Call Her Creator with Katelyn Rhoades
Episode 67: The $2M Instagram Growth Timeline: A Raw Review of Wins, Mistakes, and Lessons Learned
Release Date: April 23, 2025

In Episode 67 of Call Her Creator, host Katelyn Rhoades engages in a deep and authentic conversation with her friend and business coach, Jenna Peterson. This episode unpacks Jenna's remarkable journey of scaling her business to multi-six figures solely through Instagram, highlighting both her triumphs and the significant challenges she faced along the way. Designed for creators and entrepreneurs alike, this episode offers valuable insights into effective social media strategies, overcoming burnout, and maintaining a balanced life while pursuing business growth.

Introducing Jenna Peterson

00:00 – 01:38

Katelyn begins the episode by introducing Jenna Peterson, praising her multifaceted expertise as a business coach, content creator, digital product specialist, and real estate guru. She emphasizes Jenna's authenticity and relentless work ethic, setting the stage for an in-depth exploration of Jenna's experiences beyond her public success.

Notable Quote:

"No matter what Jenna achieves, she stays Jenna. And she's so real and raw and authentic..." (00:00)

Jenna’s Journey into Social Media Marketing

01:45 – 05:32

Jenna shares how her foray into social media was born out of necessity rather than ambition. As a real estate agent with two young children, she turned to Instagram reels in 2020 to generate leads during a challenging time. This strategic use of social media not only supported her real estate business but also unexpectedly paved the way for her transition into full-time business coaching.

Key Points:

• Utilized Instagram reels to generate real estate leads.
• Consistent posting led to gradual growth over two to three years.
• Transitioned from real estate sales to business coaching as demand increased.

Notable Quote:

"If you can figure out a way to channel that, I think that's where the magic starts to happen." (03:35)

From One-on-One Coaching to Digital Products

05:32 – 07:58

Jenna recounts her initial attempts to monetize her expertise through one-on-one coaching and low-ticket digital products like PDF guides. Despite early setbacks—such as only three sales from her first $67 course—she learned the importance of aligning her offerings with her audience's true needs, which eventually led to the successful launch of her comprehensive course in March 2023.

Key Points:

• Initial digital products yielded minimal sales.
• Pivoted focus from whiteboard strategies to lead generation techniques.
• Recognized the need for a scalable, one-to-many approach, leading to the creation of her flagship course.

Notable Quote:

"When you can understand how you are going to channel that, you are never gonna lose." (03:35)

Overcoming Challenges and Pivoting Strategies

07:58 – 10:22

Jenna discusses the critical period after her initial course launch, where she faced low sales but remained patient due to her stable real estate income. This patience allowed her to realign her messaging and better address her audience's needs, ultimately leading to her breakthrough success with the Social Agent course.

Key Points:

• Realignment of messaging to focus on lead generation.
• Importance of patience and strategic adjustment.
• Social Agent course launch resulting in substantial revenue.

Notable Quote:

“Patience is your number one thing to do. And then your number two is to think about your audience.” (08:50)

Sustaining Growth Amid Market Saturation

10:22 – 20:25

Jenna explains how she maintained her business growth by tapping into a less saturated "blue ocean" market. Her strategic use of Instagram reels and consistent messaging kept her offerings relevant and in demand, even as the market became more competitive. This period saw her digital products generating up to $60,000 per launch and doubling her income in subsequent months.

Key Points:

• Leveraged a "blue ocean" market with less competition.
• Consistent reel posting and strategic messaging.
• Significant revenue growth through digital product launches.

Notable Quote:

"If you can just stay consistent enough in your messaging for a long enough period of time, eventually you're going to see the traction with it." (34:01)

Facing Burnout and Balancing Personal Life

21:13 – 26:22

Despite her business successes, Jenna candidly shares her struggles with burnout, exacerbated by high cortisol levels and the inability to prioritize self-care. The relentless pace led her to pause recurring clients in December 2024, drastically reducing her income but allowing her to regain personal balance and mental health.

Key Points:

• Extreme burnout from managing multiple high-ticket clients.
• Health issues and lack of personal time.
• Decision to pause recurring clients to recover and find balance.

Notable Quote:

“I was on cloud nine. I had never made that much money and I'm still selling houses in addition to this.” (21:13)

Lessons Learned: Delegation and Building a Team

26:22 – 29:11

Jenna emphasizes the importance of delegating tasks and building a reliable team to prevent burnout. Initially reluctant to hire, she now acknowledges that bringing on help sooner could have alleviated her stress. She advises starting with a Virtual Assistant (VA) before gradually expanding responsibilities.

Key Points:

• Importance of delegation to manage workload.
• Starting with a VA before scaling up.
• Gradual integration of team members to maintain control and quality.

Notable Quote:

“Don't be afraid to bring someone in. Now I did bring people in multiple times, but the problem was that they were taking too much too quickly.” (26:22)

Reflections and Future Strategies

29:11 – 35:23

Reflecting on her journey, Jenna advises aspiring entrepreneurs to maintain consistency and authenticity in their messaging. She underscores the necessity of avoiding distractions and staying focused on long-term goals. Jenna also shares her shift in mindset towards valuing balance and personal well-being over relentless income pursuits.

Key Points:

• Maintaining consistent and authentic messaging.
• Avoiding shiny object syndrome.
• Valuing personal well-being alongside business growth.

Notable Quote:

“Shameless belief in yourself is crucial because no one is going to be as hyped up about whatever it is that you're talking about than you.” (35:36)

Practical Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

35:23 – 43:44

Jenna offers actionable tips for listeners aiming to grow their Instagram presence and build profitable businesses:

• Stay Consistent: Continue daily activities that work, even when results are slow to appear.
• Be Authentic: Showcase genuine enthusiasm and belief in your offerings.
• Utilize Multiple Platforms: Diversify content formats, such as carousels, to enhance engagement.
• Leverage Testimonials: Transform client success stories into compelling content to build credibility.

Key Points:

• Importance of consistency and persistence.
• Authenticity in branding and communication.
• Effective use of various content formats for better engagement.
• Utilizing client testimonials to establish authority.

Notable Quote:

“Take your reel and put it into a carousel. My carousels are converting at a better percentage than my reels now.” (38:34)

Tools and Platforms for Business Growth

37:04 – 40:07

Jenna reveals her favorite tools that facilitate her business operations:

• Flodesk: Preferred for its user-friendly email marketing templates.
• Canva: Essential for graphic design and leveraging AI features.
• CapCut/Splice: For video editing to enhance Instagram reels and carousels.
• Stan App: For comprehensive business analytics and tracking performance.

Key Points:

• Flodesk for streamlined email marketing.
• Canva for design needs with AI integrations.
• Video editing apps like CapCut and Splice for content creation.
• Stan App for monitoring business metrics.

Conclusion and Final Tips

43:05 – End

To wrap up, Katelyn and Jenna discuss the significance of self-care and maintaining a balanced life. Jenna shares her personal strategies for resetting, such as solo drives and pampering activities like getting her nails done. Both hosts encourage listeners to prioritize personal well-being alongside their entrepreneurial endeavors.

Key Points:

• Importance of self-care to prevent burnout.
• Strategies for personal reset and relaxation.
• Encouragement to maintain work-life balance for sustained success.

Notable Quote:

“I love being with my family, but I do think that I actually recharge the best when I'm totally alone.” (42:32)

Takeaways and Actionable Insights

1. Consistency is Key: Maintain daily efforts in your strategies, even when immediate results aren't visible.
2. Authenticity Matters: Be genuine in your interactions and presentations to build trust and connection with your audience.
3. Delegation is Essential: As your business grows, delegate tasks to prevent burnout and sustain long-term success.
4. Leverage the Right Tools: Utilize platforms like Flodesk, Canva, and the Stan app to streamline your operations and enhance your marketing efforts.
5. Prioritize Self-Care: Balance business growth with personal well-being to maintain mental and physical health.

This episode of Call Her Creator serves as a comprehensive guide for creators and entrepreneurs looking to harness the power of Instagram for business growth. Through Jenna Peterson's candid recounting of her journey, listeners gain invaluable lessons on strategic marketing, overcoming challenges, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance.