9 Lessons from A Lit Up Partnership

Over the past 6 months, I ran a process called A Lit Up Partnership, where I (along with 4 other coaches) worked with clients, not for a set payment, but for 15% of the revenue they generate in our work together over 6 months.
It was a really cool and interesting experiment that allowed us to look at a new business model and learn a ton along the way.
I believe in breaking down barriers, being innovative, and creating opportunity in this industry. A Lit Up Partnership was created around those beliefs, and the results were mind-blowing!
That’s why I’m so excited to be re-launching A Lit Up Partnership and opening one spot to start in January. (Click here to learn more!) To celebrate, I’ve been reflecting on all the lessons that came out of the first round of partners.
Here are 9 of the biggest lessons I learned through this process AND how you can apply them to your own business!
(I know this post is long – but these lessons are oh so worth it!)

Lesson 1: RESULTS ARE POSSIBLE WHEN YOU BELIEVE THEY ARE

Many of the partnership clients cited that my belief in them was a total game-changer in their belief in themselves and their business.
Now, I don’t advocate using “outside” people/things to verify your value or worthiness, but I am very aware that when someone you believe in believes in you… it can be transformational to tapping into that internal worthiness that can be easy to forget.
It also shifted things because I put my belief that they could make me money IN THEM. It wasn’t just a nice statement, but an actual action (putting my money where my mouth was) that really made my belief in them obvious and concrete.
And of course, because the belief was there… the results were astounding. Not just because the coaching, client and partnership was amazing, but because WE BELIEVED they would be.
That is such an important distinction. That’s why I always talk about mindset being the foundation. Because when you believe something will work, it often does. When you believe something won’t work, you’re often right.
For example, one of my partnership clients (seriously this is just one client) had the following results:

5x income
Raised prices
Left 9-5
Filled practice in under 5 months (and is now fully booked two months in advance)
Made $1500 in one week on a passive income product

Now, those are pretty awesome am I right? But again, one of the main reasons they happened so quickly was because there was BELIEF behind them.
How can you apply this lesson? Work on your mindset relentlessly. Look for the opportunities to change your story. KNOW that you can change your beliefs, and that can change everything.
If you find yourself focusing on strategy//execution most of the time, but often feeling like things are “doomed” or a “long shot” before you start then it’s a non-negotiable to return to your mindset, and your belief system if you want to see big results.

Lesson 2: THE RIGHT TIME AND THE RIGHT COMBINATION OF MENTOR AND CLIENT IS KEY

As I mentioned before, in order to test this process, I enlisted the help of four other coaches who offered to take on partnership clients using this model. Two partnership clients did not finish the process because of life circumstances and one client and coach decided they weren’t the best fit.
This has TRULY taught me that it’s not at all about choosing the right mentor, but the right mentor FOR YOU (more on that in a moment).
It’s also taught me that while there is never a “right time” there also is a certain amount of time/brain space/attention that’s required to capitalize on and make the most out of a coaching experience.
I’m not advocating “waiting” but I’m also advocating that both coach and client really need to understand if the time and focused attention is available to the client.
Even though the partnership didn’t require an upfront monetary investment, building a business always requires a mental, emotional, and time investment so make sure to look at ALL the ways you need to invest when deciding if you’re ready for support.
Finding the RIGHT mentor is also key. Full transparency… I think I made a mistake here. I really made the entire process about deciding if we might be the right fit… then I threw a curve ball in and added additional mentors at the end.
I had the best of intentions. I wanted all of the amazing women that applied to get support. I wanted to take this idea far and wide. I wanted to test my idea/theory with more people for more data/clarity.
And ultimately, for some that worked out beautifully, and for others it was clear the fit wasn’t there.
That’s why this time when I run the partnership I’m really making it about “fit” and I’m not bringing on any additional mentors.
I’m INFINITELY grateful for all the mentors that were part of it, and I can’t imagine having done the first round without them. I’m also COMPLETELY willing to learn a lesson, and apply it moving forward.
How can you apply this? Be willing to seek a mentor who doesn’t just have great results but whose VALUES really match yours. I’m convinced that value and style matter so much more than results when hiring a mentor, so make sure you include that in your criteria!
Also, make sure that you’re ready to make ALL the investments necessary when working with a coach… time, energy, money, white space, emotions, etc. It doesn’t have to be the “perfect” time but you do want to show up 100% for any investment you make to get the most out of it!

Lesson 3: IF YOU GET AN INSPIRED IDEA TAKE ACTION

I thought of A Lit Up Partnership completely out of the blue while I was taking a bubble bath. Less than a week later… people were filling out the application.
And honestly? It brought me so much fun, joy, income, connection, innovation, and excitement.
It was better than I could have expected.
And also? It could have never happened if I chalked it up to a crazy bubble bath idea and moved on.
I’ve not only experienced this myself, but I’ve seen this with so many of my clients. If they have an inspired idea that feels good, and we take action… amazing things almost always occur.
I tell my clients that it’s their job to listen to their intuition and it’s my job to help them put mindset, strategy, and execution around it.
The other thing I’ve noticed is that if you DON’T take action around your inspired ideas (even small, imperfect action) it can be REALLY easy to start dismissing them. I know for the partnership, if I hadn’t acted quickly… I probably wouldn’t have acted.
I would have started second guessing it, asking if it really made sense for my business, gotten feedback that it was a bad idea (well actually I DID get that, I just didn’t have enough time to dwell on it), and I would have found myself stuck in the “how”. By taking the action and moving TOWARD it, the path opened, the right people appeared, and the experience was EPIC.
Throughout the partnership the clients have all launched new offers, packages, and programs (most of which sold out) and those inspired ideas? Well, they’re the reason that those clients experienced success, and that I did as an extension.
How can you apply this? Be willing to LISTEN IN for those crazy ideas. Give your intuition the chance to speak to you, whether that’s through quiet time, walks, journaling, meditation, etc. And then ACT on them. Don’t stay stuck. Don’t second guess when you’re intuition is screaming at you.
Start taking even small action toward your idea and you will be amazed at what appears. You’ll also be amazed at how fun and enjoyable it is!

Lesson 4: STICKING TO A STRATEGY FOR 90 DAYS IS NON-NEGOTIABLE

ALL of my partnership clients saw how much this mattered to their success, but it can be tough at first to dive into this concept.
When we’re first starting our businesses it can be SO tempting to want to try #allthethings, to chase shiny objects, and to think we have a better chance of creating success if we do MORE.
But that’s almost never true. It confuses your message, your audience, and your offers. It also makes it nearly impossible to do anything “well”.
Now, it doesn’t mean you’re not ALSO growing your list and getting clients, or that you’re not putting out more than one offer. BUT it does mean that you know what you’re saying, how you’re marketing, and how you’re filling those offers in a strategic and streamlined way.
It also means not writing things off too quickly. It means not trying something once or twice and then deciding it “didn’t work” but really giving your strategy and momentum a chance to build and grow.
How can you apply this? Really get serious about what you want to create and what strategy you can stick to that will get you there. Sometimes it’s just as simple as making the strategy the commitment to show up every single day, or to stick to one message at the beginning of your business. As your business grows, it can be more specific/strategic but know that picking and sticking really matters!

Lesson 5: PASSION IS THE MATCH AND A GREAT MENTOR CAN LIGHT THE FIRE

All of my partnership clients are MASSIVELY passionate about what they do.
It showed through in their applications, videos, business plans, actions, etc. when we first went through the process. It showed up again when we started our work together, and it continues to show up as they build their businesses, sign more clients, and grow their reach.
All of them spent years PRIOR to starting their businesses living their passion (i.e. it was integrated and congruent), and having the right mentor coupled with that passion lit the fire. We were able to capitalize on their deep knowing that this is the work they were meant for and really light that fire to make their business work.
I hear a lot of people say that you don’t have to build a business based on your passions, but I wholeheartedly disagree. Now, there are lots of ways to do that… business may be your passion, so the product/service may matter less, or there may be ways for you to live out your passion within your business in specific ways…. But it MATTERS.
Because it is what will keep you going. It’s what will motivate you to put in the required work. It’s what will stop you from giving up when things don’t go exactly as planned or the entrepreneurial roller coaster gives you some motion sickness.
It’s also what will DRAW IN your clients… when YOU are excited and passionate about something it is INFINITELY easier to get people to be excited WITH you and buy into your idea.
When you’re NOT super stoked about something (other than you want to make money off of it) it will be REALLY hard to get people excited and GIVING you that money.
How can you apply this? Make sure you’re building your business on your TRUE passion, not on what you “think” you “should” be doing, or what you see others doing. Name and claim the thing you would do everyday even if you weren’t getting paid! Then find a great mentor to help you light the fire and really capitalize on the passion you’re bringing to the table!

Lesson 6: YOU CAN’T PLEASE ‘EM ALL

This is a personal one. Really personal.
When I announced the winners of the partnership last time I thought I would be FILLED with excitement and joy, and while I was, it was also a LOT harder than I had anticipated.
I disappointed a lot of people. I upset many.
I got messages and emails saying that. There were lots of tears on both sides.
And here’s what I’ve come to realize… this is the price of innovation. Not being able to please ‘em all.
There was no possible way for me to serve everyone or make everyone happy. The inherent issue with having “winners” is that there are always people who DON’T win, and I have to be OK with that first and foremost.
And if no one else is? Then I have to be OK with that too.
Because no innovation will be accomplished if we let things like that hold us back. If we feel like we have to please everyone. If we feel responsible TO everyone.
Now, that doesn’t mean it won’t still be EXTREMELY difficult for me this time picking a winner. But it DOES mean that I won’t beat myself up about it, and I won’t let it stop me. Because I stand in my truth, I do the best I can, and that is enough for me. And if its not enough for everyone else? I honor and love them and their path.
How can you apply this? Well, if you have that idea for a business, an idea, a new way of doing things and you’re letting everyone else stop you… I implore you to rethink it. Yes, there is pain with disappointing others, but there is MORE pain in staying stuck so you DON’T do that.
Because here’s the not so secret secret… you ARE going to let people down in your business. You ARE going to piss some people off. And you ARE going to have to find a way to be OK with that if you want to keep moving forward and making the impact you’re here to make.

Lesson 7: TEST YOUR IDEAS

…And also practice patience.
Now, I know I said before that if you have an inspired idea that you should take action and not wait. But that does not mean you need to work with reckless abandon.
This is the part where some CEO brain and patience goes a VERY long way.
A Lit Up Partnership was a great idea… and that’s it… just an idea. It wasn’t a tested, proven model. It would have been NUTS to go full force, change my business model, and sprint to the finish line.
But it was IDEAL to run with the idea, and test it to see if it worked.
In fact, that’s why I’m doing it again… because I tested it… and it worked. But if it hadn’t? I certainly wouldn’t be doing it again, and I certainly wouldn’t be kicking myself in the butt for tanking my business (because it was a test!).
I tell my clients all the time… you don’t know until you DO it. But you also get to dip your foot in the water without jumping in the pool. My partnership clients did exactly this… they tested out what felt good to them in their business, they experimented with different ideas, and ultimately found their sweet spots in their businesses.
That’s why big businesses do market research, focus groups, and have ENTIRE DEPARTMENTS dedicated to research and development. Because testing ideas is key.
Now, that doesn’t mean you can’t get paid for those tests (I did!) but it does mean you don’t want to make MAJOR changes in your business, huge pivots, etc. without first being PATIENT and WILLING to test it out.
But that’s the hard part… I basically had to wait 6 months to even acknowledge to myself or share with others if this “worked”. That took some patience and stamina. It was also 100% worth it.
How can you apply this? Follow your intuition and inspired ideas but be SO willing to test their efficacy like the CEO you are. Whether that’s a ton of market research, a beta program, small group, scholarship, etc. it doesn’t matter. But find your patience, conduct the test, and USE the evidence to leverage your idea moving forward.

Lesson 8: DETACHMENT IS YOUR FRIEND

I talk about detachment A LOT and I couldn’t let these lessons go by without mentioning it.
Your ability to create money is DIRECTLY related to your ability to detach from it. Seriously.
That’s why sometimes investing in your business is often a REALLY good thing, but occasionally it can bite you in the booty if you’re REALLY attached to it.
That’s also why some things sell REALLY easily and other offers feel like pushing a boulder up a hill…. Your level of detachment (or rather attachment) to it!
What do I mean when I say detachment? You both desire, name and claim what you want and you are not forcing, pushing, or creating desperation around it.
You don’t NEED the outcome. Because that energy always, always pushes it away.
Now, I get HOW MUCH that is easier said than done. When you need money, it’s hard not to need money.
One way you can detach around this is not making it about THE THING. Meaning, don’t put all of the “I need money” energy onto your next launch, offer, email, etc. Know that you’re going to keep showing up and doing the work to make the money because you are a powerful woman (who is IN HER POWER) and who trusts in a HIGHER power that supports her.
It’s not always action – result – action – result, and when we get attached to it looking that way, we simply block our power and energy.
ALL of my partnership clients worked on detaching… from being the “perfect” partnership participant, to worrying about how to make ME money, to stressing their next offer/email/etc., and finally to just LETTING the success show up.
I personally had to detach here big time. To not be invested in whether this idea was a massive success or failure, but to know that I’d keep showing up and being innovative and creating impact.
And because of all this? Success showed up.
To clarify… this doesn’t mean it was easy, or that we didn’t put in the work. It DOES mean that we focused on that (i.e. the work)… not pressure-filled outcomes, desperation, etc.
How can you apply it? Look at where you’re feeling really, really attached in your business. Can you see how that energy, that desperation is pushing the thing you want away, and more importantly taking you OUT OF YOUR POWER?

Lesson 9: WHAT WE WANT ISN’T ALWAYS WHAT WE NEED

When clients come to me they always think they need more of what they have. Meaning, if they’re a strategy person they want MORE strategy. If they’re a mindset person, they want MORE mindset work. If they’re an executor, they want MORE to-do lists and tasks.
Seriously. Every.Single.Time.
I know I’ve personally done this too… hired the wrong people or entered the wrong program because I wanted the thing that was comfortable, not the thing I NEEDED.
So what did the partnership clients do that got them results? They leaned into the area that they didn’t really want, but that they ultimately needed.
One client leaned WAY more into mindset (even though she LOVES her some strategy).
Another dove more into strategy (even though she REALLY gravitates toward the mindset piece).
ALL of them showed up and took action, but in a way that was smart and aligned (not haphazard or action for the sake of action).
Was it comfortable? Nope.
Did my strategy sister keep asking me to give her another spreadsheet or walk her through the next strategy steps ONE MORE TIME?! Yup.
Did my mindset maven get a little grumpy when we laid out specific plans and dove into FOCUS? Yup.
But because they were willing to GO THERE they were able to create results.
Because they were willing to let me reflect, redirect and remind they saw big success.
How do you apply this? Make sure that when you’re getting support you’re getting the thing you NEED, not the thing that’s comfortable (or that your monkey mind is telling you that you want).
You truly need the combination of all of these things, not just to see results, but to build a business that feels good.
So if you find yourself always wanting to learn the NEXT strategy or dive into the NEWEST mindset course, or that you just CAN’T. STOP. TAKING. ACTION. then I REALLY implore you to ask yourself… what do I actually NEED here (even if it’s going to be a b**ch to tackle)?! Because I promise you… that’s where the magic is.

Now I’d love to hear from you! What are your biggest takeaways from these? How can you apply these lessons in your own business? Share with us in the comments!