Accountability and Entrepreneurship in Wellness with Renee Reid
Transcript
Renee Reid 0:00
I had to really work on my own thinking of how I saw myself. So, seeing myself, not as an employee. But as the head of, you know this company at one. Right, yeah that's that I didn't expect that I thought okay you, I have the experience, the knowledge, the education. This is going to be a breeze, and it wasn’t.
Ericka Thomas 0:32
You're listening to The Work IN, inspiring fitness professionals to break the indoctrination of the body brand nation, embrace our influence, and bring trauma sensitive instruction to every client. I'm your host, Ericka Thomas, recovering perfectionist and certification collector. This podcast is a love letter to all of you relentlessly energetic fitness professionals who are looking for a way to balance results for your clients and contentment for yourself, you can stay creative and confident within your scope of practice without losing yourself to burnout in the process, but first we need to stop working out and start working in.
Welcome everyone back to The Work IN. And I am really excited to introduce you to a wonderful guest that I have joining me today. Her name is Renee Reed and Renee is a certified coach and yoga teacher, and the host of the award winning podcast. Welcome to your life with Renee Reed, as well as the founder of the Courageous Woman's Book Club. She is on a mission to change the world one woman at a time.
Renee is a prolific writer, inspiring and empowering women to put their healing first and creating a community where women feel safe, connected, and loved to do just that. Together with her Welcome to Your Life Community she's changing the world, helping one woman at a time step into their financial, physical, spiritual, and emotional power. I met Renee, as part of a mastermind for women's entrepreneurship in the wellness space. And as a part of that program we were encouraged to find accountability partners. Renee very graciously agreed to be mine, and I have to say she deserves a medal for putting up with all of my baggage. She's a beautiful soul with a beautiful mission to share with women who are struggling to balance their health, particularly, diabetes, with their purpose, their family relationships, as they move into midlife, with all of the changes that come with that, we're going to talk about all of that. And I'm really hoping to show you a glimpse of what an accountability partnership can do to push your business forward. So with that, please help me welcome Renee Reid.
Hi, Renee.
Renee Reid
Oh my gosh that was so beautiful. Can I have that?
Ericka Thomas
course and that's what accountability partners do for each other. That was awesome. Oh, thank you. You're. You're welcome, and you deserve every one of those accolades for sure Renee one. So let's get started if we could just dive right in. So, you have such a great story, and you're a life coach now, but that isn't really where you started, so can you share kind of where your journey began and how you got to this point in your life and in your business.
Renee Reid 4:00
Oh yeah, definitely. So my journey started in the field of mental health. I was a parent coach, a therapist, a case manager, all the things in the mental health field, and finally landed my dream job of working as the program director for a mental health day facility. And I noticed that a lot of the people that were coming in, they were not only dealing with addiction and mental health diagnosis, but they were also dealing with some health issues. And I want it to be able to treat the whole person.
The person who owned our facility thought otherwise. So I paid for my own certification. She refused to do it. And started teaching, you know, health related topics, along with life skills and strategies to maintain sobriety, which really came in handy because a little bit after that I was diagnosed with pre diabetes and pre hypertension. For any of you guys who work in the field of social services, you know, we spend 90% of our time in our cars, and fast food was my friend. So, I gained, I think, within a six month period about 40 pounds, and by the time I got to my doctor, I was about 45 pounds overweight and got the diagnosis. So,
Ericka Thomas 5:58
isn't that interesting because here you are in, in a field where you are working to help other people get healthier. And the way that that lifestyle for a provider is structured is really very unhealthy for you.
Renee Reid 6:22
Yes, it is definitely not a healthy field. Actually, that's what my dissertation is on trying to help practitioners in social services to really start to take their health seriously and to help companies understand that when you spend that much time in your car, and dealing with the kinds of issues that we deal with in social services, you know you're dealing with families who are being, you know, ripped apart by alcohol and addiction, there's mental health, there's just income, or the lack of income for families to thrive. And so we take all of that on for each person on our caseload. So I've had at one point, a caseload of about 40 people that I had to see each month. And it's a lot. So you eat, and, and if you're already an emotional eater, like I am raising my hand. My name is Renae and I believe you, you know, I've lived on a large fry and Diet Coke for months. That was my lunch, and you can't do that and thrive.
Ericka Thomas 8:00
yeah. Oh my gosh, and yeah, when you think about when you think about how trauma comes into people's lives, you know, yes, we understand that these families are living in kind of an environment of trauma but our, our social workers and our practitioners and the people that are helping them are also kind of marinating in all of that as well. And so, there's always residual effects there on the body on their mind on your emotions, so of course yeah that's going to be. That's going to be difficult. Definitely, yeah. So is that what brought you to want to work with women who are pre diabetic or diabetic in that midlife demographic?
Renee Reid 9:01
Yes, you know, I think once you hit midlife, your body is already going through so many changes. The things that we used to do to lose weight don't really work anymore, Because our metabolism is changing and our hormones are changing. And I want it to help women address those changes, and do it not from a place of fear or, you know, hating their bodies but from a place of love. And from a place of healing. And anytime you talk about food or healing from, you know, the addiction of eating, you have to kind of dig up the root of where that came from. And so you, you know you're going to open old wounds and kind of stir the pot a little bit on their traumatic experiences. And my job as their coach is to support them through it so that you know if you need to take a step back, we can do that, but we're not going to stay back, we're going to take a breath and then move forward. And I had a really great coach who helped me do that. And so that's what I want to do, that's, that's my mission.
Ericka Thomas 10:37
It's a beautiful mission and it, and it's much needed, it's absolutely much needed, it's I think for a lot of women as they approach midlife, there's, it's more than just, you know, the way the body changes when you're coming into menopause and things like that because it's usually that time, of, of a person's life where you know their family structure changes you know you're not, you know, your, your kids are moving out or you know they're older so you, they don't need you as much and then you know you get to the point where, you know, if there's no children in the home. What, what else, what are you going to do, what is there to do? You know what you do now.
Renee Reid 11:23
Why do you do that right? I know, I always say that Mid-life hit me like a Mac truck, I did not expect to have that empty nest syndrome that everyone talked about. I really thought that when the last kid went off to college, I would be happy, and I had all these things planned. And I literally spent a whole summer just walking through the rooms in my house, and sitting on my sofa, like thinking about, Oh remember when I was the home mom and we went to the zoo. On top of that, and then to have all these changes in my body that no one, you know, talked about before.
I didn't know what was happening. So I did what most people do I tried to fix it. I tried to fix what I thought was the issue which was my weight, but it wasn't my weight, it was really realizing that this is a new passage in my life, and I needed to find something that I wanted to do for me that I wasn't just a wife and a mom, but like an actual person who had dreams and goals. And so working through that was really hard, like harder than I thought it would be. But, which is one of the reasons why I got a coach. Yeah.
Ericka Thomas 13:05
Yeah, it really is helpful to have somebody to kind of bounce ideas off of, right, because somebody has, who's not in it with you somebody who has a couple of steps back, and can be an objective mirror for you for what you're going through. Yeah, absolutely. I totally agree with that. So, what is it you have found is your ultimate vision for what you want to do. Now, I know that you're not completely full time in health coaching. So, we call that in the entrepreneurial space like a side hustle, right, right, you have a little side hustle. And sometimes it's difficult to kind of elevate this idea of a side hustle to okay this is, this is really what my purpose is, we can elevate that to something that will eventually be, you know your full time gig right to replace the job that you know your day job or whatever. So, what is your ultimate vision there going forward?
Renee Reid 14:20
I think my ultimate vision is to really get the courageous woman's book club up and running with some really fantastic titles to help women begin the healing process. And then to read, really dive into coaching, full time. So, just helping them to navigate those waters. And I'm finding that this is especially difficult for women of color. We're not ones who normally go out to seek help. We are, you know, normally, we will, if we have an issue we'll try to fix it on our own. And so I really want, you know, my sisters to understand that help is available. And you, yes you could probably do it on your own, but with help you can cut the time it would take you maybe even in half. And so I want to make coaching, a normal part of, you know, the community, the same way that you would go to the dentist for, I mean you wouldn't try to pull your own tooth.
Ericka Thomas 15:55
Exactly, yes, that's exactly. That's a good analogy though right because, you know, we, what you're talking about is having some kind of pain that you're just living with and you have decided that this is your normal. This is really normal and and you are just gonna suck it up and this is how your life should be and is going to be and it's not, that's not true. But it's, but because it isn't a tooth, it's difficult to figure out okay, who do we go to, who do we go to to help help with that help with that balance there. Yeah, absolutely.
Renee Reid 16:37
And you will be surprised how many people think that coaching is for rich people. You know it's for, you know, elite athletes for people who are CEOs, it's not for like the ordinary mom, who needs help managing her stress level with her kids, or the, you know, midlife woman who's trying to decide, how can I love myself more and dress the body I have, and feel good in it, in it, and thrive in my life. So really taking coaching to that level where they're getting women to understand that this is for you. We're here to help you. There is a community of coaches, life coaches, health coaches, spiritual coaches who are out here to help you become the best version of you. And if I could do that full time. That would be amazing.
Ericka Thomas 17:50
And you would be amazing at that. Absolutely. So Renee, let's back up just a little bit I want you to pull out your Courageous Woman Book Club, and, and talk a little bit about that, what exactly is that, so people know and what is that going to do for folks that, that are interested in something like that.
Renee Reid 18:18
Okay, so the courageous women's book club began because I am a collector of self help books. So I had this whole like shelves of books, and I would read half of them, and then half of them I would you know I would buy oh my god this is going to help me change my life and I never got to it, or it just didn't apply to me, or where I was really in my journey. So the courageous woman's Book Club is a community of women, we get. We're publishing one book per month on a specific topic. And they're short reads, so they're, they, they are literally something that you can read in an afternoon. And then there's a workbook that accompanies that to help you to begin to work. But there's also a community of women, to help you as you're going through the process. So our book for September, it's called the courageous Woman's Guide to stop thinking like a victim. Wow. It's just, I think it's 40 pages, but it really just dials in on this one topic. Our mindset and how changing our mindset, if you change your mindset, you can change the world. That's how I see it.
Ericka Thomas 20:07
Yeah, and, and it's, it's not just the world it's your world. Right, exactly, yes, yes. So do they come out at the beginning of every month, like the first week or the first Monday is that is that typically what, what will happen.
Renee Reid 20:23
Yes, so they'll come out every, the first week of each month. And the other great thing that we're doing is, they're really low cost so I think they're $5 for the e-book and the workbook, because I didn't want that to be an issue, like, oh my god this is a 9.99 arcade. No, but also we're donating $1 from each purchase to a grassroots organization that is supporting women.
So, last month and this month we're supporting the Atlanta mission. I've worked with them a lot while I lived in Atlanta and so I know firsthand the great work that they do with homeless moms and their children. And so, yeah, so it's like, I don't want the saving the world one woman at a time to just be a tagline that I say. I want to really be able to put my money where my mouth is and help support the organizations that are doing the work in our communities.
Ericka Thomas
That's amazing Renee, thank you for that work, that is, that is awesome. That is awesome. So, alright so courageous woman's book club, and these are ebooks, with within a downloadable workbook. Correct. Yeah, just to clarify for people. And where can people find that too if they're interested in that, is that on your website?
Renee Reid
And yeah, you can head over to the website www Welcome to your life.live and just click on the books tab, and they'll be there. That is awesome.
Ericka Thomas
Yeah, so okay so let's talk about the welcome to your life podcast. So let me just set the scene here, I just want to, I just want to share with folks because when I started to shift my business online, one of the options to kind of build your, your body of work your, your content is to become a podcaster right to share what you teach. And when I first started moving into this space this entrepreneur space, I was like no way am I gonna podcast, I was like, No, that is the thing I don't want to do. And so for two years, I listened to Rene. And I started thinking.... Maybe I should think about a podcast. Honestly, I don't know why I resisted for so long, I really do love it, and Renee you are, you are an inspiration, is what I'm trying to say. But tell me about how your podcast got started from the beginning because you've been doing this for quite a while and maybe if you could share any of the ways that that has changed over time or kind of iterated into what it is today.
Renee Reid
Sure. So I think we started at the end of 2017. I was sitting in my bedroom. I personally love podcasts, and I always wanted to start one but technology scares me, as you know.
Ericka Thomas
Well, you know we are. You aren't alone there, you know, that's really what holds a lot of people back until they until it doesn't, right, you know.
Renee Reid
Yeah. And so, this new app came out called Anchor. And you can...said hey you can do everything in your app, and not edit I thought, oh, you know in this app, you open it up you record you do all the things and your podcast.
So I decided, I knew I had a lot to say, being a writer. You know my whole life I've always communicated through the spoken or the written word, And I want it to give my words of voice, and I thought, if I'm going through the things I'm going through, I can't be the only one, there has to be another woman out there who might, you know, be interested. And that's what happened. And it just took off and then we started, I did some interviews that so there's some interviews that I've done over the years, and then a lot of my podcasts are just, you know, me talking and sharing my thoughts,
Ericka Thomas
that's something that you ...that content is something that you reuse, right, I mean that is, that is what we call batching content creation for those people out there that are listening that are like, hey, if these two can do this, then why can't I? Because you know there's somebody out there thinking that. Right so, can you explain a little bit about how that works, how batching content works?
Renee Reid
So I start with my blog posts and my blog posts are actually my scripts for my podcast. So I can sit down and do four or five blog posts. I don't know if my mind's just really busy, or it's really crowded in there.But I just, I can sit down and batch together four or five blog posts. And then I record them and schedule them, and then you can also take out snippets of the blog and use it as a post on your Facebook page, or Instagram. I’m just starting to realize that I can quote myself and not look for Quotes From Famous people. So, I'm just starting to do that now.
But yeah, actually, it took, I resisted that for a long time, because for a while I thought, I can just do this every week, and sit, but you can't, you can find something that will always crowd that space that you set aside, for your, your business.
And so, scheduling your work means that it's out there, people can enjoy it, and, and it helps you to stay consistent, which was a big problem.
Ericka Thomas
And that's something that once you figure out those processes, those systems when you've got those systems in place, it kind of creates more space for you to kind of expand some other in some other ways. So that's especially important if your side business is going to grow. Yes, because you have to have balance, Even if, you know, all of your kids are out of the house. If you still have a full time job and you still need that full time job that income for a while longer, then we need to kind of create some boundaries around our time, and, and that's one way to do it. I will share, I will share that I am not as strong of a writer as Miss Renee is, and so I much prefer to draw through. So, so I prefer to talk, so when I do my batching, I start with the podcast, the audio version, and pull a transcript, and then it's already written, and then it's just the editing process. After that, so get ideas out onto the page. Because it's always it's always a process so you just have to discover what your process is what works best for you where you can stay right in the center of your own creative genius. Right, and just kind of let that flow. And I think a lot of times we let other outside things stand in the way of that flow.
Renee Reid
I agree. And then I think we compare ourselves to others also. And, I mean it's natural to compare yourself, if you are a podcaster, to compare yourself to another, but you don't want to let that hold you back, or stop you from your own, as you say, creative genius because all of us really have this creative bone in our bodies that we don't tap into enough. And that's where you're going to find your stress relief. You're really relief from overwhelm just digging into that creativity that you have that you, you're like a lot of people are like, I'm not creative. I can't do, You know, whatever. I mean we had clients who had never picked up a paintbrush or clay or any of those things but we realized that art was such an important part of helping them to create a strategy to stay sober, to stay on their medication to get them reconnected with people because when you are dealing with the mental illness or an addiction, you're automatically pulling away from the people around you, and art was something we use to help them to reconnect with the world. So, I invite everyone to just tap into your creativity, even if your creativity is just coloring by number. I mean, I find that I have like a whole stack of like pins and markers and coloring books, and when people ask me, I'm like oh yeah those are my grandson's who are like really Nana, but they're for me, like at the end of the day, if I could take like maybe just five or 10 minutes to unwind.
Ericka Thomas
Oh my gosh, adult coloring books got me through the whole COVID thing last year. Yeah. That is the truth, and my husband would come home and he would see like five pages colored in and he's like, it's been a bad day. A bad day, But that's okay, look at these pretty. So true. And it's, I want to highlight something you said about finding connection, right, finding connection, not just with other people, but with who you really are. ...and anything like that and when, when we talk about art. It doesn't have to be, you know, the typical idea of what art is like painting or sculpting or something like that. Because artistic expression can be how you make your lunch in, you know, artistic expression could be how you set up your desk, you know how you organize your office, and, and maybe your playlist on your, on your Spotify account, or something that I mean even if you're not playing the music how you enjoy that is tapping into the same kinds of things. So, yeah, I mean that's, that is a great, great thing. So we talked about. We talked about batching content and scheduling out things to help balance your, your energy and your time. And I wanted to kind of dig a little bit deeper and ask you what you found, or some of the most, some unexpected challenges that came up for you when you started to kind of build your own business, if there was anything that you that you know was big for you that you maybe didn't know before you, you know, open the store to kind of start your own thing on the side.
Renee Reid
Oh yeah, so one of the things that really, that I really had to overcome with my own thinking, thinking that someone would even be interested in what I was saying, or writing, or that I had, even though I have, you know 100 degrees in 100 years of experience working with people, but working for someone else, thinking that I could take those skills and use them in my own endeavors. I had to really work on my own thinking of how I saw myself. So seeing myself, not as an employee. But as the head of, you know, this company of one, right. Yeah, that took that I didn't expect that I thought, okay you, I have the experience, the knowledge, the education. This is going to be a breeze, and it wasn't. It was not a breeze. There were so many times I talked myself out of posting, because I'm like,Oh, can I say this, what if someone doesn't like it or, you know, and yes, somebody, sometimes people don't like what I write, but now I know that the people that I'm helping the women that I'm helping far outweigh those people who don't like what I write. And for you, not to like what I write you had to read it, so you had to read it anyway.
Ericka Thomas 0:43
You know, yeah, that is, well there you go it's too late you already read. So, it's too late. Yes, so I, so I love what you've said about that. And the truth is, the people who don't like what you write, they're probably not the ones you're meant to speak to anyway. Exactly. And we talk a lot about niching down, like finding your ideal client, your quintessential client, your avatar you know there's words in the business space for this mythical person you're, you're, I mean, really, I mean there's all kinds of exercises that we do about, you know, yeah, finding this person right because you have to know who you're talking to. Exactly. Before you can speak. You should know who you're who you want to speak to and. And so, for, for some people it is themselves. 20 years ago, or, you know who they were last year, like I just want to talk to that person I was last year, and help that person get to, you know where I am now or wherever it is. So, it's, it's difficult, if you're, you know, worried about the people who are not that person.
Renee Reid 2:19
Right. But you really helped me too because you know when we met I had like five niches.
Ericka Thomas 2:30
That's true. I remember that Renee you. That's what happens when you're so creative. You're gonna do this and this and this
Renee Reid 2:38
And I had all these things like I had all these different blogs and I was trying to do these multiple podcasts and like all the things, and you really cannot do that. I mean maybe once you are more established and you have a team of people who can help you but if you are starting out you really need to focus on one thing, and I could not get that into my head for years and you're like, just focus on this. And I'm like, But what about... And then, but, but once it's sunk in, I realized that I can talk to the single mom who is dealing with, you know, some traumatic experiences, I can talk to the midlife woman who, You know, is trying to figure out her own wellness journey, Because what they both have in common is the healing process. And that's where, you know, Welcome To Your Life. That's what we want to do. We want to help women begin to put their healing first. because once you do that, and I am the poster child for realizing that you really have to focus on yourself. If you want to help someone else, if you want to be that person that people come to and your family, your community, you know, the world. You have to be whole. And so yeah, thanks for helping me find that connection.
Ericka Thomas 4:35
It's interesting. I remember that conversation. I feel like we had it several times, but the thing that I remember about that is I remember thinking, well, these different people are not really different people. Right, yeah, that's what you said. They're the same, they could be the same person like why are they separate they could be one. This could be one, right, and you're absolutely right because we can't give anything to anybody else if we don't have it. Yes, that's true. And, and so yeah that's that's beautiful. I just, I just love everything about what what you just shared, really, because it's, it's really, it's, it's important for people to know and especially if you know not just general population people to know because I know there's a lot of people that listen to this podcast that are in the wellness space that are solopreneurs themselves and they're, you know they're in that space. And, a lot of times we put ourselves absolutely last and expect to be able to still help our clients and still help our family and, and it's not, it's, it just isn't sustainable, no right not right, right. So, yeah, that is, that's, that's fantastic. So, you know, being a solopreneur, an entrepreneur of one company, one. It can be really lonely. So, I know that you have taken advantage of a lot of different kinds of resources, coaching services and courses and things like that. So could you share, what were some of your most valuable, most valuable resources that you found over the, over your journey so far.
Renee Reid 6:52
I think the most valuable one, and I'm not just saying that because I'm on your podcast but the most notable one was connecting with you. Like, having our weekly chat, first of all I really look forward to them, but I always come away with an aha, like, Oh, let me stop digging this hole and move over to this other thing that's better. So, I mean our conversations, I know you wanted to like talk about accountability partners but just having that person that you know is just there to help you and listen to you, because sometimes I ramble, that you're like oh okay.
I think that has been the absolute most helpful, I mean courses are great, I love courses. And I love coaching, obviously, but having someone who understands where you are in the solopreneur journey, and who can look at your business with a fresh pair of eyes and say, you need to go left, go left, stop going right now trying to service five different groups. I would encourage, You know, everyone, to find that person. Create your village.
Ericka Thomas 8:46
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I recommend that too and, and it's, it doesn't have to be just a single person because I know, I, you know, Renee and I are accountability partners but I have other accountability partners too. And I don't know every day if you do as well like people that you have met through other courses and things like that. I mean, it's, it's called networking used to be called networking right you've got all these other people. And the interesting thing that, For me, you know, having out of the fitness industry as an independent contractor. There was a big stretch of time and, and I really felt like as a, as a fitness instructors, especially a group fitness instructor or a personal trainer, which is where I started, there was this kind of a cloud over that industry, where people don't really want to work together, like other instructors other trainers, it's almost like this, there's this cloud of, of a really fixed mindset lack mentality where, if I give something to someone else give some advice to another instructor or we brainstorm a class or how to work with the client, that I'm somehow losing something.
I am, I'm giving it away in it, it doesn't come back to me, and that is that is a real shame in that industry, I mean, there is. There's, there's kind of a line with intellectual property, at some point. however, in the, the, if you look at yourself as an entrepreneur. Everything that you give will come back to you. And so you can be assured that when you are, you know, working with like minded individuals that, you know, it's, it's all about that support that building each other up, so that, you know, we can both be better. Ready, right, and both be a stronger business person, stronger. Coach, not just for ourselves in our clients but you know in other relationships as well, so. Yeah, I mean it's it's difficult sometimes depending on where you come from and I know I kind of was like, Why do I need an accountability partner in the beginning, because I didn't understand what it was, you know what, what was the why, why, I mean I really didn't understand why because I came out of it, another space. And so, but it has been so, so helpful. And you just, you can't just create something in a bubble. Nobody creates anything in a bubble. And especially, as, as creative as the content creators can get right, I mean you've, it's always better when you've got some feedback so so yeah for sure that the accountability partner is great, and if you had to recommend one thing for a new entrepreneur to invest in one specific thing that you found, you know, was totally worth the money for someone to invest in either in the wellness space or just in general, entrepreneurship, how, what would that be, Rene, where would you, where would you direct people.
Renee Reid 12:35
I would direct them to a email service provider. Oh, and I would say, pay the extra money, so that you can schedule your newsletter because I tried for, I don't know, ever to remember, okay on Wednesday. Send the newsletter. And because I'm not paying $9.99 to schedule this, and three times
Renee Reid 13:09
out of the month, it may be, it got sick, but there was always a couple of times, it didn't.
If you want to really connect with your audience and you really want to connect with the people who come into your space. You have to be consistent. And if you consistently emailed them once a week. You know, or more, but at least once a week, you will build a following of people who know, like and trust you and will eventually purchase whatever it is you're selling your services.
Yeah, what would you say now okay so let me just bring this up because this is something that often people are resistant to this emailing every week. Okay. As a part of any kind of business. And I know I was there, like I didn't want to bother people or annoy them, or whatever it was, and I had someone say to me, in a, in a mastermind once that if you're only emailing your list of people once a month they're gonna forget who you are. Yes. And so what do you use, what would you say, What would you say to someone who is like well I just, you know what, I don't really I don't want to bug them.
Renee Reid
You know, but it's not bugging them, you know, when, when we're emailing regularly. Our people get to know who we are and we get to know them because they respond, you know, they'll hit reply, you know, when you least expect it, and they'll respond to the email. The information that we're sharing with them is going to uplift them, empower them, help them to make their lives what they want it to be. And that's how you have to look at it. The information that you're sharing is important.
And if they didn't want to be on your list, they would not have subscribed to whatever that free thing was that you present them with. So, obviously they're thinking, this person has something that might help me. And that email is, you know, could be a lifeline to someone. I used to think, oh my god I don't want to. They get so much email, or I would be afraid that they would unsubscribe. And so, but then if they, if those are the people, if people unsubscribe. It took me a while to not take it personally. But now, I don't. Because now I'm not gonna, I'm not paying for people who don't want to be in my space. And so, I think you have to think of your email list, as you know your girlfriends that you talk to, instead of texting them, or talking on the phone, you're emailing them. They're your girlfriends Yeah.
Ericka Thomas
Well yeah, I mean it's, it's important. This is one of the reasons why it's important to know who you're talking to right to direct your message, and then we can then take our content which we are batching and reuse that. Because I know when I first started I was like what am I gonna say like I really struggled. Like, do I really have any, I don't want to just send you an email, unless I have something to say. And so, if you are, you know, you might not be in a position to send an email every week. I know people, very successful entrepreneurs that do every other week, and they're very clear about it. This newsletter this email is coming to you twice a month, And they, you know, they say that in almost every email that they sent this is only coming to you twice a month period.
So, that's part of how you set boundaries in your business about how you're going to spend your time, and I love that you talked about that email service provider right that, because it really takes a lot of the work out. If you've got, I mean it really, I mean there's a lot of space that it takes up in your brain, to try to remember what it is that you're going to send out and just to stay on top of that. But if you can sit down at the beginning of the month and, and, you know, put together four emails schedule those emails at, you know, in two hours and then be be done for the month of September, you're no, it's, it's a very freeing it just again creates more space for more things for you to work into. So, yeah, yeah, absolutely. Yeah, I agree totally about the email service provider. I think anything, any process that you can automate you should.
And that's, and that's what that's worth your money, because it really comes down to either money or time. Right. So, if you don't have the time, we need to spend some money, money, right, if you have the time that's fine, you know, you don't have to spend the money and the other, the other thing I would say I would tell people that, to, to sit down and really think about what it is that you know that you don't know how to do. Right, yes. And if you're going to invest in any kind of education, put it there. Yes, right. So if you want to educate yourself there or maybe it's something Well hey, I don't really know anything about taxes or anything like that so I'm going to hire somebody else to do those. Right, right. So, yeah, yeah, that's fantastic.
Okay Miss Renee. This is an awesome conversation I could keep talking to you for a long time. We should just do like a monthly Rene's corner or whatever. We could just invite people into our accountability call, I think they would learn a lot. So, before we wrap this up, I do want to give you the opportunity to kind of talk about what you're working on now, and where people can find you. I know you're kind of working on kind of a new program, how is that going, and, and where should we send people to get in touch with you, so they can get on your list.
Renee Reid
Oh, yay, okay so everything's on my website, www dot, welcome to your life.li ve, you'll find the blog there the podcast, our books will be there. Any new programs that we have coming out, I am working on a new program that will be out in October. So, come into my space so you can join us. And it has been really great working on it, and working on it with you. Yeah, I'm very excited to see how it goes.
Ericka Thomas
I'm watching, I'm watching with bated breath, I love, I love what you do Rene. It's fantastic and I really really appreciate you coming on, I know it's a little bit different being on the other side of the microphone, and sometimes it's sometimes it's exciting and sometimes it's terrifying and I hope this has been a good experience for you I know it has been a, and I really enjoyed it, enjoyed it and I think people will learn a lot from our conversation. And, and I just want to thank you again for coming on and I will see you all next time.
Thanks so much for listening, everyone and if you like what you heard, and you want to learn a little bit more about how you can join a growing movement of fitness professionals who want to bring trauma sensitive classes and class design to their clients, head over to elemental kinetics, calm, and check out all the free resources, as well as past episodes of the work in. And I would be eternally grateful if you would take a moment of your time to subscribe to this podcast, either on Apple podcasts, or, Like and share any of the episodes that have resonated with you wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks again everyone and I will see you next time on The Work IN.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
I’m Ericka
I’m a refugee from the body brand nation inspiring fellow fitness professionals to bring simple, safe trauma sensitive class design to their communities so that they can have a profound impact on their clients and avoid burnout themselves.
The Work IN you’ll brings coaches, wellness providers and business professionals together to help you build confidence and creativity within your scope of practice no matter what your fitness format.