3 (Personal) Takeaways From My Week At Russell’s Inner Circle

Last week I spent the week in Boise. I was there for both work and the spring Inner Circle meetings. I pay $25,000 a year to be a part of this Inner Circle, so it’s something I take really seriously.

It’s taken me until today to even have a minute to write down my thoughts about last week, and some of my key takeaways.

First off, the last two weeks of life have been difficult.

There are emotions sitting right under the surface and when someone gets even remotely close to them, I turn into a mushy ball of tears. These emotions have to do with stress and pressure, with my family relationships and kids, with my own image insecurities, and also just because I feel things really really deeply…in both good and bad ways.

I’m ashamed of this. And it’s so dumb, because it’s one of the greatest gifts God has ever given me.

The ability to feel the atmosphere, to feel the spirit in the room, and to have true empathy for people. In fact, I would say my business success is largely tied to this ability to feel someone else’s experience. To be able to get in their head and in their shoes and be able to draw a path out of whatever financial or life restrictions they’re in.

But it’s still a giant liability, because I’m also at risk for absorbing things I shouldn’t.

Expectations I shouldn’t.

Silent pressures I shouldn’t.

These things are never spoken, but I feel them and adapt. And adaptation isn’t always good.

So this is my unapologetic f*ck you to the voice that says I should hide and feel ashamed of my feelings.

I think this was my biggest personal takeaway from the Inner Circle.

When I got up to give my presentation, I didn’t have much to say. In fact, I stressed about it for days.

Why didn’t I have anything to say? Because we all know that’s ridiculous. I have a million things to say, always.

For whatever reason, my voice wasn’t willing to speak all the feelings.

So I gave a general update of how my business was doing, my numbers, etc. I downplayed it of course. I didn’t talk about the insane amount of success I’m having with my students and clients, my near perfect refund and customer support score, the percentage of people who work with me and actually transform their whole entire life and business, the amount of content I’ve produced, the ROI success rate of my latest course Proposal Secrets, the amazing bond I have with my team, the close rate and success of my mastermind, not any of it.

I’m so afraid to shine. I’m afraid of the people who will see it and say, “Who the hell does she think she is?”

The truth is if they say that, I won’t have a good answer for them.

I don’t know who the hell I am.

I don’t think I deserve any of this.

• I expect that someone with this kind of success should certainly be thinner, be a better mother, and be a better wife.
• I expect that someone with this kind of success shouldn’t have the kind of anxiety I have.
• I expect that someone with this kind of success shouldn’t be hiding a pretty dirty and dark secret that follows me around like a silent ghost.
• I expect that someone with this kind of success shouldn’t cry so damn much.

It’s funny – I can’t think about my business becoming a $10-20 million dollar empire because I can’t see how someone as unput together as me could ever be taken seriously enough to have that kind of influence.

Even though I know I have the brain, the character, and the work ethic to put many fortune 500 CEO’s to flipping SHAME.

Sometimes I feel so much pressure to stay a “shiny” object so I stay relevant. It’s so f*cking exhausting I can’t even tell you. In a world full of ADD social media and content vomit, I tire of having to morph myself or my message into a container that will keep peoples’ attention. I want to say, “If you’re bored of me, so be it.”

But I also know that if I don’t stand up and figure out how to use my voice – people won’t get the benefit of what I’m here on Earth to do. It’s my job to stay relevant while staying me. And Lord have mercy, that’s hard to do sometimes.

I can’t just use the excuse “Oh well” because I have a moral obligation to make sure my avatar finds me and follows me, and not someone else. That’s how much I believe I can help in a way that’s permanent and transformational.

Takeaway #1 – Stop Apologizing.

The second thing that hit me square between the eyes is…the path is math.

So basically the EXACT opposite of the first emotional takeaway. Ladyboss got up and presented and this was their big give. The path is math. If you need to scale, it’s just math. If you put $1.00 into your business and $1.02 comes out, if you know your numbers, you can make millions. It’s just MATH.

We get so emotional about math. We think “Oh well I can’t scale unless $1.00 becomes $10.00.” Why? Because some asshat guru made it seem like that’s the only way to do it. Tell me if I’m wrong…can you make a million dollars if $1.00 becomes $1.02?

Yes.
Know your numbers. It’s not sexy to set up Quickbooks or a bookkeeper or P&L statements, but it’s NECESSARY.

I came home for IC and asked for my numbers on my latest webinar campaign.

• 32% opt-in rate on the registration page.
• 50% show up rate on the watch page.
• 5.4% buy rate off the webinar (almost 100% of people take the 9-pay $249 pay plan)
• We’re spending around $700 a day and our average sales per day are between 3-4.

So we’re spending $700 and returning $750-$1000 with an additional expected revenue of $750-$1000 per month for the next 8 months.

As scary as it sounds to spend more than $700 a day, the path is just math.

That return means I should be scaling, right now – without stopping to worry if I’m good enough to compete with bigger names who have better branding and images and professionalism.

Takeaway #2 – The Path is Math.

Lastly, publishing. You know, just when I think I’m doing awesome at it, I realize – I’m hiding. Which sounds ridiculous to write out loud because anyone who watches me would say, “You’re everywhere!” But I’ve procrastinated on a podcast because….I’m hiding.

I’ve procrastinated on writing a book because…I’m hiding.

I’ve done sparingly few Facebook lives on my public pages because…I’m hiding.

And I need to stop.

It’s the thing I tell my freelancers and agencies to do all the time when they complain they have no clients. STOP HIDING! SHOW UP!

I can use all the excuses in the world as to why I’m hiding (too busy with my paid groups, my family, my business, my work with Clickfunnels), and it’s all true…but I also know…I’m hiding.

In an attempt to unhide, I’m going to carve out time to write more, and yes…I will be starting a podcast.

Stephen Larsen and others gave some incredible value regarding their publishing platforms and results, so it was the kick in the ass I needed.

Takeaway #3 – Publish More.

I hope some of this has been helpful for you! Now, here’s where I need your help.

What kind of podcast (from me) would you look forward to?

• Emotional health in business.
• Life & business mixer (some strategy, some psychology).
• Marketing in the raw.
• Sales & Marketing tips.

Something else I haven’t thought of….

Just comment below and let me know.

xx Julie