We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Katherine Danesi a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Katherine, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Alright, so we’d love to hear about how you got your first client or customer. What’s the story?
I began my career in sales, marketing, and management. For 12 years, I worked at a Fortune 500 company and then at a series of technology startups. During that time, I managed teams in sales, customer support, operations and marketing. I hired, fired, and project managed. I launched new initiatives within large organizations and new organizations outright.
The last startup in that series ran out of money – it was in fashion tech and I was the COO. While I was selling the furniture and sweeping the floors, the founder of our former PR firm approached me to help take her boutique PR consultancy “back down the studs.” To rebuild her business so it aligned with her values and desired impact. And to set her up for growth via new messaging and an expanded service offering and team.
That was just over 10 years ago and I’ve not looked back.
Katherine, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’ve been called the Entrepreneur Whisperer and a Silent Business Partner.
For the 10 years I’ve had my consulting practice, I’ve partnered with entrepreneurs with a desire to launch and grow their businesses.
In that time, I’ve worked with small businesses across a variety of vertical markets, including public relations, digital marketing, fashion, luxury retail design, the high-end fitness space, healing, wellness and creativity, grant writing, resume writing, and more. Pretty much nothing is off limits. The variety is inspiring.
Like many people during COVID times, I reevaluated my business and in August 2021 I decided to shift in a new direction – one that honors and builds on what I’ve learned, and the results I’ve delivered, over the decade.
One that allows me to “double-down” on what I love doing most, and where I know I have the greatest impact – helping unbelievably smart, talented individuals get out of their own way to launch and grow their businesses helping those who can benefit the most, and in doing so, to do and be more than they thought possible.
Today, my focus is coaching female entrepreneurs, business owners, and CEOs to help them profitably grow their businesses.
These women summoned the courage, took the leap, and started their businesses, but now they’re stuck somewhere in the process. This could be uncertainty around business structure, operations, or hiring. It could be fear of their financials. Or how to reach new potential clients or customers. Or even how best to serve them once they do. Time is passing and they’re missing out on potential revenue AND the satisfaction of helping their ideal client.
This is where I come in. In our work together, we uncover the blocks and misconceptions, and the opportunities, and we develop a plan to address them in order to drive profitable revenue growth and life satisfaction. I create structure, focus, and accountability to support their daily execution of our plan.
There are three ways I work with clients:
1. Business Development Booster Session: This is 60-minute, 1:1 session where we dig into your business development strategy and day-to-day execution. At the end of the hour, you leave with an actionable plan to confidently reach out to the right leads and convert them to clients. It is ideal for women with service-based businesses.
2. Monthly Business Coaching: Our goal is twofold: 1) Identify those areas of friction in your business and develop strategies, plans and tactics to remove the drag so your business can grow. 2) Uncover as-yet unrealized opportunities for you to stand out from the competition, excel at what you do, and accelerate your expansion. I offer 3 packages that vary in the frequency and duration of our live coaching sessions. They’re specifically designed to allow sufficient time for you to implement the plans and ideas we develop during our calls. A minimum 3-month commitment is required.
3. VIP Days: An intensive, one-to-one, 7-hour day with me during which you get clarity, take action, and leave with a tailored, actionable plan to effectively manage and profitably grow your business. We start our work together with a 45-minute kickoff call prior to our VIP Day during which we identify those areas of your business ripe with opportunity for improvement and create our goals and strategy for the 7 hours we’ll spend together. I offer 5 VIP Day Options depending on the needs of your business.
No matter the the coaching option…
I love asking questions, researching, providing direction, identifying and removing obstacles and competing priorities, and uncovering the possibilities that are most certainly there.
What gives me juice is exploration, new people, new ideas, new learnings. Deep listening is my superpower.
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
Referrals and then, more recently, networking.
For the first 9 years, my business was built entirely on referrals, starting from that first client. She referred me, and people saw the work I did with her and reached out to me. Friends who knew what I did helped as well.
I believe that the first and best way to get new clients is to do good work. Your clients will share you with others who can benefit from what you have to offer. And don’t be shy about asking for testimonials – they provide credibility on your website and in your social posts. Not long ago, I wanted to ask a former client for a testimonial and I found myself nervous about sending the request. Then, I reminded myself of something I truly believe, “if you don’t ask, the answer is always “no.” And if someone says “no,” it’s likely not personal. Next.
As for networking, in early 2022, I wanted to leverage and build on my social media efforts (see below), and frankly to meet new people, so I made a concerted effort to start making connections. At first it was through Facebook Groups that I’d joined, then it quickly shifted to Instagram. I met so many amazing women with businesses who were complementary to mine, and through them, other women. About that time, I was thinking of launching an Instagram Live series. These female founders provided the theme — CANDID CONVERSATIONS to Level Up Your Business. Hosting this series kept me networking and meeting more potential guests. And the networking led to … referrals.
Everything works together.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
I’ve come to the “social media game” for myself only recently. I had helped my clients with their messaging, imagery, ads, list building, but had not done any of this for my business (as in “the cobbler’s children have no shoes“:).
When, in the Fall of 2021, I decided to launch a group coaching program, I knew this needed to change. At which point, I was literally “starting from scratch” — I had no audience on any social platform.
My first step was to define my target audience and create a profile of that ideal customer. This was an important part of the process as it did a couple of things: 1) I forced me to think about the problem I was solving for her, in her words, to hone my messaging; and 2) I needed to know which social media channels she lived on in order to reach her.
I started with Facebook, personal profile and a business page, and joined a number of groups aligned with my target market and this worked to build “friends” and create “followers.” I also shifted my dormant Instagram account from a personal account to business, literally added a 3-post “line in the sand” to indicate the transition. I researched hashtags, posting single images and carousels.
But then I realized something that was key — in order for me to stand out in a crowded market, I need to get on video. Live video had taken off on Facebook and Reels were about to do the same. The thought of that absolutely terrified me (and this may be an understatement). I could not see how I could bring myself to do it. Then, one day, I was scrolling through a Facebook Group feed and came across a video of a woman talking explaining how introverts can get on video. She was promoting a webinar on which promoting her online program to get on video. You need to recognize when you need help — and I needed it.
My first Reels were a bit stiff (that is being kind). But I had created a series theme for myself which made it easy to come up with ideas for the videos and I kept at it. Reels greatly extended my reach and were a big part of me building my Instagram following.
And I learned always be posting to Stories, especially on Instagram – this is where “your people” are, those who’ve found you and are interested in what you’re doing. Keep them warm and engaged by posting often with behind-the-scenes, insights on your business, and even more quirky, personal topics. For example, on Fridays, I am always “dancing into the weekend.”
What I learned over the last 18 months – choose your platforms wisely, go deep, engage with people who engage with your content, and one other takeaway, repurpose your content, always.
One caveat on posting on social media – it’s considered “building your house on rented land.” That is, you don’t own it. And I am a cautionary tale – Instagram felt I violated one of their policies and closed my account on January 31, 2022. I appealed to no avail. And after a month of waiting, I knew I needed to start again.
My suggestions based on my experience:
1. Make sure you have a copy of all of your content, especially your Reels and long-form videos (e.g. IG Lives). Download them, always.
2. Use your social media platforms to grow your email list – you own that.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.katherinedanesi.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katherinedanesi/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katherinedanesicoach
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherinedanesi/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/KatherineDanesi