The Get Paid Podcast: The Stark Reality of Entrepreneurship and Being Your Own Boss

How did you determine the product your market needs? How did you launch your online course? How did you start getting clients? How do you get paid? These are several of the questions I ask my guests on the show and in season 1, I answered a few of these very questions on how I ran my business, worked with clients, and got paid in my first year of online business.   But, like many things - the way I get paid today is significantly different than how I did in my first year.   On today’s episode, I share my “origin story” and some of the things I did in my first year of online business. I share how things have changed and evolved over the years and the steps I took to close out a $220K year.  I also share the most shocking revelation I’ve had regarding my former attitude toward spending money as well as how I started my first group program and how it has evolved to become a huge revenue source for my business today.     “The biggest thing I learned about myself is that I seek - and flourish - off of external validation.” - Claire Pelletreau     This Week on the Get Paid Podcast:   My “origin story” and my initial view about money and working on retainer Why I felt like a fraud when I conducted my 2016 Masterclass after my maternity leave Why the 2017 Traffic and Conversion Summit is one of the most pivotal things that happened in my business The factors I considered that resulted in the 300% fee increase on the course I was offering Why I initially decided not to run the group program I launched and what motivated me to re-launch my ad consulting program Two disappointing product launches that led me to re-evaluate my course offerings and marketing strategy The course that helped me become more confident in what I do while being happy with the sales rate How nine people gave me new life as they worked with me in the Ad Consultant Incubator Program How much I charge for my retainer clients and the minimum amount of time to work with me How the client work brought in a lot of money and the investments I made in 2018 How the know-like-trust process is fast-tracked using the podcasting platform Details of my 2019 business plan and why I’m trying to slow down this year     Resources Mentioned:   $4K in the Bank after a $10K Month (GPP13) Tony Rulli: Referrals, Competitor Friends & The Online Ad Business (GPP53) Kendrick Shope Webinar RockstarCourse by Mariah Coz    Sell Your Online Course - on Autopilot!   Are you ready to ramp up your online course sales this year? Thinking about using Facebook and Instagram ads to promote your services and online products, but feeling a little overwhelmed?   Then you need the 5-Part Ad Formula That Sells Online Courses on Autopilot.   This FREE masterclass is based on my proven formula and teaches you how to create 5 killer Facebook and Instagram ads that will convert newsfeed browsers into new students for your online course, group program, or mastermind.   So… what are you waiting for? Request your free access to The 5 Ads Formula That Sells Online Courses on Autopilot today.    Now it’s time to GET PAID   Thanks for tuning into the Get Paid Podcast! If you enjoyed today’s episode, head over to Apple Podcasts to subscribe, rate, and leave your honest review. Connect with me on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram, visit my website for even more detailed strategies, and be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media.   Now, it’s time to go get yourself paid.

The tables have turned and now I’m in the Get Paid Hotseat! My friend Val Geisler interviews me about the evolution of my business since May 2014, getting fired from a well-known online business, and why I only “took home” $4,000 in July after making nearly $10,000 in revenue.

Shanté Cofield is a former Division I athlete with a doctorate degree in Physical Therapy from New York State University. She is the creator of The Movement Maestro, a social media based company devoted to all things human movement related that has amassed an astonishing social following of over 43,000 people. She is the host of an equally successful podcast, Maestro on the Mic, which helps professionals in the movement industry turn their passion into a profitable business. In addition to building her empire, Shanté is a lead instructor for RockTape where she travels the world teaching other movement professionals such as chiropractors, massage therapists, and trainers on how to assess movements and use specific tools to help their clients.   Shanté joins me today to share why she left her career as a physical therapist to pursue being an educator at RockTape. She shares how RockTape’s business model helps her build her career and business while traveling the world. She also shares why she chose Instagram as her primary platform to connect with her tribe, how she grew such a massive following, and why she believes entrepreneurs should focus on one social platform instead of trying to build a presence on every platform.     the significance of asking questions that could change your life forever. She discusses     “Social media can be such a great way to give people insight into who you really are.” - Shanté Cofield     This Week on the Get Paid Podcast:   How Shanté gets paid by working for a company that sells mobility products while building The Movement Maestro. Why she was disappointed in her career as a physical therapist and how it led her to start her social media gig. How she connected with her tribe, and some of the best people in the world, on Instagram. The differences in working situations and rates between RockTape and the Cross Country Education Program. How she strategically manages her finances so she can continue to run her business. How Shanté grew her Instagram following to a whopping 40k. How she categorizes her Instagram posts on the platform by creating custom, branded hashtags. Why Shanté recommends focusing on one social media platform. The importance of identifying who your audience is and how it impacts your mindset around marketing and promoting your brand on social media. Why you should build your social media following on your own terms, the way you want, and stop comparing your success to others. How Shanté uses Instagram to promote her podcast.     Resource Mentioned:   The 4-Hour Workweek Book by Tim Ferriss Show Your Work Podcast     Connect with Shanté Cofield:   The Maestro Movement Website The Movement Maestro on Instagram The Movement Maestro on Facebook   This episode is sponsored by… MemberVault   MemberVault is an online membership software and hosting tool dedicated to helping passionate and creative entrepreneurs disrupt the ways of relationship marketing - and make more money doing it. More than just an online course hosting platform, you get real insight into how people respond to your content, who your hottest leads are, and who would be the best fit for your higher-end products and services.   So stop wondering where to host your online products. Explode your sales and engagement and gain a better understanding of your ROI.   Get paid more - and more often! Start your 1-month FREE TRIAL of MemberVault today.   Visit clairepells.com/membervault to start your first month absolutely FREE.     Now it’s time to GET PAID   Thanks for tuning into the Get Paid Podcast! If you enjoyed today’s episode, head over to Apple Podcasts to subscribe, rate, and leave your honest review. Connect with me on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram, visit my website for even more detailed strategies, and be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media.   Now, it’s time to go get yourself paid.

Erin and Mike Kelly are the husband-and-wife team who co-founded Membervault, a fantastic tool that allows business owners to sell to their clients without feeling pushy or terrible for selling good stuff. The couple created MemberVault to help business owners increase sales through tracking, gamification, and personalized engagement. Aside from offering an “everything in one place" solution for their client's market, MemberVault continues to amaze their clients with their forever free account where clients can access all of platform’s amazing features.   Erin and Mike join me today to discuss what a SaaS platform is and how they make money through this platform. They explain what a “user” is regarding the different plans offered at MemberVault, how they track and engage users, and what made them decide to offer all of the features in the free plan. They also share how they manage to juggle running an online business while parenting two small children, how their family dynamics changed when their children were born and how it impacted their decision to become digital nomads.    “Keeping clearly defined roles are really important.” - Mike Kelly    This Week on the Get Paid Podcast:   How Erin and Mike get paid at MemberVault. The difference among MemberVault’s payment plans. How they take advantage of the free plan to streamline their processes and check which training works. What is gamification and how this strategy works in keeping users and the conversion of clients. What “conversations” are on the platform and how to make them authentic and personalized for your audience. What Erin and Mike did before MemberVault and how they came up with the decision to kickstart a relationship marketing business. How engagement tracking came into play and why it is one of the things that set MemberVault apart from the other players out there. What inspired them to become digital nomads and the cost of living on the road. How they avoided internet connection challenges while traveling frequently and working remotely. How their onboarding system bridges the gap between the sign-up and the actual use of the system. How Erin and Mike work with affiliates as a way to keep MemberVault lean and their overhead low. Their average expenses to run the business and sustain their family. How their setup of working together impacted their marriage as they take turns getting into deep work mode.   Resources Mentioned:   Campendium   Connect with Erin and Mike Kelly:   MemberVault Website Email: hello@membervault.co     Sell Your Online Course - on Autopilot!   Are you ready to ramp up your online course sales this year? Thinking about using Facebook and Instagram ads to promote your services and online products, but feeling a little overwhelmed?   Then you need the 5-Part Ad Formula That Sells Online Courses on Autopilot.   This FREE masterclass is based on my proven formula and teaches you how to create 5 killer Facebook and Instagram ads that will convert newsfeed browsers into new students for your online course, group program, or mastermind.   So… what are you waiting for? Request your free access to The 5 Ads Formula That Sells Online Courses on Autopilot today.   Now it’s time to GET PAID   Thanks for tuning into the Get Paid Podcast! If you enjoyed today’s episode, head over to Apple Podcasts to subscribe, rate, and leave your honest review. Connect with me on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram, visit my website for even more detailed strategies, and be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media.   Now, it’s time to go get yourself paid.

Arielle Hale is a project manager specializing in helping 6-figure online business owners to launch their online courses and coaching programs. She has a no-bullshit approach to helping entrepreneurs identify holes in their launch strategy and create a comprehensive plan for a successful launch. While traveling the world and raising a 3-year-old, she has worked with several well-known clients including Rachel Luna and Nikki Elledge Brown as well as companies such as AppSumo.   Arielle joins me today to share what it’s like to be a full-time mom and digital nomad while working with big name clients. She shares why she prefers to keep her team small and manageable and only work with a few select clients. She explains what inspired her to become a location-independent entrepreneur, the lessons she has learned from working with nightmare clients, and how these experiences can help you set boundaries and identify “deal breakers” in your business. She also shares her strategy for finding and choosing the right daycare when venturing into new, unfamiliar cities and how her digital nomad lifestyle has been a huge inspiration to others.    “Get out there. Don’t be scared. You can find a way to just do what you want to do.” - Arielle Hale    This Week on the Get Paid Podcast:   Ari’s average revenue during slow months versus busy months and why she prefers working with a handful of clients. How she started working with AppSumo. Why Ari recommends following your gut instincts when vetting new potential clients and how it helps you identify boundaries and “deal breakers” for your business. How she turns down clients she doesn’t want to work with. How Arielle stays up-to-date on marketing strategies that will work best for her clients and where she gains inspiration for new ideas. The difference between a business manager and a launch manager. Ari’s advice for identifying which tasks entrepreneurs should outsource to move their businesses forward. Why she has no desire to scale her business or grow her team. How she balances being a digital nomad, entrepreneur, and full-time mom while maintaining a social life. Why Arielle is not ready yet to put down roots in any particular city. How she gets the most engagement on social media. How Arielle’s son reacts to frequently traveling and her advice for researching child care services in new, unfamiliar cities.   Resources Mentioned:   Coursera This Is Marketing: You Can’t Be Seen Until You Learn to See by Seth Godin     Connect with Arielle Hale:   Arielle Hale website Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube   This episode is sponsored by… MemberVault   MemberVault is an online membership software and hosting tool dedicated to helping passionate and creative entrepreneurs disrupt the ways of relationship marketing - and make more money doing it. More than just an online course hosting platform, you get real insight into how people respond to your content, who your hottest leads are, and who would be the best fit for your higher-end products and services.   So stop wondering where to host your online products. Explode your sales and engagement and gain a better understanding of your ROI.   Get paid more - and more often! Start your 1-month FREE TRIAL of MemberVault today.   Visit clairepells.com/membervault to start your first month absolutely FREE.     Now it’s time to GET PAID   Thanks for tuning into the Get Paid Podcast! If you enjoyed today’s episode, head over to Apple Podcasts to subscribe, rate, and leave your honest review. Connect with me on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram, visit my website for even more detailed strategies, and be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media.   Now, it’s time to go get yourself paid.

Tony Rulli is the Founder and Head of Advertising at Intentional Spark, an online advertising company dedicated to helping entrepreneurs grow their businesses through digital marketing. Tony is the lead strategist for all paid marketing campaigns, including Facebook ads, Adwords, and retargeting campaigns. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management as well as Entrepreneurship and Marketing from Babson College.   Tony joins me today to share how he went from working as a financial analyst to starting his career as an online ads strategist and manager. He shares the challenges he faced while building his business, how he hires and vets new contractors and employees, and his strategy for raising his rates while growing his business. He also shares why he offers referral commissions to his contracting team and how it has helped him grow his business while boosting team spirit and morale.   “You shouldn’t feel uncomfortable with asking - or receiving - a referral fee.” - Tony Rulli    This Week on the Get Paid Podcast:   Tony’s first entrepreneurial venture, it’s profitability, and why he decided to close the business. How we became competitor friends. How Tony raised his rates with each new client referral without pushback and what he currently charges clients. Tony’s average monthly revenue, average annual expenses, and total profit before taxes. The average number of contractors working with Intentional Spark. How Tony sources and vets new contractors and employees. Tony’s advice for hiring quality contractors. The biggest challenge Tony has faced while building his business. The impact of taking on the wrong Why Tony offers referral commission opportunities to his contractors - and how he structures it. Overcomingthe fear of requesting referral fees.     Resources Mentioned:   4 Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss Vegabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel by Rolf Potts Fizzle Upwork     Connect with Tony Rulli:   Intentional Spark Email: Tony@IntentionalSpark.com   Sell Your Online Course - on Autopilot!   Are you ready to ramp up your online course sales this year? Thinking about using Facebook and Instagram ads to promote your services and online products, but feeling a little overwhelmed?   Then you need the 5-Part Ad Formula That Sells Online Courses on Autopilot.   This FREE masterclass is based on my proven formula and teaches you how to create 5killerFacebook and Instagram ads that will convert newsfeed browsers into new students for your online course, group program, or mastermind.   So…what are you waiting for? Request your free access to The 5 Ads Formula That Sells Online Courses on Autopilot today.     Now it’s time to GET PAID   Thanks for tuning into the Get Paid Podcast! If you enjoyed today’s episode, head over to Apple Podcasts to subscribe, rate, and leave your honest review. Connect with me on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram, visit my website for even more detailed strategies,and be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media.   Now, it’s time to go get yourself paid.  

Adrienne Dorison is the co-owner of Run Like Clockwork, a company designed to help entrepreneurs improve their small business operations and efficiency while increasing profits. Through their workshops, coaching, and consulting services, they help small business owners work efficiently, remove bottlenecks, and build their businesses to - you guessed it - run like clockwork.  She is a certified LEAN Six Sigma consultant, SCRUM expert trainer, and has extensive experience in operational efficiency. She has worked with countless business owners - including micro-businesses and Fortune 500 companies - to streamline their systems, simplify their processes, and create strategic growth while cutting costs, saving time, and expanding their profit margins.   Adrienne joins me today to explain her role at Run Like Clockwork and her partnership with Mike Michalowicz. She shares how she achieved $120,000 in revenue from a small 20-person workshop and dives deep into the P&L’s to share the overall monthly expenses her company accrued to host it. She also shares the marketing strategies they used to attract new leads, why they decided to limit the number of company attendees for each workshop as well as valuable insight on how to train team members to feel comfortable and confident in making decisions for your customers on your company’s behalf.     “Your team members are going to make mistakes because they are human. That’s usually how they are going to learn. If they have a safe space to do that, they are going to be more autonomous - which is exactly what we want.” - Adrienne Dorison     This Week on the Get Paid Podcast:   How Adrienne got started working with Run Like Clockwork. How Run Like Clockwork helps small business owners improve efficiency with their teams, processes, and operational systems. What it means to be the bottleneck of your business and how it impacts your growth. How to identify the bottlenecks in your course creation and marketing process. How to identify if creating an online course is the right decision for your business. The Lean Six Sigma tools and framework. How Adrienne paid off $50,000 in student debt in 6-months. Challenges Adrienne faces as an entrepreneur. Adrienne’s partnership with mike Michalowicz. The live and virtual workshops available for small business owners at Run Like Clockwork and why they only serve 25 companies per event. Evaluating the cost vs. revenue for the $120k 20-person workshop. How they attract the most leads for the workshop events. Why Adrienne purposely ramped down her personal brand in 2018. The ‘transfer of knowledge’ process when training others. The importance of explaining why you make specific decisions to new hires - and documenting them. How to articulate your decisions to your team that were based on your gut instincts. What the business model looked like in her last 7-figure business. Adrienne’s perspective on retiring your husband and bringing him into your business. How Adrienne fits creating her own social media promotion into her busy schedule.     Resources Mentioned:   Clockwork: Design Your Business to Run Itself by Mike Michalowicz SamCart     Connect with Adrienne Dorison:   Run Like Clockwork LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram     This episode is sponsored by… MemberVault   MemberVault is an online membership software and hosting tool dedicated to helping passionate and creative entrepreneurs disrupt the ways of relationship marketing - and make more money doing it! More than just an online course hosting platform, you get real insight into how people respond to your content, who your hottest leads are, and who would be the best fit for your higher-end products and services.   So stop wondering where to host your online products. Explode your sales and engagement and gain a better understanding of your ROI.   Get paid more - and more often! Start your 1-month FREE TRIAL of MemberVault today!   Visit ClairePells.com/MemberVault to start your first month absolutely FREE!   Now it’s time to GET PAID!   Thanks for tuning into the Get Paid Podcast! If you enjoyed today’s episode, head over to Apple Podcasts to subscribe, rate, and leave your honest review. Connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram, visit my website for even more juicy content, and be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media.   Now, it’s time to go get yourself paid!

Welcome back to season 4 of the Get Paid Podcast! After taking a longmaternity leave and hiatus from the show to evaluate what worked, what didn’t work, and what changes I needed to make to improve the show - I am excited to finally be back behind the mic.   On today’s episode, I share why I started this podcast in the first place, why I took an extended break, and why I decided to pick up the mic again. I get real on the challenges and obstacles I faced in my first three seasons, the lessons I learned throughout this journey, and my new mission and goals for the show moving forward. I also share what you can expect from each episode of the Get Paid Podcast and highlight some of my favorite past seasons and episodes.    “My goal is to have interesting conversations that you actually benefit from.” - Claire Pelletreau    This Week on the Get Paid Podcast:   My career background and how I help creatives and entrepreneurs excel with Facebook and Instagram ads. Why I decided to start my podcast - and why I stopped. The challenges I faced in my first three seasons and the lessons I learned from them. My new mission and goals for the show. What to expect from each episode.     Resources Mentioned:   Episode 1: Tara Gentile: Launching, Group Coaching and Beer Episode 12: $4k in the Bank after a $10k Month Episode 16: Mark Butler: The CFO You Can Never Fire Episode 46: Shannon Simmons: The Challenge of Scaling a Service-Based Business Fearless Launching Podcast with Anne Samoilov Lady Business Radio with Jessica Kupferman Fizzle   Sell Your Online Course - on Autopilot!   Are you ready to ramp up your online course sales this year? Thinking about using Facebook and Instagram ads to promote your services and online products, but feeling a little overwhelmed?   Then you need the 5-Part Ad Formula That Sells Online Courses on Autopilot!   This FREE masterclass is based on my proven formula and teaches you how to create 5killerFacebook and Instagram ads that will convert newsfeed browsers into new students for your online course, group program, or mastermind.   So…what are you waiting for? Request your free access to The 5 Ads Formula That Sells Online Courses on Autopilot today!   Now it’s time to GET PAID!   Thanks for tuning into the Get Paid Podcast! If you enjoyed today’s episode, head over to Apple Podcasts to subscribe, rate, and leave your honest review. Connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram, visit my website for even more juicy content, and be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media.   Now, it’s time to go get yourself paid!  

It’s the Season Finale of the Get Paid Podcast! I am super excited about this episode – but even more excited about our guest on the show today. She is someone I have followed for about three years – like, to the point of having “stalker-y overtones” and invites to drinks (repeatedly). Unfortunately, we have not been able to have those drinks due to the pesky thousands of miles between us, so to have her on the podcast today is pretty much the next best thing. Ash Ambirge – the spicy writer with a love for explicit language – is the founder of The Middle Finger Project blog. Her insanely successful blog and brand is well-known throughout the blogosphere for its vulgarity, and – impressively enough – this voice has enabled her to grow her online business, using her blog as a conduit – to sell a lot of products and services online. Today, we dive into her story about how she made her blog such a huge success, what she does to market her business, and what she sells on her blog.

Legal terms, Terms and Conditions, client agreement contracts – these are all topics that most business owners and entrepreneurs cringe at. Before you start running for the hills and refusing to listen to today’s episode, let me tell you about Gena Shingle Jaffe, the attorney uniquely nicknamed as the “Sparkly Lawyer Extraordinaire.” Gena is probably one of the most upbeat attorneys I have ever talked to. Her way of explaining legal terms in an upbeat, no-fear infused, down-to-earth manner is not only easy to understand, but puts you at ease about your legal questions and concerns, and is truly extraordinary. Today, she shares some free interesting legal advice about trademarks and how they differ from copyrights, legal contracts every entrepreneur should have, as well as various legal documents you should have on your website as an entrepreneur. Gena is also very open about her expenses and revenue figures, her near-bankruptcy experience, as well as how she leaped from that scare to building a 6-figure successful business.