In this resilient episode, Nicole Wright, Founder and CEO of Mahone Consulting, shares how she teaches women to stop worrying about climbing the corporate ladder and build their own ladder instead.
You will discover:
– Why your purpose and passion are essential for success as an entrepreneur
– How to overcome the debilitating fear of success
– How to avoid the wrong coach when starting a business
Episode Transcript
Scott Ritzheimer
Hello, Hello once again welcome welcome to the secrets of the high demand coach and I am here with yet another high demand coach and that is the one and only Nicole Wright. Nicole is a champion for female empowerment. She has 15 years of experience in coaching and consulting with female entrepreneurs to help them lean into their feminine energy and boldly dominate their niche as a CEO. Now in 2009, at the peak of her coaching practice, she found out that she had a birth defect called a Chiari malformation. And number two, which required two brain surgeries, not one, but two brain surgeries, and tragically forced her to quit working as a coach and consultant. Now, she fought her way through rehabilitation and was able to start coaching again in 2017, and has been doing so ever since. Well, Nicole, I am so excited to have you on the show. I cannot wait for, you know, our ability to kind of dive in on what you do and how you help female entrepreneurs in their journey to becoming a CEO. But before we get into that, I’d love to just hear a little bit about the story. First off, how did you What were you doing before coaching? And how did you ultimately make the leap?
Nicole Wright
Before coaching, I worked at the IRS. I did they work in government, and I could not stand working there. I don’t know how people work there. I feel that it takes a little bit of your soul to work in a place like that. You’re not permitted to help people. I mean, you’re you’re just there to take take take take, I got wrote up so many times for not sticking to the script and telling them we have a lien We want your money. I’m like, come on, and she just lost her dad, for God’s sake. I mean, she needs to figure out how to get the state he needs to do this, you need to do that though. I got wrote up to so many times for just trying to help people with that let me know right then and there. I need to do something else. I have other skills. There’s definitely not being used here. So I’m roundabout. I say in 2013. Whenever my stage was a hit, then that was a long time ago. I started out coaching all men. That’s that’s what I started out doing and helping them break into the rap industry. Now, that was a profitable market. But it wasn’t a sustainable market. I learned that from the courses. So yeah, a lot of those right there. So it was it was a proper market. But it wasn’t sustainable market. I had to detector to get in touch with me about one of my clients and I heard two phrases guilty by association are guilty after the fact. I said, Okay, so I don’t want to get caught up with anything else. And knowing that my clients are probably 99% of them are probably doing something illegal octagon need to just look at this data. Now going from making 10,000, a client to $17 an hour was a humbling experience, for sure. But I started working for temporary agencies and I worked up in this one place. And I looked at the wall and I saw that there were only two women there on the organizational chart. And it really just irritated me because I said, Look, I’ve gotten a master’s degree. I said, I know women are in college, I know they’re getting degrees. So why are they not over finance? Why are they not an engineering? Why are they not there? Why are they just over human resources and just over customer relationships. So I got fed up about it. And I stormed out of my interview. And that’s when I decided that I wasn’t just going to coach women to climb up the ladder. I wanted them to have their own. Yeah, and have their own table. So that’s where I started it. And when I started to get sick all of that is a big blur, because there’s like six years of my life that due to the surgery, I can’t remember. So I can’t remember how good or how bad those six years were. I can’t remember anything about the business or anything. Luckily, I was I printed some things out, you know, mission statement, core values, things like that. profit and loss statement. So I knew what everything was doing. I just had no recollection of it. So I knew I knew that I’ve done a text business. I was a homeschool consultant for atheists. I mean, I’ve been all over. I had I’m pretty interested in niche markets. But they were they were profitable and sustainable. But I didn’t have the passion for it. Yeah, oh, it didn’t last. So you need to have a purpose, and you need to have a passion in order to sustain yourself, when you’re in that early struggle, trying to get the wave trying to get to the final stage is your y that’s going to find you and ground you. Until you get to the final state. Yeah, that’s what’s gonna keep you there.
Scott Ritzheimer
Wow. Wow. And so you came back, you’ve got this kind of this cabinet full of documents, right. In 2017, you decided to start coaching again. And you started helping entrepreneurs tell us a little bit today, you know, the fruition of all of this, what would you say some of the most important work you’re doing for your client?
Nicole Wright
The most important thing, first, is letting the women develop their identity. So many of them have just weren’t, I don’t know, whether it’s due to society or their life experiences. They don’t have the belief in themselves that they can achieve something like there was like, Oh, well, you know, you know, maybe if it wasn’t for this, or, and a lot of them have that perfection. Ideal like, well, you know, it’s just not the right time, I’m like, there will never be a right time, it’s never going to be a writing moment, it’s never going to be the right time to start a business, it’s never going to be the right time to do that webinar, to do that class, or do that course, is never going to be the right time. So you just have to do it, you know, you have to do the nasty accent. Messy action over perfection. Yeah. And that’s the thing that I have to drill into ladies upfront, to get them to realize that once they can get over the imposter syndrome, the money poor relationship with money, which that is a big one. A lot of them do not even see themselves deserving of receiving a bond. Well, if you if you have that mindset, and you put that out there, then you’re never going to get over that hurdle. And how can you expect to receive abundance if you don’t put it out there that you’re going to actually receive it? Yeah. And everything is in mindset. And that’s where that’s why that’s the first I have my own method that I developed. And it’s called the Mocha method. And it starts with meditation, meditation, visualization, and journaling, and seeing yourself in your future pay cell, and what the business looks like what your personal life looks like, and you’re journaling that down, and then we do the action plan. What are the actual steps it’s going to take, so that those visions become reality. So that’s how we get the stuff constants to align with the conscious mind. Yeah. And then we lead into the offer, offer optimization. Everything if something doesn’t work out, is 95% due to the offer, because you never had anybody do the new thing with a bad offer. So that’s where now you’ve, you’ve got some people out there with bad products, but they have very good marketing. So that’s how you get the dirt out there. That’s how you get the coaches that really can’t coach themselves out the bathroom. Yet they’ve been able to get these people in these people have paid their hard earned money, but they haven’t went anywhere to chalkboards. They haven’t learned anything that they can put into practice. Right. And it’s more than just about downloading some something that they’ve Googled off the internet. No, they have to be willing to give these people something that they can put into action and actually build their business. Yeah. There are a lot of imposters out there so I think that’s the problem.
Scott Ritzheimer
Yeah there sure are. It’s, it’s it’s interesting, especially in this space, again, you’ve mentioned here, this early struggle, right where it’s like you’ve got to get stuff done. You talked about messy is better than perfection. It is a very action oriented time and what happens when, especially in coaching is that a lot have coaches work with later stage organizations as well. And there’s a point where if you just jump straight into action, you actually cause more problems than if you take the time to sit and think. And so some of those theories, some of those practices, they have a much higher return on investment, if you will, and later stages. And one of the big challenges I have with the coaching industry is we don’t really recognize the difference that the time plays into this right. And so we try and coach in early struggle, the same way that we would coach in Whitewater are predictable success with these later stages, these more mature organizations, and you’re right, what it leads to, is really, really smart entrepreneurs, who aren’t entrepreneurs in six months, right? Like, you can’t I love this about your approach. You can’t really you can’t think your way out of early struggle, but you also can’t get out of early struggle unless you change your mindset, right? It’s a little bit of a catch 22 in that and, and I love the way that you’ve kind of you’ve brought those together and saying, Hey, we do have to stop and think about where are we going? Right? You have to challenge those presumptions and assume constraints and, and you got to lay those out there. But then you have to take action. And so the question that I have for you, though, because that everyone gets that right, but so few people do it. So what is it that prevents entrepreneurs, especially the female entrepreneurs that you work with, from, from taking the actions that they need to take to succeed?
Nicole Wright
Mostly, it’s fear. It’s fear. And it’s not so much as fear of failure as it is fear of success. Well, you know, what, if it, you know, everybody can have that conversation? What if they failed? What if nobody comes? What if nobody shows up? What did they do? Then comes the question, can I deliver? Yeah. Well, so I think fear, which is just, you know, it, just it, it, immobilize it. And it keeps them from playing big going all out. It just keeps them from showing up in their business. And then they’re up there doing the coulda, shoulda, woulda, and next thing you know, it a years went by two years went by, and they’re still in the same spot. And so, the reason why and I am in the fine state, but I also have my own processes and systems in the planning stage. Because the more structure you have, the more time you will have that as a solopreneur. I know that I can’t be everything to everybody. So therefore I am one function on one day, I’m another function on another day, and I’m another function on another day. So finances, get his own day. Social media marketing, gets his own day, legal gets his own day. And I’ve been that’s how I’ve been able to do this for 15, some years by myself. Now I know I have a bigger vision. So that team is coming. So those two courses really explain how the different how the Legion leaders are in a different way that I’ve never heard online. As far as the visionary, the operator and the processor and the standards. And I’m like, Yeah, I think I have come across some senators. No, just thinking about it right there. And I’m like, I don’t know, I think I think I do better with a processor than operator. I think that’s probably my person that I need, you know, because I am a visionary. And I do have this shiny ball syndrome that I am working on. I am working on it. I am Alvin him from a chipmunk, in part. And in problem a work in process. But yeah, that’s that’s the problem with visionaries. They see this, they do this and then something else gets their kitchen and they like I’m coming right back and then yeah, that that’s the visionary part.
Scott Ritzheimer
It’s so it’s so true. It’s such a fellow visionary, so I’m feeling every word that you say but how how do you help folks this is a real thing right in if we’re not careful, we can do work to avoid work. Right. We can jump to the next day.
Nicole Wright
Yeah, busy bee syndrome.
Scott Ritzheimer
Yes. Yes. Yes. So how do you rein that in? And because here’s here’s the problem. The lingering question in everyone’s mind, every visionaries mind is, but what if that’s the better way? Right and so they abandon the current way to chase after what could be a better way. Right. And how do you help folks to recognize when it’s time to make the leap or when it’s time to stay the course.
Nicole Wright
First of all, I didn’t have to have you, whatever process you chose it, you have to give it core, you have to let it have its time, its duration. You can’t say, oh, I’ve done this for three weeks, this time, move on. I’m like, No, give it at least a quarter, three months. See how it goes. If it hasn’t moved you forward, then it’s time to access something and think about doing something else. Everything should be moving the needle forward in your business. So if you are still at the same place, and you’ve been doing this professionally for a quarter, then it may be time to, like it’s a switch to something else. But I would say give it at least nine a day. That’s my benchmark what I do. My day.
Scott Ritzheimer
Yeah, it’s such because I would say the average visionary is looking like I can wait, I can I can I can I can wait 90 minutes. And, and so yeah, I think that’s just a great, great piece of advice. Give it not a couple of days, not a couple of weeks, but give it a couple of months to really come through. And and yeah, I love that as a general rule. Now, you mentioned two words earlier on, I want to come back to those you mentioned purpose and passion and, and the role of those and helping get these new organizations up off the ground. But the question that I have is how do you differentiate what is the difference between purpose and passion?
Nicole Wright
Passion is what lights you up. It is a feeling deep down inside is something that just, you know, when somebody comes to you and they talk about it, the first thing you want to talk about, you can talk about it all day, it’s something that doesn’t make you blow, your purpose is what you’re here for. The good thing is when they overlap, once they overlap, you’re you’re where you’re supposed to be. And it doesn’t feel like work anymore. Because you you you’re in your group that you’re doing what you’re supposed to do. When you do you have to define what your purpose is, and what you’re passionate to you. That takes a lot of soul searching and reflection deep within to meditate on that.
Scott Ritzheimer
Yeah. Yeah. I love that. Alright, so I want to shift gears here on you and ask you a question. I like to ask all my guests, and it’s this. What is the biggest secret that you wish wasn’t a secret at all? What’s that one thing that you wish every person listening today knew?
Nicole Wright
I wish that everyone knew the power of partnership marketing. It is. So that’s what we’re doing right now. And if it’s advertising, it’s publicity. And it’s cheaper than ad. You know, you don’t have to go and put on an ad campaign for Facebook and for Google, and wonder this old but I get my audiences right. Did I filter right that I get to right? Yeah, that I put the right posted on your on your extra stuff, all the questions. But when you sit up here, and you get on a podcast, you’re harnessing the audience of other people. And this partnership marketing. Yeah. And to me, I think is the biggest, the biggest influence on a company’s success.
Scott Ritzheimer
Fantastic. Yeah, it’s, I love it too. I mean, it’s a big part of why we do this podcast and the idea of going out there and just dumping, dumping, like you’re saying money and money and money after ads, oftentimes, and this goes back to your other point, if you don’t have your offer nailed down, right. That’s a really expensive proposition, but an opportunity to come out and do this to communicate it live with other people to enjoy the conversations that come out of that you get to interact with it a lot more than you do ads or paid ads and and, and it’s a lot more fun. So I love that. It’s such a great, great point. Now one other question that I want to ask you here and then I want to make sure folks know how they can get in touch with you but I’m going to actually for a second have you take off your coach hat, your consultant hat your advisor hat, I’m gonna have you put on your CEO hat for a moment jump into the rink with the rest of us and tell us what’s the next stage of growth look like for you and your business?
Nicole Wright
Um, the next stage for me is going to be masterminding that’s the thing I am looking forward to doing. I mean, I already do a 12 month group coaching program but it’s not masterminding. I think mastermind masterminding, and then retreat will be the next thing that I look forward to. But like I said, I know in doing that I’m gonna have to be able to teach. So, like I said, those two courses that you put out there, those were very, very informational. And something that I’m going to, you know, dig in more deeper as I try to build my team together so that I can, you know, fulfill this vision that I have.
Scott Ritzheimer
That’s awesome. That’s fantastic. Now, how can folks find out more about you? I know, there’s especially there’s a female entrepreneur out there that’s like, Oh, my goodness, like, she’s, how does she know all of this about me? So where can they find out more about your work and how you can help?
Nicole Wright
My website is www.mahoneconsulting.com. And there’s a big link that says, you know, apply now right there on the homepage. Because I do have a screening process so that I know that the right fit, ladies are, you know, are joining? Um, I can my LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram handle is @mahoneconsulting. So I can find me that way. Or by the website.
Scott Ritzheimer
That’s excellent. Excellent. Nicole. It was just an honor and privilege to have you on just some excellent, excellent advice that all of us need to hear. So thank you so much for being on the show. I really appreciate it. And to those of you watching and listening, you know your time and attention means the world to us. I hope you got as much out of this conversation as I did, and I cannot wait to see you next time. Take care.
Nicole Wright
All right.
Contact Nicole Wright
Nicole Wright is a Holistic Business Coach and a Business Development & Strategy Consultant. She has 15 years of experience in helping female entrepreneurs lean into their feminine energy and boldly dominate their niche as a CEO. In 2009, at the peak of her coaching practice, she found out she had a birth defect called Chiari Malformation II, which required two brain surgeries and forced her to quit working. She went through rehabilitation and started coaching again in 2017.
Want to learn more about Nicole Wright’s work at Mahone Consulting? Check out her website at https://www.mahoneconsulting.com
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