EP432: Sales With an Edge: How the Enneagram Scaled My Empire (and Can Save Yours)

You didn't start this business to be mediocre. You started it because you knew there was something bigger in you. Something sacred. Something that could change people's lives and your own. And for a while, it worked. It had momentum. You had some traction. You started making money, helping people and building a name. But somewhere along the way, it started getting harder. Not louder, not busier, just heavier. You keep showing up. You keep trying. And something feels off. You're working twice as hard and getting half the results. Your team isn't performing the way you hoped. Your audience isn't converting the way it used to. And deep down, you're wondering, what the hell am I missing? You've bought the programs. You've tweaked the offer, maybe even hired a guru or two. You've rewritten the damn sales page more times than you can count. And still, something feels stuck. Stuck. You've got the vision, the drive, the desire. But the people, the team you lead, the clients you want to serve, the audience you're trying to move, they're not landing where you need them to. And it's not because you're doing it wrong. It's because you're trying to lead and sell without seeing what's really happening underneath. You're watching behavior and guessing at what motivates them. You're strategizing around symptoms instead of getting to the root cause. You're trying to inspire. When what your people really need is to feel understood. I know this story because I've lived it. And before I was ever out as the Enneagram expert, I was the woman who built a multi eight figure sales organization. Not by creating a bunch of mini me's, but by helping every single person on my team and in my audience become more of themselves. I didn't tell them I was using the Enneagram. I just watched. I paid attention to what made them freeze, what made them fire up, and what made them feel like they mattered. I learned their patterns, their fears, their deepest drivers. And I led from there. That's what scaled. That's what created consistent, ethical, soul driven sales. That's what kept people around. That's what made it real. That's what builds a strong community. So if you're feeling stuck right now, not because you don't have a dream, but because it's not converting the way you know it should and the way it can impact, keep listening. Because this isn't about doing more. It's about understanding deeper. And the tool that changed my business, my leadership, my family, my legacy. It wasn't a funnel. It wasn't a formula. It wasn't a strategy. It was the Enneagram. So let's dive in and talk about it. Okay. This is where the episode will start. Hey. Hey.

And welcome to the Enneagram Edge. I'm your host, Tracy o'. Malley, Enneagram expert, leadership coach, recovering control freak, and your personal translator for the shit you keep repeating but don't totally understand yet. Now, if you're new here, buckle up. This is absolutely not another fluffy Enneagram podcast where we talk about how sweet it is to be an Enneagram, too, and bake cookies for your friends.

Friends? No, this is the real deal.

This show is about using the Enneagram as a tool for transformation. Not just information, and definitely not some party trick. Because knowing your type is cute, but embodying your highest expression, that is where your edge is. Every week, I'm bringing you the truth behind the types and the hype. How to stop self sabotaging, lead like a damn legend, and actually understand the people in your life without wanting to scream into a pillow. Or if you're an enneagram8 like me, not throat punch someone. We'll talk about leadership, relationships, business, healing, high performance, and why couples therapy isn't working. But fully understanding your Enneagram blueprint might just save your marriage. I'll drop solo episodes behind the curtain coaching, and the occasional rant when someone calls the Enneagram just a personality test. So if you're ready to stop playing small and start showing up with unshakeable clarity, confidence, and compassion for yourself and others, this is your space. You've got an edge. Now let's use it.

Before I ever called myself a coach, mentor, master, the Enneagram, I was someone just like you. Building something that mattered to me honestly, and something no one saw coming. Welcome back to the Enneagram Edge. We're going to dive into how the Enneagram can impact this soul desire that you have in your heart. One that you know makes an impact. One that creates legacy and builds a business or career that you feel authentic in. That feels not necessarily effortless because everything takes some effort, but one that feels like it's flowing right? So I'm going to take you back a little bit. About 13 years ago, I was leading a sales team that scaled to multi eight figures. And I wasn't just hitting numbers. Like, I was creating a ripple effect of confidence, ownership, legacy. And I was doing it in a way that was so different. And mind you, back 13 years ago, this was Kind of when social media was really coming into form. The years of social selling and affiliate marketing, this was before that. But I was part of an organization, you know, and nothing that I ever wanted to do. I was never gonna be this online person, like as an enneagram 8, like, not interested. But I had this strong desire in my heart to impact people. And I knew, you know, from the 40 plus years prior that I had leadership in me and that I could make an impact, but I didn't necessarily know how to do it in a way that felt meaningful. And, you know, this was at the beginning of my sobriety. I just turned 40. My kids were teenagers. As a single mom, like I said, I got sober and hit 40 and lost people very suddenly to cancer. And I was like, what does all this mean for me? And I think we're at a time right now in the world where 2025 is just mind, quite honestly, it's like, what is happening right now? And I felt like that back in my life, you know, back in 2012. And what does all this mean? And how can I do something that mattered? And on paper, quite honestly, I was least likely to be this online coach. And I also knew that there was something burning deep inside of me. And so I did what all of us can do is I was me. I was my most authentic self. And mind you, at 40 years old, I was figuring that out because I'd spent the 40 years prior masking it with coping mechanisms, with what I want, what I thought my family wanted, with what I thought would look like a good mother. You know, I've been an entrepreneur for 25 plus years. I had a three year corporate stint in there when I shut down one of my businesses after my divorce. And it was a beautiful moment in time where, you know, this is where the rubber meets the road. And I know many of you are probably in that. It's like, what do I really want to do with my life? What impact do I want to leave on this world if, you know, God forbid, my time is called tomorrow? And back 13 years ago, you know, I was armed with a product that I loved at the time, but not a network. I did not have a social network, quite honestly. Getting sober, I wiped out most of my social network. I had my kids and a few Facebook friends from back in the town I grew up in in Chicago, and I just started showing up online as me. No chatgpt at the time. Instagram was just kind of picking up. There was none of the shit and the tools that we have Today that I love and also are watering down who the you are. And, and people have been so burned over the last decade of inauthenticity of, you know, scarcity, sales tactics, manipulative marketing, that even in a world of these beautiful tools that can help streamline some things, people aren't buying it anymore. And what may have worked in your business, you know, two, five, 10, 13 years ago, isn't working anymore. And because people have gotten so disconnected from what is at the heart of matters, this is why things aren't converting. This is why you're feeling frustrated. This is why you may wake up on any given day and not know who the fuck you are. And I want to take you back, you know, 13 years ago, what I was doing at the time, what I'm doing now, and what has standed, stood the test of time through these last 13 years for me to still have a strong, strong, profitable, impactful, authentic business. To me, and here's the part that no one knew for years is I was using the Enneagram the entire time. I've been using it the last 13 years to hone not only my skills and my leadership skills, but really allowing me to get to the heart of matters when it comes to growth and sales and revenue and, you know, sales. I've always said I was never a good salesperson. And I was in the car industry, in the car sales industry, quite honestly, for the longest time. And I, I would always say, like, I'm not a salesperson and people would dispute this. And you know, I've had people examine what I do. They're like, you're masterful in sales. And I, and I, I still say this to this day, like, yes, I can convert into sales, but I'm a relationship builder. I am a people seer. I am a safe place for people that, where they, where they feel truly seen, heard, understood and valued for who they are. When people feel that they do convert. But this is about relationships that drive revenue and sales that make an impact, right? Like, I'm all about that. Like, I'm not here to just sell, to sell. Even if you're a product business, like, your product has to do something for somebody, right? It has to make them feel seen or seen, seen, heard, understood, valued for maybe the problem that you solve, right? But I was using the Enneagram the whole time, very quietly, subtly, intuitively, not to type people, not to box them in, but to really, really see them and to understand the real drivers behind resistance. Their ambition, their burnout, their problems, their Brilliance. I was never really trying to motivate people. I was trying to unleash them. Like I had unleashed myself. And that is like the gift that the Enneagram gave. Not just me, but the hundreds of thousands of peoples I've. People I've gone on to impact over the last 13 years. And here's what's cool. Fucking worked. Because I wasn't leading from like this personality thing, right? I was getting to the heart of matters. And I knew what people needed to feel capable. I knew what would shut them down. I knew how to speak to the version of them that they were becoming. And when you lead and see people like that, you don't just sell. And they don't just sell, they soar. I'm going to be real with you. And I hate when people say that because, like, I'm always real with you. But, like, this is kind of the hit you between the eyes thing that maybe you need to hear. If you're still relying on sales scripts, you're going to hit a wall. Now, don't get me wrong, like, scripts can be helpful, right? They can give you some bones, right? But it's not the full picture. And if you don't understand how the person in front of you online, in person, builds trust and how they protect themselves, what they avoid, what makes them say yes with their whole body, then your perfect pitch is going to fall flat. I remember back in the early days again, I was using the Enneagram for a full five years and nobody knew about it. And I don't say that to be sneaky or evasive. I was honing my craft. I was like, you know, I don't hitch my trailer to anything just because it works. Like, I have to full body, believe in something. And I'm also a manifesting generator. So it has to be a full yes for me to. And have passion behind it for me to do anything. But I'd always had this, this kind of gift. And you may have it too, and you may not. And I want you to know that you can hone this gift. You can learn this gift. And the tool of the Enneagram will help you accelerate this so much faster, especially if you're doing it in. In integrity and with beautiful intent. And if you're somebody that just wants this for yourself, please don't listen to me. I. And this is why I've resisted building my Enneagram foundations certification level one. Because, like, I have a hard time building, giving a tool to somebody that will use it with poor intent or out of integrity, because any tool used that way becomes a weapon and not this beautiful tool. So I'm just saying that please use this in integrity because the right tools in the right hands make magic. And I. I also know that's why this beautiful gift wasn't given to me in the timing that I would have preferred maybe 30, 40 years ago. However, I wasn't ready to use and operate in intent because I was operating from prot and fear and guardedness, right? But the minute that I, like, opened up my heart and said, like to the divine God, like, please use me for good, and please allow this not only to impact people, but my life moving forward and my legacy, like, let's. Let's honor the collective here. That's when this magic really happened. But I had team members that were, you know, maybe this is you, and this was me, too, because, again, I'm not a salesperson. I was terrified. I didn't want to sound pushy or manipulative. Maybe you are. You have team members who freeze in the face of objections. I personally love objections. That's my favorite part of relationship building and trust building. Maybe you have team members or you look confident but carry this crushing insecurity. That was my old patterning. It's like, let's flex. But inside I'm like, oh, my gosh. You know, it's more of this protective mechanism. Maybe you or your people have wild talent, but no consistency. I struggle with this one, too, from time to time. And instead of pushing them harder, I understood them deeper. Now, there are some of you that this will be frustrating for, because you're like, I just want to move fast, fast, fast, or you give up on people or yourself if it doesn't move fast enough, enough. And this is where the tool of the enneagram concrete create a deeper sense of curiosity and compassion, right? And it was in this time that I would kind of pull back and slow down with people, whether it was in the way that I communicated with them online or in person or on a zoom call, right? It's like, okay, let's pump the brakes a minute. Let's get to the root of things. And people feel this lack of care from people, especially in the online space and in this world of a trust recession. It's like, do you really give a fuck about me and the problems that I'm having, or are you just trying to sell me this magic thing that you are the guru of? And people are just so fucking tired of it. They are so tired of it. And the real. The the cream is rising to the top now because people are so tired of this watered down, I can solve your problem in 2.2 second kind of bullshit. And so when you get curious with them and you understand them deeper, this will allow them to trust you and, and buy whatever it is you're selling, right? I, I didn't go from this, how do I get them to sell and produce it. I knew that if I, I understood them deeper, the rest would kind of fall into place. And I see a lot of you, how do I get them to convert? How do I get them? How do I get this to sell instead? It's like how do I make the people that are taking their time listening to me, inquiring about me, trusting me, how do I make them feel safe, aligned and power powerful enough to lead themselves or to trust me enough to learn from me? And that's what gets people to buy, that's what makes your teams perform and that's what keeps, keeps clients coming back. Because sales is about this resonance, not repetition. I, you know, in the business that I built, the sales organization, I said from the beginning I am not a turn and burn kind of person. And even when I was in the car industry and I was, you know, running a full book of business, I said over and over and over again, if you want me to turn and burn, I am not going to be your girl. And especially in the times that we are living in today, this turn and burn, that more is better. I get like building a strong huge audience, numbers wise works. But conversion and trust, that trust conversion to me is way more important for sustainability, for retainability, right? So this turn and burn mentality isn't going to work, especially now. It didn't work 13 years ago, it absolutely won't work today more than ever. And back when I built that strong sales organization of over 100,000 people and multi 8 figures in revenue and sales, it was going deep, not wide. Because when people feel seen, they show up, they convert and they deliver. And the more that I got to know the people, this ripple effect happened, right? Because when you, when you have earned the trust of somebody and they convert into whatever it is that you sell the problem that you solve, they talk when people trust you, they talk about you. And this makes it a lot easier. You don't need as large of an audience, you don't need as big of a team. And I didn't like I had a very small in the grand scheme of things teen but it built so deep and it was rooted. I had people Asking me like it was an anomaly back then. And it still is. Because we look at the people online that appear to be selling at scale and they tell you all about their six figure months and blah, blah, blah, blah blah. And you don't always recognize the overhead that goes into having that. I have been a 1, 2, 3 person show for most of my business over the last 13 years and have built multiple seven figures along the way. Because I go deep, because I can do a lot more with a lot less. And that is what I want for you, because that is sustainable. That will allow you to not burn out as fast. That won't have you have as many moving parts to try to keep this engine going. Right. So how does the Enneagram help you do this? You know, the Enneagram isn't about labels, it's about leverage. And that is the whole key to sales conversion, revenue, building less overhead. Right? It gives you a lens into someone's internal operating system. Not just the team helping you create this, but the people that you are trying to help, the people you are selling to. When you understand the internal operating system, which ironically is the e in my EDGE formula and in my Enneagram Foundation Level 1 certification program, this is what we go into. This is the whole thing is understanding the internal operating system, not just of yourself, and how you show up as a business owner or as a leader for your teams and people that you are here to impact, but also to the people you're serving, you're selling to. When you understand the internal operating system about what they fear, what they crave, how they process pressure and information, and what makes them actually move, this is where the magic happens. It's not about the behaviors, it's about the motives underneath it. And when you understand what motivates somebody, they do feel seen, heard, understood and valued. It's why when I am standing in front of somebody that I just met, they're like, geez Louise. Like I feel like you have known me my whole life and I literally met you five minutes ago. And if you don't think that builds trust, you're freaking crazy. And that is the game changer. Because I've had clients who couldn't launch because they were addicted to the over prepping. I've had clients and people who undercharged because they feared as being seen too much or they they didn't feel worthy of that. I've had clients who ghosted their own businesses when things got hard. Not because they were lazy, but because they were trying to avoid failure or vulnerability. I'm talking to myself here before it even started. And when you can map their internal compass using the Enneagram, the fog lifts, the fear makes sense. And they don't judge the fear, and they don't criticize the fear, and they have compassion for the fear that's underneath that. And the next steps become clear, and they take it. And when you can do this for someone, whether it's a product or a service you sell or a teammate or a team leader or an employee that you're trying to help grow, this is where magic happens. And understanding the framework doesn't just help you make money honestly, it will do that. Trust, trust. It will help you do that. It helps you multiply it, and it helps you multiply it through other people, and it helps them do the same. And that is what leadership is. It, you know, the person at the top making the money or the guru that you admire or, you know, I get. It's so funny. Every single day, I have clients, former and present. I have people that trust me because I've built this trust. You know, I'm not everybody's favorite. Okay, I'm gonna. I'm gonna use an Amaya papaya Love island kind of thing. I'm not everybody's cup of tea. And maybe you shouldn't be drinking it. I'm going to disagree there, because I am not everybody's cup of tea. But you may want to see what it is that I'm drinking here, because this is really, really important. And if you don't like me, that's fine. But you can trust and respect me. And what I'm trying to tell you here, because this will be a game changer for you, is when you understand people's internal operating systems. And I'm here to tell you, there's really only nine. And actually, if you only understand the three within the centers of intelligence, you can multiply the money you make. You can multiply the impact you make. You can multiply what you do for other people and give them the gift of this. You have leadership, you have scalability, and you have legacy. So here's something you don't often hear in sales conversations. This work honestly is so spiritual and whatever that means to you, right? Because when you're leading people through transformation, whether that's through your coaching, your programs, your service, the business that you run, you're holding sacred ground. Because you're not just exchanging money, you guys, you're exchanging energy. Energy is everything. And if. If I just lost you right now, that's Fine. But you're going to keep trying to throw a bunch of shit up at the wall trying to make something stick. And you will burn out trust. You will burn out. You'll burn out your resources, you'll burn out your adrenals, you'll burn out your network, you'll build out your. You'll burn out your energy. Because when somebody says yes to whatever it is you're offering, they're not just saying yes to a solution. They're saying yes to a new identity. They're saying yes to a new possibility. They're saying yes to a version of themselves that maybe they've been afraid of, but they know is buried in there. And if you're not leading from this alignment and awareness of the people that you're speaking to that you're here to impact, and you're leading from this assumption, it's not going to land. And this is how good people end up using tactics and strategies that don't feel good. And that's how brilliant teams burn out, and that's how businesses stall when they should be soaring. Right. The Enneagram helps me bring the soul back into strategy and the strategy back into soul, because both are really, really important. You know, for those of you that are like, this isn't in alignment with me, but you have no strategy attached to it. And honestly, this is. I have been from one end of the pendulum to the other most of my life. I operated in strategy, and that was fear, protection. I needed certainty, significance, whatever, And I didn't necessarily honor the soul aspect of it. And I've gone to the other end sometimes where it's all soul, it's all soul. But then I'm not using the strategy that I'm brilliant with. Bringing the two together is everything, because when the two work together, you don't just grow, you rise. And my good friend Sam's like, I rise, you rise like, yes, this is. This is the goal, and this is how we make impact in the things that we sell. So understanding the internal operating system, obviously is really, really important. The D and the Edge formula is discerning and directing your energy. Right? So you need to know what to do with the soul and strategy. The G is grounding yourself and really remembering why the fuck we're here to do this, and really being in tune and kind of, again, discerning. Is this me in the flex of whatever your Enneagram type is motivated by, or is this really me grounding and knowing this is the calling on your life and then using the final E in the edge format formulas like expressing and enforcing and enlightening with these healthy strong in integrity boundaries and what your brilliance is here to do that is the edge formula and partnered up with the wisdom and the Enneagram foundations. This is where sales and revenue building grows. This is where your impact feels really really good. And I know there are so many of you with so much brilliance out there and the offers that you have to impact people are life changing. But if people don't feel that you're curious enough to care about them, that you're just slapping a chatgpt sales funnel on them or that you are using even unintentional manipulative marketing to try and get them to convert, none of this is going to matter. And the gifts that you are here to share with the world, the calling that's on your life, the legacy that you are not only here to build for you and your family, but help others do with your product, service your business, none of it fucking matters. And I have sat on the deathbed of too many people. People that were really great at what they did and their life cut short and so many of them wished they had done more of the soul and strategy together to make the impact. I know like we're here to have strong businesses. I know that you are here to do the thing right. I implore you, please, please take this into consideration when you are coming up with your marketing plan. And like, like even doing an episode on sales and marketing feels icky to me because it goes way deeper to this. This is about building relationship. This is about building trust and credibility in integrity with what it is you're doing. And that can only happen through curiosity and compassion and care for other people. And through the foundations of the enneagram the way that I teach it, it can help you do all those things. It can help you sell your product that makes a difference in this world and in your own legacy that you are building. So let's cut to it. You know, if you've ever been wondering why your sales feel harder than they should, if you're watching people spin, stall or silently walk away, if you're leading a team or business and you know your people could thrive if you just knew how to unlock them, this is, this is your moment. And this is why even though I've resisted to do resisted it, I've like. I'm like wrangling a bull sometimes. It's been a decade in the making to actually not just create this but to offer it. Because I want people to use this beautiful tool in integrity. I want them to use it for beautiful intent. To grow your business. Yes. And also to impact the the people that your business serves. Right. And so my level one Enneagram Foundations is here to teach you exactly what I use to scale not only my eight figure business and, and guide hundreds of thousands of humans into their power. Not through manipulation, not through mimicking me or building mini me's, but through mastery. First of themselves and then through every person they touch. And this is for coaches, entrepreneurs, creators, leaders, sales pros, visionaries with a calling or just a human like you, who wants to understand themselves and the people that they love and lead better. If you want to learn how to read people like a map and then lead them like you believe in who they are and who they are becoming and help them unlock them, join me in level one of the foundations, the Enneagram Edge foundation, where I teach you my entire Edge formula as well as the entire Enneagram foundation and navigation system. And you will learn the edge that not only built my empire, but has helped thousands of others build theirs. There's a reason why I am the sole strategist and the soul sniper. Because like, I have strategy that is so insane, so insane. And also there is nothing deeper than my soul and the way that I see other people's souls. So I would love, love, love, love for you to be in the first cohort that starts September 3rd. We go for four weeks, one three hour block every week. And each week we will go into more of the Enneagram foundation and the Edge formula so that you can understand this beautiful tool with precision. I want you to think of like a surgeon with a scalpel. Like the best surgeons use the the deepest and the best precision. And that's what I'm teaching in level one. It starts September 3rd. And we'll go September 3rd, September 10th, September 17th and the 24th. Four weeks, three hours each time you'll have my full curriculum of the way that I teach the Enneagram Edge. And it's. It's a very small cohort. You will get intimate time with me. It's live. It's not a plug and play kind of bullshit right now or anything like that. I want to be in the trench with you. And this can help you grow your sales. You don't ever have to use the Enneagram with another person in level one. This can be for you, so that you can be masterful in this for the way that you show up and also the way that you speak to, to Those you love, lead and are selling to. Because you don't need more strategy necessarily. You need more insight and sight and the kind that sees the soul and souls behind the sales that you are here to create. The fear behind the freeze, the brilliance behind the burnout. And when you learn how to lead from that place, there's no ceiling to your impact or your income. That is something my whole life, it's why I've been an entrepreneur for 25 years, is I never wanted anybody to have a cap on what I could do in this lifetime. Not in my bank account, not in the impact that I'm here to make. And that's what the Enneagram can do for you in the way that you sell, market, lead, love, all the things. So go to the Show Notes with to get involved in level one. I would be honored to guide you through this process. It's life changing. There's a reason why I am on retainer for many companies to offer this to their organizations. There are many reasons why I am partnered with a lot of the business coaches that many of you love and hire because I am this person behind the scenes helping them understand people at a soul level. And many of them now are taking my my certification because, you know, it's great that they have me and they want to be able to do this for themselves. So if you are somebody that is a lot of strategy in what you sell and what the services that you offer, this can up it a notch. Trust. Trust. So let's get to work. You guys go to the show notes, go to traceyomalley.com where Level 1 will start in a month. I would love for you to be part of it. I would love to be able to help you do this and accelerate the transformation and the calling and the revenue and the sales and the impact. All the things I'm excited to be here and guide you through the journey so that you can own and honor not just your edge, but those that you're here to love, lead and impact along the way. You can find me on Instagram at Tracyomalley. Go to traceyomalley.com leave a 5 star review if this beautiful Enneagram wisdom that I bring to you makes an impact that in what you do here in this life means the world to me. That you take your time, that you trust what I bring to the table and that it matters to you. I am not here to do fluffy. I am here to use everything that I've experienced along the way with the beautiful tool of the Enneagram to help you own and honor your edge. So let's do this and I will see you next time.

And that's a wrap on today's Dive into the Edge. If this episode hit you in the gut or lit a fire under your ass good, that means it's working. Here's the deal. Transformation is not a checkbox. It's a damn decision. And the Enneagram? It's your ultimate power tool when you actually know how to use it. If you loved today's episode, share it with somebody who's ready to stop playing small. Subscribe, leave a review, and if you're really feeling brave, share Shoot me a message and tell me what cracked open for you. Remember, your edge isn't something to be polished down. It's part of you that was always meant to lead. Until next time, stay sharp, stay true, and keep walking. Your edge.