Ownerbox story: The Before and After – with Jadah Sellner and Michelle

Author, international keynote speaker, poet, and the creator of Love Over Metrics? Business Growth Incubator & Build Your Challenge? – Jadah Sellner

Actions are louder than words, or thoughts, or intentions never followed through with.

In this interview, Jadah talks about how committing to the program made them create the space in their schedules, but learn what they thought the “holy grail” was that made all the difference.

Key learnings Jadah and Michele about this program:

• Know the importance of the foundations of business
• Having systems that are simple and make sense for the business
• Having the common language to communicate with the owner and team
• Getting templates and checklists that will simplify systems creation
• Real-time collaboration in creating systems

Check out the replay now!

Jadah’s Website:

JadahSellner.com

Transcript: Download

Video Transcription provided by GMR Transcription Services.

Jaime:	Hey, everyone. I'm Jaime Masters and I'm so excited to do something a little bit different today. Today we have my very good friend Jadah Sellner, and I'll gush about her in just a second. She's been a client for a new Owner Box series that we have coming out and I wanna talk to her about it specifically so you guys know what the deal is. So Jadah, business coach, you can check her out and jadahsellner.com. This is her amazing right hand, Michele. Thank you guys so much for coming on the show today.

Jadah and Michele:	Thanks for having us.

Jaime:	I love it when we have two. It's always like, I will be quiet. So we're gonna start with Jadah. Jadah, you're amazing, you have a multiple six-figure business and you're a friend of mine. So when I call you up and I'm like hey, I got this new thing, can you tell me a little bit about what piqued your interest in it?

Jadah:	Yeah, so I co-founded a company, Simple Green Smoothies, with my friend and business partner Jen Hansard in 2012 and then I sold and exited that company in 2016. And, you know, we generated over seven figures in sales with our online digital products and we had the mission, the values, systems, team, org charts, all of these different things. But then as I transitioned into growing my personal brand business and being a business mentor and online community growth strategist, it was just me. And I really found myself feeling like well I already did that, but it's so important to have those essential foundational pieces in your business for each one that you build. 

	And Michele, my amazing right hand, has been with me for almost three years. And this brand has been a kind of personal side hustle for a couple of years and this year was really about building those business foundations and having those systems where me and my team are able to communicate clearly and we have clear, repeatable system that we can do over and over again. And when I saw you post I was like me, raising my hand. And I just think you're so brilliant at what you do, how your brain thinks. You think heart and logic, which is so great. So I just knew that I had to take advantage of being a part of this experience and opportunity.

Jaime:	That's the thing that sucks so bad is when you know what you have to do because you've done it before and you're like agh! How did you actually make it a priority, though? I think that's the thing that a lot of people have issues with. They know, they've read the books, they actually know most of the stuff they have to do, but actually doing it is a totally separate thing. So how did you actually do it?

Jadah:	Yeah, so I mean, it was seeing your post and yes. For me it felt like a gift to my team, to Michele. She is running the show behind the scenes and I know that it's a little bit chaotic behind the scenes with my ideation brain and I'm like 99 percent visionary. So our Trello cards are just really idea boxes for me and they're just ideas. I'm sure Michele can agree. 

	And so for me it was I can kind of live in the chaos and the mess, you know, every now and then I've got to clean. I'm the same way at home where it's like I can live in the mess for just a little bit. Things look organized on the outside, but deep cleaning behind the scenes is not so clean. So it was really for me, I know to build a team that is sustainable and happy and taken care of you actually need clean, predictable systems behind the scenes. And so I looked at it as this would be a gift for Michele. She would be so excited. I was like they're speaking her language and I can't speak this language.

Jaime:	See, I love that you said that, too. Because that's the biggest thing that I see with my clients and you probably do too, the visionary are wonderfully crazy, right? So we see things and it's like this and we don't like to go by the systems, even if they're kind of created a lot of the times. So we look to our integrator, our right hand, our admin, our PM, what we call our operator, except we go here's the cobbled together mess, go fix it please, right? 

	So, Michele, this question's for you because you're the one going oh, thanks. And you have to try and understand her definition of done which sometimes is not all the way, I'm assuming, all the way fleshed out. So, Michele, what were your inclinations? Especially because when the business owner comes in and goes hey, I got a new thing that we should do, right? Great and it's all for me to do, thank you so much. What was your inclinations at the beginning and were you excited, were you a little standoffish, like oh great, more stuff that we have to do? Tell me your thoughts.

Michele:	Kind of. At first I was like, okay. The idea was awesome, but it was just the thought of oh my god, you know, we're so busy, now here's something new, we don't really have time for this right now. But when you actually think about what you're getting, and it's kind of like you have to make the time. So it's there's always gonna be that hesitation of oh, there's a million things to do, I don't have the time to do it. And there will never be a perfect time. 

	And so Jadah's like, we're doing this. I'm like, okay, we're doing this. And when I actually looked at it, it was like the Holy Grail. It was absolutely amazing. It was just so simple and it made sense to me and it actually made me feel calm. So I was thinking about the experience, like oh, this is gonna be more chaotic, but when I saw everything and how it was laid out I was like, this is beautiful. This is gonna make my life easier.

Jaime:	See what we've found too, and I'm sure you guys have also, that it is like a different language, right? The owner is like oh, here's all the stuff. And then my operator, Lailani, you guys have met, she's actually downstairs right now, she will send me a detailed list like this. And I look at it and I go that's a lot. That's a little overwhelming for me, right? Just because the difference between our brains. And being able to have somebody give something to you and you go this is how I wanted it. I wish Jadah could have just given that to me when I started way back when, right? 

	But we don't really have that because we've got, as a business owner we have so many other priorities, we're 80/20ing everything, and cash flow and this and that. So what was that? Especially in regards to what we specifically worked on, like the onboarding, the sales. You had pieces of this already and you're really smart so you know what to do. So what was sort of the before and what you actually got out of it, Jadah?

Jadah:	Yeah, so the before was, like I said, that chaotic Trello list where it was just an ongoing list and us kind of just really looking at one card to kind of do all the things. And the after was definitely having these streamlined systems of actual templates, which I love that you did that you had templates for Asana as well as Trello and we use Trello. So it was nice to be in something that we were already familiar with, but finding a new way to really use that. Also, with the sales and onboarding, I have one-on-one clients and group coaching programs and we had some of those SOPs in place for onboarding. So some parts were nice of like we're on the right track, we're doing this right because this is a new leg in my business. 

	You know, I've had experience in brick and mortar business and digital e-commerce, but not necessarily coaching. So it was nice to get some validation of like we're on the right track, or here's a little thing that we could make a tweak and adjustment to. Yeah, so that was a big thing for us. 
	
	And also what I absolutely loved was us being able to work together and communicate with each other in real time about systems and things. Usually it's just kind of like handing it off and you go figure this out. But it actually felt very collaborative and brought us even closer together, I think, in us being able to slack and be on the phone and going through the trainings together was really gave us a common language. And also permission for us to both just own who we are and how our brains think and operate. I think that's the biggest thing is like oh, I get it on both sides. 

	And I also felt a sense of relief that Michele could actually have these templates and checklists and road maps and Google docs and all of these things to work from that are saving her time, creating some sanity. And then I don't feel like I have to create that. It was just nice to have this thing that was already done for us.

Jaime:	I love it. So Michele, what were your favorite parts, too? To me, one of the reasons why we put everybody together at the same time is so they can make the decisions that they need to make then instead of going I'll make that later and then never, ever comes, right? So Michele, when you were in it, what were some of your favorite parts going through?

Michele:	It's definitely the templates. The templates were absolutely amazing. I was, like, so excited about that because you don't have to reinvent the wheel, you know? It's something there, you can tweak it to make it sound like you and it was just amazing. And then I loved, as Jadah said, the real-time, like, implementation because a lot of times we'll just make a card of all these things that we have to do and it'll sit there. And sometimes it'll be like two weeks later and it's still sitting on the card. But actually giving us the space and time to say okay, this is what you're thinking about and doing right now was so valuable. And we actually got a lot of stuff done.

Jaime:	Yeah, you guys were- I was very impressed. They were like da, da, da, da, da, da. I'm like this is perfect. This is exactly what we were looking for, too, because you're actually making the space. And that's the thing that is very difficult for a business owner that is like I have no space. There is no wiggle room in anything that we do. 

	And so Jadah, for you, what would give for advice for anybody that's listening? Whether they buy this course or not I don't care, but actually making it a I do care. Actually I shouldn't say that. I do care. But making it a priority. Because what we have a tendency to do is you know how important it is, but it becomes priority No. 4. And you're like well, I have three big rocks and then this one never happened, even though you know it will save you time, but we just don't push it up. So what advice do you have for everyone for that?

Jadah:	Yeah, so my advice, whether you've read books or taken courses and if you still haven't implemented is actually to invest in Owner Box because what was really powerful was 1.) Just putting money where I'm saying this is important in my business and then receiving the schedule dates. So it's not like this self-study online course or, like, read books and earmark it and I'll come back to that later, but you're actually guiding us through. So whether it's Owner Box or something else is actually being able to put money into it so you're actually saying this is important, this is a priority and then being able to actually schedule out that time. 

	So it was very helpful for Michele and I to both have these 90 minute to three hour blocks scheduled in our calendar instead of letting everything else, all of the urgent tasks fill up our days and weeks and things like that. I was like whoa, okay, so we have three hours to work on really foundational pieces that are gonna make the business so much efficient later down the line when we're not having like I love what Michele said, not having to reinvent the wheel I think is so important. 

	And this is the part that so many business owners I coach business owners as well where they get stressed out and feel like everything's chaotic behind the scenes and I just wanna send them to you. If you want structure and you want systems and you want to feel honored as a creative and a business owner, I feel like this was a great solution.

Jaime:	Thank you so much for that, too. I wasn't looking for an amazing, go buy this, but that was wonderful. Because I think that's the thing that's really interesting is looking at the decisions that we are faced with as business owner. And we will make the same decision 117 times. Oh, Michele, we'll go to you. Hey, what about this? Oh, yeah this. Hey, what about this? Oh, yeah you asked me that last week but I - we have no system so now you have to ask me again on this specific nuance, right? 

	And we know getting ahead of the curve will make a huge difference, but it is that commitment, it's the commitment to the goal that counts. So anybody that is listening right now, please commit, whether to me or somebody else. There's a whole bunch of amazing people out there. Get it done because you'll save the whole rest of the year, the rest of those little, incremental pieces of time and your sanity. Because you know what? Business owner sanity and right hand operator sanity - Michele's probably like yes, my sanity matters too. Thank you so much. 

	So I really, really appreciate you guys? time here. And what's so funny is I was chatting with Lailani about people showing up live for those webinars and she would be like how come people don't show up - she was flabbergasted as to why people didn't show up live. I'm like I know. We make priorities, right? And sometimes it's tough. And when you can actually commit the time and effort to it, it does not take nearly as long as we think it does. And it will save you time in the long run. So I so appreciate your input on all of this. 

	I would love one last sort of 'usually on my real show I ask, what's one action listeners can take' Of course besides buying product. What's one thing, Jadah, that you think everybody should do right now in regards to systems this week that will actually change the state of their business so they can walk away with it?

Jadah:	Yeah, so I would put in your calendar a 90 minute time block to actually look at what is something that you repeat consistently in your business right now that doesn't have a Google doc or some type of written step-by-step piece. And yeah, that would be to just schedule 90 minutes. I'm gonna work on the system, the foundation in my business and actually look at what's something that I'm repeating over and over again and then actually dedicate some thinking time as well as implementation time to actually move that forward.

Jaime:	Thank you. They're probably like ah, no, I don't wanna do that, that hurts. But really it will change the state of your business. Everybody check out jadahsellner.com because she's amazing. Thank you guys both. And Michele, thank you for being on camera also. Usually you're behind the scenes. I so appreciate you both being here.

Michele:	I'm incognito usually.

Jaime:	Right? Running everything. That's how it should be. I'm so glad to give you some shining light too, because we as owners can't do it without our right hands that are amazing also. So thank you both for coming on the show today. I really, really appreciate it.

Jadah and Michele:	Thank you.

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