Stacy Heller: Everyone Learns Differently
When I met Stacy, she was ready to surrender and try something new to get her business framework under control. I was referred to her by a networking contact who met Stacy at a house party hosted by a business colleague of hers.
“The way Lynda described Kathleen and what she does, I knew I needed to connect with her. We had a discovery call, and she didn't make me feel bad. She made me feel like having some kind of structure in my business was possible.” - Stacy
Calling herself an “intuitive”, Stacy had been starting clients off with “initial strategy sessions”, offering to do the things they needed that interested her. It varied from social media management to website maintenance to decorating their office. She was a true creative - bursting with ideas, motivated by variety, and lacking the strategy, organization, and discipline to charge what she was really worth.
Stacy was resistant to structure
Stacy was resistant to structure, working organically and case by case. And she was spending 60 hours a week on what should have taken 20 to 30 hours.
Struggling with both inattentive and hyper focused ADHD, it’s easy for her to get distracted from priorities and lose time focusing on something less important in the moment. This lack of structure can overwhelm her into a state of depression and anxiety, which leads her down the path of self-doubt and negative self-talk.
So I asked Stacy how she learned best as a kid and she told me she loved worksheets because they had very clear details about what had to be done. She immediately realized that picking and processing certain information could be a game changer in her adult professional world.
We decided on a paper-based task management system. She created a binder with separate worksheets for: weekly tasks, billing, working with clients, note taking, and anything else that helps her through the process. The worksheets are creating structure and organization, and she can turn some of them into documents for her clients.
“Having all of these worksheets has allowed me to be creative and doodle, and also do the things I need to do. And they provide structure for information I have to give my bookkeeper, and for when I'm managing my to-do list to complete the deliverables for my clients.”
- Stacy
She also needed clarity on her offers so we started reworking and defining them - she helps business owners identify their core brand (what they are about) and then (in some cases) helps them express it.
Stacey needed to focus on strategy
Stacy realized she wanted to step back from some of the execution work and focus more on strategy. We raised her prices, worked out her process and made sure all the pieces for her client experience were together - her scheduler, intake questionnaire, feedback forms, etc.
“Having direction for how I help people leaves the guesswork out of it. Having structure actually gives clients more confidence in my ability. It gives me this extra edge that I didn't have before.” - Stacy
At one point Stacy was dealing with some personal issues so we didn't meet for a few weeks. She stopped doing the worksheets and noticed immediately that she quickly got overwhelmed with trying to remember all the things she had to do. Things fell apart, her anxiety kicked in and the negative self-talk started. I helped her get back into the processes and systems she needs to stay on track.
“Part of what I do isn’t structured. As a creative my mind is always generating ideas. I previously saw structure as a jail built around me. I thought it would be confining. But what I found is that with planning comes freedom.” - Stacy
Her priorities have shifted. She’s been able to travel with her husband, and spend time with her adult children. Stacy can now plan on spending weeks at a time at their family lake house. She was running two radio shows and gave one up, using the money from the expenses to pay for an office part-time so she could have her own work space.
I often work with people who self-identify as “creative” and are resistant to structure. They think you can’t have both, that the structure will seriously limit their creativity. Yet they are overworked, underpaid, and can’t keep up with the work. Stacy was one of those people. I loved helping her get things in order that have simplified and elevated her business, allowing her the space to be creative, take care of herself, and spend time with her family.
And like some of my other clients, we’ve shifted into an ongoing retainer, so I can support Stacy with strategy, execution and accountability as she continues to grow her business.
If you’re a creative spinning your wheels and just can’t seem to take control of your business, I’d love to help you. Schedule a time to chat here.
P.S. Ready to stop spinning in place and get to the other side of your goals? Here are several ways I can help:
Download my free weekly planning guide - it will help you become more intentional with your time, develop a clear action plan for your week, and ensure that you are focusing on activities that will move your business forward - Download Now
Join our next CEO Power Planning Session and spend two and a half hours ON your business. During this facilitated workshop, you’ll set and prioritize your next 12-week goals, break them down into an executable action plan and create a resource plan - Join the Wait List
Apply for the next Close the Gap Program and stay on track to achieve your most important goals. 1:1 support and guidance on prioritizing goals, creating a plan and putting structure and routines in place. Then 12 weeks of group support around execution. - Apply today