#13: Sarah Bonneville, Multi-Passionate Entrepreneur & Launch Integration Expert

You know, the more you get into it, the more, you know, you start to realize, like, if something's making you burn out, even if you love it, that's not what your soul is calling you to do.

So glad to be back. I have lost count. I think this is like episode, episode 7, maybe, of the Aligned Coach series, interview series. I don't know. But either way, we have Sarah Bonneville. Bonneville in French.

Thank you.

Yes, I'm so glad to have you here, Sarah. And we're cracking up right now, but we just had this joke before we came on about the pronunciation of our last names. So, yes, Sarah, I'm super happy to have you here. We have been friends for probably like a year now. We've known each other.

Yeah.

So thank you. Thank you for coming on.

Thank you for having me. This is so much fun. I know.

Yay. Not yet. We haven't even got to the fun part yet.

Excellent.

Yes, it's coming. It's coming. Okay. So Sarah, I am so interested in this interview because you just like dabble in these things and you're so multifaceted and like, I'm so excited to just dive into your journey. And what it is that you do. So it was funny, I was actually like preparing for the interview and I was putting on our, like the label, like, you know, your title or whatever. I'm like, hmm, how do I put this? Sarah, the multi-passionate entrepreneur and expert in all things.

Yeah, literally.

Yeah. So tell us about you. Tell us what you do, like your journey. Like just give us the backstory on everything.

Okay, so yes, I've always really been multi-passionate about everything. I have 101 hobbies. I used to do everything at school. I like a whole lot of things. Actually, before I started my business, I worked one-on-one with kids with autism. Like, my degree is in psychology with a concentration in child development and disabilities, which, yeah, has nothing, absolutely nothing to do with my business.

Isn't it funny how that happens?

Yes, exactly.

College for X amount of years and then not do anything to do it.

I know, 5 years and here we are. But it's funny because sometimes I like to just drop out certain like development facts and people are like, what?

Yeah, that's what I paid for.

Yeah, exactly. Like, I don't even, I don't even know. Yeah, so I loved doing that. I was very good at that, but it became too much. It became something that I built like an unhealthy attachment to. So I'd always go overboard and I would take everything as my responsibility. It was like if I miss a day and those kids miss a session and they have a bad day, then it's my fault and my responsibility and their progress is my responsibility. And like the family's happiness is my responsibility. So I'd always go too far, work too much, and then burn out. Every single month I was burning out, and stress in me shows up really physically. So I would get strep throat every month, even if none of my kids had it or anybody around me had it. And I discovered later that my stress turns up in ulcers. So it appears as strep throat. So finally I was like, I cannot continue to do this. I make $1,000 a month and I'm burning out every month. It just doesn't work.

You're making yourself sick. Like, not just literally, you were physically—

you had physically sick. Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly. That's stress. Um, so at that time I had already kind of started like a, a blog or like a resource, which I still have. We all start, we all start as bloggers. Yep. Which is funny because I just recently started another blog. Like, it's kind of like it came full circle. But yeah, so I started like this blog, this resource thing. And so that's how I found online. And then randomly a Facebook ad, because, you know, thank you Facebook ads for being very targeted, showed me this membership site where you could learn all these different skills. And I was like, oh, that'll be really helpful for my blog. Because I wanted to be a paid blogger. Right. Right, yeah. Because I just, that's how I communicate is through writing. So I joined this membership site and that's when I found, heard this term virtual assistant and I was like, that sounds like me because I'm shy, I'm introverted, I don't like being on the front end. I love being on the back end where nobody can see me, where I'm like just doing my thing, you know? So I started an Instagram page thinking that all my clients would flock to me like most of us do. And after like a couple of months, I was like, I don't understand why I don't have any clients.

I don't understand.

Except, so I actually did have, I was writing, I was ghostwriting a weekly blog for a real estate company in Queens, New York, which A, I don't know anything about real estate. B, I'm Canadian and I live on the opposite side of the country as New York. Um, so side note, right? Yeah, side note, um, I had to do a lot of research. It's like, I don't even know what Queens looks like. Um, wow.

But you found a client though. I mean, that's huge. Yeah.

Yeah. So I mean, that was the one thing. I actually found her in a Facebook group. Um, so that was like the one thing that came from social media. Um, but then I— it was March of 2018. And I had, um, I had sort of stumbled along, like found these Facebook groups, you know, for businesses. Um, and I was random, like I got random people, um, like Facebook friending me and sending me messages. And most of the time I ignored them, except randomly this one woman messaged me and I was like I'm going to answer her. I just had this feeling. It turned out to be the coach that we shared.

So cool.

Yeah, it was because I was like, no, I'm not adding people on Facebook I don't know. Like, what is this? Now I have people add me all the time and I'm like, sure, why not? But yeah, so her and I chatted. It was long before she was doing webinars and challenges and all that. We got on a one-on-one call and she just spoke so elegantly. How do you say that word? Elegantly? Yeah, something like that. Elegantly. And it was like suddenly— Doing my best here. Words and stuff. She's a much better speaker than I am, but she just got me to a point where I was like, I can so do this. I could be successful. And I ended up buying her program, which is the scariest thing that I've ever done, which is funny because it's like the lowest. I mean, that was back. I'm like, I like to call myself her OG client because it was like one of the first ones. Heck yeah. And so it was much less than it is now. And it's like much less than I've paid for courses following up. But still, that one was the scariest one because it was the first one. The first.

And it was like, oh my gosh, this is real. Yeah.

It's like, now I have to do this. It's like, and I've always been like, if I'm going to spend money, which I was never great at spending money, then it needs to be worth it. I have to make it worth it. It doesn't matter if I'm paying $12 or I'm paying $3,000, it's going to be worth it.

Yeah.

Um, so I went all out in that course. Um, funnily enough, I started, like I said, shy, introverted, really like, I don't want to be seen. And I won the confidence challenge that she hosted in it, which is kind of funny because that was not ever something that I like said about myself. Mm-hmm. Directly after the program, she hired me, so she was technically my first virtual assisting client. Wow. From there, it just, it was almost like you had to get that first one, and then it was like They all just came flooding in. Um, and so, but now, yeah, my business has changed so much since that. I don't even recognize it from when I did Path to Freedom.

So that was like, okay, let me make sure, 2 years ago in 2000, probably over 2 years ago.

Yeah, it was spring 2018. Okay, April.

Yep, 2 and a half years ago you had this like side gig of like ghostwriting And if anyone doesn't know what that is, that's basically where you just write for someone else's blog and you don't get any credit for it, but you're getting paid for it, right? They pay you to do it. Okay. So you come into this program, you're like, all right, I'm going to do this thing. And at this point— and I remember, didn't that program start as like a, just like start your own online business? It wasn't necessarily coaching, right?

Yeah, exactly. So when I joined it, it was start your soul-aligned business. And so that's all it was. We had tons of different people there. There were coaches in it, there were copywriters, I was a virtual assistant, there was a fashion designer. There was tons of people. Now it's very centered on coaches.

Right. Because she niched down, right?

Niche down. That's what you do as you grow and you scale, you niche down.

Love it.

Okay.

So that's where you started. And then like you said, it was like from there the doors just opened. So, and like, I like the way you said that because it's not just like, oh, the door's open, the clients come to you, but it's like the gates to your confidence open to like your, your potential. You're like, oh, I can do this. Oh, okay. Just from that one client that you get. Yeah. It's like that, that first client makes all the difference. It's like it's a whole new ball game with that one.

Yeah. At that point it's like proof of the product, right? So before that you're just like testing the waters. Like, I don't know if this is working or not. And then you get a client, you're like, Okay, that is what's working. It also helped that I— she gave me a referral. She was consistently launching, so she was pulling in lots of clients, which then I networked with. So I've actually worked with quite a few of her ex-clients or alumni. And then, yeah, I mean, I've been very lucky. I have gotten a lot of referrals I don't, um, have to like market a ton. Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly.

That's awesome. And I love that. And there's nothing wrong with that, Sarah. Like, I work with people that I was once in the same coaching program with, right? And it's like, it's all a part of what do you bring out in each other, right? Like, what do you have? And there are people that like I want to work with that they— we started at the same time, you know. And it's like, what do you bring out of them that, that they want? You know, what do you have that they want? What do they have that you want? How can you leverage your skills? How can you leverage like whatever it is that you're naturally, um, that you're naturally good at, or what, what skills just come natural to you, right?

Exactly. And I mean, I love— I actually love having a referral-based business and, you know, networking in this way because I primarily work with coaches, so I also am, you know, I have my, like, what do they say, your feet in the, I can't remember the phrase, but I'm in, like, you know, I know a lot of different people and I like that aspect better because you go through know, like, and trust faster, right? Like they always say, first they have to know you, then they have to like you, then they trust you, and that's when they buy. And so if somebody is giving you a referral and they already trust that person that's giving them the referral, You bypass the first 2 stages and you're already in. Absolutely. I get on a discovery call now for my virtual assistant business, because I'm sure later we'll talk about the million and one things I'm doing. It's coming. For, well, and specifically my launch stuff now. I'm not doing regular month-to-month stuff anymore, but for the launch stuff, it's like I get on a discovery call and they've already made up their mind. Um, which makes it really easy because then they're like, well, what do you do? And it's like, well, here's what I do, this is how it helps, this is the package. And they're like, great, I just wanted to meet you face to face. Um, and so I think it's a, it's a really powerful thing and we shouldn't like discredit, um, you know, actual connection and networking. Um, I mean, I'm a huge fan of automation, but I'm also a huge fan of genuine connections. Yeah.

Have you found that it's like easy to overcomplicate it? Because I mean, like making connections is really so simple. It's like at the essence of it, you just show up and you have conversations and you are yourself. But I think that a lot of us like to overcomplicate it. We want to do all the fancy stuff and do the funnels and do all this and be all in like the shiny object syndrome. So did you feel that whenever you were starting out?

Oh, 100%. And it's funny because now, like, my job is to get all the fancy stuff. For people. And so I think there's definitely a time and place for it. But when you're first starting out, I don't— No worries. I don't ever suggest the first time you launch your program, I don't really suggest doing a fancy challenge or having the most complicated system, right? Because then you end up like you said, overthinking it. You spend more time setting things up.

Yep.

And then suddenly you're at the end of your launch. You're like, I don't understand why I didn't sell anything. It's because you didn't sell.

Yeah.

Right. And like when you're just starting out, you know, I love the idea of building genuine connections and selling to a human, like human to human instead of through an automation, because then you're building those sales skills. So when finally you're ready to be like, okay, I'm going to do a challenge, I'm going to do a webinar. And then you get at the end of your webinar, you don't freak out when it's time to do your sales pitch because you're already so used to talking to people in this way.

Yep. You're 100% right. I remember whenever I was relationship coaching and I was, I ran ads and I ran, you know, and I built sales pages and all of those things are fine. And I'm actually going to start implementing those things back back into my business coaching now. But the reason why, like looking back now, the reason why they were unsuccessful wasn't because the system doesn't work. I mean, it works. Obviously people are making millions off of it, billions even, but it didn't work because I did not build up that organic. I didn't have enough of those conversations. I didn't know how to write about what I did in those funnels and in the challenges. Because I hadn't had enough of the real deal conversations about it, right? Like, and a lot of it was based in fear. You know, I was afraid to put myself out there. I was afraid of rejection. You know, I wanted to over— I felt like if I could check the boxes and if I could follow the strategy, then that would, that would get me there. But it was— I missed the most crucial piece, you know, which was the genuine and the connection and the just, hey, like, I think I can help you. Like, let's talk about it, you know? That was a huge game changer. So I like that you said that, that those things have a time and a place, but it's like the most crucial piece is just like put yourself out there and get those skills and just say like, hey, this is what I do. This is how we can help each other. And your message will change too. So you mentioned that you don't do monthly stuff anymore, right? That like you've changed, you evolved. So how has it evolved for you?

Um, okay, so I want to preface this with, um, my Human Design. Um, hopefully like your people know what Human Design is, and if not, I highly suggest looking up. My Human Design is a manifesting generator, which is not at all a surprise. Um, yes, and so you probably totally understand this. I actually, um, like secretly always thought that I was ADHD. Um, I'm very impulsive, I'm very Like I'll set a to-do list and not do any of them because I'll do 101 other things that are not on my to-do list. I change my mind like I change my socks. Like it's, and like I love all the things. And when you start an online business, there's a lot of messaging around pick one thing, which I think is like not bad advice. Especially when you're starting out. But what I found is it put me in a shame-based place. And Lindsay, I know you've read a lot of, uh, Brené Brown. Brené Brown is like one of my favorites of all time.

Yeah, thank you.

Yes, love her. I highly recommend her. But it put me in a shame-based place because what she says is like the difference between shame and guilt is shame is I am versus guilt is I did. So I am a bad person versus I did a bad thing, right? And so for me, every time somebody was like, pick one thing, then I was like, there must be something wrong with me because I can't pick one thing. I like lots of things and I want to do lots of things. Like, I mean, for being almost 30 years old, I have more hobbies than most teenagers do. Like, it's ridiculous. And like, I paid money to do a lot of hobbies.

Yeah.

Um, and so like, it always put— it was like— and then it was like putting me in a box, which as a manifesting generator, that is like not the way that you thrive, right? That's how you stifle yourself, and that's how you become like— is unpassionate a word? Non-passionate?

Like, like if you're not connected to it, you— it's like resistance.

Exactly. Hardcore resistance. And that's what I was finding is I actually started resenting my VA stuff because I was just doing— and it's weird because as a VA, I do a whole bunch of things with a whole bunch of different clients, but it was still too narrow focused. And I wasn't really— I wasn't allowing myself to think that it was okay to want to do a lot of things or know a lot of things.

Um, and you were inside of this box that said Sarah is only a virtual assistant.

Yeah.

And this is all that she can do.

Yeah, exactly. And so then when I started being unhappy with that, then, you know, more shame came on to me. And it's like, what's wrong with me? I have everything that I wanted. This is exactly what I asked for. But it actually wasn't, um, is I wanted freedom and I wanted a slower life, but I found that I was really stuck. And like, I wasn't able to take time off because everybody needed me for these daily tasks. And, you know, it wasn't slow, it was like hustle, hustle, hustle. Um, and I don't at all like that mentality. And so when I finally started to realize like I like more things, or, you know, I like different things, that's when launching came up. And I was like, I'm really good at this. And somebody that was also connected to the business coach that we shared. She was a launch strategist and she worked with, like, you know, she was pretty big in the industry and she was like, nobody's doing this. Everybody's doing launch strategy. Nobody's doing launch integration, like in the role that you are. There's lots of virtual assistants who help their clients through launches, but nobody is like specifically doing launch integration. And I was like, that's, that's it. I'm going into that. So I went into that.

So what does that mean? Can you just specify the difference for us?

Yeah. So a launch strategist is somebody who helps you, you know, you talk about, um, like your messaging, the way that you do things, the, uh, like things you can put in place, like what's your Instagram strategy, um, conversion, recommendations for, I think you should do Facebook ads, you know, that kind of stuff. Whereas launch integration really is like the tech in the backend systems. So that's like putting together the funnels and the automations and making sure that your sales page, when it has that form, well, your form then connects to a list, which, you know, gives a tag, which is then connected to, you know, everything behind. And, you know, it's really like Yeah. That backend technical task management kind of stuff.

It's almost like, it's like if the launch strategist was like the high level of it and then like when you get lower and like you zoom in, the integrator is like the little moving parts, you know, and you're going in and fixing them.

Yeah, exactly. So yeah, I really, I set up all the systems. Okay. So a launch strategy, I could not tell you like, You know, if you use this headline, you're going to, your conversion rate's going to go up 5%. Like, no, I can't tell you those things. But can I look at the backend of your funnel and be like, I can see why your clients aren't getting the tag when they fill out the form.

Okay. That's my— Yeah. Okay. Okay.

Cool.

So you made that shift. You're like, all right, this feels good to me. This is what I want to do. I'm really good at this. It's fun. It's challenging too.

Yeah, but what I was finding— yeah, so I love that. I love talking about launches. Um, systems just like really excite me, which is funny because most people like look at systems and they're like, uh, boring. Um, but not me. But what I was finding is like where I was, the messaging that I was using, and really the people that aligned with me, uh, were not necessarily the kind of people who were willing to pay somebody $2,500 for 6 weeks to do one launch, which is totally fine. So that's when I switched a little bit. I mean, I am finding like, you know, those next level people, but honestly, I'm not really trying that hard because what I'm focusing on is what I realized is like, maybe that's just too much for somebody. That's just not where these people are at in their journey. So then I started making a course, um, and that course, the waitlist launched. It closed on the 30th of November. I'm like, when, what date is it? Um, and the waitlist is going to be able to buy it as of this weekend because I finally finished the sales page. P.S., that takes forever. Yep, that, that was a task. I usually do like the back end of it. I don't do the design of it. Wow. That was spectacular. Yeah. They're mine.

I duplicate. I literally, they all kind of have the same flow because I just duplicate it and change it.

Yeah. That's going to be what I do moving forward. This was my first ever sales page that I, because usually I'll make them for clients, sure. But they'll have the copy. So I just copy and paste it and add some pictures and we're good to go. Right. But wow. Yeah, it took a long time. That's like my side note there. Um, so, so then that course is launching. Um, and honestly, like, I prefer— not prefer, but I like working with people who know those skills, respect what I do, because when you know those skills, you know how long they take and how like vital they can be depending on what your goals are. And then they decide that they want to hire out because that's not what they want to focus their time on. So I'm really excited for that course that is coming to completion soon. Um, so that was how I was able to allow myself to have that passion and make it what I wanted. Um, and of course I have once again changed my mind about what I want to do. That course is like— I mean, I'm still going to have that course. It's, um, something that I've literally taken a full year on, as Lindsay knows. I think we started talking about this course last year.

But it's okay though. It's like just a beautiful unfolding process. And you didn't just wake up the day that you're like, all right, I'm going to start my online business and I'm going to be a launch integrator and I'm going to build out this course. None of it comes overnight. Nothing comes overnight and it's always a process. It's like I'm always tweaking stuff. I was literally changing out a sales page today. I don't want it to go to the waitlist. I want it to go straight to the checkout. And like, you know, was— I'm just like always changing stuff because you grow, you evolve, what you want grows. And also what you said about you had this business and yeah, you were working from home, but you felt like you were back on the hustle. Like that's another thing that happens whenever you start these online businesses. Like you can find yourself like burning out even though you love what you do and you love your clients and it's your thing. But it's like if you're just creating another job for yourself, then that's not what you set out for. You ultimately set out for that freedom. Yeah.

And I think that's where the difference lies between doing something that you're good at, that you're passionate about, and something that is soul aligned. Because I've always liked what I've done. I mean, even when I was working with the kids with autism, I loved doing that. I was good at doing that. Was it what I should be doing for the rest of my life? No, I figured that out. Um, do I miss it? Absolutely. Do I love virtual assisting and doing those tasks? Absolutely. Do I love launches? Absolutely. But, you know, the more you get into it, the more, you know, you start to realize, like, if something's making you burn out, even if you love it, that's not what your soul is calling you to do.

So it can change.

Yes. And it should change. I mean, can you imagine being the exact same person for your entire life? Like when you're 60 years old and you look back at your 20-year-old self, do you really want to be the same person?

No, I do not.

No, it's natural. So it's funny that people, like, people get so stuck on this is my business, this is my niche. Like, I have— it has to be perfect because this is my niche. And it's like, do you think that if you change as a person, your business is not going to change too?

Yeah, that's right.

It does change, and it should change.

That's— I made the comparison a few weeks ago. I was like, y'all, do you remember why Blockbuster went out of business? Because it did not change. Like, hello, Netflix streaming, and like, you know, That thing was coming into the world then and Blockbutter— Blockbutter— Blockbuster was like, nope, we're not going to do that. And that's eventually why they filed bankruptcy. So yeah. So tell us now, you are also a connoisseur of the healthy and the well lifestyle and you— yeah, tell us about that journey and how that all plays together.

So it's funny because again, we talk about this full circle kind of thing. I also have a background in physical literacy, so I was actually an adapted physical literacy specialist. So physical literacy is like the building blocks of movement, right? So we think about ABCs to words to sentences. It's the same thing with physical, right? We have the fundamental movement skills, then we have sport-specific skills, then we have active for life, right? Like they kind of all build up. Like you have to learn to walk before you can learn to run. And before you can learn to, you know, run on a field and kick a ball. Um, and so like that has always been a passion of mine. I've always been really active. I ran my first, um, I don't know if you have something similar or if you call it this, but my first 10K, so 10-kilometer race, when I was 9 years old with my dad. Um, and always played sports. It was always like a passion of mine. And then I absolutely loved doing physical literacy, so I did a lot of what we call adapted programs, inclusive programs. So for programs for kids with disabilities, for programs in Canada, we have a lot of Indigenous population, so we would go on to the reservations and provide physical literacy programs so that they would have access to sports. Oh, wow. And all these, what we call inclusive programming. But I didn't really pursue it because originally when I was going to university, I was going to go to law school. That lasted about 2 months into university before I was like, yeah, I'm not going to be a lawyer. And I told my mom, I was like, okay, I'm not going to law school anymore. She's like, excuse me? And I was like, I'm going to become a personal trainer instead. And she was not thrilled. She's like, that's, that's not like a good— no. Um, so I tabled that even though I have, um, like courses in, um, you know, fitness and personal training, see, all the things. Um, but I like kept stifling aside because I remember those words, like, that's not a viable thing. Like, no, you can't go and like, like you can't make a living teaching people fitness and health. And because I was like, launch integration is so different. It was like not something that I let in until probably this summer or maybe even earlier. I think it was the beginning of the summer. And I watched the show Down to Earth on Netflix. Um, 10 out of 10 recommend that show. It's so good. I don't know if you've seen it.

Yes, I have. Thanks to your recommendations.

Yes, yes, I talked a lot about it. Uh, loved that show.

Um, and Zac Efron, like, let's be honest.

Exactly. Although it's funny because like when I saw the show, like, yeah, I was excited for Zac Efron, but I was really excited for Darren O'Lean. Which is so funny. That's the other co-host, the lesser-known co-host. So I, um, I do Beachbody, and Darren Olien is actually the creator of Shakeology. Um, he is like the superfoods expert of the world. Like, he's fantastic. He's so knowledgeable. Um, I like pour myself over his book. Like, the pages are ripped and written on. It's Ridiculous. Um, huge fan of his. I do like Zac Efron too though, but I watched that show and like everything that I had been thinking suddenly was validated. Like about a year and a month ago now, um, I went plant-based and I got so much flack for that. Oh my goodness, people are aggressive. Like you get enough protein, like You might be iron deficient. Like, give it a break. And so that show, it validated everything that I was thinking, all the sustainability stuff, the health and wellness stuff. And that's when I was like, you know what? I just need to be honest with myself and be real with myself and be like, I can make a living doing health and wellness. Like, like, screw those limiting beliefs from before. I love my mom, but in all fairness, I didn't present it well. I'm not going to law school because I'm going to be a personal trainer in a gym. I can see where my mistake was on that. But yeah, so I really, classic me, I dove headfirst in everything. I bought all the books. I was researching all the topics. I watched all the documentaries and I took notes. I was like that weirdo. I took 3 days to watch the documentary Kiss the Ground because I was like taking notes and, you know, it was crazy. And finally, so I have a mentor that I work with once a week, um, and she was like, you know, randomly we'd talk about something that I learned. And one day, it was like probably a month after I had started talking about it, and she's like, I just want to like stop us from this business talk And she's like, when we talk about the launch integration stuff, you're excited. When you talk about sustainability and wellness, you were like next level, like Energizer Bunny kind of excited. She's like, can we stop pretending that this isn't actually what you want to do? And so what a moment of truth. Yeah. And I think I needed somebody else to call me on it, to be like, you know, you need to stop kidding yourself. Like, just because you have this business, you work with clients, it doesn't mean you're not allowed to change your mind. And I think I felt so much pressure because when I started a business, um, every time I seem to make a decision, I get a lot of flack from people that I know. Like, I was quitting being employed so I could be self-employed. And people were like, well, if you're not happy, why don't you go work for the public school system as an educational assistant, or, you know, anything in the public school system? Or why don't you go work for the government? That's a big thing. I live in a, like, a government town, so everybody my age works for the government. Do that, you'll make more money. It's like, if I wanted to work for the public school system, I would have done that.

Like, didn't you think I thought about that? But exactly, like, that was not on the list.

Yeah, exactly. Like, I've worked with kids forever, that thought never crossed my mind. Um, and so it was almost like I had to work so much harder to prove to everybody that I wasn't just like blowing my money and making a mistake. Everyone's like, well, it's hard to start a business. Like, so?

And yeah, yeah, exactly.

I, like, I never said it was going to be easy.

I think anything that you're trying to do and you want to do it well is going to be hard to an extent.

Exactly. Like, just because, you know, I love it and I find it fun and it gives me joy, it doesn't mean it's not hard. Yep. Like, I mean, trying to sell to people, like, especially this year during a pandemic, like, you know, all of my clients made like double the amount of money, but so many people going in, like, as soon as we hit a pandemic, everybody was like 'Oh, I can't sell anything because that's just not fair.' And it's like, well, it's— what's not fair is you taking the choice away from people. If you choose not to sell, you take away somebody's choice to buy. Oh, that is good, girl. I know, right?

Say it again, say it again.

If you choose not to sell, you take away somebody's choice to buy.

Boom! That was That was so good. Like, that was so good.

I'm gonna like quote that somewhere.

Yeah, you need to quote that for sure. I'm gonna reference it.

I don't know where I picked that up. I must have read it somewhere, heard somebody say it, but it like, it really opened things up to me. And it's like, people are allowed to say no. Like, if it doesn't align with them, if it doesn't work for them, if they're not interested in the price, they're allowed to say no. But if you choose not to sell, then you'll get no 100% of the time because you don't give somebody the option to say yes.

Girl, before we came onto this podcast— or this podcast, it will be a podcast soon— before we came onto this, I literally just posted about, um, when was the last time that you actually asked someone for a sale? Like, when was the last time that you actually talked about what it was that you did? You know, like, we get so caught up in being afraid of being salesy, or, um, you know, we're caught up in our own shit, you know, excuse my language, that we're caught up in our head. And I get it, like, I get— I go there sometimes too. But you can't be mad at your coach, you can't be mad at the industry, you can't be mad at the economy for you not making the money that you want if you're not putting in the effort, you know?

Exactly. Yeah. And I, like, I, I laugh so hard when people are— like, a lot of people are really aggressive about this where they're like They're getting mad at, you know, people who are making so much money in COVID when they're not. And it's like, I mean, people have to buy in order for people to make money. Yep. So like, we can't get mad. I mean, there's, you know, we can argue about Amazon all we want, but realistically, in order for that guy to become like a quadruple trillionaire or whatever he is, people had to buy his stuff.

And he had to have done his job very well for people to keep buying his stuff.

Exactly. And so like, if you like— I mean, sure, there's lots of people who lost their job during COVID and they are welcome to say, no, I'm sorry, I can't right now because I lost my job. That's totally their call. But what if somebody is like, I really want to start a business, I don't know how to do it, I lost my job, but I'm willing to invest so that I can start a business? And you find that gem and they say yes. Yep, absolutely.

And it all takes— it all stems from like, you have to put in the effort, you have to put yourself out there, and you have to start somewhere, you know. And just know that like, really in the end, nobody cares about it as much as you do, right? So like, we overanalyze ourselves, we overanalyze what does our content say and when are we posting and all that stuff. Like, really nobody gives a crap except for us. You know, so, okay, so Sarah, I want to circle back to the health and wellness thing. So I know that you have this course on launching and it's coming up. So did you integrate the two businesses or are they like just two separate things? You've got a program for health and wellness. Like, I'm just curious because for other— I'm a manifesting generator as well. And let me tell you, like, it's why I have— I'm so proud of myself, honestly. I've transitioned into business coaching. June, I think, in like May or June. So it's been, you know, close to 6 months now. However, and I'm very proud of myself for like sticking with that one title, but I cannot tell you how many times within that time span that I've been like, okay, well now I'm a sales coach and now I'm a leadership coach and now I teach soul and trap, you know, and it's like all these different words that always come to me, but like I have to just because of the how I operate. I'm like, okay, if I can just stick with this thing for like a year, and then I can teach these other core skills within that. Like, that's why I really focus on sales. That's why I'm really focused on like heart-centered sales and, and like how to have those conversations and stuff. But it's like, it's still within business coaching. So, so I'm so proud of myself for like staying in that same umbrella, even if I change up the way that I coach it. And, and like, I'm not really changing my niche, but like, it's like changing the, the flow of it, I guess. Or I don't even know, I don't know how to explain that. But yes, so tell us how you have integrated the two, what that looks like for you. And yeah, and, and if somebody wanted to, to work with you in health and fitness, like, what do you have, what do you have to offer?

Yeah, okay, so, um, I wouldn't I wouldn't say that I've necessarily integrated them yet. Okay.

Okay.

Actually, it's funny, funnily enough, the like ideal client is pretty much the same. It's just the service that's going to be different. Granted, I've had my virtual assistant business, like I said, since, you know, the start of 2018. So I've put my time in. But really, I've sort of brought about the— and actually, it's like I call myself a sustainability and wellness coach because I wanted those two to be integrated and be really important. I didn't want to be like health and fitness.

Yeah.

Yeah. You know, like the health coaches that post their workouts online.

Yeah.

Power to them. I don't ever want to post my workouts online.

Right.

Right. So yeah, the focus, um, is a little different while the ideal client is the same. So I've started it a little bit slow. Um, I started a blog. Um, my coach has convinced me that I'm going to be, um, creating an ebook. Um, and my coaching services will be launching in January, starting with one-on-one. Yeah. Um, I would like to create, you know, a course or a group coaching program in the future. Um, but for me, I've always wanted to, like, I love learning and I think that's really an important part of me is I'm very studious. Um, so I've spent a lot of time, uh, and especially with sustainability, that's a big word. So I didn't want to just like rush into sustainability coaching. Yeah, without having, you know, lots of facts and without, um, confident in what I have to offer. Um, so that's why, and you know, as an introvert, I actually prefer one-on-one to group. I find I get a little lost in groups, and as a coach, you really shouldn't get lost in your own group. Um, so yeah, that is how we're getting into it. And something that I really stressed about for a long time is I was like, it's got to be all or none. And that's always been my thing. It's like, you know, I have to go all in or I can't do it. And actually a different mentor of mine, or, you know, the mentor that we both had, he reminded me, she's like, you already have a successful business. So You don't need to stop what you're doing to start your coaching business. She's like, you have guaranteed monthly income in an online space. She's like, it's easy to do both at the same time. I mean, people, you know, start their business while they're doing their 9 to 5. So this has got to be easier. She's like, there's no stress to like, you have to immediately stop all your VA stuff to do your coaching stuff. And I thought that was really great advice because I was like, you're right. Like my VA business, my launch stuff, like it's successful. So I'm going to continue to do that while I grow the coaching business and then eventually turn my company into an agency so that I'm not giving up my virtual assistant clients or my launch clients. Um, but I'm bringing other virtual assistants on. And almost like passing them out.

Yep. I had another P word for that, but I'm not going to say it.

You had a what?

Another P word for what you'd be doing with your virtual assistant. You know what I was going to say?

I don't think so.

I'll hold it in.

Uh-oh. You'll have to tell me later.

You're going to be like pimping them out.

Oh, right. Yeah, pretty much actually. That's very good. That sounds so inappropriate. Uh, but it's true. I mean, that's, that's pretty much what it is.

Like, what type of virtual assistant you want?

Exactly. I got a whole list depending on your needs.

Open up your coat pocket. What you want? I got it.

Here's all their pictures.

Yes. Oh, that's so good.

Anything goes, right? Exactly.

So that is so cool, Sarah. I love that you're just like, this is what I want to do, this is it. You know, you don't have to start from the bottom, you don't have to start from scratch. Like, and you get to make the rules. They're like—

exactly.

Sometimes we get caught up in the rules, like, am I allowed to do this? Am I allowed to do that? And it's like, well, does it make you happy? Does it bring in revenue?

You know, it's like we live in this world where Like, everyone's like, you're happy at your job, you like your job, you're not complaining at your job, you must be doing something wrong.

Yeah.

And then we fall into this pattern where it's like, this is just how society is. I'm following all the rules of being an adult. I have to complain about all the things. Like, that's just part of being an adult. And it's like, that's not why you start a business.

Yeah.

If you started a business that you could follow all the rules and be like a slave to other people, then I mean, not that I would never say somebody is doing it wrong, but that just wouldn't work for me. That's not at all why I started my business. But it's so easy to fall into, well, I found as a virtual assistant, it was so easy to fall into that employee mindset that even like I'm taking the next 2 weeks off, for Christmas break, and when I told my clients about it, I got nervous and I asked them, and then I was like, don't ask them. Yeah, because like, it doesn't— like, if they say no, then it's like, too bad, I'm the CEO.

Yeah, I respect that.

They're, you know, I would respect them and, you know. Yeah, but It's— you make the rules.

Yeah, like you don't have to ask anyone and say, hey, can I have this time off? Like, you have to make the arrangements, you know, but it's not you like putting in the permission slip to say, hey, is this okay?

Yeah, exactly.

Um, okay, well, we could talk all day. This has been— so I do have the— like, this will be repurposed for the podcast that's coming up in January, and I would love to have you back on because I just know that like in 6 months from now your journey is going to look different and I would love to explore that then. So yeah, we're definitely going to have to have you back on.

Yeah, sounds great. I mean, that's my thing is like, yeah, I don't know. It seems like every, every time I talk to somebody, I'm doing something different.

You keep them excited. You keep them on the edge of their seat.

Exactly. It's like, what's Sarah doing today? Yeah.

What is Sarah up to now? Yeah. Okay. So Sarah, if someone wanted to contact you, um, about your sustainability coaching or about the launch integration service or course, how could they contact you? What's the best way to do that?

I am most active on Instagram and on Instagram I'm currently talking about both. So my content is both focused on launch integration, businesses, systems, and sustainability and wellness. So that's where you can get the best of both worlds. And that handle is SK kecreative media. But you can also find information. I can actually give you the URL for— I'm going to open the waitlist back up to people in your community so they can, uh, just for a couple of days, because this weekend is when the waitlist gets to purchase. So for the next couple of days, I'll open the waitlist back up to your people. So they can get the $200 discount on the course. I'll have to get you that actual URL.

I'm not sure that you can see it on the website. So much. So if you're watching and or listening, listen to the replay and you want to jump on the waitlist to save the $200 off how to integrate all of the backend stuff of your launch, this is definitely the thing to do. That is so cool. Thank you so much for that. So today is Wednesday, so we'll say until Friday at midnight.

Yep, Friday at midnight. Cool.

Yay, awesome. Okay, so thank you so much for jumping on, Sarah, for joining us today. We'll put that URL in the comments. And yeah, y'all talk to Sarah if you want to integrate and if you want to step into the sustainable lifestyle. And yep, we'll see you all next time.

Thank you, Sarah. Bye. Bye.