251: The Money Hunt

IN TRANSIT with Sundae Bean

“The personal is political” was the rallying cry for second-wave feminism in the late 1960s. Even to this day, it’s regarded as a defining slogan of the women’s liberation movement. Although impossible to analyze in just a few sentences, at its core, the concept refutes mystical coincidences.

Meaning minor issues experienced at the individual level stem from larger systemic issues rooted in societal power structures designed to perpetuate inequality. In other words, what’s personal and what’s political cannot be separated because it’s all intertwined.

Well… I’m putting my money where my mouth is because it’s 2021, and the personal is professional. In case you’ve been living under a rock and haven’t noticed, it’s become increasingly important for companies to be transparent about their values.

Why? Because people want to spend their money supporting businesses who stand up for what they believe in and exhibit high integrity. Moral compatibility is the transactional grease of the future — so make sure potential clients know where you stand.

We can’t wrap up our Global Life in the Hard series without having a dedicated conversation about money. Between case resurgence, new and lingering lockdowns, supply chain issues, labor shortages, environmental disasters, and political unrest, the fiscal situation in most countries isn’t good.

And whether you’re a business owner, employee, or job seeker, you need to approach making money differently when facing a lousy economy. So, this week, I’ll give you concrete direction as a service provider to help you gain an invigorating, 360-degree perspective into making money in the hard.

What You’ll Learn in this Episode:

• Adopting a jaguar mindset
• Reinvigorated by Purpose Energy
• Asking yourself, “Why am I doing this? What for?”
• Doing your most courageous work post-exercise
• An unexpected benefit to coworking virtually

Listen to the Full Episode

Want a proven, turn-key business solution that showcases your talents, uses your skills, and manifests your passion? Ready to make unlimited money, be surrounded by a supportive community, and help others *while* working a profession you can be proud of from anywhere in the world? The doors are OPEN for Expat Coach Coalition, so check it out right here.

Featured on the Show:

• Global Life in the Hard
• Expat Coach Coalition
• Sundae’s Facebook Group – Expats on Purpose
• Adapt & Succeed Abroad
• Join Year of Transformation
• Sundae’s Facebook Business Page – Sundae Schneider-Bean LLC
• Simon Sinek, Big Why

Catch These Podcasts / Articles:

• EP236: Rethink Rest
• EP183: Energy Literacy

We’re delighted by our nomination to the global Top 25 Expat Podcasts!

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Full Episode Transcript:

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Hello. It is 9:00 am in New York, 3:00 pm in Johannesburg, and 8:00 pm in Bangkok. Welcome to the Expat Happy Hour. This is Sundae Schneider-Bean from www.sundaebean.com. I am a solution-orientated coach and intercultural strategist for individuals and organizations. I am on a mission to help you adapt and succeed when living abroad and get you through any life transition.

So, pop quiz time.

How are you feeling about making money right now?

One: Frickin’ amazing. I’m making more money than I have in my entire life.

Number two: Mmm. So lala. I’m making some money, but it doesn’t feel like it’s worth my effort.

Number three: Total crap. I’m sinking money into my business and feel like I’m going nowhere.

All right, for those of you who answered number one, I would quickly exit the room because those who are in categories two and three are going to give you a horrible stare. BUT I am celebrating you. And if you are really in that situation, then I would invite you to take stock of what it is that has helped you make that happen and do more of that. But if you’re like most people who are in, let’s say their first few years of business and you’ve landed in category two or three, then keep listening because I totally get it.

This episode kicks off week four of Global Life in the Hard where we focus on Making Money in the Hard. As if making money wasn’t hard enough. Now, we’re doing it in this crazy context that we’ve had for the last 20 months. If you’ve missed any of the seven sessions in the series that have taken place so far, don’t worry, I’ve got your back. Just sign up in the show notes for Life in the Hard, and mark your calendars, if you’re listening to it live this week on our final session called Growing a Business in the Hard.

So some of you who are listening, are coaches or a practitioner, even a therapist, someone who works with people like us, people are living globally mobile lives. And there might be a few of you out there who don’t have a service profession, but you’re interested in how to make a little bit more money right now because things are hard, right? So, I’m going to let you in on one of my coaching secrets, a recipe that I use when I get stuck. And when it comes to money, I completely understand how easy it is to feel stuck when you don’t feel like you’re making enough or at least enough to balance what you’re putting into your business. I’ve had plenty of ugly cry moments back in the early days of my business that I’ll never ever forget. I know as a coach and as a business owner, that it’s frustrating.

So today, I’m going to offer you a new way to look at things so you can find your own answers, and find a fresh way of looking at things. And in my session in the Global Life in the Hard series where all talk about growing your business in the hard, I’ll give you some really concrete direction as a service provider that will help you have a 360 perspective on your business. So don’t miss that session because I’m going to distill like over a decade of business experience in that session. So check that out in the show notes if you haven’t already.

Okay, so, today is about helping you tap into your know-how, right, but from a different framework, so let’s get back to money in the hard. The way I see it, making money in a thriving economy is the equivalent of going to the grocery store, to get your food. Making money in the hard is like heading out into the wild and having to hunt for it. Tell me where I’m wrong? If I were left on my own to hunt for food right now in the wild, I’d be a done deal, or at least I would feel like it. But if I were, I don’t know, a jaguar in the jungle, I’d be thinking, “I got this.”

So let’s use one of my secrets and that is to look at your current challenge from a completely different perspective. And today is going to be from a jaguar. So, let’s see what we can learn about making money in the hard from someone who’s quite successful at gathering their food for the hunt, right? So a jaguar hunts at night, but why? Because it’s smart. It knows it hunts at night, it’s going to preserve its energy. So the jaguar picks the time that is least draining and the jaguar also knows it has excellent night vision. So if you’re working to find clients or at least thinking of ways that they can find you non-stop, you’re probably draining your energy. But I’d like you to think about when can you invest your energy, the right energy? And when do you see the clearest? So what we need to do is act like a jaguar and that means number one, watch your energy. Because what we’re seeing and as you’ve probably heard in the Global Life in the Hard series, is that our old strategies aren’t enough, right?

People are reaching their limits on the things that used to work the old routines, old strategies, their kind of fizzling out in terms of return. So one of the things that is working is to watch our energy by doing things differently. One thing I love about the jaguar is that what it does to conserve its energy is it knows exactly the prey that it’s worth hunting. It doesn’t waste its energy on the small stuff. It’s just like, boom one strike, right? So, where is it worth putting or energy?

And to do this, we need to look at energy from a new lens, and I’ve talked about rest and energy and episodes 236 called Rethink Rest, and in 183 Energy Literacy. So if you haven’t heard those already, listen to them because it’s going to help you have a more focused lens. Remember, how the jaguar can see clearly at night? This is giving you a sharper vision for when you are now in this case, hunting for energy.

So what can you do to create energy? This is a question I’ve had so many people ask me in the last four weeks. What can you do to create energy? And when people bring that up in coaching, they basically have no answer. They’re like, “No, I got nothing. There’s no way I can create energy.” Because how do you get creative from a place of depletion? But if you probe, if you ask yourself, I’m pretty sure you’ll find new avenues. For example, one of my clients was constantly tired by one o’clock in the afternoon and then she swapped when she was working with doing fun things that she would call play and it created new energy. She’s working virtually so, why not mix things up in her schedule?

Another, it was heads down all day, really, really focused. Right? But needed to mix things up, to shift her energy and what she did is she ended up doing co-working with a friend who made her laugh. So she ended up actually working fewer hours but had better energy because she had someone virtually by her side to keep her motivated and to boost her energy through laughter.

Another planned working around her exercise schedule so that she came to her work with that high that you get from exercise. And then you can do your most courageous work, like, making a sales call.

And then there’s one other thing about energy that I think people are losing track of and this aspect is what I’m going to call: Purpose Energy. Purpose energy is the energy we get when we have our purpose in the forefront, right? When we have the answer to the question, “Why are we doing this?”

So what is your, you know? Simon Sinek, Big Why, that gets you out of bed in the morning because when everything else is hard, that will at least help you move forward. And if you have not revisited your purpose, the “why” you’re doing this for a while, it is time to do that because maybe it’s changed. Maybe your life has changed in the last 20 months. Maybe your why has changed and you don’t even know it. So get back in there and draw in your purpose energy again by getting crystal clear on why you’re doing this.

I’m going to say more about this, this week in this session around growing your business in the hard, but this will get you started. Because I know for me, when I’m looking for more energy the one thing that gets me going is to refocus like *sigh* even when things aren’t going the way I wanted. It’s like, “Why am I doing this? Okay, I’m impacting people’s lives. I’m building assets for my business, and creating meaningful relationships.” And that awareness, that purpose energy helps generate what I need to do, the right next step.

Okay. So let’s all be like jaguars and do the right thing and watch our energy. You’ve got some resources at your fingertips to go further. I can’t wait to see what you generate as a result of those next steps.

Okay. The next thing we’re going to do in terms of the jaguar is, review our skills. We know that jaguars are strong runners, super-strong beasts. But did you know, they’re also really good swimmers? In fact, from what I’ve read, they really enjoy swimming. I don’t know how you asked a jaguar if you like swimming, but we’ll leave that to the experts because I do not want to get anywhere close to the jaws of a jaguar. But the jaguars, they know what they’re good at, right? So the jaguars, when they hunt, they look for their prey, the one that’s worth hunting and they go after it, and in one bite they can crush their skull. And they’re like, “Yes. I’m amazing on land,” but it’s like, well, maybe there isn’t anything on land right now. So the jaguars like, “You know what, I like to swim and I’m really good at that too.”

So the Jaguar can mix things up and it’s like, “Well maybe instead of catching something on land, I’m going to go get myself a caiman or two in the water.” Right? So what can we take away from the jaguar? Is that idea of just because I’m good at one thing does it mean I’m not also skilled in something else. So taking stock in saying, “Wait a minute. If it isn’t making money in the hard right now, what are some of my other skills?” Because usually those are skills that help us do the main thing, but we’re forgetting that they are skills in and of themselves.

So one of my clients has a medical profession, but she’s a really great public speaker just because that’s what she does, right? So what if she’s trying to make more money and then pitches to audiences and conferences that she speaks on a really important medical issue. That’s a great way to make money in the hard because she’s actually a medical professional but she happens to be also a pretty decent speaker.

So what are your other skills? Maybe they’re things that come really naturally to you. Maybe it’s from like a former life, skills you developed and you’ve put down. Or maybe it’s a skill that you’ve developed to do the main thing that you’re doing. Right? I’ve asked myself this before and I feel comforted by knowing that I have other skills in case push came to shove. If money were really tight for me, I could say to myself, “Okay, I could help people podcast. I could help with social media.” There’s a lot of other things that I could do to make money.

I know a coach who closes on high ticket packages for her own business all the time. And I just saw her online saying, “Hey, this is what I do,” at a really high percentage, it was like, 85-90 percent close rate. She said, “I can teach you how to do it, or in fact, I can do it for you.” So that was a way that she added revenue in the hard.

So think about that: What could you do that could help create immediate value for yourself and for potential clients that’s right under your nose?

So that is something we can learn from the jaguar, not just running but also swimming. Plus, it’s like if you’re bored of the same land and the moment you get to have some caiman. So you get to have experience with other clients and maybe something new will come of that. Right? We’ve got to think creatively in hard times.

So that’s what we know from the jaguar. They are land animals, but they like going into the water. So I also invite you to think what are some places that you love to swim in that you’re not actively doing. Meaning, where do you like to hang out or with whom do you like to hang out that you’re not actively doing? And it’s so easy when our life of isolation right now to kind of just get by with every day in the routine. But is there a women’s group that you’ve had your eyes on? Or is there a particular project or cause that you feel passionate about wouldn’t mind hanging out with similar people?

Where could you go to play and connect with other people and maybe get exposed to new individuals who could, one, boost your energy but maybe even encounter people who have needs for skills that you have that you could help fulfill? What if you offered a taste of your services for free in new waters and that could lead to new clients?

So it’s that mindset like embodying the jaguar energy that you could bring you to find new solutions. Where do you want to be swimming right now that you’re not swimming? Maybe it’s been on your to-do list forever and it’s time to bring it to the top.

Okay. So we’ve already learned a lot from the jaguar. We’re talking about really being smart with our energy, really aware of our skills, and using them. And also maybe having a little fun along the way in new waters.

And then the third thing I want you to think about is this, when you think of an animal that roars, what kind of animal do you think about?

I know what you’re thinking a lion, right? A lion roars. That’s what we expect. But did you know that jaguars also roar, but it doesn’t sound like a lion? And that is a good thing. Because if I went into the wild and I heard something unexpected and paid attention, I’d want to figure out what that’s all about. And remember, making money in the hard is about trying new approaches. So what I want — and how this connects to your business, you’re probably asking is this, listen, you might not be a lion and you don’t have that roar, but you’re a jaguar. And what is your roar?

And here’s what’s really important from a business perspective. What are those messages that thanks to the last 20 months that you have deep down inside that are bubbling up clarity, direction, values that are important to you, but you’ve been tentative in expressing? Or maybe you’ve judged, “Well, my roar isn’t quite like the lions,” right? What would you love to roar about but just haven’t mustered up the courage yet to do? So in your business?

Now is the time.

Listen, according to a summary that I read on orbelo.com, listen to this, 86% of consumers say authenticity is important when deciding what brands they like and support. 66% think transparency is one of the most attractive qualities in a brand. Two-thirds of customers around the world said that they would buy from a brand because of its position on a social or political issue. Obviously, if it aligned with them. And 77% of consumers buy from brands who share the same values as they do.

So, if you have been whispering about your values, whispering about what you really believe, you are missing out on potential clients, right? If you want to reach those ideal clients, now is the time to attract them with your roar of authenticity. And I know how scary that can feel, take it from me. I have been, years back, was in a place where I’m like, “Well if I roar, if I use my real voice and it could push people away,” right? It could push people away, but the real thing is it could also be the call to those who are really resonating with your message.

All right. So if you’ve been holding back on your authenticity, and your real voice, and your roar, now is the time to stop. We need to do things differently and you know what, the whole world is waiting for something fresh. We’re just so bored of vanilla and the expected, we want something new. If you’re in isolation, you don’t want to hear the same old thing over and over? We want to hear something true to you.

So that is it. Things that I hope you can experiment with. If it feels scary, don’t worry, take it small. Start with one post where you use your voice, just a little bit more. Or start with one image that’s a little bit provocative for you, and then watch what happens. And then take it to the next notch and the next notch and that will help you feel safe and get validation that there are people out there that are actually hungry for your roar.

Okay, so I hope you have found some new ways to think about how you can make money in the hard based on our inspiring jaguar. What we’re seeing is to watch your energy, to really name and remember your skills, and to roar and tap into that authenticity. I know this isn’t easy. That is why I’m sharing some very pragmatic business advice this week in my session inside Expats on Purpose. So we’ll talk about Growing Your Business in the Hard. We’re going to go all the way through it, from the voice of your business to the heart of your business, to the legs of your business, anywhere from your messaging, to your core values, to how you make money. So join me inside, Expats on Purpose for Growing Your Business in the Hard and I’ll give you some very concrete business growth strategies that have worked in my business and in my clients’.

I have spent over a decade doing this myself and I don’t even want to tell you tens of thousands, if probably over a hundred thousand dollars on training, business coaches, and the like to get me this far. But the one thing I know is that it’s been worth it. And I want to pass it all on to you so your journey doesn’t have to be as long. I’d love to pass on some of that jaguar energy to you so that you can go out there and roar and find your ideal people. Or better yet, they will find you. So if you are on the fence about Expat Coach Coalition, now is the time to act. I’ve been talking about it inside Expat Happy Hour and in our group Expats on Purpose. This is an industry-leading group of professionals united by our our passion for serving expats. And hello! You’re needed now more than ever!

Expat Coach Coalition takes your skills, even the ones that you forgot about, talents and ambitions and converts them into a turnkey location independent business. So join forces with me and these other professionals for this global movement to help bring resources to our unique community. What better way than to surround yourself with support and proven tested materials that will transform your business practices, increase your bank account and help you amplify how you are showing up in the community and your business on an international scale. Start making more money and performing more meaningful work fast. And you know I’ve been talking about this the whole month, do it in a community of amazing people by your side to cheer you on.

All of it starts mid-November. So apply fast so you don’t miss this opportunity. I would love to hop on a call and meet you.

You’ve been listening to Expat Happy Hour. This is Sundae Schneider-Bean. Thank you for listening. I will leave you with the words from Shelly Sullivan: “It is now time to reclaim your power. You have always had it.”

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