? And really do the math, right? Like if you are charging $5,000 for a client, right? And you wanna get to six figures, what is that? Like 20 clients? Hopefully I did the math, right? <Laugh>, but it's really reminding yourself, I'm trying to connect with 20 people. I'm not trying to connect with 500,000 people for this offer, right? And I think that that's beautiful. So remind yourself that one niche one offer, right? And for me, this is really where a coach helped because I think without a coach, I would not have been able to pick one message, one offer, one visibility strategy.
Anna Rapp (07:51):
I just am too much an ENFP to be focused like that. And I just think we need to normalize getting help. I think as women, like for me, I'm someone that's fairly independent and I've been able to accomplish a lot on my own, but oh my gosh, since I started hiring coaches and therapists, et cetera, I've been able to accomplish infinitely more, right? And so I just think it's remembering it's okay to need help. It's okay to need support. It's okay to be the messy client and to you know, not be perfect at it, even if it's like similar to what you do. I was talking to a client about it this week and she was like, oh, you know, I'm a podcast manager and I don't have my own podcast. Does that make me out of, you know, out of congruency, out of integrity?
Anna Rapp (08:31):
I was talking to another client that's a health coach and she was like, ah, I'm still working on my health coaching journey, you know, does that make me a fraud as a health coach? And I think here's the thing, yes, there's one thing about being willing to take your own medicine and walk your own talk. I agree with that. But also we really need to separate our journey from our client's journeys and realizing that like even if you're a marriage coach, it's okay if your marriage has rocky seasons, even if you're a business coach, it's okay if you have months that you're not making a ton of money because something happened, right? Like I just think making sure you're really separating that out is huge. Okay? So you're gonna create one offer, right? One message one niche and just really get clear on that, right?
Anna Rapp (09:18):
And create a simple framework, right? What is included in your offer? How much are you charging for it? What are the things you guys know? And getting coached my program, I really teach creating either a oh, what do I even call it? Basically a structured framework or a flexible framework. I think it's important to get clear on like what do you actually do on the backend to get your clients' results? Especially if you have a group program or group offer, you really wanna create a solid framework, but with one-on-one clients, you can do what I call a flexible framework, which is just saying, based on what you need, these are the type of things you can get support on, right? For my highest level one-on-one clients that I work with that are, most of them are already making multi-six figures and they're working towards the million dollar mark.
Anna Rapp (10:03):
Basically I say to them, here's the six main things that I think you should work on to get your business to the million dollar mark. Let me know what you need support on when it comes to this, these six things. And I think that's beautiful, right? But still getting clear on like what are these six things that you help people on to get them the result that they need? And this is just gonna depend on you, right? One health coach might help people get healthier through a vegan lifestyle. One health coach might help people get healthier through the whole 30 and stuff like that, right? So it's just remembering you get to create your framework there, but definitely creating one. Okay? Next ones are getting visible and sharing that offer with the world. Okay? This is the biggest gap that I help my clients with is really visibility in selling and really finding a way to get visible in a way that works for their personality and figuring out a way to sell that works for their personality, right?
Anna Rapp (11:00):
Because there are so many ways you can get visible, you can get visible publicly on social media. And then within that there's several different channels. You can get visible in person, you can get visible just more through personal networking and building relationships, right? Same thing with selling. You can sell in so many different ways. You can use so many different strategies. You can use sales calls, you can use challenges and webinars, right? You guys know I just created recently a private podcast basically is a sales mechanism for my mastermind and gives you that peek into that. But it's really just picking one main way to get visible and one main way to sell. And doing that and trusting that's gonna get you to six figures it a hundred percent will, right? What's not gonna get you to six figures or even your first 5K is trying to do too many things, right?
Anna Rapp (11:51):
Just remember, okay, I need to connect with 20 women. There's definitely 20 women on Instagram, right? <Laugh>, you crack with 20 women, okay? There's definitely 20 women on Facebook, right? You don't need to do all the things. And if I was starting from scratch, that's what I would do is right now I have multiple channels, right? Because I have a team to support me. So I have my podcast and my Facebook group and Instagram, right? But honestly, if I was starting from scratch again, let's see, what would I pick? I would think I would either pick Facebook group or Instagram to be honest, and then layer on the podcast later. I love a Facebook group, honestly, like I've had my first seven years and I just think it's, there's something about a Facebook group that there's the intimacy, there's the comradery, there's the women cheering each other on that I'm so grateful for.
Anna Rapp (12:35):
I do like Instagram though too, and I just think it's such a powerful platform when it comes to like discovering new people, sharing short form content. So I would pick one of those if I was doing it again. So, and I would get visible every day for 30 days to start it out. And I would just show up without a super complex visibility strategy. And then from there I would do what I teach, which is getting visible six weeks at a time really deciding, okay, for the next six weeks, how do I wanna show up and give value? What are six things I wanna talk about? And then I would do that one a week for six weeks. Okay. And then finally, this is the most important part, okay? <Laugh>, when it comes to making your first $5,000 online, just start doing the work, right?
Anna Rapp (13:23):
So in the case of me start coaching and doing the coaching work, whether it's free, whether it's low cost, right? Spending less time on your website and marketing and on the back end and on planning and on systems and on social media to be honest and just more time coaching clients because that's what's gonna build your confidence and that's what's gonna build your network of people that love your work. And that is the biggest asset. And once I started doing that and I really dove in, I started making a ton of money before that, I really wasn't doing a ton of coaching, I was learning about coaching and theorizing about it and you know, doing a lot of non coaching. But here's the thing, like I love to coach <laugh>. And so once I did it, I really started getting more confident. Once I started coaching more people, they came back and referred me, right?
Anna Rapp (14:11):
I'm not trying to oversimplify this because I get that it takes so much courage and action and time and mistakes, right? But it really is that simple in that if someone's selling you this complex plan about getting clients and making money online, like I would think twice about it because really the strategy is the easy part and the hard part is resilience and belief that you are worthy of this life you love, you are worthy of making a ton of money online doing something that comes natural for you, right? And so that's why for me, my business took off when I started coaching people because that's my work, that's my gift, that's what I'm good at. This applies like if you're a website
Anna Rapp (14:50):
Designer, start designing websites and start doing that work, right? And I think people are like, I don't wanna give away my work for free. Like I don't wanna you know, you know, I wanna make money. That's the whole point. But I think I with boundaries, right? In my course getting coach, I teach this like having people apply so you make sure the people you're doing free work for are very invested, right? The people, you know, there's a whole strategy behind how I teach this, but the essence of it is once I get my clients actually doing the thing they're good at, that's what lights them up. That's what helps them sign and make money at least their first $5,000. And then from there you can work on other marketing strategies and long-term stuff too, right? Okay, I would love to hear from you <laugh>.
Anna Rapp (15:38):
If you're an experienced business owner, if you were starting from scratch, what would you do? Or if you are starting from scratch, I'm just sending you the biggest hug because I think it is one of the hardest parts of business and just can be so overwhelming because you don't really know where to start. You know, in that sense, and whether you are starting from scratch or creating a new income stream, I am just sending you the biggest hug and just encouraging you to keep it simple. Keep it so simple, keep it so simple. And especially on the way to your first 5K of a new offer, right? Money loves simplicity. And then I would encourage you, after you make that 5K, after you make that first six figures, keep, keep it simple. <Laugh>, keep, keep it simple, right? Because for me at least, that's been a huge blessing even though I'm at multi-six figures now still really at the essence like keeping your business as simple as possible.
Anna Rapp (16:30):
Because that's where I, for me, my peace, my clarity, my grounded energy comes from. And I think people get worried about like, what if I fully book my business and you know, make a ton of money, but then I don't like my life because I'm overwhelmed. Or for me I was like, what if I'm a bad mom, right? But just a reminder that like you can make a lot of money and still keep things simple. That's why I call it my happy boring dream life. Because for me, simplicity is everything and is the life that I want. And if it is for you, just permission that you can find that and create that, okay? Here's an invite to you, to my program. Get and coach your first client. If you want to make your first 5K as a coach or consultant or teacher of some type, you are going to love this method that I teach.
Anna Rapp (17:18):
Half of it is marketing and getting your paying clients in the door. The second half of it is really learning to coach and increasing your ability. I even give you a certificate for learning some coaching skills and really everything you need on the backend for how to onboard clients, you know what to do with a client on a coaching call, how to upsell clients so they keep working with you. All the logistics and backend paperwork of running a coaching business. But again, most importantly the marketing and getting clients in the first place. 'cause I find that's a really unique season for women. And so that's why I created a 12 week program for it. That's super step-by-step, tons of swipe files and just women get such great results in this program because it's just really specifically for that woman that's focused on signing their first paying client ever or their next paying client.
Anna Rapp (18:06):
Just really getting you two consistent 2K months in your business and beyond. Okay? Loves hope this was helpful for you and just wishing you a beautiful day. Be easy with yourself, be compassionate, give yourself some grace. Maybe you even wanna put your arms around your body right now and give yourself a beautiful hug, maybe a little pat on the back, maybe like a little self massage on your neck. You give so much to everyone else around you and you deserve to be taken care of. Well, and I think for me, like maybe that's like one more thing I would tell myself is like, it's safe to give yourself financial self care, right? Like in the season when I was like first launching and stuff, I was giving myself a lot of self-care, like bubble baths and stuff as a new mom. But I really wish I would've given myself permission to like give myself a ton of financial self-care, right? You know, building that freedom fund, building that savings, flooding yourself with money, it's safe for you to flood yourself with money and abundance so that you can give back to your family and your clients from that beautiful, grounded space. Okay? Have a great day.
PS: In the midst of this challenging time I’ve been asking myself what I can do to help? One of the #1 ways I support my clients is by helping them simplify their business so that they can increase the flow of money without creating extra work. In this season simplified visibility and sales is needed more than ever.
So if you’re craving personal support as you reposition your free and paid work, I’d love to help you simplify your sales process so that you can produce income in your business even during a challenging time. If you want support you can check out my services and book a free discovery call here, or you can send me a DM on Instagram.