Being an entrepreneur is, let's just say, quite the adventure. No one's day is the same and that goes for our businesses too. If you're feeling caught up in the comparison game and wondering what people really do to make their businesses tick, this episode is for you.

I'm chatting with Dr. Jessica Houston all about her journey from starting her coaching and speaking business over ten years ago to how she runs it now. We chat about how she figured out her niche and discovered who her dream clients really were, how she markets her business, and her favorite tools.

Dr. Jessica Houston travels nationally and internationally inspiring thousands of college students, corporate executives, and conference attendees every year. As a transformational speaker, her messaging is influenced by her expertise in leadership development, mental health, and peak performance. Dr. Houston has surmounted experiences with poverty, depression, low self-confidence, and intimate partner violence, which fuels her passion for helping women recognize their value and profit from their brilliance.

Jessica's links: https://linktr.ee/Drjessicahouston

Episode Transcript:

[00:00:00] Lindsay: Jessica. Thank you so much for being on the Book Your Dream Clients podcast. I'm so excited to have you on.

[00:00:57] Jessica: I am super excited to be here. 

[00:01:00] Lindsay: I love that you're here. I love what we're going to talk about. The reality of entrepreneurship, because everyone's reality is different. And I think that this conversation can just go absolutely anywhere. So I'm excited to dig in. Why don't we go ahead and introduce her. 

[00:01:14] Jessica: Yes.

[00:01:15] So I am a transformational speaker and a speaker coach. I own a personal development and professional development training company. I've been doing this for almost 10 years. I am a mom, a wife. And I just love the fact that I have really grown into the person that I did not think I could become. I, I was someone who struggled with low self-confidence with self doubt.

[00:01:46] I was in a physically abusive relationship. I settled in my life over and over and over again. And so for me, I'm just excited that. I took a chance on myself to start a business. When I was thinking like, who would really want to listen to me? I wrote my first book. I was like, I don't know if anybody's going to even purchase it, but I took a chance on myself and did it.

[00:02:13] And so I'm just really proud of the fact that I've been able to step out and do some things that scare me and then also have an opportunity to teach other women how to do the same. 

[00:02:29] Lindsay: Well, I love that you pointed out that it's not always been a bed of roses for you. Cause I think that now more than ever, we are constantly comparing ourselves to everyone else online.

[00:02:39] And that is such a dangerous place to be. People looking at others who started their business sometimes think, well, they must have had money to start their business or their, you know, their life is all rainbows and sunshine. Mine. Isn't. How am I supposed to get to the place where I'm starting with?

[00:02:57] Absolutely nothing. And they're hearing you say, that's not how I started and they're started their ears are perked because they're probably in the same boat that year that you were in once into. Do you want to share with us how, how was life for you when you first started your business and just kind of go from there?

[00:03:16] Jessica: Oh, wow. So actually I didn't realize that I had it. I had to start a business because. I initially just wanted to write a book. And so I'm also a professor and a licensed social worker, and that means I'm also a researcher. So I started just buying books about writing books. Every book that I read said, you have to build a platform and I'm like, what a platform?

[00:03:43] And so then I thought, oh my goodness, this means that I actually have to start a business. And so. When I started, I didn't know anything, but one of the decisions I'm so happy I made was to invest in courses, to invest in going to conferences and to invest in a coach. And initially it was a lot, I'll be, it was, I was overwhelmed because and this is something we can talk about as well.

[00:04:13] I was overwhelmed because some of them. Coaches that I invested in were teaching very high level strategies. And I just needed to know how to get started. Like how do I get my first client? Like, how do I build my list and what is a list? Like all of this stuff. So I think for me, I wish that I would have connected with someone who was just a few steps ahead of me and someone who could really help me to get started without all of the overwhelm that I experienced in this.

[00:04:51] Lindsay: Let's talk about that overwhelmed because there isn't a lot of programs out there that do help you, like you said, I didn't even know what a list was. So how did that feel? You know, jumping into from a to G and not having anything in between because there is so much information out there. We could certainly Google it all and figure it out ourselves.

[00:05:10] But if you don't even know what to Google, how are you supposed to do that? And it kind of feels like you're just a hamster on a wheel is sitting behind your computer day after day. I think anything accomplished. How did you get to the point where you kind of felt like, okay, I think I'm getting this and you keep moving forward.

[00:05:25] How do people move forward when they're feeling like they're lacking so much information? 

[00:05:31] Jessica: Yes. And I think that my issue was I was trying to do everything at once. Instead of, instead of figuring out what is my net. Best step, what is the next thing that I need to accomplish my goal? And so at first I focused fully on writing my book, getting it done, and then I had to figure out all of the marketing, like once your or your family and your friends purchase your book.

[00:05:59] I had to figure out, okay, how do I get this book out to more people? And I started speaking and that's really what helped me to build. A good following and begin to attract clients is it was speaking. But I would say one of the things that I learned in all of this was. I, I can't do everything at once and I need to be absolutely clear on my goal because I was like, I was a women's empowerment speaker.

[00:06:31] I was just doing so many things that I had to narrow my focus. And when I did that, that's when I really did start to feel like I can do this. 

[00:06:42] Lindsay: Well, you made a, a typical, I don't even want to call it a mistake because I think it's part of the journey. I think. I want to help everybody. So I'm going to try to speak to everyone, right.

[00:06:54] To everyone, create for everyone. And that is not helpful for anybody because no one can hear you and you don't even know what you're saying. Cause you're trying to, I always say you're trying to be the Walmart of coaches. You're trying to just be at the lowest price for everyone who comes through the door and that doesn't help anyone.

[00:07:15] How did you get the confidence to narrow down your phone? 

[00:07:19] Jessica: So I, I realize, and this is the thing I had people saying, you need to narrow your focus, but for me it was like, but then how am I going to get clients? Like, well, how will I get speaking engagement? I'm going to lose a lot of people. And my thing was, I just want everybody, anybody who would bring me in to speak anybody who would hire me as a coach.

[00:07:40] And I was just like, I had that mentality, but when I realized that. People wouldn't know who to refer to me. That's when it clicked 

[00:07:54] Lindsay: is a great, that's a great question. 

[00:07:57] Jessica: Yes. I was actually asked that question and I thought, wow. Because I started to think like, oh, if. To refer someone on hair or makeup or, or real estate.

[00:08:12] Like I know the names of those people who I would refer and it's like, well, Hmm. What would they refer me for? When would my main come up in the conversation? And that's when I realized, okay, it's going to make a lot of sense for me to, to narrow my focus. 

[00:08:33] Lindsay: And so what happened after you narrowed your focus?

[00:08:36] So 

[00:08:36] Jessica: after I narrowed my focus, that's when I asked her really began to get more referrals.

[00:08:46] Lindsay: And it was probably easier for you to talk about yourself. If somebody said, Jessica, what do you do? It was easier for you to tell people what you do. Cause I think well I know if we ask someone what they do when they're just starting and they don't really know, they go on for like 10 minutes because they are trying to like wrap it up and.

[00:09:03] But on this whole they don't even know where they're going with it. You just got to either interrupt them or they just keep going. Cause they're trying to find the right words because they honestly don't know what they do. I remember going to a conference and finally being able to speak to a human being because usually we're online, right?

[00:09:22] We're always on like zoom calls or whatever. And when you're actually in front of a real person and you have to tell them what you do. That's somebody who has like a full body, you could actually see their legs. Cause we see everyone from the chest up and you tell them, you're like, wow, that does feel right.

[00:09:39] That I help coaches set up their businesses. And that, that makes sense to me. And I'm so glad that that comes out clear. And then I remember talking to other people and they would just go on and on and on. And I thought, oh my gosh, they don't know what they do. And they need to really work on that. Cause it's taking way too long and I am more confused than ever.

[00:09:58] Do you find that in your space that when people aren't clear, they just kind of find all these catchy words and muddle them all together. 

[00:10:06] Jessica: Absolutely they ramble. And what you said is key, because it does show that you are not clear because if you're clear, you can be very concise in sharing what you do.

[00:10:22] Lindsay: I mean, when I first started, I said, I have. I help women build online businesses. And then I thought, well, what kind of business and Etsy business, a coaching business, what kind of business are you talking about? Lindsey. And, but you got to start somewhere. That's what I said before. It's not a mistake, it's just a part of it.

[00:10:43] So once we get past that, we narrow down our focus. We're feeling good about it. We probably have to go back and change a lot of wording on our website and social and all of the things that we're constantly polishing. Then how did you start working with clients and did you feel really aligned with them once you changed your messaging?

[00:11:03] Jessica: Really did cause. I could really take a deep dive into what I was saying was my area of expertise. And I think because I am really good at a lot of things and I'm not tooting my horn, it's just the truth. I'm good at a lot of things and it's great, but it can also be a pitfall for me because I can teach on so many things I can coach I can speak.

[00:11:31] And so for me, it was really important for me to say, okay, Jessica, pick one pony and ride it. Like, just stay with that. And if it evolves over time, there's nothing wrong with evolving, but at least get clear on where you are right now. And really make sure that your perspective clients are clear on what it is that you do.

[00:12:00] Lindsay: So your dream client just came on, fill an application to work with you, what kind of person? And what's their goal. Like what's your absolute dream client. 

[00:12:11] Jessica: So, yes. So my eye and I have to, so at my, I have a speaking side of my business, as well as the coaching side. So for the speaking side, I primarily work with colleges and universities, corporations, and nonprofit organizations.

[00:12:29] And when I go to the coaching side, my dream client is a woman between the ages of 30 and 50. She is a coach and author, a consultant, and possibly already speaking, but her desire is to get booked and paid, to speak on a consistent basis. 

[00:12:53] Lindsay: Now that is super clear. Now, how were you, do you remember how you were talking about who you help years ago?

[00:12:59] Do you remember what you said? 

[00:13:01] Jessica: If I can be totally honest, like I had scripts in my phone because I not figure it out. I was going in circles. So at one met working the event, I was saying, I'm doing one thing. And then at a different one, I was saying, I'm doing another thing. And so I was so, so unclear.

[00:13:22] So I can't tell you what I had, because it would change based on how I was feeling that day. 

[00:13:29] Lindsay: So if we went to a speaking conference and you were there on Wednesday, and then we watched you on Friday, we might get a totally different Jessica. 

[00:13:40] Jessica: I was trying to figure it out. That was my goal. Like, figure this out.

[00:13:46] Lindsay: No, you're not. Saying once you find it, it's going to be that way. It's always, probably going to continue to evolve and get clearer and clearer. And that's okay. I think people are afraid that once they find what their niche is, If they decide to change it again, that that might be a mistake. What do you T what's your advice on people when they feel called to maybe niche down even more?

[00:14:14] What's your advice to them? Oh, 

[00:14:15] Jessica: yes. My advice is to niche down and because you've niched down, that does not mean that you're not open to working with someone else who was a good. And so a lot of times we think, oh, well, if I do this, that's it. So for example, I work with women, but sometimes a male will reach out to me and say, Hey, I just need a strategy session.

[00:14:35] And it's like, I've got to say, oh, well, I'm not going to help you. Right. So I think sometimes we delve a little too deep in to what we're saying that we're offering to our client. 

[00:14:50] Lindsay: Well, I think we're also not looking at our business as longterm. We're thinking day to day by day. I'm looking at the next year, but I want my business to last many years.

[00:15:03] And so I have to be flexible with how I feel and the direction I want to go. It might look completely different than you thought it would three years ago, but that's okay. I think we have zero control on where our journey is going. We don't have any control and you kind of have to just be okay with going along for the ride.

[00:15:23] Jessica: Absolutely. And, and also just to, to tag onto that, I've realized too, that once you get started, that's really the only way that you can truly figure out what it is that you like to do, because then you can say, you know what? I like this part of it, but I don't like that part of. Or maybe you're having clients who are consistently struggling with one aspect of the, the entire scope of the challenge that you're resolving.

[00:15:52] And you can really think like, you know what, maybe I should just focus on that because that's what a lot of people are coming to me for. So it can definitely change and evolve over time. And then you are also changing and evolving over time. You are growing. And so maybe you do. One route or one path, and now you're looking at a totally different.

[00:16:14] Of how you serve. 

[00:16:15] Lindsay: And there's so many tools to help us serve as well. And that can be so overwhelming when you're thinking about it as every day begins. Oh, I have to post here. I have to post here. I have to repost over here and share this and work. It almost feels like we're doing the same thing over and over.

[00:16:32] And there's so many tools to help you grow your business. We have Instagram and Pinterest and Facebook and blogging and podcasting, just a million things. We T we tend to think that we need to do all of them, but we really don't. I like to look at it as you have a toolbox and all the tools are in there.

[00:16:52] You don't need to use all of them though. You should only use the ones that you need and you enjoy using because then you're just making your business into this whole big chore. And it's not feeling fun anymore because everyone's telling you to do reels and everyone's telling you to do idea pins and take talk.

[00:17:10] And, oh my gosh, my head feels like it's pounding. Just talking about it. I think it's really important to really gauge. I actually just liked doing this. So I'm going to kind of stay in my own wheelhouse and I'm not going to let all the loud voices tell me, I need to use a hammer when I really just enjoy using the wrench.

[00:17:29] And I'm just going to keep using that. What are your favorite tools in your business to use? Because I think it helps people kind of affirm that, oh, I don't need you as all the things either. What are your favorite 

[00:17:39] Jessica: tools? Yes. So, and also to piggyback on what you said about. Kind of listening to too many voices.

[00:17:47] I think that's why it's really important that you have a coach that you can go to and not try to integrate everything everyone is saying you'll end up confused. So, so yeah, so I have so my, my favorite tools is like my, my CRM. Because that's where all of my courses are housed. That's where I have my email.

[00:18:15] That's where I do my finals. So I just absolutely love my CRM. I also use a sauna that has helps to keep everything going. And then I also use a social media scheduling platform to schedule out my posts, because that saves me time. 

[00:18:37] Lindsay: Do you want to share what those, what your social media scheduling tool?

[00:18:41] Jessica: So, yes, I have hoot suite. And it, it definitely helps me to kind of, kind of keep everything together. But then also when I'm scheduling. Facebook and Instagram I'll sometimes just go into the the business manager on Facebook and schedule those out. And one of the things I noticed with Instagram that you can even schedule stories.

[00:19:07] I didn't realize that until I tried out the Facebook business suite and I thought, wow, I didn't realize 

[00:19:12] Lindsay: you could do that and realize that either you could in the, in the creator studio. 

[00:19:16] Jessica: Awesome. 

[00:19:19] Lindsay: Because it helps you show up on there. Cause I'm all about working ahead as much as possible and not living by, I have to do this right now and create this and write this.

[00:19:27] I have to work ahead. Otherwise I can't balance all the things on my plate. And you use a sauna, I'm a saunas number one fan. I have it upright in front of me right now. I don't think I could manage my business without it. If you guys aren't using your project management system, go use a sauna. It's it's a game changer.

[00:19:45] I remember when I first discovered, and I was wondering where this was all in my life. Definitely use that. What's your favorite social media platform to talk about your business and talk about talk with future clients and students. 

[00:19:58] Jessica: So it was originally Facebook. That's where I hung out the most initially.

[00:20:06] And then I moved into Facebook and Instagram and now I'm actually leveraging YouTube more. 

[00:20:16] Lindsay: Oh, how's that working 

[00:20:17] Jessica: for you? So I'm loving it because I realized the more. That I am active and consistent. Then my following grows, my subscribers grow. And so basically what I do is I basically just record a couple of videos a week and roll them out.

[00:20:36] And it definitely helps a lot. 

[00:20:41] Lindsay: I like that you have found. Your wheelhouse I'll you like video and your clients are hanging out there. Are you discovering that? You're getting a lot of good connections with the people who are watching your kids. 

[00:20:54] Jessica: Yes. Yes. That was one of the things that I would hide from for a long time until I, I challenged myself.

[00:21:02] I said, okay, Jessica. And my challenge was very small every week. Just to record a video of three to five minutes, a three to five minute video of any topic of your choosing and upload it. And that's, that's how I started with video. 

[00:21:20] Lindsay: I love that. And that was a huge confidence builder for you. And then now what kind of videos do you shoot?

[00:21:26] Do you do weekly videos or what's kind of your typical schedule? 

[00:21:30] Jessica: So, yes, I'm doing weekly videos and now the reels are popular, which is really great because I can record a ton of quick videos. It can be 30 seconds because YouTube also has YouTube shorts. It can be one minute or less. So now it's even easier to put out a lot of video content.

[00:21:51] Lindsay: So you're using the YouTube shorts as a tool in your business as 

[00:21:54] Jessica: well. And I'm doing that. And also reels to Facebook. And I don't know if you're aware, but Facebook is now paying creators to create reels. So what is 

[00:22:09] Lindsay: that? So I see that and I'm like, is that even a thing? Do you do that? Or what do you know a lot about it?

[00:22:16] Jessica: I do because I just like testing things out myself. So I started. I would start a platform, but not use it. I just kind of hang out and watch I'll take talk is one of those things. And then when Instagram started using reels, I started doing those and basically for the Facebook reels, all I'm doing is, is reposting something that I've put on either YouTube, Tik, TOK, or instant.

[00:22:45] So the Facebook reels is really easy and they actually, I just got a deposit yesterday from really? Yes. 

[00:22:53] Lindsay: So they legit pay you to post 

[00:22:56] Jessica: a video to post reels 

[00:23:00] Lindsay: and that's it. Like you don't have to say anything or do anything special. 

[00:23:04] Jessica: No, no, you can. And you can do a voice over whatever you want to do once a world seconds.

[00:23:12] So yes, it's, that's something that I've been doing for a couple of months now with Facebook. 

[00:23:18] Lindsay: They like, they really want you to stay on that platform. 

[00:23:21] Jessica: They do. And I'm thinking this must be important because Facebook has never paid me to do anything. 

[00:23:27] Lindsay: Right. I'm always paying Facebook. 

[00:23:29] Jessica: Yes. 

[00:23:32] Lindsay: Oh, my gosh. So you can post videos.

[00:23:35] Does it go by how many views you have or how do, how do you get paid? What's the, what matters to, 

[00:23:40] Jessica: so yes, they pay you based upon the number of views. And so you can literally go into your phone and see in real time, how many views you have. You can also see how much money you've earned and when you switched to the creator profile.

[00:23:58] You also get detailed analytics on your followers? What mean women, their ages, where they're from, how, how far your post has reached. Like you get all of those details as a creator. 

[00:24:13] Lindsay: How often do you post a bit reels or reels? So initially 

[00:24:18] Jessica: I was doing it kind of sporadically, but now I post a reel every single day on.

[00:24:24] How do you find 

[00:24:25] Lindsay: ideas? If that's the part that overwhelms 

[00:24:28] Jessica: me? Oh, scrolling the ideas com you can go to tick top, even if you don't want to be active, but just go to tick top and scroll, and also Instagram reels. So basically I, my, my process is I'll set aside 20 to 30 minutes to scroll, find ideas, save the audio, go back and rerecord.

[00:24:51] Hmm. 

[00:24:53] Lindsay: Oh, Jessica, you're sparking dangerous things in my brain.

[00:25:01] That's so good to know. That's why I love this conversation. This is what I feel like we would talk about if we were sitting together drinking coffee, right? Cause we are drinking coffee. I believe sitting together anyway. It's just so fun to hear how other people run their businesses. I love it. That I'm maybe it's the nerd in me, but I think it's super interesting.

[00:25:22] So tell me, as we, as we wrap this up, what's a typical day look like for you. 

[00:25:27] Jessica: Oh gosh. So my day is I start. With myself, because if I'm not in the right space, mentally, physically, and emotionally, it will throw my day off. So I start with just setting aside a couple of hours to spend with myself, whether that be exercise, meditating, reading, learning.

[00:25:51] And then I move into my Workday. I plan out what my day is going to look like. I look at my schedule, I schedule in breaks because they are much needed. I scheduling whatever it is that I need to get done for my daughter. Like maybe she has to go somewhere, go to tutoring. I just schedule all of that.

[00:26:12] And I schedule a block of time to do my coaching. I schedule certain days where I do pitching, like I pitched myself for speaking engagements deal. So I have everything pretty much mapped out because that's the only way that I can get everything that I need to get done. 

[00:26:32] Lindsay: I love that. And that was one thing that I made a mistake not doing.

[00:26:37] When I first started my, my business, you know, 10 years ago was taking care of yourself in the morning. It's so important. I remember just like literally getting up showering and sitting down at the computer and just, you know, doing the same motions and everyone talking about self care. And I was like, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[00:26:58] They probably don't have kids. They don't even really, they don't even. I understand. Well, that's when you really need self care. That's when you need your alone time, you need to fill your cup. I have to fill my cup in the morning and at night, cause it's, it's there empty. Something happens to me while I'm sleeping and I need to fill it back up again.

[00:27:15] That's so important. If you're not spending time taking care of yourself in the morning before you go and take care of everyone else online. Cause that's what we, that's what we do. We're coaches, we're talking to thousands of people every day. And we're preparing to go on client calls and pitching and doing all the things.

[00:27:32] And if you're doing that from an empty cup, maybe that is something you need to change in your life. So thank you for sharing your typical day. And if you guys are not doing that, just find the little thing that you can start out with and just keep stacking good things on top of it, and it will change your life.

[00:27:49] I promise you 

[00:27:51] Jessica: absolutely. 

[00:27:52] Lindsay: Jessica. This was such a fun conversation. I feel like we could talk about our businesses for many more hours, but I'm really appreciative of everything you shared. I think everyone is going to love this episode. So thank you for being here with us and you guys go follow Jessica because she's posting on reels every day and she needs those views and we need to support her.

[00:28:12] So thank you, Jessica, for being with us. 

[00:28:15] Jessica: Thank you for having me.