Episode #18: Raising your Standards with Lesley Wong
In this episode, I speak with Lesley Wong, a very talented interior designer, who shares her inspiring story about how she went from burnt out to booked out in less than 8 months.
When I met Lesley in the fall of 2018, she and her business were stuck. She was working 16 to 18-hour days, and while she had many clients, they weren’t necessarily her Dream Clients. She had no work-life balance and her family her sense of self and her business were all suffering as a result. Lesley joined my Dream Client Formula course, and the rest (as they say) is history.
Lesley explains how as a "solopreneur" she was literally chasing her tail. She was accepting work from all potential clients whether they were good or not. She wasn’t being selective, she was doing too much for too little and was headed for burnout.
So often business owners (especially service providers) end up running out of hours in the day. In order to grow a business, it takes raising your standards. It’s okay to say no to work that doesn’t allow you to shine in your business.
It’s also very important to get clear on what you are actually paying yourself. In fact, Lesley dove deep and was embarrassed at what her per hour rate actually was. She realized she wasn’t valuing her time and abilities and charging the right amount of money. This was one of the first (in a series of many) changes that she made over the next few months. In that moment of clarity; Lesley committed to raising her price and her standards. She describes it as an “Ah-Ha!” moment.
Another big change for Lesley was learning how to let her confidence shine through. She practiced her sales conversations over and over until they became less awkward and difficult. This made it so much easier when the time came to speak with a new potential Dream Client.
By purposely choosing the right kind of client, she’s now using her time a whole lot more efficiently. It has been life changing for her and her family. By saying no to the clients who are not a fit, she is opening the door for the ones who are.
Lesley is an authority in her field, speaking at home shows and enjoying new multi-million dollar projects. Now she is now enjoying renewed confidence, both personally and professionally.
Links mentioned in this episode:
