Meet Deb Schell

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Deb Schell. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Deb, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?

Resilience comes in the form of experiencing failure. You can’t get up if you haven’t fallen. For me, failure is something I’ve often faced in my work.
As an online community strategist, I have helped many creators with an online membership or course launch. What holds them back is what held me back from launching my consulting business – asking for money. I found it easy to answer questions – but later realized I was giving all my expertise away for free! I was failing at my business and giving away too much. This is a common challenge for many entrepreneurs who need help with balancing providing free content on social media between charging for it in an online course, program, or membership.

What helped me start charging and raising my rates was thinking about the value of what I could do for a client. It took many failed attempts – working for free or low cost or doing too much and not charging enough for the work. However, as I worked with one client, then another, and another, it became easier to design a structure for my business based on my needs, the value of the services or products, and the benefits to the client. Instead of giving up and returning to a corporate job, I learned how to pivot my life’s work, experience, expertise, and knowledge into blog posts and actionable workbooks, and I published my first book! The game-changer was knowing how much I wanted to keep working in my business and not want to return to a corporate job. I knew at all costs I was going to make this business work. And today, I still face failure daily. The difference now is that I tap into past experiences and see how I navigated them. If I can do that, I can do anything.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

As an online business consultant, I work with business owners to create a strategy for building, launching, and growing their online businesses. With experience in business development, I take my clients through a framework to help them create this plan. From knowing your audience to understanding current market needs, I discuss with clients how to find their ideal customers or clients based on where they spend their time online. 

My business, Find Calm Here LLC, helps leaders find calm in building their businesses. I walk side-by-side with each client to ensure they have what they need. My best experiences have come when my clients have found what works best for them and their businesses. I believe that building an online business shouldn’t be done alone. So, I encourage everyone to find a community of peers to lean on for guidance and support. 

Online Communities can be a hub for finding clients, customers, and members for your next program. These communities aren’t always on social media; sometimes, you’ll find these communities in online forums. The crucial point is to find the right community, as finding your ideal client is critical to the success of your business.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

The most impactful skill I’ve developed is alignment with my company’s purpose, mission, and goals. If I don’t know why I’m doing something, neither do other people. Having a purpose for my work helped me understand how it impacts the world around me.

Secondly, adaptability is an essential skill in my back pocket because being open to change gives me the mental capacity to see other positions, angles, or perspectives. There is not one single answer or one single way of doing things. Life and business are constantly changing. Be flexible and let go of outcomes.

Thirdly, Resilience is being brave enough to try new things. When I put myself out there, I’m able to overcome my failures by continuing to try again. It takes courage, but courage will make you stronger and more determined.

Be bold and be yourself. No one else will have the talent, skills, and knowledge you have – that’s powerful. Keep yourself in the driver’s seat of your life. Being a unicorn is hard, but it’s worth the effort. The most significant aspect of my business I’ve worked on is mindset. Asking for money isn’t hard when you realize you are providing a much-needed service or product to the customers or clients who need it right now.

Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?

Over the last few years, I have leaned on many online communities to help me navigate the challenges of starting an online business. There isn’t one person or organization that has helped me overcome challenges or build essential skills, but a combination of my personal and professional skills, which I’ve developed throughout my career. The teachers and leaders most inspired me to offer a space to be seen, heard, and valued. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://findcalmhere.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deb_schell/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FindCalmHere
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debschell/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@FindCalmHere

Image Credits

Heike Martin Photography