Once you see the mismatches, though, it’s natural to start imagining what the next version of the business could look like.

A new offer. A different business model. A smaller or larger team. A new role for ourselves. A different way of delivering the work.

But before deciding what the next version looks like, there’s a more fundamental question to answer:

What does the next version of the business need to make possible for the human at the center of it?

It’s easy to skip this question. Given your experience, once you see the mismatches, you quickly see possible solutions. You know how to think about revenue, clients, positioning, delivery, staffing, etc. You could begin rearranging the pieces almost immediately.

But if you start there, your strategic savvy will solve the wrong problem. Here’s why.

We’ve been conditioned to consider everything else first: what the business requires, what clients expect, what the market will support, what seems responsible or practical. Then, somewhere near the end, we ask what we need and try to fit those needs into what’s already been decided.

When your business no longer works for you the way it once did, that old order—strategy first, human needs second—needs to go out the window.

Otherwise, you’ll create new offers but expect yourself to maintain the same impossible pace. You’ll shift your team around but continue to make every decision. You’ll leave one business model for another that requires the same visibility, availability, responsibility, or output that you can’t do or don’t want anymore.

The business could look completely different, but your relationship to it would be exactly the same.

The next version of your business cannot be designed in reaction to what you want to escape. And it cannot be designed by starting with everything outside of yourself and then asking what room is left for you.

You need to start with the question I posed above: What does the next version of the business need to make possible for the human at the center of it?

What pace can you actually sustain? How much responsibility do you want to carry? What work do you want to spend your time doing? How do you want your days to feel? When do you want to work? What does the rest of your life require from you now? What gives you enough room for creativity, energy, and whatever else you need in order to function well?

These aren’t preferences to accommodate after the important business decisions have already been made. They’re the first things to consider.

Only after we understand those requirements does it make sense to bring our strategic ability back in and ask: How can I realign this business around what I need?

Once you know that context, you can ask things like, what offers make sense? How should things be structured? What does the business need to earn? What will the logistics look like? What tradeoffs am I willing to make?

Those questions still matter. But we ask them only after we’ve given ourselves ample room to discover—and declare—what we need the business to make possible for us and our lives.

And our answers may be very different from what it was when we originally built the business.

Energy changes. Values shift. Ambitions evolve. Work we once enjoyed may no longer fit, while needs we barely considered before may now be impossible to ignore.

We don’t owe lifelong allegiance to decisions made by an earlier version of ourselves under different conditions.

Realignment isn’t finding the smartest new version of the business and then figuring out how to fit yourself inside it. It’s refusing to make yourself the final consideration in a business that is supposed to support you and your life.

Understand what you need. Make those needs part of the design from the beginning. Then use everything you know about business to build from there.

Human first, business strategy second.

I’d love to know if and how you relate to this. Or if anything I’ve written lately sparks questions within you. Fill me in, and I’ll personally respond.

The post Human First, Strategy Second: What Does Your Business Need to Make Possible for You? appeared first on Jenny Shih.

When they see something isn’t working, they make a thoughtful change, evaluate, and adjust. Sometimes the change helps but doesn’t resolve the larger issue, so they make another change … then another …

After months or years of this, they start wondering why they, a capable problem-solver who has successfully navigated all kinds of business challenges, still can’t figure this one out.

Then they think: Maybe I should blow it up.

Or the other extreme: Guess I need to suck it up and keep running as-is.

But neither is what they really want.

They know they can’t keep forcing themselves to operate as-is. But walking away means abandoning years of work, a strong reputation, good clients, reliable income, a capable team, and parts of the business they genuinely value.

It feels like an impossible choice, but it isn’t as binary as it seems.

A business isn’t just one thing. It’s made up of many interconnected parts: the work itself, the clients, the offers, the delivery model, the pace, the team, your role, the visibility required, the financial model, and the way all of it intertwines with your life.

An owner who thinks, “I don’t want to work with clients anymore,” may discover that she still loves the work but can no longer tolerate delivering it at the current pace or volume.

Someone who thinks, “I’m tired of this business,” may not want to abandon the business at all. She may want to stop working long hours, carrying the weight and responsibility of a large team, or maintaining a visibility and social media strategy that’s exhausting and uninspiring.

Different problems call for different changes.

The goal isn’t to preserve as much of the old business as possible simply because it once worked. Nor is it to make the most dramatic change available because you’re desperate for relief.

The goal is to understand what actually isn’t working so you know which specifics need to change.

Think about your business as a house that no longer works for the people living in it. Sometimes changing or rearranging the furniture is enough. Sometimes a wall needs to come down. Sometimes the family has genuinely outgrown the house and needs to move; and even then, they can take their belongings with them.

You can’t know which kind of change you’re dealing with until you understand the exact mismatch.

That’s why taking the time to figure out what no longer works and why matters so much. Realignment doesn’t necessarily mean reinventing everything. It’s using discernment to help you make the right changes for the right problems.

The business that works for you now may look meaningfully different from the one you originally built. That doesn’t mean the old business was wrong. It simply means that you’ve changed, what you need from your business has changed, and the business needs to change with you.

I’d love to know if and how you relate to this.

Have you found yourself thinking your only options are to keep running the business as it is or walk away from the whole thing?

What has changed about you, your life, or what you need from the business since you first built it?

Fill me in, and I’ll personally respond.

The post Before You Blow Up Your Business, Avoid this Binary Thinking appeared first on Jenny Shih.

After I sent that email, a reader wrote to me about what that’s looked like in her own business.

As soon as I read her message, I could relate to so much of it—not only from my own experience, but from what I’ve seen in clients’ and colleagues’ businesses too.

She wrote:

Yes, I can relate to your words. My business stopped, I stopped, something changed, and I cannot move.

Now, after all those changes in my business, I am totally exhausted.

Before offering my thoughts, I asked if she wanted to hear them. I wasn’t sure whether she was looking for input or simply wanted to tell me how much the email resonated. She said yes, so here is my response:

You seem clear and certain that you’ve outgrown your nutrition business because weight loss coaching doesn’t inspire you anymore.

Okay, I always have more to say, but I also know that sometimes what I say challenges something pretty deep, and it can take a while to digest. So no rush to have an answer or even respond. I’m just hoping this helps you find some way forward, even if it’s teeny tiny.

I’d love to know if and how you relate to this. Or if anything I’ve written lately sparks questions within you.

Is there something in your business you may have outgrown, but you’ve been trying to fix instead of admitting you’re done with it?

If you let yourself explore without having to make a decision or prove it could work, where does your interest keep pulling you?

Fill me in, and I’ll personally respond.

The post Reader Question: I’m No Longer Inspired by My Business appeared first on Jenny Shih.

Usually, that works.

But sometimes a change improves things but doesn’t fully solve the problem; something still isn’t right. So they reassess, form another hypothesis, make another change, and watch what happens. Things may improve, but the problem still remains.

This can go on and on for months or years. And eventually, the problem-solving ability that’s served them so well starts working against them. Because when you’re accustomed to being able to figure things out, repeatedly failing to solve a problem can feel personal.

They stop wondering what’s wrong with the business and start wondering what’s wrong with them.

Why can’t I figure this out? Why am I always dissatisfied? Why is nothing ever enough? I should be grateful for what I have. Maybe this is just what it takes to run a successful business. Maybe I need to work harder, tolerate more, or expect less.

We’ve had plenty of practice internalizing problems this way. But the persistence of the problem is not evidence that you are the problem.

What it does tell you is that the changes you’ve tried so far haven’t solved the root issue. Which leaves you in the uncomfortable position of knowing something isn’t working without yet understanding why.

But if repeated rounds of identifying problems, making changes, and evaluating the results haven’t solved the issues with your business, another round of the same process probably won’t either.

So when you reach this point, the radical move is to pause. Stop jumping into action and start getting curious about what the actual problem is.

Which sucks, because it’s wildly uncomfortable to sit with something feeling off and not do anything about it. Taking action temporarily quiets discomfort, and pausing means forgoing that relief.

Now, you begin to investigate the problem differently.

It’s like a complicated knot. Until now, when you saw a loose strand, you pulled it. Change the offer. Hire someone. Work less. Launch something new. Set firmer boundaries.

But the strands are all tangled together, and pulling the most obvious one didn’t loosen the knot; it might’ve made things tighter overall. You have to stop pulling and start looking at how all the pieces are connected.

The question shifts from “What should I change?” to “What’s the deeper issue beneath the problems I keep trying to fix?” And the challenge is to tolerate the discomfort long enough to get a clear read on what’s actually going on.

It’ll probably take longer than you want it to. And it won’t look like the kind of work you’re used to doing, full of decisions and action. It will look more like thinking, talking things out, noticing patterns, questioning assumptions, and giving yourself enough time to see what you couldn’t see while you were so busy trying to fix it.

But once you have a clear enough picture of the larger problem to know what you want to do about it, you can resume what you already know how to do well: make a thoughtful decision, take action, evaluate what happens, and adjust from there.

Only now, you’ll be doing it with a much better understanding of what you’re actually dealing with, and you can make changes that move the business toward what you actually want, rather than simply fixing whatever problem is most visible.

I’d love to know if and how you relate to this.

Have you been trying to fix something in your business for months or years, only to find that something still isn’t right?

Do you think that the problems you’ve been trying to fix might be pointing to something deeper? Do you know what that something deeper might be?

Fill me in, and I’ll personally respond.

The post When Problem-Solving Backfires and You Get Stuck in this Endless Loop appeared first on Jenny Shih.

That story is one example of a much larger (and unfortunate) pattern I’ve recently noticed, and I’m diving into the specifics today.

My time away from work—and now my return—has shown me how many ideas I’d absorbed about what a business should look like, what work I should be doing, and how I should operate in order to be effective and successful.

Not that these ideas were inherently wrong. The problem was that over my years of self-employment, I often mistook good ideas for universally applicable advice, leading myself and my business astray.

As one tiny example, consider the idea of “eat the frog.” If you haven’t heard this before, it means doing your most difficult or important task first in the day to overcome procrastination and build momentum.

Throughout my professional life, I’ve done the opposite. Whenever I sat down to work, I would tackle my inbox and small tasks first.

Oh, how I berated myself for this! What a bad, inefficient business owner I was!

As it turns out, just this past June, I finally realized I can’t eat the frog. I’m simply not wired that way.

Starting my day with email and small tasks helps bring my brain online and allows my nervous system to settle so I can actually do more demanding work. When my inbox is full and a list of unfinished tasks is looming, I can’t focus on complex or creative work. Taking care of smaller, easier things first creates the conditions I need to do more demanding work well.

I spent two and a half decades trying—unsuccessfully—to fix a pattern that had actually been setting me up for success all along.

Since then, I noticed the other places in my life where patterns like this were (or weren’t) supporting me.

I need certain parts of my life to feel tended to before I can fully turn toward work: groceries in the fridge, meals planned for later, pressing personal tasks completed. Once those things are addressed, my brain is much more available.

I also realized that I need a lot of what I call “alone-alone time”—not me simply behind a closed door, but no one else in the house.

Before my son was born, I had plenty of it. At the time, I thought I simply had a spacious life. I had no idea how much the spaciousness itself supported my well-being and fueled my ability to work. I only understood what it had been doing for me after a long time of not having it.

Now, as I return to work, I intentionally plan around the household schedule so I can get the alone-alone-time I need to recharge and ensure I have capacity to work.

I now know that these things I thought were quirks or bad habits were actually part of an invisible system that allowed me to do good work.

This has expanded how I think about success on your terms.

I’ve always said that success on your terms was success as you define it, on the terms you set for yourself. I still believe this.

Now I realize that the terms aren’t limited to things like how many hours we work or how much flexibility we want in our schedule.

They also include the conditions under which we’re able to create that success: how, when, and where we work and what needs to be true in the rest of our lives so we can do our best work. Plus the conditions inside our business, like how much responsibility we can handle, the pace we work, the actual work itself, and what the business requires from us day in and day out.

The more we understand what we need and are able to factor that into our businesses and our lives, the more we’re able to create success on our terms.

Because a truly successful business isn’t one that simply makes a profit and serves customers well. It’s one that also works for the person running it—and the rest of their life, too.

Which has me wondering …

Is your business still working for you and your life? What has changed? Or what needs to change?

I’d love to know if and how you relate to this. Fill me in, and I’ll personally respond.

The post Expanding the Definition of Success On Your Terms appeared first on Jenny Shih.

So what work am I actually doing now? And how did I figure out this next evolution of my business?

Today I’m going to tell you how I got here and exactly where here is.

Finding My Way Here

The whole time I was on leave, I knew that, barring some miracle or unexpected twist of fate, I would need to return to work. So I spent a lot of time considering what that might look like.

The thought process went kind of like this …

The business I ran before was completely out of the question. Although I love love loved my team, the size of the business, the clients we were serving, and the responsibility that came with all of it, the complexity was far more than I’d be able to shoulder immediately upon my return.

Maybe I’d get a job. It would be a relief to have someone tell me what to do. Running your own business, no matter the size, comes with a significant mental tax from being in charge of the whole operation.

But realistically, I’m not built for a regular job or a 40-hour workweek. I’d collapse before I got my first paycheck.

That meant self-employment had to be my path, but I didn’t want to simply recreate a smaller version of the business I had before. I needed to figure out what business would support me, my life, my current capacity, and my goals and also feel enjoyable, rewarding, and appropriately challenging.

I always loved the one-on-one business model and the high-touch and flexible nature of that work, so it seemed like the right place to begin. But exactly what kind of one-on-one work would I do?

I wasn’t going to focus on beginner business owners. I love what I was able to do all those years, but that version of me has retired.

I have a lot of expertise to offer seasoned business owners, like leadership and team management, strategic planning, and business and financial management. I loved those aspects of running my business, and I enjoyed the little bit of coaching and advising I did around those topics during my leave. And still, I could feel that wasn’t fully it.

Those topics drew on my experience, but they didn’t account for the whole picture, including what I want to spend my days talking about and want matters to me personally.

I looked at the patterns of what energized me. I remembered what people had said about my work over the years. I considered the kinds of problems I most wanted to help solve. I got clear on the ways I was and wasn’t willing to work anymore.

I started playing with language, hunting for specifics, and getting more curious. I wrote an offer. I waited and rewrote it. Lots of time passed. I had new ideas and fresh angles. I reconsidered the problem, the people, the work, and how it would fit for me and who I am now. On and on for months.

But here’s the important part: For me, clarity didn’t arrive before I began working—not even a little bit. It emerged through repeatedly thinking, writing, waiting, reconsidering, rewriting, and having conversations.

And this: I wasn’t just trying to find the right words for a new niche. I was trying to figure out what the next version of my business needed to be so it could fit the person I’ve become, my current capacity, the life I’m living today, and where I see myself heading in the future.

Eventually, the direction, the words, and the actual shape of the business matched what felt true. The work I’d do, how I’d work, what I’d be responsible for (and not), and how it would fit into my life. It finally clicked.

Quick Answers Aren’t Always Good Answers

Before I get to the specifics of the work I’m doing, I want to set the stage by sharing a quick story.

Thirteen years ago, I was part of a peer-led mastermind with four other women in the online coaching space. We regularly talked on the phone (before the Zoom boom) and met in person every quarter to plan, strategize, and support one another.

I’ll never forget one exchange at one of those meetings.

I can’t remember the exact issue I brought to the table, only that I was trying to figure out how to do something in my business.

One woman offered an idea, and it felt like an immediate NO. Then she offered another. Also a NO. She kept suggesting things, and none of them felt right, so I kept saying no.

She got so frustrated with me! She said I always said no to everything, and I’d never achieve what I wanted unless I said yes more often.

Here’s the problem: I believed her.

I set aside what I knew about myself, as I’d been so strongly conditioned to do, chose the option that seemed smartest, and went for it.

It wasn’t until years later, well after the group dissolved, that I realized I’d known what was right for me all along. Her suggestions weren’t bad; they just weren’t right for me, the specific problem I was facing, or what I needed from my business at that time.

The world we live in wants us to move quickly. We’re pushed to choose a good option, implement it, and get results as soon as possible. It doesn’t want us to slow down and ask deeper questions. It doesn’t want us to take time to dig underneath to find the deeper issues. It doesn’t care if the solution isn’t a match for the human running the business.

So when a business isn’t working like it used to (maybe because we changed, our life has changed, the industry changed, or something else), we tend to grab the most obvious fix or the latest trend and try to resolve the issue as quickly as we can.

A new offer. A different niche. A fresh marketing campaign. A new business model. A mastermind. Fresh social media content. A spreadsheet. An AI chat.

Sometimes those changes or tools are useful. But if we haven’t taken the time to understand what’s no longer working and why, what we need from the business, and what the different paths forward could be, we can end up solving only the most visible symptom—and the underlying problems still remain.

Instead, we have to look beneath what first appears to be wrong, understand what’s actually going on, and figure out why it’s happening. Then we need to look at what we need the business to provide for the owner and their life.

And then we can consider the possible ways forward, including what should stay, what needs to change, what each option would mean in real life, and which direction makes the most sense for the business and the person running it.

This can be difficult to do from inside the business, especially if we’ve been living with the problem for a long time.

It helps to have someone alongside us who can see what we can’t see, ask the questions we don’t know to ask, distinguish the underlying problem from its symptoms, and see the possible options for moving forward.

And that’s the work I’m doing now.

My New Work

I’m working with experienced business owners whose businesses need to change, but figuring out how isn’t simple, obvious, or easy. What they’ve built may still be successful by all external measures, but it no longer works for the person running it.

Because the business matters. The clients, reputation, history, and years of work matter. The team—and the responsibility for them—matters. The income matters, too. So changing some or all of it feels big, scary, and loaded.

We figure out what’s no longer working and why, what you need for yourself and your life today, and which possibilities make the most sense for you and your business.

I don’t have formulas or blueprints, because there isn’t one right answer. My job isn’t to hand you a prepackaged plan or tell you what you should want. It’s to help you see the situation clearly enough that the next steps, even if they aren’t easy ones, become apparent.

Then I stay beside you as you implement changes, make decisions, and respond to what you learn along the way—making sure the business supports you and your life in the ways you need it to.

You can learn more about this work here.

If someone you know might need this kind of work, I’d be grateful if you passed this email or my information along to them.

Going forward you can expect to read more about what it means to truly consider the person behind the business and ensure your work fits your actual life, values, and unique circumstances.

Also what it means when your business no longer fits you—the person who built it—or your life and what to do when that happens.

I look forward to sharing that, and so much more, with you soon.

The post How I Found My New Business Direction appeared first on Jenny Shih.

My business hasn’t been a hobby; it’s been a support-my-household-as-the-sole-breadwinner kind of business, and I’m deeply grateful for that.

But after a long period of things going incredibly well, everything went south—fast.

The short story is this:

• In 2021, I was forced to stop working because I literally couldn’t work. It felt like my brain was broken. I was exhausted, unable to think clearly or strategically, and an emotional mess over all of it.

• In mid-2024, after finally having a clear diagnosis and a great care team, I resumed writing emails and working with some clients. When I returned to work at that time, I wrote about my 3-year hiatus in this blog post from late 2024.

• Early in 2025, it became clear that I’d returned to work too early, moved by hope, not the solid foundation I really needed. I stopped working and put my focus back into healing.

• Now, well into 2026, I feel different. I can think clearly. I’m sleeping well. I feel grounded. And I’m ready to work, for real.

The extended time off was necessary not just for my health but also for me to more clearly see what’s next for me and my business.

As I shared in my 2024 blog post, summarizing my initial personal leave …

Less than a year after returning to work [after my maternity leave], I became literally unable to do my job.

I was overcome by a deep exhaustion that wasn’t remedied with 2-hour daily naps and 10+ hours in bed each night. My brain was so foggy that I couldn’t think critically, make strategic plans, or learn new businessy things.

It was confusing, exhausting, and overwhelming. I had no idea what was happening or why.

The most logical guess was burnout from being an older, new mom in a pandemic without any support, managing a sizable business, and dealing with pre-pregnancy health issues.

As I later learned, I was very wrong.

It took me several years to get a clear diagnosis and several more to return to status as a fully-functioning human. At this point, I don’t feel any inclination to share specifics about my health situation, diagnosis, or treatments. Maybe someday, maybe never.

What I will say is that the time between my son’s birth in spring 2020 and my return to work for good in August 2026 was an eye-opening, seismic life-shifting experience that is far from over.

I’m not sure anyone can go through an experience like that and come out the other side “the same” as they were before. I certainly didn’t.

Because of that, and although I’m deeply grateful to feel able to work again, it’s also incredibly awkward to return to work. I’m not the same person I was before I stopped working. My time away has reshaped who I am on the inside in more ways than I can count.

As one small example, you may remember me as someone who was often bubbling over with excitement, momentum, confidence, and ambition about work, business, my team, our clients—all of it.

Now, I’m glad to be working again, and I love my clients, having my own business, and writing to you. But that bubbling-over energy just isn’t here anymore, and I can’t pretend, perform, or force it.

Usually when a business owner or creator changes herself and her work, the people who follow her get to go along for the journey. They witness the new person and new work unfold almost in real time.

But for me, I was mostly silent during these last several years, so folks didn’t get to witness that unfolding. So if my return to work, to writing, and to your inbox feels different than it used to, your perception is spot on.

Still, I want to show up and do useful work with the right people in a way that is sustainable for who I am and how I can work now.

That’s part of what success on your terms has always been about: success as you define it, on the terms you set for yourself. What those terms look like for me has changed, but the value itself is still very much intact. That’s one of the best things about working for ourselves—our businesses can change as we change.

Going forward, you’ll see me writing more about the person behind the business, you and me included.

I’ll write about making sure our work fits our actual lives, values, and unique circumstances, what it means when a business no longer fits the person or life it was built for, and what to do when that happens.

I’ll also share how this all helped me find my way back to work, the work I’m doing in my business now, and what this means for every business owner who feels like things need to change but they aren’t sure how.

The post My Extended Personal Leave: Why I Needed More Time to Heal and How I Finally Made It Back to Work appeared first on Jenny Shih.

Today I’m covering finding perfect clients, testing business ideas, contending with AI-generated content, and so much more. 

Want me to answer your questions? Subscribe to my emails, and you’ll get the link to do so.

Now, let’s dive in. You asked …

I only have 10 hours/week to grow my business.

Q: I work full time and have 10 hours a week for my business. How do I market effectively, sign my first client, do non-sleazy DM outreach, and choose the right free gift to grow my email list?

You’re wise to consider the most effective ways to start building your business while working a full-time job.

The first thing I’d suggest is to review My Seven-step Plan for Growing a Successful Online Business. This will give you the overview of how I recommend folks start out selling their services, regardless of how much or how little time they have.

There, you’ll see a lot of useful links, including how to create an initial offer, how to market your services, and how to sign your first client. (I personally don’t recommend DM outreach, though I know it’s a strategy others teach.)

In terms of marketing, pick two or three strategies that feel manageable, and stay consistent with them. Steady, intentional action will help you gain momentum over time. Here are 21 ways to get clients.

For a more comprehensive, step-by-step guide, including exactly how to spend the 10 hours you have available to build your business, I recommend my course, Starting and Growing an Online, Service-Based Business to Six Figures and Beyond.

As far as list-building, here are a bunch of list-building resources to get you started:

• Steal This! My Proven Plan to Hit 1000 Subscribers
• Email List-Building Secrets 
• Build Your List Blog Archive
• Steal This! 44 irresistible ideas for your opt-in lead magnet freebie
• The Top 3 Freebie Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make

I don’t know how to find my ideal client or grow my email list.

Q: I’m leaving my job soon to become an instructional design consultant. I want to help health and wellness professionals teach others but struggle with finding my ICA and growing an email list. What do you recommend I do?

It sounds like you’re stepping into something new and exciting. When defining your target customer, one thing that folks often worry about is getting it perfect from the get-go. In truth, that rarely happens. Start with the best guess you can make for now, then adjust as you work with clients, learn more about them, and learn more about yourself.

Here are some steps you can take to define or refine your niche.

Once you have a good-enough idea of who your target client is, the next step is to start investigating where they are online. There’s an exercise I’ve used with clients for years called “the circle exercise,” and it walks you through how to start figuring out how to reach your target clients online.

Once you have an idea of where they are, your next step is to start doing “client getting activities,” or things that get you in front of your target clients. Here are 21 ways to find clients. Choose a few approaches that you will commit to learning to do well and do consistently.

As far as list-building, refer to the previous question for list-building resources to support you.

The post Ask Jenny Anything: November 2024 Q&A appeared first on Jenny Shih.

But what happens when things slow down? When a client project wraps up and isn’t immediately replaced, or life throws an unexpected curveball—like a health issue or a personal emergency? Or what if you simply need a vacation or want time off?

A drop in income, planned or unplanned, can put significant stress on both your business and household finances.

The good news? You can prepare for it. And when you do, those income gaps won’t throw your entire business (or personal finances) off track. You’ll feel steady even when life happens, whether it’s a short dip in income or a significant life event.

Today I’m going to walk you through how to create a strategic financial plan that accounts for those kinds of ups and downs and ensures your business and personal finances can weather the business income fluctuations or unexpected life upheavals.

Assessing Your Current Financial Situation

Let’s start by recognizing that building a financial plan isn’t just about managing today’s income—it’s about creating a stable foundation that supports your business for the long term.

By approaching your financials with a long-term view, you’re not just reacting to immediate situations; you’re proactively ensuring that income remains steady even when revenue fluctuates. This can help you maintain peace of mind despite any ups and downs.

Let’s review the key areas to consider when creating your financial plan.

Understand Your Financial Baseline and Patterns

Start by reviewing your revenue and expense trends over the past year or two (or more).

Ask yourself questions like these:

• What’s my average monthly revenue? Yearly?
• What are my average monthly expenses? Yearly?
• What’s my average monthly profit? Yearly?
• Are there times when revenue drops or higher expenses pop up?
• Are there regular, big investments I like to make in my business?

The goal of this review is to see where things really stand financially and what your expected highs and lows are over time.

Assess Your Risk Tolerance

Consider your comfort with financial risk.

If stability and consistency are important to you, you’ll likely want to create a plan that ensures you get paid the same amount every month, with a low chance of surprises.

If you’re more comfortable with uncertainty or don’t mind reacting to shifting circumstances, you may choose to pay yourself a higher monthly salary and be willing to spring into action if revenue drops or expenses arise unexpectedly.

This is a personal choice. Consider what works best for you, your personal financial situation, and your own nervous system.

Determine the Buffers You Want to Have

Just like in your personal life, your business can benefit from having a financial safety net—or a financial buffer.

There are two different buffers to consider: a monthly buffer and emergency savings.

Making these a part of your business’s financial plan will ensure that even if there’s a lull in revenue or you need to step away from work for a period of time, you’re still able to pay yourself.

First, consider a monthly financial buffer—how much monthly profit you want, on average, beyond your planned salary and expenses. This is an amount of money that easily weathers expected month-to-month fluctuations over the course of a year or two.

Second, there’s how much money you want available in emergency funds for your business. This is what you’d use to cover business expenses and your salary if there’s a significant business issue (like a massively failed launch) or a big personal emergency (like a medical or family issue requiring you to step away from work for some time). These are situations that require funds beyond the monthly financial buffer you’ve already made available.

(Depending on your circumstances, you could possibly create a third savings category, setting aside money for things like vacations or a maternity leave, though I personally chose to plan those things into the previously listed buffers. It’s a personal choice.)

You may not yet be at the place where you can set aside buffers; we’ll talk more about how to get there in a moment. For now, though, just consider your risk tolerance and what buffers would increase ease in your financial life.

Create Your Financial Plan

It’s possible that as you’ve reviewed the details listed above, you’re realizing you’re paying yourself at a rate that leaves no wiggle room for dips in income or personal emergencies—and you’re okay with that.

Or you could be realizing that this explains perfectly why you’re a little stressed every month about finances. Or something else.

The good news is that you now have a better picture of what’s going on, and you can make a new plan going forward.

Here’s what you’ll take into consideration as you make your financial plan. This will likely be an iterative process.

Set Your Monthly and Emergency Buffers

With a clear view of your revenue, profit, and risk tolerance, start by putting a stake in the ground for your buffers.

How much buffer do you want, on average, every month?

Is this something you want to have available starting next month, or is it something you want to work toward by a specific date?

How many months of emergency funds do you want to create in your business?

When would you like to have these funds available?

If you’re also wanting to create a separate savings fund for vacations or maternity leave, factor that in here as well.

Determine Your Monthly Pay

Taking into account everything we’ve discussed so far, consider how much to pay yourself. This may be a number lower than what you’re paying yourself now.

As with most advanced business strategies, there isn’t a set formula for choosing this number. It’s about taking you, your business, and your values into consideration.

And yes, there can often be a difference between what you want to get paid and what makes financial sense given the factors above. Know that you can make a plan to get paid what you want and create the buffers you’re looking for; it just might take time to get there.

Create Your Buffer-Building Plan

Now that you have a clear picture of your financial situation and financial goals, consider what steps you’d like to take to get there.

Do you want to use higher-profit months to build savings? Do you want to increase your revenue? Do you want to scrutinize your expenses?

Next, let’s cover what that could look like in your business.

Building Business Savings (Buffer) for Long-Term Stability

There are three obvious ways to create financial buffers in your business, and I’ve outlined them here. Though feel free to get creative and consider other options that might be unique to your business.

Use Higher-Profit Months

One way to start building your buffers is by using higher-profit months to save. During busy periods, it’s tempting to either increase your salary or put extra revenue toward new, additional expenses. But if you set aside a portion of those profits, you can build a cushion that will support you when business slows down.

Increase Your Revenue

You can look at increasing revenue—whether through offering additional services, holding special promotions, or raising your prices. This may allow you to keep your current salary the same, and use new revenue to build your buffers.

Decrease Your Expenses

Another way to build your business buffers is by reviewing your expenses. This isn’t about eliminating the expenses that support your business or help you generate revenue. Nor is it about holding back on critical investments that will help you grow your business. Instead, think of it as simple housekeeping—a way to make sure you’re not spending money where you don’t need to.

Look for the low-hanging fruit. Are there subscriptions or tools you no longer use? Could you renegotiate certain contracts or find more affordable options for routine expenses?

By making small adjustments here and there, you can free up funds to put into savings, without sacrificing the essentials that keep your business running smoothly and growing.

How a Financial Plan with Buffers Saved My Bacon (Twice)

Back in 2013, I had the idea to start treating certain streams of income—like affiliate income—as “bonus income.” Instead of using it for regular business expenses or to increase my salary, I set it aside as savings.

First, I rebuilt my personal emergency fund, which had been depleted when I quit my corporate job to start my business in 2009. Once my personal savings was where I wanted it, I shifted my focus to a business savings plan.

As my business and team grew, I worried that a failed launch would leave me unable to pay my employees. So I began funneling profits into a business emergency fund, aiming to cover expenses and payroll for quite some time—perchance revenue dropped to zero.

I confess that my actions were mostly driven by anxious and worried caretaking and codependent parts. But as it turns out, it was a smart call for me.

In 2020, my business suffered an unexpected, six-figure financial loss when I took a maternity leave. Then in 2021, I was struck with serious health issues and had to stop working for three years (without a secondary household income to support us). I was able to get by because I had both business and personal savings, and I’m deeply grateful to past Jenny for saving like she did.

Plan for Stability, Peace of Mind, and Long-Term Success

Running a business comes with its ups and downs, but by proactively planning for financial hiccups, you can smooth out those rough patches and maintain stability in both your personal and business finances. Whether you’re preparing for slower client periods, unexpected time off, or simply wanting to take a well-deserved vacation, a strategic financial plan allows you to continue paying yourself no matter what.

The best part? Planning ahead is an investment in your future self. You’ll thank yourself if or when life throws you a curveball and you’re ready for it.

The post Future-Proof Your Business: Strategic Financial Planning to Manage Income Fluctuations and Achieve Long-Term Stability appeared first on Jenny Shih.

Today I’m covering navigating a pause in your business, building your list, getting clients, paid ads, and so much more. 

Want me to answer your questions? Subscribe to my emails, and you’ll get the link to do so.

Now, let’s dive in. You asked …

Things got rough. Should I take a break?

Q: I feel lost and exhausted. My business peaked five years ago, before my chronic illness, and now my audience is shrinking. After getting deplatformed on Facebook, I’m losing confidence and feeling doubt about my work. Should I let my old business model go, take a break, and rethink my next steps?

It sounds like you’re navigating a particularly tough time in your business, and I’m sorry to hear all you’ve been through. It’s understandable that you feel lost and exhausted, and the loss of engagement and the impact of being deplatformed could take a toll on anyone’s confidence.

Does the current direction of your business still align with your values and passions? Are there any aspects of your work that excite you now?

I’m wondering, based on the phrasing of your question, if you already know what you want and are looking for permission to let your old model go, take a break, and rethink your next steps. (In which case, permission granted.)

How does it feel to consider taking a break? Know there’s not one way to go about it; you can get creative with how you proceed.

I often need to remind myself that I started my business, and I get to decide if/how/when I proceed. You started your business, and you get to decide the same.

The circumstances are unfortunate, and I’m sorry this happened to you. There is no formula on what to do next, only what’s feels like the most right move for you. You certainly wouldn’t be the only business owner to take a break to step back and reevaluate everything.

I know what to do to market my business, but I’m not doing it.

Q: I have a marketing background but struggle to market my business. Despite having a strategy and tools, I procrastinate on execution. I want to gain at least one client before the year ends but feel unsure where to start. Why is it easier to guide others than myself?

It sounds like you know what to do and have the tools to do it but aren’t following through. It makes me wonder if there might be something else that’s going on. What I mean is, it doesn’t seem like a skill or knowledge gap but maybe an inner challenge.

You wouldn’t be the first business owner to experience a disconnect between your expertise and the application of it to your business.

Do you think something might be going on internally that could be getting in your way or holding you back? Any guess what it might be?

In terms of addressing it, that’s a very personal preference. In the last few years, I’ve found somatic and IFS therapies to be incredibly helpful for both personal and work issues. In the past, I got a lot of benefit from mindset coaching and The Work of Byron Katie, though there are countless modalities for addressing things that might be keeping us from our goals.

Of course, if those don’t feel resonant, other things to consider could be working with an accountability partner, hiring a coach to help you take the steps, or dangling some carrots for yourself for making progress.

Another thing some of my past clients found helpful was to investigate their Tendency (as described by Gretchen Rubin); they found it offered a clue for how to work with themselves to achieve goals.

The post Ask Jenny Anything: October 2024 Q&A appeared first on Jenny Shih.

The good news is, it is a skill, and you can learn it.

Sure, it can feel like daunting—whether you’re hiring your first part-time assistant, your first real employee, or a key contractor for your team. But when you find the right person, it can make all the difference to you and your business’s success.

So if you’ve tried before without success, been hesitant to start, or are looking to fill a significant role with higher stakes, I’ve got you covered.

Below you’ll find the steps to finding the right person for the job you need filled.

Get Clear on Who You’re Looking For

One of the biggest mistakes I see business owners making when it comes to hiring—especially if they’ve churned through assistants without ever finding the right person—is not taking the time to define exactly what they need. This isn’t about creating a job description to post online; it’s about getting clear for themselves.

So the first step to hiring—before asking your friends and colleagues for recommendations—is to get really clear on the person you need for your business.

Here’s how to do that:

1. List the specific tasks this new team member will need to do and the “hard” skills they need to have.

What tasks will they need to do right away? What will they need to do down the line?

What might be potential growth tasks or “would be nice” things you’d like them to handle in the future?

What hard skills are required to do these tasks? And—this is really important—do they need to come to the job knowing these skills, or will you train them?

A quick story about training

Many business owners assume they need to hire someone who is fully trained. They expect candidates to hit the ground running on day one.

But let’s be real: Even the most skilled individual needs to learn your business. Some amount of training is always required; you simply have to decide how much you’re willing and able to do.

My first assistant, hired in 2011, knew nothing about online business, websites, or email marketing. I trained her to do everything. I valued her soft skills, ability to learn, and willingness to ask questions over technical experience, which resulted in a fantastic fit for my business. She worked with me for five years, only stopping because she wanted to be a full-time mom when her daughter was born.

My second assistant, who also had no online business experience, was similarly chosen for her soft skills and growth potential. My first assistant trained her, then she worked for me until I was forced to take a personal leave. Both were excellent fits for the work but came to the job with none of the technical skills required of the position.

I mention this because it’s uncommon in online business to work with the same assistant for 5 years, let alone two assistants for 5 years each, both only leaving because of external circumstances, not for reasons for poor fit or individual frustrations. But this is possible when you hire the right person for the right position in your business.

Okay, moving onto the most overlooked part of the job description …

2. List the required soft skills.

Think about what kind of person would work well with your style and in your business.

Do you need someone detail-oriented? Someone who asks questions when they’re not sure about something, instead of guessing and proceeding? Or do you want someone to take initiative, asking for forgiveness instead of permission?

Do you need someone who is quick to complete tasks? Or more thorough and focused on each item?

Someone who thinks about the bigger picture of your business? Or flies through a to-do list because they love checking things off a list?

This list requires careful thought on your part. Who are you as a business owner, and what do you need from the person in this role so both of you are successful in your work together? Having similar qualities to one another in some situations can be helpful but not so helpful in others.

3. List your requirements and expectations.

Next, consider other things that are requirements and expectations for this position.

Do you have specific working hours they need to be available? Do you have an expected response time? Are there meetings they need to attend, and when are those meetings?

Will you be communicating with them daily, weekly, or at some other frequency? How will that work exactly (email, Voxer, Slack, etc.)? What response time do you expect?

Business owners often have expectations in their heads but don’t always realize they have them or think to communicate them to the person they hope to hire. Clarifying these specifics upfront will streamline your process and prevent hiring mismatches.

4. Think through compensation.

Next, consider compensation. This can be simple or complicated depending on if you’re hiring a very part-time assistant or a full-time employee. There are also legal considerations depending on where you live.

Do some research on what the typical compensation is for this position. It can be pretty straightforward, for example, if you’re looking to hire an assistant who is local to you. It can be more complex if you’re wanting to hire someone who will be fully virtual and may or may not even be in the same country as you.

In terms of bigger picture questions:

• Have you done the budgeting for this position?
• Do you know what the employee ROI is? You want to know that the right person for this position will benefit your business beyond their own salary and benefits.
• Do you know what you can afford to pay them before they create an ROI? And how long that window of time is?

When it comes to the job description, you can post the compensation, but you don’t have to. I’ve seen it done both ways.

5. Do a reality check.

Before you proceed, check that you’re not making the same mistake I see many folks making when they come to work with me: Looking for a unicorn.

A business owner might see several bottlenecks in their business, and they try to put all of the bottlenecks into one position (such as an assistant, a sales person, and a social media content creator). But filling that kind of role is unlikely.

So when you look at your list, the one you created based on the steps above, ask yourself if that’s one position or several. Do a reality check before you proceed (and get an outside perspective if needed).

The Hiring Process

Now that you’re clear on who you’re looking for, it’s time to prepare for hiring.

The first step is to think through your hiring process.

Yes, you need a job description. Yes, you need to interview a candidate.

But there are a few other steps in between that folks often don’t consider. For example, how will they apply? How will you evaluate their hard skills? How will you evaluate their soft skills? Do you have a critical timeline for hiring this person?

The second step is to write your job description.

The good news? You have most of what you need from the work you completed above.

Generally speaking, the more detailed your job description, the more likely you are to find the right fit for your specific job.

Here are things to include in your job description:

• Required hard skills
• Desired hard skills
• Information about the training you will (and will not) provide
• Required soft skills
• Desired soft skills
• Expectations of the position
• The kind of business you run, including things like culture, attitude, values
• Compensation (optional)
• Call to action (Do they submit a resume? Fill out an application?)

You can look online for example job descriptions. How lengthy and detailed you get will depend on the position. For example, a very part-time assistant doesn’t need as nearly a lengthy job description as a full-time employee for your team.

The third step is to get the word out.

Once your job description is ready, it’s time to get the word out about the opening.

A great way to start is by reaching out to your network. You can often find great candidates from referrals. You might also reach out to your email list or even past or current customers; sometimes the people who already know and love your business are the perfect fit.

If you’re in online communities with fellow business owners (such as a Facebook group), you may be able to post your job description there.

Assuming you’re looking for a remote position, you could post your job on LinkedIn, Indeed, or a niche industry job board. Some of these options are paid and some are free; what you do would likely depend on the type of job you’re hiring for.

Again, depending on the position, you could look on sites like UpWork for a qualified candidate, or other similar sites.

The fourth step is to vet candidates.

Once you’ve received applications, it’s time to start vetting candidates. This isn’t just about an interview (which I’ll discuss in a moment). It’s about sorting through the folks who have expressed interest to see who might be a good fit, whether that’s reviewing resumes or applications or both.

In your review, yes, you want to look at their qualifications. But also pay attention to the things that matter to you.

For example, if you want a detail-oriented person for the job and someone submitted their resume in a Word file but you asked for a PDF, that might be a flag that they’re not a good fit. Or if you want someone with stellar customer service skills and their email to you felt warm and kind, that might be a good sign.

All of the steps an applicant takes before they interview you is a pre-interview, helping you determine who you’d like to actually interview.

Once you vet the candidates, it’s time to invite your top candidates to an interview.

The Interview Process

Just like the vetting process above, pay attention to the other ways candidates tell you about themselves, from scheduling the interview to how they show up and conduct themselves during the interview. Notice the things that matter as it relates to them doing a good job for you.

The goal of the interview is not only to determine if the candidate fits your team but also to help them assess if the position and your business are a fit for them. Approach this as a two-way opportunity, and you’ll both get closer to the answer you’re looking for.

Set the stage

Begin the interview with a warm welcome. Thank them for taking the time to meet with you. Then set the expectations for duration and anything else they might want to know about the process.

Ask good questions

You’ll want to prepare different types of questions, and the exact questions will vary depending on the type of role you’re hiring for.

Start with some warm-up questions like “What drew you to this position?” and “What do you enjoy about this kind of work?”

Ask some work style questions. Here’s one that I used when I hired a full-time copywriter back in 2019: “This is a remote job with flexible hours, but we’re still a team of Type A action-takers who meet deadlines. How do you manage your time and workload in an environment like this?”

You’ll want to ask technical questions if they’re applicable to the position.

And be sure to ask questions that help you assess the soft skills that are crucial to this person’s success in the position.

Let them ask you questions

After you’ve asked all of your questions, let your candidate ask you theirs. Not only will their questions tell you a lot about them, but they will also help you meet the objectives I stated above: making this a two way conversation so you both see if working together is a match.

Wrap up with clear next steps

Before you end the interview, let the candidate know the next steps. Whether that’s a test project or simply that you need to interview other candidates this week or next, it’s important that they are clear on your process and the timeline.

A key tip from my former mentor

I was working with a mentor when I was hiring a full-time copywriter in 2019, and she gave me some incredibly valuable advice:

Don’t be afraid to ask awkward or otherwise socially inappropriate questions. If there’s something on a candidate’s resume that raises a flag—a gap in their work history, for example—directly ask them about it. If there’s something they say in the interview that has you curious, ask them about it.

Trust that you have that question for a reason, so get an answer to it. Beyond just getting the answer to the niggling question and easing your mind, how they handle that question will tell you a lot about them and their potential as a fit for your company.

Test Projects

Depending on the position, and often critical for higher-level roles or full-time positions, you may want to include a test project for candidates who did well in the interview process. This is a good thing to do where someone’s hard skills are a requirement of the job.

For the full-time copywriter position I was looking to fill in 2019, I needed the person to come into the job with strong copywriting skills that worked well with the brand and style. Yes, we’d provide them with our SOPs and brand guidelines, but we weren’t going to teach copywriting skills.

We designed two small test projects to help us get a better idea of how the candidates would use their skills for our projects.

For full-time positions like this (copywriters, designers, developers), it’s not uncommon for candidates to have to do projects, so the good candidates won’t be surprised by this request.

The project doesn’t have to be complex, but it should give you a sense of how they handle the actual work they’ll be doing for your business.

Choosing the Right Person

After you’ve gone through the interview process, it’s time to choose the best candidate. Sometimes this is obvious, and you make the offer, hope they accept, and take any legal steps required to hire them. Then, of course, you begin the onboarding process.

Other times, you may wrap up interviews without a perfect candidate. It happens more often than you might think, and you have a few options.

You can hire someone temporarily and see how they perform, letting them know it’s a test period of a certain duration. This can give you the flexibility to test the waters without fully committing. If it doesn’t work out, you can start the search again.

You can find more places to post the job description and look for more potential candidates.

If you were wanting to hire a full-time employee, you could close the gap temporarily with a contractor or freelancer while you keep searching.

You can also take a risk and hire the best candidate available, knowing there may be areas where they’ll need to grow into the role or you won’t fully get your needs met.

There isn’t a single best way to proceed, just whatever works for you and your business and the circumstances you’re in.

Finding Your Perfect Fit

When you hire the right person for your business, it’s more than just filling a role. You’re creating the potential for business growth, more freedom for yourself, more expertise within your business, fresh perspectives, better execution, enhanced customer experience, or increased flexibility, to just name a handful—ultimately positioning your business for long-term success and sustainability.

In my experience, the right hire also makes business way more fun.

Whether you’re new to hiring or looking for your first full-time employee (and the stakes feel high), remember that hiring is a skill you can learn.

If you’re unsure about any part of the hiring process, from defining your needs to conducting interviews to making offers, getting feedback or guidance from someone with experience can make all the difference. Getting another perspective from someone who has done it many times before can help you feel more confident and make the process smoother.

In the end, hiring should feel like a win-win. You get a great person to fill a needed position in your business; they get a great work opportunity that fits them.

The post How to Hire the Right Person for Your Business: A Step-by-Step Guide appeared first on Jenny Shih.

But that’s what happened in 2021. My health took a steep decline, and I no longer had the capacity to maintain the incredible business I created (let alone get through the day without a nap; more on this in a moment).

Thankfully, the story seems to be headed toward a happier ending. I’m writing this in late 2024 as I’m slowly returning to work after a three-year hiatus. Things definitely aren’t “back to business as usual,” but as with all things in life, I know nothing remains the same forever.

Below I’m sharing what happened in the last three years, the steps I’ve taken to navigate my way back to work, and my vision of where I’m headed next.

Why I Had to Stop Working

In 2009, I quit my corporate engineering career to work for myself, and it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I’m fortunate that my business grew far beyond a hobby; it became a support-my-household-as-the-sole-breadwinner kind of business, and I’ve always been grateful for that.

But after a long period of things going well, something almost unimaginable happened.

In early 2020, business was humming along. I loved my team (me + three employees + a crew of coaches + a handful of contractors). And I was expecting a baby.

That spring, early in the pandemic, my son was born, happy and healthy. As planned, the team ran the business while I took a five-month maternity leave.

I returned to work in the fall of 2020, and everything was going along just as we had hoped …

Until, inexplicably, it wasn’t.

Less than a year after returning to work, I became literally unable to do my job.

I was overcome by a deep exhaustion that wasn’t remedied with 2-hour daily naps and 10+ hours in bed each night. My brain was so foggy that I couldn’t think critically, make strategic plans, or learn new businessy things.

It was confusing, exhausting, and overwhelming. I had no idea what was happening or why.

The most logical guess was burnout from being an older, new mom in a pandemic without any support, managing a sizable business, and dealing with pre-pregnancy health issues.

As I later learned, I was very wrong.

(It was nearly two years into my leave before I discovered the real reason I couldn’t work. It was far from a case of burnout. The specifics are still unraveling and aren’t at a share-worthy place right now; maybe someday.)

Given that I couldn’t do the work required to sustain my business, I had only one option: pause my business, lay off my team, and figure out what was going on.

And that pause took three years longer than I expected.

The good news is that with the right diagnosis comes the right course of treatment. In August 2024, I found myself with some capacity to work again, and that was a huge relief.

My next step? Figuring out how to return to working without regressing in symptoms.

Unfortunately, “getting back to it” was far more complicated than I imagined it would be.

First, I Had to Face My Fears

I knew that I wanted to start my return to work by simply emailing my list. I wanted to share what happened in the last three years, why I had to step away from work, and take readers along for the journey as I restarted my business.

But before I could even write (let alone send) a single email, I had to contend with an onslaught of fears—many of which I thought I’d dealt with years ago when I first started my business.

On top of that, I felt massive overwhelm about technology, logistics, and finances.

It was like I was back in 2009 again, starting my business for the first time with no website and no clue … but a heart full of hope.

After 15 years of being fruitfully self-employed, I was surprised to watch the fears, technology overwhelm, and financial concerns return with a vengeance. Hadn’t I dealt with these already?

I started questioning if what I had to say even mattered anymore. After more than three years away, would anyone want to listen? Did I have something valuable to offer? And if so, what was it?

Even more challenging, I was frozen at the thought of updating my business systems. My backend was set up for a business running a million in revenue, but because of my inability to work these last three years, I never had the energy or mental capacity to downsize any of it.

And then there’s the websites (yes, plural) …

Custom built, expensive to maintain, and perfect for the business I had been running. But now, not so much. All in need of a massive tech overhaul—plus a new design and new photos (a pandemic + four years of motherhood + some massive health issues have aged me a bit).

But without knowing where I was heading with my business, I had no idea what I’d do for the overhaul if I even had the capacity to do it (which I didn’t and still don’t).

And of course, there are the financial fears. I’ve learned a lot about how to manage them since I started working for myself. But as the sole breadwinner, I eventually need to get back to a household-supporting income after operating at a sizable loss for more than three years.

So yeah, as I was inching closer to writing that first “I’m back” email, I was feeling terror, overwhelm, and confusion.

In an earlier incarnation of my business, I had a few drops of extra energy to plow ahead when I had a problem to solve. But since my body put up its big protest in 2021, it simply won’t permit any oppressive tactics.

That said, even though I’m taking a gentler approach to life and work, I haven’t yet found my new formula for meeting my physical and mental health needs while also bringing in the necessary income.

All I can do is trust that I’ll get there, take one small step at a time, and move forward in partnership with my body.

Which brings me to how it’s been unfolding so far.

It Took 5 Months to Send One Email

In March 2024, I had a spark of energy and inspiration—both of which had been absent for nearly three years.

Over the course of two weeks, I sketched out some emails to my list. When I was done, I felt excited to finalize and send the first one, declaring I’m officially working again.

Except my body gave me a clear NO.

With all that’s gone sideways these last several years, I won’t bypass a NO. I was confused and a bit annoyed, but I trusted.

A week later, the reasoning was clear: Things took a nosedive for about six weeks, and I wouldn’t’ve had capacity to respond to folks and engage like I wanted to after the first email went out.

But once I stabilized, I still didn’t get an all-clear signal for sending. I continued to focus on my physical and mental health and the daily tasks of being a human and a mom to a 4-year-old.

Fast forward to late July. Still no signal to start emailing. I remained trusting and curious.

And then one day, it clicked.

“Ohhhhhh,” I thought to myself as the light bulb came on. “I can send one email at a time and take one action at a time. Just because I start doesn’t mean I need to follow a preset schedule like I used to.”

Game changer.

I’d been unknowingly assuming that once I hit the restart button, I had to hum along at my consistent, pre-leave pace.

As a seasoned business owner, I’m versed in many business and marketing best practices. In a lot of ways, this is beneficial. But in others, it’s a hindrance.

Thank goodness I remembered that I’m restarting my business on my terms.

That’s when I got a green light to start emailing my list.

I Finally Hit Send

It was exciting to get a yes to emailing my list, but that’s all I had a yes to. No clients, no revenue-generation. Just emails.

So in August 2024, I began cautiously-optimistically-nervously sending emails, reintroducing myself to subscribers, and dipping my toes back into work again.

My first email explained why I hadn’t emailed for more than three years and what happened during that time. I offered an reintroduction to who I am, how subscribers likely found me, and what I had been writing about before my disappearance.

I also included a very prominent UNSUBSCRIBE button right near the top and offered folks a chance to unsubscribe at multiple points in the email.

It felt really good to send the email, but I had no idea what kind of response to expect from it.

Would lots of folks mark me as spam? Would I get large numbers of unsubscribes? Would I read scathing replies in my inbox? Would MailerLite shut down my account?

I took a deep breath, hit send, and waited.

The Surprising Response to My First Email

What happened after I sent that first email shocked me: I received hundreds of personal replies from subscribers.

The emails were full of kindness, curiosity, encouragement, and enthusiasm for my return. Readers shared stories of what they’ve learned from me over the years and how it’s supported them and their businesses.

What was even more surprising was that of all of the emails I received, every single message was supportive and kind. Every single one.

Here’s a snippet of the heartfelt messages I received that week. It was an inbox full of love.

I had no idea how much I needed that. Because in the back of my mind lingered the thought, “No one cares that you’ve been gone, and no one cares that you’re back.” (That’s certainly true for some people.)

But for a shocking number of folks, that wasn’t the case.

Having not maintained a connection with readers, I forgot how much I enjoy showing up to serve. But they reminded me how much I used to be filled up by work and how I’d undoubtedly feel the same again, as I find my way back to work.

I let folks know that I was taking my return super slowly, one email at a time. I didn’t promise that I’d send emails on a set schedule. Just that I intended to keep writing and hoped to find a way to do it sustainably.

I eventually replied to every single personal message I received, soaking in the encouragement, kindness, and reminders of how I served folks in the past.

I felt bolstered to keep going and began to share more of my journey.

That’s what I did next.

How I Proceeded, One Micro Step at a Time

Over the course of two months, I sent six emails sharing the journey from having to quit working to slowly finding my way back. I shared some of the challenges I faced and the folks who helped me heal and get back to work.

But the whole story didn’t come out all at once, just like I’m not restarting my business all at once. I’m taking things in a micro step by step fashion.

Here’s what it’s looked like in action so far:

• I knew I wanted to start my reemergence by sharing why I disappeared for so long. I outlined a series of emails.
• I waited for more than 5 months after outlining email ideas before I got an inner yes to finalizing and sending the first one.
• I sent the first email, and slowly, over the course of 2 weeks, replied to the hundreds of folks who wrote back.
• Then, I took a break. An inner exhale to make sure I had the capacity to write, send, and reply to another email.
• I waited for inspiration to write my second email, then I wrote it. I waited for the inner yes to send it, then I sent it and replied to each person who wrote back.
• Then I took a breather.
• I got the idea for and wrote my third email, waited for the inner yes to send it, sent it, replied to each person who wrote back, then I took a breather.

This was when I could start to feel that writing weekly might be sustainable again. My body was adjusting to the rhythm and trusting that it could pause at any time if my capacity changed.

• I took the same approach for the fourth email …
• Then the fifth email …

Finally, there was momentum. There was a flow. (Having my son back in preschool at this point helped, too.)

• Then the sixth email …

The thing about this approach is, it’s been slowwwwww. I started drafting that first email back in early March, and it wasn’t until mid-September that I sent my sixth email.

But by this point, it felt maintainable. I felt like I could keep going without needing a big break. (Though I’ll take one if I need to.)

I felt like I could keep going AND add more to my work plate. This was almost unbelievable (and quite relieving).

Where I’m Going from Here

I did not—and still do not—have a grand plan for my business. I don’t know how I’ll get back to a household-supporting income … while also supporting my physical and mental health and being a hands-on mom to my 4-year-old.

I’m clear on some things, like I don’t have the capacity for a big team and don’t want to recreate the programs and business structure I had before I stopped working.

I’m clear that I need a flexible schedule to care for my health and be very present for my son.

But exactly how it all looks and how I’ll make the income I need to earn … I have no idea.

What I know is this:

I created success on my terms before (based on my terms back then), and I’m committed to creating success on my terms again, based on my new terms.

I plan to get there by taking things slowly, experimenting, and learning along the way. In fact, it seems like the only possible way forward, and I’m curious to see where it takes me.

UPDATE: August 2026

It was true, I did return to work in 2024 and was able to keep going for about 6 months.

Early in 2025, it became clear that I’d returned to work too early, moved by hope, not the solid foundation I really needed. I stopped working and put my focus back into healing.

I returned again in August 2026 feeling different. I was able to think clearly. I was sleeping well. I felt grounded. And I was finally ready to work for real.

You can read my first blog post after returning—the first in a long series about my extended absence and my return—right here.

For the latest on what I’m up to, writing about, thinking about, and planning, join my email list. The updates go to subscribers first. For now, the best place to subscribe is here.

The post My Three-Year Hiatus from Working: Why I Was Forced to Step Away from My Business and How I’m Finding My Way Back appeared first on Jenny Shih.

But how do you find them? Where do you find them? And how do you get them to say YES to working with you, especially if they live on the opposite side of the globe?

These are questions I get all the time from folks trying to build their businesses. So that’s why I compiled this for you: The Ultimate Guide to Getting Clients for Your Online, Service-Based Business.

Here you’ll find the most popular, informative posts and downloadable resources that I’ve written on how to get clients for your online, service-based business.

I’ve also addressed some common questions I’ve received from readers just like you trying to build their businesses online.

7 Steps to Building Your Online, Service-Based Business

If you haven’t downloaded it already, the overview plan you need to build an online, service-based business is called 7 Steps to Make It Work Online.

It will give you the big-picture view (and some detailed steps) that will help you make a clear plan of action for your business—including getting clients.

Grab it here:
Click to Download7 Steps to Make It Work Online

Where and How to Find Clients

Once you have that 7-step overview in hand, your next job isn’t a small one.

You see, most people want a quick, easy answer to “how do I get clients?”

They want the magic pill or the silver bullet that will effortless fill their client roster and ensure they reach six figures in revenue.

But let’s be honest, if it were that easy, everyone would be doing it.

The truth is, building a profitable business takes work. Hard brain work, trial and error work, experimentation, and a lot of BS-calling on yourself!

So if you’re serious about getting clients, don’t just skim through the list of posts below. Really USE THEM.

Go through each of the items below, from niche all the way down to mindset, and really ask yourself:

Do I really have this item dialed in, or is there more work I need to do?

There are over 350 blog posts on this website (and dozens of videos on my Facebook page), many of which dive into the details of where and how to find clients. Below are the ones that are the best of the best and cut to the chase the most quickly, so you can get from learning to implementation as quickly as possible.

Also, know that comments you leave on my blog are personally reviewed and answered by me, so ask me anything.

Remember: If you’re not getting clients, something hasn’t clicked into place. Get curious what that is for you, and use the resources below to make the necessary adjustments.

Your Niche

The first step to getting clients is to make sure you’re in the right niche. Do you love the work you do? Love the clients you work with? Love the problems you help them solve and the results you help them achieve?

Check these articles to make sure your niche is dialed in.

• Are you TOO niched (or not niched enough)?
• How Narrowing Your Niche Makes Marketing And Selling Easier
• Are You Making Any of These 6 Mistakes in Narrowing Your Niche?
• The Key to Building a Business You Love? Start with the Right Niche
• How do I hone in on my target audience? (Part 1)
• Narrowing in on my target audience (Part 2)

Your Marketing Language

One of the most common reasons folks can’t get clients for their business is because they’re using the wrong language. These articles are must-reads.

• My Step-by-Step Method for Quickly Explaining What You Do
• What to Do When Your Ideal Clients Aren’t Hiring You (or don’t even know they need to hire you)
• The Reason Prospects Aren’t Turning into Paying Clients & How to Change It Fast (aka The Jargon Trap)

Your Offers

If you’re in the right niche and using the right language, the next thing to check is your offers. Are you selling the right things to the right people and positioning it in the most effective way?

Read these articles to make sure you have your offers dialed in.

• Why You Shouldn’t Sell Coaching and What to Sell Instead
• The Only Thing You Need to Bring in a Steady Flow of New Clients
• 3 Steps to Craft Your Very First Irresistible Service Offer
• 3-Min Fix for Your Work with Me Page (for Service Providers)
• How to Create the Perfect Bite-Sized Offer for Your Business
• Offers That Convert

Where to Find Clients (don’t skip this!)

You can have the right offer and are speaking the right language, the next step is to make sure you know where to find your clients (before you figure out how to find them).

My Famous Circle Exercise to Find Clients Online

Don’t skip this one, especially if you really don’t know where to find your people. Like everything here, it takes effort, but it’s also really worth it.

How to Find Clients

When you read the following articles, you’re likely to say, “But Jenny, I know this already, and it’s not working.”

If that’s the case then look at every other section in this Ultimate Guide because something is off.

Filling your roster is not just about how to find clients, but about the entire business-building system. Meaning almost everything I’m talking about in this post has to click into place to get those clients finding and hiring you.

This means, read the entire guide and really do the work to build the whole business to get the results you’re looking for.

• 21 Winning Ways to Book Yourself Fast
• 5 Email Scripts to Get Clients
• Steal This! My No-Fail Approach for Getting Clients Even if You Have Don’t Have an Email List
• 5 Feel-Good Ways to Effortlessly and Authentically Get More Clients By Being of Service
• The Reason You’re Not Getting Clients on Social Media & How to Change It Immediately
• Steal This! My #1 Strategy for Selling More Without Actually Selling

Sales

When you get folks coming to your site to learn more about working with you, you need to take them from curious prospect to paying client. Here are some sales tips to help you do just that.

• Steal This! My Proven Process for Getting More Yeses from Perfect Prospects
• 3 Key Sales Concepts that Helped Me Earn More Money
• How Learning About Sales Boosted My Bottom Line – Part 1
• How Learning About Sales Boosted My Bottom Line – Part 2
• Consults That Convert
• Follow-ups That Convert

Consistency

Full client rosters are built on consistency from the very beginning. No business-building article would be complete without a reference to this. To keep clients coming in the door, you have to keep doing the things that keep them coming to you, over and over again.

• How to Take Consistent Action and Achieve the Success You Want Most (even when you don’t feel like it)
• My Rock-Solid System for Getting It All Done (and Having a Life!)

Mindset

It’s not possible to do something you’ve never done before without having a shift in mindset. Here are some articles to help analyze and shift your mindset to help you achieve your goals.

• 5 Mindsets that Could Be Holding You Back
• Afraid of Failure? The New Approach You Desperately Need
• Easily discouraged when you don’t see immediate results?
• How to Take Back Control When You’re Feeling Overwhelmed in Your Business
• What to Do When You Have to Make a Leap But You’re Scared Sh*tless
• 9 Surprising Things I Had to Give up to Grow a Successful Business

I know, that’s a lot to review. But again, building a profitable business takes time, effort, and brainpower. It’s very doable, as my clients can attest to, but it takes time.

Use the resources listed here to help you move towards your goals.

Other Questions You’ve Asked Me About Getting Clients

In a recent survey I sent out to my email list, folks asked a few additional questions about getting clients, so I’m summarizing those questions and my answers here.

Do I need to use paid advertising to get clients?

You can get plenty of clients without using paid advertising. In fact, one of my high-level mentorship clients has built her business into the mid-six-figures with an email list of under 5000 and doesn’t use paid ads to fill her programs.

Here’s an article I’ve written on what I think about paid ads and why you probably don’t want to use them (despite what other people are teaching you).

What’s the most effective and easiest way to get clients?

The most effective and easiest ways to get clients are the client-getting activities you actually DO, put in the time and effort to get good at, and do consistently.

When Make It Work Online clients ask me to tell them which of the 21 Ways to Get Clients is best, that’s the answer I give them. They all work equally well, so it’s all about what you enjoy and are willing to actually do.

How do I find high-paying clients?

You find high-paying clients the same way you find non-high-paying clients. There is no difference in the client-getting activities.

My clients are employees in a corporation. How do I reach them?

Even if the corporation is paying for their work with you, both your clients and the person writing the proverbial check are people.

All client-getting activities are about connecting with people, so ask yourself if the person you’er working with is the one who wants to work with you (but just needs their boss to pay for it), or is it the boss paying for the employee to work with you? That will tell you who to reach out to in your marketing (client-getting) efforts.

Yes, it might be a bit longer of a sales cycle, but instead of thinking about a cooperation as something inanimate and impossible to reach, remember that you’re a person reaching out to and selling to another person.

How do I keep my client/prospect funnel full and consistent revenue?

Keep doing client-getting activities and you set a schedule based on what stage of business you’re in.

I dive into my Flex Schedule System for building your business in this post and in my class, Starting and Growing an Online Business to Six Figures and Beyond. This system tells you how to allocate your time based on the phase of business you’re in.

You Can Achieve Your Goals

An online, service-based business is my favorite kind of business to build online. I’ve said this since the beginning, and I’m still saying it today. The flexibility, the deep impact, and the income are great reasons to build this business.

It’s easier than building a course-based or product-based business. It’s easier than building a brick-and-mortar business. But it still takes work. After all, it’s still a business.

But with the right step-by-step guide and some hard brain work, it is possible. And my hope is that this Ultimate Guide gives you ample resources to get started and grow your business like you want to.

Have questions about any of this? Post them in the comments, and I’ll personally respond.

The post The Ultimate Guide to Getting Clients for Your Online, Service-Based Business appeared first on Jenny Shih.

Today I’m covering why I quit social media, who to follow to learn about Instagram (if you enjoy social media), “the restaurant analogy,” niches, prioritizing to-do lists, and so much more.

Now, let’s dive in. You asked …

How to take extended time off, like if there’s a baby on the way, for example?

I wrote this article on how to plan for extended time off and how I managed a 5.5 month maternity leave including what I would have done differently if I’d gotten pregnant before I had a big team.

I need help being clear and speaking with confidence about what I do, to people who will become clients.

First, make sure you’re using the right language. Read this.

Then practice. Out loud. Often. It doesn’t happen without effort. But with effort (and practice), you’ll get there.

As I often say, “Clarity and confidence come from taking action.”

Help with social media marketing.

Follow Shanté Cofield on Instagram and consider taking her Instagram intensive. (Not an affiliate link. I’m just a fan.) I loved her program, and it helped me see how to do social media marketing “the right way.”

Of course, I quit social 6 months later (more on this in a moment), but I learning from Shanté helped me make this decision fully-informed. Plus, she’s just awesome.

(I know that’s like the third reference to Shanté today, so I hope you get the gist of how awesome she is and follow her on Insta, if that’s your thing. She’s smart, funny, personable, and really great at authentic Instagram. Plus, we actually know each other IRL, and that’s kind of fun.)

The post Ask Jenny Anything: August 2021 Q&A appeared first on Jenny Shih.

For example, you want to hit your business goals and also honor how you feel on a daily (or even hourly) basis. But from where you are today, you don’t know how to make it happen.

The question is, how do you do this? How do you go after something when you aren’t sure how to achieve it?

The answers to these questions have more depth and nuance than I can share in a single blog post, yet I’m also going to do my best to point you in the right direction right now.

But before we do that, we first need to acknowledge something important.

It’s our immense privilege that allows us to even ask this question of creating success on our terms, a question that many can’t even fathom having the opportunity to ask.

This means that on one hand, we’re wildly fortunate to even have the opportunity to create success on our terms. Yet on the other hand, it feels very frustrating to not be able to see how to achieve what we want.

We must keep in mind that the capitalist system in which we are working was designed to make us want to work harder, make more money, and see ourselves as no more than machines. It wants us to ignore our bodies, our emotions, and our souls to achieve the goal of more more more.

So we’re trying to solve a problem that, although solvable to a degree, goes against the very fabric of the society we live in.

Now I’m far from an expert on capitalist systems, but this understanding will put a bigger frame around a lot of what I’ll discuss below.

A huge thank you to Adrianne Munkacsy for talking about this with me last week when I was struggling to put words to what I felt I needed to say here.

Now, let’s get into how to both achieve our goals and honor ourselves in the process.

Step 1. Start at the beginning, then back up one (or several) steps

Both the coach and engineer in me like to make sure when I’m working with clients that we’re solving the right problem. This often means backing up one (or several) steps to get to the root of the issue.

Let’s talk through how to do that with two examples so you can apply this to your business.

Example 1: Maintaining a business revenue target without working so hard

Let’s use one of the examples someone shared with me earlier this month.

She said, “How do I keep hitting the $400-500K mark without working as much as I do, but still doing it how I love to do it.”

The first question I’d ask her would be, “Why do you want to keep hitting $400-500K?”

Let me be clear, I’m not questioning the goal. I don’t care how much money she wants to make; the dollar amount is irrelevant to me. What I care about is making sure she’s focused on the right goal for herself.

I don’t know what her answer would be, so here are three possible answers based on conversations I’ve had with others:

1. If my business brings in that much, then I can pay myself $XX.
2. Because I want to know that I can keep doing it.
3. Continuing at this level means I have a real business.

Wherever the response, we then back that up another step.

For the first one, I’d ask her to investigate her logic. “It sounds like your actual goal is to pay yourself $XX, not to make $400-500K revenue. The problem to solve is creating the salary you want by doing the work you want, not hitting the revenue mark itself.”

Maybe she’d agree, or maybe the coaching conversation would go a different direction. The key is, we’re digging into what it is that she’s really trying to achieve and why she wants to hit that goal.

As for the second and third possible answers, my hunch would be that those are thoughts based on cultural, societal, family, or other conditioning—not her own pure desire. Depending on the person, she may see this to be true for her, or she may not.

If she can’t see this to be conditioning, then I’d ask her why she’s in business. (This question is relevant to everyone, always.)

Most of my clients would say they’re in business to make a good living doing work they love on a schedule they set for themselves. The specifics, of course, are all unique to each person, as that’s the idea behind success on your terms.

Then I’d ask her to get specific about her personal values. What are her life’s top two priorities, and how does she want her business to support those values?

A common response I get is, “I value freedom, and I want to spend time with my family. I’m the primary/sole breadwinner, so I need to make enough for our family, but beyond that, I want to spend my time doing something other than working.”

I’d then ask her to get specific about how much money she needs to make and how much time she wants to spend with her family. When she does that, she’s able to see that her primary reason for being in business has nothing to do with proving herself to herself or anyone else, and letting that belief take over her focus does not serve her or her business.

The first thing to do is to work backward to figure out why you want what you think you want and realign to what’s truest for you.

When you’re clear here, you move onto Step 2, which we’ll get to in a minute. Before that, however, let’s dive into another example on how to take steps backward to find the real problem.

Example 2: Hitting a new revenue target and still taking care of oneself

Let’s use a second example someone shared:

“How do I take care of myself AND have enough energy to post, write, design, speak, do FB lives, create landing pages, etc. I do it all by myself now.”

This person implied she hasn’t yet hit her revenue target and is still in the initial growth stage of her business.

Just like the previous example, the first place to go is inquiring about personal values. What are her life’s top two priorities, and how does she want her business to support those values?

Like with almost every business owner I speak to, they want to make a decent living without sacrificing family or health or wellbeing (or something similar).

That means, for this business owner in the growth stage (though this is also relevant to the business owner from the first example), get specific about what “taking care of myself” actually means. Get really, really specific.

When I was at the height of my struggle with Lyme disease—while also being the sole breadwinner—I needed to get very clear on what I could and couldn’t do. How much time and energy I had (and didn’t have) to work on my business and how much money I really needed to make to get by.

Deep honesty was important here, honoring both reality and my limited energy.

That’s the first step. Get clear on exactly what you need. Then move onto Step 2.

Step 2. Get the information you need to solve the real problem

Once you’re clear on your actual goals, now you get into solving the real problem. If you’d have jumped to tactics and ideas before you got clear on the real problem, you’d have been only wasting time and energy working on solving the wrong problem.

For the first example above, the business owner has a clear salary/time focus and may need strategic help restructuring her business to match her true goals.

At several points during my business journey, I’ve had to shift my business structure and model to accommodate my goals and match my values as they changed over time.

This included things like my original focus on one-on-one work, my shift to a launch-based model, hiring a team, and planning for an extended maternity leave, just to name a few.

For the second example, the business owner might need some practical strategies to build her business and take effective action to reach her income goals.

Early in my business journey, I found myself working a lot of hours but making little money. I got really clear on exactly what the gap was between me and my goals. It was business and marketing knowledge. So I found a business training program to invest in.

For me, back in 2011, B-School was what closed this gap.

In both of the examples shared above, the information required to solve the real problem came only after identifying the real problem and getting crystal clear on the specifics of one’s goals.

Finally, as you get the information you need to solve the problem, you might run into something you won’t be thrilled about.

Step 3. Be open to the possibility of a null set

In math and engineering, there’s a term called a “null set.” It basically means “impossible scenario.”

It’s like me wanting to live in Oregon and also live in a place that’s sunny year-round. Just not gonna happen.

Null sets will arise as we sort through life and business and goal-setting. Sometimes what we want isn’t likely to happen. And when we reach that point, we need to acknowledge the null set and then make a new plan—which might require a compromise.

For example, my husband and I found a compromise for the “Jenny needs more sun” + “Paul and Jenny like living in Oregon” null set. For the months of January and February in 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019, my husband and I rented a home in southern California to get my warm weather and sun fix during Oregon’s dreariest months.

Another example for me right now is I decided to cut my salary. As we wrapped up our final clients in Make It Work Online 2021, with some health challenges needing my time and attention, on top of a strong desire to spend more time with my son, I decided I wanted to work less and was willing to earn less to make it happen.

Would I have liked to earn more while working way less? Of course. But when faced with the reality of generating business revenue in the extremely limited hours I am willing to work, I had to make a compromise.

Here’s the thing about finding compromises to our null sets:

We can make peace with these decisions because they’re rooted in our personal values.

We’re choosing these options versus feeling like victims to life’s constraints.

Can You Have It All?

Now you might not want to hear this next thing I’m going to tell you, but I’m telling you anyway because I’m far too practical and honest to not …

Yes, I believe many of us, with the privileges we have, are able to create success on our terms. And also, I believe that the “you can have it all” cultural myth is horribly damaging. It’s simply not true.

No matter who you are or what you have, you can not have it all. Especially not all at once.

I’m not saying this to be a downer but to be a reality-checker. For too long I bought into the myth that said I could have it all. I wondered what was wrong with me that I couldn’t make it happen no matter how hard I worked or how efficient I was.

As it turns out, there wasn’t anything wrong with me, but there was something deeply wrong with this messaging I had believed for so long.

Instead, I believe you can have what matters most to you.

One Final Note

Now, as you’ve digested everything above, what questions come up for you?

How does your unique situation relate to the examples above, even if the specifics are different?

What questions arise for you and your business as you think about creating success on your terms?

What questions do you have for me about this?

Comment below. Let’s have a conversation.

The post How to Hit Your Goals and Also Honor How You Feel appeared first on Jenny Shih.

Aw, I feel you on this one.

As someone who’s been self-employed since 2009, I can assure you that the ebb and flow of love, excitement, enthusiasm, drive, motivation, you-name-it in business is real.

Whether this is something you’re experiencing now or not, it will likely show up in your business and life at some point (or many points). It impacts everyone.

Start With This First

First, know this feeling is normal and to be expected when you’re in business for any duration. Release any thoughts that say you shouldn’t feel this way.

Second, notice how often popular culture tells you to “do what you love and love what you do” (just one of many overused sentiments) and how that idea adds extra pressure to our already pressure-filled lives when we aren’t feeling the love for our businesses.

Release any mental burdens you’re feeling from culture, too.

Now, you might feel a tad lighter. Even just a little bit helps.

When you release the weight of the mental burdens, you can look more clearly at your situation and do something about it—if you want to.

That last part is important.

You see, last month I took my son to play with his cousins at a park near their house.

There were a bunch of sayings on the fence outside the park and one said, “If you can dream it, you can do it.” All I could say to myself was, “…if you want to, and it’s okay not to want to.”

For a few years now, I’ve been feeling exhausted from trying to achieve everything I can dream of and am seeking (inner) permission to not do it all.

I simply don’t have the capacity for everything I want to do. Not even close.

Yet our culture has driven into us to do more and achieve more.

My sick, tired, aging, still-recovering-from-pregnancy body just can not anymore. But wow, it’s hard to unlearn this way of thinking, being, and doing.

What I’m saying is, see the mental burdens placed by culture about how you’re supposed to love your business and decide if those are helping or hurting you.

I’m not saying you can’t love your business, but notice what is true for you in this moment in your current capacity compared to what is culture telling you how you should feel … and if they align or not.

Not everything is always in perfect alignment, and that’s okay.

After You’ve Released the Mental Burdens, Do This

Once you’ve created inner separation from the mental burdens, start looking at your business.

Ask yourself:

• What aspects of your business do I no longer love?
• What about it is no longer working for me?
• What needs to change?

I talk with our clients in Make It Work Online about how to use the Serve and Learn Approach to create and scale their offers.

In a nutshell, you look at the information you have about the work you do and the clients you serve and the results you help them achieve, then you ask yourself how to help your clients get even better results.

You look at the potential adjustments, make the ones that seem best, try the new offer out, and see what happens.

You serve clients then learn from the process of doing so. Based on what you learn, you adjust, then serve and learn again. Then repeat. Forever.

In the same way, as you and your business evolve, you’ll need to look at yourself and your business and see what needs to change to make things better (for you to love your business).

Notice what could be better, make adjustments, see how you like it, and adjust again. Then repeat. Forever. (And always with a scientist’s mindset.)

It’s possible you’ve outgrown your business model, are ready to shift to new kinds of clients, or want to work in a different way.

What comes up for you when you ask yourself what needs to change?

You might get a big idea or a small one. Either way, it’s perfect.

If you have a big idea …

It might feel big and scary. It might be followed by a slew “yeah but” excuses.

If that happens, don’t stress. Remember my addendum to the fence quote: “… if you want to, and it’s okay not to want to.”

You can add on more to it: “… and when you’re ready.”

Just because you see the new idea doesn’t mean you have to take action on it or act on it immediately. Take a breath and thank yourself for being honest. That’s a great way to start.

If you see only a small idea …

It might feel too small to solve your problem, like it’s not the full answer.

If that happens, don’t stress. This is actually great.

We’ve been taught that we need to see the full plan before we can take action. It’s simply not true. I call that the smart person problem, and it’s a near-guaranteed way to never achieve the results you want.

I used to be very guilty of this in my business up until a few years ago. But I’ve learned that the tiny pieces are such a gift because, if I’m willing to trust that my intuition is guiding the bigger picture, then all I have to do is the one small thing right in front of me. And that is totally doable!

This means, whether you’re seeing the big picture of what needs to change or just one small step, you’re now charting a course toward a business you love a little bit more.

Changes My Clients and I Have Made

Here is a partial list of things I’ve personally adjusted in my business plus things my clients have adjusted as well. Maybe some will resonate with you.

• The clients you’re serving
• The way you work with clients
• What you charge
• The work you do with or for clients
• Your “why” for being in business
• Your work schedule
• Your salary
• Your team
• Your offerings
• Your business model
• Your skillset (needing to learn new things)
• The tasks you’re working on

One Final Thought

Sometimes we’ve put all the pressure of our life’s joy and excitement onto our businesses. Outside of our business, we don’t have enough je ne sais quois to fill us up. Sometimes we need to add more life to our lives, and not fix our businesses. Not always; but sometimes.

If this post raises questions for you that you’d like me to answer, or if you have input you’d like to add to the conversation, please ask me and chime in below.

The post How to Fall Back in Love with Your Business Again appeared first on Jenny Shih.

You dream of doubling or tripling your revenue, and growing your business to the next level.

There’s just one problem: As a service provider, you have limited bandwidth. You’re hesitant to take on more clients. You’re drained at the end of the day, and you’re afraid that raising your rates will scare your clients away.

Which makes you wonder, is it possible to make $10k every month without working yourself into the ground?

The answer: YES! It absolutely is.

How do I know? One year after I launched jennyshih.com, I had my first $10k month. It became my new baseline income. Since then, I’ve taught tens of thousands of entrepreneurs how to grow their businesses without mega-sized lists, risky product launches, or running themselves into the ground.

My method is simple. In this guide, you will:

• Learn my proven formula for making $10k every month without sacrificing the things that matter most in your life.
• Discover how to up-level your packages, copywriting skills, marketing strategies, and long-term planning so you can run your business like a boss.
• Apply these actionable steps to your own business with done-for-you scripts and systems that set you up for sustainable success.

It’s not your fault that you’re feeling stuck. It’s simply that you haven’t yet learned the next steps for growth, and that’s what I want to teach you.

Once you learn what steps to take, your business will easily begin to grow. You’ll feel confident to raise your rates, pitch for interview opportunities, and lay the groundwork for new offers.

The best part? You can do it all while maintaining a high level of service for your clients AND making time for the things that matter most in your life.

1. Six Figure Strategy

To get the right strategy for making 10k/month, you need to understand how to think about your business from a higher level. That could mean re-tooling packages and offerings, increasing prices (like doubling your rates), fine-tuning marketing messages, and more.

The list of areas that require adjustments is long, and the specifics depend on each unique business, but there’s one common denominator among them all: You can’t make this strategic shift alone. (Even I can’t do it alone for my business.) You need insights and perspective from someone who has been there before.

With their higher-level perspective, they’ll be able to see what you can’t see and show you what needs to shift and how. It’s important to know that not being able to see your strategic next steps isn’t due to a shortcoming on your part! It’s normal, and you simply can’t know what you don’t know, because you haven’t been there yet.

On a personal note, I hired a coach to help me with this exact thing in my own business. I reached my current level of success based on what I know. To get to that next level, I knew I I needed a coach who was operating at a higher level than me, someone who could help me see the shifts I need to make.

This is why, to get to the next level, we have to keep reaching for the hand of someone who is at that next level so they can help guide us upward and give us that much-needed strategy.

Here are some articles that dive more into these ideas:

The real story behind my first 10k month

Learn how a success circle can help you

Discover the pros and cons of product launches

Discover the pros and cons of group programs

2. Six-Figure Offers and Pricing

Most of the business owners I work with tell me that they don’t want to raise their rates because they’re afraid to have the “how much do you cost?” conversation with prospective clients. But conversations like this don’t have to be uncomfortable or awkward (if you know how to do them the right way).

Raising your prices is the key to making more money without working more hours, and it’s a must-do as you up-level your business. But it’s important to raise your rates in a strategic way.

Here are a few important considerations when it comes to raising your rates:

First, avoid comparing your business to others. While some knowledge of your market can be really helpful, too much comparison — especially when it comes to pricing — can be a dangerous thing. What you should focus on instead is VALUE. After all, the value of what you’re offering your clients is what your business is all about.

Second, get your nose out of other people’s money! It’s not your job to protect your prospects from spending too much of their own money. (If you’re worried about raising your rates on current clients, this goes for you, too.)

Re-frame your pricing mindset to focus on the value of what you offer and forget about protecting potential customers from spending too much. This will free you up to tackle other, bigger decisions with spectacular confidence.

Feel like you’re ready to learn more about creating, pricing, marketing, and selling amazing offers to grow your dream business? Keep reading below.

Here are some articles that dive more into these ideas:

Discover how to structure your solutions-based offer

Learn how to double your rates with integrity

Tell your clients you’re raising your rates (with my step-by-step guide)

3. Six-Figure Copywriting

The #1 skill entrepreneurs need to know, inside and out, is how to talk and sell to their potential customers.

Profitable businesses don’t just create a product or service then wait around for the customers to find them. They also don’t slap together any old description of what they do and hope it resonates with their target market.

Successful entrepreneurs devote a heck of a lot of time and energy to crafting their brand identity, web presence, marketing strategy, sales pitches, and even their elevator speeches—all of which require copywriting.

If you’re struggling to do this, then your problem isn’t an absence of writing skills; it’s a lack of understanding about your business and your prospective clients … and how to turn that into copy that perfectly translates what you do and how you help people. Generating sales and driving growth is all about communicating effectively with your target market.

Here’s an example of a client’s copy before working with me, and after.

Before: I work with women who are frustrated with sugar and their digestion and looking to resolve the cycle of cravings and bloat for good. By bringing clarity to what the cravings and symptoms mean, I get to the root of the problem, find simple changes and get my clients to finally feel good again.

After: I work with women who’ve lost their energy and don’t feel like themselves anymore. They want a holistic approach and a practitioner who will really listen, do the digging and find solutions specific to their needs. Together we get to the root of the problem, find answers and help them feeling normal again.

Do you see the difference? The first one is full of “coach speak” and doesn’t use the words her clients would actually say. The second one reflects her clients’ challenges in their own words, and that’s the one that will inspire people to hire her.

Here are some articles that dive more into these ideas:

Understand the “jargon trap” and how to avoid it

Ask your clients these 14 questions

Add this copy to your Work with Me page

4. Six-Figure Sales

In Step 1, I covered how the strategy that got you to where you are now won’t get you to the next level. Similarly, the skills that got you here also won’t get you to the next level.

For example:

• Copywriting for a $199 product isn’t the same as copywriting for a $1999 product.
• The sales process for a $1500 package isn’t the same as the sales process for a $3000 package.
• The structure and delivery of an offer priced at $2500 needs to be very different from the structure and delivery of an offer priced at $5000.

To use a different example, the customer experience at Target is different than the customer experience at Nordstrom. As your prices go up, the customer experience must, too. (No, this doesn’t mean that your clients get more access to you. It often means just the opposite: better boundaries!)

To create a better customer experience, you’ve got to close your skill gaps when it comes to sales, copywriting, structure, and delivery.

However, it can be precarious to close this gap. Before you sign up for another random, one-off course, make sure that it will give you the information you need to operate at that next level. To continue with the example from above, you wouldn’t want a course on the Target customer experience when you’re creating the next Nordstrom. You need to make sure you’re up-leveling to the right place, the right way.

Here are some articles that dive more into these ideas:

Avoid these client-repelling traps (Pay close attention to #3!)

Learn why your social media strategy might be falling short

Review my online business success formula

5. Six-Figure Waiting List

If you’re offering one-on-one services, the best way to reach the next level is to fill your client roster AND your waiting list.

To do this requires all of the steps above: a clear strategy, the right offers, exceptional copywriting skills, and confidence with selling your services.

Once those things are in place, you’re ready to go out there and actually start getting clients. That means you have to take action and put yourself out there – no hiding or playing small!

Most business owners think that they’re doing sooo much to promote their businesses. However, if they were to closely examine what they’re spending time on, they realize that they are simply dipping their toe into self-promotion when they need to be plunging into the deep end.

If your goal is to make 10k/month, this isn’t a time to rest on your laurels and hope that people find you. You must put yourself out there and get in front of your ideal clients every single day.

Here are some articles that dive more into these ideas:

Discover your marketing personality

Steal my client-getting email scripts

Learn the truth about sales funnels

6. Six-Figure Planning

You’re in a place where you want to confidently reach and exceed your income goals month after month, year after year.

And if you’re like the business owners I work with, you’re a little uncertain about your plan. You think you know what you want to do, but the ideas also come with a mega dose of uncertainty and a long list of questions. I hear you!

When you’re ready to take a big leap in your business, planning can be challenging. This is exactly why I’m sharing the top three ways to set (and keep) your income and business goals.

Here are some articles that dive more into these ideas:

Avoid the wrong way to set goals

Get honest about your money

Steal my 12-month business plan

7. Six-Figure Scheduling

This might be hard to hear, but the schedule that worked for you as a new business owner isn’t the same schedule that will work for you as you build your business further. As you grow, you need to shift where and how you spend your time.

First, you must become more focused and less distracted. Second, you must spend more time strategically planning your next actions, as opposed to just trying everything. Third, you need larger chunks of time to work ON your business, not just work IN it.

Remember, to create the right schedule, you first need to know the strategy that will get you to the next level, because without the big-picture view of what needs to shift and how in your business, you can’t properly plan for growth. And if you don’t have a plan, then you don’t know how to schedule your time.

But with the right strategy, you’ll know how to spend your time and what schedule will help you make it all happen.

Here are some articles that dive more into these ideas:

Create your dream schedule

Set up your online scheduler

Steal my script for setting (and keeping) client boundaries

8. Six-Figure Systems

Not only do systems get more complex as your business grows, you also can’t get by without them!

Disorganization, chaos, inconsistency, and regularly reinventing the wheel will completely inhibit your business growth. It’s essential to streamline everything from your social media to your client intake to your backend procedures if you want to grow your business to the next level.

On top of that, the systems that run a five-figure business aren’t the same as the systems that run a six-figure business or seven-figure business. (Are you noticing a theme here?)

The first thing you need to do is look at everything you do repeatedly in your business and notice what isn’t systematized. Then, you need to put a system in place for everything on that list.

Consider systematizing things like how you collect testimonials, how you schedule new clients, how you use social media, how you delegate to your assistant… pretty much anything and everything you do more than once.

Here are some articles that dive more into these ideas:

Download my System Flight Kit

Steal my system for booking new clients

Steal my system for getting stellar testimonials

9. Six-Figure Mindset

It’s easy to get down on yourself in business. From your competitors’ wins to giving something your “all” and not seeing it pan out, or simply waking up on the wrong side of the bed on a random Tuesday, life constantly throws us curve balls, ready to take us down in an instant… if we let them.

If you want to go from just getting by to making a great living, you must adjust your mindset accordingly.

For example…

• The thoughts that six-figure business owners have about themselves and about business aren’t the same beliefs that newer business owners have.
• The risks successful business owners take are bigger, more calculated, and more public.
• The thoughts and feelings you have about having money, managing it, and charging higher prices have to change if you want to make more money.
• Next-level business owners have a stronger belief in the value they provide to customers and communicate that value with greater conviction and clarity.

I find that the best way to change my mindset is to first notice what I’m feeling that I don’t like feeling.

When you feel something you don’t like feeling, it means you’re thinking something that’s not supporting you. Yes, that means if you’re feeling embarrassed, overwhelmed, frustrated, frozen, scattered, afraid, or anything else, you need to adjust your thinking and create a more supportive mindset.

The good news is that when you learn to shift your thinking, you shift your feelings. When you shift your feelings, you shift your actions. And when you shift your actions, you show up in the world differently and create from a higher level… and get better results.

When you have the right mindset, executing your next-level strategy becomes nearly 100% doable and achievable.

Here are some articles that dive more into these ideas:

Discover a new way to view failure

Decide what you might have to give up if you want to succeed

Learn how to make peace with anxiety and discomfort

How would your life change if you averaged $10k / month… or more?

Hitting the $10k/month mark is a turning point in every business. With a steady flow of clients and revenue, you can buy organic food, donate to your favorite cause, indulge in a nice pair of jeans, and take a vacation. If the water heater breaks, you don’t have to panic that there isn’t money to buy a new one; if the car needed servicing, you can swing that, too. Everything just feels easier.

And getting there doesn’t require a huge email list, a complex sales funnel, or a massive team (when I hit 10k/month, it was just me and my VA!). You simply need the right strategy so you know what skills to develop, what schedule to create, what systems to implement, and who to hire.

And this is what keeps some of the smartest women from ever making the leap to six figures or beyond; they just don’t have the right strategy.

The bigger problem, however, is that this problem isn’t solved by taking one-off classes or hiring a coach to give you a cookie-cutter blueprint. When you’re looking to take your business to the next level, you need a holistic and customized, big-picture strategy for your unique business.

You need to understand, address, improve, and adjust all aspects of your entire business ecosystem — at once. Every single part of your business directly connects with every other part of your business. Adjusting one impacts the others.

You simply can not take one piece out and work on it independently any more. You’ve got to look at and work on all of it at the same time. And truthfully, you can’t do it alone. As I mentioned at the beginning, you can’t see what you can’t see, and you can’t know what you don’t know.

And when you find someone who can see what your next best step is, you begin to create the biggest shift of all.

The post The Six-Figure Success Method: How to Make $10k [every dang month] in Your Online, Service-Based Business appeared first on Jenny Shih.

So you’ve been working hard to make it happen. You’re gathering all the information you can find—taking what has worked for other business owners and applying those tactics to your own business.

The problem? The tactics that work for them aren’t working for you, or at least not consistently.

Clients aren’t coming as quickly or as steadily as you thought they would. You’re not making the money you want to be making (and feel like what you really have is an expensive hobby). Now you’re grasping at straws trying to figure out what to do next, because if you can’t make this work, you’ll have to stick to a “real job.”

Talk about frustrating!

You wish someone would tell you exactly what to focus on and what will actually help you get more clients.

Until now, you’ve been piecing together a bunch of different methods and blending strategies from various, random experts. Basically, you’re chasing down 17,982 ideas, one after another, like throwing spaghetti against the wall to see what sticks.

Although you were very well-intended in trying everything, it’s messy and it clearly isn’t working. You’re starting to realize that this haphazard approach won’t get you to the thriving business you want to have.

This is why you’re smart to realize you need a single, actionable, proven plan to build your business, get clients, and create the consistent, predictable income you’ve been working so hard to make happen.

The plan you’re looking for is exactly what I give my clients, and it’s also what I’ve outlined for you here in this book. As you’ll soon see, this strategic plan doesn’t always fit the mold that’s popular nowadays. It can sometimes even contradict advice you get from other teachers.

Trust the plan because it works.

You can get your business moving, get clients, and make money doing what you love. I’ll show you how.

STEP #1: Know What You Do and Who You Help

First, Get Clear on You

If you’ve done your research (and if you’re like most of my clients, you’ve done plenty of research!), you’ve likely heard that you need to identify your “ideal customer.”

And if you’ve tackled any of those ideal client exercises, they might not have worked for you. I totally, 100% understand your frustration, because they didn’t work for me when I first tried them either.

The reason they don’t work for heart-centered business owners is that those exercises miss the most important part of the whole heart-centered business-building process: YOU!

That’s why, in this approach, YOU come first. If you want to build a business doing work you love, you have to start with you!

It’s simple: Ask yourself, if you knew with 100% certainty that you’d be successful, what would you do? Who would you help? What problem would you solve?

Forget what everyone else says or what the “right” answer is. Instead, go with the idea that really lights you up, even if you’re not sure HOW you’ll make it work just yet.

This is really important, and here’s why.

Building a business is hard work. You’re going to have to do a lot of new things—things that make you uncomfortable—so you absolutely need to be fired up about the work you’re doing and the clients you’re serving. This will pull you through the challenges you’ll face along the way.

One of the biggest mistakes I see people make is that they settle for something that’s “smart,” something that they should do, something other people told them they’d be good at, or what they think will make the most money.

The problem is that these will never give them the fire in their belly that’s needed to propel them forward through the hard, uncomfortable times that are inevitable in building a business.

The only thing that will make them successful and give them that fire is the thing that lights them up.

After sharing this formula with thousands (maybe even tens of thousands!) of business owners, I know it works. Even if you’ve done this before, I want you to do it again with this new focus on you and what excites you.

Your Action Step: Claim what you love to do, who you love to work with, and how you love to help them. Make note of the work that gets you most excited, as well as the types of people you love to help.

Second, Get Clear on Your Target Client

Once you’re clear on YOU, you can then think about the clients you love working with. It’s important to understand your clients’ thoughts, feelings, and goals.

Ask questions like …
– How does she feel right now?
– What does she want most? What problem does she want solved?
– What does she think will happen once her problem is solved?

There’s one vital thing to keep in mind: You need to answer these questions as your ideal client would, using her exact words.

This means you must avoid jargon, industry-speak, and expert-talk. The words you would use to describe your clients’ problems aren’t always the words they would use to describe their problems. This distinction is essential!

Your Action Step: Find the exact words your clients are using to describe their situation and desires.

Here are some articles to help with Step #1:

Struggling to get clear on YOU and nail down your niche? Read Are You Making Any of these 6 Mistakes in Narrowing Your Niche?

Want to learn more about finding your clients’ language? Read The “Jargon Trap”: The Reason Prospects Aren’t Turning into Paying Clients & How to Change It Fast .

If you’re ready to put yourself out there and get more clients, read The First Five Steps to Getting Clients.

If clients are coming too slowly (or not at all), read The Questions You Must Ask Yourself Before You’ll Get More Clients.

STEP #2: Create an Offer Prospects Will Love

Many of the business owners I work with make the mistake of creating a group program or online course or digital product right from day one.

They spend a ton of time creating content, writing a sales page, and gathering course materials, but when it comes time to sell their creation, they’re met with stomach-dropping silence from their list.

It’s undeniably frustrating, and it can bring your momentum to a screeching halt.

That’s why I’m such a firm believer in a more practical approach. If you’re fairly new to offering paid services to clients, I want you to first create what I call a bite-sized offer.

What’s a bite-sized offer?

It’s a one-on-one package that’s small in size (think: 90-minute strategy session with a quick follow up a few weeks later) with a “no brainer” price tag (around $99).

It allows you to easily build experience, trust, and credibility doing your work. Even better, this approach has been proven incredibly effective over and over by countless Make It Work Online® clients.

How to create the perfect bite-sized offer:

Identify the result you’ll deliver: Figure out the big result you help clients achieve. This should be a specific, tangible result that solves a specific problem your clients are facing and helps them achieve the specific end result they’re looking for.

Then, scale it back. Ask yourself, “What’s one small step that will move this client closer to the big result they want?” Once you brainstorm ideas, pick the one that you’re most excited to offer and that you’re confident you can deliver.

A mistake my clients often make here is that they think questionnaires, assessments, or a coaching session are the deliverable. But your offer has to have a tangible result—something that moves your client forward … not just education or information.

Design your offer: Now that you’re clear on the result you’ll deliver, it’s time to design your offer! Think about what you need in order to deliver that result to your clients.

I generally recommend two bite-sized offer formats – one for business owners who do work for their client and one for business owners who do work with their client.

Here’s the recommended bite-sized offer format for business owners who primarily do work with clients (for example, coaches, consultants, nutritionists, and private yoga teachers):

– Prep work (like an assessment)
– A 90-minute session (with homework, if appropriate)
– Support materials (like an action plan, a worksheet, handouts, a guided meditation, recipes, or a session recording)
– A 30-minute follow-up session 5 to 15 days later

Here’s the recommended bite-sized offer format for business owners who primarily do work for clients (like designers, copywriters, bookkeepers, and virtual assistants):

– Prep work (like an assessment)
– A 30-minute session to gather the information you need to do the work
– The work you deliver
– A 30-minute follow-up session 5 to 15 days later

These are proven structures, but if your service doesn’t easily fit into one of these options, you can create your own offer format.

Once you decide on an offer structure, you’ll map out the components of your offer. The “components” are the various aspects of your offer, like your pre-work, one-on-one session, support materials, and anything else you provide your client.

These components are important parts of your offer because they are what help you deliver stellar results for your clients. You want to make sure to “play up” the components in your copy because they are valuable, and you need to convey that value to your clients.

Write your copy: Now it’s time to write your copy! Take some time to think about your client and how they view their situation. How would they describe their frustrations? How would they describe the ripple effect of those frustrations? How would they describe their desired end results? How would they describe the ripple effect of those desired end results?

Try to be as descriptive, specific, emotive, and visual as possible. Always use your client’s exact words and language, and avoid jargon and expert speak.

Your Action Step: Create and write the copy for an offer that solves your target client’s exact problem.

Here are some articles to help with Step #2:

Creating your very first offer? Read 3 Mistakes All Newbies Make.

If you’re frustrated by your business and not seeing the results you want, read Your Online Business Success Formula and Why You Shouldn’t Sell Coaching & What to Sell Instead.

If the thought of writing your own copy makes you want to run and hide, check out Why I Don’t Let My Clients Hire a Copywriter and The Common Copy Mistake That’s Killing Your Sales and How to Fix it.

And, if people are visiting your site but not hiring you, don’t miss Steal This! The Must-Have Copy for Your ‘Work With Me’ Page.

STEP #3: Set a Routine

Building a business is hard work! Whether you’re working on your business full-time or part-time, you probably feel like there’s too much to do and never enough time.

But it is possible to get everything done and finally make some progress. How? By creating an easy-to-follow business routine that ensures you have time to work on your business AND help your clients … even if your schedule is jam-packed.

Once you create a routine and set a schedule, you’ll always know what to work on to move your business forward. Your routine will help you set reasonable expectations about what you can (and can’t!) accomplish given your time constraints, keep you accountable and honest about how you’re spending your time, and eliminate any overwhelm, confusion, excuse-making, and procrastination.

Most importantly? It sets you up for success!

Here are the same steps I walk my clients through for creating a routine that keeps them focused.

Step 1: Determine how many hours each week you have to spend working in your business. 10, 20, 30? This doesn’t include things like learning time or mastermind meetings.

Step 2: Identify the different categories of work you have to do. I generally recommend my clients divide their time into the following buckets:

• Admin (email, scheduling, bookkeeping, invoicing, website maintenance)
• Blog, newsletter, and posting to social media
• Client-getting activities
• Serving clients

If you’re just getting started, you’ll also want to include some time for foundation work, things like updating your website, writing your offer copy, creating an opt-in offer, and writing autoresponders.

Be careful: People generally spend all their time on these behind-the-scenes tasks because they’re afraid to go out and get clients. The only way to get clients is to do client-getting activities, so most of your time should go there.

Step 3: Set your hours for each category or business activity. Divide your time among all the tasks, and avoid allocating all your hours to admin work or writing your blog. Also, make sure you’re not over-scheduling yourself.

Step 4: Follow your new routine and adapt it as needed.

Your Action Step: Create your routine and test it for about a month, making adjustments where necessary. Remember that you want to create a business that’s built around YOUR needs, so give yourself the flexibility to experiment.

Here are some articles to help with Step #3:

If you’re working your butt off but not seeing the results you want, read Steal This! My Rock-Solid System for Getting It All Done (& Having a Life).

If your clients are raving about you—but you’re terrible at following up for testimonials, read Steal This! My Simple System for Getting Stellar Testimonials.

And if you have trouble keeping your business running while also getting your client work done, watch my video How to Get It All Done.

STEP #4: Get Clients

Now that you’ve gotten clear on your target client, created a bite-sized offer, and set a routine, it’s time to get out there and actually get clients!

If you’re an introvert like me, it can be scary to put yourself out there, but it’s important to push through the discomfort so that you can connect to the people who truly need you. After all, that’s what you’re doing this for!

If you’re an extrovert, it can be easy to divide your energy in too many directions, which leaves you feeling exhausted with no real results to show for it.

Either way, be sure to use your routine to keep you focused on client-getting activities at the right times. I recommend you choose three ways from the following list to put yourself out there and get clients.

Ways to go get clients

1. Email 100 friends, family, acquaintances, and colleagues to tell them about your
   business.
2. Have a dedicated section in your weekly newsletter where you mention your paid
   services.
3. Mention what you do in your email signature.
4. Be of service on social media and in online forums.
5. Keep a list of warm leads and follow up consistently.
6. Send personal emails to new subscribers.
7. Give people free, mini taster sessions.
8. Host free talks in your local area.
9. Guest post on blogs your target clients read.
10. Host free calls or webinars.
11. Network in person.
12. Network online.
13. Host a meetup group in your area related to your business topic.
14. Post flyers around town advertising your services.
15. Hold in-person or phone meetings with your peers to expand your network.
16. Get interviewed on podcasts, live streams, and other platforms.
17. Ask past clients for referrals.
18. Send a dedicated sales pitch email to your list.
19. Create and lead a private Facebook group.

Your Action Step: Choose three to five client-getting activities and add them to your routine. Follow through on them, making adjustments as you learn what works best for you and your business.

Here are some articles to help with Step #4:

If you tend to “shrink” when it comes to telling the world about your business, read “I’m Not Ready” & Other Lies I Tell Myself: What to Do When You’re Scared Sh*tless.

You can also read Want More Clients? Make Sure You Do This and Steal This! A 3-Step Plan for Putting Yourself Out There.

Plus, grab my free training, 21 Winning Ways to Book Yourself Fast.

If you try to be of service on social media but aren’t getting any clients from it, don’t miss
The Reason You’re Not Getting Clients on Social Media & How to Change It Immediately.

If you’re ready to take advantage of your email list, read Steal This! My Proven Plan to Hit 1000 Subscribers and One Email That Could Double Your Client List.

Don’t have an email list yet? Read Steal This! My No-Fail Approach to Getting Clients, Even If You Don’t Have an Email List.

STEP #5: Update Your Web Presence

While it’s crucial to put yourself out there and get clients on a steady basis, it’s also important to keep your online presence current.

This means you need to ensure your website, autoresponder emails, and social media accounts are up to date and relevant … without being sidetracked by perfection.

Let me be clear about this: Don’t ever prioritize your website over client-getting activities. Your website alone does NOTHING to get you clients if you’re not doing those things. (That’s why client-getting is step 4 and web presence is step 5.)

Your time is always better spent on being of service on social media, pitching guest posts and interviews, and connecting with prospective clients.

Here is a list of all the elements that should be kept updated on your website:

Home page: This is the first page people see when they come to your site. It should clearly state who you help and what you do. The number one goal of your home page is to get people to opt into your email list.

About page: Although it’s about you, it’s only about you as it relates to your client! Use strong copy that highlights what makes you different from your competition.

Services page: This is where your offer goes, whether you’ve created a bite-sized offer or you have bigger packages.

Blog: It’s more important for you to write consistently than to follow a fancy strategy. New business owners tend to worry too much about what they write. Instead, get into a routine, experiment with your topics, and have fun! Just publish!

Newsletter: Send a content-rich newsletter to your email list every week. The content can be exactly the same as what you write on your blog.

Contact information: Make it easy for prospective clients to contact you with questions or opportunities.

Opt-in offer: Give people a reason to sign up for your email list by offering them valuable, free content.

Squeeze page for your opt-in offer: Create a landing page with minimal distractions where people can sign up for your opt-in offer. Link to your squeeze page from guest blogs and social media.

Email autoresponders: These are automatic emails that are sent to subscribers at set intervals after they join your list. These are a great way to turn your subscribers into paying customers.

Social media accounts (whichever you choose to use): Update your profile, bio, and picture for each site you plan to actively use.

Other items unique to your site not listed here: If you have free resources, testimonials, or other pages, be sure to keep them up to date.

Your Action Step: Prioritize the items here for you and your business. (Just know there is no “right answer.”) Focus on one at a time, finishing it before jumping to the next one.

Here are some articles to help with Step #5:

Want to make your opt-in offer and autoresponders more effective? Read Turn Your Opt-in Offer into a Client Magnet and 6 Emails That Bring in More Clients.

To make sure your website is really ready to be published, read Warning: You Could Be at Risk if Your Website Doesn’t Have These 3 Things.

If you’re struggling to come up with interesting blog topics, check out 6 No-Fail Strategies for Having Endless Blogging Ideas.

And if you want to learn how to get more clients with my favorite marketing strategy, read How to Effortlessly & Authentically Grow Your Business.

STEP #6: Overcome Fear and Create a Success Mindset

Everything I’ve touched on until this point has been super practical. We’ve covered your summary, your offers, your routine, and how to get clients while maintaining your site.

But there’s something else that holds back many entrepreneurs: fear and a lackluster (or even crappy) mindset.

I get it! As an online business owner, you’re outside your comfort zone most of the time as you learn the ins and outs of marketing, pitch yourself to strangers, and step out into the world to talk about what you do.

When you’re just getting started, the most common fears are that you’re just not good enough or that this is too hard.

For example, you might be thinking things like:

It shouldn’t be this hard.
It must come easily for everyone else.
There’s no way I can do this every week.
What’s wrong with me?
I suck at this!

Your mindset is a big deal, so don’t let those crappy thoughts get the best of you. Understand that you will be uncomfortable at times and that business can be challenging, and THAT’S OKAY!

The bad news is that fear and discomfort never go away, even when your business becomes more successful. The good news is you can learn strategies to deal with fear when it comes up for you.

One approach is what I call The Scientist’s Mindset. A scientist views her work objectively, with an “I’ll give it my best shot and see what happens” attitude. If she mixes two chemicals and the solution turns an unexpected color, she doesn’t take it personally. Instead, she investigates what happened and determines her next steps … then tries again.

It’s exactly this approach that will save you from freaking out in your business. Because when you stop taking every result personally, you open yourself up to new possibilities, ideas, and opportunities. It’s the reset button your brain needs when dealing with failures.

Your Action Step: Dealing with fear and mindset isn’t something that can be solved with a few quick tips, so if you’re struggling with this check out the Further Reading section below.

Here are some articles to help with Step #6:

Have a big project or task that you just keep pushing down your to-do list? Read How to Stop Fear & Perfectionism from Holding You Back.

If you’re struggling to create the business you want, read The 3 As of Success: Increase Your Chance of Succeeding at Anything and 5 Key Factors for Building a Successful Business.

Afraid of failure? Check out I Eff’d Up: How I Failed My Way to Success and Stop Playing It Safe: Why Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone Will Lead You to a Highly Successful Business.

STEP #7: Keep Going

The last step for online success might sound obvious, but it’s important. You must keep going.

That means you must continue to put yourself out there, get more clients, keep your website updated, squash your fears, and stay committed to your dreams—every day!

I’ve learned that just saying that you’ll keep going isn’t enough. That’s why I recommend these next steps.

Your Action Steps:

1. Make a plan.

Write down your goals for the next month. List out exactly what client-getting activities you’ll do and how many hours you’ll spend on each.

When you’re setting your goals, make sure they’re action-based instead of results-based. For example, “I’m going to spend an hour being of service every day” versus “I want 3 clients by the end of the week.”

Focusing on action-based goals puts you in control of the only thing you’re really in control of at this stage: taking action.

2. Follow through.

To get the most out of this plan, you have to stick to it! Figure out what motivates you and use that to help you keep the momentum up day after day.

Maybe you like rewarding yourself with a walk outside or a special dessert. Maybe you like to take time off after you reach a certain milestone. Whatever motivates you to follow through, do that!

3. Track your progress.

Check in weekly or monthly to track your progress and assess your goals. Write down whatever lessons you learned so that you can make smart decisions going forward—and pat yourself on the back for how much knowledge you’re gaining.

This is what it takes to make your business a success. If you’re willing to put in the work, you CAN create a business you love that supports the life you want.

4. Adjust accordingly.

Pay attention to any insights you had when tracking your progress. Do you need to more closely follow your schedule? Do you need to adjust your hours? Was there a client-getting activity you really enjoyed and want to do more of?

Clarity comes from taking action, so use your insights to adjust your plan based on what you learned. That’s how you run your business like a pro!

Here are some articles to help with Step #7:

If you’re ready to step up and make your business work, read 9 Things I Gave Up to Be Successful and Steal This! Business Building Action Plan for a Successful New Year.

Does building your business feel harder than you expected? Read The Worst Business Advice I’ve Ever Heard and Struggling in Business? Here’s Your Missing Link.

The post 7 Steps to Make It Work Online: How to Get Clients and Create a Consistent, Predictable Income in Your Online, Service-Based Business appeared first on Jenny Shih.

In person, online, through speaking (online or in person), through writing, over email, via phone, through old connections, by making new connections …

The awesome thing is that since it’s your business, you get to choose which ways are most fun for you to use to get clients.

In this guide, you’ll find 21 proven client-getting strategies that have worked for me and for my clients — over and over again. That means there are more than enough options for you to get you moving, get you clients, fill your roster, and start a waiting list.

I also hand-picked a few strategies that my clients and I love most and spelled them out with more detail (including a template and a how-to guide!) to help you take action and get clients.

How I Got My First 5 Clients

When I first started my online business, I didn’t know anything about online mar- keting, so I got my first five clients in four easy, “old school” ways.

Client #1: Responded to a flyer I posted in public places around town. The flyer she saw was posted in a coffee shop I frequented.

Client #2: Came as a result of a comment I posted on someone’s blog about quit- ting your job to pursue a passion-driven career.

Client #3: Contacted me after I emailed my professional network of 40+ women about my change in career path. (I call this strategy “send 100 emails.” More on this below.)

Clients #4 and #5: Were former corporate colleagues who reached out to work with me after I quit my job (because they wanted to quit theirs, too!).

Other Ways I’ve Gotten Clients Since Then—And How My Clients Have, Too

Since then, I’ve gotten clients from a variety of methods. These have all proven to be fruitful efforts for me and for my clients:

• Guest posting and getting interviewed
• Being of service (not pitching!) in Facebook groups
• Referrals from past clients
• Giving free talks in my local area
• Following up with warm leads
• Hosting free calls and webinars
• Having my business information in my email signature
• Sending quality, free content to my email list, week after week
• Adding a section in my newsletter about working with me
• Sending dedicated pitch emails to my list
• Connecting in person and via phone with colleagues to talk about business and share leads
• Setting up and sending autoresponders in my email system

My clients have had successes with other means of getting clients. Some of the approaches they love include:

• Hosting MeetUp groups
• Sending personal emails to new subscribers
• Offering free “taster” sessions
• Engaging in other social media platforms
• Creating and hosting their own Facebook group

… and more.

Keep reading, and you’ll get some insights as to how to make a few of these strategies work for you.

In Make It Work Online, I dive even further into many of them — plus offer templates, email scripts, and more — to help my clients fill their client rosters without it feeling like a chore!

The key is to focus on what sounds like fun to you — then stick to those strategies.

Consistency os key for making any client-getting approach work.

Send “100 Emails” and other client-getting emails

One of the best ways to get clients is to connect with people you already know.

Although your friends, neighbors, or former coworkers may not hire you themselves, there’s a good chance they know someone who would want to hire you.

The simplest approach here is to send 100 emails, reaching out to friends, family, neighbors, current colleagues, past colleagues, friends, acquaintances, and more. Celebrate your new business and tell them what you’re up to. The goal isn’t to make everyone a client but to start looking for warm connections.

You can read all about how to do this—plus grab a script on what to say—over on this Steal This! blog post.

Be of Service in Facebook groups (and other online forums)

One of the most fun ways (for extroverts and introverts alike) is to connect with peers and prospects on social media. I’m not talking about pitching yourself. I am talking about showing up, being your awesome self, and helping others with your knowledge and insights. I’d estimate that this strategy alone got me at least 50 clients (probably more) in the first two years of business.

I call this “being of service.” How did I do it?

First, I blocked off a half-hour every morning and every evening to go on Face- book and interact with my target clients in groups where they hung out.

During those half-hour blocks, my focus was exclusively on being as helpful as possible and answering as many questions as I could — not reading articles, watching dog videos, or connecting with personal friends.

Consistency was key!

People noticed that I was there to “give” not to “get” — and they also got to see where I had expertise to offer others. Soon after, people started tagging me when they thought I had an answer someone was looking for. My reputation quickly grew as someone who was helpful, generous, and giving — not there just to “sell them.” And THAT is exactly what does sell people… and how clients started coming in.

In fact, the more you are acting from a place of service (instead of a place of pitching), the more likely you are to create connections, build your email list, and get more clients.

Now, a lot of people say, “Jenny, this worked when you were first started out way back when, but it doesn’t work anymore.”

So let me tell you this very directly: It still works. In fact, I’m being of service right now in Facebook groups as I’m taking on a few high-end private mentorship clients. It worked then. It works now. Whether you’re new and looking for clients for your bite-sized offer or experienced and looking for clients for your premium-priced services.

Take “Be of Service” even further with free taster sessions

My first client to hit a million dollars was Kendrick Shope, and she took the “be of service” approach to the next level to help her create that million-dollar result.

When I told her to “be of service” (BOS) she started showing up online, offering helpful, free, no-strings-attached advice as much as possible, in the usual BOS fashion. And when she ran into something that was hard to explain in a Facebook conversation, she’d offer to get on the phone with that person—for free.

Here’s the key: Kendrick DID NOT pitch that person on the phone.

Instead, she’d check in with them a few days later to make sure they had all that they needed… or see if they needed further help.

If they got what they needed, she’d cheer them on and send them on their way. If they were faltering and needed more help, she’d tell them about her paid services.

The “be of service” approach only works if you embrace it fully.

Serve your target audience with no strings attached (and no immediate pitching), and you’ll quickly generate a huge fan base… and a list of hungry clients.

Note: You’ve got to give freely, without expectations, for it to work.

Give free talks—in your local area and online

My friend and fellow coach, Alison Cardy, has mastered the use of speaking to build her business.

Since her business focus is on career coaching, Alison speaks in a variety of places, including professional societies, service organizations, university student groups, and college and university alumni groups.

Like with all client-getting strategies that work, Alison went “all in” — pitching and speaking regularly (often several times a week). She quickly built a reputation as someone who delivers solid speech and always pleases her audience.

If you love to speak — or want to start speaking — all you have to do is start! No matter how big or small your town, you can create your own speaking opportuni- ties.

From hosting your own events at the local library or health food store, to pitching service organizations, alumni groups, or corporate or small business brown bag lunches, there are countless people and groups looking for speakers for their next event.

So start looking in your area for the right opportunities, and go pitch them.

Of course, in the COVID era, lots of these local organizations are now reaching their members with virtual conferences and meetings, so those options are equally valid for this approach.

Add a “Work With Me” section to your email newsletter

If you are building an online business, building an email list is a must. And emailing that list regularly (preferably weekly) is also a must!

Since you’re emailing helpful, free content to your list every week, you should also take advantage of that opportunity to tell your subscribes how they can hire you.

Make your newsletter’s “Work With Me” section a dedicated section in your newsletter, not a P.S.!

Not sure what to write? Here’s a sample template to get you started:

HEADLINE:
You’re [doing this awesome thing]. I’m here to help.

BODY COPY:
[Ask questions that your ideal clients would say, “yes” to]
Are you [this type of person] with [this positive personality trait]?
Do you have trouble [with this specific challenge that you solve]?
Could you use [this type of support]?

I help [these types of people] who [feel like this]. They’re looking to [accomplish this] and [also this] — without [doing or feeling like this].

My clients [have these positive traits] but they can’t seem to [get to this place that they’re striving for].

If you’re ready to [do this], [this], or [even this], I can help get you there.

Click here to learn about [your services or offers]. [LINK to your services or offer]

Create and host your own Facebook group

It’s a great strategy for building a highly-engaged fan base, directly connecting with and interacting with potential clients, and having your own place to pitch (without taking over someone else’s group — not cool!).

My clients love hosting their own groups because ideal clients are practically delivered to their virtual doors, plus they can engage with them, check their client language and avoid jargon, and create a community around their mission.

Curious what folks say about running their own facebook group? Here are some Make It Work Online alumni’s insights on exactly that.

Tamara Schmidt, Daily Nature Connection
“I love it because it’s a low-pressure, super positive way to build community as people share their nature connections. It’s been a fantastic and fun way to build my business.”

Aden Nepom, Change Hub
“I love that I get to communicate directly with people who can both benefit from working with me and inform the services I provide. I learn as much as I teach! I believe inspiration is a two way street.”

Suzy Rosenstein, Women in the Middle Community: Regret-Proofing 101 for Midlife Women
“I love running the group because it gives me a chance to meet podcast listeners and hear more about what they like, what they need help with, and how I can serve them better.”

Emily Otto, Systems & Structure for Magical Business Owners
“I love running it to help aspiring healing arts biz owners, and I enjoy curating content and free coaching/training to empower healing arts folks to do their own unique things in the world.”

Wendy Harbath, Ceremony of Crones
“I love staying in touch with my clients and fans. It’s also a great way to explore occasionally with a new idea for feedback from the group.”

Stacie Mitchell, The Consistent Coach: Get clear, Get consistent, Get clients
“I love hosting a Facebook group because to me it’s been the easiest way to connect and grow a community. I can ask loads of questions (which I love to do!), learn more about my potential clients, and build an engaged, interactive community – which can sometimes be hard on other social media platforms.”

Laura Donnelly, The Healing Path with Laura Donnelly
“I love hosting a group because of all the amazing people I’m meeting! The group has video conversations and discussions, and members are encouraged to start their personal healing journeys.”

Steph Lagana, Your Sacred Craft: Magical Tools for Action Ready Entrepreneurs
“My Facebook group isn’t just a place to meet potential clients and be of service, it’s also a place to make friends which makes this path so much richer on every level.”

Laura Collis, Thrive: Healthy at Midlife
“I love running a group because it’s an incredible way to grow my following, be of service, provide value and connect and engage with my potential clients. In my own community group, I know I’m speaking to my ideal client all of the time and that’s a huge plus!”

StephK, Just Wear The Lipstick
“I love hosting my Facebook group since it allows me to empower others. I also love having conversations with my audience and helping others in my community to connect!”

Which of these 21 ways is most effective?

Now here’s the question I get All The Time: Which way is most effective, the one that will bring me the most clients the fastest?

The answer: Whichever one you do consistently and strive to keep doing better.

Hear this: They All Work!

But the one you do, do well, and do consistently is the one (or ones) that will yield clients.

To get clients, you have to consistently do client-getting activities. Choose the ones above that are most interesting to you, and focus on those. If you like what you choose, you’re more likely to keep at them and see the results you want.

The post 21 Winning Ways to Book Yourself Fast appeared first on Jenny Shih.

One of my most effective client-getting moves email. My clients also have great luck with this approach, and I hope you do, too.

It’s so effective that you can fill or nearly fill your client roster with this strategy alone!

I’ve compiled five of my most successful email templates for you to steal and send — to get clients and fill your roster. Here are the five emails scripts included in this guide:

#1 – Personal emails to friends, family, acquaintances, colleagues
#2 – Emails asking for referrals from past clients
#3 – Personal emails to new subscribers
#4 – Sales emails to your list
#5 – Follow up emails to warm leads

Your Action Steps:

1. Read through all five templates.
2. Prioritize which one you want to send, first, second, third, etc.
3. Start sending them!

Remember: The faster you take action, the faster you’ll fill your client roster.

Script #1: “100 Emails”

Most of my initial coaching clients came through sending what I call “100 emails.”

I know you know more than 100 people. Now, make a list of everyone you know and email all of them about your business.

Even if they don’t hire you themselves, there’s a good chance they know someone who needs exactly what you offer. So tap into the network that’s already right at your fingertips.

Subject: I did it!

Hi Name,

After many [months, years], I’m finally ready to tell the world about something big I’ve been working on.
As someone who knows me well, you were one of the first people I thought to tell.

The big news is I’ve launched a [industry-specific] business.

This feels like a perfect fit for me because I’m able to use [these awesome skills]. Even better, I’m getting the chance to really help people.

And that’s why I’m writing to you today. I’m currently looking for new clients, and I was wondering if you’d be willing to introduce me to a couple of people that might benefit from the type of work I do.

The [specific people] I work with feel like they [are struggling in this area].

They’re tired of feeling [like this]. And they know they have [this positive thing going for them]. They’re ready to [accomplish this].

Do you know of a friend who would be a good fit? If so, please forward this email to them.

If you’re interested and want more details about how I can help, simply reply to this email. I’d love to talk with you further.

Thanks so much,
Your Name

Script #2: Emails asking for referrals from past clients

An easy way to get new clients is through former, very happy clients. The best way to get those referrals? Ask!

Subject: Could I ask a quick favor?

Hi Name,

[Start with a personal greeting.]

I wanted to ask you for a quick favor. I currently have a few openings on my client list, and I would love to fill those spots with amazing past clients like you.

I loved working with you because [a genuine, real reason they were awesome], so I was wondering if you can think of one or two people who might be a good fit for my services.

I’m looking for people like you — people who:

• Value [this type of work/collaboration]
• Are skilled in [this area of expertise]
• Get excited by the thought of [doing this]

I especially love working with people who [have these important qualities].

Do you know one or two people who fit the bill? No pressure at all, but if you’re open to making an introduction, I’d appreciate it!

Thanks so much,
Your Name

Script #3: Personal emails to new subscribers

An effective strategy to get clients and simply connect with and get to know your target audience is to send personal emails to new subscribers.

I’m not talking about autoresponders (emails automatically sent via your email system); I’m talking about emails sent to subscribers via your personal email account. The personal touch can go a long way to turning a subscriber into a fan and a fan into a client!

Subject: A personal thank you

Hi Name,

I just wanted to say thanks for signing up for my [insert your free offer here]! (This is really me, by the way, not an autoresponder!)

It’s nice getting to actually “meet” each other, right?

I find that my subscribers often have questions about [A, B, and C]. I wanted to let you know that I really love helping people when it comes to those topics.

If you have any questions about those things, or anything related, drop me an email. I’d love to help (on the house, of course)!

I look forward to getting to know you and helping you out however I can.

Your Name

Script #4: Sales emails to your list

I can’t leave out the tried-and-true sales email! That’s right, you should occasionally tell your list — very directly — how you can help them and how to hire you.

Subject: A laser-focused transformation

Hi Name,

Do you ever feel like you’re doing [these “right” things”] but you aren’t getting [these results you want]?
When you’re [trying to accomplish this], it’s easy to get stuck [feeling like this].

The good news is, you [have these positive personality traits] and you’re ready [to put this type of effort in].

I help [these types of people] who [feel like this] to finally [accomplish this].

That’s why I’m super excited to offer you the chance to work with me privately with my brand-new offer: [the name of your offer].

Maybe you’ve already tried [this]. Or maybe you’ve even [done this]. Well, this is really different.

During your [1-hour/90-minute] personal strategy session, you will [get this type of support] so you can [feel this way].

If you’re [at this stage of your journey] and know you can [get to this point] but you just need [this], I can help.

We’ll [do this] together and make big things happen for you. Get started now. [LINK to your services or offer]

I can’t wait to work with you!

Your Name

Script #5: Follow-up emails to warm leads

I learned from my friend and sales coach Kendrick Shope that 50% of all sales are closed in follow-up communication. After years of using follow-ups to sign on clients, I know for a fact that this is true!

Track everyone you connect with and regularly follow up with them. Keeping in touch — for weeks, months, or even years — is likely to turn a curious prospect into a paying client!

Subject: Thinking of you

Hi Name.

I came across this blog article today [or other resource] and thought of you, so I thought I’d send it your way and also drop you a quick note.[Link to the article or resource]

When we talked back in [month] about [whatever you discussed], you mentioned [the specific challenge they were facing].

How are you doing?

I remember when we talked before, you were looking to [reach this desired outcome]. Is that still your goal?

Fill me in on how you are and what you think of that article I’d love to help however I can.

Your Name

To get clients from these emails …

You actually have to send them.

So make a plan, start drafting your emails, then send them!

The post Steal This! 5 Email Scripts to Get Clients Fast appeared first on Jenny Shih.

Here’s what you’ll learn in this post:

• 7 simple ways to make your opt-in more magnetic—without having to completely recreate it
• The number one opt-in mistake most business owners make and how to avoid it
• The single most important opt-in page you need (if you don’t have this, it could be costing you subscribers)

Are you ready? Let’s dive in!

List-Building Is Important for All Businesses, Especially Online Ones

I can tell you’re smart and serious about building your business. How? Because you know list-building is important, and you’re ready to make it a priority.

You also know that to grow your business online, you MUST grow your email list.

Your email list offers countless benefits: You can develop loyal relationships with clients who’ve raised their hand to get to know you. You can nurture new and repeat sales. You can draw traffic to your website on a regular basis.

As beneficial as it is, list-building can feel overwhelming. What if your list is growing at a snail’s pace? How do you start and then keep up the momentum?

You know you CAN and will get to the tipping point (for most people it’s 1000 subscribers), but you want to get there sooner!

I understand because I was once there. When I quit my six-figure corporate job and launched jennyshih.com, my #1 goal was to grow my list. After making many mistakes and having some huge wins, I grew my list from zero to 1000 in just 6 months.

TIP #1: Make sure it passes the “magnet” test

If you want your list to grow faster, ask yourself the following questions about your opt-in offer. If you answer mostly “no,” implement these simple changes first. These small tweaks could have a major impact on your number of subscribers.

Is your opt-in easily visible?

Place your opt-in prominently throughout your site. See Secret #2 for more ideas.

Do you explain the benefits of your offer (rather than the features)?

It’s easy to tell your potential subscribers about your process. Instead, tell them what they’ll get as a result. Ask yourself, “What will my subscriber know after using my free offer that s/he doesn’t know now?” or “What will s/he be able to do?”

Does the reader know what steps to take to sign up?

Make sure you have a clear call to action. Be up front about what they’ll be receiving.

Does it solve an urgent problem?

Most people sign up for a free offer to solve an immediate problem—they want something that will help them now, not three months from now.

Are you making a promise you can deliver on?

Don’t “oversell” your offer. Otherwise, you could lose your subscriber’s trust—and people won’t buy from or hire people they don’t trust.

Is the offer itself easy to digest?

Don’t ask your subscribers to make a huge time commitment. Give them a bite-size offer that’s easy for them to set aside time for.

Are you asking people to provide more information than they’re comfortable with?

Studies show that the more boxes you ask people to fill out, the fewer subscribers you get. Are you asking for more information than you need?

TIP #2: Put it where they can see it

The number one mistake many small business owners make is that they only promote their free opt-in offer on their home page. It makes sense to think that your home page is the main entry point of your site. (It’s called a “home page,” after all.)

But your customers can arrive at any page on your site, so make sure your opt-in box is easy to find no matter where they enter.

Home Page

Treat your home page wisely, and keep your opt-in box high enough on the page that your potential clients don’t have to scroll down to see it.

Take Action Now

1. Add your free opt-in to your home page
2. Ask only for the information you need (usually first name & email address). The fewer boxes people have to fill out, the more likely they are to sign up.
3. Check your home page on mobile to make sure your opt-in box is easy find and fill out on a phone or tablet

Sidebar & Below Posts

With the increase in responsive websites (the kind that “shrink” and “grow” as you move from computer to tablet to phone), sidebars are slowly becoming extinct.

But for some sites, having a sidebar is still relevant—so use it to your advantage and add your opt-in box there.

In addition to the sidebar, you can add your opt-in box below each blog post.

Take Action Now

1. Check your sidebar on mobile—does your opt-in box appear? If not, find additional opportunities to highlight your offer.
2. Add an opt-in box below each blog post

About page

Your about page is typically the second most-viewed page on your site (after the home page). Include an opt-in box where it makes sense.

Take Action Now

1. Read through your About page. Is there a section that naturally leads to inviting people to opt in to your offer? You can add an opt-in box within your content itself.
2. If that doesn’t make sense in your layout, add your opt-in to the sidebar or at the bottom or top of your About page.

Take It Further

To increase the number of people who opt in, use the following chart to pick the perfect words.

TIP #3: You must have a squeeze page

A squeeze page is a stand-alone page where you highlight your free opt-in offer. And if you don’t have one, it could be costing you subscribers. That’s because it’s often the highest converting placement for your opt-in. (I’ll tell you why in a minute.)

This page comes in handy when you invite people to your opt-in from elsewhere on the internet. For example, you can link to your squeeze page from your bio below a guest blog post. You can also link to it directly from social media.

And that’s why it converts so well. The only way your potential subscribers will land on this page is if they choose to click there—so they’ve already shown interest. Now, you just have to keep up the momentum.

Because you have more room on a squeeze page, you can bulk it up with even more enticing information. There are some common guidelines to help make your squeeze page as effective as possible.

Here are three elements of a high-performing squeeze page:

• Limit distractions by removing the navigation & sidebar
• Add easy-to-scan bullets
• Add an image of the product itself
• Include a testimonial

Take Action Now

It’s one thing to learn how to improve your opt-in and conversions. It’s another thing to take action on it.

Right now, while all of this is fresh in your mind, make a list of what specific actions you’re going to take to improve your opt-in. Then get to work!

The post Amplify Your Opt-In to Help Build Your Email List Faster appeared first on Jenny Shih.

Let’s streamline your system for booking new clients and automating as much of the process as possible (without over-complicating it).

Use the checklist below to create and implement a system that works for you.

7 Steps to Your New Client Intake System

Here are seven straightforward steps for your new client intake.

Step 1. Make it easy for prospects to schedule a consultation with you

Sign up for an online scheduler and allow prospects to book their own appointments. I’ve been using Acuity Scheduling since I started my business, but there are a bunch of different options out there.

Put a link to your online calendar right on your services page and tell people to use it to schedule a consultation with you. Don’t schedule over email—always direct people to use your scheduler.

Step 2. Gather information about your prospect. Make this as automated as possible

What information do you want from your prospective client before you speak with them? Craft questions that you or your assistant can send in advance of the consultation.

Draft an email template to use for each reply. Once you or your assistant see that a consultation has been scheduled, send the prospect the preparatory questions. Make it clear that they should reply at least 24 hours before the consultation.

Step 3. Prepare for the consultation

Review the information your prospect sent you. If you have a consult checklist, script, or outline, review that or at least have it in front of you.

Step 4. Consult!

Consult with your prospect as per your normal process.

Step 5. Send your new client an invoice

Send an invoice.

Step 6. Send them their new client materials

If you don’t have them already, create a standard set of new client materials. Your materials should include the following:

• payment and refund policies
• your scheduling and cancellation policies
• what to expect from working with you
• pre-work or other materials they should complete before they begin working with you
• any other information that is relevant to your new clients

Once a prospect pays their invoice, send the preparatory materials so they can get started. Don’t send the materials until they have completed their payment.

Step 7. Get rolling! Enjoy your new client!

Email Scripts

As you implement the process above, steal and adjust the following email starter templates.

Email #1: Responding to someone who wants to work with you

Subject line: First steps to working together

Hi NAME,

Thanks for reaching out!

The first step to get started working me is to schedule a [free consultation].

This doesn’t commit us to working together. It gives you the chance to tell me more about your business, and we can determine if we’d be a good fit.

Click here to schedule your call: LINK TO YOUR BOOKING SYSTEM Let me know if you have any trouble booking!

SIGNOFF

Email #2: Requesting Payment

Subject line: Next steps for working together

Hi NAME,

It was great to talk with you today.

I’m really looking forward to the work we are going to do together. I know that you can [mention something that they hope to achieve].

Here are the next steps.

First, complete your payment of $XXX and sign and return the attached client contact by [this date].

As a refresher, your investment includes:

• X
• Y
• Z

Once you complete your payment, you’ll receive an email from me with more information, including how schedule your appointments and access your pre-work.

If you have any other questions, please let me know. I’m so excited to work with you!

SIGNOFF

The post Steal This! New Client Intake System and Email Scripts appeared first on Jenny Shih.

You can use the templates as-is or tweak them to suit your personal style. These emails tend toward the more firm tone because, in my experience, when most women realize it’s finally time to set a firm boundary, their clients have gone way overboard and firm is more effective than friendly. These will help you nip these problems in the bud ASAP.

Email #1: Client is lingering on booking sessions or has ghosted

Hi NAME!

I hope you enjoyed a nice long weekend. [Or other kind greeting.]

I wanted to email you today about some logistics around your coaching package.

I’m committed to all of my clients having the successes they desire in working with me. In order to make sure I’m delivering top-notch results to each person, I need every client to stay on track with their sessions.

We started our [XX] package back in [MONTH] with the plan of having 3 sessions per month [or whatever your logistics were]. Currently you have [X] sessions that still need to be booked.

Please go to my online scheduler and book your final [X] sessions right now. I ask that these remaining sessions be completed by [DATE]. Unfortunately, I am unable to extend your sessions beyond that date.

LINK TO SCHEDULER

Thank you so much for your understanding, and I look forward to your next session.

Talk soon,
YOUR NAME

Email #2: Client is emailing (DMing, texting, voxing) too much

Hi NAME!

I hope you enjoyed a nice long weekend. [Or other kind greeting.]

Thanks so much for your last email about [TOPIC]. It’s good to get a between-session update from you.

It looks like this last one is a big topic, something best saved for a coaching session.

If you’d like to move up your next session so we can talk sooner, feel free to reschedule your appointment. [Note: Only use this option if it works for you!] Otherwise, let’s save this for our session so we have enough time and attention to dive into it fully.

Talk soon,
YOUR NAME

Email #3: Client owes you money

Option 1: They’ve completed their work with you but haven’t completed their payments.

Hi NAME!

I hope you enjoyed a nice long weekend. [Or other kind greeting.]

I really enjoyed the work we did together over our last sessions, helping you [DETAILS]. [Add one sentence summarizing a result they got from working with you.]

I’m emailing today because my records indicate that there is an outstanding payment of [$XX] for our work together. I know it’s never fun to have lingering obligations hanging over your head, so please, go here to make your payment now.

PAYMENT LINK

Let me know if you have any questions or would like to set up other payment arrangements.

Thank you so much for your prompt follow-through on this,
YOUR NAME

Option 2: They haven’t completed all of their sessions and haven’t completed all of their payments

Hi NAME!

I hope you enjoyed a nice long weekend. [Or other kind greeting.]

I really enjoyed the work we did together over our last sessions, helping you [DETAILS]. [Add one sentence summarizing a result they got from working with you.]

I’m emailing today because my records indicate that there is an outstanding payment of [$XX] for our sessions. Please go here to make your payment now.

PAYMENT LINK

Once I receive your payment, we can proceed with booking your other sessions.

Let me know if you have any questions or would like to set up other payment arrangements.

Thank you so much for your prompt follow-through on this, and I look forward to our next session.

YOUR NAME

Email #4: Past client is emailing (DMing, texting, voxing) for support after your work together is complete

Hi NAME!

I’m so glad to hear about [whatever they mentioned in their last email to you].

At a quick glance, [an answer to their question in one short sentence!].

I genuinely care about what you’re up to and am thrilled to celebrate your successes with a virtual high-five any time.

As you know, I strive to serve my clients to the highest degree possible. Unfortunately, this means that I’m unable to continue to support you via email, as our work together has already come to an end.

If you would like continued support in this area, I currently have openings for [OFFER]. [Or, let them know when your next opening is.]

And of course, you’re always welcome to post quick questions on my Facebook page, where everyone can benefit from the answers. LINK [Only if this is something you’re open to.]

Wishing you the best,
YOUR NAME

Email #5: Non-client is emailing (DMing, texting, voxing) excessively for free advice

Hi NAME!

Thanks for your email. I always appreciate knowing what’s going on for women who I most want to help with my business.

I strive to serve my paying clients to the highest degree possible. To do this, I must focus my time and energy on serving them first and foremost.

It sounds like what you emailed about is a big issue for you right now, and I understand what that’s like. [Offer additional empathy if you like.]

If this is something you want to work through with my full attention and support, I currently have openings for [OFFER]. You can learn more here: LINK to your services page.

If that’s not the right option for you at the moment, I suggest signing up to receive my weekly newsletter for free ideas and support, if you haven’t already.

Wishing you the best,
YOUR NAME

The post Steal This! Boundary-Setting Email Scripts appeared first on Jenny Shih.

Although some of the specific wording I use today to talk about these ideas has shifted, the core concepts are still applicable to anyone wanting to build a thriving business without working to the bone. Heck, it even works great if you’re an employee who wants to work less!

You can find the full, free, recording of the 2012 audio training here.

To accompany it, below you’ll find a summary of insights shared on the call.

I cover the seven secrets to working less without making less, plus actionable tips to help you implement changes in your business and life starting today.

Secret #1: Clarity (about your values)

Before you can work less, you have to get clear on your values so you know where to focus your efforts and changes in your business and life.

Look at your business with the spotlight of clarity. Why are you in business? Why are you in THIS business? What’s your long-term vision for your business? Why do you do what you do?

In your life, what do you value? What’s important to you? Is your business enabling you to live out those values, or not? See where there are disconnects and if you can reconcile them.

Take a look at everything you do in your business. Do you know WHY you’re doing it? Is it enabling short and long-term vision and goals for your business? Notice any disconnects and reconcile them.

Secret #2: Schedule

Scheduling your time allows you to prioritize what you value in your business and life and make sure you have time to spend on what matters most to you.

Decide what type of schedule would work best for you. For example, do you need to create windows of time for batch-writing blog posts or running errands, or set aside certain days of the week for client work and others for product creation? How do you need to change your schedule so that you can get more done in less time?

Setup your schedule and experiment with it for 2 -4 weeks. See what works for you and what doesn’t, and modify accordingly. Be flexible. Create a schedule that works for you and aligns with your values.

Secret #3: Focus

Once you are clear on your values and have a schedule that supports those values, you need to employ FOCUS at each point during that schedule. Notice where and when you get distracted and eliminate those distractions wherever possible. The more you can focus on what needs to get done at that moment, the more productive you’ll be.

Notice where, when and why you lose focus. What can you do to eliminate those distractions and get back your focus?

Secret #4: Systems

Systems are simply processes that you do repeatedly, that work well. By not reinventing the wheel every single time you do a task, you save time and energy. They’re essential if you want to work less without making less.

List the things in your business that are done on a regular basis (i.e. blog posts, newsletter, client scheduling, invoicing, social media scheduling). Then implement a system for each one.

Need help with systems in general? Check out The System Flight Kit, one of my original opt-in offers!

Here are some specific systems that I already mapped out for you.

• System for getting stellar testimonials
• System for booking new clients
• System for social media posting
• System for getting it all done (and having a life)
• System for a work-free vacation checklist

Secret #5: Delegation

When you create systems in your business, you are more easily able to delegate to others, like your VA. Delegating gets you out of the details and helps you learn to be a better communicator.

Get a good VA and start delegating. Then, find three more areas in your business where you can delegate work, and delegate it!

Check out the following on the basics of delegating:

• How to know when it’s time to hire an assistant
• How to train your assistant in 5 minutes
• How to get your assistant to run your business for you

If you implement just the first five secrets, it will literally be saving you hours of time each week. Saying no will also help. When you know your values and what’s important to you, it will become easier to know whether you should say yes or no to something.

What are you currently doing or have you agreed to do that you don’t really want to? How can you get out of it? If you struggle with saying no, get help drafting a kind and loving email that helps you exit gracefully.

Notice what people tend to ask you for that doesn’t align with your values but you have a hard time saying NO to. Put whatever measures in place (i.e. a pre-drafted email) that will help you say no the next time it happens.

Need a little help saying no? Read this on how to set boundaries and say no (in general) and this on how to set boundaries with clients.

Secret #7: Dealing with Mental Garbage

I use the term “mental garbage” to encompass all of the negative thoughts, ideas, thought patterns, habits, and unproductive emotions that stop us from achieving our dreams. These can include things like “I’m not good enough”, “I suck at this”, and “Who will pay me for this?” They’re huge time-wasters!

To work less and not make less, you must be mindful of your mental garbage. Throughout the day, as you’re working (or even not working), make note of your mental landscape. What’s serving you and what’s not? Adjust accordingly. Get help if you need to.

Here are some articles and videos that might help:

• Is Your M.O. Holding You Back? Working With Gretchen Rubin’s Four Tendencies Framework to Grow Your Business
• Are You Using “the Introvert Excuse”? (Video)
• Easily Discouraged When You Don’t See Immediate Results? (Video)
• Rough Day? How to Take Back Control When You’re Feeling Distracted, Stuck, and Overwhelmed in Your Business
• Steal This! My Step-by-Step Approach to Pushing Past Your Own Limits and Discovering What You’re Capable of

The post 7 Secrets to Working Less Without Making Less appeared first on Jenny Shih.

Selling is so much more than a script for a discovery call or template for a follow-up email. Sales is pervasive in your business—and that doesn’t mean icky, pushy, slimy, or conniving.

I like to think of sales as making a meaningful connection with your prospect so they know whether or not you’re the right person to hire or buy from. You don’t need to be even the tiniest bit pushy or manipulative about it!

When learning sales, as with learning all new skills, it’s helpful to have tools, templates, and scripts to get you started. You combine those tools with core concepts and ideas, and together, you learn how to sell authentically.

And that’s the key: Having both tools and the ideas.

Today I’m excited to share with you three powerful sales concepts that help get you in the right frame of mind to sell and more effectively use any sales tool you learn (from me or anyone else). These ideas were taught to me by sales expert Kendrick Shope.

Sales Concept #1 – Selling should feel good.

I used to think that selling was manipulative, conniving, and otherwise ingenuine. I was afraid that if I learned sales skills, it meant I would be tricking my prospects into paying me money … so of course I ran from anyone who wanted to teach me about sales!

But over time, as my consults were growing in number but not converting into paying clients as frequently as I thought they should, I realized that sales skills were something I needed to learn.

This is where Kendrick Shope entered my life and taught me the basics of consults and follow ups. My consult conversion rate skyrocketed to nearly 90% almost immediately.

More than just skyrocketing my consult conversion rates, I was also helping people make the decision to not hire me when that felt most appropriate. And wow, did that clarity feel good!

All of this made me realize that selling didn’t just put money in my pocket, it helped my prospects make smart decisions for their own lives and businesses.

This all felt so good!

And if sales consults and follow-ups could feel good, where else could I learn and implement sales concepts that felt good and helped people?

The short answer? Every single area of my business.

Sales Concept #2 – Sales is essential in every aspect of your business.

After learning to use sales skills in consults and follow-up emails, I slowly saw how sales infiltrated every part of my business. And I’m not just talking about the obvious stuff: sales pages, offer copy, sales emails, webinars, etc.

I’m talking about every area of business. For example…

Email subject lines need to “sell” people on opening them.

Teasers to my blog post in my weekly email newsletter need to “sell” people on clicking through.

Social media posts need to “sell” people on engaging.

Customer service emails need to “sell” the person on the other end of the email into a place of satisfaction, specifically if they were frustrated by something.

… just to name a few.

Once I realized that selling is pervasive in business, from managing a team to communicating with readers and prospects, I saw how to leverage what I learned from Kendrick to make everything simply work and sell better.

Business (and life!) got easier once I realized it’s all about sales!

And again, not in the manipulative kind of way but in the “help people make the best decision for themselves kind of way.”

Sales Concept #3 – The average sale takes 7 touches with a customer before they say yes.

Nothing was more discouraging to my early business self than people who would reach out and ask about my services and then disappear. It was so frustrating!

There’s where Kendrick’s insight helped my sales mindset.

She taught me that 50-80% of all sales require 7 touches with a customer before they say yes. 7! Once I realized this, I no longer saw a “disappearing prospect” as a sign that I was a doomed business owner. I learned to see this as a trigger for following up with them.

In fact, I started a simple spreadsheet where I tracked email and social media inquiries about my services, and I used it diligently. Some prospects warmed up quickly and others were nurtured on and off for a few years before saying yes. (Yes, years. And that’s still the case today.)

The cool thing was that this list was powerful for me to have and use. Because week after week, I had growing interest in my work and that meant a growing group of people who may hire me one day!

Learning to write follow-up emails and connect with these prospects (genuinely and authentically but also using some well-honed sales skills!) became a skill I was excited to cultivate and hone further.

Even better, as my packages grew in price, follow-ups became a more important part of the sales process, and by then, I had nearly mastered them. Talk about a win-win, for my clients and for my business.

All in all, sales has been one of the most important skills I’ve ever learned in my business … because, simply put, you can’t make money if you don’t know how to sell.

There’s always more to learn.

If any of the three above ideas gave you an aha about selling and you’d like to learn more, I’m excited for you.

Because when you infuse sales knowledge to everything you’ve already learned about serving your clients, marketing your business, showing up on social media, and more, that’s when you see (more) money start coming in the door.

The truth is, marketing doesn’t work without selling.

You can “spread the word” and “put yourself out there” all you want, but if you don’t know how to invite customers to work with you, you won’t reach your income goals.

That was what was happening to me back in 2012. I was marketing, blogging, emailing, social media-ing, and so much more. I had lots of interest in my work, but I wasn’t getting all the yeses I expected to.

Long story short, that’s when Kendrick Shope stepped in and started teaching me about sales.

This had a bigger impact on my business’s bottom line than any other coach I’ve worked with or program I’ve taken.

Simply put, I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t learned from Kendrick back in 2012.

Since then, Kendrick’s served over ten thousand business owners—from newbies to those with 7-figure operations—helping them implement sales strategies that have a direct impact on their bottom line.

The best way to learn from her is in her program, Authentic Selling® University. (Yes, I’m an enthusiastic affiliate for this program.)

Authentic Selling® University is where consultants, coaches, course creators, and small business owners like you learn how to make their marketing efforts turn into paying customers.

Because she had such a huge impact on my bottom line back then—and many times since—I am also an affiliate for her top-notch program, Authentic Selling® University.

I have seen in the results clients get in her program, and it’s the best online sales training program I’ve experienced.

If you’d like to learn more about Authentic Selling® University, you can check out the program here.

You can also read my 100% honest review of the program (plus answers to the most-asked questions).

The post 3 Key Sales Concepts that Helped Me Earn More Money appeared first on Jenny Shih.