It was July 2008– I had just moved. I had just gotten married. My husband decided to go back to school.
And, I decided to start my business– a massage practice that combined bodywork and coaching.
Oh yea… It was also the middle of a recession.
While many friends and family (who loved me and wanted to keep me safe) told me I was crazy, I went for it anyway. Looking back, the lessons I learned *because* I started my business during a recession have allowed me to build the business I have today.
I wish I could tell you that I’m not immune to the stress that comes with scrolling on social media or reading the news (read lesson #1 for more on that). I cannot predict or control the future, even though a part of me tries really hard to do so. I do know that these lessons still hold up today and help me stay focused when things feel uncertain.
One small insight can make all the difference.
Read through these lessons and see what it sparks in you.
Lesson #1: You are your most valuable asset. Always.
I know I’m preaching to the choir here, but when things get tight, the first thing most people do is abandon their self-care, especially around their boundaries.
This is a lesson that I am constantly learning and re-learning.
When I started my business, the pressure to say ‘yes’ to every client at the day and time that worked best for them was extreme. And while I definitely did my share of working six or seven days a week, it was obvious it wouldn’t be sustainable.
Here’s the funny thing– when I enforced better boundaries and had less availability, my schedule was more balanced and filled more quickly. That is still true today.
Take Action: Where do your boundaries need a tune up? How might putting your self-care first and having good boundaries support those around you?
Lesson #2: People spend money to solve a problem.
When I started my massage practice in 2008, one thing I heard from friends and family who loved me, but wanted to keep me safe, was that “massage is a luxury” and “who is going to spend money on massage when we’re in a recession?”
So here’s what I did…
I didn’t sell “massage.”
I sold pain relief. Specifically, I worked with people who suffered from chronic neck & shoulder pain that was interfering with their job, their relationships, and their health & wellness.
My services went from being a luxury to being a necessity.
Take Action: As service-based professionals, it’s easy to think that what we ‘do’ and what we ‘sell’ are the same thing. They aren’t. Take a moment to brainstorm the problem(s) that you help people solve.
Lesson #3: People invest money to get results.
While most people are initially motivated to solve a problem, that’s only one half of the equation.
I took my first coaching certification program in 2008, right before I started my business. In fact, the whole reason I started my business was to incorporate coaching and embodiment because I knew that listening to the body and understanding the wisdom within was key to living a fulfilled life.
But my accountant didn’t get it.
He told me to “just sell massage and one day people might want coaching.”
Ugh. And while it did take me a few years before I ever ‘officially’ sold my coaching, what the coaching framework did do from me right off that bat was understanding the importance of a conversation framework.
I took the time to listen, really listen, to every client to help get super clear on what it was they really wanted. Yes, they were coming in the door to alleviate some sort of physical pain. But for what purpose? What was it they really wanted on the other side of relief?
What I found is that those busy CEOs wanted to feel more grounded and present so they could focus at work. Moms wanted to release the weight of the world and connect back to themselves so that they could be an amazing parent. Teachers wanted to feel grounded so they could manage all the responsibilities they carry.
As soon as clients were able to see how working with me would support them in reaching their goals, they were happy to continue investing.
Take Action: What are the long term results your clients want? How do your services help them reach those results?
Lesson #4: People align their money with their values.
This one is HUGE. Stay with me.
People spend money to solve a problem and invest in money to get results. That is the overarching equation. But what takes it deeper is understanding how you and your services align with your clients values.
Values are the principles and standards that guide our lives. Even more, the way we experience our values is a physiological process (something we teach in The BodyMind Coaching Certification Program).
Honoring our values is what makes us feel alive and purposeful.
When I started my business during a recession, I started to see that what most of my clients wanted was so much more than external results.
They wanted to feel connected, purposeful, free, alive, secure, and present.
My sessions weren’t just about pressing on a trigger point, they were about helping them come back to what matters most in their lives. That’s where the real transformation started to happen.
Take Action: What are your core values and what are the values that matter most to your clients? How do your products & services support clients in aligning to their values?
Bonus points: share your values with your clients 🙂
Lesson #5: Change How You Get Paid.
Before starting my business, I worked primarily in spas and chiropractors offices where I was paid for the hands-on time of my physical sessions. I traded time for money.
That meant, in order for me to make money, I had to physically do.
Subconsciously, I had learned to equate my ‘worth’ with my ‘doing’.
Yet when I started my business I was forced to think about how I offered and delivered my services differently because of the recession and, in turn, started to see that the full value of what I brought to the table was more than just my hands on work.
That realization opened the door for me to get creative and change how I was paid. I created workshops, hosted retreats, offered programs, created online trainings, and so much more.
It wasn’t about doing more, it was about recognizing the simple things I was already doing and thinking about how to leverage them in a different way.
When things feel tight, I know it’s easy for me to forget the fullness of what I bring into my work. I make things more complicated than they need to be. The truth is, there is often something so simple and easy that I’m already doing that would help solve a problem, get a results, align with someones value, while honoring me living out my purpose.
Take Action: Take a moment to list allllll the brilliance you bring into your work. Think about the time you spend before/after sessions sharing insights, tools, and resources. Think about the classes you’ve taken. The life experiences you’ve had.
The thing that ties this all together…
You may have noticed by now that these 5 lessons weren’t about hustling harder, or crazy discounts, or fancy funnels. They aren’t rooted in scarcity or fear.
These lessons all stemmed from understanding and communicating value– the value of my time, the value of my services, and the value of my client and what they get to receive.
How you talk to your clients matters, especially in times when things feel uncertain.
The conversation is a vital part of your entire business. In fact, it is just as important as the services you provide. Building trust, creating connection, empowering action, allowing people to feel heard– these are essential skills that every business needs.
If you would like to learn more about the healing power of the conversation and how to incorporate a powerful communication structure into your business, join me for a live training that I’m hosting.
You can learn more and register here.
I’m curious…
Which one of these resonated most with you? What action are you committed to taking?
Reply to this email and let me know.
xo,
Laura
Special Invitation:
At the core of these three lessons is understanding the importance of communication within your business. If you want to learn more about how the conversation is the key to unlocking improved results and increased income, I’m hosting a live training all about the healing power of the conversation.
