One of the best ways to get inspired is to learn from others’ successes.That’s why in my Elevate online training program, we spotlight one of our premier members during our member Monthly Access Calls.
Elevate Coaches James Roche, Joy Chudacoff, and I select and interview one Elevate Premier member who is making great strides with the program.
Some successes are large, some small, but it’s all about taking steps forward and making progress.
Today, you’ll meet Elevate Premier member Tara Powers, founder of her group consulting business, Tara Means Business (www.TaraMeansBusiness.com) and a women’s business retreat, IRetreat (www.IRetreat.com). She was our spotlight on our September 2012 call.
Enjoy our quick interview with Tara below, and be sure to take notes. There are several golden nuggets you can apply to YOUR business right away!
Joy: Tell everybody what you do, Tara.
Tara: My background, I’m a corporate consultant. I’ve been doing that for about 15 years. [Then] I came to Ali’s program. The Online Success Blueprint workshop, years ago. It opened up my eyes to this whole other world of work that I could do with people that really are very stimulating and exciting for me to be around.
I would say my biggest breakthrough in the last two years of being part of this group is the clarity of what really do I have to offer, what is my niche? I finally realized that I could take what I’m currently doing with my corporate clients, and I could teach other people how to build and develop and deliver workshops and coaching programs for their own businesses.That is a recent breakthrough.
I was trying for a really long time to just be a business coach for women. Quite honestly, I was like swimming in a sea of fish and I wasn’t really getting anywhere. I was spending a lot of money and time and not getting a lot of return. But it is only through the coaching and the feedback that I received that really helped me narrow down my niche. You guys say this but it’s so true. Once you have figured out a niche for yourself everything comes so easily. Obviously the coaching I did with Joy helped me get there, so that’s been really great.
James: Have you experienced some specific results as a result of being so focused now? What are you noticing in your clients and––
Tara: I’m already getting referrals just by talking about it to people… to work with people one-on-one, to help them develop either a workshop or a group coaching program for their clients. I also help develop certification programs for higher end coaches or people that have something they want to certify others to teach that’s theirs, which is something I don’t think there’s a lot of people doing out there. I haven’t signed on the dotted line yet, but I’ve been doing speaking engagements. So yeah, definitely I see it gaining a lot of traction as I just start talking to more people about it.
James: That’s what happens when you get that kind of focused niche, the referrals start coming in. We’ve seen this time and again with people. It makes it easier for other people to say what you do when they themselves can get their arms around it and grasp it without it being some abstract kind of complicated vague thing.
Tara: Yes, and it was abstract and vague before. So I really feel like it’s gotten a lot of clarity. The other, I think, breakthrough and insight I just want to mention is the power of this network, this Elevate network. I have met so many incredible business owners where we have some really good synergy in terms of our businesses and what we do. For my retreat, it’s a business planning retreat for women. I have had two high level Elevate members, one Lisa Manyon who is coaching I think with Ali, and Deborah Genovesi coaches with you I think, right James?
James: Yep.
Tara: They both were like, “We want to be a part of this.” It’s just so amazing to have that kind of access to high level successful business people that I would have never ever been able to get into that level of access before.
Joy: That’s really great, Tara. You’ve just been a wonderful addition to our group this year. When she had this aha moment in our group about her niche, about helping other people take their one-on-one work and turning it into a group program or taking a group program and turning it into a certification, in that moment I had a few people that I thought, “Oh my gosh, I know people that I could refer to Tara for this type of service.” Because the more finely niched you are, the more people can easily refer business to you. Then it’s not just you working by yourself. It’s your community and other people around you who know you who will refer business to you.
Tara: Thank you. I just would tell all the members, especially the new ones, that the idea of really just focusing on one thing you do well is so powerful. I must be sick headed, because it took me a long time to figure it out. I encourage all of you not to wait that long because it makes everything easier.
James: People fight us on this.
Tara: I know, I fought you. James, I remember sitting up on the stage with you and Ali one time and I fought you on this. You were like, “You should just niche yourself around this workshop idea.” I just wasted a little bit more time and money until I finally figured it out. I encourage everybody to really think about this a lot more deeper, because it does make a huge difference for you and your business.
Joy: Tara’s up for an award. Just real quick, what’s the name of the award you’re up for?
Tara: I am up for the Mom Entrepreneur of the Year Award with Today’s Innovative Woman, which is Cathy Alessandra who has been part of Ali’s network for a long time.
James: Awesome Tara, thank you so much. I appreciate it.
Tara: Thank you.