FAMILY, FOCUS, FORTUNE: LANI JACKSON HELPS MOMPRENEURS HAVE IT ALL (AND SANITY, TOO!)

Nobody saw this coming.

Lani swept the last bit of glitter confetti off the floor, wiped up a stray bit of frosting, then counted the fat stack of cash the mom had given her. Other high school kids were working the drive-thru or babysitting to make a few bucks an hour. But Lani Jackson was already showing her stripes as a real entrepreneur.

The in-demand babysitter of her neighborhood had just launched her most recent business. She’d thrown a birthday party for her kid sister. All the moms thought it was amazing. So when Lani offered to do the same for their little girls, they couldn’t book fast enough.

That was it. She’d been bitten by the business bug.

It bit her hard. Years later, young mom Lani fell into the habit of adding a new business as fast as she added new babies to her family. Pampered Chef, blogging, virtual assistance, PR, and a brick and mortar business topped the stack. Oh. And six kids (three adopted from the foster care system) six years apart from oldest to youngest.  

“I’ve got this,” she swore. 

Until one day she was replaying some of the Marco Polo messages in her conversation with her sister. “I’m so tired. I’m so overwhelmed. I have so much to do,” her exhaustion was on repeat. “Wow,” she thought. “That’s every day, and that sucks. I’m literally predicting how my day will be - overwhelming, exhausting, and that I’ll never accomplish what I need to.” 

Lani had just gotten into the idea of intentional thinking, manifestation, mantras. She didn’t like where her thoughts were taking her. That day, she made the decision to change this narrative for good.

What happened next changed everything.

In this edition of Entrepreneurs Gone Wild, you’ll meet no-nonsense business strategist Lani Jackson. If you’re currently about as worn out as a momma with six kids, six years apart, hopped up on candy canes… this one’s for you. You know, if this is the year you finally grab hold of your sanity (and profits).

Plus, get Lani’s secrets for planning a retreat for your business, friends, or business friends.

And a special bonus for anyone who was ever traumatized by STEM. 

But first, a word from our sponsor… for those who wouldn’t be one bit mad if they, too, used Email Magic to make a record-setting year appear out of thin air. Subscribe fo’ free.

Where were we? Oh yes, Lani was running herself ragged with more businesses and kids than most folks could handle for even one day. Her business results? Predictable. 

Determined to create a more sustainable business that worked with her life, Lani joined a few of her best business-owning friends on a retreat. She’d come to an important conclusion - that she wanted to stop trying to be like everyone else in business and instead embrace her unique situation, who she was, and her skillset and voice.

Right smack in the middle of nowhere outside of Austin, she and her friends got to work. As much as she loved and admired each of these women, she realized, “I’m not them. I don’t have the same number of kids, the same personality, the same story or background. I’m me… and that’s enough. That’s the success story.” Lani was determined to create a business that excelled.

That meant making some hard decisions. As she and her husband talked it through, Lani chose two of the four businesses she’d been running. The others had to go.

YOU CAN’T SCALE BEYOND YOUR TIME. YOU JUST CAN’T.

No more changing her mind. No more side hustles. No more chasing the next $20. And most definitely, no more working until 2 a.m. or drifting off while reading bedtime stories. 

Lani chose to go all-in on her blogging business as an influencer (so, kinda one biz, really). But that wasn’t all. Now that she knew what she wanted, it was time to bring some order to her life. For her business to work, she’d have to find a way to make the work sustainable.

Here’s where it gets really good.

For real, if you want business systems that are truly sustainable, get ‘em ruggedized and stress-tested by a mom with six kids. Some with special needs. Bonus points for making tasks fit into 10-minute segments.

She didn’t just buy a better planner or try out some tips to build better habits. What she did:

• Became a Trello power user. No more paper to-do lists fluttering around. If a task was important enough for Lani to do, it would get a time and date. If it didn’t make the cut, she wasn’t going to do it anymore.

• Set a simple criteria that set her free. “These are the things that make me money. These are the things that are important to our family. These are the things I will do.” Lani made some tough choices by evaluating what she was doing.

• Split big tasks into small ones. Some important tasks take serious time to accomplish. Lani didn’t have big blocks of time to devote to them. But she did have windows of 10-20 minutes she could use to get them done if she stayed organized.

How’d it work? She went from $400-$1,000 months to solid $4,000 months within six months back then. She worked with 100 brands, had $8,000 campaigns, and even had a client pop for her family’s vacation. She went from working late every single night to only working 2-5 hours max per day. Now she had time to spend with her husband. Her kids were like, “Mom’s not on her phone all the time!” Her house was in order. And that meant that she was ready when it was time for her business to pivot.

The pivot led her to what she’s doing now. Lani is a business strategist and mindset clarity coach. She works with women entrepreneurs to help them get clear on their vision and goals. She builds customized business strategies to help them accelerate their profits and grow their team. Lani knows the power of having high profits in income, time, fulfillment, and energy. (“I’ll have what she’s having!”) This is game changing. 

While “I have plenty of time” is a sentence most entrepreneurs would have a hard time saying with a straight face, she can. Lani’s built a business that supports what she loves and wants to do. She helps her clients focus on what matters to them, then making a business that fits.

Her clients own their time and understand their priorities. That comes first in creating a strategy that’s sustainable and effective.

IS THIS A $10K TASK OR A $.10 TASK?

You can’t do it all. Not for long, anyway.

In building a sustainable business that doesn’t drive you to drink, you’ve got to make some decisions about what you will and won’t do. Even if ‘everyone’ says you should be doing this. Or that. Or even that. If it’s not a fit, you shouldn’t do it. Some stuff doesn’t even need doing. There’s an element of entrepreneurial peer pressure that lays unnecessary burdens on our backs if we let it.

Something magical happens when you put in the reps, doing the work that supports your strategy. Well, sometimes. Sometimes your content goes viral. Sometimes you get a major referral that changes everything. Sometimes you get invited to speak somewhere and your business blows up. All cool - enviable, even. And all of them become more likely when you show up and do the work day after day.

So, whaddya do?

Lani likes filters. One she runs every couple of months evaluates her action plans. For each item on the list, she assesses, “Is this a 10-cent action? A $1,000 action? A $10,000 action?” Even today, sometimes those dime actions slip onto her plate. She kicks them off as soon as she spots them.

Quarterly, she does an expansion audit - for herself and with her clients. If your butt just clenched over the a-word, you probably had some fun with the IRS sometime. This is not that. 

This is an exercise aimed at growth. To get somewhere, you’ve got to know where you are and where you want to go. This is that. You ask those questions, then you take a hard look at the actions you’re taking. Will they, with repetition, inevitably get you where you want to go? Are they bringing you a solid ROI for your time? Your money? 

Lani did this audit exercise with one client who cut $4K in off-the-radar expenses she was paying for and never using - for a long time. You don’t get that kind of profitable clarity without taking a hard look.

For each task, ask yourself:

• Do I need to keep doing this or stop doing this?

• Do I hate doing it?

• Do I avoid it?

• If so, why is it part of my business plan? 

Give yourself permission to say no. Especially after you take a deep breath and try to excuse that task’s presence in your business day. Maybe you outsource that thing. Maybe you just erase it from your planner (and mind) entirely.

CREATING SPACE FOR DEEP THINKING

One of the best parts of being in business is that you can always grow and pivot. Sometimes, like Lani, you go on a retreat that blows your mind and completely disrupts your trajectory. 

But you can’t get that kind of aerial view when you’re Army-man crawling through your day. Nobody’s coming to tap you on the shoulder and remind you to take time to think on your business. It doesn’t happen without planning. 

Lani makes that thinking time happen. Sometimes it’s while on a walk in her neighborhood. (Pro Tip: Never fall for the biggest lie ever - “I’ll remember this great idea.” Bring paper or make a note on your phone.)

Sometimes, Lani does her best thinking while cooking. With six kids, she does a lot of that! There’s something about the flow of energy, the moving around the kitchen, the creativity - all devoted to a non-business outcome. All of that makes your brain think differently.

RETREAT AT WILL!

At least once a year, Lani goes on retreat. She gathers a group of women who inspire her, who hold her accountable and make her better. They go somewhere in nature. They don’t work on their businesses. Instead, they dream big. They come home inspired and ready to make big moves.

But she also hosts retreats every year for her clients. There, they bond, grow, and pivot. They come away with action plans that would work just as well if you had six… or even 16 kids.

If you could use a little (or a lot) more sanity in your business, and you’re a mompreneur, Lani can help. She’s got a fantastic training on how she turned her marketing strategy into a sustainable system. It’ll help you get in front of more of your best prospects - in just 10 minutes a day. You can also find her on Instagram and Facebook.

DIY Retreat: Unleashing Entrepreneurial Magic in Three Days

Quick. Grab a few of your entrepreneurial besties and git. 

You’re going on retreat - a realm where ideas flourish, strategies are refined, and business blues are banished… all in just a few days.

This isn’t just a getaway; it's an incubator for innovation and rejuvenation. 

During our conversation, I asked Lani how she runs her retreats. Or, rather, how you could run your own if you can’t make it to one of hers. (Or if you’re a dude. Hers are for mompreneurs only.)

Organizing your DIY retreat is simpler than you might think. Begin by gathering a small group of like-minded entrepreneurs. The magic number? Three to four individuals who are as invested in personal and professional growth as you are.

Your retreat should span two to three days, providing ample time for in-depth discussions and actionable plans. Lani recommends starting with introspective and powerful questions like, "What do I love about my business? What’s holding me back? What am I truly passionate about?" These questions aren't just conversation starters; they're the keys to unlocking your entrepreneurial potential.

Day 1 should be about reflection and sharing. This is your chance to express your challenges, aspirations, and visions. The power of vocalizing these thoughts in a supportive environment can't be overstated – it’s where breakthroughs are born.

Day 2 is all about strategizing. Break down those dreams into actionable steps. Draft a roadmap to your goals, and don't shy away from discussing the tough stuff – the obstacles and fears.

Day 3 can be immensely beneficial for starting to implement these plans right there and then.

The true value of these retreats lies in what follows. It’s easy to be inspired in the moment, but the real challenge is integrating this newfound clarity and drive into your daily routine. Commit to action, hold each other accountable, and watch as your businesses – and spirits – soar. A DIY retreat isn't just a pause from the hustle; it's a catalyst for profound, lasting change.

And here’s my New Year’s prediction: Some of you are destined for Idyllwild Woods, where transformative retreats are more than just talk. Picture this: a place where nature fuels your entrepreneurial fire, where pine whispers and fresh mountain air aren't mere scenery, but catalysts for your next big leap. In Idyllwild Woods, you don't just plan; you recharge, rethink, and reignite your business passion in the wild.

🎉 Wishing you and all those you love a magical start to 2024 🎉