Replacing Your Salary by Selling Services Online with Jereshia Hawk
Episode 489: Show Notes
Welcome back to the show, all you biz badasses and money queens! Today we have a great episode in store for you that you are most definitely not going to want to miss! Our guest is Jereshia Hawk and she is here to tell us about how she switched from a big corporate job to selling her services online and increasing her salary in the process! Jereshia was working on huge, high profile engineering projects when she left her job and during her first year of going solo she managed to double her salary! Sound amazing? We think so! She has subsequently taught her strategies to hundreds of people online and helped them get going on their own road to success.
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A lot of what Jereshia teaches is a little different to the majority of information that is available online. She has a focus on grassroots growth that we just love! It was such a pleasure to have her on the show and the conversation is motivating and really informative for anyone looking to get out of their day job and start their own little thing. This topic is really near and dear to our hearts as Abagail started out on her own, selling services when she quit her corporate job and so much of what Jereshia says rings true for us. For a great conversation with a massively inspiring person, be sure to get it all on The Strategy Hour!
An Overview of Jereshia’s Story
Jereshia completed her engineering degree and got a good job pretty soon after leaving college. She had had a pretty traditional upbringing complete with the idealization of the typical American dream, instilled mostly from her grandmother. As Jereshia moved up in her company to larger and larger projects she started to slowly realize it was not the world for her. Very often the youngest in the room and almost always the only woman of color in these spaces, Jereshia found that this ‘dream’ was not so fulfilling and felt the system was not really working for her. It was at this point she started to dip her toes into the online world! The first thing she sold was a small online course geared towards helping women reach their goals. She admits that in retrospect it was quite underpriced and a little vague, but hey, we all have to start somewhere, right? For Jereshia, the best place to start is to figure out how to get into a position with positive cash flow, from there you can move forward. Services seem to be the simplest way in as the barriers to entry are so low, so our guest recommends thinking about if you have any services you can sell off the bat.
Finding an Audience and Customers to Purchase From You
It is worth remembering that we all do services in our jobs everyday, no matter what you do there is value and service that you are providing. That means that there is a skill and a service you can provide and sell online! It can be really obvious, just think about what it might be for a while and you may be surprised by what you come up with. Jereshia reminds us that you do not have to come up with the next big innovative idea, it is more important to concentrate on providing value and bringing your own little unique twist and perspective to the market you are entering. Organic referrals have served Jereshia and her work so well and she recommends arranging your business to best facilitate these. One of the best paths towards this is to create something hyper specific and double down on that. This means being really clear on what you provide and the platforms you use to get your message out. The more clearly defined this is, the more chance you have of being referred. Start simple and get the ball rolling, you can build from there!
Requirements and Sacrifices When Starting Out
Jereshia swears by short term sacrifices for long term gains. Whether this is studying, starting your business or putting money into a project, you have to put in the work and time to reap the rewards. Enjoying what you do can help a lot but you do not have to love everything from the get go. It is always easier to sell things you like and have a connection to it but it is a great idea to always try to sell what comes easiest to you in the beginning. Remember, you do not have to do it all forever, your business can evolve along with you! A huge lesson Jereshia teaches her students is to always be making it as easy as possible for people to become more involved and connected to you. The first contact you make with your audience and prospective clients should always be leading to something.
Following Through and Believing in Yourself
The follow through is what will really make the difference in making your business successful and profitable. Jereshia stresses the importance of converting interest into purchases and closing the deal is the most vital part of your work. Clear communication will help your relationships going forward and will set you up for better interactions that lead to money in the bank. Showing up to meetings or calls prepared and with a confidence that a deal will be made can serve you well. Believe in yourself! Jereshia has found that live streaming has been a really powerful tool in building an audience and increasing her reach. This is mostly because videos have a more organic reach and very easily increase your ability to be known, liked and trusted. Our guest also recommends picking one platform to focus on. For her, this was Facebook and their live video features, but you need to find which suits you best. Remember, no matter how small, good content will get shared and grow your visibility. From there you can start to think about collaboration and all the interesting types of growth that become possible. So go out there and get it girl!
Quote This
I am a firm believer that there has to be short term sacrifices for long term gain.
—Jereshia Hawk
Highlights
An Overview of Jereshia’s Story. [0:03:23.5]
Finding an Audience and Customers to Purchase From You. [0:08:18.6]
Requirements and Sacrifices When Starting Out. [0:18:06.2]
Following Through and Believing in Yourself. [0:30:39.7]
#TalkStrategyToMe [0:45:10.6]
Pick One Person.
Pick One Problem.
Pick One Platform.
ON TODAY’S SHOW
Jereshia Hawk
Website | Instagram | Facebook
Jereshia Hawk went from leading $400 Million pipeline projects as an engineer to doubling her corporate salary and quitting her job within the first year of starting her online business. She has helped hundreds of coaches, consultants and freelancers turn their side hustle selling services into six figure businesses through her proven program, Services That Sell. This proven process teaches students how to cut through the confusion and start selling their services consistently without the bells and whistles. Simply focusing on the fundamentals and nailing the basics so they can build a sustainable business online. She has received national media coverage in numerous print, online and top podcasts including Forbes, Black Enterprise, Diversity Inc, and more. Jereshia also enjoys long walks down the school supply aisle at Target. Yes, she geeks out over new Post-It Notes and pens. If you want a simple way to sell your services online so you can exponentially grow not only your impact, but your income, she's the woman for you!
KEY TOPICS
Referrals, Closing, Purchases, Follow Through, Sacrifice
