Any Oprah fans out there? If you are a diehard Oprah fan like me, then you probably watched Season 25 of Oprah Behind the Scenes, and you probably remember Executive Producer Sheri Salata. She was also co-president of Harpo studios and OWN. I remember watching a scene from that special that showed Sheri waking up in the morning with her bulldogs getting ready to go to the Oprah show, and I thought how does she do it all?

It turns out Sheri has a fascinating story. She had reached the heights of her business career when she decided to reinvent herself and find more balance in her life. She woke up and realized that a career of her dreams wasn’t enough. She set out to reinvent herself with a job and life that are one and live her life to the fullest.

If you have ever felt stuck or in a rut, you will love Sheri’s story of reinvention and using happy as a compass. Sheri is the author of The Beautiful No, the owner of The Pillar Life, and co-host of The Sheri + Nancy Show. This is a powerful episode as Sheri shares her wit and wisdom in a way that only a true storyteller like Sheri can.

• [08:16] Sheri shares what her life was like as executive producer for Oprah before day one of life after Oprah.
• [11:13] Sheri had a great story for her book. She started in an entry level position for Oprah at the age of 35. This was the 3rd or 4th time she started over, and she reinvented herself again at age 56.
• [13:58] You don't know your in a rut until you're out of it. Forcing yourself to jump the track and breathe new air makes life more interesting.
• [16:28] Sheri had a dream come true career but not a dream come true life. She had to do a serious reckoning with the tenderness of hearts to get to the core of the kind of life she dreamed of.
• [19:44] At a Shamanic ceremony in the desert, Sheri learned that to start with a fresh page you have to let go and clear the slate.
• [24:05] Sheri and Nancy built a business around living and doing things for a better life and then reporting back about it.
• [28:01] Sheri switched her story about working out. She is a storyteller, so she told herself a new story that inspired her using words like power, flexibility, renewal, and recovery.
• [30:55] Awareness is everything. How not to make misery your compass. When happiness is your compass, you are keenly aware of what feels good. These are clues that your destination is lovely and wonderful.
• [36:58] The amazing story of how Sheri landed her job at Oprah. You don't want to miss this story! It's also the basis for the title of her book The Beautiful No.

This episode is brought to you by LinkedIn:

LinkedIn is the perfect platform to market your business. Marketing your business is all about reaching the right audience at the right time and connecting with them when your message resonates the most. So, if you want to target your customers where they're engaging everyday and when they're ready to make a decision, I want you to consider LinkedIn.

In fact, four out of five customers who are on LinkedIn are decision makers at their companies. You can see some incredible traction with your LinkedIn ads. If you want to redeem a free $100 dollar LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign on LinkedIn go to LinkedIn.com/Amy.

Subscribe & Review in iTunes

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I’d be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in an read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Season 25: Oprah Behind The Scenes
• The Beautiful No: And Other Tales of Trial, Transcendence, and Transformation
• The Sheri + Nancy Show

• $100 LinkedIn Ad Credit
• Jennifer Rudolph Walsh on LinkedIn
• Karen Rinaldi
• EP 85 We’re Going Keto-Green™
• The Pillar Life

Is there something holding you back in your business? Today, I’m talking about that ONE EXCUSE that may be holding you back from taking that next step that will really propel your business forward. This excuse holds many people back, and they don’t even know it. It’s kind of like a snake in the grass, where you don’t even know it’s there until it slithers up and STOPS you in your tracks.

I’m also going to show you how to identify this excuse in all its many forms and how to breakaway from this cycle with a simple technique that anyone can do. It might not be easy. It might not be comfortable, but being able to take action even when it’s not easy or comfortable is key to progress. Moving forward even when you don’t have all of the answers can get you unstuck and start the positive momentum you need to move the needle forward in your business.

• [05:09] Not moving forward because you are stuck is an excuse that can take many forms and hold you back.
• [09:42] The way to get past this is taking imperfect action even when it is messy and uncomfortable.
• [10:57] How I took imperfect action with my team bonus structure. I approached it like I knew what I was doing and put together a plan to the best of my ability. I NEVER have to start from scratch again. That's what imperfect action does!
• [16:21] You have to have something to show when you ask for feedback.
• [18:10] You have to make a decision and produce something. The hardest place to be is starting from scratch. Get beyond this point, even when you don't have all of the answers. That's how to get stuff done!

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Online Marketing Made Easy Facebook Group
• Episode #255: What's Keeping You Safe Is What's Keeping You Stuck
• Free List Building Masterclass
• Amy Porterfield on Instagram

You want people ready to buy when you launch your course, but how do you do that? This episode will explain exactly how to be intentional before your launch, so that your customers will be ready to buy when you are ready to sell. You need to start the relationship building early, because people buy from those that they know, like, and trust. I am going to share a powerful marketing strategy that you can use to seed the idea of your course before it is ever launched.

You will be priming the pump in a transparent and authentic way that makes people hungry for what you have to offer. I’m going to give you three powerful tips that you can intentionally use to get your buyers ready and excited to buy from you when you launch. This mini lesson will give you actionable ways to talk about your course in a natural way that doesn’t sound salesy and gets people excited about what you are offering.

• [06:49] The best way to hit your goals during your launch is to be incredibly intentional before your launch. You want to position yourself as your audience's guide, so they recognize you as their go-to source. This priming period is all about how you show up for your audience.
• [10:33] Use stories about your journey or your students journey to seed your course. This will make the struggles more real and tangible. Think about your students and where were they, what did they struggle with, what held them back, and what helped them move forward. Understand the difference between a story and a testimonial and use both of them.
• [15:59] Talk about specific lessons, formulas, frameworks, or strategies that are in your course. I created a framework and then showed how it came to life with a step-by-step of a webinar that made me over three million dollars in one launch. Give names to your lessons and formulas.
• [20:03] Create exclusivity. You want your non-students to want to be part of your special insider community. Shout outs are a great way to share that you have something special. When people see you talking about it, they want to be part of it. Do it in a loving mindful way.
• [22:47] Don't be afraid to talk about your course multiple times in multiple ways. Weaving your product into the conversation naturally never sounds salesy. In order to make the seeding strategy work, you have to launch when you say you are going to launch.  

This episode is brought to you by my Free Masterclass all about list building. One of the ways that you can be incredibly intentional when you aren’t launching is to build your email list every single day.

The energy of your business is directly tied to the strength of your email list, and so that’s why you hear me talk about list building so much on my podcast, in my Facebook lives, and in my private Facebook groups and in all my courses. List building is essential to the growth of your online business. Get my Free List Building Masterclass.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Free List Building Masterclass

I've been noticing a theme lately and it's the idea of less is more. I have been really busy this first quarter and am looking forward to a season where I can slow down. But to be honest, this scares my entrepreneurial brain. I associate slowing down with achieving less and making less money. In spite of this, I firmly believe in my core that I can do less and still make a huge impact and hit my big goals.

My friend Kate Northrup is someone who did just that. She slowed down and discovered that her earning didn’t decrease. She even discovered that by listening to her body and noticing her seasons, she could get more done by doing less. She even wrote the book Doing Less. The book goes into detail on how to do less, create a bigger impact, make more money, and create space to do those things that matter. This episode is incredibly actionable, incredibly valuable, and you will learn a lot about yourself that you didn't know.

• [13:27] The 40 hour work week isn't evidence-based and it's not results-based. A 55 hour work week leads to a 33% increased risk in stroke and a 13% increase in risk of coronary disease. A 49 hour week is associated with poor mental health. There is a diminishing rate of return on hours put in.
• [15:59] Men have a cyclical experience of energy based on their hormones every 24 hours. Women have a cyclical experience of energy based on their hormones every 28 days. Productivity and time management systems assume our lives are based on a 24-hour cycle. We both have the ability to get just as much done, but in slightly different ways. The four phases line up with the energy of the seasons.
• [21:33] Very few people can be in a state of high concentration for more than 4 or 5 hours a day. Multiple things at the same time makes us miss things and make mistakes. Get clear on your goals. Set a timer for every hour and write down what you were doing. Then ask if they are connected to your result.
• [34:03] How to map out which tasks should be done and when. Ask yourself how much energy you have as you plan your week and then have 5% to 10% of your activities based on your energy and then get done what you need to get done. Listen to your body and things will work in alignment. Our bodies are our source of energy and creativity.
• [39:43] Simplify. Ask if things are in flow or in friction. Simplify wherever there is friction. Learn how to get results with the least amount of steps. Find what works for you.
• [45:37] To do lists can be overwhelming. Make a weekly list instead of a daily list. This gives you grace and space to make things happen. Ask if it NEEDS to be done. Does it need to be done by ME? Does it need to be done NOW?

This episode is brought to you by LinkedIn:

LinkedIn is the perfect platform to market your business. Marketing your business is all about reaching the right audience at the right time and connecting with them when your message resonates the most. So, if you want to target your customers where they're engaging everyday and when they're ready to make a decision, I want you to consider LinkedIn. In fact, four out of five customers who are on LinkedIn are decision makers at their companies. You can see some incredible traction with your LinkedIn ads. If you want to redeem a free $100 dollar LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign on LinkedIn go to LinkedIn.com/Amy.

Subscribe & Review in iTunes

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I’d be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in an read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Have you ever thought about adding a membership site to your business model? How does the idea of recurring revenue in your business sound? Revenue coming in every single month, rain or shine, launch or no launch… Sounds good to me!  

Many of my students are course creators and the idea of adding a membership site on the backend of their course as a way for their customers to continue working with them really does seem to be the next right step in their business.

My students aren’t the only ones getting on the membership site train...In fact, I’m in the process of adding a membership site to my own business and what I’ve learned over the past year about the power of combining memberships and courses is nothing short of revolutionary.

If you tuned in last week, I spoke with the membership site guru himself, Stu McLaren, and we went through the 10 most burning questions about membership sites and boy have we heard from a lot of you of how helpful that episode was and how it has inspired many of you to take that next step.

Well, you know I love a good story, so I wanted to hear from some course creators who added a membership site to their business mix. I wanted to hear the good, the bad and the ugly, straight from their mouths, so I jumped on Facebook Live this week and interviewed three people who’ve added a membership site on the backend of their course as a way for their customers to continue working with them and to be able to receive the post-course support that is so important to their continued success.

You’re going to love hearing from these three rockstar entrepreneurs and believe me, they have the results to prove that memberships and courses go together like peanut butter and jelly.

So let me tell you a little bit about each of my guests. They’re in completely different industries but they all have one thing in common…they have successfully combined their courses with memberships.

Listen to your students when they tell you they want more of you...

Jamie Swanson is a busy mama of six who teaches other photographers how to work with entrepreneurs and influencers who need a steady stream of images to grow their personal brand. Her course teaches photographers how to pivot their business from whatever type of photography they’ve been doing before, maybe family portraits, weddings, etc.) to this new hot market for personal brand photography. After finishing Jamie’s course, her students were constantly asking how they could continue working with her. She knew a membership site would serve them best. Listen in as Jamie shares her biggest fears about opening up a membership site (hello, content treadmill!), how she’s embraced a simple model that her students love and her whopping conversion rate when she opened up her membership site to her existing students.  

Think your course is too niched for a membership site?

Think again! Jesse Mencia teaches hand-lettering to Spanish speaking women, as well as how they can turn their hobby of hand-lettering into a business by selling their beautiful products. Jesse started with a six-week course, but quickly saw the need for continued support after her students finished up her course. Once again, her students wanted more and they were willing to pay. Listen in as Jesse shares her inspiring story.    

From rock solid copywriting foundation to confident business building...

Belinda is a copywriter who teaches aspiring copywriters how to gain confidence in working with clients, hone their craft and build thriving copywriting businesses. Now, listen carefully because we’ve got a theme going on here...Belinda’s students, like both Jamie and Jesse, told her they wanted more from her. When they gained confidence in their copywriting from her course, the next right step was to learn how to build and scale their businesses, and that’s where her membership site came in. Listen in as Belinda shares how she runs her membership site and how she’s adding some new promotional strategies to the mix.

Each of these ladies has had great success and they all golden insights to share, such as…

• How to batch 10 weeks of content in one four hour block
• How to share your membership with your course students
• How a membership site helps your best students to get greater results

If you’re curious about how you can combine a membership with your course, you won’t want to miss this episode!

And if you want more of the secrets that have helped these ladies succeed, you’ll want to sign up for my dear friend Stu McLaren’s FREE workshop, Recurring Revolution.

Sign up here!