We sat down for an intimate, one-on-one conversation with Amy Applebaum, Success and Life Coach and founder of Amy Applebaum, Inc. and The Totally Fabulous Females Community.
What is Amy Applebaum, Inc. all about?
I believe inside each of us there’s a millionairess. And a millionairess, to me, is an accomplished, confident woman capable of achieving great success and happiness. But, without the right thoughts and behaviors, our inner millionairess can get stuck deep inside. My job is to help women release the greatness they already possess by providing them with the information, resources and guidance they need. This way, they can achieve the success they deserve.
Was there some particular life event that pushed you towards coaching?
It may sound strange, but I truly feel I was born to be a coach. I’m a problem-solver by nature and am the oldest of five. My parents got divorced when I was really young so I had lots of responsibility with my brothers and sisters. Lots of opportunities to solve problems and boss them around. I developed a taste for it (laughs). But seriously though, my father was an entrepreneur and I guess I got the bug from him. He taught me how to run a business, and I use those teachings everyday to run my company.
What types of clients do you work with?
Well, my favorite type of client to work with is an aspiring female entrepreneur who is ready to launch her first business but doesn’t know where to start. Or a female entrepreneur who is having a lot of challenges. Most of these women have an expertise and want to turn it into a business but don’t know a lot about branding, product development, marketing, sales, PR, or finance. On top of all of that, you must have the right mindset, mentors and be accountable everyday to taking the actions necessary to achieve success. Being a female entrepreneur isn’t easy. And then, you’ve got your family and relationship to dedicate time to in addition to your business so it’s really important to set realistic goals, manage expectations, learn how to work through problems and create balance.
What are the some of the most common issues your clients have?
My clients usually want to know how to raise money, get more exposure, increase sales, network, develop a product that sells, overcome fear, deal with failures, market on the internet, use social media, prioritize and manage time. They almost always also need help with clarifying what they want and then, following through.
What was your first success story like?
Incredible! A genuinely emotional and life-changing experience for me for two reasons: First, I was part of transforming someone’s life and that feeling of accomplishment is one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had. Second, I put my coaching program “out there” for the first time not knowing if it was going to work. I mean, I thought it would work but who knew? And this girl put her life in my hands hoping it would work but I couldn’t be sure and that was really, really scary. So when it turned out to be a huge success there was an enormous sense of relief as well as incredible excitement for the transformation she experienced as a result of my program.
Can you give an example of one of your most rewarding experiences with a client?
Would love to. This incredible woman came to me – and said, “I’m fat, broke, ugly, and miserable.” She hated her life. Her goal was to create more money for herself which, to her, meant a promotion.
I uncovered in our 1st session that she suffered from depression, anxiety, intestinal problems and was 30lbs overweight in addition to not being where she wanted to be financially. Most importantly, she believed that she was “unlovable” and “undeserving.” She really believed that, so, she was that. She behaved like someone who was unlovable and undeserving and as a result: she overate, avoided people and was miserable to be around. You can see why she wasn’t getting promoted.
After our initial session, we created a plan
Together we removed sabotaging beliefs and created empowering ones.
I created a series of assignments – custom made for her which included everything from eating right and exercising to budgeting to working on her self confidence. Finally, we worked through a series of exercises on how she presented herself. She needed to learn how to sell and showcase her confidence so that a promotion was even possible.
I walked side by side with her through every obstacle and every breakthrough.
In 3 months she lost 27 lbs and was promoted from production assistant to production coordinator – taking her income from $250 per day to $750 per day. It was an incredibly rewarding experience…for both of us!
How can someone work with you?
First, if they want to just come and be part of our fabulous community of female entrepreneurs, they are welcome and it’s FREE. Now if someone is truly committed and ready to take it to the next level, they can get involved in my “Release Your Inner Millionairess” Coaching Club. There are three levels they can participate in depending on their budget and the level of support they want. Pricing ranges from 25 dollars a month to thousands. I worked very hard to make each level incredibly valuable so that it’s possible for every female who wants support to get it. To get all the details, visit the Coaching section of my website.
Have you seen your life coaching and business coaching methods and philosophies evolve since you first started?
Absolutely! The steps I am using are the same – I believe in them fully. But certain aspects of how I deliver those steps have changed. I discovered very quickly that not everybody needs the same amount or same type of coaching. So, I’m always improving and tweaking my delivery and where I place emphasis with my clients.
I hear you say “Stop Talking and Start Doing” all the time. Are you saying that everybody knows what to do, but it is really a question of implementation?
In some cases, people really don’t know what to do and they need help figuring that out. In that case, it’s important to get support so that you are not talking about how you don’t know what to do and instead, are working to solve that problem. In other cases, people have great plans, great ideas, great dreams, but don’t know how to make them happen. They talk about everything they want to achieve, but then they get overwhelmed or stuck or both. I take my clients from that point and help them get clear on exactly what they want, what obstacles are in their way and then, work with them to achieve their goals. With me, you aren’t going to do a lot of talking; instead you are going to start “doing” the life and business you say you want to have.
Where do you see yourself in five or ten years?
I really want Amy Applebaum, Inc. to be contributing to the world of female entrepreneurs on a grand scale. I believe every female should have the opportunity to be successful and achieve the life that they want. So reaching out through books, the web, television and outreach projects are going to be natural extensions of the global reach I’d like to have.
If you could send one message to people who are struggling to achieve success and happiness in their lives, what would it be?
I would tell you to create a team to help you achieve your goals. A team will motivate and inspire you. Your team will hold you accountable to commitments that you make. Your team picks you up when you are feeling down and defeated and you will feel down and defeated. Your team helps you grow by teaching you what you don’t know. Without the right team, I believe we can’t be successful.
Who inspires you, and why?
My Mom for her strength and courage. My Dad for teaching me about entrepreneurship. My sisters for their loyalty beyond measure. Lee Parent for being an example of unwavering belief & support. My brothers for their humor and love. Ellen for reminding me to laugh at myself & give often. The Grey’s Anatomy cast for showing me the value of entertainment and more specifically… McDreamy and McSteamy for fantastic dreams! Donald Trump for his unwavering commitment & drive to achieve goals. My mentors for their consistent support and incredible generosity.
