No Sleaze: Building a Network Marketing Empire with Class | Amanda Hall

AMANDA HALL [0:00]

But giving comes in so many forms. And when you can build your network marketing business from the place of how can I be a valuable human citizen in this world to other people, and when it comes to my business to my ICA, so that they look to me as the expert and then authority and somebody of value, and that they look to as somebody of they look up to? That's how you get orders and get people to join you in the business.

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CAMILLE WALKER [0:39]

So, you want to make an impact. You're thinking about starting a business sharing your voice? How do women do it that handle motherhood, family, and still chase after those dreams? We'll listen each week as we dive into the stories of women who know. This is Call Me CEO.

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CAMILLE [1:00]

One of my favorite ways to reset my mind and my body through the winter months is to create little staycations or places for me to go, either with my girlfriends or my family for a little time away. And here in Utah, the winters can be very long. That's why I love going to Station Park because it offers a strong sense of community with little weekend events or you can even stay at the Hyatt Place Station Park, which is very close to Salt Lake City and enjoy the shops, restaurants, and even a spa just steps away at Elase Medical Spa or Massage Envy, which I love both very, very much.

If you're feeling like you need a reset or you want to set some goals for yourself, plan a solo CEO vacation where you can reset your mind, even just take 24 hours alone and reconnect with yourself, slow down and create some memories. It's great for family. It's great for individuals or even a weekend away with your girlfriends.

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CAMILLE [2:00]

Have you ever considered starting an MLM, but you're worried about being spammy or feeling like you're going to lose all your friends and family? Stay tuned for this episode because Amanda from Girls with Goals who Give is going to share with us how you can build a company of class, even in the networking business.

Welcome back everyone to Call Me CEO. I am your host, Camille Walker, and today we are talking with Amanda Hall, who is the owner of Girls with Goals who Give. And this episode is going to be all about how you can create authentic connections through network marketing and not feel sleazy. Is it okay if I say that?

AMANDA [2:41]

Please.

CAMILLE [2:41]

Okay, yes. So, Amanda, we've been friends now I think it's been about a year. Does that sound right?

AMANDA [2:48]

It sounds right.

CAMILLE [2:50]

We met online and we had no connections otherwise. I can't even remember how we met initially, but you're from New York. Take it away. Tell us about you. You are amazing.

AMANDA [3:00]

Thank you. We didn't meet on a dating site, I wanted to say that.

CAMILLE [3:03]

That's right.

AMANDA [3:06]

We met online through business. And yes, that's how this whole world works of entrepreneurship. So, I am a co-founder of Goals with Goals who Give. Thank you so much for the introduction and we are a company that supports women in network marketing to help them attract quality customers and business builders to their team, so that they can focus on accounts, which is creating income and impact. Impact in people's lives around them, and income for themselves and their families. And being on this podcast is exciting because women should be able to balance motherhood and work and I definitely think I have some golden nuggets for your audience. And so, I’m excited to dive into that, Camille.

CAMILLE [3:48]

I look forward to that. And just before this, before we started this call, we were talking about how you had recently niched down because your effort was to bring women together, you also have a huge heart for giving back and how that contributes to the success of small business and that equation. So, take us back a few steps of how you started in network marketing, how you decided to do that.

Because I know for me, personally, and we can talk a little bit about this in the future, but I have signed up for three or four in my lifetime and I've always pulled back because I didn't want to bother people. And I have a lot of friends who are massively successful in network marketing and I feel like it's an incredible business opportunity for so many. So, obviously, I kept trying to make it work, but I just couldn’t quite get that fit.

And I think that this episode is going to be really helpful because it's talking to that pain point of, I don't want to be a bother or how do I do this in a way that feels authentic to me and knowing that I'm helping others? So, tell us how you got into it initially and how you took that journey and how it's led you to where you are now.

AMANDA [5:01]

Absolutely. So, when I was a pretty new mom, I had a two-year-old boy at the time, I was pregnant with my second. About four months pregnant, I was teaching yoga and I just remember this feeling of unsatisfaction, if that's a word. Yes, I think that's a word. And I felt like I had so much more left to give besides just being a mom.

I had built a business before. I've always been an entrepreneur, always worked for myself. I used to own a modeling and talent agency in New York City for about eight years with my sister, but when I became a mom, I realized I didn't want to do it anymore. I wasn't satisfied into building that business anymore and I wanted to find balance. And I knew that if I was commuting to the city and building that business, I would never be home. So, I left that business. I started teaching yoga.

Fast forward to where we were before, I was pregnant with my second child and I said, "I know there's more I have to give, but I just don't want to give up this." And so, actually my business partner now with Girls with Goals who Give, Lisa Friesel, was the one who introduced me to network marketing. She reached out to me. We were friends from summer camp many, many years before, but hadn't really connected in a long time. And she had posted something I remember on Facebook and it was about the ability to create an income from home and have that flexibility. And I knew she was working full-time in corporate America, so it was attractive to me. I was like, "If she could find time, then so can I."

And what was also attractive to me was the idea of being able to build a team, to lead other people, especially women. I have this intuition for leading women to something greater than themselves. And so, that's really what initially drove me to the business. And to be honest with you, thankfully, I never even knew what network marketing was. I had never been exposed to it, so I didn't have any behind the scenes gut instinct that was just like, "Oh, this sounds interesting" with no preconceived notions.

And so, we talked through it and I'd say within one week, that was signed, sealed, delivered, onboard, running to the races. But I think not really knowing anything about it and also being introduced to it by somebody I really respected and running with it in a way that was really genuine and authentic from day one together is what allowed me to be successful, what allowed me to teach others in a really authentic way to be successful, and for us to eventually, eight years later decide to go into another business together.

And that's really how Girls with Goals who Give was born initially, to start these networking events that allowed women in business to just come together and have a mission bigger, to come together businesswise, to have really nourishing conversations that didn't reflect being a mother necessarily or didn't reflect just network marketing and it was more just a holistic way for women to talk business, talk shop, just have those real business talks and also give back.

We've been through many iterations. Obviously with COVID and things, we were hosting networking events in New York City, clearly, that was not happening anymore. So, we moved into a membership platform online. And then just a few months since, we teach in our membership and through our Master Connection Formula, which we'll get into in just a bit, part of it is niching down and getting really narrow and focused on what it is you want to grow. We said to ourselves, we have to do the same thing. We can't just be for every woman that has a small business and being that our last ten years were in building successful network marketing businesses, we decided to move into coaching and courses and memberships to support women in network marketing. So, that's how we landed where we are. And I hope that answers all of your questions in one shot deal, the first initial questions.

CAMILLE [9:22]

Yeah. I love that because what I really appreciate about that process that you went to was you wanted to create something where women could connect in an authentic way. And then, it's funny that you say you never heard about it because I live in Utah and network marketing, this is the Mecca of network marketing. There are so many that pop up all the time. And so, by nature because there have been so many through the years, people can be leery of it, "Oh no. Another one?"

However, if you get in at the right time and if it's a product that you really connect with and that improves people's lives, it's massively successful. I just had Kelli France on our show a few episodes back and she did the Color Street nails and she's one of the top sales people of the whole company. It's incredible what you can do with that impact and then to turn around and really help people.

And what I love about network marketing, in particular, is that a lot of the trainings are about self-mastery and improving yourself through self-help books and really turning inward to create that outward success. And I think that that's something that we can all use more of, especially as we're moving forward post-pandemic, we're still in it, but there's just so much where we're turning inward where it's like what am I going to do with me? And then, also that you niched down and you're like, "Okay. We can go down even more here. We have a specific voice for women who need us in this specific way." And I think there's a lot of strength in that and that it took a while to get there and that's how it is for all of us.

AMANDA [10:56]

Absolutely. And it's so true that we are in this post-pandemic phase or trying to almost reacquaint our lives and figure out. I think a lot of women especially who are mothers that have other passions and goals and they're working are trying to really figure out, where is my place right now in my life? Not necessarily in the world, but in my life? How do I manage and balance all the things that I really want because I'm no longer working for somebody else? Or if I am, I have so much more flexibility and where do I want to focus that time?

So, yes, to that and as part of what you said, the personal and going inward with network marketing, that is really the beauty of what network marketing is and that a lot of people don't realize from the outside is that it's so much work on the inside. It really does take a thicker skin and it takes building muscles that you wouldn't necessarily be forced to build when working for somebody else or even more I think for yourself. Because you do have to learn how to connect to people and talk to people and put yourself outside of your comfort zone in a way that most businesses or working for somebody else won't. So, definitely, I love that sentiment. So, I'm glad that you brought that up.

CAMILLE [12:23]

Yeah. So, diving into that and I think it's really about embracing the fair and doing it anyway, I think first of all, connecting with it and really feeling like it's something that will improve other people's lives is the first step, of course. But how do you walk people through that process of building a network company with class? I love that you put it that way that it's something that you can feel proud of that you feel like it's done with purpose. And talk us through how you create those meaningful connections and get to a place where it's a sequential step-by-step process.

AMANDA [13:02]

Absolutely. So, the very, very first thing, and this goes honestly for any human being on the planet, but specifically women and women who are running companies and businesses, and especially in network marketing more so because of the stigma is connection is king, or queen, we like to say. Connection is queen because especially right now, people want to feel seen and heard. Okay. And that's all people want in life is to feel recognized, seen, and heard.

And so, when you treat your network marketing business or any business or people like a number, they feel that. They feel it's disingenuous and unfortunately, that's what we're being taught. That's what we're being taught in these businesses is, "Talk to 100 people, do 100 reach outs, copy and paste." And yes, there is a piece of every business that is a numbers game, every business, you need to hit numbers and surpass numbers in order to grow and to hit goals and to create profit. But the root of your entire being with the company cannot come from hitting numbers. And they talk a lot about why, but we don't talk about that at Girls with Goals who Give or with the Master Connection Formula.

We talk about what is your bigger mission for being here on this planet? Who is it that you want to serve? So, we treat it like a regular business. When you open a business, when you start a business and you're marketing, your company needs to figure out, who is my market and who do I want to serve most and why do I want to serve them? What is so special about them that I want to serve? And then, once you figure that out, finding where those people live, whether it be online or going out and meeting people and connecting with them at places where you know your ICA, or we call it obviously to be able to identify your dream consultant.

But any other business, identifying our dream customer or consumer, and then figuring out how to genuinely connect with them by knowing what they really want. What is their biggest struggle and how can you serve them? How can you be of value to them, even if it doesn't require an exchange of money? How can you serve people in your network with value, even if it doesn't require an exchange of money? That's how you can build a business of impact with class. Because when you're serving others, it will come back to you tenfold.

When you have giving at the forefront of everything you do, and I'm not talking about putting your hand in your pocket and giving money and clicking a link to donate now, yes, that's absolutely part of your plan, but giving comes in so many forms. And when you can build your network marketing business from the place of how can I be a valuable human citizen in this world to other people and when it comes to my business to my ICA, so that they look to me as the expert and authority and somebody of value and that they look up to? That's how you get orders and get people to join you in the business.

And then, you turn around and build your team the same exact way by figuring out, what does this person want? Yes, they joined the business maybe because they thought I was awesome and they think I'm a valuable human, but how can I now do the same thing and teach them the same way? How can I find out what is their bigger mission in life? How can they use network marketing as their runway to build something bigger, build that bigger mission, and serve other people? So, that's how you do it with class by serving others, by going after that bigger mission, and then bringing other people into your business and teaching them how to do the same thing.

CAMILLE [17:15]

I like that. I like that you talk about serving someone without the money because then it changes that perspective of, I need to do this many contacts or sign up this many people or do this or that, how can I just serve and take what I have to give and give it value for other people? Can you think of a time when you were building your business in the beginning where you were able to create a path of success for yourself in that way? What was a time like that for you that maybe you could think of where you were able to create that value?

AMANDA [17:51]

Absolutely. I think it really was like a learning process in the beginning. It was figuring out, okay, how does my intuition, my gut that's telling me this is the way that I want to build this business versus what I'm learning through all my trainings. Don't get me wrong. These network marketing companies have some freaking amazing training, amazing, but what I found, the disconnect that I found, was in how to build relationships. The relationship building piece was missing, so there was this big chunk. It's like, how do I get this piece that the company's teaching me and the way that my gut is telling me that I need to do this, how do I merge them?

So, it was really like a big learning curve in the beginning of finding my own place, so that I could carve the way for others. And so, it was really just a matter of doing what my gut was telling me. When I was getting on calls with potential prospects that would maybe want to join my team, join my business, build this business of their own, it was getting to know them as a human being. Having those real raw conversations, they just don't teach you in network marketing. They don't teach you to get on the phone and really get to know the person on the other end. It's more like, "Okay. These are the features. These are the benefits. This is how you sell them. Make sure you tell them about the new programs that we're just launching." Yes, those are all amazing, but nobody's buying that. They're buying how their struggle is going to be connected with your solution and that is it, at the end of the day. That is it.

So, the number one thing for me was to figure out, and this is something that I think any listeners that are listening or anyone who's listening right now, if you're listening to this and thinking to yourself, "I have a business and I want to create impact and I want to also create income," this goes for anyone. It's like how can you connect on a deeper level with your consumer, your customer, your ICA, and really get to know their deepest desires of what keeps them up at night? What are they struggling with so deeply right now that your product, your service can be the solution for them?

And do not run to sell to that person because you first need to build the trust, building trust through your marketing efforts, building trust if you're on the phone with somebody, building trust through your podcast. I'm sure your first episode is not the same as what it is today with all the downloads that you have. People have to learn to come back and trust you. Know that you're going to always provide value with who you bring in and the questions that you ask. That's why you have such success because you're doing that, you're bringing the value.

So, the more that you can apply these lessons of asking people, what are you struggling with right now? Where do you want to be? What's your vision? What is on the other side of that struggle? And then, anchor that vision, go back to that vision. Okay. How can we get you there by way of the solution that you have, by way of your product or your service? And ask for permission. Can I share my offers with you? I really do think I have a solution for you. Are you open to hearing them right now?

So, it's also understanding of this, the sales process. Where are you in the process of the sale? So many women say to me when we do our coaching, "This person, it was like the perfect opportunity, I could have shared and either they freeze or they just spill it all out. I don't know. When's the perfect time to share?" And it's like do you know where you're at in the process? Have you done the work? Have you put in the time with this person to get to know them, to be at that point where you can ask their permission to share. You put in the time. Show people that you are there for the long-haul, that you're there to give value, and that you're not just there for a one-time transaction. And so, that is something that I've learned to develop and learn to teach others and I think that you, as a listener, can apply to your life and your business and friendships and connections to build a business, build an empire with class essentially.

CAMILLE [22:40]

I like that. Now, tell me more about this sales runway because I think we come in contact with people on so many different ways, whether it's in person, online, maybe it's a friend of a friend, is there a sequential step-by-step formula that you might have for that or is it more like a gut instinct? How do you know that you're to a place where you can ask permission?

I love that you said that, ask permission to share, because so often with MLMs or network marketing, we'll get these texts like, "Oh, Sandy, it's me from my high school. How have you been? I just have this new opportunity" and immediately, you know they're just doing the sale. So, I really appreciate that you said that, get to a place where you can ask permission to offer a solution for something they might be struggling with. So, walk me through that a little bit. What does that look like?

AMANDA [23:31]

Definitely. And so, yes, we've all been on the receiving end of those. And listen, I'm going to sit here and tell you blatantly, honestly, in the beginning, I did the same thing. That's all I knew.

CAMILLE [23:41]

Yeah, because that's what you're told.

AMANDA [23:43]

That's all I knew. And I think I just want to share, and that was a great question, because if you are asking yourself, is this is the right time to introduce the product or the opportunity, like I don't know if I should? If you're asking yourself, then you're probably not there yet. And so, the reason that we teach niching down and ICAs for network marketers is A) they don't teach it to you in network marketing school or through corporate or in your training videos, they don't teach you that.

And the reason we teach it to you is because it's easier to connect with people that you want to serve. It's easier to identify places where they hang out. So, a common question people will ask us as coaches is how do I find more people that I want to really be friends with? I don't want to just befriend anyone just to build my business. So, that's why we teach the ICA and niching down because then you can actively go out and build friendships with people in places where you know your ICA's hanging out and you know those are the people you want to serve. So, the whole process feels authentic rather than like you said just going through your phone book and sending random messages and being like, "I would never hang out with this girl, but I'm just going to message her because I need to do my five reach outs today."

But when you're taking the time to build in places with people you want to serve, it's like you're excited. You feel inspired because you're building your network of people that you actually want to serve. So, when we built Girls with Goals who Give, we always wanted to serve women in business because we were passionate about that. We knew every woman that came into that platform, we would be friends with. We would grab a drink with. We would want to hang out with. And so, it felt okay to say, "Hey, listen. We've got this membership. We've got this program that we're launching. Come, take it. We know you would benefit" because we were consistently adding value into that community because those were the people we wanted to serve.

And the same thing goes for network marketing. And the same thing goes for any business. Building your business with people you want to serve, you're walking them through that process. You're initializing the sales process, whether or not that you're able to sell it to them and make money off of them is never the initial goal. The initial goal is to build your network of people you want to serve because you want to just continuously bring value. So, the long of the short of it is when you're hanging out in places where your ICA hangs out and you're bringing people in that you constantly want to serve, you're always walking them through the process because you're constantly adding value, whether it be through your email marketing, which is part of our series that we teach.

Email marketing for network marketers is not taught and needs to be one of the main ways that they market. Not through their company, their own email marketing campaign that constantly adds value to their ICA and just being in the social world, where I'm not a huge social media, I don’t shout the praises of social media, but I do feel you have to build a certain sense of authority in your niche for your ICA and bring the value all the time, so that maybe somebody will message you in your inbox and not about your business and just say, "Oh my god, where did you learn X, Y, Z? Where did you buy X, Y, Z?

Become this authority, and then you add them to your email list, you're consistently adding value, so eventually you can say, "Hey, you might like such and such. I really think you would" because they are your ICA. You know what they're struggling with. You know they're following you. You know what their likes are, so it's not so out of the blue. It's like you're in consistent communication with them and your network starts to grow bigger and bigger when you're very, very focused and narrow on who you're growing it with.

CAMILLE [27:47]

I like that. For those who are saying, "I don't want to go after my close friends and family, I want to build out from there," but they're at home, say they're moms and they don't necessarily have a chance to go to all the local whatever and pandemic and everything else, online, what would you say is the best place to start?

AMANDA [28:11]

Absolutely. So, 100% social media and email marketing. And one of the biggest things that network marketers are not doing is using lead magnets, which I know a lot of women who are building businesses online are using lead magnets to bring more people in their niche, into their network. And it's so simple. It's like all you need is an email platform of your choice and to create a very simple lead magnet. which is a way to put some value out into the universe and get it in front of your ideal client, so that they can say, "You know what? This was a quick win for me. This helped me. What else does she offer? What other value does she offer and what else is she involved with? Maybe she has something."

So, if you are a stay-at-home mom, you can create a lead magnet, and it's not about network marketing but it's whatever it is, even if it's like, I don't know, maybe your niche is something about you're an artist and you want to build and serve your business with artists, artists who are home, juggling kids, need to make an income. So, you create a lead magnet that's around, I don't know, I'm not an artist, but five simple tips to build an income around creating art. You're investing time and energy into what you love with your art or whatever it is.

And then, getting it out into the world in front of other moms who are artists, going into Facebook groups, making connections with other women that are like that. And then, you can funnel them into your email marketing campaigns. It doesn't have to be anything overwhelming. It could just be building an email list with these types of women and sharing value that has to do with being a mom who loves art and also needs to make money.

And so, all of a sudden, they're following. And then, maybe one day in your email marketing, you talk about this business like you're able to supplement your income, actually build a business that feels creative with your art and be home. And it's like, all of a sudden, you're merging all the worlds that you love, you're bringing people into your network who all have similar interests. And then, you could ask in your emails, "Are you open to learning more about an opportunity to create additional income? Click this link to set up a call today."

But it's like you've walked them through the process. You've gotten them through your funnel of value. And then, you're asking, "Hey, let's get on the phone and talk about something that can also be an additional source of revenue for you." And Camille, this is probably something that for you and for your listeners that it might not seem so out of the field, but for network marketers, they're not walking through this process.

So, I want to make sure you, as the listener, you're walking every single connection through a process of value, whether it be in person by getting to know them, really deeply connecting, getting to the point in a friendship where you're able to ask about those struggles and their visions, but also if you are a stay at home or somebody that doesn't get out much, that you're able to do it in a way online, creating value. Even if, let's just say, you're not at the point of a lead magnet yet, you're like, "Whoa, that's ten steps ahead of where I am," just start creating value on your own personal page. Be known for something.

Think about what am I known for? Ask three people in your network that you trust, significant other, a best friend, a parent, a sister, a brother, somebody you really trust that knows you well. What are three things that you think of when you think of me? And lean into that. Think about how can this be part of the brand that I show up for every day, be consistent with my message, and start creating your own personal brand, so that people look to you as an expert? Whatever the field is, it doesn't have to be a network marketing business, but that's how you eventually build your network with people that know, like, and trust you and want to eventually buy whatever the heck you're selling.

CAMILLE [32:22]

I love that. Okay. I’m going to give you some quick questions because this is a big part of things that I teach and I love and I am agreeing with everything you're saying. And for those who are listening right now, I want to just see what you think. So, who do you use for your email marketing?

AMANDA [32:42]

ConvertKit. Yeah, we use ConvertKit.

CAMILLE [32:44]

Okay. ConvertKit, I have used. It is definitely a higher-level situation where it's over $100 a month. So, if you're starting out and you're thinking, "I want to do a lead magnet, but I don’t want to spend over $100 a month for that," I would suggest use Flodesk because it's $19 a month and I love their format and their interface. So, if you're thinking, "I just want to start out base level," I would go there. If you're at a higher level and you're starting to do A/B testing and you have a bunch of different offerings, ConvertKit is incredible. I love that as well. Okay. So, that was my first one. My next question is if you were to join Facebook and you're looking for a group that would be your ICA, where would you go first in connecting with these women?

AMANDA [33:39]

Into groups. Groups are a fantastic way to meet new people and network. And again, it's not necessarily a group about business. It could be anything. It could be mountain climbing, biking, running, art, books. Connect with people that you would normally connect with out if you just met them at a party and you started talking about, "Oh my gosh, we have the same passion."

What is that passion? Think about what that passion is and just search for that. You could search groups on Facebook with that exact keyword, mountain climbing, biking, running, whatever it is, and just join those groups. Join local groups. Join groups that are not local. It doesn't really matter, just start somewhere and start having conversations with people and always, always, always add value. When you join groups, be somebody who says to yourself, even if you put it on your calendar once a week as part of your marketing plan, drop a piece of value in all the new groups that I joined. Drop a piece of value that has to do with the running, biking, whatever the group is.

How can you add value to that group that week? And then, just start messaging people and creating connections, not to sell. This is not to sell. This is literally just to feel like, oh my god, inspired. I'm inspired. I just connected with somebody who has similar passions to me, and just be there for them. Get to know them. Build them into your network. Build the connection with them and do that. That should be your numbers game. How many people can I make a true connection with? How many people can I impact? How much value can I drop and add to their lives? And then, watch how everything shifts. In your entire world, everything. You just start to see more opportunity than you ever did before.

CAMILLE [35:40]

I love that. There's so much power to that in giving and having gratitude with what it is that you're doing and putting out there. One tip is if you are in Facebook groups, you can actually search in a Facebook group for keywords. So, say that there's something that you're looking for in mountain climbing, for example, but someone says something that you know that you have value to add about, whether it's the best shoes or best hiking gear. I'm actually going mountain climbing for my birthday. We're going to be hiking through icy, snowy places to a hot spring. Isn't that fun?

AMANDA [36:23]

Oh my gosh, sounds amazing.

CAMILLE [36:24]

I was thinking, man, I need to know what kind of spikes or YakTrax I need to get or whatever. So, say that I know about hiking shoes and I went into that group. And if you type shoes, you're going to find people talking where you can think automatically, "Oh, I can connect to this person about that." And sometimes, asking the question and being the person who receives is also another way to really connect with people because you show that vulnerability. And I think adding value can sometimes be being on the receiving end as well.

And so, if you're in that group, it's like, okay. I love how you say your goal should be who can I connect with and how can I add value instead of what sell can I make? Because then, it is more about the relationship and not so much that business piece, which I love because it just puts your head into that space of giving and that higher energy. I don’t know how to say exactly what I mean, but I love it. It's everything that I love.

AMANDA [37:29]

Thank you. And I did want to attest to what you just said as far as the vulnerability, 100%. And I'm so glad you said that because you don't want to always be talking at people. Do you know what I mean? So, you don’t always want to be dropping wisdom as if you are the only person who drops the wisdom. The vulnerability piece, asking questions, learning too, and then providing value as well, but when you're providing value, just really thinking about how can I truly serve this person without having an agenda or this group?

And the keyword thing is so smart and it also brings up old threads and it tags a lot of people, so it's like you just start having conversations with people. And before you know it, any mother who is sitting home right now like, "I feel stuck, I don't know who else to build my business with or what to do next," that is an awesome place. You will end the day with at least five to ten new connections if you simply hashtag or search keywords in a Facebook group and just restart the conversation, ask questions, add value, etc., and always be thinking about the value.

And Camille, I know something really important to you is balancing the work life, kids, etc. and I just thought this would be a nice place to bring it in and bring it full circle because you just mentioned your mindset shifts when you start to think about how can I add value? How can I have impact? And it shifts away from when am I going to be able to sell to this person. And I think that's a huge thing that my children have observed.

And you know how kids, they learn everything. Your actions speak so much louder than words. We all try to adjust our children's behavior by telling them things, but they're clearly doing what they see, good or bad. We're all guilty of it. You know what I mean? And so, the one powerful thing that my children have seen through my business is the power of truly being present and connecting and not having an agenda and making people feel like when you are talking to them, they're the only person in the world. That is true power and they feel the same away about me with my work life balance. If I'm with them, I'm not working. If I'm working, I'm not with them. And yes, obviously, if there's an emergency, but they know when I'm working, I'm working and when I'm with them, I'm present.

And I think that's something I would love for you listening to really pick up as a big takeaway is being super present with every single person, activity that you're doing. That will make you feel like a more whole human being, whether or not you're making a tremendous amount of money or feel like you're killing it at your business. It's like to feel present is beyond any other feeling in this world. To commit to whatever it is that you're doing wholeheartedly, it will give you a bigger feeling than anything else you can imagine. So, I thought that would be a good time to drop that little piece, that little gem.

CAMILLE [40:54]

Yes. You actually picked that up perfectly because I was just going to shift into that. That is a skill of being present. And how do you manage all these different conversations that can be really distracting throughout the day because I know social media especially, it never rests? So, how do you create all of these conversations happening in real time and still create those very defined lines of family time and work time?

AMANDA [41:21]

100% boundaries, boundaries all the way. This is something that I've used in my life for as long as I can remember. And it takes discipline. So, you can absolutely create boundaries. If you feel like you are a people pleaser or you're always bending the rules for others or you just feel spent and overwhelmed, it's because you're not creating boundaries, whether it be in life or in work.

And people can wait. If you're creating connections, let's just take about social media since that's what you just brought up and it's 100% the reason that most business owners feel overwhelmed using marketing online is because they're letting their social media rule their lives and control every aspect of their lives. People can wait. So, if you are in middle of conversation and it's 11:30. And you said at 11:31 is when I'm shutting my computer to go do X activity, whether it be spend time with my family, run an errand, whatever it is, focus on needle-moving tasks, getting closer to my goals, it waits. You completely shut down until you have space in your day later on to get back to the other person.

And when you do, you can address it and just say, "11:30 was my cut-off time for work. I have a bunch of other activities, but I wanted to make sure that I got back to you because we were in such great conversation." So, at the same time, it's like creating that clear boundary with the other person, creates respect, and you're also appreciating them at the same time and saying to them, "I also respect you and want you to know I'm enjoying our conversation. However, I have this strict boundary of 11:30." And it's a one-sentence thing. You just acknowledge it and then you get back into the conversation at the time that you set aside to get back to social media. But clear boundaries need to be set with social media in order for you to really achieve the goals that you want to achieve.

CAMILLE [43:35]

Yes. And I think that this can be something that people either naturally can sort out where they just say, "Okay. This is how it is" or others might need to be alarms. So, I have a friend who sets alarms every I think 30 minutes that tells her, "Okay. I'm allotting these 30 minutes for responding to emails or DMs or whatever and these 30 minutes to do my email newsletter and they're very segmented." What has been your approach that you found success with setting those boundaries?

AMANDA [44:13]

I'm excited to share this. So, I think obviously, you have to do what works for you, but what we've found to be super successful with our coaching clients and this is exactly what Lisa and I do in our own business and do personally is we have a success list versus a task list. To combine your tasks or your to-do or the things that you have to do like laundry and dishes and signing kids up for classes and shuffling them around with your needle-moving goal-oriented tasks is doing yourself a disservice and getting you completely overwhelmed when you sit down and look at your list.

So, your needle-moving tasks are done and, let's just say, you're setting alarms or you said to yourself,

"Today, I have one hour to work on my business or 30 minutes or 20 minutes, whatever that window is." That is solely to help you move the needle form today to tomorrow one step closer to whatever your goal is right now. You can have a bigger goal, but obviously, that needs to be chunked down. We all know about smart goals, so making sure that they're specific and measurable, attainable, and time-bound. Everything has to be chunked down.

So, when you sit down in your 20-minute window or your 1-hour window, say to yourself, what can I do now that will be most purposeful toward my goal? And do that one thing. Not scrolling social media, replying to messages, looking at your notifications. That can go in your task list. That's part of your tasks that you need to do in order to be respectful of the conversations that you're having or add value. All of those things are tasks that have to get done. And the needle-moving tasks are your dream tasks. That's to get you closer to your dream, so if you can just segment those two things apart.

You know what? Unfortunately, as much as I need things to be tidy to get things done, sometimes I need to close the doors and not just look at what's happening around my house, just so that I could focus on needle-moving tasks for 30 minutes. And then, sometimes dropping the dry cleaning off and getting the manicure and signing a kid up has to be moved to tomorrow, but your dream cannot be moved to tomorrow. You have to focus on your dream every single day, even if it's just one step at a time.

CAMILLE [46:43]

I like that you said even if it's just 20 minutes, identifying. So, would you say typically for yourself, do you do those needle-moving tasks as a list the night before or do you do a big laundry list and then day-by-day you just tick them one off at a time? What is your approach to creating those dream lists?

AMANDA [47:06]

So, I'm 100% transparently Google doc everything. My life is on a computer, so I really hope to God, knock on computer, that this will never get erased. I know a lot of people are pen to paper, so whatever works for you, use that method, but there has to be a separation. So, my goals are purely written out at the top of a Google document with the tasks that I need to do in order to achieve those goals. There's a list of tasks to consistently move myself closer to those goals and I'm erasing every single day. I’m taking things off and adding new things or adding on ideas that I thought of that can get me closer to my goal.

And if I have 20 minutes, I'm doing one of them. And if I have an hour, I'm doing two of them. If I have three hours, I'm doing more of them. But I don't care which ones I do because they're all moving the needle. And I don’t feel unsuccessful or overwhelmed at the end of the day because I know that I hit that list. My task list is all written out in pen and paper and I know a lot of people like to see the cross offs. If you're crossing something off and rewriting it on a pretty sheet of paper for the next day and it's the same exact thing like dishes, laundry, dry cleaning, signing the kids up, anything like that needs to just go on a task list and cross off, so you could feel good about it. But your goals need to be separated and somewhere that you know that you will always have handy and you will use all the time and just focus on at least getting one of those things accomplished every single day.

CAMILLE [48:46]

I like that. That's cool. Okay. We're going to switch gears just a little bit before we close up today. I want to talk a little bit about the struggle of the working mother, which as a mom, you have had many experiences. And I so often get messages from our listeners saying, "Thank you for sharing the real and the raw." So, I want to tap into that a little bit today and ask for you to share with us, if you would, a time where you had to balance or you had to choose or maybe you learned something the hard way and what did that look like and what did that situation teach you as a working mom?

AMANDA [49:25]

Every single day has been a balance. And to be completely transparent, there's never a day where it feels perfect. Yes, there are days that feel smoother than others. The biggest lesson that I could teach you or from my own personal experience is to follow your gut, your instinct, your intuition. Do what makes you happy and feel most fulfilled because, at the end of the day, it's going to show in your family life, in your relationships.

If your relationships are falling apart, if you feel like you don't have anyone you can count on or trust or feel that's supporting you, then there needs to be a shift potentially in what your focus is, what you put weight on and maybe you're not putting weight on your priorities on things that are going to fulfill you. When you feel fulfilled, your family life feels fulfilled because you are emanating that. Your children are emulating that. You are putting that out into the environment, the air, in your own home. When you go out, when you connect with people, you just feel this sense of satisfaction.

There's never going to be perfection. It's never going to be easy. Every day, I'm like, how can I be more vocal with the people that can help the most? I need to be transparent with my needs, just as much as I want to serve your needs. There is nothing serving about serving other people and not serving yourself. Yeah. The more you can express your needs to your children, to your family, if you have a partner, and expressing those needs even to your young children, I am so vocal and open about my needs because that teaches them to serve too.

We're serving our family all the time as mothers. We are balancing so much, working, and juggling life and work. Even if you don't bring in a lot of money or if you are not the breadwinner, you matter. Your business matters. And your family has to respect that. And the only way they can respect that is if you create boundaries and you express it and you talk about it and involve them and you go after what makes you most satisfied.

CAMILLE [51:53]

I think that what you said right there that you need to express your needs, say that again, that part.

AMANDA [52:03]

You have to express your needs, so that you can serve them and they can also learn to serve you. That's how your family learns to serve because we're not just talking about serving in the sense, like I said, of donating money or going to a shelter. Yes, those things are incredible, but to learn how to serve other human beings with impact is to teach them, "Here are my boundaries. This is what I need, this is how you can serve me and respect me." We're always showing respect in serving our children, but we also have to show them how to serve and respect us on the flip side because that's how they'll grow to be better people and humans and better ecosystem in your own home.

CAMILLE [52:49]

Yes. And I think especially as women, I think a lot of times, women are seen as the servant of the family. I know a lot of times, mid-chore of doing the dishes for the one millionth time, I'm like, I'm not the maid where you want other people to pitch in and put their own dish in the dishwasher or whatever it is. So, I think that allowing yourself permission to communicate and to set those boundaries and those needs and allowing them to do the same creates a stronger future for the female race because I think that that is something that typically it can feel like it is more weighted towards the female. So, I really appreciate that that you said it's teaching them to serve as well. I think that that is absolutely essentially.

And as I'm raising three boys and even my daughter, she'll ask me all the time where she'll say something like, "Why is it this way?" We were reading the Bible and she said, "Why is it that you never hear from a woman?" And I thought, "Wow. What a profound question." And I said, "I really regret that it's that way because man, their stories would probably be really interesting because you would hear a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff you don't hear otherwise." And she was like, "Yeah, that's true." And I said, "These stories that are written today, you have that voice that can be heard."

There's so much there where what we say and what we do and what is being observed is happening all of the time. And so, to be able to communicate that and really look for that connection authentically in the home as well will just make a better world because it all starts at home. So, I really appreciate you saying that. This has been amazing, Amanda. I love speaking with you. It is always a treat. Please tell our audience where they can connect with you and where they can hear more about your community.

AMANDA [54:47]

Absolutely. So, we are Girls with Goals who Give on Instagram. We have a Facebook page, Girls with Goals who Give. We have our Facebook group Girls with Goals who Give: Networking & Giving Back. And you can head over to our website www.girlswithgoalswhogive.com and learn more about us, our coaching, our courses, and our membership. And always sign up for our email list on that website because we are delivering the value, you better believe it, for every woman who is building a business. Even though it says for network marketers, it all pertains to a woman who's building a business. So, we're serving the value, keeping it real.

CAMILLE [55:30]

That's awesome. I love it. Thank you so much.

AMANDA [55:53]

Thanks, Camille.

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CAMILLE [55:36]

Hey, CEOs. Thank you so much for spending your time with me. If you found this episode inspiring or helpful, please let me know in a comment and a 5-star review. You could have the chance of being a featured review on an upcoming episode. Continue the conversation on Instagram @callmeceopodcast. And remember, you are the boss.

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