Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Deniz Sehovic. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Deniz, thanks for joining us today. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.
Starting my own business in my late 20s was one of the biggest risks I’ve ever taken. As a Bosnian immigrant refugee, there aren’t a lot of ‘back up’ or ‘safety nets’ for us – which can be limiting & intimidating. Working in corporate had the appeal of safety/stability – but no matter what industry or role I was in – even the good ones – it never felt like a perfect fit. Going off on my own, especially during COVID (aka: very uncertain times) was terrifying, and exciting in a way I had never experienced before. I was putting it all on the line, PUBLICLY, for everyone to see/judge/witness – which could have honestly been a disaster, but it just depends on your definition of failure, doesn’t it? My version now isn’t just based on the success of a result ‘working out’ the way I had hoped – it’s based on who I had to BE in order to open up the possibility of that result happening at all. It’s rooted in embodiment – and risk-taking requires some serious courage.
In hindsight, my very first business made $25 in it’s entire lifetime – going from that to 6-figure+ business owner now, it’s a lot of expansion. The early days were tough—balancing a day job with late-night content creation, my laptop being glued to my lap 24/7 and questioning if I made the right decision… being an entrepreneur is a really vulnerable experience. Similar to relationships – it’s a deeply confronting mirror to who YOU are as a person. Your dreams, your fears, your limiting beliefs, your habits, all of it. There’s no one checking in to see how that launch is going, cheering you on when a client signs or giving comfort when they don’t – it’s all you, which can be both motivating – and completely debilitating all at once. It’s a BIG leap to take – and it takes a brave person to jump.
Looking back, taking that risk was one of, if not the best decisions I’ve ever made for myself. It was a journey filled with intimidating challenges, but it also opened up access to the highest high’s I’ve ever experience – truly shaping me as a woman, and as a business owner. It taught me resilience, resourcefulness, creativity, passion/purpose, found professional family and the power of believing in yourself – against the odds. Despite the lack of a safety net, my leap of faith turned into the dream business that the thirteen year old version of me would be beyond excited to own… & that makes me the proudest of all.
Deniz, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My name is Deniz Šehović, and I am the Founder of GirlsGuide.Co, a personal and professional development platform dedicated to empowering women in the realms of Money & Manifestation. I work mostly with female entrepreneurs in a business coach capacity – but we’ve got offers for the non-biz girlies too!
I believe that anyone who claims that “money can’t buy happiness” – has never been broke… not really, at least. Money pays for employees or babysitters, healthcare/therapy costs, seasonal veg at the farmers market, well earned vacations in Pinterest-worthy places, donations to causes/people you care about & even those new boots that have been in your online cart for weeks now. I am proud to say I have helped hundreds of service & product based female entrepreneurs MAKE MORE MONEY in the most aligned way possible (not working themselves to death). Our clients have 8x’d their profit, hit six & multi-six-figures (with ease!), been awarded millions in funding, cut their time ‘working the business’ in HALF, attracted promotions at their full-time jobs & so much more…
With over a decade of marketing experience working with international, national, and local brands/businesses (of all sizes), I’ve seen firsthand the power of what a quality business support system can do. Additionally, I’m big on combining the feminine (energy, alignment, intuition/magic) with the masculine (systems, stability, structure) to craft oh-so-dreamy results for our clients. If you’re struggling to make good/consistent money, feeling misaligned with strategies/systems in your business, or are ready to attract the highest level of income/impact you’ve been dreaming of – we’re the gals you want to talk to.
At GirlsGuide.Co, we offer a variety of services designed to help ambitious women unlock their potential and manifest their goals – from one-on-one coaching containers to comprehensive online courses, our platform provides the tools and support necessary for you to step into your most aligned/abundant self. What sets us apart from others is our holistic approach to money. We recognize that true abundance comes from alignment – financially, energetically, how you spend your time/grow your bottom line… we don’t just want to empower you to build a dreamy business – we want your life to feel *just as juicy* as your business does. My mantra is ‘nothing bad happens when women make more money’ – and I genuinely believe that more good women making good money is going to heal the world.
I am most proud of the community/energy we’ve created at GirlsGuide.Co. The relationships our clients build with each other online & offline is so fun to witness – diving deep during retreats, making each other friendship bracelets, venting over lunches and cheering each other on via texts – the GG community is a stellar vibe to be in and I’m eternally honored to help facilitate it. On the flip-side, I’m equally as proud of the results our clients manifest. Getting late-night messages from clients selling out their offers, being paid while they’re sipping margs on vacation, setting boundaries with difficult customers – it all feels like a win to me…
The main things I want potential clients and followers to know about me and my brand is that they can’t even imagine yet – just how GOOD it can get for them. There are realities accessible to them that are so f*cking awesome – they wouldn’t even know to ask for them, let alone how. Women are here to take over – in the best/most ultimate/aligned way – and I want them to feel the magic of being a part of that movement… we’re just getting started baby.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
Funny enough, I originally started my journey as a Beachbody coach – along with a lovely former business partner. At the time, I was drawn to the opportunity to help others achieve their health and fitness goals while earning income – but it was really the business component that I loved most. However, as I delved deeper into the structure of multi-level marketing (MLM) companies like Beachbody, I began to see a troubling pattern…
It became clear that many MLMs were built on the hard work and dedication of women, yet the most substantial financial benefits often flowed up to male C-suite executives/beneficiaries. I remember sitting in an arena, full of thousands of (mostly) women at our yearly summit in Indianapolis in 2018 – watching a small handful of men hop on stage to talk about the future of the company and why we should be drinking/promoting the new flavors of their upcoming products. Looking around at the audience, I just felt the biggest ‘ICK’ – and a pit in my stomach. I wanted to create a business that truly empowered women and allowed them to reap the rewards of their efforts directly – not add to the paycheck of yet another privileged white guy at the top.
Not long afterwards, I teamed up with my former business partner who shared my vision and concerns. Together, we decided to pivot from the MLM model and create something that aligned more closely with our values and mission – this led to the birth of GirlsGuide.Co. We started posting on Instagram at the start of 2020 – launched our initial branded/paid offers in June – and celebrated our first $10K month in July of that same year! The rest is history.
We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.
One of the key ways I foster brand loyalty is by being incredibly hands-on in the business, especially when it comes to social media and Instagram. I believe that personal connection is crucial in building a strong, loyal community – especially in the beginning growth stages. That’s why I make it a priority to engage deeply with our audience across all platforms and in all forms – comments, DM’s, story engagements etc.
This level of relationship building helps foster trust and a sense of community among our followers – many of whom are Girls Guide’s biggest cheerleaders. So many business owners have followers they barely engage with & they’re leaving endless amounts of money, support & expansion on the table – that they have FREE & ORGANIC access to 24/7. If you don’t think 300 followers is a lot – try talking to a room full of that many people about your offers… *GULP*
Additionally, I’ve been told by GG fans that one of their favorite things about our Instagram is that it feels like you’re actually following a friend. I work hard to show all aspects of my business AND life – the up’s/down’s, current idea’s I’m testing, my favorite current Netflix obsession or snack – all of it. This transparency helps to build a sense of authenticity that feels very Girls Guide – with certain themes woven in – on a consistent/reliable basis.
Lastly, I take my 1:1 clients OFF of Instagram & onto intentional communication apps like Voxer – so they have more immediate access to me/support – as well as feeling like they’ve got VIP treatment when it comes to my attention & time – which they always do!
Our hands-on approach has played a significant role in the depth of the GirlsGuide.Co. brand/community. We hit 6-figures in business quickly – with just a few thousand followers on Instagram alone. If you’re able to go deep, authentically, with your people, conversion/brand loyalty go hand-in-hand naturally.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @girlsguide.co
Image Credits
Owls Iris Photography
Isora Lithgow Creations