Authenticity and Strategy, Keys to Business Success with Dianne Shelton

Val:

Alright, everyone. Thanks for coming to Vowel, full volume. And our first video, we're putting this out as video today. So I've got a little bit of the the butterflies because just because we're doing something new. You guys, I do videos all of the time, but today is just this new feeling. And no matter how long you've been doing this business crap, it bubbles up when you do something now. It's new. No.

Val:

No. It's really not. So today, I am blessed to have Diane Shelton here with me, and I'm so glad you're here with me to have this conversation. And then so it's gonna be natural, and all the butterflies are already gone. We're already doing it. We're in. We're committed. But thanks for being here and being on video with me today.

Dianne Shelton:

Yeah. For sure. And, also, like, butterflies can hang out, but we're just still gonna, like, do what we need to. And I brought sparkles in my hair for the first time for Val, like, introducing things because I get, like, random thoughts in my head. So I'm just like, that's perfect. I'm just

Val:

like was so perfect. When you when you hit me up on Voxer and you said that, I mean, you you, of course, know. I immediately hit her up. I'm like, oh my god. That was meant to be. You've gotta have the sparkles in your hair because this is the first one we're recording. I'm like, that's so perfect. Now I need sparkles as well.

Val:

Diane, would you tell everyone, about yourself?

Dianne Shelton:

Yes. Thank you for asking. Thank you for having me here. My name is Diane Shelton. I am a systems and offer strategist, and I help, mostly women right now in terms of, like, their business, digital coaches, and service providers in online space who want to launch and scale their business. So with the help of, I guess, systems and also, like, having to make sure they have offer strategy because sometimes people throw spaghetti on the wall and expect the butterflies to still be there, but then they disappear and they move on to the next day. But we wanted to be strategic about it.

Val:

Yes. Because it's such a waste of effort when we do this when I've done the spaghetti at the wall. I will just yeah. We can we can pick me apart from years past of the nonstrategic, and, it was pretty amazing. I know I definitely wanna talk about funnels with you because that is all about strategy. But it was hilarious for me on a past website that I had when I finally sat down and listed all of my workshops that I had created as I was throwing spaghetti at the wall and went, holy crap. Okay. This goes to this.

Val:

This goes to that.

Dianne Shelton:

It's good that you did that, though. It's it's good to put it all and kinda, like, herd the cats. Yeah.

Val:

Yeah. It was so funny. I'm like, cause that was the first time I understood funnel. It really was. Before that, funnel was just like this word that I just, like, hated and made me cringe, and I'm just like, I don't know what you are. So what what to you is a funnel?

Dianne Shelton:

So when people come to me and they're just like, oh, I think I need a funnel. Oh, I heard this thing called funnel. I do ask that question to them. It's just like, what do you think a funnel is? Because a lot of times people think it's just the tools. It's just the tech. It's just like, okay. Like, I just turned this on, and it's just magically gonna work for me. Right? Yeah.

Dianne Shelton:

No. That's just part of it. The tools and the people and the process, that becomes then the the ecosystem, the sales systems that you put together. So for me, the funnel is, like, more of the marketing. Right? The sometimes it's called marketing funnel because it really is, like, how you bring how you bring traffic in, and then how you convert, and then how you nurture, and then how you retain once they're in your world. So there's different pieces and pieces parts, and people need to know the whole holistic thing. That's why strategy is important.

Val:

Yeah. And I think I like the word strategy much more than funnel, and that's only because even still now, because I didn't know what funnel was. Funnel to me was like, oh my god. We create this brand new thing, kinda like a signature system, and we have to create, and it's gonna take us months. And, you know, that was what was in my brain. And I was like, no. No. No.

Val:

But when we talk strategy, then my brain just goes, oh, oh, we could do this.

Dianne Shelton:

Yeah. I you know, the other part of that too, though, is that there might be people listening or tuning in that's just like, ew, strategy. And they're allergic to that word. Please. So I just hope I wanna address that because strategy is, like, really, at the end of the day, making sure you have a plan because plans change. Right? Like, you make sense with your friends, somebody's sick, and then you end up staying home. Or it's a road map where you go on a trip, and then there's construction, and then you end up somewhere else that's more magical. I never liked the blueprint.

Dianne Shelton:

Right? Like Mhmm. Sure that you can you can have a blueprint, but at the end of the day, you can add your bells and whistles. You can put sparkles where you want it to. Mhmm. But the foundation needs to be strong.

Val:

Mhmm.

Dianne Shelton:

That's the the core piece in terms of what we're talking about here for strategy is that, are you clear on why are you even doing this?

Val:

Yes.

Dianne Shelton:

And just ask why a gazillion times, and then and then you can move forward with that.

Val:

Yes. Yes. Why are you doing this, and why do they care? That's been one that I really I I always have to remember. I I should probably, like, put something on my wall. It's like, why do they care? It's like, it has to be all about why do they care about this.

Dianne Shelton:

Right. Yeah. And and it's also, like, is it really something you are enjoying doing? Because sometimes people get caught up with, oh, this person, a or expert guru, whatever, just like threw this at me, and it now I'm distracted. Yeah. And if it's working for them, it has to work for me too.

Val:

Right.

Dianne Shelton:

So it's just a matter of, like, is it first, before you ask the question or of, like, about your customer, you have to take a step back in terms of just, like, you. Because that's what makes all of us unique. And if you're having fun in your business, if you're doing all that stuff, I think that then you can resonate with your audience a little bit more.

Val:

Yes. Which is a huge part of my messaging from the last couple of years is uncoaching. Learning that my gut instinct for my business is the right way. Take in the advice. Sure. But when I know it's it's not for me, then, you know, go away from it. You know, I wonder, as as you're talking about funnels and strategy and people being allergic to words, I like to change words constantly. Because, like, when you tell me I have to meditate, my brain goes, shut up.

Val:

But if I tell my

Dianne Shelton:

take a nap?

Val:

Right? Or if I tell myself that, you know what, I have to just let my mind be quiet, I'm like, okay. You know? It's like, okay. For strategy, like you said, we'll I will have those words that just make us clench up. So change the word. No problem. But I wonder if funnel made me feel like it was rigid and not changeable like you just were saying that we can change as we're going through with our plan. And not just we can change, we have to. Right? Mhmm.

Dianne Shelton:

It needs to evolve. It's it's the growth process. And you learn more about yourself. You discover, oh, I didn't really like that offer, or I didn't really like having those people in my world. So I'm just gonna, like, have an email sent to those people, you know, those kinds of stuff. Yes. It it's super important to have those moments where you're taking a step back and reassessing what's working and what's not.

Val:

Mhmm. And permission to not do it anymore.

Dianne Shelton:

Mhmm.

Val:

I know for me, that was that was a tough one to learn over the years. It's just like, but I put all this work into it, so now I have to do it forever and ever. Amen. It's no. No. No. That's when the problems happen. That's when the burnout happens.

Val:

Right? It's like Yeah. No. Adapt, change, you know, Move with the people that come into your life.

Dianne Shelton:

That's that's the biggest thing that I've had to also unlearn. I you kinda mentioned, like, uncoaching, and I feel like that's also a big part of it because what I've learned, like, back in my like, I I have, like, this whole background of, like, computer science and my MBA days and stuff

Val:

like that. But what I learned in books,

Dianne Shelton:

applying it in real life, it's a whole different game.

Val:

Right. And so I'm like,

Dianne Shelton:

just like, okay. I I need to apply these things in a way that works for me and throw out the rest because we're the CEO of our business, and we get to have fun with that. If it feels rigid, like, again, like, talk to yourself. Like, why is that? Is it just is it just something that's just, like, triggering you, me, particularly? Right. Or is it something that's just, like, not resonating with me? Or is it a not now? And to your point, give yourself permission to, like, throw it out. And if it feels like it's an opportunity cost versus sunk cost. Right? Like, those are the real the urgent terms. And so if the sunk cost feels like, oh, I spent too much time and or money for this, assess that because there's guilt and trauma that comes up there too.

Dianne Shelton:

Right? Like, from that perspective. Mhmm. Just work through that first. Because if you're gonna feel like you're frozen solid because you can't move forward past the sunk cost, You're missing out on the opportunity cost over here.

Val:

Mhmm. And especially if you keep working on the sunk cost, which I have, everyone. I have done that plenty of times. It's like now I just keep putting that energy into something I know is sunk.

Dianne Shelton:

It's like the captain of a sinking ship. Yeah. It's okay. You don't have to stay. Thanks, man. And give yourself also to be a not now moment, to put it aside for now. Because sometimes it's hard to let go completely, like, forever. Like, I just put my time and savings and stuff like that.

Val:

Uh-huh.

Dianne Shelton:

What if you just put it in the back burner and then focus on something else that will make it feel like it's a breath of fresh air and will give you fresh ideas. Maybe you can come back and maybe you can even connect the 2 things. Yeah. But for now, put it aside. Right. See what else comes up.

Val:

Right. Because it might just be there's something missing, and we don't know what that is right now. Right. Because we don't know what we don't know. So go like you said, go work on something else, and you can always come back to it with fresh fresh view, fresh ideas, growth since I mean, how much do we learn in a year as entrepreneurs? Oh my gosh.

Dianne Shelton:

And don't do it alone. Like, as entrepreneurs, we especially as, like, high like, impact driven, like, people that are I'm I'm a first born Filipina. So it's just like, I've been raised to be, like, never ask anyone for advice and just, like, you gotta be strong and I gotta Yes. Yeah. But it's more fun to be in a group of people. Right? Like, I know Val has her membership that you guys can plug into. Yeah. So it's just being surrounded by like minded people that are collaborative, and that will help cheer you on, hold you accountable to what you say you're gonna do, and kinda be like, I'm not sure.

Dianne Shelton:

Is that really what you want? Yeah.

Val:

Because they can

Dianne Shelton:

only do. And you know they that they have your best intent because they're doing something similar to you.

Val:

Yep. It it is very true because, yeah, it's you know, as I come from the Native American side, all of our women have been super strong. We take care of our families. We get shit done. You know, we don't ask for help because nobody's out there to help kinda thing. And I've really worked on breaking that, totally breaking that. And it's it's been hard because I'm also a firefighter wife, which means he hasn't been home. So it's like, oh, well, you just everything breaks on shift day.

Val:

So you just get stuff done. You don't ask for help because nobody's there. It's like, guess what? There's a lot of people out there, everyone don't be a solopreneur. Don't. It sucks being a solopreneur.

Dianne Shelton:

Yeah. But make sure you're asking the right question to the right people.

Val:

Yeah.

Dianne Shelton:

As your, like, great great grandma may not know

Val:

at the time.

Dianne Shelton:

But they'll they'll love and support you forever.

Val:

Yes. When you talk talk to them and the glazed look goes on, it's like, yeah. Not the the one to bounce ideas off of. Yeah. You need to find your business community, and and be open to moving from that business community if it's not the right one for you.

Dianne Shelton:

Because Oh my gosh. That again, that's another, like, breath of fresh air because I've been in those so many times. And I learn every time, and I grow every time. But, again, it was a trauma that it's just, like, you wanna be included. You don't wanna be All these things that we've dealt with as, you know, as kids growing up in playgrounds, being excluded, family get togethers, and being in the kid table, and you just wanna be in the adult table. Yeah. And then now it's just like, I finally got on the adult table. Now I need to stay here and make a piece everybody and just do my best behavior.

Dianne Shelton:

But you don't have to. That's what we're trying to do here. Put the sparkles in and just be yourself.

Val:

Yeah.

Dianne Shelton:

Because you need what I personally have learned is that I've had coaches that made me feel less than what I am. Mhmm. Made me feel like I'm I need to just play small, stay here. Again, just be happy of the little things that is being thrown my way. And then pretty soon, it's not my business anymore. It's not my vision anymore. It's someone else's. I might as well go back to my 9 to 9 to 5 gym.

Dianne Shelton:

Right.

Val:

Yeah. Yeah. Because you're just as miserable. Right? Yeah. But you don't have

Dianne Shelton:

the guaranteed check. Right. I don't even really know if it feels miserable because there's that part of your brain that's just, like, get triggered to be like, oh, I, quote, unquote, fit in somewhere. Mhmm. But then you're not really being yourself because you can't put sparkles in your hair because that's not what a 7 figure business owner is supposed to be. Right. And so it's just like, no. You should do what you feel like.

Dianne Shelton:

Join groups that will allow you to do that and challenge you to push you outside of that in your own lane.

Val:

Yeah. Yeah. Oh, I love that. I love how this conversation is gone because, you know

Dianne Shelton:

what yourself now?

Val:

I know. Yeah. It's like, we're fired up now.

Dianne Shelton:

It's it's

Val:

when you find the right group of people that will allow you allow you is not the right word that you feel comfortable being yourself with, your business will grow, like, crazy grow.

Dianne Shelton:

You know, it will grow, and you will like it.

Val:

Yes.

Dianne Shelton:

I know people where their business grew, and they hate it.

Val:

Yeah.

Dianne Shelton:

That's different.

Val:

Yes. Yeah. Totally different. But because you're you and you're bringing yourself into your business Yeah. You connect better with everybody. I mean, you connect better with your clients, with, you know, the people that are in that group, you know, your business, you start resonating your business. I mean, I'm going through a rebranding right now, and that's that's exactly how I feel. It's like, this is how it's supposed to be.

Val:

Like I was talking with you, you your your website, you go with a untraditional orange on your website, And I love that. I love that. That's not usually a business website color, and you totally are pulling it off. And it makes you memorable.

Dianne Shelton:

Yeah. Thank you. And that's why my orange is on my wall. It's actually something that I'm just like, you know what? It's some people might think it's childish, but it's it's just something I want. Yep. And it's just like people will resonate with that. We're gonna walk out the door and Yeah. Being cool with that.

Dianne Shelton:

It might change in the future, but right now, that's what resonates with me.

Val:

Right. You know, and I think that that's part of us, bouncing away from the whole Instagram culture where everything had to be perfect. You know, I think I think a lot of us entrepreneurs are kind of like, I mean, honestly, I cleaned up part of my desk. I'm looking in the background going holy crap. There's stuff everywhere, but you know what? That's life. I'm not living in an Instagram VR verbo. You know? I'm living in my craft room office that I'm blessed to have and be able to work from, and there's stuff.

Dianne Shelton:

That's what I have too. I have a closet of crafts that I haven't touched in forever. I didn't need to do that. Yeah. That's my office space.

Val:

Yep. That's the door that's behind the doors that are behind me. It's full of crap stuff. But I I did. I have to still work through this whole oh, but you have to look professional. What the hell does that mean? What does looking professional mean? Oh, you know? So I'm I'm

Dianne Shelton:

going through that transition in a slightly different way in terms of I'm doing more in person networking. And I'm I'm an introvert, so I've not I've enjoyed the last few years where everyone went online. And now it's also opening back up. It's just like, oh, crap. Like, I guess I should get out there. I have no excuse. Winter's behind us here in Minnesota, so it's just like it's spring. I need to get out.

Val:

And you have to hurry before it comes back.

Dianne Shelton:

u give if you give, like, the: 1000

Val:

Mhmm. Mhmm. See, I don't believe that anymore.

Dianne Shelton:

Okay. Let's talk about that.

Val:

That's yeah. That's okay. Right? Just because I, I went through so many years. Okay. And I'd have filters. And so then so then exactly what you're talking about. I'm thinking more, like, even outside my life. It'd be like, okay.

Val:

I can I can act like this with these people, and I count with these people? And I know that this is something that comes with age, for sure. I'm definitely I'm in the fifties now. I'm a who cares? Who cares?

Dianne Shelton:

I'm here. My my partner is older than me, so I also resonate more on that. Yeah. I don't do games.

Val:

Yeah. So so so for me, the that only I know it's it's a trigger is what what I what I'm hearing. I'm hearing the trigger. It's the trigger of of you need to be this way with certain people and this way without. And I know I battled with that with the being professional. It's like, oh, well, I should show. And then all of a sudden, I'd be like, oh, but now I can't swear because they don't think I swear. You know? So that's that's my difference and my my difference opinion with that.

Val:

Like I said, we we all have our opinions and what works for all of us. But

Dianne Shelton:

Yeah. Yeah. And thank you for sharing because that I resonate with that too. So Mhmm. What happened was and and I I completely agree with that. Mine I think my definition is slightly different now that I feel more confident to your point. Like, you have to you have to mature into that. Right? Like, it's not something you turn on.

Dianne Shelton:

It's just like all of a sudden you don't give a crap about those people.

Val:

Right.

Dianne Shelton:

Because what had happened to me is that I was in IT management for a while. And in, I guess, like, in the Midwest, there's a lot of, like, white middle aged guys that's

Val:

Oh, yeah. That's a male dominated for sure. Absolutely.

Dianne Shelton:

So I was I was traumatized in a sense again, this is my issue. I'm not saying, like, the injury or anything like that. But for me, what had happened was that I felt like I needed to conform to that industry to be, like, white button up shirts

Val:

Yeah.

Dianne Shelton:

Being really stiff and all that stuff. I could you know, like, if I wanted to go rise above the glass ceiling, the bamboo ceiling, I can't put sparkles in my hair. They're gonna look down on me.

Val:

Yep.

Dianne Shelton:

So I I totally agree that if that was your world and you were, like, toning down and vanillifying yourself and building down your superpower. We don't want that. Yeah. You need to step into your full version.

Val:

Yep.

Dianne Shelton:

And what I guess where I was going is that I I'm not showing up in these conversations with, like, oh, like, how are you doing? Here's all of the amazingness about myself.

Val:

Right. Oh, yeah. Yeah. I see I

Dianne Shelton:

see people that do that, and it it kinda leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Val:

Oh, yeah.

Dianne Shelton:

oh my gosh. Like, you have a: 100000

Val:

But be comfy. Right. I I get it. And I I I feel like part of what it was was, well, yeah, definitely. We all bring our experiences in there. And 100%, you were coming from that male dominated where you you had to act a certain way, or you would just be that silly little girl that was, you know, why aren't you just gonna go be a receptionist? You know? What are you doing here kind of thing? So I can understand where that's gonna take a while. Probably for you for you to totally uncoach that out of your own brain. It's just like, that doesn't matter anymore, and you're doing it because you got sparkles in your hair today.

Val:

Right? You're showing them as you.

Dianne Shelton:

Yeah. And talking about more, like, the expertise. I think it's more, like, again, like, stepping into your CEO role and stepping into your expertise and showing up as that. Mhmm. When I do that in terms of just, like, again, like, the professionalism and kinda getting to know your audience, and listening in, it's more about, like, the kinda like even in this online space, it's like it's not it's never about us. It's about the other person. How can we help them? How can we serve them? If we don't know them yet, like, coming in super hot is gonna turn people off.

Val:

Yeah. And that's why we get triggered by those people. I mean, for 1, I've learned that they're really uncomfortable with themselves. Right? So they just have to, like, blah, and and talk about themselves the whole time in their business. And I've learned that the, and I've been that way. I know I've been that way, because I've been uncomfortable. So I've just been over dominant with, you know, my personality. And now I've learned how much more I learned when I shut my mouth.

Dianne Shelton:

Inappropriate time.

Val:

Yes. Appropriate times when when you have an actual conversation versus, like, you were talking about, you show up and it's just this networking spew of vomit marketing out of their mouth, and you're like, out.

Dianne Shelton:

Out. It's like the cold pitches in the end.

Val:

Yeah. It's like I already tuned you out. You You could have already told me your business, and it was probably the thing I needed. But I already I already said no because I I Yeah.

Dianne Shelton:

It's just it's not it's gonna pull people in, but they're not my people. It might be their people, but that's not how I wanna operate my business. So I'm not their person.

Val:

Yeah.

Dianne Shelton:

And they're not, you you know, like, they're not gonna hire me because it's I'm not resonating with them. It's the energy thing, and you just have to to your point, Val, it's just like you have to kinda get to know you and then bring you there instead of just, like, this pretend you that was formed based on all of the little things that had happened previously. Un undo that first. Once you undo that, it's a continual process. You keep evolving and then pause, learn what can you take away, and then keep taking with you.

Val:

Yeah. It is so fun because as you start processing that, you'll start bringing different people in. They'll track different people, and all of a sudden, you're just like, oh, I really wanna work with these people over here. You know? It's like, yeah, forget that. You know? And here here I'm finding my expertise finally. You know? These are my people. This is the way.

Dianne Shelton:

Yeah. This this the other thing is that leaning in on that in terms of just, like, if your people are telling you that, hey. Like, you're really good at this. I ran away from that for such a long time.

Val:

Oh, no. Are you kidding?

Dianne Shelton:

You're telling me, like, about your experience. And so this is me, like, sharing my experience in terms of just, like, I got burnt out again, like, the trauma in terms of, like, the IT and just like, I don't wanna just be tech support. So for the longest time, I'm just like, okay. Like, I don't wanna help people with their systems and stuff like that. And so just, like, trying to figure out who you wanna be when you grow up, and then also these people are like, you already are doing what you're supposed to do.

Val:

I went through a coaching program, years ago years ago, and part of the requirement was we had to go hit up 5 of our our business friends. And I think it was just business friends. We were hit up 5 of our business friends and ask them what what when they think of coming to us to ask a question, what do they think of? What's their question? What are they coming to ask about? And that was so eye opening. So eye opening versus, well, this is what I assume.

Dianne Shelton:

Or what you want versus what people are coming to you for. It's so much hard to convince people when they're already they already have that filter in their brains.

Val:

Yeah. Yeah. And it becomes so much easier when all of a sudden you're like, oh, I do. I do that all of the time, don't I? It's not just for you. I'm answering that question for so many people. Why am I making life difficult? Let me run away some more. Yeah. Exactly.

Val:

Let me run away from the easy and make life difficult because, yeah, that's the that's the fun way to do it. Oh, awesome. Diane, what would you like to leave our listeners with?

Dianne Shelton:

Well, we never got the sales funnel.

Val:

I know. Now we can we can lead right into that right now because, yeah, we really talked about sales funnel. We just talked about the wording. We some people, it sucks.

Dianne Shelton:

Oh my goodness.

Val:

We're gonna we're gonna change the word if we need to. Right. Did we lead into well, no. You you talked about what a sales funnel is. Mhmm.

Dianne Shelton:

Well, we started there.

Val:

Yeah. We we started there. We started there. So how do you help people with funnels?

Dianne Shelton:

I help people with my evergreen club in terms of, like, I help them with their CEO model, which is, like, get to know your clients first. And then let's talk about the engine to try to figure out how you can evergreen your offer, which is the all part of the CEO model. Mhmm. So there's that piece to do it with me. Otherwise, I just sometimes, I just do let me do it for you. Right? Like, from that perspective and let people focus on their zone of genius. So those are the ways that I work with my clients, and then sometimes I just hop on a quick call with people too, and then let me assess it for you. Like, I do this for complimentary call with people.

Dianne Shelton:

Mhmm.

Val:

So I get

Dianne Shelton:

to know, like, what can I audit so that you can walk away with that with an actionable step? Either your social media might just need a little bit of deep tweaking or your, sales funnel like we were talking about that we need to dive into more. But Right. In that sense that I wanna make sure that people take action with the conversations I have with them. So either, like, the free discovery call done with you in our club or just let me do it so that you can focus on your zone of genius. Mhmm.

Val:

Mhmm. So what you're basically doing usually is taking what they already have and making it flow. Yes. With ease. With ease. Right? So that so we can let go of the word funnel and strategy and unclench. Unclench because she could help you make it a little bit easier and make sense of it. You probably have so much amazing stuff, you guys, that that nobody's even saying nobody's hearing about, and definitely not hearing about in the right order.

Val:

Because I I know I've been there. Done that many times. So how can they connect with you?

Dianne Shelton:

Yes. Thanks for asking. I am at Passion Breakthrough on all the channels. So Instagram, Facebook, or anything like that. Otherwise, go on my website, passion breakthrough.com, and then hit me up on there. Either send me a message, you can find my links on there as well.

Val:

Excellent. Awesome. Thank you so much for being here, Diane. I appreciate you. I love that you've been in events. I love that we've connected. Now we're a Voxer. We're just gonna be connected all over the place.

Val:

So any last words for for the listeners or you're calling?

Dianne Shelton:

You wanna know more about sales funnel? I'm sure Val is also knowledgeable. Check out her club, and then if you have any questions for me, chat with me. Otherwise, just hope this was helpful for people.

Val:

Yeah. At least just to get the mindset of, you know, none of this has to be the words don't have to be scary. You know? They're just they're pieces. They're pieces to our business that we're gonna put together, and and people like Diane will help you put it together smoothly and easily with her expertise so that you don't have to worry about it. Thanks, Diane, for being here. Appreciate you.