AMY PORTERFIELD: “I need you to hear this, my sweet friend. You are resourceful, too. And if you don't believe me, I want you to go back right now—pause this episode—and think about times where you figured something out that you had no idea how to do. You are resourceful. You just might not identify with that yet. But I want you to look for evidence everywhere that you have figured things out that you had no idea how to do in the beginning. I bet you'll come up with a laundry list of things.”
INTRO: I’m Amy Porterfield, ex-corporate girl turned CEO of a multi-seven-figure business. But it wasn't all that long ago that I lacked the confidence, the budget, and the time to focus on growing my small-but-mighty business. Fast forward past many failed attempts and lessons learned, and you'll see the business I have today, one that changes lives and gives me more freedom than I ever thought possible, one that used to only exist as a daydream. I created the Online Marketing Made Easy podcast to give you simple, actionable, step-by-step strategies to help you do the same. If you're an ambitious entrepreneur, or one in the making, who's looking to create a business that makes an impact and a life you love, you're in the right place, friend. Let's get started.
AMY: I've got a podcast recommendation for you, I mean beyond Online Marketing Made Easy. If you love this podcast, you're going to love the podcast by Scott D. Clary. It's called Success Story, and it's brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network and features Q&A sessions with successful business leaders and keynote presentations and conversations on sales and marketing and business and startups and entrepreneurship, all the stuff we love, right? And you can hear episodes like “Unleashing Your True Potential: A Practical Guide to Boosting Self-worth and Wealth through Authenticity” and another episode, “How to do Content Marketing Properly.” So listen to your Success Story wherever you get your podcasts.
Well, hey, there, friend. Welcome back to Online Marketing Made Easy.
I wanted to check in and see how 2023 is treating you so far. If you've been tuning in for the last few episodes, you know that for me, 2023 has been quite the whirlwind. I'd like a year-long vacation, please. Can you relate? I've just been really in my business lately, and one of the big reasons is that I’m doing a lot of things that I've never done before, so that vacation is needed because every day I feel uncomfortable. I'm doing some new things that are uncharted water for me, like writing and publishing and promoting a new book.
So Two Weeks Notice is officially out in the world, and it's a dream come true. But at the same time, I didn't know what the heck I was doing most of the time. I was literally making stuff up as I went. And I wanted to come out of my skin, and I was just so uncomfortable. But I also know that's what entrepreneurship is, right? We're supposed to feel that way. That's part of the journey.
Or my team and I have been working on a new one-on-one coaching program. That's something totally new that I've never offered. I've been asked to offer it for years and years, and I always said, “I don't do that,” but now I do. So we're navigating a new coaching program.
And I'm also in the process of building out a sales team. So if I want this one-on-one coaching program and I want it to be a bigger part of my business, then I'm going to need some really heart-centered, wonderful sales professionals to help me navigate it. And so that's new, too.
Talk about, like, literally uncomfortable every single day. But listen, I'm here for it. And what's so interesting is that when I first began all of these new endeavors, I literally had no idea where to even start. Like, I joke that I'm kind of making it up as I go, and I truly am. But talk about just, like, starting it? I didn't even know where to start. I just kind of had to figure it out, like you do with everything you're doing in your business, right?
So that's why I wanted to dive in here today. I wanted to talk about the mindset and the process, because you know I like to get tactical, the mindset and process I use when I literally have no clue how to start but I do need to figure it out.
So the first thing that you need to do when you're stepping into something you have no idea how to do is to create an identity around the fact that you are a resourceful person. So we got to start with the mindset, right? This is something that my old boss, Tony Robbins, talks a lot about. He says that a lack of resources is never what holds you back from being successful in anything you do; it's a lack of resourcefulness. Did you hear that? I think it's a good distinction. A lack of resources is never what's holding you back; it's a lack of resourcefulness. You can literally figure anything out if you put your mind to it. I firmly believe that.
Truly believing that I am a resourceful person and making that part of my identity has served me very well over the years. And it isn't something that I just tell myself. I know I'm a resourceful person because I have a track record of figuring things out.
For instance, I didn't have any idea how to start a business fourteen years ago, but with lots of trial and error, I figured it out. I didn't know how to launch a book or build out an amazing team or start a sales team or anything like that, but I am figuring it out. So I look at my track record. And I need you to hear this, my sweet friend. You are resourceful, too. And if you don't believe me, I want you to go back right now—pause this episode—and think about times where you figured something out that you had no idea how to do. You are resourceful. You just might not identify with that yet. But I want you to look for evidence everywhere that you have figured things out that you had no idea how to do in the beginning. I bet you'll come up with a laundry list of things.
And if you're having a hard time, don't overcomplicate it. Like, here's some questions. I'm going to make it really simple. Did you ever learn to ride a bike when you were really young? How did you figure that out? Did you watch other kids? Was your mom or dad kind of trailing behind you?
I remember vividly when my dad took off the training wheels of my little bike. He actually got the bike on the side of the road. Someone had a sign that said “ten dollars,” and we just drove by it. My dad's, like, “Hold on,” went in there, paid his ten dollars, put the bike in the back of his truck, and off we were. But it had training wheels on it, so that's how I started, like most kids. And then I remember, in our little cul-de-sac in Orange County, California, my dad running around. It was the time where men wore really short shorts and, like, tight T-shirts. I don't know. It was the look in the seventies. And here he is, like, early eighties. And here he is running around our neighborhood, trying to get me to ride this bike. And so, yeah, I have really vivid memories of that.
So we could start out simple. Did you learn how to do something as a kid that you never knew how to do? Let's talk about tying your shoes. We're starting out simple.
But then, let's kind of move into more present day. Did you listen to a podcast maybe I did, and you started your email list? You had no idea how to do that. Or did you create your lead magnet, or did you create your digital course? You had no idea how to create a digital course in the beginning.
These are all examples of being resourceful. And as an entrepreneur, as someone building their business, like you, believe me, I think you've been way more resourceful than you think you've been. At this point, the more you do new things in your business, the more you develop that muscle and the easier it will become to take on new challenges with confidence. So we got to look for that track record. You have one. You already have one. So we got to believe that that's proof that you can figure anything out.
Okay. Moving on. The second thing I do when I have no idea what I'm doing—drum roll, please—I break it up into small segments or phases. So I have to take baby steps, especially when I'm coming out of my skin and so uncomfortable.
So for example, with building a sales team, I'm kind of in it right now. Like, that is happening. I say, “Okay. I want a really small sales team. I want to hire a sales lead,” let's say. And then from there, maybe that person could help me hire one or two more people. Like, this is kind of just what I'm thinking in the beginning stages. So I need to find that sales lead.
So I'm just breaking it up. Like, phase one, finding and hiring a sales lead. Phase two, I am working with that sales lead to build out the funnels I need in my business in order to sell this new one-on-one coaching program. Phase three, I'm asking the sales lead if they could find one or two people to work on the sales team. So these are just little steps I'm going to take, and I'm not moving on to the next one until I secure the one before. So I'm not doing everything at once, because if I do, it could literally overwhelm me to the point that I am not doing anything.
But I actually want to back up a little bit. How did I know that those were my phases? Mm, I don't know exactly if these are the right phases. However, this is one thing I have done: I've reached out to some friends who already have a sales team or have worked with sales people. Stacy Tuschl, she's a dear friend of mine. I got to give her a shout out. She was someone who got on the phone with me. We were texting back and forth. She shared with me everything she knows.
Grant Baldwin and Bryan Harris, they live in Nashville. They have a sales team. I was introduced to these guys through my fractional CFO, and he said, “These guys are doing what you want to be doing. See if they’ll meet with you.” I call them up. I ask them if we can meet. We meet in Nashville, and they share with me everything they know.
And this is, like, so powerful when you have the courage to reach out to people and say, “Can you share with me how you did this?” or “Did you use this company? What did you think?” or “How did you get started in this?” And they have all been so generous, which reminds me and makes me want to be so generous with people that ask me for advice or my friends that reach out and say, “Can you give me a second to walk through this?” I'm always going to say yes, because people have done that for me.
So, really, the first step for me is reaching out, who's doing what I want to be doing? Who would be willing to give me advice? Now, I'm not calling them, saying, “Can I pick your brain?” No one wants to hear that, right? We've talked about that before. And I am asking very pointed questions like, “Okay, guys. Dd you hire a sales lead?” or “Where did you find your first sales person?” I didn't say, like, “Tell me everything you know and walk me through the whole process.” I feel like that's a lot to ask. So I try to be very pointed and intentional with my questions. So something to think about.
But then, once they give me some ideas, I kind of have to back off. I can't take advantage of them. And instead I'm like, “Okay, here we go. I'm going to figure this out.”
So once I call in to get some advice and ask my questions, then I break it down into phases, and I do my baby steps. Then, from there, here's what I do: I start to put together a plan. It's a loose plan. And at this point, I'm making educated guesses. I don't know exactly if this is right, but I've taken the advice, I've done my research online, and making educated guesses. I literally write down the specific actions that I'm going to take, and then, I get into action.
I'll tell you this right now, and this is so incredibly important. The only way to get clarity on something is if you get into action. I have said this a million times, but I need you to hear it right now. The only way you're going to get true answers and results, you have to just get into action. You have to do it. So stop asking all the questions. Stop asking for advice. Stop the research. At some point, you've got to just do it.
Now, I know you're probably thinking, “But, Amy, you're oversimplifying this. Doing something brand new that you've never done before that you know nothing about, that’s scary. So you're just telling me, ‘Just go do it.’ That seems unrealistic or unreasonable.” And as an entrepreneur, my sweet friend, you have to get unreasonable. We are not reasonable types as entrepreneurs, as business owners. You have to get unreasonable. So yeah, most people would say, “Amy, I've never done this before. This is brand new. I don't know what I'm doing. I need more research, more time, more questions. I need to just sit on this for a long time.” And those are the people that don't ever do it. So I'm saying at this point, you're cutting bait, and you're saying, “Well, I'm going to try something. I'm going to put out my job description and hire my first sales person. And I'm going to kind of make my way through this, even though I don't know if it's going to work.”
And remember a while ago, I interviewed Marie Forleo, and she said something that has stuck with me to this day, where she says, “I don't do overwhelm. I don't do overwhelm. Instead, I get resourceful.” She said that, and I thought, “Whoa, that is so good.” So how about if you said, “I'm not going to allow myself to sit in confusion; I'm just going to get resourceful. I'm going to see what happens. I'm going to get into action.”
And what happens is every time I take a new action, it leads me to another thing, another action, or a new decision. Clarity comes with each step I take, and it gets easier as I get going. And remember, action creates momentum, which is so crucial in accomplishing anything you set your mind to.
Okay. Stay with me here because I've got one more thing to share. And you're not going to like it, but remember, I'm your friend here, and I like to give you a little tough love sometimes. So here we go. I welcome making mistakes. Now, this is something I learned from Brooke Castillo. She actually does this thing, where every year, she commits to making one hundred ways to fail. Like, she literally puts them on paper. “Here's a hundred ways I could fail this year.”
I did this exercise with her. One of the things was, “I am going to be on the Today show.” And let me tell you, at the time of recording this, I have not been invited to the Today show yet, but I am never giving up on that one. I have failed probably fifty ways to get on the Today show. Okay. That's exaggerating. But we have pitched it. My PR team has been in front of them. It hasn’t happened for me yet, but it’s going to.
But I was willing to totally fail. I was willing for them to say no ten times or not even look at our pitches. I don't know what's going on behind the scenes, but I haven't gotten invited yet. But I'm willing to fail in that area because one day it's going to be a yes.
So I love this idea of being willing to make mistakes, be told no, have the failure, whatever it might be. I know it sounds counterintuitive, like, being willing to make all the mistakes, but once you start to embrace mistakes is when the magic happens. I know this from experience. There's other areas where I'm like, I’m willing to make the mistakes. I'm willing to get the no. And I got the yes. So I know this works.
It's really weird for an online-marketing expert to tell you, “Look for the magic,” but I'm going to tell you to look for the magic. It's going to happen. So I want you to also say, “Okay. Here's all the ways that I'm willing to let this not work, but I'm still going to give it a shot.” I think that's part of starting something new and trying something you've never done before.
So that, my sweet friend, is how I mentally approach doing new things that I have no idea how to do, and I break it down so the process isn't so overwhelming.
And to wrap up this episode, I want to leave you with a little homework. Don't worry. It's kind of fun. Take out a journal, open up a Google Doc, whatever, the Notes page on your phone. List out five things that you've always wanted to do in your business but haven't simply because you don't know how to do them. Like, let's dream big here. Let's get lofty. Get a little ballsy, here. I can't believe I just said that on my podcast, but you know what I mean. So let's get to it. And I want you to write down what you want. And then, in big letters below your list, I want you to write, “I am resourceful, and I can figure this out. I'm resourceful. I can figure this out. I'm willing to make the mistakes.” Those are three things I want you to write. You've got this, my friend. Remember, you don't even know how good it can get. I want you to write that. “I don't even know how good it can get, but I'm willing to find out. I'm excited to find out.”
I hope you love this Shorty episode. I know that it landed for a few of you that really needed to hear it, and actually, I hope a lot of you needed to hear it. And I hope it inspires you to go out and get those things that you so deserve in your business and in your life.
I love you so much. I appreciate you tuning in, and I can't wait to talk to you on Thursday for more entrepreneurial goodness, same time, same place. Bye for now.
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