Ep #26: Why This Is a Time of Opportunity

You are listening to The Life Coach Business Podcast episode number 26.

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 hope you are staying well and your family as well. I am sure it has been a crazy week for you. I know it has definitely been a little crazy here as well. I have just wrapped up my first official day of homeschool as my kids were on spring break last week and we are now “back to school.”

So, today was the first day that we were officially back in class and I know so many of you are doing the same. I know that you’re in the midst of homeschooling your kids and you’re working in your business and everything else that needs to be taken care of.

Let me just say, I 100% get it. If you’re juggling kids, especially small kids and businesses or jobs, I totally get it. But what I want to offer to you is that we are in this together. As I’ve been thinking about how I can serve you all at a deeper level I’ve decided that starting last week and moving forward for the next few weeks I am going to do a special series and devote these podcast episodes to help you navigate what’s going on, both from a business perspective, also from a mindset and emotional perspective.

So, today is the second episode in that series that I’m doing on how to successfully navigate and grow your business during this uncertain time. Because let’s be honest, our world has literally changed overnight. Because we’re all trying to navigate this new world that we’re suddenly experiencing I think it’s especially important that we’re thinking creatively, that we’re remaining calm, that we’re making decisions not from a place of fear but that we’re making smart, intelligent, business decisions especially right now as it pertains to our business.

Because here’s what I want to be really clear about. Our world has literally gone digital overnight and fortunately, since I’ve been running an online business for the past couple of years, I feel extremely fortunate that on that side of things nothing has really changed. The fact is that this has been my world, operating virtually, using Zoom, managing team members virtually. This is all part of my daily routine.

So, for those of you that have been in this industry for a while who have been operating coaching businesses for any length of time I’m guessing there’s a sense of that for you as well. But I also know that for some of you listening to this podcast who are perhaps still in a corporate job and you haven’t fully transitioned yet into your coaching practice or for those of you that are still newer to the space you are probably finding yourselves in some very new territory.

So, despite how uncomfortable things might feel in the moment I want you to recognize the level of opportunity that’s available to you right now. I firmly believe that now more than ever our world needs coaches. Our world needs desperately the tools and the skills and the know-how on how to navigate these new times.

I believe that as coaches it is our time, more than ever, to rise up and serve the world in an even bigger way. That leads me to the topic I want to bring to you all today and that is the huge opportunity that exists right now and how more than ever our creativity in how we approach our business, how we approach clients, how we think about what’s happening around us, how we think about our home situation, all of it, it now requires an even greater level of creativity like one we’ve never experienced before.

So, here’s what I mean. We all have a tremendous opportunity in front of us right now, an opportunity to serve our clients at an even deeper level, to help others navigate these uncharted waters. We have an opportunity for growth in our businesses where most businesses, quite frankly, are going in the opposite direction.

So, think for a minute about all of the businesses that literally overnight were either forced to close their doors or decided to at their own discretion for the safety and well-being of others, it’s everywhere. I know you all feel this and you know this and you see that the economic impact of this has been huge.

Of course, none of us know how this is all going to play out, but despite what’s happening economically, despite what’s happening on a public health scale the fact is that we have a real advantage right now as coaches, as leaders in the community to be a part of the solution, to truly help others, to help others get through this.

So, for all of you listening who might be in fear or might be in panic or you might be in some other weakened state right now as it relates to your business, I really want to encourage you to see the opportunity that’s in front of you right now.

I also encourage you to channel that energy into creativity because I believe that your ability to be creative and approach your business with creativity is going to be one of the most important currencies for you right now and in the future. This has been proven by so many studies. This has been something we’ve been talking about.

It’s because creativity opens up new possibilities. So, when you think about it think about the possibilities of how you can add even more value in your practice. Think about the new possibilities and how you can speak even more directly to what your clients are truly feeling in this moment. Being able to assess your offers and ensure that they’re truly meeting the needs of your clients, all of it, and here’s why I truly believe that this is a collective reset, if you will.

I believe this is truly a huge wake-up call for all of us. I believe this is a time for all of us to be able to assess our lives, our careers, our businesses, our relationships, our health, all of it and really decide, how do we want to move forward from here? For those of you building businesses, especially virtual businesses, you have such an advantage to be ahead of the game on this.

If you just look at our school system, for example, right now think about all of the schools who are using Zoom for the first time, who are virtually connecting with students and teachers and delivering daily lessons and connecting classrooms together virtually. Yet, for most of us as coaches this has been our main way to connect with our clients.

We’ve been using this technology, in a lot of cases, years, right? That’s just one example. The point is that I want you to see how actually ahead of the game you are in comparison to the traditional models that quite frankly are being challenged left and right.

I think that we can all agree that our world will never be quite the same as it was once we’re past this. I do want to make a point that we will get through this. It’s universal law. But how you move through this, how you approach your right now and how you are using your time will dictate how successful you are in navigating this whole situation.

So, I want to dive into this because I think this is going to be critical for all of you. Right now, I believe we have two choices as entrepreneurs. We can either, number one, operate from a place of fear. We can retreat and essentially go backwards in our business or we can dig in. We can choose growth. We can choose to step up and operate at an even higher level of ourself and find new and better ways to add value and put into place the things that quite honestly are going to be required moving forward.

So, I want to spend this conversation and future conversations on this podcast on option two, on digging in, on choosing growth, on choosing to step up and operating at an even high level, version of ourselves. I have to tell you that this week has just been amazing.

My clients, I am just blown away, I am so proud of every one of them. They are literally on fire this week; they have chosen growth. They are stepping up in such powerful ways and they’re adding so much value within their businesses and making such huge transformations with their clients and they’re pivoting their business, pivoting their messaging, pivoting where they need to and it’s been truly amazing to witness this week. I’ve really been blown away.

When I look at them and I look at all of the ways that they’re taking action and they’re adjusting where they need to, it goes back to something I talked about earlier and that is the fact that our world has literally gone digital overnight. So, now for those of you who are more familiar with my work, who have been following me for a while you know that I teach high-level strategy along with the woo, along with the mindset.

In fact, I focus on both in my practice because they’re both required. What I want to say here is that at the end of the day 95% of your success will be dictated by your mindset, 95%, it’s huge, and we can’t argue that. But that other small percentage, that 5%, the strategy which I consider to be the systems, the funnels, the marketing that I teach.

Now, more than ever, this is essential for the health of your business. I really want you all to see this because now more than ever as our world has gone digital we’re experiencing a time where more and more people are online and they’re desperately trying to navigate this new way of life. They’re struggling, there is real pain happening. Those systems, that marketing strategy, those funnels, my friends, those are the ways you’re able to reach those clients right now.

Because let’s be real, at least for the foreseeable future gone are the networking events, gone are the speaking engagements, and we don’t know how long this is going to last. Most data, most information is telling us this is going to last at least for a few months.

So, we’re going to be massively feeling the effects of this for the foreseeable future. So, if you’ve been building your business to this point without an automated marketing system in place, I’m telling you now is the time to dig in and learn and implement a solid system for your business. The reality is the health of your business is going to depend on this.

So, this is why now, more than ever, I really do want to help those of you that don’t yet have a system in place or maybe you have part of a system in place or maybe you have a full system in place, but maybe it’s not quite at its full potential. Maybe you don’t quite have the level of results that you want and you want to optimize it, now is the time to do this work and this is exactly the work that we do in my program.

I have to tell you, the clients that are doing this work it’s changing their business. They’re winning. They’re enrolling clients. They’re launching new programs. They’re filling memberships. They’re helping others and reaching clients they would have never had the opportunity to reach had they not put these strategies and these systems in place. This is so, so important.

So, with this I want to go back to what I said before. I really encourage you all to think about how you can be even more creative in your business. How you can challenge the current model you’re using. What opportunities might be just within your reach? How can you flex your creative muscles even more and provide even more value? There is so much opportunity here with this.

For most of you, let’s be honest, what your clients were dealing with just a few short weeks ago has probably been amplified even more now that they’re home, now that they’re navigating all of these new things, now that we all of this enormous opportunity in front of us to flex our creative muscles and to innovate and to think on new levels that we’ve never thought before.

Look around, all of our models are currently being challenged. Models within our educational system, models within our healthcare system, models within our work system, models within our daily routine and models within ourselves, all of it. In order to move forward we’ve got to be adapting and we’ve got to be creating new models for ourselves and for the systems that we’re a part of.

Our world is now requiring this of all of us. It requires new, creative levels of thought, but here’s the deal. In order to be creative, you also have to be in a sense of calm. So, one of the most important things for you, if you’re an entrepreneur, if you’re growing a business, if you’ve suddenly found yourself homeschooling your kids and you’re finding yourself feeling overwhelmed and stressed and maybe panicked or full of anxiety, one of the most important things for you to do is that you center yourself.

Is that you get back to a powerful, emotional state. Because there are only two types of states that we can be in, there are powerful states and there are weak states. When we’re not calm, when we’re not grounded, when we’re operating from fear or panic or anxiety we’re operating from a weak emotional state and everything we do and everything we don’t do is driven by how we feel.

So, I want you to take a look at this for yourself. Ask yourself, am I operating from a powerful place or am I operating from a weak state? Be honest with yourself about where you’re at and if you’ve been operating from a weak state then start to identify why.

Ask yourself, what have you been thinking? Notice the predominant thoughts that are running through your mind. Get curious about them. Challenge them because in order for you to be creative you’ve got to get into at least a neutral state. You’ve got to get yourself re-centered.

I want you to recognize that your ability in this moment to remain emotionally centered, to have that sense of calm will allow you to be creative which is one of the most important currencies that you have right now. So, to help you do just that I want to leave you with this.

This was an email that a principal in Port Jefferson, Long Island, New York sent out to his staff and it was shared within my coaching community and I just loved it and I knew right away I wanted to share it with you. I think it’s a beautiful example and I hope can bring you a sense of calm in this moment and as you move forward.

The title is, And What If? “If we subscribe to the philosophy that life is always working out for us, that there is an intelligence far greater than humans at work, that all is interconnected what if the virus is here to help us? To reset, to remember what is truly important. Reconnecting with family and community, reducing travel so that the environment, the skies, the air, our lungs all get a break.

“Parts of China are seeing blue sky and clouds for the first time in forever with the factories being shut down. Working from home rather than commuting to work, less pollution, more personal time. Reconnecting with family as there is more time at home. An invitation to turn inwards a deep meditation rather than the usual, extroverted going out to self-soothe.

“To reconnect with self, what is really important to me? A reset economically, the working poor, the lack of healthcare access for over 30 million in the US, the need for paid sick leave. How hard does one need to work to be able to live to have a life outside of work?

“And washing our hands, how did that become a new thing that we needed to remember? But yes, we did. The presence of grace for us all. There is a shift underway in our society, what if it is one that is favorable for us? What if this virus is an ally in our evolution? In our remembrance of what it means to be connected, humane, living a simpler life, to be less impactful, more kind to our environment?

“An offering from heart this morning, offered as another perspective, another way of relating to this virus, this unfolding, this evolution. It was time for a change we all knew that and change has arrived. What if?”

All right, everyone. I hope you have an amazing week. Stay well. I’ll talk to you all again very soon. Take care, bye-bye.

Hey, before you go, I have something amazing I want to share with you. To celebrate the launch of the show I’m going to be giving away three, free VIP strategy sessions where I’ll be diving deep into your business and helping you put a strategy in place for the next 90 days, so you have a real game plan on how to create results in your business and finally gain momentum.

I’m going to be giving away one free VIP strategy session, the same VIP strategy session I offer to all of my highest-level clients to three lucky listeners who subscribe, rate, and review the show on Apple Podcasts. Visit amandakarlstadcoaching.com/podcastlaunch to learn more about the contest and how to enter. I’ll be announcing the winners on the show in an upcoming episode.

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.