secret #1 - Layla Saad

The 8 Secrets Of Growing Your Business
The Soulfully Feminine Way
Layla Saad
Welcome
Hello and thank you for downloading this book.
My name is Layla Saad and I’m a Women’s Leadership & Business Coach for soulful women
entrepreneurs who want to change the world through their work.
I help women entrepreneurs to grow their businesses by helping them step into their
feminine leadership, create soul-centred business strategies and take authentic and
aligned action towards their dreams.
I wrote this book for soulful women like you who are tired of the push, hustle and FOMO of
building an online business. You started your business because you want to make a
positive difference in people’s lives, and to create a life of freedom, fulfillment and flow for
yourself.
But you often feel lost, stuck and frustrated.
Why?
Because this branding expert is telling you that you must build your brand this way. That
sales expert is telling you that you should sell your services this way. That marketing guru is
telling you that the only way to get more clients is to do it another way.
But you want to do things your way.
And all of this well-meaning advice from so many different experts often results in you just
feeling confused as you try to find your own sense of clarity.
You want a business that feels like home to your soul.
© Layla Saad - www.LaylaSaad.com
2
One that aligns your unique strengths, values and intuition with your feminine soul, so that you feel empowered by your
business rather than overwhelmed.
Enter, Queenology.
Queenology is the art of growing your business like a Queen. It is based on 8 secrets of soulful feminine leadership, which
empower you and your business to grow in a way that feels good on a soul level, and practical on a physical level.
I believe that you deserve to feel like a Queen who is reigning over her Business Queendom. This means that you deserve to feel
confidence, clarity, courage, flow, ease and authenticity no matter where you are on your entrepreneurial journey.
This guide is for you if:
•
You’re totally repelled by overly-masculine coaches who throw words like ‘hustle’, ‘six figure business’ and ‘5k months’ around
like confetti
•
You can’t stand the so-called experts who are telling you to get on every single social platform so you can be more visible and
‘crush your competition’ or ‘dominate your market’
•
You are so tired of disempowering sales techniques that try to manipulate you into buying their stuff by pointing out how badly
you’re currently doing in your business
•
You want to stop the push and hustle of trying to find your dream clients, and instead authentically draw them to you in ways
that leverage your skills and your passions
•
You want a business that honours who you are, where you are and what you’re really trying to do
•
You want practical and soulful strategies for a building business that empowers you and lifts you up
•
You’re a free spirit who wants to make your own path, instead of trying to fit yourself into other people’s moulds of business
success
© Layla Saad - www.LaylaSaad.com
3
This guide is for all the sensitive and soulful women who are tired of trying to prove themselves and keep up with the
craziness of the online business world.
It’s for the big dreaming women who want to create smart business strategies that feel soulfully-aligned.
You deserve to be the Queen of your business and life.
Queenology will show you how.
“At every moment, a woman makes a choice: between the state of the
queen and the state of the slavegirl.”
– Marianne Williamson
© Layla Saad - www.LaylaSaad.com
4
The Secrets – An Introduction
If you are in touch with your feminine soul then you will know that these secrets are not really secrets, but rather they are natural
traits of activated feminine energy.
Disclaimer: Before we go any further I want to clarify that there is nothing wrong with masculine energy, and that we all need a
balance of masculine and feminine. I love leaning into my own masculine energy when I want to to get shit done because it helps
me to stay focused on my ‘doing’.
However the problem comes when we are too focused on our masculine energy, and grow our businesses that way. The masculineled way isn’t for all of us and it’s often disheartening and lonely trying to build your business when many coaches, mentors and
business experts don’t honour the unique way that you want to build your business.
Here are some big differences between building your business the feminine way and building it the masculine way.
MASCULINE ENERGY BUSINESSES
FEMININE ENERGY BUSINESSES
Value profits over everything. Often use the terms ‘6 figure business’ and ‘5k
months’. Want to create profits at all costs
Value authenticity and alignment over everything. Want to create profits in a
way that honours you and feels good
Create relationships for the sake of selling to you
Create relationships for the sake of connecting with you and serving you in
ways that feel mutually satisfying
Marketing and sales feels ‘icky’
Marketing and sales feel like authentically being of service
Branding is all about being the most visible and premium expert in town
Branding is all about powerfully telling the story of your business in a way that
naturally draws in your ideal audience
Focus is on constantly doing, leaving little space for true reflection and
creativity. Focus of creation is just on making more money
Will eventually burn you out because you are constantly focused on your
business
Focus is a good balance between being and doing. Lots of time for reflecting
and dreaming up new ways to serve, and then only creating the things that feel
good
Will nurture and nourish because you honour your own ebbs and flows
© Layla Saad - www.LaylaSaad.com
5
If you are a woman who naturally prefers being in your feminine energy, then running your business in a masculine
way will deplete and exhaust you.
There is another way. A soulfully feminine way.
“A queen is wise. She has earned her serenity, not having had it bestowed on her but
having past her tests. She has suffered and grown more beautiful because of it. She has
proven she can hold her kingdom together. She has become its vision. She cares deeply
about something bigger than herself. She rules with authentic power.” - Marianne Williamson, A Woman’s Worth
© Layla Saad - www.LaylaSaad.com
6
The Secrets
Below is a list of the 8 secrets. Each of these secrets are natural traits of feminine energy. They can be seen on a physical level, but
more importantly they are felt on an energetic level.
Alignment
Devotion
Nurturing
Inner
Guidance
Connection
Collaboration
Vulnerability
Transformation
The rest of this book will explore each secret in more detail, and give you practical tips and questions to ask yourself on how to use
these secrets to grow your business in a way that feels good to you.
The most important thing to remember is that Queenology is an art. Which means it is subjective – it is up to you to decide how you
want to weave these principles into your business. Unlike other business experts I don’t give cookie cutter or one-size-fits-all
models.
Instead I invite you to explore the secrets and apply them in a way that best serves you, your business and your audience.
© Layla Saad - www.LaylaSaad.com
7
SECRET #1
Alignment
Alignment
“When what you value and dream about doesn’t match the life you are living, you have pain.” ― Shannon L. Alder
Alignment is when what you believe, what you say and what you do all match up.
Alignment is the best way to create ease and flow in your business. When you are in alignment you flow with the way that your business
is growing, instead of being in resistance to it. You take inspired action because you are, as Abraham Hicks would put it, in the vortex.
When you are out of alignment you feel… funky. Like something isn’t quite right, but you don’t know why and you can’t put your finger
on it. You’re doing all the right things according to the business experts, but nothing is working out.
And that’s because what you’re saying and doing in your business doesn’t match up with what you believe and desire. You cannot create
with ease when you are in a state of inner conflict.
Alignment is also authenticity, energy and intention. Oprah famously had a note on her office door that said, “You are responsible for the
energy that you bring into this room”.
As an entrepreneur, you are responsible for the energy that you bring into your business. When your energy is funky, what you create
will be a reflection of that. You’ll find it difficult to attract your ideal clients because they can feel your energetic discord too. Alignment is
an ‘attractive’ force, in that when you are truly aligned you shine like a lighthouse that naturally calls in your tribe. Ultimately people will
know, like, trust and eventually buy from you because of who you are.
And that’s why it is of the upmost importance that you focus on the goals and strategies that feel completely aligned with your soul. To
bring anything less than that is to open a door for inauthenticity and striving without meaning.
In my opinion, it is better to pursue fewer goals in our businesses and do them from a state of true alignment, than attempt to do a
hundred things and do them with split energy.
© Layla Saad - www.LaylaSaad.com
9
Some questions to reflect on about Alignment:
•
Am I clear on my purpose?
•
Does the work I’ve been focusing on actually reflect my grand vision for my business and my life?
•
Are the clients I’ve been working with and pursuing really my dream clients?
•
Do I see my core values and desires represented in my business? My branding? My marketing?
•
Am I chasing these goals because they are aligned with what I want to focus on right now, or because of what other people
have told me?
•
When I ‘tune in’ does my energy feel aligned?
•
Are my services and products aligned with my brand?
Business Checklist for Alignment:
This is a checklist of things to consider in order to bring more Alignment into your business.
❑
My business vision and purpose are clearly written out and reviewed on a daily or weekly basis
❑
I’m clear on my core desired feelings for my business
❑
I write blog posts that clearly reflect my truth
❑
I create offerings that light me up
❑
The copy of my website and sales pages reflect how I really speak
❑
I only spend time in online groups and social media platforms that I truly enjoy © Layla Saad - www.LaylaSaad.com
10
SECRET #2
Devotion
Devotion
“People think I'm disciplined. It is not discipline. It is devotion. There is a great difference.” – Luciano Pavarotti
Do you identify with any of these words?
Dreamer. Idealist. Visionary. Multi-passionate. Creative. Free Spirit ?
If so I’m guessing you probably find the act of staying committed, focused and disciplined hard. I know this because that was me too. I
am all of the above – a big dreamer and a free spirit who has lots and lots of ideas. But I always struggled with seeing an idea of mine
through to the end, because half-way through one project I would suddenly get an even better idea and begin again.
Here’s the thing: The world needs your work. It doesn’t just need your ideas. It needs the ideas to come to full fruition and be shared with
your ideal audience. And that can’t happen if you are constantly being distracted by shiny object syndrome and trying to put every idea
that comes to you into action.
My free-spirited self resisted the idea of commitment for years. The word ‘commitment’ itself felt like a sort of soul prison. An obligation
to do something, and restrictions on pursuing other things.
The major shift came when I switched from the idea of being committed, to being ‘devoted’.
The word devotion has a completely different energetic feel to it than the word commitment, even though the pursuit of both words
results in the same outcome – dreams and goals being realized.
The word devotion feels like love. It feels like something that we choose to do, rather than something we must do. It feel soft yet
powerful. Gentle yet transcendent. It is expansive and free-flowing, while still helping us to be more focused, consistent and committed.
© Layla Saad - www.LaylaSaad.com
12
When we are devoted, we show up in our businesses in a very different way. We show up the way mothers show up
for their children. There everyday, ready to do what’s needed to take care of our Business Queendom. Even the things
that scare us because they are outside of our comfort zone.
Devotion shows up as us having clear plans, project management and business systems that move us forward each day, rather than
haphazard action-taking with ideas strewn across post-it notes and pretty journals. It also shows up as us being devoted to creating things for our clients and audience that really serve them and helping them to solve
their problems.
When we are devoted to our businesses we go from being a dreamer with an expensive hobby, to being a CEO with an important
mission.
© Layla Saad - www.LaylaSaad.com
13
Some questions to reflect on about Devotion:
•
Do I have my goals and tasks clearly mapped out in a project management system such as Asana, Trello, Basecamp or other?
•
Do I have an operations manual for my business?
•
Do I have a weekly business planning and review session?
•
Do I do something to move my business forward every week day?
•
Do I have clear business hours?
•
Do I invest in resources to help me grow my business? (e.g. software, team support, coaches, programs, etc.)
•
Is the content I create in my business coming from a place of devotion to serve my audience? Am I helping them to answer
their questions, solve their problems and become more empowered?
Business Checklist for Devotion:
This is a checklist of things to consider in order to bring more Devotion into your business.
❑
The project management software that I use for mapping out my annual, monthly, weekly and daily tasks is:
_____________________________
❑
My weekly office hours are: _____________________________
❑
I have an operations manual for my business
❑
My weekly business planning and review session is on this day of the week: _____________________________
❑
I have an accountability partner or coach to help me stay on track with my business goals and my own personal growth
© Layla Saad - www.LaylaSaad.com
14
SECRET #3
Nurturing
Nurturing
“A dream doesn’t die because it has no truth. It dies because you fail to nurture it.” – Susie Clevenger
The entrepreneurial journey is not a sprint. It is a life-long marathon. When you made the choice to become an entrepreneur you
answered the call to go on what Joseph Campbell called ‘The Hero’s Journey’.
The Hero’s Journey of business is long, often hard and full of challenges. Whether it’s the pain of not making enough money, or not
knowing what your niche is or having to juggle building a business while holding a full-time job and/or a family… it’s tough.
And that’s why it’s so important to be continuously nurturing ourselves and our business dreams.
What does nurturing mean?
On a personal level, it means not becoming obsessive about growing your business to the detriment of your other needs. It means
taking care of yourself by giving yourself good food, water, rest, movement and nurturing thoughts.
It means not beating yourself up for not being far ahead enough yet, even if you’ve been in business for a few years now.
It means giving yourself a pat on the back everyday because you are doing your best, and even when you aren’t, that you will try
again tomorrow or when you’re ready.
One of the best ways to nurture yourself is to have a support system. A sisterhood. Women who will lift you up, cheer you on, help
you stay on track and remind you to stay connected to your own truth. Without a sisterhood, entrepreneurship is lonely and hard.
Nurturing your business means to give it what it needs: the right resources, your full focus during business hours,
investments of money and time, visualisations and positive affirmations.
© Layla Saad - www.LaylaSaad.com
16
Nurturing yourself and your business is what’s going to stop you from burning out and giving up when things
get really tough (because they will).
Lastly, your clients and audience also need your nurturing.
Nurturing your audience can look like:
• Regular blog posts that truly inspire and empower.
• Building real connections and relationships with your audience.
• Surprising them with free gifts and resources (whether your own or from other entrepreneurs).
• Creating services and products for them that really help them to realize their own dreams.
© Layla Saad - www.LaylaSaad.com
17
Some questions to reflect on about Nurturing:
•
Do I give myself time to nurture my own mind, body and soul, or is all my time consumed with my business?
•
Do I give myself regular breaks to laugh, celebrate and enjoy life?
•
Do I invest smartly in my business? Do I sign up for software and programs that my business actually needs to grow based on
my goals?
•
Do I nurture my business dreams through exercises such a visualisations, journaling, vision-boarding and meditating?
Business Checklist for Nurturing:
This is a checklist of things to consider in order to bring more Nurturing into your business:
❑
I have a sisterhood of other women entrepreneurs who have each other’s backs
❑
I water my dreams on a weekly basis through visualization/meditation/journaling or other method of positive affirmation
❑
I have a morning routine that helps me take care of my mind, body and spirit
❑
I nurture my non-business related relationships
❑
I make it a priority to do NO work at least 1 day each week and preferably 2 days (depending on your circumstances)
❑
I nurture my audience by giving them free gifts and resources, and creating products and services for them that they really
need
© Layla Saad - www.LaylaSaad.com
18
SECRET #4
Inner Guidance
Inner Guidance
“There is a voice that doesn’t use words. Listen.” – Rumi
Intuition. Inner Wisdom. Gut Instinct. Knowing. Sensing.
These are all words that describe that inner guidance that we all have when we tune into our feminine energy. Choosing to trust
your own inner guidance is choosing to trust the voice of your soul.
A lot of the time we suppress our intuition if it doesn’t make logical sense. And as entrepreneurs there is a lot of external pressure to
grow our businesses in certain ways in order to be ‘successful’. The online business world is full of FOMO. We see other
entrepreneurs doing All The Things, and we wonder if we should be too. For example, you might hear that the best way to grow your list and sell more is to run webinars. But you hate webinars. Or maybe
you’re told that it’s important to blog and send a newsletter out to your list every week, but you’d prefer to do it every 2 weeks.
Whatever the case, it’s important that we learn how to trust our intuition even if it flies in the face of conventional business building
strategies.
I’ve mentioned the word ‘energy’ a few times in this book and that’s because the energy that we bring to anything that we do in our
businesses (and our lives) is what will inform the outcome of that action. So if we’re doing webinars because we’ve been told it’s best
thing for our businesses, but we truly don’t enjoy them, that feeling of resistance is what will show up in our results from that
webinar whether through low audience participation, technical issues or no sales.
If you truly want to grow your business the soulfully feminine way, then you must be devoted to trusting your intuition on
EVERYTHING. On every service or product you decide to create. On every way that you choose to market your business. In every
interaction with your audience.
© Layla Saad - www.LaylaSaad.com
20
Important Note: Do not confuse your fear for your intuition. Sometimes a part of us really wants to do something
(like start a Facebook group!), but another part of us really doesn’t. Alternatively sometimes we’re called to do something
because everyone else is doing it (like start a podcast!), but we think it’s our intuition. How can we tell the difference?
Simple. Sit with it.
Don’t just jump straight from idea into action. Sit with an idea before you begin to move forward on it. Meditate on it and visualize
how doing that action will look like, and how it will feel in your body.
If it looks and feels exciting to run a webinar or start a podcast or launch a certain program, then do it.
If it still feels unsure or shaky, then capture it somewhere in your project management system but don’t take any action on it unless
and until it feels really aligned.
Your intuition is there to help you take the best route. The route of least resistance, most joy and highest interest for yourself and
your audience.
Trust it.
© Layla Saad - www.LaylaSaad.com
21
Some questions to reflect on about Inner Guidance:
•
Do I have a spiritual practice or a practice of ‘tuning in’ to my inner guidance?
•
When I’m trying to make a decision in my business do I ask for inner guidance, or do I seek outer guidance from others first?
•
Do I know the difference between an intuitive hit and fear?
•
Can I positively say that everything that I’m creating in my business is from a place of inner guidance?
•
Do I trust my own wisdom when I’m working with my clients even though I’m secretly worried that I don’t yet have enough
experience?
Business Checklist for Inner Guidance:
This is a checklist of things to consider in order to bring more Inner Guidance into your business.
❑
Before making a decision in my business I meditate/journal on it first
❑
Before working with my clients I do a short meditation first to help center myself and connect me to my own wisdom
❑
I schedule in regular blocks of ‘white space’ in my week, where I can reflect, journal, read and play around with ideas
❑
I only work with coaches and mentors that help me to find my own answers, rather than those who impose their answers
© Layla Saad - www.LaylaSaad.com
22
SECRET #5
Connection
Connection
“I define connection as the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive
without judgment; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship.” – Brene Brown
When you’re building an online business, it’s easy to forget the importance of building authentic connections with people. The
reality is, we’re often working alone at our laptops whether in our bedrooms, our home offices or local cafes.
If you’re an introvert like me, or someone who prefers to work on your own, then this suits you perfectly. I still remember how I used
to escape from the open office area of cubicles to the quiet meeting room at my corporate job, just so that I could have some space
to think and work without distraction.
Not so in my business. I often get to work distraction-free as I build my Business Queendom. Just me, my Macbook and a wifi
connection.
However, despite how it may look on the outside, your business does not exist in a vacuum. It needs other people to grow and
sustain itself. Authentic connections with other people help us to attract more:
Dream clients
✓
✓
Opportunities for collaborations with other people in our industries
✓
Perfect mentors and coaches to support us in growing our businesses
✓
Soul sister connections with our women entrepreneurs who are growing their own Business Queendoms
© Layla Saad - www.LaylaSaad.com
24
The key to creating authentic connection has two parts:
1. Be your true self. At all times. What this means is that you don’t bend and twist yourself to make other people happy or to gain
others’ approval. You don’t round out your edges. You don’t shrink yourself in order to fit in and be accepted. You are yourself,
unapologetically. And in being yourself, you attract those people who respect who you really are.
2. Make others feel seen, heard and valued. What this means is remembering the reason why you do what you do – because you
want to serve. And in order to serve, you must be able to put yourself in your audience’s shoes. Authentic connection is
something that comes naturally when we are in our feminine power. It manifests itself as empathy, deep listening, reflecting back
and holding space.
When we are able to do both of these things, we create a business that truly honours the people that we are here to serve and we
attract to ourselves all of the people that can support us in bringing our business dreams to life.
Important Note: A Queen understands the importance of boundaries. You don’t need to make connections with everybody,
especially those people who take advantage of you, don’t respect you or you simply don’t resonate with. As women we often want
to help everybody, and some find it difficult to say No, or to calmly and unapologetically affirm their boundaries. But in order to truly
serve those who we are here to serve, we must say No to those who drain our energy.
We’ve all had that situation where you’re in a client relationship with someone who clearly wasn’t your ideal client, but you didn’t
trust your intuition and started working with them anyway. Things go south pretty quickly as they repeatedly skip sessions, show up
late, don’t do the work and blame other circumstances for things that go wrong. This type of connection is a huge drain on our
energy, and affects our sense of confidence and our ability to keep moving forward with the same positive momentum.
Trust your inner guidance from the beginning and lovingly but firmly say No.
© Layla Saad - www.LaylaSaad.com
25
Some questions to reflect on about Connection:
•
Do I have real connections with the people in my target market?
•
Do I maintain good relationships with past clients?
•
Do I actively reach out to people in my industry who I respect and admire?
•
Do I say No to clients that my inner guidance tells me are not ideal?
•
Do I have a sisterhood of my own that I can lean on for support as I build my Business Queendom?
Business Checklist for Connection:
This is a checklist of things to consider in order to bring more Connection into your business.
❑
I regularly make the effort to connect with new people through Skype coffee chats and in person meetings
❑
I am helpful to others in online forums, without expecting anything in return
❑
I seek to make real connections first, before trying to pitch or sell my stuff
❑
I act as a connector for other people, if I know that they would get on well or be able to help each other
© Layla Saad - www.LaylaSaad.com
26
SECRET #6
Collaboration
Collaboration
“As you navigate through the rest of your life, be open to collaboration. Other people and other people's ideas are often
better than your own. Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will
change your life.” – Amy Poelher
Collaboration is what creates real success. Any successful leader in any field will tell you that they did not get where they are on their
own. They had a team of people and a family of supporters who helped them at each stage of their journey.
The modern patriarchy-driven world glorifies the myths of the lone hero and the superwoman. The woman who can do it all by
herself, without any help. However as women, it has always been natural for us to come together and support each other.
Women who are grounded in their own feminine power know that another woman’s success does not diminish her own. And in fact,
that the more we support each other in succeeding, the more we all succeed. Ann Friedman in her New York Magazine article in
2013 called this ‘Shine Theory’. Friedman talks about what we should do instead of feeling jealous of other women:
“Here’s my solution: When you meet a woman who is intimidatingly witty, stylish, beautiful, and professionally accomplished,
befriend her. Surrounding yourself with the best people doesn’t make you look worse by comparison. It makes you better.”
In other words: we can all shine together. So instead of asking yourself the question “How can I be better than my competitors?”, ask yourself “How can I collaborate with
others in a way that is mutually beneficial?”.
Viewing others as competition is an inherently masculine way of seeing the world. It assumes that there is only so much of the pie to
go around and so we must somehow become better than our competition if we are to succeed.
© Layla Saad - www.LaylaSaad.com
28
The feminine way is to know that there is more than enough to go around, and to view all of your competition as
other Sister Queens who are running their own Business Queendoms.
Each one of you is unique and therefore here to serve your audiences in your own unique ways. You don’t have to worry about her
being better than you or stealing your market. You just have to focus on what you are building and see how can collaborate with her,
or other Queens in order to help each other shine.
Doesn’t that feel more expansive?
Doesn’t that take the pressure off having to prove yourself or become ‘better’?
Doesn’t that excite you when you think about all of the many possibilities and ways in which you could collaborate with other
women?
Queens collaborate.
© Layla Saad - www.LaylaSaad.com
29
Some questions to reflect on about Collaboration:
•
How can I collaborate with other women instead of being triggered by them?
•
How can I put a spotlight on other women that I respect and admire? Could I interview them on my podcast or blog? Could I
invite them to be a guest teacher on my program? Could I give them a shout-out in my newsletter or on social media?
•
In what ways do I block opportunities for collaboration with other entrepreneurs? How can I become more open-minded to
working with others?
•
Do I feel threatened by my competition? How can I become more grounded in my own feminine power and focused on
confidently building my business?
Business Checklist for Collaboration:
This is a checklist of things to consider in order to bring more Collaboration into your business.
❑
I reach out to other women that I respect and admire every 1-3 months to see how we could collaborate with each other
❑
I include ‘shining a spotlight on other women entrepreneurs’ as an important part of my content creation plan and marketing
strategy
❑
I make sure that I have a real connection with someone first before I ask them to collaborate with me
❑
I only collaborate with people who I truly resonate with, and whose core values align with mine. I am discerning about who I say
‘Yes’ to, rather than agreeing to everyone who reaches out to me
© Layla Saad - www.LaylaSaad.com
30
SECRET #7
Vulnerability
Vulnerability
“...and that visibility which makes us most vulnerable is that which also is the source of our greatest strength.” – Audre Lorde
When I first started out, I wanted to create a business that looked like Marie Forleo’s. I wanted to look polished and perfect, with complete
clarity and confidence about what I was doing.
The truth is, the entrepreneurial journey isn’t a straight line. And when we’re starting out in the early years, we need to do a lot of exploration
and experimentation to see what works for us and what doesn’t. People like Marie Forleo, Danielle LaPorte or whichever ‘big name’
entrepreneur you may admire didn’t get there overnight. They have been working in and on their businesses for years and years, and they
continue to do so to this day.
We cannot compare ourselves to others because we are on our own journey. And, we have to let go of the need to look perfect because this
journey is messy and full of flops and failed attempts.
The willingness to be vulnerable is what will truly support us in navigating the ups and downs of the growing our Business Queendoms.
Vulnerability helps us to:
• Take the pressure off ourselves to be perfect, and accept where we are on our journey
• Stop waiting for the perfect moment, and take the risks that we need to take – whether it’s launching a new program or writing a
vulnerable blog post
• Reach out for help when we’re stuck or don’t know what to do
• Reach out for support when we are seriously doubting ourselves and thinking about giving it all up
Vulnerability is a powerful feminine strength. It is not weak to be vulnerable. It is courageous to put yourself out there, without your armor up
and to stand in your truth, no matter how scary that may be.
© Layla Saad - www.LaylaSaad.com
32
Our audiences can only connect to us if we are really real. I’m not talking about using vulnerability as a marketing tactic
to get people to sympathise with us so that they will buy what we are trying to sell them on. We all know when an
entrepreneur is using vulnerability or authenticity in this way because it feels icky and superficial.
I’m talking about using vulnerability as a way of making real connections with people and using your so-called failures and shortcomings as a way of healing yourself and healing others. By showing them that you are human too.
© Layla Saad - www.LaylaSaad.com
33
Some questions to reflect on about Vulnerability:
•
How can I have the courage to show up and be seen in my business?
•
How can I help others to feel understood, by showing them that I know what they are going through, because of my own
personal experiences?
•
Where in my business am I trying to look perfect? How can I embrace the imperfection of where I am at?
•
How can I be authentically vulnerable and own my truth, while maintaining my own boundaries?
Business Checklist for Vulnerability:
This is a checklist of things to consider in order to bring more Vulnerability into your business.
❑
I share my own personal stories in my content as a way of connecting and teaching
❑
I share my ‘failures’ in my business as well as my wins
❑
I stay away from trying to project myself as a perfect expert or guru who knows everything
❑
I am willing to try out new things in my business, even if I’m afraid that I may fail at them or look imperfect
❑
I am vulnerable enough to ask my audience what they most need and want through surveys, interviews and conversations on
social media
© Layla Saad - www.LaylaSaad.com
34
SECRET #8
Transformation
Transformation
“A woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform.” – Diane Mariechild
One of the biggest lessons that I have learned about entrepreneurship is that it is as much a personal and spiritual journey, as it is a
journey of creating a successful business. As you are growing your business, your business is also growing you, and it is helping you
to help other people grow too.
Your business helps you to become the leader you are here to be. It is a sacred container for your transformation, because it is the
place where all your fears and self-doubt come to the surface.
Thinking about launching a new program? Expect your fear of failure to appear.
Thinking about sharing a vulnerable blog post? Expect your fear of being ridiculed to appear.
Thinking about reaching out to another entrepreneur to collaborate? Expect your fear of rejection to appear.
Basically, anytime that you try to do something that is outside of your comfort zone, your fear is going to pop up with its talk of:
You cant do this. You’re not good enough. You don’t know enough. You’re not allowed and You will be criticized.
You have a choice each time this happens: to lean into the discomfort of the fear and put yourself through the fire of transformation,
or to run away.
Hint: A Queen chooses to face her fears because she knows that in doing so, she steps into more and more of her power.
© Layla Saad - www.LaylaSaad.com
36
As women, we all have some level of the Priestess archetype within us. The Priestess helps us to heal what needs healing
– whether for ourselves or for our audience. Like a soul alchemist, our inner Priestess helps us to take what is broken and
transform it into healing and personal power.
Our role as Queens in our businesses is to continuously be Priestess-ing and transforming ourselves so that we can increase our
capacity for more abundance, more joy, more love, more dream clients, more collaboration, more success, freedom and ease.
The more that we are able to strip away the parts of us that hold us back, the more that we transform into powerful, wise and
courageous leaders.
And as we transform and shine brighter, we are able to help our own clients to do so too. Our stepping into our power inspires our
clients to do the same. As we learn how to heal ourselves, we empower our clients to heal themselves too.
The willingness to put yourself through the fire of transformation (which is often messy and painful) is what makes you a Queen.
© Layla Saad - www.LaylaSaad.com
37
Some questions to reflect on about Transformation:
•
What fears do I regularly come up against when I’m trying to do something new in my business?
•
In what ways do I allow my fears to keep me playing small?
•
How can I lean into my fears?
•
How connected do I feel to my own inner Priestess? Do I trust that I can heal myself?
•
Do I have people around me that support me as I face my fears?
Business Checklist for Transformation:
This is a checklist of things to consider in order to bring more Transformation into your business.
❑
I willingly set business goals that take me outside of my comfort zone so that I can step into more of my power
❑
I call on my inner Priestess to help me when I’m feeling blocked or afraid (whether through meditation, journaling or other
practice)
❑
I create offerings that not only teach people how to do things, but also help them to transform how they see themselves and
how they show up in the world
❑
I am dedicated to growing more and more each year
❑
I spend my time with other people who continuously inspire me to step into more of my power
© Layla Saad - www.LaylaSaad.com
38
The Next Steps On Your
Business Queen Journey
The purpose of this book is to spark the start of an
inner + outer revolution for women entrepreneurs.
A revolution that leads you to reclaim your Queenliness, and to confidently grow your business in a soulfully feminine way, led by
the 8 secrets that we’ve explored in this book.
I believe that heart-centred women entrepreneurs are here to change the world through their businesses. As coaches, creatives and
healers we each have something unique and important to share with the world.
Throughout this book I spoke several times about the importance of sisterhood and being supported by other women or Sister
Queens. When women come together, something truly magical and sacred happens, and we all rise together.
I have created a free and private Facebook community for soulful women entrepreneurs to support each other as we build our
Business Queendoms. The Queen Collective is a place to connect with like-minded women entrepreneurs, network, share, support
and be supported on this beautiful and often challenging journey of growing our Business Queendoms.
Click the circle to join The Queen Collective - a sacred community of business soul sisters who are growing their Business
Queendoms the soulfully feminine way.
Join the
Collective
© Layla Saad - www.LaylaSaad.com
40
About the Author
Layla Saad is a Women’s Leadership & Business Coach for soulful women entrepreneurs
who want to change the world through their work.
Layla help women to step into their feminine leadership, create soul-centred business
strategies and take authentic and aligned action towards their dreams.
Layla has been coaching and giving workshops to individuals and corporations since
2010. She believes that heart-centred women entrepreneurs have the power to change
the world through their work, and is passionate about helping grow businesses that
change people’s lives.
Connect with Layla:
Website: www.laylasaad.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/coachlaylasaad
Instagram: https://instagram.com/_laylasaad_/
Twitter: www.twitter.com/coachlayla
Layla Saad
Did you like this book? Share the link below with a friend!
Women’s Leadership &
www.laylasaad.com/queenology-book
Business Coach
© Layla Saad - www.LaylaSaad.com
41
© Layla Saad - www.LaylaSaad.com