Discovering My Currency in 2019
I went into 2019 with a bit of a blurry vision. This idea had hit me like a tonne of bricks and despite already having a very full life, this vision demanded my attention and consumed me to the core.
The Elle Bell Sales Co. seed had been planted and whether I liked it or not, I had signed up to be on one of the most thrilling, challenging and rewarding rollercoasters of my professional life so far. The more energy and thought I put into it, the clearer the vision became and the concepts just started flowing out of me. I had very clearly discovered my mission and in the process, was uncovering my currency.
At first, it was easy.
I was quietly working away on the content for the online courses and discussing the details only with my husband. He definitely understood the visions I was working with but I don’t think anyone could have understood at that time how much it was setting my soul on fire – in the best way! But I also had one foot out the door at the same time. I knew that as long as I was keeping this idea close to my chest, I could back out of it just as easily as I had started it.
No one to feel responsible to, no one to feel judged by – no harm, no foul.
But as time went on and the brand kept evolving at a rapid pace, I knew I had to create some accountability for myself – so I started letting people in. First, my family. I told them about what I was trying to accomplish and their support was overwhelming! My parents have been my biggest cheerleaders since Day 1 and I know they share the same dreams for my future as I do.
Secondly, I told my friend Ryan. He owns a digital design and marketing firm and I knew I needed his expertise to guide this project. His exact response after patiently listening to my pitch was, “Normally I think your ideas are pretty bunk, but this one is good!” – Thanks Ryan….
Third, I told my close friends. One by one, I started discussing these ideas and bouncing thoughts off of them. I was amazed and humbled by the unbelievable love and support they gave me and still do. I have the best tribe on the planet and I’m so grateful that they see me for who I am.
There were so many easy days in 2019 when this brand and my energy would just pour out of me!
But there were definitely tough days when I felt exhausted by all the ‘extra work’ and days when I felt I should just throw in the towel. I stressed over financing this venture because I had invested heavily into my website and online presence to the point where I even wrote a 15 page business plan to take to the bank to ease some of the personal financial pressure on my family. My amazing husband stood by and watched for months as I invested our own money into this dream of mine and I’ll always be grateful to him for believing in me to the degree that he has. There came a time when I needed to start treating Elle Bell Sales Co. like the business it is and separate it entirely from my personal finances. So that’s what I did.
Creating a brand is hard.
Building a profitable business is hard.
But at the end of the day, I know that consistency is key and when things get tough, that’s the time to push even harder! I read so many books that kept me inspired last year and reading is an integral part of my mental health plan that keeps me on track. The point here is that, just because I had a dream, didn’t mean I had to follow through with it and there were so many times when I could have shut it down, forgotten about it and cut my loses. But I haven’t.
So let’s get back to that accountability thing.
I had the support of the people who matter most to me. I had a healthy loan from the bank that would allow me to do things the right way and I had written the road map and done the work on how this was all going to come together. So what next? Launch!
On August 1st, 2019, I officially invited the world to be part of the excitement that is Elle Bell Sales Co.! Was I nervous? Abso-freaking-lutely! Was I intimidated? A little bit. But I knew with every ounce of fire and ambition inside of me that this is a brand that women could connect with. That I had the ability to inspire women in sales, not just in Grande Prairie, but globally! And I knew that I was positioning myself inside of a niche market that I happen to have credible & valuable skills to offer to.
Game on, world! Elle Bell Sales Co. has arrived!
Since launching, I have loved every second of this journey! I received my first official sale less than 24 hours after my launch party when the website and the online sales training went live and I’ve been riding that high ever since. I’m still a full time insurance advisor, I’m still the mother to two beautiful little girls and wife to the most amazing man, and I still help run a 10,000 sq ft snowboard shop with my husband – but the point I’m trying to stress is that my passion for helping women in sales is something I can’t deny myself of. This never feels like work and it’s the most rewarding creative outlet I could possibly have in my life. I have been fortunate enough to create a very profitable career and beautiful life for my family because of the benefits of selling and I pray that more women see their potential in sales and take control of creating their best life.
We can absolutely have it all ladies!
If there’s one concrete lesson I took out of 2019 (and from an amazing female speaker of course) is that we will never achieve work-life balance, but we can definitely create work-life integration.
Accountability in sales (and in life) is important. If it’s too easy to just forget about it or push it off to the side, we all find reasons to do that and I can promise you that most of the time, those reasons aren’t as good as we think. It’s not about what your family, your friends or your coworkers think – it’s about not letting yourself down because as important as these people are, this is YOUR life and believe it or not, you only get one.
So girl-friends, it’s 2020 and officially time to find your own currency then use it to build your best life!
“Currency is what you, and only you, have to offer. It’s the sum of all your parts: who you are – your talents, your personality, your values, your experience – and everything you bring to the table, whether that’s a huge professional network or a unique ability to understand the zeitgeist. You maximize the value of your currency when you really understand your strengths and assets, and can figure out how to leverage them in this particular time and place.” – Arlene Dickinson, Reinvention
I found my currency last year and am holding onto it with every ounce of passion and drive I have in me! I am focusing so hard on what I have to offer and how I can use it to create a life I love. Everything starts with the right mindset for me and once I discovered how valuable my currency is, my whole life started to shift and pivot in all the right directions.
I have never been more energized or excited as I am right now and I can’t wait to see where this wave takes us. It’s been a full year since this vision of mine started conceptualizing and while I haven’t broken any sales records yet, my vibes are high in 2020 and my goals are crystal clear. I know exactly what I’m capable of and I’m ready to show up for myself in ways I never have before. Discovering my currency has shown me my value and this is about to be my most prosperous year yet!
Ladies – do yourself a favour and take 5 right now to write down a list of your strengths! This is the first step in finding your currency and if you really want to kick it up a notch in 2020, I highly suggest you grab a copy of ‘Reinvention’ for yourself and get to work girl!
That #bossbabelifestyle isn’t going to create itself….
All my love,
Lynsey
