IEP029: Slowing Down and Baby Proofing Your Business with Jenna Black

Brigit:                    Welcome to the Intuitive Entrepreneur podcast. I'm your host, Brigit Esselmont, intuitive business strategist and mentor. As the founder of Biddy Tarot I turn my loved for tarot into an abundant seven figure business. The secret to my success? Making intuition and strategy my entrepreneurial superpower. And now, I'm inviting you to do the same. 

Brigit:                    In this weekly podcast, I'll be sharing advice, tools, and real life examples from some of the best intuitive entrepreneurs to show you how you can trust your intuition, align with your purpose, and create a positive impact through your work. Let's make it happen! 

Brigit:                    Hello and welcome to the intuitive entrepreneur podcast. Today I am talking with Jenna Black who is the founder of Abundant Boss, a money mindset and manifestation teacher and success coach for visionary and spiritual women. She supports modern spiritual women to turn their power all the way on as they rise into abundance on every level. She's been featured in Forbes, The Huffington Post, and more. And her approach is fresh and modern, blending intuitive business strategy with manifestation techniques. 

Brigit:                    She's passionate about supporting women to own their worth, and grow a wildly abundant empire all for being their true self. 

Brigit:                    Now in today's conversation, Jenna and I talk a bit about her journey. About what led her to where she is right now. And, of course, how she's really starting to integrate her intuition into her work. So much so that the two are just blended perfectly together. That intuition, in her words she says, "The intuition is her strategy. There's no real difference between I'm doing intuition or I'm not." 

Brigit:                    Now Jenna and I also talk about she's really slowing down in her business and becoming a lot more intentional about where she focuses and directs her energy. Plus we talk about how Jenna is baby proofing her business. At the time of this recording Jenna's two months away from having her beautiful little baby, and she's already starting to take steps so that when baby does come, she's in a really good place to continue creating abundance and feeling really good about the direction in which her business is heading. 

Brigit:                    So I know that you are going to really enjoy today's conversation, so let's get straight into it. 

Brigit:                    Well hi Jenna, it's so good to talk with you. How are you doing today? 

Jenna:                   Hi Brigit. I'm really well, thank you for having me on. 

Brigit:                    My pleasure. I can't wait to dive into our conversation today, so- 

Jenna:                   Me too. 

Brigit:                    I'd love to kick it off with just a short history of Jenna Black. So what has led you to where you are now? 

Jenna:                   Yeah. Good question. 

Jenna:                   Well my journey with business, I started my business in 2014. Previous to that, I was working in the fashion industry, and very different work to what I do now, obviously. Selling clothes is highly different to the work that I do now. And I was in that industry for about ten years, specifically looking at digital marketing and strategy. 

Jenna:                   And I knew, there was always like an intuitive part of me guiding me to create something different. There was a part of me in the last few years of working, someone else just always guiding me to, there is something else out there for you. And I remember having those moment at work thinking, "Is this all there is? This can't be all I do with my life. Just kind of working in an office for someone and selling clothes and not being that kind of lit up." 

Jenna:                   And so I just continued to trust that intuitive guidance, and that led me initially to my first business as a health coach. So I started Holistic Health Coaching and that was something that I did for about, almost only a couple of months really when I think about it. As soon as I started that work I knew that it wasn't exactly what I wanted to do. I came out of coaching school, and they teach you all the things, and all the ... how to press and how to sell and all of the stuff. And I got into that industry and just was not lit up. 

Jenna:                   And so I think my journey into where I am now with my business was really that first couple years of business was just discovering what alignment was for me. And I naturally moved from health coaching into working with other health coaches around their personal brand, and around their marketing, because that was my background from the fashion industry. And people asking me, "How are you building your social media?" And all of that. So I was very much in the masculine side of business for a couple of years. 

Jenna:                   And again though, I was coming up against my own struggles around money, big time, so a lot of scarcity. A lot of struggles around my self worth and my confidence was showing up, and I felt like I was focusing on what everyone else was doing trying to do all the things in business. Signing up for all the freebies, and looking at all the webinars from all the experts, and I was just bombarded by people's voices. And so when I, in hindsight, look back on those first couple of years it was so much about me looking for the answers outside of myself. 

Jenna:                   And I know that I was going through those struggles and those journeys so that I could then teach and empower other women to go through that, which is the work I do now. And it was a big journey of really coming into alignment piece by piece, and continuing to, I guess, take my power back is how I always reference it. Continuing to recall my own intuition and my own guidance, and reclaim my power, and it was a wild journey. 

Jenna:                   And that led me to the work that I do now around abundance and money mindset, and helping other leaders and visionary women in business to really rise into their purpose and into all of who they're meant to be. And I think that really came from my own journey and my own struggles with that. 

Jenna:                   So yeah, it was just this beautiful evolution of continuing to kind of put the pieces together. It was almost like building a puzzle when I look at it. And I think ultimately the biggest was thing that reclaiming of my power. And no longer looking outside of myself but just continuing to look in here. Because you can do all the strategy, and you can follow all the things in business, and I was so much that kind of good girl perfectionist, like, "I have to follow all the rules. And have the perfect funnel, and have the perfect launches, and do all the things." And it wasn't getting me anywhere. 

Jenna:                   And so that moment when I realized I had to come back inwards was when I was really struggling with money, with just wanting to kind of give up. And I was looking at jobs and starting to think like, "Maybe this isn't for me." But I realized that something kept me in there, and I realized that I had to kind of shift my attention from outside of me back to inside of me. 

Jenna:                   So that brought me to the work I do now. So- 

Brigit:                    What was it do you think that created that shift? Because I know, like it can come up where you get into this state of what feels like failure, or struggle, and different people make different choices. So I'm curious to understand more about what was it within you that said, "No, I'm not going to give up. But I'm going to change the way I'm doing things." 

Jenna:                   Well, it's interesting. I think that I was really at that crossroads of go and apply for jobs again, like give up and actually go back to work. But as I actually started applying for some things and putting my resume together, and I realized, "I don't fit into a resume anymore." Like how do I even ... if someone asked me right now to create a resume I would be like, "How do I even do that? Like what do I even put?" How do I express who I am into a resume? 

Jenna:                   And I was at that stage of creating it and trying to write it out and it just wasn't connecting. And I knew. Something in me was just guiding me. My higher self was like, "No. You can do this. Change how you've been doing it." Right? Like there was some sort of voice guiding me and saying, "You have to just change your strategy. If this is what you've been doing so far, looking at other people's strategies, signing up for coursing left, right and center. Trying to create this perfect brand online, but nothing's working in terms of the money piece and alignment piece, then what haven't you been doing?" And I realized that it was not looking at what's really going on internally. 

Jenna:                   So I started surrounding myself with different types of mentors who were talking about the mindset piece and the energetic piece of business. And that shifted it a lot for me. So really just started my own self study and mastery around that, and looking at my own conditioning and my own programming. Around my self worth and around money. And I started to then trust, "Okay. As I release these beliefs and this conditioning, what are the actions I now take differently?" And really just building that intuitive muscle. 

Jenna:                   Because I know I'm highly intuitive and have been since I was a little kid, but there were so many years of my life where .. I kind of call it the numbing years. I was numb to it. I almost like suppressed it a lot from teenager through my twenties. It was like my intuition was closed off even though it was trying to pop up. 

Jenna:                   So I think the moment it was just really holding me there. And I know it was intuition and my higher self. And I just bravely went for it, and stayed in it, and stayed the course. And luckily I've got a really supportive husband who helped me emotionally, a little bit financially too to kind of stay in it. And I'm so grateful for that. But yeah, I'm so grateful that I didn't go and get the job and give up. 

Brigit:                    Yes. Yeah. 

Brigit:                    And these days what role does intuition play in your business? How do you integrate it into what you do in a day to day basis? 

Jenna:                   Yeah. Well, my intuition is my strategy, really. It guides everything. There's not a part of what I do in the day that isn't intuitively guided. And I think, for me, a big part has been building that daily ritual around tuning into that. So, similar to the work I do with my clients, I'm very much ... first thing in the morning it's about tuning into that alignment and closing out the outside world again. Not looking at what other people are doing, but just coming inwards. 

Jenna:                   And so there's always daily vision work that I do in terms of writing out, writing my reality I call it, writing everything as if it's already done. Tapping into that next level self. Stating my desires, my beliefs, my new conditioning. All of that. That's a really big practice for me. 

Jenna:                   And then from that space I ask myself, "Well now that this is done, what's my intuition guiding me to do? What's my higher self guiding me to do?" And that forms most of .. well it forms all of my strategy, really. So I'm someone that typically isn't over planned in my business. I like to kind of stay with the flow because, again, I used to be in the perfectionist model of having the perfect schedule and ... you know. I used to have an assigned project list with about 50 things marked out for the next month and it never worked that way. Because my intuition always changes and knows where to go. 

Jenna:                   And so I think it's just been this practice for me of like trusting that, and leaping into the action that my intuition is guiding me to. Even if it's the thing where I'm like, "Why is it saying this? Okay. I guess I'm going here. I guess we're leaping into it." And just trusting that that road map is inside of me. 

Jenna:                   And this is the work that I love to do. And my clients to do, like trusting that you have that GPS and that blueprint and that road map inside. And the more that you nurture that, the stronger your business will be, and your life in general, so ... 

Brigit:                    Yeah. I'm curious about how you can balance the intuitive flow with staying committed and on the path. So I have seen where sometimes people or business owners can actually end up in a pattern of like, "One week my intuition told me to do this. Oh no, and then the next week I feel the flow over here. I'm going to do this. Oh no, I feel it over here." And I'm always interested around that as to what's this difference, what's kind of this magic sweet spot between the flightiness, what could be interpreted as flightiness, versus commitment to a path? But not overcommitment that you are now focused on the wrong goals. 

Brigit:                    So I'm curious what your thoughts are around that. 

Jenna:                  That's actually a good question, because I see that as well. And I've definitely experienced that myself. So I think, for me personally, it's been about trusting the real message that I have to share and my true purpose in terms of the work that I'm doing and really mastering that craft. So every time I'm taking action from my intuition it's like, "Is this in alignment with my big vision and my why?" Because sometimes you do get those fleeting moments, or that bright shiny object, but I actually feel like that can be ego sometimes coming through. 

Jenna:                   So for me it's about really having that radar and that sense of which one is it. Like is this intuition or is this fear or ego trying to keep up with the Jones'. And maybe I've seen someone launch something on a certain topic, or in a certain way, and it's like, "Okay. Well now we should do that to." But is that really my intuition? 

Jenna:                   So I think that that's probably what has kept me more grounded and focused. Because I used to be in like that flighty kind of reactive state, I guess, of like, that shiny object, like all the things happening online. So I think a big practice for me has been not looking at what other people do. Learning from mentors, absolutely, I believe in that. But I do that after I do my own work. And after I'm tapped into my own intuition first. 

Jenna:                   And that's why that morning practice and daily practice, really, is so important to me. Because I used to be someone that would wake up in the morning and like instantly check Instagram, and sit in bed and just respond to emails, and respond to clients, and react to other people. And I think that's when your intuition can lessen. And the fear comes in, and the ego comes in, it's like, "You should do this. And you should do this." And that's when we get that flighty kind of response. 

Jenna:                   So think it's about ultimately trusting the voice. Like is it intuition or not? And that's something that over time I think I've harnessed, and still continue to work on. But it's taken a bit of time to know which one is which, for sure. 

Brigit:                    Yeah. Yeah. 

Brigit:                    And something that you keep coming back to is this concept around following what other people are doing versus following your own inner voice and wisdom. And I think of some recent conversations where I've seen people are so wrapped up in other people's stories that they're losing their own sense of self, and have lost their own power and their own magic. 

Brigit:                    Because it's like, "Well, I can't do that because they're not doing it", or, "This person wasn't successful at it so I'm not going to be." And goodbye vision and dreams because I've seen this other person not make it work. And I'm like, "That doesn't matter!" 

Jenna:                   Yeah. Absolutely. Well, I mean that used to be my journey for so many years. Like, as I said, looking outside of myself was the norm. 

Brigit:                    Yeah. 

Jenna:                   And putting other people as more powerful then me. That was a big shift that I made, too. That kind of putting certain people on a pedestal. Or even putting like my parent's beliefs above mine saying, "Oh well that's the way to do it." We get so conditioned around, well how we grow up, but also in business in particular, like who we learn from and absorb from. 

Jenna:                   And I think it's so interesting when you look at all the rules you're playing by. Like what are the rules you're playing by and are you following someone else's belief or is that yours at all? Like is somebody else's belief kind of playing out in your life? So yeah, it's so true. And I think that the big turning point for me was recalling my power, and having that internal dialogue first. 

Jenna:                   And letting that lead me forward because I know that's the answer, and I've seen the success from it. So it's not just ... the evidence is there. That that's the way to go, to follow your intuition. And to, as you said, like no longer let other people's journeys determine your own. It's like, well it might not have worked for them but that's irrelevant. It really is irrelevant to your own story. 

Brigit:                    Do you think it's a phase, though, a phased approach? Because I know that when I was first starting business, it was very helpful to see what other people were doing. And that supported me in just kind of learning the ropes of what digital marketing was about and what was possible. And then I found a place where I was like, "Oh no, now I'm being to ... I'm trying to just copy what this next latest launch strategy is." And then started to feel out of alignment. And knew at that point one, I was out of alignment, but two, I had enough ... I built up enough confidence and I'd learned enough that I could finally go out on my own. 

Brigit:                    So I wonder if it's ... I wonder if you were absolutely new to business, would the advice be just don't pay attention to what anybody else is doing, just stay on your track. Or is there a phase where you actually observe, and absorb, but then make it your own. 

Jenna:                   Yeah. I think it's the latter. Because I still use that in my business too, right? So I still work mentors and coaches and things like that. But I'm always letting them share advice, guidance, and then it's sitting with it and saying, "How would this feel good for me? Is this right for me? Is this in alignment?" 

Jenna:                   And I think that when you're a newbie that can be harder, because you are kind of a bit more in that fear state of like, "Can I do this? How am I going to figure it out?" And you're kind of throwing everything at it. But I think that it's important to learn and I think it's important to master your craft and to have the knowledge in business. But do it in, as you said, in a way that feels aligned for you. And to always kind of come back in and say, "Does this feel good?" 

Jenna:                   Or like, "I can learn from this person's success, but how would I apply it in a way that feels aligned for me? How can I make it feel more fun, more easy, more flow-based?" Or whatever it might be. So I still do that. I still obviously believe in surrounding yourself with like-minded people and people that are at that next level, and working alongside them. But I always want to take whatever advice or guidance they have and apply it to myself. 

Jenna:                   Let my intuition kind of say, "Yes this is right", or, "We could do it this way." 

Brigit:                    Yeah. 

Jenna:                   Yeah, I think that's the best approach. 

Brigit:                    Yeah, I think that's the case. Yeah. 

Brigit:                    And so you've recently been talking about how you've been slowing down and becoming more intentional on where you put your focus and your energy. And that that's actually helped to grow your business. So I'd love to hear a little bit more about what has unfolded for you in that space. 

Jenna:                   Yeah. Definitely. Well, definitely the early years of business for me were throwing everything at it, that bright shiny object and trying to like just doing all the things, and being very misaligned in my message as well. And so kind of reacting to, "Okay. This person's doing it like this. Maybe I could talk about that. Maybe I could touch on this." And I think I was really in that mentality of being the people pleaser and trying to be everything to everyone. 

Jenna:                   And show the shift of slowing down started initially a couple years ago when I started to really own my message more around abundance, money mindset, helping women with leadership and things like that. And starting to focus in on what was really in alignment and intentioned for me. But more recently, as I'm about to have a baby in a couple of months, it's been that next level of going even deeper into intentional action in my business. 

Jenna:                   Because when I think of slowing down it's not necessarily like just going to the beach and hanging out all the day. Although some afternoons I will do that. But it's about taking the action still, but doing less of it, and in a more intentional way. So that every single action that I take, not just in business but in my life general, has alignment behind it. Has intention behind it. 

Jenna:                   So for me it's been a journey of really looking at everything that I've been doing in my business, and all the rules I've been playing by, and kind of breaking most of them and saying, "Well what would feel better? Do I need to do that? Can I outsource that? Is it something I can delegate or just get rid of an eliminate it altogether?" So that's been a process of kind of outsourcing more, hiring more people to support me in this next phase of my business and my life. 

Jenna:                   But it's ultimately been about every single day, again, coming into what is the next intentional aligned action that I should be taking? What's the next one thing I should do that will move me forward? And moving out of the busy work in business into the money-making, impact-making work. 

Jenna:                   And that's been a journey for me because I've had to release some control and outsource. And that's a really big thing for me because I'm a recovering perfectionist. It's been difficult to kind of let go of all the things and all the moving parts in my business. But it's only allowed me to up level more as I've really, even just the other day, I was writing out, "What is my job?" Like, "What is my role in this business? What would I be doing if I was just doing what is intentional and aligned for me?" 

Jenna:                   And it's only a few things. It's messaging, it's selling, and creating my content, and impacting my clients. It's really being the messenger and the creator. And anything that's not been alignment with that I've been looking at, "Okay, can I outsource it? Can I eliminate it? How can I be more intentional with those few things that are my job and do those things first?" And know that they're the things that will move the needle forward anyway. 

Jenna:                   So it's been a practice of really kind of I guess mind mapping everything, and brainstorming everything going on in the business and just, yeah, starting to declutter. Starting to say no a lot more. And only say yes to things that are really aligned and a, "Hell yeah." So ... 

Brigit:                    So tell me a few of these things that you've said no to or that you've released in some way. 

Jenna:                   Yeah. Well I think lately definitely saying no to a lot of like affiliate things that were popping up. And people, obviously I would love to be able to work with so many different people and do all these things, but I get a lot of different opportunities and people wanting to reach out to me, and collaborate, or do an affiliate launch or whatever it may be. And it's never really worked out for me before, and I feel like the more that I give my energy to those things the more I'm pulling it away from own work and the work I'm really here to do. 

Jenna:                   So that's definitely been a big one. 

Brigit:                    And I think just on that, I've got through that process too where you can get some really attractive invites. And you think, "Oh, this'll be great", and you think, "Oh well it's only an hour or two of my time." But it's yet another energy kind of, I don't know, like diversion. So I believe that we will have so much impact when we can get that single point of focus and we can just channel the energy right to that exact thing. 

Brigit:                    And even these little things that seem, "Oh that'll be easy. I can just say yes to that." Because personally I don't like saying no because I feel bad, I like to please people. 

Jenna:                   Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. 

Brigit:                    But it just means that that energy is being split. So yeah, that's neat. 

Brigit:                    What are some other examples that you've said no to? 

Jenna:                   Well more about my own rules that I had that I was running off in business in terms of big fancy launches. Or you've got to do webinars, have a sales funnel with a webinar, whatever it might be. All these different rules that I was playing off, and a lot of those I let go of a long time ago, but it's still just refining them. 

Jenna:                   So even around launching these days, I like to launch things now within a couple of days of having the idea of it. And that's just what feels good right now. And that might change in the future but right now it's about, "Okay" ... like the other day I had an idea for a selling queen course teaching on how to sell for spiritual entrepreneurs. Came through within 48 hours I was selling the course and receiving clients into that course. 

Jenna:                   So for me it's just been about breaking the rules and saying no to the rules that I had made up for myself. But that so in often in online business we kind of play by the rules. And particularly I see it around launching and marketing and how to build your brand all of these things. And yeah, some of them can feel really good and really aligned, but some of them might now. And so it's just been this process of really being intentional, and kind of every action that I'm taking in business, stopping for a moment and saying, "Does this feel good? Is this aligned for me anymore? Is there a different way I could do it that would feel more easy, more flow-based?" 

Brigit:                    Yeah. 

Jenna:                   So yeah, it's definitely been just that process of releasing stuff. Like another one that I had earlier this year was this rule around having to do sales calls for coaching, right? And I think that so many of us get torn, you've got to go jump on a call for 20 minutes, or a half an hour, and you've got to do this sales script, or talk about your pricing. And when I came out of coaching school a few years ago that was exactly the way that I did it. Never really felt confident in it, really struggled in it. But continued to do them for years because it was just the way that I was taught. 

Jenna:                   So I, end of last year just decided, "I'm not jumping on the phone with people anymore. If they want to coach with me one to one, they will know." My soul clients just know, right? They know that they want to work with me, they've probably been absorbing my free content for months if not a couple of years, to get to the point of investing in me as a one to one mentor. Some of them just find me and instantly want to work with me. And I just decided that I'm no longer available to do sales calls. 

Jenna:                   So the slowing down process has just been like, "Okay. You can message me on Instagram or Facebook and we can chat about coaching that way if you want to, and have a little dialogue back and forth on instant messenger." And then that's it. And you'll know whether you want to work with me or not. So the moment I made that decision, I then launched some coaching at the start of this year and made, booked 50000 in a week. Just from doing that. Just from no longer being available for sales calls. 

Jenna:                   So it's just, the slowing down piece has just been looking at, again, all those elements and just kind of saying, "Is that necessary?" 

Brigit:                    Yes. Because I think what can happen in people's minds is they think, "Oh gosh, if I don't do the sales calls I'm going to miss out." You know? I'm going to lose sales because of it. And so I love that you've shared that as a result of eliminating the sales calls, you actually increased your business. 

Jenna:                   Absolutely. 

Brigit:                    And even with the sales webinars. For us, it works, I love them. 

Jenna:                   Yeah. 

Brigit:                    But it's a huge amount of work and I can completely understand why others may not want to have that as part of the process. Because it is huge. And I think also what happens is there's a lot of hype. Right? So like maybe a year ago I started hearing about the chat pod, and I'm still there's still chat Pod things going on like it's the next wave of marketing. And maybe it is, and maybe I'm missing out, but we trialed it in Biddy Tarot and we're like, "Mmm. This feels weird. I'm not really enjoying this. It feels odd." 

Brigit:                    And then I actually stopped and I thought, "Hang on. I think that there's this hype because the people talking about it are actually the owners of the company, or have some kind of financial interest in it." So of course they're saying that it's the next wave. And I think is where we've got to really call into question like what is really in alignment with where we're at? What's their underlying motivation for saying it's the next big thing? And really just trusting what is right for our business instead of getting into the hype everything. 

Jenna:                   Absolutely. Because there's so many people telling you, "This is the way to do it. You should do this. You have to do this to create 10k a month", or whatever it is. You see all these different hype messages. And I used to fall into that trap of, "Oh okay. Well gosh, I've got to do this then. I've got to do this." And it just brings you away from your power, and it brings you ... I think it also lowers your self worth and your self confidence. Because, again, you're looking outside of yourself. 

Jenna:                   And then it flops, and then you think that you're the problem. But actually you're not. And you have that answer within you. And so this whole slowing down that I've been doing has been really even going to that next level of that. And knowing that in my day I could be working only an hour a day and still have the same result as if I did eight hours a couple of years ago. And it absolutely has been the case for me. It's like doing less and bringing more of lifestyle into it, bringing more of the ... for me, it's about the energy piece in business as well. Like knowing that my clients are attracted to who I am when I show up as myself, or when I follow my soul and my intuition. 

Jenna:                   And that's why like that morning ritual for me is so important of doing my vision work, and then from that space saying, "What is my intuition guiding me to do today?" And usually it can just be one to three things that I know I need to get done, but they're the things that matter. And I think that's the slowing down piece as well. It's like you could get stuck in the busy work, which I used to do. Like I've got to find the perfect font for my homepage on my website, or I've got to change my brand colors on Instagram. Whatever the things were that I was doing that were really not the work that counts, and not the work that is the priority. 

Jenna:                   And so I think it's trusting your intuition on what those non-negotiables are and what those essential items are that will move your business forward. And anything else other then that can come later, or maybe it's not relevant at all. Or it can be outsourced, or ... yeah. So that's the slowing down piece as well. It's not busying up my day so much, but being really intentional with the work that I do actually action. So ... 

Brigit:                    Yep. Yep. Beautiful. 

Brigit:                    And then, at the time of us recording this episode, you are two months away from having a beautiful little baby. 

Jenna:                   Yes. I'm so excited. 

Brigit:                    Tell me, firstly tell me what's your vision for the way that you want to be in your business as a new mom. How are you seeing that potentially play out? 

Jenna:                   Yeah. Yeah. 

Jenna:                   Well firstly, it's been interesting because we were talking before about listening to other people's beliefs and letting that be your kind of journey. It's such another element when it comes to motherhood as well. It's like everybody, as soon as I announced I was pregnant, so many messages on social media, all from ... I think people don't realize what they're projecting but, "Well it's going to be hard", and, "You're going to feel exhausted the whole time", and, "You won't be able to run your business anymore. What are you going to do? You won't have a business?" 

Jenna:                   All these fear-based things from their own experience. And so, for me, knowing initially when I knew I was pregnant, it was a decision straight away that this baby brings even more abundance into my life. And even more spaciousness, and more expansiveness. Because my baby's in alignment, right? So if it's an aligned thing to have this beautiful child, then of course I'm supported in that. And so it's just been, for me, like a real journey of having to kind of shut out the outside world in terms of all the other mums projecting their things on me and their beliefs, and their experiences. 

Jenna:                   And knowing that I get to make my own decisions around that and have my own journey around that. And so in terms of business, it's been firstly around deciding, "This baby only brings more abundance." And also that slowing down piece has been important. So coming back to what are the essentials now? I will have probably less time, obviously, because I'm going to have a newborn. But that doesn't mean that I have to step back in terms of the income that I'm making, or the impact that I'm making. 

Jenna:                   So I think it's just really been about shifting even deeper into that alignment and only doing what feels 100% aligned and, "hell yes", and doing less and doing it smarter. 

Brigit:                    Yeah. 

Jenna:                   So it's been, again, that kind of process of decluttering, I think. And really just continuing to choose that this beautiful baby is just bringing more abundance into our lives. And that's the way it gets to be. So for me things won't change, I don't feel, in terms of the business part to much. I still have the intention to still run my business and show other mums that you can do it all, and that you can have it all, and it's about kind of no longer being responsive or reaction to everyone else, and just staying in that focus, in that intention, and really trusting your intuition on what is important. And letting everything else go. Letting it probably be a bit messy and chaotic in the process, but just staying in that connection to yourself. 

Jenna:                   And I think that that's what's going to move me forward in this next chapter. So ... 

Brigit:                    And are you making any changes to your business model as part of bringing in this new baby into your life? 

Jenna:                   Yeah. Definitely. 

Jenna:                   Well the biggest change was moving away from one to one coaching. I've been a one to one coach for nearly five years. So that was the biggest change. And that's probably, I guess, the only main change that I am focusing on. So I'm wrapping up with my final client this week, actually. And then moving forward it's just been about bringing people into more of my group coaching and my masterminds, because I know that I can really make the same amount of impact, and even a bigger impact, in those types of courses and communities without me having to be so physically present as I would be with one to one coaching. 

Jenna:                   So that's been the biggest shift. And that initially brought up a lot of fear for me because my one to one coaching was such a large part of my income. Like 70% almost of what I was receiving each year. But again, I've just made the decision. And the expectation that that money, I know that abundance is all around me, and I know that money is all around me, and it will just flow to me in a different way. And it'll flow to me in the way that is aligned. 

Jenna:                   And so the aligned way now as I'm going to have a baby, is group coaching, masterminds, group courses, and things like that. And that's what I actually love and what I've been wanting to step into for a long time. I really see myself more as a teacher and a guide and an activator for groups of women. And so it just feels really aligned to move away from the one to one. And I think the baby was the perfect time to make that decision finally. So yeah, kind of kicked me into the action of it. 

Brigit:                    Yes. And what about from a team perspective? You've touched on how you've been delegating and outsourcing and so on. Are you adjusting your team to free you up a little bit more while you have your baby? 

Jenna:                   Yeah. So definitely they're taking up a little bit more ... more with repurposing content and just automating a little bit more in the business. That's really our main focus. So, for me, it's about creating one piece of content and blasting it out in as many ways as possible, and then also reusing our old content in different ways. Because I really believe in the power of that. I think often we're like, "Oh, we've got to create new all the time." And I just think that when you really create from solo line space that that content has energy for years to come. So why not use that? 

Jenna:                   So we're looking at repurposing a lot. That's a big move forward. And so I can still stay in that creation mode, but I'm not needed as much each day in terms of [crosstalk 00:35:38] that. So that's been a big shift as well. 

Brigit:                    I think that's probably one of these big myths of online business and digital marketing is that you've got to keep creating new content, right? 

Jenna:                   Yeah. Yeah. 

Brigit:                    I had this realization probably about a year ago, where I thought, "Hang on a second. We've got over three hundred blog posts on [inaudible 00:35:56]. Why are we still creating new content and why are we still doing new ... we're creating awesome new content for social. But we don't necessarily need to because we've driven our energy into sort of the ball and the juiciness that it is right now. Why don't we just stay in that energy field instead of always adding to it?" 

Jenna:                   Absolutely. And there's so much great content that we've created, and people might not have seen that. So it's almost like doing them a disservice by saying, "Oh well that's not relevant anymore because I created it a year ago." It's still relevant. And I think the more I look at that myself it's about creating one piece of content that has a bigger impact, rather then creating like so many little pieces that aren't as impactful or aligned. So I'd rather put my energy into say a longer blog post that's more in depth, or a longer podcast, or a longer live stream, or whatever it might be that I'm creating. And then create that in multiple ways for people to have access to it for years to come, rather then thinking like, "Oh, I've got to post on Instagram so that I just write something willy nilly." 

Jenna:                   So yeah, it's such a lesson, because I think we do get in that .. again, another rule that we get taught that you have to keep creating new stuff. So, interesting. 

Brigit:                    Yes. And I think this is the interesting thing about becoming a new mum or a new parent, is I strongly believe that as you become a parent you also become highly productive and very aware of how you use your time. Because it can potentially be chopped In half, if not even less. But then you become so much more intentional with, "Okay. Great. I've got two hours of baby sleeping time. How do I channel this two hours into the most high impact thing right now?" 

Jenna:                   Absolutely. And that's so, with the mentality I'm getting into now, it's like, as I said before, I feel like this baby will only bring more abundance. And mainly because I'll have to be even more intentional. It's even that next layer of focus and productivity, as you said, and I'm already super clear on what my daily actions are and non-negotiables are that move the business forward, but I think it'll be about like even deeper dropping that perfectionism and just like letting it come through and doing the work in those little pockets of time. 

Jenna:                   So it's going to be an interesting journey, but yeah, I really believe that you can still do that. And it actually makes you, as you said, more productive. 

Brigit:                    Yes. And I think sometimes we need these little pressure points, like having a baby, to really help us look at how to refine our business and become more efficient, and intentional, really, about what is that we do. 

Jenna:                   Yeah. Definitely. 

Brigit:                    So what do you see coming up for you over the next six to 12 months in your business? 

Jenna:                   Yeah. I really see for me that next evolution of the work that I'm here to do in the way that I desire to do it. So as I said, like moving away from one to one coaching. It served me, I enjoyed it, but it just isn't in alignment anymore. And the baby obviously was the catalyst to make that change, because it was quite a fearful thing to shift out of that. But for me, in terms of the business, it's about reaching more people. Being able to really expand my impact on more of a global scale. And that looks like more of my programs, and my courses, and masterminds, and academies, and things like that coming through. 

Jenna:                   So I would love to be staying in that intuitive flow, still. Because I love to get downloads for programs, and I'm very creative, and I love to launch things as they come through. But then having those main pieces in my business, like my academy and mastermind which I run, and then looking at something similar coming in the new year as well in terms of a money mindset course and really teaching on that a lot more. 

Jenna:                   So yeah, for me it's just about stepping into the way that I share my message. Being more of a teacher and a guide rather then one to one coaching. And that feels really good because I love to create and I love to teach. So yeah, it's basically similar to what I've been doing but just in a different way of wording it out. So it's going to be exciting. 

Brigit:                    Yes. Yeah. 

Brigit:                    So I'm curious like how, what new part of yourself you're expressing over these next few months. And it sounds like it is that teacher and guide. But curious perhaps even a deeper level what do you feel is really coming forth through you? 

Jenna:                   Yeah. Well I think for me it's been a real journey of owning who I am. And even me now to six months ago, or a year ago, is vastly different because I've just gone through this process of being so in my power and knowing who I am and how I want to show up. And that be enough, rather then feeling like I have to do things a certain way, or speak in a certain way, or teach in a certain way. 

Jenna:                   So for me the next evolution is that real authentic just me. And just letting myself shine, and my letting myself be my own type of leader. And guiding other women to do the same, empowering them in that journey too, is really important to me. So I am going into this element of the teacher. I really see myself as an activator ultimately. And the work that I do, it's ... I used to call myself a coach for so many years, and even that label is being dropped now. It's like that's not really who I am. I don't want to put myself in the coaching basket anymore. 

Jenna:                   So for me it's activating women and guiding them into remembering who they are. And to going all in on their purpose. And that's purely come from my own experience doing that. So I think that's the next evolution for me is just being truly authentic and showing up to who I am and letting that intuition continue to guide me in that journey. 

Brigit:                    Yes. Well it's going to be so inspiring to watch. And very powerful. I love it. 

Jenna:                   Yeah. Thank you. 

Brigit:                    And so Jenna, where can people find out more about you and your work? 

Jenna:                   Yeah. So they can come to my website, abundantboss.com. And then I'm always on Instagram hanging out, so JennaBlack.Inc on Instagram. Yeah, so definitely come and say hi. [crosstalk 00:42:03] 

Brigit:                    And you've also got your podcast as well, right? 

Jenna:                   Yes. The Jenna Black show on iTunes or Spotify. Lots of goodness on there [crosstalk 00:42:11] to listen to. 

Brigit:                    And will you continue your podcast after baby or is that yet to be seen? 

Jenna:                   Yes. Yes. No, I will be continuing the podcast. And the next evolution of that is bringing on guests. So I'll have to have you online as well, we'll do a spot. So that's really exciting for me as well, because it's been a solo show for eight months or so. So now I'm going to be bringing on some amazing entrepreneurs as well, so that's the next evolution of that. 

Brigit:                    Fantastic. Awesome. 

Brigit:                    Well thank you, Jenna, for sharing your journey and your wisdom and your insights. It's been an absolute delight. And yeah, I can't wait for little baby to come along and see what unfolds and evolves for you from there. 

Jenna:                   Thank you so much for having me Brigit. It's been amazing. Thanks so much. 

Brigit:                    Thank you for joining me for today's episode of the Intuitive Entrepreneur Podcast. If you loved this episode, please leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. That really helps to get the word out, and of course I read every single comment. Now, if you're an intuitive entrepreneur with a desire to build a business fueled by purpose, passion, and profit, then you're invited to join and an intimate group of female business owners in the Intuitive Entrepreneurs Mastermind. All you need to do is add your name to the wait list, and you'll be the first to know when applications are open. 

Brigit:                    So head on over to Brigit.me/mastermind. That's B-r-I-g-I-t, dot me, forward slash, mastermind. I'll see you there and bye for now.