Avanti Business Academy for Women

There I was, sitting in the car, in a parking lot outside a restaurant, getting ready to go into a networking lunch. I was holding my phone, tapping out a quick message to say “I’m in! Please send me the invoice.” My thumb was shaking, hovering just above the ‘send’ button.

I was about to make the largest investment ever in myself and my business. And of course I was asking myself what we all ask before investing. Yep! How will I make my money back on this?

Only this time was different because I was investing in ME. And I didn’t have much belief in myself to create my ROI (return on investment). If it was *possible* to create my ROI, why hadn’t I done it up to this point? I was scared, but somewhere deep inside, my still small voice said “it's all about taking that next small step in belief.” 

All I needed to achieve my ROI *in that moment* was to believe “I'm worth the investment, that the smallest possibility exists that this will be worth it.” 

We think we need ALL the belief be...

Do you ever feel like “you don't know what you don't know” when it comes to your marketing?

A woman said this exact thing to me this week.

I think most of us feel this way sometimes, especially when we hit new thresholds in building our business and creating new levels of demand.

So, what do you do when this happens?

Most people immediately start looking for answers, more knowledge, Google-ing incessantly.

But even when you've gathered all the wisdom from all the experts 'out there' you ultimately need to make a decision on what advice you're going to grab hold off, bring into your business and implement.

And - NEWS FLASH - there's no right answer, even though we often search like there’s got to be one right answer out there.

This is where having an ally, a coach can help you.

You've got so much information swimming around from your own experience, education; as well as from 'out there.' But how do you bring it all together, create a strategy that will work for you and create ...

Your hustle alone will not get you there. Here’s what’s missing...

I have a client that knows exactly how to build her business...she’s got a proven formula and she’s got big goals, she wants to retire her husband in five years, bringing home six-figures. 

But month after month she’s not following her proven plan and consequently not seeing the results she wants, which leads to beating herself up and feeling discouraged and ready to quit it all.  

Ever been there? Yeah, me too! I used to think I just had to hustle harder.

What I know for sure now is that without belief - in myself, my abilities as a businesswoman, and my business - I could hustle like nobody's business and get nowhere...AND without belief we will never have the motivation to persevere and hustle at all. 

What actually creates revenue for me - beyond my wildest dreams, by the way - and has taken my business to a level I've only dreamed of, is working on my thinking. 

Yeah, I can muster the will to hustle, but rely...

The struggle is real...or maybe letting go of it is the gateway to FREEDOM and achieving your biggest goals!

I used to always answer the question “how’s it going?” with phrases like “I’m okay” or “hanging in there” even when life and business was freaking fabulous. 

For one, I think I didn’t want to come across as boastful - a story for another day - but part of it also was that part of me enjoyed the sympathy. My husband is traveling lots and I’m just a gal struggling to grow her business and raise her kids, have a life...yada yada. 

That was even before COVID. 

When COVID hit I fell back into my struggle story...like how was I going to build my business without going out and meeting people in person, school my kids at home, etcetera, etcetera...this situation is going to sink my business! 

The struggle story allowed me to keep my expectations low, so that if I totally bombed in my business and/or life...I could just blame the struggle and my situation.

Truth is, sometimes we ho...

You are a powerhouse! 

If you truly believed that, how would you feel right now? How would you behave? What results would you be creating in your business and life?

I’ve come to the realization that I’ve been hiding from my inner powerhouse, holding her at arm's length mostly because I’ve been afraid of the discomfort I might feel...and cause for those closest to me - my husband, my kids, my friends, my family. 

So many of us hide the hugeness of our inner powerhouse, our dream, our mission, our purpose so that we avoid ruffling feathers, overshadowing our spouses, or alienating ourselves from our friends or family members.

I thought if I remained small and flew under the radar I would keep the peace, let them all shine. But that’s not serving them or me! I realized I was robbing them and myself of the full, true ME! That’s not the example I want to set for my kids, especially my daughter!

Embracing my inner powerhouse means I’m going to be scared shitless...and feel invigorated.....

Do you find yourself buying courses and consuming podcasts, books, videos incessantly looking for the “The Thing” you need be doing to break through and begin creating a non-stop flow of clients and money???

I’ve been there!

The truth is...creating all the demand you want, growing your sales, and scaling your business starts with you and what you think about your business and yourself.

We think demand and sales are generated from outside us - by all the marketing activities we do -  but actually how we think and feel about the value we offer, understanding what we’re actually selling, and having confidence in ourselves are the foundation for creating the demand ‘out there,’ not some fancy new-fangled marketing ‘hack.’

This is what I see missing for so many women that feel like they are ‘doing all the things’ to market and sell but they are not creating the sales and the money they want to be.

I know the feeling, it’s frustrating when you feel like you’ve tried every latest and gre...

When I was in college in Southern California, we used to go ride the rollercoasters at Six Flags. Those coasters were the biggest I’d ever seen and scary as hell. For me, the scariest part was always going up that first big ascent. Higher and higher we’d go, hearing the chug, chug of the car being pulled up...before that inevitable big drop and rush of speed. I’d be feeling a mix of anticipation and terror and exhilaration...and was pretty sure I was going to die!

I’ve noticed that investing in myself and my business feels much the same way. Having the audacity to believe in ourselves and our businesses and then put our money where our mouth is really the ultimate act of vulnerability. We’re putting it all on the line!

Investing in ourselves, our business and our growth is scary, but on the other side is an amazing, exhilarating, rewarding adventure...and it’s also the catalyst to massive growth. 

I used to think my mentor was crazy when she would say she’d prefer to invest in herse...

Last weekend I got to play in a women’s ice hockey tournament with my team the Hot Flashes. We hadn’t been on the ice all together since before the pandemic so it was a sweet reunion for sure! 

These ladies are like my mothers, sisters, colleagues, and teammates all rolled into one. We are a family. Over the course of the weekend we celebrated our goalie’s wedding on the ice, a doctorate graduation, and a 50th birthday! 

We also made it to the Championship Game, which was such a thrill considering how long it’s been since we’ve played, let alone practiced together!

Before our semi-final game, one of our players’ father said to me “you’ve got to make it to the Championship.” And it sparked a thought in me. My initial thought and probably what I said was something like “we’ll see.” But then I got to thinking, how can we ensure we get to the Championship?

In life and in business, we can ensure we get to the Championship (or the Big Goal) by playing like a champion today, before we’ve ...

In his final hockey game before the covid shut down, my son scored a goal. 

He doesn’t score very many goals. This was his second goal this season and the first one I missed.  

As I watched him skate down the ice pumping his arms up into the air, jumping up & down in celebration I was reminded of what I know about celebration and how important it is. 

When we celebrate our wins... and not just celebrating by thinking about celebrating, but physically moving, dancing,  jumping up and down in joy, we actually imprint that accomplishment, that victory, that win into our muscle memory. In hockey we call this a “celly.”

Why is that important?

Because what we focus on with our thoughts and actions we create more of. And what we imprint in our muscle memory we remember how to do on a cellular level over and over. 

So if you want to have more accomplishments to celebrate, more wins to be grateful for, you must celebrate all of the wins you’re having now even the small ones.

Go ahead, ri...

I’m Melissa and I am a recovering perfectionist.

I discovered something interesting and disturbing…

I’m very comfortable with my perfectionism…

I like trying to look "perfect,"

Showing off my "perfect" family,

Talking about my "perfect" business.

Truth is…

It’s not perfect. None of it.

I like my look but the older I get the more I question everything...what can I wear? do 50-year old's do this? do I look old in this? what is a 50-year old actually supposed to dress like? ❤️ But I've learned to love myself in a much deeper way.

My family is far from perfect...I worry constantly about my children, especially my 12-year old daughter, and feel mommy guilt every day - especially during summer. ❤️ But I love all of them madly!

My business is far from perfect. My revenue trajectory looks like a roller-coaster at Six Flags, and feels like it too most of the time. ❤️ But I love it and all of my clients to the moon and back and I will NEVER give up on my vision to help more women make ...