Listen above or on your favorite podcast platform.
Show Notes:
One of my Rebel Therapist Masterminders mentioned recently that they like it that these episodes feature people at different stages of business. That got me to thinking. I've never really done an episode on the different stages and what gets folks from one stage to another. I realized I would have found an episode about that really helpful when I was going through the earlier stages, so I'm making it for you.
I'm gonna talk about what I know I needed and what I see my clients and colleagues needing in each of these stages. I'll give examples and refer you to Rebel Therapist episodes you might want to listen to about people going through each of these stages.
I'll use myself as an example, and I'll mention places where my journey could have gone better if I'd approached each stage differently and therefore made different choices. One of my biggest delights is when I can help you shorten your learning curve in creating your Rebel Business.
I'm using my own labels and parameters for these stages, and they may not fit with the labels you've heard before.
I'll talk about these stages:
Create stage: this is where you create your business beyond the therapy room.
Grow stage: this is where your business starts making a real income.
Expand stage. this is where you really hit your stride.
Limitless Growth stage: this is where you grow your empire to 7 figures and beyond.
for each stage, I'll talk about the biggest internal change that can happen, what we most need to do and put in place during this stage, and what can go wrong. I'll also tell you what programs I've got to help you through the different stages.
In this episode, part 1, we'll talk about the Create stage. Next time, in part 2, we'll cover the rest of the stages.
Stage 1: Create
At the beginning of this first stage, expansion beyond the treatment room hasn't happened yet. It's where you go from not having a program to having a program that you're selling to people who are delighted with it. This is the stage where most people quit.
You're going from not having a website to having one.
You're going from having no email list to having an email list.
You're creating your presence in this new business.
You might already have a private practice, or you may have already worked for someone else's business. This is a new business, and you're starting at the beginning in this one.
I mentioned in episode 115, What Drives a Rebel Therapist, that in the first year of my coaching business I made a grand total of 7k. That would be the year I was in this stage!
If you want to hear someone talking about being in the middle of this stage, you might like episode 113 with Lyndsay Bryan-Podvin, Your First Scaled Offer.
Biggest Internal Changes:
You're growing a new entrepreneurial identity.
You're going to build your willingness to fail.
What You Need To Do To Get Through This Stage:
Create a sacred space for growth, nurture that space and create a structure for yourself.
Commit to the process, both in your mindset and in what you actually do.
Believe that you can do this even though it will get hard.
Develop a big why to help you with those tough moments.
Set up time structures for yourself.
Get the right people around you.
Get around people who are ahead of you in their businesses and more importantly get around people who are moving forward with their own businesses.
You're already doing something right by listening to this podcast and listening to people who are taking action.
I also believe in NOT talking about your business during this stage with people who can't yet be supportive. It is NOT their fault. They will get it when you get to the later stages.
Some Things That Happen During This Stage:
You get clear on your niche/your people/your problem.
You have tons of conversations with colleagues who serve your folks.
You have tons of conversations with these folks.
You mine your memory of what it's like to be this person if you've been or are this person.
You might also do some social media research, looking for what folks from the niche are saying.
Whenever you're having these conversations, questions to ask:
How would you describe your problem?
What do you wish things were like instead?
What have you already tried to solve this problem? (other programs? other solutions?)
What were the outcomes of those attempts?
What is your biggest goal around this problem?
What, besides price, would make a program a no-brainer for you?
Create just enough of a presence to get started: a pilot offer, a simple website, a way for people to join your email list, and a practice of marketing regularly.
What Can Go Wrong:
Quitting can happen here. Self-doubt, comparison, and excuses about what else you have going on can get in the way of creating that sacred space for yourself.
Perfectionism can go wrong here too. I see some people trying to perfect their websites or their free offers for too long rather than getting them out there and starting the process of serving.
The program I have for people who are in the Create stage is called Create Your Program.
I'll support you and a small group of your committed peers over 5 weeks to walk through this process step by step.
This is exactly the program I could have used in that first year. If I could have had this program, I would have moved 10 times faster.
Next time I'll talk through the Grow, Expand, and Limitless Growth stages.
If you're in the Create stage, this upcoming program is just for you:
Create Your Program is a 5-week small group coaching experience with me, starting on Wednesday, March 25th, 2020.
It's limited to eight highly motivated people.
I'm going to Italy for June and July so I'm not offering this again until the fall, when it will go up in price.
Here’s how this works:
We’ll meet over video for weekly one-hour meetings for 4 weeks. You’ll complete important but reasonably sized chunks of work on your program between sessions, about 2 hours per week.
In week one, you’ll identify your big WHY, set yourself up with time and energy management practices for your new business, and learn the overall steps to creating your program.
In week 2 you’ll clarify your niche and learn from examples of rebellious businesses so you can put together your own unique program.
In week 3, you’ll choose from lots of format options and begin to craft your pilot offer.
In week 4, you’ll create your authentic and doable audience-building strategy.
In week 5, we’ve got a special 4-hour graduation and launching workshop. You’ll take everything you’ve worked on during the previous 5 weeks, and take guided steps to actually launch your program.