Podcast Summary: The Abigail Peugh Podcast | Episode 59: From 0 to 50K Followers, Daily Sales, and a Comeback After Loss — A Rich Girl Coaching Session with Emily from @heybridey

Introduction

In Episode 59 of The Abigail Peugh Podcast, host Abigail Peugh conducts a heartfelt coaching session with Emily from @heybridey, a dedicated member of the Rich Girl Community. This episode delves deep into Emily's entrepreneurial journey, the challenges she faced, and the strategies she employs to rebuild her online business after a significant personal loss. Through their candid conversation, listeners gain valuable insights into authentic business-building, community support, and resilience in the face of adversity.

Emily's Entrepreneurial Journey

Emily shares her inspiring backstory, detailing how she transitioned from the corporate world to launching her brand, hey Bridey, in September. Driven by her passion for design, organization, and helping others, Emily aimed to create a supportive community for budget-conscious brides.

[00:44] Emily: "I was very excited to step away from the corporate world, do something more creative, more meaningful to me, and allow me to just spend more time with my son at home."

She combined her personal experiences of planning her own wedding and assisting friends to address the collective stress associated with wedding planning. Emily's mission is to offer realistic inspiration and budget-friendly tips, cutting through the overwhelming noise typically seen on social media.

[02:20] Emily: "I wanted to create a community of brides who were budget conscious and kind of cut through the noise of what we see on social media everywhere right now."

Initial Growth and Support from Rich Girl Community

Emily recounts her explosive growth shortly after launching hey Bridey, attributing much of her success to Abigail's Rich Girl Community and the accompanying bootcamp.

[06:00] Emily: "It was an incredible eight-week program that had us lined up to launch our first digital product the week of Black Friday. Without that, it probably would have taken me a year to launch my first digital product."

The structured guidance and accountability provided by Abigail were pivotal in helping Emily define her audience, refine her messaging, and achieve significant follower growth—from zero to nearly 50,000 followers in less than two months.

[07:33] Emily: "I think having those two resources, the bootcamp and the community, really helped with that kind of explosion of growth in the beginning."

Personal Challenges and Business Impact

Despite her initial success, Emily faced a profound personal loss in February—a miscarriage—that forced her to pause her burgeoning business. This period was marked by emotional turmoil and the necessity to prioritize her healing over her entrepreneurial activities.

[09:08] Emily: "In February, I ended up having a miscarriage, and it just kind of screeched everything to a halt."

She candidly discusses the difficulty of stepping away from daily engagements on social media, particularly Instagram Stories, which she felt were essential for maintaining her community connection and driving sales.

[13:38] Emily: "I stayed off stories for like two whole months because I felt like that needed the full, like, full stop."

Upon her return, Emily grappled with fears of losing her audience and uncertainty about how to reestablish her presence authentically.

Strategies for Rebuilding and Growth

Abigail provides Emily with actionable advice to reignite her online presence and foster community engagement:

1. Reintegrate Instagram Stories: Abigail emphasizes the importance of consistency in Stories to rebuild connections and drive sales.

   [15:45] Abigail: "What I would definitely do is really just jump back on your stories. What was your rhythm with your stories before when you were making those daily digital Product sales?"

2. Leverage Content Series: Recommending the use of themed series, Abigail highlights how structured content can engage both existing followers and attract new ones.

   [20:01] Abigail: "I would love that you have all these people that you can sell to. Right. And that you can serve and help them with."

   Emily acknowledges the effectiveness of her previous series and plans to revive them to boost engagement.

   [21:02] Emily: "I did the 12 days of wedding ways to save. It was amazing. I gained so many followers."

3. Balanced Content Mix: Abigail advises maintaining a blend of nurturing, growth, and selling content to ensure a holistic approach to community building.

   [26:34] Abigail: "You need both. You need to be nurturing, you need to be growing, and you need to be selling."

4. Utilize Pinterest for Trend Forecasting: Suggesting the use of Pinterest to stay ahead of wedding trends, Abigail underscores the platform's value in aligning content with seasonal interests.

   [31:17] Abigail: "I would definitely use that tool. I love Pinterest weddings."

Emily concurs, recognizing the potential of Pinterest to target brides planning well in advance.

[32:58] Emily: "I'm talking to the women who are planning weddings for 2026. That's a great way to think about it."

Conclusion and Key Takeaways

This episode encapsulates the essence of authentic entrepreneurship—balancing personal well-being with business ambitions, leveraging community support, and employing strategic content planning. Emily's journey underscores the importance of vulnerability, resilience, and adaptability in overcoming setbacks. Abigail's expert guidance offers a roadmap for entrepreneurs facing similar challenges, emphasizing sustainable growth and genuine community engagement.

Notable Quotes:

• Emily on Authenticity:

  [14:34] Emily: "I did not want to fake it. So, I didn't want to go on my stories for the sake of posting."

• Abigail on Content Strategy:

  [26:34] Abigail: "I think you need both. You need to be nurturing, you need to be growing, and you need to be selling."

• Emily on Community Support:

  [12:50] Emily: "It validated the effort I had put into creating this community. And it really made me feel like, okay, this is exactly where I want to be."

Final Thoughts

Episode 59 offers a profound exploration of the intertwining paths of personal struggle and professional growth. It serves as a testament to the power of community, the necessity of self-care, and the effectiveness of strategic planning in rebuilding and scaling an online business. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or navigating challenges in your current venture, Emily and Abigail's conversation provides both inspiration and practical strategies to support your journey.