Ep #43: Six Figures in Six Months with Dr. Sonia Wright

You are listening to The Life Coach Business Podcast, episode number 43.

Welcome to The Life Coach Business Podcast, a show for coaches who are ready to up-level their business and take their impact, leadership, and results to a whole new level. If you’re ready to start taking powerful action and become the leader your business needs in order to grow and thrive, this show is for you. I’m your host, Amanda Karlstad, Certified Life and Business Coach, and entrepreneurial leadership expert. Now, let’s get down to business.

Hello and welcome, everyone. I have a very special episode for you today. I’m super-excited to bring you this conversation. Today, I am sharing a recent interview that I did with one of my dear clients, Dr. Sonia Wright.

So, I’m really excited to bring you this conversation because in today’s interview, you’re going to hear all about Sonia’s journey into coaching and where she really was when we started working together, which was at the end of October of 2019. So, Sonia and I have been working together for over six months, about seven, eight months at this point.

And Sonia has experienced some tremendous growth in her business and has taken some massive leaps in terms of revenue and where her business is at from where we began. And so, I’m really excited for her to share that journey and to share all of the wisdom that’s he has in regards to building her business to over six figures in just over six months.

So, super-super-excited for this conversation. I know it’s going to be jam-packed with lots of lessons. So, without further ado, here we go.

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Amanda: Okay, well, Sonia, welcome to the show.

Sonia: Thank you, thank you so much for having me Amanda. I’m so excited to be here. And this was a goal of mine, was to be on your show, to have made the money and be on your show. So, I’m really happy to be here.

Amanda: I love it. I am so excited for this conversation and for you to tell your story because this is – it is. This was something that we set out not too long ago, and the growth that you’ve had and just how quickly this has all happened is so incredible. And so, I’m so, so excited to have you on today.

So, I think before we dive into our conversation, I think it might be helpful for you to just start out by telling us who you are, who you help, how you help them, things like that.

Sonia: Sure. I’m Dr. Sonia Wright, I’m the Midlife Sex Coach for Women. I’m a medical doctor. I’m a sexual counselor. And I’m a life coach. And I bring those altogether and I create this sex coaching, specifically for women in midlife. Who do I help? Women that are about 35 years of age and older, anybody that’s having any type of sexual difficulty. For me, it’s so important to – my main mission to is end the pain and isolation associated with sexual difficulties and to also help women embrace their sexuality and just create the sex lives of their dreams.

Amanda: Love it. Are you all listening? I think there’s probably a lot of listeners right now that are leaning in. So, tell us – I’m curious, Sonia, what led you to coaching? Because I think you’ve got a really interesting – obviously you’re an MD, so you’ve got a lot of training behind you. But I think it would be interesting for the listeners to hear about your journey into coaching. So, if you could share a little bit about that, I think that would be really super-useful.

Sonia: Yeah, so my journey into coaching. So, like a lot of doctors, it’s a challenging occupation. And you get to this point in your life where you are dealing with your job and the long hours and you’re trying to juggle many different things. And I was getting close to burnout.

And I hired a life coach and she helped me quite a bit, and it really started changing my life. And I was also listening to Brooke Castillo and the Life Coach School and realizing what a difference that life coaching can make for people. And so, I wanted to share that.

And then, I was also heading into the second half of my life. I was close to 50. And I realized that I wanted to contribute in a different way. And so, I went and I did two coaching programs. And they were very good for me, just to have both skillsets. And I combined it together and I actually was a physician life coach for a number of years, since 2016. And then, I added on additional training and became a sexual counselor and a sex coach.

Amanda: I love it. And so, what made you – let’s talk a little bit about the background as it relates to the sex coaching. Because I think, again, like just knowing, obviously, you and I have been working together over the last several months, so I know what that is, I know your story with that, but again, I think it would help for listeners to hear, what has really kind of, I guess, pulled you in this direction to really, like you said, end the suffering when it comes to sexual difficulty for women. Can you talk a little bit about that because I think that’s important?

Sonia: Yeah, you know, while I was doing the physician life coaching, the issue was coming up more and more about intimacy issues, and specifically sexual intimacy issues and how people were not enjoying sex so they were not having sex, they were feeling disconnected from their partner. And while this was going on and I was listening to my clients tell me this, I was also dealing with a similar situation in my own life.

And so, I had to go through this process where I decided that I wasn’t going to suffer in silence anymore and I was going to reach out and get the help that I needed. And so, I went and got the help that I needed. And that just transformed my life. I just love my life now. And I realize that this could make a difference in my clients’ lives too. And so, I went and I got additional training as a sexual counselor for a year and then incorporated that into my practice.

Amanda: I love it. Let’s talk a little bit about all of your training, because you’ve got a lot. And I think that that’s one of the really unique things about you is obviously you’re a doctor, so you’ve got a ton of knowledge as far as, you know, all of it. But then, even taking that deeper into the practice, the work that you do today, you really bring a lot of different angles to this that I think are really, really impressive. So, let’s talk a little bit about your training.

Sonia: Sure, in terms of my training. Medical training, if we go way, way back, basically, I graduated from college, I was at Stanford University and I was not planning to go into medicine, so I actually didn’t get any prerequisites for medical school. So, I ended up going to San Francisco state and getting prerequisites for medical school. And then, enrolling in medical school at 32 years of age at the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine. And I had a wonderful experience there.

And after that training, I decided I wanted to be a radiologist and I went to the Mayo Clinic and I did diagnostic radiology at the Mayo Clinic, which is a fabulous place. It was an incredible opportunity to get that training there. And then I decided to even subspecialize into pediatric radiology and I went to Children’s National and I got my training there for my fellowship in pediatric radiology. So, that’s my medical background.

And, as I mentioned, I decided I wanted to do the sex coaching, so I went to the University of Michigan School of Social Work and I did a year-long course in sexual counseling and that also is an amazing course. And so, I added that onto my training. And then there’s the practical side of things where I also worked in a sex toy store in the Twin Cities Area for a period of time because I really wanted to have that knowledge and a really good understanding of how to incorporate sex toys and how to utilize that to get back to our sexuality and to focus on the pleasure and our body as well. So, I did that as well.

And then, of course, life coach training, I went through several programs. I went through Learning Journeys’ program in Minnesota, which is a fabulous program. And then, I also went to Brooke Castillo’s Life Coach School training and added that training on as well. So, yes, that’s all my training.

Amanda: Amazing, and so let me get this straight, you started medical school at 32 years old?

Sonia: I did, yes.

Amanda: That in and of itself, I know we’ve talked about this before, that is, to me, that’s really, really amazing that you did that. So, I know I’m kind of going backwards here a little bit, sorry. But I just want to kind of make a point because that’s – the point I want to make is, like, whenever you do set your mind to something, you do it.

Sonia: It’s true definitely. And you know, I had the idea that I wanted to be a doctor at 28 years of age, and then I was like, I don’t even have my prerequisites. So, I’m going to need to take two to three years to get my prerequisites and then another year for applying. So, it was going to be four years. And then I started calculating, I was like, four years to apply and then four years of medical school or more and then residency.

And I calculated that by the time I finished it all, I would be at least 40 years of age. And I remember making this decision very clearly and it’s really impacted so much of my life in general and I remember thinking, I could be 40 years of age or I could be 40 years of age with an MD degree. Which one do you want?

Amanda: I love that so, so much. And you and I were talking just a little bit before we got on this interview, Sonia. And that is absolutely, as I think about you and I think about all of the success that you’ve had, and just in our journey and working together over the last few months and just the tremendous growth that you’ve had, and I’m thinking – I was thinking this morning about what is that? What is it about Sonia that really does contribute to that?

And one of the things that came to me was what you and I were talking about before I actually started hitting the record button here, was that it really does come down to a decision and it’s a committed decision. And you know that you and I have talked a lot about that over the past few months, but that is absolutely something that I can see so clearly in what you’ve done, that once you set your mind to something, once you make that decision, it’s done. It’s already done. Then it’s just a matter of doing the work. And I think that’s been a pattern – knowing you, I can see that pattern throughout your life. And I love that question that you just asked, “I could be 40 years old, or 40 with an MD. What do you want to be?” What a powerful question that is. I love it. So good.

So let’s talk a little bit about your coaching business. And I want to talk a little bit about, when you and I started working together, which was late 2019, I think it was end of October 3019 was I think our first session. Let’s talk a little bit about where you were at, at that time in your business, what was going on? And what that looked like and what made you kind of decide that, you know, I’m going to do something different here. I’m going to make a different decision. I’m going to get some help.

Sonia: Okay, so the date was October 28^th, 2019 and I remember that date because honestly working with you, Amanda, has changed that trajectory of my business and also changed my life as well. So, this is a very important date for me. So, what was going on with my business, I kind of felt like I had put it together with, like, gum and sticks. It was really fragile. And my mind was fragile around it. I didn’t really have direction. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I had to actually stop taking clients because I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my business.

I knew that I wanted more. I knew I wanted it to be more. I knew I wanted to give more to my clients and I didn’t feel like I was able to do that from where I was right now and what I had to offer. And I knew that what I really knew deep down inside was that this is the end of October. I was not going into 2020 without something being different. I was not going to go to 2020 and, at that point, be like this is not what I want my business to look like. I was going to figure it out. And I had heard your podcast and I had known about you a little bit before. And so, I was like, “You know what, I’m going to go with Amanda and we will figure this out.”

Amanda: Yeah, and I remember very clearly that – I can still remember you so clearly and asking the question, like, can I make money doing this?

Sonia: And I loved your response. Like, you gave me a look like, “Hello, yeah, I think you can.” But I needed that, you know. I borrowed your belief. And that’s what makes you such an amazing coach, Amanda, is that you believe 100% in your clients, even when we don’t believe in ourselves. I had so little belief at that point in time.

So, I borrowed the belief that I saw in your eyes when I asked you that question and you were like, “Yes, of course, you can make money doing this. and you can be successful doing it.” So, I didn’t have the belief. I borrowed it from you until I was able to make it for myself.

Amanda: Thank you, so much. And I actually tell a lot of clients that. I probably told you that a time or two. I actually a told a client that just this week. But that is true, and I think that’s one of the things, when you’re on this journey. When you’re building a business, it’s one thing to get the training.

When you look back at all of the training, you’ve been in some sort of training your whole life almost, right? So, it’s one thing to get the training, but then it’s a whole other skillset to actually build a business.

Sonia: That’s true.

Amanda: Just because you have the training, doesn’t mean that you’re going to have a successful business. And for me, even when I look back on my journey, I’m actually grateful now looking back that I was, in a way, naïve about that. I thought, “I’ve got the training, things are going to be rolling. I’m going to be off to the races in no time.”

And what I quickly learned in my own journey is that’s not how this works. There is a lot that goes into building a business. And so, I see a lot of coaches. I see especially as they’re starting out, maybe coming out of a certification program of some sort, you know, it’s great, but being able to then build a business around those skills is a whole different skillset. It’s a whole new set of muscles really that you have to develop.

And so, with that, I think it is important to have someone that you can rely on that can guide you, give you the step by step, take your hand and really help walk you through that. Because I know for me, that was pivotal for myself and I know for my clients too, there’s no doubt in terms of being successful, being a great coach. All of my clients are phenomenal coaches, like yourself. And it’s just a matter of how do we now put these pieces, like you said, how do we put these popsicle sticks together and actually build this thing?

And there’s lots of different strategies that we can use, so that’s why it’s important to have a clear understanding of what it is that we want to build, so that we can take the fast path here. We don’t have to take years. So, I want to talk a little bit about where you are now in your business.

So, we started working together at the end of October, and I love that you pulled out the exact date, thank you. And I want to talk about where you’re at today. So, we’re recording this. Today is July 30^th. So, let’s talk about where you’re at today. So, in a matter of really nine months?

Sonia: Yeah, so in a matter of nine months, you know, I’m going to go back to that date for just a second. Because I want to say that, remember how I made you record all my sessions and I would make you send them to me? And I would seriously spend the whole week reviewing and listening to that again to get my belief there. Because my belief was just, like, at zero or it was pretty minimal.

So, you carried me for a really long time. And every session, I would have you record it and send it to me. I would listen to the recording on the way to work, on my way home, on my drive to work. Like, anywhere I was driving, I would listen to that again and again and again and again. And that really made the difference.

And yes, now I’m going to answer your question. So, nine months later, basically November through July of working with you, it’s made all the difference in the world. Where am I at this point in time? Like, in March – it was interesting, I’m going to go step by step of what we did.

So, we basically tore my business down. We tore the whole thing down. There was nothing, it was decimated. You could not find it. And we rebranded as the Passionate Physician Coach. So, we were originally the Midlife Sex Coach for Women. We rebranded as the Passionate Physician Coach. And then we ended up rebranding again, back the Midlife Sex Coach. So, you don’t necessarily have it all perfect at the beginning.

And in the meantime, I was going to be doing individual coaching and group coaching but in a different way, and the COVID hit and things got complex and I had to look at it in a different way. I had to look at it like I was getting consults, but nobody was converting because people didn’t know exactly what the financial situation was going to be like. And so, I had to come at it a different way.

And I didn’t give up. I was just like, “Okay, I know there’s people out there that have money and I know that there’s people out there that need my help. That’s not going to change.” And in fact, when we get to the other side of COVID or we settle into our new level of normal, they’re going to need me even more.

So, what I need to do now is to figure out how I can serve those people now and serve the people that are going to need it in a couple of months, right? So, in March, we pivoted again and then created a course, an online course. And the reason I made the online course is because I wanted to give my clients as many options as possible in terms of working one on one with me, that was going to be a higher price point, but I wanted to make sure there was a group option that was a reasonable price point as well for them.

So, I created a whole course online in a month and a half. So, we came out the other side in May and suddenly we were back in the game and we were working on figuring out what to do. So, in May, I did a pre-launch of my group and I got 10 people into my group, and really tweaked it and did what I needed to do for the group and really listen to what their pain points are and how I can make a difference in their life.

And then, so I came out of that launch and then really focused on what I needed to do to really create the course and to create everything that needed for my clients. And then, we went into the full launch of the course, right? And so, that’s where we were in July. We went into – actually, it started in June, you working with me to get to the pre-launch part, the launch part, to dial it all in, to get the webinars going, to get Facebook ads going. And Facebook ads are kind of my nemesis. If you’re a sex coach…

Amanda: Yeah, for all the listeners, that is true. That was a genuine concern that we had initially. I shared with you actually, I’m going to do a little research before we move forward, just to make sure that can run ads and I was able to confirm that. But yeah, definitely we’re dealing with a sensitive subject here. So, I think it’s just proof that there’s always a solution, that there’s always a way to do it, which I love.

Sonia: It was so funny because when I was doing the Facebook ads, and I had all these thoughts in my mind that it was going to get rejected, so I was avoiding – I was doing more organic stuff, you know. I was doing Facebook lives with people. I was going into people’s podcasts and stuff like that and I was avoiding doing the Facebook ads because I had in my mind that they were going to be rejected. And I just had that thought. I was a life coach that was not managing her thoughts.

Amanda: Yes, which is why you needed a coach, right?

Sonia: Right, which is why I needed a coach. And this is what I love about you, Amanda, because you will coach me and you will help me with my thoughts. But at some point, you give me a look which is like, it’s time to go.

Amanda: That’s true.

Sonia: You help me as much as you can and then you’re like, look, it’s the decision, right? It’s a decision. It’s time to do it. And it was time. It’s time to get this done. And I also love about you, is that you sense when I need my downtime, when I’m about to do something. And so, you give me the downtime that I need and you’ll check in with me, but you also know that I’m in the middle of transforming in some way and I that I need my downtime.

And so, I took the downtime I needed and got my Facebook ads sorted out and done and submitted them. And they were approved so fast that I was like, really? Three, four months of, like, “I can’t get Facebook ads approved,” and they were – and it was just my mind drama, right? I could have been doing this so much sooner, or earlier. And it just shows you. But it was also sitting with you and figuring out copy and how we would make sure, you know, what words we could use, you know, and bouncing ideas off of you. And then it was like, okay it’s time to get this done, Sonia. And when it comes to – Amanda can take you so far and then you have to take yourself the rest of the way, Sonia, and that was kind of what I did.

Amanda: I love that. Here’s what I want to say about that. So, when it comes to – this is what I’m talking about when I say it takes a whole other skillset to grow a business. And a lot of coaches, especially the ones that I work with, want to grow highly successful businesses and it’s because you’re already highly successful in your life. And I think you’re a perfect example of that, Sonia. And so, if we’re going to do this, one of the things that I’m most passionate about is helping my clients get to their goals and build a highly successful practice in the least amount of time possible.

Like, I’m all about – like, I love acceleration. And the whole idea of the quantum leaps, and that’s always the work that I’m bringing in with clients, but what I want to say about the example about Facebook ads, these are the types of things where having someone with knowledge, that has the knowhow, that knows how to set up an ad properly, that knows how to write ad copy, who knows how to optimize the ads, there are so many intricacies when it comes to the Facebook ad process, if you’re choosing to run ads, that not having a level of knowledge, not knowing how to do that can really set you back.

Because what happens is, I see a lot of people who start running ads and they start putting out ads and they’re spending money, money, money, but they haven’t really set it up properly in the beginning, or I’m seeing more and more people where maybe their ad account is getting, you know, shut down because they didn’t submit it properly in the first place. So, there’s just a lot of considerations that need to be made.

And one of the things that I – and you know, Sonia, one of the things that I do with all of my clients is I teach you Facebook ads. I teach you how to set that up and how to set that up in your ad manager, how to write the copy, how to test, how to diagnose the data, what it all means, how we optimize. That’s almost a course in and of itself right there.

So, I love that you brought that up because it’s also an example of where I see so many people, just from a mindset perspective, getting hung up on these things, where for three, four months, it was like, “Nope, I’m going to avoid, avoid, avoid.” And within literally an hour, it was like your ads are up and running.

Sonia: Yeah, exactly, it’s so true. I can’t help it. It’s all about your mindset. I don’t think I would have been able to do this without you, Amanda, because I was in terror and petrified mode. I was not functional when it came to my Facebook ads. And you sensed that. You knew that.

Amanda: I knew it.

Sonia: You knew when to push me a little and when to give me that space that I needed to calm down again, and then we’re going to figure it out. And you never gave up on me, right? And we did go through a phase back in March where we were getting things rejected, and that’s when I stopped.

And then, to bring it back up at the end of June three months later and to have it – but my email list in one month has grown by, like, 600 just because of Facebook ads, and so it just helps you to understand that it makes a big difference really.

Amanda: Oh, it’s huge. And one of the things that I think is really important to consider as you’re building a business is it does take – it’s not just going to be one thing. It’s not just going to be one Facebook ad that gets you there. It’s going to be a process. It’s going to be, you know, if you choose to use paid ads, which my recommendation, if that’s a possibility, I absolutely recommend to all of my clients that we do that. And for all of them, that’s what we do. Because it’s a way to accelerate things

Now, that doesn’t mean we’re not doing other things. That doesn’t mean that we’re not attracting clients in other ways. It’s really important to have a holistic approach. But one of the things that I think is really critically important in the industry today is really establishing yourself as an expert in what it is that you’re doing. I think you’ve done a phenomenal job with that.

And when I look back at the nine months that we’ve been working together, as I was thinking about our conversation before we got done today, one of the things I was thinking about is you were taking such massive action. Like, we all hear the term, take massive action, be in massive action. And I think you’re a great example of that, Sonia, where when I look back at that process, I can remember, as I was sending you your module homework, even just starting the first couple of weeks that we were working together, where it was all about getting clarity in your business and really deciding and answering some of these bigger questions of what we wanted to build, I can remember you were returning that homework to me right away.

You were on it. you were in massive action from, like, day one with this. and I think throughout this time, like, you’ve also done some pretty big speaking – you’ve spoken on some stages pre-COVID, of course. But you went out and you were doing some speaking. You were guest-interviewing on so many different podcasts. So, it’s a combination of all of it that really does bring you to where you are today. And I just think you are such a good example of being in that massive action, even when it didn’t feel good, even when it felt uncomfortable, even when you wanted to give up.

Sonia: Yeah, you know, when I was doing the modules, it was fun. You know, you’re dreaming and you’re thinking and you’re processing. And then, you get to this point where you have to take the action in order to get to the other side. And then it’s not as much fun, right? Then it’s a lot of hard work. And there’s time where you want to quit. There’s times where I was like, “I’m not sure if I can do this. Maybe I should just go back to doing my radiology stuff and leave the rest of this coaching behind or just have a couple of private clients and leave it like that.”

But then I focused on my clients. I focused on, if I don’t get this information out there, there’s women out there that are going to be suffering. And I promised that I was not going to let that happen on my watch. And so, this really isn’t about me and whatever my issues are. This is about me figuring it out so I can make a difference for my clients because I just don’t want anybody to be in that pain like I was, you know.

And when I would feel that pain and think about where I was and what was going on with me, then I would be like, “No, I’ve got to figure this out for my clients. I’ve got to figure this out so I can be there for them.” And so, that kind of put it in perspective and then I would just keep going, right?

Amanda: Yes, and we’ve had so many conversations about that and I love what you’re saying there because that, again, that is a perfect example of coming from service, right? Like, just being in the work for the work, which I love. it’s just that hard why. It’s your passion. It’s the movement that we talk about from day one. Do you remember talking about that? From week one, what is the movement here that you want to create? Which I think is so amazing that you hooked into that and that you followed the process and that you ran with it and see the result of that today.

Sonia: You know, it’s funny because when you said, “What’s the movement you want to create?” I wasn’t on board at the beginning. I was like, I don’t know what you’re talking about Amanda. And you’re like, “Look, think of it, see the vision.” You know, this is why I love working with you, because you see more than what I see. You see more than what your clients see and you see me like five, six years down the line that I don’t see.

So, you have this ability to see our future and to help guide us toward that future. So, now I see the movement. Now it’s very clear and I know where I want to go with that and I obviously know that I want to stick with you and continue to work with you because of all your skills that you have, but also because of the fact that you believe in me and you help me along this path.

Amanda: Thank you so much. And that’s actually – thank you because that is absolutely what I love most about my work and working with clients with you is that I, for whatever reason I feel like that has been my gift, is being able to see that, like you said, I can kind of see the vision well beyond where I know my clients can see. And I think that’s just something that I’ve had my whole life.

And so, I love being able to do that with clients because, again, I know in my own experience, not having someone to help you with that, it can be a long journey. It can be a really hard journey. And unfortunately, sometimes if you don’t have that, it is easier to give up or you make the decision. And so, I’ll continue to do that. I’ll continue to push you. You know that. That is what I’m all about.

In fact, this year, like we said, it’s game on. Now it’s all about taking it way up, way up a few more notches, which I’m excited about. So, let’s talk about your launch, your latest launch, because I want you to share some specifics about that because it’s really, really impressive. And I want – part of why I want you to share this, Sonia, is because I want others that are listening right now that might be in a place where they feel like it’s hopeless, where they feel like they’ve been trying everything and it’s just not coming together, or maybe they’re having a hard time believing that it’s actually possible for them. I want you to share where you’re at and this launch that you’re just coming off of, which by the way is her first launch.

We did a beta launch back in May. This was her first launch using the ads going into cold traffic. And so, I want to talk a little bit about that because it’s a great example of the possibility for others.

Sonia: Yeah, you know, I want to go back – I’ve always liked going back a little bit, right? So, I want to go back to the fact that I was in a lot of shame at the beginning of this year because I hadn’t made any money. So, I had made 22K last year. And from about November on, I really wasn’t taking new clients.

Like, they had to knock on my door and like push the money across it. I was in a weird place where I didn’t know what it was I wanted to create, but I knew that I needed to change everything, right? And so, I burnt it all down. And in January, I did not take new clients. And I just didn’t take any new clients until the end of March.

I was mentally in this place where I was thinking about taking clients on at that point in time. But COVID hit right about the time that I was thinking, “Maybe it’s time to take some clients on.” So then, I was like, I should be further ahead. So then, I was kind of working against myself because I had all these concepts about how I had not made any money, I hadn’t made any money, what am I doing? I needed to make money.

So, I was beating myself up about the fact that I hadn’t made money and, you know, what that meant and was I not going to be able to make money? Like, there’s so many thoughts that were going around in my mind.

So, then it started to pick up a little bit. Like, March, I don’t think I made any money. Or maybe I renewed one client. And then April, I think maybe April is when I renewed one client. So up into April, I had not made that much money for the whole year, single digits is what we’re talking about.

So then, in May, when we revamped everything and then I got the group started, then we went to 10K in the month of May, which is the most I think I’d ever made in a month. And so, that really blew me away. And then June, I got a new individual client. You know, if we’re really looking at how much money I had made up until July, I would be about 22K maybe, about that.

And so, July hit and the middle of June is when we started our launch. So, we started working on things. We were unofficially launching. It was like the beginning of July when we officially launched. But we started making our plans and having webinars that were going and I was going on podcasts. We had a structure and a plan as to how we were going to attack this, either through podcast audiences that way, as well as doing Facebook ads and also doing webinars.

So, my first webinar I had was like on July 2^nd and maybe it had two or three people attending. It was not very impressive. But I was like, you have to start somewhere. And so, I did a webinar on July 2^nd, July 9^th, and July 16^th. I continued to go into any podcast that I could and talk about my program. I continued to do Facebook ads and anybody that signed up – I actually had a good signing rate through the webinars, but not necessarily the best show rate, right?

Then I was like, “Okay, my email list is growing. So, what am I going to do with that?” I’m going to be sending as many emails out as I can about my program so people are aware about it. So, I kind of tried to do it from every angle that I could think of. And then, I ended up having consultations.

So, I was working fulltime during this time and I was doing at least four consultations a day. And it was every day. I did not have a day off for close to a month. I was like, three to four consultations every day, talking to people and coaching and just coaching my private clients, but also wanting to give value to every person that I talked to.

So yes, I was talking about my launch for my group, but also I wanted to make sure that if I had the opportunity to talk to that person, I wanted to make sure that I could provide the best value and best coaching that I could. And if they chose to go into my group, that would be great. If they chose to do private coaching with me, that would be great. But I was going to give them as much value as I could for just that period of time that I was with them.

So, I was doing consultations all the time. I was doing the webinars. And then, I just kept thinking to myself, do you want to leave something on the table? Or do you want to know that you have done everything that you possibly could do for this launch?

Amanda: Such a great question. I love it.

Sonia: And so, I just kept going. And then I think – then it started to happen, right? The first week, maybe one or two people purchased and I was like, “Well…” and then the second week of July, I started seeing a little bit more. And then, by the third week in July, I was like, yeah, then I was seeing four and five people purchase a day.

And it’s just like you said – and I didn’t necessarily believe you, but it’s just like you said. And then, by the time we had finished the launch, it was 34 people have purchased. And so, in between individual coaching and people going into my group and some people going into my coaching, individual coaching, I ended up with doing – do you want to talk about the final numbers and stuff?

Amanda: Yeah, why don’t we go there? Why don’t you tell us?

Sonia: The final number was 70K on the launch for the group plus payment plans of another 12. So, about 82 for my very first launch, yeah.

Amanda: Okay, everyone, I want to just have her say that again, or I’ll say it again, $82,000 in your first launch, Sonia. That’s amazing.

Sonia: Yeah. You know, I tend to be a workhorse and go for it and not a celebratory person. So, that hasn’t really sunk in. And yes, I’m just getting that side of it sunk in. But the bigger part of it all is the thought that you can put anything in the R-line, right? You can put anything in the results line and you can figure it out and just keep going and keep taking massive action and go, go, go and you will get there. And even if you start from a place of not believing, even if you could just have that little mustard seed of belief, and just keep going, because the first launch I think is probably the hardest.

You don’t know how this can happen and you don’t know how exactly it’s going to – and then I just kept working on it, focusing on it, like, give as much service and value as I can to each person that I talk to. And now, I’m at the end of the line, so not it’s like, how do I give the most service and value I can to my clients that are in my group? And now, I’m getting excited about all the things that I can do for my group over the next few months.

Amanda: I love it. I love it so much. And I just want to say, you guys, this was from going back to our first consultation when we were talking about where Sonia was at, I want to go back there for a minute. This was from starting at the end of October, so essentially November of 2019, so just literally eight months ago where it was like, can I even make money?

Sonia: Right, with four of those months not making a single penny.

Amanda: Totally, to now. And then, if we add our private coaching on top of it, you’re over 100K. You’re over 100K in less than – I mean, essentially, in really about six months’ time. So, I think just what an amazing, I mean, that is so incredible and I’m so, so proud of you and the work that you’re doing. And what I think is so wonderful is that it really is about the work. It really is about also how can I make this better for my clients?

You’re already – I love that you were already thinking, like, what can I do this next round, this next group, to make it even better and to deliver even more? And that’s what I love about you so much is that it’s just how can I continually get better? How can I give value? And again, really coming from that place of this is the movement, this is my purpose is to really help these women.

And yes, the money is great. But the money will follow that. And I talk about that a lot. Once we make the decision and we’re coming from that place of value, the money is already there. We just have to go out and do the work to get there. But it’s already there.

Sonia: Yeah, that’s very true. That’s very true. And that’s what you have taught me and that’s what I see, you know. I didn’t believe that but thank god you had the faith and I trusted you enough to believe at least something.

Amanda: I love it. So, what do you think has been the biggest shift for you in the last, you know, seven to nine months? What’s been the biggest shift?

Sonia: Belief definitely. The fact that it’s a decision, and that when you make that decision, it is time to leave the mind drama behind. And you helped me to recognize that mind drama was just like my security blanket or my lovie, right? It’s not helping me. And it’s just a comfortable place to be. And when you’re in that place, you’re not taking action, right? You’re not making a difference and you’re not serving your clients.

So, when you get to that place where you give up the mind drama and you say, you know. It’s time. It’s time. And it’s a decision. We had a long conversation and I think that week, I played that recording at least night and day, afternoon. And it was just one sentence you said. And you looked me straight in the eye and you said, “It’s a decision.” You were like, “I’m done, Sonia. It is a decision.”

Amanda: I don’t want to hear it anymore, right?

Sonia: You’re like, look, it’s time.

Amanda: Well, sometimes we have to get there. We have to, like, as your coach, I can’t buy into your story. I don’t buy into my clients’ stories because you know what it all is? It’s all a story. It’s all manufactured. And so, having that perspective and not being able to stay in that, again, that’s one of the things I see as the downfalls of so many people that are trying to do this, is that they’re staying in the mind drama. They’re staying in the mindsets. They’re in a disempowered mindset that’s not helping them move forward and being in action and doing the things that are actually going to grow their business. So, thank you for allowing me to be hard on you at times.

Sonia: It’s the best thing for me, you know, because – in some ways, I’m smart enough to figure out the story. And if somebody buys my story then I don’t have to do the work. I knew what kind of coach I wanted. And when I went and did the first consult with you, I was like, “This is the coach that I need. This is the one that’s not going to listen to my bullshit. This is the one that’s going to be like, “Okay, we’re going to get this done.” This is the one that had the vision for me when I didn’t have it. Yeah, I tell all my friends, I’m like, I love me some Amanda. She’s just fabulous. It does not get better than Amanda. So yeah.

Amanda: Thank you so much. So, what advice would you have for someone that is maybe starting out their journey or someone that’s maybe struggling right now? Like, think about where you were when you and I started working together last fall, maybe struggling, not sure what they want to create, thinking, “This isn’t for me. I don’t know if I can do this.” What advice would you give them?

Sonia: Yeah, well the first thing I have to say is that definitely get your belief there and that you can do it, you know. I feel like I’m definitely an example of what is possible in terms of where I came from, where I had no idea what I wanted to do, and burning down the business and bringing it back up and then down again and bringing it back up, you know.

Like, it’s possible. It can be done, right? So, the belief has to be there. But then you have to be willing to give up your mind drama. You have to be willing to, like, at some point, we have to do the work. And then, when you make that decision that you have to do the work, then it’s time to do massive work, not just haphazard, kind of, “Let me do a little bit here. Oh look, it didn’t work, see I told you.” You have to be willing to commit and really do massive action not knowing if it’s going to result in something or not, and be willing to say, “I am all in.” And then, if you’re able to do those things, so belief, decision, and all in with massive action, you will get there.

Amanda: I love it. So, so good. So much wisdom right there, you all. I loved this conversation, Sonia. Thank you so much for being my guest. I think there is so much value here for the listeners. Is there any parting words, anything else that you want to share before we sign off for today?

Sonia: Well, I need to share, anybody that is thinking about working with Amanda, you have to work with Amanda. Let me just tell you, in whatever capacity that she will allow you to work with her, then you just need to work with her. I can’t tell you what massive growth I have had. And it’s been directly because I’ve been working with Amanda. So, yeah. And then, if you have any sexual difficulty issues and you want to work with me, come work with me. I’m here for you.

Amanda: Yes, and let’s talk about that. So, where can they find you, Sonia? Where can they work with you?

Sonia: Yeah, the easiest way to get me is to look on my website. You can connect with me in any different way from there which is soniawrightmd.com. and Amanda will have all the information in the show notes. But that’s the easiest way to get ahold of me. And you can look and see what my services are. You can actually look at my course, Own Your Sexuality Now. And we just started a new group. And if you want to join, come join us because you have lifetime access. It’s only been a couple of sessions, so you can still join. And otherwise, we’ll have another group that’s starting in October. And if you need to work with my privately, I’m here for you. Reach out and you can have a consultation, and you can get the consultation from my website page as well.

Amanda: Wonderful, you’re amazing. Thank you so much. We’ll talk to you soon, bye-bye.

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Hey, if you’re ready for a real breakthrough in your business and want to grow and scale your business to at least six figures or more in annual revenue, I invite you to apply for my exclusive program The Mastermind atamandakarlstadcoaching.com/the-mastermind. I look forward to seeing you there.

Thank you for listening to this episode of The Life Coach Business Podcast. If you want to learn more about how to build, grow and scale your business and accelerate your results, visit amandakarlstadcoaching.com.