Madi is a successful lifestyle blogger and Pinterest coach, but even with her success, she struggled early on to monetize consistently.
But over the last few months, with some entrepreneurship business coaching, Madi mastered her mindset, re-launched her blog and optimized her services. The results speak for themselves!
Keep reading to find out how Madi got started and where she got stuck, the #1 thing that turned things around and exploded her growth, and her advice for people getting started.
How did you get started with entrepreneurship?
I was a full-time mom for 4-5 years. I definitely missed my creativity. Before I had my babies, I was in the corporate world and hated every second and knew I didn’t want to go back to that.
I looked for creative ways to make money, and that led me to content creation.
I started working with a horse and donkey shelter, where I created a website for them, taking care of the contributions. Then, I expanded into VA services.
I got bored with that pretty quickly, though, and wanted to do my own thing.
Blogging started as a way to present my writing skills and a place to put my work; then, I started exploring monetizing it.
I had many interests and didn’t know what to choose. I also didn’t like doing ads – it’s just not my thing. That’s when I met Alison and had a breakthrough, working with real-life clients.
I started with content creation, then began teaching small businesses how to do it themselves. First, I worked locally, and then was able to expand through the online world. I feel most comfortable in the online world – I actually studied coding before all of this.
I got into Alison’s entrepreneurship coaching program and was able to develop my own online business.
What were some of the things that changed while you were going through the program?
The first and biggest change was my mindset.
I could teach people how to grow their business, but didn’t know how to grow mine. It was really hard for me to see what I could bring to the table. I also worried that I would be really great at something and just get bored and back away. Mindset for business was huge for me.
Once I got through the mindset issue, I was able to make a decision on what I wanted to do. I tried it out, where I was coaching and helping people out with Pinterest.
I didn’t want to create another course, as there are so many out there already. People don’t finish courses, and I felt like there was something just missing out there.
Alison and I worked on a high-touch Pinterest service, did the beta and I took that feedback to make some changes. I started getting clients about a month into the program. I really wanted to do something that felt more like me, so I didn’t want to have to depend on a launch for an income.
What mindset advice do you have for others?
We hear the word “mindset” a lot in the online business world.
I’ve also done a lot of reading – I read things about millionaire mindsets and it was cool but nothing ever really lit up a light bulb over my head.
Manifesting and the abundance mindset always sounded like it was for tree huggers, and it’s really not. I had to learn to accept that I needed to work on my mindset.
Beyond just thinking of success, I knew I had to work more on mindset. I had to create a routine for myself, work and learn my own patterns. Now I have a system – on Wednesdays I lose all my energy so I meditate a lot and have been since I started working on my mindset.
I meditate when I’m stressed, need energy and even when I just need to focus. It does work when you work at it.
What are you doing now?
I kind of do short-term coaching; I audit client accounts and fix them up by optimizing, using Pinterest SEO and the whole nine.
Then I go over everything I’ve done and how they can continue to optimize (especially with Pinterest) on a call. Some clients that have used Pinterest for a while aren’t familiar with the algorithm changes, and some clients know nothing about Pinterest.
My clients learn the Pinterest system and I teach them a strategy for their accounts to be active and grow. A few weeks later, we reassess on an as-needed basis to see if we can make any adjustments.
I’m always available for them by messenger. I’m a little obsessed with my clients so I like to be able to drop into messenger, haha. I like to be able to instant message like, “hey! You’re doing this wrong.”
I keep my clients updated with any algorithm changes and I also do a little Pinterest management, but because I do everything manually Pinterest management is not a focus of mine, as it is time consuming.
I’m in the process of brainstorming some passive income now. My kids are fed up with seeing me at the computer all the time. I have another website for personal development.
How has your income changed from before Alison’s entrepreneurship coaching program to afterward?
I wasn’t making anything before the program!
My monthly income now varies, and depends on the time I have available.
Right now, everyone is home during the pandemic which can make it a little difficult to make time for my services. My offers aren’t high-ticket, about $300.
I definitely am looking to transition into something more high-ticket and also have that passive income coming in. There are a lot of goals for the next year!
What are some things you wish you knew when getting started? What advice do you have for new online entrepreneurs and bloggers?
Have a plan, haha!
I didn’t have a plan, I just knew I wanted to write and express my creativity.
My blog went through so many different versions and I rushed into it within a week. My advice is to have a business plan and have a focus. This goes for Pinterest and Google, too – when you’re focused and have a vision for your blog it’s so much easier to grow!
Think about where you want to start and where you want to be, then fill in the blanks.
Lastly, stay in your lane.
The blogging world can be so overwhelming; you search one question and get 10,000 different answers from different ends of the spectrum. I think it’s important to find one or two voices that are similar so you don’t confuse or overwhelm yourself.
You may also find yourself trying to compare or mimic other people’s content and you’ll just end up looking alike. Do you! Find advice or a coach to help
Courses are great but they only get you so far, we need to be kept accountable. Blogging is a solo profession and it’s nice having someone to bounce ideas off of and to keep you accountable.
Do what feels right for you, always! And find an entrepreneurship coach that knows what they’re doing, like Alison.
If you guys want to view Madi’s Pinterest offer, click here: Madidearson.com
And if you’re seeking help to stack YOUR income?
