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[00:00:00] Kathi Burns: Hi there. I'm board certified professional organizer Kathi Burns. I'm really glad you're here. This podcast is designed for busy entrepreneurs just like you, who wanna take better control of your business and move forward with less stress and more success. If this is your first time listening, then thanks for coming.

The Organized Energized Podcast is produced for your enjoyment and show notes are found at thepodcast.organizedandenergized.com. Come back often and feel free to add this podcast to your favorite RSS feed or iTunes. You can also follow me on Twitter at Organized Energy and Facebook. All links are in the show notes.

Now, let's get into the show.

Hi everyone, this is Kathi, and today I'm talking with Dr. Theresa Ashby. Theresa's dedicated her efforts to helping companies and individuals enter the billion dollar e-learning and digital product market. So if any of you are out there looking to do digital products, this is the podcast for you. We're gonna talk about how to build a scalable model and leverage your intellectual copy with digital products. So let's jump into it and talk to Theresa.

Hi everyone, this is Kathi and I am back with Theresa Ashby. She is the founder and Creative Kaleidoscope Media Services. We are gonna talk about digital products, how you can make some money and have some fun creating digital products, and I'm so happy to have Theresa here. So welcome to the show.

[00:01:31] Theresa Ashby: Thank you so much. I have been looking forward to this and our conversation.

[00:01:36] Kathi Burns: Awesome. Awesome. Okay, so digital products. I know I have several, and I know you probably also have several, but let's talk about the backstory. How did you get into this world of digital online marketing?

[00:01:49] Theresa Ashby: Yeah. I'll tell you what, I always tell people I'm a recovering corporate executive, right? Spent years in corporate and then I left because for me, I wanted to do a lot more consulting. I wanted. Companies really be able to do what they wanna do, right? It's all about how do we move them forward and how do we grow our business? And a lot of times, we'll use the word scale, but it's a variety of things. And I was like, what is out there in, in today's world that really can help people, first of all, organize and become efficient, right? And then I, and then quite frankly, I looked where the money was going and I said, okay, if the venture capitalists are investing so much money on these platforms that allow people to create some digital product, there's something there.

So I was fortunate enough to join forces with a business partner and that's how we started, oh gosh, five years ago, way before all this stuff that's been going on in the last three years.

[00:02:47] Kathi Burns: Yeah, absolutely. Now it's started. So good timing. When did you incorporate before this, Theresa?

[00:02:52] Theresa Ashby: So I was in healthcare and I was the vice president of operations over two hospital. So spent a lot of time really looking at processes, systems, how do we create efficiencies with the end in mind? It was about the patient, right? And how do we serve that patient? And if you back everything else up that's how you decide where to go and what to do and how to make it happen. And I think that's the same for your listeners and also our clients figure it out what the end is.

[00:03:20] Kathi Burns: You got outta that at the right time, didn't you? Good for you, girl.

[00:03:24] Theresa Ashby: Yeah, I was, I've been gone for quite some time, but I've stayed with my hand on the pulse just because healthcare is it's a tough industry and there are a lot of people that we have to thank for everything that's been going on. So I have many friends still in the industry and Wow. They've, yeah, they've done a great.

[00:03:43] Kathi Burns: They're Troopers, and God bless their souls. I have several friends and family as well that are in that, and yeah it's been a tough one. Let them, we're all just moving past it, hopefully sooner than later. So talk to me a story about a client and how, what, where they were coming from, how you helped them. What they developed and gimme that story to give some background here to the conversation.

[00:04:05] Theresa Ashby: Sure. I'll tell you what, often we get the call from a client in kind of this I've gotta, I've gotta create this course, I've gotta, I've gotta build this community. It's like, it's going too fast, what's gonna happen? And we always stop and we say, okay, let's back up. Why? Just because everybody else is doing it doesn't mean that you need to do it, but why? And so we back them up and we look at their entire business model and say, where is your future going and where can you add that digital product so that you can grow your business? And we had a client call us and it was the same situation. They were a consultant. And they were like, I just, I know I need to get into this business.

And so we're like, okay, let's figure that out. And they were spending a lot of time originally in front of the employee in front of their clients. They were going, they were doing teaching, they were doing consulting. And so we're like, okay, you're spending 10 hours. 10 hours doing this stuff. Could we create a digital product that allowed them to see you before you go in, spend about an hour creating this digital product, and then spend an hour with them. And of course, when we went virtual, we would call that office hours. So what we were able to do is take that 10 hours of being there in person all the time, and the person not being prepared to creating something where it was five hours of digital product with the didactics and the learning and the lessons and the tactics to the five hours of being in person. So it accelerated people's opportunity for growth and coaching and consulting. And our client was able to charge the same thing , because but it saved them time, like five hours.

[00:05:49] Kathi Burns: Yeah, I love it. What type of product was it or what type of consulting were they doing?

[00:05:52] Theresa Ashby: So they were doing a lot of consulting around helping other people. Basically executives. Being better executives. It wasn't really about the leadership, I can't say it was a leadership thing. It was about really honing in on who you are as an executive and then being able to communicate that work with people and how do really engage your employees so that you're the executive that people really appreciate and.

[00:06:19] Kathi Burns: I love that. And so the executives were actually taking the online courses? In advance. They were doing homework.

[00:06:24] Theresa Ashby: Yes. They were doing a, the first hour before, so they had all their notes that they wanted. They had downloads, so they knew exactly what they were gonna talk about. They created their, in fact, it's funny, a story is always important, right? And we always tell people, create a story or have your clients write a story about something that happened and then we can learn and understand and learn lessons through those stories. So then when they came to do the hour in-person or hour virtually, they were already ready with all this information so they could really grow and expand their understanding of how they can implement the work.

[00:06:59] Kathi Burns: That's fantastic. And that's what we're doing on this podcast is we're telling all you out there listening the story of how that might work for you in your consulting business, right? How you might be able to replace the hours that you're spending actually in front of people, because that's the big challenge right now is, clients are spoiled. They like to see us in person a lot. And so how do we wean them off of that and give them the same quality or actually even better quality consulting services. Yeah. Good job. Good job. What's the one lesson, and so you've been doing this five years. So what's the lesson that you feel that you've learned having, gone from directing, of hospitals into being a solopreneur? What's the main lesson that you've had a, as a takeaway for yourself or your aha moment?

[00:07:44] Theresa Ashby: Yeah I love this question because I think for entrepreneurs, female entrepreneurs, sometimes we tend to get in this mode of I can do it all, right? Yeah, I've got it all. So what I would do is I would be like, oh yeah, okay. All right. They told me to go get advice, so I know I can't do it all. So then I would go out and I would get asked people for all this advice, and then I would take the advice, but I was taking the advice of the last person that said something to me, and what I found is, that it was the person that was the most competent in saying it and the person that said it the loudest. And what really I learned was, no, it's not about going and getting advice from everybody. It's not about reading everything. It's not about over studying it, it's about finding the people that have actually done it have been extremely like Uber, uber successful. And then you go to them with three questions that you have on your mind you ask them very clear three questions because they have time for three questions. They don't have time to sit there and just have a conversation with you. Ask 'em those three critical questions and then weigh it to what you wanna do and what your end results are. And then take that advice. I just feel it's it's helped me more personally and in my business to be very focus.

[00:09:08] Kathi Burns: That is spectacular advice. And I was on that track too, asking anybody and anything for anything and then doing what they said without even really checking in or knowing the purpose. Yeah. Half the time you just ask questions and you don't even, you don't even know why you're asking questions, so why would you take the advice? But that's what we do because we feel like we're a little island. Yeah, and the idea of seeking out and finding the person who's done that, been there, done that very successfully, and pinpointing who you wanna ask advice from, I think is huge advice from you.

[00:09:45] Theresa Ashby: Yeah. You know what, for me it was, I got really clear on the trajectory of my business and where I wanted it to go. That was where I got very centered and I knew exactly what I wanted to do so that when I did find that person, I wanted advice. It was very clear that I wasn't asking them What should I do with my business? I'm thinking, I wanna go here. I'm thinking I wanna go here. No, it's, here's where I'm going. This is what I wanna do. I want your advice on X, Y, and. Yeah. And boom and wow. What Aha moments I would get or I still get.

[00:10:19] Kathi Burns: Yeah. That's fantastic. And so you're, do you keep basically the same three questions in the beginning or do they, did each one morph and you had a different question for the different person depending on who it was?

[00:10:31] Theresa Ashby: It was different for who it was and different times in my business. Because when you start out, there are just some basic questions you've gotta understand. And then when you grow, especially that tilting point for businesses, right? There's that, that next level when you go, do I hire or don't I hire, do I hire or don't I hire, right? You know what? Why do you wanna hire? Get very clear on why you need someone, what they're gonna do, and then seek advice around that particular trajectory. I've gone out, obviously I have other people that maybe I wanna start a new product that we have this, we're launching several new products this year and it's okay, we know the product we want, we know what we're thinking the outcome's going to be. But you know what? We're gonna go ask people who have launched new products and said, in today's market, what's been, what? Have you been successful launch? How were you successfully launching your product? What were your barriers? So it's very specific to where I'm going.

[00:11:29] Kathi Burns: And it changes all the time. The market changes so much that by the time you're ready to launch, it could have totally changed what people need. Or how they're going to intake that information. If you had someone that was getting ready to start a digital product, I saw, I heard your first piece of advice, why? That's a really good question. Why do they want that? What would a follow up question be for someone who's out there thinking about it? Because I know we have listeners right now who are contemplating doing this.

[00:11:58] Theresa Ashby: Yeah, definitely. So you are spot on the why. Once you know the why, then it's okay, where does it fit in your business model? And where does it fit in your sales cycle? So let's say you wanna create this digital product. And you have your three packages, cuz it's always important to have three packages if you're selling them. If you are a service business. All service businesses need to have a product too. And that's where the digital product comes in. But is this digital product to drive people to know and trust you as a free digital product. Or is it So you're creating an opportunity so they get to know and trust you. They're gonna pay for it because maybe they can't afford your bigger packages, but it's always gonna drive them into something bigger with you. That's the next question, getting very clear on what the trajectory is based off the digital product.

[00:12:49] Kathi Burns: Because that's the typical model. You have your free treat and you know you have your free entry and then you have the low priced, right? And what do you recommend the first low price be? $47.97.

[00:13:00] Theresa Ashby: So here's the, we get three main questions. What price, what platform, and let's see, what price, what platform. And the third one is, what do I name it? So I'll go, it's easy to know that. Don't price it until you know what you're offering, because if it's only one module, one lesson, it's going to be less, right? If it's bigger than that, it's going to be more, and it also has to be based on your other level of packages. And the platform, don't decide the technology until you know everything you're gonna offer in your e-learning course. Cuz it's technology is great. We have our own technology that we now have because people were trying to get all of this stuff, but we're, we put you in the best platform based off of all these questions, right? It's very important and what to name it, something that is very clear and not clever, how's that?

[00:13:50] Kathi Burns: Yeah, I like that. I like that. Yeah. It's just like naming your company. Does your company say what you do?

[00:13:57] Theresa Ashby: That's right. Clear and not clever.

[00:13:59] Kathi Burns: Clear and not clever. Clever never sells anything, right?

[00:14:02] Theresa Ashby: That's right. Exactly. And if I may I wanna create some clarity that I think really muddies the water around this whole digital product thing. It's, we're very clear. We are not helping people build a digital business, all right? We help people build their business by adding digital products. I think that's where your listeners are, and there's a huge differentiator. It's different from what you build and create. It's different from the pricing. It's different from the outcome. And if you wanna be in where you're building just courses, then that's a whole different business model. I want you to figure out what it's gonna help to grow your business.

[00:14:46] Kathi Burns: Love it. Love it. Thank you. That's really good clarification for those out listening. For sure. Yeah, I love it. So when you have a big win in your business, how do you celebrate your successes?

[00:14:59] Theresa Ashby: You know what? It's I think about this a lot and I realize that it's not that I don't go out and just oh my gosh, I had this big success. What I've done is, because here's what would happen is I would go out and I'd be like, yes and have all this hype for myself, and then the next day I'd be all let down. Okay, I feel like I'm starting a new, okay, so what I decided is I am not gonna do a single sole success kind of celebration. What I'm gonna do, and I'm very intentional about this. I celebrate stuff, I make sure that I have time with my family and things that I love to do. And I, it's more of a constant, so I can stay constant and even in my business versus that up and down it I was the person that put work first. Just was grinding it. It was, I was out there, especially in corporate, right? And I thought, wow, I couldn't that ups and downs. So yes, we celebrate in the sense of we make sure our employees know that, Hey, thank you for your work. We appreciate it. And then different times of the year we do different things. But for me personally, it was really that constant about making sure I scheduled time to be thoughtful about what I needed.

[00:16:14] Kathi Burns: Okay. So self-care on a regular basis. If you had to look back at yourself when you were 18 and you were going to give her some advice and some words of wisdom from now that you're brilliantly wise what would you tell yourself, Theresa?

[00:16:31] Theresa Ashby: Oh, yeah. If I looked back at 18, boy, I tell ya. That obstacles are gonna happen no matter what. And some of 'em are gonna be big and some of 'em are gonna be little. And just surround yourself with people that love you and that are gonna support you and people that are gonna just encourage you and realize that every one of those obstacles, and when I look back at some of the obstacles, some I made myself some the world made, right? But wow, the lessons I learned and the stories I can tell and the things and who I am now, it, it's really defined me in a really positive way. And I'm, sometimes I look back and I'm like, wow, I am, now that I'm out of it, how grateful I am for that bump on the road that happened when I was 18 or 20 or, so just, yeah, hang in there. It will get to the other side. And I think we just have to surround ourselves with people that love us.

[00:17:31] Kathi Burns: Hang on over those bumps, because those bumps could just jetapult you into a new place that you're like, wow, I can't believe I ended up here. Very good. Tell me, and that leads me right into the next part of the the podcast is, tell me about one of your most memorable successes that something, you think of this client just get a smile on your face every time.

[00:17:54] Theresa Ashby: I think it's the, that phone call I get a year later, two years later, three years later, and I hear somebody on the other end and it doesn't matter. Like it's not about the particular accomplishment, it's the joy in their voice. It's the, Hey Dr. T, guess what? Whether it's been a student of mine, whether it's been a client of mine, whether it's just been a friend of mine and they call me later and they're like, you're not gonna believe this. And they have this, the soulful voice. They have this energy in them. And it was just maybe one little thing that I said that quite frankly, I might not even remember how I said it or exactly what I said it, but I know when I say things, I mean 'em. I don't sugarcoat a lot. I don't, tell you what you wanna hear often and when they can you just I know you know this. I know you've had the same reaction to me that trumps everything.

[00:18:50] Kathi Burns: When a client says, and when you told me this, and I'm like, oh, I don't remember saying that, that's good.

[00:18:57] Theresa Ashby: I'm so happy. Yeah, because you know why? I think if I remembered what I said when I get these calls, To me, what that's telling me is I'm very rote in what I'm doing. If I'm not remembering it, and it affected 'em. I was in the moment I was listening to them. I was deep in their thought and I was asking the inquisitive questions and I heard them and I listened to them and I gave them that nugget that they needed at that time. To me, that's the most important part of all of.

[00:19:27] Kathi Burns: And it came direct. Direct download from you to them. That is the stuff that sticks and some such is so simple. And it's oh wow. And that's when you hit the mark. Just like what you said about the title of the digital project, it doesn't have to be snappy or zingy ,it is just has to be like a direct hit to what you need to say. Yeah, that's good. I like it. Okay. I know you have something to offer the listeners here and for any of you that wanna do digital definitely listen to what Dr. Theresa has to say for us right here. What are you gonna offer them?

[00:20:00] Theresa Ashby: Okay, first of all, I want everybody to know you can go to my website, kaleidoscopemedia services.com, go on there, you'll get a free download. But what I really wanna offer everybody is if they DM me, if they connect either Facebook or LinkedIn and they say that they heard me on this show, they have to say they heard me on this show. Okay? Hi, Dr. T. I heard you right. I will set up a 15 minute no sales zone free let's just chat about your business and I'll give you a couple of ideas during that chat where you could fit a digital product to help grow your business.

[00:20:35] Kathi Burns: That's huge. Thank you.

[00:20:37] Theresa Ashby: Facebook. Facebook or LinkedIn. 15 minutes. You got it.

[00:20:41] Kathi Burns: Interview on, Organize and Energize The Podcast and you've got free 15 minutes. This is big wow. That's very generous. Thanks, Theresa. Okay, so we've talked about a lot. Is there anything that I should have asked you that you'd like to talk to or talk about to the people?

[00:20:58] Theresa Ashby: Yes. One of the things that I think is so important, and this is not necessarily, about digital products, this is really, but here's the thing. I think it, it's so pointed that stop doing the thing that you know you should stop doing, but that you're holding onto it. people start a project, people start selling a product or a service, and they started it and it's their baby. It's, they're so important to them that we hold it onto it because of our ego or because other people, you don't want people to be disappointed in you. And I know I've done that. I know I've held on too long, but when you let it go, It's amazing. It's called Just stop, right? Just stop doing it and move on. The doors will open to something that's bigger and better, more revenue for you. It's more fun for you to even consult or coach or lead. Just try it and let the doors open for you.

[00:22:00] Kathi Burns: That's fantastic advice for sure. More good advice from you girl. Yeah, and I call it the letting go muscle. And most of our letting go muscles are atrophied and we just wanna hold on tight cuz we have so much invested in whatever it is, whether it's an object or a project or something, or a memory or a habit, just let it go. If you get that niggly feeling. If it just cap right. If it keeps happening over and over, it's oh, I don't know about this. Yeah.

[00:22:31] Theresa Ashby: If the clients aren't loving it anymore and you're not loving it and it's like a pebble in your shoe that just keeps bugging you and just it's not generating you the revenue and it's feels old and stale. Stop. Stop. Just, yeah.

[00:22:44] Kathi Burns: Yeah, let it go. Fantastic. I love it. Woo. Okay, I'm gonna let you go. Not nothing. You're bugging me at all. I think this is a such a really timely topical topic for right now. Everybody's shifting, everybody's moving and zooming in different directions. And I know that if people call on you for your services, that you're going to lead them now on the right path. And, make sure folks, if you're out there thinking about it, that you do take advice from people who know what they're doing in the digital world because I, I know. For 15, 15 years ago I was creating all these digital projects just cuz I wanted to, I didn't have the why, I just had the, I love it. Make sure that you're on the right track with it. And I just really appreciate your time Theresa, you've been at gem. All of you out there, check it out. Go ahead and say you listened to the podcast and get that free 15 minutes. That's worth a lot of money. So go ahead and do it, and thank you for your time, Theresa.

[00:23:41] Theresa Ashby: Thank you so much. Take care.

[00:23:42] Kathi Burns: Yeah, it's a pleasure.

Hey, thanks for listening to this podcast. I hope you enjoyed this episode, and if you want to hear more, feel free to subscribe on the platform of your choice. Also, if you feel so inclined, I would truly appreciate a good rating from you to me. Have a stellar day.