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Welcome to the Strategy Hour Podcast brought to you by Boss Project. I'm your host Abigail Pumphrey and I'm dedicated to supporting online businesses. I don't believe in one right way to build a business. I'm here to help you build business your way. One that supports not only the life you have, but the life you want. I'm on a personal mission to help you become financially free. I'm taking all the lessons learned as I turned a layoff into a seven figure online business. I'm here to help you prioritize your life every step of the way. Whether you're creating your first digital product, growing an email list, or scaling an already profitable business. Settle in. It's time to Talk strategy.

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On WhatsApp. No one can see or hear your personal messages. Whether it's a voice call message or sending a password to WhatsApp, it's all just this. So whether you're sharing the streaming password in the family chat or trading those late night voice messages that could basically become a podcast, your personal messages stay between you, your friends and your family. No one else, not even us. WhatsApp message privately with everyone how well.

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Get FreshBooks now 60 off for 6 months@freshbooks.com that's freshbooks.com get started today and thank yourself tomorrow. I think it's time we say the quiet part out loud. Working harder isn't working harder. I'm guessing you've been there. You find yourself wondering. I'm doing what every successful person on the Internet seems to be doing. So why am I so exhausted, so behind and nowhere near my goals? I'm doing everything right. It shouldn't be this hard. Or if this business continues to require this much of me, I'm not sure I want it at all. You're not alone. And it's definitely not your fault. You were set up to fail before you even started. You're not broken. You're stuck in a model that wasn't designed for you to reach your big goals. You're stuck in one that continues to reward more output, not better outcomes. One where every dollar depends on you showing up. And the minute you step away, the income stops. And that pressure, it can be nothing short of debilitating. Whether you're constantly launching, reworking your offers, or spinning out new content, hoping it works, Lord knows I see you and I was you. You're stuck in what I call the cycle of doom. It's a loop that starts innocently enough. You get busy. You lose clarity. Your boundaries start to blur. You feel drained, maybe even apathetic. You start reacting instead of leading. Your nervous system is running on fumes. Stay in it long enough and it becomes a breeding ground for more than just burnout. I've seen it sabotage brilliant people mentally, physically, even relationally, Marriages and friendships fail. Even your health can start to fall apart. It's because we are operating in an environment our brains were never built for. Input is through the roof. Way back in 2013, the CEO of Google famously said, Every two days we create as much information as we did from the dawn of civilization up until 2003. Oh my gosh, let me say that one more time because I don't think it has sunk in yet. Every two days we create as much information as we did from the dawn of civilization up until 2003. That amount was estimated at 5 exabytes, which I don't even conceptually understand how big that is. I just know a 3 gigabit Photoshop file almost single handedly ruined my senior project in college. But I digress. I decided to do the math, terrified to know what it would look like over a decade later. Now I'm not sure you're ready for this number. Remember, I'm talking about from the dawn of civilization. 18 minutes, full blown palpitations. No freaking wonder we can't sleep or think clearly or decide what to do next. Your brain was never, and I mean never, meant to process this amount of information biologically. Our brains evolved over hundreds of thousands of years to help us survive in small and local environments, detect threats and patterns, and store and recall a finite set of memories. We are evolved for a social capacity of 100 to 150 people and yet expected to serve thousands of online connections. Actions. We are meant to mentally process the physical landscape, not 10,000 plus images per day on screens. Our attention span is designed to work on one Focus task, but the average person is getting 300 plus notifications per day. Nope, I'm out. Shut down the computer, throw away the phone. I'm just going to pet my dogs and pray it all works out. I get it. You're overstimulated. Not because there's something wrong with you or because you're not capable. You're overwhelmed. Because you are biologically not designed to handle this. Not the volume, not the speed, let alone layer on the societal expectations of us or the cultural requirements to feel accepted or to belong. That's a lot of flipping pressure. No wonder you're about to explode. By society's standards, I was running a successful business. I quickly got booked out. I replaced my corporate salary in mind you, just 30 days. I hit that magical six figures in eight months and then doubled it four months later. Yet every single month, I was starting over from zero, wondering who my next client would be or if I even had the capacity to take on one more thing. And what might be worse, I thought I had already made it. Wasn't this what success was supposed to look like? It sure didn't feel like success. It felt like burnout. Dressed in a pretty profit margin. Sound familiar? But there is a better way. Most online businesses are doing way too much to earn way too little. But the ones that are actually thriving, they think differently. They stop molding their business to someone else's formula, and they start creating from their own priorities. But hold up. I know I haven't met all of you listening. I'm Abigail Pumphrey, CEO of Boss Project, host of the Strategy Hour podcast, and creator of the Co Op, a community of ambitious business owners who want to simplify, scale, and build something that lasts. Over the past decade, I've helped tens of thousands of business owners like you make that shift to something simpler, far more sustainable and scalable in a way that doesn't depend on you being on all the time. When I made that shift myself, I didn't have it perfectly mapped out. I just knew that if I kept going at the pace I was on, my business would eventually consume me. And sure, I'd make a decent living, but I never really have the time, the income, or the freedom I knew I deserved. Most of us hit that moment at some point, but for a lot of us, especially those of us who are resistant or, let's be honest, terrified of change, we don't actually shift until something forces us to. Even when, you know the system is broken, you don't always know how to get off an airplane. You're already flying. For me, it took a five car collision and a traumatic brain injury to finally face the reality that what I had built was unsustainable. One undelivered project, one missed client email. It felt that simple to wreck the whole thing. This business was entirely dependent on me. The business was me. And when you're suddenly physically incapable of keeping up that pace, you're forced to make a new plan. So I did the scariest thing I could imagine at the time. I quit taking clients cold turkey. 0 stars do not recommend. I promise there's a smoother way to make that shift, if that's even the right move for you. But that was the start. I stopped saying yes to everything. I started building a business that could grow without me at the center of it all. It wasn't overnight. It was far from linear. But it's carried me through so much. And now it's the foundation of everything we teach inside the co op. Have you ever felt that tension where deep down you knew that what you were building was unsustainable? But you don't know how to slow down long enough to make any sort of meaningful change? The more you try to take on, the more exhausting it becomes. And right now, the deck is stacked against you. People are buying less and they're definitely buying differently. And it feels like the only way you'll survive it is by landing a big contract, pushing out another promotion, or posting more content constantly. Because if you stop, the money stops, right? But let me be clear. This cycle is not going to fix itself. It's like sprinting on a treadmill. No matter how hard you run, you're stuck in the same place. You shouldn't have to wait for a crash, literal or metaphorical, to make a change. And you don't have to hit a breaking point to know something's not working. It's not your fault. It never was. But don't let that confuse you. You're allowed to want more. More income that isn't tied to your energy. More confidence in your next move. More space to explore and be creative. You didn't start this business to feel trapped by it. You started it because you believed in what's possible. At some point, I realized if I wanted a business that actually supported my life, not just look good on paper, something had to change. And that's when I started making different decisions. And that's what I've helped so many other small business owners do. Let me be clear. It's not about chasing a silver bullet or following someone else's copy paste formula. In fact, that's the biggest difference between the way I teach and what most business coaches out there are promising. Could I tell you exactly what to do and say? Absolutely. I could tell you exactly how I built every offer ever that I've ever sold. Reverse engineering strategy is my jam, but the whole point is you don't need someone else's formula. That's why you're stuck. You need a business model, a set of offers, a system and a structure that actually works for you. Let me guide you through the process with a clear, unbiased eye. And in fact, I recently told a potential coaching client not to hire me because she had completely lost the ability to hear her own intuition. It's not the kind of business I want you building. I'm not here to bark orders or tell you what to do. I'm here to help you explore the options and make aligned decisions based on your values, your capacity and the circumstances of your actual life. The kind of business that won't fall apart just because you had one hard phone call. Right now you probably think the problem is your offer or your price or your marketing or maybe even the economy. But here's what's really going on. You've made you the product. People aren't just buying the result, they're buying access to you. And sure, that can work for a season, but in the long run, it's completely unsustainable. I want to help you stop selling your time and start selling your knowledge. And it's not me just saying this. This is part of an $83 billion industry that grew 22% in the last year and is projected to more than double by 2029. Half the people who sell knowledge online now build courses and platforms like teachable are seeing 10% more creators hitting six figures each year. And inside our community, we've seen designers, end of life coaches, wedding planners, baby sleep consultants, strategists, you name it, grow profitable scalable companies. But here's where most people go wrong. They think going scalable means shutting down all their one on one work, or launching a massive course to strangers with a huge ad budget, or building a funnel that takes a quiz and a 37 email funnel to maybe make a sale. But that's not what I teach. And I promise that's not what actually works. Long term, we can get creative as is necessary. Let me give you an example. During the pandemic, we helped a baker who was selling cookies by the dozen pivot to virtual decorating classes for Fortune 500 companies. Instead of selling cookies one to $3 a piece, she was landing clients at 20 to $32,000 a pop, working with companies like Apple, Wayfair, and ebay. Now, obviously, it doesn't have to quite be that big of a jump. For some, it's landing their first 5k client. For others, it's launching their first digital product and making 21 sales right out of the gate. Big or small, these wins matter. And we're here to support you through every step of it. Because the creators who will win in this new era, they're not the ones doing the most. They're the ones building the right systems now, before the next wave of digital noise makes it even harder to stand out. And here's the irony. All of this is happening while the digital product industry is exploding. The creator economy is thriving. Yet most small business owners are still stuck in a model that was never built to support them. Inside the co op, we help you design a suite of offers built around your life. Not mine, not your idols, not your best friends, yours. And we don't pretend that your life will always stay the same. You're evolving. Your business is evolving. And sometimes shit will hit the fan. This process isn't a one time thing. It's something you'll come back to again and again, each time realigning your offers with where your life is at. Sometimes that includes one on one work, but structured to serve fewer clients at higher value. Sometimes it's a group program, but delivered in a way that honors your calendar and capacity. Sometimes it's a low ticket product that sells while you sleep, not because it's magic, but because it's connected to a real strategy. And sometimes it's something else entirely. Like a simple $97 product, one you've built half already in your notes app that sells just twice a day. That's nearly $6,000 a month. You don't need a viral launch. You don't have to blow up what's working. You just have to stop building a business that needs you glued to it 24. 7. How do you know you're ready, though? Let me ask you this. Are people constantly asking for your help with the same kind of problem? Do you find yourself repeating this same advice over and over again? Are you craving more freedom? Even if you're not sure what that looks like yet? If you said yes to even one of those, you're not behind, you're not too early, and you're definitely not too late. You're ready. Those possibilities are simply waiting for you. Even now. Especially now. You just need a better way forward. Now, inside the Co op, we're guiding a new generation of business owners to reimagine what their business could look like, to simplify what they offer, increase their income, and finally take a breath. Not by doing more or trying harder, but by mapping out a scalable evergreen strategy that's designed around you. Your energy, your goals, your season of life. And right now, we're doing something super special. We're kicking off, for the first time ever, a live accelerator Inside the Co op. A four week guided sprint designed to help you recenter around what matters, redefine your role in delivery, reimagine your offer suite, and refocus on your next step, which by the end, I promise will feel completely obvious. Right now, you don't need to learn one more thing. You need to slow down, reevaluate, make real decisions, map out a plan, and finally get unstuck. You might be thinking, but I'm too busy, but I'm not ready to launch something new. But I've already tried before and it didn't work. I get it. But what if the problem wasn't you, it was the way you were building? And what if with the right tools, you could stop spinning your wheels and start building a business that supports your actual life? You don't need a massive audience. You don't need to reinvent yourself. You just need a smarter plan and a community that knows how to help you implement it. So just imagine. What if your business didn't feel like a moving target you had to constantly chase? What if you had an offer that you knew would sell? One that didn't rely on how much you posted this week or how many hours you worked? What if your income didn't collapse every time life got hard? What if you had clarity on your next step and the space to actually take it? Because that's what happens when we stop being the product and start building a business that runs with you, not because of you. All that's possible, and that's what we're working toward inside this series and inside the Co op. And if you're already like, yes, I need this, then it's important that I share something with you. After five years of running the co op and serving tens of thousands of small business owners, I've made the decision to close public enrollment. Now, while it's definitely not forever, I currently have no planned reopening date. Like, really, there's nothing on the calendar. I have no idea. I'm actually leaving the country at the end of this four week sprint and when it does come back, I can't promise it's going to look the same. I care deeply about the success of my students and I realized if I really want to support people, I have to stop splitting my focus. We're kicking things off with something special, the Accelerator. My brand new four week live cohort experience designed to help you map out your next scalable offer, rethink your delivery, and build a business that finally feels aligned with your life. This isn't just recycled content, it's all brand new curriculum. Now, while some of the concepts may feel a little familiar, I promise this is going to be life changing. And it starts July 14th. So if the co op has been on your radar, this is the window when doors close for registration on Friday at 11:11pm Central. I'm locking in with the people already inside. If you want to be one of them, do not wait. Head to creative templateshop.com membership to snag your spot in the next episode. I'm going to walk you through the first step in the process. It's the step most people skip, but once you see it, you're never build your business the same way again. So if you're sitting here wondering how to make this happen, that's exactly what we're going to cover next. Now before you go, I want to know what kind of business are you building right now? What's the kind of business you've been dreaming of and where do you feel stuck? I would love it, love it, love it, love it, love it, love it. If you would send me a DM on Instagram @Abigail says or you can message me over on LinkedIn, which is wild to say out loud, but here I am. I have arrived. I am now a LinkedIn girly. I love it. It's amazing. Send me a message. I would love to chat about the kind of business you're building. We're kicking off the live cohort for the accelerator on July 14th and it's going to change everything for the people inside. Enrollment is only open for a few more days. As in I am super serious. I am actually taking down the sales page Friday after 11:11pm Your last chance to join is happening very soon, so snag your spot now. Buckle up for the rest of this series because it's a wild ride and go to creative templateshop.com membership for now. Take a deep breath. Let the belief settle in there is a better way and it starts right here. I can't wait to chat with you in the next episode. Hey, a few quick favors before you leave. I'd love if you'd share today's episode, send it to a friend who needs to hear it and post on social media. You can show us where you're listening from, your favorite takeaway, or why someone else should listen. Be sure to tag me at Abigail says and ossproject so we can share it. Okay. Second favor to get podcast updates and all the behind the scenes news from Boss Project, I'd love if you'd join my VIP list. Just head to bossproject.com signup to make sure I have all your contact details. Really love this show. It would mean so much to me if you'd leave a rating and review. It not only helps more listeners find the show, but allows us to bring on quality sponsors so we can keep bringing you this valuable content for free. Thanks so much for listening. Until next time.