The Money, Mindset & Miracles Podcast

Zero To 6 Figures In 12 Months With JoJo Graham (Episode 41)

• Rachel Smith

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Discover how mentor JoJo went from earning Zero from her business to scaling to 6 Figures in just 12 months.

Rachel and JoJo lift the lid on the pitfalls to avoid when scaling your business and which actions will help you to accelerate your results.

You are listening to a brand new series of my weekly podcast where I interview other experts who will be sharing all the tips, stories and strategies to scale your business to consistent months of £5K and beyond.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO SUPPORT YOUR BUSINESS:
Complete Guide to Scaling Your Business To £5K Months here: https://rachelsmith-thebusinessgrower.com/5k-guide-to-scaling-your-business/

Listen to other episodes on the podcast: https://rachelsmith-thebusinessgrower.com/money-mindset-miracles-podcast/

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MEET THIS WEEK'S GUEST:  JoJo Graham

JoJo is not only an expert in Business, having a degree in Business Management and a decade of Business experience in Coaching, Mentoring, Event Planning and Marketing, she is also a Mum to her 7 year old son Noah.

JoJo has built her success by supporting businesses to grow and scale to 6 figures through her mentoring and is the founder of The Simple Business Academy, a CPD accredited company that certifies people to become Business Coaches & Mentors as well as teach businesses how to grow and scale their businesses. She is now on a mission to support as many businesses as she possibly can to reach their fullest potential using her Simple business strategies. She does this through her mentoring, membership, certification, podcast, digital courses, content card deck, live events and international retreats.

Socials- IG @iamjojograhamFREEBIE- https://go.jojograham.com/revenue-stacking-roadmap



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If you have any questions about scaling your business to consistent months of high income, drop me a message here: http://help@rachelsmith-thebusinessgrower.com or hit FAN MAIL to message me directly!

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welcome to the money, mindset and miracles podcast. Helping you to grow a predictable and scalable months of high income from your business as gracefully as possible. I'm Rachel Smith business coach mindset expert. And the founder of momentum mastermind, your 90-day sprint to scaling your business to five care. Join me every week as I dive into the tips, inspirational stories and strategies that are going to support you on your journey. To growing your awesome business. Hello and a really warm welcome to this, this brand new series from the Money Mindset and Miracles podcast where I am opening the doors to my wonderful world where there's an abundance of a amazing. Female experts who are going to come and share their wisdom, their stories, their strategies to help you to scale your business, and I'm absolutely delighted that I have got Jojo Graham here who is my first. Podcast interviewee. So I'm absolutely delighted that she's here and I'm just gonna introduce you to jojo and then we're going to get stuck into this content cause she's got so much to share with you, it's gonna be amazing. So if you haven't come across jojo before, she is not only an expert in business, having a degree in business management and a decade, a decade of business experience in coaching, mentoring, event planning. And marketing. She's also mom to seven year old Noah. Lots of love to know her biggest job. Yeah, yeah, definitely. So jojo has built her success, which we're gonna be hearing more about on today's episode, by supporting businesses to grow and scale their businesses to six figures through her entry. And she's the founder of the Simple Business Academy, a C P D accredited company that certifies people to become business coaches and mentors, as well as teach businesses how to grow and scale their businesses. She's now on a mission to support as many businesses as possible to reach their fullest potential, using her simple business strategies, which we're gonna hear a little bit more often in a bit. She does this through her mentoring, membership certification, podcast, digital courses, content card decks, live events and international retreats, which you've got one coming up very soon. Haven you. Um, and actually it was through your card deck, which I have here. Oh wow. Amazing. And I first came across you, so when did you release this? 2019. Oh gosh. I didn't realize that's how we is connected. So that was in 20, so that was my like lockdown focus. Ah, project. Yeah, exactly. It started before lockdown happened, but then it came out then yeah. When. We were all stuck in. It's probably the perfect time actually to create a little project like this. So this is amazing for anybody who gets stuck on creating content. It's a, a really good product and it's like, it's really good fun, isn't it? It's like lots of cards and cool ideas. Brilliant. So what, uh, we really wanted to, what jojo and I really wanted to do today is kind of dive into like her story. And I think that's a really good place to start this series is to really hear about. From another woman who has managed to transform not just her business, but to transform her life and the life of her son, Noah, who I know is the heart of your business and your why, but really, you know, you transformed your business to six figures really quickly. And I'd love to really start with that story and for you to share, you know, what were you doing before? Then what was the point? You know, what was the point when you were like, right, okay, I'm going to run a business and then take us a little bit through those first 12 months as well. Jojo? Yeah, no problem. Gosh, where do I start? So, um, my background before doing what I do now was in banking. Um, but I had that job all while I was studying business management. So businesses, Always been something that I've been very passionate about, very interested in. Um, but ironically I studied business management for three years in university, but didn't know how to actually set up a business when I graduated, which is something that I'm actually really passionate about because, um, there was no support that came after uni to like help. Me get into business myself, which is why I do what I do today. But that was way back, um, in 2011. Um, and it wasn't until, um, I had one of those moments when I was still working in my bank job that I just felt like there, there was more to life. And I know like a lot of people have those kinds of like light bulb moments. Um, and it was when I went for a promotion at my job and it was one of those jobs and promotions that I just. Like, I thought it was mine. Everyone thought it was gonna be mine. And I was like the top three in the whole of the country in what I did and like the sales and everything. Um, and it was kind of like a no-brainer that I would get the job because it just, yeah, it, that was just the case, but I didn't get the job. Um, and it was at that point that I thought that, Um, I, like I was allowing somebody else to dictate to me how much I was worth with giving me a pay rise and whatever. So, um, It was at that point that I stopped performing in my job. I just thought, right, that's it. I'm gonna just do just enough to get paid and then like, I need to get out of here because I felt so, I dunno, devalued and just like frustrated. Um, but it was around that time that I also started this side business, which was a network marketing business at the time, um, which created a bit of success quite quickly. So I was making something like, I dunno, five a month, um, from that business. Um, but I could see. The potential of what I could in, in business like, you know, it was uncapped. There was no limits to what I could do. So once I knew that I couldn't unknow it and I just, I couldn't focus on my job. I had to just get out and I could see that as like my ticket out of the bank. Um, but then it wasn't until, so that was at the end of 2014, um, and it was, um, another moment where, um, which was what actually made me decide. To go all in as an entrepreneur. Um, and that was when, um, I went for a meal with two of my sisters and I said to them, um, like, I wanna just completely change my life. I wanna get rid of my car, wanna quit my job, I wanna move and I just wanna start over. Um, and about 20 minutes after me saying that on the way home from the meal, I crashed my car completely wrote it off. Um, which is why I always say, you have to be so careful, like, Yeah, it isn't what you wish for. And I, like, sometimes I just like literally don't speak because I know it'll just come true on like bad stuff because, um, yeah, I got rid of my car and I thought, right, okay, I'm gonna take this as a sign because, um, you know, I just said that and it just happened. So, what else did I say? I also said that I wanna quit my job and move, so, um, a month to the date of me saying that I. Handed my notice into my bank job, then I was there for eight and a half years. So that was like a really hard decision. Huge. Is it? And yeah, exactly. And then, um, two months to the date of that crash, I moved to London. So I was living in Cardiff at the time, moved to London and that's where I started building up my network, um, organizing and hosting personal development events around London. Um, and just started just like. Being an entrepreneur, which was so scary because I left my job before I was financially ready. But, um, I took away all of the luxuries and that were like, you know, I, I'd stopped going out and stopped spending money on certain things and I worked out, I had enough money to last me for three months, so I thought, right, I've got three months to just like, make this happen. Otherwise, like, what's the worst that's gonna happen? I just have to get another job. You know, I'll just have to do that. But thankfully it worked. Um, and yeah, that's that kind of where it started in your. Breaking in there a little bit is, were you, are you the first person to be an entrepreneur? Were you the first person in your family to be an entrepreneur? No, not, not really. Um, so I, my, my peer, my dad is from a farming background, so they had their own farm. My mom was always a self-employed, well, when we were younger, self-employed hairdresser. And now I've got two sisters. Um, and we are all doing our own thing. Yeah. So it's kind of like, yeah, it's, it's, it's embedded in us in certain ways, but not really. Like I wouldn't describe us as an entrepreneurial family more of. Business owners. Yeah. Um, cause I do think there's a difference between a business owner and an entrepreneur. I feel like I'm, I'm definitely an entrepreneur. Um, I would say that my sisters are more business owners and my family are more business owners, if that makes sense. Yeah, it is. It was just interesting when you said that you first started off with network marketing. Mm-hmm. And, um, for me, when I. I was, I was in a job, I was in a career. I was really happy with that. And then I started to trade re-tread as a coach and go through that certification. And it was like my first. Like entry into the entrepreneurial world. Mm-hmm. And I met all these people and I was like, are you mapped? You're all like, you know, but then it was really inspiring and my family, you know, very much kind of worked for somebody else. Well they did do, and they're not similar to you. My siblings have all gone and started their own businesses. Yeah. But um, you know, really that first peak into the entrepreneurial world, I was like, Wow. There's like a different way of being. And it was from that, I was like, oh, I, and especially cause I had a child at that point, I was like, I want that freedom, I want that flexibility. And it was, you know, massive driving force to actually lead the security of a, of a job. Yeah. It's a big deal. Um, and you know, like doing it on your own, it's all on you. But then when I weigh it up, like. You know, as an entrepreneur, it, the risks outweigh, like the, the benefits outweigh the risks. Yeah. But you really do believe that you can make it happen and you go all in. Um, but yeah, it's a rollercoaster. Um, and I think that's what to expect when you are just building your own business and, you know, trying to make it happen. And I think that is a real reality, isn't it? Because I think there's so many people out there telling you that you can have this and you can have that, and you it, and it's really easy. And you can do it with this one thing. Yeah. And it's like, actually, until you put certain things in place, you are gonna experience a rollercoaster ride. Yeah. Um, especially in the early days, but that's when you're, you are learning and a imagine that you learn so much in the, that first 12 months. Mm-hmm. Yeah. So, um, so the. In 2016 was when no, 2015 was when I went all in, um, as an entrepreneur with the other business. During that time, um, I was pregnant, so Noah was born in 2016, and it wasn't until the beginning of 2017 that I stepped into the role of what I do now as a business coach mentor in this business. Um, and that, I think that's where I really kind of pinpoint as like the. Like I learned a lot before then, but that's where I really took it seriously. Um, and that's because I invested in myself. So that's the first time I hired, um, a mentor. So I invested, uh,$10,000 at the time in, um, a mentor to show me how to grow my business. Um, and uh, like that's when I truly feel like I just, I did actually go all in because before that I was like practicing, figuring stuff out. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. Dip my feet in, even though I was. Making my own money. Um, I, yeah, I was learning a lot at that time. So, um, so yeah, in that first year, doing what I do now, um, my goal was to make six figures, which, um, was a huge goal for me because up, up until that point, like I, I was struggling to make money, you know, I was just like figuring it all out. Um, but because I had my mentor to show me the exact same. Steps to take. That's how I made it happen. And a year to the date of hiring here as a mentor, I hit my six figure mark. So it just goes through when you've got a goal and when you have a plan, that's when you can actually make the dream come become a reality. Yeah. And, and to do all of that whilst you were pregnant. Mm-hmm. As well. It, you know, it's huge, isn't it? It's like there's a lot It, did it feel as if there was a lot of pressure on you? Oh yeah, definitely. So, being pregnant, but also when he was born as well. You know, I think, you know, as a parent, you always feel that pressure anyway because it's not just about you, it's about. Them as well. Well, yeah. Yeah. And, and you know, they're watching you and you wanna provide an amazing future. You wanna be available for them and present and Yeah. It's a lot when kids are also involved. Yeah, definitely. And so let's just take you back to those 12 months, I mean, to, to scale your business to 12 months, uh, in 12 months. Two, six figures is a tremendous. It is great. It's a tremendous achievement. So what were the kind of pivotal points in that year that really led you to achieving those goals? Yeah, one of them obviously was, uh, employing your, and investing in yourself at that starting point. What were the others? So I think the, the key thing and the main thing for me was that I had my plan and I stuck to it. There were so many times when I wanted to waiver off the plan or do something else, but I, I would always bring myself back. But also, I dunno if the words obsessed. Uh, maybe I was obsessed with achieving the goal. But I was always like that, like I was very invested in actually achieving what I wanted to achieve as well, which meant that I was always looking at like, okay, where am I at? What do I need to do to make it happen? Um, and I started off with one-to-one clients. Um, and I knew what I needed to do to reach. Full capacity with them. Once I hit full capacity with my one-to-one clients, that's when I launched my first group program. Um, and I had a couple of group programs that year. Um, then I, um, I think I launched a course and then I remember it was like, I think it was like August of that year, and I had, I was, I had 60,000 or 70,000 left before hitting my six figure mark. And then January was the, the. Year, the one year. Um, and I thought, right, okay, if I continue doing what I'm doing, I'm not gonna reach my goals. So what do I actually need to do now to make it happen? And then that's when I created, um, a program that allowed me to make the. The rest of the money to get to my six figure goal. Yeah. Um, and if it wasn't for me stopping looking at where I was at, like, you know, it was about eight months in, then I probably wouldn't have hit it. So I think the lesson in that is to just make sure that you know your numbers, you know where you're at, you know, you know what you need to do then to actually make the goal happen and stay in solution focused as well. Yeah, yeah, definitely. And it's kind of. Having that review, isn't it? And I think for lots of my audience, it's like that perhaps don't have a plan, they don't have a strategy. It's kind of like they're trying a bit of everything at the moment. Some stuff's working, some stuff's not working. But just having that kind of strategy in place and knowing that actually if you carried on this path and you do all those things, you're gonna achieve. Your ultimate goal. Yeah. Which you did do, which is amazing. What one of the things that I talk about a lot on the podcast is mindset and obviously that kind of reprogramming so that you can really believe that what you want to achieve is possible. Mm-hmm. So for you in that kind of 12 month period, what was it that you had to kind of overcome in your own mindset that helped you to achieve that six figure? Mm-hmm. Um, So for me, like I, I always say to myself like, what is the alternative? And I connected with. The alternative being something that I really didn't want. Yeah. And I think that some people are motivated towards something and some people are motivated away from something. And I'm very much a person that's motivate, motivated away from something. So, um, I figured out what I didn't want and that would be what would happen if I. Didn't do what I needed to do. And then, um, that really, really supported me, especially during that first year as well. I also became a single mother, so I think that also helped me in a way because, um, it, like, it was all on me and I couldn't, like my, my back was up against the wall, so I had to make it happen. And I think that was a big driving force for me as well. So, um, That, that was my experience. But I think that, you know, anyone who is looking to achieve a goal and maybe does have those like gremlins in their mind, that like is, you know, saying to them like, you're not good enough. Like you're not gonna do it. It's not possible. Surround yourself with people who. Get it and who are on the same mission and are positive solution focused, entrepreneurial, because they will inspire you. They'll encourage you and they'll motivate you just to keep going. Um, and I think that was probably something that really helped me as well, because I was in a mastermind at the time and that really did help me. So, so yeah, being around people I think is just the, the key thing. Yeah. Because as I said, when I first had that kind of, Insight into an entrepreneurial world. I was like, people are mad, but you need other mad people who get what it takes to actually grow a profitable business who are gonna cheer you on, who have either experienced what you've experienced. Or are currently experiencing that. So they have deep understanding of what you're going through. Yeah, exactly. And, and it makes such a difference because you know, you can go to them with a win and they'll celebrate you, not like, you know, your family and friends might not even get that, but then you can also go to them with a problem and they'll also be able to support you as well. So there's so much in it. Yeah, definitely. So if you were looking back now on those, uh, first 12 months, is there one thing that you would do differently now if you were to restart the business? Um, not in that first year. I'd say that, um, reflecting on the years, cuz that was back in 2017, so it's been about six years since then. If I was to give myself advice during the last six years, it is to, um, Stick at the thing and it long enough to make so you can see that it will work because, um, Like I created that success in that first year, and then it continued into the second year. And then I think the third year is when I started thinking maybe I should do this, or maybe I should do that when I should have just like, and this is what my business is all about, keeping it simple. I should have just kept it simple and just continued on what I was doing. Because what I'm finding now is, um, there are certain things that I'm rebuilding and I'm redoing that I stopped doing in like that middle period. Yeah. So once you've got your vision, just stick to it. And continue along because the more you do it, the closer you're gonna get to that end goal. Yeah. Yeah. And I think that is a key, that's something I experienced like shiny object syndrome or fancy doing a bit of all of this. And um, and you, you go off and you do it and then you realize that you're off track. So it's one of my key messages to my audiences, you know, just have that clarity. Keep going, review it, make those tweaks, but keep going because like your audience needs to understand who you are, what you do, and, and what. You could help them with. Yeah. And every time you go off track, that's just confusing them. Exactly. Yeah. And a confused mind never buys confusing. So I, I don't regret it. I don't regret many things. Um, because I probably would've always have had that, what if for? I probably would've wanted to do it anyway. But now I'm glad that I'm back on track. Um, and the vision is just clearer than ever. So, so yeah, there's, there's lots of learning when it comes to entrepreneurship anyway. And I think that's where the self-awareness piece comes in. We, as long as we are just self-aware, we're constantly checking in and we, you know, we know what it is that we want and we need to do, then that's the key thing. Yeah. And I think just hearing that conversation will reassure lots of people that what they're experiencing, what they've done is completely normal. Yes. I love this chat and um, For my audience, those people who would like to keep in touch with you, what is the best way that people can follow you, find out more about what you do? So I hang out mostly on Instagram. That's where like I like to be. That's where I wanna grow. So they can find me, um, at I am Jojo Graham. Really, really simple. Um, and I'm always talking about the current things that I'm like working on the things that they can download. The most recent thing is my free guide to revenue stacking to six figures. Um, which has been very pivotal to my success over the years. So they can download that. Um, but yeah, that's where they can find me and they can reach out. Brilliant. Okay. Well thank you so much Jojo, for being here and for being my first guest. It has been amazing to have you. Thanks.