Lindsay’s Breakthrough - From No Clients in a Year to Rapid Growth in 30 Days

This week, we had the privilege of hearing from Lindsay, a determined and inspiring ad manager who rapidly scaled her business from no clients for an entire year to a booming client load in just 30 days. Her journey is a testament to patience, perseverance, and strategic growth. Here's a look at Lindsay's approach to balancing family life with business, her summer strategy, and the valuable lessons she learned along the way.

Topics Covered In This Episode:
1. Overcoming Fear: Lindsay emphasizes the importance of overcoming initial fears and taking action to achieve business success.

2. Flexibility in Business: Both myself and Lindsay highlight the importance of customizing your business to fit your personal and family needs, emphasizing work-life balance.

3. Value of Community Support: Being part of the Strategist Society provided Lindsay with valuable mentorship, support, and quick communication, contributing significantly to her success.

4. Initial Struggles Are Normal: It's common to face challenges initially, as Lindsay did, but persistence can lead to significant improvements over time.

5. Client Acquisition Through Personal Connections: Lindsay landed her first client through a family friend, demonstrating the importance of leveraging existing relationships.

6. Mindset Shifts: It’s crucial to acknowledge success often comes from a shift in mindset, seeing opportunities where others may see limitations.

7. Effective Time Management: Lindsay uses timers and automation to manage her tasks efficiently, ensuring productivity without overextending work hours.

8. Perseverance and Investment: Investing in the right programs (like Conversions for Clients and Strategist Society) and persevering through challenges are crucial for achieving business goals and growth.

Find the full show notes at:  https://brandimowles.com/232

Loved This Episode? Check Out More Here. ⬇️

CLICK HERE TO LEARN HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT AD CLIENTS FOR YOU: BRICK AND MORTAR VS. ONLINE ENTREPRENEURS

Additional Resources:

Are you ready to start and grow an ad management business without burnout or overwhelm? Check out my new on-demand training here >> CLICK HERE TO WATCH NOW 

Looking for a mentorship to excel your business to the next level? DM me “STRATEGIST” on Instagram @brandimowles 

Lindsay’s Information:

Website - CLICK HERE 

Facebook - CLICK HERE

Instagram - CLICK HERE

LinkedIn - CLICK HERE

Follow the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/serve-scale-soar/id1477998650

Follow Brandi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandimowles

Follow Brandi on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Brandiandcompany

Transcript

Lindsay Wood and Brandi Podcast 08/15/2024 Raw

===

[00:00:00] 

Brandi: We all hear those stories of people who get started and then they're off to the races. They have all this massive success right from the jump and it's aspirational. But it can also be frustrating if that's not our story. And it's like, can we ever hear about the underdogs? The ones that they didn't start off strong and it took them a while to figure it out.

Well, on this podcast, we're dedicated to showing you all stories, the ones that come out right away and hit the ground running, the ones that it takes them a little bit longer and everything in between. In today's episode Our student spotlights is with Lindsey, and her story went with no progress for a year to having one small change that helped her land a client in the next 30 days and go from not landing any clients by charging 700 to landing a client at 1, 000 and then 1, 200 a month [00:01:00] and small changes.

can make all the difference when you're talking about business. So if you're ready to hear the anti Cinderella story, let's jump on in. 

Hello, surf scale sword podcast. Oh my goodness. I am so excited to be back with another episode. And these are my favorite types of episodes because I get to introduce you to some of the coolest people I know. And this is one of our student spotlight episodes. So these are people who are in conversions for clients, strategist society.

They are people who are taking action and doing the dang. Thing. And I love sharing their stories with you. So Lindsey, I'm beyond excited to have you on the podcast. I feel like this is a long time coming and I'm just thrilled to have you. So tell my audience who you are as a person and then a little bit about your business.

Lindsay: Yeah, I'm so happy to be [00:02:00] here. So my name is Lindsay. I am a wife. I'm a mom of five crazy active kid. My oldest just started high school. He's freshmen and my youngest just started kindergarten last week. So entering a new phase of life of everyone being in school. And I love to run and I love to bake and I love to garden.

So that's what brings me joy. And basically I'm a taxi driver to my kids life. And I love it. I love being a mom. Business wise, I got started into running a Facebook ads for businesses almost two years ago. Thanksgiving will be two years ago, was the first time I had even heard about this. knew, learned anything.

I took a different course, learned a lot of things. It was great, but I did not have the push to get me over things. And last October found Brandy and [00:03:00] jumped into her bootcamp and decided, all right, this is the person I connected, loved her program. Love how she taught and I hit the ground running and made the goal to land my first client before Thanksgiving.

And I did actually, and I've just been trying to grow and figure out how to be a mom first and be a business owner second.

Brandi: I love it, Lindsey. I love it. And so it's always so interesting to me. And I don't know why, because I'm someone who like takes a bazillion courses, group coaching, all the things. Like, All the things I will say as my business has grown, I focus more on like group coaching mastermind style instead of course, but we have so many people that say they took another ad manager course before taking mine.

And we don't need to say names or anything. Cause honestly I probably wouldn't even know what it is. I try to stay in my lane. And so [00:04:00] with that being said, what made you be like, okay, I've taken another ad manager course. But I'm gonna sign up for this other one as well because anytime we make an investment in a program It's an investment and it's money that we could have used for other things So I never take that lightly when someone invests in one of my programs So tell me what made you like be like, you know what?

I've already taken this one, but I'm gonna invest in another one.

Lindsay: So the first course I feel taught me a lot about how to set up my business on a business backbone side. It taught me ads, but I feel like they went deeper into all of the nitty gritty baby steps on what I needed to do, which I had no idea on where to begin. And I loved that aspect of it. And I liked how you with your teaching style, when I took your bootcamp, I was just I don't even know.

I think I just connected with your ad really is what it made me jump into the bootcamp and then after that of the [00:05:00] free. I think it had something to do with your free templates in Canva that I wanted. I wanted access to all of these like things to help me that in the beginning are really hard and very time consuming, honestly, as you're learning how to set up all of these things.

Like I'm getting faster and better at the creatives and they're not taking as many hours, but it is. Loads of hours on the front end that I keep telling myself, okay, in a few months, this isn't going to take this and it's going to be faster and it's gonna, I'm going to be able to automate it and it's not going to be as heavy of a workload, but I loved that.

That helped me to get off the ground. And that was what was enticing about your program was. Some of these things that were already done for me and I could just make tweaks for me and I didn't have to think and figure out how to create everything from the ground up when you're already trying to learn something new.

Brandi: Yeah, I

love sharing templates anything we use in our business I'm like here you take it too and [00:06:00] it's so funny because we don't really talk about Yeah When people ask me stuff like, how do I name my business? I'm like, just put your name on it. Who cares? Let's move on. So all those like business things in the background, I'm like, who cares about those things?

Let's just get a client. Let's get ads. We'll figure all that stuff out along the way. , but I loved watching you come into the program. Cause you did, you set this goal. And then I remember you were like, I got my first client and I was like, Oh my gosh, it's been less than 30 days. So what do you think was the big driving force that went, you had a year without a client and then you got in, you were like, I want my first client in the next 30 days. That's a big jump to be like, I've been doing this for a year. No client. And then making that decision in 30 days, you're done.

You have that client. What do you think that shift was for you?

Lindsay: think financially, my family just really needed some more income. Life right now, I have five growing kids who play a lot of sports. Life is getting expensive. My husband works in the healthcare [00:07:00] profession and that industry is not increasing with the economy change. Everyone else's services and fees are going up and healthcare doesn't get to, they're regulated and they don't get to increase all of their fees.

Even with the economy increase right now with everything. And I was like, I've got to figure something out, but I need to figure this out without sacrificing. Being the mom that I want to be, because ultimately that's the most important thing for me is being there with my kids. And I love being involved with all the things at school, all of their activities in the evenings.

So I needed to figure it out. And that fire just got lit under me of you have got to figure this out and find someone and just work your tail.

Brandi: I love it. So who was your first client? How did you find them?

Lindsay: My first client is actually a local dentist that I know we are actually family friends. And I think in passing, [00:08:00] like we carpool with our kids to sports and I had mentioned something of Hey, have you ever thought about doing this? Like very nonchalantly to him. And he's yeah, I've given a little thought.

I just haven't had the time to. dive into that or give it more. And he called me on the worst day. I was literally driving to the hospital to have an emergency tonsillectomy for my daughter. And he's Hey, I want to talk ads. And I'm like, okay, let me just preface. We're on our way to the hospital. And he's I'm like, it's fine.

It'll distract me. Like I have a 45 minute drive to this pediatric hospital. But if my thoughts are a little fuzzy, this is what's going on, but it's going to be okay. And we started talking and I was he got excited and I was like, cool, I'm going to be sitting in the hospital for the next several hours.

I'm going to come up with some ideas of things and send it over to you, talk with your partner. And a week later he was like, let's do it. [00:09:00] Let's sign on. And we did them one month. I did a first 30 day trial with him. After I sent him your one sheeter and he was really happy with it. And that was.

So we did it over December and then in January he signed his first three month contract with me.

Brandi: Perfect. I love it. And so some of the terms that Lindsay's using, like one cheater and the trial and then three month contract, these are all things that we show you how to do in the boot camp. So this is the risk reversal method. So I want to be really clear though, you did not work for free. Your first month.

So can you tell us what that 30 day trial look like?

Lindsay: Yeah. So I gave him a 30 day trial. He was my first client. I charged him a thousand dollars and said, we're going to do a thousand dollars a month was my fee for that. And he did on top of his ad spend. I think he decided to do 1500 a month. Cause he wanted to do 50 bucks a day. And [00:10:00] then I said, okay we're just going to give this a try.

See if we like it. If we want to move forward, then we'll sign a three month contract and that will go up to my regular rates of 1200. I

Brandi: And so this is exactly what we teach in the bootcamp because I don't think anyone should be working for free. Your mom, you have five kids. You don't have time to be working for free. And even if it's your first client, you have training, you've invested in programs that have set you up. There's no reason to ever work for free when we have a business. And so going into that first month. First client, first time running ads for a client, what were all the feels?

Lindsay: honestly, our first month, I'm a little shocked that he wanted to stick with me because what I created was not that pretty looking back at other things I've created for him. I'm like, wow. Okay. It was a learning process and on all of our parts, but. He was getting more calls into his clinic and he was getting a lot of awareness [00:11:00] drawn up and a lot of activity on Facebook for him.

We live in a really small community and that was good enough for him to. Seeing all of the drive that he was getting to want to sign the contract and I've gotten better. So I, it's a learning process and they learn with you, like you charge them less in the beginning because you're still learning. And as it makes sense that you increase your prices as you go, because your skill level gets better and you get better at creating the creative and the copy and getting it to the right people.

And so that makes sense.

Brandi: And one thing through this whole process, that it's funny because we can search your name in the Facebook group and see, but Lindsey is a master at asking for help and questions. And I truly believe that the most successful people, because I've watched over the years, we've had conversions for clients for four years now, and I've watched.

And before that, we had served Skelsor and it was the same thing. The people who ask questions, [00:12:00] they're not afraid to show up, ask questions, and then take action on it, are the people that have the most success. And Lindsey, you are not afraid to ask questions. And so what do you think? Because that's not everyone's story.

A lot of people don't want to ask questions because they have all the feels about, am I bothering people? What if this is dumb? What do you think quality about you or has this something been something you've always done where you're just like, unapologetically here's where I'm stuck. I need help.

Lindsay: I'm a very straightforward person. I am like you, Brandy, and I'm no BS and no fluff. Like this is love me, hate me. This is who I am. And this is what it is. I'm not everyone's cup of tea and that's okay. Like I'm me and I, if I need help, I'm going to ask for help in a very straightforward, because I get confused when people try to peel it back like an onion.

Just tell me what you need help with and I'll help you. And I'm the same way. Let's just [00:13:00] give it to me. 

Brandi: Thing that with you, Lindsay, is you not only ask for support, either on the Q& A calls or in the Facebook group, but you also give support to people. And I think that's one of the other things is when a question comes up, you're answering it. So it's not this one way relationship where you're taking, taking, taking.

You're also giving back. And I truly believe that the law of reciprocity shows that like, when we give back, we receive. And so I want to say that I just so appreciate how much you give back to the community as you're taking. And that's truly what community is for. For it's a give and take relationship. So tell me now, what do you think has been the most challenging aspect of your business?

Lindsay: trying to figure out the right wording and how to connect with people to find clients, like finding the right groups to join, whether it be LinkedIn or Facebook and figuring out [00:14:00] where to find clients. Because I looked out in living in a small town that has a lot of local businesses. Business owners. And that's how I've gotten my first two clients was through people that I knew.

And it's really, really hard to try to connect and get people to respond. in these online forums. And I feel like I've tried a hundred different ways and I just keep trying and trying and I'm like that didn't work. Let's try a different method.

Brandi: And one of the things I want to go back, it's not luck. You didn't find clients out of luck. You had connections, you tapped into those connections. We all have connections in some shape or form, and most people never ask their connections that they have for help. Cause they just assume that they don't want their help or they're bothering them. And you actually went and made connections and brought it up and asked for it. So that's not luck, [00:15:00] that's you putting in and leaning into what you're really good at, which is You know really tapping into the connections that you have and a lot of people would look at your situation be like I live in a small town in alabama.

There's no one here that needs ads and instead You're like I was lucky. I live in a small town where we're like close And so that change in mindset is so important where you looked at it differently and you tapped into the resources that you have and so now The next step is how can we do that exact same thing with the places that you're having trouble with?

Because we just interviewed someone else who said they have a hard time connecting in person with people, but they found all their clients. In Facebook groups and on LinkedIn. So it's funny that within an hour of each other of doing these interviews, it's like both of you are struggling with the same problem, but the complete opposite where [00:16:00] one's like crushing it in the online communities. And then one, y'all are doing so well with connecting with people that are local to you. So with that, that means, The beautiful thing about that is we know that both ways work. It's just, how do we tap into it? And now I'm like. Lindsay, I want to go down this coaching route with you, but that's not what this podcast is about. So Lindsay's in strategist society, so she can box me and we can talk about this in there, which is so funny because I'm like, Oh, now I want to coach you out of this. But one of the beautiful things is I think that this shows that we all have struggles as business owners. And we can have the exact same struggle as one another, and they can look completely different. And one thing can work for one person, one thing could work for another person. And it's really leaning into our superpowers, and what we're good at, and how can we lean into that instead of trying to fit into the mold of someone else's. [00:17:00] Superpowers. And Lindsey, what do you think is the best part about being an ad manager?

Lindsay: I love that I can control how much or how little I want to grow this and do this. You in your first year wanted to like, Hit it and do 250, 000 and you crushed it. And I think every time I hear your story, I'm like, that is so amazing. 

But it is a inspiration to me of to keep going forward and I can do it and I can keep trying new ways, but I, that is not my goal. My goal is. To have four consistent clients a month, because right now in the space, I work on my business. From about nine, nine 30 until two, when I go pick up my kids and that's, those are the hours that I have available to do it.

And so I love that I can make it fit for my needs so that I can still take my kids to school. I can do my workout and get work done and focus and take those hours. And then when it's [00:18:00] time to have them in the afternoon, I'm mom, and I'm wearing that hat instead of stressing that I didn't do all of these and I have to.

Sit there and be on my computer after school with them. And if, when they get older and they need a little less for me, I want to grow it and I want to have more, I can push it to get more and I can set bigger goals or it's whatever I choose to make it be.

Brandi: I love that. And one thing that I know that you and one other person in the Strategist Society connected over the summer was how summer you just wanted to maintain. It wasn't about growth. It was about just maintaining what your current client load was because you wanted that availability in the summer. So how did that feel this summer? Being able to just have that space and not worry about grow the business, but maintaining the business.

Lindsay: It was great. I was feeling guilty at first. And then when this other friend and colleague in the society and I were talking, [00:19:00] both of us were like, we like gave each other permission to feel okay about this. It was really funny. And it was great because we both just said, you know what? Like we don't need to try to go out.

Going through the groups and trying to make the connections and then making a comment, but then I need to actually follow up when they comment back and that's a lot of time. Sit at a phone or computer to respond and do that. And I, that wasn't what I wanted to do.

My kids, I just like to play all summer. And so I love that I got on to our weekly calls when I could, when I wasn't out of town and traveling and did that and stayed on top of a few emails and doing a few things, but it wasn't. Heart, like it wasn't bad. And my kids went back to school last week and I was ready also.

I was like, cool, I am ready. I got a break and I'm ready to hit the ground running and let's do this. Let's find more clients. Let's figure this out and keep growing to be able to hit my goal, to get where [00:20:00] I want to be before the end of the year.

Brandi: I love it. I love that. And we get to design our business, whatever we want. And we get to design what success looks like, whatever we want. And so for you, the summer success look like having that free space. And that is beautiful. And that's what I love about having a one on one service based business is we can create money on demand whenever we want. And we don't have any, besides our current client load, we don't have any expectations or ongoing challenges or support that we have to clock into. Like with our 12 month program and the society, I'm on Voxer access for those days. And that doesn't, that's not something that can go away. I'm tied into that, but with my one on one services, just like y'all, I decided this summer, I didn't want to take on any more one on one clients. at this point. And that's what's so beautiful about a service based business is we get to decide how much or how little we [00:21:00] do. And so Lindsay, let's wrap this up. I know that this has been so valuable to so many and you're going to inspire so many people, but I love to do some rapid fire. So are you ready?

Lindsay: Let's do 

Brandi: Okay. So tell me the best piece of business advice you've ever received.

Lindsay: to just do the dang thing. I love that you say that just jump in and do it. I, cause I think we get scared, we get in our heads and then we're like I can't, I can't talk to this person and we psych ourselves out. So I think it's really just do the dang thing.

Brandi: Oh my gosh. So Lindsay just took my favorite student award. No one has ever said like something that my advice has been their favorite. And so you're now my favorite student ever. you win. Okay, so now I gotta come back around. Okay. So tell me, what do you think is. The best part [00:22:00] about running ads for clients.

Lindsay: I truly love watching people succeed. It doesn't matter in what, the Olympics, we were obsessed with the Olympics on the last couple of weeks. And I don't care what country you're from. Like I'm cheering for all of you. Like I want you all to win. I don't want any of you to fall. And I love watching all of you succeed.

I love cheering people on and watching them. So working with local businesses is my niche and I love the idea of watching them grow. Like they do so much and where I currently live, not very many companies are running ads. I'm like, y'all, I see all these ads for all these other businesses. Like you need to tap in.

All these people are stealing your clients. Like you need to get those clients that are in this area to be buying from you, not Susie in Wisconsin. And so I just love the idea of helping other people succeed and grow and hit their goals. Like that brings me joy and lights me up.

Brandi: I love it. Okay. So tell me How do you like your [00:23:00] taco dream taco? What does it look like? What's it filled with? What's the shell?

Lindsay: Ooh, I am a soft shell. I love the veggies. So

I don't even know that taco is necessarily like there's this in Utah. There is this it's called Cafe Rio. It's a quick Tex Mex and they have this sweet pork and it is my favorite meat on the face of the planet. And I make a copycat of it, but having that pork, whether it be on a taco or a salad or anything or eating it by itself.

With their magic cilantro ranch dressing is with a big, a spoonful of guacamole is heaven,

Brandi: And with your soft tortillas, are they corn or flour?

Lindsay: flour, 

Brandi: definitely

Okay. I love this. I love this. So this is my favorite question because I'm a taco snob. So that's always the only thing I want to know. The whole episode is the taco. Okay. So [00:24:00] last but not least, someone's sitting on the fence and they're like, dang, I want to get this business started.

I want to jump into ads. I'm scared. I'm thinking about conversions for clients. What do you say to them? Okay.

Lindsay: do it. It it's scary. I'm not going to say it's not, it is scary and it's going to take work. But once you get over your own fears of. People rejecting you. I was really that first year that I was doing it. I was super nervous to talk to anyone about it. I thought I almost got a client and I was only asking 700 a month.

With the previous program. And I still couldn't get them to sign. And so then that psyched me out. And then you were like, no, you need to start higher. I'm like, I couldn't even sign someone 700. How am I going to sign someone higher? And I, once I got out of my head of this isn't personal, it got so much easier.

Now, like. When I'm shooting out messages and [00:25:00] everything, it, it doesn't hurt my feelings anymore at first, it totally hurt my feelings trying to get rejected by people, them not responding, or maybe not saying always the nicest thing. And so I had to grow a tougher skin, but it's helping me grow and Making me see so many other ways that I can be successful in life.

If I put in the hard work to do it, I can do it. I just keep telling myself, guess what? It's going to be so much easier because once I did this once, it's already created and the automations are there. So it is going to get faster. It is going to be easier.

And I'm not always going to be working this many hours trying to do all of this. Once I have so many of these automations created, it's what I have to keep reminding myself. And it has over the last almost a year, I've noticed like. I can do things faster and I don't, and setting a timer. You taught me to set a timer and set a timer for 15 minutes and do this.

And then if it goes off and you're done, not done, give yourself five more minutes and then you have to be done. [00:26:00] And that actually taught me a lot of just do it and move on. I

Brandi: Homeschooling for the win! That's a homeschooling trick. I love that. Lindsey's saying pretty much join Convergence for clients. Made her in there. And then, you are now incertified in the Strategist Society. If someone's already got a business, they have clients, and they want to take it to the next level, what is your favorite part about the Strategist Society?

Lindsay: love our calls. That was actually the two reasons I jumped in to the strategist society was. I wanted to keep weekly calls for mentorship with Brandy and the whole team because everyone feeds and gives so much in all of it. And I learn and can ask all my questions as I'm still trying to figure out what the heck I'm doing.

And I love boxer. I love that I can message Brandy and ask her all the things and help getting that coaching for me [00:27:00] is Because I'm still trying to figure out all the pieces. And so it's teaching me and I'm able to, I feel like, learn it faster, which is what we all want. Like we want it, like we live in an instant world and so we want everything like immediately.

So I'm able to get that help so that I can learn how to do this faster and hopefully grow in scale and reach my goals at a faster pace than I would on my own.

Brandi: I love it. Lindsay, thank you so much for coming on, sharing your story, inspiring others. And where can everyone connect with you if they just want to get to know you better?

Lindsay: I'm on LinkedIn and Facebook and Instagram. And my business is Hype Digital Ads and I'm in all the places you can find me by Lindsay Wood or you can find me through Hype Digital Ads. I'm on 

Brandi: We will make sure to link those up in the show notes. And thank you so much, my friend. We are cheering you on. We cannot wait to see what the [00:28:00] next 12 months brings you.

Lindsay: Thanks.

Brandi: How good was Lindsay hearing her story of how she had an ad management business for a year, and it really didn't go anywhere to changing that narrative. Not thinking it was too late. It wasn't going to work for her, but she found a different solution. And once she joined us into conversions for clients and she changed her outlook, she raised her prices from going from not being able to land clients at 700 for a year to then landing her first client at a thousand, then landing her next client at 1200 to now having a business that lets her be with her kids when she wants to check out of her business when she wants to take those breaks in the summer.

It's so freaking inspiring, and her determination, and her love for her family. Is what motivates her each and every single day. And I have a feeling if you're listening, you're not too different than Lindsey. And now she continues to invest [00:29:00] in herself and her business. And she's not only in conversions for clients, but the strategist society because mentorship and getting moving fast is what she does.

And I want to invite you. If you're like, I want to get to know Lindsey. I want to know what this is all about. And you're just getting started. Head to our free training. It's at brandimowles.com/ad training. We'll link that up for you. But if you're like, I already have a business, but I want that one on one relationship with Brittany.

I want to take it to the next level. I want to be in a room with people who are already doing the dang thing. Then send me a message over on Instagram strategists and let's chat to see what is the right place for you and if it's a good fit. But what I know, If you do the dang thing, you put your head down, you put your blinders on and you don't give up, you can find success in this journey.

And so my friends, I hope to see you inside conversions for clients or strategists society or [00:30:00] if anything else, I hope you just don't quit on yourself because your success is just around the corner. And until next week, go out, serve your clients, scale your business and soar into the success you deserve.