From Soul-Sucked to Success

I can’t wait for you to meet my long-time friend, Jackie. We met back in 2009 in a personal development program called Samurai Camp. Neither of us would have imagined that either of us would be doing what we’re doing outdoors now.

But first… a huge announcement.

Big things are happening in Entrepreneurs Gone Wild, and YOU get to be part of it! 🎉

I’m building something incredible for this community—a brand-new way to showcase your business and connect with customers who are ready to support you.

It’s called the Good Goods Finder—a smart, interactive directory to highlight coaches, service providers, and product-based businesses like yours. 💼🛍️

✨ Here’s your chance to get in early! ✨
I’m looking for EGW members to add their businesses to the directory now so I can showcase YOU during the big reveal next week.

🎁 BONUS: Early entries will be featured during the demo for the community and beyond! AND the first 25 will get something extra special. ;)

📋 Ready to join?
Click here to enter your info.

Jackie Banas had it all. A lucrative career in mortgage collection. A steady paycheck. Financial stability. And a slowly eroding soul.

Every day, she'd walk into her office, ready to face another barrage of heart-wrenching stories. Cancer diagnoses. Job losses. Family tragedies. All culminating in the same outcome: Jackie taking away people's homes.

It was soul-crushing work.Initially, Jackie tried to empathize. To care. But the constant onslaught of misery took its toll. She found herself becoming jaded, cynical. Doubting every story. It was easier to believe everyone was lying than to face the harsh reality of her job.

This wasn't the Jackie her friends and family knew. The high-energy, happy, trusting person was disappearing, replaced by someone she barely recognized in the mirror.

Something had to change.

From Foreclosures to S'mores

Enter: a family vacation and a chance encounter with a campground owner. This woman seemed to have it all - a thriving business, time with her family, and a genuine smile. It was a stark contrast to Jackie's corporate grind.

The seed was planted. What if?

Fast forward, and Jackie, along with her then-husband, found themselves proud owners of a KOA campground. No experience. No clue. Just a burning desire for change and a willingness to leap into the unknown.

Talk about a career pivot.

Know Thy Camper

Here's where Jackie's story gets interesting. And relevant for every entrepreneur out there.

Instead of trying to appeal to every Tom, Dick, and Harriet with a tent, Jackie zeroed in on a specific demographic: camping moms.

Why? Because she was one.

Remember that old adage about entrepreneurs solving problems they've experienced? Bingo.Jackie knew firsthand the challenges of camping with young kids. The exhaustion. The endless planning. The struggle to keep everyone entertained. The cold pool water that turned excited kids into blue-lipped whiners within minutes.

She'd lived it. Now, she was determined to fix it.

The Camping Mom's Paradise

Jackie's campground became a haven for tired moms everywhere. Heated pools. Safe playgrounds. Jumping pillows for different age groups. Every decision was made with the camping mom in mind.

The result? A campground that went from half-empty to bursting at the seams. Every. Single. Weekend.

But here's the kicker: Jackie didn't just create a successful business. She created a solution to a problem she intimately understood. A problem she'd lived through herself.

The Power of the Persona

Jackie's success wasn't just about adding fancy amenities. It was about truly understanding her ideal customer.

She knew their pain points:

• The exhaustion of constant kid-wrangling

• The desire for a vacation that actually felt like a vacation

• The need for safe, engaging activities for kids of all ages

She knew their desires:

• A chance to relax

• Quality family time

• Memories that didn't involve tantrums and tears

And she tailored every aspect of her campground to meet these needs.

Beyond the Campfire

The lessons from Jackie's journey extend far beyond the realm of s'mores and sleeping bags.

1. Know Your Customer. Really know them. Live in their shoes. Understand their struggles, their desires, their secret wishes. Then build your business around solving their problems.

2. Solve a Problem You've Lived. Your experiences are your superpower. They give you insights no market research can match.

3. Don't Be Afraid to Pivot. Jackie went from foreclosing homes to creating family memories. Sometimes, the best path forward is a complete 180.

4. Details Matter. Heated pools. Age-appropriate play areas. These small touches made a big difference for Jackie's target customers.

5. Continuous Improvement. Jackie didn't stop innovating after initial success. She kept listening, learning, and improving.

The Bottom Line

Jackie Banas didn't just change careers. She changed lives - including her own.

By focusing on a specific customer - the camping mom - and dedicating herself to solving their problems, she created a thriving business. More importantly, she created a place where families could relax, bond, and create lasting memories.

Not bad for someone who started with zero camping industry experience.

So, the next time you're brainstorming business ideas, take a page from Jackie's book. Look at your own experiences. What problems have you faced? What solutions do you wish existed?

Your next big idea might be closer than you think. Maybe even as close as your last frustrating family vacation.

Want to book a camping adventure at Jackie’s KOA? Better hurry! It’ll book out fast.

Stuck Tighter than a Rusty Nut on an Old Tractor?

We’ve all been there.

There’s no more challenging game to play than that of entrepreneurship.

Mindset, processes, the never-ending onslaught of new technologies and opportunities coming at us from every angle.

No wonder we get stuck sometimes.

But we don’t have to stay stuck.

That’s why my friend Vickie Poole and I are holding a FREE "Get Unstuck Hot Seat" online party on Monday, December 30, 2024, at 3 PM Eastern!

This event is designed to help you:
• Break through barriers holding you back
• Gain clarity on your next steps
• Learn innovative strategies for business growth
• Network with fellow entrepreneurs

As a marketing expert with 20 years of experience, I'll be sharing insights on content creation, workflows, and leveraging AI for marketing tasks. Vickie, a certified hypnotherapist and business coach, will offer her expertise in mindset transformation.

Whether you're in the hot seat or observing, you'll walk away with actionable strategies to gain momentum in your business. Don't miss this opportunity to transform your challenges into stepping stones for success!

RSVP here - and apply to be on the hot seat here.

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