Ep 205: Erika Stanley on Launching a Business During the Pandemic, Unlearning Agency Practices, and Going the No BS Way

I’ve come to realize that so many people struggle to set and hold boundaries because they are afraid of being perceived negatively. Whether it’s saying no to a casual invite to a bar when you’d rather not or holding firm to your boundaries in a professional setting, having and communicating clear boundaries can be stressful. But it is absolutely vital to your business for you to develop this skill. So that’s what I’m talking about boundaries this month. In this episode, we talk about what boundaries are, why they're so hard to set, and how you can start to practice the art of having them, acknowledging them, and setting them.Tune into this episode to hear:What actually allows clients to push your boundariesWhat helps create more positive experiences for your clientsHow to start identifying areas in your life where you want to have better boundaries and why you don’tUsing low-stakes situations to get more comfortable setting a boundary or saying noResources:No BS Agencies MasteryThe Price to Freedom Calculator™No BS LaunchpadNo BS Agency Owners Free Facebook GroupStart reading the first chapter of my bookPiasilva.com

Eleanor Hancock is a star student inside No BS Agencies Mastery and her transformation over the last couple of years has been absolutely phenomenal to watch. She’s an inspiration to me and in the community, and I know you’ll get so much out of hearing her story.Eleanor Hancock is the co-founder of Number 75 Design, a creative agency that specializes in creating ‘damn fine brands’ and websites for dreamers, rebels, corporate escapees and change-makers. Eleanor’s “75% Rule” encourages action over perfection, helping entrepreneurs discover their hidden potential and take meaningful strides towards their goals.As a self-proclaimed timid trailblazer and respectful rule-breaker, Eleanor has mastered the art of turning imposter syndrome into a source of strength and she’s all about empowering small businesses to make big waves in their industries.Tune into this episode to hear:The state of Eleanor’s business after COVID and before joining the No BS Mastery Why Eleanor was initially hesitant to join the No BS MasteryWhat Eleanor has discovered is the most valuable piece in any client projectHow Eleanor and her husband deepened the relationships within the community and their clientsHow the Mastery program has also been a catalyst for Eleanor to overcome impostor syndromeLearn more about Eleanor Hancock:Number 75 DesignInstagram: @number75designThe Dilemma of the Timid TrailblazerResources:No BS Agencies MasteryThe Price to Freedom Calculator™No BS LaunchpadNo BS Agency Owners Free Facebook GroupStart reading the first chapter of my bookPiasilva.com

If you could just make the right social media posts, if you could just make your offer better, if you could just find the people who would pay the high prices, would that make you successful? What does it really take to be successful as a one to two person branding agency?Success is about the whole picture: the business you want, the money you want to make and the lifestyle that you want. It’s about experiencing life the way you want to experience it.This month we're talking all about hard truths that most business coaches are not going to tell you. In this episode, I give you the hard truths about what it takes to be successful. Tune into this episode to hear:What is more important than consistency of salesThe non-negotiable action you must get comfortable with if you want to be successful The importance of setting and holding clear boundaries with clientsBecoming the kind of person who owns the business you wantResources:No BS Agencies MasteryThe Price to Freedom Calculator™No BS LaunchpadNo BS Agency Owners Free Facebook GroupStart reading the first chapter of my bookPiasilva.com

Money. A topic that makes so many people so uncomfortable.We all have money stories that can negatively impact us. God knows I have spent a lot of time working through those to have a healthier money story and a healthier relationship with money. So many creatives don’t like talking or even thinking about money. But it is such an important and powerful aspect of your business. If you don’t have a handle on the truth about money and numbers and how it impacts your business and everything else in your life, it can keep you playing really small.In this episode, I share five hard truths about money that most business coaches won’t tell you.Tune into this episode to hear:The truth about chasing consistent month-to-month incomeWhen access to capital is more important than profitThe truth that some of your investments in your business will inevitably fail, and what to do when it happensWhy you might not be getting paid what your work is worthA bonus truth about revenue and profitResources:No BS Agencies MasteryThe Price to Freedom Calculator™No BS LaunchpadNo BS Agency Owners Free Facebook GroupStart reading the first chapter of my bookPiasilva.com

It seems like everyone wants to be an entrepreneur these days. Start your own business! Be your own boss! It might look glamorous from the outside, but small business owners know, the truth isn’t all that.This month, we’re talking about hard truths most business coaches won’t tell you. And today, I’m going to lay down some hard truths about what it really means to be an entrepreneur.Tune into this episode to hear:Why being an entrepreneur isn’t for everybody — and that’s okay!The truth about growth, momentum, and restWhat is inevitable if you go into business for yourselfThe thing about giving yourself validation for your workResources:No BS Agencies MasteryThe Price to Freedom Calculator™No BS LaunchpadNo BS Agency Owners Free Facebook GroupStart reading the first chapter of my bookPiasilva.com

Apparently, I have developed something of a reputation for telling it like it is. Students and my friends know that they can expect me to give to them straight.Sometimes that might come across a little harsh, and it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I think there’s value in giving (and getting) no BS answers. I’ll be honest about what you can expect, what I think you’re doing right, and where I think you need to pivot. And it’s up to you to take that and make your own decisions about how it applies to you and your business.This month, I’m going to share some of the biggest hard truths that one-to-two person branding agencies need to learn. Once you accept them, it will unburden you from so many challenges and you’ll be able to move forward with more ease.Today, I’m starting with five hard truths that most business coaches won’t tell you about marketing.Tune into this episode to hear:What every killer offers needsThe truth about what “free” marketing costsThe thing you need to have before spending any money on adsWhy you do not need to chase trends trying to go viral on social mediaResources:No BS Agencies MasteryThe Price to Freedom Calculator™No BS LaunchpadNo BS Agency Owners Free Facebook GroupStart reading the first chapter of my bookPiasilva.com

I’m excited to share my conversation with a No BS Mastery star student. Caitlin Lang has been an absolute delight to have in our community and it’s been awesome to watch her take action and transform her business.Today, she shares her journey from the dot com boom to working as a freelance brand designer, to embracing the No BS way after years of struggling with the default way of running a branding agency.As the founder of Liquid Form Design and hype woman for other female entrepreneurs, Caitlin Lang crafts captivating brands and websites that give her clients the confidence to blast through their business goals.Tune into this episode to hear:Why the intensives model was immediately appealing to CaitlinThe mindset shift that made a major difference in Caitlin’s client relationshipsHow committing to a niche has made getting referrals and doing outreach far easier and more fruitfulHow Caitlin is learning to give herself more space and freedom in her scheduleWhat surprised Caitlin about the community aspect of joining the No BS programLearn more about Caitlin Lang:Liquid Form DesignConnect on LinkedInResources:No BS Agencies MasteryThe Price to Freedom Calculator™No BS LaunchpadNo BS Agency Owners Free Facebook GroupStart reading the first chapter of my bookPiasilva.com

Following up can not only cost you a lot of time in trying to craft a thoughtful email that will hopefully get a response, it can be emotionally draining and frustrating too. Especially when you need or want the work, it feels like there’s a lot on the line.This month, we’re talking about the default way that things are done in our industry and The No BS Way. In this episode, I talk about what the default way gets wrong about trying to get a response from prospective clients and what we do instead.Tune into this episode to hear:Why a good followup email strips away the BS and gets to the pointWhat to send if you still haven’t gotten a response and you need to close the loopMentioned: Dean JacksonTaki MooreResources:No BS Agencies MasteryThe Price to Freedom Calculator™No BS LaunchpadNo BS Agency Owners Free Facebook GroupStart reading the first chapter of my bookPiasilva.com

How do you schedule your day? Do you plan your week out? Do you know what you're working on every single day?  Or are you in reactive mode and constantly playing a guessing game for when you’ll hit project milestones?Been there, done that, and trust me, there is a better way.This month, we’re talking about the default way that most agencies run their businesses and how the No BS Way can be much more efficient and effective, bringing you the freedom and ease you wanted out of starting your own business.In this episode, I talk about something that has an immediate impact on how you spend your days: Scheduling.Tune into this episode to hear:How intensives simplify your calendar and make scheduling projects a snapHow scheduling “in chunks” gives you time to build your business and live your lifeWhy the default way of juggling multiple projects at once is creatively and practically inefficientResources:No BS Agencies MasteryThe Price to Freedom Calculator™No BS LaunchpadNo BS Agency Owners Free Facebook GroupStart reading the first chapter of my bookPiasilva.com

A lot of small agency owners learned how to structure and run their businesses from the agencies they’ve worked at in the past.But what if everyone's doing it in an inefficient, ineffective way? That’s the conclusion I came to when we found ourselves deep in debt after following the default way things were done. Now after over a decade of doing it the No BS way and teaching that method to hundreds of people, we've developed our own way of doing almost everything, and it's far from the default of proposals and pitch decks.This month, I’m talking about some common things that we all have to do as agency owners, and the very different way that we do it inside No BS.In this episode, I talk about the difference between the traditional retainers model and the No BS way of doing retainers.Tune into this episode to hear:How traditional retainers give small agency owners a false sense of financial securityWhy retainers are so prone to creating burnout for agency ownersThree rules for handling retainers the No BS wayResources:No BS Agencies MasteryThe Price to Freedom Calculator™No BS LaunchpadNo BS Agency Owners Free Facebook GroupStart reading the first chapter of my bookPiasilva.com