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Summary Transcript:

Hello, hello, hello. I am so excited for today’s episode. I honestly, I have no words because I’m so pumped to be recording an episode with you about this milestone. We’re gonna talk with Louise today about her first 100K year. Louise, how are you? How you doing?

I’m good, I’m good, I’m so glad to be here and excited. ⁓

We have worked together for a very long time. You are.

Mm-hmm. Pretty much, think

since the beginning of both of our businesses.

Yeah, like for me, was the beginning of when, yeah, it was the beginning of both of our businesses. And for me, I mean, you had to have been like one of my first, I don’t know, I forget when you actually signed up, cause you signed up and then we didn’t, it was like, we worked together like a month and a half later or something like that, but you signed up that day. So I want to say you were like one of the first three clients. I think you might’ve been my third.

Yeah.

in that January of 2021. And I didn’t even have a niche. I was just like, yeah, tell me.

Mm.

Yeah, when I signed up, you were doing like personal

branding coaching. And then when we started working together, like that month and a half later, she’s like, okay, well, I’m a coach for coaches now. So do you want to be coach? And I’m like, yeah, actually I do.

You

That’s exactly how it went and you went to my webinar, right?

Yeah, you had a webinar. It was at the end of 2020 and I actually didn’t watch it live. I remember I like the notification come up like that you were like the webinar was happening and I was out with my mom somewhere and then I was like, cool, I’m going to have to watch this when I get back. And I ended up watching it. Then I booked the call with you and yeah, kind of like the rest is history.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. So I’m so excited because I have gotten to witness so much of your growth. And I’ve also gotten to witness you just put yourself out there and take risks and try different things in so many different ways. And I am just so, so proud of you. I feel like you’ve worked.

really, really hard to get yourself to where you are now and to have the type of freedom and business that you have and control ⁓ over your work than you have right now. And it’s just so cool because when I worked with you, I mean, you had already built somewhat of a personal brand, but you, mean, you were a heavy machinery mechanic or trainer or something like that.

⁓ Why don’t you, why don’t we start with just you telling us a little bit about yourself? Obviously I gave them an intro before we started, but tell us a little bit about who you are, who you help, and what sort of inspired you to do the work you do now.

Yeah. Okay. So now I am a life coach and a mentor for tradeswomen and tradies. ⁓ I started off my working career as a heavy vehicle mechanic. So I left school at the age of 15, started a mechanical apprenticeship, ⁓ or I’m based in Australia. I don’t know if you put that in your intro, but yes, I feel like that’s relevant now. Yeah. So let’s go 15.

than us.

Yes, it is.

became a vehicle mechanic, I was one of two females in that workplace. ⁓ I had, you know, a lot of opinions as people do one in general about 15 year old girls and then to especially about a 15 year old girl going into a typically masculine field, a non-traditional area. And I had such a wide array of experiences through that apprenticeship. So apprenticeship here goes for four years.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah. Yeah.

with a mix of technical college and working full time pretty much and then going to technical college a couple of days a month. I struggle with my mental health. I was a 15 year old, so had the typical 15 year old girl struggles around 15 year old boys or older men as well. So that created a few, let’s just call them things. And then I won some awards. I

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah.

really loved my trade. I loved learning about my trade. I love the feeling of being able to fix big machinery. So from gas, it was so amazing. So one of the things that really kind of put me into the spotlight was the world skills competition, which is like the Olympics for tradies. And it’s run regionally, nationally and internationally in all different categories. So you got your hairdressers, your carpenters,

Yeah, so badass.

your butchers, it’s run in so many different things. So I went in for the heavy vehicle mechanics section. I competed regionally, I came second, competed nationally and I came first and then I competed internationally and I came fourth. And the international competition was in 2017. It was an amazing experience, but it really highlighted a lot of the inequalities that were out there. I was getting interviewed, I was like in the public kind of face and you know,

amazing.

Yeah.

Why aren’t there many women doing this? What struggles have you had? Have you had these particular struggles? ⁓ were a lot of the questions that I was being asked and it kind of really highlighted that there was a gap. Like I saw the gap. I felt the gap. I felt this just general society around me. ⁓ but then being put on that stage kind of really highlighted that, no, this is not just a me issue in my community. This is like a worldwide issue. Cause I was on that international stage.

In that competition in particular, there was 16 other countries. getting like actual in interaction with those people, like the leaders in the trade from those countries as well, really show that there was those inequalities there too. ⁓ so I went through there and I didn’t know about coaching. kind of knew about coaching, but it was like something that like CEOs get and sport professionals get was how I had seen it at the time. ⁓ and then, so I.

Yeah.

Yeah.

become a technical trainer. So in Australia, we have ⁓ nationally recognized qualifications, and there’s different registered training centers that can teach those qualifications. So I was working for a private RTO teaching mechanics. So most of my students were men. And I was like, cool, this is a way that I can have an impact on the industry. These young men are going to come through, they’re going to see me a woman ⁓ as a technical leader in this space. So obviously, then they’re going to go out in the world and

know that women can do this. I was working for a fairly large company and they were offering, you know, we have a flexible workplace, we support women, we support diversity. And on one particular occasion, I had two girls come to me in tears, just with problems that could be fixed. Like the system was broken and it was failing these women. They had said, hey, like I’m a working mom, these are the hours I need.

Yeah.

Very straightforward, actually. And then the company was like, no, we can’t do that. And I was like, well, you’ve got this banner on the wall says your flexible workplace and you’re not doing that. And then one of the other girls, different problem, but similar. Like there is an easy solution for this. Why aren’t you doing it? And teaching the men as well. Like some of them were having parental leave rejected. They weren’t being treated fairly as well. And I was just like, okay, there’s something else I can do about this. And this was.

Yeah.

Yeah.

around when COVID was happening in 2020, when this was all coming together and working from home, I had found a coach on LinkedIn. Somehow he coached, was such a random niche. He coached like middle-aged people who wanted to like stop being average and like actually take control of their life. So I was 20, 24, 25 at the time. So like totally not my.

Yeah.

You

Yeah.

I was not his niche. I don’t know how I found this guy, but I was watching his webinars and he had a few free calls. So I like booked in and we were just chatting and I was like, look, I just feel like there’s something else. I don’t know what it is. I just feel like there’s something else. And he was coaching me, offering me different solutions and stuff like that. And I actually ended up doing two free calls with him and watched most of that. He had a webinar series that he ran during COVID. And then I was like,

Yeah.

Wait a second, this coaching thing. So you don’t have to be ⁓ a business owner or a CEO to get a coach. Okay. So like that I started looking, I was like, who, who coaches the tradies who coaches the blue collar workers, specifically the women. And there was no one at the time. There was no one who I saw easily that could coach me for where I was at. So then I was like, cool, like, let’s see what I can do about this.

Yeah.

Yeah, yeah.

Yes.

And I was like, all right, if I want to be a coach, I know I need a coach. I want to coach. wanted a coach. was telling my husband, like, I want someone to help me with my career. I know there’s more for me. I had kind of already achieved all the quote unquote standard milestones. And I was like, there’s no one here who is above me. Yeah. My area. So I started looking around and I had done a few coaching consults with Australian based coaches, ⁓ white women.

Yeah. For your… Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

As a white woman, say other white women. And I was like, what I had got told, like, don’t you want to be older? Are you sure this is what you want to do? And I was like, this is not what I want. Like I’m, I’ve got international awards to my name. I’m already kind of quote unquote high up in my field. I’ve achieved the milestone that people in my industry achieve when they’re 60. And I’m here at 24 being like.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

something else, right? There’s got to be something else. Yeah. Um, and then that’s when I come across your webinar, working with you. It just popped up on Instagram. I have no idea. I must’ve been so

Yeah. Yeah.

How did you remember how you found it?

The algorithm

really did work for me.

Yes. I must’ve just been searching like hashtag coaches or something or Google it. You know how you search something on Google and then it comes up in your Instagram? I don’t know. Something like that. And I, cause I had started being a bit, ⁓ I was a bit let down by the coaches that I had done my coaching consults with. And I was like, cool. Like, let’s just, let’s just see what this chick has to offer.

Yeah.

Yeah, yeah.

Yeah. Got it. Yeah.

And you were just like, I was like telling you like, you know, I had no idea. was all like airy fairy. I want to help women. I want to do something about this, you know, maybe coaching, maybe speaking. ⁓ and then you’re like, you, I remember you just said to me, yeah, you can do that. And I was like, okay then.

Wow, so simple. Sometimes we just need that permission though. That’s like so real.

Yeah, that’s it. yeah, someone to believe in you. And then also to tell you to pull your head in sometimes.

Yeah. And then we…

Yeah, I remember our sales call because you, well, you were a white woman and I was like, shit, like, am I, like, is she gonna, is she gonna understand me? Is she gonna like, you know, like, are we gonna mesh? And then like immediately after you told me…

that you were in trades and were a heavy machinery mechanic. I was like, fucking love her. Like, love her. Exactly who I want to work with. And you really shifted my brain to see that sometimes, especially in business, it’s like you want to attract certain people, right? I think, I mean, I don’t even know if I was really working with women of color specifically at that time.

That’s it.

⁓ when you booked a call, but I just remember just not being sure if, you know, if like our values were gonna align and like all these things that are important to me and obviously important to you clearly too. And when we got on that call, I just remember like, my God, this is exactly the type of person I wanna work with. Like she’s super badass. She really cares about her community and that’s important to her. And…

Like you wanted to make a difference. Like you were like, yeah, I want to do something with this. And we didn’t even have, like, I remember you said, you’re like, I want to be like speaking and doing this. And I was like, okay, like, yeah, you can a hundred percent do that. Like, let’s, let’s do that together. And I wasn’t an expert at speaking. I wasn’t an expert at all these things, but I was good at helping you get to where you wanted to go. Right? So like, I didn’t have this like super specific result.

that I help people get, it was very much me putting out content and being very clear about what I can help people with, but also not putting myself in a box because I didn’t, well, first I didn’t know that, you know, I was just less experienced, but I was selling what I did know how to do. You know what I mean? And it was just so cool meeting you and getting to work with you. So let’s,

Let’s talk about what was your kind of like moment. Let’s talk about the hard parts that led to Six Figures. Cause for someone who’s just meeting you, you’re just another person, right? Who, who did the dream, right? And made it happen. And that’s just, you know, that’s one milestone. You’ll have many more ahead of you. And I’m so excited to see those too.

Mm-hmm.

But let’s talk about the inner work and outer work that you did to get there. So I’m so lucky because I’ve worked with Louise in many different containers. We’ve worked together one-on-one. She’s been in my mastermind. She’s now inside Show Up Real. So I’ve really gotten to see so much of it. And you’ve really challenged yourself and worked so hard. Honestly, your entire…

Mm-hmm.

Well, now knowing, now knowing you, feel like it doesn’t really matter what you’re doing. You’re working hard at it. But tell us about some of the moments where you were like, like the pivotal moments that have gotten you to where you are now. Like now you are full time. Well, full time coach. know you have like a special like you’re working with. You’ve worked with different companies.

you

Mm.

But what I like is one milestone. I’ll just share one that I’m so proud of that you created. It was so bad ass. I remember when you got that first, that first, I forget the name of it, but when you got that first, when the company paid you to coach their trades women and the women weren’t, didn’t even have to pay for it. Like you, they paid you to coach them. And that was just the coolest thing.

Mm-hmm.

to see that opportunity hop, I wasn’t gonna say hop on your lap, like it was that easy, but come to you. Let’s talk about, we could talk about that moment, but like what have been the moments that have led those milestones? Like how did you get there and what, how did you do that? Like how did you do that?

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

I think like there was just so many, so many little things to work through, but some of the big things just like at a high level was my family’s like just opinions on posting on social media and sharing on social media was a challenge that I worked through. Yeah, that was a big one. Finances. And then also people’s

Yeah, I remember that. I remember.

People’s perceptions in two ways. One being pretty much what I do is working as a professional feminist. And as we know, people have thoughts about feminists and equality for some reason, people, some people don’t want equality, which blows my mind, but some people wild, but people have very strong opinions about it. ⁓ Equality. then in the space that I work in, in the women in trade space and touching on apprentices as well, that area, there is some government funding out.

Yeah, wild, huh?

to, there’s actually a lot of government agencies that are funded to support apprentices and now they have specific women in trade support. So some people can get the government funding. So then their services forward-facing are free to the recipients as well. those kind of four things are like the main overruling challenges that I’ve had with like, yeah. Yeah. I was gonna say with the, with the posting on social media,

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Let’s… No, go ahead, go ahead.

Like people have opinions about social media, just in general.

That’s

what I wanted to ask you. What did you have to, like what kind of, I don’t wanna say rock bottom, but at what point were you like, fuck this, I’m over not posting because of X, Y, Z. I’m gonna go out there and say what I wanna say. Like what was that moment where you were just like, I’m done, I’m done with my bullshit, I’m done caring what my family thinks and.

Yeah.

cousins or whomever, like I’m done, I’m going to do me. What was that shift for you?

Mm.

Yeah.

It was kind of, it was a lot of in my communication to the people that I love. So I really narrowed down. think it was some of the work that we did together. Even though you’re coaching me on being a coach, we did a lot of family stuff ⁓ for background. Like I’m second generation Australian. My grandparents moved over from Malta. My husband is first generation Australian. His parents moved from Malta. So I have a pretty strong like background like that.

Yeah.

Yeah. And if you look at Malta, I feel like Malta, because I’ve ever since I met you, now when I see it and like, you know, when I see it like in shows or like, you know, whenever it comes up, I’m like, my God, like, okay, now for me, it connected so many dots of why we related so much and like why our personalities and our values kind of like aligned. It’s like, she’s basically like, I mean, you relate so much to like the first gen experience.

⁓ especially like daughter of immigrants experience. I feel like you, you definitely hold and eldest daughter, a lot of that. So anyways, I don’t want to interrupt you, but I just wanted to call.

Anyways,

yeah, so we really did a lot of work on narrowing down who mattered. Like, what was my, who was my family and who mattered? Like, my mom’s one of 14, I’ve got like 36 first cousins on one side, like the family is big. But then just narrowing down, okay, whose opinion actually matters to me? And then going through that and setting boundaries. And I had one person in particular that mattered to me and whose opinion and feelings mattered to me.

⁓ and I ended up having a conversation with them. One day I remember I was traveling for a part-time job that I had and they asked me, they’re like, what are you doing tonight? And I’m like, well, I was going to work on my business, but I think I might just watch a movie. I’m thinking of shutting it down. And they were like, why are you thinking of shutting it down? I’m like, because I market through social media and you’re so upset at me that I market on social media. So to make you happy.

If I stopped marketing on social media, that means I’ll close my business and that will solve the problem. Right. And I was just pretty disheartened. was like, look, I don’t know what to do about this. ⁓ so I had that conversation phone down, you know, half an hour, an hour later, got a call back and had a really honest conversation about what was actually bothering that person. ⁓ which turned out wasn’t.

Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

me posting on social media was actually some other people’s opinions about what I was posting on social media that was then coming back to that person. And the people whose, you know, that flow on opinions were outside of that scope of what I had decided mattered to me. So then having that conversation with that person, we really like worked out what was bothering them about it and work through that. just

Hmm. Hmm. ⁓

Yeah, yeah.

Yeah.

one of things yet really narrowing down whose opinion mattered and having those honest conversations because yet that person’s opinion mattered to me a lot and they matter to me a lot. ⁓ so having those honest conversations, like what is actually really bothering we know as coaches, like typically the surface level thing is not the actual thing. That’s actually, it’s not actually the problem. So doing that work and setting that, not setting. I do have some family kind of rules and guidelines that we follow people in my life.

Yeah.

Yes. Yeah.

⁓ that want to be or don’t want to be on social media situations to talk about not to talk about ⁓ I have those kind of guidelines with the people that I love And that I have decided that mattered to me ⁓ Obviously, I don’t want to go around telling people store like personal stories But you know the people who matter to me I take their opinions into account and make decisions on behalf of what I want to do with that

Thank

Yeah.

Yeah.

Mm-hmm. What about peoples you also talked about? said finances and people’s perception of you. Were you talking about this when you were talking about people’s perception of you?

More in the sense of in that kind of feminist space. Is it? Are you even talking about a real problem?

⁓ yeah, yeah, yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Cause some people are like, well, it’s fine. Women just don’t want to be in the traits. And I’m like, well, it’s not fine. Cause actually a lot of them do. That’s not true. And even just like looking at things like bigger picture, like the gender pay gap, lot of the quote unquote, typically masculine fields are typically a little bit more dangerous, which which then come with more income.

Yeah. Yeah.

But it’s not okay for men to be pushing themselves to the point of physical, like physical breaking point, mental breaking point. Like that environment’s not okay for anyone. And them believing that like, no, I have to do this as a man is, I believe is not okay. Everyone should be able to enjoy their life. And you know what, what’s saying that, Gego?

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Yeah, how, no, no, go

ahead. Well, this is probably what you’re gonna answer. I was just gonna say, did you, like how do you, how does Louise have, how did you create the courage to talk about some of the things you’ve talked about? Because you’ve created some content that’s pretty controversial that I’ve seen. And I’m not even in your field, right? But I understand it enough to know how controversial it could be. ⁓

How does that play a role? How did you become brave enough to say what you want to say, even when your field is so traditional?

Yeah, I think I’ve just seen like myself at rock bottom and so many people on either side, so male and female at rock bottom for the same problems. So when people come to me and they say, no, men want to do this. And I’m like, wait a second, the construction industry in Australia, and I’m pretty sure in the US as well, is one of the industries with the highest suicide rate.

Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Mmm.

And

we’re not even dealing with life and death. Like you look from the outside, you know, maybe veterinarians, like hospital workers who are dealing with life and death. Typically you would assume they might have higher emotional kind of triggers happening, but the construction industry and those typical male dominated or masculine spaces, they have a culture of not talking about your feelings, not talking about what’s bothering you, toughening up. And that’s not good for either side.

Yeah.

Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 100%. So wait, but what got you to talk about it? What did you tell yourself? Like, what do you tell yourself to give yourself permission? Like, you’re about to post something controversial that you know is going to, like, piss off some people. What is Louise telling herself in her head?

just, I feel like, like.

Mm.

Most of the time, I don’t even think I tell myself this consciously because I haven’t really thought about this. just do stuff. a lot of this stuff is, I, some people ask me why I started my business and I’m like, the short story is out of spite, but anyway.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah. But besides that, I feel like I know as a coach, like that perception is projection. Like people are projecting what they’re really feeling out into the world. And most of the time the people that get the most angry are the ones that need it the most. They are the ones that are telling themselves working myself into the ground is how I support my family is what I need to do. And when you say something the opposite, like you don’t actually have to do that.

Mmm.

Because it’s been their belief so long, it’s actually quite triggering to them. But it’s okay. It’s okay for them to rest. Their quote unquote masculinity is not going to be damaged if they don’t work 14, 16 hours a day. If they do an eight hour day, they are still a man and masculine. It’s not attacking their ego or anything like that. So the people that react the strongest are typically the ones that need the message the most.

Yeah, yeah, it’s so true.

Yeah. Yeah.

⁓ that’s really good, Louise. That’s really, really good. That is so, so true. my God, I know so many men who would be so triggered by all of this. But in the best way, it’s not even like you’re, it’s just like the truth. Okay, I want to go a little bit of a different direction because I have seen you.

Mm-hmm.

You’re just such an ex. Well, one thing I’ve always told you you’re such an expert at is like networking and building relationships. You are a person. I mean, well, before we even started working together, you had already kind of built this name for yourself in your in your industry and community. And I have seen how much you show up and show up.

very boldly in conferences and showrooms and like different spaces where there’s a lot of people in your industry. And just based off of our conversations, you’re so, so good at creating speaking opportunities for yourself, number one. ⁓ That is one thing you’re so good at, but so much of that comes from your relationships with people.

And it has to be, and I’m making an assumption here, but it has to, there’s something happening between you and people, right? When you meet them, like you ha, it’s, I would assume that like you.

You just show up so powerfully. And when you do that, you get more opportunities. know, that being said, from your perspective, if there was a person who wanted to create more opportunities for themselves and they asked you, right, how did you do that? Like how many stages, let’s just, I don’t, I doubt you even have this number cause it’s so many, but like how many?

Mm-hmm.

Do I think I think

you got me to reflect in our yearly reflection? Do you remember these books? I think you gave them to us in the first Mastermind. OK, I’m holding up a notebook that Kat gave us in the first Mastermind. ⁓ No, I don’t even know what it says because it’s in Spanish, right?

How many speaking eggs? ⁓ my god. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah, do you know what it says?

It says, it means like, like, like, put in ⁓ what’s the different it’s like, put your best foot forward or but a little more casually. It’s kind of like give it all you got. Give it all you got. That’s what it is. But like how many speaking pigs are we talking?

So I did.

We are talking, so I did events, consultations. I think I got the numbers. So.

What she and

I just want to give a little background what Louise is looking for right now, because every year with my clients, I make them literally write down how many sales calls they’ve had, how many pieces of content they’ve put out, how many speaking gigs, podcast, like I like for everyone to look at these numbers so they could see who they are. And that’s what she’s looking through is like her notes just for the people who are listening.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah, they were like,

my thoughts were so scattered. they just everywhere. But anyway, I think last year I might’ve done, I think I did like 25 and 15 of them were paid.

And then, but what about the year before that? It’s not even just, like, I feel like you’ve been doing this work. Yeah. Like how many, how many, how many, like, how many stages do you think you’ve been on generally? Like your entire career?

Yeah, well that’s just last year. Yeah, cause so pardon?

I feel like in the

whole of my career, I’ll talk, I’ll talk a little bit more about this, but in the whole of my career, I would be confident to say like a hundred. Yeah.

Yeah, probably, yeah, definitely. I

would say definitely over a hundred, but yeah, that’s like, I mean, it’s just been a big part of your, I feel like strategy, but also just what you do. So how have you created these opportunities for yourself and what are your go-to’s? Go ahead.

Yeah. So this one.

Yeah. Well, I’ll start quickly from the beginning. ⁓ so like as an apprentice, I was working for a fairly large company and that company would go to careers, expose and to schools to talk about the jobs that that company offered. And they would take a current apprentice with them and me and Sarah, the other girl, we would often.

be taken along to most of these events. So either me or Sarah and one of the male apprentices. So there was about 20 apprentices in this company, two females and 18 males roughly. So one of the 18 males and either me or Sarah. So me and Sarah got a lot of air time at these events. So this is where we were talking to people on behalf of the company. And the way that I would see this like kind of going into someone’s business, how they could take it like.

rather than speaking on behalf of themselves, they’re speaking on behalf of their company or their business. So I started doing that quite young. Like when I was 15 or 16, like when I first entered into that business, I was put onto those stage stages and I wasn’t talking about myself. I was talking about the company and the opportunity. So I had something very specific that I was talking to people about. So I kept doing that. And one of the things that happened when I left that company four and a half years later,

Mm-hmm.

is I had been asked like myself, like they have schools had reached out to the business that I worked for and specifically started asking for me to go to those schools and stuff like that. And one of the things that company said to me is like, you know, these opportunities that you get to inspire these other women, you’re going to lose them when you leave this company, because you know, companies like to threaten that they’re God’s gift to us or some crap, which they’re not. So that was something that I had to prove to myself. That was like,

Yeah.

quote unquote, a risk I took leaving that first company was like losing what I now know was my personal brand that I had created. And obviously a company cannot take away your personal brand, which I test tried and worked out. So once I left that company, people were contacting me directly. I had a social media, like not in the sense of an influencer, but I was like sharing that I went to these expos, sharing the big jobs that I was doing, the trucks that I was fixing.

Yeah. Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

on social media just cause. So people could find me and ask me directly to go to the schools to do that kind of thing. And that kept on happening. So that was one step in my, like I would say in that speaking side of things, that was a big milestone for me. And that was before I even had a business. Like it was 10 years before I had a business. So that was one shift. So I definitely started off speaking about a company rather than myself.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

and then I had that, that step, that proof that it was me, not them that they wanted. And going out to that, like, I kind of have a bit of like a, a YOLO, like you only live once kind of, ⁓ mentality about it. And, and one thing like, I like to kind of link my experiences as an apprentice to like my business as well. And one of the things they teach apprentices is that no question is a silly question.

Okay. Okay.

Attitude. Yeah.

Yeah.

The worst thing like, you know, if the worst thing that someone can say when you ask them a question is no. And if you don’t ask that question, then it’s kind of like a, no without actually the possibility of a yes. So that’s kind of that mentality that I take into these, speaking and these networking events. Like if I’m not there, there’s not the possibility of having a yes.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

If I’m

not showing up, if I’m not connecting with people, there’s not that possibility of having that quote unquote yes, whatever that yes looks like, meeting a new friend. So one of the first conference. You go.

What has been the

most exciting yes you’ve gotten?

Look, I think it’ll probably be like one of the originals, like before even a business. I suppose there’s like a personal yes and a business yes. So the personal yes was like the first conference that I ever went to. I met one of my now best friends. And this was like 10 years ago. I had no clue. My whole tactic was to rock up to this event and find another person that looked lost and alone and be friends with them because I was also lost and alone.

you

And that is a good strategy. I have proven that that works.

Yeah.

So recently, yeah, so last time, well, I’ve got one that’s currently like an opportunity that’s going at the moment. So I’m in a networking group called Transport Women Australia, and we meet up International Women’s Day and interviewer events, and then there’s a conference. And one of the conferences we traveled, we went to the Kenworth factory where they build some of the trucks in Australia.

recently, like also recently, like the last five years, four years.

the marketing lady there, so I went with that group and the marketing lady there had heard about me. So she’s like, always want to catch up with you, like let’s talk at the conference and I’m like, it’s a conference, we’re not going to be able to catch up. anyway, ⁓ so we booked in a time to catch up afterwards. And she’s like, yep, I’ve been following you, like, it’s so great to meet you in person. One thing that people do with online verse in person, especially when they try to book people for events is they want to make sure that the energy matches.

Yeah.

Mmm.

So she

met me in person through this networking event and she’s like, yep, you’re exactly who you are on online. ⁓ we want to book you. They have a women in packer. So women in their business group and they’re like, we do monthly lunch and learns. We’d love you to come once a quarter. So currently that is my, my speaking fee at the moment is three and a half thousand plus travel. ⁓ and cause I’m traveling interstate for this opportunity. ⁓

amazing.

So fun.

She was just like, she wants me to do four, I’ve done one and she’s paid for another one. So that’s worked out to be in total, plus the travel, about $9,000 in that. Yep, so far.

Amazing amazing

I mean you you you’re you’re so so match They want to make sure that you match your in like your in-person energy matches what they see in terms of your reputation So that’s that’s such good good advice ⁓ I love that so give us a little bit more like let’s get I want your tips like I want your advice when it comes to

What do you recommend people do when they walk into a conference and they know they have a reputation? They know that, let’s say they’re not a complete newbie, but they wanna create opportunities. Do you go in thinking like that? What are you thinking about? What’s some advice you can give a person who wants to create more opportunities for themselves?

when it comes to speaking gigs or just working with companies, workshops, whatever, like kind of the work you do. ⁓ What would you recommend for them? Just a couple top tips.

Yeah.

Yeah. So I think a few different thoughts that you can have. I often go in like my quote unquote agenda would be just to make the event better because I’m there.

Love that. Love that.

If just

to bring some energy to like, you know, even if you’re that person, like I attend events, like I’m not always the speaker. Most of the time I am the attendee, which is how I then end up getting so many speaking gigs, which I can talk about that a bit later. But I want to be like the most engaged person with the speaker. Cause sometimes, you know, in those kinds of audience, especially at a free event, sometimes people, I want to be the person who’s nodding. I want to be like.

Mm-hmm.

If someone’s got any questions, I want to ask a real question. Like I want to be that person. I want to, cause I remember being that lost and alone person. I want to find that lost and alone person and make sure that they have a good experience. I can, and even if I’m not at all related to that event, if I know someone who would be like a connector, I want to be a connector. want that event to be better because I am there.

So good. That is such good advice. What else?

Yeah.

So that’s like kind of like a big, powerful, confident in your energy kind of thought. I thought if you were coming in a little bit more anxious, which is sometimes a thought that I have when I’m low energy, because we all have those cycles, is that I probably don’t have to see these people again. If I don’t want to. So I feel like that’s one that can create safety if you are in a, in a low energy state. ⁓ especially when you’re going and introducing yourself, if you’re new in a space as well.

Love it.

Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah.

Like you go around and you talk to people and so many people are like, what if I make a fool out of myself and whatever? It’s like, yeah, just don’t talk to that person ever again if you don’t want to. Like, that is an option here. So that’s kind of like a different, different level. Yeah, making that. And even just like, what friends can I meet? Like what cool people are going to be here? What information can I learn?

Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, so, so good.

Yeah.

I love it. I love it. No, this is so good. I think having this type of attitude going into conferences is such a good one. I’m a person, like I’m, you know me from this point of view, right? Like one-on-one and I’m very like friendly in person, but I get weird. Like I, it’s so weird. Like I can get so awkward in conferences or…

I’ve learned this about myself and it’s something that I’m like actively working on is I get very uncomfortable when it’s kind of, cause I’ve always been the person who’s like, even as a kid, I was like always trying to be the center of attention until you get the attention. And then, and then it’s like, you don’t, you’re like, what’s going on? Everyone’s looking at me or like, you know, and then I could, I’m a person who can get small when I have attention on me.

So I’ve learned, like, think something you do really, really well that I’ve seen over and over is you’re so good at, I mean, I haven’t seen it in person, but I’ve seen it throughout all of your stories and the advice you just gave makes sense for what I know about you is you’re a person who can go into an environment and really just be like a really nice, friendly person who

really genuinely wants to make connections and only add to the environment, only make it better because you’re there. I just love this advice. So good. Let’s talk about money. ⁓ There were so many times that I have coached you when you would have

Yeah, that’s it.

successes or you would have, you make money lots of, I feel like different ways, but there are so many times where I had to remind you, I remember like what you’ve created because it didn’t feel like enough. there are eight, sometimes it just doesn’t feel like the number or the success is enough. And, and this is especially like, you know, back, going back some years.

Hmm.

How have you been able to grow your revenue even when you have had moments where your mindset is not there, right? Like, I think so many people think that they have to feel positive and that growth feels good and that that equals making money, but you are so vulnerable and you are so

You are a person who loves growth. And me being your coach, I have seen you through so many really tough, tough challenges from a mindset perspective and still create money and still sign clients and still have an opportunity come to you that’s like a $10,000 opportunity, $20,000 opportunity.

So it’s like, in your head, right, there’s everything I’ve kind of coached you on and stuff, but like, what has been either the most helpful or what tools have you used that have helped you continue moving? Continue moving even when things feel rough.

Yeah. So kind of like, start, let’s start at like kind of the rock bottom kind of thoughts. Cause I have been going to events, ⁓ literally where at the event I’m like, please hope there is free food here because I don’t have extra money to buy food. Like I have been in that more, more times, not more times than I care to admit because I am more than happy to talk about that, but more times than people would ever assume. I would be like, yeah, they, I.

Yeah.

Yeah, yeah

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah, yeah.

I’m not buying lunch. Nobody asked me to buy them lunch. Yep. There’s their free water here. Please. And thank you. Cause that that’s not in the budget at all. Um, and just a little background as well, like why I’ve been building my business, boyfriend, now husband, um, was going through epilepsy. So he’s having a couple of seizures a week in 2023. had brain surgery. Um,

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah.

So the financial stress in that sense, it wasn’t just on me. When I put myself in a financially stressful position, my husband would actually have more seizures because he was stressed as well. So there, there was a few different levels at it for me. One thing that really helped that kind of anchors me in any situation as well, even when I’m speaking up about something controversial, I suppose I come back to this as well is I have a career. Like I had.

Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

a career I have skills that no one is ever going to take away from me. And being someone who’s qualified in what we class here, in Australia at least, and I’m pretty sure in the US as well, is something that’s a quote unquote skill shortage. A mechanic in general, especially a heavy vehicle mechanic, and now I’m also a mobile plant mechanic, so construction equipment and mining equipment as well, that’s classed a skill shortage. I could get a job in that field tomorrow if I wanted to.

Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

as a trainer and assessor. So I’m currently working part time as a trainer and assessor mostly to give back because one of the issues most of my clients have is that they can’t actually get into class because there’s not enough trainers. ⁓ So I’ve been working part time there. But if I wanted to, I could be like, I can work full time and they’d be like, he’s a full time job. Do you already want to do like, do you want to do overtime next week? Like, that’s the kind of industry that

Mmm.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, that’s how much the need is.

yet as I need it I’ve got my forklift license I’ve got my truck license I can get working that tomorrow if I really wanted to so knowing that like

That’s available.

I think, can you hear me?

I love that. think even though in your case, you, you know, in your case, it’s an actual shortage, right? And like, you, you know, you, you know, that like, you can always do this if this doesn’t work. I think that’s also such a good mentality to have for people with their skills. I think they need to look at their skills that way and they need to look at not just their skills, but look at their skills and their network and.

Mm-hmm.

honestly look at like the type of person they are, right? Like I think a certain kind of person, anybody who works with us, like they’re hungry, they want more for themselves. And it’s like, if you’re that kind of person, you’re not, you’re always going to figure out a way. So I think telling yourself, have skills that can help me get a job anytime I want, regardless of like how true it is.

I think that’s just a good thought and belief to have that will create security for yourself. So that was so, good. Okay, you can continue. What else?

Yeah, so another thing is also that like, I will always be doing this work in whatever capacity that it is in. I like being in this industry and knowing the problems and knowing how much support is needed. Like in my mind, I’m like, cool, if for some reason I can never make another dollar.

Mmm. Love it.

I will go back to working full time and I will have my podcast as a free resource. I’ve still got my Facebook group. If someone comes to me and needs support, if I’ve got the time, I’ll be able to give it to them. Like this theme of work is just going to be in my life forever. Whether I’m doing it, making money or not making money for some reason, it will always be.

Mm-hmm.

I love that. I love that so, so much. I will always be doing this work. And I think that’s, you know, it’s so much of the reasons why we started our businesses, ⁓ because we love, love, love the work. So, so good. Anything else you want to add? No pressure. ⁓

No, think that’s… Yeah, they’re the main ones.

Yeah. What? Okay, so let’s, I’ve seen you, you are a person who literally, you’re such a fast action taker and you have built an amazing community. Like how big is your Facebook group now? I remember when you started it.

I think

there’s 1500 in there.

It’s your fifth. I remember when you started that and it you, I mean, you’re just such a fast action taker. You were moving and moving and moving. And now you have a podcast. You have different segments. You have your email list. You have your obviously your social media following. You have your network that you are, you know, that you have. What type of men like what type of mental and I think you’re the community you built has so much to do.

with the amount of money that you’ve created and how it’s grown and the opportunities you’ve had. ⁓ What is your advice in community building? Like, what would you tell a person who wants to build more community and they struggle with getting their like numbers up?

Just looking at why you want to build community, and thinking it from the other way, why would you want to join a community? Why would you want to be there? And are you being that person that you would, you personally would be attracted to yourself and join your community? Like what’s there to offer? So that’s a really good way, especially you can take that into whatever area you’re in and whatever community you’re trying to build. Cause that’s one that’s kind of interchangeable.

Mm-hmm.

Mmm, mm-hmm.

But like for my girls and my space, want an honest space. I want a safe space. I want a space to share. I want a space for advice. I want a space for honest losses and honest challenges and also honest wins. So that’s kind of, and then when I post and when I got my community and when I’m telling people about my community, that’s…

Mm-hmm. So, so good.

It’s a safe space where we can be honest about the wins and we can be honest about the challenges.

Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm. So exciting. I, watching your growth has been so, so cool. You are just such a fucking cool woman. And I am so honored to be a little part of your story because you are so committed to what you do. You love your community. You love the work you do. And I think that that just…

makes your content and makes the value that you give, it makes it so much more authentic because you really, really do care. ⁓ I think that’s it from the questions I wanted to ask you, but I’ll ask you one more. I wanted you here because I wanted to celebrate this incredible milestone.

It’s like old news now. this was last year she hit her first 100K. And I remember at the beginning of this year, you had a lot of opportunities to kind of decide for. So why don’t we kind of conclude this with saying, what is your, what’s next for you? And who do you want to be in the next version of? Like who’s?

Who’s, know, we talk about money, but from a money perspective too, like 500 K-Louis or 200 K-Louis, whatever, but also from just like knowing everything you know now, right? Everything you’ve learned the last four to five years. What is next for you? What do you want for yourself? I know this is kind of like a vulnerable question, but like, what do you want for yourself in the next years for your business in life?

Yeah, so kind of at the moment I’m doing one-on-one coaching, the speaking ⁓ is my main things that I’m doing. So I really want to get into more speaking and really making that a solid revenue stream. And I’m actually working with a speaking coach at the moment to really refine that side of my business. ⁓ Then working into going into group, group or program, I’m pretty sure I might do that kind of a program situation, but yes, that kind of thing. So.

you

Yeah.

amazing.

Yeah, I think

you need a course. I think you need a course that you could sell to the companies. think like everyone should have like, like it should be the standard. Like, I don’t know what it is yet, but I feel like so many companies want your brain. You could sell them a course and like the licensing of like you could license it out to people. And I think you have a lot going there personally.

Yeah, so playing with… yeah.

Mm.

I asked you what your goals were, but that’s what I want for you.

Yeah, so really just playing because I’ve got four years behind me now and I’ve tested and tried a lot of things So kind of in in a short kind of high-level professional business II kind of look I want to refine the products that I got now So they’re easy peasy no-brainers and then start to create the new the new things the course of program Whatever it turns out to be but yeah this year. I’m really trying to tighten up everything to make it This is this is it

Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah.

this works, this is how I go about it, and then start to create that new side of things. And I just wanted to quickly share, I opened up my numbers. So when I first started my business, it was in 2021. And the first year I made about 15,000, the second year I made about 15,000 as well. In 2023, I made around 60,000.

Mm-hmm.

And then last year I had, I brought in 82,000 cash with the a hundred thousand in sales. And now my rolling 12 is a hundred thousand cash.

Amazing.

So exciting. Louise, you did it. You did it. And now it’s onto new things. You are doing it. And in the next phase of life, you’ll be doing it with a lot more life and things happening in your life. Because I know you just got married and life just keeps going. Life just keeps going. So I’m so excited for you. I adore you. I think you’re awesome.

So that’s pretty cool.

And I’m doing it.

Yeah, life is life-ing.

I’m so honored to be in your space and ⁓ I can’t believe I haven’t effing met you in person. One day we’re going to make it happen and I can’t wait for that day. I feel like I have met you, but one day we’ll see each other really and I’ll get to give you a real hug. So anyways, I adore you. Where can everybody find you and learn about you?

Yeah.

Yeah. So my podcast is called Building Confidence. It’s on majority of platforms. My Instagram is Louise as a party coaching. And then on Facebook, I’m Louise as a party and on Instagram on LinkedIn, I’m also as Louise as a party as well. And the spelling of that will be, I’m assuming in the description of the podcast too. Yes.Yes. Yes,

for sure. I’ll make sure to put those links below too. Thank you so much. I adore you.