Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Merlinda Francois. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Merlinda, thanks for joining us today. Alright, so we’d love to hear about how you got your first client or customer. What’s the story?
It was 2019 and I was living in London at the time. I was enthusiastic about launching my coaching business so I would attend networking events regularly. I had recently done my first speaking gig at a co-working space and an intern who worked with me attended. She told another colleague what I did and she reached out. We set up an appointment over coffee and I did the sales calls right there. She had no social media presence, no idea what she wanted but felt the need to help more women build confidence. I explained what my business coaching entailed and she signed for 6-months 1:1 Coaching. I felt so excited at the time and knew that this was the beginning for me. I provided tools to help her identify her unique knowledge and skills that can be monetized.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I am Dominican (not Dominican Republic) with lived experiences in various cultural dimensions. I am passionate about helping women release their money scarcity thoughts and gain the confidence to take control of their life to become financially independent.
I started coaching in 2017 after working on a livelihood recovery project for displacement women. I helped them to learn new skills to improve employability. At the time, I was new and did not know what to focus on. In September of that same year, a hurricane devastated my island, Dominica and I temporarily migrated to London, United Kingdom. I spent a lot of time alone, reading and evaluating my life. During this time I opened my mind and hired a 7-figure mentor who helped me to take the my first step towards officially launching my coaching & consulting company.
I signed my first client in 2019 made $40k in 6 months which funded my masters degree in project and program management. I married my coaching, marketing + project management to help women create the lives they desire.
I currently help women to break cycles of dependency, scarcity and complacency to become self-sufficient. We work on their inner beliefs about money and help them to heal money trauma.
What sets me apart is my ability to identify anyone’s gift and help them to develop self-belief. Many people can create strategies but getting someone to believe in their ability outside the system is powerful. Each of my client leaves with radical confidence after working with me.
I founded Break-The-Cycle Group Program to help women start and launch their businesses in 3-4 months. I teach women what I did to go from job reliant to having three (3) streams of income as a black girl on a small island where having a job is the norm.
I am the host of a Business & Culture Podcast – Livelihood Matters Podcast.
I recently launched a 2-day women’s empowerment retreat- Women Ascending Retreat (WAR) to help women reconnect with themselves and ascend into their purpose. It will take place on July 15th and 16th 2023 in Dominica.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
#1: Positioning:
I worked on my personal brand very early and ensured that I shared the reason behind my brand. I crafted my story and let people know how I got to where I am. I often join networking clubs and do speaking gigs to get more exposure. I also held my own masterclasses to increase brand awareness. In doing so, I maintained my identity as a “client first” mentality. I always give more than I expected and knew that the message would reach those who needed it the most. I am the same person online and offline and remember that I am the brand.
#2. Authenticity and Transparency.
I ensure that my clients understand the challenges with growing an online business and I do not promise things I cannot offer. I also share the highs and lows to set the standard. Personal life often intertwine with business and I wanted them to know this. My coaching is more than just business, I offer life coaching and help them to see that they are humans before a business owner.
Additionally, I occasionally share bad experiences as lessons learned. This is not an easy road and there will be disappointments, errors and even failures.
#3. Consistency
As difficult as it was, I tried to maintain consistency in whatever I share and the frequency of it.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
Do not accept all projects since some people will not align with you. It leaves room for overpromising and underdelivering. I had an unpleasant experience where I got demotivated and overwhelmed and was forced to cancel a client contract. It was a very difficult thing to do but necessary for my mental health and brand. I now learn to take on only projects that align with me. It also taught me that saying no to money is ok if you feel it will drain you. I now trust my instincts more and do not rush to accept every client. I get to choose.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://merlindafrancois.com/
- Instagram: instagram.com/merlindafrancois
- Facebook: facebook.com/merlindafrancois
- Linkedin: LinkedIn.com/in/merlindafrancois
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