Podcast Summary: Courage & Clarity | Episode 144: (Part 2) Behind the Scenes of My Boldest Launch Yet (with Claire Pelz)

Release Date: July 14, 2025
Host: Steph Crowder
Guest: Claire Pelz, Host of the Get Paid Podcast

Introduction

In Episode 144 of the Courage & Clarity podcast, host Steph Crowder delves into the intricate details of her most ambitious launch to date—Sold Out Group Programs, a Mastermind program designed to help female entrepreneurs achieve remarkable success. Joined by Claire Pelz from the Get Paid podcast, Steph offers listeners an in-depth look at the strategies, mindset shifts, and unexpected challenges that shaped this bold endeavor.

Setting Ambitious Goals

Steph embarked on this launch with a progressively ambitious target:

• 10 Participants: Considered a good goal.
• 15 Participants: A better milestone.
• 20 Participants: The best goal, aiming to "reach for the stars."

Quote:
“At 00:02:56, Steph Crowder:** '20 was like we are reaching for the stars. I mean, for me to think about getting 20 people into the program when I didn't have any resigns... I ended up with 12, and I'm super, super happy with that.'

This ambitious target pushed Steph to elevate her approach, forcing her to innovate beyond her usual methods to bridge the gap between her current results and her lofty aspirations.

Mindset Shifts and Confidence

Steph discusses the critical mindset transition required to pursue the 20-person goal:

• Belief Limitation: Initially, Steph struggled to believe that 20 participants were attainable, especially with no prior resigns.

• Self-Talk Transformation:
  At 02:41, Claire Pelz asks: 'What is the difference between Steph going from 10 to 20?'
  Steph responds by describing her internal dialogue: 'I'd be like, I don't believe we could do 20. That's insanity... If we did believe in 20, let's just pretend that we believed in 20.'

• Creative Expansion:
  To achieve 20 participants, Steph had to embrace creativity and abandon her usual, more predictable tactics.

Quote:
At 05:43, Claire Pelz: 'None.'
At 05:44, Steph Crowder: 'I couldn't be better than anything. It couldn't be above anything....'

This shift from a constrained mindset to one of boundless possibility was pivotal in her approach, even though she ultimately secured 12 participants.

The Role of Coaching

Steph emphasizes the power of coaching in navigating her launch:

• Commitment to Coaching: Since 2022, Steph has consistently engaged with a coach, DL Sharon, underscoring the value she places on continual guidance.
• Identifying Gaps: During a coaching session, Steph realized she wasn't maximizing her engagement strategies, leading her to utilize tools like ChatGPT to uncover overlooked opportunities.

Quote:
At 06:01, Steph Crowder:
“If you were to look at all of your actions, there are things that you were doing that created the conversation that you are. That you aren't doing anymore.”

This realization prompted Steph to re-evaluate and enhance her engagement tactics, reinforcing the importance of external perspectives in business growth.

Engagement Strategies

To counteract the initial quietness of her launch and foster engagement, Steph implemented several innovative strategies:

a. Surveys

• Purpose: To gather insights directly from her audience about their biggest challenges with group programs.
• Implementation: Sent out an anonymous survey asking for obstacles and hesitations.
• Outcome: Although response rates were low (around 10-12 from a list of nearly 3,000), those who responded provided valuable feedback, allowing Steph to tailor her content and follow-ups effectively.

Quote:
At 16:04, Steph Crowder:
“I was able to go back to them and be like, hey, thanks for you shared. Your problem is this....”

b. Instagram Lives

• Initiation: Steph ventured into Instagram Lives for the first time in this launch, conducting three sessions focused on addressing common objections.
• Content: Each Live session tackled specific hesitations, such as the misconception that summer is too busy for new clients.
• Impact: Even with minimal live attendance, the engagement from comments provided the desired interaction and feedback.

Quote:
At 06:01, Steph Crowder:
“I said I was going to be live on Friday. And so I did a live about summer sales... I just celebrated the hell out of that. I was like, oh, my God, so cool.”

c. Broadcast Channels

• Creation: Steph launched a broadcast channel on Instagram named Sold Out Secrets.
• Function: Served as an insider, behind-the-scenes hub where she shared voice memos and exclusive content.
• Engagement: Attracted approximately 50 participants from her 4,500 Instagram followers, fostering a sense of community and insider access.

Quote:
At 19:48, Steph Crowder:
“It made me feel like again, the people are there. It helped bolster that belief of like they are paying attention.”

d. Webinars and Interactive Tools

• Webinar Resource: Introduced a Group Program Revenue Calculator, allowing attendees to visualize potential revenue gains from group programs.
• Purpose: To provide tangible value and demonstrate the financial benefits of investing in her program.
• Engagement Boost: Offered as a bonus for webinar attendees, enhancing the incentive to join and participate.

Quote:
At 22:02, Steph Crowder:
“It helped stoke their belief of like, do you really think you're not going to get four new clients over the course of the next year?”

Advertising Efforts

A significant component of Steph's launch strategy involved targeted advertising:

• Collaboration with Claire Pelz: Leveraged Claire's Get Paid Marketing program to design and deploy effective ad campaigns.
• Ad Spend: Invested approximately $2,000 in ads, yielding substantial returns.
• Results:
  • Conversion Rate: Secured 2 out of the 2794 leads from ads, translating to a remarkable 8x return on investment.
  • List Growth: Expanded her email list with over 100 new leads, enhancing her outreach for future engagements.
  • New Client Acquisition: Half of her new clients were entirely new to her, coming through ads or referrals sparked by ad exposure.

Quote:
At 23:47, Steph Crowder:
“With half of the people from ads, it got a hundred new leads just about for a webinar that I was already going to be doing.”

Claire Pelz's Insight:
At 25:22, Claire Pelz:
“This is why I say if you're going to launch, run some fucking ads to your webinar.”

Steph's advertising strategy demonstrated the effectiveness of combining organic efforts with paid campaigns to maximize reach and conversion.

Adaptations and Experiments During the Launch

Throughout the launch, Steph remained flexible, making real-time adjustments based on performance and feedback:

a. Cart Close Bonus

• Introduction: Offered a 30-day fast track sales challenge as a bonus to incentivize quick sign-ups.
• Purpose: To help clients achieve a return on investment swiftly and foster a sense of urgency.

Quote:
At 29:16, Steph Crowder:
“I decided to change that. That was a bit kooky one.”

b. Changing Call to Action (CTA)

• Experiment: Shifted the primary CTA from 'Apply' to 'Book a Call' to lower barriers for potential clients.
• Outcome: Despite numerous attempts, this change did not result in additional conversions, indicating that the application process was not a significant barrier for her audience.

Quote:
At 29:16, Steph Crowder:
“And I put that in a good at least half dozen emails. Nobody actually did that.”

Lessons Learned and Key Takeaways

Steph shares several pivotal lessons from her boldest launch:

1. Embrace Creativity: Stepping outside comfort zones and trying unconventional methods can unlock new opportunities.
2. Stay Open to Feedback: Utilizing tools like surveys and coaching sessions can highlight overlooked areas and improve strategies.
3. Leverage Multiple Platforms: Disseminating content across various channels (emails, podcasts, social media) increases engagement and reach.
4. Balance Metrics with Intuition: While metrics provide insights, overanalyzing them during a launch can hinder performance. Focus on qualitative feedback and meaningful engagement.
5. Leadership Through Example: Demonstrating commitment and adaptability sets a positive example for clients and fosters trust.

Quote:
At 34:50, Steph Crowder:
“I have to be willing to go first. I have to be willing to be the hardest core... leadership to me. That's true leadership and a launch.”

Leadership and Example Setting

A recurring theme is the importance of leadership in navigating challenges:

• Leading by Example: As a coach, Steph acknowledges the responsibility to embody the actions and attitudes she expects from her clients.
• Self-Motivation: Even when faced with setbacks or discouragement, focusing on providing value to others kept Steph motivated and proactive.
• Empathy and Service: Shifting focus from personal success to assisting clients ensured that interactions remained genuine and beneficial.

Quote:
At 32:26, Steph Crowder:
“And so, if nothing else, when I didn't know how this was going to end, I had the thought, if nothing else, at least I set a damn good example.”

Conclusion

Episode 144 of Courage & Clarity offers a comprehensive exploration of Steph Crowder's most ambitious launch yet. Through candid discussions with Claire Pelz, Steph reveals the blend of bold goal-setting, creative engagement strategies, effective advertising, and unwavering leadership that contributed to her success. Listeners gain valuable insights into the importance of mindset, the power of coaching, and the necessity of adaptability in achieving business goals.

Final Quote:
At 32:26, Steph Crowder:
“That really helped me. That inspired me so much to just keep going.”

This episode serves as an inspiring blueprint for female entrepreneurs aiming to elevate their ventures with courage and clarity.

Connect with Steph Crowder:

• Instagram: @heystephcrowder
• Podcast: Courage & Clarity

Connect with Claire Pelz:

• Podcast: Get Paid