Teresa:
Do you believe that you can choose to make it happen today? Rachel Nice is sharing what happened to her business when she made that choice.

It's time for the Becoming a Profitable CEO podcast and it's all about providing you with the tools to succeed on this ever-evolving business-building journey. My mission is to make sure you know you are not alone, that it is possible and that you, yes YOU, CAN do this. You matter, the world is a better place for having you in it, and your voice is needed!

I’m Teresa Cleveland and I believe we can all make a difference and that having a successful online business is one of the best, most effective ways to do that.

Let’s get to it!

Teresa:
Hey, so good to have you join us today. I'm so glad to be sharing Rachel: Nice with you. She is passionate about helping women scale their businesses with integrity and relationships, and her marketing curriculum design, and putting integrity back into the online marketplace.

I worked with Rachel about a year ago now, just as we were all entering into this pandemic. From our very first meeting, I was struck with how invested she was in finding out exactly what I was doing, what I was trying to accomplish, making suggestions and helping me really map out how to get there.

Near the beginning of the interview I referred to Rachel: has been in business for just a couple of years. She's actually been in business a lot longer than that. For the sake of clarity. I was referring to the last couple of years that she's really been intentional about growing her business and the passion that comes through because she has chosen to make it happen.

When it comes to program design. She's the one that you want in your corner. She is fabulous about going deeper, like that customer journey, how to go deeper than just an ICA, to really be able to speak to your ideal clients at the right time that they need your offer as well as creating profitable offers.

If you've got a program that you've put out there or a course that you put out there, and it really didn't get the results that you thought it was going to get, I encourage you to reach out to her, have a conversation and find out how she can help you figure out what adjustments to make so that you can hit your goals.

OK, here's the quick bio and then we'll get right into the interview. Rachel: Nice is a consultant and strategist who serves coaches and course creators as they develop their programing. She has over ten years of experience in education and marketing and has worked with a wide variety of students, including six and seven figure business owners, to optimize their programs and serve their students well.

Rachel lives in central Pennsylvania with her husband and two little boys, enjoys trail running, and camping in their family school bus turned RV.

Let's listen in.

Teresa:
Rachel, thank you so much for being here. I'm excited to share your story with our listeners.

Rachel:
Well, thank you so much for having me. It's such a treat.

Teresa:
Absolutely. I want to say up front, one of the things that differs about you than many of my guests is that we haven't known each other very long. And you're fairly new in business, but you are still that profitable CEO of your business, which is incredible.

And let me ask first of all, because I'm really excited to know this for the people that I'm talking to this year. Do you do word of the year?

Rachel:
I do.

Teresa:
What was yours for this year?

Rachel:
So for 2021, I chose intentional. So my goal for this year is to show up in an intentional way and not be reactive, but more proactive in all things business and in my life too.

Teresa:
I love that. That is a shift from being reactive because as we come into business, we think, oh, OK, you see I need this. So you go do it and everything else. You get to get to that point where you really do get to plan it and that is with the Purposeful CEO, that's a big part of that. It's when people say, you'll do something, people will say, "Oh, did you do that on purpose?"

When it turns out right, like really good, like it was an accident, they'll be like, "Oh, did you do that on purpose?" It's nice to be able to say, "Yeah, I did. That was supposed to happen."

So big plans this year in your business?

Rachel:
Yes, I actually do. We are going to be launching a great program for coaches and service providers and I'm continuing to work one to one with my clients. So it's going to be a big year, I think, and some big shifts coming for both my business, but also my family, too. So there's gonna be a lot of change, a lot of growth this year. It's going to be a wild ride overall, I think, but I'm super excited for it.

Teresa:
I know you're always up for a wild ride. I've just seen you shift in your business. And so let's talk about that, because there's always, I mean I'm twelve years in and I just had a huge shift last last year. I already know something I'm going to shift this year. So it's always happening. But what do you see in your journey? What is something that you think somebody else might be struggling with out there that would really help them stick with it and say, "All right, Rachel did it so I could do this, too."

Rachel:
Yeah. So I actually started an online business back in 2012 actually. My husband is in the military and we had to move and I lost my teaching job. So I started as a VA then and really it was more of a side hustle I worked on and off and I didn't really get intentional with my business until about two years ago. And for me it was really a shift of looking at what other people were doing and seeing that it was possible for other people and really kind of looking at, OK, if I really want this for myself, I can go create it.

I don't have to just hope that it's going to happen and think it may happen. I can actually choose to make it happen and that was a big shift for me. So I would say if anybody's really thinking, wow, I don't know if I can be successful like all these other online entrepreneurs, or maybe you've even been plugging away at your business for a few years and you're still feeling like you're not where you should be. But I would encourage you to just keep going because you're never going to ever regret trying and working on your business and pursuing the dreams that you really want to pursue.

Teresa:
That's so true. I know I've said for many, many years the confidence comes in the doing and that the more you do it, you can find out, OK, I don't like this so much, but I really love this. So it is truly this journey that you get to experience and create what you want it to be.

Rachel:
Yeah, absolutely. When I first started, I was a VA and my clients were all over the place. I worked with venture capitalists. I worked with some tech startups. I mean, I was really working with a wide variety of clients and I really quickly figured out what I don't like doing and what I really, really love doing. And yeah, I agree with you. I think with action comes clarity. So if you are at all unsure of what your business is looking like and you're not really sure if you love it, I would just encourage you to just take an action to make that clarity happen for yourself.

Teresa:
Great advice. Well Rachael, let's talk about how you support other female online business owners on their journey to becoming a profitable CEO. I love where you're at and what you're talking about. Let's talk about first before we and this will lead to that. But let's talk about relationship, because I've heard you talk about this. You and I have talked about this. And I think it's so important because for many people, especially those coming up in business, we hear a lot of terms as we come in.

Right? And sometimes it's just that, "I'll get to that." But I think that this is one of those foundational things that if you do this from the beginning, that it is it makes an incredible difference.

Rachel:
Yeah, I agree. I think the biggest thing for entrepreneurs is to focus on building relationships with people who come into your world, whether or not they end up buying from you. I think that is one of the key differentiators between people who end up being successful and scalable and those who are not successful. Because the bottom line is when you care about people as people and you're not just focused on data or numbers or statistics, when you really actually start to appreciate that the people on the other side of the screen are real humans with families and jobs and businesses and all of this, that really makes you stand out.

There are so many people in the online business space who focus, and I'm not saying that data and numbers aren't important, you need to know your metrics. But I think we need to remember when we are building online businesses is that we are in the people business, we're in a relationship business. And if you can focus on really building those relationships in your audience, in the people that work with you, the people who don't work with you, if you care about them and really invest in making their lives better, you are going to be successful.

Teresa:
Absolutely. I know one of the things I've just recently realized for me is I network and build relationships with my peers and other business leaders, and then it's a natural progression for me as I'm introduced to their audiences. I've gotten to know these people as people.

For the last 12 plus years, my business has been 98% referral-based. So this getting out here now on social media and everything else is, while I help clients do that, I never really had to do that. It's been such an adventure because you do see so much out there where you can just tell when somebody is just copying and pasting. Like you'll see in your feed that somebody went into five groups at the same time and posted one right after another. You get those in your feed and you don't really want to respond to those. Right? Somebody who's showing up or those people who are showing up and commenting. You put something out there, you have a question, you're looking for something, and those people who really show up because they can help you, those are the people you remember.

Rachel:
Oh yeah. And I would say to even to take it a step further, it goes even beyond just showing up in a business capacity. You know? I'm friends with a lot of people in my group and even some clients, and I'll comment on their personal posts on Facebook and check-in, see how their kids are doing, see how their family is doing.

I've seen a couple of people post that they're really struggling right now with all the events going on in the world. And I've reached out to them and just said, hey, you know, if you need anybody, I'm here to send me a message. And I think when you can approach your business as an extension of how you treat people in your personal life and you can take it into how you care about people who come into your world when it's going to set you apart, but it's also going to create better rapport for you. You're going to get better clients because people are going to want to work with you as a person.

And that's really the differentiator. I mean, there's so many people teaching the exact same things online, but you are the secret to your own success. People want to know who you are as a person.

Teresa:
Oh, my gosh, that's so funny, because I see sometimes people will say in their group or just out on Facebook, the question will be what sets you apart? And that's always my first response. Like I do. And obviously, we have other differentiators. But that's always my first thought, is like I am. Nobody can be me and I can be no one else. So, yes, showing up like that and building those relationships. And I have in the online world, even the guests that I've had on here are just people that I have built those relationships with.

They're long-lasting and it is, how are you doing? What's going on? And sometimes it's just, I will do it sometimes and other times it's happened to me where you just get a card in the mail.

Rachel:
Mm hmm.

Teresa:
Yeah, I got a card in the mail the other day from Meredith Liepelt. She was one of our guests and oh my gosh, I've known her for 12 years or more now. And it was just Happy New Year. That's all it was. It was like handwritten. There's something to that Bob Burg talking about that handwritten note, but it is, and it's like, oh, my gosh, that's great.

Or and the other thing that I love is that when you see something that's a good fit for other people, you can always send it to them. And they know you were thinking of them specifically. Right? You think about even when you get gifts, like there are things. Oh, it's a nice sweater. You know, it's a nice shirt. But when somebody gives you something, you know, those gifts that could not even cost very much, but you know that that was specifically for you. They know you. And I think ultimately isn't that it, we just want to be seen?

Rachel:
Right.

Teresa:
We just want to know that we matter to someone.

Rachel:
Right, exactly. And I think that is something, too, that I've really built into my business. In all of the programs I offer and all of that, it's not about the information I provide, even though people need that information. But it's ultimately people work with me because they know that I'm going to support them fully as a person.

One of my clients actually reached out to me yesterday and she was like, hey, you know, thank you for responding to my email. I just want to let you know, it took me a while because I had a really rough day and I just I felt so honored that she was willing to share that with me because that's what I want to embody as a business owner. Somebody who my clients can come to me and say, I had a rough day and just know that I'm there. I think that is so important in online business in particular, because we're not face to face, you know, especially with right now, with covid being still an issue and we can't get together.

It's it's so important to remember that you can still build really, really strong relationships. But they need to be intentional and you need to really focus a lot of time and effort into that so that you can really, truly end up scaling your business based on relationships.

Teresa:
Absolutely. Our friend Melissa's has just exploded with that because she is that person. She cares and you know, she cares.

Rachel:
Yes, absolutely.

Teresa:
Yes. She's she's done an incredible job.And that's just it. She just connects and talks to people. Right? There are a lot of people out there who do it in our world. But in the bigger online world, you don't always see that.

So one of the things that I really loved about working with you last year was that I knew that you genuinely were interested in what I was doing and not just checking off boxes and that comes through the way that you show up.

And I love that you weren't a yes person. You know, it wasn't just like, yeah, yeah, yeah, we'll do that". It was "let's talk about this." And so you dug deeper to find out, like all the underlying stuff. It's like you can't help but build a relationship with someone when you're doing that.

Rachel:
Yeah.

Teresa:
So with what you're doing in your business now, let's talk about that and how you're supporting other female online business owners and on their journey to becoming a profitable CEO.

Rachel:
So what I have been focusing on is working with coaches, strategists, and done for you service providers who are really ready to make that next step in their business and create their own paid programs. So it might be a group coaching program. It may be a course with some kind of group component, but they are really ready to move beyond just working one to one with their clients and really distill their expertise down into their signature framework.

So that is what I am really focused on this year, is just helping more service providers make more money in less time by adding these leveraged offers into their business in a way that fits their lifestyle.

And I also work pretty closely with coaches who already have established programs to help them make their programs even better, because before I was in online business, I was an educator. So I have classroom teaching experience and now I also have experience managing launches for my clients. So I've been behind the scenes of fifty thousand dollar launches and I've seen how both the education side and the marketing side can come together to create an amazing program. But most people don't have all of that experience.

So it's been really neat to finally figure out how to put the pieces of my expertise together to create resources and support for these coaches.

Teresa:
And I think you shine in that area and I love that. We're so close to our own thing that it's so good to have somebody come in and say, it's not even that you're looking for confirmation, but it's always nice for somebody to say 'Yeah, that's good."

It is just to have those fresh eyes on it. All the time, when I get ready to send an email to my to my list, which somebody else does that most of the time now, but sometimes I'll have a brainstorm and I'll go in there. And I read it and I read it. And it's perfect and it's great. And as soon as I hit send, I see the typo.

Rachel:
Oh yeah.

Teresa:
Because we're so close to it. Because we're we're seeing it through our eyes. Like I'm reading that email the way that I wrote it, and it happens to all of us. So it's the same with the things that we do online and the things that we do in our business that people may not understand.

And sometimes we fall into jargon without even realizing it. Right? I talk about SOPs. It took a minute for somebody to say, what's an S.O.P?

And I'm like, oh my gosh, I'm so sorry, standard operating procedure. So that was an eye opener. And because I don't even think about that it's jargon. I just think that we did them when I was in corporate, you know, there were things. So I assumed, you know, which we know not to do, but I assumed that that was just a business term that everyone knew.

Something as small as that to even like with you coming in and looking at something and say, yeah, this is a really good flow, but there is a disconnect here. And for you to be able to see right they're falling off here and this is why.

Rachel:
Yeah. Or even I've had clients come to me and say, I feel like my curriculum is really strong, but maybe I need to add more stuff to it because my clients are asking me all these questions and I'm like, well, maybe you don't actually need to add more stuff. Maybe you just need to add more support.

Teresa:
Added support and sometimes it's like, you know what? That's a really good thing to have as another offer. It's more than what is in here already. And it doesn't really go. But it's a natural progression for your students to say, OK, now what? And I think it's so smart to have somebody come in and look at that.

Rachel:
Yeah, yeah. And I find that almost without exception, most of my clients end up trimming things out of their programs because they're like, oh yeah, actually they don't really need that to get the results that we're trying to get them. So, yeah, it's just so fun to be able to go in and help them really evaluate things with fresh eyes, really kind of look at where their students are successful, where they are maybe struggling a little bit.

And honestly, it's mostly just really simple tweaks that once they make them while we're working together, they'll come back to me and they'll be like my clients love this. They're loving this new format. They're loving this new option that we've added for them. It's so fun.

Teresa:
Well, and as a student, it's nice to have a program to streamlined and I'm not having to go, even if I don't realize that I don't need that part, it's just the time that I'm putting into it, plus everything else. Right? So many times I see like these $27 offers, which make me nuts. The tiny offers. There are 72 modules in there, 600 downloads in there. And I'm like, oh my God, there's nothing tiny about that. The price is, right? But now I need a vacation. Hello? I work too.

Rachel:
Yeah. Yeah

Teresa:
I see that a lot with programs and that's something I've started asking even as I am thinking about being part of a program or because it's something that I'm putting into mine. "How much time should I expect to put into this? Because I do have a job and a family and I like to sleep in those things. So, yeah, I think it's so valuable.

Rachel:, I don't think anybody's out there really doing that, right?

Rachel:
I mean, I don't know if there are other people. I have met a couple others that are curriculum design experts. So I'm sure there's other people who are doing it.

I love coming at it from the perspective of both the teacher and the marketer. So I've kind of sat in both chairs and it's been fun to see both sides.

Teresa:
With the added bonus of knowing that relationship marketing is the way to go is so beneficial. That's why I'm thinking there's nobody else out there that's doing it just because we all do it the way that we do it. Right? That's what it is.

Well, I know you've got your Profitable Launch Challenge and we'll put the link in the show notes. Tell us about that.

Rachel:
Yes, that is a free five day challenge that I have. It's just an email challenge and it really takes you through my framework for how to create your first launch of your program. So I take you through how to design it, how to structure it, how to create connection, and then kind of what to expect when you put it out into the world. So it's five days. You get emails every day. And then there's the option to join my Facebook group, which is the link is there. So if you want more support on that, you can join the group. I'll be happy to help you there.

Teresa:
What is your Facebook url? Let everybody know. And of course, we'll put it in the show notes as well.

Rachel:
Yes, it's the Profitable Launch Blueprint, so it's https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProfitableLaunchBlueprint.

Teresa:
All right. Well, thank you. We'll put that in the show notes as well. And I know you just were coming off of a 3-day challenge you did within the group.

Rachel:
I did, yeah. I just did a scalable offer challenge, which is really where I went a little bit deeper into what a scalable offer is and how to create one within your business.

Teresa:
All right. And we'll put your website in the show notes as well so that everyone can come check out all the things you're doing.

Music
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Teresa:
All right, that sound means it's time for the questions I like to ask everybody. Let's start with have you worked with a coach?

Rachel:
I have. I've actually worked with two. So our friend Melissa Froehlich was my first coach. She really helped me get my business foundation set up, helped me get my initial offers really established and really helped me step into my CEO mindset.

And then once I was finished working with her, I worked with Michelle Vroom, who is a marketing coach, and she's been my coach for almost the past year. So she has really helped me dive more into a marketing mindset, really hone in on my messaging. And she's also helped me tremendously with my group. So both of those ladies are incredible. They are.

Teresa:
I'm in both of their groups and I know Melissa personally. So, yes, both doing an incredible job out there.

What was happening with you that caused you to seek out a coach? I think a lot of times people don't even know that there's a coach out there who can help with this particular thing.

Rachel:
I think for me, it was really feeling the need to have somebody in my corner. I feel as though when you are a coach even or a service based provider, a lot of your time is spent really pouring into your clients and giving them everything that you have and that can lead to you feeling kind of like there's nothing left over for yourself. And that was really why I needed a coach. I felt like I needed somebody in my corner to tell me what to do to help me see my own blind spots, to help me through my own mindset work.

And it's been incredibly beneficial. I reach out to Michelle this morning about mindset issues I was having and she was quick to respond and help me through it. And just having that support helps me take action and not just stay stuck and in my own thoughts. Oh my gosh.

Teresa:
So valuable because we do, as long as it's swirling around in our head, it just grows and grows and is so intense. You get to the point that we just believe it and just, OK, I'm going to go work at the Walmart now because I'm not cut out for this.

Rachel:
Right.

Teresa:
And as soon as you are able to talk about it and get it out with that person and really open it up and look at it, you're just like, oh, OK, that's what that was. And then we move on rather than it's slowing you down for six months or causing you to throw the towel in altogether.

All right. Next up, we've got a would you rather question. Would you rather read an awesome book or watch a good movie?

Rachel:
Oh, that's a tough one. I like both, but I think for me right now, I would really rather read the book, I feel is that most of my day is spent looking at screens and sometimes it's just nice to have a break from that. So, yeah, getting lost in a good book is never a bad idea.

Teresa:
Never a bad idea. Have you read any good books lately? Sometimes I think where am I supposed to find time for that. But have you read any good books lately?

Rachel:
I have. I read A Company of One which one of my clients recommended to me and it's fantastic. It's basically about how to make your business better and not necessarily bigger, but basically building a business that fits what you really want out of it instead of it being what everybody else tells you you need.

Teresa:
That sounds interesting. I heard somebody mention that not too long ago, and it's on my list. And every time I look at my list, I'm like, OK, I need to start building time into my day for reading. Just reading because I love to read. I used to get in trouble. My mom would swear that I was ignoring her. I would be so into what I was reading. I didn't hear her. Yeah. And I do miss sitting down with a good book. I mean you can read stuff online and but I do just to sit in a chair with a book and it doesn't matter whether it's business or everything else, there's just something about holding that in your hand, the whole world disappears.

All right. Now we have a question that a previous guest wanted me to ask a future guest. And it was, "What have you found the most helpful in knowing when to make that next leap or that next transition?"

Rachel:
For me, it's been when I hit a point where my business just wasn't feeling fun anymore, it just kind of became something I didn't want it to be. I pivoted away from a lot of the done for you services that I was offering in the past and moved more into a consulting role. And I did that when I just felt like it wasn't aligned with what I wanted my business to look like. So it's kind of hard to know, I think sometimes.

But ultimately, I think your business should really, truly be fun. You should really want to wake up and do the thing. And if you're really feeling resistance to it, if you're really feeling like it's just is not fun anymore, I don't like this, then that's probably an indication that you're ready to make a change.

Teresa:
I would agree with that. I know when we were working together, you were doing some done for you work. And then when I was ready to do something else and I reached out and you said that you had made this shift. I was so happy for you because you're doing now, you were moving into something and you were growing as another female online business owner. And I think, I see that sometimes with people that I have worked with and other people in the online world, that sometimes are afraid to make that shift because they're not sure how the people they're working with are going to react to it or they don't want to burn bridges or do anything like that. I don't know. I feel like good clients understand and are happy for you.

Rachel:
Yeah, yeah. And I would say if you're at all worried about what your clients may think, you know, they may get mad at you or something for making this change then they may not be the right clients for you. Because just like you said, the right clients and the right people in your business will support you and understand when you need to make a change that's really needed for you, your family, or whatever it may be. We were talking a little bit earlier about burnout and just how so many entrepreneurs reach this point of burnout. And I really believe that's because they don't stay aligned with what they actually want to be doing. So I would just say do what you want to do, pursue what you're passionate about and pursue what you're inherently good at doing. And if something doesn't align with that any more that you're currently doing, you have the permission to let it go if you want to.

Teresa:
Absolutely. I say all the time it's like Playdoh, you build it and then if you don't like it anymore, you mush it up and start all over again.

I've gotten such a variety of answers to this next question. I can't wait to hear yours. Other than your bottom line, what is the most important number to you in your business?

Rachel:
So that's a great question. There are a lot of numbers that I track in my business, but truthfully, the most important one to me right now is actually my expenses. And I'm really focusing on keeping them low and canceling subscriptions and other things that don't matter. And the reason why that's so important to me is because I want to be sure that I am not overspending and I am being really wise with my cash flow so that I can pay myself more and pay my team more.

Because without me being paid well or my team not being paid well, I don't believe that my business would be able to grow. So making sure that I have a really, really healthy profit margin is super important to me.

Teresa:
Yes, I love that perspective. Thanks for sharing that.

All right. Well, last but certainly not least, what is a question that you would like for me to ask a future guest?

Rachel:
What would be one thing you would change about your business journey so far if you had to go back and do it again?

Teresa:
That's a really good question. This is the part of the show. I love the whole thing, but I really look forward to this part of the show because I feel very privileged. I get to hear all the questions and I hear all the answers. And that, I have to say, is a huge blessing to me because I get to sit back and think about these questions myself. It's so much fun.

Well, Rachel, thanks so much for spending time with us today. We'll be sure and put your links to your Facebook group, your 5-day challenge, your website, where everybody can get in touch with you and find out more about what you're doing.

Rachel:
Well, thank you so much. It's been such an honor to be on your podcast today.

Thanks for tuning in to another episode of Becoming a Profitable CEO. I'll be back next week but in the meantime, let's continue the conversation. Head on over to our Facebook Group at ThePurposefulCEO.com/Facebook and share your take on today's episode.