Latest / WOC and Allies: Business and Career Realtalk with Elaine Lou Cartas / 67: 6 Ways For Business Survival In 2024 With Tiffany Neuman

Transcript

67: 6 Ways For Business Survival In 2024 With Tiffany Neuman · WOC and Allies: Business and Career Realtalk with Elaine Lou Cartas

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_02: Have you noticed that things need to change in your business?
• 0:04
  SPEAKER_02: Like me, you probably notice more of your customers and clients wanting more one-to-one time.
• 0:10
  SPEAKER_02: Or maybe that type of content you used to create is just not resonating with your audience.
• 0:16
  SPEAKER_02: Or if you're a product-based business, sales are just not doing so well.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_02: Here's the fact that things are changing.
• 0:25
  SPEAKER_02: So how can you, as a business owner, make sure you continue to still have a business?
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_02: Today I'm joined by my own brand strategist, Tiffany Newman.
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_02: She helped me create my own brand logos, the beautiful hearts you see, because I'm heart-centered, and my brand colors.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_02: They're basically an off-color of the Philippines flag to honor my heritage because legacy means so much to me.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_02: Tiffany has worked 15 years for Fortune 500 companies and now works with small businesses in their brand strategy.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_02: And in today's episode, both Tiffany and I get to share six 2024 brand predictions.
• 1:05
  SPEAKER_01: So let's drop the beat.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_01: Hey, I'm Elaine Lukarthas.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_01: I'm a business and career coach for women of color and allies.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_01: LA Weekly awarded me the number one thought leader.
• 1:18
  SPEAKER_01: And Apple News named me one of the top five business coaches.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_01: Going through an identity crisis, professionally or personally, we'll get ready to have some conscious conversations.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_01: Now grab your coffee, tea, or boba, and let's call your dreams too.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_01: Lead your legacy.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_00: She specializes in helping women of color entrepreneurs and industry leaders land their dream career, create business opportunities through authentic relationships, both online and offline.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_00: She has been featured in Forbes, Business Insider, Money Magazine, and so many other places, spoken around the world as well as to Fortune 500 companies.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_00: And she lives in Pasadena, California and loves Muay Thai and hot yoga in her downtime.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_02: Before I introduce Tiffany, some fun facts of what we share in common.
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_02: So Tiffany boxes I do muay thai.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_02: Both of us play violin.
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_02: We are like, what?
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_02: So want to share that fun fact.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_02: And Tiffany is my brand strategist.
• 2:41
  SPEAKER_02: So I'm very honored.
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_02: And she's been a brand strategist like in the corporate world for 15 years, working with brands like FedEx, Adidas, and Bird Spees, and then help small businesses like myself.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_02: So you see the hearts for Call Your Dreams, the left heart that represents the C, and then the right heart that's the D.
• 3:01
  SPEAKER_02: Well, that's Tiffany for you.
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_02: So she's the brains behind my brand.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm excited for this joint venture.
• 3:09
  SPEAKER_02: Tiffany, why don't you share how we came upon deciding to this episode?
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_02: It was basically Voxerance, essentially, right?
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_00: We we were catching up, and you were talking about, you know, updating your podcast graphics a little bit and the naming conventions.
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_00: And we just started going off about social media and how things are changing and AI and sales tactics and all of the things.
• 3:35
  SPEAKER_00: And then you were like, you know, we should really do a podcast about this.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_00: And it was interesting because we both had said we wanted to talk, you know, really openly about these things because we're very both straightforward people.
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_00: We don't do any sugarcoating around here.
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_00: And we're both, you know, just really focused on the future.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_00: We're playing our businesses for the long game.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_00: And so we said, let's do it.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_00: And we've been, I've been in business for six years, same as you, right?
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_00: I will be getting to six years soon, yes.
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_02: So I started back in 2017 and it just has changed and shifted.
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm sure for all of you, I've also seen businesses close and stop or take a break.
• 4:19
  SPEAKER_02: And there's also nothing wrong with that.
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_02: I also want to share that.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_02: But then the question becomes for us for small business owners, how do we keep for the long run?
• 4:29
  SPEAKER_02: And yeah, anything you want to add to that, Tiffany?
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, I just agree with you 100%.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_00: I feel like, you know, the last three years specifically, we've all been through a lot.
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_00: And there was a lot of trauma that kind of came from that, that I a collective trauma that I don't think people were starting to really feel or realize until this year.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_00: And then there's also some, I've experienced hearing some curiosity and fear around next year.
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_00: You know, in the States, we have the election year coming up, and a lot of people are like wondering how to proceed.
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_00: And I have a lot of thoughts around that, and I know you do too.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_00: So that's that's really kind of where we're coming from, too, is like what's shifting, what the opportunities actually are instead of looking at it and fear and like, oh, what could happen?
• 5:15
  SPEAKER_00: What are the possibilities for us?
• 5:17
  SPEAKER_02: Ooh.
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 5:19
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, well, we're just gonna have a conversation talking about the 2024 brand predictions.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_02: We have six we want to share with you, but we're also mindful maybe we'll be sharing more.
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_02: So we're gonna tag team this.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_02: But one of the things that Tiffany and I were talking our Voxer, essentially, we're just publicizing our Voxer conversations exactly on this episode.
• 5:40
  SPEAKER_02: Is people want you.
• 5:42
  SPEAKER_02: They want more one-to-one.
• 5:44
  SPEAKER_02: The success rates for courses are like 1%.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_02: And to be transparent, I'm actually doing a course.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_02: I didn't even share this with you, Tiffany, but a good friend of ours, a mutual friend, Amber Duggar, who was in a mastermind with us.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_02: I'm doing her Profit for Keeps.
• 5:59
  SPEAKER_02: It's a cash management course.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_02: But I told them, I can't just do this course.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_02: I need to work with someone.
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_02: Like I already know myself.
• 6:07
  SPEAKER_02: I am not gonna do this course self-paced, so I'm working with a coach on it.
• 6:11
  SPEAKER_02: And that's because I need that, I do need the hand holding.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_02: I do need the accountability.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_02: And also we are human and we process better when we are communicating with one another.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_02: I always kind of like thinking about when we were teenagers and our small problems of the people we didn't like or someone bullying us.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_02: We talk to our friends and family members and then we feel better.
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_02: But anything else you want to add with why people want one-to-one versus courses, and not just one-to-one, but also group as well.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_00: So I feel like I think for me it all comes back to I'm kind of famous for the saying of we can't see the label from inside the bottle because we're so close to what we do.
• 6:49
  SPEAKER_00: So, from a branding perspective, so many people have been working on their brand and trying to go out alone for like years.
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_00: So, which is why I I do do one-on-one branding, but I also have a group process, which he went through.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_00: And like same thing, why you you do so much one-on-one, but also group coaching.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_00: Neither one of us have courses.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_00: And I've been told by mentors so many times, you could make your process into a course, you could reach so many people, you could make so much money money.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_00: And I said, Yes, but I have had a hundred percent success rate for people going through my program.
• 7:22
  SPEAKER_00: You can't say that about courses.
• 7:24
  SPEAKER_00: And I think the same for you, right?
• 7:25
  SPEAKER_00: Like it's so that's some value having community.
• 7:29
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it's like a values and ethical decision, right?
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, I I've talked to a lot of my friends, like, that's cool.
• 7:37
  SPEAKER_02: I could make a lot of money if I did a course, but knowing that people are not gonna get the success and the results they deserve doesn't sit well with me.
• 7:46
  SPEAKER_02: And also for me, coming from like a fundraising nonprofit sector working in politics, like my career prior to this, I need to be in touch with the people I'm serving.
• 7:58
  SPEAKER_02: Because if that's not there, then I I don't know how to connect.
• 8:03
  SPEAKER_02: So I do need that connection.
• 8:05
  SPEAKER_02: Even in my group coaching, I provide like monthly one-to-one.
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_02: So I have if I have clients who are one-to-ones, it's bi-weekly, so it's two sessions a month.
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_02: So there's integration implementation.
• 8:15
  SPEAKER_02: And then even my group programs, I do the monthly one-to-ones, and I see that my clients appreciate.
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_02: I just kind of own to the fact of you know what?
• 8:22
  SPEAKER_02: I kind of want to be like a liberal arts Ivy League school.
• 8:25
  SPEAKER_02: I want to work with a limited number of clients, and that's it.
• 8:27
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, same.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_00: I love being that boutique seal.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_00: And then for people listening who are like have a course or working on a course, they're like, oh no, this is horrible news.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_00: I guess the thing I would say to that too is it doesn't mean that you can have a curriculum behind a program.
• 8:42
  SPEAKER_00: You know, like there's something, but like to your point, it's where are the touch points?
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_00: Don't leave people to their own devices to try and work through it on their own.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_00: So maybe it's weekly calls with you, or you know, whether it's in a group or whether it's one-on-one.
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_00: So you're just not leaving people to their own devices.
• 9:01
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_02: And I will say there's a reason why they're taking the course with you and a challenge of why they haven't been able to get the results.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_02: So, all right, Tiffany, you're on number two.
• 9:12
  SPEAKER_00: Good.
• 9:13
  SPEAKER_00: So number two is sort of an extension of what we were already talking about, is like why community is so important, but also that I believe that communities are the new social media.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_00: So this sort of stems from my friend Laura Zug, Credit Where Credit's due.
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_00: And she is a community specialist, right?
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_00: She she's a community expert, basically.
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_00: And we were having a conversation, and I've just had so many clients saying, like, literally, I was on a call yesterday, and a prospect was saying social media just seems icky now.
• 9:45
  SPEAKER_00: And she was like an influencer on social media, a high-level influencer, and she just went bold, like stopped posting, and she was like, after everything that's been happening over the last three years, but especially the last few months, she's like, it just feels icky.
• 9:59
  SPEAKER_00: It feels gross.
• 10:00
  SPEAKER_00: I don't want to be there.
• 10:02
  SPEAKER_00: So I don't think that necessarily completely removing yourself is from social media is the best idea, but a lot of people are pausing to reconfigure because it's it's changing and it's moving.
• 10:12
  SPEAKER_00: So what we were talking about earlier is it's to me, it's more of like social media is there for awareness and to people to kind of like, okay, like I see what Elaine's about.
• 10:23
  SPEAKER_00: I can see what Tiffany's about.
• 10:25
  SPEAKER_00: It's less for sales.
• 10:28
  SPEAKER_00: Like a lot of people used to just always be selling on social media.
• 10:31
  SPEAKER_00: Now it's not that you're never going to sell on social media either, but what I truly believe is communities are where it's at.
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_00: So I myself am part of a networking community, and I also like run a women's networking community because that's a space where you can forge deeper, really valuable relationships where social media, it's so surface and you don't really get to know people.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_00: So again, it doesn't mean you have to leave social media completely, but like we've talked about, I've pretty much left Facebook.
• 11:05
  SPEAKER_00: I'm on Instagram just to have a presence, but I focus more on LinkedIn now more than ever because that's where more serious business owners tend to be.
• 11:16
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 11:16
  SPEAKER_02: I've also I've also done the shift to LinkedIn.
• 11:19
  SPEAKER_02: I'm a top communication voice.
• 11:21
  SPEAKER_02: I've been at two LinkedIn events, one in the Chicago office, one in a San Francisco office.
• 11:27
  SPEAKER_02: And I think I think the reason why moving people are moving towards that is because there's pretty good boundaries in terms of people sharing their professional life and people know that that's what it is.
• 11:39
  SPEAKER_02: As opposed to Instagram, it's kind of a mess of all of it, right?
• 11:43
  SPEAKER_02: Of the here's my reality television show, as well as let me sell to you.
• 11:48
  SPEAKER_02: And it also becomes so much.
• 11:49
  SPEAKER_02: And as someone who's trauma informed, because I'm trauma-informed certified, it's like we don't when we open up Facebook or Instagram, there's an algorithm.
• 12:00
  SPEAKER_02: So the things we see in our feed isn't even things we chose.
• 12:04
  SPEAKER_02: It's based off of what social media is choosing for us as opposed to like LinkedIn or even this podcast episode, you're choosing to listen to it.
• 12:15
  SPEAKER_02: Like going back to communities, I mean, I'm sure you receive this too.
• 12:20
  SPEAKER_02: Like, for example, whether my clients are one-to-one or they're part of my mastermind, I have office hours weekly, twice a month with me, and then the other weeks with my other coaches who compliment mice, like what I do.
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_02: And a lot of my clients just say, it's so nice to meet other people who also have problems.
• 12:40
  SPEAKER_02: Because on social media, what do we show?
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_02: We showcase like the highlight reels of how amazing our life is.
• 12:45
  SPEAKER_02: Well, majority of people do.
• 12:46
  SPEAKER_02: I'm not sure.
• 12:47
  SPEAKER_00: Or they go completely the opposite and share everything, which becomes TMI.
• 12:52
  SPEAKER_00: And then I would like people say to be vulnerable, and then it's like, there's too much vulnerability, I believe, as a brand strategist, where I would look at this person and be like, I would never fire them because they're sharing everything, you know, like yes, humans are humans.
• 13:06
  SPEAKER_00: So there's to me, there's a balance, right?
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_00: Of like the vulnerability and not being picture perfect, but also you do not have to share every little detail.
• 13:18
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you so much for sharing that.
• 13:21
  SPEAKER_02: And also, um, we're not gonna share names here, but I remember around launch time for this specific individual, this person would share a very vulnerable story of what happened to them before.
• 13:33
  SPEAKER_02: I was like, huh, that's fascinating.
• 13:35
  SPEAKER_02: Every single time she has like this person has a launch, it's about two weeks before, and they share this vulnerable story.
• 13:41
  SPEAKER_02: And it just feels icky.
• 13:42
  SPEAKER_02: It's like you're using your trauma to sell.
• 13:45
  SPEAKER_02: It just doesn't feel good.
• 13:47
  SPEAKER_02: One, and then two, I mean, I understand that for some people, they do need to process and they write what they want to and they share it on social media.
• 13:55
  SPEAKER_02: Great for them.
• 13:56
  SPEAKER_02: But then unfortunately, it creates this unconscious pressure where everyone feels like they need to share our all their stuff.
• 14:02
  SPEAKER_02: And that, I mean, I am not a licensed therapist, I'm not a psychologist, but I could only imagine the ramifications if you are not self-regulated to share your trauma because you haven't processed it yourself.
• 14:15
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 14:16
  SPEAKER_00: I just literally sent an email about this.
• 14:20
  SPEAKER_00: So one of the things that I do is help people write their signature stories and share it from stage and things as part of the brand.
• 14:26
  SPEAKER_00: And so I shared that I shared one of my more vulnerable stories from stages, from stage, because it was impactful, but because it it was inspiring to people and it created an impact, not for like self-serving purposes, right?
• 14:45
  SPEAKER_00: And I said, there is no reason, like I love to help people create their signature stories because it is how like we're gonna talk about storytelling later.
• 14:53
  SPEAKER_00: Like, storytelling is important, but it's always up to you what you share from what you share, and if you're ready to share it.
• 15:00
  SPEAKER_00: And what's the purpose?
• 15:01
  SPEAKER_00: Like, don't share stories just for story's sake.
• 15:04
  SPEAKER_00: Like, if it makes sense and it resonates, you know, with what you're speaking to.
• 15:09
  SPEAKER_00: So there's so many like details to that.
• 15:14
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 15:14
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, I could give an example.
• 15:16
  SPEAKER_02: There was an email I sent out earlier because we were recording this what mid-December of 2023.
• 15:21
  SPEAKER_02: And I wasn't really vulnerable.
• 15:23
  SPEAKER_02: It was just I had this New Year's resolution that I was gonna start doing Muay Thai.
• 15:27
  SPEAKER_02: Muay Thai is Thai kickboxing because I got into it when I was 16.
• 15:31
  SPEAKER_02: And so I wrote in my newsletter, like, yeah, I had this New Year's resolution, but I am 11 months late to hitting that resolution of going back to Muay Thai.
• 15:42
  SPEAKER_02: And the purpose of that, I was just like, hey, it's never too late.
• 15:46
  SPEAKER_02: Like, you don't, I know it's 11 months into the year, but if you want to get started, you can get started now.
• 15:52
  SPEAKER_02: Like you don't have to create a timeline.
• 15:54
  SPEAKER_02: So that was my intention for what I wrote.
• 15:56
  SPEAKER_02: But it wasn't also too vulnerable.
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_02: It was just an every, well, not an everyday story, but nothing emotional about that.
• 16:03
  SPEAKER_02: So the third brand prediction is we kind of touched on it, but content on social media is just good for awareness.
• 16:12
  SPEAKER_02: And also, I'm excited to share this because both Sophie and I were ranting.
• 16:16
  SPEAKER_02: I'm sorry.
• 16:17
  SPEAKER_02: Actually, I'm not sorry.
• 16:18
  SPEAKER_02: I'm excited.
• 16:19
  SPEAKER_02: The fake lifestyle photos of people showing their perfect life, the laptop lifestyle with other big hitters or friends in the industry just doesn't work for a lot of people.
• 16:32
  SPEAKER_02: Actually, like consumers are just smarter.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_02: When I see stuff like that, I even question like, do you have a life outside of your work?
• 16:39
  SPEAKER_02: Why, why?
• 16:40
  SPEAKER_02: Why are all your friends, people in the industry?
• 16:43
  SPEAKER_02: Can you not make friends outside of it?
• 16:45
  SPEAKER_02: Because that's questionable.
• 16:46
  SPEAKER_02: And what about your friends and family?
• 16:48
  SPEAKER_02: I I'm just even me as someone who is observing, I'm like, I don't know.
• 16:53
  SPEAKER_02: I I mean, I remember when I used to work in politics, I was with working so much, I was missing friends and family parties.
• 17:01
  SPEAKER_02: And my life was consumed with work and nothing else.
• 17:05
  SPEAKER_02: And so I can't help but think that.
• 17:07
  SPEAKER_02: Anything you want to add to content on social media?
• 17:10
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, and I think, I mean, there's just like we were talking about the stories, there's a balance to it because, you know, if you go to an event and you're surrounded by those people, like it is fun to share those things, and there's nothing wrong with that, or if you're hosting a retreat, you know, or what have you.
• 17:26
  SPEAKER_00: But I do think a lot of it's used for positioning, which you know, branding is positioning, but how authentic are you being is is really where it comes from.
• 17:39
  SPEAKER_00: Like the whole bro marketing, it reminds me, you know, like renting a Lambo for the day in front of a mansion and leaning against it and then posting those pictures, which I know nobody listening to this does, but like how icky is that?
• 17:52
  SPEAKER_00: You know, now as a brand strategist too, like I do I creative direct photo shoots for people's websites.
• 17:58
  SPEAKER_00: Like that's different because you do need professional looking photos, not just like snapshots from your phone for your website.
• 18:07
  SPEAKER_00: Like you need to walk the walk, talk the talk, right?
• 18:11
  SPEAKER_00: However, like on social media, I think you're 100% right.
• 18:15
  SPEAKER_00: Not every image needs to be perfect, right?
• 18:18
  SPEAKER_00: Not every image needs to do all those things because people do, like we said, or there's that balance.
• 18:25
  SPEAKER_00: People, you don't need to be super vulnerable and show up with no makeup and a messy bun every day either, but feel like there's there's that in-between stage where you're a real human and you're, you know, hang like hiking with your boyfriend or hanging out with your child, you know, and and I think there's that balance of like showing people the behind the scenes and not so I don't know, this is my personal thing.
• 18:48
  SPEAKER_00: Most of those images I like to share on stories.
• 18:51
  SPEAKER_00: I'm like, okay, if you're settling me on stories, that seems a little more personal.
• 18:55
  SPEAKER_00: And I'll share like I'm at Disney with my family or whatever, where Instagram, and I'm just talking about Instagram for this moment, Instagram itself, those are gonna be more like business-focused posts.
• 19:08
  SPEAKER_00: And then LinkedIn, it's mostly business.
• 19:11
  SPEAKER_00: Like, there's not as much need for all of that.
• 19:13
  SPEAKER_00: Like, I'm gonna share everything about me and my family behind the scenes because that's just not the space for that platform.
• 19:22
  SPEAKER_01: Legacy leader.
• 19:23
  SPEAKER_01: I know what you're thinking.
• 19:24
  SPEAKER_01: Elaine, you have such good stuff here.
• 19:27
  SPEAKER_01: I want more.
• 19:28
  SPEAKER_01: So if you want more tips and advice for your business career in life, sign up for my gifts and gifts newsletter at elanelu.com forward slash join.
• 19:39
  SPEAKER_01: That's J-O-I-N.
• 19:41
  SPEAKER_01: And here's three things you'll get when you join, because I'm like Santa Claus.
• 19:46
  SPEAKER_01: I love giving.
• 19:47
  SPEAKER_01: Number one, funny gifts.
• 19:49
  SPEAKER_01: Cause who doesn't love memes and pop culture references?
• 19:53
  SPEAKER_01: This newsletter is so fetch.
• 19:55
  SPEAKER_01: Number two, receive actionable gifts.
• 19:58
  SPEAKER_01: That's business, career, and life tips that you can start doing today.
• 20:03
  SPEAKER_01: Third, the gift of me.
• 20:05
  SPEAKER_01: Not only do you get my wins, but also my failures, my reflections.
• 20:10
  SPEAKER_01: My gifts and gifts newsletter is like an up-to-date diary.
• 20:13
  SPEAKER_01: Think Zenga or Life Journal for my fellow millennials, where I share vulnerable stories, relatable mistakes, and important life tips like what to watch on Netflix.
• 20:25
  SPEAKER_01: Like when's the next Bridgeton season?
• 20:27
  SPEAKER_01: So if you're ready for those fun gifts and actionable gifts to create a more sustainable life, then join my newsletter at ElaineLou.com forward slash join.
• 20:39
  SPEAKER_01: That's J O I N.
• 20:41
  SPEAKER_01: All right, let's get back to the episode.
• 20:47
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it's fascinating because when I look at my Instagram sets, the engagement has gone down, by the way.
• 20:52
  SPEAKER_02: Ever since 2020 and everything that's happening this past year, but my Instagram engagement has gone completely down.
• 21:00
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm not surprised, right?
• 21:02
  SPEAKER_02: There's so much being shared.
• 21:04
  SPEAKER_02: It's also overwhelming.
• 21:05
  SPEAKER_02: We've been people are still getting COVID, but like we're three years since the pandemic, since people have been getting like COVID.
• 21:12
  SPEAKER_02: And it's a lot.
• 21:14
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 21:14
  SPEAKER_02: So it makes sense why it's gone down and it could be a lot.
• 21:19
  SPEAKER_02: While at the same time, it's like finding that healthy balance.
• 21:22
  SPEAKER_02: And and another thing, not just in a professional business brand brand prediction, but I used to post stories all the time.
• 21:28
  SPEAKER_02: I used to do lives.
• 21:30
  SPEAKER_02: But what happened is when I would be on vacation with my partner or with my family, I would start thinking, I would take my phone out, ooh, this would be really great content that I could take right now.
• 21:40
  SPEAKER_02: Or like, let's put the food this way.
• 21:42
  SPEAKER_02: Or like, what if I put it in the background and do it slow-mo?
• 21:45
  SPEAKER_02: And it was like Instead of being present.
• 21:47
  SPEAKER_02: Exactly.
• 21:48
  SPEAKER_02: Instead of being present, I was like, what would make great content?
• 21:52
  SPEAKER_02: And even my partner would be irritated, like, do you really need to post and take all this?
• 21:56
  SPEAKER_02: Like, yeah, yeah, yeah, I need it.
• 21:57
  SPEAKER_02: Like, people love seeing this stuff.
• 21:58
  SPEAKER_02: And and thank God for things.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_02: Therapy and self-awareness.
• 22:01
  SPEAKER_02: Or it was like, I just stopped doing it.
• 22:04
  SPEAKER_00: Same.
• 22:05
  SPEAKER_00: I took my family to Thanksgiving, to Thanksgiving, to Disney over Thanksgiving, and like my parents, my brother, and everything.
• 22:12
  SPEAKER_00: And I took my phone out.
• 22:14
  SPEAKER_00: Like we took some pictures of each other.
• 22:16
  SPEAKER_00: And I think I posted one picture of my daughter and I, just like, this is what we did.
• 22:21
  SPEAKER_00: And that's it.
• 22:22
  SPEAKER_00: And because I wasn't thinking, and I really didn't have a lot of great photos to share, but I didn't feel compelled to.
• 22:27
  SPEAKER_00: I'm like, this really, you know, it's like there's all these like Instagram gurus saying, like, you have to do all these things.
• 22:34
  SPEAKER_00: I've seen, and again, if you're listening to this, you're an Instagram guru, like, you know, don't shoot the messenger.
• 22:40
  SPEAKER_00: But I've seen a lot of people who actually are social media strategists getting burnt out themselves and talking about the burnout themselves.
• 22:48
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, what's it worth?
• 22:50
  SPEAKER_00: Like, and if you're focused on building content all the time and that's all you're focused on, how well are you really serving your clients?
• 22:57
  SPEAKER_00: Unless that's your role.
• 22:58
  SPEAKER_00: Like, if it's your role to serve people with social media, it makes more sense.
• 23:02
  SPEAKER_00: But like as a coach, as a brand strategist, if we're spending 50% of our time creating this content, what's really happening in the back end?
• 23:10
  SPEAKER_00: How are we showing up for our teams?
• 23:12
  SPEAKER_00: How are we showing up for our clients?
• 23:14
  SPEAKER_02: 100% everything that you just said.
• 23:16
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, see, we're like jumping over, but one of the things we're going to talk about is like the consumer being smarter.
• 23:21
  SPEAKER_02: But I even think about that.
• 23:22
  SPEAKER_02: I was like, if you're putting out all this marketing and a lot of content, does that mean your service and product is real shit because you have to create all this?
• 23:30
  SPEAKER_02: Like, because the best compliment for being a business owner is having referrals and renewals, which is a majority of my business.
• 23:38
  SPEAKER_02: That is the best compliment.
• 23:39
  SPEAKER_02: Like you shouldn't have to market and try so hard if unless you have a very bad service or product.
• 23:46
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 23:47
  SPEAKER_00: And I think there's probably again, you know, obje like objections to the rule to that rule because there's, you know, we're gonna talk about AI later, and there's ways to create content faster now, but that has a whole nother ramification that we can go into later.
• 24:04
  SPEAKER_00: So Yeah.
• 24:05
  SPEAKER_00: Well, why don't we go into the fourth tip, Tiffany?
• 24:08
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 24:09
  SPEAKER_00: So it's really extending from everything else we talked about, but what you and I have really focused on doing since like the social media is, and then there's also like we didn't even talk about, you know, so much of that is vanity metrics, right?
• 24:22
  SPEAKER_00: Like I've never really focused in building my Instagram building, but you can see people with like 30,000 followers and they're getting seven likes.
• 24:29
  SPEAKER_00: A lot of the followings aren't even real people or they're not engaged in all those things.
• 24:35
  SPEAKER_00: So I really had to do my own work around that.
• 24:38
  SPEAKER_00: Like, well, I don't have a billion followers.
• 24:41
  SPEAKER_00: You know, what does that look like when people show up?
• 24:43
  SPEAKER_00: And it doesn't matter because the people who work with me know the value.
• 24:47
  SPEAKER_00: And like you said, I am referraled.
• 24:50
  SPEAKER_00: Like, I have a wait list for one on one most of the time, and I don't have to even like I could go completely off of social media.
• 24:57
  SPEAKER_00: But the next piece of that is the long form content SEO, which I know you've really dug into and I've started to dig into, which is our podcasts, our blogs, email marketing, and having those searchable things because we need to show up where people are actually searching for us, not just hoping and praying and spraying, like, I'm gonna put this on social media.
• 25:20
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe somebody will see that and like want to work with me.
• 25:24
  SPEAKER_00: Again, I think it's important to have a presence for awareness on some level, but really having we both talk about legacy, right?
• 25:31
  SPEAKER_00: So creating a body of work that truly is gonna be our legacy.
• 25:35
  SPEAKER_00: But somebody 10 years from now could search on Google and find one of our podcasts or find something on Pinterest or our blogs or YouTube is another great one.
• 25:46
  SPEAKER_00: I'm not really on YouTube, but those are all great places that your content's going to live for a long time and it's searchable.
• 25:54
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, let's kind of think of it like basics, right?
• 25:56
  SPEAKER_02: Let's say you're planning a trip.
• 25:58
  SPEAKER_02: But for me every day, I go to Instagram not because I want to buy something, because I want a break.
• 26:04
  SPEAKER_02: So I want to look at memes and funny cat or dog videos.
• 26:08
  SPEAKER_02: Literally, that is what I use on social media.
• 26:10
  SPEAKER_00: I love about inspirational quotes.
• 26:11
  SPEAKER_00: It's silly, it's easy, but I love them.
• 26:14
  SPEAKER_02: But I don't go for I'm I'm gonna take my credit card out and buy something.
• 26:18
  SPEAKER_02: So that's what I go to social media for.
• 26:22
  SPEAKER_02: But, like, for example, my partner and I were planning to go to Banff in Canada to go skiing.
• 26:28
  SPEAKER_02: We were Googling, we were searching hotels, we were using TripAdvisor, looking at reviews or Google reviews of hotels to stay at, what to do.
• 26:36
  SPEAKER_02: Like we were intentional on the research we wanted to do.
• 26:38
  SPEAKER_02: So if you think about that, like vacations and trips, think about that with your consumer and your client.
• 26:44
  SPEAKER_02: What are they doing to search for you?
• 26:46
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, just like to Best Woman of Color coach, best even a branding strategist.
• 26:52
  SPEAKER_00: Like, what is that for you?
• 26:54
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, look up WOC Business Coach or WOC Career Coach.
• 26:57
  SPEAKER_02: I'm number one after the ads.
• 26:58
  SPEAKER_02: Like I worked on it for the past two years.
• 27:00
  SPEAKER_02: And another thing, when it comes to SEO blogs or podcasting, long form content, the thing where social media has been trendier, people want to go to it, it's because it's instant gratification.
• 27:10
  SPEAKER_02: Social media companies know that it gives you a dopamine hit.
• 27:13
  SPEAKER_02: The unfortunate thing, I'm just warning all of you with long-form content like SEO podcasts and blogs, it does take a while.
• 27:18
  SPEAKER_02: But to our benefit, both me and Tiffany, because we're not focused on like getting so many clients or consumers, but working with a limited amount, is that our type of clients and consumers want to get to know us.
• 27:31
  SPEAKER_02: They want to know the quality.
• 27:33
  SPEAKER_02: They want to know that we are providing them one-to-one attention, not just knowing their first name, but knowing that they love the color blue and that they have a dog that they're that they were in love with when they were seven and they think about that dog all the time, like to those granular details.
• 27:48
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so so true.
• 27:50
  SPEAKER_00: And I especially again with email, and you hear that too, you know, like everybody needs an email list.
• 27:57
  SPEAKER_00: And so a lot of you listening are probably have your email list.
• 28:01
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you're doing some of these long form things, but I really think next year is gonna be very pivotal.
• 28:07
  SPEAKER_00: I can't tell you how many people that I see are like either leaving social media completely, and that also goes with communities.
• 28:15
  SPEAKER_00: Like I took my community off of Facebook, and we are on Heartbeat, which is an amazing tool to get off of social media and have a really congruent and aligned and engaged community, right?
• 28:28
  SPEAKER_00: So there's there's so many reasons for that.
• 28:31
  SPEAKER_00: And I don't know, I know my productivity has gone way up now that like I don't really use social media.
• 28:38
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, same.
• 28:39
  SPEAKER_02: Oh my god.
• 28:40
  SPEAKER_02: I remember I used to like spend an hour or two first thing in the morning working on social media stuff.
• 28:45
  SPEAKER_02: It was just exhausting.
• 28:47
  SPEAKER_00: But we're gonna get it all.
• 28:49
  SPEAKER_02: And also I will be votable and transparent, checking my phone to see how many likes and comments got up, you know?
• 28:56
  SPEAKER_02: Or oh no, why am I not getting any likes or comments?
• 28:59
  SPEAKER_02: Oh my gosh.
• 29:00
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, like social media is like that is so like freeing.
• 29:05
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I feel like I feel like I'm in a high a high school teenager when I'm in social media because you're thinking about who likes it, who comments.
• 29:13
  SPEAKER_02: But anyways, it's true.
• 29:14
  SPEAKER_00: And I have a nine-year-old, and I've been thinking about that.
• 29:16
  SPEAKER_00: Obviously, she's not on social media, but you know, she wants to be and she sees I don't know who these people are letting their nine-year-olds on social media, but there are there are out there, and I'm just like for mental health, it's just not it's not good enough.
• 29:29
  SPEAKER_02: A future podcast episode I'm doing is actually with an occupational therapist who works with kids, so she does parent coaching.
• 29:36
  SPEAKER_02: And we're just talking about screens and how because you know, our generation, we weren't born with it.
• 29:44
  unknown: Right.
• 29:44
  SPEAKER_02: Unfortunately, our kids are.
• 29:46
  SPEAKER_02: But because of that, what a lot of kids are using, or even adults, is using their screen when they're feeling anxious, when they feel anxious.
• 29:54
  SPEAKER_02: It creates more anxiety, as opposed to having that conversation, having that difficult conversation with that person.
• 30:01
  SPEAKER_02: Hey mom, I didn't like that you yelled at me.
• 30:04
  SPEAKER_02: And then as a parent telling them, I'm sorry I yelled at you that you shouldn't be close to the stove.
• 30:09
  SPEAKER_02: I was just really scared that you were gonna get hurt next time.
• 30:12
  SPEAKER_02: I'll tell you to move away so you don't get burned.
• 30:15
  SPEAKER_02: Okay.
• 30:16
  SPEAKER_02: So fifth tip is the consumer and client is more aware now.
• 30:22
  SPEAKER_02: Like persuasion selling doesn't work.
• 30:23
  SPEAKER_02: You know, the whole like, hey, get it 50% off before midnight, the shiny objects syndrome just doesn't work.
• 30:29
  SPEAKER_02: People know that the glitz and glamour doesn't work, and they just want to get to know you if you're gonna give them the one-to-one attention, and they are going to get the results or the transformation that they deserve.
• 30:40
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 30:40
  SPEAKER_00: 100%.
• 30:41
  SPEAKER_00: And I think we've all had this like shiny on object syndrome for years now.
• 30:47
  SPEAKER_00: And so there's still people selling in that way, and there's still people buying on some low level.
• 30:52
  SPEAKER_00: But from everybody I've seen and talked to, like launches like that are way down because people are being more mindful with what they're engaging in.
• 31:04
  SPEAKER_00: If they see a shiny object, they're able to say, no, like I don't need that right now.
• 31:09
  SPEAKER_00: This is what I need, which is so smart because they're going to search that out and find you.
• 31:15
  SPEAKER_00: Like, I have people all the time that will come in and be like, okay, I'm ready.
• 31:18
  SPEAKER_00: Like, I need a new website.
• 31:20
  SPEAKER_00: I need a new brand because of this.
• 31:22
  SPEAKER_00: I don't need to be out there convincing people you need a new brand, you know?
• 31:27
  SPEAKER_00: And so meeting our people where they're at when they're aware of their problem with air quotes and looking for a solution, that's the best people way to meet people because you are serving them from a space of authenticity and from love instead of like, you have to buy this thing, get on a sales call now, you know, and and then convincing people to purchase.
• 31:53
  SPEAKER_00: It's just not healthy.
• 31:55
  SPEAKER_02: Well, before I hit record here, I'm not gonna share names once again, but I took this course because I did need to learn, which I did learn, and they're upselling this program, right?
• 32:07
  SPEAKER_02: And like, okay, if you sign up for a sales call for this program, you get these free things.
• 32:14
  SPEAKER_02: And I wanted the free things.
• 32:15
  SPEAKER_02: I'm like, okay, I'm gonna schedule a call, even though I knew that I was not gonna buy the thing that they're upselling me.
• 32:21
  SPEAKER_02: So I went ahead and scheduled one, and then I got the free thing, and then I canceled the call, and then it was so aggressive, passive aggressive, like, hey, why'd you cancel the call?
• 32:31
  SPEAKER_02: What happened?
• 32:32
  SPEAKER_02: I'm like, I wanted the free thing, I was had no intention to go on the call.
• 32:36
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 32:36
  SPEAKER_00: Like, well, you now go on the call.
• 32:39
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, think about if they were given the free thing and then invited people on the sales call, maybe people actually would have joined more instead of being under like heated pressure.
• 32:51
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it was such heated pressure.
• 32:53
  SPEAKER_02: And it's like, if you join now, like you'll get X amount, and it's just like it just doesn't feel good.
• 32:58
  SPEAKER_02: And oh, I will be transparent.
• 33:00
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, I used to do that because that's what I was taught, and then I realized, wait, this feels so icky.
• 33:05
  SPEAKER_02: I need to not do that anymore.
• 33:13
  SPEAKER_00: You know, how to persuade people that I don't want to persuade people, like that's just so icky, you know?
• 33:21
  SPEAKER_00: And I'll I to be transparent here, like I became NLP trained because I saw the need for people to break through blocks, right?
• 33:29
  SPEAKER_00: I have so many women who have visibility blocks and different blocks.
• 33:32
  SPEAKER_00: And if you know anything about NLP, it can be used persuasively, it can be used in and it's just like anything else, right?
• 33:40
  SPEAKER_00: Money.
• 33:40
  SPEAKER_00: Money's a tool.
• 33:42
  SPEAKER_00: It can be used for good or for bad.
• 33:44
  SPEAKER_00: And it just shows people's true colors.
• 33:47
  SPEAKER_00: Like I use it in a way that's very conscious and kind and like literally helps people through what's holding them back.
• 33:55
  SPEAKER_00: There's a lot of people that use it in their sales tactics and convince people, and then they have buyers' remorse, and then they wonder why they have so many chargebacks, right?
• 34:05
  SPEAKER_00: Like, anyways, we could go on tangents for that for a while, probably.
• 34:11
  SPEAKER_02: Well, the six, the sixth and final tip is more of your expertise.
• 34:15
  SPEAKER_02: So, do you want to share that, Tip?
• 34:17
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I can jump into that as we wrap up here.
• 34:20
  SPEAKER_00: So it's all about brand voice and storytelling, right?
• 34:23
  SPEAKER_00: So when we do put content out there, and I think you are already wonderful at this, and you know, I obviously do it too, is instead of what are the selling tactics and how what are the shiny objects, is showing up in a way that's truly using your voice and telling stories and being the right amount of vulnerable and all of those things, which is part of what I teach.
• 34:49
  SPEAKER_00: But this huge thing that's landed on us in the last few years is AI, right?
• 34:54
  SPEAKER_00: And so there's so many people that are like, oh, well, now you can create all of your content in a year.
• 35:00
  SPEAKER_00: So kind of going back to what we were talking about earlier, it's like, are these people really working?
• 35:03
  SPEAKER_00: Well, maybe they're using AI and they are writing their content in like a day.
• 35:07
  SPEAKER_00: But when you use AI, first of all, it's scraping the internet for things that already exist.
• 35:13
  SPEAKER_00: So you're technically using other people's language.
• 35:16
  SPEAKER_00: So you could sound just like somebody else, and you're not putting your like spin on it.
• 35:24
  SPEAKER_00: You're not putting your secret sauce on it.
• 35:26
  SPEAKER_00: So you end up sounding like a robot.
• 35:30
  SPEAKER_00: That's the other piece, is really when you even if you do use AI, because it is a wonderful tool, and I teach my clients how to use their brand manuals and turn it into content.
• 35:38
  SPEAKER_00: The thing is, it's great for brainstorming and it's great to start, but you need to edit it.
• 35:43
  SPEAKER_00: You need to put your touch on it.
• 35:45
  SPEAKER_00: It's not a tool that should just spit out things for you to use as is.
• 35:51
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it's not a copy and paste.
• 35:52
  SPEAKER_02: So I've done two courses on AI with a company.
• 35:56
  SPEAKER_02: And remember, just like you were saying, with money is a tool, NLP is a tool, AI is a tool.
• 36:01
  SPEAKER_02: So it can help you save time, just like we use a QD or Cam Lee on our calendar.
• 36:06
  SPEAKER_02: But what it is not, it is not you.
• 36:09
  SPEAKER_02: It is not a human, it doesn't have emotions, it hasn't gone through personal experiences or the storytelling that you could provide.
• 36:18
  SPEAKER_02: So when you do put a prompt on AI, taking that, don't copy and paste it, but then editing it, adding more of your voice and maybe stories you want to share.
• 36:28
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm not saying vulnerable stories, I mean like the boy Thai or Thai kickboxing story that I shared earlier.
• 36:34
  SPEAKER_02: Because I mean, you are the brand, just like that I've learned from Tiffany.
• 36:39
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and it's really obvious to me when somebody's using AI, like whether it's their email or their social media, you can read it and just be like, this was definitely not the writing.
• 36:52
  SPEAKER_00: Like it's so formulaeed, and so again, yeah, save time, but always put your spin on it.
• 37:01
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 37:02
  SPEAKER_02: So anything else you want to add, Tiffany, or should we just wrap up and share with people how to follow us?
• 37:08
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, we could just share.
• 37:09
  SPEAKER_00: I I would just say, you know, I would love to continue this conversation and, you know, definitely follow both of us because I think going back to the very beginning, you know, there's some hesitancy in like what's happening over the next two, three years.
• 37:27
  SPEAKER_00: So if we reframe this as like, what are the possibilities?
• 37:31
  SPEAKER_00: How can I stand out?
• 37:33
  SPEAKER_00: How can I become a category of one brand?
• 37:37
  SPEAKER_00: How can I live my legacy?
• 37:38
  SPEAKER_00: Because we both love to talk about legacy and and really stand out from that perspective rather than come at it from a fear place of like, you know, okay, social media is going down, what am I gonna do?
• 37:50
  SPEAKER_00: You know, there's there's so many strategies that those of us who are in it for the long game, like I think there's actually a lot of opportunity coming our way, which is pretty awesome.
• 38:01
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 38:02
  SPEAKER_02: And I think, I mean, just like the market and the economy, there needs to be corrections, right?
• 38:08
  SPEAKER_02: So I think we're just seeing it in businesses.
• 38:10
  SPEAKER_02: There needs to be edits or corrections.
• 38:12
  SPEAKER_02: I'm not saying businesses need to go, you know, out and editing their businesses, but I think overall it is good for people to re businesses to realize what they need to work on and edit, how they can be better in supporting their clients one-to-one.
• 38:28
  SPEAKER_02: How can they could be more intentional, conscious, trauma informed in their content that they are creating?
• 38:34
  unknown: Yeah.
• 38:34
  SPEAKER_02: So this is all good.
• 38:36
  SPEAKER_00: I think that's a r a really good point, Elaine.
• 38:38
  SPEAKER_00: And then like maybe to wrap up, we can, you know, we can invite everybody listening is like we're at least at the time this is recording, but you could do this anytime.
• 38:48
  SPEAKER_00: We're wrapping up the year.
• 38:49
  SPEAKER_00: You're probably looking ahead to the next year and like doing your goals.
• 38:53
  SPEAKER_00: So reevaluate how you're showing up, how you're serving people, like at the really great time, how you're launching.
• 39:01
  SPEAKER_00: I actually, anyways, I'd be going off on a whole other change.
• 39:04
  SPEAKER_00: But the last thing I will say, you could share it.
• 39:07
  SPEAKER_00: I actually postponed the launch of my branding program, which was going to be in February, because I realized that I had some of those marketing tactics that I had been using through the past because I was taught this way.
• 39:21
  SPEAKER_00: And I really wanted to reimagine the way that I did it.
• 39:25
  SPEAKER_00: I really, and I also am including like some like really amazing AI things in the next round.
• 39:32
  SPEAKER_00: I won't go into all the details.
• 39:34
  SPEAKER_00: But, anyways, like when you look at that process, maybe you want to postpone things, maybe you want to add new things, remove things.
• 39:41
  SPEAKER_00: Like, don't be afraid to take those.
• 39:43
  SPEAKER_00: It's all really scary.
• 39:44
  SPEAKER_00: Like, that's my biggest revenue driver.
• 39:46
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, I'm gonna just not do it until September.
• 39:49
  SPEAKER_00: That's a big gap.
• 39:50
  SPEAKER_00: But I knew I can fill in the gap in other ways and still have an amazing service.
• 39:56
  SPEAKER_00: So, anyways, I think it's an invitation for us to really look deeply because if we just keep doing the things that we've been doing, like maybe that's not gonna serve us the best.
• 40:06
  SPEAKER_02: Well, putting friend hat on rather than just a guest or co-host here in this episode, but we've been boxering.
• 40:14
  SPEAKER_02: And I remember I shared with you I went through that two years ago where I paused and it was really scary.
• 40:20
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm like, I just don't want to launch the same way.
• 40:24
  SPEAKER_02: And what was interesting, now that it's two years later, I don't do launches, I get consistent sales calls and clients, I'm making more than I did the year before.
• 40:34
  SPEAKER_02: And taking that pause and reflecting now, like 2023 back, not 2020, get it, 2023 back.
• 40:41
  SPEAKER_02: I'm like, well, I got ad I realized I got addicted to that adrenaline rush of like it's kind of like a drug, like prepping to get this all out and then putting it all out, and there's like a roller coaster because then I'd crashed and yeah, yeah, it was like always on, and it's just really nice that it is steady.
• 41:01
  SPEAKER_02: Like, I want to be a tortoise, not a hair.
• 41:02
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, 100%.
• 41:03
  SPEAKER_00: And I think there's so much comparison that people do of like, well, this person got from here to there, but normally, I mean, there's always exceptions to the rule, but the people who come out of nowhere and have doing big things, they've been at it for a long term, and then it just seems like they came out of nowhere because they have been the tortoise and they've been implementing and they persevered, right?
• 41:22
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 41:22
  SPEAKER_02: I know it's people all will always compare to like big names, right?
• 41:26
  SPEAKER_02: Like, I need to do what Oprah's doing, or Tony Robbins.
• 41:29
  SPEAKER_02: Like, okay, they're like billionaires, they have resources and a team.
• 41:34
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm not saying you can't get there, but be mindful of where you're at right now.
• 41:38
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 41:38
  SPEAKER_02: What you could do with it.
• 41:40
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 41:41
  SPEAKER_00: And celebrate too.
• 41:42
  SPEAKER_00: Like we just did a a thing with my group of women yesterday of like reflecting at the past year, like celebrate what you did accomplish.
• 41:50
  SPEAKER_00: Because so often we only look to the future and what we haven't accomplished, too.
• 41:54
  SPEAKER_02: So despite us sharing the scariness of 2024, it's also exciting because you get to not just do a business audit, but a life audit of what do you want and how do you want to show up.
• 42:06
  SPEAKER_02: Exactly.
• 42:07
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 42:08
  SPEAKER_00: And how do you want to be on the daily?
• 42:10
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 42:11
  SPEAKER_02: So happy new year! Now you know the six grand predictions of 2024, and you're all set for success.
• 42:22
  SPEAKER_02: And if you found this episode helpful, here are four things you can do if you feel called to do them.
• 42:28
  SPEAKER_02: One, share this with a friend who's a small business owner.
• 42:32
  SPEAKER_02: And if they probably want to be up to date on what's happening for the new year.
• 42:37
  SPEAKER_02: Two, don't forget to hit that follow button.
• 42:41
  SPEAKER_02: When you hit that follow and subscribe button, it lets the interwebs do its thing to let other fellow women of color and allies like you know about this podcast.
• 42:51
  SPEAKER_02: Three, if you feel called to, leave a five-star rating in review for the Color Your Dreams podcast so more women of color and allies can create a sustainable life outside of their work.
• 43:05
  SPEAKER_02: I created the Color Your Dreams podcast as a free resource for fellow women of color because contribution is one of my top values.
• 43:13
  SPEAKER_02: Four, and if you would like to see how to work with me to create a more sustainable business and life that is aligned to your definition of success and no one else's, then schedule a complimentary legacy, business, and career review call at elanelu.com forward slash call.