A Story about Marketing and Self Worth

As I'm currently working on a new marketing plan including rebranding for the fourteenth time, I thought that sharing my story might be valuable for you if you've ever struggled with your own worth, not knowing how to convey who you are and what you're about, and afraid of getting knocked down and hurt in the process.

When I was a beachbody coach from 2011 - 2015, I dominated that multi level marketing model. I really didn't struggle with self worth. For my whole life, I pretty much set my goals, came up with a plan, executed it, and got what I wanted.

For beachbody, we posted relevant, relatable, personal, authentic content and we SHARED and INVITED. We didn't sell. And it worked. I took all the courses. I watched all the videos. I learned from the coaches who were slaying their businesses. I created programs. I walked the walk. I talked the talk. 

I invited people to join my exercise programs, my team. I created more events. I shared my struggles. I supported, encouraged, celebrated, and helped educate my people. At one point, I was a one star diamond, which meant that I had a successful team of coaches signed up under me basically. 

I never worried about haters. I had that much self confidence. And then I went through a brutal divorce including a court battle over custody and child support that lasted for three years. 

The stress of all of it took a toll on me financially, physically, and emotionally. I wasn't able to keep up my recruiting and marketing efforts and I eventually let the whole business crumble.

Not only that, because my lawyer would show me images copied from my social media posts from my ex husband's lawyer that they were collecting to use against me in court, I became very private and scared. You know you need to be open, authentic, and vulnerable to really be successful with marketing your brand. So I stopped sharing and I was in a state of fear most of the time.

That time in my life taught me that if you show your success, it will be held against you. People will knock you down and they will hurt you. It's not safe to open up.

This phase lasted for years. When my youngest son turned 18, I finally felt safe to come out again. I knew that my ex husband couldn't do anything to knock me down again and then came corona, which knocked me on my ass again, but also gave me an opportunity to figure out what I was all about and what I had to offer the world.

I did LOTS of work on myself. I figured out why I shut down and why I got so scared and I learned to tend to my tender spots. I changed the way I talked to myself. I practiced being nurturing and compassionate and forgiving with my self. 

I uncovered my beliefs: that if you show success, people will take it from you and hurt you, that it was safer to stay private. I understood why I believed that, that it used to be true and to believe that kept me safe.

And then I realized that it wasn't true anymore and I started believing that it was safe to open up and that no one could actually hurt me. Bike riding and taking baths were part of my therapy. I felt my 48 years of worth and knew in my bones that no one could touch me. I had conversations with God. 

And then I got busy. I hired someone to help me with my website. I left my secure job at a studio and became independent. I realized that it's not about success and failure and there's nothing personal about the ebbs and flows of response to my sharing efforts. I put that all aside and I just kept doing the work.

I realized that I needed intellectual stimulation and help with getting past resistance to my creativity. I started studying psychoneuro immunology- the science of the mind body connection and how it affects your health. I did all the exercises in the book, The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron.

During my daily writing, I got inspired and I had brainstorms. I created an exercise program of my dreams and called it FUSION. I got back to writing my book, "I'm an Intelligent Woman, so how did I end up with a Soul Sucking Narcissist?" I created private fitness groups and emotional support groups. I collected stories of struggle with body image, self worth, and relationships.

And from there, very organically, my business started to grow. I know the value of what I have to offer. I hear it all the time from the people who take my classes and who do coaching sessions with me. I know I can't fail because I simply have a heartfelt desire to give, help, and heal.

And that's all it takes. Take a class or have a session with me and see for yourself.

With love,
Heidi