How to generate 6-7 figures in the middle of a pandemic

Navigating how to sustain your clientele, providing services that meet their needs, and pivoting when you are struck with a global pandemic, is not for the weary entrepreneur who has been running their business like a hobby vs. a business.

It takes resourceful and thoughtful action to sustain what you are known for and scale your business during this time. Last year I kicked off my first weekend workshop called Business Growth Mastery for entrepreneurs and business owners who are looking for aligned ways to grow and scale their business. My intent was to host this workshop three times this year. 2020 was the year that I would put my methods on the map and provide an immersive experience. Well, if you are reading this and it is still 2020, you know exactly what kind of year this has been. 

The first workshop weekend I had scheduled and sold to 7 entrepreneurs to meet me in Pasadena, CA for an immaculately planned immersive weekend that would allow them to assess where they are today in their business, get clear on their goals for what they want to accomplish next, answer the questions of who they need to be, and hire to make that happen - then we would map out an action plan to achieve it. Because this is a workshop weekend that I wanted to make sure I would be excited to attend, I also made sure we had plans for rest and relaxation in a 5 Star Way. The weekend was going to be amazing and my members were pumped to meet up and attend. Well, it was scheduled for the third week in March, and we went into lock down on March 13th here in the NY tri-state area. So, I had to notify everyone that we would find another date that worked, and figure out what the best next plan was for hosting the workshop once enough time had passed. 

Here are way it pays to be nimble in business. When I assessed my own business after checking in with my existing clients, their needs, and whether or not they would continue to work with us during this time, I was able to quickly know in two weeks what the impact to my business was for Q1'20 and what I needed to focus on to sustain the 7 figure goals I had for the year. Here is what happened across my business lines and I am happy to report that in the last 6 months, I am still on track to hit my initial goals for the year.

This is the energy I lead with: If I can't be strategic in how I build my business and make sure I am being resourceful in how to earn revenue during this time, how can I be a strategic business coach and adviser to my clients? One thing my clients know about me, I am all about action! Integrity is one of my top three core values that I lead myself and my business with, and follow through is how I display it daily. 

What has happened in my business since the global Pandemic of 2020 hit in March? A lot of great things actually!!

Note: all numbers below are revenue numbers, not income. It is important to know the difference when it comes to business building and personal income goals. 

• One client ended contracted services that had an estimated additional revenue for me and my team of about $25K (-$25,000) 
  • Truth: I was happy to see this client end our services, it was not the best of relationships and took a lot of my energy without a high fulfillment level. We serviced their needs, they were not equipped to follow through on their side. So ending this contract opened up our ability to serve others, which we did.
• One client who had enrolled in my BGM workshop asked for an immediate refund, which was not my policy, but since I knew we were sitting in unprecedented times, I did not want to hold onto funds for an event that I was unsure of when I would be able to host. I gave her a partial refund based on the work we already initiated together and thought that was a fair and conscious service. (-$3200)
  • Truth: When it comes to refunds and returns, I stand by my policy, but also will weigh the option of what is best for my brand and my relationship with my clients to make the final decision. Then I stand by it. 
• I held FREE 30 minute Acute Care Calls for people who just wanted to talk through their situation and have a resourceful conversation of what to do next. This helped me support those in need and also identify if I can provide a service to assist them in busting through uncertainty during this time. By April, I launched my first virtual group coaching program called Accelerate Your Growth and help squash uncertainty. I had 12 members join that group. I gifted the remaining members of the BGW live workshop a seat in this virtual coaching program so they could have access to me during this time and get additional value from me for what they initially invested in but had not yet come to fruition. (+$4777, plus I was able to donate $500 to NoKidHungry as part of my give back for enrolling campaign)
  • Truth: I had no idea what I was doing when I launched this program but knew others would benefit from leveraging the methods I use to crush uncertainty and jump into action. It worked! Each member who stayed committed to the program was able to get the clarity they were looking for regarding their business. I offered it again in July and the group I am working with now is having similar results. (Win: New Service Offering!)
• One of our longest standing trillion dollar clients had reached out for contracted consulting assistance across projects that they were initially looking for full-time staff for, but due to the hiring freeze could not hire anyone new. I was able to assist them and place additional experts on projects for them, and extend the existing contractors through my firm through the end of the year to ensure continuity of service. (+aprox $400,000 in additional revenue) 
  • Truth: I always lean into contracted consulting projects during times of uncertainty, because I know that my corporate clients still need to hit their targets and need creative and direct ways of doing it. It feels really good to be able to help my subcontractors earn during this time and be able to work with my amazing corporate clients. Majority of this revenue earned, goes to my subcontractors. 
• Another corporate consulting client requested project help on integrating CRM processes into one of their client communication workflows. I was able to find the best match of skill and part-time availability from a CRM expert and it all lined up beautifully for her to continue to earn, while also meeting client demands. The contract has already been extended for more work because the fit worked out so well. (+$35,000)
• As a business coach and advisor to different health and wellness entrepreneurs, referrals started to come through for integrative health, natropathic health and new mind/body modality services from the LA area. I managed to close 4 new amazing clients under our start up advisory and coaching services. (+aprox $90,000 in estimated revenue through the end of the year)

As I share with my clients all the time, when you stand in your zone of genius, have a willingness to get resourceful, articulate where others can benefit from your services, and most of all have the integrity and reputation to back up your work, the money will flow. Money is just another form of an energy exchange and when you value it properly, appreciate each penny earned, and have gratitude for every check you write for the services and people you need to help you build your business, it is reciprocated energetically ten-fold. Being clear on where you focus your energy is where the mastery comes in. 

I have been running virtual operations for 8 years. The face to face time I create is an extension of my business that can be done via zoom, however, when I am in the room with my clients the energy and productivity for all of us is much higher. When I think about the clients who signed up to be in a room with me for an immersive weekend, I still questioned how I could best help them feel that now, in a safe way, and get them the level of service and guidance I know they needed.

What happened to the BGM Members that enrolled in March?

A few weeks ago I reached out to one of the entrepreneur couples who signed up for BGM in March and I offered them something that just felt aligned with how we could work together, be safe, and fulfill my contractual obligation. I invited them to come to my house for a VIP BGM weekend. Just the two of them, me and my husband, and of course Kiya our dog. It was a controlled environment, we all had been following the same protocols at home. I felt it was the safest and most fun way to have an immersive experience and get them the support and guidance they were looking for. They were an immediate YES! They were in! We were all so excited!

Lesley Logan Crowell and Brad Crowell |Founders of OnlinePilatesClasses.com

I have to tell you that I miss facilitating in a room and feeling the energy when breakthrough moments happen. I get them via zoom all the time, but when it happens face to face, when the tears come up, and when we are able to hold space for each other and move through it with solutions, actions, and the ability to let go...it's truly breathtaking. Having that ability last weekend to host these two amazingly gifted entrepreneurs at the start of scaling their business in a way that will give them the lifestyle and impact they desire in years to come - I am still coming down off that high. We were in flow. We accomplished a lot! And they left feeling complete and charged on what to do next in their business. 

This is the beauty of being nimble in business. Being able to pivot and still serve your clients. The best way to do this in your own business is to periodically assess where you are, listen to your clients, get creative on how to solve their problems/provide service, and put it out there for them to leverage. Times like this test you and your operational framework, knowledge of your ideal client needs, and who you need to help fulfill that demand. Agility has to come into play if you are going to thrive during these times. And it is 100% ok to ask for help. Actually I recommend you invest in getting that guidance from someone who can assess the state of your business, where you want to take it, what you need to do to move it forward, and most of all who YOU need to be to build and scale it. You are not in this alone, get resourceful and actionable, and the earnings will come. 

Results from my work with clients vary, however I thought I would share what gains Lesley and Brad have been able to get from working together in regards to their revenue flow and aligning their zone of genius into their leadership stance of the business:

From our initial 1:1 VIP Strategy Session, that each member of BGM gets before the weekend workshop, we were able to clarify and identify what services bring them the highest return in order to replace the revenue they were planning on making as they traveled the world this year running Pilates Workshops. With that quick shift in clarity for them, and sharing some of the tools I have to help them assess ROI on each offering. They found one that they realized earned the highest return and could help them earn close to $75K quickly. They removed all the other noise, focused on this one offering, offered it two times, and earned the additional revenue they needed to sustain their business and move to their dream home in Las Vegas to get out of the LA cramped studio apartment they lived in. 

During their VIP BGM experience, they arrived focused and ready to get the strategic plan and coaching on how they can build a sustainable revenue model for their business that does not require a hard sell every single time, something more passive for the efforts they are making already. They were clear on a launch they wanted to do in October, and needed a plan on how to build an audience to attract new people into their their world and serve them like they do their existing community members. We mapped it all out. We also aligned their relationship and roles in their business so they are not duplicating efforts or setting false expectations of each other. We then mapped out who they need to hire to get it done and maintain it on a monthly basis. And BAM! They were able to map out a model that once executed against will generate an additional monthly revenue minimum of $5000/month, plus adjust their existing rates to earn more for all their services, since they hadn't done that in years. Once they get momentum on their new offering, it should turn into another six figure revenue stream in their business that is sustainable and they could have team members run for them as they build their next offering, or are traveling the world doing their workshops again. They got resourceful and are focused on the results they want, while listening and serving their clients. 

What I loved most about this time together is their clarity, willingness to learn and be nimble to bring in the best results for their business. They asked if we could do this type of meeting every quarter to stay on course. My answer, "Of course!"

If you are feeling stuck and not sure where to begin, the fastest and most effective way for us to start our relationship and see where I can help is by booking your 1:1 VIP Strategy Session with me. You get two uninterrupted hours with me to get any questions you have regarding your business answered, clarity on what to do next, and we will map out a plan of action so you can jump into as soon as we hop off the call.