Denise Duffield-Thomas's Blog, page 15

Honoring the lifecycle of your business

EPISODE 150
Honoring the lifecycle of your business
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☀️ It's always sunny in Lucky B land! ☀️

I used to have a saying in my business, especially about my brand and photos, that it's always sunny summertime in my world. 

I love bright, breezy colors and the chill and ease feeling of summer, so I want my brand to embody that.

But for a long time, I tried to live that energy too, of always being in summer - constantly growing, blooming, and being active.

And it got exhausting.

I've realized that there needs to be times of rest and regrowth in the lifecycle of life and my business. 

My business can look and feel vibrant and sunny, even if I'm personally in an autumn or winter season. 

A period of shedding, releasing, or hibernation can be valuable to refresh your business and your own energy and well-being. 

It has taken me (and my Ruler energy) some time to accept that I need some periods of downtime where I'm not always in growth mode. I really need this to imagine and create what's next.

So today, we're talking about the lifecycle of your business and honoring where you are and what you need.

In this week's episode, you'll learn: 

How to identify the stage of business you're in
Why the seasons of your life and business may differ
The common money blocks at different stages of your business lifecycle
How to overcome the fear of moving to a new level or season
How to surround yourself with the right people to help you up level 

And much MORE.

When I imagine the future of my business and want to do everything, a helpful affirmation for me has been, "There's time." 

There's time. You have time. 

Billionaire Martha Stewart started her first business at 50 years old. 

Whatever season you're in, we have time.

Hit reply or message me @denisedt and let me know where you're at right now and how things are going with money and your mindset.

xx Denise

Millionaire Mindset Lesson #3 - Know Thyself and Prosper

Hi gorgeous, I'm Denise Duffield-Thomas, money mindset mentor, author and founder of The Money Bootcamp.

Today I’m sharing one of my key Chillpreneur Millionaire mindset lessons.

Becoming a millionaire doesn’t really make you special or clever, but the truth is that my biggest secret for becoming one is focusing on some very specific mindset upgrades.

So here’s one lesson to think about…
Know Thyself And Prosper

People are always surprised when I tell them I’m an introvert. They say:

“But you film so many videos!”
“But you’re so bubbly and confident!”
“But you have a big business!”

Yes, but I make those videos alone in my home.

No human interaction needed.

Yes, I can be bubbly on stage, because I’ve learned how to protect my energy between speaking gigs (and take days to recover from them.)

Yes, I have a big business, because it’s set up to enhance my strengths.

I’ve outsourced and delegated my weaknesses and embraced the Chillpreneur philosophy of “there are easier ways to make money.”

The internet is a perfect business vehicle for introverts.

You can run a global business without having to interact directly with other people.

In fact, you can work in your pajamas every day if you want to (and I do, a lot).

But this chapter isn’t about being an introvert (that’s a whole other book).

It’s about uncovering your unique superpowers and using them to create your ideal life and business.

That’s the third mindset lesson to master. There is a path of least resistance for you, and your job is to find it.

When people ask me what the secret to my success is, the answer is simple: Know thyself.

Know what makes you tick.
Know exactly how you sabotage yourself.
Know your path of least resistance.
Know what’s fun and easy for you.
Know your warning signs of burnout.

The Chillpreneur way is to know yourself so profoundly that work doesn’t feel like work; it feels like a natural extension of your personal preferences.

The Chillpreneur way is to find the logical path (for you) and reduce any unnecessary friction in your life and business. That doesn’t mean it’s smooth sailing every minute of the day.

I still get scared to go out of my comfort zone, but I’m mindful of doing things that work with my personality and not against it.

In their book, The Astonishing Power of Emotions: Let Your Feelings Be Your Guide, Esther and Jerry Hicks expand this into an upstream/downstream analogy.

“...feel for a moment the sensation of relief that you would experience if you had been paddling against the current in an upstream direction and then suddenly just stopped paddling, in an attitude of giving in to the stream and letting it just turn you and take you downstream.”

Going with the flow doesn’t mean you’ll never work.

I work a lot, and when I’m not working, I’m often thinking about my work.

But it doesn’t feel stressful to me (most of the time). Occasionally, I get out of balance, but it doesn’t take long to switch directions, make some tweaks and float downstream again.

The first step is to know who you are.

The second step is to accept it lovingly, knowing that your personality is perfect for you and your business.

We’re all different for a reason.

Thank God there are people who have figured out how bridges hold up and planes fly because that isn’t my bag.

For me, the internet works by “magic.”

But the world would be a little boring if it was full of only engineers. It needs creative people, too.

It needs dreamers and organizers and listeners and artists and visionaries of all types.

There’s a spot in the world that’s exactly your size and shape, so there’s no point wishing you were different.

The idea behind personal development isn’t to change everything about yourself, it’s about polishing your true, inherent beauty. Self-acceptance is way more profitable than self-help.

Knowing more about your real personality—mainly how it expresses around money and business—will help you:

Make or save more money naturally, without feeling like you have to work harder than necessary or sell out.

Feel like you’re “enough” and won’t have to prove yourself continuously.

Attract clients who naturally want what you’re giving.

You’ll stop twisting yourself into knots trying to please everyone, which is a sure recipe for failure and dissatisfaction.

Experience less friction in your life and business.

You’ll feel like you’re in the flow and won’t have to “force” yourself to do anything.

Trust your own decisions and not follow the herd or be tempted to try the latest marketing fad.

You’re enough. Exactly as you are.

I honestly spend zero time these days working on my weaknesses.

It’s so much easier to maximize my strengths and not try to change my fundamental personality.

That’s way too hard and a waste of energy.

I know this goes against the grain of personal development, but I see too many entrepreneurs wasting time on overcoming their weaknesses for marginal returns.

They do this by taking course after course or pursuing yet another certification (procrasti-learning!)

You’re way better off outsourcing, delegating, or eliminating the impact of weaknesses altogether than you are changing your behavior (pursue the path of least resistance, remember?)

Yes, you can adapt, but you really can’t escape your natural personality type. Chill out and accept it.

That doesn’t mean you can’t change habits or beliefs.

That’s something entirely different.

I’ve been able to change my mindset to be more optimistic and positive, but I always fall back into certain personality traits, and that’s been true no matter which job or industry I’ve tried.

This theme will come up again and again.

I’m going to encourage you to find the business model that feels easy to you, the clients that are the most pleasurable to deal with, and the marketing techniques that feel the most natural, regardless of what other people are doing.

That’s the Chillpreneur way.

It’s not about being lazy, it’s just going with the flow for maximum results.

And guess what? You might resist it because it feels too easy or obvious.

Or because your business guru told you it had to be a certain way.

But their way might not be the best for you—and you need to do some self-exploration to figure out what works better for yourself.

The path to Chillpreneurship begins by giving yourself permission to be exactly the way you are.

Knowing yourself is an ongoing process, and you’ll start to see nuances when you apply your self-knowledge to your business.

It doesn’t mean you have to start your business again from scratch or throw the baby out with the bathwater.

I just keep carving and carving away to create even more pleasure and less friction in my business. Sometimes the tweaks are incredibly subtle, but they can make a world of difference.

You could use new-found self-awareness to make micro-shifts in your business, for example, in the types of clients you work with, the products and services you offer, the branding you use, the team you hire, and the processes you run your whole business around.

Tweaks could make all the difference.

What Feels Good?

A really simple question to ask yourself is “What feels good?”

“What kind of clients do I enjoy working with most?”
“What work feels best to me?”
“What did I like about my last project?”

When things feel bad, you have to learn from it too. For example, as a favor to a friend, I gave a keynote at her conference, an entirely different audience than usual and not even close to my target market.

Although the speech went well and was well-received, I came off-stage feeling horrible and used up. As if I had pimped myself out for someone else’s gratification. I vowed never to do it again because it felt yucky.

Each time something feels good or bad, you can adjust your business in big and small ways.

You can re-evaluate your target audience (and change up your marketing accordingly).

You can put boundaries in place (for example, I now have a speaking request form that spells out the type of audience I’m right for), or you can eliminate product or service offerings. You have permission to make things easier or more pleasurable for yourself!

There are loads of tips and resources on how to know yourself better and prosper in my book Chillpreneur.

Pick up a copy today in all of the usual places or at denisedt.com/books

It’s your time! You’re ready for the next step!

View the previous lesson

What does freedom mean to you?

EPISODE 149
What does freedom mean to you?
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Hey there, 

Freedom is my number one value and the absolute best thing I’ve bought with my money. 

But freedom often means different things to different people. It can be so overused in the online marketing industry that it loses meaning or is misunderstood.

So today we're talking balancing life and business and what freedom means to you.

For me, freedom is being able to do what I want, when I want to do it. I hate being told what to do and hate feeling obligated to do things. 

What does freedom mean for you? Where are you at on a scale of 1-10 on how much freedom you have in your life? Hit reply or message me and let me know. 

Then listen to this new episode of the Chill and Prosper podcast for more on:

The difference between freedom and financial freedom
How I define freedom and the areas I prioritise to feel most free
How boundaries and support create more freedom and ease
How your business model and products can massively impact your freedom

And much MORE. 

A good way to get clearer on what freedom means, is to first ask where do you currently not feel free? Where do you have resentment or lack boundaries? 

What comes up when you imagine more freedom, ease and joy? 

Creating more freedom is a constant mindset challenge, so take some time to work out what you want to focus on. It doesn't need to be forever, or set in concrete - start with how can you feel more free this week, month or year? 

xx Denise

How we plan in my business and what my role is

When you start a business or are looking at earning more money in your business a lot of advice out there is to create a really clear comprehensive business plan.

Well, over the last decade in my business and revenue topping $30m, I’ve never had a business plan. 

The planning I do is really simple. I look at planning for my business very differently. 

Every quarter my Marketing Manager and I meet with a business coach and we plan our year by breaking the business down  into daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly tasks.

We’re preparing for another planning meeting in a few weeks so here’s a look at how we plan our business priorities: 

Daily Tasks

In the business, we share something on social media every single day without fail. 

It might be an inspirational post, it might be a question, it might be a quote, it might be a new resource, or a fun lifestyle picture. As part of our business, we show up every single day. 

Now, here's where the distinction lies. I'm not doing that every single day. I batch those things, so the business is consistent. An old business coach and mentor Hiro Boga, taught me that my business and myself are separate because I used to see them as one and thought that I was my business. So even though my business needs consistency, it’s ok if I’m less consistent. 

Then I plan my business activities around my personal and family commitments. There's no typical day or week for me, but this gives you an idea of a “standard” week:

Mondays: I usually catch up on errands. I go to a movie with a friend or go to the chiropractor.

Tuesdays and Wednesdays: I have ballet class and often get my hair blow dried, so I tend to do my video content on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. This is also when I can batch podcast and social media content for the quarter if I need to. It doesn’t happen every week.

Thursday: I like to go to see a movie or catch up with a friend for lunch. I’ve also been adding in more self-care, like IR saunas or massages. 

Friday: I might have a call for Money Bootcamp or I catch up on writing or batching social media content.

It is important for me to have personal tasks separate from business tasks to ensure that I am looking after myself and having the space to create content which is my role in the company.

Weekly Tasks

Each week we send a newsletter including a piece of content. It could be a blog post, a longer form article or extract from one of my books. We also publish and promote a new podcast episode each week. 

That's every single week, without fail, and again, it gets batched. I'm not doing all of the things for it. For example, with the podcast, I show up and batch 10-15 episodes in the recording studio, then my team makes sure that it is put together and goes out on email and shared.

Monthly Tasks

Every month, Mark and I look at what we are marketing in the month ahead. We might have something we are promoting or have a free opt-in that is adding value. 

At the end of every month, we have a mini promo inviting people to come and join Money Bootcamp because that's when the monthly live calls are. 

A few times a year we promote an affiliate partnership and theme our monthly content on a specific topic, such as launches or PR, to warm up our audience to engage with the partner content we’re promoting. 

Sometimes we promote one of my books because we know that when people read my book, they are more likely to come and join Bootcamp. Or it might be sharing a freebie, such as a training video, workshop or PDF, which gives great content and help while reminding people what I have to offer and how I can help them.

Quarterly Tasks

Then, once a quarter, or 2-3 times per year, we run one of our own larger launches or sales events. 

This might be for Money Bootcamp, our Sacred Money Archetypes® business course or a package offer of my best courses. Depending my book schedule, we might have a new book to launch or an event or speaking appearance to promote. 

Finally, we’re running evergreen automated processes that are selling all the time like ads and email sequences, but we don’t have to focus on them because they are already set up.

We keep the business plan simple and continually examine what we can eliminate, automate, delegate, and outsource.

Eliminate: We're always eliminating by looking at what we and our team are doing in the business and assessing what they don’t need to be doing right now. For us, whenever we're tempted to add new things or complicate anything with more events or more retreats, we hold close to our boundaries and say no because we do not have the bandwidth for it.

Automate: The next thing we look at is tasks we can automate. We try to make as many repetitive tasks as possible run on automatic. A great example of this is online calendar scheduling. I see so many people, still doing this manually. It's such a pain for me because being in a different time zones can be tricky and my brain finds it difficult to work out the time difference. Things like that can just free up so much time in your business.

Delegate: Then I look at what I can delegate to someone on the team or what can I outsource to a contractor. Especially if they can batch a lot of tasks at once. 

My role in the business is to make sure that we have that regular stream of content and that I'm on camera and recording podcasts regularly and then so we can automate posting and sharing. That's really it. My main role is being the creator - I'm the talent. And you are the talent in your business too!

Outsource: When I started my business, I did everything. I was making my own website, my own handouts, graphics, and doing the recording, editing, tech and so on. I felt like I had to do everything myself to save money and because I was a jack of all trades and could work out most things. 

Then, as I earned more money, I pulled back from the things that I wasn’t doing well and eventually, I outsourced anything outside my zone of genius or that I didn’t want to do!

Some people think that having a business plan means that you're in business, and that is not true. 

You’re in business when you focus on getting clients and making money. You're in business when you sell something. So don't feel like you're a hot mess if you don't have a fancy business plan that's printed out and perfect, because I still haven't got a good one. 

Focus on money-making tasks, not procrasta-planning.

Try only planning what you do on a daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly basis and look at what you can eliminate, automate, delegate and outsource in your business. 

Making money trumps planning all day long!

How to set and honor your boundaries

EPISODE 148
How to set and honor your boundaries
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Setting and holding boundaries is ongoing work for me and something I know most entrepreneurs must consistently work on.

There’s no denying that boundaries can be difficult and often involve awkward conversations, but they are vital. 

Boundaries do not make you a b*tch. They’re essential for you to be a boss. 

So, let’s do an inventory of where you’re at right now with boundaries. 

Where are you feeling resentful? 

This could be in any area of your life, big or small - ask yourself, where has something crept in that does not feel good? 

What’s causing stress or not working for you right now? 

I’ve got lots of ideas to help, so listen to today’s episode of Chill and Prosper to learn:

How your money personality affects how you navigate boundaries 
New boundaries I’ve set recently to help me switch off at home
My tips for improving your time and scope boundaries with clients
How to tighten up your terms and expectations to remove confusion
The link between boundaries and pricing 

If you’re unsure where to start with boundaries and awkward conversations, grab my free ebook here: “Awkward Money Conversations Made Easy.” 

Boundaries and pushback are all part of the process, and I hope today’s episode helps you honor what you need and want in your business.

Remember, clarity is kindness. Clear boundaries help people feel safe and will help you feel supported and empowered.

Your business, your rules. 

xx Denise

P.S. My favorite resource for working on your boundaries is my friend Randi Buckley, who has a course to help nice people set boundaries; you can follow her and find out more here. 

P.P.S. Boundaries are highly recommended and endorsed by yours truly; click here to watch my Boundaries commercial. 🤣🤣🤣

When you’re overwhelmed and everything sucks

EPISODE 147
When you're overwhelmed and everything sucks
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Urgh! It doesn't matter how much money you make or how much you love your business, sometimes things SUCK! 

You might be in this space right now, feeling down or overwhelmed. So, we're going to talk about what to do to get out of a funk and how to give yourself the grace and space you need.

I get different variations of this question all the time, so today's episode will help you if you've been asking:

What do I do when all the bills are coming in?

What should I do when my business stalls?

I feel really down and everything sucks; now what? 

I've been there so many times, and although you might think I have it all together, for me and most people I know in business, it's normal to have regular times when things suck and feel hard.

You might have a specific issue to address, like a staff member or client, but you could also be experiencing burnout. I know when I'm overwhelmed and down, I see more problems than wins in my business.

If you're like me, you might not like hearing that you could be in burnout, or you'll start looking for the magic quick-fix pill, but your body might be telling you to slow down and re-assess what's next. 

Listen in now for more on:

How your sabotages, and blocks could be making overwhelm worse 
Self-care tips when you're feeling overwhelmed
How gratitude and ingratitude lists might help you feel clearer
Personal reflections from my journey with overwhelm and burnout 

It doesn't feel good when you're in this, but it will be okay. This too shall pass.

As Louise Hay says, "You're loved, and all is well". 

Big hugs, 

xx Denise

How to stop discounting and overdelivering

EPISODE 146
How to stop discounting and overdelivering
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Let’s talk about your prices, specifically if you have a habit of discounting. 

This is a huge topic that I’ve written and talked about a lot because it has so many layers.

First, you have to get comfortable with charging and actually receiving. 

When people are starting out, they tend to do a lot of bartering or trading one service for another. This is one of the most overlooked and energetically damaging habits. You must STOP 

it so you can learn to charge well. 

The same goes for working and speaking for free. To get serious about growing your income, it’s time to phase freebies out of your business. 

Listen to this week’s podcast for more on:

How to set boundaries on your pricing and charging
Scenarios where you may be unknowingly undercharging
Mistakes I’ve made when overdelivering and how to avoid them
How to make pricing energetically win-win 

 

I’d love to hear your takeaways from this episode and your wins from adjusting how you charge or deliver. 

Remember, no matter your income level, there will always be people who think you are too expensive and too cheap.  

And for some people, free is not even good enough.

So trust your intuition to charge what feels right for you and grow your business on your terms.

You’re allowed to charge what you want. 

xx Denise

Two steps to making money online

EPISODE 145
Two steps to making money online
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When things get busy, it’s sometimes easy to forget that being in business is about making money. 

So here is your reminder to get into the money-making mentality this week. 

Because sometimes we forget. Social media is fantastic, and engaging content is important, but we’re here to help people by serving them and making money in the process. Otherwise, we’ve just got a hobby.  

So, I invite you to look again at your business with fresh eyes: Am I giving people the opportunity to buy from me? Is it easy to buy from me? How can I make my marketing more streamlined and effective? 

And ultimately, how can I make more money? 

Yes, the economy is tighter, and you may have more competition or less engagement, but there are still ways to tell more people what you do and make more money. 

Listen to today’s podcast to learn how your marketing can make a difference in growing your income faster, including: 

How to keep your marketing fresh and simple
Ways to improve your website so it’s easy for people to buy from you
The two-step process that has made me millions of dollars 
How to share what you know with authenticity 
The none-slimy ways to make offers and generate leads and sales

I’m sharing what I know works in today’s podcast, and here’s how I can role-model making an offer for you. 

You may have heard me talk about my Ultimate Money Mindset Package this month.

This is for you if you have money blocks to work on and you want my help with your mindset and business.

So, if you’ve been looking for a mentor you can trust and a supportive community, I invite you to come and work with me in my three money mindset and business courses.

With a full year of training, coaching calls, and accountability, you’ll get everything you need to up-level your mindset and income. 

I’d love to welcome you and see you grow this year.

Click here to find out more and join before the 31 January deadline. 

There are only a few days left to grab the complete package and save $995. 

It’s your time and you’re ready for the next step. 

xx Denise

Money Bootcamp helped me realise I can earn money as a speaker!

MONEY BOOTCAMP REVIEW
Corrie LoGiudice

Business Strategist & Coach
USA
Member since 2023

 

 What was your money situation when you joined Money Bootcamp?

I joined Money Bootcamp last January after having crossed month 10 of a revenue drought that showed no signs of stopping. I knew the problem was me but I didn’t know how to solve it.

What’s your biggest “aha” since joining Money Bootcamp?

Bootcamp helped me uncover so many money blocks over the past year. It helped me see the drought was self-imposed. I had an abusive ex-partner that reappeared after many years, and subconsciously I feared if I made money he would take it like he did in the past. It was safer for me not to make any at all!

After gaining clarity on that, I uncovered a block that I couldn’t make money as a speaker because I talked so much as a kid, my family literally paid me to be quiet! Since addressing it, my income has exploded because public speaking is easy and effortless for me.

I’ve also addressed various sabotages, like not having multiple streams of income or pricing my rates so high no one could afford to work with me. I’ve also made it a point to start formally celebrating all my wins, and making incremental upgrades along the way.

How has your first year in Money Bootcamp been?

 

I’m ending 2023 having over a series of three months, breaking the record of what I’m being paid to speak at events 3 times!!! I’ve also started to fill my coaching roster again with new clients. Last week was my best week in years despite it being before the holidays! I signed a speaking client and three coaching clients on the same day!

I’ve never been more optimistic for my next year in business and can’t wait to see what’s in store for me in 2024! I am so grateful for DDT and the Money Bootcamp community!”

 
Ready for a Money Breakthrough?
This could be you too!

With the right mindset training and mentor you can break through your income plateau, and elevate your business to next level success!

Money Bootcamp is THE proven and practical comprehensive money mindset training, with an awesome private community of entrepreneurs.

Click here to find out how you can transform your relationship with money and move towards financial freedom for you and your family.

 

    

How to make decisions in your business

EPISODE 144
How to make decisions in your business
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I get questions all the time about how to make decisions. 

How do you decide when to hire or when to leave a business? Should I offer a new product or stop one of my services? Should I quit my job or keep working?

There are so many decisions to make in business - especially when money and other people are involved. 

And here’s the tricky thing. When you work for yourself or have a business, the buck stops with you. It’s you who has to put on the big-girl pants and make a decision. 

And that can be both empowering and scary. 

While I can’t tell you what to do, I can share how I make decisions and some of the questions I ask myself when considering different options. 

Listen to today’s podcast if you need help with:

Connecting with your intuition and seeing the correct next step
Using woo-woo tricks for asking the Universe and my guides
How to make progress when you’re undecided or unclear
Getting over the fear of making the wrong decision
And much MORE…

Argh, if only someone would tell us what to do! Or even better, we had a crystal ball…

But very few things in life and business are irreversible, so don’t let making a decision paralyze you - pick a path and get started. 

And remember, it’s okay to change your mind. Your business, your rules. 

xx Denise 

👀👀 P.S. Just in case you’ve missed this month’s announcements… I want you to check out my big package 🤣🤣🤣

Once a year, I offer a unique package of my money mindset, business and manifesting courses, with access to our community, and monthly coaching with me. 

There’s a juicy discount (save $995), options to pay in your own currency, and you can spread the cost over 12 months. 

It’s the best deal I offer all year, so if you need some extra support and training to up-level your mindset and income this year, click here to check out my Ultimate Money Mindset Package. 

It’s your time, and you’re ready for the next step.