Chill & Prosper with Denise Duffield-Thomas

If you’re a regular listener to my podcast, you’ll know I don’t often have guests on the show. I batch like 12 episodes in a day and the logistics of having guests usually doesn’t work with that. 

 

But today I’ve got something special - a chat with my bestie, interior designer, and set designer, Naomi Findlay. 

 

Naomi and I have done a LOT of renovation projects together and partnered in a few businesses, so this is a juicy chat all about creativity, money, and friendship.

Does this sound familiar? Have you been constantly told to get over your fear to succeed in your business? 

 

But despite trying to bury your fear, you still feel anxious and uncertain, unable to move forward with confidence. 

 

I’ve been there too - stuck in that constant struggle between faith and fear, it can be painful and overwhelming. 

 

And how can we tell the difference? When should we listen to fears from our intuition, and when should we push through?

 

On today's podcast, we're talking about how to balance fear and faith and how to discern between wishful thinking, fear, and scarcity. 

Pricing is such a pain point for many entrepreneurs, so I talk about it a lot.

 

You'll also have to revisit it regularly during your business journey. 

 

A price that feels big and scarcy at the start may soon feel normal or too small. So it's essential to continue to review your pricing so it feels like a win-win and a good energetic match. 

 

So, if you've been avoiding looking at your prices or need help experimenting with your prices, then today's podcast is for you. 

 

I share the pros and cons of different pricing strategies and why they may make sense for your business at various stages as you grow. 

 

Plus, we talk about the big mindset piece involved with pricing - feeling okay talking about money and learning that the price is just the price, and it's okay for you to charge (and receive). 

If you haven't heard a single rumor about this, you're probably thinking, "Who do you think you are, Denise?"

 

Or you may have heard that it's a goal of mine to retire soon, and you're curious.

 

At a conference I was speaking at back in March, I mentioned that I'm on track to hit my goal of retiring by 45, and maybe it was an overshare, but I had a few people freak out. 

 

So, I wanted to record this Chill and Prosper episode to share more about what's happening for me and what I'm manifesting.

Every day, I get questions from entrepreneurs about how to stay positive, stay on top of my mindset, or what to do when the inevitable blocks pop up. 

 

I’ve spent the last two decades helping people with their mindset in business because I know how crucial it is to your success and well-being. 

 

Working on your mindset is one of the only things in business that you can’t outsource to anyone else, and in my opinion, it is the number one thing we have to master as entrepreneurs.

 

When I talk about mindset work, I mean believing in yourself, nurturing an abundance mindset, and challenging your negative beliefs. 

 

It’s not a one-and-done thing, and it’s not one-size-fits-all. You must learn to continually watch your thoughts and feelings to ensure they don’t derail you. 

 

Because we all have negative thoughts, and you can’t ever truly get rid of them, but you can learn to dance with them so they don’t undermine the pursuit of your dreams. 

 

So, this is the topic we’re diving into on today’s podcast. 

After every launch, I’m nagged by the question - why didn’t more people buy? 

 

Despite the success of my business, and even when we’ve had 7-figure launches, the question still haunts me. 

 

If you’ve ever thought this or had a launch that missed expectations, then today’s podcast episode is for you. 

 

We’re talking launch conversion rates and the real reasons why people don’t buy. 

Back then when I first tried my hand at launching an online business, it was a whole different ball game. 

In 2009, social media was an infant, graphics creation was a nightmare and hosting your own videos? Forget about it unless you were ready to shell out some serious dough. 

I still remember the days when PowerPoint or Paint were my tool of choice for creating graphics and I continually tweaked HTML struggling to center things on my webpage. 

Fast forward to today, and things are wildly different. 

Creating graphics is as simple as a click with platforms like Canva and hosting videos? Platforms like Teachable and Kajabi have made it as easy as pie. 

But amidst all the convenience, I hear from lots of entrepreneurs that launching has become more challenging. 

The need to keep up with the ever-evolving social media platforms, the struggle to stand out in an increasingly saturated market - it's enough to make even the most seasoned entrepreneurs want to stop. 

So, is launching getting harder? I'd say yes and no. 

Yes, because the demands are higher and the competition is fiercer. But also no, because with the right mindset and strategy, launching can still be really rewarding. 

It's easy to feel overwhelmed and start doubting yourself when you're about to launch. I've been there, trust me.

The online business landscape is constantly changing, and what worked yesterday might not work today. But that's where the thrill lies, in continuously learning and growing. 

Listen to today’s podcast episode for my take on the challenges and winning strategies I’m seeing online.

As an introvert, the thought of living out of suitcases, constantly on the move with my family was simply overwhelming. 

But, when Mark and I first starting talking about the idea of taking on some extended travel, there was a determination deep within me to turn this journey into something more than just an extended vacation. 

It was about breaking free from the daily grind, to create vivid memories that would last a lifetime. 

In a couple of weeks, my family and I will begin four months travel in Europe, mainly based in the UK but with a few adventures and weeks away on the continent. 

I’ve never been a very adventurous traveller and I haven’t loved traveling with young kids in the past, so it’s taken some time for me to prepare for this trip. 

There are a lot of logistics to plan in our business but it’s also taken some mindset work. 

I bet many of you entrepreneurs and business owners can relate to this, especially if you’re planning to hit the pause button on work for an extended period. 

So, how am I managing to streamline my operations without breaking our business? 

Here are three simplified steps I took, which I believe would be beneficial for you as well...

I recently got home from an AMAZING trip to New York, and I was surprised by how many money lessons I picked up! 

 

This was an unusual trip because, at least initially, it wasn't work-related. It felt hard to let myself relax and do something purely for fun. 

 

As you may know, I love musicals and Broadway (and have invested in a few), so I went to NY for BroadwayCon. 

 

The Ruler in me did add two VIP days to pay for the trip, but it was honestly such a chilled, and inspiring trip. 

 

So the first lesson straight away was that it's okay for me to do things just for me and just for joy - this is definitely something I want to lean into next year. 

 

When did you last do something just for the fun of it? 

I don’t want to be a “Debbie Downer,” but I’m going to be real with you.

 

Being in business, particularly working with your significant other, is not always sunshine and rainbows. 

 

Today’s podcast episode isn’t a pity party, but I’m giving you an honest look at some of the things I find hardest in my business.