Freedom! It is one of the primary reasons that many people go into business for themselves, yet some never achieve their goals. WendyY Bailey and I discussed what having a guilt-free, freedom-based business means.
Media Type: Facebook Group Chat
The Conversation
Wendyy Bailey Welcome to Beyond Limits Live Biz Chat! Since this is our inaugural edition of the chat, let me go through a few instructions. We'll be chatting with our guest right here in the comments below this thread. Try to keep your comments, questions, etc. right here so our guest and everyone else in the group can follow the questions, comments and responses. Thanks in advance for playing! Our guest for our chat is Stephanie L H Calahan. Please introduce yourself and tell us a little more about our topic.
Stephanie L H Calahan Thank you so much for asking! I work with service-based entrepreneurs to help them boldly build a profitable, resentment-free, life-loving business of service and meaning. We actively work together to increase reach, build profitable programs, leverage their business to get every ounce of good out of it, and get paid for their brilliance … all with power, ease, confidence, joy and guilt-free freedom; so that they can be un-apologetically who they are, make a powerfully positive difference in the world and LOVE the life they live.
Wendyy Bailey I love that, Stephanie!
Stephanie L H Calahan Thank you. 🙂
Wendyy Bailey How do you define a freedom-based business, Stephanie L H Calahan?
Stephanie L H Calahan Freedom-based businesses are businesses that are not filled with “shoulds,” but rather aligned to who you are. They are structured in a way that allows you to live by your values. So many people start a business at that actually turns into a JOB. A freedom-based business takes it the whole you into consideration.
Wendyy Bailey I almost jumped out of my seat when I read your response, Stephanie!
Stephanie L H Calahan Woohoo! In a good way I hope. ツ
Wendyy Bailey It's because for the past 4 years or so, I've been moving in that direction.
Stephanie L H Calahan Woohoo! Good deal.
Wendyy Bailey What do you believe keeps people from having a freedom-based business?
Stephanie L H Calahan Many people don't have a freedom based business because they're not brave enough initially to claim what they really want in life. They've spent many years with other people telling them what they should want or what they deserve. They are “shoulding” all over themselves.
Wendyy Bailey What does “shoulding” look like? Would you share a few examples?
Stephanie L H Calahan Sure! Anytime that you say “I should do X” and the item that you are assigning to yourself does not feel right. For example, I used to be a corporate consultant. I used to work at about 80 to 90 hours a week. When I first started my business, just about any instance I was awake, I would tell myself I should be doing something to grow my business. That's not freedom! That is guilt driven. Guilt is powerful, but rarely productive
Wendyy Bailey That's a tweet, “Guilt is powerful, but rarely productive.” #lovethat
How were you able to make the shift?
Stephanie L H Calahan My shift happened gradually. I realized some of the things of freedom when I first started my business. However it took a kick in the pants by a medical professional telling me in 2009 that I would not see 2010 for me to really see what I had created. So I got serious. I got really clear on what it was that I wanted out of life AND I got really clear on how I wanted to serve the world. Once I had that clarity, I was able to create a strategy & business model to have both.
Raphael Love When restructuring to have a freedom based business, what are the keys being able to scale?
Stephanie L H Calahan Great question! There are two primary keys to being able to scale. Number one: clarity. Extreme clarity on what you want and the direction you're trying to go. Number two: leverage! Business systems, either automated or not are critical.
Raphael Love On the point of clarity what is your opinion with regard to having a coach or mentor or guide to help clarify the steps necessary for installing successful business systems?
Stephanie L H Calahan I'm a big believer in working with coaches, consultants and mentors that really understand you, the challenges you're facing the and those that can help you work in a way that works best for you. I've been hiring people to help me with my business since I started in 2002.
Stephanie L H Calahan With all of the gurus, experts and “successful” people out there telling us what we “need” to do, it's hard to not get stuck in that trap.
Raphael Love This is one of the points that I wind up addressing quite often with clients. Especially when I spent thousands of dollars with the gurus that have taught them multiple multilayer very complex strategies but never actually gave them the keys for a successful foundation or infrastructure to make those strategies work. I find myself often having conversations with individuals that believe that they're in position to grow or even scale when they don't have simple baseline infrastructure in place to even be able to serve the customers that they do have.
Stephanie L H Calahan I've seen the same thing. Frequently that occurs when people are paying for group programs rather than to have someone that's working with them directly on their business and their challenges.
Wendyy Bailey How did you go about gaining clarity for the shift to a freedom-based business?
Stephanie L H Calahan I started with journaling. I asked myself the question what do I REALLY want? At first I had a hard time answering my own questions! Who was I to say that I wanted to take multiple weeks off a year? Who was I to say that I wanted a flexible schedule? Who was I to say that I wanted to be able to work from anywhere in the world? Who was I to want my cake and eat it too and saying that I wanted my son to have the benefit of a stay-at-home mom and yet I still had a business? I had to get over myself! Then I could get real.
Wendyy Bailey To Raphael's point, when did you know it was the right time to engage support from a coach?
Stephanie L H Calahan Immediately! I hired a coach within the first month of my business. I knew what I knew, but I also knew there were a lot of things I didn't know. I've worked with a variety of different types of business advisers. Typical ones like lawyers and accountants… Then specialty ones like strategic financial management and PR. Just to name a small few. I also got involved in organizations like the National Association of Women Business Owners. Connecting with brilliant, successful businesswoman and asking them lots of questions early on. I also got involved with a local Christian business owners group to help me stay grounded in my values as I built.
Wendyy Bailey Stephanie, that's what I call “consistent action.” It helps to know there are others experiencing the same thing that you are as your making the shift to a “freedom” mindset.
Stephanie L H Calahan Absolutely. When I redesigned my business, I was working with a health coach. He was fantastic and helping me see what I really wanted versus the addiction I had to “shoulding” myself. So ask yourself the question, “What resentment do I currently have in my business?” That's a great place to start looking at opportunities to build in freedom.
Wendyy Bailey Why resentment?
Stephanie L H Calahan Resentment is a fabulous indicator that something is out of alignment. I use and teach the resentment test all the time. It's great for just about anything from business model, marketing strategies, to pricing! For example: If you feel resentment about going to a networking meeting, why go? Will you be your best if you do?
Wendyy Bailey Where are the other areas to focus on as you move toward having a freedom-based business?
Stephanie L H Calahan Identify where you need support. For example: I'm good at math and I can do my own accounting and book keeping, but I found myself procrastinating and generally finding ways to avoid doing that important work. Avoiding it was not the right choice! Yet it was a really good sign of resentment. So, I hired a colleague and her company to do all of my bookkeeping. Freedom!
Wendyy Bailey Sounds like clarity is the key, Stephanie? What are the additional areas other than clarity and support?
Stephanie L H Calahan Action: Take action putting new things in place. Communication: Let impacted people know that you are shifting how you do things. Clarity tip: The real trick here is to define freedom in your own way. Not in the way that someone else defines it. For example, a lot of people will talk about freedom based lifestyle and show pictures of sailboats and oceans. I get motion sick. That sounds like torture to me.?
Kristen Beireis LOL! Those pictures annoy me. That's definitely not my definition of freedom, but other people sure like to make me think it “should” be. So glad I let go of that years ago I get motion sick too!!
Wendyy Bailey Freedom is different for everyone.
Stephanie L H Calahan Absolutely!!
Wendyy Bailey Do you think there's a formula for having a freedom-based business? You've shared great strategies.
Stephanie L H Calahan Clarity + Strategic Action + Systems to Support Success = Freedom
A number of people that I work with don't allow themselves freedom. It's a mindset trap. Tackle that first! Then, get great systems in place that support your definition of freedom.
Wendyy Bailey Define strategic action.
Stephanie L H Calahan Not all action is good. Busy does not equal productive. Strategic action means that you have a very specific goal that you're heading towards and you are taking calculated steps to get you to that goal.
Wendyy Bailey We're almost out of time, Stephanie! Is there a final thought you'd love to share that will help everyone absorb this topic?
Stephanie L H Calahan Own what you REALLY want out of your life and your business. YOU are worth it. If a former workaholic, perfectionist like me can have profitable joy daily, so can you.
Wendyy Bailey Please share a link to a free gift you have for everyone.
Stephanie L H Calahan Thank you for asking. It starts by being clear on who you choose to BE every day. This guide was originally created for my private clients, but is now available to you as well. https://www.StephanieCalahan.com/be The guide is filled with mindset shifts that you can make today to allow your tomorrow to be even better.
Wendyy Bailey My kind of gift!! THANKS so much for sharing your knowledge, wisdom and expertise with our community. Take care!!
Stephanie L H Calahan Thank you! Have a great day.
Wendyy Bailey #endofchat Thanks for playing, Everyone!
My Interviewer:
Affectionately called “WendyY” by her coaching clients, business coaching colleagues, and coaching friends, she has built a profitable brand, serving coaching, speaking, and training professionals. She is a fierce and dynamic mentor coach as well as an engaging sales speaker for small businesses, having coached high potential business owners into bigger, better, and bolder bottom lines for almost fourteen years. She is the Chief Visionary of the Beyond Limits Live Movement
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Until we talk again,
Live Fully — Love Openly — Laugh Often — Leverage Your Brilliance — Connect Authentically — Get Your Message Out — Serve with Impact — Prosper Everyday
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