How Finding Opportunities Gives You Clarity to Grow Your Business, With Special Guest Ariel Schiffer
Jul 11, 2022
I brought Ariel Schiffer on primarily to share her experience as one of my bookkeeping clients. Ariel originally purchased my DIY template, then took the leap to monthly bookkeeping, and is now a CFO client. Ariel's desire for more was the catalyst behind me even offering a CFO offer.
She’s not just a client though- I am a repeat client of hers. Ariel is the owner of Dreampro Courses, the team of course creation experts behind BABs and Libby.
Little did I know when I signed her as a client that the relationship would one day blossom into not only a mutually beneficial work relationship but a friendship as well.
Everything and Nothing
It was such a treat to have her on this episode of the podcast, and we truly talked at random about what we loved in the others’ business, as well as some of the struggles and triumphs we’ve seen and been through running our businesses in general.
Imposter syndrome came up (naturally) and it’s interesting to note that it crops up most especially when you are running a business with integrity, so I supposed to take it as a weird compliment? Think about it, if you’re deeply concerned about making sure the clients who pay you are getting a quality product or service, of course, you’re going to be concerned about the quality of what you’re offering- it’s perfectly natural to question or second guess yourself. Ariel and I both noted how a huge part of working with one another was truly just validation. Validation sounds unnecessary, but it’s that validation that will give you the confidence to sell yourself, and know that your business is worthwhile. Multiple perspectives, especially those far off from you and your inner circle can provide great clarity and help you fill gaps you never knew were there.
For example, part of the reason I overhauled BOB and transformed it into BABs was that I knew I could present something better. That imposter syndrome gave me the nudge I needed to ask Ariel for help to make my vision a reality. BOB was a good program, and it reflected my values as a business owner in the first few years of this business. But ultimately, I felt myself growing and changing, and I wanted my program to reflect that evolution in a way that aligned with my integrity.
I knew I had to change - not the program foundations- but the gaps I was finding between what it had always been and what I knew it could be. It was in finding the opportunity to make BOB into all that I knew it could be that compelled me to reach out and ensure I was putting out the best version of my program.
Sure I could have spent the time and transformed it myself, but at a certain point, you have to ask yourself at what cost? Cost of your time, mental health, stress, and maybe even quality if you’re not careful.
No, I knew what I had to do. I contacted Ariel who was already a client of mine, and together we got to work; fast forward to the program now called BABs, and we created a more comprehensive, informative, and easy-to-use program with all the fundamentals we loved in BOB, just more streamlined.
Adaptability is the Name of the Game
Like the evolution of my bookkeeping program, you always have to be ready to change and move forward, even if things don’t look the way you thought they would. You have to remember that your course is a living program, so even when it’s “done” there are going to be changes that arise organically that you have to allow.
There’s also nothing wrong with engaging with feedback and taking some of the user comments and concerns to heart.
It’s also important to allow for growth- I have a successful bookkeeping business and have for years. I was bringing in income. Yet I knew and felt compelled to turn my career into a course. I guess you could say I was essentially creating my own competition, and yet I knew that it was something I wanted to do; I felt called to it.
Sure, I could charge more, but I don't have to. I know there’s enough work to be had, I know my income will be taken care of, and it fits within my vision and mission to put something good out into the world. Something constructive and informative, and thanks to Ariel and DreamPro, it didn’t even tax me all that much to create (at least the second iteration).
DIY vs Outsourcing
It’s important to note that Ariel creates courses, but also has a course if clients want to try their hand at building a course themselves. In the earlier stages of somebody's business, if they don't already have a second business to lean on and the money is not coming in, it might be a better choice to go the DIY route since you might have the time but not the money. So it requires an analysis of the resources you have; the time or the money.
There is no right or wrong answer here, only what you deem capable. Chances are you’re probably educating people without even knowing it. If you run lives or post how-to videos, or impart knowledge regularly to your clients in some kinda way, hey, that’s teaching. So even if you’re not looking to develop an entire course, wouldn’t you like to learn how to relate to your customers better, and be a better advocate for them?
That’s why a course on courses could be so beneficial; it’s good to know how to structure your thoughts in a way that makes sense and allows other people to hear and learn from them, especially if you consider yourself to be not just a coach but an educator. Knowing how to do that is really important, regardless of whether you end up outsourcing the bulk of the work to somebody else.
Get In On the Ground Floor: The Bottomline
When it comes to course creation, while lots of people think they’ve missed out in terms of breaking into the field, this industry is just getting started. If you think about the great resignation that’s sweeping through society, people are changing the way they work, the way they learn, and the way they make money like never before.
There’s such an opportunity to be seized if you can get out in front of this, and no, it is not too late to get involved.
If you’re thinking “I already have a business, why would I develop a course?” remember so did I. And so did Ariel. She had a thriving course creation business- she didn’t have to create a course as well. But she did, and she’s essentially made a second salary via a passive second stream of income.
How much potential supplemental income are you sitting on by not exploring every creative pursuit you can think up? Finding new opportunities helps you gain clarity on the business you already have while helping you evolve and grow in new ways.
That second income stream isn’t bad either.
If you want to learn more about how to and what you need to understand fundamentally in addition to what you need to do the work itself, BABs is the right program for you!
Ready to take action? Apply for the program that's right for you:
If you're looking for more insight on how to become a bookkeeper, and how to say hello to a more confident business model, enroll in Become A Bookkeeper (BABs).
Or to learn more about growing your bookkeeping business and hiring a team, enroll in Life By The Books™ (Libby).
If you have enjoyed this blog post, head on over to Instagram and share your IG stories and tag me, @orderlyaccountingbykatie
Kajabi affiliate www.katieferro.com/kajabi for extended 30-day trial
CONNECT WITH ARIEL:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dreamprocourses/
Website: https://dreamprocourses.com/
Learn more about Ariel’s DFY Course services by listening to the Outsource Your Course Podcast on your favorite streaming platform
CONNECT WITH KATIE:
Website: https://www.katieferro.com/
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/orderlyaccountingbykatie
The Bookkeepers’ Corner Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebookkeeperscorner/
