How long have you been coaching and how did you get to be a business coach and consultant?
To answer this question, I am going to tell you a little about my background. I met my husband and business partner, Mark Simpson, over 20 years ago, in college. After graduating cum laude from Duke University, I obtained a Masters in Psychology, worked a few years in a non-profit, and then opened up a successful private practice, specializing in counseling and consulting at age 27.
During this time, I had my first “aha moment” as a business consultant when I was hired by a multi-million dollar trucking company to help them improve their team communication. I interviewed several employees and it became apparent that they needed more systems – systems on how and when to communicate with each other. The managers needed training on how to listen, hear obstacles and offer solutions.
In short, I provided the training, created the systems for them, and their communication, production, and revenue improved. The owners loved it because they could just plug in people to run their systems- as opposed to reinventing the wheel and putting out fires all the time.
This was the beginning of my awareness about the tremendous value of systematizing and streamlining businesses.
Also in our 20s, Mark and I created, ran and owned the Hands-On Children’s Museum, in Tulsa, Oklahoma – a 17,000 sq foot museum that had all the right “appearance” yet was sorely lacking in low-cost marketing, management, and other core systems.
Sadly, this business did not work out financially long-term. This was a punch in the gut for us –closing a business we loved was difficult.
And yet, what we learned from that one “failure” (or more positively, that “bump in the road”), has been invaluable.
Over the course of our next series of businesses – we learned a tremendous amount about sales, marketing, team, and business development. Mark was the CEO of Traffic Safety & Equipment Company in New Jersey that he owned with his brother, growing it from $680,000 to $3.3 million. He then sold that company, became a business coach and internet marketing specialist, created an 800-page website, and started his own successful online company, US Signs and Safety, that he still runs today.
I wrote a best-selling book published by New Harbinger Publishing Company, and became a business coach and consultant.
And as I started working with small to medium size business owners – two things became clear.
#1- With the best of intentions, they tend to work too hard, with their hand in too many areas. When they are “not working”, they are often thinking about work- which, over time, becomes quite stressful.
#2 – They don’t have clear step-by-step systems in place. As a consequence, they are constantly hiring and firing, feeling frustrated, putting out fires, and playing the feast or famine game of business.
Having a history of owning businesses myself, and observing Mark as he grew his Traffic Safety business, I understand these inherent challenges with business ownership.
We’ve walked in your shoes.
And what I’ve learned is that no matter how bright or driven you are, or how successful you want to be … the only way to run a truly successful business that is profitable and that you enjoy – one that runs like a well-oiled machine and attracts your ideal customers – is to run a business of systems.
I have since made a commitment to dedicate my professional life to helping small to medium size business owners live a healthy life balance (usually working less) while running a more efficient, more effective, and more profitable business at the same time.
The ONLY way they can do this is by implementing clear systems at every level of their business.
Systems run the business. People run the systems. The owner/President gets to enjoy his/her life and run a successful, profitable business at the same time.
It’s a win-win all the way around.
Who are your clients exactly?
I work with start-up entrepreneurs to owners of multi-million dollar companies who have anywhere from 2-40 employees.
I prefer this size because this size company benefits tremendously from easy-to-implement systems. It’s a matter of me setting up goals with my clients, providing the right series of questions, designing the templates, flowcharts and checklists (creating the systems), helping them implement and tweak their customized systems, working with their team as needed, and holding them accountable to their goals.
By the end of our time together, my clients are feeling more ease in their business, enjoying their lives and their businesses a lot more, and are generally making more money as well.
I love helping them get there. THIS is why I do what I do!
What happens if you haven’t yet worked with people in my field?
If I haven’t worked with someone in your industry, it doesn’t matter. Here’s why: success, sanity, and happiness in business is about creating and implementing systems that work. That’s it. At this point in my career, I can do that in any business.
How are you different from other business coaches?
I am different because I focus on streamlining small to medium size businesses. Whereas Mark and I both have marketing expertise, as many coaches do, that is no longer my focus. Mark attends our live full day sessions with clients and is absolutely brilliant at adding value to whatever we are working on at the time. And he is available to add his online and offline marketing expertise to any of our clients’ businesses.
However, our focus is on streamlining and systematizing your business. Because this focus is very narrow, what you get with me is no-nonsense, undiluted expertise on what your business really needs- systemization to turn it into a well-oiled machine that is easier to run and that makes you more money at the same time.
Very few business coaches are experts in this area.
What type of personality do you work best with and what is expected of me?
I work best with motivated business owners who want to live a healthy, balanced life and who want to have fun and enjoy their freedom while running a very successful, highly profitable, efficient business at the same time.
What is expected of you, as a client, is that you want what I just outlined above and you are ready to get there. All you need to do is show up for our meetings, participate fully, share your successes, concerns, and challenges, and work with me to set goals… and get there. I offer lots of support along the way and, in general, our work together is uplifting and energizing- because you get the results you want.
For what type of professional is this program NOT going to work?
I am selective in who I work with and I do pick my clients, choosing to turn away people who aren’t suited for my programs and won’t get the results they are looking for. (It wouldn’t be fair to them.)
The Excelerated Success coaching and consulting programs are NOT for those who refuse to invest money and time in getting the results they want. I can’t do it all for you- it’s about us working together, me giving you the systems, us training your team, and you and your team implementing the systems. I am with you every step of the way- once you are willing to make the commitment, on your end, as well.
If you aren’t ready now, that is okay. I encourage you to sign up for the free report on my website and receive free bi-weekly business tips. We will provide a link at the bottom of this interview. At some point, if you are ready, I will be here.
How do your programs work? What kind of systems, exactly, do you create?
Streamlining your business begins with understanding what systems are important and then identifying where the holes are in your company.
I offer a year long program and a 6-month program. The programs are a combination of live sessions and phone sessions. We create your systems with you, transform them into templates, flowcharts and checklists, help you and your team implement them, and tweak them as needed. These processes and systems often serve as the basis for or update of your Operations Manual.
I also help you, the owner, figure out what to focus on and what to delegate- both of which become much simpler once your business is streamlined.
The systems we can create for you are:
- Client Care/ Customer Service (Improving all aspects of your client/customer care system so you attract, retain and receive more referrals from ideal customers. Customized services include client screening templates so you only work with “good fit” clients; sales/enrollment conversation templates to increase sales; customer care systems to improve your conversion rate and customer loyalty; client re-engagement systems to bring back inactive customers and more.)
- Team Development (Ensuring you have the right people in the right positions and excellent team communication. Optional objective assessments delivered and scored. Optional team training on sales/enrollment conversations and running your systems effectively.)
- Marketing (Systematizing your online and offline marketing strategies and tracking what works and what doesn’t. Low-cost marketing recommendations may be offered.)
- Daily Operations (Systematizing and improving your daily operations so your business runs like a well-oiled machine.)
- Business Owner Work-Life Balance (Guidance and support so you can take back your life, focus on what you need to, delegate the rest, and enjoy an awesome work-life balances as your business prospers.)
Does this really work?
Yes! It generally takes one year to create, implement, and tweak all the systems a small to medium size business needs. After that year, businesses are more profitable, efficient, and effective- with a happier owner and team.
Our work together – your dedication to streamlining and focusing your time, and our commitment to help you get there – is what creates big results. To hear from some of our clients, check out our testimonials. The link is provided at the end of this interview.
What results can I expect?
You can expect to:
- Run a much more efficient, effective business
- Make more money
- Become a happier, more balanced business owner who has time to enjoy your life outside of work
- Work with a more energized, more efficient team who communicates better and produces more
How quickly can I expect results?
Obviously, this depends on how long you’ve been in business, how much you put into the assignments that we give you, and which systems we begin with. That said, virtually all business owners see results within the first couple of months in several of these areas: improved focus, increased profitability, turning more prospects into paying clients, more ideal customers who stay longer, less day-to-day frustration, and a more efficient and effective team.
How can I guarantee myself that I will get the results you talk about?
Show up to our sessions ready to focus, turn in your progress reports on time, and complete your assignments. Understand that this is not a quick fix or a magic pill, and it can take a year to create, implement and tweak all the core systems you may need.
When will I recover the investment I put into this coaching program?
Many of my clients are excited to report that they double or triple their investment within a few months of working with me. Unless you already have very strong customer service and marketing systems, and are implementing ongoing systems for re-engaging former clients, introducing new products/services, and consistently following up with every “good-fit” customer who comes across your business, I will be able to help you bring in more revenue- quickly.
Most likely, you will make at least 10 times what you invested in the next 3 years. The systems you learn with Excelerated Success will continue to help your business prosper for the life of your company. And, you will undoubtedly benefit far more from working with us, than you would on your own. There is just no way for you to know all you need to know about streamlining and systemizing your business.
And the good news is… you don’t have to know it already. That is what we are here for.
You are not just investing in information and suggestions, you are investing in clear, step-by-step systems that will bring you and your business more profits, more revenue, more efficiency, and more ease. It’s hard to put a price tag on all of that!
OK, Bria, I know that I am interested in working with you. What is the next step?
Congratulations on making the decision to take the next step. I’ve conducted extensive research on what makes an entrepreneur highly successful. In fact, I combined this research and Mark’s and my combined experience of running businesses and working with business owners over the past 18 years into one product “The 12 Habits of Highly Successful Entrepreneurs.”
And one of the habits of highly successful entrepreneurs is listening to their gut and taking action.
Highly successful entrepreneurs are much more likely to invest in learning, coaching and consulting, and they follow their gut and take more action then their less successful counterparts.
The next step is for us to set up a get acquainted chat so I can learn more about your business and see if I can help.
If you are interested, reach out to us at info@ExceleratedSuccess.com or call us at 919-401-9059. I look forward to helping you create a more profitable, more efficient, and easier-to-manage business!
P.S. Visit www.ExceleratedSuccess.com and sign up for our free report; Simple Steps to Quickly Transform Your Business into a Highly Efficient, Highly Profitable, Well-Oiled Machine. To check out what other clients say, view our customer testimonials.