THE moment I have been working toward for the last 18 months is now just a few weeks away.
This site will not look as it does today.
The Financial Intimacy Academy, which I made mention of in February, will make its debut – although the format is slightly different than what I previously described.
Followed soon by a refreshed Master the Language of Love and Money; my digital group coaching program for couples who sometimes feel awkward talking about money and/or find managing + merging their finances hard.
It’s about to be “yaaaay” time, and I can hardly contain my glee. To say I am delighted beyond measure is an under statement.
But…
I am not just writing to brag about having a hot new website (wait until you see it!). Or, to announce a members-only training library for people who want more financial clarity, intimacy, confidence, and control. Or, to give you the heads-up about a reformatted training course that features eleven elite experts in the fields of psychology, therapy, coaching, communication, law, accounting, wealth management and organization – each sharing knowledge, insight, and tools on how to manage this whole love + money thing.
These are all wonderful achievements of which I am quite proud. They represent tangible results of an 18-month re-engineering and re-branding exercise. They are examples of subtle shifts in my inner-game. And, they are also by-products of a journey that didn’t have a pretty start.
What started it all
Like many journeys that encompass more than one breakthrough and more than a few emotional highs and lows, this one began with a cry. Yup, one of those, “God, where are you and why is this so damn hard” kind. You know you know what I’m talking about, don’t you?
That’s why I am writing…
I want to spend a few minutes talking about an extremely valuable lesson I learned from a moment of despair. And if you read on perhaps there’s a takeaway for you to put in your back pocket and apply to any area of your personal, professional or financial life.
I had invested a lot of time, money, and energy into a project that was well-received but was a total financial flop. Sort of like a movie that is critically acclaimed, but does poorly at the box office.
Good, positive feedback is great. But it’s somewhat mute if it doesn’t convert into a medium that helps you pay some bills or (gasp!) meet a financial goal or two.
Don’t get wrong; it’s not like this was the first time I created something where the end-result didn’t meet or exceed my expectations. But there was something about this “failure” that knocked the wind out of me; it chipped away at my confidence, zapped my enthusiasm, and had me questioning the value of what I offer (which, by the way, is a good question when explored in a healthy, non, self-defeating manner).
Mis-identifying the problem
I was fed up with not achieving my definition of success; something had to change.
And because my immediate priority was to regroup financially, I thought I had a sales and marketing problem.
So, I got to work correcting that problem.
More clients=more sales=more money. Makes sense, right? Problem solved, right?
In February 2012, I started working with business activator, branding strategist and leadership coach, Stephanie Pollock. In May 2012, while still working with Stephanie, I participated in Marie Forleo’s RHH-BSchool, a six week online business program. A few months later (and still working with Stephanie), I did a laser session with marketing coach, Payson Cooper.
2012 was definitely a year of investing in me and my business. And me being me, I was a diligent and fully engaged student. 🙂 Always doing my homework – even if I turned it in late.
I went to each person ready to learn all I could; ready to have my cup of knowledge, tools, and to-dos filled to the brim.
I was seeking answers. And I wanted what I saw them and others experiencing: more life-style freedom that comes from having a business that creates more leverage in the form of time and money.
I wouldn’t be where I am today were it not for what I learned (and applied) from working first with Stephanie, Marie, and Payson, followed by more training from Tara Gentile and Jullien Gordon.
But I also wouldn’t be where I am today if I didn’t finally “get” that the problem I set out to solve initially was the wrong problem!
I didn’t know it back in February 2012, but I was suffering from a common mistake: problem-solving the wrong problem.
That means I was investing time, energy and resources developing the wrong solution and not fixing what really needed fixing.
This happens often (and unsuspectingly) when you’re head down, nose to the ground, doing the work!
Whereas I began my journey believing I had a sales + marketing problem, turns out I had a business model problem.
Thankfully, I was smart enough to get help…and to listen to them!
Next week, I’ll share what & how “team Jacquette” helped me to see what I couldn’t see at first.
But in the meantime, here’s both a takeaway and a multi-part question for you: There’s a difference between doing the work and doing the “right” work.
As you problem-solve your various challenges, are you sure you’ve identified the correct problem and are you doing the right work to solve it? And how do you know?
Leave a comment to share!
p.s. stay tuned for the next installment in this series; I’ll share how “team Jacquette” helped me to play an even bigger game (inside + out).
photo credit: Google images
