Brenda 00:00:01 Welcome to your yes filled life. I'm your host, Brenda Winkle, educator, healer, speaker, guide and fierce advocate for your. Yes, I help sensitive and successful men and women find, reclaim and live from their full embodied. Yes, through empowering you to understand your energetic hygiene, establish healthy boundaries, and heal your nervous system, you'll be able to create your yes filled life and move through your days with more freedom, more ease, and more joy. You'll hear inspiring stories of people who found their full bodied, yes thought leaders who pursued their own dreams and are living life on their terms, and learn new ways to find the courage, joy, ease and freedom to more fully step into your yes filled life. Saying no to the good so you can say yes to the great. Join me on this journey to discover your yes filled life. Whether you're looking to break free from the golden handcuffs, start a new business, find your dream job, or simply live with more intention and mindfulness, I've got you covered.
Brenda 00:01:15 Let's explore the possibilities together and make your dreams a reality. Ready? Let's do this. Let's get you to your yes filled life. Hi, Bethann.
Beth Ann 00:01:29 Hey. How are you? I'm doing great. How are you? I'm doing really well. I'm doing really well. We're gearing up for the holidays here. My kids are so excited. So we're just in that final push.
Brenda 00:01:42 Oh, you know I am too. But my my push looks different because my daughter is 23. And so it's more about like clicking the links in the Amazon list that she's given me. And so it's it's different.
Beth Ann 00:01:56 But I feel that for sure.
Brenda 00:02:00 I'm so glad you're here. I want to kick this off with a question, which is what is one thing you either did or did not do that has led you to your yes filled life?
Beth Ann 00:02:12 So for me, one of the biggest things I did that has led me to a yes filled life was choosing to go all in with my business and really choosing to make that my career.
Beth Ann 00:02:28 So my husband has been working for years towards going back to school to be a physician assistant, so his undergrad degree wasn't in anything science related, but he decided that that's what he wanted to do. And we're, you know, both in our 30s, we have a lot of years left to work that I'm like, yeah, if you want to be a physician assistant, go back to school. So he has been working on these prerequisites, chipping away at it for years. And our plan always has been that when he was, you know, had fulfilled the prerequisites and was going to enter full time grad school, I would go back to work full time. And so when we were about a year out from that, I really realized, okay, I had this social media blog thing as a hobby. I need to figure out if I can really do this as a job so that when he goes back to school, this can support us. Or my background is in education as a teacher and a principal, I had everything right with my teaching certificate that okay, do I need to go back and work in a school? So I just went all in that year leading up to that so that we could know, okay, can I make enough? And it was awesome.
Beth Ann 00:03:32 It has been, you know, we make enough that this is how we support our family. He went to his PA school program. He actually graduated this month. So he will start working next year. So for me, that was such an important decision that has given me so much, so much flexibility with my kids that I can, you know, be home with them, do school drop off and in school pick up and not have to be working in a school setting, but to be able to have my own business from home. So for me, that was a huge, pivotal moment where I can really see, you know, you have those moments where you see, okay, the path could have gone this way or it could have gone that way. And I'm so glad that I gave it all that I did and made that choice.
Brenda 00:04:13 Oh that's fantastic. And congratulations to your husband. Yes. Thank you. So when you say I made a choice to go all in on your business.
Brenda 00:04:24 For me, that looked like I'm going to stop thinking about throwing out applications to other jobs. I'm going to stop running on two sides of a fence. I'm going to treat this as though this is the job this is and and treat it the same way I would have treated any job that I worked for, which is I honor the work hours, I honor my commitments. And of course, we get to choose our own hours as as self-employed. But I'm curious, what did that mean for you when you say, I decided to go all in on the job or all in on the business?
Beth Ann 00:04:58 Yeah, for me, it was really specifically around pitching, because the primary way that I make money is through brand partnerships. And so I really decided to go all in with pitching and truly was sending 100 plus pitches a week to brands proposing collaborations to make money through partnerships on social media. And for me, it looked like I need to see how much money I can make with this. If I'm really going hard with pitching, can I make enough money doing this? And so for me, it was really that commitment to, okay, whether that means that, you know, every day, you know, this day of the week, I'm going to set the goal of, okay, I'll try to send 25 pitches every Tuesday and then I'll send my follow ups.
Beth Ann 00:05:48 Okay. Then on Wednesday Am I going to send, you know, send 25 more. So kind of setting up a system for myself that I could reach the quantity I needed to reach. And I had benchmarks of how much do I need to book each month. And if I haven't reached that, okay, then I need to pitch more, that kind of thing, of really giving myself the goals of what I needed to do for this to be sustainable for our family.
Brenda 00:06:12 That's amazing. And so I just want to really highlight, you said you were sending 100 pitches a week. So this isn't like five pitches a week. This is a hundred pitches a week. So there had to be a decision in there also like this is what I'm going to do. And I don't care if they say no. It's more about my, my throwing the pitches out.
Beth Ann 00:06:38 Yes definitely definitely. And then learning as I went to kind of I am again with my background being in education, I don't know that everybody realizes education is so data oriented because it's about looking at okay, what are kids needs? And then how do you fill the gaps to help kids get to where they need to be.
Beth Ann 00:06:56 And so I was able to really use that data oriented mind of, okay, when I sent 100 pitches, how many maybes did I get? How many yeses did I get? I have a spreadsheet where I'm tracking what they're telling me. I have a spreadsheet where I'm tracking what types of brands are saying yes to me, and then I was able to identify, oh, okay, a lot of food brands are saying, yes, okay, I need to pitch more food brands. So I think being really strategic in that was really helpful as well.
Brenda 00:07:27 Okay. So this is something that comes up for a lot of people that I see. I work with, professionals, entrepreneurs and light workers, and a lot of the professionals that I work with are either wanting more, humane settings in their work. So they're looking to set better boundaries, or they're looking to start a side hustle. And one of the things that I find people very resistant to doing is creating these systems and the flow, because it can feel kind of dry or it can be it can make people think, well, I was just in this job that required me to track data and do all of these kinds of logical tasks, but now I want to just work in my own business.
Brenda 00:08:08 But what I'm hearing you say, and what I have known to be true for my own businesses, strategies and systems are essential.
Beth Ann 00:08:16 Oh yeah, definitely. Definitely. And I think for me too, like knowing that you can stay flexible with it. So if you are trying out a system and it doesn't feel good for you to know that you are your own boss, you don't have to keep doing that. So and even, you know, it's kind of interesting when you ask me that about the systems, because I've done so many different things over the years depending on what season I was in with my kids. So there was a time when I first started my business, I did not have a nanny, I did not have full time childcare. I had three year old twins. My oldest was just starting kindergarten, and so I was doing, you know, I was the full time childcare for my kids. And so in that season of life, what it looked like for me was that I would give myself my big three.
Beth Ann 00:08:57 And every day I would just pick what three things am I going to do to move my business forward. And maybe that was okay. I'm going to do one organic post on social media. I'm going to send ten email pitches to brands, and I'm going to DM ten more brands on Instagram to try to source contacts. And then I would tell myself, okay, once I've done my big three, it's okay to be done. Because then I did find myself sometimes feeling like I've always got to be doing more. I've got to find more to do. I've got to, you know, be hustling harder. So when I identified, okay, these are the three things I'm going to pick for myself to be my big three for the day. That helped me keep that forward momentum. And so I think that could be helpful for someone. If you are more in that side hustle season, you aren't able to commit hours and hours to your, you know, this job you're trying to create, this business you're trying to grow, even if you're just doing three small things right, you're moving your business forward.
Beth Ann 00:09:51 And if you do that every day, you're going to keep that forward momentum that.
Brenda 00:09:55 Yeah, I love that. So I also have a background in education, which I think is what part made us be like, oh, I want to be friends with you. Yeah. And and so I started my business as a side hustle, and it was a side hustle for like seven years or eight years before I actually took the plunge and went all in on my business. And, and then we met in a group coaching program, and I just I'm so grateful for you. And I love your content. And, you know, one of the things that you do so well is you have a mix of tips and tricks that make people feel like you're offering solutions and you're so relatable. And I love that you bring in this human quality of, you know, where we're humans and we have feelings about things, and here's how we can navigate them. And I so appreciate that about your content.
Beth Ann 00:10:51 Thank you so much.
Beth Ann 00:10:52 Thank you. That's it is really important to me. And I think it can be hard as parents, as caregivers when it feels like you have to be so selfless. So I think it's important to also recognize we're human too. We make mistakes, right? If you have needs, it doesn't mean you're a bad mom or a bad caregiver. You're just human. It's okay. So I think giving people space to see that and know that is really important to me.
Brenda 00:11:19 I love that, I love that. So, this episode is going to come out right before Christmas. And so our, our listeners are going to be navigating the holidays, the New year. if people have school age children or grandchildren, they're going to experience that loss of routine that school offers for so many, and then we have to kind of refire up the routine in January. And I know that that causes families a lot of anxiety. And I know that you have some strategies that could help people with all of this. Could we talk about some things that people could, could, could do right now to just ease their mind a little bit? So let's talk first like about the holidays okay.
Beth Ann 00:12:04 Yes, definitely. So for the holidays, I think some of my favorite strategies, because I think it's also just really important to call out that different kids need different things. So I know you having your background in education, it's not one size fits all. And that's something that's really important to me. And the things that I share that when I share with parents, I often say, take what resonates for you, take what works for your family, and just leave the rest. I am never saying this is the way. This is what will work for every kid, because there isn't one thing that will work for every kid. And I really see that too. Even having three kids with really different personalities. There are different things that work for my three kids as well. So some of the tips and tricks that I would just suggest and again, take what works for you. Forget the rest. I highly recommend that if you have a child who really wants routine, really wants schedule, have a visual schedule for your day.
Beth Ann 00:12:58 And this doesn't have to be complicated. You could draw this on a piece of notebook paper, right? But even just showing your child again if your child needs this, if it's helpful for them, hey, when we wake up, we're going to have our 30 minutes of screen time. Then after that we're going to do a baking activity together in the kitchen. Then we're going to go to the library, right. Drawing out the little steps for what they can expect. We'll have lunch. We'll have quiet time in our rooms. If you have a child who needs that structure for them, visually, being able to see what's going to happen through the day will be really helpful for them. And I know for some parents, especially if you have a kiddo who is neurodivergent or who has additional needs. You might hear some of these things and think like, oh my gosh, that's so much work for me. Yes, that is work. And it makes my life so much easier that if my child can be successful and we can have success as a family and stay on a positive track, I would so much rather make a little picture schedule and, you know, plan a short sensory activity or plan a little something for us to get out of the house and do.
Beth Ann 00:14:03 If that's going to help all of us feel better. Like, I would so much rather feel tired from having fun and having put the work into that, then to feel completely emotionally depleted at night and feel like because I've had those nights to write where you're just going to bed crying because it felt like such a hard day. So I think a visual schedule is a really a really helpful strategy. If that's something that your kiddo would benefit from and need.
00:14:25 I love.
Brenda 00:14:26 That suggestion. And, you know, there's a couple things that come to mind for me. One thing is that I, I learned when I was a teacher that a visual schedule can be up to down so it doesn't have to be left to right, because not all of our kiddos read from left to right. But everybody understands up and down. So you can start your calendar at the top and then have it go down. And it doesn't have to be artistically or aesthetically pleasing. It can be literally a sketch that you drew with a pencil.
Brenda 00:14:55 And it as long as you can tell what it is, it it doesn't matter.
Beth Ann 00:14:59 Yes. And just to give your kids grace and know that if they have no idea what's going on and they're not going to school, they're completely out of the routine, that is super disorienting. That is really, really disorienting. And especially if you're a child who already your brain might be working in different ways just to think about it from your child's perspective of what can I do to help make this a little easier for them? What can I do to help them anticipate what's coming up? And so that also leads into another tip that I would love to share for families with the holidays is prepping kids before you go to holiday party. So prepping them about who's going to be there, what to expect if there are hot spots that you can anticipate. Talk about it ahead of time. Don't wait until you're there to then kind of think through. Oh crap. I never thought about what would happen if my child opened a present and they didn't like it, right? We can anticipate that that might happen before we go to the party.
Beth Ann 00:15:56 We can roleplay. Hey, I just opened this present that I really don't like. Should I say, oh, I hate this, or oh, I already have this, right? Your kid will say, no, don't say that right. And then you can roleplay and practice what to say, what to do. And you can do that with any number of different scenarios you might encounter at the family party.
00:16:15 Oh my gosh.
Brenda 00:16:16 That is amazing. And you know, something occurred to me as you were talking about this. My system is better regulated when I know what's coming. It's not just kids that can benefit from a visual schedule. It's all of us.
Beth Ann 00:16:31 Right. Who doesn't love a checklist? I'm putting things on my checklist that I already did because I want to cross it off. Right? Totally. We all love to have the system, the checklist. Right. Give let your child have that. Empower them with that. And it can make such a difference. Such a difference.
Beth Ann 00:16:48 Let them check it off as the day goes along. It can be a positive thing, right? So again, I always think about this idea of up streaming and what can we do to keep it positive. And so again just trying to be forward thinking and do those things on the front end. So we don't have to be as reactive in the moment.
Brenda 00:17:04 I love that, and I can see this also being a benefit in that week between Christmas and New Year's, because there's like this weird time thing that happens for me in that week where I don't know what day it is. I don't know what time it is. I don't know if I'm hungry, what meals coming up, because the food gets a little disorienting with my family of origin, because you know all the things. And so I can see that this would really be helpful in that time as well.
Beth Ann 00:17:34 Oh my gosh. So true. There is that time warp from Christmas to New Year's Eve. What day is it? Where am I? And you make such a good point that if it's that disorienting for us as adults, how does that feel for a little ones? How do you know they don't? They don't know.
Beth Ann 00:17:49 They're just trying to figure it out. So I think as much as we can give a little bit of structure again, to whatever extent is needed for your child, because I also know I have another kiddo of my three kids who he's just happy playing Legos in his room. His temperament is so chill. He's so go with the flow. He does it for him. He doesn't need that, right? He can be flexible and go with it. And just to know that just like we as adults have different needs and different things work for different people, same thing for kids. So just need to trust that you know your child best and that yet. You can find what works for them. And to know that if you are someone who has that kiddo who needs a higher level of support, that's okay too. You're not doing anything wrong. Your kid isn't doing anything wrong. That's just who they are. And that's okay.
Brenda 00:18:40 That's right, I love that. So as we head back into school in January, I hear my own clients.
Brenda 00:18:49 They have like this, this bracing, oh my gosh, school is starting. And so they are anxious for the routine to come back. They are ready for that. And also there's this preparation thing that starts to happen where they get very, very anxious about the load that the school year is going to bring, like with all of the calendar and schedule things and making sure that the backpack is loaded up and, you know, just all the things. So what could you suggest for families as they get ready to go back to school in January?
Beth Ann 00:19:25 Well, I have a few things as I hear that. One thing I think about is how sometimes and not always, not all families, but sometimes, as moms, we can take on so much and feel like it's all up to us. And so something I was thinking about as I was hearing that is really thinking about how can you share the load with the rest of your family and not taking it on as it all has to be on one person, but really, we're a team? How are we all working together to make this happen? So whether it's again, you would laugh if you saw my house.
Beth Ann 00:19:57 I have so many visual schedules and pictures everywhere, but whether it's showing your child, hey, here's what needs to get packed in your bag, right? So they can be empowered to handle that and own that. Or if you are someone who has a partner, if you have a spouse, right? How are we also allowing them to help carry that load so that it's not so much all on one person? And something that I think about too is releasing the feeling of this has to be done a certain way to. It's okay if my husband does this differently than I would. That's all right. There isn't just one right way. Right way to pack a lunch or pack a bag. It's okay. He can handle this. Let this be his thing. And our family. My son, my husband does pack the lunches, and my kids do pack their own bag so that you can release some of that. And it's not all on one person.
00:20:49 I absolutely love that.
Brenda 00:20:51 Love that. And I think that that is so good because it's very easy for us to get in our head and to think that we have this running to do list, and that there's almost a fear of if I let go of this in any way, I'm going to lose it, not lose it like lose it in anger, but I lose the list.
Brenda 00:21:11 I'm going to forget it. And and so I love that you're saying, help me. Let's let's do this together. We're a team. Because if you have more than one person living in your home. It's true. You are a team.
00:21:23 Mum.
Beth Ann 00:21:24 Yes, yes. And I think even hearing you say that, it makes me think about how can you work together to to identify ahead of time. Okay. What's going to need to happen that week when we go back to school. So it's not Sunday night feeling like you're having to throw everything together, but how can you as a team, do that ahead of time so that you can be as prepared as you can in advance? Because I just you're so right that it can feel like a lot trying to get back to reality.
00:21:53 Yeah. So I remember, you.
Brenda 00:21:56 Know, when I was teaching full time, I was a single parent. And, well, I mean, I was a single parent one year beyond. wait, let me say that again.
Brenda 00:22:07 I was teaching one year beyond my daughter leaving home. And so then I was an empty nester for one year, but for the other 25 years, I was a single parent. Not for all of those, because my daughter's only 23. But the point is, it felt like it was all up to me. And I love how you're suggesting that we could and, you know, enroll people into this is a team thing. And I did that. But I wish I would have done more because I think it would have made me a more effective parent.
Beth Ann 00:22:38 I think to to know and I know I'm so lucky. Not everybody has, you know, a supportive spouse, a supportive family. I also am so grateful for my mom. Someone asked me the question, what's the one thing that's saving your life right now? And it can be a goofy, you know, answer like chapstick or, you know, this, whatever. I was like, it's my mom. And even thinking about when my husband was going through grad school, she drives my son to swim practice two nights a week.
Beth Ann 00:23:05 She will ask me, hey, can I take one of the twins this weekend and have them at my house? You know, Saturday to Sunday, right? So if you have those people in your life who are there to support you, to really tap into that and take advantage, and that it doesn't have to be a spouse. But just if you have other relatives, friends. I feel so good when people text me and say, hey, can you give my kid a ride to this? I always am like, oh my God, thank you so much for asking me. I would love to help you. It feels good, right? Of course I'm taking my daughter to dance. Of course I want to drive your child along, you know. Of course. So just to know that I think overwhelmingly people want to help and that it's okay to reach out and ask for that help. And really that often times people feel good.
Brenda 00:23:52 Yes, 100%, I love that.
00:23:54 I would love.
Brenda 00:23:55 Now for people to say, hey, I need help getting my kid somewhere. I would be like, oh.
00:24:00 I would love.
Brenda 00:24:00 To help you, or can I make you dinner? You know, can I help you with your dinner? Or can I bring you groceries? I think people love to help. And so many times we sort of have this idea that that we need to suffer in silence. And the truth is, if we can lean together. There's so much richness in community. And when we admit that we're vulnerable, when we admit we need help, we need companionship, we need support. We need actual tactical. I need you to drive my kid this place. There's something so wonderful about being witnessed and received.
Beth Ann 00:24:37 Absolutely, absolutely. And I think again I'm not to speak for everybody, but I think most people really feel good for you to ask them that. It helps them feel connected to you and feel good again. I know that's how I feel and I'm thinking I just we got two puppies in the fall and one of the big adjustments for us is that we're a very on the go family, and it's been really different.
Beth Ann 00:25:05 I'll suggest things to my husband like, oh yeah, we should go to the museum for the day. There's this, that, and he'll say, Bethann, we've got two puppies. We can't just go into that. We gotta we gotta be home for the dogs. But I texted one of my girlfriends the other day saying, hey, I've been really hesitant to ask for help with this because I don't want to be a burden. But would you and your daughter ever mind coming over and helping out with the dogs? I'd be happy to hire her as a, you know, a little junior pet sitter, you know? And she said, oh my gosh, that's the opposite of a burden. And that's what she said. She said, that's the opposite of a burden. I want to help. We want to do that. I think you're so right that as much as we can lean into that, I think it also, you know, and lean together, like you said, I think it helps build those bonds, too, that it builds something together.
Beth Ann 00:25:47 When you feel like, hey, I can ask you for help and you can ask me for help, and we're in this together.
00:25:53 Yeah.
Brenda 00:25:54 And I find I for me when someone asks me for help and then I do whatever it is that they need, I feel more connected to them.
00:26:06 Yeah.
Beth Ann 00:26:07 Absolutely. Same same and feel more able to ask a favor in return or that, you know, you kind of get that reciprocity as well, that like you said, you know, you really have that support network and that we are stronger when we're together and can turn to each other. So I love that.
Brenda 00:26:27 So going back to your business and the transition that you made from education into your business, was that scary for you or was it just like did it happen organically. What was the progression of things.
Beth Ann 00:26:43 So I was already a stay at home mom to my kids, and I had a little part time job that I really enjoyed. And then as my husband was working on these prerequisites for physician assistant school, that was when he eventually had a commitment that he had on Saturdays.
Beth Ann 00:27:04 He was going to have to go in and work at this eye clinic in a part time job to get his clinical hours, and when he had to make that commitment, I had to leave this other part time job that I had. And that was what finally motivated me to start the blog and start my Instagram. So while at that time it felt like a loss, because I'd had this other part time job that I enjoyed. I thought, okay, well, if I can't go in and do that on Saturdays because Ben has to work, what if I go ahead and just start the blog? I've always thought about this. My mom has always said, you're always doing all these activities with your kids. You should share this. And so that really was a motivator, a motivator to me to just give it a go and just get started. And I think for a lot of people considering a part time hustle or a side hustle, sometimes you just need to take the leap. Just give it a go.
Beth Ann 00:27:54 And again, you don't have to feel that you will have to do that forever. That's how it always has to be. But just get started, give it a try and then you can always reassess and go from there.
Brenda 00:28:04 I love that and.
00:28:07 I know, I know.
Brenda 00:28:09 That people listening might be thinking, okay, how do you, like put yourself out there and reduce rejection sensitivity? Because we know that, you know, if you're pitching people that you're going to have a certain percentage of no's. We know that. And we know that not everybody likes everything that we post on social media. And how do you how did you navigate that? Where you because you show up fully. And I'm just curious, did you have to work through any rejection sensitivity? Was that something you needed to navigate, or did you just approach it as, I'm going to pitch these hundred people and then I'm going to worry about what happens after. I'm just going to get the the action.
Beth Ann 00:28:55 Kind of both.
Beth Ann 00:28:56 So I think for me, part of it was just being really grounded in who I am and what my values are and who I was providing value to. So for me, when I started my account, one of my kids is neurodivergent and I do think things have shifted. You know, the landscape has even the landscape has even shifted in the last five years that that is more talked about. There's more content for families who connect with that. But I remember when I started my account, I really felt like in the parenting content I was consuming, I didn't really see my family. I didn't connect with a lot of things. It sort of felt like a lot of one size fits all sort of messaging, and I would see it and think, well, that's not what my family is like. Or I could set that up on that one and go over my kids. So when I started, I really had sort of that kind of service mindset of, I think this can help other people. And I felt that being grounded in that helped me reduce feelings that I was going to be rejected or reduce those types of fears because I was coming at it from the mindset of, well, I know I'm not for everybody.
Beth Ann 00:30:00 I know I'm not for everybody. I know who I'm for, I know who I want to help. I know what I wanted to see as a parent. And so I felt being grounded in that helped me quiet some of the voices that maybe were more, you know, negative in the back of my mind or worrying about what other people were going to think of me, if that makes sense.
Brenda 00:30:20 I love this, and what I hear you saying is you were providing a service. And it was very much about what you could offer other people. It wasn't about you. And I think that that is a subtle but profound lens to look through, because when we're offering something from the, from the view of, I want to offer this to you because it could help you if you want it. It's really different than here's this thing I made, I hope you like it.
Beth Ann 00:30:55 A totally totally and just to know that it's okay if somebody sees it and thinks, oh, this isn't for me, she's not for me, that's okay.
Beth Ann 00:31:06 I don't have to be. That's all right. And to not take that personally and to just know that even now, when I have times where, you know, when you talk about sending pitches and getting nose, when I have times where I feel kind of bogged down in that because, sure, of course that can get you down or it can feel like a grind. I think when I do notice those feelings, I try to come back to what can I do with this platform to be a value to other people? How could I how can I make sure I'm supporting moms out there today? And then that kind of just helps me stay grounded in. That's why I'm doing what I'm doing. I want to help other moms. I want to help other families. I want people who have busy, spirited, possibly neurodivergent kids feel like, hey, I'm not so alone. There are strategies I can do to to help my day feel a little more joyful. So I think again, for me, just coming back to that.
Beth Ann 00:32:06 I feel like you can't go wrong when you just stay grounded and your why and why you're doing what you're doing.
Brenda 00:32:11 I agree completely, I know that for myself, if I get up in my head about something, my content doesn't land even with me when I watch it again, if I'm like worried about me. But when I'm just sharing and just, you know, thinking about how can I be of service, how can I help somebody, how can what I've learned or what I've been through help somebody else to maybe shorten their journey? Then things land differently for people and I can see it in their faces. I can see it in my relationships. I can feel it in my own body. so I love that you highlight that service orientation.
00:32:52 for.
Beth Ann 00:32:53 Sure. For sure. Yeah, I think that's huge. I really do, and I think too, you know, to the point also about being okay with rejection. I think there is a part of just doing it and knowing that it's okay, you know, and if as much as it might feel scary to send emails and not get a reply or get an email back that says, no, it's it's part of it, you know.
Beth Ann 00:33:16 So for someone that whether, you know, for me it's it's pitching brands and, you know, pitching those brand partnerships just to know that I think it's easy to feel like, oh, if I get to a certain point, then everybody's going to say yes to me. Or if I was at some destination, then they would be saying yes. I still send tons of pitches and get a handful of maybes or yeses or build relationships. So just to know that so much of that pitching and getting the nose like it never ends. So just to be okay with if you're a business owner, that's part of it. You're going to make offers and a lot of people are going to say no, and that's okay. But part of that also can be the relationship building. And I think that can be true whether you're, you know, selling more directly to a client or if you're selling to a brand, right, that some of the brands who I've ended up working with and had the highest paying, longest term partnerships with, I pitched them many times before and they said no.
Beth Ann 00:34:16 And I kept coming back and saying, hey, here's my offer. Hey, here's what I can do for you. Oh, hey, I wondered if now might be a better time, right? Building that relationship and doing the follow ups and building the relationship over time ultimately led to the opportunity. So I think having that mindset shift as well, that even though it's a no, it might just be a not right now. That's right. But how can I build that relationship and stick with it?
Brenda 00:34:41 And you're pointing to something really pivotal, which is there's a volume thing that happens here. If I send out one pitch and then I have all my eggs in that basket, then it.
00:34:54 It.
Brenda 00:34:55 Matters so much if that pitch either doesn't respond, I don't ever hear back from them. Or if it's a no, it's really a big deal. But if I send out a hundred, there's a volume thing that happens and suddenly you it's not as personal because you start to see patterns and you start to see that it's not about you, and you start to see that there's cycles and the time of year.
Brenda 00:35:18 There's cycles in the times of buying and you. For me, that has been an incredibly healing part of my own journey as a business owner to up the volume substantially, because then I realized, oh, this really is not about me.
Beth Ann 00:35:37 Yes, that's such a good point. And honestly, I think that's something that even when I had a smaller following, my account was smaller and I would have these different brand deals. I would have people with much larger followings reach out to me and say, oh my gosh, Bethann, how are you getting these brand deals? And I.
00:35:53 Say.
Beth Ann 00:35:53 I pitch all the time. And that is, you know, I just pitch a ton. And I think you're right. That and I know we both had the same business mentor, and that was something I really learned from her. And going back to one of your earlier questions of what it looked like for me to go all in. Part of that for me was also investing in coaching and investing in, okay, how can I have someone help teach me how to do this? And a huge part of what I learned was exactly what you're saying, that volume of pitches I need to send out more.
Beth Ann 00:36:27 And probably even more than you realize that because it is a crowded landscape. And so it's like you got to be making those connections and putting the time in to selling your offer if you want to make money.
Brenda 00:36:40 Yes, 100%, 100%. And you said you got to spend more than you think and probably more than you want.
00:36:47 Uhhuh. Yeah, yeah. True, true. But, you know, we.
Brenda 00:36:52 We do this when we're working for someone else.
00:36:56 And we don't.
Brenda 00:36:56 Question it. We might we might say something about it, but we don't question it. Whether it's lesson planning if you're a teacher or making notes, patient notes, if you're a doctor, there are parts of the thing that you're doing that maybe aren't your preferred thing, but they're a really important part of the process.
Beth Ann 00:37:16 Yeah, and I think that gets into something interesting too, where also thinking about, you know, as you grow in your business, are there parts of what you're doing that you can outsource? Because pitching is something that's very, very time intensive.
Beth Ann 00:37:30 So figuring out, okay, is there a way that somebody can support me with this, even if it's not that they completely can take it on from start to finish? Are there pieces of this that I can outsource to someone to lighten my load? I think that that's huge.
Brenda 00:37:45 Absolutely. I agree completely. I'm at the phase in my business where I need to hire significant support. and so I'm, I'm at the phase where I'm like, okay, I probably need a podcast producer. I probably need, a VA that is working more than just a couple of hours a week because I, I love working in Canva. Like, it truly brings me joy. And it's also not where my gifts lie.
Beth Ann 00:38:16 Well, and it's so interesting how that parallels what we were even talking about earlier in the home where that idea of I have to do it all myself. I'm the only one who can do it the right way, and where so much of the peace comes from, releasing that of my kid can pack their backpack and maybe they wouldn't do it exactly like I would, but it's important to empower them to do that.
Beth Ann 00:38:37 Or my partner or I can ask for help. How is that, you know, also parallel to what's happening in our business of it's okay to ask for help, it's okay to hire help that. it can just create so much more space for the other things that I. I'm excited for you. I hope that you I yeah, you I'm excited for you to find the right supports because that will make such a big difference.
Brenda 00:39:02 Yeah, I'm excited too. I'm excited to be at this at this phase. And I'm excited for what comes next. And and that feels good.
Beth Ann 00:39:10 And I think, too, I mean, while we're talking about this, knowing that there are probably listeners who at all different stages of their journey to also call out that there was such a long time where I did everything myself. I think it can be easy to feel like if you're getting started, like, oh, I need to hire someone to edit my YouTube videos, and I need to hire a podcast producer. And I was very much when I started my business, I was like, I'm not spending money that I have not made.
Beth Ann 00:39:32 So I wanted to try to make money and then, you know, invest that back into the back, into my business. So that was for me, like, you know, okay, I got this good brand partnership. I'm going to invest in this mentor. I think this is going to really be a game changer for me.
00:39:45 That's what I did too.
Brenda 00:39:46 I invested men in mentors instead of help.
00:39:49 Because the.
Brenda 00:39:51 Mentor was going to help me move the needle so that I could generate the income to be able to hire.
00:39:59 Yeah.
Beth Ann 00:39:59 And I just think that's important to call out, because if you're hearing it and you're at the start of your journey, you know, I feel like there are these things, whatever you hear, you know, people, oh, I work an hour a day. And, you know, if it's not like that for everybody, it's not like that for me. I work, I work hard. And so if you are in a season where you, you know, are kind of, you know, grinding just to know that, like, that's okay.
Beth Ann 00:40:21 And it doesn't mean that you need, you know, to be wearing yourself thin down to nothing. But it's also okay to work hard to build a business. And if you're in a season where you're working hard and you aren't hiring, help yet to know that that's okay, too. And and that's where I was for a really long time. And that's where even that idea we talked about with like the big three or like, even if it was even if it's just picking a few things you can do to move yourself ahead. You're making progress. It's okay. You know, Rome wasn't built in a day. Keep going. You know, stay at it, and you can be surprised what you accomplish over time.
Brenda 00:40:55 I love that. Oh, my gosh, this is so good. So good. So, where can people connect with you? How can they find you?
00:41:03 Yes.
Beth Ann 00:41:04 My primary platform is on Instagram. It's low lift fun, low lift fun. And I love sharing low lift, easy ideas, low prep, fun activities for kids, and also positive parenting support.
Beth Ann 00:41:16 So Instagram is the primary platform, but I'm also on TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest, and my website is low lift fun.
Brenda 00:41:24 Com amazing Bethan, thank you so much for being here, for sharing you, for sharing your ideas and I just have loved this conversation.
Beth Ann 00:41:33 Oh my gosh, it flew by. I'm like, oh, can we keep chatting? This is so fun. So thank you for having me.
Brenda 00:41:39 Oh this is amazing. Happy New year.
Beth Ann 00:41:41 Thank you.
00:41:42 You too.
