Paula Richardson did the Outstanding Enterprise six month teaching programme in 2020. Jane de Vos caught up with Paula to speak about the way it helped her to get clear on her zone of genius and put collectively an entire new advertising and marketing marketing campaign for her enterprise.
Transcript beneath
Hello Paula, inform us about your small business.
I run a small firm referred to as Good Bee Enterprise which I lately began. And I’m a gross sales skilled. I spent a whole lot of years working in company companies in numerous gross sales roles. I’ve completed a whole lot of coaching, and my entire profession is round gross sales.
After I determined to begin my very own enterprise, I initially thought I’d assist folks with small companies. I’ve been concerned in just a few small companies, and assist them typically with their firm. Nonetheless, I did have a few pointers from folks alongside the way in which. Folks would say: ‘why don’t you focus on gross sales as a result of that’s you. That’s your superpower.’
How did you become involved in Outstanding?
I’ve seen Julia on a few issues on-line and joined her mailing checklist. She appears to be much like me, and I can relate to her in the way in which that she speaks, her frequent sense and being right down to earth.
I needed to work with Julia in a technique or one other, after which I noticed Outstanding arising. I scheduled a name to see if she thought it was the precise factor for me on the time. On the time, I used to be beginning the enterprise and felt it perhaps wasn’t proper but and knew Julia would inform me if she thought this was the unsuitable timing.
After an extended chat, Julia realised I’ve labored on companies beforehand, and she or he felt Outstanding is the precise factor for my enterprise.
Outstanding is a small group, and that’s one thing I appeared ahead to as you get to work with a gaggle of people that you get to know.
And the way did you discover Outstanding Enterprise?
What stands out for me is that we cowl issues I inherently know from my expertise inside company and dealing with small companies. I really feel validated from Julia that I’m heading in the right direction. It’s made me realise I’m doing alright. It’s useful as a result of if you work on your small business in isolation, doubt can creep in. And also you cease believing that you just’re doing the precise factor.
Julia places me again on observe that I’m doing the precise factor. And it permits me to get her tackle issues. When Julia speaks about enterprise, and we focus on issues within the group, it’s what I must refine my enterprise and get on with it. And that’s actually useful.
Having a gaggle retains you accountable. I can simply get off observe. We’re put into pairs at one stage, and this helps to get to know folks in a totally completely different enterprise to you. That is somebody who’s doing various things and has their challenges, however you assist one another out.
Sadly, we went straight into lockdown nearly as quickly as we began Outstanding Enterprise. However it’s run on-line, and we converse to Julia each fortnight in a lesson. We’re all in a position to get on with issues and focus on what was taking place, so it didn’t really feel like lockdown impacted what we have been doing.
What Outstanding did carry was an opportunity for the group to carry the problems of their companies ahead. It offers time to get on, do the job and put issues into place.
How did you discover working with Julia?
I really feel that Julia was the precise particular person for me; she is certainly the precise selection. She is right down to earth and has an incredible sense of humour. Julia understands the place I’m coming from and might hold me on the straight and slender.
I are likely to do issues like write 3000 phrases as a substitute of 700 and she or he would inform me that it’s good however too lengthy. And now I’m within the self-discipline of checking my phrase rely and enhancing.
Whereas a part of the Outstanding programme, I began creating a correct lead funnel to get some new purchasers. And I’ve created an e-mail sequence, which is like coaching emails. As soon as I began writing them, I bought into it, with a push from Julia. Then I assumed, ‘sure, that is me, I can do that.’
One of many very first classes on Outstanding talks about your zone of genius, as that is the place try to be working. For me, that is clearly gross sales, and that’s at the back of my thoughts. Others within the group are useful as they’ll see it from a perspective that’s nothing to do with gross sales. These completely different views are actually useful.
Is there something that you just’d change?
Outstanding is superb. I like that we’ve got an hour lesson fortnightly and focus on what we study. That’s nice. Nothing is given to you on a plate, it’s concerning the concept, after which it’s important to do the work. Outstanding offers us two weeks to use what we study, and that’s superb.
You additionally get to schedule a half-hour dialogue with Julia on a Monday. Julia asks to not block ebook forward from the beginning, so everybody will get an opportunity. I held again for a few weeks however then booked in my classes. That half-hour is nice as a result of we are able to discover my particular enterprise points. The one factor I’ll say is that I may do with an hour as a result of I can discuss. Though I do know this isn’t viable.
My different suggestions is that it’s higher to have a lot of interplay within the group. That is depending on who’s in your group and the way busy they’re with their very own work. There was a gaggle of us who have been very concerned however a pair much less so, which was a disgrace. Getting folks to combine is useful. However I like being in a classroom and chatting to folks.
Be a part of the following Outstanding Enterprise programme and remodel your small business right here.