Story of an entrepreneur · Online Biz Growth (No Social)

Story of an entrepreneur

Now that I’m level 2 and can share an insight, let me tell you a story about an entrepreneur named Olivia (not a real name).

She built a successful online business teaching women how to take their time into their hands. She started with one simple planner and time management courses, and grew into a really big personal brand, working with experts in multiple fields, publishing their books, courses and changing lives.

She was very successful, but her strength became her weakness.

See, she built her business on her energy, her face, her ideas - and people loved her for it. She hosted famous live sessions on social media, closed webinars bursting with knowledge and energy, and sold out her products constantly.

The problem started… well, when the problems started. You know the saying - it never rains, it pours.

Olivia had some major curveballs thrown her way - sure, some of them were boomerangs, but some of them came just out of nowhere. Hard.

She suffered from depression. She no longer had the energy to show up on Instagram and Facebook every day. She no longer danced during her live sessions.

Her team tried to pick up the socials, but it just wasn’t the same.

The sales shriveled.

It was just adding fuel to Olivia’s anxiety fire.

And here comes one of my biggest regrets - as a contractor, I saw the warning signs.

I saw the launch heavy sales model, I saw the social media heavy communication of (who I thought to be) an invincible businesswoman.

I saw the data for (non-existent) evergreen funnels.

At the time, I just had some anxiety about her putting all the eggs in one social media basket she didn’t even own. We all agreed it’s time to build funnels that don’t require Olivia’s constant time and energy, but there was always another launch to plan and prepare - and if it flopped, it meant business trouble, so prepare we did.

Until the sales grew slower and slower, and the pouring rain turned into waves bigger and bigger, culminating in a tsunami wiping the whole business off the face of the earth.

I’m not saying Instagram is bad - it can be a wonderful tool. I’m not saying it was the reason this company is no longer in business - because it’s probably reason #99 at best.

But I watched this scenario play out twice more (even though not as violently) from behind the scenes and it changed how I look at business - and I will always make sure to let my clients know that life happens, and their business needs to be ready for that - and keeping your business mostly on Instagram is just not it.

That’s why the upcoming challenge is so close to my heart and that’s why I’d love to join it - I need 3 more points so if you’ve read this far - I’d really appreciate a like and I’d love to chat in the comments!

Again, I’m not demonising Instagram here - but I definitely think it’s a very uncertain way to get business long term.

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