Why you need to have more white man audacity + how to plug it into your biz

Find out whats below your standards + why.

I joined my client for an interview with a magazine last year and there was a question where he told the journalist “I don‘t answer that, that‘s below my pay grade.”

This might come off as arrogant because you don‘t know the full context… but really it sent me down a rabbit hole + something I‘ve started implementing into my life more by actually just asking myself:

Is this below my paygrade?

Here’s how I’m implementing this into my business:

I had a no-show for an onboarding call. The guy had paid the full programme. Didn‘t show up. I got off the call & refunded him. I did not care that they didn‘t show up but I cared that they did not prioritize the work and didn‘t inform me.

I knew this would be an ongoing behaviour that I don’t tolerate. But this didn’t feel like a big deal. Just a dodged bullet.

To those who have no standards this is brutal.

When you‘re stepping up… you‘re going to build your own standards & how you *really* want to work with people.

Over time I‘ve gotten really excited to create my own book of standards. And I love to measure what‘s below my “pay grade”.

Another way I’ve raised my standards is by auditing questions I get too often.

Things like… how do I write a welcome email for Substack?

Or…How do I format a Linkedin Post?

I’ve started writing manuals so I can just send it to clients and they can learn from a short breakdown or video. This helps you FOCUS on what you need to.

Once you start respecting your time more and actually say no to people… you play in an entire new arena.

People pleasing is so whack & it ruins your entire business because you have zero standards for yourself.

I‘ve never been a people pleaser because I am the oldest daughter and I have 2 brothers so I feel like I had to build authority from an early age.

Authority is stretched by how you behave offline. Do you let people walk all over you? Do you hold off on important investments cause you don‘t feel deserving of it?

Do you envy people who have something you don‘t? Do you put your clients on pedestals? Reframe the dynamic + read this later.

Is it because you‘re just slow as fuck and you can‘t organize your life and compartmentalize it with ADHD?

I used to think I was slow. I like my pace. But in these past 2 years I‘ve actually moved so fast I can‘t have tolerance for people who move slow as fuck.

If you want to move faster…make quicker decisions.

Procrastination is good. It teaches you where you need to have better standards for yourself.

Here‘s another example. My good friend Kelsey created a new landing page within 15 min of us going over her content strategy. She just made it happen. Hit the gas pedal. BOOM.

U HAVE NO TIME TO WASTE.

If you’re going through a weird “in between phase…” ask yourself these 3 questions:

1. What project would the most courageous version of yourself pursue today?

This one actually sent a client down the rabbit hole. She’s finding her own lane by getting really honest about what she wants. Turns out she sailing her ship into a new direction. One that feels more aligned. Alignment is a big-money magnet.

2. Where are you playing small right now?

Maybe you think “I’m playing big” but really you aren’t. Not asking for the upsell, not asking for the price increase of existing clients, not sending out the offers in your newsletters cause you’re scared people will unsubscribe. (I see you.)

3. What does this tell you about yourself?

You know me.. I never want to be the hype-person. I live by example and people can just follow along or learn from me. Hyping people up just fuels your dopamine but keeps your wallets dry.

Hit the gas pedal. Set your own standards. Do it at your own pace.

PS.

We’re celebrating a few big wins from my cohort last week:

• Sue closed a retainer client with one Google Doc Offer we co-wrote in January and a paid subscriber for her newsletter.

• Kally locked in 5 inbound inquiries from a few strategic posts and is now "cooking in the DMS"

• Kelsey is “feeling momentum” by repositioning her high-ticket offer + writing with massive directionality.

If you want to get on the waitlist for when I re-open the doors, reply “waitlist”.

Until then… hit the gas pedal please!

LY.

Steph