The Revenue Transformer: Secrets from Holly Jean Jackson on Scaling Your Business

Wayne Zell interviews Holly Jean Jackson about her entrepreneurial journey and business growth. They discuss the FEAR method, mindset, money issues, sales systems, client implementation challenges, personal hurdles, and imposter syndrome. Holly covers her publications, future plans, the businesses she helps, and offers unconventional advice emphasizing aligning business with personal values, ending with a thoughtful wrap-up.

Key Points

• Embracing creativity and curiosity can lead to innovative solutions for business challenges, transforming potential obstacles into opportunities for growth.

• The fear methodology, which stands for Face it, Embrace curiosity, Advocate, and Reach out, provides a structured approach to overcoming personal and professional obstacles.

• Success in business often hinges not just on having the right systems in place, but also on addressing underlying personal and mindset issues that can impede growth.

Timestamps

0:10 Introduction to Holly Jean Jackson

1:02 Holly's entrepreneurial journey and business evolution

5:19 FEAR method and its application in business

10:05 Mindset, money issues, and the importance of systems in sales

13:35 Client implementation challenges and business types Holly assists

18:45 Overcoming personal challenges and imposter syndrome

21:22 Holly's publications and future endeavors

22:58 Client selection and unconventional business advice

27:16 Aligning business with personal values and episode wrap-up

Quotes

"My vision now is to heal the world by helping really good heart-centered business owners who are doing good in their communities and through their services go big so they can give big."

- Holly Jean Jackson

"Your words and your focus create your reality, so be careful and mindful of that."

- Holly Jean Jackson

"I think it's really important to understand the confluence of those two things. How business relates to your health, how your health relates to your business."

- Wayne Zell

"If it's not a hell yes, then it's a hell no."

- Holly Jean Jackson

Transcript

Wayne Zell: Hi, this is Wayne Zell and welcome back to blueprint for Wealth, another episode that's designed to help you realize your personal dreams of wealth and freedom. And we focus on entrepreneurs and people who help entrepreneurs. And today, my special guest is Holly Jean Jackson, who is a revenue transformer. Holly Holly Jean, welcome to the show because we're I'm told that we shouldn't just just call you Holly because there is a woman who writes murder books, and she is not what we're talking about today. Okay?

Holly Jean Jackson: Yeah. Yeah. I'm the revenue transformer, not the murder person. So don't call me if you're in need of covering up a murder, y'all. Just saying.

Wayne Zell: I hear the y'all. Where are you from?

Holly Jean Jackson: I'm actually from Chicago, but I call North Carolina home. I've been here for a long time. My nephews live here, and so I moved back here to be near them.

Wayne Zell: Them. Cool. Where in North Carolina are you located?

Holly Jean Jackson: Raleigh.

Wayne Zell: Excellent. Excellent city. Lots of business going on there. Lots of growth in in North Carolina, all over North Carolina. It's very exciting to see that.

So tell me a little bit about your pre revenue transformer days. How did you get into becoming a revenue transformer for people?

Holly Jean Jackson: I feel like I need to be on the transformer, you know, movie or something right now. But anyhow, I digress. It was kind of a windy path, honestly. So I started off in the nonprofit space while I was getting my graduate degree and worked on at the Institute for Emerging Issues as a policy person because that's what I was getting my degree in. Then, I was married at the time.

We moved across the country to California and found that I needed to double my salary. So I started working for a university and they hired me as a director of relationship management and trained me in technology because I knew nothing about technology at the time. And so they taught me across, ITIL, which is, you know, nerdy nerd speak for learning all the things in IT at a very high level. And did that for a while and worked in corporate America at Safeway, Visa, Treasury Wine Estates, and just climbed the corporate ladder quite successfully. But alongside that, I kept getting layoff after layoff even as a top performer and really an intrepreneur.

So I was creating programs, products, services, systems that worked globally for a company within that safety net. And I got really tired of not having that safe container to grow in and not having the loyalty for my employer. So after my fourth layoff, I said I'm done. I took one more job. And then I went out to my network of people I'd worked with previously and got a part time consulting gig that replaced my corporate income so that I had the finances to grow my business on the side part time.

That took about a year and a half, and now here we are.

Wayne Zell: What was your vision for this? And what is your vision for this?

Holly Jean Jackson: You know, my vision initially was around healing. So my layoffs were actually coupled with pretty severe health challenges because that environment just was toxic for me. And so initially, I started off as a health coach, actually. And then I realized that to heal more people and have a bigger impact, I had this imposter syndrome of helping entrepreneurs and business owners. And I'm like, well, what are you waiting for?

You've done this for a long time. You're really good at it. And so I finally stepped into that. And then for a few years, I did holistic business coaching, and I actually specialized in targeting and working with holistic business owners. So chiropractors, doctors, wellness centers.

But then they, you know, during the pandemic, the finances kind of dried up in those containers, saw the writing on the wall, and so then I pivoted to broaden my niche and really dove into revenue and performance consulting because the coaching work that I did, the challenge was a lot of these small business owners didn't have capacity to actually develop the standard operating procedures, templates, and systems to, you know, actually create the systems to generate more revenue. And since I've done that, the business has exploded. So my vision now, so to answer your question, is to heal the world by helping really good heart centered business owners who are doing good in their communities and through their services go big so they can give big.

Wayne Zell: I love that. I mean, heart centered. Somebody who really has the best interests of the community and people they serve at heart as opposed to just being in it for the almighty dollar.

Holly Jean Jackson: Yeah. I mean, luckily, we're at a place of business. We're growing a % year over year. Yeah. That's correct.

It's crazy. And so we can be really picky with the clients we work with and the partners that we choose to bring on board. And so we're very fortunate. We have an amazing tribe, amazing vibes, and our clients are growing exponentially as well.

Wayne Zell: So how big is your company today?

Holly Jean Jackson: We have about six people on staff. They're independent contractors at this point, and we're actually probably onboarding two more.

Wayne Zell: And you've you've got your own system. I I I was reading, about the, the fear method, which Yeah. When somebody's when I see fear, I go, oh, I don't wanna I don't wanna adopt that as my method for improving my revenue performance. It's like instill fear in everybody. No.

Tell us about the fear method. I know it's face it, embrace curiosity, advocate, and reach out. But tell us how you came up with that and why it's gaining traction in your business.

Holly Jean Jackson: Yeah. So the fear method came about during the pandemic. I landed a TED talk, and I had just published my first best selling book. And I had a chapter in there on navigating chronic pain. And so I wanted to do a talk that helps people that were Can

Wayne Zell: you read that I need to read that chapter?

Holly Jean Jackson: Yeah. Yeah. Of course. The book is called Inspiration Contagion, the same name as my podcast. You can find it on Audible, Amazon, all the places.

Wayne Zell: Inspiration Contagion.

Holly Jean Jackson: Yes. The subtitle understand. The subtitle is health secrets for raving success.

Wayne Zell: Awesome. Keep going.

Holly Jean Jackson: Yeah. So from that, I wanted to make sure that it was still aligned with the theme for that year for TED, which that year was, navigating a new era. Right? And so I my topic became navigating a new era of uncertainty, and I realized that the strategies in that chapter that I could really apply how you navigate chronic pain to navigating challenges and struggle in life, they're all really the same. So I took those seven strategies, condensed them into a four step process that created the fear methodology.

And my story, if you guys have seen my TED talk, if you haven't, watch it. That's why it's recorded because I'm famous for the bear story, and I got tired of telling it all the time. I love telling it, but, you know, when you're having coffee or drinks with friends and you tell it a million times, it gets old after a while. So I'm like, here's my TED Talk. Go scan it.

Go watch it. But it's about facing a bear in the woods and, you know, living through that and the transformational I work was work that I was doing through the divorce I was going through, the changes in my life I was going through, the struggles, the pain. And in that experience, I talk about how perhaps you haven't faced your bear, and I hope you never have to actually face a real bear, but we all have bears in our life. We all have pain. We all have struggle.

We have, you know, perhaps a difficult business partnership we need to leave. So whatever that is, the fear methodology can help you get through that and take the right action, the right next step. And so Give

Wayne Zell: me give me the four steps then.

Holly Jean Jackson: Face it. So you're gonna acknowledge that fear exists. Right? Because a lot of times we ignore it or we run from it or we numb it or we do whatever. But you're gonna acknowledge it.

Then you're gonna Embrace curiosity about it. So what is this fear? Where is it coming from? What is it trying to tell me? Is it real or is it imagined?

And then from there, you're going to Advocate for yourself. So this is where you take right action. This is where you stand in your power. This is where you say no to things that don't serve you and yes to things that do. And then the final step is Reach out for help.

Because you cannot do any of this work by yourself. You need an accountability partner. You need a mentor. You need community. So those are the four steps.

Wayne Zell: That's that's a powerful framework. And you know, from my perspective, I think that fear is something that all entrepreneurs face. We talk about this all the time, especially dealing with uncertainty, and I think these frameworks that give people a way to navigate through fear rather than being paralyzed by fear is very helpful. So I think that's a good process.

Holly Jean Jackson: Yeah. And you know, what's interesting is that a lot of people think that the fear method is about eliminating fear. It's not. It's about taking aligned action despite the fear. Because fear is always gonna be there, especially as entrepreneurs and especially if you're growing, you're gonna have more fear because the stakes are higher.

But when you have a framework like that, you can move through the fear rather than getting stuck by it. And so that's the power of it.

Wayne Zell: Right. Right. So I'm reading about your books and I'm reading that you had, you've had a ten level spinal fusion in your spine.

Holly Jean Jackson: Yes. I did. Ten level. Well, I shouldn't say it's uncommon. It's more rare.

And that was back in 2006, 2007, and this was a complicated surgery because not only did I have spinal fusion, but I also had to have a laminectomy to relieve the nerve damage from disc protrusion. And so it was quite extensive. And then, after the surgery, I had a severe infection that was resistant to antibiotics. And so I spent four months in and out of the hospital after that surgery getting antibiotics.

Wayne Zell: And yet you're rock climbing now.

Holly Jean Jackson: And yet I'm rock climbing now, doing all the things that the doctors told me I would never do.

Wayne Zell: And it's incredible that you have a ten level spinal fusion, and yet you are crushing it in your business. You're a rock climber. You're refusing what the doctors are telling you about being disabled. And thank you for that. Yeah.

Wayne Zell: That's the key. Don't listen to the doctors.

Holly Jean Jackson: It is. And there's a whole chapter on, I gotta read it. Self talk. A whole chapter on self talk.

Wayne Zell: I'm ordering that book today. I I've had chronic pain since I was 17, and, I've had cancer multiple times. I understand what it is to live with chronic pain and, and to perform and do it well and do your best. But I'm I'm always learning new things, and, you're gonna teach me something when I read your book. Because I think that's that's, it's brilliant that you've been able to overcome this and be successful and maintain that success.

And, you know, we have this pain, but we try the goal is not to focus on it. It's to focus on the stuff that gives you exhilaration and passion.

Holly Jean Jackson: Yeah.

Wayne Zell: So that's that's beautiful. So it was a best seller. Inspiration Contagion. You've written other books though, haven't you?

Holly Jean Jackson: Yes. I've done a couple other collaboration books. I'm drawing a blank on it right now, but I did one with Matt Rouse and d Scott Smith. It's a short form book. And then I also have another collaboration that's coming out the end of this year that's a Brave business book with Brave Heeler Productions, my publisher.

And I wrote a chapter in that on revenue maximization that's gonna be really, really powerful, and it tells a really vulnerable story that you're only gonna read there. So make sure you get it. And But that's coming out in October, so

Wayne Zell: Are you taking on new clients? That's another question for you.

Holly Jean Jackson: I am. I will say we are close to capacity, meaning we will probably have a waiting list soon. So if you have a big problem that you need to plug a profit leak, you should get on the list ASAP so that we can actually serve you right away.

Wayne Zell: Beautiful. And then all types of professional service industries, including health care, law, accounting, etcetera. I mean, anybody who's rent marketing, marketing firms, that's that's great to know that because we have a lot of relationships like that. Couple more questions for you then I'll let you go. Have you ever run across a client that didn't wanna change even though they needed your blueprint for wealth?

And, and if you came across that and they you know, a lot of clients are resistant. I don't wanna do this. It's too complicated. It's too expensive. It's blah blah blah blah blah.

How did you break through to convince them to use you to do what you do best?

Holly Jean Jackson: Well, I would say in the early days of our business, I had that because I made the mistake of taking on clients that I knew intuitively weren't a good fit. I'd say now we don't have that because I'm very selective and I listen to my intuition. If somebody's difficult or I feel like I'm chasing them at all, I'm not chasing anybody. I don't need to chase anybody anymore. So, because of that shift and that knowledge and the strategies that we use today, we rarely, if ever, fall into that.

And quite frankly, if we do today, which has happened maybe one time out of 200, we just part ways and end the contract and refund them because it's not worth my time, energy, or our reputation to do anything else. But initially, back in the day where I did take on clients and did listen to intuition, it was a lot of work. It was pretty exhausting. And and that's really why in our intake form, it says, you know, are you ready to take action, come hell or high water in your business? Yes or no.

If they say no, we cancel the call. Are you ready to invest in your business? Yes or no. If they say no, we cancel the call. And we also ask some specific questions that if they answer a specific way, we just say this isn't a fit.

And we can refer you to somebody else, but this is not a fit. So we have, like,

Wayne Zell: a referral. Learn more from you than I've learned in a in a month from anybody. This is great.

Holly Jean Jackson: Well, thank you. That's very kind of you. I appreciate that.

Wayne Zell: No. I I mean, I have a a law practice that's been around for many, many years, and we do exit planning and as part of our practice. And it's hard to screen people initially to figure out if there's a fit, not only, you know, for in terms of fees and things like that, but more importantly, in terms of their attitude. Because if they don't wanna work with you or if they are always skeptical about what you're doing or they're cynical about the, you know, the work that you're you're trying to help them with, It's not gonna be a good fit from the very beginning. And so there are questions that should be asked, and I'm gonna get on your waiting list.

Holly Jean Jackson: You should. Yeah. It's it's it's really interesting because the other question that I ask, on the sales call before I open the door to inviting them to work with us is this needs to feel like a hell yes. So are you feeling like a hell yes and working together? And if they say no, I'm like, cool.

Come back to us when it feels like it's more aligned and you trust us and you're ready to take that step step forward. And if we can refer you to somebody else, I'm happy to do that. But if it's not a hell yes, then it's a hell no. Just saying.

Wayne Zell: Yeah. I like it. What's the most unconventional or daring piece of advice you've ever given to somebody about building their their business and their wealth?

Holly Jean Jackson: Oh, most unconventional. I mean, well, I think a lot of people would say that I am woo woo. So I would say a lot of it is Woo woo. Yeah. Meaning, like, spiritual or out there or but I mean, yeah, I am.

So that's who we market to. That's who we attract. And if that's not your vibe, then we're not your tribe, and that's cool. So it's really about the the most unconventional wisdom. It would be stop doing what everybody else is telling you to do.

Stop listening to the naysayers because all they're trying to do is anchor you down in a negative way, and truly listen to the legacy that you want to leave behind, which means that's not simple. It means define success on your own, removing all of the mentors, people, society, which is very difficult to do. What does success mean to you? And I'm not talking about dollars. I'm talking about when you die, what do you want to be remembered for?

What do you want to move forward in this lifetime? If you do that correctly, and you are that inspired every single day, and you take 1%, you know, action towards that every day, you are going to be incredibly successful, both financially, but also you're gonna be fulfilled. So stop listening to other people, stop comparing yourself, stop the compare and despair of BS on social media. I will tell you because I've seen behind the curtains of a lot of business owners, a lot of it's smoke and mirrors. So stop comparing because the story that they're telling online is probably not true.

And then just do what feels aligned to you on your own terms.

Wayne Zell: Outstanding. We are talking with Holly Jean Jackson, who is a guru in revenue transformation, but also holistic health. I think it's really important to understand the confluence of those two things. How business relates to your health, how your health relates to your business, and how you can make both work in tandem and work well together. So thank you so much for your guidance today.

It's been a been a great podcast.

Holly Jean Jackson: Yeah. Thank you for great questions and a great team and making this a very smooth process.

Wayne Zell: You're very welcome. Have a wonderful week to yourself and to all our listeners out there. Have a great couple of weeks and we'll be back with another special guest on blueprint for wealth. See you

Holly Jean Jackson: soon.