297 Stephanie Long is BACK to share her take on Threads, A.I & Chat GPT, and Summer Sabbaticals!
Stephanie Long
Business Coach for Nutritionists and the host of the Next Level Nutrition Biz Podcast.
I get to sit down with one of my Business Besties, for the 3rd (or maybe 4th time) on the Visionary Life Podcast , Stephanie Long!
If you don't know Steph Long, she is a Business Coach for Nutritionists and she is the host of the Next Level Nutrition Biz Podcast.
In this episode, we are having FUN and we're jamming on Trending Topics like:
Artificial Intelligence & whether we use it inside of our businesses
The Threads App and whether we think it's here to stay
Summer Sabbaticals & setting up systems to take 7 weeks off!
Stephanie is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to running a successful, and balanced online business and I couldn't be more excited to introduce her or re-introduce her to you!
To connect with Stephanie:
Access the transcript for this episode:
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You're listening to the visionary life podcast. I'm your host, Kelsey Reidl.
Each week, I'll bring you conversations with the most visionary humans on this earth, in hopes that you'll be able to absorb their wisdom, avoid their failures and feel less alone on the roller coaster ride that is entrepreneurship.
This season, I'll be chatting with creative thinkers, masterful marketers, brick and mortar shop owners, brand builders and people just like you who have a story to share or a vision that inspires. If I can share one quick secret with you before we get into the episode. It's that we all have a little bit of visionary inside of us, you know, that spark that nudges us to pursue our full potential in this lifetime, but perhaps somewhere along the line, it got covered up. I'm here to tell you that it's never too late to explore that inner voice and access the brilliance deep down inside of you. It's in you.
It's in all of us. Let's dive in. Hey, visionaries. Welcome back to the show. Today I'm sitting down with one of my business besties Stephanie long. If that name sounds familiar, it's because she's been on the podcast three or four times before the last episode I recorded with her was in Canmore when I was on a business retreat with her and our other business bestie. Krista, and then twice before that, I sat down with Steph once to do a 73 Questions episode wants to hear about her summer sabbatical. And I think another time to share the origin story of how she became a business coach for nutritionist.
So if you don't know Stephanie long, you should know her especially if you're in the holistic health world. Like I mentioned, Steph is a business coach for nutritionist. She is the founder of the nutrition business course. And the podcast next level nutrition biz.
So again, if you are looking for somebody to help you grow your nutrition biz, Steph is definitely your girl. Okay, so in this episode, we are doing something a little bit different or keeping it light or keeping it fun. We're keeping it airy, and we are doing something called Steffes take. So I asked her questions like What do you think of the new Instagram Twitter app called threads?
We share both of our takes on it. But I especially love Steph story about the initial feeling she had when threads started launching. We also talk about the role of artificial intelligence and where we're both at on using it in our business. And we finished by talking about stiffs summer sabbatical, she's taking seven weeks off, but she shares that it took her a while to get here she had to set up the systems and the automations and get things in place so that she's actually at a stage where she's able to step back for seven weeks. So we hear a little bit more about what that time is going to look like for her and what she will be up to. I always love chatting with staff, her and I we have a chat going together where we video message each other. We do monthly coworking dates, we have been able to just be very open and transparent with one another about the journey of being an online entrepreneur. And she's somebody that has been in my corner for the past many years as someone who I can rely on and trust and just be really honest with and I would highly suggest finding yourself some people in your life, especially if you're an entrepreneur who are on a similar path who can relate.So without further ado, I want to get into this episode with Stephanie long. If you are interested in connecting with her, definitely find her on Instagram or threads or tune in to her podcast which just hit a huge milestone of 200 episodes. And let us know if you're listening to this show by taking a screenshot and sharing it on your Instagram. Alright, you guys enjoy this episode with Stephanie long. Stay Steph, welcome back to the visionary life podcast, I can think of no better guests to bring on to Season 12. And I actually think you are our most repeated guest on the podcast. I believe. This is your fourth appearance. So welcome back. And I'm so excited to dive in and just have a really chill conversation. It's morning for both of us. I think we're both kind of getting into like summer mode, which we're going to talk about. But yeah, welcome back. And thanks for being here.
Thanks for having me. I can't believe it's been four times but I'm so grateful. And yeah, you're you're my favorite podcast to listen to and also be a guest on so thanks for having me.
It's always fun to chat with another podcaster too, because I think both of us at this point. We've been recording our podcast for many years. So sometimes just getting on the mic I can just chatting is very therapeutic in a way.
Yeah. And they're my favorite episodes as well. Like I love listening to entrepreneurs just talking about their experience and behind the scenes of their business. So, yeah, I also appreciate these kinds of conversations as well.
Absolutely. And I know when we spent some time in Canmore, together about six months ago now, you and I both were like sharing all the podcasts we listened to and all the ones were subscribed to. Are you still listening to tons of podcasts? And what role do they play in your life or your workday right now?
Yeah, I find that podcasts are kind of the start of my day, I usually turn one on when I'm making breakfast kind of getting ready doing some you know, emails and admin work in my business. I kind of hit a little bit of a point where I feel like, because I'm so up to date on all the podcasts I listened to, I needed to kind of like find when I could, you know, binge. So recently put a call out to ask, actually on threads, the new app, does anybody have some podcasts recommendations and got a few new ones that I'm excited to dig into. Because I do find myself, you know, at least an hour a day listening to a podcast episode.
Same here, and I think I hit the same wall recently, I was like, okay, like, I need new material, because I still love putting in a podcast on my walk or in the morning when I'm making coffee. But I'm like, I think I'm just maxed out of some of these shows that I've been listening to, and binging for so long. So I'm like, where's the next thing like, I need something that's like addictive to give me that dopamine hit. But podcasts are just the best for that. And they can make us feel, you know, less alone during our work days and outside of our work days. So first thing I want to start off on is doing a little game that I call Steffes. Take. So we're going to talk about some current marketing trends, current things that are going on in business, and we can just riff on where we're currently at with them, and what your thoughts are. So let's start with something you just mentioned, threads, the new Instagram Twitter app, obviously, it just launched like, you know, when we're recording this a few days ago, I want to know, what are you thinking about this new social media app? Are you using it? And are you going to start recommending it to your clients? What's your take?
Yeah, that's a great question. And I feel like at the beginning, when it first got introduced not too long ago, I guess at this time of recording, maybe that was a week or so ago, I felt super resistant and hesitant. And I usually feel that way when something new comes out. And I had to sit with that a little bit and challenge myself, Why am I feeling resistant? Is it because, you know, it's just another thing I don't want to have to invest time into? Is it because I am feeling low confidence around how to use this app to to, you know, my best advantage and actually, like, you know, my platform is usually speaking so having to sit down and write and it seemed like a lot of the threads were more witty like quick thoughts. And I really questioned how can I fit fit into this space? And can I do this, right? So you know, after sitting with that, I decided to download it. And it's been really fun. So far, I find if I'm not thinking too much about it, and I'm just kind of more sharing things that come to top of mind, then it's easy for me and it feels light, and like a space to express myself. But if I overthink it and try to think about how to be witty or am I making a spelling mistake, then it becomes a little bit more pressured. So at this point of time, it feels really light and fun to me. I will however say I know a lot of people are saying it should be the place like no business. Just you know, you're kind of quote unquote unhinged self, like sharing your life behind the scenes. And I I feel like we can use it for business. I feel like it can be in a lighter way. But I do think it's good to still use a social media platform in your overall business strategy. Because if not, it might just take too much of your time away. And then you don't have time for the other pieces of your business. So that's my take. I would love to hear your take though.
Oh, I love it. I will share my take in a sec. But you said a few things that are so powerful that I just feel like I need to double tap on number one, it's okay to feel like resistant and hesitant because I felt the same thing. Like here we go again. And I remember feeling that so deeply. With tick tock.
I was just like, yeah,
do I really have to get on this app? And why am I feeling all this resistance? Is it is it like I feel? I don't know some comparison itis because some people are already dove into this and they're doing it really well do I feel like this is not the medium for me. And I think it is important to sit with those thoughts and kind of ask yourself like, Is this something I want to spend time on? And I really admire you for saying that you just explored the discomfort of it because I think anytime something changes, especially in our business, we get this feeling of discomfort and it's like okay, I could either avoid this. Pretend this new app doesn't exist and just move on with my life or We're just like, give it a few days, like, you don't have to sign up right away.
But like, start to do some journaling. Think about it, explore it as a, you know, a user first instead of a creator. And just like try to formulate your own opinion, because everybody else is gonna be like, get on threads. It's the next big thing. And it's just like, okay, maybe I should sit with myself and see, is this going to be something I want to pour time into? So I think that was really important. And then you also said, like, when you create from a place of lightness, like does this feel light? It's a lot easier. And I really love how you said that. Because I think anytime we show up to create content, and it feels heavy, it's just, it's not the right energy to create in and then it usually takes us a long time to output the content. And then we're questioning like, Is my audience gonna like this, but when it feels light, it's like, oh, I just made a tomato soup. And I'm gonna post this and yeah, just like rolls out. Or maybe it's something like a business thought that you just shared with a client. So yeah, I think those are really interesting, reflective thoughts. And maybe for the listener, who is still considering do I want to be on threads? What you said will resonate? So thank you for sharing that.Yeah, absolutely. I am curious about your thoughts on it. Because I know from maybe marketing perspective, you might be having different thoughts and feelings around it. So yeah, I think right now.
Absolutely. So I think you know this already, but I was already a big fan of Twitter. But I was not a creator on Twitter, because I felt like I was too late to the game.
So I really loved following thought leaders and marketing professionals and entrepreneurs, because I felt like on Twitter, they shared a lot of substance. And they were like, I don't know, just wording things in a way that was more like a blog post, or that went a little deeper than just an Instagram real or a tick tock. So I really admired the medium of Twitter and how people were showing up. But I was only a consumer on Twitter. So when threads came out, and obviously it's just like a copycat of Twitter in so many ways. I was like, Okay, this actually could be a great opportunity for me to not miss the boat. Not that you ever missed the boat on social media apps. But I was like, I've studied Twitter and these Twitter threads and how people are building community and sharing their founders stories. And I'm like, you know, why not give it a go? So I think with any social media app, of course, it's beneficial to jump on right at the beginning. Obviously, the algorithm on threads is insane right now, because they're trying to get everybody followers get everybody feeling like they're a celebrity. So growing is super easy right now. So I appreciate that. But I also don't know, like, will there be conversions in this app, because so far, like I haven't seen business growth from it, yeah. But it could be a really good personal branding opportunity. And much as I love being on video, and stories, I also sometimes don't want to be on video and Instagram stories, or don't have a piece of content with a photo to post. So I think there's some relief in me of like, Oh, I could just write a sentence and maybe, like, get somebody to think differently about marketing or get them to, I don't know, engage with the content that I'm putting out there. So, so far, I'm feeling it. But I feel like it needs a lot of experimentation still, for me to decide, like, is this a worthy spend of time in my marketing strategy? Or is it a distraction?Yeah, well, that's the thing, it is another thing, even if it's just a small piece, it does, you know, I've been forgetting to go back on Instagram, and you're my audience there. So you know, it's gonna pull your time. And just like you said, you know, figuring out if it's, you know, kind of worthy of that time, or if it's going to make a big impact in your rural business. But maybe we just need to play around with it and have fun for a little bit to assess if it is going to make a big impact.
Absolutely. And I think with any other social platform, too, like there are people who will naturally kind of exit the platform and stop creating on it, which will then grant an opportunity to the business owners and the creators who are like, super excited about threads, to just make epic content and get a lot of attention there. So I feel like with all the opportunities we have on social media these days, there is something for everybody. But I don't think we need to be on all the platforms. It's like just stick with the one or two that feel light to use your words and stay there. So even though I think we're both in experimentation phase, maybe in a month or two months, we're both like you know what? Not working so we reserve the right to change our minds. Okay, let's get into steps take number two. I want to know what is your take on taking time off in your business. So share your thoughts on that.
Yeah, so I'm about to ramp up to take just under seven weeks off of my business, which I'm so excited for, it's been something that I've been doing for the last couple of summers, kind of like my own little summer break. So, that being said, I am a fan of taking time off. But it didn't always start that way. When I first started my business, I very rarely took time off, I was working, you know, long, long hours, every day I was working weekends, you know, I was, I would even say, kind of pushing over my personal boundary, and finding myself in burnout a lot more often. And I knew that that had to change. And I think that one of the reasons I was able to change that was because I also put a lot of good foundation in my business to be able to take time away, where my business at the beginning was so dependent on me and my time. And now I've set up a lot of automations. That, you know, it still appears that I'm president in my business, but I can remove myself, I also have an assistant that can pick up some of the slack. So again, it's just taken a lot of time to grow these pieces in to be able to take time away. And I would just kind of preface this by saying, I know that my business can still run and make income, but it won't be at the same level of when I'm 100% present in my business. So it's also a personal choice that I made, you know, for my mental health, physical health, all the things to take some time away and know that there might be a little bit of a slower period. But I'm okay with that.
Hmm, what are some of the biggest benefits, you've noticed whether it's taking five days off and just going camping? Or you're taking seven weeks off? So I'm imagining you know, how you're going to feel at the end of that seven weeks? What are some of like the outcomes or benefits for you from taking time away?
Yeah, that's a great question. I think for me, I can very often fall out of routine. And that's something I'm always constantly working on is not starting my day with business. So even just taking some time off to kind of like reground myself in my personal routine, and be like, Hey, Stephanie, you're a person, and you're not just a business owner, and then get myself kind of figured out again. So I think that is one key thing I want to focus on personally. And then also kind of going back to that discussion around like feeling light and excited and happy. I'm a generator, if anybody knows human design, and one thing that a lot of generators are, you know, drawn to is something like like that. Oh, yes. Like, yes, I want to do this thing. And we can feel that kind of internal, like yes, or internal, no. And I really just want to be able to hear that a lot more. I think just in the busyness of work and life and everything, I can kind of lose track of like, what is my internal system telling me about moves I want to make in my business. So I want to be able to kind of have that clear headed space to come back and then just like, do things from the best place of excitement that I can I know not everything in business is always going to reveal great and be exciting, but just kind of being in more connection with that more of the times.
So cool. Yeah, and I've even I've started to think about this a lot, because I've noticed I've completely lost my morning routine. Like I get up, I go straight to my laptop, even though I know it would be better to do my meditation, like sit with myself for a bit, go on my nature walk, do like a couple hours of just like connecting with me. But instead it's like Kelsey, the business person wakes up, get straight to her computer. And then maybe when she's exhausted around three or four o'clock, she tries to do her hobbies. And I'm kind of like, what would it feel like to just like, live as me as a human being for more than just a Saturday, Sunday, and I do give myself time off but I just feel a little bit disconnected. So hearing you say you get to wake up and kind of like reestablish the routines and rituals that make Steph Steph I think that's so important because otherwise we get caught in the cycle of just like Monday to Friday I wake up and you know, you start like with your brain just in work mode. And you forget to think big picture you forget to ask, What do I want to do with my business, my life, my vision for my health, like everything else. So I think it's probably a common trap for entrepreneurs to just kind of like, be right into it every day. But I think that's really cool that seven weeks off like you'll be able to really establish that routine once again.
Yeah, and I do again want to just like say, you know, I have so many more systems now in place than I ever have. So the fact that I can lean on those and feel good about those were like early on, you might not be experiencing that and you might have to like put more time in And then yeah, it's really setting up your business for the future. So I feel like I'm finally in that future who I can be like, Oh, I've worked so hard for this moment. And now I can really kind of relish and this but again, knowing that, me showing up 100% brings 100% of results. So just knowing that, I guess adjusting my expectations for the time off that I'm taking, and knowing that it's okay, and I can always pick back up when I come back.
Absolutely. So I'm imagining for the listener, they're like, Wow, this sounds cool. And I love that you're so honest about the fact that it's like, I've worked many, many years to set up the systems, income isn't always going to be the same when you're not like fully acting as the spokesperson of your business. I'm curious if you could rewind to the point, when you started setting up systems, what were some of the like, the first little things that you did to find leverage in your business? Because I think a lot of people, they aspire to have systems, but they don't really know what the first or second thing that they would set up or start working on would be. So what was that for you?
Probably my email list. So I feel like I had been collecting emails and kind of just like, you know, hobby, playing around with it, sending an email when I wanted to, but not being serious about it. So I think getting more serious about like, getting people on my email list, nurturing my email list subscribers, so that kind of step one. But then step two was using the automations, within my email marketing platform. So the kind of structure that I have is a free resource. So a workshop that somebody can watch for free, that is super educational, can nurture my audience. And then from there, they get put into an email sequence that nurtures them over, I believe it's like seven to 12 days, and they're getting a lot of value from me. And in that I actually do provide a discount to join one of my courses. So it kind of is like an autopilot, like a sales system. And that has made a huge impact. Because it just goes to show that Sure, I don't have to be necessarily spending time doing my podcast, and blogging and XYZ, if I just send people to that free workshop, that one resource, it's going to do the work for me. It was
so good. And I'm going to encourage anyone who is fascinated with the systems and especially anyone who has a nutrition business to go follow stuff connect with her because she is definitely further along than I am on this topic. And I really look up to you when it comes to creating these systems and having things running in the background. Because I would really love to take seven weeks off, but I'm so fearful of doing that. So thank you for modeling that it is possible and that it takes work, but the option is there when you're a business owner. Yeah, absolutely.
Okay, let's go to steps take number three. This one I feel like was the hot topic of a month ago, but I'm curious where you're at? How do you feel about using artificial intelligence, things like chat? GPT I know everybody is still leveraging and testing it out. But what are your thoughts on using AI in your business, especially as it comes to creating content blogs, emails, social posts, etc? Hey, visionaries. Are you an entrepreneur that started your business to feel the freedom that it can bring? I know that certainly one of the reasons the main drivers actually why I decided to take the leap, leave my corporate marketing management job and to start the visionary brand. So we start the business, we crave the freedom, but then we kind of get bogged down in things like too much responsibility, and we have decision paralysis. And it's really challenging to figure out where to put your time and energy and how to not stay up all night, worrying about your marketing worrying about whether this business is ever going to feel easy and take off. Well, what if we told you that you could enrich your weeks and your days with a community of devoted passionate, impact driven and health and lifestyle anchored entrepreneurs. Like you don't want to just build a massive company that supports you financially and that supports your well being. You also want to do it in a way that supports being your best self feeling healthy being around people who are like minded with shared values. I know for me that eating well and making sure I'm accountable to my workouts and being around amazing driven positive women who lift me up and cheer me on rather than bring me backwards. It has been essential to my success. Over the last seven years I've gone through phases where I felt lonely and disconnected. And I can tell you that those have been the worst months in my business. So that's where we want to talk about the mastermind presented by the visionary method and the magnetic life. So my business partner Emily Elliot is a sort of Fight mindset and success coach, and myself being a professional marketing coach, we've collaborated and we've created what we believe is the top mastermind for female entrepreneurs like yourself, if you are feeling a strong call for connection, and you want accountability to get through your launches, and to make sure your marketing plan is on track, and you want to space to ask questions about hiring virtual assistants, and knowing when the right time is to launch that next offer versus scale your existing one, you're definitely going to want to be part of this group. It is weekly elevation, we are calling you forward to your highest version of your CEO self. But we're also going to be there for you through the lows and the challenges. Maybe you're a new mom, maybe you are going through some sort of relationship struggles. You know, this is a place to be your full self. We are not just entrepreneurs in silos who just work like workhorses all day, we have stuff going on, and let's make a space where that's accepted. And let's make a space where we challenge each other, to be better both in and outside of our office. If you are interested in applying this as a very intimate small group, head to Kelsey rydell.com/mastermind. Or you can just head to Kelsey rattle.com and click the coaching drop down. We would love to have you apply. I'll jump on a call with you give you the full overview of what this space is like we meet every single week, and we cannot wait to see your application come through.You know, I'm not sure yet. I'm still on the fence. I have used chat GBT myself and it was funny. Like, I'm pretty niche down. And when I do business coaching for nutritionists, there's not a lot of people doing this. So when I went to use chat, GBT, I was amazed at what what could populate and come up, you know, idea why subject line wise, you know, all these different things. But I found that it was pulling a lot of coffee that I think I wrote on the internet. Yeah, oh my god, that's so weird. Yes. And because I'm so niched down, I was like, Wait, this is stuff that I've said. So it kind of made me excited that it could talk like me, if that makes sense. But then also nervous that what happens if other people come in and can get the same result, but then that now they sound like me. So I feel a little unsure. But I do know that this is the way of the future. So I don't want to be super resistant of it. Because I know that it can be an asset to the business. So I do want to, you know, be open minded. But I am a little nervous about are we just going to all sound the same? Or what where is this content coming from? I guess more than legalities around it, like, are we pulling from other people's resources? And is that fair? So yeah, I'm a little I'm a little on the fence about it.
Yeah, that is so odd. But it makes sense, because I was listening to a podcast the other day. And I heard that the Authors Guild is actually suing open AI, because they noticed that it's pulling from a lot of authors content, and it is essentially copyright content that's being spit out. And then people like you and me, and you know, billions of others are using that content thinking that it's kind of original, or AI written, which it is, but it's actually rooted in somebody else's content. And that kind of gives me a little bit of like, a bad feeling. Because I'm like, I never want to regurgitate what somebody else is saying. And that's where I think it's so important. Like, even if we are going to use AI in our business, like, we still have to add our own take to it and like create stories and resonance using our own experience. Otherwise, it has nothing to do with something that would come out of our mouth and our tone and our brand voice. So yeah, I feel like with some massaging it can be super helpful, but maybe to just copy and paste is not the right way to look at AI for your business.
Absolutely. And we all know, or, you know, news flash if you don't know, a lot of businesses know, like and trust factor. So you know, a computer writing something is not going to be like personalized. So you know, how do we know like and trust something that sounds like a computer wrote it or like aI wrote it. So that is like it like you mentioned, having your own brand voice having your own personality, I think is so important because people worry that AI is going to take over and take over our jobs, but it can never replicate a person like again never like I don't think so at least maybe in the future. I'll regret saying that. Maybe Oh my god. I know the personalities. I don't know. But I'm just going to assume that you know, that is our secret sauce in business people work with you because they want to know like and trust you so and needs to be infused just like you said, in all the content you make.
Hmm. So interesting. Yeah. And I think time will tell like, is this going to be the best solution that has ever been offered to entrepreneurs? Or is it going to be the thing that puts you in a sea of others who are all whipping up the same content and the only people who are going to survive in the future are the ones who are still using their brain and coming up with something unique? Right. So I guess we'll see how it evolves. But yeah, I was curious to get your take on that. Okay. Steph, take number four. Are you having fun with this? Yeah, I love it, actually. Okay, so you live on the West Coast. And every time I see you post your scenery, I'm just like, oh, my gosh, it looks so stunning out there. She must be so motivated by her environment. I'm curious, how does where you live, impact your inspiration or impact the way you even run your business? Like, is there a connection?
Wow, that's a really good question. I do feel more motivated and excited living where I do. And it's funny, because I used to live in Edmonton, Alberta. That's kind of where I started my business. And I wonder if it's still live there at this place and my business, if I'd be taking the same amount of time off, because it's almost like there's so much at my fingertips where I live that I just, like, need more time, because there's so much to explore. And I wonder if the scenery does make a difference. I'm not quite sure about that. I'm going to think more into that. But I do know that just like we were talking about earlier on in this conversation, you know, it's so easy to just get up and start working. So I've been trying to implement time outside, like going for a cool dip is something I really enjoy doing. Or going for a walk at the ocean, I feel like those things bring me so much energy. And again, kind of part of this conversation grounds me back into myself before I can go and you know, output to my clients or output to my community. So I do think it plays a really, really big role for sure. I don't know if that answers the question fully. But
oh, it totally does. And I always think about this, I'm like, How much does our environment impact who we become, and how we're inspired and motivated each day, and especially as it relates to entrepreneurship, and I often think about my move from Toronto to a small town in Ontario that, you know, is a fraction of the size. And I think about who I was in Toronto, and it was very much like hustle, the name of the game is work, get to your co working space as fast as possible, like literally walk at a quicker pace, talk at a faster pace, because that's the energy of the city. And I wasn't as motivated to like explore nightclubs and I don't like shopping. So my thing was like work in Toronto, and get to like those early morning fitness classes. And then moving to a small town, I'm like, oh, there's so much nature to explore. Like, I don't want to work all the time. And hopefully in turn, that actually impacts my business in a positive way. Because I get to do a lot of thinking and processing. And when I do sit down at my laptop, I want to get the work done. And then I want to go adventure in my backyard or paddle down the river. So yeah, I do think it's interesting how our environment can rub off on us. And I like how you say like when you lived in Edmonton? Like, would you have the same desire to take seven weeks off? Or would you be in a different version of you based on your surroundings? So I think it's always good to just like question like, do I like where I live? Is this the right environment? And like, am I maximizing what's in front of me? So? Yeah, I think it can very much ripple into who we become, and especially how we run our businesses. Yeah.
I also just wanted to say when I used to live in Edmonton, that was, again, when I started my business, I was very involved in the community building a community of entrepreneurs and other nutritionists. And I love that and like, still, I have some of my very best friends living there that like from that time, but a lot of that kind of seeped into, I guess like my personal time. So I was saying yes to a lot of things, and I didn't have good boundaries. So when we moved here, I didn't have the same community. So you know, that's a con in one way because I don't necessarily have that same community, but I was able to reclaim a lot of my own personal time. And now I'm very clear, like instead of just saying yes to everything, I can really just be more rooted in like, do I want to say yes to this thing, where I felt more obliged, living in Edmonton. So for me, it's been a reclamation of myself and really just like my time, so that's been really helpful as well.
On that note, do you think that being in that Yeah. is like, I will go out for coffee do the thing for everybody being really immersed in community, do you think that served you? Well, in the first few years of business? And if so why?
Absolutely. Yes. I have always been the type of person that will kind of like, I guess, in a sense, ask for what I want. So I'm not shy to like, email a company to be like, Hey, can we collaborate? Or do you want to meet up for coffee? And that really helped me personally, like, hone that part of myself to be like, oh, you know, even if someone says, No, that's okay. And like, so I got used to putting myself out there. And just having a group of friends that were also growing their business was so helpful. Because we'd go for coffee, we'd meet up, we talk about what's working and not working. And, you know, that was so crucial to those beginning years. And I do feel like I lost that a little bit kind of in that reclamation of like, oh, myself, and I need my own ideas of my time. But now having you and having our friends Christa, who's also an entrepreneur, having that community has filled out for me again. So I do think it's an important thing that when it's missing, I do really miss it. And I do feel that it's gone. So I know, I need that in my life. But I also need a balance to have enough time for myself to Mm hmm.
Yeah, I feel like I've thought a lot about this too, of like, the seasons, like definitely, six or seven years ago, I was in that season of like, hustle, hustle, say yes, a lot of connection, a lot of Yeah, being around other people, and taking on their ideas and their energy. And then there came a point where it was more like, No, I'm just gonna, like, isolate myself, like, really just stay at home, do my work, but it's like finding that balance or like, what season Am I in? Do I need to be out saying yes to every opportunity? Or is this like a creation phase? Like maybe even for you, when you were creating your like self study, Evergreen course, that was probably a lot of you time. And it's like, I just need to focus. But then you come out of a season like that. And it's like, I need to connect with my business besties I need to like go schedule things with my family, my mom, my friends. And just like, you know, get around others. So yeah, like many things in business, there's seasonality, and it's sometimes just tuning in, like, what do I need right now? And making sure that you're not just like pushing the gas pedal too hard in any one area?
Yeah, I love looking at that. And it's also a good reminder that nothing is permanent. So you might be in a season right now that feels uncomfortable, but you know, it will shift and change. And I think early on in your business, it can feel like oh, is this ever going to get better? Is this ever going to change? And it's just a season, right? Like you will shift out of it. So I love that reminder, Kelsey, it's just so nice to think about that and reflect on.
Absolutely. So as we wrap up, I'm curious, what are some of the things that you're working on right now? Especially as you prepare for taking time off? What are some of the things that are, you know, consuming your days?
Well, as of today, I just posted the 200th podcast episode for my Yeah, so that feels like a big milestone. And it's funny, you'd think I'm working on more because I'm getting ready to take time off. But I'm actually I'd say working on less. So I didn't plan on pausing the podcast because it's been four years of pretty consistent podcast episode. So pausing for even potentially until next year. And you know, on the back end, getting ready to take this time off, I'm, I'm really just taking a step back. So I'm delegating a lot to my assistant giving her content that I've already created. And I'm giving her ways to repurpose it like repurposing podcast episodes into blog posts. So that's one thing that we're going to work on over the next little while. And then I guess one other area where I've been spending a lot of time is getting ready to launch a new membership, which I'm really excited about. And that really stemmed from wanting to win back a lot of my time and not wanting to just be so one on one connected with clients have a little bit of space. So that's why the membership is coming in. So a lot of background work with setting up waitlist setting up different materials and information, you know that I can. So my plan is to gather people on a waitlist. Well, I'm off for the next couple of weeks so that in September when I'm back, I can launch to an an audience that's interested in this. So there's a little bit of background work going on. But I would say it's pretty slim, mostly because I don't feel the need to have to push push push before taking the time off because I already have some good things in place that are working.
Hmm, that's so cool. And I love to hear that and yeah, very excited for you to be able to take the time off and to have these things set up so that when you return it's not like nothing's been happening. So very cool to hear your story and as always so lovely to catch up. Where's the best spot out for people to connect with you, or to find you online.
So you can find me at Stephanie long.ca. Also on Instagram, Stephanie long.ca. And if you are a podcast listener, and you want to listen to any of the past 200 episodes, you can listen to the next level nutrition biz podcast.
Amazing. Thanks for coming back on stuff as our most returning guests, we really appreciate your time, we know the audience loves you. So thank you so much for being here and all the best during your summer time off. Thanks for having thanks for tuning in to this episode of visionary life. I love bringing you these conversations on a weekly basis. So it would mean so much to me. If you could help me out by rating and reviewing the show on either iTunes or Spotify. It just takes a second. And if you don't want to rate the show, you could also just take a screenshot of the episode and share it on your social media platform of choice tagging me at Kelsey rival. I'll catch you in the next episode. Hey, visionary, I want to quickly interrupt this episode to ask you if you've been curious what it's like to work with a private business and marketing coach. If you're a business owner, and you feel like your marketing plan is all over the place, you haven't figured out your search engine optimization or your SEO strategy, you have no idea what your social media marketing plan is, and you are not doing so well on the self Express content front. I call these the marketing trio. It's the three S's SEO social media, self expressed content. And by dialing in all three of these pillars, you too can get more visible, generate more income and increase your lead generation where you're actually turning your followers into paid clients and you're constantly bringing new people in at the top of the funnel. If you're not familiar with my work, I am a private business and marketing coach. And I have spent the last 13 years working in the marketing industry, many of those years doing consulting with clients like you who want to finally get more visible and get in front of their dream clients. So when we work together, you have me for four months, as your marketing partner, I'm going to do a full audit of your business, put you on a private project management software with me. And then based on your innate skill sets based on your strength, based on where you are curious and where your dream clients are paying attention. We're gonna build out a custom marketing strategy, we're going to track it, we're going to optimize it. And by the end of the four months, you have a plan that works and you're seeing results. It's truly incredible. Christina crook just landed a $100,000 consulting contract after implementing just one of my marketing strategies. Emily Fraser signed multiple new clients in one day after just one month of working with me. And now she is having consistent five figure months. And Natasha, she started leveraging her email list in December, and 30 days later in January, she pulled in $25,000 from one single email that we created. So these results are possible for you too. But don't sign up yet. Just had to Kelsey rydell.com And check out how we can work together learn all about it. Make sure you feel informed and if you'd like to book a discovery call with me just fill out the application on my website. We can get on the phone and see if it's a good fit for you. So anyways, I don't want to interrupt this episode anymore. I cannot wait to work with you to support you and getting you more visible and let's get back into the show.
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