Brainz Magazine Exclusive Interview
Leadership and Entrepreneurship run through my veins. I have started and sold many businesses across the globe for over 20+ years now, leading global organizations as a COO, in 26 countries, and on leadership boards of NGOs with a global footprint & impact! Working with thousands of Entrepreneurs, Coaches, and Consultants over the years, across the globe to help them get out of their way and create the business and lives that they crave!
There is, and always has been, a passion that burns deep inside me to be a change agent, a thought leader, and to move the world forward. As a natural leader, I have always seemed to take charge, create an impact and support the growth of those around me. People and possibilities are at my core, the knowing, the creating, and everything in between.
Even though taking control might have come easy to me, I didn’t always have the tools or at least understand and apply them. Rolling up my sleeves, bootstrapping businesses when needed, and making sh*t happen is how I got to where I am. I also understand the world differently, have empathy and an inner drive to create a culture and mindset shift, to get people out of their everyday complacency, or what the “norm” is, and step into a better version of themselves, in their life and business.
You’re an American woman living a dream life in Thailand helping Entrepreneurs, coaches, and consultants navigate entrepreneurship and leadership success. How do you do that?
Business-wise, it was not that much of a shift, my clients were used to having virtual interactions with me, even my Hawaii clients (where I was residing until I took off as a digital nomad). Before I “officially” became a digital nomad, in 2019, I was already traveling 70% of the year, visiting other clients speckled across the globe, speaking at international conferences, hosting live training, going on exciting adventures, and just living a life of purpose. This is one of my main UPS, I AM living the life I created, leading by example, I walk the walk & talk the talk.
When the pandemic hit, I was already out of the country, working in Bali and heading to Thailand to visit some friends and recharge. I knew that if I continued my trip, I would most likely be in Thailand longer than 2 weeks, and sure enough, I got here 3 days before they shut the country down. I took the opportunity to stay, (I am always looking for the opportunities that our lives create for us), dug into the local network, and for now, call Thailand home.
Back to the business side, I am disciplined, creative, efficient, and accountable. Even though I get to live in this amazing place, or even when I was trekking across the globe 4 countries in a 2-week span, I still worked AND made time to play. I live by my calendar, being structured, and always looking for ways that I can improve the flow. Plus I SHOW UP for my clients, keeping them engaged, accountable, and moving forward with what they are working on, as I do for myself.
For all the training, that I would typically do in person, I have now moved to virtual until fluid travel is a thing again.
How did your success journey start and what got you to this point? Has it a lot to do with your intuition and spiritual side?
Absolutely, it has a lot to do with my intuition and spiritual side. I joke about how I have been “that person” that everyone would come to for advice, guidance, inspiration—like really, I can even remember as a young girl (5, 6 years old) adults would come to me and ask me things, and I would just know what to say. I could feel people’s emotions, hear the unsaid, and see opportunities or solutions for others. I am and always have been a manifesto, living by the law of attraction before I even knew what it was. I am a doer, roll up your sleeves, put in the work, and get it done! Coupled with my sheer grit, determination, leadership skills, and inner knowing of my purpose, (yes at that young age), it was my destiny to do the work I do. I knew my life’s purpose at such a young age, I was about 9 years old when I first “heard it” (it was a whole conversation).
" An inner voice told me that I am not my circumstances and that I am here to leave each person, place, and thing better than I found, I am a muse, a change agent to the universe. "
This was huge, as I was actually planning on running away from an abusive household because I knew there was something different, I knew there were others who had it worse than I did, and I knew that I was going to survive the circumstances to fulfill my purpose.
Soon, you will be launching your coaching consult resource membership. Who is this for and why is this a ”go-to” service?
Coaches and Consultants who are newer in the business, that need guidance, tools, and resources to create a business, create structure and have some accountability. Even old school coaches and consultants, who have been in the game a while, who want more inspiration, more community, are tired of being completely alone and want accountability.
This is not a get-rich scheme, not a place where I will tell you how to make $25K a month in clients. Not a course to teach you a specific program or get you ICF certified. The Coaching Consulting Resource Center is a membership-based community. It is filled with training, resources, content, collateral, inspiration, accountability, community, and more. Some of the topics are entrepreneurship, working ON the business, tools to use, TWV (time worth value), SALES, leadership, and networking! Phase one of the membership is all this and more.
Twenty plus years of Entrepreneurship, 10+ years of working with high-caliber coaches and consultants across the globe, all the certifications, training, experiences, and knowledge will be accessible in the resource center. As well as us resourcing the knowledge and resources from those in our community. And just like a fine wine, it will get better, richer, more full-bodied over time.
This is for those that want to build a business and not just have an unpaid or underpaid side hustle, those wanting a community, and ready to roll up their sleeves and put in the right work for the right results. And it is uber affordable as a resource center!
Sales and new trends are popular topics you’ve been working hard with to become successful within. What 3-5 tips can you share about sales and new trends?
I am old-school when it comes to sales, having a long sales career, from telemarketing, to direct sales, MLM dabbling and door-to-door sales, I have seen it all. I am going to keep it to the basics, and not new trends, as I have met very few who even have the basics down.
So hard to choose a couple, but a few of my go-to would be:
Know your process and script (conversation). When I speak to people they often say, “oh I don’t sell, I get all my clients referred”. If you are speaking with them at all you are still having a sales conversation! Or they have no idea what a sales process is. Easy place to start, dissect what you have already done, look at the full prospect journey to you. Write it out in bullet points. Do the same with the “conversations” you are having, write them out. If you have no idea where to start with your script use these bullet points to get you started: Small talk/Check-in, set context of the call, Pain point discussion, What it would feel like to resolve pain point, solution, ask for the sale, and then be quiet!
Use benefits versus features, and get good at this! Speaking in benefits helps your clients see themselves in the picture of your solution. Pictures sell, words tell. If you can get a potential client to visualize them in the story you are painting, with the solution you have, you are more likely to gain that client.
Do the work and know your USPs, this is especially important in today’s climate, where sales cycles have lengthened and there are so many options at one’s fingertips! I will give you a hint, the best USPs are emotionally charged, WHY driven, transparent, and authentic. Get CLEAR on your offer! For example, there are 100’s of thousands of coaches out there (and dramatically increasing by the day), how will you stand out to your potential prospects? Another hint is you are NOT for everyone, know your target market as well! One last hint here, the audience can tend to look like you, or where you have been.
Check your mindset. So many people say they do not like sales, they do not want to be the sleazy person, blah blah… And you won’t be if you choose not to be. Sales is a part of having a business, in some way, somehow. Don’t you want to control the narrative, versus allowing things to happen to you? With mindset, also know that a NO, is not a bad thing, it is a good thing, it helps us refine more, learn more about ourselves and get us to those right yeses!!!
Practice and Calendar in your sales convos, try to do them back to back for minimal 2-hour chunks, this will help you get into the flow, refine and perfect your pitch!
Did I mention ALWAYS ASK FOR THE SALE! And be silent after they ask, let them speak first!
What are the results your clients are getting from working with you?
A business that works for them versus them working for the business, as well as, better profit margins, more efficiency, a known leader in their space, and bigger impact. A mindset shift, where they get out of their own way, what’s holding them back, and move forward with more clarity, connection, and ease. And they create a life they crave, a life they are fulfilled with, a life of purpose, a life on their own terms. All that while building resilience, a more evolved sense of self and purpose, life and business in full color, with an impact that will leave each person, each place, each thing better than they found it. Lastly, I will add accountability, accountability to show up, be who you say you are, and do what you are destined to do!
So, what’s the next big goal or project for Lynn Howard and how can someone get in contact with you?
Living and expanding Legacy. The Coaching Consulting Resource Center and its phases are the next big thing, there are several phases planned out, to get us to a new way of doing business in this world. I am excited about the coming phases, as it is changing the way clients work and have access to coaches and consultants! All while systemizing and duplicating this process for others to create communities across the globe! Oh yeah, and I am currently co-authoring a book, which should be out early next year.
