Speaker 1 (00:02):
This podcast is for PR Pros who are looking to discover the best strategies for landing their dream retainer clients and scoring them top tier media coverage. I'm your host, Jen Bersen, and I want you to have a fulfilling career in PR that totally lights you up without sacrificing your personal or family time or your sanity. Welcome to the Pitching Powerhouse podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Hi guys. This is our agency accelerator, just content in your Face week. Honestly, we have a lot of content this week sharing, uh, inspiring stories from other agency owners and how they're leveling up their businesses, um, narrowing in on niches that are more profitable learning tools and strategies that will help them grow and scale their own profitable businesses. And we're doing all of this because my agency accelerator program is opened, but only until tomorrow. So little, little, uh, window of opportunity still and we won't open it up again. We're planning 2023, but probably until May or June of next year. So if you want to spend the rest of this year planning your strategy for how to crush it in 2023. Um, hello Francesca. Uh, and you want to just have a plug and play approach, a strategic, uh, plan to follow that has worked for hundreds of women who've grown and scaled their own agencies then strongly consider this program because you own it forever.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
You can go through it whenever you need it. And it is the type of resource that you can tap into when you're in a certain stage of your business. We're always improving it, making it better, adding new, uh, templates and checklists and new lessons. And keep in mind, I'm gonna get to our guest because she's so inspiring and I'm so excited for you to meet her. But the last thing I'll say is, um, I'm still running my agency and so I'm still in the mix. You know, we're securing clients, we're reaching out to the media, um, we're doing all the things right, so we know what is working. It's not like I had an agency. I sold it 10 years ago. And I'm gonna talk to you about how you can build your agency, um, based on old strategies. This is new, this is now it's current.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
We completely rerecorded this program and it is as up to date as you could possibly get and it's really, really impactful. Powerful. Anyway, so just if you're on the fence, let's help you decide. Either way. My team's happy to chat with you, but I would love for you to meet one of the like just inspiring, incredible, um, collaborative, awesome members of our agency accelerator program. I mean, her background is amazing. Um, this is Shon Myers. I'm gonna bring her on because she is so awesome. There she is. Shon is a member of the pitch lab, the agency accelerator. And now part of my really small group and Tia who's on here as well, my Elevate High Performance Coaching Mastermind. Um, I'm a certified high performance coach and we have this really small container of all PR agency owners. So we're all working, excuse me, towards the same common goal
Speaker 3 (03:41):
When I created the media company. The media company. We have 25 wedding publications and I own eight of them. And I started having people ask about pr. But the crazy thing is, is I've always done PR because we've had campaigns, we've had business things that we've done, but it was not official pr. Right. And that's why I came to you because I was like, I need to be trained in official pr. Yeah, I know pr, but I gonna be trained in official
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Pr.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Yeah. And so that's why I found you. And it has really catapulted the business because now we have a retailer side to where we work on personal brand management, uhhuh, . And so we help build your personal brand. We help you with your offers online, your sales funnel, and then amplification. And that's where the PR and media placement, and we already have the media that we can place in that we own. Are you
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Other sites beyond your own network you're going? We do.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
Yes. Yes. Cause we already have built in relationships, but we have ones that we own that are kind of guaranteed. Mm-hmm. too. Mm-hmm. . So that helps with a lot of, especially in the wedding industry. Yeah. It helps, um, with a lot of it. But it's been crazy how people are starting to realize. We've also started doing a lot of influencer management. Yeah. A lot of influencer marketing stuff, because once again, that's where I've always been. Yeah. And so people are realizing that.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Yeah. So these are, um, retainer services that you've added. Um, supporting brands, supporting, uh, experts. Mainly designers
Speaker 3 (05:26):
Personal, yep. Personal design, like personal brands and their companies and kind of just amplifying their marketing efforts. Because a lot of times, specifically in the wedding industry, a lot of times that's where you get your hiring clients, the more that you're published. Oh yeah. The more that you're featured, that's where cash high clients. Yes.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
More cash. And it's like a designer wedding planner, like, oh, I have
Speaker 3 (05:50):
This. Exactly. Exactly. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
I didn't care about any of that. , I was like, just make it, make it run smooth. Think of anything I just wanna have. Um, so your niche's wedding and you have this network and you're leveraging the network and you're also with the PR skills, you learned, presumably you're in the pitch lab. Um
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Yep. Yes I
Speaker 2 (06:11):
Am. And you're in the agency accelerator. Yep. All the things. Right. And now
Speaker 3 (06:16):
All the things, all the things elevate, like really high perform, I went all in. Yeah. Because I knew I needed to, to grow it to the point that I wanted to grow. I knew I needed the pitch lab to get the pitches. Mm-hmm. , I knew I needed to do the PR accelerator just to blow how to, how to create everything as an agency.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Yeah. Your agency
Speaker 3 (06:34):
To even the Elevate. Yes, exactly. I've done it all.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
. Yeah. Awesome. Yeah. We're, we're, uh, wrapping up, we're sort of like week nine of Elevate mm-hmm. , that's like, you know, when you're buttoning up and you're high perform, you're ready to just go all in in high performance. But the agency accelerator took that skill you learned in the pitch lab that you've already been doing, but you honed it and like just really refined the offering and agency accelerator. How has that transformed your agency? Um, your, you know, your, your confidence or like what are been, what have been some transformations or positive experience that you've had since joining the agency?
Speaker 3 (07:17):
I think the main, main thing I can say about the accelerator, that is what gave me the confidence to know that I have like the legit skills Yeah. Hands down. Because in the industry people know me because they're like, we know that you have this mm-hmm. , we know that you have our society, we know that you have these things, but they don't necessarily know the skills. And that's what I was saying, that I felt like I was lacking the true PR skills. And that's what really helped me to kind of like, okay, how do I create this agency? How do I make money with this agency? How do I prospect? How do I put forward? How do I put the best foot forward? All of this to bring? Yes. And that's when I've started having clients come now because they see the genuine PR skills that I have. And that's so exciting. Oh
Speaker 2 (08:06):
My God, I love this because, uh, Alicia said the same thing yesterday and I'm always up here like niche down and put out the work that you wanna draw more in and your dream clients will come to you, people will come to you and they will pay a premium. And I always say it because it's been my experience and I've seen so many members of our program strategically set up their businesses the way that we set out in our path to profitability framework. It's strategy, sales, service scale. It's super logical, but it's not just like learn how to do this thing. But there's a philosophy behind it. It's like, build a business you love, hone in on the kind of clients you wanna work with, don't work harder to get a bunch of small retainers. Be the go-to authority and you can trust Yes. Premium. And now you're saying that's your experience as well. Like your industry potential dream clients are coming to you because they see that you are effective, you convert the results they're looking for and yeah. It's like that nicheing down and then that, like you said, putting your best foot forward with case studies, testimonials, leveraging your press wins magnet. Right.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
It is. And I think it's also very interesting because now that I've gone through the accelerator and I've seen certain bits and pieces and refined bits and pieces, now I can actually see where people are coming to me for certain, like, so now they're like, Hey, can you help me get on stages? Mm-hmm. . And I'm like, yeah, I speak on stages all the time. So now it's like I'm more in tuned with listening, seeing kind of, because I've refined it and I've been through it, I can kind of know, oh, they're coming to me about speaking on stage. Let's add that on. Yeah. Let's have that, let's have that be a add-in. And now we have new people coming and saying, Hey, can you help? Yes. Yes. It's so crazy. Mm.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
Yeah. Yeah. I love that. Um, that there's two things here that is, is so awesome to hear. One is your ears are, you know, on the ground listening to what your audience wants rather than sort of thinking of what you wanna do. Um, only and assuming that that's what people want of you. Yes. You're you're taking their feedback. You're, you're, you know, eyes and ears are open looking for the thing. And that also will set you apart because there are not a lot of people that are also incorporating stages or podcasts or things like that into their outreach. So there's that. But also you like that you enjoy doing that. Yeah. Right. Because you're doing it for yourself. So you have those inroads and it's something that you want to offer because it's something you really enjoy doing. Right. And you're not just like, that's the
Speaker 3 (11:03):
Difference. That's the difference. Because for me, it's like I felt like before I lit, and I will say it wholeheartedly, I felt like I was just flailing all over the
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
Oh, be only because I just didn't know. And then once I kind of was able to streamline and say, okay, I need to do this, I need to do this, I need to do this mm-hmm. , then it kind of allows me to open up to hear different things because I'm not flailing. Yeah. And I swear that's the only word I can say.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Yeah. Like running
Speaker 3 (11:32):
Was flailing.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
Well, like you're doing all things for all people. There's no flow state. Everybody's in a different timeline, different service offerings. Yeah. You just run around like your hair's on fire and it's a horrible, like, it's a horrible feeling. It's
Speaker 3 (11:49):
Fuck, it's,
Speaker 2 (11:50):
So that was me. We put up a, um, my team had me record this reel and it's like a top and bottom video. And on the top I'm like in my jammies and there's like crap all over the dead. And I'm like, like it's chaos. And then the next one is like, calm. And I'm on the phone and my kitten's in my lap and the desk is clear and it's like before and after. Right. But that is the reality is when you don't really know strategically how to build a business that gets you in your zone of genius, working in a flow state gets that like one-offs off your plate because it sucks. Mm-hmm. , it's like, you gotta track all this stuff and you know, you're taking this client cuz they knock on your door and you're like, I guess I could do that. And they want a project fee. So now we're like ramping up and oh God, three months is over, we didn't get anything, let's keep going. And it's just like there's, you're spinning plates and they're all wobbling and you just feel like there's no joy in that. And you, you're a mom of three, which I'm always like three kids.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Oh, sorry. Lola. Um, and so you ca you don't have the time to just like figure things out as you go and put out fires you've gotta get, and you're running like a whole other side of your business. Like I am like I have two sides. I'm like, yes. So, um, I really am like so happy to hear that it has helped you streamline, create a more buttoned up and like a calmer approach. No longer flailing. Flailing just seems to me like you're in the deep end and you are
Speaker 3 (13:27):
Driving. Yeah. And I'm telling you that's what it was. And it was like when I, when I took over as CEO for our society, the media company, which I was the co-founder of, it was I took it over and I was like, what am I gonna do? And I kind of sat and I was like, let me just see what comes to me. Let me just see what comes to me. Let me just see what people want and need. And then that's when it really started presenting itself about the PR stuff. Yeah. And I really, like, I was flailing because I was by myself. Mm-hmm. , I did not have anyone helping. I was doing all the things. Once I was able to streamline, put a strategy in, figure out how I'm gonna do things, I now have two people that I have working for me that do a lot of the picture. Yeah. Do a lot of this stuff for me. Mm-hmm. , we have VAs that do a lot of the behind the scenes social media management stuff mm-hmm. that we do. Mm-hmm. . Like it's crazy once you streamline how it just opens you up and lets you see and hear what needs to actually be going on. And I think a lot of it was bringing people on, which we've talked about, um, in accelerator as well.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
Yeah. That's the fourth pillar, which is scale. And when we revamped the program in May, we put a lot more into that piece because we were noticing that our members were getting to that point where like they were making enough money to bring in a team so they could move away from the execution and focus on the business rather than being in the day-to-day and bogged down in the muck and the mere. And so we had content on hiring a team and we're like, oh, we gotta get really serious about this and really beef it up because they're, they're out there and they need more help with this because they have to get the right team members and they have to know where to find them and what to ask. We added templates for job descriptions for a pr for a social media manager. Um, that was, I was like, this would be a really good idea.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
It's just so time saving. And we also tell you like where to look and also the things that you can be rolling off of your plate. And there's just a great, um, more robust approach to that because our members really, truly were growing and scaling and they needed it. And I love that you moved away from like a one woman show and you hired for your weaknesses. I mean, you're probably good at everything, but there are things you don't love doing. Same with me. And so you can bring people in and then you get to just focus on strategy and developing client, you know, your pipeline and selling them the services in a way where we show you. And for you, it just makes perfect sense. How to position your expertise, your experience, and for you, your network, your literal, like it's my network, us you know, outlets that will benefit you.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
And you have this unique insight on, like I said, both sides of being, you know, pitching the media and a media gatekeeper where you can say, I know what works. You know, you, we walk, we walk through how to kind of uniquely position your experience, the results you've gotten in case studies so that you become like, I have to work. Like who else would I possibly wanna work with? Like, this is the only choice for me because she's the best. Um, and then there's also something, we did this go around, um, because we just acquired PR Couture, which is mm-hmm. , a Crosby no's company. She's been running for 15 years and she wanted to sort of pass the baton and let us take her baby and grow it into it, you know, grown up and adult. And so we have all of her incredible content and she, um, developed a program presence and she had been selling it for $2,000, wait for that. And we're giving it as part of, for the agency accelerator. It may be a painful bonus. I don't remember, I don't know. I'd have to look, but I think it
Speaker 3 (17:30):
Was cause I saw it and I was like, Ooh.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
Yeah. Yeah. And, and like of course any of our members that like already enrolled, if they paid in full, you know, we will take care of them. They get it. And what that will do is it's the same philosophy that we teach, you know, consistent, predictable, recurring retainer revenue, niche down, become the go-to authority. But now you are putting yourself in the spotlight and figuring out how to find your uniqueness and how to put it forward so that you are drawing in your ideal clients. And it's, it's like an awesome program and I'm just like, let's give it because it is. Yeah. It's like just personal branding for you as the PR pro and like we always are in the background. You always see the PR person like in the background, like trying to into the, into the step and repeat. Like I'm not, and we rarely ever put ourselves in the spotlight, put ourselves out there. But it is a major part of how you build a business Yes. And how you attract clients. And so we're so pleased to offer that and it's just an awesome bonus. So that's coming now. And um, it sounds like you know that piece because you do it for your clients. Oh yeah. You've done it for yourself. Right. And so now Yes. See how that personal branding for you, your experience and network has drawn in the clients that you wanna work with.
Speaker 3 (18:59):
I'm super excited about that. And I'm sitting here like, Ooh, if we get it, cuz I paid it full, I was like, oh, oh
Speaker 2 (19:04):
Yeah. Oh no, we'll get it. We'll get it for you. That's the one thing. So I hate being nickled and dimed. I hate it. And if I enroll in a program and I believed in you early and you went and made the program better, why shouldn't I get that? Like, I, I bet on you early. I invested in, you invested in me early and now it's better. I want it. Well I'm
Speaker 3 (19:26):
Excited. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:29):
It's like one of those things, the more I keep hearing you talk and even when I was looking at the sale, cause I did, I looked at the page just to see and I was like, when I think about when I came in and I wanted to up-level those skills, it was literally a no-brainer because it's like I saw your track record, I saw what you were doing. So it just made complete sense. And now that I'm in it makes even more sense. And I think the thing that you said earlier, I go back to it and I'll like pick up certain things and come in if I have a question about something. So I think that's important too that I do a lot is if I have a question or if I'm dealing with something, I'll go to a specific place and re-look or rego over something.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
Rego over .
Speaker 3 (20:21):
Yes. Rego
Speaker 2 (20:22):
Over. Rego
Speaker 3 (20:22):
Over. Well I do that, I do that a lot actually with the program.
Speaker 2 (20:26):
Yeah. I say that all the time too. So I don't want people to think of this as like a linear race to the finish line, the path to profitability model that I taught I think two days ago. It's a circle and it's like you go around and around, right? Like not in a negative way, but like you're ascending to bigger clients, higher retainers and you revisit your strategy. And that model, um, really serves as the, like the, the roadmap for how you do this. And then you're gonna be in different phases of client development or bringing in a new client. How do you onboard, what do you do the first month? How do you um, you know, what do you put in a proposal that, what do you not put in a proposal? What are the red flags you need to avoid? I'm getting on a sales call, how can I crush it on this call? That's my favorite is sales. Like I love sales,
Speaker 3 (21:16):
So so do I. Yeah. Do I know that one? I was like, I was like good job. I
Speaker 2 (21:21):
Love this. And the ninja, like the ninja sales strategies, the red flags to avoid, I mean we have helped members avoid nightmare clients because they used to talk themselves out of it and be like, but they have, they can afford my raid. And like maybe it's not so bad. Whatever, however they act in the courting process will be 10 times worse when you're working with them. And when always discount your services, they will suck the life out of you and be your most annoying client. So we help you avoid that, which I think is just so valuable because it saves your time and saves you from all that like headache and heartache and doesn't drain the energy and resources of your team. So this is something that is there regardless of where you are in your agency. If you're just starting out or you've been running an agency for 30 years, there is something that you can jump into and get a resource, get a template, a checklist, some sort of a cheat sheet. Everything has all these different uh, feel so bad. Your cough is two weeks. She's been sick you guys and it's not covid. It's
Speaker 3 (22:26):
Crazy. It's not. I've been twice. Yeah. And I think another thing that just happened the other day is the way that you have kind of created this community for us because the best we'll message Yes. Like yeah, we'll message each other and if we have a question or like I had someone message me and she was like, Hey, what do you think about this angle? Do you know anything? And I was like, Hey, I know this part, I know this part. And then she was like, oh my gosh, that's amazing. Great. I didn't think about that. Yeah. But I would've never met them if we weren't in like so
Speaker 2 (23:03):
Together. Yeah. Yeah. The collaboration is awesome. Like honestly it's a dream come true for me because I've been doing this for, you know, 17 plus years. I started my business in a vacuum. I mean I didn't, nobody would share anything with me. It was like, you're the competition and if I give you any of my secret sauce, you are gonna have an advantage that will take me out and there's not enough to go around. And I'm like, that is total bs. That is not how I wanna be as a person and I wanna help people and I want people to help me and I wanna meet like other cool people because I'm running my business from home and so are you and so are so many others. And you know, it can be, especially a lot of PR people are very outgoing. They're people people, right.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
I'm like an introverted extrovert or like an extroverted introvert, whatever it is, . Um, but I, I just sort of lasered in on the fact that I'm not great in a group setting, but I'm real. I like one-on-one and I wanna like have a deep conversation and like learn about you and this is chaos around me. And I'd rather just like talk to one person rather than try to like get into a group and be like, Hey guys, you know? Um, and I see my younger son is like that too. He feels he can't invade a group, he just wants to like make individual friends. And I'm like, I totally get this now. I'm that same way. So now we have this community where you can access the group but also make these individual connections. Yeah. People are collaborating and supporting each other and it's awesome because there are other PR people all over the world, like literally all over the world. You represent like I think 29 plus countries now in our program, which is so incredibly cool to me. That's
Speaker 3 (24:48):
So cool.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
It's so cool. Especially when they're like calling in from all over the world. I'm like, oh my god, this is so cool. But they are all collaborative. They are all here to make themselves better, make other people better. And there's a philosophy of there's enough to go around, let's make our jobs easier. And now they have the community, you know, they come for the content, they stay for the community. I know. You know.
Speaker 3 (25:12):
Oh it's always Yes, exactly. Yeah. It's always that way.
Speaker 2 (25:16):
Yeah. Um, so how else, um, like what would you say to somebody, uh, that was an aspiring PR professional? Um, you know, what advice would you give them? What can you pass along to like a noob as my kids would say?
Speaker 3 (25:36):
A noob.
Speaker 2 (25:37):
N ,
Speaker 3 (25:39):
I think for me, if I was just kind of taught to my younger self when I was first starting, is to not be afraid to forge those relationships. Hmm. I am a relationship person. Mm-hmm. , I know with me my business comes from my network. My um, any type of collaborations come from my network. So a lot of times not being in an office, working from home, you can think there's no one to have a relationship with.
Speaker 2 (26:13):
Right.
Speaker 3 (26:14):
I'm telling you relationships will build your business. And that's brand relationships, but also fellow pr people, relationships, like
Speaker 2 (26:24):
Journalists do
Speaker 3 (26:25):
Not be afraid. Yeah. Journal.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
Yeah. Journalists. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:28):
Do not be afraid to forge relationships because that is going to be your bread and butter. Mm-hmm. . Cause someone will go with someone who they have a relationship with more than just a cold pitch.
Speaker 2 (26:40):
Totally
Speaker 3 (26:41):
Day and night.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
We cover that. We cover that quite a bit. Um, you know, in terms of uh, like in the pitch lab, more that, so because that's about pitching the media, but um, you know, connecting authentic, authentically, um, sharing content, really understanding what they cover and who their audience is and adding value in some way before you ever ask for anything. Mm-hmm. . And you know, there's always that um, feeling of like, I'm gonna annoy them. They're gonna be so annoyed by me. And the reality is you're helping them. You get what they're up to and you're a source. And those relationships, and this is why in the accelerator we talk about nicheing down, it takes effort and time to build these relationships. So you can't know everybody in all the niches, tech and baby and beauty and health and yes, it's too much you have to laser in and then you get these economies of scale. Like you create these relationships that will benefit most if not all of your clients. And I'm
Speaker 3 (27:46):
Telling you, it was so true. Yeah. So true.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
Niche down to make more money.
Speaker 3 (27:51):
For sure. Yeah. Cause I think even for me it's like, and even but when we talked, when I first came in, I was like, yeah, I have the stuff in the wedding industry, but I'm not really sure. I think I kind of wanna go more in coaches and lifestyle. You were like,
Speaker 2 (28:06):
Why ? Why
Speaker 3 (28:07):
Would you not do that? Sorry. And I was like, I dunno, I've been there so long, you know, I just don't know if I wanna stay there. And now I'm like, they are my best relationships. Like yeah, I can pick up a phone and literally call some of the top journalists, some of the top media and the wedding and some in lifestyle and cause but I have a relationship with them. Yeah. So I think that is a huge thing with, with me forming the agency side, is that I formed these relationships that I don't think in the beginning I was scared to form. Like I was scared to form relationships. Why
Speaker 2 (28:42):
Were scared you scared
Speaker 3 (28:43):
The building them? I think because I personally didn't think that I was worthy enough is not the word.
Speaker 2 (28:53):
Like qualified, skilled enough.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
Skilled, skilled enough.
Speaker 2 (28:56):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (28:57):
Skilled enough to form these relationships with people that were bigger than me, that had more notoriety than me. And then I realized like, hey, they're normal, just like me.
Speaker 2 (29:09):
They're people. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (29:10):
They're like literally they're people. Yeah. And so that has transformed my business, especially on the agency side. Mm-hmm. . Because now those relationships are people I do business with. They're people that I bring, you know them information, they bring me information. So I think that's one that I would definitely say to my younger self, someone start, don't be afraid to start those relationships.
Speaker 2 (29:32):
Yeah. That's that's fantastic advice. I used to feel that way too. Like, I'm a lawyer, why would anybody hire me to do pr? Would any journalist like wanna talk to me because maybe I'm not doing it right And maybe they're gonna be annoyed and I'm like, I don't wanna reach out because um, it was almost like afraid of rejection or something. I don't know. But the reality is, it's like Gretzky says you missed all of you missed all the shots that you don't take. The worse that anyone can say to you is no, usually they won't say anything. Um, or they'll say not right now. And the more you provide helpful, useful, valuable information, they're gonna start to see like this person is on it. And they, even if you're referring somebody that's not a client, someone in your network where they will add value or they're looking for somebody and you're like, Hey, this isn't a client, but my friend is like the go-to for this.
Speaker 2 (30:28):
Let me connect you. Yeah. And you help them with a source. It's like real relationships form. And it, it is genuinely true. And I know a lot of newer PR people are like, I don't have relationships, I don't have this, that and the other. And I came into PR with literally no contacts or relation, no, uh, training. So if you have had even one minute of, you know, training or school or experience even interning, you're better off than when I started. And we can teach you all of that and we have Yep. You know, all of that. And I think that what you're also describing is that feeling of like, I'm buttoned up now. I'm trained on this and I'm confident to reach out. Yes. Because I get how to do this. And my, your mindset shifts to I'm not a burden, I'm adding value.
Speaker 3 (31:21):
Very true. And I always say competency builds confidence.
Speaker 2 (31:25):
Yes. Oh yes.
Speaker 3 (31:26):
She's so it's like, so
Speaker 2 (31:27):
See she's a coach, you guys. She's the best .
Speaker 3 (31:31):
Uh, that's so true. When you are confident and you feel confident and you feel skilled, your confidence level's gonna go through the roof because you know what you're talking about. And that is exactly what the accelerator did for me. Granted I had skills Yes. But I didn't have the actual skills. That's what I learned. And that's why now I'm so confident in it and I can speak about it and I can speak to it because I know and I learned so much.
Speaker 2 (31:58):
Yeah. Uh, yeah. Thank you for that. Oh, I love it. I love that like shift to a confident place and it comes through in pitching and it comes through in relationship building but also in sales and bringing in new business because you get on those calls and we talk about this, it is a mindset thing. I get on the calls and I'm like, this is my client. Like there's nobody else. I'm like, how can I serve them? How can I step into my expertise? They're gonna get off the phone and whether or not we work together, they're gonna say, that was the most useful conversation I've had. I learned a ton, I learned what I need. I learned like how the things are working now and how like what the roles of the game are and how to play them. She knows her shit. Right.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
Like so yeah. At some point we'll make it happen. Or they'll refer you out or they'll take your retainer without negotiating, which is my favorite of course. But um, so that's awesome. I love that so much. So I wanna wrap up and because we're in the middle of our enrollment open period, um, there might be people that are on the fence. And I always, and I know you know this too, from coaching other people through other programs that when you are on the fence, I mean we've been around five, six years and there's hundreds of people that have gone through and transformed and we have like, we got the chops. So it's not like, is this worth it? It's them making the decision to invest in themselves. That's what I discovered at this time. It's like, not that they're thinking like do you know it's, it's like do I need this? Do I need this now? Am I able to do what they did? Can I apply it and do it and do I have the time and all that? So what would you say to those people? Because we want them to decide either way and not be on the fence. Cuz that hurts your butt. So , , get off the fence, come to my side or the other side, but don't hurt your butt sitting on the fence. So what would you tell them?
Speaker 3 (34:02):
I think the main thing is, is where are you gonna be in? I'm not even gonna say six months. I'm gonna say three months. Mm. Where are you gonna be in three months? Mm-hmm. . Because for me, if I would've not moved, I would've been in that flailing
Speaker 2 (34:17):
Hate that,
Speaker 3 (34:17):
Not knowing what's going on, not making money mode. That's the thing I want to talk about. Where are you gonna be in three months? Are you gonna still be sitting here trying to Google, trying to figure it out? Trying to get all the free stuff? Cause I was there. Yeah,
Speaker 2 (34:35):
Yeah. Me too hundred.
Speaker 3 (34:36):
Yeah. I sit there. Me
Speaker 2 (34:38):
Too.
Speaker 3 (34:38):
Or are you gonna make the move to a strategy that will show you exactly what to do, exactly how to do it and when a community that will rally behind you. Yeah. Because I'm telling you it is lonely. Yeah. It's really lonely. Yeah. And the community aspect is what will Yes. Really. When you have those down days, when you have those days that maybe that proposal didn't go the way it should go. That's what this is about. Yeah. Having that community to help commiserate the other thing. Yes. It really is because totally.
Speaker 2 (35:10):
It's
Speaker 3 (35:11):
Like sometimes you, I'm not alone. Pull you out. Yes. To pull you out. And if you're by yourself, there's no one there to do it. You know? So yeah. I think that's the one thing is where will you be in three months? And then the other thing is, is that it's like you are sitting there, you're waiting. Will it not work? Will it work? How will you know if you don't try? Right. Because if you don't move, you're gonna be in the same spot.
Speaker 2 (35:36):
Right. What got you here won't get you there.
Speaker 3 (35:39):
You know, that's one of my
Speaker 2 (35:40):
Favorite ones. I know, I know. It's one of my favorite ones. I know. I mean I, I get that and I get the mindset cuz I was there too. Well, nobody helped me. There wasn't anything like this when I started. I really wish there was, it would've just skyrocketed me even faster. But, um, the people that join, they're like you where they just are like, put me in coach, tell me what to do, put me to work. And it's not that they're afraid to do the work and they think, well I can just figure this out on my own. And you can for sure. But you can fast track your results. You can know you're not spinning your wheels and working on the wrong things. And there's a strategy underlying this whole thing that will help you build a business that you love that is as profitable as it can be.
Speaker 2 (36:28):
Setting boundaries, attracting your dream clients and the way that it all fits together. It's like there for you when you need it. There's a resource for something. You make it your own. And why not just, you know, we go to college and we like enroll in the, I enroll, I was in law school, it was 150,000 freaking dollars. Did I I went to usc. It's, it's was at the time the second most expensive buy, like, uh, missed the mark by $200 after in nyu. But they don't teach you how to make money as a lawyer. They don't even really teach you how to be a lawyer. They teach you critical thinking, but not how to write briefs and fi. It's like you're not actually learning a skill that will earn you freaking money. Like, isn't that what this is all about? You need to learn. My husband has an mba. He's like, they didn't teach me how to run a business. I
Speaker 3 (37:23):
Know. It's so crazy. It's
Speaker 2 (37:24):
Crazy. And his MBA was like $90,000. Thank God his company paid for it because we we, anyway, what a gift. But this is like the most non brainer if you want to, like yesterday Alicia said, I made back my money three x in the first week. Yeah. And I'm like, love it. Loving it. Oh,
Speaker 3 (37:44):
I've made mine over and over and over again. For
Speaker 2 (37:46):
Sure. Yeah. So it's just an investment in yourself and it's like, if you're worried about the time investment, it actually saves you time because it's there for you and you just cut to the chase on what you need to do rather than like, where do I go? What do I do? Am I doing this right? How are other people doing it? It's now like we talk about rates that we charge, we talk about all the things. So it's amazing for me now to have this community too. Um, and know there's like other like-minded people and we all help each other. And I have gone from being so lonely running a business for 10 years all by myself. I had my salad sisters, my two or three other PR friends where we would go and we just ordered the chopped salad at Lascala every time we got together we're like salad sisters.
Speaker 2 (38:32):
But we all had kids and we all got busy and I never saw them after a while. And I'm like, okay, I'm back to being alone again. And now this community has just reinvigorated my passion for my business because I'm not in it alone and I get to share what I love and the kind of business that's served me so well in my life. Um, being a mom of two and being there to support my son who needs, you know, he needs an advocate. I have to fight for him all the time. And so that's not really possible when you're in a j o B in an office. Like you don't have that flexibility. So how can I not share this and to know there's other people that are like, whatever I've done that's worked, I'm happy to share it too. So the community is collaborative and that is like a game changer. So I love that advice that you shared. Yes. Three months. Where are you gonna be in three months? Three months is a very short amount of time. That's like you go through the program and you are accelerated because you're in the accelerator. Yeah. Yeah. So well where can people find you if they wanna connect and they wanna learn more about your business and just say hi and all the good things.
Speaker 3 (39:43):
, I love that. I always direct people to shon myers.com, Shon Myers on um, all the socials because from there you can go and find any of my bridal brands from there. But yeah, Shahan Miles, Shon Myers,
Speaker 2 (40:01):
I was like, your last name isn't Miles. .
Speaker 3 (40:06):
Shon Myers. Yeah. For all the social.com too.
Speaker 2 (40:10):
Awesome. Yeah, just pop over, say hi, connect with her. Super smart, super inspiring entrepreneur here. You guys do not sleep on the opportunity to connect with her. And I'm honestly like so freaking honored that you found me and that you trusted to invest because I know you are trained by one of the top business mentors, marketing mentors, honestly anywhere. And so for you to realize that you had more to learn and you wanted to learn from me is honestly such an honor. So I'm grateful for you to be here and thank you for sharing your story.
Speaker 1 (40:49):
Thank you so much for listening to this episode of the Pitching Powerhouse podcast. If you're ready to start, grow and scale a profitable agency all on your own terms, you should consider joining the agency accelerator. Check out the link in the episode description to learn more, to achieve your big scary goals and truly live the type of lifestyle you've always wanted. It's time to join the Agency Accelerator inside this incredible program. You'll learn exactly how to structure your PR agency to fill your pipeline with high paying clients and establish a consistent revenue stream so you can run a business that lights you and that doesn't run you. This program is built around the exact steps that I took to grow a seven figure PR agency, generation pr, and now hundreds of other PR professionals around the world have implemented these techniques and strategies to scale their own agencies too. So this stuff works. You guys check out the link in this episode's description to learn more. And as always, be sure to tune in next week for another incredible episode packed with the insights you need to become a pitching powerhouse.
