Q1 Business Update and Re-Introduction

Emma-Lou Parkes: [00:00:00] Hello, and welcome to this week’s episode of the ambitious introvert podcast. I’m Emma Louise. And today I’m going to do a bit of a re-introduction and a bit of a Roundup of what has been going on for me and the brand and the business. And so whether you are seasoned listener, whether you’ve been with me since day one and I’ll be updating you.

So you know exactly what’s happening here at team ambitious introvert, or if you’re new to the podcast, maybe you are someone that’s found us quite recently. I’m going to share a little bit more upon me and about behind the scenes and also some changes that are coming up to the format of the show. So this is, this was really nice actually, because this is just like me sharing the contents of my brain with you.

It feels like a very one-on-one conversation, even though it’s one to many, but I think it’s really important to share different aspects of business [00:01:00] to share that behind the scenes and so that people can see that everything is. Uh, journey. Everything is always open to change. It’s so easy. I think in the online space to look at someone’s business and brand and just think, oh, they’re set.

Like, Hey, they’ve got it. It’s perfect. It’s all good. Um, because it’s very, very rarely the case. There’s always things going on. There’s always an evolution. And so by sharing this kind of these aspects of fit along the way, I hope that I can enable you to see that it’s not always figured out and everything wasn’t perfect from day one, even as much as my brain wanted it to be.

And share more things that I’m learning along the way as well, that can hopefully benefit you as a listener. So if you are newer, I am Emma Louise. I’m the founder and CEO of at the ambitious introvert brand. I have [00:02:00] been an entrepreneur for just over three years now, although it had been in my mind for about five, I just didn’t have the guts to actually make the leap for the first two of them.

Which, which is a whole other episode. Um, but in January, 2019, I decided it was time to go all in. I’d already been a coach offline for around 13 years at that point 12 or 13 years. And I decided to. I said, yeah, I wanted that to be my business. I didn’t want to be in full-time employment anymore. I wanted the freedom of running my own business.

So that was when I made the decision. I made an investment in a coach and started to start to build the business with. Definitely had its ups and downs and it did not happen as quickly as I would’ve liked. But part of the reason, the brand, the podcast, everything that I do exists is because it’s exactly what I needed [00:03:00] when I began in the online space back in the day.

So I really noticed. As an introvert as an empath and a highly sensitive person, I really started to notice what was missing in the online space. And I started to realize that a lot of the formulas people were suggesting, or a lot of the different marketing tactics that they didn’t feel aligned with me.

And it was much deeper than just like, oh, I had a mindset issue. And of course there was mindset around that I wasn’t used to marketing, I wasn’t used to selling so of, of course there’s an aspect of that, but so much of it was just that it felt so out of integrity with my personality, that it was just absolutely exhausting.

Um, so the point that I had a major burnout from social media, Just over a year into my business. I didn’t post for two months. I just completely exhausted myself. Um, for [00:04:00] various reasons, w w w one of the biggest ones is not having clarity about what I was doing and who I was talking to, which is so fundamental.

So just trying to create all of this content, I was consuming so much content and it just got really, really overwhelming. That was the point that I was able to say, this isn’t working. I need a fresh start and start to realize. The I needed to craft my business in a way that supported my energy. And so this brand was born in may of 2020, right?

The stop, the pandemic. And I am thrilled to say that since then I have had zero burnouts. I have made to be incredibly consistent on social media because I laid all the correct foundations rather than just throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping it sticks. So that is why the brand exists. Um, As a very permission given note, when I decided to start a coaching business, first off, I have no idea who I would [00:05:00] be coaching.

Secondly, I never, in my wildest dreams imagined I would be a business coach. That was, I just wasn’t even on my radar. So. All of that to say that here I am three years later, and this is exactly what I’m doing very successfully. Um, we don’t always know all of the answers, I think as introverts and, uh, sometimes overthinkers and perfectionist.

We can think that we have to have the perfect business mapped out on day one before we take action. And I could never have imagined that this is what I would be doing now. So that’s just a side note to say, We never know what life’s going to take us. We just have to keep following the clues and taking action.

That feels good to us too, to find our way. So for those of you. Okay, less familiar. I certified as an NLP master practitioner back in 2015, I’d been coaching and my old job, which was an air traffic [00:06:00] controller. I had been a coach and mentor to train the air traffic controller since 2009. I did that in the UK and then Switzerland.

And then as I start to become more interested in coaching and language, I took the NLP certification. I then became an EFT practitioner. I’ve got life, coach certifications. And then since I built the brand and decided that helping interest in business was the way forward, I’ve also become a conscious business consultants.

Which was an amazing certification that I took last year, which can be so much knowledge about the principles of business and also in energy, Clara and practitioner. Um, so whilst EFT is on a form of energy work, the energy clear and is again something I didn’t plan to do, but that presented itself and has been huge, huge asset, um, in my business and with my clients.

So. I basically have very random, lots of experience [00:07:00] and the business that I have now, and the services that I offer now are a beautiful blend of all of those. Like I wouldn’t be here without one of those. So again, really important to lean into what feels good at the time and not get too fixated on, you know, I have to do this to do this.

Sometimes the path just, just opens up and we find ourself in the right place. So if you are enjoying the podcast and you’re an introvert and path, highly sensitive entrepreneur, or you’re looking to start your business, even, you know, maybe you’re just thinking about it. I have built up an amazing bank of resources that can really help you.

So the top one being this podcast, of course, so. 70 episodes in now, uh, we release every week. And if you head over to the blog, AMA Louis parks.com/blog, you will find the show notes [00:08:00] and be able to listen directly there to every single episode that has gone before. And I’ve had some amazing, amazing guests on the show.

I’m so grateful and honored to some of the people that have shared that time and expertise with us. So do make sure you go back through that and have a look. See, we’ve got episodes covering every topic imaginable, but all completely tailored to introverted entrepreneurs. So if you’re going to start anywhere, I would say that, secondly, one of the questions that.

Every single guest is for book recommendation that they would recommend to you guys. My audience that I look into. Or scale their online business, or even start at day one, which book would they recommend? And it has the most impactful that’s going to make the most difference. And we’ve had some great [00:09:00] recommendations.

I’m working my way through the list now. And I actually compiled the book recommendation list as a free resource, which you can access. So if you are working your way through the past episodes of the show, or if you know you dip in and out podcasts and you’re more of a reader. Then you can get the reading list and you will have zero decision fatigue, but a very neat, concise list, which is updated quarterly of the books recommended by these amazing ambitious introverts who have grown phenomenal businesses.

You can find that on the website and the Louis parks.com/reading list. Or if you hop to my bio in Instagram, you also find it there and I will link it in the show notes. By signing up for that, you’ll also be added to the newsletter. So I email my audience every Monday and Friday, Monday, you will be delivered the freshest podcast episode with show notes, so you can [00:10:00] listen to it directly from your inbox.

And then on Friday. We have a Roundup email. So this includes the top posts on each platform, the best performing posts of the week, which means if you’re not a huge fan of social media, you don’t like scrolling. You don’t like the newsfeed, which I personally don’t. It just means that whatever has resonated with people, whatever has been popular and gained a lot of engagement is delivered to all in one place.

So you don’t have to go clicking around and you can just get the best. In that one email. I also share what I’m reading that week. I share anything that I’m really loving and I’m really resonating with what I, what I’m enjoying doing. Um, could be all kinds of things from exercise to, um, Gosh, any, anything that I found online, different types of meditation, like all kinds of things.

So this is really where I just chat what is going on for me. And I also share some thoughts that don’t get published anywhere else. [00:11:00] So for instance, for this week, I’m recording this on the 10th of January. And just get another COVID I’m on day 16 of COVID. So Sharon, a little bit in the newsletter this week, about how my mindset has been around that, the fact that I didn’t get the break I wanted between Christmas and new year, the fact that I couldn’t hit the ground running the first week of January and do all the things that I’d got scheduled then, because, because I was ill.

So it’s really a place that I can share a little bit more about that. So highly recommend that you use. Get the book recommendation lists so that you are signed up for the newsletter also. All of my new offers, any availability to work with me, anything like that gets shared with my email list first. So it is a great place to be social media wise.

There are two places that’s the brand is the most active first is Instagram or it’s at ambitious introvert. So it would love to connect with you over there. And secondly is the [00:12:00] Facebook group, the ambitious introvert network. It’s a totally free and promo friendly Facebook. We have over 600 introverted entrepreneurs in there now.

And it’s just a really beautiful, highly engaged, supportive space where you can come and promote your offers. You can, you know, share what you’ve got to sell. You can come in and ask questions, ask people for feedback. If you want an opinion on say a logo, or if you, I do market research, any of those things.

The members of the group is so supportive. And so many of them are either way you’re at now where they have been there before. So they are so willing to help. You’ll just find that really great space. Um, so please do hop over and join us in that. It would be wonderful to see you. So now that I’ve got that reintroduction done, I’m going to share a little bit about what’s been going on for [00:13:00] me and the brands, and what’s going to be happening in Q1.

So, as I said, I’m just recovering from COVID. So it’s been a slower start to Q1 than I’d hoped for, but patients and trying to lean into that, obviously this is how it was meant to be. And try not to just rush straight back in and not take that into account because they didn’t get that rest period that I’d hoped for over Christmas, new year.

So it’s definitely been a slower start. Things don’t always go as planned. But the first thing to say is that my one-on-one is now fully booked until may. Which is incredible. I took the decision to take on two extra one-on-one clients at the end of 2021. Last year was a big learning year for me. I took six months certification, as I said, which took a lot of time and bandwidth.

So I have [00:14:00] made the decision when I decided to sign up for that. I made the decision to leave. My one-on-one clients, because I knew that I wouldn’t have the time or the energy to give to both things fully. So I kept my number of one-on-one clients, took the hit on revenue and decided to really get those side foundations by taking the certification, which was absolutely the right decision, no regrets, but the certification finished in November.

And then in December, I decided to open up another couple of spots, which sold strips. Which means that I am now fully booked until may, and as it stands at the moment, ninth, I think about 90% of my one-on-one clients go on to resign with me. So I’m not sure if there will be availability in may, but certainly, um, and get a job.

The link in the show notes for the waitlist, for all of the products and services that I’m offering. So if you do [00:15:00] think, Hmm, you know, maybe may or even maybe later in the year, you would like the idea of potentially working together. I would suggest get on the wait list. There’s absolutely zero obligation.

And it just means that I’ve got your details. And soon as there are any spaces or, you know, anything else comes up, I will be in touch with you first, before I mentioned it publicly. The next exciting thing that is happening in Q1 is that I am finally, and you’ll understand why I say this in a minute. I’m finally launching my signature group program.

So if you look in the coaching space, so many people fill a one-on-one and then launch their group program really quickly. And it’s all about scaling and it’s all about being able to serve more people. Yeah. You know, world-class and all of that, which is great. I’m, I’ve got a lot of time for all of those things, but I needed to do this in a way that felt in integrity.

[00:16:00] So realistically, I filled my one-on-one coach in last March stroke, April, so almost a year ago. And. The general consensus would have been like, oh, we’ll launch a group, but I just taken the certification. I just started that. And a genetically I wasn’t sure if I was ready to lead a group, I was still finding my own way and business.

So I made the decision. White, which I am so pleased about now, because not only did I go through the certification, learned so much and get all of these amazing assets and frameworks that I can share now with group members, which made will make it so much easier to coach a group. Uh, but I also then went on to hire an instructional learning designer and she was able to work really closely with me and.

The contents of my head, take everything. I’ve learned myself in the last three [00:17:00] years of business, take everything from the certification. And she has built it out into the most amazing curriculum, which is just seamless, which absolutely guarantees that anyone working through it is going to get everything they need to build the solid foundations of that business, which is why I’m so excited because I am able to release this.

Absolute integrity, knowing that the content is phenomenal. So this is for you, if you are new to business or maybe in the first 18 months of your business, but you’re not hitting that recurring revenue, you don’t have consistent clients and you know that you want to grow a business, you know what you want it to be like, but you also know that you need those solid foundations in place.

If, so this is for you. I’d love to invite you to start up to scale up the four month group coaching program to help you lay the foundations necessary for your [00:18:00] six or seven figure service-based business. So we see all of the big results online. We see all of the exciting metrics and we know that all of those things are.

They absolutely are, but we need a solid foundation to build upon. And this is so true as introverts and paths and highly sensitive entrepreneurs. We need to make sure that we have things structured in a way that serves at energy, serves our introversion doesn’t end up burning out as I did back in the day.

And so this has been designed with that in mind. So if you all. Brand new to business. Just looking to start if you have, like I say, been around maybe a year to 18 months, but you’re not getting that traction that you want. You know, there are gaps within the foundations of your business and you really want to make it solid so that you can start to scale.

Then this is absolutely the program for you. [00:19:00] We’re looking at launching in March, April time. So again, If this piques your interest at all, and you want to be the first to hear about the details, make sure that you pop on the wait list, but the link is in the show notes. Secondly, we are bringing him back the mastermind.

So running masterminds is one of my favorite things I’ve done in my business. I was trained facilitator in aviation, so it comes very naturally to me. I love bringing a group of people together who have different skills, but the same outlook and seeing them being able to support each other. And that mastermind container is amazing.

So I’m really excited to be bringing the mastermind back with some changes. So the masterminds this year is going to be a hybrid of masterminding group. Also one-on-one calls. There’s going to be monthly one-on-one support for each member, [00:20:00] and it’s going to be really focused on energy and mindset. And other than my one-on-one, it’s going to be the only place that you can work with me on energy clearing, um, which is so powerful.

At this stage of your business, where you’re looking for a mastermind, we’ve already got consistent clients. You’ve already got recurring revenue, but you know that you really want to grow and all the foundations are in place, but what you really need is the support of like-minded entrepreneurs. And you really need to focus that energy and mindset to make sure that you can grow and scale in the way that you desire.

So I’m very excited to bring the mastermind back as well with those changes. And if you’re listening to this and you’re like, I’m not really sure what’s the best fit. Like maybe I’d like, one-on-one, I’m not sure if started scale up or am I ready for a mastermind? I would highly recommend booking in for a 45 minute business audit with me.

So this is the [00:21:00] easiest and most accessible way right now to work with me. I do three of these per month and they’re priced at 197 pounds. Again, I will link in the show notes, but the audit is a great way for me to be able to go through. A set of structured questions to find out about you and your business and exactly where you’re at.

And from that, I would be able to recommend the best container to support you in your growth. And if you’re not looking for support, I don’t see an audit. That’s absolutely fine too. It’s always great to get your fresh perspective and a fresh pair of eyes on your business. So more than welcome to book this, if you would just really like that one off 45 minutes session, and you would get a report at the end, that would show you exactly where you need to be concentrating to.

To really grow and you know, no more time don’t spin your wheels. Don’t be like, oh, I don’t know what I should be doing next. What investment should I make? [00:22:00] What should I be putting my energy? We can answer all of that in just one forty five minute call and make sure that whether you go out alone, whether you work with another coach or whether you do join one of the ambitious introvert containers that you are focusing on the exact right thing.

So any of that. Sounds like what you might need to grow your business this year, then hop into the show notes and food details out, and I will send all the information. And so lastly, I want to chat some changes that are going to be making to the format of the show. Nothing outrageous. Don’t worry if you already enjoy it as it is, I’m going to call it tweaked.

Gentle tweaks. And this is mainly just from looking through, you know, the interviews that I’ve done in the past, the episodes that I’ve done. And also the feedback that I get from you guys, you know, so many of you reach out with, with feedback on the episodes and say what was really helpful and what you love hearing about which, you [00:23:00] know, I always appreciate.

It’s always so great to hear from you. One of the things that I noticed is I was bringing on these amazing guests who. I have a zone of genius. That’s super specific and they’re coming on and they’re educating you guys about something like Pinterest or email marketing or podcast guests or something like that.

So these episodes are super filled with value, like tons and tons of value, actionable tips, things that you can take away. But the majority of the people that I’m interviewing are also introverts and paths and highly sensitive entrepreneurs. And as I’ve gotten to know. As friends and peers, I realized that there’s so much value in the way they run that businesses.

I want to be able to share that with you too. And also my clients who are obviously introverts too, um, you know, being behind the scenes in that business, some of them for like two years now, and they see [00:24:00] so many of the ways that they run that business, the, I know people can learn from. And so because of that starting next week, actually, I’m going to be bringing out behind the business episodes.

So I think you’ll find these really permission given definitely pick up lots of tips about introvert, friendly ways to run your business, but also just hear the real talk about. What is going on behind someone’s glossy, Instagram, or, you know, yes. Maybe they have this like amazing multi five figure month, but what was actually going on behind the scenes or how long did it take them to get to the place to have that?

Because these are the aspects that aren’t always shared publicly. I think it’s a really great place for you to be able to hear and see what resonates and pick up bits that feel good to you, that you can maybe implement in your own business and just see what people are doing. That’s just a bit different and innovative than [00:25:00] what everyone else is talking about.

So the first behind the business episode, Going to be next week with a client of mine. So I’m very excited share that one. And I have some absolutely amazing ones coming up of introverts that are running their business in very different ways to what so many people are trying to sell on. We aren’t going to keep, but guest experts episodes, because I think this is so valuable.

And I know so many of you have found value in these, especially the ones about things like Pinterest and LinkedIn and blogging and all of these other real introvert, friendly ways of marketing. So as before I’ll be in place and people on that have. A zone of genius in something that we need to know about to build an online business and the are willing to come and share their wisdom with us in a way that means that you’ve got really actionable tips that you can take away and start implementing straight away and your business.

And then of [00:26:00] course they will be solo episodes. As there always has been. It’s so funny recording this because I had a lot, had a lot of mindset challenges around solo episodes. When I launched the podcast, I never had an issue. Interviewing people. I could interview people all day long. I’m a coach. I’m used to ask it questions.

It just didn’t even cross my mind. But I had a huge resistance and in doing solo episodes for the longest time, or I would sit down and feel like I have nothing to say. I don’t want to get to talk about, I feel stupid because no one was talking back to me. I’d have a conversation with myself. So it’s actually really nice to see.

I mean, it’s taken a while I be recording the show for 18 months now. But it’s nice to see that I can literally just, you know, sit downstairs with a cup of tea and be like, okay, what am I going to share? Let’s just share what’s going on. And it starts to feel really natural. So just a reminder that everything feels uncomfortable at first, whatever it is we’re doing in business.

And then when. You [00:27:00] just realized that it’s just normal. So pretty normal. So of episodes will still continue where I’m going to be sharing more of my business behind the scenes sharing what’s going on. Uh, love to share. What’s working well, love to share. What’s not working so well. You know, it’s all trial and error.

It’s all an evolution. And I think it’s that we can learn so much from here and what hasn’t worked for. Other people. Also sharing what I’ve learnt. I’m a lifelong learner. I’m constantly taking courses, certifications, reading, as you’ll probably see if you hop onto the newsletter. I read a different book every week.

So I love to share anything that I’ve learned that could be helpful to you in your business. And also just share the truth of what it’s like running a six-figure bar. As an introvert and path and highly sensitive entrepreneur, especially one that I never expected to be running. So that is always a journey.

You know, it’s always more going on [00:28:00] there. There’s always changes and evolution. So I’m just really excited to have these solo episodes where I can give you a little bit more of that and give you some tips to make sure that you can absolutely get the best out of this. So that is it. There is my Q1 Roundup re-introduction product suites podcast changes everything condensed into a quick 30 minutes for you.

I would love to hear from you. And you have this, if you are interested in any of the support containers that I mentioned, even if you think you’re not ready right now, but you would love to hear more about it, pop to the show notes and do hop on the wait list. I’d be thrilled. Send you the information.

Please keep listening to the podcast. I would love to see you in the Facebook group at Lyft connect on Instagram. And most of all, I would love to hear. What you’re learning from this [00:29:00] and how else I can support you best. So please do reach out. Tell me what resonates. Tell me what else you would like to hear, because I create this with you in mind.

So I would love to hear from you and I will say goodbye, wishing you a wonderful start to the year. I wonderful Q1 and I will be back with guests over the next few weeks and the first behind the business episode. So listen out for that.