What if you could ease your biggest business stress and build your business without burnout? Join us as sales coach Ryann Dowdy shares her insights into the mindset and systems of Uncensored Sales that can help you build your unshakable business.
Today’s Guest
Ryann Dowdy
Sales Coach
Ryann Dowdy is a Sales Coach that helps brand new entrepreneurs build six-figure businesses by mastering their sales conversations and mindset.
Ryann brings 15 years of Corporate Sales experience to online entrepreneurship!
episode transcription
Heather Clark
Welcome to Unshakable Being: inspiration and practical tools for purpose led helpers, guides and leaders like you to shift out of stress, stop going in circles, and get what you want in your life, body and business. I am Dr. Heather Clark, and I’ll be your host.
Heather Clark
Hello and welcome. Today we have Ryann Dowdy, she’s a sales coach that helps brand new entrepreneurs build six figure businesses by mastering their sales conversations and mindset. Ryann, welcome to the show.
Ryann Dowdy
Hi, Heather. I am so excited to be here.
Heather Clark
I’m excited to have you. We were doing a little chatting beforehand. And I was like you’re really bringing it you’re fully present. This is fantabulous.
Ryann Dowdy
That’s a great word fantabulous.
Heather Clark
Love it, love it. So there’s so many things that I want to talk about. But first I want to start with why are new entrepreneurs, your zone of genius.
Ryann Dowdy
It’s one of those Or I’m not sure if I found them or they found me.
Ryann Dowdy
And but I teach sales, right? You had mentioned that I teach sales. And I actually grew up my corporate career. So I grew up, I grew up in sales in the corporate world, but I found my passion in startup businesses is really how it happened. I was working with startups, specifically in the marketing space. And so my favorite thing to do is to figure it out. How do we put it together? How does it make money? How does it work? How will people pay for it? How will we go to market who’s our ideal client? Why would they buy it? Right? Like all of those things, so it took me a long time to take that experience over to entrepreneur land if I’m honest, Heather, but I think that’s really where it came from. It is loving that part of putting it together and making it work like I found in the corporate world. I really enjoyed building sales organizations and handing them back. And that’s exactly what I have the opportunity to do now.
Heather Clark
Oh, I love that building it up and then handing it back.
Ryann Dowdy
Yes, I don’t know if I’m gonna be able to pull that off with my children. But you know what?
Heather Clark
Well, I love it because it’s a completely different skill set. There are people that are starters, there are people that are maintainers and people that are completers. And if you’re trying to be a maintainer, but you’re really, you know, something that gets it going, it’s gonna be completely freakin exhausting.
Ryann Dowdy
Yes. And it’s just Yeah, I don’t like I’m like, it works. Now. We’re good. Like, I stopped. I solved all the problems. I really like to solve problems. And of course, obviously, there’s always more problems as you grow, but like, I like big results and like growing really big really fast. And so it works well for me, and I enjoy it. And I really love the community I get to serve.
Heather Clark
That’s fantastic. When you help people grow their businesses really big really fast. Does it typically work out that they’re able to do it in a sustainable way? Or do they reach a point where they’re like, ah geez, now I gotta switch stuff up because I’m getting a little burned out.
Ryann Dowdy
I see a little bit of both. It really is different from person to person. Some people are really great at managing it all, you know, figuring it out creating a model that works well for them and other people’s other people burnout. Entrepreneurship, especially when you’re new, you have no idea what to expect, right? You’re like, I’m experimenting, I’m trying this thing. And so I’ve really seen it go both ways of burnout and of like sustainability. And, but I think most of the time, it’s about the actual person themselves that you’re working with, and their capacity to not work around the clock and to not, you know, promise things outside of their capacity. So I think it’s different from human to human for sure.
Heather Clark
I just wondered as you’re getting people started, that is, I would guess that the people you work with, that’s possibly the furthest thing from their mind. They’re like, whatever, that’s a later problem. Let’s get this going.
Ryann Dowdy
A thousand percent.
Heather Clark
Yeah.
Ryann Dowdy
Whatever, we’re just doing it, let’s just do it.
Ryann Dowdy
How they are, that’s I that’s how I am. So it works well for me.
Heather Clark
Yeah, that does work well. And then you’re attracting people that really resonate with that. That is fantastic. What would you say is one of your biggest challenges with the working with new entrepreneurs?
Ryann Dowdy
Oh, this is interesting. And this is very new. And I’ve never said this out loud to anyone not yet anyway, what I’m finding actually now my personal challenge is, Heather, as I get farther and farther away from being a new entrepreneur, my brain is like, I want to build it and give it back. It’s starting to run a little bit to like how do I help more advanced entrepreneurs, right? Like I figured out this new entrepreneur thing I have a product they really love it really works for them. So personally, like my challenge has become that I’ve got to like, stick to it right?
Ryann Dowdy
No, these are your people because you know, you always kind of want to help the people that are right behind you a few steps behind you and I find as I grow, my people are further and further behind me in the best way possible and I love it. But I am starting to find a niche a little bit of wanting to work with some more intermediate business owners and helping them either scale or you know, they’ve made some money but they don’t have a plan to make more, or like a long term plan that won’t burn them out like you just talked about. So that’s like my, my personal challenge with it is finding like, I’m learning all these new things like how do I help people with these skills, right, that aren’t just new brand new entrepreneur skills.
Heather Clark
I feel that that’s just the natural evolution of the business. So it doesn’t mean you’re gonna be like, wow, I’m done with new entrepreneurs. No, there’s kind of no reason not to serve how you can serve both how exciting.
Ryann Dowdy
It is. It’s super fun. But yeah, I just found that the other day I was brainstorming with someone and I was like, I’m not sure I brainstorm to somebody like at this level that understood this piece, right? Of not the grind that goes into brand new business ownership is like Alright, this thing makes money, but where’s it gonna go next? So it’s, it’s fun, but it’s interesting. It was not like, again, like you just described and like let’s run far and fast and without anticipating the next step. That’s just my personality. I’m like, well build it on the way up. It’ll be fine.
Heather Clark
Yeah, there’s a lot of people that are not natural born entrepreneurs that maybe have a hard time relating to that.
Ryann Dowdy
Right? Right.
Heather Clark
I remember, I was asking my accountant some questions. And he’s like, well, Heather, what’s going on? I’m like, Oh, well, you know, I quit my job. And he’s like, you don’t have another job? I’m like, oh, no. Oh, it’ll be fine.
Heather Clark
It’ll be fine. And it was.
Ryann Dowdy
It’s been more than fine.
Heather Clark
You know, but people are like, that’s not safe. Like, well, you know, staying in place isn’t safe either. So
Ryann Dowdy
Amen
Heather Clark
I love one of the reason why I asked is because I had the privilege of participating in one of your classes. It happened to be earlier this week. And it had been a while since I had done work with a group of new entrepreneurs. And I was just like, Oh, okay. You know? How many times is she going to have to repeat where to get the worksheet? I mean, like, I’m just gonna hold space for this all to work out.
Ryann Dowdy
It does it does, but and I hear you on that and I used to get like be like really I gave you that instruction but what I’ve learned is it’s a technology issue for more people. It’s not an I’m not listening issue, but it took me a while to learn that I’m like, I gave you that instruction like four times. But for most people, it’s a technology issue. That’s another thing with entrepreneurship and especially living in the space that we are right now with, with COVID and, and all of those different things. A lot of people were building their businesses through in person networking, and all of the different things that you know, more traditional businesses do. So a lot of people are being forced into online entrepreneurship that they weren’t really ready for. So I actually do have a lot of space for that for that reason,
Heather Clark
which is great. And then I just realized, like, wow, it’s been a long time, since I didn’t already know how to do a lot of this stuff. I’m kind of used to learning a couple new skills at a time instead of everything. So yeah. And then doing this in the middle of COVID. Yeah, that’s not nothing.
Ryann Dowdy
No, God love em. And I feel so blessed that Yeah, I’ve always, not always been online. But as long as my business has existed, I have been online. So for me, it’s been very little disruption. For a lot of people. There’s a lot of disruption. And so I’ve had to coach myself through holding space for that, right? Because I’m like, What do you mean, you know, and I’m like, now, there’s a reason you don’t know, right? You don’t know. Because you haven’t had to do it before or this is all brand new to you and those types of things. So I totally get it though.
Heather Clark
Yeah, or it’s their brain on stress, the additional stress and trauma of COVID even if you don’t feel like it’s directly affecting you, really changes how your brain works and your thought processes. So it’s like when you’ll probably remember that again, yeah.
Ryann Dowdy
That’s a that’s a that’s very true to is the idea of just that little bit of stress. And well, for a lot of people. It’s a lot of stress. I work with a lot of women who are Have kiddos and stuff. So they are home with their kids trying to homeschool their kids and run a business and some of them are still working. And there’s a lot of stress. So you’re totally right. And that’s a great point. I’ve just your brain on stress just doesn’t fire anyway.
Heather Clark
No, it doesn’t. So let’s segue into how does helping people with sales impact their business stress levels?
Ryann Dowdy
immensely. The sales coach and me would argue like it is the thing that makes stress for most people. Well, I guess really, depending upon your business, if you have, you know, employees and different stuff like that, then I guess there’s probably going to be some level of stress, but I work with a lot of service based entrepreneurs that don’t have that. And so I think that learning to sell, and I’m big on teaching people to sell hair in a way that feels good to them. Right? There’s a new and I think the first time you and I had a chance to talk is a lot of us have been sold to in a way that didn’t feel good. And so we’re fearful of doing that to someone else. And so we resist doing it all together, and therefore our business struggles because that is the crux of business. Right, like we have to be able to sell to, to get clients to make money. We have to be able to connect to people, we have to be able to inspire people to, you know, want to work with us. So once they get over that fear and get over that understanding Oh, yeah, I can make money. Oh, yeah, people do want one. I, I’m selling people do want to work with me. And I know this isn’t so bad and scary and no isn’t going to kill me. I think that a lot of that anxiety and stress goes away for them. Because that’s just such a big piece of the puzzle puzzle that’s so unknown to so many entrepreneurs.
Heather Clark
Yeah, a lot of people come in really knowing what the services that they’re delivering great ability to deliver it and all of that. And you know, you can learn all this on the back end, but then it comes to sales and you’re like, I don’t know, here it is. Buy it or don’t.
Ryann Dowdy
Yep. Yeah.
Heather Clark
So the stress relief, is learning learning the tool, or is it applying the tool or is it seeing the results of The tool or is it like, tell me more about that?
Ryann Dowdy
I think it’s probably more than seeing the results. Right? I think that seeing the result is very much the part of that that works well for them. Like because that’s the money piece, right? That’s the piece. We’ve got the money, we’ve got the client, we can now go to work doing what we enjoy doing. Right, which is the actual work, which is exactly what you just said, right? actually doing the work actually, serving the client is the easy part for most people. So it’s actually seeing the results of learning to sell and being like, Yes, okay, now I get to get to the part that I enjoy that i know i excel at that I know that I’m good at. That’s the exciting part for for most of the women I work with.
Heather Clark
And what’s the big roadblock that you find a fair number of people have obviously not everybody’s going to have the same roadblock? But you know, speaking in broad terms, what’s stopping people from feeling really great about sales and kicking ass with sales?
Ryann Dowdy
Yes. There’s a few things Heather that is stopping people from feeling good about it, and I think it does stem back to we’ve Many of us can tell you an experience in which we were sold to that didn’t feel good to us, right? When somebody didn’t take no for an answer, or somebody pitched us something we didn’t want. And we felt uncomfortable saying no, but in all of that, I think comes up for people. But I find that some of it Heather goes back to like childhood. I keep telling the story of you remember, when you were a kid, and we still had landlines and stuff, and people would call your house in the middle of dinner. And it was a telemarketer, right trying to sell you something trying to sell you magazines or who knows what. And you know, sometimes it goes back to that were your parents like damn salespeople, bla bla, bla, bla, bla. And so they’re like, Nope, that’s bad salespeople, bad sales bad. We don’t want to do that, right.
Ryann Dowdy
And then there’s never been a movie Heather where there’s like, a salesperson who was depicted in a really positive, positive light. That person, that person is always the villain, like the salesperson is always the villain. They’re always the fast talker. They’re always the shyster. They’re always, you know, so I think that that’s what we think of when we think of sales. And so we’re like, Yeah, no, I don’t, I don’t want to be that person. I don’t want to be associated with that feeling to people. I think that is what’s really scary for a lot of people because they’re like, if that’s what sales is, I don’t want to do that. And I fortunately able to teach people to sell in a way that we don’t have to do those things, right? We don’t have to be, you know, sheisty or dishonest or force people into doing things or not take no for an answer or any of those types of things.
Heather Clark
Yeah, or what I see at least with the, in the coaching role there. I know it’s not as bad anymore, but there was a lot of shame based selling. Yes. And, and it felt like especially the bigger gurus and you know, if you’re a guru, that’s fine, not all gurus are bad, but I just have a, a personal issue with the shame based selling. So I think that that’s probably contributing to people’s like the whole that ick factor.
Ryann Dowdy
Yeah. And when you say shame based, are you talking about the people that are like, well, if you really wanted it bad enough, you would come up with the cash like that kind of selling,
Heather Clark
that kind of selling and then either clearly articulating or implying that and if you can’t come up with the cash you’re bad and wrong. And if you work for me, you’ll no longer be bad and wrong.
Ryann Dowdy
Yeah.
Heather Clark
And you know you just don’t want it bad enough. And I guess you shouldn’t have a business and like cut that out.
Ryann Dowdy
Yeah, so I do, I do see a lot of that. And it’s a fine line though, because again, working with new entrepreneurs, I do you have to lean into a little bit the idea of energy. And I know you’ll appreciate this, right? The energy of investing in yourself and asking people to invest in you, right? If you refuse to invest in yourself, and then you want to go out into the world and ask people to invest in you. There’s a weird energy going on there. So I have to walk that fine line. And I am very careful. And I usually tell people like if it’s not, I don’t care if your investment is a book, or a podcast or you know what I’m saying but there is energy in that. Like, I want you to give me your money for my services, but I’m not willing to invest in myself but I want you to. So we do talk a lot about that. But it is a fine line in the idea of not being shameful about it. Not not buying what I’m selling, but just understanding the energy piece of that.
Heather Clark
Oh, yeah, the energy piece of that is huge. Even for people that don’t relate to things like an energy piece, it’s still learning whether you relate to it or not. It’s a big that is a big deal. Because Yeah, if you’re, you know, Alright, here’s my program for X amount of money that you’re trying to sell. But you’ve never purchased anything from anybody at or around X amount of money, like good luck with that.
Ryann Dowdy
And there’s just the confidence issue with that, too. I see that a lot. Like I have women that I coach who struggle with their pricing, because they wouldn’t pay that for that. Right? They’re like, well, I don’t know if I would pay $1,000 for x. So how am I going to charge $1,000 for x? And I’m like, well, we’re going to need to work on that right? Because if you can’t confidently look somebody in the eyeballs or you know via zoom screen and say, This is how much it costs and feel like it’s worth every penny. You will always struggle with sales, right like you have to that energetic exchange has to happen to. So there’s a lot of psychology that goes into it. And I’ve just always been in sales. So I’m learning a lot of this, along with my students, if you will, just because I’m one of those natural salespeople, I’m using air quotes right now. You know, like, it was never scary for me. Not natural in that, like, I’ve always been good at sales just talking to strangers never scary for me, right? Hearing No, never scary for me. Like, that’s just always been the way that I have been my whole life. And my first career was in sales. So I’m learning some of the psychology that I didn’t realize and the hang ups that people had that I did not realize. So it’s been I’ve learned a lot too in the past few years.
Heather Clark
That that’s especially interesting because for someone’s like, Well, I’m not sure I would pay $1,000 for whatever service This is, but would they pay $1,000 for a different type of service? Like would they pay that same amount of money for different type of service?
Ryann Dowdy
Sure
Ryann Dowdy
Right? Exactly
Heather Clark
Because I remember when I first realized um people are paying other people to just organize their calendar? Why would anybody pay for that? God it’s so easy. And then I realized, Oh, well, there’s a lot of stuff that’s not easy for you, Heather.
Heather Clark
So that for at least for me was an important insight. While it might not part with the money for this thing that I’m selling, but it’s because like it comes so naturally to me that it like I wouldn’t pay for it. But other stuff that comes real naturally to other people I would totally pay for.
Ryann Dowdy
Right.
Heather Clark
So I just have you discovered that people need that type of discernment or is that like, peripheral to what you’re trying to get through?
Ryann Dowdy
I think it’s peripheral. Because again, it’s it’s not just the idea of like, I wouldn’t pay $1,000 for that. It’s seeing the value of why anyone would write like, just like you’ve said, My but I pay somebody and I it’s funny, I work with a lot of virtual assistants and freelancers who do stuff like that, like manage people’s calendars, you know, but again, they’re thought they’re stuck in this idea for like that. So simple. So I think it’s Little bit of both in understanding the value because yeah, I work with some people that are like, Yeah, I would never pay for that. And it’s like, what would you pay for this instead? It’s like, well, I don’t know. And I find a lot of it’s just money mindset and stuff, too, coming from a lot of scarcity and things like that, which we could talk about for days. But I feel I see a lot of that too. In the entrepreneur space in general.
Heather Clark
Well, yeah, and in life in general, is just that if you’ve chosen entrepreneurship now, you know, it’s not as easy to ignore
Ryann Dowdy
that so people are just more open to talking about it.
Heather Clark
Oh, well, you know, I hadn’t thought about that. Yeah. Because it’s weird to talk about money mindset. Just in regular conversation, probably.
Ryann Dowdy
Yeah. Because people don’t realize that it’s a thing right. Like they think that they feel very factual about their money and the amount of money they make or don’t make or you know, they they feel very a my experience. I don’t obviously want to, I guess my human experience. We never talked about it. Like we never talked about money. It was bad to talk about money. We didn’t talk about how much money we made. We didn’t talk about any of those things right? And in entrepreneurial land everybody talks about it all the time. And I love that, like, I love money, I love to talk about money. I’m very open about money. But I cannot think of a conversation in my employee days in my corporate days where aside from like sales meetings where we were talking about numbers and money and the people who won the trips and stuff like you know, your corporate trips, where we really talked about how much money people made. We talked about money in terms of like sales and revenue and stuff for the business, but not how much money so and so made that earned them you know, that trip to the Bahamas or whatever.
Heather Clark
Yeah, so you could draw conclusions from that, but it’s probably makes people really uncomfortable. You’re like, Oh, that’s great that you won that trip. So what was your take home from that? Oh,
Ryann Dowdy
yeah, no, we don’t talk about that at all
Heather Clark
whereas there’s with entrepreneurs, I’d be like, and here was my take home with that, and this was awesome.
Ryann Dowdy
Yeah. Totally agree.
Heather Clark
So is that type of boldness and courage something that’s really almost required for an entrepreneur? Or is that a skill that you find that people are able to develop or talk more about that?
Ryann Dowdy
I think that it is something that people are able to develop, because it’s a total identity shift if you’re going from the corporate world to entrepreneurship, right. Like, I almost feel like I am not the same person as I was two years ago. And not in a bad way, not like Who am I in a lost kind of way. But the way I feel and the way I think and the way I make decisions is so very different. So I think it is learned, and it has to be learned, you know, because it’s two different skill sets. It’s to different things. So I feel strongly that those skills can be learned. You just don’t realize that you need to learn them until you get into it. What are your thoughts?
Heather Clark
I think they can be learned. But I think it requires a willingness that can’t be taught.
Ryann Dowdy
Valid.
Heather Clark
There’s a willingness that you access, or there isn’t. Because I know people who have started down the entrepreneurial journey, and then have said, You know what? No.
Ryann Dowdy
Right.
Heather Clark
No, I don’t want to transform in this way. I’m just I’m, I’m good. And there’s nothing wrong with that. But you can’t teach that willingness. But if you are willing to –I don’t know how I’m going to find the courage. I don’t know how to pick up the phone. I’m too scared to sell to people. But I want to learn it feels like that you can work with, right.
Ryann Dowdy
Yep. I would agree with that. I would agree with that. There has to be a willingness to do the work in anything that we do. Right? I don’t care if we’re talking about business or health or life or relationships or Whatever, right you have to be willing to do the work. And I would agree that there are some people that are like, Oh, this is a lot more work than I thought, I’m going back to work. And I have I mean, I’ve even had clients who have made that choice or like, Nope, not for me, I’m gonna go go get a job.
Heather Clark
Okay, nothing wrong with that. No, no, like,
Ryann Dowdy
I, it’s what makes the world go round, right? I’m totally with you on that. Like, I’ve never I’m the first one. To be like, this is super stressful for you. Like, that’s okay. It’s not a fit for everyone. Just like certain job, you know, not everyone’s meant to be a doctor. And everyone’s meant to be a nurse. And everyone’s meant to be a salesperson. So not everyone’s meant to be an entrepreneur. And there’s nothing wrong with that.
Heather Clark
Yeah. And there’s a lot of stress with being an entrepreneur that you can’t, I mean, you know, it’s gonna be stressful. Sure, sure. It’s stressful. And then you get into it. You’re like, oh, and the burnout rates are very high. Actually. suicide rates are pretty high for entrepreneurs.
Ryann Dowdy
Yeah
Heather Clark
There’s a lot of pressure.
Ryann Dowdy
Yeah.
Heather Clark
That’s part of why All right. Let’s Bring on some tools, and really let it be okay. If you truly are an entrepreneur, great, do it. And if you’re truly like, yeah, this isn’t for me, or this isn’t for me right now. There is no shame in that. In fact, kudos, you figured it out. So I’m super curious. And I’m going to ask you a question that’s either going to be very easy for you to answer or it’s going to take a second or two. Tell me what are sales? How would you describe sales?
Ryann Dowdy
sales is the exchange of a product or service for money.
Ryann Dowdy
Like the definition that is the textbook definition, like if you Google it, that’s what they will tell you. It is the exchange of a product or service for money.
Heather Clark
Okay, and Is that how you would define it for people or would you add a little extra flavor to it?
Ryann Dowdy
I I actually try to strip away as much emotion as possible to break some of those false beliefs if you will. And then we really like the idea of like selling is helping and selling a serving, we talk a lot about it in that capacity, right? We, we sell through service and by selling we help our potential clients get whatever results it is that they’re trying to get. So that’s my reframe in a really short way. But that’s typically how we talk through it. And sometimes it takes a little while for people to get there. But when we break down this idea of like, sales is bad, icky, yucky, gross, pushy, annoying, whatever my reframe is always selling is helping and selling is serving.
Heather Clark
Because I know when I had first heard that, that helped me because I realized, oh, I’ve been relating to this. Like, I’m trying to get something from somebody,
Ryann Dowdy
right.
Heather Clark
But really, all I was truly doing and it was helpful to reframe it this way is I just want to connect them with the service that helps them
Ryann Dowdy
Yes
Heather Clark
That’s it. And then I was like, Oh my god, that’s so much easier.
Ryann Dowdy
Much easier, right?
Heather Clark
Yeah, totally. So I want to hear A little bit about your origin story. How did you get here? How did you get here helping new entrepreneurs?
Ryann Dowdy
Okay, so how did I get here? That’s such a fun question. I actually grew up in the Midwest I grew up in Paola, Kansas, if you will, and I was an athlete my entire life, and I knew that I wanted to get as far away from Kansas City as humanly possible. As soon as I could.
Ryann Dowdy
I got a volleyball scholarship, I moved to New York, which was super fun. I went to college, I went to Marist College in Poughkeepsie, which is just north of Manhattan. And I had a blast, I played volleyball, it was great. And then I moved to Florida and got my first sales job. And I had no idea whether that sales was something I wanted to do and no clue. But I learned as an intern in college that like PR and sales are kind of the same thing. The difference was if you got someone to say yes, in sales, you got a commission in PR you did not. I was like, Oh, well, yeah, we’re totally going this way.
Ryann Dowdy
So it was a very logical choice for me at the time, but I grew up actually selling radio advertising in Orlando, Florida, and then moved back to Kansas City, which is home for us now we live in a suburb of the metro, and then jumped over to the digital marketing side where I got my first sales training job. I actually traveled the country and trained sales teams for a startup out of DC, and then a different startup out of Boston. And that’s where I really got into the training, coaching, leading and managing piece of the business and I just loved it. I loved taking something that people thought was difficult or complicated and making it just really simple and relatable for people.
Ryann Dowdy
And I actually never thought I would be an entrepreneur, I felt like I had the best of both worlds, right? I was in control of my income because I was commissioned, but that I didn’t have to take on all the risk of entrepreneurship, of going out on your own figuring it out on your own having to wear all the hats, all of those things never occurred to me like literally at all until I went back to work after I had my son, who is now three. And I had like my dream job. I was the director of sales for a digital ad agency and I I had like carte blanche to do whatever I wanted. I could hire whoever I wanted, I could do whatever I wanted, probably like four months in. And I was like, you know, this is not what I thought it would be. I don’t want to do this. And then I started thinking about like, what’s the next step up the ladder and the next step up the ladder, and the next step up the ladder, and it was just more travel more demands more time away from home.
Ryann Dowdy
And with a baby. I was like, you know, I always wanted to work. It was never about wanting to be home with my kid. But I was like, I don’t want to live on an airplane. Right? Like, it doesn’t mean no good to make oodles of money living on an airplane. So which I mean in technology and startups in the business I was in, that was the natural progression, you know, so I went to work, networking and figuring out like, what I what I could do, and how would I ever replace my director level corporate salary, I had no idea and I spent several years just networking and connecting and talking to people and just found this gap as I was networking and talking to business owners and or women who were trying to start businesses.
Ryann Dowdy
And their problem was they were struggling. I was like what? struggling, I just can’t find clients like, Okay, well, what are you doing to find clients? And they’re like, well, I don’t even know what to do to find clients. And I’m like, Okay. And like after, like, the eighth time, I had that conversation with a really talented, really smart woman. I was like, okay, holy shit, like, there it is. There’s the gap that I can fill. And so I took a pivot into that in August of 2018, and started coaching. And at that time, I didn’t even know that my audience was new entrepreneurs, right. Like that was I told us, I don’t know if they found me or I found them.
Ryann Dowdy
So I figured it out yet.
Ryann Dowdy
And that’s really just the direction that it went. And it just continued to evolve. And I did get to work in some startup companies and do some work. But I’m really passionate about empowering women to take control of their financial life, right of their ability to make money and have the ability to make as much money as they would like to make. So it’s been a really fun journey and I just somedays I just pinch myself that I’m like, this is for life like this is what I do. I get to hang out all day with badass women who have big dreams and are passionate about going after them. And it’s just magical.
Heather Clark
That is fantastic. I love that.
Heather Clark
Thank you
Heather Clark
I just love that Yeah, you never know did they find me…
Ryann Dowdy
I don’t know what happened but we wound up together and it’s lovely.
Heather Clark
So did you just start working with a couple of people to kind of test the waters or did you just sit down and you don’t seem like a spreadsheet kind of girl. It’s not like be like Alright, what’s my right?
Ryann Dowdy
totally right.
Ryann Dowdy
It really just started by you know, you network enough and you tell enough people what you do and what you’re good at to where you just start getting asked right like I need help with this. Can you help me with this? I need help with this. Can you help me with this? I need help with this can help. with us. So my first few clients that I wound up getting were just through networking. And we’re more about like building sales processes and stuff in more mature businesses.
Ryann Dowdy
And that was just kind of how I grew arms and legs from there. And then it was like, Okay, I’m very big on, like, build it and do it, and then see what people think. Right? Like, I’m an action taker, I build the airplane assets going up, because there’s no reason to build this thing. Until we know if people want it. Do they like it? Is it good? Do they get results from it? Right? So I kept testing things and testing things and testing things. And I ran a four week coaching program, probably three or four times and it’s like, okay, yeah, this is good. Like, these are the foundations. This is what they want, this is what they need. And then I turned it into a year long program where I work with women. It’s a group coaching program, and I have some coaches and stuff that now work under me. But we now run a 12 month long, almost like little mini business incubator for new entrepreneurs.
Heather Clark
That’s fabulous. Yeah, I’m so surprised to hear that you’re action oriented, completely shocked. And I’m sure people listening and be like, Oh, I would never have guessed that about her.
Ryann Dowdy
Right?
Ryann Dowdy
I, you can’t see me but I don’t have a poker face either. So
Heather Clark
are you like me? I have a thought come into my head and everybody around me knows what it is because my face has told them.
Ryann Dowdy
Yes, Heather 1,000%. No poker face.
Heather Clark
Like I was the barometer at staff meetings because like,
Ryann Dowdy
Oh, I love that.
Heather Clark
My eyebrows would shoot up or something. I’m like, stop. But yeah.
Ryann Dowdy
That’s great.
Heather Clark
So you had talked about building it first. How do you feel about there’s I don’t know if it’s a new thing or not, but it’s a new thing that I’ve started hearing about in the last year or two is where you don’t even actually build your program. Yeah, you do some broad sketches and then Sell it. Yeah. And then if people buy it, then you do it. Like, where are you at with that?
Ryann Dowdy
That’s I mean, that’s what I did is like I sketched it out, and I did it for four week increments until I knew that I had what I needed. So I am big on sell it first or at least beta test at first. Just because I what I find is a lot of people use that excuse Heather from taking action, right? Well, I got to build my program, my programs not done, I don’t have my framework finished. I’m not 100% sure what my package should be.
Ryann Dowdy
And I’m like, you haven’t talked to enough people, my friends to know those things. And I find a lot of people use that prep time as an excuse to not go out and talk to people because that’s the scary stuff we don’t want to do. And we can still checkboxes on the to do list and still feel productive. If we’re building this thing that we don’t even know if someone wants. So I do sit in that camp, not in a careless way of like, let’s just see what people will buy and then build it for them. Right like you know, you’re an expert in your thing. And you know, there’s fourty seven different ways you can teach it let’s or there’s 40 different ways you can deliver it. Let’s test and see what way works and what way feels good for you and what way you enjoy before you really build out something big and spend a lot of time effort energy and money in something you don’t even know if you love much less other people will buy
Heather Clark
How do you work with people who are more process oriented? Like for them the building of the thing is the fun part.
Ryann Dowdy
Yeah, I have a lot of those people actually work with like a lot of bookkeepers and stuff like that that are very numbers and process focus. And we have to it’s it’s uncomfortable for them. But I think that’s a lot of the reason why they hire me is because they know that I won’t let them hide behind. Oh, but I got this I and cross this tee. And I think there’s processes I’m not saying don’t ever work on it.
Heather Clark
Oh no, I didn’t hear that.
Ryann Dowdy
Don’t let it be the reason why you’re not taking action. So sure you can plan all of you all you want, but until like I said you go out and get some clients and start making some money And you know, seeing what people are excited about and fulfilled should we spend a lot of time. So they think oftentimes they do hire me for that reason is they know that I will, I will lovingly shove them out of that. But I mean, I, there is a sales process like I teach a process I am a Believe it or not systems and processes, I understand. And that’s like my type A brand who does like to check the box. So I want to know, like, do this first, do this next, do this next. So I do have that broken down for them. But it is more in the process of building a network and building relationships than it is of actually building your program itself.
Heather Clark
I love that. And I think for some people, that’ll be a big shift and it’ll either be terrifying or freeing. So yeah, enjoy. Well, you know, I’ve worked with some people that wanted to, well, first, I need to craft my perfect program. And I was like, I completely understand that impulse. But define perfect. Well, it worked great for for the people. What people? Well, the ones that buy it well, who’s going to buy it? Well I don’t know. Okay, so logically, nothing will work now.
Ryann Dowdy
Right?
Heather Clark
So yeah, like you’re more direct so go out and sell it,
Ryann Dowdy
Right. Yeah.
Ryann Dowdy
Yep, just go sell it and figure it out. Let’s get dirty all that different stuff.
Heather Clark
I love this. Yes. And just as a small segue, let’s touch back to the volleyball thing. Greatest sport ever. I didn’t know you were a volleyball player.
Ryann Dowdy
Yeah. Yeah
Heather Clark
I’m from a small town. So I’m not particularly athletic. But I played a lot of sports because, you know, small town. I gotta tell you. I think volleyball was my absolute favorite.
Ryann Dowdy
I keep threatening every summer that like this is the summer I’m coming back like I I had two kids and two and a half years and so like obviously took a few years off, I play I like to play outdoor, we played grass doubles. And this was supposed to be my summer. And then COVID happened and I was like, okay, maybe not my summer. So maybe next year is my year. Heather, I don’t know.
Heather Clark
You could train this summer and really become totally unstoppable for next year.
Ryann Dowdy
Yeah, I don’t know. I think there becomes an age where like, all the training in the world is not going to solve your problems, but we’ll see.
Heather Clark
What it really depends.
Ryann Dowdy
Valid.
Heather Clark
Maybe that’s a mindset thing. Maybe.
Ryann Dowdy
Careful what I say around you.
Heather Clark
Well, isn’t that interesting, though, because I’m sure that you work with people, when you tell them okay, your issue with sales is a total mindset thing. And they fight you on that they’re like it is not because this is absolutely true.
Ryann Dowdy
Okay.
Heather Clark
And I kind of come from a perspective where it’s safe to question these things, you know, if you find that you’re super triggered when you question it. Congratulations. You have found your greatest opportunity.
Ryann Dowdy
Yes, so good. So true.
Heather Clark
So yeah, you get to play with a well, maybe that is a mindset thing for training. Who knows?
Ryann Dowdy
Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t Heather.
Heather Clark
Maybe it isn’t. Well, and as you know, part of this part of the impetus for the podcast, again, it’s Unshakable Being and it’s helping people become unshakable, which is a different way of mastering their existence, of which stress reduction is part of that but also that allows vitality to flow into their life and often leads to success. I want to know, how you relate to unshakeable. What does being unshakable mean to you?
Ryann Dowdy
I love that question. question to me unshakable is really about to like, when you asked me that question is, it’s like a state of being, right? Like no matter what happens, no matter what life throws at you, no matter what happens in business in life in all of the places, that your commitment to like your beliefs and what you’re passionate about are just they’re unshakable. You can’t, there’s just no letting go of whatever it is. And so for me, I think it’s just such a cool state of mind to be in where it’s like, it doesn’t matter how this happens. I’m committed to the results.
Heather Clark
Absolutely. And I love that you bring up commitment, because that’s not always easy for people. No.
Ryann Dowdy
Just the girl who was like, this was my fifth volleyball season really, I’m gonna play this year. I’m hearing on that.
Heather Clark
There’s some things that make more sense to commit to at different times than others. And it’s It’s not it doesn’t have to be a value judgment. But I don’t know, do you find that people have some hidden commitments that they weren’t aware of as a result of you working with them? Like they were, like secretly committed to hiding or? Yeah, like what kind of challenges have you found?
Ryann Dowdy
I do very much see that there’s a lot of of hidden commitments or hidden, I guess maybe commitments the word. I talk a lot about, like being married to the struggle being committed to the struggle, right, like, well, as long as I keep telling myself that this is hard, that it stays hard, and then I don’t have to do the uncomfortable, hard thing. Right. So I see a lot of people that are really committed to not putting themselves out there committed to I see a lot of the money stuff right, committed to being broke or never having enough money or never making enough money. I see. Unfortunately, a lot of people that are very committed to those beliefs. Of struggle and hardship more than anything else.
Heather Clark
And are these people, because I’ve worked with people that had a commitment to that, but were willing to entertain. Okay, well, let’s shift that. And then I’ve gotten amazing results. Yes, I’m not a sales coach, let’s just be very clear, but results in other things.
Ryann Dowdy
Of course!
Heather Clark
Um, and then I’ve worked with people who are so committed to the problems. It’s like, you know, love and light.
Ryann Dowdy
Right? Yeah.
Heather Clark
Enjoy your journey. Yeah. And when you’re ready to shift let’s talk again.
Ryann Dowdy
Yeah, no, I agree. Like my people are very open to changing that. They know that again, I think that’s often why they choose to work with me and my team, is they know that they can’t get past that commitment on their own. But they are doing you know, I there’s a lot of women who in my program had this story is, you know, they’re the first person in their family to go to college or, you know, they’re a single mom and different stuff like that, where they are committed to like, I’m gonna figure this out. Like, I know that right now. I have no idea. It’s almost it’s your unshakeable concept, right? I have no idea how I’m going to get there. I don’t know what the journey looks like, but I know what the destination is. And I will do whatever it takes to make it happen. And I just love that I find it so much fun to coach those women.
Heather Clark
Oh, yeah, but they get big results too. That’s great. Yeah. Very cool. Very cool. Is there anything that you wanted to talk about that we haven’t touched on yet?
Ryann Dowdy
Not that I can think of. I’ve enjoyed just kind of chatting and the fun part of like, not knowing what’s coming in the conversation. I think that’s my favorite kind of podcasts and everyone I have no idea what’s coming next. So now I think this has been a super fun conversation and I have sincerely enjoyed it.
Heather Clark
Thank you. I have as well. Tell us where can people find you?
Ryann Dowdy
Sure. There are two places on the interwebs in which I am very easy to find. I have a Facebook community called Sales Skills for Women in Business, which is built of brand new entrepreneurs as service spaces. So I would love anyone who wants you to come hang out with us there. And then we are also over on Instagram at Uncensored Sales.
Heather Clark
Lovely. Thanks so much and thank you so much for being here.
Ryann Dowdy
Thank you for the invitation and the opportunity and I’m just so excited to hear all the other fun things that you have coming up on the podcast.
Heather Clark
Thank you. Thank you so much for listening to Unshakable Being. You’ll find more information in the episode shownotes at unshakablebeing.com. Subscribe to the podcast and share with your friends. May you be unshakable, unstoppable and vibrant again. Until next time,