Perfection Not Required: Growing an Online Business from the Inside Out

Ep.14 Erica Gregory: Challenging the Status Quo

March 14, 2022 Erica Gregory Season 1 Episode 13
Perfection Not Required: Growing an Online Business from the Inside Out
Ep.14 Erica Gregory: Challenging the Status Quo
Show Notes Transcript

I'm so excited to introduce you to our guest Erica Gregory.  After her second child was born Erica decided she was not going back to her corporate marketing job and made the leap to entrepreneurship without a plan. 

Her tenacity and instincts paid off and now after successfully creating her own social media agency Erica has found her groove as a 6 figure online business coach.   Listen in as we chat about her path to coaching, how she got started from scratch and the mindset work she had to do to achieve the results in her business today.

You can find Erica on Instagram @EricaJGregory - introduce yourself, tell her you found her from the podcast and start growing your network.  There's an amazing community of women out there that I get to talk to all the time that are just waiting to cheer you on.

Resources:  Want to know 7 things you can do today to make leaving corporate easier?  Grab it here!

Let's connect!  Come join the Breaking Up with Corporate Facebook Community👯‍♀️

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Jamie Stephens:

Oh, and just so you know, I'll edit and whatever. So like, it's totally fine. If if there's anything that comes out of your mouth that you're like, oh shit, I shouldn't. So, okay, Erica, thank you so much for joining me on breaking up with corporate, I just want to have you introduce yourself and tell everybody kind of what you are doing now. And then we'll get into the backstory of kind of what you were doing before before then kind of in your corporate job.

Erica Gregory:

Okay, yeah. Hi, I am Erica Gregory. I am a business coach slash mentor. I'm not sure if I'm really married to that title yet. But that's what I do. I coach people in business, specifically female entrepreneurs on building and scaling their business.

Jamie Stephens:

That's awesome. And so how long have you been doing that?

Erica Gregory:

I've been coaching now for just about a year. But before that I was an entrepreneur in a different capacity for about two years. So I quit. I broke up with corporate about it's been three years now.

Jamie Stephens:

That's awesome. So what were you doing in the corporate world.

Erica Gregory:

And I was in corporate marketing, I was actually in like a very large scale hospital. Health System, they call it here where I live. And I was in the marketing department creating content, specifically video content for marketing purposes. And a lot of it was on like, the digital side. So I was part of the website team. And I but mainly my day to day job was producing video content for social media marketing and the website. Yeah.

Jamie Stephens:

Okay. So I did read some of your content about how you actually enjoyed your corporate job at the time, it was just kind of life that you really wanted to balance Do you want to? I mean, cuz that's not, that wasn't my experience. But um, so were you happy and kind of what pushed you to make that leap? If you like, things were going well,

Erica Gregory:

yeah, it's funny, because, you know, you grow up. And I came from a family of entrepreneurs, but I was always kind of pushed into this success looks like a nine to five job kind of thing. But now looking at me and my two sisters, none of us have like a typical nine to five job. So we kind of like, figured out that that was a lie on our own. Anyways, but yeah, I really did enjoy the work. I went to school like undergrad for communication, and then went back to school to get my Master's in journalism. And when I was in journalism, when I was studying journalism, I ended up working for the Indiana Pacers for a season and it was a season that they like, ended up going to the Eastern Conference Finals with the Miami Heat when like LeBron James was there. So it's like this really intense, really exciting job. But I was actually doing a lot of video production for them for their website. And I learned so so so so much. It was an internship, so So I wasn't getting paid. And after I graduated, my husband, well, he wasn't my husband at that point. But my now husband and I wanted to get back to the East Coast, your family, and I ended up landing this job at the hospital here, which was pretty much right up my alley, where it was, like, you know, website content creation, which was exactly what I was doing for the Pacers. It was just for hospital, you know,

Jamie Stephens:

a little less exciting. But yeah,

Erica Gregory:

yeah. But um, yeah, I mean, overall, I was just like, this is this is amazing. Like, I was a very well respected employee, I think I would, I really enjoyed the work. It was very creative. Um, but I had, you know, it went, it was like, I got the job. And then life happened so quickly, like, we got engaged, got married, had a kid within that first year of marriage. And once I became a mom, it was like, everything changed. And I was just like, craving time with my kid. And it was funny, because coming from that background, where my my mom and dad had very flexible schedules, they were always around. And so that was normal. Like they were, they were the Girl Scout leader. And my dad coached our soccer teams and things like that. And so I was like, fast forwarding to 10 years from now where I'm like, What am I going to be an office job till five o'clock, I'm gonna miss half his life. I'm gonna miss all of these events and things like that. And so my brain started turning, and I was like, There's got to be something else. Um, it took me another, let's say, almost two and a half years once I had my second child to actually make the move out of it, but it wasn't because I hated the job. It was exactly what you said, like I just was craving time I wanted life. I wanted life. variances with my family. I wanted to be in control of what I was doing. I wanted, you know, I wanted to not be stuck to a chair at eight, like, it was like, silly. I was like, why am I here? Why am I rushing out the door every morning just to get here by eight o'clock, and I don't even like, there's nothing dire happening here. I'm like, creating video content. This isn't life or death. Like, it just became so silly to me. And like these big things were happening in my life, like having kids and, you know, as missing things, like my son singing songs, and like his daycare teachers were teaching him that and I was like, oh, I want to teach him that. Like, I want that. So that was really like the, the once I had my first child that planted the seed, and then my second, my daughter, once I had her it was like, Yeah, game on, like, I'm out of here.

Jamie Stephens:

Yeah. So from what I understand, you didn't go back after you had your daughter?

Erica Gregory:

Yeah, it's kind of funny, because you know, people have these side hustles. But they build and then they have money in the bank to like, quit. But for me, it was not that at all, like I had been doing like, like, doing some side hustle things just for extra money, but I never really had the care to grow it more, I think because I was so comfortable in this job. It was like, oh, whatever, you know, it was just when things got hard on the side hustle. It was like, well, whatever, I have this great job. It's fine. Um, but yeah, so then I have my daughter and well backing up a little bit. Um, the summer before I had her I was I was pregnant. And I, we had been working on this really big project at work. And right in the middle of that project, I took a week vacation, you know, because they give you PTO and time off. And I came back from that. And that was just like, so depressed to be back at work, because I had this amazing vacation with my family. And I kind of got scolded for even going like, during this time of like, big project. And I just like, I don't know, I don't mean to minimize the work or like, trivialize it, but it was like, this is a website. Like, I don't care. Yeah, you know, like nothing about this is important. So it's like, okay, at that point, I kind of just, I remember crying at my desk, like, I'm pregnant. I'm tired. I hate this stuff. I want to be home anyway. And I remember that was like July, and I remember being like, I'm not coming back after I have this baby. But I had no plan. Like, I've no plan. I just knew, and I didn't say anything to anybody, like not even my husband. I was just kind of like, No, it's not. So then I had my daughter right, the day after Thanksgiving in 20, in 2018. And I was on maternity leave for three months, which don't even get me started on maternity leave. Cuz I could rant about that. Yeah. Forever. But

Jamie Stephens:

three months. They're fine, right? It's totally fine. I was

Erica Gregory:

fine. Like she never even touched. My daughter never even took a bottle. Like she, I don't even know what would have happened had I had to go back to an office like she was not she didn't take a bottle. I tried every trick in the book. But, you know, I would have been required to go back to an office for eight hours a day. It was just insane. So anyway, so yeah. So a month before I was supposed to go back, it was like June, mid January, they sent me my my office sent me a letter and they were like, we're expecting you back to work on February 14. And I remember being like, oh, no, no, so soon. And that day, I just kind of decided, like, I just decided I called my dad who was an entrepreneur, and I was like, What am I didn't go back to work. And he was like, you know, that's great. Like, your mom didn't work when you get when you girls were little, that's, you know, raising your kids is great. And I was like, No, I don't think I just, you know, I don't think it's just that I want to do something else. And he was like, okay, and he was like, so full bore supportive. And he actually gave me a little bit of work to do from his business just to kind of bridge the gap because I was literally quitting my job and would have no income. Yeah, um, which was a blessing, but there's so many ways also just side note, I'm lucky that I have that as my like, my dad is that but I think there are so many ways to just kind of get income going, that will kind of make you feel a little bit like if you were in my scenario, and you didn't have a dad to rely on but you knew you needed some money to pay the bills. Like there's a ways to go out there and just kind of find money if you're really like gung ho about it. So don't take me as like, Oh, she was so lucky to have that. Like, if it wasn't my dad, I would have waited tables or something, you know, like would have happened it was that I had decided, um, so yeah, anyway, so then my husband came I came home from work. And I was like, what if I didn't go back to work? And he was in that he was supportive, but skeptical in a very healthy way. And that like, well, how is you know, because I was making the money, and he had to go back to school and all these things, and I just kind of laid it out there. And I was like, I can't go back to work. Like, if I go back to work, you're going to get miserable, I'm gonna be miserable. So it's either that or I figure this out. And he was like, okay, so I walked into my office, and I quit. I was so nervous. Like, I was so freaking nervous to quit my job. And yeah, I've my manager. She was she's, she's a great person. Like, it's not that it was just, she was my manager. She wasn't my friend. Yeah. And she looked at me and she was like, will you make this? Will you make your resignation effective today, so I can list your job. And I was like, all of them. All of this fear of like, oh my god, they're gonna hate me. I was like, Oh, I'm just replaceable. Like,

Jamie Stephens:

they log in the machine. Yeah.

Erica Gregory:

So it's like, okay, and I remember coming home and having my baby and like, cuddling with her. And just like, being like, this is my life. I am so freakin happy. So that's a long story. But that's how it all came. It's like, without you have to tell the whole story to make it make

Jamie Stephens:

sense? Well, yeah. Because it's, it's, you know, just to walk away and just be like, I'm not gone. But you know, I mean, that's like a whole, like, Okay, wait, what happened? You know, why? What's going on? So now, I love that you went into all of that. So tell me about that first couple of months. And what that looks like for you, as you were kind of figuring things out to little babies. Yeah, brand new experience all of the things.

Erica Gregory:

Yeah, I had, I really leaned into like the new norm, like, I was totally okay with all this freedom. And I remember not putting any pressure on myself to do all of the things. So I remember, like, I and I was very intentional about breaking the habits that were very, like, corporate. So at first I was, you know, oh, my God, I have to work nine to five. Like, I didn't even have clients at that point. But it's so much like, I have to work. So I would like sit and have my computer open, like until five o'clock at night. And I'm like, I'm not even doing anything. This is stuff that I need to be intentionally done with. So um,

Jamie Stephens:

yeah, it's a real struggle. I mean, we can just pause there for a sec. Like, it's real. Like, I know, I like come in my office shut the door. And now it's like, a little overwhelming. It's like, where do I Where do I start? You know, I mean, all of that. So I get that for sure. And breaking is like, Hmm, I can just rest if I want to rest or like, if I just am having a bad day, like, oh, yeah, I'm, I'm in charge.

Erica Gregory:

It really is. Like, it's truly that. And like, now that I'm coaching a lot of people in this business world, too, it's like, you don't win an award for being the most productive like you don't, there's nothing like, the more hours you put in, it doesn't mean you make more money, like we get to decide what we do with our time. That's why we decided to quit our job. So yeah, but it was really like I had to be intentional about, okay, I want to be able to grocery shop at 10am on a Tuesday like that, that was never a thing for me before. It was always like Saturday morning, stuff like that, or like going for a walk in the middle of the day. Um, you know, just Yeah, exactly that saying, like, I'm going to just rest right now, or I'm going to take a nap. I mean, at that point, I'm like, I have a three month old, I'm exhausted. I'm taking naps. And my husband would take like days off of work, or I don't remember what he is doing. He had a very flexible schedule. So we would just, like go on day dates and stuff. So it was very, like very intentional about just re owning my time. But it was also like, I wanted to make money. Like that was the that was the goal. And, um, I had no it's really funny. Because I had no clients, I had no business plan. Like I didn't even really understand what I was going to be doing. I knew it, I was gonna kind of be taking the skills that I had been using in my corporate job and just doing them, like kind of freelancing for a while. So I kept I had a really good network of people that I like, just reached out to and I was like, Hey, this is what I'm doing now. And it turned into just like, you know, a couple $100 Here, a couple $100 there and it was like by a couple like maybe three or four months later, I was bringing in enough money to like recoup the money that I had. So it was basically making the same amount of money I was bringing home from my job with it. So just by Can I just by networking, literally just by talking to people about what I was doing. And it soon it kind of, and this is another thing I talk to people about all the time now is like, I didn't really have a plan, I just took action. Like I just kind of moved forward. And it figured itself out. Like it all shuffled out, right place. And soon, bout six months into the thing I was doing. It turned out that my business plan was digital marketing for small businesses, and I was supporting them in their digital endeavors. So some of it was blog post writing. Some of it was email marketing, some of it, a lot of it was social media, content creation, I was still doing some video production work on the side. It was really just like a plethora of different opportunities that really fell into my lap, because I was just putting myself out there. I don't know, maybe you can relate to this. But it's like when you just decide that you're going to do something I failure for me was never even like, I never let my brain go there. It was just like, oh, yeah, this is gonna happen. Like, yeah, it's gonna happen. I was very patient, which is surprising for me. Because I'm not. But I was very like, this is going to happen, like I had full faith in it. And I think that mindset really did wonders for me.

Jamie Stephens:

And how did you get that? I mean, did you have that before you left corporate? Is it always something that you've kind of tended to? Or is that something you've kind of developed along the way,

Erica Gregory:

it was definitely not something I had before it was something that it was almost like this piece, or like, maybe like this message this overwhelming, like feeling that I was just doing the right thing, and it's gonna work out. Um, so I just leaned into that, like, I couldn't stress myself out over things. I'm sure I had my moments like looking back, it wasn't all rainbows and butterflies, but, um, I just remember not I was immersing myself in like business books, and listening to podcasts, and reading, reading books and blog posts and all the like I was constantly I was like a sponge at that time to just getting all of the information. I could, I wasn't I couldn't invest in myself, because I didn't have the money. But I was like taking all the free classes that people were putting on. And it was, it was just a time of very much like, I'm ready, I'm like receiving all of this information, and it's gonna pay off. And so I can't even put like a tangible definition on what it was. It's simply just I decided, and then it you know, I decided I'm if this is going to happen, like failure is not going to happen. So I'm going to lean into that. And it just, I took the action required. I talk to people I literally, if I remember one thing about those first few months after I quit my job, it was the networking, I went everywhere. And I went everywhere with my baby like I like she didn't have she like I said she never took a bottle. So I was like going to networking events with my baby, or I would have my husband show up. And he would sit in the car for a half an hour with the CD. Well, I went in network and then literally came back out and fed her like it was very much like I have to show up everywhere and talk to people about what I'm doing. And that is the number one piece of advice I can give to anybody is just a network, tell people talk about what you're doing. And don't wait until everything's figured out. Like it doesn't need to be pretty and tied with a bow. Just getting your name out there and having conversations. Sometimes they lead to something, sometimes they don't. But just getting out there and talking is so beneficial for anybody who's new to business.

Jamie Stephens:

That's awesome. So you were like going to networking events and mixers and that sort of thing. Oh, yeah, that just makes my skin crawl a little bit.

Erica Gregory:

I honestly I'm the biggest and I am after this interview, I'm gonna go crawl in bed and like recharge, I'm such an introvert. So that kind of stuff really doesn't make me like it's very uncomfortable. But I almost felt like I was playing this role. Like I had to, like, get into this role. Like I'm the business owner, and it made me feel a little bit more confident and comfortable. And I'm not saying like I like to doing it. But it was one of those things where that I it was just, I couldn't fail. And so I had to do something that was uncomfortable. I had to be uncomfortable and it paid off.

Jamie Stephens:

That's awesome. So how long were you doing that before you switched into the business coaching?

Erica Gregory:

Yeah, so I was it basically morphed into a social media agency and Social Media Marketing Agency about six months after I quit my job. So for about two years, well, I would say about 18 months, I was doing just the social media marketing. And I was making, let's see, 20 in 2020, I made$75,000, which was 10,000, more than I had made in my corporate job. So I was like, doing it on the right half. Yeah. Like, okay, this is great, but it was still doing, I was still felt like, I was trading a lot of my time for money. Like, it wasn't scalable. I was beginning like, I was like, constantly looking for a new client. And I was just like, this isn't really what I like to do. Um, so in 2020, was just like, you know, the crappiest year for everybody. So it was, by the end of that I was very burnt out, like, I want I was going through the motions. Like I was grateful for what I had done, but it wasn't exciting anymore. So at the beginning of 2021, I decided that I'm going to make a change. And I remember going and I remember, I had like four or five interviews with for new clients, like right in January 2021. Like, I was like, Oh, my God, like, I'm gonna be so busy this year, I have so many, like, now new clients, and four out of the five of them fell through. And I was like, what is happening? Like, this isn't how it's supposed to be. And it was right around then that I decided, okay, well, I'm going to invest in my business. And this was the first time I spent any money on myself. And I ended up taking Kathy Ehlers made to do this. And week one i She was talking about, you know, what, stop trying stop trying to do things? And what if you just were ready, you just decided you were ready to receive? And it was like, yeah, like, that's exactly where I'm at, like, I'm so burnt out, I'm so tired of just hustling, there has to be a better way of doing this. And within 24 hours of me just once again, making that decision. I'm going I'm ready to receive, I started getting people emailing me or DMing me about hey, like, can you teach me a little bit about social media? Like I'm, I'm a business owner, can you teach me a little bit about this? And so I was like, Ooh, this is interesting. Like, people need to know how to market themselves online, especially nowadays. So I started doing like just free trainings around how to use social media to market yourself. And it was really like, I got a guy at one point, I think I had like, 80 or 100 people on a live like, it was crazy. I was like, what is happening? But it was just like, gave me this competence. I'm like, I know, I know, something. Like I know what I'm talking about. Um, I was like, Ooh, this is exactly like, this is what I like to do. Like, I like to teach people I like kinda like to encourage them. I'm like, if I could do it, you could do it. I had a two month old baby, and I quit my job. Like, if you want to do it, you can do it. And so it morphed into like this training around social media. And then people started being like, Wait, you're making $5,000 a month? Like, how are you doing that? And like, well, I can help you do that. So I started doing, you know, client work one on one client work with that, and I would do host programs. And then it kind of just changed involved in business coaching in general. And over this time, frame two, I had hired my own business, my business mindset coach, because I was still in that hustle mode. And I was like, I don't want to work this much. Like, that's the goal, right? Like, I don't want to work all this, but I was still gonna make money. And so that was really like, where I dove in to a lot of mindset work of my own last year is just understanding that I like I can, I don't have to work all the time. And I still can make money. And I can make a lot of money. Like, it's really amazing that the transformation, I can see myself for myself even a year ago, just by hiring somebody who has helped me work through these limiting beliefs and these blocks and things like that. And then now I get to pass that knowledge along to the people that I'm working with. And it's so cool. It's like the it's my favorite. Honestly, I wake up and I'm excited. I love what I do. And I'm working like two or three hours a day. And I'm making, you know, five figures a month. It's really cool. So, um, yeah, like that's kind of how that all turned into it. I looking back I can't even like, I don't know, it was very much like this journey, that one thing led to another that led to another that led to another and I'm just like, wow, looking back. I don't know if I could even write a book on what happened because it happened so quickly. And so effortless, effortless, effortlessly, as well.

Jamie Stephens:

Yeah, no, that's amazing. I mean, I know that that's not everybody's experience, but I think that that mindset piece It's so important and realizing one like, do I want to just do what I was doing in corporate? Like, Yeah, I'm good at it. But is that really like where my passion is? Or am I just trading one boss for a whole bunch of other problems, right? I get that. But I love how just kind of the, you were so willing to just take the action and just go, Okay, this is not an option. here's this, here's this here and how it just kind of morphs and changes and has like a life of its own. That's really exciting.

Erica Gregory:

Yeah, yeah, exactly.

Jamie Stephens:

So how did you go? Um, so the, like, the networking events, whenever you were getting your first clients, is that kind of where those came from? And then your free trainings and stuff that you were doing online? is kind of how you kind of morphed into getting the clients the second time? Or how did that

Erica Gregory:

look? Yeah, I think it was, it was a combination of word of mouth, like referrals, especially with earlier on. And, and networking events. But I would like I had really, like I had no shame, no pride in like, nothing was gonna hold me back. So I was like, emailing people from like, hey, remember, like three years ago, we did this project together, like, hey, now I'm doing this. And you know, sometimes people would email me back and be like, Oh, my gosh, like, I need that. Or, Oh, I know, somebody who knows somebody who could help you. So as literally just adopting this belief that like, I honestly, I don't know, who knows who. And right. So who knows what could happen if I send this you know, I was doing a lot of that. So just contacting old colleagues, friends, my family was doing some word of mouth marketing for me. Um, I literally remember going through the Chamber of Commerce website here in my, in my town, and going through and being like, on Monday, emailing everybody, that company starts with A, I am everybody, because I was like business to business. So like, I was just a lot of cold calling cold emails, what I would find would be helpful is just like, if I really loved a business in my town, or had like a connection with some kind of company, I would email them, their them and just be like, I'm love, like, I love what you are your business. I'm a constant customer. Here's what I'm doing. Like, could I support you in any way? Um, and then like, like, we had built a, we had built a house a year before, and I emailed the builder, and I was like, hey, like, are you guys doing any social media marketing. Um, so really, I think I know, like business to business marketing is kind of a little bit different than like b2c, but it's still the same kind of journey, right, you can still kind of reach out and network and talk about what you're doing, whether it be on social media, or an email, or just like going to your local farmers market or whatever, like, just getting out there. And talking is so important to building your client base. And so when I, when I think about, like, my custom, my, my business coaching business now that I have, the people that I work with, have primarily found me through other people. So it's still a lot of referral based business, or like, Hey, um, you know, now that I've, and I spent two or three years building my social media following, which still isn't that big, it's like, almost like 1800. Um, it's nothing to really write home about, but it's like, I'm still like, spent time building that. And now I'm finally seeing like, Okay, people are showing up in my DMs and asking about things and things like that. But I did not rely on that as heavily as people might think, especially being with a social having a social media background. I just knew that like that was going to be like the long game, more so than, like, I need to make money right now. So I'm going to go out and talk to people about what like, what I can do for them. And that's really like the idea that I adapted and like it really does pay off in just talking to everybody and telling people like if you're a parenting coach, or if you're a nutritionist, or you don't know who knows who or who may benefit from what you have to offer, so why not talk about it and not in a way not like a salesy way or not like a, you know, like a bragging way either. It's just like, I am so obsessed with what I do. And I just really want to help people like with their nutrition or whatever, and like, it really resonates with people so and the other thing I've also found is that other business owners are always going to have the back of other business owners at least that's been my experience is like I want to help You, I want to help you grow, I want to help you in whatever way. And so I'm, you know, I just being immersed with other entrepreneurs in some kind of capacity in a community, whether it be online or in a in person meetup or something that I find that other entrepreneurs really will have your back because they understand the journey, the understand the mindset, like we're kind of built differently than nine fibers in that we want. We know there's more. We know there's more out there, and we all want to achieve it. And so we support each other. So I found a lot of support and like the entrepreneur community, here locally, but also online. Yeah.

Jamie Stephens:

So tell me about what is like the best part of your days now. Like what is you said, you only work like two to three hours a day. So kind of what does the rest of your time look like?

Erica Gregory:

Yeah, I have like a very, like, I still have young kids. So I have a five homeless six year old and a three year old. So um, I spend a lot of time with my daughter. She's home. She does preschool twice a week. But other than that she's home with me. So we do gymnastics, we go to the gym where there's little stay in play for her. So I work out all every day, it's very much become part of my, you know, entrepreneur, like that was always something like I never have time to go to the gym. I go to like,

Jamie Stephens:

what do these people do that they could just go to the gym in the middle of the day I know is wondered that too.

Erica Gregory:

Yeah. Now I'm like, I'm the one at the gym at 9am. And it's really great. But I still like I actually wake up earlier now than I did when I worked in the office because I just like have this morning routine. I like to have a little cup of coffee before the kids wake up. Um, yeah, I mean, I'm spending I spend a lot of time on calls because I'm coaching people. I don't, you know, really do much of the busy work if I feel compelled to like write an email or if I like, post on social media I do. But it's really a lot of just very flexible. Like, just before I hopped on with you. I was like, laying down and watching a Netflix show like, like, and yeah, so it's like nothing, like nothing special. Like, um, yeah, my time is mine. Basically, I'm in my, like, sweat pants. Like, I mean, I showered today. So I'm like, clean. I totally in my comfy is and like, that's just how I am show up. So it's based. It's my like, it's my time. It's my life. We like we've, we've mapped out a bunch of travel for this year. It's harder now that Finn's in kindergarten, but we traveled all last summer, it was so great thing. Thankfully, we were like in that little gap between COVID spikes be like traveled all over the place. Um, so yeah, it's just a lot of doing what I want and doing the things that really light me up and made me feel like me. Yeah, that's

Jamie Stephens:

awesome. So tell me about your vacation last summer, whenever you made the most money that you have. today? Well, it may have changed since you posted. But

Erica Gregory:

yes, it was. Um, so the the whole, you know, we have this, we have a lot of money beliefs, right. And so one of my money beliefs from childhood, and is that, you know, you must you have to work, you have to be productive in order to make money. And it. I mean, I think it's generational. Like my dad and my mom are very much like that. And they still are. My dad's the hardest working person I know. And like he'll go, we have my niece's birthday party next weekend, and he's coming, but he'll work until the birthday party. And then you know, it's like, it's just like, he's obsessed with it for no reason other than, like, I don't know, if he has, like, prove to himself like, oh, you work hard. Anyway, so this was the belief that I had, like, I have to work or I always have to be doing something, I always have to be productive. And that will make me money. Right? So I so when I started working with my coach, we started to work through these beliefs that I had around money. And she asked me this very poignant question, which I think about all the time now, she was like, who's the hardest working person? You know, I said it my dad, and he she was so is he also the wealthiest and I was like, Oh, my God, like he's very well off. He makes a good living, but he's not the wealthiest person I know. So I was like, oh, okay, so I had to like detach this belief. So she told me and it was, it was basically I mean, we had plans to go on vacation. But she said, What if you went on vacation and you adopted the belief that this could be your most your highest income, your highest earning month ever? And I was like, okay, so it like really leaned into that. I was on vacation two and a half weeks in June. And up until then, I had made like I had made 10,000 9000 And June I had made$14,000 It was my highest month by by far, I think. I think right now it stands to my third highest so it's still up there like it's very, very like lucrative And I worked like less than 10 days like, and on those 10 days, I worked like two hours, like I was just like, No, I'm good. This is my month off, like I'm not working, and I made a ton of money. And so what that taught me and what it can teach all of you is that we don't have to work and we don't have to, like, put in 40 hours in order to, to be to make more money. In fact, what if we adopted the belief that the more fun we have, the more impact we make, the more we lean into ourselves, and the more we live into the present, then that means the more money we make, like that equals more money. And that's the proof that I have from that month. And like even, even this month is gonna be one of my highest months yet. And I I'm looking back and like, we had COVID at the beginning of this month, and it was so it wasn't like, okay, it wasn't fun, but it was also a very, it was very much a month of like, leaning back, surrendering, just relaxing, you know, kind of taking it easy. And here's another high month. So, um, yeah, that's, that's just the belief that I choose to have now is like, I don't have to work over war. In fact, if my body's telling me to lay down and watch Netflix, I'm going to do that.

Jamie Stephens:

Yes, yes, I love that. So, that is obviously like, a whole lot of internal work that you had to do to get that. And I don't know that. Because of my audience and kind of where they're at. I don't know that that's something that even seems real. Right? You know, like, when she did, what she worked, how much she made, how it went, you know? Yeah, so kind of what was the biggest struggle to kind of actually take that in? And kind of receive that from your coach? And is there anything that you did to really internalize that message? Or is it just happened to line up with your vacation? And then it just kind of proved itself? Or is there anything that happened kind of in between, to where you, like, what kind of work did you have to do to actually adopt that belief,

Erica Gregory:

it's really interesting. It's like, the for the first two years of entrepreneurship were a lot of me trying to figure things out myself. And because of that, I was exhausted. And so at the beginning of 2021, I just kind of said to myself, there has to be a different way. And I started looking around and seeing people doing it differently, making a crap ton of money. And like, like, but not that they're not married to their computer. And so I just like I just started, like, opening my eyes to it. And it was a very, it was a slow evolution, like, I can see it now. But it was very slow. But I was like, I, you know, I kept telling myself, I quit my job. So I would have more time I quit my job, so that I would have more time. And I wasn't seeing that. Like it wasn't, I was still really stressed and just thinking I had to work all the time. But then I like I looked at other people, I found proof and other people before I could find the proof in myself. And, um, and I just kind of, I think it's just a mindset that I had where I'm like, I am burnt out and they're I'm ready to try something different. And I think that's also why I decided to invest in myself and, you know, put invest in, in programs that would help benefit me and my and my, my business, which was a huge scary step to it's like, what I'm spending $3,000 On this program I don't like I make, you know, I make a good living, but like $3,000 is a huge chunk of money. But it was just, I kind of just felt like, if I don't do it, I'm gonna keep spinning my wheels. So I can't really, I can't really like pinpoint one thing. It was a very slow evolution over my entrepreneurial journey. But then I did have like the conversation. And I think the more you kind of immerse yourself and in personal development work and things like that, you start to read about like the universe and signs and then you start to be like, Yeah, that's really interesting. And you and then you can start to look back on your life and be like that happened. Because Oh, and you kind of like, oh, maybe I manifested that and you're like, Oh, so you start to find proof in your own life then. And so then I started working with this mindset coach, but she's a business mindset coach, and she was just like, all into that like she will. We don't talk about strategy. We don't talk about social media, like we don't talk about, you know, conversion rate and all that stuff we talk about like, what am I doing in my my world? What am I doing in my mind? What am I like, that really is holding me back. And so when I started to talk to her about that, it was like, this huge, like part of me that I had been like suppressing for so long, just kind of emerged, like when you're in the corporate world, you're just very much in a box. And it's, you know, even when you have the most creative job in the in the company, you're still doing it limited, like limiting, limited by standards. And, you know, the way we used to do it, and well, 35 people have to sign off on it. So really, is it worth changing it like, it's so you're still in a box, even when you're being creative air quotes, so. So it was lifting this, like, these old beliefs that I had around how work needed to be done, and how I needed to run my business. And it was very much like a, yes, this feels so much better. This feels so much better. These beliefs feel so much better than the ones that I kind of adopted. Because I had been in that nine to five world for so long. It felt like I was actually myself, like hope for once. So it isn't like I don't know if I can spell it out to somebody who hasn't experienced it. But if you are open to the ideas of the universe, and signs and manifestation and all of these, like kind of spiritual qualities, then I think that you may understand where I'm coming from where it's just like, yeah, like, No, my coworkers don't get it. Like, they don't understand why I feel about that. But there are people out there, and I'm talking to you, whoever you're listening, there are people out there who understand. And they feel the same way as you do. And you're not woowoo you're not anything like this stuff actually works. And I'm proof of it.

Jamie Stephens:

Yes, I love that. And, you know, it's funny that you say that, because I know, whenever I first started down, like my whole, like, personal development journey, where it was really just like, intense, you know, just like all the time, this is what I'm doing. Because it's like, once I get started, it's just like, you just can't stop. But then the deeper you go, there is all this spiritual overlay. And like, it's just kind of surprising, because that was not even, you know, not even on my radar as far as like, I'm not a like, quote, unquote, religious person. I'm not like, that was not my thing. But then, like, who I've become, because of that journey with personal development is really more of that whole spiritual side to where it's like, but wait, like, the shit works? Like just the evidence is there. Like, if you are open to seeing it, like it's just there. And there's so many people that are doing business this way, and just changing their lives and changing the lives of their family? And I just love that.

Erica Gregory:

Yeah, and I think a lot of it too. I mean, I'm assuming a lot of your audience are women, yes, is that, you know, the corporate structure, the nine to five world, all of that is very masculine, like it's based on a very masculine history of society, like, women weren't working when, you know, the 40 hour workweek was implement, like, implemented into our society, it just wasn't. And so all of these things, and the task oriented and the productivity and all that stuff is very masculine. And there's a side of that that's very, like healthy, there's a healthy masculine. So I don't know if you've gotten into any of this before, but it's very interesting, I'm very into the feminine masculinity, but there's also this very toxic masculine, and when we lead with our toxic Max masculine energy, that's leads to burnout, it leads to like, crying at your desk pregnant, like all of these things, like I'm not, that's not how we were meant to lead. We're meant to lead with feelings and energies. And, you know, we're very intuitive beings being women. And we have our at least hormones that are very, like, just nurturing. And so when we lead with those things, and then kind of let the masculine come from that, that is actually really the best and healthiest way to live, but also to build a business. So for instance, if I'm like I, you know, I'll just be like, letting myself my brain wander. And I'm like, Oh, I have a really fun idea that feels really good. Like, I'm literally like, saying, like, that feels exciting, like, I'm excited about us. And then I kind of just like think about it and think about the feeling of it. And because I'm very much in that energy and feeling into it, then it's like, okay, well what do I need to do in order to make that happen? And then the masculine kind of task oriented side of me will take over and then I'm like, Okay, well, I have to, you know, set up a landing page and develop a book now. these things and I'm like, but it feels good because it's coming from a place of like, oh, that's exciting, like, so if we're leading more with our feminine it that is like think about yourself at a desk, like edit your nine to five job like being like, Well, that just doesn't feel good. Like

Jamie Stephens:

cares. Like, check your feelings at the door like, the place.

Erica Gregory:

Like what if, what if you adopted the belief that that's exactly how you should be running your, your business and like, that is really cool. So like the whole idea of like, I'm or like rent like being really in tune with your cycle. And like, you know, when you're in your ovulation phase, you're like, very magnetic and like that should be when you're selling and, and you're talking to people and like, connecting and everything. And then you know, you have your menstrual period where you're exhausted and you're very internal, and maybe your thoughts are negative, well, that's probably not when you should be settling, you should be taking a break and resting and all these things. Like, we have this very natural cycle that is like, you know, the universe created that built into us. And we're just like pushing back on it for because of like societal norms. And it's just like, I'm so I, I'm listening to myself, and like, wow, you do sound boo like you. Who are you? I promise three years ago, like none of this was even on my horizon. But it's just because I've immersed myself into this world. It's really just like, oh, my gosh, this makes so much more sense than, like, quarterly reports.

Jamie Stephens:

Oh, for sure. Yeah, I was I'm curious as was there like a, once you started listening to more of your intuition and kind of flowing with like, the feminine energy and that sort of thing? Was there a period of time to where your husband was like, What the hell are you doing? Like? I just kind of curious, because my, it's all you know, there's a difference in energies to where it's like, yeah, I'm just curious what that what that was like, for you.

Erica Gregory:

He totally, he totally like, still to this day, it's like, quit, like, you know, I think he's even told me like, you know, just jokingly, like, Okay, you and your hocus pocus stuff. But I, I also, and I get it, but I get it, like men and women are very much different. And he sees things differently. So instead of me talking about the transformation, and the journey, and the energy and everything, I kind of just show him like, this is how much I made this month. And he's like, okay, it's for being, um, there's also a part of it, where I've had to learn the hard way where like, as much as he's very much a support system, and he's there and he in he does, you know, he's the husband in all of this, He supports me in that. I also feel like there are there, you have to protect your energy, when it comes to people who just don't get it. Like, you can't convince somebody of this, this way of being without them being receptive to it. So there's no point it's like, it's like trying, like trying to make somebody understand, like, No, you have to be Christian, or you have to be Jewish or whatever. Like, without them being, like, open to it. It's it and I don't mean to talk about that in the same way as religion, I'm just saying like, it's very, very similar to that, right? We can't force it on people. And so what that also does is that makes you as as yourself and you're learning these new things, and you're kind of developing and evolving. You have to protect yourself from that, because it's very, like, it's sacred energy, you don't want to like, get, you know, told it's silly or whatever, like, it's important to you. So finding people that do relate to you, like, that's very much my business coach for me, like, whenever I'm feeling, I need to talk through something I just kind of hop on with her. And I'm like, this is and she she supports me in that. So you're finding finding people that are like, kind of like minded is so important. I think being an entrepreneur is lonely in general, but then you kind of tap into these more spiritual things. And you're like, Yeah, I need my people. And so finding those people is really, really like, it's very helpful and not talking. Not talking about it with people that just don't get it, you know? Yeah,

Jamie Stephens:

like that are looking like, Kay, she's got like, horns coming out of her head. There's no I get that. Well, Erica, it has been so fun. Um, as we kind of wrap up, I just want to know, is there something that you would tell your self like, what advice would you give to yourself? Like, before let's let's say the time period is when you were basically realizing with your son, like, Oh, crap, like, what do I do now? I don't want to go back but you're kind of in that. I kind of have to go back in phase. Like, what would be that piece of advice that you could give somebody, or give yourself today, like looking back?

Erica Gregory:

It's, I think I would just say, like, be patient. Um, you know, you have to learn the lessons that you've learned, and you have to meet the people that you're going to meet, in order for everything to work out the way that it's supposed to. I mean, it's, it's a hard thing to not know, when, you know, like, when is something when is it going to change? When is it gonna feel better when it when is the timing going to be right? Well, sometimes the timing is not right. And you just have to go for it anyway. But for me, it was more about the Just be patient because everything that happened once I, you know, first started thinking about it to when I quit, had to have happened in order for me to continue to be successful. So patience is so important, but also just believe, have that knowing that belief in yourself that it's going to happen, and, and no matter what, like, if you hold on to that belief, then then failure can't happen. Like it's all going to work out the way it's meant to be. Um, so yeah, it's kind of like, it's kind of serendipitous how everything happened. And I think if anybody goes through a similar journey, they may find that, you know, the timing actually did need to be when it was because otherwise XY and Z wouldn't have happened.

Jamie Stephens:

Yeah, no, I for sure. Get that. Awesome, will tell people where they can find you where they can follow you on social media work with you all of those good things. And if you've got anything coming up, I'd be glad to showcase it here.

Erica Gregory:

Sure. Yeah. So I am on Instagram at Erica J. Gregory, Erica with a C. And I have a ton of offer different ways you can work with me, I'm actually working on a really fun, new offer right now called build your business bootcamp. And essentially, it's a six months community online, where you have access to pre recorded modules that will walk you through the basic fundamentals of building your business. So the social media, the marketing, the branding, the money that all of those things, I do even have one module on your mindset and things like that. So that's launching in March. So if you keep an eye out, if you follow me on Instagram and keep an eye out over there, you'll see when all of that goes live, but I also do one on one coaching. So if you're interested in that, then just DM me and we can hop on a discovery call and chat about that.

Jamie Stephens:

Awesome. Well, thank you so much, Erica. Um, one quick question on your group program is do people have to start in March or can they join kind of when

Erica Gregory:

it's a rolling enrollment, so you'll just have a month from the date that you enroll? Yeah.

Jamie Stephens:

Okay. Awesome. All right. Well, thank you so much. Let me stop recording here.