October 16, 2025 • 38 mins
When the systems behind your business don’t match the level of your skill, even the most talented service provider can find themselves stuck in a cycle of burnout and scrambling to keep up.
In this episode, I sit down with Emani Guy, CEO and Founder of Made New Marketing, to talk about her journey from overwhelm to clarity. Through candid reflections, real-life pivots, and strategic systems, she shares how she built a foundation that now allows her to work intentionally, set boundaries confidently, and grow sustainably.
Emani’s story is a powerful reminder that building a thriving business isn’t about doing more. It’s about getting clear, setting up systems that actually support you, and creating space to lead from a place of strength.
Before you hit play, know this: what you’ll hear isn’t a highlight reel. It’s the behind-the-scenes truth about what happens when you stop patching problems and start building structure that lasts.
5:12 – Why Emani’s early business days were marked by hustle, burnout, and a lack of systems and what finally made her take a step back to realign
9:04 – The turning point: how gaining clarity on her vision and services shifted everything in her business
15:02 – How using Airtable and client-focused systems transformed her onboarding experience, improved retention and made service delivery smoother
20:14 – How putting boundaries around her calendar helps protect her energy, create admin days, and work more strategically
28:32 – How embracing pivots and revisiting systems quarterly helped Emani rebuild her confidence and set her business up for sustainable growth
31:46 – The role the Mind Your Time Society resources played in helping Emani document, refine, and reset her systems to support her vision for the future
Related Episodes Mentioned:
EP 218 - Systems Reset Series: Being Great at What You Do Isn’t Enough (And That’s Not Your Fault)
EP 219 - Systems Reset Series: Your Client Onboarding Shouldn’t Be a Guessing Game
EP 220 - Systems Reset Series: Why a Messy Calendar Costs You More Than Time
EP 221 - Systems Reset Series: From Scrambling to Strategic — Your Next Step as a Consultant
Resources Mentioned:
⏰ Ready to see where your time is really slipping away?
The Boundary Reset Scorecard is a quick, fillable Google Doc you can complete online in under two minutes. It helps you spot the gaps in your boundaries, from unclear office hours to unsynced calendars so you know exactly where your time is leaking and what to fix first.
🔧 Ready to turn those ❌’s into ✅’s?
Join The Mind Your Time Society, your space for guided resets, copy-paste scripts, and a 90-Day Roadmap that makes boundaries stick. You’ll get the tools and support you need to reclaim your calendar, protect your energy, and finally feel in control of your time.
Let me know your thoughts! Click here to send me a text.
Leave a Rating and Review: https://ratethispodcast.com/mindyourtime
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
If you've been following along with the Systems
Reset series, you've heard metalk about why being great at
what you do isn't enough, whyonboarding shouldn't be a
guessing game, and how yourcalendar can either protect or
break your boundaries.
But today I want you to hearfrom someone who has lived
through all of this and came outstronger on the other side.
(00:21):
I'm going to be talking to aclient, colleague, and friend
who's also a member of the MindYour Time Society.
Her story is such a powerfulexample of how getting clarity,
setting boundaries, and puttingsystems in place can completely
transform your business and yourlife.
(00:41):
Welcome to the Mind Your TimePodcast.
I'm Shannon Baker, your coffeebutton host and business
operations strategist.
If you're a service providerwho's great at what you do, but
stuff with misfit clients, messyonboarding, or draining
workbade, they show us to you.
Each week I share bothstrategies and practical
insights rooted in my poweremotion framework to help you
streamline your back end,protect your time, and lead your
(01:03):
client experience withconfidence.
Because skills got you clients,but systems will take you
further.
So grab your cup of coffee oryour favorite drink, and let's
dive in.
Okay, so let me start by sayingif you've been listening to the
podcast for a while, you noticethat I haven't had a guest
episode in years.
One reason I made that decision,because it's my podcast and I
(01:25):
can do what I want, but alsobecause I wanted to make sure I
wasn't having people on thepodcast just because.
Because my goal is for everyepisode to provide value.
So today's chat is with ImaniGuy, the CEO and founder of Made
New Marketing, and I considerher to be a friend, trusted
colleague, and she's also mycontent manager and a member of
(01:48):
the My Your Time Society.
So I'm gonna let Imani tell youher story, but before we get
into that, I want to give you alittle background information
about how we met because itreally emphasizes the importance
of collaboration.
So I have a client that's beenwith me practically since I
started my business, and she'san event producer.
I manage her business and I'mlogistical on-site support at
(02:11):
her events.
So in 2023, she produced theconference and Imani was on the
team with that client.
And that's when we met and wehit it off immediately and just
kept in touch after that.
A few months later, I was hiredby that client to clean up their
back office.
And Imani and I really got towork together closely.
(02:31):
So when I launched mymembership, Imani was one of the
first ones to join.
But at that time, her businesswasn't quite ready to really
benefit from the resourcesinside.
So now that you've got a littlebit of background information,
I'm going to turn it over toImani to tell us her story,
starting with how she took theleap into becoming an
entrepreneur.
SPEAKER_01 (02:52):
First, I want to say thank you, Shannon, for having
me on this podcast.
This is a long time coming withus working together, a long time
coming with me being on here.
Um but hello everyone.
Like Shannon said, I'm ImaniGuy, um founder and CEO of Make
New Marketing, founder and CEOof Make New Marketing.
Um, I started my business backin October of 2023.
(03:14):
I was working freelance in themarketing industry with a client
that Shannon and I shared.
Um, and then I was like, hmm,maybe I could be an
entrepreneur.
But I wasn't ready to take thatleap of faith.
I was like, hold on, I love thestability of my nine to five.
But in September of 2023, beforeactually flying out for our
(03:34):
clients conference, um, I got anemail saying that I was losing
my job.
And so I faced the decision,would I become an entrepreneur,
which I was confused about?
Like, hold on, is that really mycalling?
Or would I try to look for jobsin the marketing industry?
As you go, it's hard.
Jobs were it was hard to it washard to find jobs.
(03:57):
So I just took a leap of faithand started my business.
And now I'm here, I'm actuallycelebrating two years, October
23rd, and entering my thirdyear.
So, you know, just a testamentto just taking a leap of faith
and not looking back.
And that's exactly what I did.
SPEAKER_00 (04:13):
I remember that first year, of course, you you
were going through all themotions, as you know, we've
talked about in the otherconversations.
You had all the pieces you needto start your business.
So as you really got into doingthings with this client, did
while you were really good atyour work and you were
developing your skills, but onething you mentioned was your
(04:36):
lack of systems was holding youback.
Tell me a little bit more aboutthat.
SPEAKER_01 (04:41):
So yeah, I remember when I first met Shannon.
Actually, I met you when I hadlost my job because I lost it
right before we went to theconference.
And so I was frantic.
I used to always tell Shannon inthe beginning of months of
getting to know her, you know,you look up how to start a
business and they're like, giveyour EIN, LLC, business baking.
(05:01):
They may give you some systems,but they don't really show you
how to structure it, um, not tofit what works best for you, but
your clients.
And so that's what I dealt witha lot.
Like I had the skills, I had thetalents, the gift, all the
things, but I didn't really knowhow to structure a business that
was scalable.
Um, and I know we'll get intothis later, but also the
(05:24):
boundaries piece was boundariesand systems, I say, were the
biggest piece um in thebeginning of my business that
caused burnout, all of thethings like I was really
struggling.
Like I barely slept.
So, I mean, answering calls 10,11 p.m.
and really not building a systemor foundation for my business.
Like I lacked, it was very, verya rocky um foundation for my
(05:49):
business.
And it it showed um later downthe line.
SPEAKER_00 (05:54):
And one of the things I remember really that
that first year is because youwere so overwhelmed, you started
experiencing some healthchallenges.
Yeah.
Remember what I told you at thattime was going on because they
couldn't figure out what wasgoing on with you.
But I knew what it was.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (06:12):
Yeah, you would tell me stress, but also um burnout,
I believe.
Like I was experiencing extreme,extreme burnout.
And I feel like we've hadmultiple conversations of just
how important, I think thatspeaks to also what you do in
your business, the importance ofyes, you run a business, you're
an entrepreneur, this is how youmake your money and everything,
(06:35):
but you have to make sure thatyou're okay.
Because if you're not okay, thenyour business is going to
suffer.
And when that happened, I waseven still trying to work, make
meetings on the way to doctor'sappointment.
And what was going on was it waslike inflammation in my chest.
I was in pain.
Like I used to try to work fromthe bed.
I don't know, like you guys seein movies, how the people like
(06:55):
they get into the hospitalbecause they have strokes and
all these things, and they'restill trying to work.
And that was, that was me,unfortunately.
And I'm only I was only, I thinkI was like 24 at that time.
24, 25.
So I'm 24, 25, and out in andout of doctor's appointments for
three weeks because of stress,because they couldn't really
(07:18):
determine inflammation in thechest can be caused from so many
different factors.
And so I'm in and out of thehospital.
I'm going to the um cardiodoctor, a PC, like all of these
things to get tests.
Because, but it also me camedown to I was stressed because I
haven't had that pain since Inever had that pain.
But when I look back at thattime period, it was a lot going
(07:39):
on.
And it, I feel like it just allcomes to having boundaries as an
entrepreneur because we struggleto do that a lot.
Like we think if we say no, aclient's gonna walk away.
And if they choose to walk away,then that's on them because we
have to make sure that ourhealth is important.
Because if we something everhappens to us, they're just
gonna find somebody else anyway.
(08:00):
You see the same thing incorporate America.
They oh, they say, okay, you cantake this sick time, but at the
end of the day, they're gonnafind somebody to replace you.
So you need to make sure youtake care of your health.
And that's from experience.
That time I remember callingShannon, like, I don't know, but
things need to get done.
It's like, no, take a pause,focus on your health.
If they don't understand, thenyou actually should not be
(08:23):
working with them, you know?
So that was a very, very toughtime.
And I probably didn't even startimplementing Shannon's advice
until early this year when I waslike, oh, in December and
January this year, and I waslike, I can't, I can't do this
no more.
I'm I'm burnt out.
So yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (08:43):
Now I also remember another shift that you had to
make was with your messaging andyour services because you were
very clear on what you did, whoyou served, and how you would
deliver.
Once you got that clarity, howdid things change in your
business?
SPEAKER_01 (09:03):
Tremendously.
I remember when we first startedworking together, I want to say
this was in March.
Yes, it was in the beginning ofMarch, and we sat down and you
were like, what's your vision?
What's your mission?
And I think at the time, becausewhen I start, when I look back
when I started my business, I'mlike, I just have to get
clients.
Like I lost a significant amountof income.
(09:25):
I have to build up that incometo be able to, you know, it's
expensive in the DMV.
So I had to build that incomeback up.
So when I look back when Istarted my business, I my goal
was, okay, you need marketing,you need this, you need that.
Okay, cool.
Like I can do it.
Not really realizing one that'snot sustainable because you
should not be able to work witheverybody.
(09:45):
Like everybody does not fit yourtarget and your goal.
So sitting down with you inMarch, I was like, okay, I have
some work to do.
And even when I was just goingprepping for today, I'm I sat
back and looked and I was like,I never really in the first
couple years or year and a halfof the business, sat back and
like, what do I see this being?
(10:07):
Not now, but in the future, youknow, like when we were talking
about um the vision, what whatdo I see it being in the future?
And I was like, hmm, this is itreally got me thinking.
And I think that's and when westarted talking, when I look
back, just prepping, that waswhen I started to pivot.
When I really sat down and waslike, okay, what is my business
(10:27):
supposed to be?
Like I know I'm supposed to bedoing so much more than what I'm
doing.
I'm not supposed to be feelingburnt out.
Like I'm not, I'm anentrepreneur.
I can make my old schedule.
Why am I feeling burnt out?
You know, and that pivot, youknow, these last couple months
have been hard, but it reallyshifted everything in my
business because I've sat down,you know, just like prayed and
(10:49):
really like, what does mybusiness look like next?
Like, what do I want it to be inthe future?
And that really transformed mythinking, transformed that,
okay, I really have to beserious about my back office.
I have to be serious about mysystems.
Like, if this is the vision forfive years, I can't have no back
office.
(11:09):
I can't not have an onboardingand all of these things.
Like, I have to get my systemsand foundation in order.
And that comes with vision.
I remember you saying, how doyou not know, if you don't know
what you want to do, then howcan you even build that
structure for your business?
So yeah, it was it's been ajourney since March, but that
(11:31):
conversation was was the startto meet actually pivoting and
really figuring out, okay, whatdoes this look like next?
SPEAKER_00 (11:39):
Okay.
So now we're at that claritypoint.
What do you do in the newmarketing?
SPEAKER_01 (11:46):
Yes.
So it has changed a little bitsince we last spoke, but um, so
our goal basically is to helpentrepreneurs shine their light.
Entrepreneurs, we work withchurches, ministries, um, and we
use um our foundation, which isfaith, to do that.
Um, and so we work in socialmedia management, event
(12:09):
marketing, not full events, butevent marketing, and of course,
uh um storytelling.
Um, one of the things recentlythat I haven't shared with you
yet, but working with you hasshowed me how people often also
lack structure in theirmarketing and how it's important
for them to build a foundationin every area of your business.
(12:31):
But working with you andbuilding that foundation in my
entire business made me realizethat you need that in every
area, but the entire business isa start to building out your
operations and every departmentof your business.
And so I don't know, justworking with you has shown me
like, wow, people really don'thave structure in their
marketing.
They don't have the strategy,and then of course, the
(12:53):
storytelling part with thesocial media or event marketing
support.
So it was really justinteresting how this six months,
how everything is just like fullcircle.
Like we knew when we firststarted it was gonna be the
community piece.
We knew it was gonna be um somefaith into incorporated, but we
I we just didn't know in Marchwould it be now, but that comes
back to getting clarity and alsoeven if you're pivoting your
(13:16):
business, like keep goingbecause it's gonna like you're
gonna, it's like blurry.
It was blurry in March.
I'm like, okay, people see it.
I don't see nothing.
I probably need like bifocals orsomething.
And then I was like, okay, it'sstarting to make sense as I'm
taking these steps.
It's starting to make sense.
It's starting to get clear.
Like it's starting to, I'mstarting to see the actual
(13:38):
vision that we said back inMarch because I just was like,
I'm gonna just keep taking thesesteps, and I guess wherever it
landed, you know, that's whatit's that's what it's gonna be.
So yeah, that's how I was ableto really get clear and really
just hone in on who are who I'mlike I'm called to serve, like
and help through my business.
SPEAKER_00 (13:58):
If you're new to the podcast, I always talk about the
six core systems that everybusiness owner needs.
But the first three, just so youknow, I was so proud of Imani,
she already had her digital filestructure in place, but she was
missing two, and one of them isreally huge, which was her
client onboarding and thenhaving control of her schedule
(14:21):
or her calendar managementbecause she didn't have all the
boundaries in place that sheneeded.
But one of the biggest ones thatI knew she needed to make a
priority was her onboardingbecause her complaint was as a
content creator and manager, theclients weren't getting her what
she needed to be able to do herjob.
So we tested it out together,created a um a basin airtable
(14:48):
that she can recreate with everyclient, so it's a template.
So, how has building out youronboarding process over the
past, I would say, three to fourmonths, what difference had it
has it made as you start to workwith new clients?
SPEAKER_01 (15:02):
When I tell you they love Airtable, like love it.
They go on a platform that like,I think I just had one or two
clients who I had to go overwith, but everybody was like,
it's it's fairly easy.
They're actually excited thateverything's in one platform as
opposed to, you know, GoogleDrive and then having to go to
(15:24):
Google folder and then havingto, you know, the the cells, the
columns are too big or too long.
So they really love Airtable,and it has been very easy to
just also it's an app, so justupload from the phone and ping
them when it's ready.
Um, have they're able to edit itand different things.
So when we talk about systems,like that was one of the big
(15:47):
keys to be efficient with likeclients being able to review
content because if they can'treview it in a timely manner,
you know, things fall.
Or even if I have to go intoGoogle Drive and add a link and
then add all these extra things,things fall.
(16:07):
So and and when you think aboutthings falling, then that messes
up your client retention, thatmesses up clients are like, hold
on, what's going on?
So you have to like airtable isvery important, but the
onboarding was very important aswell.
Because I think before I I hadcalls with my clients, but it
(16:28):
wasn't a true extensiveonboarding package to say,
here's your like I think at theend we put a checklist.
This is what I need to in orderto be able to start.
If I don't get these things,then it prolongs or push back
our actual start date.
And so being able to do that wasreally helpful for me.
And I don't have to beforey'all, I used to do too much
(16:52):
proposals for every client orpotential client, and then to
maybe not get some.
Um, and this making stuffeverything so specific to each
client, but with the onboardingpackage, all I have to do is
maybe change it out a little bitdepending on the package they
got and their name.
But I don't have to changeeverything because I need all
the credentials, the logincredentials.
(17:15):
Um, before I used to doeverything on my my Canva
account, now I'm like, do youhave one?
Can you add me to your team?
Just to make sure that thingsare separate, but also that
they're able to see everythingis just streamlined better,
especially when you think aboutum, you may not work with
clients all the time, like thesame client for years.
(17:36):
So instead of having totransfer, remember, I had to do
I had to do all that, and it'shard to transfer on on Canva.
Um, so just those little thingsadding to my onboarding has made
it so, so much easier.
I had a new client onboardinglast week, and he was like, wow,
this is very, you know,thorough.
(17:57):
I'm like, shout out to Shannon.
Because I sent the onboardingpackage and it literally had
everything.
And I I recently updated toobased on just pivoting in the
company, the things that I seenmaybe I actually do need, and
it's very helpful for your foryour client because um also just
what I learned working with youis that it could be easy for you
(18:18):
to do because like you're on theback end of the business, but
it's not about if it's easierfor you.
Like it's about your client.
Like if they're struggling tokeep up with what you're doing
and they're they're not reallyunderstanding, then I don't want
to say you're failing, butyou're you're missing a piece.
And then when you think abouteven like getting clients back,
it's hard because they're like,she she was good at her work,
(18:41):
but I couldn't really keep upbecause it was too much going
on.
I think that's what I struggledwith in the beginning, but now
and I'm like, you you're gonnaknow in the beginning what's
going on, you're gonna havethese systems that I know have
work, have proven to work, andI'm not even creating the will
again.
I'm just duplicating and maybeeven changing some of the
columns to be specific to theclient, but I'm making a process
(19:03):
easier for them rather thaneasier for me.
I feel like that's how Ioperated in the beginning.
Oh, this is easy for me.
I know what I'm doing.
But then the client's like, canyou clarify this every every
day?
And I'm like, okay, now this iseasy, but it was because I was
working to for it to be easierfor me and not, you know, for
them.
SPEAKER_00 (19:22):
Yes.
And that point right therereally emphasizes how when you
create processes or systems thatare client-focused, it needs to
be all about them.
Because if they have a badexperience, as you mentioned, it
doesn't matter how good you areat your job, all they're gonna
remember is the bad experiencethat they have with you.
And that's gonna one, block themfrom referring anyone to you
(19:45):
because they don't want anyoneelse to experience that.
But then two, you know, if youwhile your clients and they're
happy with you, you can raiseyour prices, you can change your
services, they will stay withyou and they will sing praises
and bring more people.
But it comes to your clientexperience.
Now, one thing we also talkedabout several times, which is
(20:06):
part of the client experience,is boundaries.
Because before you did not haveboundaries in place, especially
around your calendar.
How is it different now?
SPEAKER_01 (20:19):
I'm gonna just say this.
Y'all need to work with Shannonbecause she is going to get
y'all together unfiltered, butit's going to be beneficial in
the long run.
When it came to the boundarieswith the calendar, I used to
take meetings every day of thebusiness week, Monday through
Friday, nine to five, or atleast three.
(20:43):
Um, and what that did was I didnot have opportunity to work on
the back end of my business.
That's why it was starting toquickly crumble because I'm so
focused on what's on the frontend, but I'm missing the back
end and not even having at leastone day where I'm able to focus
on my admin.
(21:03):
Um, and so I would take callseven outside of the nine to
five, because of course I didn'thave a separate work phone, so
it was already, if I see it, I'mjust gonna respond.
But I realize that's not thebest option because then people
become accustomed to youanswering at nine, 10 o'clock at
night trying to get things done.
(21:23):
And I also realized thateverything is not urgent, you
know?
Like if there's a big eventcoming up or um a deadline, but
it's not that urgent at nineo'clock at night, especially if
it's Monday through Thursday.
Now, if it's a Friday and theyneed something before Monday,
that could be understandable.
But if it's Monday throughThursday, it can literally wait
till the next morning.
(21:44):
So setting those boundaries onmy calendar now, I only take
meetings Mondays and Wednesdaysfull, like nine to five on both
days.
Thursdays 11 to 2.
Other than that, Tuesdays are myadmin day and working on
anything internal and Friday ismy rest day.
Yes, I have a rest day.
And I'm popping, but you can'tsee us because I would take
(22:08):
meetings.
She don't be like, oh no, I'mnot available.
It's me.
I'm available because I justfelt like if I wasn't available,
oh, the client's gonna feel likeI'm not serious.
But I I want to say this alsolike you don't have to prove
yourself to your client.
Like you're already working withthem.
They clearly see that you'recapable to do the job.
So you don't have to likeoverextend yourself.
(22:30):
And that's what I did.
Um, and so once me and Shen, um,probably can't even count on my
hands how many times we have hadthis conversation.
But once I started to implementit, I started to see less
stress, um, time free up.
My back end wasn't failingbecause one of my excuses, well,
(22:51):
I would say it was an excuse,and I can say it's an excuse now
because we overcame it, but wasI didn't have time to focus on
my back end.
Like that was crazy that I evenwould say, like, I didn't have
time.
And you were like, okay, okay,you know?
Um, but setting those boundarieshas cleared up so much time.
I'm able to go in person morefor clients.
I'm able to just do more withoutfeeling like even if I'm out of
(23:15):
office for a day, like sometimesThursdays, I may have to go in
person for a content day.
I can do that without feelinglike my business is falling
apart.
Because if you leave your officefor three hours and you feel
like your business is fallingapart, then you have bigger
problems.
And that was me.
Like, I remember when we firststarted doing our coffee days, I
would feel like, oh my gosh,like how can I be out doing
(23:36):
this?
And then I was like, relax.
Like, nothing can happen inthree hours.
Um, and also you need to setaside time.
If you know you're gonna beoutside of office, how can you
maybe potentially rearrange yourschedule and have those
boundaries?
So when I'm out of office, whenI'm at these events, when I'm
doing things in person or in thefield, I can be present where I
(23:58):
am.
And I did not do that the firstyear and a half of my business.
I would, oh my bad, I have totake this call or do this.
And you know, when I did startsetting boundaries in my
business, clients, some clientsdidn't like that simply because
I basically just let them walkall over me in short terms.
And so when you set thoseboundaries and you you haven't
(24:19):
before, people do, they getconfused.
They're like, okay, she'sswitching up, but really it's
you were taking advantage of menot having boundaries.
Um, and so setting thoseboundaries, it that even shifted
my business.
Like it was a lot of shiftshappening at one time, the
messaging.
I was focused on the backoffice, I was setting
(24:40):
boundaries, and people weresome, it just people had to take
time to receive it or even notreceive it because of who I
showed up as, but that wasn'teven me.
Like I was overextending myself.
And now I don't be burnt out.
I mean, even though this lastsix months has been hard, I hey,
(25:01):
you on, I'll see you Monday.
I say this to my work stuff.
I'll see you Monday.
I'm taking the weekend, I'mtaking Friday, I'm prioritizing
myself because if I can't be mybest self, then things are gonna
fall through, especially as asolopreneur, like things are
gonna fall through.
So boundaries, boundaries.
If you don't learn anythingelse, boundaries, that's it.
SPEAKER_00 (25:24):
No, one thing you mentioned, actually our last
coffee co-working session, wasthat you repeat something I told
you about working hours andoffice hours.
How has that made a differencefor you?
SPEAKER_01 (25:37):
It has helped me to be able to have days where I'm
focused on client work or my ownwork.
Because before, if I'm working,one thing we had this
conversation um, I think before,I would be in the zone for like
two hours, and then I get aping, you have a meeting at 1
(26:01):
p.m.
Now I'm out of that creativityspace that, you know, working on
client work, I could be typingsomething out.
I'm out of that space now.
I have to step aside, put my putanother hat on, you know, for my
sessions, for my um checkingcalls, and then I have to be in
that meeting, right?
(26:21):
And then now I'm out of thatmeeting.
I probably lost what I wasworking on before because I had
to stop in that moment.
Like for what, even for what youdo, for what I do, when you're
in that zone, you gotta stop.
I've done stayed up to 3 a.m.
because I was in that zone, justlike working here and there.
When you're in that zone, youhave to stay in that zone
(26:41):
because once you get out, nowI'm hungry.
Now I gotta walk my dog.
Now I gotta go to now lifestarts to happen.
So setting those hours, I'mlike, okay, so Tuesdays, I can
get me a good workout in beforework, I can come back.
I I enjoy breakfast now.
Not even breakfast working.
I enjoy breakfast, you know,breakfast.
(27:04):
I enjoy lunch.
I used to work through, I usedto work basically through every
meal.
And that's not long term, that'sreally truly not sustainable.
So having working days and admindays separated when I can
actually focus on client work,no calls.
It's just like a random callthat's like okay, like on the
(27:25):
phone, but having to set up aZoom and get on camera when I
want to be in my scarf and myPJs and get work done.
So it's like having those daysare very crucial in your
business.
Like you can't go without them.
You really truly cannot.
I had a friend who started abusiness and I was like, wait,
you got you got meetings?
No, you need to have businessand um work work days and admin
(27:48):
days because as your businessgrows, you have to you have to
have that established.
There's no reason you should betaking meetings five days out
the week.
No reason.
Just I I'd rather stack themthan like scatter them.
Oh, that was good.
SPEAKER_00 (28:06):
I was like, I am proud of you because this time
last year we were not at thispoint.
SPEAKER_01 (28:11):
I don't even think we were close because this was
no, we were not at all.
SPEAKER_00 (28:17):
At all.
Now, if someone listening in onthis episode feels stuck the way
that you used to, what's thefirst thing you would tell them
to do to start making changes?
SPEAKER_01 (28:32):
I would say take a step back, because I feel like I
had to do that.
I had to take a step back andreally assess what do I want my
business to be.
I think when you ask thatquestion, that really was when
my mind started to really go.
Because a lot of businessesdon't make it past a certain
(28:53):
amount of years because eithervision or you know, financial
piece, we're not gonna get toall that, or just other things.
But I would say take a stepback, realign.
Even if you have to let yourclients know, hey, I need a
second, um, and just pray.
And I said, Oh, get a realign.
And and also when I was feelingstuck, it was because it was
(29:16):
time for me to pivot as well.
So being okay with that pivot,even though I was early in
business, I used to say, wait,why am I pivoting so early?
Like I feel like I'm justgetting started.
But you may have to pivot morethan you think in business.
And a lot of people thinksometimes with pivoting, that
means that you're unsuccessfulin business.
Actually, and I remember talkingto you, you said that's actually
(29:39):
really good because that meansyou've gotten to a level where
it's time for you to go to thenext level.
There's more that you need todo.
And so I think that was thehardest piece that I had to like
come to terms with when I wasstuck that something's not
working, you're stuck for areason.
Once I got the systems in orderand I still felt stuck, I was
like, okay, I think it'ssomething else in the business.
(30:00):
That I need to pivot in.
And it was the messaging, it wasthe targeting, target um
audience.
It was just honing in on justthe overall vision for you know
my company.
But I would definitely sayevaluate why you're stuck, where
you're stuck, and then assesswhat are the next steps for
(30:21):
getting unstuck and be okay ifit don't have it doesn't happen
in a month.
Because I finally, after likeMarch was six months ago, I
think, I finally feel like I'mI'm out the quicksand.
I'm I'm finally getting back toImani, um, just like uh working
(30:42):
in my my industry, my business,being even being confident in
pivoting in the business, youknow, because you have to
rebuild that confidence.
You were, I've been doing what Idid in the past in the business
for a year and a half.
I had to work in the beginning.
You remember when I first metyou, I was not confident at all.
I didn't even know how to pitchmy business, what to say.
And so now you talk aboutpivoting, now you have to be
(31:04):
confident in that.
So that took me time, but now Ifeel truly ready to really just
step out on what this pivotlooks like and knowing that it's
for a reason, even if, again,like I can't see, like I said
earlier, even if the picture isvery blurry, just keep stepping
and like you'll get unstuckeventually.
SPEAKER_00 (31:24):
Okay.
Now, question that we didn'ttalk about ahead of time was now
while a lot of the assistancethat you got was us working
one-on-one, how did theresources inside of the My Your
Time Society help you withcreating or documenting some of
your processes and other thingswith the progress that you've
(31:46):
made?
SPEAKER_01 (31:47):
Yeah.
So being in a membership, thereare so many resources which that
I think are very useful nomatter the stage of your
business.
Because even when you talk aboutresetting your systems or
pivoting or getting unstuck,every document you have is
broken down by areas in yourbusiness, um, boundaries,
(32:10):
burnout, all of the things thatwe as business owners deal with.
And sometimes we don't have theresources.
And I think for me, how Ilearned, I'm able to have those
calls with you.
I'm able to be in the membershipand have the larger uh calls
with the other members.
But then I'm able to go into themembership, pull documents.
(32:34):
Okay, I can see I'm, I need tolet let me make sure my systems
are good.
Let me make sure I didn't, youknow, get all over the place or
off track and I'm able torealign.
Like it's always aboutrealigning in your business.
And something good that I loveis um when we have the calls and
you say, what are your goals?
Like, what's one goal you canfocus on?
Because oftentimes we focus on20 different goals.
(32:56):
You can't accomplish 20 goals inthree months.
I mean, you can, butrealistically to do it
efficiently, what's the onething that you need?
Even with the um the recentsheet you sent, the boundaries,
was it the boundaries worksheet?
The boundaries worksheet.
I went through that and I'mlike, you know, I've been
working with Shina, I'm good,but never think that you're too
(33:20):
good that you can't work onthings in your business because
going through that, um, Irealized that I could be better
in certain things when it cameto my clients or just refining
things.
Like this is the perfect time.
We're in Q4, um a couple monthsleft in, you know, the year.
And so what do I need to do inorder to set myself up for the
(33:43):
next year?
That's literally what it helpswith.
And it also helps with eachquarter.
You should be reassessing eachquarter because things change,
times change, clients change.
Um, and so it provides resourcesfor everything.
Even I remember when I firststarted, um, scheduling systems
you need, communication systems,uh, all any type of systems.
(34:06):
I'm telling you, you need to becalled Shannon, Shannon the
systems girl, because she givesyou all the systems that you
need, breaks each down.
She doesn't just give you onethat she thinks is the best, but
options.
Because again, like we saidbefore, it's not what's best for
you, it's what's best for yourclients.
So, really researching, shebreaks down everything that you
(34:28):
may need for your business.
And I think it's it's so helpfulto have that in one system, like
in one area, in one membership,as opposed to 50, you gotta go
to 50 different um membershipgroups or um organizations to
get what's provided, and youneed a solid foundation as a
business owner.
(34:49):
It's not just about the EIN,LLC, okay, business banking, is
it all of those things areimportant, but after that, what
are your systems?
That's like really what it comesdown to.
Like, what are your systems?
Like, do you have them in place?
If not, you need to join themembership.
SPEAKER_00 (35:07):
Appreciate that.
And that is not a paidtestimonial.
SPEAKER_01 (35:11):
At all.
At all.
SPEAKER_00 (35:13):
But I appreciate the point you made about going back.
Like every quarter, at least,you need to look at things
because what we tend to do, evenif we set new boundaries or we
start with a new system orprocess, whatever the case may
be, after time, we kind of startslipping back into our old
habits.
So we have to double check tomake sure that we're still doing
(35:37):
things to move forward, becauseotherwise we begin to solve our
own progress that we've made andwe don't even realize it.
So if we don't pause and take alook at things, do some
reflecting, which I force youall to do on those monthly
calls, then you'll never knowhow far you're getting away or
how your focus has shifted fromwhere it really needs to be
(35:59):
until unfortunately it's toolate.
Way too late.
I want to thank you for comingon and sharing this experience
with everyone.
I know we've talked about doingthis for a while, so this is
perfect timing for it.
And you're definitely moreconfident in the way you talk
about your business and speak,so I'm proud of you because
you've done a lot of work,especially over the past six
(36:21):
months, to really get yoursystems in place and really I
can see your business growingand just how it's changed is how
happy you look.
It's amazing.
So as we said, if you want toget these kinds of results, join
us inside the membership.
We would love to have you andsee you on our next call so you
(36:42):
can start this training with us.
Now's a good time for you to doa reset.
So, unless you have anythingelse you want to add or any, you
know, final tip you want to giveeveryone, we can go ahead and
wrap up for the day.
SPEAKER_01 (36:54):
You know, I think I've said a mouthful, but I just
hope that whoever listens tothis or even comes across it,
that they really just even ifyou've been in business for 10,
15, 20 years, like just take astep back this quarter to really
truly look at every area of yourbusiness and see how you can
improve.
No one's perfect, so that meanswe all have room to grow.
(37:16):
So look to see what you reallyneed, the systems, the
foundation, boundaries that youmay even need in your business
um before the year ends, youknow.
SPEAKER_00 (37:25):
Thanks for tuning in today.
If this episode hit home, it'sbecause you already know you're
ready to stop patching up theproblems and start running your
business like the pro you are.
But listening won't fix thecracks.
Action will.
Your next step?
Grab the back office powerchecklist at thannonbaker.com
forward slash checklist.
It'll show you exactly what'sworking, what's missing, and
(37:48):
where you're back in.
It's silently slowing you down.
And if you're ready to godeeper, founder circle inside
the Mind Your Time Society iswhere we can fix it together
with the systems insanity suite,and you'll get the clarity that
you've been craving.
Not quite there yet?
Come say hi to me on Instagramat the underscore Shannon Baker.
(38:08):
I would love to hear whatresonated with you the most.
And if you're loving thepodcast, please leave a quick
review because it goes a longway in helping more service
providers like you find thepodcast.
You can do that right now atratethispodcast.com forward
slash mind your time.
Skills got your clients, systemsand your expertise are what's
(38:31):
gonna help you keep them.
So until next time, keep calmand streamline.
If you've been following along with the Systems
Reset series, you've heard metalk about why being great at
what you do isn't enough, whyonboarding shouldn't be a
guessing game, and how yourcalendar can either protect or
break your boundaries.
But today I want you to hearfrom someone who has lived
through all of this and came outstronger on the other side.
(00:21):
I'm going to be talking to aclient, colleague, and friend
who's also a member of the MindYour Time Society.
Her story is such a powerfulexample of how getting clarity,
setting boundaries, and puttingsystems in place can completely
transform your business and yourlife.
(00:41):
Welcome to the Mind Your TimePodcast.
I'm Shannon Baker, your coffeebutton host and business
operations strategist.
If you're a service providerwho's great at what you do, but
stuff with misfit clients, messyonboarding, or draining
workbade, they show us to you.
Each week I share bothstrategies and practical
insights rooted in my poweremotion framework to help you
streamline your back end,protect your time, and lead your
(01:03):
client experience withconfidence.
Because skills got you clients,but systems will take you
further.
So grab your cup of coffee oryour favorite drink, and let's
dive in.
Okay, so let me start by sayingif you've been listening to the
podcast for a while, you noticethat I haven't had a guest
episode in years.
One reason I made that decision,because it's my podcast and I
(01:25):
can do what I want, but alsobecause I wanted to make sure I
wasn't having people on thepodcast just because.
Because my goal is for everyepisode to provide value.
So today's chat is with ImaniGuy, the CEO and founder of Made
New Marketing, and I considerher to be a friend, trusted
colleague, and she's also mycontent manager and a member of
(01:48):
the My Your Time Society.
So I'm gonna let Imani tell youher story, but before we get
into that, I want to give you alittle background information
about how we met because itreally emphasizes the importance
of collaboration.
So I have a client that's beenwith me practically since I
started my business, and she'san event producer.
I manage her business and I'mlogistical on-site support at
(02:11):
her events.
So in 2023, she produced theconference and Imani was on the
team with that client.
And that's when we met and wehit it off immediately and just
kept in touch after that.
A few months later, I was hiredby that client to clean up their
back office.
And Imani and I really got towork together closely.
(02:31):
So when I launched mymembership, Imani was one of the
first ones to join.
But at that time, her businesswasn't quite ready to really
benefit from the resourcesinside.
So now that you've got a littlebit of background information,
I'm going to turn it over toImani to tell us her story,
starting with how she took theleap into becoming an
entrepreneur.
SPEAKER_01 (02:52):
First, I want to say thank you, Shannon, for having
me on this podcast.
This is a long time coming withus working together, a long time
coming with me being on here.
Um but hello everyone.
Like Shannon said, I'm ImaniGuy, um founder and CEO of Make
New Marketing, founder and CEOof Make New Marketing.
Um, I started my business backin October of 2023.
(03:14):
I was working freelance in themarketing industry with a client
that Shannon and I shared.
Um, and then I was like, hmm,maybe I could be an
entrepreneur.
But I wasn't ready to take thatleap of faith.
I was like, hold on, I love thestability of my nine to five.
But in September of 2023, beforeactually flying out for our
(03:34):
clients conference, um, I got anemail saying that I was losing
my job.
And so I faced the decision,would I become an entrepreneur,
which I was confused about?
Like, hold on, is that really mycalling?
Or would I try to look for jobsin the marketing industry?
As you go, it's hard.
Jobs were it was hard to it washard to find jobs.
(03:57):
So I just took a leap of faithand started my business.
And now I'm here, I'm actuallycelebrating two years, October
23rd, and entering my thirdyear.
So, you know, just a testamentto just taking a leap of faith
and not looking back.
And that's exactly what I did.
SPEAKER_00 (04:13):
I remember that first year, of course, you you
were going through all themotions, as you know, we've
talked about in the otherconversations.
You had all the pieces you needto start your business.
So as you really got into doingthings with this client, did
while you were really good atyour work and you were
developing your skills, but onething you mentioned was your
(04:36):
lack of systems was holding youback.
Tell me a little bit more aboutthat.
SPEAKER_01 (04:41):
So yeah, I remember when I first met Shannon.
Actually, I met you when I hadlost my job because I lost it
right before we went to theconference.
And so I was frantic.
I used to always tell Shannon inthe beginning of months of
getting to know her, you know,you look up how to start a
business and they're like, giveyour EIN, LLC, business baking.
(05:01):
They may give you some systems,but they don't really show you
how to structure it, um, not tofit what works best for you, but
your clients.
And so that's what I dealt witha lot.
Like I had the skills, I had thetalents, the gift, all the
things, but I didn't really knowhow to structure a business that
was scalable.
Um, and I know we'll get intothis later, but also the
(05:24):
boundaries piece was boundariesand systems, I say, were the
biggest piece um in thebeginning of my business that
caused burnout, all of thethings like I was really
struggling.
Like I barely slept.
So, I mean, answering calls 10,11 p.m.
and really not building a systemor foundation for my business.
Like I lacked, it was very, verya rocky um foundation for my
(05:49):
business.
And it it showed um later downthe line.
SPEAKER_00 (05:54):
And one of the things I remember really that
that first year is because youwere so overwhelmed, you started
experiencing some healthchallenges.
Yeah.
Remember what I told you at thattime was going on because they
couldn't figure out what wasgoing on with you.
But I knew what it was.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (06:12):
Yeah, you would tell me stress, but also um burnout,
I believe.
Like I was experiencing extreme,extreme burnout.
And I feel like we've hadmultiple conversations of just
how important, I think thatspeaks to also what you do in
your business, the importance ofyes, you run a business, you're
an entrepreneur, this is how youmake your money and everything,
(06:35):
but you have to make sure thatyou're okay.
Because if you're not okay, thenyour business is going to
suffer.
And when that happened, I waseven still trying to work, make
meetings on the way to doctor'sappointment.
And what was going on was it waslike inflammation in my chest.
I was in pain.
Like I used to try to work fromthe bed.
I don't know, like you guys seein movies, how the people like
(06:55):
they get into the hospitalbecause they have strokes and
all these things, and they'restill trying to work.
And that was, that was me,unfortunately.
And I'm only I was only, I thinkI was like 24 at that time.
24, 25.
So I'm 24, 25, and out in andout of doctor's appointments for
three weeks because of stress,because they couldn't really
(07:18):
determine inflammation in thechest can be caused from so many
different factors.
And so I'm in and out of thehospital.
I'm going to the um cardiodoctor, a PC, like all of these
things to get tests.
Because, but it also me camedown to I was stressed because I
haven't had that pain since Inever had that pain.
But when I look back at thattime period, it was a lot going
(07:39):
on.
And it, I feel like it just allcomes to having boundaries as an
entrepreneur because we struggleto do that a lot.
Like we think if we say no, aclient's gonna walk away.
And if they choose to walk away,then that's on them because we
have to make sure that ourhealth is important.
Because if we something everhappens to us, they're just
gonna find somebody else anyway.
(08:00):
You see the same thing incorporate America.
They oh, they say, okay, you cantake this sick time, but at the
end of the day, they're gonnafind somebody to replace you.
So you need to make sure youtake care of your health.
And that's from experience.
That time I remember callingShannon, like, I don't know, but
things need to get done.
It's like, no, take a pause,focus on your health.
If they don't understand, thenyou actually should not be
(08:23):
working with them, you know?
So that was a very, very toughtime.
And I probably didn't even startimplementing Shannon's advice
until early this year when I waslike, oh, in December and
January this year, and I waslike, I can't, I can't do this
no more.
I'm I'm burnt out.
So yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (08:43):
Now I also remember another shift that you had to
make was with your messaging andyour services because you were
very clear on what you did, whoyou served, and how you would
deliver.
Once you got that clarity, howdid things change in your
business?
SPEAKER_01 (09:03):
Tremendously.
I remember when we first startedworking together, I want to say
this was in March.
Yes, it was in the beginning ofMarch, and we sat down and you
were like, what's your vision?
What's your mission?
And I think at the time, becausewhen I start, when I look back
when I started my business, I'mlike, I just have to get
clients.
Like I lost a significant amountof income.
(09:25):
I have to build up that incometo be able to, you know, it's
expensive in the DMV.
So I had to build that incomeback up.
So when I look back when Istarted my business, I my goal
was, okay, you need marketing,you need this, you need that.
Okay, cool.
Like I can do it.
Not really realizing one that'snot sustainable because you
should not be able to work witheverybody.
(09:45):
Like everybody does not fit yourtarget and your goal.
So sitting down with you inMarch, I was like, okay, I have
some work to do.
And even when I was just goingprepping for today, I'm I sat
back and looked and I was like,I never really in the first
couple years or year and a halfof the business, sat back and
like, what do I see this being?
(10:07):
Not now, but in the future, youknow, like when we were talking
about um the vision, what whatdo I see it being in the future?
And I was like, hmm, this is itreally got me thinking.
And I think that's and when westarted talking, when I look
back, just prepping, that waswhen I started to pivot.
When I really sat down and waslike, okay, what is my business
(10:27):
supposed to be?
Like I know I'm supposed to bedoing so much more than what I'm
doing.
I'm not supposed to be feelingburnt out.
Like I'm not, I'm anentrepreneur.
I can make my old schedule.
Why am I feeling burnt out?
You know, and that pivot, youknow, these last couple months
have been hard, but it reallyshifted everything in my
business because I've sat down,you know, just like prayed and
(10:49):
really like, what does mybusiness look like next?
Like, what do I want it to be inthe future?
And that really transformed mythinking, transformed that,
okay, I really have to beserious about my back office.
I have to be serious about mysystems.
Like, if this is the vision forfive years, I can't have no back
office.
(11:09):
I can't not have an onboardingand all of these things.
Like, I have to get my systemsand foundation in order.
And that comes with vision.
I remember you saying, how doyou not know, if you don't know
what you want to do, then howcan you even build that
structure for your business?
So yeah, it was it's been ajourney since March, but that
(11:31):
conversation was was the startto meet actually pivoting and
really figuring out, okay, whatdoes this look like next?
SPEAKER_00 (11:39):
Okay.
So now we're at that claritypoint.
What do you do in the newmarketing?
SPEAKER_01 (11:46):
Yes.
So it has changed a little bitsince we last spoke, but um, so
our goal basically is to helpentrepreneurs shine their light.
Entrepreneurs, we work withchurches, ministries, um, and we
use um our foundation, which isfaith, to do that.
Um, and so we work in socialmedia management, event
(12:09):
marketing, not full events, butevent marketing, and of course,
uh um storytelling.
Um, one of the things recentlythat I haven't shared with you
yet, but working with you hasshowed me how people often also
lack structure in theirmarketing and how it's important
for them to build a foundationin every area of your business.
(12:31):
But working with you andbuilding that foundation in my
entire business made me realizethat you need that in every
area, but the entire business isa start to building out your
operations and every departmentof your business.
And so I don't know, justworking with you has shown me
like, wow, people really don'thave structure in their
marketing.
They don't have the strategy,and then of course, the
(12:53):
storytelling part with thesocial media or event marketing
support.
So it was really justinteresting how this six months,
how everything is just like fullcircle.
Like we knew when we firststarted it was gonna be the
community piece.
We knew it was gonna be um somefaith into incorporated, but we
I we just didn't know in Marchwould it be now, but that comes
back to getting clarity and alsoeven if you're pivoting your
(13:16):
business, like keep goingbecause it's gonna like you're
gonna, it's like blurry.
It was blurry in March.
I'm like, okay, people see it.
I don't see nothing.
I probably need like bifocals orsomething.
And then I was like, okay, it'sstarting to make sense as I'm
taking these steps.
It's starting to make sense.
It's starting to get clear.
Like it's starting to, I'mstarting to see the actual
(13:38):
vision that we said back inMarch because I just was like,
I'm gonna just keep taking thesesteps, and I guess wherever it
landed, you know, that's whatit's that's what it's gonna be.
So yeah, that's how I was ableto really get clear and really
just hone in on who are who I'mlike I'm called to serve, like
and help through my business.
SPEAKER_00 (13:58):
If you're new to the podcast, I always talk about the
six core systems that everybusiness owner needs.
But the first three, just so youknow, I was so proud of Imani,
she already had her digital filestructure in place, but she was
missing two, and one of them isreally huge, which was her
client onboarding and thenhaving control of her schedule
(14:21):
or her calendar managementbecause she didn't have all the
boundaries in place that sheneeded.
But one of the biggest ones thatI knew she needed to make a
priority was her onboardingbecause her complaint was as a
content creator and manager, theclients weren't getting her what
she needed to be able to do herjob.
So we tested it out together,created a um a basin airtable
(14:48):
that she can recreate with everyclient, so it's a template.
So, how has building out youronboarding process over the
past, I would say, three to fourmonths, what difference had it
has it made as you start to workwith new clients?
SPEAKER_01 (15:02):
When I tell you they love Airtable, like love it.
They go on a platform that like,I think I just had one or two
clients who I had to go overwith, but everybody was like,
it's it's fairly easy.
They're actually excited thateverything's in one platform as
opposed to, you know, GoogleDrive and then having to go to
(15:24):
Google folder and then havingto, you know, the the cells, the
columns are too big or too long.
So they really love Airtable,and it has been very easy to
just also it's an app, so justupload from the phone and ping
them when it's ready.
Um, have they're able to edit itand different things.
So when we talk about systems,like that was one of the big
(15:47):
keys to be efficient with likeclients being able to review
content because if they can'treview it in a timely manner,
you know, things fall.
Or even if I have to go intoGoogle Drive and add a link and
then add all these extra things,things fall.
(16:07):
So and and when you think aboutthings falling, then that messes
up your client retention, thatmesses up clients are like, hold
on, what's going on?
So you have to like airtable isvery important, but the
onboarding was very important aswell.
Because I think before I I hadcalls with my clients, but it
(16:28):
wasn't a true extensiveonboarding package to say,
here's your like I think at theend we put a checklist.
This is what I need to in orderto be able to start.
If I don't get these things,then it prolongs or push back
our actual start date.
And so being able to do that wasreally helpful for me.
And I don't have to beforey'all, I used to do too much
(16:52):
proposals for every client orpotential client, and then to
maybe not get some.
Um, and this making stuffeverything so specific to each
client, but with the onboardingpackage, all I have to do is
maybe change it out a little bitdepending on the package they
got and their name.
But I don't have to changeeverything because I need all
the credentials, the logincredentials.
(17:15):
Um, before I used to doeverything on my my Canva
account, now I'm like, do youhave one?
Can you add me to your team?
Just to make sure that thingsare separate, but also that
they're able to see everythingis just streamlined better,
especially when you think aboutum, you may not work with
clients all the time, like thesame client for years.
(17:36):
So instead of having totransfer, remember, I had to do
I had to do all that, and it'shard to transfer on on Canva.
Um, so just those little thingsadding to my onboarding has made
it so, so much easier.
I had a new client onboardinglast week, and he was like, wow,
this is very, you know,thorough.
(17:57):
I'm like, shout out to Shannon.
Because I sent the onboardingpackage and it literally had
everything.
And I I recently updated toobased on just pivoting in the
company, the things that I seenmaybe I actually do need, and
it's very helpful for your foryour client because um also just
what I learned working with youis that it could be easy for you
(18:18):
to do because like you're on theback end of the business, but
it's not about if it's easierfor you.
Like it's about your client.
Like if they're struggling tokeep up with what you're doing
and they're they're not reallyunderstanding, then I don't want
to say you're failing, butyou're you're missing a piece.
And then when you think abouteven like getting clients back,
it's hard because they're like,she she was good at her work,
(18:41):
but I couldn't really keep upbecause it was too much going
on.
I think that's what I struggledwith in the beginning, but now
and I'm like, you you're gonnaknow in the beginning what's
going on, you're gonna havethese systems that I know have
work, have proven to work, andI'm not even creating the will
again.
I'm just duplicating and maybeeven changing some of the
columns to be specific to theclient, but I'm making a process
(19:03):
easier for them rather thaneasier for me.
I feel like that's how Ioperated in the beginning.
Oh, this is easy for me.
I know what I'm doing.
But then the client's like, canyou clarify this every every
day?
And I'm like, okay, now this iseasy, but it was because I was
working to for it to be easierfor me and not, you know, for
them.
SPEAKER_00 (19:22):
Yes.
And that point right therereally emphasizes how when you
create processes or systems thatare client-focused, it needs to
be all about them.
Because if they have a badexperience, as you mentioned, it
doesn't matter how good you areat your job, all they're gonna
remember is the bad experiencethat they have with you.
And that's gonna one, block themfrom referring anyone to you
(19:45):
because they don't want anyoneelse to experience that.
But then two, you know, if youwhile your clients and they're
happy with you, you can raiseyour prices, you can change your
services, they will stay withyou and they will sing praises
and bring more people.
But it comes to your clientexperience.
Now, one thing we also talkedabout several times, which is
(20:06):
part of the client experience,is boundaries.
Because before you did not haveboundaries in place, especially
around your calendar.
How is it different now?
SPEAKER_01 (20:19):
I'm gonna just say this.
Y'all need to work with Shannonbecause she is going to get
y'all together unfiltered, butit's going to be beneficial in
the long run.
When it came to the boundarieswith the calendar, I used to
take meetings every day of thebusiness week, Monday through
Friday, nine to five, or atleast three.
(20:43):
Um, and what that did was I didnot have opportunity to work on
the back end of my business.
That's why it was starting toquickly crumble because I'm so
focused on what's on the frontend, but I'm missing the back
end and not even having at leastone day where I'm able to focus
on my admin.
(21:03):
Um, and so I would take callseven outside of the nine to
five, because of course I didn'thave a separate work phone, so
it was already, if I see it, I'mjust gonna respond.
But I realize that's not thebest option because then people
become accustomed to youanswering at nine, 10 o'clock at
night trying to get things done.
(21:23):
And I also realized thateverything is not urgent, you
know?
Like if there's a big eventcoming up or um a deadline, but
it's not that urgent at nineo'clock at night, especially if
it's Monday through Thursday.
Now, if it's a Friday and theyneed something before Monday,
that could be understandable.
But if it's Monday throughThursday, it can literally wait
till the next morning.
(21:44):
So setting those boundaries onmy calendar now, I only take
meetings Mondays and Wednesdaysfull, like nine to five on both
days.
Thursdays 11 to 2.
Other than that, Tuesdays are myadmin day and working on
anything internal and Friday ismy rest day.
Yes, I have a rest day.
And I'm popping, but you can'tsee us because I would take
(22:08):
meetings.
She don't be like, oh no, I'mnot available.
It's me.
I'm available because I justfelt like if I wasn't available,
oh, the client's gonna feel likeI'm not serious.
But I I want to say this alsolike you don't have to prove
yourself to your client.
Like you're already working withthem.
They clearly see that you'recapable to do the job.
So you don't have to likeoverextend yourself.
(22:30):
And that's what I did.
Um, and so once me and Shen, um,probably can't even count on my
hands how many times we have hadthis conversation.
But once I started to implementit, I started to see less
stress, um, time free up.
My back end wasn't failingbecause one of my excuses, well,
(22:51):
I would say it was an excuse,and I can say it's an excuse now
because we overcame it, but wasI didn't have time to focus on
my back end.
Like that was crazy that I evenwould say, like, I didn't have
time.
And you were like, okay, okay,you know?
Um, but setting those boundarieshas cleared up so much time.
I'm able to go in person morefor clients.
I'm able to just do more withoutfeeling like even if I'm out of
(23:15):
office for a day, like sometimesThursdays, I may have to go in
person for a content day.
I can do that without feelinglike my business is falling
apart.
Because if you leave your officefor three hours and you feel
like your business is fallingapart, then you have bigger
problems.
And that was me.
Like, I remember when we firststarted doing our coffee days, I
would feel like, oh my gosh,like how can I be out doing
(23:36):
this?
And then I was like, relax.
Like, nothing can happen inthree hours.
Um, and also you need to setaside time.
If you know you're gonna beoutside of office, how can you
maybe potentially rearrange yourschedule and have those
boundaries?
So when I'm out of office, whenI'm at these events, when I'm
doing things in person or in thefield, I can be present where I
(23:58):
am.
And I did not do that the firstyear and a half of my business.
I would, oh my bad, I have totake this call or do this.
And you know, when I did startsetting boundaries in my
business, clients, some clientsdidn't like that simply because
I basically just let them walkall over me in short terms.
And so when you set thoseboundaries and you you haven't
(24:19):
before, people do, they getconfused.
They're like, okay, she'sswitching up, but really it's
you were taking advantage of menot having boundaries.
Um, and so setting thoseboundaries, it that even shifted
my business.
Like it was a lot of shiftshappening at one time, the
messaging.
I was focused on the backoffice, I was setting
(24:40):
boundaries, and people weresome, it just people had to take
time to receive it or even notreceive it because of who I
showed up as, but that wasn'teven me.
Like I was overextending myself.
And now I don't be burnt out.
I mean, even though this lastsix months has been hard, I hey,
(25:01):
you on, I'll see you Monday.
I say this to my work stuff.
I'll see you Monday.
I'm taking the weekend, I'mtaking Friday, I'm prioritizing
myself because if I can't be mybest self, then things are gonna
fall through, especially as asolopreneur, like things are
gonna fall through.
So boundaries, boundaries.
If you don't learn anythingelse, boundaries, that's it.
SPEAKER_00 (25:24):
No, one thing you mentioned, actually our last
coffee co-working session, wasthat you repeat something I told
you about working hours andoffice hours.
How has that made a differencefor you?
SPEAKER_01 (25:37):
It has helped me to be able to have days where I'm
focused on client work or my ownwork.
Because before, if I'm working,one thing we had this
conversation um, I think before,I would be in the zone for like
two hours, and then I get aping, you have a meeting at 1
(26:01):
p.m.
Now I'm out of that creativityspace that, you know, working on
client work, I could be typingsomething out.
I'm out of that space now.
I have to step aside, put my putanother hat on, you know, for my
sessions, for my um checkingcalls, and then I have to be in
that meeting, right?
(26:21):
And then now I'm out of thatmeeting.
I probably lost what I wasworking on before because I had
to stop in that moment.
Like for what, even for what youdo, for what I do, when you're
in that zone, you gotta stop.
I've done stayed up to 3 a.m.
because I was in that zone, justlike working here and there.
When you're in that zone, youhave to stay in that zone
(26:41):
because once you get out, nowI'm hungry.
Now I gotta walk my dog.
Now I gotta go to now lifestarts to happen.
So setting those hours, I'mlike, okay, so Tuesdays, I can
get me a good workout in beforework, I can come back.
I I enjoy breakfast now.
Not even breakfast working.
I enjoy breakfast, you know,breakfast.
(27:04):
I enjoy lunch.
I used to work through, I usedto work basically through every
meal.
And that's not long term, that'sreally truly not sustainable.
So having working days and admindays separated when I can
actually focus on client work,no calls.
It's just like a random callthat's like okay, like on the
(27:25):
phone, but having to set up aZoom and get on camera when I
want to be in my scarf and myPJs and get work done.
So it's like having those daysare very crucial in your
business.
Like you can't go without them.
You really truly cannot.
I had a friend who started abusiness and I was like, wait,
you got you got meetings?
No, you need to have businessand um work work days and admin
(27:48):
days because as your businessgrows, you have to you have to
have that established.
There's no reason you should betaking meetings five days out
the week.
No reason.
Just I I'd rather stack themthan like scatter them.
Oh, that was good.
SPEAKER_00 (28:06):
I was like, I am proud of you because this time
last year we were not at thispoint.
SPEAKER_01 (28:11):
I don't even think we were close because this was
no, we were not at all.
SPEAKER_00 (28:17):
At all.
Now, if someone listening in onthis episode feels stuck the way
that you used to, what's thefirst thing you would tell them
to do to start making changes?
SPEAKER_01 (28:32):
I would say take a step back, because I feel like I
had to do that.
I had to take a step back andreally assess what do I want my
business to be.
I think when you ask thatquestion, that really was when
my mind started to really go.
Because a lot of businessesdon't make it past a certain
(28:53):
amount of years because eithervision or you know, financial
piece, we're not gonna get toall that, or just other things.
But I would say take a stepback, realign.
Even if you have to let yourclients know, hey, I need a
second, um, and just pray.
And I said, Oh, get a realign.
And and also when I was feelingstuck, it was because it was
(29:16):
time for me to pivot as well.
So being okay with that pivot,even though I was early in
business, I used to say, wait,why am I pivoting so early?
Like I feel like I'm justgetting started.
But you may have to pivot morethan you think in business.
And a lot of people thinksometimes with pivoting, that
means that you're unsuccessfulin business.
Actually, and I remember talkingto you, you said that's actually
(29:39):
really good because that meansyou've gotten to a level where
it's time for you to go to thenext level.
There's more that you need todo.
And so I think that was thehardest piece that I had to like
come to terms with when I wasstuck that something's not
working, you're stuck for areason.
Once I got the systems in orderand I still felt stuck, I was
like, okay, I think it'ssomething else in the business.
(30:00):
That I need to pivot in.
And it was the messaging, it wasthe targeting, target um
audience.
It was just honing in on justthe overall vision for you know
my company.
But I would definitely sayevaluate why you're stuck, where
you're stuck, and then assesswhat are the next steps for
(30:21):
getting unstuck and be okay ifit don't have it doesn't happen
in a month.
Because I finally, after likeMarch was six months ago, I
think, I finally feel like I'mI'm out the quicksand.
I'm I'm finally getting back toImani, um, just like uh working
(30:42):
in my my industry, my business,being even being confident in
pivoting in the business, youknow, because you have to
rebuild that confidence.
You were, I've been doing what Idid in the past in the business
for a year and a half.
I had to work in the beginning.
You remember when I first metyou, I was not confident at all.
I didn't even know how to pitchmy business, what to say.
And so now you talk aboutpivoting, now you have to be
(31:04):
confident in that.
So that took me time, but now Ifeel truly ready to really just
step out on what this pivotlooks like and knowing that it's
for a reason, even if, again,like I can't see, like I said
earlier, even if the picture isvery blurry, just keep stepping
and like you'll get unstuckeventually.
SPEAKER_00 (31:24):
Okay.
Now, question that we didn'ttalk about ahead of time was now
while a lot of the assistancethat you got was us working
one-on-one, how did theresources inside of the My Your
Time Society help you withcreating or documenting some of
your processes and other thingswith the progress that you've
(31:46):
made?
SPEAKER_01 (31:47):
Yeah.
So being in a membership, thereare so many resources which that
I think are very useful nomatter the stage of your
business.
Because even when you talk aboutresetting your systems or
pivoting or getting unstuck,every document you have is
broken down by areas in yourbusiness, um, boundaries,
(32:10):
burnout, all of the things thatwe as business owners deal with.
And sometimes we don't have theresources.
And I think for me, how Ilearned, I'm able to have those
calls with you.
I'm able to be in the membershipand have the larger uh calls
with the other members.
But then I'm able to go into themembership, pull documents.
(32:34):
Okay, I can see I'm, I need tolet let me make sure my systems
are good.
Let me make sure I didn't, youknow, get all over the place or
off track and I'm able torealign.
Like it's always aboutrealigning in your business.
And something good that I loveis um when we have the calls and
you say, what are your goals?
Like, what's one goal you canfocus on?
Because oftentimes we focus on20 different goals.
(32:56):
You can't accomplish 20 goals inthree months.
I mean, you can, butrealistically to do it
efficiently, what's the onething that you need?
Even with the um the recentsheet you sent, the boundaries,
was it the boundaries worksheet?
The boundaries worksheet.
I went through that and I'mlike, you know, I've been
working with Shina, I'm good,but never think that you're too
(33:20):
good that you can't work onthings in your business because
going through that, um, Irealized that I could be better
in certain things when it cameto my clients or just refining
things.
Like this is the perfect time.
We're in Q4, um a couple monthsleft in, you know, the year.
And so what do I need to do inorder to set myself up for the
(33:43):
next year?
That's literally what it helpswith.
And it also helps with eachquarter.
You should be reassessing eachquarter because things change,
times change, clients change.
Um, and so it provides resourcesfor everything.
Even I remember when I firststarted, um, scheduling systems
you need, communication systems,uh, all any type of systems.
(34:06):
I'm telling you, you need to becalled Shannon, Shannon the
systems girl, because she givesyou all the systems that you
need, breaks each down.
She doesn't just give you onethat she thinks is the best, but
options.
Because again, like we saidbefore, it's not what's best for
you, it's what's best for yourclients.
So, really researching, shebreaks down everything that you
(34:28):
may need for your business.
And I think it's it's so helpfulto have that in one system, like
in one area, in one membership,as opposed to 50, you gotta go
to 50 different um membershipgroups or um organizations to
get what's provided, and youneed a solid foundation as a
business owner.
(34:49):
It's not just about the EIN,LLC, okay, business banking, is
it all of those things areimportant, but after that, what
are your systems?
That's like really what it comesdown to.
Like, what are your systems?
Like, do you have them in place?
If not, you need to join themembership.
SPEAKER_00 (35:07):
Appreciate that.
And that is not a paidtestimonial.
SPEAKER_01 (35:11):
At all.
At all.
SPEAKER_00 (35:13):
But I appreciate the point you made about going back.
Like every quarter, at least,you need to look at things
because what we tend to do, evenif we set new boundaries or we
start with a new system orprocess, whatever the case may
be, after time, we kind of startslipping back into our old
habits.
So we have to double check tomake sure that we're still doing
(35:37):
things to move forward, becauseotherwise we begin to solve our
own progress that we've made andwe don't even realize it.
So if we don't pause and take alook at things, do some
reflecting, which I force youall to do on those monthly
calls, then you'll never knowhow far you're getting away or
how your focus has shifted fromwhere it really needs to be
(35:59):
until unfortunately it's toolate.
Way too late.
I want to thank you for comingon and sharing this experience
with everyone.
I know we've talked about doingthis for a while, so this is
perfect timing for it.
And you're definitely moreconfident in the way you talk
about your business and speak,so I'm proud of you because
you've done a lot of work,especially over the past six
(36:21):
months, to really get yoursystems in place and really I
can see your business growingand just how it's changed is how
happy you look.
It's amazing.
So as we said, if you want toget these kinds of results, join
us inside the membership.
We would love to have you andsee you on our next call so you
(36:42):
can start this training with us.
Now's a good time for you to doa reset.
So, unless you have anythingelse you want to add or any, you
know, final tip you want to giveeveryone, we can go ahead and
wrap up for the day.
SPEAKER_01 (36:54):
You know, I think I've said a mouthful, but I just
hope that whoever listens tothis or even comes across it,
that they really just even ifyou've been in business for 10,
15, 20 years, like just take astep back this quarter to really
truly look at every area of yourbusiness and see how you can
improve.
No one's perfect, so that meanswe all have room to grow.
(37:16):
So look to see what you reallyneed, the systems, the
foundation, boundaries that youmay even need in your business
um before the year ends, youknow.
SPEAKER_00 (37:25):
Thanks for tuning in today.
If this episode hit home, it'sbecause you already know you're
ready to stop patching up theproblems and start running your
business like the pro you are.
But listening won't fix thecracks.
Action will.
Your next step?
Grab the back office powerchecklist at thannonbaker.com
forward slash checklist.
It'll show you exactly what'sworking, what's missing, and
(37:48):
where you're back in.
It's silently slowing you down.
And if you're ready to godeeper, founder circle inside
the Mind Your Time Society iswhere we can fix it together
with the systems insanity suite,and you'll get the clarity that
you've been craving.
Not quite there yet?
Come say hi to me on Instagramat the underscore Shannon Baker.
(38:08):
I would love to hear whatresonated with you the most.
And if you're loving thepodcast, please leave a quick
review because it goes a longway in helping more service
providers like you find thepodcast.
You can do that right now atratethispodcast.com forward
slash mind your time.
Skills got your clients, systemsand your expertise are what's
(38:31):
gonna help you keep them.
So until next time, keep calmand streamline.
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