Unfiltered Entrepreneur by Ashli Pollard - Business Tips for Digital Service Based Founders and Agencies

Maintaining profits in our businesses can be overwhelming. There can be so much to sell, so many sales goals to meet, and burn out is waiting around the corner. Maybe you feel that if you don't meet/maintain that 10k a month, you'll enter into that beast or famine phase where we are working paycheck to paycheck. But what if I told you there was another way? In this episode, I am going to walk you through how to optimize your launches, how to do drops, and how to work with clients — both when you're just starting out and when you're already established. 1:05 — Dealing With Launches + Why You Should Start Planning Your Financial Goals Quarterly 3:05 — How to Plan a Drop + Why You Should Show People an Answer to a Specific Problem 7:35 — 2 Steps to Creating a Space for Everyone in Your Business 11:40 — Splitting Up Your Weeks Into Bread + Butter Services, Lower-Priced Services, Medium-Priced Services, and Hard Pushes 12:30 — How to Sell Something vs. A True Launch Strategy Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Brand New Team Toolkit Team AP Consulting Resources Team AP Consulting Services Check out @thewomenarespeaking on Instagram + our new Podcast in a Day program! _____ Into it? Subscribe/Follow/Rate the podcast wherever you are listening (from one entrepreneur to another, we know how important this is right?!) And make sure you take your Archetype quiz to unlock loads of free content tailored to you + your business. Follow us on IG here! And check out all the other bomb podcasts from Fast Forward Productions right here. Get more from Ashli over on this side and leave your listener voicemails at the link below!

 What I want from my business and what you want from your business may be two completely different things, and that's okay! Whether you want a side hustle, a company that makes 100k a year, or a big business, each and every entrepreneurial venture is valid. Those business tips you hear on Instagram may not be wrong per say, but they may not be what you need to do for your particular business model. That's where I step in. In this episode, I'm taking you through what each type of business would require from you in order to be successful. You'll hear why the only thing that truly matters is matching the energy inside of you by creating something that fits within your needs and brings you joy. 1:02 — The Different Levels Of Business That You Could Create 5:29 — Side Hustles (30k-50k a year) + Why You Should Focus on Doing One Thing Super Well, Developing a Fully Automated System, and Nailing Your Pricing 9:17 — 100k With A Very Small Team + What The Ideal Client Base Is 11:22 — A Massive Business/Agency (500k-1 Million a Year) With a Full-Time Team + The Sacrifices, Milestones, and Skills Needed to Make it Work 15:57 — Motivational Message to All The Entrepreneurs Tuning In Resources Mentioned in This Episode: All Team AP Consulting Resources Get Started Toolkit All Things Web Toolkit C-Suite Toolkit Hit Record Podcast Course Dubsado Discount code for 20% off your first month: ASHLI The Agency Model PS: Last week to use code TeamAP for $100 off the Team Bundle! _____ Into it? Subscribe/Follow/Rate the podcast wherever you are listening (from one entrepreneur to another, we know how important this is right?!) And make sure you take your Archetype quiz to unlock loads of free content tailored to you + your business. Follow us on IG here! And check out all the other bomb podcasts from Fast Forward Productions right here. Get more from Ashli over on this side and leave your listener voicemails at the link below!

The way that a business grows is basically what it was like for me to find my way in New York. I went from dancing with club promoters to get into clubs for free, to buying one crappy drink because that's what I could afford, to buying anything and everything I wanted once I could finally afford the city. It was a long process that took years, and our businesses also take years to level up to where we want them to be. We have to be patient, take what we can at the level we are at, invest in what we need, and eventually we are going to be where we always wanted to be. 0:19 — The Analogy to End All Analogies: How Our Businesses Are Just Like the NY Club Scene 4:25 — The Life Cycle of a Business 6:50 — Being in Free Central + How There is an Endless Source of Supplies There 8:51 — Investing in Someone to Audit What You Have, to Fill the Gaps You Encounter, and for the Next Level Up Before Getting to Your Own Internal Team 10:50 — Learning Not to Compare Your Business Journey to Someone Else's 13:15 — Hiring a Team You Can Afford (Listen to the end to get a special discount code!) Resources Mentioned in This Episode: All Team AP Consulting Resources The Agency Model Team Bundle - use code TeamAP for $100 off! Vanessa Lau's Youtube 6 Figure Influencer Podcast with Allie Reeves Non-Negotiable Success Podcast with Nina The Lawyer _____ Into it? Subscribe/Follow/Rate the podcast wherever you are listening (from one entrepreneur to another, we know how important this is right?!) And make sure you take your Archetype quiz to unlock loads of free content tailored to you + your business. Follow us on IG here! And check out all the other bomb podcasts from Fast Forward Productions right here. Get more from Ashli over on this side and leave your listener voicemails at the link below!

One of the biggest decisions you will have to make for your business is whether you would like to be a solopreneur or have a team. Believe it or not, you may make more income as a one-person show. A big misconception is that hiring a team removes the work. In actuality, when you hire someone, you are simply changing the work. As the leader, you are still in charge of overseeing what each member of your team is doing, providing feedback, and managing the entire process. I've had the privilege of building up my own business and I've learned a few things along the way. Today, I'm going to share with you the things that I believe you should consider when you're hiring, how to grow a team with internal + external hires, how to find new talent, what my own personal interview process is, what skills you need to effectively work with a team, and the value of leadership. 1:31 — The Benefits of Having a Team + Common Misconceptions 6:44 — How to Decide Whether You Want an Internal Team or External Team 10:47 — Finding Talent, Writing an Effective Job Description, and How to Prepare For a Phone Interview 17:25 — How to Set Up Your Team for Success Through Setting Up Your Goals/Priorities, Having Backend Organization, and a Team Handbook That Lists Your Values + Boundaries 25:42 — What Being a Leader in Your Space and to Your Organization Really Means Resources Mentioned in This Episode: All Team AP Consulting Resources The Agency Model Team Bundle - use code Team AP $100 off expires 4/1 _____ Into it? Subscribe/Follow/Rate the podcast wherever you are listening (from one entrepreneur to another, we know how important this is right?!) And make sure you take your Archetype quiz to unlock loads of free content tailored to you + your business. Follow us on IG here! And check out all the other bomb podcasts from Fast Forward Productions right here. Get more from Ashli over on this side and leave your listener voicemails at the link below!

An essential part of every business in today's economy is a website that works. One that helps drive up sales and guide customers to the best products for them so they keep coming back. The tips in this episode are all about optimizing that very website to YOUR personal archetype (PS: Click the link to the archetype quiz down below if you're not sure which one you are). Whether you're a Go Getter, Enthusiast, Achiever, or a Powerhouse, you have to match your website to the level of business that you're at. But don't worry — I'm gonna give some quick tips for each level so there is something for all of us to learn! 1:03 — The Different Ways a Website Can Help Scale Your Business, Based on Archetypes 2:30 — Go Getter: Upping Your Branding, Using Pinterest, Finding Your Vibe/Aesthetic, and White Space 6:24 —  Enthusiast: Catering to the Customer's Journey, Optimizing Products by Guiding Clients to Freebies Before Pricier Options, and Writing Out Website Copy 9:38 — Achiever: Creating Downloads, Growing Your Email List, and Creating a Compelling Sales Page Copy Through Emotional Lists/Stories or Analytical Lists/Stories 14:43 — Powerhouse: Creating Private Pages for Site Visitors and Service-Based Clients As Well As Incorporating a UTM Resources Mentioned in This Episode: All Things Web Toolkit IG Content Builder  Emails that Sell _____ Into it? Subscribe/Follow/Rate the podcast wherever you are listening (from one entrepreneur to another, we know how important this is right?!) And make sure you take your Archetype quiz to unlock loads of free content tailored to you + your business. Follow us on IG here! And check out all the other bomb podcasts from Fast Forward Productions right here. Get more from Ashli over on this side and leave your listener voicemails at the link below!

You've heard me say it before, and I'm here to say it again: FREE BRINGS IN REVENUE!! Listen, I know that giving things away for free can seem counterintuitive, but trust me when I say that it will make you money. I'm not saying to give everything away — just enough to help build trust with your audience and to attract the people who need help but don't want to do it themselves. In this episode, I'm here to give you tips, tricks, and mindset shifts for giving away free products and services (it seriously might be the best thing you can do for your business!) 0:20 — Why You Should Offer Things for Free + How to Start 1:11 — My Experience With Getting Returns on Some of My Free Resources 3:20 —  Breakdown of What My Podcast Made + How 6:40 — 3 Major Tips for Creating Your Own Podcast That Are Sure to Level Up Your Game Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Most Lucrative Top of Funnel Options in 2021 ep The Business Suite + other Team AP Resources Email list for free trainings from Team AP Consulting _____ Into it? Subscribe/Follow/Rate the podcast wherever you are listening (from one entrepreneur to another, we know how important this is right?!) And make sure you take your Archetype quiz to unlock loads of free content tailored to you + your business. Follow us on IG here! And check out all the other bomb podcasts from Fast Forward Productions right here. Get more from Ashli over on this side and leave your listener voicemails at the link below!

Sam Valentine, my best-friend-turned-business-partner, comes to us from the One Broke Actress podcast. We each have our own businesses that we are running, hoping to empower working actors and women alike to achieve the life that they always dreamed of. After getting overwhelmed by all I had going on, I went to Sam for help in producing my podcasts. One thing led to another and, in June 2021, we decided to create Fast Forward Productions. Launching this month, FFP is where the women are speaking. We help produce podcasts for anyone who needs them, because we both know the value that podcasts can have as entrepreneurs. Listen in as we discuss all about podcasts, what it's like to have a career as well as multiple businesses, and how we factor our friendship into our professional relationship. 1:35 — How One Broke Actress + The Unfiltered Entrepreneur Came To Be 3:55 — Running a Business, Upping Your Value, and Imposter Syndrome 11:05 — The Story Of Fast Forward Productions 17:22 — Why Podcasting Is Beneficial For Creatives and Business Owners Alike 24:00 —  Having Something Outside Of Your Main Focus, Why Unfulfilling Side Jobs Were No Longer The Answer, and Building A Life That Sustains Us 32:35 — Why Ashli Brought On A Podcast Producer To Begin With 37:29 — Opening Up Brain Space To Up-Level Our Lives 40:25 — A Guide On How To Professional Work With A Friend Remember that we are always here for you, that we believe in you, and that we are in your corner! Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Fast Forward Production Instagram + Website Sam's post on Side Hustles  Sam's IG, the One Broke Actress Website, and the OBA Podcast _____ Into it? Subscribe/Follow/Rate the podcast wherever you are listening (from one entrepreneur to another, we know how important this is right?!) And make sure you take your Archetype quiz to unlock loads of free content tailored to you + your business. Follow us on IG here! And check out all the other bomb podcasts from Fast Forward Productions right here. Get more from Ashli over on this side and leave your listener voicemails at the link below!

 In this episode, I sit down with Jordyn Bailey who is the Director of Operations and Project Manager at Team AP Consulting. I brought her on board back in May 2021, and she has been an essential part of my company ever since. We dive deep into what it is like to be a mother while being an entrepreneur, what it's like to start over in a brand new career, and how to build up your business from the ground up. Jordyn also gives software and tech tips, and shares what she believes is essential to today's creator economy. 1:14 — The First Step Into Creating Her Own Business 2:39 — How To Get Into The Online Space, And Why COVID Led Her To It 9:05 — Leaving The Corporate World + Starting Back At The Bottom 15:34 — Finding What Brings Us Joy And Then Putting In The Work And The Time To Know Your Audience 20:20 — How To Approach Other Working Professionals In The Same Field + Why You Should Build Community Rather Than Compete 29:00 — Having Confidence In Yourself In Order To Attract Clients You Actually Want To Work With 34:06 — Profit Margins + Ideal Clients 37:12 — Working With Moms 40:10 — Checking Our Privileges To Better Serve Our Clients 44:05 — Planning For Life After Birth 49:00 — Software + Tech Questions, Including: Favorite Platform Course Creation Software, Favorite CRM Platforms And Designers, Favorite Project Management Tool, and Favorite Zap 1:01:50 — #1 Advice To Entrepreneurs 1:02:41 — Fun Freudian Quiz Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Jordyn's Instagram + Website Get Jordyn's 2022 Services Guide Jereshia Hawk's IG _____ Into it? Subscribe/Follow/Rate the podcast wherever you are listening (from one entrepreneur to another, we know how important this is right?!) And make sure you take your Archetype quiz to unlock loads of free content tailored to you + your business. Follow us on IG here! And check out all the other bomb podcasts from Fast Forward Productions right here. Get more from Ashli over on this side and leave your listener voicemails at the link below!

Listen, a lot of people think audience connection is scheduling IG posts. And I get it. But you need to hear this: the more frequently you are truly connecting the more your audience will be invested in you. today I am gonna walk you through what this looks like and how you can use it to your advantage. You are consistently in the DM's. Zero gatekeeping. Asking REAL questions. Taking Discovery Calls with no agenda. Plus some big red flags of a *disconnected* audience. _____ Into it? Subscribe/Follow/Rate the podcast wherever you are listening (from one entrepreneur to another, we know how important this is right?!) And make sure you take your Archetype quiz to unlock loads of free content tailored to you + your business. Follow us on IG here! And check out all the other bomb podcasts from Fast Forward Productions right here. Get more from Ashli over on this side and leave your listener voicemails at the link below!

If you're not familiar with top of funnel, let's talk about it. When people find you/your business they usually don't opt into your most expensive/exclusive service or product. People tend to start small, digest your content, inquire bout services, and move through your "funnel" to eventually become customers. Sure, not everyone is right for every business! So the top of this funnel is the big expanse where you attract and invite in a new audience and being to ingratiate them into your work! Today we're going to hit on four options for expanding this base: Freebies- do's and don'ts + different options +  ways to make them higher value and therefore more useful. Quizzes- how they can serve a larger audience while narrowing the customer's focus, check out ours here for example. Podcasts- when it's worth the hassle (hint hint, did you get the HELLYESILISTENTOTHEPODCAST discount code??) Exclusivity Opt-Ins- a great way to gauge an audience's curiosity _____ Into it? Subscribe/Follow/Rate the podcast wherever you are listening (from one entrepreneur to another, we know how important this is right?!)  And make sure you take your Archetype quiz to unlock loads of free content tailored to you + your business....did we mention it's free?? Follow us on IG here! And check out all the other bomb podcasts from Fast Forward Productions right here. Get more from Ashli over on this side and leave your listener voicemails at the link below!