#21: “What's the Vision Worth?”

This submission was a good one…well, they all are. But this one brought two totally different viewpoints from us. 

"What price is it worth to you to start and grow your business? Expenses, marketing, branding, and tools you’ll need. What price is it worth for the vision for the thing you want to do and get out into the world? So many of us love our idea and our offer, and yet we’re struggling on a shoestring budget, which isn’t working out. We’re DIYing more than we have time to do. I feel this as someone in the marketing world and as a business owner myself.  What are your thoughts on this?"

First up, Amanda took the conversation in the direction of which aspects of business actually matter and why you’re investing in all the things… because you truly need it or because you think that’s what's next. 

Callie comes in with you, being worth it to keep going. The value of the process and the lessons you learn, and where they take you. 

Key Takeaways: 

• Your growth doesn’t have to look like the playbook of others
• What is the goal behind hiring out different aspects of your biz
• If it’s on your heart to grow it…grow it.

We’d love to know where your thoughts went after you heard the question! 

Got a question/suggestion/or want our advice on a topic?
We’d love to give you our unsolicited advice, so please submit your question here.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:02

This is the Unsolicited Business Advice Podcast. We're Amanda and Callie, founders, moms, and friends who believe your heart is valid and your way is good enough.

SPEAKER_00 0:13

Around here, we skip the buttoned-up LinkedIn talk and dive straight into real conversations about growing a startup, balancing motherhood, and rejecting the hustle culture. Consider this your weekly reminder that business can actually feel joyful again.

SPEAKER_01 0:30

Hi, welcome back to episode number 21. Glad you came back. Oh yes. Not you. Well, I know what you meant. At first I was like, yeah. And then I'm like, oh, we're not talking about no listeners. Thank you for being here. Yeah. We appreciate you. It is fun to see the download numbers and things.

SPEAKER_00 0:52

Yeah. It's like you try not to focus on numbers because it's like, no, this is just it's good for my soul, it's good for my mind. Yeah. It's good. And then it's kind of like secretly like, oh, this is really funny.

SPEAKER_01 1:03

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And like, oh, which one is getting more and why? And is it the title, or is it because they just randomly did it? I don't know. Or they were suggested to listen to it. I'd have no idea. It would be cool to know. It would. Yeah. Yeah. I bet you'll send a survey out.

SPEAKER_00 1:20

Yeah. That sounds like me. Follow-up. And so me.

SPEAKER_01 1:26

All right. So this one, it is from a favorite person of ours who is going to be anonymous. We're going to keep her anonymous. So, what price is it worth to you to start and grow your business? Expenses, marketing, branding, the tools you need. What price is it worth, the vision for the thing you want to do and get out into the world? Because so many of us love our idea and our offer. And yet I find we're struggling to do it on a shoestring budget and it isn't working out. We're DIYing more than we have time to do. I feel this as someone in the marketing world and also as a business owner myself. What are your thoughts on this?

SPEAKER_00 2:13

Okay, so we are going to stir this up a little bit. Yeah. And you are going to give me your thoughts first. Oh, dang it.

SPEAKER_01 2:21

Yes. Dang it, dang it, dang it. Well, when I first heard this question, I the first thing that came to my mind was there's me before I've done a lot of inner work and honestly like listened to a lot of the things that you have said, Callie. Wow. I know. High priests. I know, yeah. And also our mutual friend Mandy. And looking at like, and then doing a lot of inner work of what are the things that I've just assumed and have gone on believing that are important versus now the things that I think differently about. So my unpack that. I know. Well, like, what's actually important? And who are we doing things for? And why are we doing the things that we're doing? Is it because we're trying to prove our worth? Is it because people expect us to have it? A website, a brand? Like, do we have to do all of those things to get the customers? Or can it be like alignment? Can it be somebody finding us because that's just how it happens from a referral? Like, is this song and dance of the best social media strategy, the best brand, the best website, the best funnel, is it all actually necessary? And I know that now I'm the one where people are like, that's annoying because yes, it's not annoying. No. Oh, well, to you, but to the even the person that I was who believed that yes, that's true. Like I have an agency-esque called Quick Launch Program, and we literally run through the six frameworks that we feel are to like launch or grow your and or grow your business. And it's$20,000 to$30,000. And I know that it works really well. Like we will come in and we will come behind you. We will find your story, find the reason why you're doing everything and put words to it and put brand to it and put a website to it and put automations to it and put your bookkeeping together and put your social media and online presence together. I know it works. We've seen it work. And we've seen it work really, really well. We've seen it work mostly in people who have been doing what they're doing in a corporate level because the$20,000 to$30,000 isn't a huge shock because they're an expert. They know they're an expert. They don't want to come out of the gate looking like they are on a shoestring budget. Some of these people, this is not everybody, because I'm gonna talk about some other people in a second. And they understand that they don't want to spend the time doing all of that stuff. They don't want to piecemeal it, they don't want to have all these conversations. They can come to one group of people and it's all like everything is under one umbrella. So we're all talking to each other. We're we all know what's going on. And we can launch that while they can go out and network, while they can go ahead and start serving customers because usually they already have some. We've also seen that where we do all of that and it's great and it's wonderful, but like there's still some self-belief that's a struggle, and it doesn't shoot out of the gate. So it seems like a huge investment that I'm maybe they I know they know it's worth it, but it's not showing the way that another client has per se. I also know of a dear friend that came out of corporate, started her own business, doing what it was, and started with the shoestring budget of I'm giving myself 60 days to start this business. And she did her own website, she's done everything on her own. She doesn't love the way that it looks, but she is now has it's her and her husband, and she's hired two employees. And 85% of their business, if not 90, is through referrals. So, like the website, the brand, everything doesn't really matter because the people that what's selling her business is her referrals, the testimonials that she's getting. So that was like the first thought. Obviously, that was a very long thought. But but I think like when we're starting or growing our business, there are things that we are strengths, and there are things that are not our strengths. So, like, what is what is something that what's important to have for you to grow the business? If you think that what you have as far as like your service and your offer, I think it ties into self-worth in many ways. One, like, are you trying to create this beautiful brand and this beautiful website, thinking that you have to have all of the things to make you a legitimate business owner? Or because baby people will value you because you have a great brand and a great website and great photography and great this and that social media presence because you don't feel like you're worth it, and so you need all of that to do it for you.

SPEAKER_00 8:11

It doesn't surprise me that you would come from that you would come at that question from that angle. Just what I know about you and what I know about your story and what I know about your past and stuff. It doesn't surprise me that you would answer that in that way and that it's becoming more and more clear to me why you do have the quick launch program and why you are a person who would have implemented that in the world. It makes more sense to me after you said all that, why that all makes sense to you. Okay, well, we'll have to talk about that after we get off here because I will be interested. Will we? Um But I could just make you do it now. It's funny because Well, we'll just record another episode afterwards. There you go. Okay. Okay. When sh when she was talking about risk and what is that worth? She said, What is it worth to you? Yeah. And I think in a way, she was saying, What is it worth to me? What kind of risk am I willing to take? Comfortable with taking? Which reminded me of a story. Shocking, I know. I hope that this makes sense outside of my brain as well as it outside my brain. What's my mind just did? So, like, no bunch shoot. The thing is, I I understand why you said what you said. Just and maybe if they listen to enough of these podcasts, they will understand who we are and they'll be able to go with us. They'll be like, oh, that's I know why she's saying that. She's weird because of this. Yeah. My story is this was probably uh eight years ago, maybe. Um, a friend of mine who has been working in her position. She's kind of a higher up in her company. Um, not her own business, but works for someone else. She's been there for maybe 20 years, possibly. This was maybe eight or 10 years ago. She, in tears, through tears, was like, I hate my job. I hate my freaking job. I I don't like any part of my life because of my job. Um, she's like, I don't feel like I am enthusiastic or, you know, have enough energy when I come home because for my kids and my husband, because I just don't like my job. And silly me, I thought that conversation was supposed to help her figure out a different option. Okay. Than living in that misery. I would have thought the same thing. But it didn't mean that. It didn't. And that I am there is no judgment here. This is not a judgment. This is just something I've learned. So we're talking through that, her and I, and her husband would love to start this business. And she actually had an idea for a business for herself, too, that she would have been excellent at. Still, I think she should do. And she had all these opportunities and these belief systems and these, you know, things you could tell she had thought through as an option to not live the life she was currently living. But they were never something she was going to grasp onto. They were never something that she was going to risk ever. I didn't know that at the time. I thought we were getting supposed to be getting in this conversation to the point where she would feel comfortable taking the risk. Right. Yeah. But what I realized is this is so much less about business and career and our purpose and our work in the world as it is, who are we? Are we people ask yourself Are you a person who takes risks? Are you a person who doesn't taste take risks? Why or why not? There is no wrong answer there, and there's no there's no wrong way to live. Right. It's just that this is a difficult conversation to have with someone who is not a risk taker to understand the importance of taking risk. The person who asked this question is a risk taker. She believes in belief. The question for the podcast. The question for the podcast. Not the previous girl. Okay. Right. The question for the podcast. She believes in belief, which means that there is something out there for her that she knows she's supposed to be doing. And it's purposeful and meaningful to her. And it's what she's supposed to be doing in the world. It's her work in the world. And to that person, I would say there is no risk too great. And the reason for that is do I understand that, you know, it takes money to live in the world? Do I understand that not everything works out the way that you want it to go? Absolutely. I get all of that. But I would say that's not the most important part of this question. I think that the outcome is only the outcome. It's only just that. It's not the importance that the question holds, which is to me, I'm paraphrasing. Do I keep trying? Do I keep going forward? Do I keep pushing and and accomplishing and risking and trying? And to that person, I would say, there's nothing you should stop that for. Not because it's going to work out, not because you're going to get every dream you've ever hoped for, and that the money's going to flow in and you're going to live this perfect life, but because you're on a journey, clearly, on a journey to do something. And this part that you're living right now, it's just this part that you're living right now. That's going to get you towards whatever needs to be. It'll get you to where you're supposed to go. And for the lady that hates her job and hates her life and lives in misery, her her words, not even mine, that's also her path. And the outcome of that, I'm not sure is as important as the journey that she's gonna go through because she's decided to be that person. Yeah. And so I think the same is true for the flip side. If you're a person who can ask a question like, what is this worth? And how does risk factor in? I think you're also a person that just needs to keep on keeping on. Because that's who you are. And so I know that's not helpful in any sort of like a logical tangible way.

SPEAKER_01 15:40

No, but I think it's hearing that reflected back to them, maybe in those words, is what it is, is what it was supposed to be for. Because they're like, is it for some like for this person, yes, but for anybody asking that question, because like from clients that like have come and taken our assessment and they choose not to do it because of the cost or because of XYZ or because they actually don't want to move forward. Sometimes you just need to like put a mirror up and say, like, this is what it is, or like, is it worth it? And I went like dollar for dollar and also self-worth. And then you went like the self-worth, but also like worth the risk of the experience and if you should move forward. I think that's yeah.

SPEAKER_00 16:28

Well, the only reason I went there, I have about six million different stories in my head. But the only reason I went there is because Brad and I had the conversation the other day that, you know, if you haven't gotten from this podcast already, Brad and I aren't rich. We're not rich. Okay. But if we were to win the lottery tomorrow and be bajillionaires, honestly and legitimately, the next thing we would do is expand our businesses. So for us, and don't get me wrong, I would love to make money and I'm working on that mindset, and it that's all there. But for us, it's not really about that. It's about this is our work in the world, yeah, and wherever it leads us is where we're going next. And that feels really good to be a part of. And the only reason I can say that with conviction is because when I tried to go a different direction that didn't feel good to be a part of, right, it wasn't life for me. It's like this is just these are just emotions that I'm going through. Right. And that seems useless. You know? Yeah. We've got one, we've got one shot with this life thing.

SPEAKER_01 17:55

I mean And it's how wrapped up into like the outside world you are or not. I think that goes with that. Absolutely true. Yeah. Absolutely. Because it's like because the other day I I don't even know if I was sitting in church or something and I was trying to pay attention. I was struggling. But I I had the thought came through my head of like, I've always chased money, but what if I chased joy? Which is like the work I've been doing. And it's like, what would my decisions be then? And I think that this kind of comes into this question because like if there's friction, like if I'm like trying and trying and trying to get this brand writer, to get this automation writer, to get this right, like, is it friction because maybe I don't need it? Because this isn't the direction I'm supposed to be going. And so, like, I think if anything, like when we look at what it's worth, is like, what am I, what am I wanting to get out of this? Why am I like if I were to spend money on this because I'm worth the risk and I don't want to have to do it because it's not in my wheelhouse and I know that I'm gonna do it, it's gonna look terrible, and I might as well have, and I'm taking all the time, so I might as well have invested the time and the energy into somebody else who's gonna spend less time and make it look really good. Why like why why am I willing to risk that? Do I truly believe that this is the next step and this is what I need to do to get me to here? Or is this because I this is what I feel like I have to do? Right. And I think just those inner questions, because like there are people that can do a great job and charge$250, and there's great people who can do it and charge$5,000. And so I don't know, like there's so much to it.

SPEAKER_00 19:48

This probably drives a lot of people in Brad and I's life crazy, but we always talk about is this a pull or a push thing? And we've, you know, started a lot of businesses and have gone a lot of different directions and are actually starting more businesses currently. And, you know, we often have to ask ourselves, is this a pull or a push? Am I am I being pulled towards this or am I trying to push it up a hill? And even when we don't want the answer we get, it forces us to look at what's really going on. For sure. You know, there are times when I'm like, oh, it's definitely a pull, it's definitely a pull, it's definitely a pull. And Brad's like, it's a push. This isn't, this is way too hard. This is what are we doing? You know, just a quick story. When we first started our we bought our building, our church building, um, six years ago or seven years ago for our reclaimed business, it wasn't even for sale. Like it wasn't on the market. There was no sign in the yard, it wasn't for sale. And we were just like, oh my gosh, after driving around for weeks, we were like, that's the building.

SPEAKER_01 21:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 21:04

Which is funny to most people because the east wall of the building was actually off of the foundation. And the foundation was only four big rocks. Right. So it wasn't even, okay. It's not like this big steal. And we were like, but that's it. That's the building, we know it. How in the heck do we get a hold of? It's a church. It's a church building. So it's not like a person we can call up. And like, we thought it was going to be so incredibly hard to get a hold of the people who could actually say, We'll sell this to you. And funny thing, we called one person, and then it was like the dominoes film. You know? And it's like, oh, actually, talk to this person, talk to this person, go do this. And it was so easy, it was so simple and so easy that those are really hard things to say no to. Right.

SPEAKER_01 22:00

Believing that fact of like it gets to be easy is both really exciting and very difficult.

SPEAKER_00 22:08

Yes. Yeah. Because we had that this is easy, this is simple kind of mentality, we were like, oh, well, this must mean that we're gonna make a million dollars from this. We must be doing this because this is gonna be super successful. Well, guess what? It wasn't. Yeah. But it absolutely needed to be in the journey and on the path because of everything we've done since then. Yeah. And so the risk, the risk was all of it was worth it. And I'm not even a success yet. I'm not even rich and famous and well, that depends on what your definition of success means. Well, I'm just going by the worldly definition. Oh wow. And if and I'm not there yet, and I don't know that I ever will be, but I the risk was worth all of that. I don't I don't care where it ends up. So is it a pull or is it a push? If it's a pull, go all in. I don't know. That's my thoughts. You just have to say that because you're my friend. Well, yes.

SPEAKER_01 23:20

I did think that was true. All right. Well, stay tuned if next week I'm in the hot seat or not. Oh yeah. All right. Well, thanks for being here. Yeah. Thanks for the questions. Keep them coming. And we'll see you next week.

SPEAKER_00 23:40

See ya.

SPEAKER_01 23:44

Thanks for listening to the unsolicited business advice podcast. If you've got a question you want us to tackle, DM us or drop it in the comments. Your story might be in our next episode. And hey, if this resonated with you, hit follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Every review helps us reach more business owners who are ready to bring joy back into their work.