Welcome to the Online Success Collaborative Podcast!
Listen in for the latest tips in building an online presence that allows you to work smarter not harder for your business.
My mission is to help you run a smooth business and have fun along the way
Below is an interview series with professional entrepreneurs who share their journey. Let’s hear from the pro’s
Growing to 500k with Jennifer Ruscin
In just three short years, Jennifer Ruscin has taken her business from zero to half a million dollars. Her portfolio includes multi-million dollar clients earning as much as six figures a month. She helps businesses sell to the largest retailers in the world. AND she’s here to give you tips on how to succeed in online business.
Business Pro, Jennifer Ruscin
Click to listen in: iTunes – Google Play – Spotify
Show Notes:
Breaking into online business for Jennifer Ruscin revealed a growth of 500k income in just three years.
Ruscin lives in Northwest Arkansas in what she affectionately calls “Walmartville,” just 7 minutes away from Walmart corporate headquarters.
In fact she worked for Walmart for 7 years before she developed her own business as a broker helping brands get their products in Walmart stories, on Walmart.com, and on Amazon.
In 2017, she moved her business online. Recognizing the limit to how many one-on-one business relationships she could maintain. Jennifer channelled her expertise into two courses – The “A” Game and The Path to Walmart to walk people through the entire process of getting products in-store and online.
And boom, her empire was born.
“As the CEO of your company you can’t wear all the hats.”
A couple years into your business you can’t be everything to everyone. Jennifer learned to stop trying to write all her copy and create all her posts. When she stepped into faith and made her first hire, everything changed. Jennifer has had a full-time content developer the past year and it has made all the difference.
“Once I dialed in to who I am and who I want to serve, everything changed.”
Jennifer realized a year ago that her logo and website were no good. “I needed to step up my game.” She went through a branding deep-dive with Stephanie Manuel to do a complete overhaul of her brand and target her ideal client.
With strategic copy and branding, your website filters out the people you don’t want to work with and attracts the perfect clients.
Note: Saying no won’t limit your business.
For Ruscin, it led to massive growth.
In 2017, she attracted 500k in sales, over 500k in 2018 and expects to break 1,000,000 in 2019. Yes, one million in 2019.
What are the hurdles you faced in the beginning of your online business?
“Thinking I could do it all myself.” At first Jennifer was doing her website on her own, then last year she worked with a content developer who was very code and WordPress focused. Jennifer found that her website was too techy for her to make edits. Today her website is on WordPress and was created by a developer who made the site user-friendly for Jennifer.
How do you find time to research and grow you online business?
She has account managers who work for her and is looking to hire CEO to oversee all in-store and online clients. Jennifer hopes to focus on growing her courses and managing her online community.
Jennifer still feels like she is the subject matter expert on many aspects of selling through Walmart and Amazon, so she tries to train her staff and get on calls to answer questions.
Why do businesses fail?
Because they haven’t created a course or product for their ideal client and they are speaking to the wrong people.
Also pricing could be off if people aren’t willing to spend what you are asking for.
Jennifer also recommends looking at how you are marketing your product.
“If you aren’t telling anyone about it how do you expect to sell it.”
Pro Tip: Be consistent with marketing and do regular plugs for your courses on social media.
Strategy:
Give examples from your work without using specific client names or trade secrets. How can you talk about something very masterfully? Point to an increase in sales for a client or a big win from your week.
Pro tip: Show up as a subject matter expert.
“I want my listeners to feel like I am human and the struggles they are dealing with are exactly the same as me and everyone else around them.”
What is the best way to move your business forward?
“Spend more to bring more in.” Hiring a team made Jennifer go from 50k a year to 500k. Her financial equation was to hire a new person for every ten new clients. Jennifer continued to build her team until she had 10 people. However, now she only has 3 employees and a couple contractors. She realized that although she was growing she wasn’t profitable. When she added the online education component of her business, she did it in a way that didn’t require a big team to be profitable.
Flash Round:
Favorite Online Management Tool: Evernote and Canva
Planner: iCalendar
#1 Inspiration in Online Business: Amy Porterfield
Book: She Means Business by Carrie Green
Drink of Choice: sparkling water
Hello, I’m Lander Sulser. Tucked away in Eastern Montana, I’m a copywriter, podcaster, and educator with a mission to help you grow your online business. Pastry in hand and coffee brewing, you’ll find me adventuring, writing, and trying–but never succeeding– to tire my Australian Shepherd.