Lifestyle Business School

THE "YOU'RE NOT SUCCESSFUL IF YOU'RE NOT MAKING A MILLION DOLLARS IN TWO SECONDS" RHETORIC NEEDS TO STAAAAHP. Like, right now. The comparison-itis on the online space is RIFE right now -- which is totally fine if it was a healthy comparison of someone a few steps ahead with a realistic backstory, giving an honest account of their business journey. It's NOT fine, however, when we're all starting to hold ourselves up to an "ideal" of million dollar years, million dollar launches and million dollar offers in two seconds. The Australian Consumer Commission has a word for this type of behaviour in real life: It's called Misleading and Deceptive Conduct. And, it's highly illegal. And yet, it seems that online, the "rules" don't apply. Business "backstories" get blurred, "success" timelines get smudged and revenue figures get "creatively inflated" in order to sell a formula for online business success; and usually, one that generously sugarcoats the work, effort, time and sacrifice required to create something great. The result? We're all drowning in a puddle of not-enoughness. Wondering why we aren't "there" yet, what's wrong with us and diminishing the value of the hard work and small, steadily compounding wins that are the building blocks to sustainable success. It's time to be much more honest about the journey of online business. And instead to focus on YOUR journey, and building a business and a life that feels good for you - brick, by brick, by brick. It's not sexy to say that it takes time, but on the flip side I think having awareness of that actually helps in enjoying the journey somewhat. In today's podcast episode, we are ditching the "make six figures in six seconds" goal and instead, I'm am sharing 5 not-money goals to focus on as you start or scale your expertise-based online business.Let's go!Side note? I have a very special FREE invitation for you 💌If you'd like to see more of my journey, I'd love for you to join my broadcast channel on Instagram - BTS of a Business Model Pivot: Finding My Lifestyle Business Sweet Spot! To get all of the juicy, raw, behind the scenes intel, click here and join us.Want more? Here’s how we can help you: Enjoy this content? Follow and subscribe for more: → Follow Stevie on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/steviedillon_/ → Subscribe on Substack — https://lifestylebusinessschool.substack.com

PRE PS Next week, my friend and client Alyce from Bossy. Copywriting is hosting a free training for small business owners ready to write STAND OUT copy and content. This training is for any product or service-based business owner, freelancer or side hustler that wants to get more attention, make more money and stop staring at the screen every time you need to write a caption! Register HERE. IF YOU'RE NOT STANDING OUT, YOU'RE FITTING IN - AND FITTING IN IS VANILLA (when you verrrry much want to be Neapolitan with hundred and thousands). Different is good. Standing out is IT. And learning how to craft a brand that oozes personality and helps you sell things (plus stand out in the TIDAL WAVE of AI-SAME SAME content) is an ESSENTIAL skill for all business owners. (In fact, in my humble opinion? It's the secret sauce that makes EVERYTHING ELSE work). So, when I knew I needed to talk stand out copy with you all because I was seeing a DISTINCT lack of spark out there, wayyyyy too many AI crafted captions and Threads one-liners that felt.. lacklustre at best (the point is to be funny and witty, guys ("BUT HOWWWW!", you say!!!), Alyce at Bossy. was of course the ONLY guest to speak to. Her copy is a joy to read, she has stamped personality on many of the big name brands and personalities you see in our space today and she knows this stuff like the back of her.. well, everything. What I didn't know, of course, is HOW GOOD this episode would be, how much I have LOVE HEART EYES for talking about this stuff and how much I would learn, too.Listen to the episode here. In it, we riff on the three C's for stand out copy: ✔️ Confidence✔️ Connection✔️ And (to save the best for last).. CreativityThis is a must listen if you spend hours staring at a blinking cursor wondering how on EARTH not to sound like you're writing a tenth grade history paper and bring personality! Charisma (a FIFTH C!) And charm (on a roll here..) to your brand. You're welcome. PS You should also come to her masterclass, if you love this ep and you want to riff on this stuff WAAAAAY more. ------------Want more? Here’s how we can help you: Enjoy this content? Follow and subscribe for more: → Follow Stevie on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/steviedillon_/ → Subscribe on Substack — https://lifestylebusinessschool.substack.com

Let’s talk about cash flow, because ultimately? CASH is the lifeblood of every business under the sun. Recently, I have had a number of conversations behind the scenes with clients that are feeling challenged managing payment plans, failed payments and the resulting cash flow challenges in their business. In today’s podcast episode, we’re diving deep into payment plans, cash flow management and more. Online course and coaching businesses USUALLY offer payment plans as an option for students and clients that are unable to pay “up front” for an investment. It’s a unique concept, in the sense that the course creator is ultimately shouldering the risk of defaults in the same way a bank would.Here’s 10 things to think about when offering payment plans, and how to minimise your risk in offering them:👉 Expect Defaults👉 Make Projections Based on Pay in Full Payments👉 Make It Clear That Payment Plans Are NOT a Subscription You Can Cancel👉 Look for Options to Release Risk👉 Keep on Top of Missed Payments👉 Be Careful of LONG Payment Plans👉 Ensure You Follow Up👉 Prepare Templated Responses for Difficult Situations and Keep at Arm's Length👉 Lead With Kindness👉 Incentivise Pay in Full Payments👉 BONUS -- Understand the Dunning Kruger Effect👉 AND more!Want more? Here’s how we can help you: Enjoy this content? Follow and subscribe for more: → Follow Stevie on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/steviedillon_/ → Subscribe on Substack — https://lifestylebusinessschool.substack.com

If you've ever felt like your industry has too many rules or regulations to create an online course, that you don't have the time or that it's all too hard - you need Lucy in your life.Lucy Percy is an expert estate planning lawyer, and the founder of online law firm Head and Heart Estate Planning. Around the time Lucy joined Launchpad in December 2021, she was due to undergo huge changes and committed to prioritising creating a course SO THAT she could set her family up for the future and create more time freedom in the long term. Lucy's approach and the Head and Heart Estate Planning framework is so unique because it is a complete solution including the must-have legals, but also ensuring her clients are leaving a legacy of love and passing on their important life admin knowledge. Lucy's course, Future Proof Your Family has allowed her to deliver her highly valuable and unique services using a hybrid model, at an inclusive investment price to protect more families.In today's podcast episode, Lucy walks through her journey as a course creator, why professional regulations are no reason to hold you back and her value and purpose-driven reason behind creating her flagship course. In this podcast, we cover:👉🏻 The reason why Lucy decided that she needed to make a shift in her business model;👉🏻 What caused Lucy to make a change, and how she went about deciding on her flagship course topic; 👉🏻 How Lucy got paid to create her course without webinars, launching or funnels; 👉🏻 Why the size of community and audience is not as important as the engagement that you receive when putting forward your offer; 👉🏻 How Lucy navigates feeling like a novice in course creation;👉🏻 And more!More about our Guest, Lucy Percy:Follow Lucy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/headandheartestateplanning/Stop letting your estate planning slip to the bottom of the to-do list. Smash it out and protect your kids and everything you have worked hard for by joining Lucy's program Future-Proof Your Family: https://head-and-heart-estate-planning.mykajabi.com/fpyfFull show notes for this episode can be found at:https://thecoursecartel.com/174----------Want more? Here’s how we can help you: Enjoy this content? Follow and subscribe for more: → Follow Stevie on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/steviedillon_/ → Subscribe on Substack — https://lifestylebusinessschool.substack.com

Babies, toddlers, business, oh my!I’ve always said that running a business is the biggest lesson in personal development that you could ever undertake… but throw a 2-year old, a 4-month old, 100 clients and a founder with BIG dreams and high expectations of yourself, and you’ve got yourself a right ‘ol recipe for... well, a good time, actually!Betcha didn’t expect me to say that, did you? Because the RHETORIC is that is kids and business is HARD... and sure, I wouldn’t call it a walk in the park.But also? I’ve CHOSEN this, and I literally wouldn’t have it any other way.In today’s podcast episode, I want to share with you my unique perspective on navigating this “early childhood” phase of business and life, and how I “manage it all”... or more accurately, how I DON’T (and how I’m completely okay with that).How it’s wildly beautiful and how ADJUSTING my expectations down has actually been the catalyst for a sense of happiness and calm in this season that I didn’t think was possible for this little high achiever 👋In the past few months, I have had SO many other mums reach out to me and ask “how I do it”, “how I juggle it all”, “how I manage”.And so I want to share with you NOT my “expert guide to parenting and business”, because actually, I don’t really have it all figured out and I don’t really want to come at this from the place of an expert.But instead, my honest account and thoughts on the best way I personally have found to navigate this beautiful, wild season of life... in case it helps you too.If you’re a mum navigating business and babies — YOU ARE AMAZING, and I think it’s nice to know that! NO ONE has it all figured out (and that is totally okay).✔️ Choose Your Hard (Why I Chose Digital Programs)✔️ Everything is a Season / Choose Your Burners✔️ Adjust Your Expectations✔️ In 5 Years, What Will You Regret?✔️ Guilt is a Useless Emotion✔️ I Don’t Actually “Do It All”✔️ Get AwayFull show notes for this episode can be found at https://thecoursecartel.com/161----------Want more? Here’s how we can help you: Enjoy this content? Follow and subscribe for more: → Follow Stevie on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/steviedillon_/ → Subscribe on Substack — https://lifestylebusinessschool.substack.com

Tough love-bomb 💘💣 —Without authority, you will find it incredibly tough to sell.And without authoring content (literally, the “author” in authority), you will find it incredibly tough to build authority. It’s as simple (and as difficult!) as that.Think about the people that you buy from and work with online. Most likely, you decided to do so because you had developed a sense of rapport and trust with them through the content that they created and shared online.Certainly, it is true for our OWN business. When clients join our Launchpad program, we ask on the intake form where they found us. The Podcast and Instagram, they overwhelmingly say. And, even if they FIRST came into our sphere via Facebook ads or another means, it is still usually our podcast and content that warms and endears them to us and is the catalyst for them purchasing.If you want a sustainable business online, you can’t simply show up and start selling and expect for people to flock through the door. In our Launchpad program, we have a Foundation Round in which our clients pitch their courses and get paid to create them. One thing we know for sure? Is that it’s the clients that follow our Traffic and Visibility plan and commit to showing up, being visible, sharing their thought leadership and authority in the lead up that reach their big goals. A big red flag? Sending one email, writing one blog post and creating one social media post.. after being dark for weeks or months.. and then wondering where it all went wrong.If you want an expert business, in which people look up to you as a thought leader and want to follow your processes to achieve the transformation promise of your course? You NEED authority, and authoring content. Well, it’s a complete non-negotiable.Here’s five tips for building authority and becoming a thought leader in your niche:1️⃣ Commit to a Core Content Channel2️⃣ Take a Stand and Stake Your Ground3️⃣ Be Consistent AND Consistently Awesome4️⃣ Build Multiple Touchpoints5️⃣ Create Micro ContentDoors to our Launch Your Wildly Successful Podcast course will be opening next month, and if there is one thing I know for sure? It’s that podcasting is one of the BEST ways to build your authority, thought leadership and become a micro celebrity in your niche.It’s NOT too late. You’re NOT too early.----------Want more? Here’s how we can help you: Enjoy this content? Follow and subscribe for more: → Follow Stevie on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/steviedillon_/ → Subscribe on Substack — https://lifestylebusinessschool.substack.com

Still blaming your lack of engagement, follower count or 'that damn algorithm' for the crickets chirping in your business bank account?We gotta talk ;)Give it to me straight — how many SALES did your current marketing efforts net you last week?Specifically.My guess? Either you have no idea, you’re not entirely sure because you can’t track it or, goose egg. Not ideal when the whole reason you’re ON social media is to get more clients, customers or students, right?If you ALREADY have social media followers, but they aren’t turning into customers/clients/students, is MORE followers the answer to your problems?The answer is NO.Earlier this year, I decided that I'd created enough content to last me several lifetimes - and though I credit it with the business I have today and it WORKED for me, I realised a few things:👉 I already had people in my audience;👉 Although they liked my stuff, I didn’t have a GATEWAY offer to take the relationship OFF social and to prime them for my offers;👉 As a result? I had a TINY number of people in my main thing — and a HUGE number consuming free content, listening to FREE weekly podcasts, and doing all the of free things, but who weren’t quite READY for that main thing.I realised there was a gap between my FREE stuff and my MAIN offer — and it was hurting my business.I wanted a way to bring qualified leads pouring through the door - and to convert the people I ALREADY have in my audience - that DIDN’T involve just posting all day every day on social.So, I created a gateway offer.With a low cost, high value digital product — specifically, a three part workshop designed to solve a very specific problem I KNEW my audience had before needing my BIG thing.I decided to test the waters by running some ads to cold traffic prior to launching it to my people.In less than 30 days it bought more QUALIFIED leads (I mean perfect fit buyers for my main offers — very different to just any old IG follower or email subscriber) into my business than the entire year before that.In this episode, I break down how we did it.Full show notes for this episode can be found athttps://thecoursecartel.com/141Want more? Here’s how we can help you: Enjoy this content? Follow and subscribe for more: → Follow Stevie on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/steviedillon_/ → Subscribe on Substack — https://lifestylebusinessschool.substack.com