Back in 2011 when I began coaching with my first-ever business mentor, she told me to try and leverage everything I spend my time on at least 3 ways.
Later on, I just referred to this the Triple Leverage Law.
So for example, if I am hired to give a lecture at an event, I will: 1) get paid for my time, 2) capture the email addresses of the people in the audience so I can follow up with them later, and 3) film the talk so I can upload to YouTube or repurpose it as free content later for my audience.
Another example: you want to go to Australia for a week with one of your best friends, who is also a solopreneur:
You 1) launch a product to pay for it ahead of time, 2) hold an in-person meet-up while you’re there to meet cool-ass chicks who also like what you like, and 3) use the trip to both work on current projects while leveraging the social media opportunities of being in a different country and traveling.
Below, in the first of what will hopefully be many “day in the life” vids I’ll be doing, I’m showcasing the day that I filmed my promo video for #FastPhysique (launching April 4th!) and the day that Danny-J and I did the live version of #PassionToPlatform, which was a 3-hour virtual workshop all about internet business, mostly to try something new with a lower price point (my only internet business product is currently $3,500) but also to pay for the trip to Sydney that we just got back from.
And so we did. We actually came within $200 of our goal to pay for our entire trip
Leverage.
Leverage is everything. So many of us have zero time, limited brain power and limited financial resources, so using those things with discernment is key, and the Triple Leverage Law can help us feel more productive while also conserving valuable resources.
Danny-J and I actually talked a lot about this—more specifically—how to pay-for ahead of time, the things you want to do.
Let’s call this: Financing on Offense or Proactive Funding.
Which means, you don’t pay out of pocket for stuff, but instead do work: launch something, create something, sell something (ebay that shit, even!), leverage something IN ORDER TO PREEMPTIVELY PAY for the things you want.
I did this in 2010 when I wanted to pay for a weekend getaway with my partner. I could’ve put it on a credit card, but instead I ran a flash sale at JillFit. My business was only months old but I was able to sell a few dozen fitness programs at $12.50 (!!!) and made an extra $500.
I did this in 2011 when I launched Best of You for the first time. I needed $10k (yikes!), to work with the business coach I wanted to hire. Which I didn’t have. So I put together the first iteration of the 11-month BOY program and made $20k.
I did this in 2013 when Jen and Neghar invited me to go to Sedona for a week-long yoga retreat that cost $1000. I opened up 1:1 coaching for a handful of people, not something I was doing then (thus, exclusivity) and made the money to go on the trip.
And dozens of other instances since.
Even if you have the money to do something, or have a credit card that can handle it, Proactive Funding is … fun! It’s creative, it forces you take more action and it helps you learn to trust yourself because you’re not as attached to the outcome. It’s zero risk because you’re waiting to make the money as a means to then invest it, so there is no loss involved.
Danny-J and I wanted to sell 500 spots in #PassionToPlatform. We didn’t. Fine. But we came close to our goal and the process made me feel engaged, creative and we were able to offer a super affordable service that no lie, absolutely crushed in terms of value, and we’ve been getting incredible feedback from participants over the last several weeks.
It’s a win-win for everyone.
“Selling” can feel scary.
People don’t like being sold (I don’t either TBH) but when you think about it, the transaction of a sale is supposed to be a win-win for both parties: I pay you $100 for an hour of personal training, and you get me the results that I deem are worth $100/hr. I pay $27 and give you 2 hours of my time in #PassionToPlatform, and I walk away with a 12-week game plan I can implement for my business, as well as the clarity of what to do exactly, and in what order. Priceless.
Because that’s the thing. You’re not selling crap. You’re not slimy. You’re not trying to trick people out of their money. No. You’re selling a valuable service that someone finds useful and can actually implement to better themselves. It might not be for everyone (if anyone tells you they have the solution for “everyone,” run far, far away) but it’s going to be the perfect fit for someone.
I’ll never forget one of my mentors said to me, when I was stressed about asking for the sale, “Jill, if you have a solution for something someone is struggling with and you don’t make it available to them, you are doing them a disservice.”
MIND. BLOWN.
And guess what? We all have something to offer.
You have something that can help someone. You might not have teased it out yet. You might not know exactly what it’s going to look like yet. And even if you have, it’s your prerogative to ask people to pay for it or not. But the amazing thing is that everyone can learn something from someone. You only need to be one step ahead of the person you are helping. And we can ALL help someone.
I do think there is value in paying for something. The times I have invested in my business the most or anted up the most, have been the biggest game-changers in terms of outcomes. Not only did I access the people or resources that I needed to get to the next level, but investing an amount that felt uncomfortable AF acted as a message to my higher self that I was ready to elevate.
I believe we do have to pay to play.
I believe that not investing ultimately does me a disservice. Sure, I stay comfortable, but I never get to level up. No person is an island unto themselves, and I know that there are thousands of people out in the world who have things that can help me tremendously. Teachers, authors, course creators, scholars, thinkers, artists, etc.—all possessing knowledge and tools that I don’t, that are doing things better than I am.
So don’t be scared to create.
Don’t be scared to share your knowledge (for free or for pay). You know some shit ;)
Don’t be scared to ask for the sale. If someone doesn’t want it, no worries. But come with the confidence and conviction that what you know is valuable and can help.
And finally, don’t be scared to own just how good you really are. Own your power. Take massive action. Show up like someone who can add value to the world. Own your expertise. Create the shit out of stuff. Be unapologetic about your ability to help people get results.
