Podcast Summary: The Journey with Morgan DeBaun – Live Coaching with Morgan: Scaling & Career Shifts

Release Date: February 4, 2025

Introduction

In this dynamic episode of The Journey with Morgan DeBaun, host Morgan DeBaun embarks on an innovative live coaching session featuring two remarkable guests: Esther and Lashonda. Both women are navigating significant career transitions, seeking to balance personal fulfillment with professional ambitions. Morgan’s goal is to provide actionable insights and strategies to help them—and listeners—navigate similar crossroads in their lives and careers.

Guest 1: Esther – From Senior Executive to Sustainable Entrepreneur

Timestamp: [00:00 – 32:49]

Background and Decision to Pivot

Esther, a seasoned leader with 16 years of experience in managing a large mental health practice, made the pivotal decision to close her business at the end of 2024. Despite her long-term mission to make mental health care more accessible and affordable, Esther found herself overwhelmed and burnt out, unable to sustain the demanding workload required to support both her team and her personal life.

"I realized that I can't personally sustain the life that I would want my clinicians and my administrative staff to have."
— Esther [05:55]

Challenges Faced

Esther shared the internal struggle of transitioning from a high-powered corporate environment to seeking more freedom. She grapples with ingrained work habits developed over decades and recognizes the need for support to change her approach to work without losing her identity.

"I've been very aware that like, that has been my norm for a very long time. So as much as I help others kind of break those cycles, I feel like I probably not, probably I'm going to need some support."
— Esther [06:24]

Strategies and Tools for Scaling

Morgan introduced the concept of the Scalability Quadrant, emphasizing high-value, unique offerings that can be scaled without Esther’s constant presence. Esther identified three main streams of income outside her practice:

1. Compassion Collective Retreats – Group coaching sessions that require her time but can be structured for scalability.
2. Executive Coaching – Leveraging her extensive experience to advise mission-driven leaders.
3. Speaking and Workshop Facilitation – Engaging with organizations on topics like burnout and self-compassion.

Morgan guided Esther through the process of transforming these into scalable systems, utilizing AI tools like ChatGPT Premium to transcribe and develop course outlines from live sessions. This approach aims to reduce Esther’s mental load and create recurring income streams.

"I could help them build that in a way that feels sustainable and profitable and, you know, doesn't lead to some of the burnout that I experienced so that they can keep serving communities."
— Esther [18:08]

Personal Growth and Work-Life Balance

The conversation delved into Esther’s personal journey of unlearning ingrained work habits. Morgan emphasized the importance of replacing excessive work hours with meaningful activities to create a balanced life.

"There's no reward for working more hours or putting in more effort... we have to let that go."
— Morgan [24:08]

Esther committed to developing a reward system that aligns with her new work-life balance goals, such as engaging in hobbies like ceramics and scheduling leisure activities to reinforce her new boundaries.

"I want to be good at rewarding myself for the accomplishment... It's just nice. It's just done."
— Esther [27:36]

Action Steps and Commitment

Morgan challenged Esther to aim for a specific financial goal of $10,000 per month, breaking it down into manageable client engagements. Esther embraced this strategy, recognizing it as a path to both financial stability and personal freedom.

"We could do that. And I like this idea. This actually, it feels really good..."
— Esther [30:00]

Guest 2: Lashonda – Transitioning from Corporate to Entrepreneurial Leadership

Timestamp: [32:53 – 58:01]

Background and Motivation

Lashonda, a veteran in corporate America with over 20 years at top Fortune 500 companies, finds herself at a career crossroads amid challenging job markets. Despite her extensive experience, she feels compelled to venture into entrepreneurship, driven by a passion for innovation and helping small to medium-sized businesses transform their visions into reality.

"I feel like I'm sort of being pushed into an entrepreneurial space... I'm trying to figure out taking that step, what is that step?"
— Lashonda [33:04]

Defining Her Consulting Services

Lashonda specializes in marketing consultancy, focusing on brand development, marketing strategy, and innovation. She aims to leverage her diverse industry experience to assist businesses in scaling effectively.

"I really want to focus on small and medium sized businesses... particularly consulting in the space of brand marketing, innovation, brand development and marketing strategy."
— Lashonda [34:33]

Navigating Entrepreneurship Challenges

Morgan and Lashonda discussed the complexities of transitioning from a stable corporate role to entrepreneurship. Lashonda acknowledged the perceived safety of corporate America but expressed her desire to create a sustainable and impactful consulting business.

"I want to bet on myself... it's making a very significant change."
— Lashonda [36:33]

Building a Scalable and Recurring Revenue Model

Morgan advised Lashonda to focus on creating recurring revenue streams through retainers and standardized service packages. They explored strategies such as defining clear client packages, targeting businesses with adequate revenue, and leveraging her network to secure clients.

"What are the things that I can do to get to $10,000 a month... and what could I offer at those price points and who could I offer it to?"
— Morgan [39:10]

Lashonda committed to developing structured offerings and niching down to enhance her market appeal. Morgan emphasized the importance of positioning and targeted marketing to attract the right clients.

"I think that will help because right now I feel like I just been pretty full on theater."
— Lashonda [50:01]

Branding and Online Presence

The discussion highlighted the significance of an online presence tailored to target clients. Lashonda focused on LinkedIn and Substack as primary platforms, contemplating the role of Instagram in her branding strategy.

"I've been going back and forth with Instagram. Is that a place?"
— Lashonda [46:47]

Morgan suggested that Lashonda prioritize platforms where her potential clients are most active, encouraging her to niche down and clearly define her brand message.

"Where do my customers live? Where do my customers think?... think about that a little bit more and be more specific and then you can grow from there."
— Morgan [48:21]

Embracing Authenticity and Thought Leadership

Morgan and Lashonda concluded with strategies for establishing herself as a thought leader. Morgan encouraged embracing authenticity and leveraging her unique experiences to build trust and authority in her consulting niche.

"You know, you don't have to be polished about it. You don't have to overthink it."
— Morgan [57:28]

Lashonda expressed renewed confidence in her ability to transition successfully, recognizing the value of her diverse background and the importance of believing in her capabilities.

"I think the biggest part is just believing that I can do this and knowing that I more than enough incapable of doing this work."
— Lashonda [57:49]

Key Takeaways

1. Scalability Through Systems: Both Esther and Lashonda learned the importance of creating scalable systems and leveraging technology to reduce personal workload while maintaining service quality.

2. Setting Financial Goals: Establishing clear financial targets, such as achieving $10,000 monthly, provides a tangible roadmap for career transitions and business growth.

3. Work-Life Balance: Emphasizing personal well-being and integrating meaningful activities into daily routines are crucial for sustaining long-term career shifts.

4. Niche Down for Clarity: Defining a specific market niche enhances marketing efforts and attracts the right clients, facilitating business stability and growth.

5. Authenticity in Branding: Embracing one’s authentic self in professional settings fosters trust and establishes a strong personal brand, essential for entrepreneurial success.

Conclusion

In this episode, Morgan DeBaun expertly guided Esther and Lashonda through their respective career transitions, offering practical strategies and motivational insights. The live coaching session underscored the significance of strategic planning, personal growth, and authentic branding in achieving professional fulfillment and business success. Listeners are empowered to apply these lessons to their own journeys, navigating career shifts with confidence and clarity.

Notable Quotes

• "I can't personally sustain the life that I would want my clinicians and my administrative staff to have." — Esther [05:55]

• "There's no reward for working more hours or putting in more effort... we have to let that go." — Morgan [24:08]

• "I want to bet on myself... it's making a very significant change." — Lashonda [36:33]

• "You know, you don't have to be polished about it. You don't have to overthink it." — Morgan [57:28]

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