Show Notes
Summary
Hello, fabulous one! Welcome back to the Empowered Edupreneur Podcast.
Today I have a special case study for you from a Digiteachers Biz Academy student.
Her story is so inspiring and definitely not one to miss.
In this episode, you will hear about:
- Saskia’s journey going from a teacher to an online business owner who sells courses.
- How Saskia overcame incredible obstacles around tech and still succeeded.
- Saskia’s big transformation and how her life has changed as she embarked on this journey of course creation and online business.
There are incredible transformations from most of our Digiteachers Biz Academy students who apply themselves and take action, however, Saksia’s story is truly inspiring.
She overcame many of the odds and has made her dream come alive. I remember Saskia telling me that's she wants to do retreats that involve the culinary experience of Spain and she wanted to merge it with language learning. This year she has done her first retreat and this has been very fulfilling for her.
If you are Dutch / Flemish and wanting to learn how to speak Spanish through a cultural experience, you can sign up to Saskia's email list HERE.
Your life can really open up to a completely different trajectory when you say YES and invest in yourself. Digiteachers Biz Academy is a magical, supportive and inspiring place to do that in.
The doors will open with a cyber Monday 10% off special for the first 24 hours on the 27th November '23. There are just ten spots in our Gold coaching program this round.
You can join the waitlist here to be first to know, after our Bootcampers are invited. Those in the Educators Income Booster Bootcamp will get first dibbs.
This 3-month coaching container is going to set you up for a powerful, expansive 2024.
Subscribe to:
Links
- Enrol now to secure your spot on the waitlist for the upcoming Digiteachers Biz Academy. The doors will open with a cyber Monday 10% off special for the first 24 hours on the 27th November '23. There are just ten spots in our Gold coaching program this round.
Transcript
Transcription
Michelle: Welcome to The Empowered Edupreneur Podcast. My name is Michelle Smit, and I am an ex-teacher turned online business coach for Edupreneurs, the owner of Digiteach and a six-figure entrepreneur. I am in love with empowering educators, just like you to create freedom filled online businesses and lives they love.
If you are looking to uplevel your skills, your finances, your mindset, and change the trajectory of your life as an educator in business, then you are in the right place. Think of this podcast as your weekly dose of business and mindset development to help unlock the infinite potential within you to play bigger with your life and go after your dreams.
We are going to have so much fun together. So thank you so much for pushing play today. Now let's dive in.
Hello. Hello. Hello. Welcome to another call today. And today we've got such an awesome call for you. We're speaking to a previous Bootcamper. So someone who a year ago was literally in your position right now. And she was sitting and watching an alumni call and now she's here as the alumni, which is so, so, so cool.
Her name is Saskia. And she's going to be sharing her journey. I think it's been about a year now, right? Saskia?
Saskia: Yes, it was in the summer vacation last year.
Michelle: Okay, summer vacation last year. That's what I thought. So her journey since joining DBA and starting her business and launching and doing all the things she's done so much.
The transformation story is amazing. And Saskia. Let's start from the beginning first. Okay. Yes. You joined the Bootcamp last year summer and tell us where you were then at that point.
Saskia: Okay. Well, hi everybody. I'm really thrilled to be here and tell my story because it's amazing. But I was really at the point that I, for like two years, I only wanted to leave school and I work at the school. I still work there, but it's coming to the end somewhere soon.
But I had no idea how to do it or how I could do it or what I could do. And then Michelle's bootcamp came by and I really liked it. I loved it. And I was like, okay, yes, I have to do this because this might be my way to my life that I want to live. Because I really want to be able to work from any place in the world.
I have a home in Spain, and I want to be there in the wintertime. And when I want, and well, that's my dream. So that's why I want to start an online business. I didn't know what I was going to do. I am teaching Spanish online for Flemish and Dutch speaking people in Spain, mostly. Or some live in the Netherlands, but I had never thought that I would do that kind of online business. I always, I don't know, I thought I would do coaching or whatever. But you know, when we were in the bootcamp and we started Think about our ideal client and the thing, it sort of excited me and well, that's what I decided to do.
So that's what the situation was. And then I got into your program.
Michelle: Amazing. So now what are you doing now? So since you joined DBA, what did you start doing? What was like the niche that you're doing, like serving and stuff?
Saskia: Yes, so I teach Spanish to Dutch speaking people. And a lot of my clients live in Spain and that was also sort of my ideal client, one that lives in Spain or has a house in Spain and wants to learn Spanish or maybe had already done some course, but not learn to speak.
Because I had noticed a lot of people come to me also when I'm in Spain and they say, oh, I can't speak, I can't speak. So that's my niche people who want to speak Spanish really.
Michelle: Which is super niche. And a lot of the people in the bootcamp are language teachers and are doing like either German to Italian or French to this or Italian to American. So a lot of people have those niches. That's why I thought it was so nice to have you here because you're in a similar thing. Yes. Where I remember you were thinking, Oh, maybe it's too niche. And I remember I think it was you, you were struggling between whether to do it in Dutch or English.
Exactly. And I was like, go with the Dutch. Yes. And it actually worked out.
Saskia: It worked out very well because after the bootcamp and after the program that I did with you, I started to build an email list and post in Facebook groups of people that live in Spain or people that are learning Spanish. And at one point I did advertisement also, and I really grew my email list because of that.
And a lot of the things that I've done after that came out of my Facebook group. And well, I launched a course, and I had clients. I had six clients. And that was really amazing. I was really happy with that.
Michelle: I remember. Yeah. And before DBA, in terms of knowing how to build an email list, knowing how to do the launch, like where were you at on a scale of zero to 10?
Saskia: Zero.
Michelle: Okay. Zero, but you had the drive, and you had the hunger. And I saw that in you, you were very, very like passionate. You really wanted to leave the classroom. You really wanted to live this life. So I saw that. I remember you were very fearful. Yes. In the beginning and stuff. And now it's been a year.
What have you, what have you done? Tell us all of the things.
Saskia: Well, when I look back, I'm really impressed and amazed of all the things that I had to learn because it is a lot. It is a lot. And sometimes I felt like throwing away my computer and like, oh my God, I cannot do this. I cannot do this.
And for me, it was especially the technical part, building the funnels, building well, the website was built for me, but the funnels, the emails. Because it's not just writing an email, but it's how you have to link it to your system and then building the course after that.
The first year is really hard working and you have to learn a lot. I didn't know anything about anything. I didn't know any technical, I am very a technical, I am almost 55 years old. So I didn't grow up with all this technique. I didn't grow up with Instagram. I opened an Instagram account.
So I learned a lot, I learned a lot and I was really busy with it. It gave me a lot of energy, energy. Sometimes I was really desperate, but overall it gave me really energy to work towards something that would change my life like this.
Michelle: Yeah, you were working towards your goal at least, like you had that drive for the goal.
So you started an Instagram from zero to starting an Instagram. Being very brave there, which was wonderful. I think it was really stressful at the beginning, but now you probably have a lot more fun with it. Yes. You have more fun with it. Yeah.
At the beginning it's always scary and then you kind of get into it. And you launched your first digital kind of course group program and you had sales. You had some students.
Saskia: I didn't have a course when I launched, like what you teach.
Michelle: You did it how I taught it. So good, well done.
Saskia: Yeah, it was sort of stressful thinking about it.
Michelle: But then you just delivered it week by week, right?
Saskia: Yes, yes, I did. And well, I had a Facebook group too. Which was new for me, but I launched and immediately like the first day I had three sales already. So I was like, Oh, wow, wow, wow. And then it took a week. The cart was open for a week, and I had three more sales. Amazing. That was for me, you know, I was like, oh, if I have five or three, I would be happy.
Michelle: And that was your first time and generally the first launch is just to learn basically. It's to learn and also to see if the product can convert and the course can sell, which yours did.
Saskia: Yes, it did. And then when I was working with the course, and I was making the course and everything. That was not too difficult because, that's our specialty and well, the stuff I had to learn with the videos and stuff, but that was not a big deal really.
And I had CCK. And they really helped me a lot also. They answer all the questions, and they are really helpful. So that helped a lot too. But I noticed in my Facebook group that there were a lot of beginners, and my course was not for beginners. It was with people that already had done some Spanish.
And so, just out of enthusiasm, I just launched in my Facebook group, a beginner's course and I had 11 people sign up for that.
Michelle: That's amazing.
Saskia: I just made the videos, during the course and now I'm going to put the course into the website. So I gave these people a really good price because I said the course is not ready yet and it won't be ready during the course.
But it sold really well. And now I will have a course after the summer to sell online and to sell live also. So it will have two tiers.
Michelle: So you'll have the two tiers. So you have pre-recorded and then the live coaching live teaching component.
Saskia: Yes, exactly. Yes. And then also, I had the idea to launch conversation classes over the summer because my courses were done, and I thought I want to offer them something.
And I have 14 people in that. Yes. 14. 14. So, you know, the numbers are going up, the price is not so big.
Michelle: Group conversation. Yeah.
Saskia: Yes. Conversation. So now I have some products for next September I will launch my big course. Which is the course that I initially launched. I noticed also from my clients that they want some specific themes that are in that course.
So I'm going to take a part of that course out and I'm going to sell it as a separate course. So, I will have quite some products by the end of this year, I hope.
And well, grow my business.
Michelle: Yeah. So like from zero to multiple offers. Multiple launches. I mean, that was amazing considering where you were at and where you are now. And you have an email list.
Also, you have the skills. So you've built up the skills, you understand online business stuff now. You like, okay, we need to get the email list. We then need to do this. We then do this.
Saskia: I even noticed that I have friends or people that are starting and that I can tell them how to do it or, this is not the right order. So yes, yes,
Michelle: Yes. Look at you, you've become like the expert in the online business stuff.
Saskia: But I don't feel expert.
Michelle: well, look what you've done. And it's all messy action, right? Nothing's perfect. Yes. Perfectionism doesn't exist. But you were so brave. You were so brave, and courageous, and so inspiring that you were able to do all of these things.
The blossoming and the flourishing from where you were from when I remember meeting you to where you are now is so magical.
You even did that photo shoot for your business, which is beautiful with the photographer. So you've got these beautiful pictures now and you've got a beautiful website now and products and a vision and you know how to launch.
Saskia: Yes. Yes. I'm a little bit nervous for the second launch. But it's very different because everything is there, and I would just have to tweak it and yeah.
Michelle: The bones are there. So it's not going to be as much work. It's not going to be as scary. You're actually going to do better.
Normally you do better. You refine and tweak and do better. You know your audience better now, right? You know what your avatar wants.
Saskia: Yes, yes. I really learned about that. And what I would like to say to people, it is really important considering mindset that you don't want to have it perfect, just accept that maybe things go wrong, or you know. And I even have seen things go wrong with the biggest people. They send the wrong email. I had emails that went wrong and things that went wrong. But since I see that big people make mistakes too, I was like, okay, well. Too bad it happened. I send another mail. Yeah.
Michelle: Yeah, you just make mistakes along the way and it's totally fine. Yes. Nothing is too bad of a mistake. Nothing is too grave of a mistake. Nothing is going to destroy your business. No one's going to like hate on you forever if you send a bad email. No, no, no. So that's a good little pointer.
Because perfectionism can really stop people from moving forward. Yes. There's no such thing as perfect. Just get the stuff out there, be brave, be courageous. And then iterate and refine. That's literally how all online businesses start and how all businesses start. That was a good point.
And tell me in terms of how you were feeling at the beginning when you were joining DBA, like from the bootcamp to DBA, were you scared? What were you feeling at that point?
Saskia: I was very scared. I don't know if you remember that we had Veerle, which she was really technical. And I was like, oh my God, I really need to go with her. And I really didn't think that I could do it. And even, in the program, it was difficult, but I guess if you have a very clear goal and you really want it to work, then you just go, you just do it, you make it happen.
I was at one point that really, I thought, Oh. But I had done too much to stop, and now I'm like, no, I have to go on.
I have to go on. It can only go better. And if the next launch would be a flaw or it wouldn't work, then I know that. I have to do something, but I don't have to stop.
Michelle: Yeah, no, that's just being like an entrepreneur. And it won't flop because you've already done it once. It's not going to flop. So it will get better.
You know, the mind plays those tricks on you. Yes. This is the mindset piece, right? You want to have the hunger, you want to have the drive, you want to have the courage. You need to be driven to get out of whatever situation you're in.
Yes. The goal must be more important than the discomfort of the stuff. The goal must be more important. And when I see that in people, I'm like, hey, you'll make it, you'll make it. And also, it's not only about the end destination, it's also who you become in the process. Look how you've grown as a person.
Yes. That's the best part. You've grown so much. You've learned so much about yourself. You've got this whole new career at the age of like 50. Yes.
Saskia: I would never have imagined that I could be a businesswoman, that I could run a business. Me neither and even my mother, she still doesn't believe it. that I can do it, but you know.
Michelle: You're doing it. The proof is in the pudding, right? Yes. You're doing it. You're a business owner. You are doing the things and online business owner at this point, you've got students, you've got products you've got everything. So it just is so amazing.
And I think people get really hung up on like the end destination. The launch results or the money made. But I always say when people join DBA, you're going to see transformations in lots of areas of your life. Doors open. You start to value yourself, even just that. People valuing their work more. People, just growing in confidence. People being brave. People taking control of their life.
And also the energy that that brings. Because I remember when I was in my teaching job, and I was feeling really limited and burnt out. And no energy and I realized it's because I wasn't being energized by my work or like challenged. And now this is like a challenge and it's like energizing.
It's like, ooh, look what I can do. I can do more of it. And then you want to keep doing more of it.
Saskia: And creating everything and doing everything. It gives energy. It doesn't tire me. And then the rewards that you get, I mean, of course when you do the course and you do it right, you get reviews and the reviews and how people react to you.
That is such an energy booster too. And I'm like, wow, I can really give people a transformation. I had people in my course that. One woman lived for 15 years already in Spain, and she was so afraid to speak. And after the course, she was like, oh my God. Now I became a member of an exchange and I'm not afraid anymore.
And that's the goal. That's why I do this. That is the goal.
Michelle: The impact. Yes. It's like the impact.
Saskia: It's wonderful. It's wonderful.
Michelle: It gives you a lot of value and purpose and meaning to have that and in charge of that. It's not like working for a school or a company. It's like you brought this baby into the world. Your product, it's your vision. And it's like amazing.
Saskia: If you do this as a business and your clients, they really treat you like the expert, and they value your work and your knowledge. And that is so different as in the school. Where you're just a number, and you're just a teacher.
Michelle: And the kids maybe don't necessarily paying attention or they're not listening where these students are actually like yes, I want to learn.
Saskia: Yes. Yes. So that is amazing. Really nice.
Michelle: Yeah. It's so good, it definitely is. I feel if you are impact driven and mission driven, it really helps. It's very important that your desire for freedom and living this life outweighs your fear. It has to outweigh your fear and the discomfort of doing something that's uncomfortable.
And since you've been doing all these uncomfortable things and these skills and like you're learning, are they as uncomfortable or are you getting the hang of it now with certain things?
Saskia: Yeah, no, of certain things, doing things in my funnel and I'm getting the hang of it now. And even some other things like advertising is still a little bit uncomfortable for me, but I'm don't panic anymore.
If I don't know it, I just asked somebody for help, and it doesn't matter. It's like more relaxed.
Michelle: Amazing. Yeah. That just shows how much you've grown as a person, just by your own capacity to manage things and just be adjustable and not to panic and freak out. And also, how has the DBA community been for you? How has it helped you?
Saskia: Oh, yes. Well, in the beginning, especially and before launching and during launching it was really helpful. People that were just before me, they ask help or ask opinion or even get motivated by them. That is really great. I had people really help me with questions that I had. And that is really, really amazing.
Michelle: Just to have some support because it can be quite alone. Well, it is a lonely journey because no one can talk to you. You can't talk easily to your friends or your partners or your family about this because no one knows what you're doing.
The online business is still pretty new into the world. I think in about 10, 20 years’ time, it's going to be the norm. Everyone will probably have an online business because that's where we're going. But now it's still a bit new. So you don't have people to talk to and it's quite lonely.
And so community is important. Yes, yes. Community is important.
Saskia: Yes, it is. And people that have done just the same things as you and people that have sort of the same products, also language teachers, you can talk to them and even how do you say that in English? Like, see what are you doing?
You know, share. Yes. And that's really wonderful.
Michelle: It's amazing. And now that you've launched a product and you've done the stuff, would you have been able to launch the product without like DBA strategy? Would you have been able to launch without the training?
Saskia: No, not at all. Not at all. And I did exactly everything. What was in the course. I followed it step by step everything. And of course I had to translate the templates because they're in English to Dutch. But yeah, I followed it step by step. And doing that. And that led to my results.
Michelle: That's amazing. Yeah. I do often say it's very difficult to wing a launch because it's like a recipe. It's like making a cake and trying to wing the cake, but you don't know any of the ingredients to making that cake. You're going to put too many eggs in, you're going to put too much flour in.
It's going to be like a hot mess because you're just winging it. And with launching there is a recipe. It's tried and tested. Like so many people are doing it. I've done it. So many of our students have done it. It works. Don't reinvent the wheel. Just apply it to your niche, apply it to your own business and things like that.
That's I think, important. Just don't reinvent the wheel.
Saskia: Your program is so detailed with the resources, the launch plan.
Michelle: Yeah, the workbook that lets you launch, plan your launch. Yeah.
Saskia: And I have seen other programs, and it's just, a lot of them are really too general.
Michelle: Yes. I struggled with that too. I had bad experiences with very general courses as well, especially with launching and business.
Saskia: Yes, exactly. I would say for me, it's a really, really, really good course. It worked perfectly for me just doing what the course said to do.
Michelle: Yeah, that's amazing. That's amazing to hear. And Saskia, what has been your biggest obstacle that you've had to overcome?
Saskia: I think the technical stuff for me, building all the funnel and the email list and the automations and that, yes, yes.
Michelle: But you got a lot of help with CCK because their support is amazing. Best system ever. And as a DBA students, you do get the launch templates. Which is amazing because it's all built out for you. You just have to add in your own stuff.
Saskia: Yes, yes. And even so it was a, was a challenge for me, but I was really happy that I did it with CCK because of all this, what was included.
Michelle: Definitely. Yeah, for sure. How did you grow your following on Instagram?
Saskia: Well, my Instagram has grown because it started like with 40 people and now, I have 350, but it hasn't grown massively. And it's actually still something I want to figure out. But my main thing is your Facebook, my Facebook group for, for sales. I have some sales from Instagram too, but how did I grow it?
Yeah, by I guess using content pillars. I just started doing that a little bit, but vary your content on educational, personal and always lead to your freebie download or some call to action.
Michelle: Go to the email list, yeah. And it's more important to grow the email list than it is to grow followers.
Saskia: Exactly. Yeah.
Michelle: Because I think a lot of people don't know that. Yes. How long did it take you to launch?
Saskia: Quite long because I did the DBA course over the summer.
Michelle: We did gold together. We did the coaching group together.
Saskia: Yes, exactly. Then after the summer I started finding ways to grow my email list. And my free training week was in March. And I launched my course in the beginning of April or end of March, so it was three quarter of a year, or something.
Michelle: And also you still working in your classroom job?
Saskia: Yes, until December I had another second job, so I was really busy.
Michelle: Okay. Yeah. So if you are working in a job, you must expect that it does take a little bit longer. Because he just time, right? Yes.
What lessons have you learned from the first launch? What things would you do differently?
Ooh, that's a tough question.
Saskia: Yes, I maybe I would start advertising a little bit earlier. I definitely recommend some advertising to grow your email list. It just goes quicker. Well, it depends but for me, it went well to grow my email list so that I would do earlier. And for the rest, I think I did everything that I could do and maybe do some more lives in Facebook.
I only did two and I actually have people that really liked that and are with me now in the conversation and the Facebook group. But yeah, it's definitely important to do lives. I think. Yeah. That's, that's what I would do.
Michelle: That's what you connect with people. And I think some people were asking if they can launch without putting their face there and without having an avatar, like not showing their face.
And I just don't think that's going to work very well because human beings buy from human beings, and we need to see you to feel trust and buy from you.
Saskia: Yes. Actually, that is what I've learned in all this time too, that even if you're advertised, you know, people don't buy from a cold advertisement. You really have to have something after that to warm them up, up for your product. And that's why a Facebook group, or it can be a community in Instagram too. But some community so people know you and then they really buy easily. Well.
Michelle: Yeah, more easily. So you cultivate a community, you spend energy on building this community, and then whenever you put something in front of them, people will buy from you. Yes. That's generally the vibe. Yes. That's exactly correct. Yeah.
What steps did you take to create excitement and anticipation for your course launch?
Saskia: Well, that was also spelled out in the course. There's this email building up to build excitement. And then in the same time you post that in your Instagram and in your Facebook and in your community. And I showed up a lot. And what I liked, I was in Spain in that week, and I could really be in Spain and do all these things in Spain. So, I don't know, maybe that helped.
Michelle: Yes, for sure. But to show up. Yeah, show up, build up excitement. There's an email sequence that you do. There's tips that you take. That's why it's like a recipe. Launching is a recipe. We give you the steps, just take the steps and then it sort of builds up this excitement, anticipation and things like that.
What is the name of your website? I know it's in still being built. So you revamping it.
So it's not available now. Right? I think so. And also your Instagram, share your Instagram with people so people can follow you as well.
Saskia: It's saskiainspired.com
Michelle: What was your biggest challenge delivering a course live?
Saskia: I wasn't afraid or anything that was really not a big deal. But I had noticed that I had two little life moments to cover all the material and all the lessons in my model because I had Six modules. So every week there was a model, but there were four lessons in each model, and they were all quite extensive and I couldn't do four lectures in one hour. So for next time, I will do the course a little bit longer and I will make it like more a Q&A and people were expecting like class, teaching classes.
Yes. And, and it wasn't. So that's what I found out.
Michelle: I always say with language niches, you want to group practice session like once a week, but it's in a group, so it's still scalable. And you're not teaching, you're just practicing and implementing the lessons that you've recorded.
Saskia: Yes, exactly. And the people they went not as fast. Some of them went slower. They did one lecture, one lesson a week. So that's one thing I have to like tweak and think about a little bit next time, but I would like to have it more like a Q&A and have that clear also to the customer.
Michelle: But that's good. You learn this from just by launching and knowing your audience and stuff.
Saskia: And in the beginner's course, it was a class. It was a real class and beforehand I recorded it in Canva, but I gave the live class with that presentation. So, it was live, and they got afterwards, the video that I had recorded without the live.
So it was a clean lesson. But because that's for beginners, I think it's important that they get like guidance. Hmm.
Michelle: Definitely. Yeah, for sure. Absolutely. And how much was your first course?
Saskia: It was 249 and it is going to be 347, I think only the online version and 397 with the live classes.
Michelle: Okay. Yes. So it's going up in price, which is normally what I say. Your first launch, you learning, you're figuring it out. You then increase the price normally afterwards. I was wondering if you started Instagram in your business name or in your own name?
Saskia: I had one Instagram in my own name and I started this in my business name and a business account. With the business one you can also see how well your content does. Yes. How many views.
Michelle: Exactly. It's more niche specific. It's not mixing with personal.
How long did you have your Facebook group before your course?
Saskia: I started that right after the summer, I guess. I took a long time build up my email list to build up my Facebook group and to master all the technical stuff.
And I had two jobs. But all together, that's why I took so long because I really wanted to have a good email list also before launching and I had 400 people on my email list.
Michelle: Oh, wow. That is good. Yeah. That's great. For a first launch. You can launch with like a hundred. But yeah, 400 is good.
The other question was. Was the Facebook group also in your business name rather than your own name?
Saskia: It's in my business name too.
Michelle: Everything should be in the business name. So it's like a brand and it's cohesive and everyone sort of associates you and they just know mustn't change names and it's better for it to be in a business name than a personal name for sure. Did you do DBA silver or DBA gold?
Saskia: I did gold. Yes.
Michelle: What was the free event that you offered to build your email list?
Saskia: I have a freebie that I still, sometime I'm going to change it, but it's still the same one. And I did a free training that is also in Michelle's course.
Michelle: The video series training. Yes. And it was all around, obviously Spanish speaking. That was the topic of it. So it was around that.
Saskia: Yes.
Michelle: I teach it all in DBA. It's basically like four videos that you release over a week and then you do Q and A's and stuff. Yep. All right. So at what stage are you now? Are you still teaching in the classroom?
What do you plan for that?
Saskia: Yes, I was really doubting before the summer if I would quit my job, but I think it is just too early because my prices are not so high. So I need more people to have a better income. Or more launches or whatever. So at this point, I'm really like thinking my strategy for the coming time.
And I'm still going to be in school after summer. But yeah, I really plan that this would be my last year and maybe even in the middle of the year. I don't know. I have to see how it goes.
Michelle: Yeah, I see how it goes, but that's at least an exciting prospect that is possible.
Saskia: And it's more like my own fear, because I had this insight well, I meditate every morning, but I had this insight that I have everything that I dreamt of, two or three years ago, I wanted to have a place in Spain.
I have my apartment in Spain now, and I wanted to have my business online and I thought I have it already. It's just me holding myself back. But if I would want, I could just quit my job and go there and take it from there.
Michelle: Then you'd have more energy to put into the business, right?
Saskia: Yes, exactly.
Michelle: And then the business is going to bring you more like. The time investment that you'll take from that classroom job that you will funnel into your business will bring you a lot more.
But once you do it, you never go back. Yeah, I can imagine.
How many people do you have in your Facebook group? And how did you get people aware of the group?
Saskia: I have at this point, I have 325. And all the people in my Facebook group came from Facebook, by me posting in groups. There are a lot of groups of people that want to emigrate or live in Spain or have a second house in Spain or learn Spanish. So I'm in all those groups and I post things there and I started posting also my freebie in there. So that's how it grew because when people download my freebie, they sort of get invited also to my Facebook group.
And the second part is when I advertise people are also led to my Facebook group, not to my website, but they're invited when they click and download my freebie to go to my Facebook group. So that's how the other half of my people came.
Michelle: Which is the funnel strategy. So you're funnelling people through to one direction.
That's why it's called a funnel. You're thinking about squeezing traffic or squeezing people through to a certain point. So it starts with a free guide. And in the free guide, you tell them about the Facebook group. They then join the Facebook group. You build the community and then you launch within the community.
But it's all very strategic. All of it's strategic. It's a funnel and you're pointing people in a certain direction.
All right let's see. Will you be in the DBA Facebook community? Would you be able to answer questions for newbies?
Saskia: Of course. I'm in there. And I'm still making some questions too.
Michelle: Yes. Yeah, that's sweet. Yeah, there's tons of people in there. I think it's about 200 people now. Who many of them have launched. Many of them share, it's a wonderful community. It's like my favourite space on the internet. So yeah, definitely, definitely.
Saskia, what would you say to everyone now who is wanting to do this, scared to do this. Potentially scared to join DBA, what would you say to them?
Saskia: Well, I would say, if you want to go on this journey. It's an investment of time. It's being in your uncomfortable zone, how do you say it? But you know, not always being comfortable, you don't grow. And I can only recommend it because if you want to change something, then this, well, for me, this was really the best thing that I could have done.
And, yeah, I would just do it.
Michelle: Be brave.
Saskia: And don't expect it to be easy all the time but ask for help. The community is there to ask for help. And if you go with CCK, they're very helpful too. And Michelle is also very helpful. So, yeah, it's really worth it. I think it's really worth it.
Michelle: Yeah, and just being brave and courageous and doing and following whatever I would say, like that little whisper inside. I always talk about this little niggle inside. It's like the intuitive niggle of you wanting more and wanting to do this thing. If that's there. You've got your mind that's like ego fear. It holds you back. But this little whisper is actually guiding you in the direction of where you should be going to live, like your most aligned life to live the life that you want. Because the little whispers inside, it's the thing that is actually going to scare you the most is the thing that you want to lean into the most.
I wouldn't be here today if I didn't listen to my little niggle. And say yes in scary times and you, Saskia, have certainly done that and you are creating the life that you want.
Which is to follow the sun, go to Spain, live between the Netherlands and Spain, avoid the winters, which is exactly what I do with the South Africa and the Netherlands.
Saskia: Exactly, exactly. But yes. If you feel like a little bit fear, then you should do it. You should do it because like I said, I've seen other programs and I think this one is so spelled out exactly what you have to do.
And it doesn't mean it's easy. It doesn't mean it goes quick, but you will get there because what I see in the community too. Some people have really, really big launches with a lot of money. Some people have really small launches. But everybody does something and everybody gets somewhere.
Michelle: They all grow in some way. Yeah. Yeah. So the transformations, right. That's what I'm here for. I don't need you to be having the biggest launches ever. I'm like, look at you as a human being, look where you were there. Look where you are now. Look who you've become.
And the becoming for me is the magic, you are becoming this evolved, expanded, bad ass businessperson who sells their own products, who launches, who's brave. For me, that's actually where the magic's at. It's not about the money in the bank accounts. It's who you are and who you become.
And that's what I've always felt myself. And I believe we're our greatest asset. We are our greatest assets in life. And the more that you can just invest in yourself, in your own skills and expand yourself. That's like the best way to spend your time and energy in my opinion, because I'm a personal development junkie.
Saskia: Well, I agree.
Michelle: But thank you Saskia so much. It looks like everyone has been so inspired by your story. And people are feeling stoked and thrilled and happy. Thank you. Excited fear is my feeling.
Thank you, Saskia. You have inspired me. Thank you. This was so inspiring. Thank you, Saskia. I really needed to hear this. Oh, everyone's very grateful. Amazing. Thank you for your time and your story. You're very welcome. I loved every second. Beautiful. So people are sending you lots of love. I don't know why you can't see the chat, but I'm reading it out to you.
Saskia: No, I see it, thank you.
Michelle: I thought you didn't see it. No. Okay, cool. Well, thank you so much, Saskia for your time and being here and doing this for everyone. I appreciate it so much.
Ciao, ciao. Thank you, Saskia. Bye.
Thank you so much for listening to today's episode. If you're wanting to get mentorship from me in your online business or your course launch, then the best, most comprehensive and supportive place for you to get that is inside my signature business program, the Digiteachers Biz Academy.
This is an all-in-one business program that gives you the strategy, the tools, the help. To the mindset, the community support, and the mentorship from me in launching your course and growing your business pop yourself on the wait list. And you'll hear when it opens for enrollment again, I appreciate you so much, and I can't wait to connect with you in the next episode.
In the meantime, go create a business and life you love.
ABOUT THE PODCAST
The Empowered Edupreneur is your weekly dose of business and mindset development geared towards educators in online business.
Michelle's mission is simple: To help educators unlock their infinite potential within, take back their power, and make their own money online. In this podcast, you can expect weekly inspiration, relatable stories, and business advice to help you grow your online business with more ease and joy (and fewer teaching hours).
Be sure to hit subscribe so you don't miss an episode!
Tags: Case study, Digiteachers Biz Academy, Online business coaching for Educators.