The Vicki Kotris Podcast
Welcome to The Vicki Kotris podcast where we focus on the ways to make more magic (and money) with our digital marketing efforts and feel inspired to create content that connects with our dreamiest of clients.
Here we'll share real life strategies, marketing tips and mindset shifts that have helped me go from cubicle to creator! This podcast is for business owners, creatives or those just looking for a little extra sparkle in their day.
The Vicki Kotris Podcast
Ep 58: Discover Your Brand's Magic with Jennah Lear: Effortless Savvy & Sovereign Sales Strategies
Are you ready to build a brand that attracts the right clients and drives real profit? In this episode of The Vicki Kotris Podcast, host Vicki Kotris, a digital marketing and brand-building expert, sits down with Jennah Lear, founder of Blue Louise Studios, to unpack the essentials of creating a powerful, profitable brand.
Jennah shares her journey from corporate life to entrepreneurship and reveals the key brand foundations every business owner needs to attract and retain clients. They tackle common marketing misconceptions, the mindset shifts that make selling feel effortless, and the power of building a supportive community of women entrepreneurs.
If you’ve ever struggled with branding, marketing, or feeling confident in sales, this episode is packed with actionable insights. Plus, get an inside look at an upcoming sales workshop designed to help you close more deals and grow your business with ease!
🎧 Listen now to learn how to position your brand for success!
Savvy & Sovreign Sales Workshop Link: https://www.facebook.com/events/1005425051464730
Connect with Jennah: https://www.bluelouistudio.com/
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Hello, and welcome to the Vicki Kotras podcast. I am your host, none other than Vicki Kotras. I'm a retired corporate girly two times six figure founder who's obsessed with brand building sales generating and digital marketing. My mission with this podcast is to share the lessons I've learned to help you make more magic and money with your own marketing efforts and to feel inspired to continue on your own journey as a creator and entrepreneur. Here I'll share real life strategies, marketing tips, and mindset shifts that have helped me go from cubicle to creator. This podcast is for business owners, creatives, or those just looking for a little more sparkle in their day. So let's kick off this week's episode.
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:love it. felt like your brand is meh just okay but know it could be magnetic then this is the episode for you Joining me today is Jenna Lear the brilliant mind behind Blue Louise Studios where strategy meets design to help women entrepreneurs build brands that position them as the go to experts in their field She's all about crafting brands that don't just look good but they work attracting those dreamy clients and making sure your business stands out in all the right ways And if that wasn't enough Jenna recently added publish author to her list of accomplishments with her 2024 book, market your magic, the key steps to building a brand that attracts a must read for any entrepreneur ready to level up their brand game. So if you are ready to stop playing small and start showing up like the expert that you know what you are, then you are in the right place. Let's dive in. Hey, Jenna. Thanks for joining. Yeah. Yeah. Thanks for having me. I love it. I'm so excited.
Vicki:Absolutely. So one of the things that I talk a lot about in the podcast And that long time listeners know is that I was really focused on building a creative venture and I let that kind of guide my way of leaving corporate America and you have kind of a similar path where you just stay in it. felt kind of annoying or tugging to start your own thing. So that's going to be my first question to kick it off today. So you can share a little bit about your background, but what was your, I can't do this anymore moment in corporate America? And was it like this slow burn or this nagging, or was it something like a dramatic, you know, Jerry Maguire exit for you?
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:I have had my fair share of Jerry Maguire exits. They are epic, but they're usually, they're usually not, they're not the, they're not the prettiest. They're, they're pretty after the fact, right? I make a great story, but, um, you know, I think for me, Vicki, it's, it was. Just a combination of so many things. And I think the one thing is like, I've always been really ambitious. I've always been a hard worker. I've always thought like, okay, if I just get to college, if I just get the job, like I'll be able to like, build life on my terms. Right. And. It didn't end up like being like that. And I kept seeing, um, my colleagues going off and getting all of these like great jobs and they're, you know, they're like, I'm so happy. I love my work. And I'm like, what, when does it get to be my turn and being unapologetic about owning that? Question for myself, right? Um, and so for me, I think the big catalyst was, you know,
Vicki:Yeah. Yeah.
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:this is it. And just being like, annoyingly, um, resilient and being like, I will figure this out because at the end of the day, I think we're all called for something. And, um, for me, I knew I was meant for more. I didn't know exactly at the time what that was in particular, but I knew that there was no way that I had all of this. This, you know, energy and this pent up angst, like it wasn't just because I'm like, you know, upset about my life or anything. It was because there's something calling me for something bigger. And I was running towards that, even though I didn't know which direction to run. So that was kind of, kind of a overview of how it all, how it all happened.
Vicki:you know, even having the. I want to say courage, even though I know sometimes it doesn't feel that way, but the courage to try something new and then I say again, in quotes, fail at that because it's, I think failure is always a redirection, but you were just saying earlier how you were just trying a bunch of things and kind of seeing what fit. So was there something that felt more. or authentic to you that was like, Oh, this clicks now. Like, this is what I like. Or, I guess, how did you come to that moment?
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Yeah. Yeah. So I wasn't the person that tried like all the different things like pottery or, you know, like, uh, you know, artwork or like, I wasn't that person. I kind of have always been in my realm of advertising, marketing, design. I'm a graphic designer by trade. Um, but there was this element of, you know, trying out different artwork and different, um, different things I was doing through my jobs. Right. And, um, for me, I. I got into the branding side of things because I had always worked with a company brand. So I knew like you had to stick with this. This is how you like leveraged it, all of that. But, um, what really, really resonated for me was this particular moment when I joined this random program out of nowhere, it kind of fell from the sky. And it was a bootcamp to learn how to become an entrepreneur in 90 days, you know, specifically for women, I thought, well, I haven't paid off the first set of loans. So going back to college and getting a different degree, that's not going to work. So let me try this bootcamp. Right. And, um, for me, I, I learned through that program, what it meant to, um, see women truly want to support each other. And I don't think I was ever exposed to it to that level without hidden agendas, without like, you know, all of kind of the BS were almost taught as, as young girls. Um, and in that program, I saw women. Going to battle for others and their dreams and their visions and not letting them give up on their selves themselves. And owning a business is hard. You know, like I, I wanted to help women grow their brand. I knew that, but it, for me, it was like the click was. Oh, this is what happens when women support each other. Like it's a whole new world. I want to be a part of that. I want to lead that. I want to be a catalyst for that. And so I always knew it was probably going to be branding or design work or something like that, which I didn't deviate from much in my career. Um, but the click and the big aha was, was that seeing this world of what happens when women come together and genuinely authentically. Truly want to see each other win. It's the most powerful thing in the world.
Vicki:Yeah, it is. And it goes against a lot of the messaging that we are bombarded with, just culturally. I don't
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Yes.
Vicki:that that's what women to happen throughout time, and it just kind of evolved in, you know, the patriarchy, and I could talk about that forever, but of
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Oh, yes. That's a whole road
Vicki:Yeah, we could probably spend two hours on that, um, but I think that's not naturally what you hear, or a lot of the messaging is women are bitches, or we'll go behind your back, and I think that there are so many communities that have proven that that's not necessarily true, that's just kind of propaganda that we buy into somewhere along the road, so I have, I've experienced the same myself, and I really love that, and I was inspired By that same level of community when I started my business, too. So finding it along the way, and I share that with listeners also, is Seek out your people, seek out your tribe, and know that they exist everywhere in every industry and every community. you and I have kind of proven that that exists. So
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Absolutely, absolutely Yeah, absolutely Community is everything for this journey. So yeah.
Vicki:So you've, you've, your business has evolved since you started and you were, have worked with so many different individuals, specifically female business owners, right, but in different verticals in different industries. What is something that you know now about working with these business owners that maybe you didn't know then? Like what has been that Maybe a common thread in the tapestry of starting, of watching women grow and build their own businesses.
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Yeah. Yeah, I mean, okay So there's always like a million things I could say to this right and I could go down a bunch of different roads But I kind of always answer this question Coming up for me now and what's coming up for me now in this moment and also hindsight looking back is, um, everything gets to be rooted in possibility. And I think sometimes we forget that, like, especially if you're ambitious, if you're a hard worker, you kind of stick your head in the sand and you're like, I'll just build, I'll just build, I'll just build and it'll be cool. Like it'll work and they'll come like, you know, like I'll have this successful business. But possibility is really kind of like that light that keeps it all together. If we're not making decisions based on what we see possible for ourselves, if we're not creating things for our clients and our customers based on what we see possible for them, and we're not overarching, growing a brand, sharing a message, or really doing work in the world as a purpose driven business owner that's rooted in It may not be like this now, but here's what I see possible and how do we work towards it? Then that's really what I think newer business owners, but what I would tell, you know, young self in the beginning, um, to keep at the forefront. I've always kind of been that person that's been like, you know, like, imagine this dream big, always been that type of person.
Vicki:Mm
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:there've been so many times around, like in my journey where, you know, it goes like this, where it's like, Possibility gets snuffed out pretty quick when you're hit with a lot of no's or, you know, you know, wrong turns or setbacks, which is a part of business, but how do we keep possibility at the forefront in the beginning? And now eight years into, and I think that's the consistent through line.
Vicki:Oh, it's so funny that you would say this because here, this is my little kind of off road tidbit, but last night I'm, I'm a big journaler, love, I love to journal and so I decided to just, whatever journal was in my room, I decided to just, you know, jot some notes down or whatever in it. So
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Yeah.
Vicki:it and it's from 2021 and it's funny because it was this one particular day that was probably one of the worst days in our business. So we, primary business at the time was that we own and operate a food truck and, um, our food truck was, was, uh, trapped in a flash flood, and having never been in a flash flood before, I didn't know what happens. Like, I just assume your car is in eight feet of water, it's completely flooded, your engine will never run again, and so at the time I'm writing down like, we have a business. Like, I want to leave my corporate job. How am I going to leave my corporate job if we don't have this business? We're going to have to start over from scratch. Like, it is every panicked piece, every little panic like anecdote you could possibly imagine of your world crumbling there's no way out, to, I'm reading it now, almost four years into the future, and laughing about it because it was just one It was a big bump, but it was like one bump along the way and we figured it out. We put all the pieces together, but I, I tie that back to your idea of just overall possibility and overall belief that things will work out and having that vision before anyone else does. Because if you can't see it, if you can't believe it, if you can't find a way or a solution, You don't have a business. You don't have
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Yeah.
Vicki:that will buy from you. Like you, you can't possibly go on like that. So
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Yeah.
Vicki:that strength, which is easier to find when you've done it for a longer period of time. But I just, I, it's funny because as soon as you said it, I was like, ooh, that's a little synchronicity and I love that.
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Yeah. I love that. Yeah. It's interesting. I think that I just had this conversation last night too, so there's definitely a pattern, but this piece of like, um, when you sign up to be an entrepreneur, you don't sign up to have it all figured out. You sign up to find a way. You sign up to deepen trust in self. You sign up to literally be a professional problem solver. And I think sometimes we get that because of course we want to feel comfortable and we want things to feel safe or secure but That is not this journey. And so, yeah, you probably learned so much through that experience that you look back or could help someone else navigate it now. And I think that's really what it's about, too, is from a leadership perspective is being able to look back and say, I've been through it. I can guide you and I can support you through it, too.
Vicki:Yeah. Absolutely. And it's nice to know that that it exists, you know, and that's why
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Yeah,
Vicki:mentors and that community is so important too, and I've always made that a priority too. So, um,
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:on.
Vicki:to segue a little bit and talk more about you as a brand strategist and how you guide business owners through owning their brand, making it something that they are Take care. earning six figures, potentially seven figures and beyond, um, and where that actually starts. So this question, and this might be a little bit of a loaded question, but if you had to help someone create a brand in 24 hours with zero budget, so everything is organic, what would be a go to strategy or where do you start
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Oh man. Okay. Build a brand. And my, my mind is rapid firing. So I'm like, well, what are we, what are we after? Are we after profiting in 24 hours? Are we after this or after that? But I always start everyone out at the same place because it is the foundational for all brands. And so, um, it comes down to, especially within a 24 hour stretch, are you connected to your core three? Do you know why you're the go to expert for what you have to offer? Cause you're not the only one in the world doing what you're doing. So why you. Do you know who you're talking to? Because no, you can't help everyone in the world. So really get clear on who are your ideal clients who have a problem that you can solve, right? Niche, because it's really going to help you move faster in your business. And then three, the third piece in the core three is, um, What do you believe to be true? What's your message? And if you can answer those three questions, then you have the foundation or the start of a foundation for a brand that, um, you can market anywhere, anytime. So when I work with clients to help them build their brand and build out their strategies and really take that step to attract, you know, their dreamy clients on repeat, um, it's from this place of, There's not one strategy that fits all and I think that lots of people have built businesses on One strategy right like join a Facebook group. I'll show you how to leverage Facebook groups, right or Host an event. I'll show you how to you know, make events your main thing and I love events I've used that to grow my business, but it's one client attraction strategy In the lineup in the perfect recipe for my business and building out a true client attraction strategy plan. What works for me is not going to work for you, Vicki, and what works for you is not going to work for someone else. And so when I talk to, um, really purpose driven women entrepreneurs who are on a big mission, they want to learn how to consistently attract and they want to be able to impact more. Um, it comes back to what's the foundation. And, um, Also, how are we putting together the strategies that are going to work for your business? And it's based on this. I'll give you a little bit of a tidbit for our listeners. It's based on this. If you know who your dreaming clients are and you know what they need, then you know where they are. And if you know where they are, you can get in front of them. And if you have a strong message and you're rooted in your brand, all you got to do is get in front of them and serve. From there you will convert into clients and customers. And so it really is simplifying this whole marketing strategy hoopla that I think we sometimes get lost in, especially in the online world of, um, just making it really distilled down to the basics. And how can you lead that movement? How can you really lead that mission unapologetically? So, so yeah.
Vicki:I love that. And so for listeners to know, Jenna runs this really amazing and it was a small group intensive and now it's, it's opened up as a, as a monthly like strategy group. Um, but it's called the CAST program. You can talk about that a little bit more, but I'm, what I wanted to share is that. Um, I joined in helping me grow different areas of my business. And so the main crux of it is building a client attraction strategy that is purposeful, but also is unique and helps you build your messaging, create that foundation. And what I think is funny is as I was going through it is, um, and I've talked to other business owners who have felt the same. When you think of brand, you think of my logo, my colors. I need
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Yeah.
Vicki:I need all of these things. You do not, at least my brain, did not immediately go to the idea that it's really about you as a business owner, and it's about your level of service. when you're working with a customer. So what do you want to be known for? Like, what do you want them to come to you as? And you were just talking about this. How do you want to assert yourself as an expert, which is all rooted in storytelling. So how are you going to use your experience and mix that with the service that you're providing so that you can provide know, whatever your specialty or talent is to a client or the world or however, you want to look at it so I
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Yeah. Oh,
Vicki:It's not obvious, and I don't know if you experience the same when you work with, with people who say, I want a brand, I want a website, and you have to kind of say, well, what is the purpose? Because there's messaging and there's, you know, certain things to put in there that aren't about like a color scheme. So I'm curious to know what your thoughts are
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:yeah. Yeah. No, thank you for sharing all of that. And it's true. And I think this is one of the things that's still kind of elusive about building your own brand, especially as a small business owner and entrepreneur. And it's actually how it all started. I, um, stepping out as a graphic designer and, and helping women with designing their brands, which I still do, but it's not at the forefront so much anymore is, And have people come to me and say, okay, Jenna, I'm ready to take my brand to the next level. Um, let's build a website, you know, I'm ready. And I'm like, okay, let's do it. Let's talk about it. And so, some of the foundational questions I would ask is like, okay, who are we talking to with this website, right? Who are we attracting? Who do we want to convert? Who are your ideal clients? What's your message? What, you know, what is your expertise? How are you positioning yourself as the go to? I wasn't getting concrete answers. I was getting crickets. And I don't think there's any right or wrong for those that didn't know how to answer those questions. But that told me there is a huge foundation missing in the brand building process. And so that's why I created CASP so that you can really move through those five steps, which people tend to cherry pick, right? This isn't anything revolutionary from the perspective of it's never been done before, but I think people cherry pick their marketing along the way. Cause you just don't know what you don't know. And so through CASP, I've taken the key five steps to be able to get the clarity, build the message so that you can step out and also build a client attraction strategy, but also when it comes to building a website or, you know, marketing your masterclass. You always know who you are, who you're talking to, and what problem you're solving for them. And that is such a big piece of the brand process that gets missed, hence why I created the program. Um, and I often sell it as a client attraction program and not a brand program because there's still a lot of education that goes into what is a brand. Especially for someone who doesn't have a million dollar marketing budget, right? Or who doesn't have the notoriety of someone like, you know, like Nike or something like that. Where do you actually start as a brand? As an entrepreneur who just knows they want to serve and they know the magic that they do put out into the world. And how do you get it out there and start to attract? This is how,
Vicki:Yeah, amazing, amazing. So when you, so as you're moving through the program, and I know this because I went through CAST myself, but when you're moving through and you think, okay, I know who I'm talking to, I have the right messaging that I want to include, you were just talking about That there are different, there's like a different variety of client attraction strategies that one can use. And so, in, in the spirit of demystifying marketing, which is kind of what we're talking about now, and you saying, I want to simplify this process. And I will point out like, The reason why we probably feel so confused, like how could it be this easy to follow these steps is because we have companies like Amazon and Nike that have thousands of people in a marketing department to overcomplicate the buying
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:yes.
Vicki:And we have to remember that, that as entrepreneurs, we don't have a hundred million dollar marketing budget, like some of these. billionaire corporations, and that is okay. And there is so
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Yeah.
Vicki:can do with free resources and, um, technology and automation and all of these different ways that. You can put your own marketing strategies together. So I say that as
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Yeah.
Vicki:big lean in to how would you advise someone to pick the right client attraction strategy, aka, how are you going to get your product or service in front of someone? So how are you going to sell this and market this appropriately? would you educate someone on picking the right pathway?
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Yeah. Yeah. It's, it's, it's, I say simple but take it with a grain of salt in that you do get to put in the work for it to be simplified for you. Right. Um, but it really comes down.
Vicki:what I always say. It's
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Yes.
Vicki:but not easy. You still have to work at it.
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Yes. A hundred percent that nailed it. Um, It comes down to who are your dreamy clients, which is why I tout niching so much, right? Like really being intimate with understanding who you're serving, what their problems are, what solutions they seek, you know, what, what, what have they accomplished so far that they still have yet to accomplish? And that doesn't mean you have to be a coach and work B2B or be a business coach. You know, this is any service provider, any product based business. You have to know. What's your ideal clients need? And if you know what they need, then really the, the, the bridge in this gap is how can I be the leader to serve them? Right? If my clients, for example, you know, I serve purpose driven women, entrepreneurs, they're after building their brand and, you know, understanding marketing or building out client attraction. Um, So I'm going to be the leader and I'm going to, you know, I'm going to not rest on my laurels and wait for someone to find me. I'm going to lead. I'm going to go out there and I'm going to talk about, Hey, if you're confused on how to build out a marketing plan, then come to this free masterclass. I will teach you why I can love what I do. Right. I have results and I can, I can teach you from, you know, proof and, and, and results, but also. I am willing to be the leader to step out and say, I can help you because I understand the gaps that you have. Why? Because I understand who you be mostly because I am you a few steps back, right? And so that's really it guys is just really lean into who your ideal clients and customers are, seek to solve their problem and be the person that solves it before money's involved. And I said that, right? Like I give tons of free value, free advice, free training, free speaking. And it's because at the end of the day, we are building out that no, like trust factor to be able to say, yeah, I am the go to expert. And guess what? I'm not the go to expert for everyone. So if you're resonating with what I'm saying, you're resonating with, you know, what I'm teaching, then I most likely am the expert to be able to help you. Um, but I also am being bold and knowing that when I step out and host that free masterclass. I get to attract, I get to market, I get to sell into it, I get to enroll into it and whoever shows up, I trust that I've done the due diligence in my marketing and my messaging to attract the most ideal client so I can serve them nine times out of ten. There's usually someone in the room that says, okay, how do I move forward with you, Jenna? How can I sign up for a program? What do you got? You know, how can we, how can we keep going? And so that's how I think you can really simplify the process.
Vicki:Yeah, I love that. There's so many nuggets that I, that I want to explore, but I would just for one, I'm, I'm gonna, I think, summarize what you're talking about and, and I think there was
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Sure.
Vicki:suggestions in there for the listeners too. And we're talking about the client attraction strategies. We're talking about different channels that you can sell or market your services. Some of the things Jenna just mentioned are. Absolutely things that you should try in your own business, like hosting that free which could be a Zoom call or a webinar where you're inviting people in to learn something new. Um, Jenna's done that with how to launch a business or how to Um, sell new products, launch a new product. So she is, she truly is the master at this, which I've learned so much from her in the past. So that's one way she hosts events, um, podcasts, our client attraction strategy, that could be conversations that we're having. And my hope is that anyone listening takes, it takes, you know, tips away and says, how can I implement these things in my own business? I'm not charging for this. I don't want to charge for this because I think that you could. should be free at its core. What we're really talking about too, and I, and, um, this is a good segue, I think, into the Sovereign and Sales Conference that we're hosting and I'm working with you on in April, is giving yourself the opportunity to sell. A more intimate experience to yourself, like to the things that you are a specialist or an expert on that should have a higher price tag so you are always able to provide free information and really we shouldn't. take ourselves that seriously because if there's an answer to anything we can google it we can go to chat gpt but the
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Yeah,
Vicki:in my opinion is the um, kind of inner cocktail of what we bring to the table our experience our History our working with clients or setting up our own businesses. Those are things that are valued and can be shared in You know, maybe a one on one approach or a service based model, however you want to set this up. But I just wanted to be clear that there's so many different examples of client attraction strategies and you can use them in your business in whatever way I think makes the most sense. So fill
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:right. Yeah.
Vicki:but I just wanted to be
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Yeah. No, it's good. It's good. Because I think oftentimes I hear, well, just, just give me the solution. And it's like, I'm not gonna like promote, go start your own podcast. Because if that's not the way that your ideal audience learns or receives information, that's not a good client attraction strategy for you. Right. Or, you know, if, if, you know, your ideal clients, um, are out of state and you're, you run your business online and you attract people from a completely different state, maybe hosting an event is not the best client attraction strategy for you. And so, yeah, to your point, kind of tying these 2 pieces together is. Really learn who your ideal clients are so that you can pick the right client attraction strategy and a little bit of my soap box and I'll keep this short and sweet is, um, know that you, I always teach clients and coach clients on two to three client attraction strategies, not 20 and also referrals and networking is only one client attraction strategy. So if that works for you, double down on it, but no, it's just one. Social media is just one events are just one. And so. You get to really think outside of the box, have fun, be creative, but build your recipe of client attraction strategies that work. Yet your idle clients really truly need. And I think that's how you can really start to lock in the sustainability of your business and marketing as a whole as well.
Vicki:I just saw this creator talk about this topic on and I was like, Oh, this really clicks. I want to hear what you think about it. So she said. When she, and I think she, she did something with marketing, I can't remember, but she was talking about how she works with clients and she asked them, how do you, what's your number one way that you get clients? And she goes, word of, or the clients will respond, word of mouth. And she goes, so you are solely relying on the story that someone else tells about you to get a new
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Yes.
Vicki:When you really think about it, that's a scary place to be. I mean that, I think that we live in like review hell, and that's why I think about tools like Google and Yelp and stuff that come out. They're helpful, but if someone's saying, this product or service or item or whatever is pretty shitty, you are not there to say, this is what makes it great. Well, then you have nothing left. You have, you don't have that basis where you can set the stage. You can tell the story and create that interest. So
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Yeah.
Vicki:think about that? Is, do you agree? Do you disagree? I'm so curious.
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:I, first of all, thank you for sharing that because I am so passionate about this piece. And another reason why I host the cast programs, we expand beyond word of mouth and referrals because, um, I fully 100 percent believe that if we are relying solely on that, we are relying on other people to grow our business. And I don't know about you, but, um, call it a control issue. Call it just, you know, owning my own authority. I don't want to rely on other people to grow my business. I want to have some, um, you know, authority, some power, some control, and also peace of mind. And knowing that I know how to take this business to the next level. I know how to serve and I know how to attract. And really, if I know those things that I know, no matter what happens with the business evolution, I can grow it. Right. And, um, and I think that autonomy is the word I was looking for. Um, so I think that, you know, creating that autonomy and taking your power back and making some true power moves in the marketing realm means stepping outside of relying just on word of mouth and referrals. Um, it doesn't mean that they're not great and they can't work. It just means. Um, there's more available for you. There's a higher possibility.
Vicki:Yeah. Yeah, I agree. I'm glad you said that, because I think, I, I totally think the same, and it, and honestly, I'd never thought about it before, because you, I think we hold that at such high regard if someone will mention our name in a room and say, Jenna did a really great job, or I loved working with Vicki, and this is what, you know, she brought to the table. it's very complimentary, but it's a good reminder that it, the story doesn't stop there, and we have a
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:A
Vicki:to continue to tell our story. And that's really leaning into those marketing strategies, those client attraction strategies, whatever it is that we choose.
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:hundred percent. And I think that's the key to brand building as well. To become known as the expert, you got to put yourself out there. You have to actually show that you are the expert in what you do. And so I think strategies and those, those plans and the marketing plan, it serves as a way to also validate that you can walk your talk, um, beyond just looking for a referral. So yeah, spot on.
Vicki:So let's talk about the conference that you're hosting in just a couple weeks because this will come out before so I just want to, I want to talk
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Love it.
Vicki:and I want you to, I want you to explain where you think the gap is. In business owners who say, I know I want to make more money and I know that because I meet with business owners all the time when I ask what their biggest goal is. It's I want to make more money and I want to spend less time on my business. So it's always time. It's always money. Um, and then what is that gap in between not in the receivership of that or not feeling like you can't get to the next level and how does that relate to this conference that you're hosting?
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Yeah. Yeah. So, um, okay. So first things first, I think one of the pieces of advice I received that I'm forever grateful for and I want to pay it forward is if you want a bigger business, you get to make more offers and or raise your prices. So, um, so at the end of the day, that's really what it comes down to. And I think what I find in myself too, right? Like it was an, until I bridged this gap that I started to really shift in making more money and, and creating bigger impact. And it was learning how to sell. And there's such resistance around that. Cause we don't want to be the icky car salesman, right? We don't want to push people. We don't want to, you know, we don't want to try to convince people. And I get those type of like feelings and the mindset around that. And so therefore we're like, you know, we tell ourselves we're bad at sales. Some of that may be true, right? You know, you, we, we started our business to work our magic. And just because we're a great photographer or a chef doesn't always mean we're great at selling. Um, and so. It's just like any other skill set until you really put the time and energy into learning, practicing, failing a little bit, right? Um, and then learning from that, um, and getting in the rhythm of it, you won't get better. And so for me, I like to kind of bring it back to like my own experience, and then how can I help others have the breakthrough. Through his iPad. And so sales and learning deep connected, deep connection and sales and learning how to take a stand for people and, um, not leave it at like, no, okay, bye, but go deeper, um, and really own your leadership around why someone's connecting with you as the expert and how you can help them. This is what sales is. So selling is serving. And if I don't sell, I can't serve. And if I can't serve, I don't have a business. And if I'm not in business, it would break my heart. I love helping women entrepreneurs grow. And so just like I've learned, I want to be able to teach others on how to sell, sell low ticket, excuse me, sell high ticket and anything in between. But at the end of the day. It's this Vicki, it's shifting your relationship with selling so that you can step out and you can always be in sales mode because you're always in serving mode. And what does that mean to be a highly generous leader? That's constantly impacting others. That's selling. That's what I want to teach. That's what I learned. It shifted everything for me. I went from making 40 K a year to 120 K a year. And it's with some small shifts that you can have this too. That's why I wanted to create this event. Um, and it's an opportunity for us to go deeper on that. And it is also last piece on this. It also is a slightly vulnerable topic, right? Um, to put yourself out there in that way to say like, Hey, this is, this is what's been, you know, what I've been doing and it's not working and really. Own that, that gap for yourself. Um, and so when I create events, I created no judgment zone. I really create a container that sets the intention that you are here to grow. And I also set the intention that there are other women in this room that are here to support you and hear you and see you. And so you're not just learning my sales process and some shifts. You're also learning how to step out as a leader and allow yourself to receive that support from others who are also on this journey Just like you so I'm really excited for this event Yeah,
Vicki:to be a part of it because I think that there is, you can make such an impact in these conversations and it, I said this word before, but that demystifying the sales process is you're not selling. You're, you know, you're not Danny DeVito and Matilda selling a car that's been slapped together with, you know, like, like a glued on bumper. You're truly selling something that's transformational. And again, going back to, like, whether you are a dentist who's who's fixing someone's smile, whether you are a, um, hairstylist who's making someone feel beautiful and amazing so they can go out and serve the world, whether you are a coach who is helping folks through some hard times or through some transformational times. You know, like, that's what you are always selling, and it's not, and, and so I, I want to change, I want to turn that into a question, um, without giving away the farm Jenna, like some pieces of information that the listeners can take away, what is the biggest issue that you see between them? Um, within that sales process, is it like handling objections? Is it not going for the ask? Is it like not being confident enough to share the offer? Like what, what do you see is usually the hardest part for, we'll use female entrepreneurs as our, our, our test group here, but where are they, where do they struggle the most?
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:I mean you hit some of the big ones right there, so thank you for sharing that um You know it's kind of what's coming up for me is twofold one is Actually, threefold. So bear with me. Um, one in the very first is sales and lead generation or marketing or two different things. And I believe that if we're doing per the previous like pieces that we've been talking about, we're doing the deeper work to attract the right people. Sales is easier because we've already got the people who need us in the room, right? Or on the call. So there's the first gap. So we'll talk a little bit about that. The second thing that I often see is we don't believe this is true. Like foundational doctrine that selling is serving. So how do we start to shift that mindset and really embody being like this, this highly generous leader who is out to make a big impact and guess what? You get to make good money with that too. You're not running a charity. You know, this is for profit businesses, this event and who I help. The third thing is exactly what you said. It's objections. What I find and what the big shift for me was is Really owning that if you come to me We talk about what your gaps are and I say I can help you and then um I share how I can help you share the investment and I get a I don't know or I get some hesitation or some resistance Me as the leader knowing. Okay. I know that we're on this call for a reason You found your way to me for a reason, and I'm going to be the person, the buck in the road, if you will, that's going to take a stand for you. So if you're in resistance for having the thing that you said you need, and I can help you achieve that, then let's talk about it. And this could come with The top main objections, money mindset, right? Or just being rooted in like, you know, money scarcity. Money is a big deal, right? Time. Do I have the time for this shift? Do I actually want the thing that I say that I want? And there's a couple other objections that we'll tackle at the sales workshop day. But the key piece here with this third point, Vicki, and anyone that's listening is really understanding that yeah. You get to be the person that takes a stand for someone to believe in themselves and to say yes to themselves. And often times I have been, um, my client's first coach. I'm always honored when they share that with me. And it's usually the scariest yes that they've made in a while. Cause it's scary to invest in yourself.
Vicki:Yeah.
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:You know, those that are listening, our product or service space, it's scary to invest in yourself. So really having the understanding and the communication nuances is what's going to help shift those nose to a full body. Yes, I'm in, how do we get started? And so, um, we'll, we'll tackle that on that day too.
Vicki:oh, I love that, and I think it also applies to so many different areas, because if
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Oh, yeah,
Vicki:to, if you're afraid to even ask the question or go a little bit deeper, odds are you have some difficulty being vulnerable in other ways. You know, maybe you, it's with your partner, or this is something silly, but I, I talk about, I've talked about this on the podcast before, when it comes to sales, and I've been in sales for a long time, so I have more experience, but it doesn't mean it gets that much easier. It's not like people slamming a door in
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:right.
Vicki:or telling you to buzz off is any more fun, even if you've done it for 10, 50
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:True.
Vicki:like it, no, it doesn't get more enjoyable, but I think point, Jenna, you're talking to the right people, the conversation gets easier because you know that you created a position for them and an open space to purchase that product or service, and if they still choose not to. Yeah, I'll use, you know, I think this is a term you always use, like, light and love, like, you, you know, go and, go and enjoy your life and I'll be here whenever you're ready. It doesn't have to be, uh, such a hard or harsh conversation. is something I've mentioned before, too, is that I think we get caught up in the cultural significance of sales, the kind of
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Yeah.
Vicki:the rudeness, the mass, we lean into the masculine a little bit too much. But what I think is really beautiful is you're creating these containers for female business owners, which is like, listen up, there's a There are not new, but there are other ways to sell your product or service in a way that if you're marketing to women, this is how to have those conversations and these are the things to ask
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Yeah.
Vicki:is how to handle those objections, which we all can use a lot more training on that will just have that trickle down effect into more areas of our lives, not just selling it. our businesses,
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Oh yeah.
Vicki:more authentic conversations and relationships with the people around us. So I really think it's useful no matter what.
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Oh, absolutely. And this, you don't have to be in the beginning of your business for something like this. This is something that eight years in, um, if one of the mentors that I was following was like, Hey, there's a sales workshop coming up. I'd be there like that. Right. Because sales is the lifeline to actually having a profitable business. And if this is the gap, let's handle it. Right. So that you can get out there and serve more. Um, so, so yeah, this is something that's going to serve you in the beginning, in the middle. And. Um, where you're at now, if you're a little further along too.
Vicki:Absolutely. Well, I know we're, we're winding down our time together. So I have just a couple more questions for you, but I want to, I want to ask you, what are you most excited about in 2025 in either calling into your business or something that you are doing for yourself personally, which self care is. The only way. So I'm just curious.
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Yeah. Yeah. Well, we just talked about me getting to a beach by the end of the week. So I think, I think my self care is, is leaving town in one way or another, just, you know, kind of change of scenery, you know, breath of, um, fresh air. But, um, I think for business, you know, and I'll try to keep this as short and sweet as possible, but I have after seven, eight years, I've explored a lot. I've had a lot of wins. I've also had a lot of like. failures that I've learned from, right? And I finally feel like I've gotten to a place where I know my lane in terms of what I feel good teaching, coaching, supporting on. And so for this year, it's almost like a rebuild for me in that am I creating something completely new and having to go through all the rigmarole of, of, you know, maintaining that or building it. No, but what I am creating is something that I think has an opportunity to be even bigger than what I've imagined. And that's because I've went through all the phases to understand that like, this is my sweet spot. So leaning into really expanding the cast club, which is kind of like cast 2. 0 that we've talked about so far. And what does it look like to just build this really powerful network of women entrepreneurs? Who have marketing and strategy in the gap, but also bigger than that. We're just on a really big mission to grow their brand, get their message out there. And I want to lean into the fact that impact and income go hand in hand. And so 2025 is really finding the sea legs around that. Um, so it feels really beautiful.
Vicki:That's amazing, Jenna. I have no
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Thank you.
Vicki:will accomplish all of that. Because you, you are that. You said you are your, you keep yourself as kind of your, uh, you know, your example or your avatar for the women that you're marketing to. And that's exactly you. You are. inspirational, you have a purpose driven business, you help others do it, which is just that trickle down effect for the world that we live in. There needs to be more female entrepreneurs. There needs to be more females who are evangelizing their message and how they can transform the world that we live in. So I'm so, I'm so glad to know you and that that's your mission for this year.
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Thank you. I appreciate that. And I'll add this last piece. Like we need women around us that remind us we're a big deal and that's a big piece of this too. So, yeah.
Vicki:amen to that. And then my
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Yeah.
Vicki:close this out. If your business had a theme song, what would it be and why?
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Ooh. Okay. I often have thought about this. So, because when I, when I would host my conferences, I would always have a walk up song. Um, and so, yeah. And so I think the, the song that I'm really like, hold is tried and true is, um, Queen Herbie and if you've never heard of Queen Herbie, go look her up. She's Um, and she, she speaks into a lot of things that entrepreneurs face, specifically women. Um, but she has a song called vitamins and it is the embodiment of confidence, taking care of yourself, being on this like next level. You can't mess with me. I'm on a mission. And so, yeah, that would be the theme song.
Vicki:I love it. I don't know Miss Kirby, but I am gonna look her up
Jennah Lear, Blue Loui Studio:Yeah. Queen Herbie. Go look her up. She's awesome.
Vicki:Queen Herbie. Got it. Yes. Okay. I will be looking up Queen Herbie.