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What you’ll learn in this episode:
In today’s episode I have the honor of speaking with Speaking and Thought Leadership Coach Michelle Barry Franco. Michelle is not only an amazing coach that helps people who have a story at the heart of the work that they do, or their own personal story, that they want to share with the world and bring it life in a message that is aligned and resonates with the people and the work they care about in the world, but she has been my coach and has been instrumental in helping me craft my message, create my signature talks, and align my work with my clients in a powerful way that I could never have done on my own.
She also has a unique journey she’s followed in her business as she’s grown and created and optimized her offers. One that took her from a passion she had as a young adult, to a degree she realized that she maybe didn’t need, to pursuing her career as an entrepreneur. I think many of you listeners will appreciate hearing how she navigated this journey as you work through your own offers and business growth, and seeing how the pieces can come together to form something brilliant in a way we never imagined.
By the end of this episode, you will have had so many insights, laughs, and nuggets that you can apply to your own business to help move your growth and offers forward.
Take a listen!
Here’s a glance at this episode:
- How the things in your life that light you up could be connected to something in your business you want to focus on
- Imposter syndrome, and how it can keep us stuck (or stunt our creativity) around our business, and how to overcome it
- Why thought leadership, and crafting your unique message, creates a business that’s magnetic and allows you to share your Hell Yes! Offers in a way that attracts your ideal clients and audiences
Mentioned in this episode:
5 Ways to be more captivating and engaging as an online speaker
Work/Connect with me:
Consults That Convert FREE Training
About Michelle Barry Franco
Michelle’s mission is to support and inspire those who feel a powerful call to share their stories and expertise from the stage in stepping into their most authentic powerful expression as a speaker.
She has devoted over thirty years of her life to the study and practice of public speaking. Along the way she has earned a Master’s degree in Speech Communication, a BA in Cognitive Psychology and a certification in Whole Person Coaching.
Alongside 10+ years of teaching public speaking at the college level, she began working with founders, leaders, authors and transformational healers of all kinds to help them tell their stories and change lives with their message. Witnessing the ripple effects of their stories, lessons learned and expertise as it serves our world so positively is the greatest gift of her work life.
Jessica Miller
[0:02] Hello, Michelle, I’m so excited to be here with you.
Michelle Barry Franco
[0:06] I am so excited to be here. Thanks for inviting me.
Jessica Miller
[0:09] Yeah, for everyone listening, Michelle Barry Franco, one of my favorite people, I’m so excited to have you here. Tell everyone a little bit about you and who you are and your business.
Michelle Barry Franco
[0:19] Okay. Um, you’re one of my favorite people to thank you, the love fest,
Jessica Miller
[0:24] I didn’t either.
Michelle Barry Franco
[0:27] Um, so I am a speaking and thought leadership coach. I start, I primarily work with people who have a story at the heart of the work that they do, their own personal story, not exclusively, but usually they’re definitely mission centered. And, and there is that kind of like, they, they want to share a message that resonates and aligns with what they care about in the world. So that’s my sort of narrower way of approaching speaking and thought leadership. And, you know, I started business in 2008, and it’s been a roller coaster adventure. So I’m excited to get to talk about that.
Jessica Miller
[1:06] Yes, so great. So for all the listeners here, you all have heard me talk about Michelle Barry Franco before, people’s ears are like a ringing right now. Michelle and I have worked together before, she has been really instrumental in helping me get my stories and my voice out into the world in a way that I felt really good about. Michelle, you know, this, I’ve always struggled with how to make that sort of cohesive and follow a pattern that people can follow. Because I always feel like, hey, I could get on here and just talk about everything, and it was all over the place. But one of the things that I love about you and your stories and your business, is how many things and iterations and new things that you’ve done, even in the time that I’ve known you.
Jessica Miller
[1:49] So I am excited to talk about your journey from when you started. And really just kind of walk through it with you, uh, how it evolved, and why it evolved. And what were the kind of those key points that you felt like your business kind of turned. Everyone on this call is, most people are usually entrepreneurs. And so they’re very familiar with the journey. And that evolution of how we interface with our customers who we work with what we create, in a way to help people solve their problems. And so I’m really excited to learn about your business and to hear these things that I’m sure there’s some little nuggets in there. I don’t even know that. So, so good.
Jessica Miller
[2:29] So yeah, so 2009, what made you start your business? So were you in corporate before and then you became an entrepreneur, I can’t remember if you told me this.
Michelle Barry Franco
[2:37] I had been in corporate before. I was actually in startup companies during the.com era in Silicon Valley. So the place where you watch movies about, I was living that life. But it was very early in my career. And I was actually in graduate school while I was working in these startup companies. So I didn’t make a direct leap from those startups to my own business. I, I was, while I was in graduate school, studying Speech Communication Studies, I noticed that as part of my program, this, I got to teach public speaking and communication courses, it was one of the options if you wanted to. And I definitely wanted to try that. That was actually what motivated me to start the whole program as I met someone who taught communication, I’m like, that sounds fun. Maybe I’ll get my master’s. I was just like, okay.
Michelle Barry Franco
[3:33] So I, I was, you know, teaching in that environment and really enjoying it and watching the students because I was a graduate student. So I was watching undergraduates, really within the, within the matter of a semester, go from really scared to get up in front of the room, and, you know, to share their ideas, even raising their hand in class, much less standing up there and speaking, to go from that to, you know, like a clearly articulated idea. And persuasive presentations, right. That’s what we were teaching them to do.
Jessica Miller
[4:05] Yeah.
Michelle Barry Franco
[4:06] Well, all the while I’m working in these startup companies, with people from all the fancy colleges, who, you know, are founding all the bases, bases of many of the companies that are still around, but they just got acquired by these bigger companies. Anyway, and I’m watching my colleagues who are brilliant and dynamic and fun to talk to at work. They’ve walked to the front of the room and just kind of like morph into this, like super hyper professional speaker. And I would be sitting there going, what just happened? Like, I’m watching it, you know?
Jessica Miller
[4:39] Yeah.
Michelle Barry Franco
[4:40] So it was sort of that’s when the sort of seeds of that trance, you know, that that transition happened.
Michelle Barry Franco
[4:47] But in the meantime, I had a, you know, I got married, had a few babies and was home and started teaching mostly, primarily teaching college classes for my work part time while I was raising babies when they were very young. And then that’s when I was like, I think I just, you know, like I started a business kind of. I was actually, actually let me not let me say this more clearly, I went to grad school again, because I thought I wanted to be a therapist. I always thought I wanted to be a therapist, which is more consistent than you might think. So I could hear people’s stories all day long. But yeah, but I didn’t know about that way of using this skill, right.
Michelle Barry Franco
[5:24] So I went back to graduate school and was about a year into a part time program, my youngest daughter in a sling on my lap, and I’m sitting in this little cafe with two of my best friends who are in the graduate program with me, a program I’m enjoying, and this voice plays inside my head that says, ‘you don’t need this degree. You already have everything you need to do what you’re, the work you’re meant to do in the world.’ And I was like, what? I mean, of course, it was a thought in my head, right? Now, something’s just land like truth. So I was like, looking at my friends. I didn’t even say anything because I’m like, well, I’ve never thought that before. You know, within a week, I had put a hold on my degree and hung my shingle as a communication coach and consultant.
Jessica Miller
[6:09] Oh, my goodness, that’s incredible. You know, this is so fascinating to hear. Because as you know, and for everyone listening to this podcast, we always talk about these things that just resonate with us that “hell yes energy.” And it just, it almost feels a bit like a lightning rod. Not that it’s like explosive, per se. It just feels so true. But just this deep knowing. So, you put everything on hold, hung your shingle, I love this so much. Okay, and then what happened?
Michelle Barry Franco
[6:38] Well, I created a trifold brochure, like, you know, fold it up and put it in the real mail. And I mailed it to anyone I could think of, because that’s what I, you know, I don’t want no idea. Like, I didn’t even really mean to start a business. I mean, I didn’t, right. I’m like, ‘Oh, if I already have everything I need, I guess I, the only way to do that is to start this business.’ And so pretty quickly, I was a copywriter, because that’s how people translated my not-very-clear message about what I could do, right? I’m a Communication Consultant. They’re like, well, I need a new copy. And I offered, you know, I’ll write it for you, or I’ll, I’ll help you write it, or I’ll help you say it, was the most confusing thing ever. But I had clients right away, and then they referred me to new clients, and pretty soon, I’m a copywriter, and I, writing is painful for me. So while I was good at it, I was in agony. Like, what am I doing?
Jessica Miller
[7:32] So interesting.
Michelle Barry Franco
[7:33] So then that’s really when the adventure started for me around, oh, how do I solve this? And then I started looking at all the courses and all the freebies, and this is about 2010, maybe 2009, 2010 since I started in 2008, April 2008. So I’m like, you know, trying different things over the time and then getting buried in the hole infirm, you know, you could sell your products and make money while you sleep. And while I didn’t, you know, get too far into that, mostly because I didn’t know how to implement it. I would have tried to sort of figure it out. Yeah, I was so lost in it all. But I just kind of stumbled my way from there. Until today!
Jessica Miller
[8:15] Yeah, where did, so what was that point? So you started with writing the copy? But what was the thing that you put out there? That really kind of was that pivotal point in your in your journey?
Michelle Barry Franco
[8:26] Yeah, so of course, there are like all these little milestones that you, there’s like little pep, you know, what is it, steps on the path, but there are some big ones. So, really, my first I’m going to answer that. Let me also say my first I think the thing that got in my way the most of getting to the clarity around that offer is, or was, my I was not going to be a speaking coach. Like, I’m not a speaking coach. And I you know, I mean, I taught college level public speaking. This is the clearest line to my expertise that people could understand. But I had all these ideas about what it meant to be a speaking coach and what speakers were like, and, you know, this, I really, and I feel bad about it, but you know, I think it’s fair to say I had all these thoughts like, ‘oh, I don’t want you know, people who love being on stage. Those aren’t the kind of people that I like hanging around. And it’s not about that for me.’ And of course, you know, that’s not true. Like I have the most amazing clients who happen to also love being on stage. Like, you!
Jessica Miller
[9:34] Here we are. On stage!
Michelle Barry Franco
[9:37] Exactly, that’s right. So I had just all the and it just kept blocking me from creating. I think it was the first major block to me creating an offer that made sense to people. That people saw as a solution to a problem, that they could name, and you know, articulate, and then look for. So I tried other things. I was you know, a life coach, a messaging coach, and some of it worked and I people, I had clients little by little and at various points. I think I would say the first thing that sort of took me in the direction was one on one coaching and just being willing to call myself a speaking coach. And then it would be like a packet, you know, a package of sessions. Like, you can get three sessions with me or six sessions with me or whatever.
Jessica Miller
[10:22] And what were you helping them? What was the problem you were helping them solve?
Michelle Barry Franco
[10:25] Then I was talking about messaging and public speaking. Okay, again, kind of reluctantly, still on the public speaking because I just had a thing about it. So funny. But you know, a lot about messaging. And people need that, too. So that was a, you know, they got clear that that was something that they wanted to solve. And so then I would start to become known for that. And I would say, it’s still a thing that I’m largely known for is, what is that message at the heart of your work? So that was how it started. And then I tried different, you know, variations on the package. The one that I think really turned the corner for me and was really, I love I, you know, I love when you’re talking about hell yes energy, and a hell yes offer, because I know what you mean. I know the distinction between, well, yeah, I can help you with this can help you, you know, with your copy, I can help you write your bio, and I do those things for clients all the time.
Michelle Barry Franco
[11:17] But that’s not hell yes for me. It’s hell yes as part of a package of like, something bigger. But um, so this first offering was called The Speaker You’re Meant to Be. I’m sorry, it’s not the first offering. But it’s the one that’s standing out for the analysis. I was in 2018. So it was a while of me trying a bunch of different things. But that one, I was like, I had had enough time in the industry, the resistance, you know, faded around what I was there to do. And I’m like, what are people who want to get on more stages needing and wanting? They need a really good talk, like a talk that they feel proud of, and that does what they want it to do that meets their goals. Which some people call a signature talk, I call a rooftop message talk. And in fact, the first version of this was called Your Rooftop Message Talk, I think, so that put us in the direction. Speaker, The Speaker You’re Meant to Be was sort of like the fullest version.
Michelle Barry Franco
[12:11] So they got a talk that we crafted together; they had a group of people to support each other be audience to each other. So it was a group program. So they had built an audience and built in collaboration along with my support. And we had a retreat, like a live retreat where we worked on talks and practice with each other. Then we had a live delivery day where I brought in a photographer, a videographer. We had an audience. Yeah. Crazy. All right. All those assets that you need, you know, like a video and yeah, I’m right. And, and done in a way that I know, is authentic, like, people create these, and I see them out there. And I’m not saying they’re there, they can be useful. I wanted it to be, you know, I wanted it to be as natural as it would be if this were an event that you were going to speak at. And so I did the best I could to create that kind of scenario with a really loving, nurturing audience. So that people felt, you know, confident. It was fun.
Jessica Miller
[13:14] Oh, cool. That sounds like so much fun. So how long was the program? And how much did you charge for it at that time? Do you remember?
Michelle Barry Franco
[13:21] Yes, it was. Let’s see, I believe it was six months. I’m trying to think if I tried, you know, I did a few iterations of it. Yeah. And I charged I believe, was $6000. My last one, I may have charged a little less than that the first time. So six, 6000 is what I charged.
Jessica Miller
[13:44] Okay. And was that when, if putting yourself back in that time, was that the biggest package you’ve ever sold at that time? Or the most money? Or like, who did you need to become in that moment to sell that package?
Michelle Barry Franco
[13:58] It was it was the most I had charged to an individual, you know. I mean, I do some corporate training and things like that. And so that can be, those can be bigger numbers, but, but it feels very different also to sell to a corporation for me, or an organization that it does to, to you know, sell something, invite someone in individual who was also in business to buy. So I believe that was the, yes, the most I had charged.
Jessica Miller
[14:23] Interesting. And so based on your clients with that offer, and the results that they got, how did that inform what you did next? Like what did you learn from that, that really impacted the next iteration of your journey?
Michelle Barry Franco
[14:38] A couple of things that wasn’t enough money to charge which I think is kind of obvious. If you think about what I mean, first of all, you know, getting all of those assets, and you know, getting a videographer, and it wasn’t a big, very big group. That’s another thing I really loved and wanted. I wanted six to eight people. I think we had seven. So I wanted it to be small enough that everybody got lots of support from me, and from each other, and it felt intimate. People could take risks and feel safe about that. Because this is what I believe about using your voice. I want it to feel fully aligned. So I wanted there to be that support. But I wanted it to be an awesome videographer, which I already knew one, and he was amazing. And we brought him, and he had awesome photography. And so these things cost money. And it’s, it built. So what I offered initially, wasn’t that like, I didn’t have a built-in retreat at first where you go work on it. I learned of this retreat place, and I’m like, oh, this is so beautiful. Why don’t I just try it out? It was brand new. So they were like, I kind of knew them. And they were like, oh, do it for this really special rate, which it was a great rate for this gorgeous retreat place in Marin County, California. You know, I’m like, I’ll just invite them. So I invited them all, they said, yes. I brought in all this organic, amazing food. I’m like, Yeah, they’ll test this out, you know. So it’s like, every time I would do an iteration of this offer, it would shift a little and change. And I think that was the last. That was the last version of the that I did of everything all in one package. And I loved offering it, it was very hell yes for me from a ‘this is what’s going to serve you’ perspective.
Jessica Miller
[16:17] Yes, yes. I love that you mentioned the pricing piece, because I think this is such an important you know, thing to kind of touch on. We are, there are certain things that we are really drawn to. There’s that hell yes energy, there’s that sense that we can help people, the problem is so clear. And then there’s the business model and how do we craft that offer within the model at a price point that serves both our customers and us? And how do we figure that out? And I think to your point, some of it is trial and error.
Michelle Barry Franco
[16:18] Yeah, yes.
Jessica Miller
[16:19] I mean, I think there, what we’ve learned is, you know, run those numbers, and get clear on what it is you want and reverse engineering, the cost, and the pricing. But then some of it is just doing it and seeing what works. What makes sense. Where are you making your money? What feels good, what doesn’t? And then what do people actually need? What do you need to add in or pull out?
Jessica Miller
[17:14] So yeah, it’s interesting that that was your experience, too. And I think it probably is, for a lot of us. I think for you, too. You’re so good at just, you’re like, hey, I want to do this. Let’s try this. Just kind of like go with that. Which is really fascinating.
Michelle Barry Franco
[17:32] Yeah.
Jessica Miller
[17:32] So after you started playing with that offer, and tweaking it, what happened after that with your business? What was sort of that next iteration? Not necessarily your offer, but even if the business?
Michelle Barry Franco
[17:44] Yeah. So it was very, it was very fun doing that. And I felt good about the way I took care of those clients and what I offered. There were a lot, there was a, there were more moving pieces than I love to manage. So then the question was going to be, do I start to grow, you know, bring on more people on my team? Did I want to do that, at that time in order and raise the price that, you know, of course, I would have to raise the price so that it would actually, you know, make sense. And I it just wasn’t a hell yes for me with all of those variables.
Michelle Barry Franco
[18:20] At that time in my life, there were other moving, and we’ve done a lot of moving. So there was a, it was a moving period with my young family. So I didn’t do it then. And then we that was what 2019 I mean, then we’re moving into 2020. So it sort of just came off the table. People were not thinking about, we weren’t going to create a live event because nobody was even gathering in person. So yeah, but I didn’t run it the year before either. I think the year before that. I did an online kind of scaled back did an online version of let’s craft your talk, we’ll practice together, we’ll do it all virtually. Which has less of that like, you know, exciting in person element. We don’t have the video and photography, which you know, I missed having because I feel so good when I get to give people what I know they will serve.
Jessica Miller
[19:06] Yes. You need that. Right.
Michelle Barry Franco
[19:10] Yeah.
Jessica Miller
[19:10] I never realized that till I work with you how it’s the whole package like you are creating an offer around yourself as a speaker.
Michelle Barry Franco
[19:17] Yeah that’s right.
Jessica Miller
[19:18] And those that video and that that photography and all that is really important.
Michelle Barry Franco
[19:23] Yeah, yeah. So I scaled it back to you know, the online version of it. And still, it was great. I mean, they’re still they’re getting the, they’re getting the most important part of it, which is a talk that represents their expertise, their story the message they want to share, and crafted in a way that I know, that we know, and so I teach them, is best practices and designed to reach their goals. Right so if it’s client attraction, we design that talk for graceful, graceful client attraction, not weird, you know, like manipulative client attraction in any way. Like I always have thought leadership first but magnetic, magnetic in the ways that you want. When you’re great, you’ll be magnetic. Just why do you want a magnet? magnetize them to, you know.
Jessica Miller
[20:10] Exactly, yeah. And I think you’re instrumental at getting people to get clarity around what they want and reverse engineering the talk to fit that need. Yeah, for sure.
Michelle Barry Franco
[20:21] Yeah, yeah.
Jessica Miller
[20:22] And so fast forwarding to today, tell us what your business looks like now. What are your offers look like now, that obviously took so much of what you learn, and it’s now married it into today. What you’re offering now.
Michelle Barry Franco
[20:37] So I have to, I’ll say I have two primary offers. But there’s a few ways. I don’t have just one offer. So we’re all smiling at each other? Yes. I still have to say that it’s simple, I think but let’s see, you tell me. Yeah. So I have one on one coaching, as you know, and so I work with people across six months. And that is the primary way that I work with people. And because it’s about the people I work with, now it’s shifted, you know, my ideal client has shifted, and the people who are attracted to working with me, I’ve shifted both. So I have the one on one, and then we’re just working on whatever they’re working on. Often, they’re already out speaking, or they have something coming up. So we have a focused, you know, a place to focus on crafting that first talk. And we make sure they have a thought leadership talk that is designed for their magnetic work in the world. And then they’re often on podcasts, or creating their own podcast or writing their book. And, and so we have coaching, regular coaching sessions around anything related to their voice and their speaking and thought leadership. And so that’s my primary offering.
Michelle Barry Franco
[21:47] Sometimes, people come to me, and they have a TEDx talk coming up. I’ve worked with lots of people who have TEDx talks come in, they have a keynote coming up. And they aren’t looking for six months of coaching. And if it’s a great fit, and this is really kind of like, I just sort of decide in the moment, you know, if it feels like it will be a good, you know, good for both of us, then I will do a VIP Day. And we could do that either in person, or we can do it virtually. And we’ll craft that talk. And that can be done in one day. One day, and then they get some follow up sessions for practicing. So that’s kind of like think of it like the project version, like one single project. I do retreats sometimes, which are couple of days. And this is like when people just want to dive in and really dive deep sometimes with my six-month clients, it’ll be like, okay, I want some deep, concentrated time where we revamp the talk or look at this next year. Where do I want to be showing up? And what do I want that to look like? So that’s all kind of in that same, I know I’m getting squishier here, but that’s that offering.
Jessica Miller
[22:50] No, that makes complete sense.
Michelle Barry Franco
[22:52] It’s a family of offerings that are all related.
Jessica Miller
[22:56] It’s really a core offer that you’re just putting into different formats in my opinion.
Michelle Barry Franco
[23:01] Oh, good. Okay. Yeah.
Jessica Miller
[23:02] So you can either take it and put it in a one on one, six months format. You take the same thing, teach it in one day, take the same thing, teach it over a couple of days in a retreat, but it’s the same core offer.
Michelle Barry Franco
[23:14] Ok, great. Thank you.
Jessica Miller
[23:16] I approve.
Michelle Barry Franco
[23:16] I’m so happy to know that. Yeah. So and then I have a membership program. And that membership program is how I and again, it’s just a hell yes for me. I asked myself regularly to check in on it. But it just, there are, people are often coming to me for one-on-one coaching further along in their, in their business, you know, they’re already out there speaking, they’ve been through a lot of struggling and tangling and trying to figure out what they want to say. It’s a good time to work with me, because of the, the intimacy of our engagement, the investment makes more sense at this stage of their business. But I want to be available to people, you know, earlier in the process that are still on that same process.
Michelle Barry Franco
[24:05] So these are these are usually women, though, I have a few clients who are men, but usually women who are, you know, know, that they’re meant to be out there sharing their story and their voice and their message, but they’re just earlier. And I want to help them get that clarity and get on that path. And this, the membership program, which is called made for this collective, it’s just super accessible. It’s like inexpensive, you know, you can join month by month and decide if you want to stay you can pay for a year and save like, you know, lots of things are and we talked about the same things. It’s just setting them up for later to work with me one on one.
Jessica Miller
[24:39] Yeah, it’s like a perfect, perfect getting to know you, getting familiar with your work, creating some of those wins. And then when the transition time is right, they can work with you deeper, which is
Jessica Miller
[24:51] Such a great transition for them.
Michelle Barry Franco
[24:51] Yeah,
Michelle Barry Franco
[24:54] Yeah.
Jessica Miller
[24:54] What do you feel like people are, when they’re crafting these talks now, like there’s so much that’s changed over the last few years, now we’re in, you know, the end of this year, right? And so much has shifted. So what are you seeing people are using their talks for? Like, what is the purpose in their business? What are they being called to create these now? What are they doing with them?
Michelle Barry Franco
[25:18] It hasn’t changed that much. Except for during the period of time, you know, while COVID was at its height, I mean, we know it’s still around, and we’re adapting. But um, but, you know, for a long time, they were just using it virtually. And that’s what they were doing with it, and they weren’t doing it as much. So it was definitely a time where I had to look at my business model. I did some shifting, I created different offerings for a little while that were more focused on, what do you do in your business now? And because, of course, you know, when I work with clients across six months, I’m an executive coach, I’m a business coach. All the other things as well. Yeah, exactly. Right. So I just sort of like, you know, leaned on some of those things to help them make it through this, this period of time as well.
Michelle Barry Franco
[26:04] But it is, you know, TEDx talks people come to me for again, it’s an expertise that even a lot of speaking coaches don’t have, so that’s often what I will be referred for. And they’re doing keynotes at conferences, and sometimes breakout sessions at conferences, sometimes it’s for them to, you know, you know, do it a summit or something like that. But many of my clients don’t speak at as many of those as previous clients did. Just because there, I, there are these five phases to radiant leadership that I that I like to describe. And they, my, my current clients are just further on the phase. I think it’s helpful to name you know, like, when you’re first starting, you’re in this like, glimmer phase, right? It’s like, I know that I have a feeling there’s something that I should you know, that I have something to say, but I don’t know how I’m gonna say it. And, you know, you start watching more Ted, you know, TED talks online, and, and then there’s like this glow phase where you’re like, okay, I know that I’m going to do this, like, I’m ready to show up. But I don’t know what’s gonna look like. And then there’s the spark phase where you’re out there doing it, and you’re like, so you know, now I would say, well, I worked with more people in Glow and Spark. Now it’s more like Spark, Fire, and Radiant.
Michelle Barry Franco
[27:25] When you get to, when you get to Fire and Radiant phases, you’ve done all this work, you’ve done all this showing up at summits, you’ve done all of this other stuff, and the kind of like, reaching out, and now it’s your business is magnetic. And you know what magnetic offers do? what?
Jessica Miller
[27:45] Oh, yes, I do.
Michelle Barry Franco
[27:46] Thought Leadership does. And so then it’s about discernment. It’s, you know, they’re saying no, more often to things that aren’t a good fit. But still, of course, saying hell yes, to the hell yes things.
Jessica Miller
[27:57] Yeah, yeah, and getting more clear on what that is, you know? Yeah. I think one of the things that was so fascinating about the work that you and I did is I, I really feel like I got called into that hell yes place. I mean, I started in this place of where I was exactly what you said, I, I felt like I had something I needed to say,
Jessica Miller
[28:19] I didn’t exactly know what that was, or why I even wanted to say it. But then once I started to really get steeped in it, it started to become really amazing. And fun, and big. And super hell yes.
Michelle Barry Franco
[28:19] Yeah,
Michelle Barry Franco
[28:39] Yeah.
Jessica Miller
[28:39] So it’s kind of interesting. And you were kind of touching on it when you were talking about these five phases. But I was curious how people know, when it’s time to work with you, right? Is it an internal clock? Is it something that triggers them? Like, I’m sure there’s so many people listening to this podcast where this is resonating with them. How do they know if now is the time to really lean into that and to reach out to somebody like you or start this journey? How do they know?
Michelle Barry Franco
[29:07] Yeah. I would say that, I mean, Made for This collective is designed for them at every phase. So if they want support, and they, I mean, I don’t know of any other place to get this kind of support this, you know, readily. So, if you even have the glimmer, it’s like, I know that I’m supposed to be saying something, well, then, you know, that’s a good time to join something like made for this collective because that helps you. I mean, there’s all kinds of trainings and we have coaching calls and all of that to help with it. But if you’re talking about working with me one on one, I’ll tell you what they usually say to me. So they’ll I often say that people will say to me, even in the earlier phases, almost verbatim. At some point early in talking, they’ll lean in and say something like, you know, I’ve always imagined myself on a stage and the light, you know, some of them will say like, the lights just like shining on me, the audience is laughing. Or they’ll say, you know, like, I’m standing on the stage, and I can tell that everybody in the room is really, you know, engaged, like, people have different ways of seeing this vision.
Jessica Miller
[30:16] Yeah, yeah, yeah, I think in my experience of having worked with you, and also just knowing others that have worked with you, I think you’re right. And I think there was the sense of, I’m being called to this, I want to do it. And here you are. It’s like this divine intervention.
Michelle Barry Franco
[30:16] But once they feel a little trust with me to share the secret. So those again, those can be anywhere along this spectrum. But usually, that then Made For This collective is a great place to go just nurture that and get their one on one. They usually say something like, look, I’m already a good speaker, they’re often say, like, I’m a good speaker, or, you know, I’ve done this a lot, I may not be that great, but I’m doing fine. And so they’ve crafted talks themselves. And they’ve, up until this point, thought, um, you know, I’m good enough at this, and I can, and they just decide I want to see what I’m capable of. I want to know, what’s possible for me standing on that stage, or, you know, being a guest on podcasts or creating my own podcast. Like, I know, I say smart stuff. But I know there’s probably a way I could say it, that’s even better. And I want to feel what it feels like to be that good. It’s like, …
Michelle Barry Franco
[31:12] Yeah,
Jessica Miller
[31:20] We’re like, oh, my gosh, there’s somebody who can actually help me distill this down into something that’s palatable and useful, and packaged in a way that’s going to give my business this momentum. Yeah, it’s kind of pulling all that stuff into this talk that’s clear and targeted, and powerful. And it really allows, I’ll say, for myself, but I think for many of the people that are listening to this, it allows you to see yourself in your business in a whole new way, now that you’ve packaged this thing that’s so clear, that you can then go out and share in a variety of different ways. And yes, I also think, and I’m curious if your other clients have mentioned this as well, I think it has a lot of legs. When you start to nail down that messaging, It’s obviously so powerful for your talk. But then it feeds into your copy, into your social media, right? It becomes your free webinar in some capacity. You know what I mean? It’s so far reaching, as far as an investment in your business can be.
Michelle Barry Franco
[32:40] Yeah, absolutely. And I’m glad you actually named that because there is also so, they’re brilliant. Like, I think you are a good example of because you weren’t necessarily saying like I already, you know, I’m already an awesome speaker. You were, you know, you know, you have great ideas, you know, yeah, and exactly. So and that is also common, it’s like, they know, they have something that matters, that will make a difference in people’s lives, and does make a difference in people’s lives, but they want to get it more clearly articulated, and distill, just like you’re describing. And the cool thing about that, and you’ve seen this happen multiple times in your own in our work together, is that they get, I love this part, I get to watch them see how brilliant they are. Because they knew it, but now we get to like create a model around it. And they can go repeat it over and over. Like they’ve been saying it, but they didn’t know they’ve been saying it and because I am like inappropriately curious. I will hear everything and then more. And so I get to say like oh, but you said this, and you said this, and it all comes together in this beautiful way. You’re right and then it becomes all those things. The you know the thing you say regularly so that you become known for it in your industry.
Jessica Miller
[33:56] Yes. Yeah, I think it’s the magnetic offer of speaking. Taking that thing, if you’re in this world, having that signature talk is like your magnetic speaking offer. It really is. And yeah, yeah, it’s just so fascinating how it it really catapults everything. I would also say that now more than ever, people need to hear it. So, if you’re listening to this podcast, and there’s that thing that you are being called to say, it’s a sign. You listening to this podcast is a sign that you’re, this is the time and I think there are those things that people need to hear. And I believe we’re a vehicle for that. And working with somebody to help you bring that out to light, you know, put it in a way that feels authentic, and clear and, and feels just a really empowering. That’s the piece of it. But I think more than ever, people need to hear it and from a business perspective, it’s just such a beautiful way to connect with your audience. It’s one of the best ways for people to really hear you and get to know you, and learn from you. And there’s so many different mediums, right?
Jessica Miller
[35:08] To your point about the different offers that you have, you can package these things in so many different ways. You can package them in a podcast, you can do a keynote speaker, you know, type of engagement, you could talk wherever you want, do a free webinar. So that voice is really powerful, I think one of the most powerful assets we have. So we’re so lucky to have people like you, Michelle, to talk about these things with and help people with. I know there’s people on this podcast who are gonna want to know how to get in touch with you. So where can we find you on the interwebs?
Michelle Barry Franco
[35:40] You can find me at Michelle Barry franco.com. And I’m on Instagram at times, you can follow me there. But that is where I show up the most often, you know, with resources and, and I have a podcast. So my podcast is, you know, easily accessible. And you can listen to me there anytime and sort of get, you know reiteration of many of these ideas that I share in my website and in my talks as well. So…
Jessica Miller
[36:09] Yeah, I love it. And we will link everything so that anyone listening to this can go find Michelle, I highly recommend it. If you are feeling like you have something to say, you got a message that people need to hear, Michelle is the person to help get you there. Michelle, thank you so much for being on the show. It is always a pleasure. And I’m just honored to have worked with you and to know you.
Michelle Barry Franco
[36:29] Well, thank you. This was so much fun. Thank you. I love working with you as you know.
Jessica Miller
[36:33] Likewise. Thanks so much, and for everyone, till next week. Have a great
